I guys, I know I'm in the middle of writing some other stories at the moment but this idea just wouldn't leave me. I really hop you like it! Lots of sappy romance but I love writing that, so enjoy!

Disclaimer- All credit for the amazing Hunger Games goes to Suzanne Collins

It's a long time before I decide to start visiting Peeta again. Everything about him reminds me of the arena and my past. But it really took me this long to figure out... I can't live without him.

When I wake up in the middle of the night screaming from a nightmare that seemed too real to have been made up in my mind, I'm alone. When I dream Peeta's dying I spend the rest of the night sitting in the lounge room drinking warm milk until I see him turn on his light the next morning so I know he's okay. Too long I've been to scared to see him again because I'm afraid the memories will come back. But maybe it'll help; maybe knowing I can see him again will stop the nightmares.

I can't be sure and I almost turn back when I reach his door. I often wonder if he feels the same way I do, I'd be surprised if he didn't but it'd been so long, I didn't know what Peeta was like now. Just do it Katniss I tell myself as I raise my hand to the door. I take a deep breath before knocking and it takes everything I have to not run away before he answers.

I hear footsteps followed by the door handle shaking from lack of use. The door opens and I see him standing in front of me dressed in worn navy pants and a simple white shirt. He's hair is messy and I know he doesn't get out much.

"Katniss..." he says, surprised. His eyes widened, I knew I was the last person he was expecting to see. It was nice to hear his voice though, not scary.

"Hey..." I answer quietly, glancing from my feet to him. We stand there for a while, neither one of us knowing what to say. It's a long few minutes before he steps forward, opens his arms and envelops me in a hug. Without warning I burst into tears and for the first time, I feel okay because I know he's there, whispering soothing words into my ear as he holds me close.

We stay there for a while before he leads me into his house and we sit on the lounge, where he lets me lie on his lap as he runs his hands through my messy hair. "It's been a while..." he says eventually. He's voice is hoarse from lack of use but it's still him.

"I know," I whisper in response. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he answers quickly. "How've you been?"

I sigh and stop the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. "Honestly? Terrible…" I tell him but I could tell he already knew. "What about you?"

"No better…" he replies simply. We struggle to say more than a few words to each other at a time. But to be honest, all I want at the moment is to be with him.

We sit silently for a long time; Peeta continues to run his fingers through my hair. He makes sudden movements sometimes, his fingers clutch my hair and I wonder if he's having a flashback. But still, I hadn't seen him in so long, I wasn't even sure if he still had them.

"Are you hungry?" he asks after a while.

"Thirsty," I reply and he nods, lifting me up and leaving me on the lounge as he walks to the kitchen.

I watch him search around the cupboards until he finds a glass. I notice he's blinking a lot, squeezing his eyes together every now and then but I try to ignore it. But the next thing I know, the glass goes crashing to the floor and he's holding on the bench top, breathing heavily.

"Peeta?" I ask worriedly, standing from my place on the lounge.

"Get out…" he says quickly. I can see his hands turning white from gripping so hard and I start to panic.

"Peeta? Are you okay?" I ask. What am I thinking; of course he's not okay.

"Just get out Katniss, I mean it," he says again, his voice sounding harsh towards the end.

I think about staying and trying to help him, but I quickly decide to listen to him and run to the door, shutting it behind me. I crash to my knees, leaning up against the wall next to the door as my tears start once again.

I've spent so long thinking about my own problems that I haven't even considered what Peeta must be going through. I can hear him still, inside the house, a loud noise, echoing every now and then and I know he's trying to control himself.

I sit there for what seems like hours before everything goes silent and the door opens. I look up at him, my face still damp with tears and he closes his eyes, shaking his head.

"Katniss… I'm so sorry," he whispers, sitting down next to me and wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

I shake my head, burring it in the curve of his neck. "I never knew…" I tell him, my voice muffled.

"I didn't want you too," he replies, his voice pained.

"Why not?" I ask him, lifting my head and looking into his eyes. "I should have been there to help you…"

"I don't want you to see me like that," he tells me. "I don't want to hurt you… I don't want you to think of me as a monster."

"I'd never…" I shake my head and don't finish my sentence.

"You still dream about it don't you?" he asks quietly. I nod. "I hear you sometimes at night… So many times I've thought about going over to see if you're okay but I'm not sure if it'll help or just make it worse."

I shake my head and say, "that's why I came today… I miss you… I need you in my life."

He gives me a soft smile and wiped my cheeks dry. "I'm always here if you need me."

And at that moment I knew he was telling the truth. We'd get through this… together.

I really hoped you liked it! Thanks for reading! Please let me know if you'd like to read more, it would really mean a lot :)