The pain is too much. I close my eyes as yet another sadistic guard comes toward me. A scream almost escapes the prison of my lips as I feel a fist conect with my already swollen and black eye. That's the one thing I refuse to do, give them the satisfaction of hearing the pain they inflict on me.

''Now, Peeta,'' I hear the growl of my abuser right next to my ear, ''If you would just tell us where Katniss and the other tributes are we could let you go.''

Katniss. The name sends a pang of longing to my heart. Just to see her smile, hear her voice, or even see a picture would be enough to get me through a lifetime of this torture. I suppose her memories will have to suffice.

''Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you.'', I spit at the guard.

''As you wish.'', the guard says.

As The beating continues I think of Katniss. My Katniss. I recall the first time I ever saw her.

Flashback

The sounds of other children around me register through my nervous state. I look around with wide eyes at the other kids with their own parents, and hold on even tighter to my father's hand.

''Peeta, look here.'' I follow my father's pointing finger to a little family. The mother with her blonde hair, blue eyes and kind smile is eveyrthing that my mother isn't, but should be. I watch as the father, who has grey eyes and dark hair, talks to his daughter. The little girl is the spitting image of her father with a few features of her mother mixed in. She's wearing a red plaid dress, and her hair is in two braids instead of one.

I see the little family converse with happy smiles and love in their eyes. I wish my family was like that. My mother hits us, and my father doesn't do much to stop her. My two older brothers, Wheat and Rye, don't even bat an eyelash anymore if she strikes at them.

''Who are they?'', I ask my father, wondering why he pointed them out to me.

''See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner.''

This makes no sense to me. Even if we have to eat stale bread, we never really go hungry. That's alot more than other people can say in District 12.

''A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?'

I can hear a strange emotion in my father's voice as he responds. ''Because when he sings ... Even the birds stop to listen.''

I nod my head, and look over at the family again. I watch as the little girl kisses a baby that I hadn't noticed earlier wrapped in the mother's arms. The baby squeals in response to her sister.

I tear my gaze away from the little family as the bell signaling the start of the school day sounds. My father walks me to my classroom, says goodbye, then leaves to go back to tend to the bakery.

Later that day in music assembly I see the little girl again. As the music teacher goes over everything we will learn in the course of the year she asks who knows the valley song. I stare at the little girl as she shoots her arm up into the air, volunteering to sing for the class.

''Very good, Katniss. Why don't you come up her and sing for us?''

The little girl, Katniss, got up and went to stand in the front of the room.

And then, she opened her mouth to sing.

And the birds fell silent.

And I was hyppnotized by her endless grey eyes and beautiful voice.

And I knew, I just knew, that she was it. The it my brother's would talk about. The person that you grow up with and never leave.

Katniss Everdeen stole my heart at the age of five.

End Flashback

I am yanked out of my captivating thoughts as I become aware of a conversation centered around me.

'' Tracker jacker venom ... Hijacking him ... weapon against rebels.'', I only catch a few bits of the conversation, and can't put the pieces together. But I know that whatever they are discussing can't be good for me.

When the guards finish their mysterious conversation, they leave the room. That's odd. Even though I'm chained to the wall, and definitely not strong enough to get free, they never leave me completely alone.

I observe the room I'm trapped in for the hundredth time. Stone walls, rancid smells, and chains on the walls every few feet for prisoners. Prisoner. That's what I am. After the arena blew up I was immediately taken into custody, but I wasn't brought here until about three weeks after.

All for Katniss. It's okay with me though. I would rather die than have her in any type of danger.

The sliding of a heavy door turns my thought direction to the doctor walking calmly towards me with a syringe in his hand. I take a deep breath, and square my shoulders for whatever is to come. I feel the tip of the needle poking into my arm, and have just enough time to pray that whatever they're doing to me now won't hurt Katniss in any way before I'm racked with a searing pain that makes me pass out.

Well, it's a but shorter than I wanted it to be, but I'm still happy with it. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Hugs and hearts to all. 3 3