"You deserve someone better than me," Katniss purred in a small voice that was barely audible, "Someone who will love you, and give you children, and affection. And never hurt you." She continued, her voice dropping even lower, and her heavy eyelids falling, coaxing her back to sleep.
Peeta was caught off guard at hearing these words spill out from someone who seemed so self-composed and determined not to let any inkling of emotion show. But instead of retorting with his usual efforts at consolation, he asked her, "And who do you deserve?" He braced himself for her answer, positive that it would be Gale's name that she would utter.
Katniss was already half asleep by the time she heard Peeta's question, to which she answered "No one," with as much resolve as she could muster in a soft whisper before completely dozing off into a dreamless sleep.
Peeta stared at her in disbelief as his mind went over what she had just said. At least now he knew how she truly felt.