I'm in the first arena again and I'm being chased by the muttations. I have my bow in my hand and my sheath on my back. I climb up a tree so that they can't get me. I pull my sheath out in front of me to pull out an arrow, but I find none. What?! This can't be happening! I think to myself. I see a bush a few feet away ruffle and squint my eyes to get a better look in the dim light. I see a head pop out and force the scream in my throat down. "Katniss?" The voice is calling for me. The mutts she her and turn their full attention to her. No! I manage to get out. I jump down from the tree, but to my horror I can't get down. My feet won't budge. The mutts are clawing at her and biting and ripping off her limbs. She screams and all I can think about as I'm paralyzed in the tree is that once again, I won't be able to save my little duck.

I wake up with a jolt and feel the scream escape my throat. I expected a pair of strong, comforting arms to wrap around me, but I only felt the breeze coming from the window. I look at the clock next to me and see that it is five in the morning. I look out my window and see the lights in Peeta's house on. He must have had a nightmare too or else he wouldn't be up for another good 2 hours. I pull the covers off and bring my feet to the cold tile floor. I tread across the room and pull the curtains closed. It's been 3 days since Peeta planted the Primroses in front of my house in the Victor's Village. When I first saw him planting them, I was angry at him even hated him. But then I realized he was just trying to keep her alive. Something I couldn't do. And once again, I owe the boy with the bread.

I walk down the stairs into the foyer, and pull on my coat. It's the coldest winter we've had in District 12 in a long time. I put a scarf around my neck and pull my boots on. I open the door and notice that a new layer of snow has formed. I walk toward his house under the glow of the moon. I can smell the bread he's baking as I get close to the door. The scent is infatuating as the rest of Peeta's work. I pull my fist back and rasp on the door. After I make the motion I wonder if I should really be here. Maybe it's not the right time. Maybe I should just go back home and wait for another day. Before I can turn away and walk back home, Peeta pulls the door open. His blond hair is tousled like he just woke up and his apron has flour all over it. He gives me a small smile.

"Hey, Katniss." I smile back, a real genuine smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you."

"No. You weren't bothering me. Come on in. I have some cheese buns if you want." I consider going in or going home. After some seconds, I walk through the door. I haven't been in Peeta's house since he got back from the Capitol. There are painting supplies such as canvases, brushes, and bottles of paint scattered around in the living room. We walk into the kitchen, which is more like a smaller version of the bakery. Peeta still goes to work at the bakery. I know it's his way of coping with the loss of his family. In the kitchen, flour and pans are covering the counter top. Peeta pulls a seat from the table in the middle of the room and sits. I do the same and pull my scarf from around my neck. Peeta pushes the platter of cheese buns in front of me and nods his head as a way of telling me to take one. I look at him and then grab one. I bite into it and let out a moan. Peeta makes the best cheese buns. Not even when we were in the Captiol had I eaten cheese buns this good.

Peeta laughs and I glare at him which makes him laugh even more. I love his laugh. It lifts the spirits in the room. Soon I can't control my laughter and let out a giggle. I then know it was a good idea to come here. I've been far away from Peeta for too long. After the laughter dies down Peeta looks at me.

"Are you okay, Katniss? I heard you screaming. I was going to come over, but I thought you'd still be mad at me."

I look at him with a shocked look on my face. "Why would I be mad at you, Peeta?"

"The other day, when I planted the Primsroses in front of your house, you seemed really mad. You stalked off and everything. I'm really sorry about that, by the way." He looks away from me and down at his hands.

I feel the color rising to my face from embarrassment. Was I so mad that I actually stalked off?

"Oh, Peeta. No. I did like the gesture. Loved it even. It's just that I still can't relieve myself from the pain of losing my little sister." I feel the tears build up in my eyes, remembering the dream I had less than fifteen minutes ago. "But then I realized that you were keeping her alive. My little duck." I can't help it now, and the tears just spill down. Peeta sees this and gets up from his chair and kneels beside me. He pulls me into his arms and I don't reject them. It feels good feeling his warmth around me after such a long time. "Thank you so much, Peeta," I'm able to get through my tears.

We stay like this for what seems hours, but when I pull away and look at the clock on the stove it's only been seven minutes. Peeta stands up and goes to the stove which has just ringed. He pulls it open and takes a pan of three loaves out. He sets them aside and sits back in front of me. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks but I shake my head no. I know he's trust trying to help but I don't want to think about the nightmare I had. It would make me break into more tears.

I rub the tears off my face with the back of my hand. I must look like a frail little girl to Peeta. He clears his throat, about to speak.

"If it makes you feel any better, I had a nightmare tonight too. I was back in the Capitol. They were torturing me." He adopts a blank stare and I know it hurts him as much to talk about his times in the Capitol as much as it does to talk about Prim. That's something me and Peeta have in common. The pain our dreams bring us every night. The agony that will never go away.

"They were using the technique," he continues, "where they manipulate people's voices to make it seem like they're saying something they actually aren't. It started with my father," He pauses. The baker. The sweet man who said he would take care of my sister while I was in the Games. The one that traded with me and always gave me more then I should get when his witch of a wife wasn't around. I know how much it hurts Peeta. He loved his father as much as I loved Prim. As much as I loved my father before he died in the mines.

