Authors Note: Hello there wonderful people! This is my first fan fic, so i'm really nervous about what people will think about it. It took me forever to figure out how to publish this (i hadn't read the guidelines) but with the help of my faithful dad i figured it all out! Well, i won't keep you any longer with my blabbering, so... Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of the people or places presented in this story.

Learning to Live

Chapter 1: Hot Chocolate

Shh…if you're quiet you can still hear father sing, and the birds stopping to listen.

Shh…if you're quiet you can hear the workers removing all the rubble of what use to be called home.

Shh…if you're quiet you can still hear Prim's laugh, as Lady licked her cheek.

Shh… if you're quiet you can hear Haymitch snoring next door in his drunken stupor.

Shh... if you're quiet you can still hear Rue sing to the workers in the orchard, telling them it's quitting time.

Shh… if you're quiet you can hear the whispering ghosts that roam my home, of all the people I tried to save and failed – Rue, Boggs, Finnick, Madge, and…

I can't even bring myself to say her name. I let a single tear slide down my cheek, I've lost so many already I can't bring myself to lose anymore.

That's what I tell myself I'm doing as I spend day after day curled up in bed, curtain drawn, and in the dark, listening. But, listening for what? I don't even know myself. A sign, message, someone to knock on my door and tell me 'its okay, you can come out now, it's safe'?

Greasy Sae comes each morning, she's stopped trying to tell me that if I would get up it would benefit in more ways then one.

I already know that.

She sets a tray down on my end table. I flinch as the glass plate rattles against the mug next to it. She sets down on the edge of the bed and brushes a strand of hair from my forehead. I haven brushed it since I've come home – let alone braid it. Why bother when you're all alone except for the silent visits from the person I have almost begun to call my mother. She smiles down at me, small wrinkles forming around the edges of her mouth from all her years.

"You should go hunting, I haven't tasted one of your squirrels in a long while. None of the others can get them through the eyes like you could, just get 'em through the belly and wastes the whole darn thing."

I don't answer; she already knows I'm not planning on moving. Why when you have no reason? Sae has more then enough people to get food from, especially now that the Capitol had begun sending in shipment of food for the refugees.

"I made some eggs for you… and there's some hot chocolate in the mug." I think I scare her when I sit up so quickly. Hot chocolate, there's only one person that I would ever be reminded of by the creamy drink.

Peeta.

An entirely new wave of emotion rushes over me as I think of Peeta. Stuck in the capitol – both his prison and hospital. After the war Dr. Aurilius insisted he help Peeta through his recovery with treatments only the Capitol had to offer there. Of course I have only heard this from Haymitch who had decided to stumble over here once, hangover, and asked if I had any liquor.

He wasn't surprised when he saw me in bed, even though it was well past noon. He casually had brought up the subject while he rummaged through the top shelf in my closet where I had hidden some extra bottles in case his supply ran low.

When I hadn't answered one of his questions I wasn't listening to he spun around and looked at me, "This aint what I pictured Mockingjay doing once she came home, I thought she'd be hunt'in or something," he turned back around muttering something about how he'd have thought I would have shot him by now, with my 'fancy bow 'n arrow'

I wonder if Peeta will ever return to 12? He has no family or bakery to come home to, most of his friends died in the bombing, aside from Delly. If he were to come home it would be for one of two reasons – he missed 12 or he missed me. I doubt he will ever come home for the latter.

I lean back against the headboard, as Sae reaches over and lets the tray onto my lap she says goodbye and that she's bringing her grand daughter over later tonight and leaves, shutting the door softly behind her. I look down at my food and sigh.

Eggs, like everyday. I'm just about to set the tray back onto the table when something catches my eye - a letter peeking out from underneath the plate.

I pull it out and almost faint when I see Peeta's careful handwriting.

Authors Note: I hope you liked this... I'm actually quite curious of what is in Peeta's letter myself, to be honest. Maybe another declaration of his love... nah. Or an evil rampage about how she is a mutt... Possibly. Or... i don't know... So many options to choose from! I might consider doing another chapter or two, depends on the feedback i get... If i were to do another chapter I probably wouldn't have time to do it this week, i have to ride my horse a few times before a big show this weekend. SO EXCITED! So far I've been doing pretty good on him.. his name is Ben if you were wondering... Anyways, tell me what you think of this and it sure would boost up that little thing called confidence everyone has. ~~~Ninja-Rider~~~