"Then it was you." At this he looks up at me. "You were saying you hated me, that you never wanted to see me again. At first I didn't believe it. I hadn't done anything for you to hate me, but then I realized you did have a reason to hate me. I was never able to help you do anything. When you wanted to be with your family or Gale you ended up having to be forced next to me for the star-crossed lovers get-up."

Peeta stands up, making the legs of the chair screech across the floor. He grabs the back of the chair as to keep himself steady. His eyes dilate, sending him farther and farther away from me as his eyes get smaller and smaller. He's shaking and I don't know what to do. I try calling his name but it doesn't work. I think back to the times when he helped me when I had nightmares. How when he put his arms around me, I felt much better.

I slowly stand up so I don't set him off. I softly made him release the back of the chair and held his hands in mine. He turned to face me his eyes still small and glazed over.

"Peeta, look at me. I'm here to help you," I tried to bring him out of his trance but it didn't work. He was still far off in another place.

When being gentle doesn't work, I am forced to resort to shaking his shoulders.

"Peeta, I need you to listen to my voice. I want to help you like all the times you have helped me." My voice begins to shake with all the emotion which is very unlike me, but when it comes to Peeta, the impossible is always possible.

"I want you to be okay,Peeta. I need you to be okay." My hands slowly rise up from his shoulders onto his face. I cradle his cheeks in my hands, forcing him to look at me even though he is miles away in the Capitol.

"Peeta, please."

Finally, he looks me dead in the eye, showing recognition, but not the type I was looking for.

"Help me? You want to help me?" he snarls. My hands slowly fall from his face, back down to my side. I take a few steps back when I see the glint of murder in his eyes.

"You could never help me, you filthy mutt."

"No, Peeta, please," I barely whisper. I had slowly backed up into a wall by the door. Peeta was quickly cornering me against the wall. I had the option of quickly running out of the door to leave Peeta here to bring himself out of his own nightmares. The selfish side of me screamed for me to rip open the door and run. But another part of me told me I had to stay and help Peeta, just like all the times he stayed and helped me. The part of me that loved him.

"Now I'll be kill you and rid every one of the misery you have caused." Even while Peeta was under the influence of the Capitol, he was still trying to be the hero and help anyone he could. His fingers slowly laced around my neck, reminding me of all those months ago when he had first arrived from the Capitol.

He had an iron grip around my throat, but I tried once more to realize him from his nightmares.

"Peeta," I was able to choke out. "I love you."

I let out a little whimper when he didn't release his grip on my neck and I had thought all my attempts at helping him were gone. I closed my eyes, thinking of the worse when his hands were removed from around my neck.

"Katniss," he whispers. He's shaking and can't even look me in the eye. I know what he has done has registered in his mind, but I don't care because my words – words I hadn't realized were true until now –had brought him out of his nightmares.

"Oh my god, what have I done?" I look down at Peeta, who is now on the floor on his knees from shaking so much. I kneel down beside him, but he scouts away.

"No, don't come any closer." He puts his hand between us to keep me from coming any closer. "Can't you see I've done enough damage?" He points to around my neck, but I raise an eyebrow at him confused.

I grab a spoon from off the floor which must have fallen before and look at my reflection. I can see red marks from where his fingers were wrapped around my throat. I cringe at the sight, knowing there will be bruises there tomorrow. But none of this matters. I just want to be as close to Peeta as possible.

"Peeta, I'm fin-"

"Fine?! I almost strangled you. Again! You aren't fine. I think-" He stops to look at me. I can see the tears brimming in his eyes while I feel them in mine. "I think, we shouldn't see each other anymore."

"No!" I scream. The tears start to tumble down my face. "No," I whisper, my voice once again shaking.

"Katniss, I'll just hurt you agai-"

"I don't care Peeta. I don't want to be away from you." I crawl over to where he is still kneelt on the floor, grabbing his hand. He tries to pull away but I hold my grip. "I can't," I whisper.

He doesn't say anything, but I can't tell if that is a good or bad thing. We sit there for a while, just looking at each other when he sighs. His lips pull into a small smile, not a big one that lights up his whole face, but a smile that I haven't seen on his face in the longest time.

"Thank goodness because I don't think I would be able to stay away from you any longer."

My lips tug up into a smile mirroring his while I let out a chuckle. He puts his strong, calloused hand around my cheek and I let my face lay there. He slowly pulls his face towards mine and I feel my heart thumping. I haven't felt his lips against mine since the Quarter Qwell. His breathe is fanning my face, the anticipation killing me.

"Katniss, I am so sorry."

"Peeta, shut up and kiss me."

He laughs, a beautiful sound, before closing the space between us. At first the kiss is slow and passionate but soon becomes hungry. We've been apart for so long, I want to savor this kiss. Soon we both pull away for air, ending the poor bliss. Our foreheads are pressed together as we pant for air.

"Thank you." I say breaking the silence.

Peeta frowns, stitching his eyebrows together. "For what?"

"For always staying."

That night, we slept in each other's arms, keeping the nightmares away.

Before you get your panties in a twist, yes, I know , Katniss is supposed to be very clean of emotions. But to me, I always saw how Katniss acted different around Peeta. They always seemed to bring the best out of each other (well, except for when hijacked Peeta comes back).

Well, I hoped you enjoy this little one shot. I had it lying around for almost a year, unfinished, and I thought, what the hell? Why not?

Thanks for reading! Have a lovely day!

Xoxo

Cassidy