~A/N~

So I tried to make this chapter longer. I also forgot to mention that this will mostly be in Katniss's POV. As much as I would like to do Peeta's POV, it just works better for me this way. But there might be some times that I might use Peeta's POV. I don't know, just let me know if you want his POV on something, and I'll see what I can do!

(Chapter 2)

I knock on Peeta's front door and he opens it after a while. He looked surprised to see me. But then he smiled the same smile he usually does when he sees me.

"Hey Katniss." he says.

"Hi Peeta." I say. I wasn't sure what to say next, I never do.

"Do you, uh, want to come in?" he asks.

"Sure." I answer. He opens the door wider and lets me walk in. He leads me toward the couch and motions for me to sit down. I do, and we sit there in awkward silence. "I wanted to thank you for the cheesebuns you brought by this morning."

"Oh you're welcome. I just thought you'd like some."

"Well I wasn't very hungry, but I did eat one. It was very good."

"I'm glad you liked them. I wanted to give them to you personally, but Prim said you were sleeping still."

"Yeah I was. Well, if you want to call it sleeping…" I say with my voice trailing off, remembering the nightmare.

"Di you have a nightmare?" he said with concern in his eyes.

"Do I ever not?"

"Oh." he says as he looked down. I don't know what else to say, but I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with him. He looks back up at me and you can still tell he's upset. I should've never brought up the nightmare. All of a sudden he reaches over and touches my neck. I wasn't sure what he was doing until I feel a chain move across my neck.

"What's this?" he asks. I look down to see that he's messing with the locket I was wearing. I had forgotten that I put it on this morning. It's the same locket that Peeta gave me in the clock arena.

"It's, uh, the locket you gave me."

"I gave you a locket? When?"

"You don't remember?" I regretted saying that after I said it. Of course he doesn't remember. His memory was hijacked.

"I guess I don't." He said with a sad face. He looks like he's hurting since he doesn't remember. "Will you tell me about it?"

"Sure. It was in the clock arena. We were sitting on the beach and we were talking about how we were both trying to save the other. Then you gave me the locket trying to convince me to let you help me win. Are you starting to remember now?"

"A little bit. It's kind of like a dream, but I guess it happened. Then we kissed, real or not real?"

"Real, until Finnick woke up." I say with a small smile. He smiled back, trying to remember it.

"Was it a real kiss? Or did you do it for the audience?" he asked curiously.

"It was real." I said remembering the feeling and how I wanted more. Just then he started leaning in. Without even thinking, I leaned in too. I felt his lips against mine and I didn't pull away for awhile. But I did eventually because I knew this would only make things worse.

"Sorry." he said and got up. He walked into his kitchen and stood facing away from me. With his head hung down, I knew I hurt him. I hated myself for hurting him once again.

I had to tell him how I felt and why we can't be together. He had the right to know. It might hurt him now, but it was the truth. I owe him the truth.

"Peeta?" I said as I started walking up to him, slowly.

"Yeah?"

"Don't be…sorry."

"Why?" he said as he turned to look at me. I was terrible at finding the right words, but I had to try. He waited for me to think of what to say.

"Well I didn't pull away very quickly, did I?" He seemed to think about that.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"I don't want to hurt you anymore than I know I have, so I want you to listen at what I say."

"Ok, I'm listening." he said as he sat down in a chair at the table. I took a seat across from him and began.

"The truth is that I know I have feeling for you. I think I did from the beginning, but was too blind to realize it." I said, wanting to see his reaction. His face started to brighten. I knew the next part would be the hardest. "But there's more."

"Oh. Ok."

"But we can't be together."

"Why not? Is it Gale?" His smile was suddenly gone.

"No it's not Gale. He will only be my best friend to me. We can't be together because I don't want to get married. It's not because I don't love you, but because I can't have children. I wouldn't be able to handle it if they got reaped."

"But what if they didn't get reaped? It's not a guarantee that they will."

"But there's a chance. One I'm not willing to take. It's bad enough that I will one day have to be a mentor. I'm sorry, Peeta. I'm sorry if this hurts you. It seems like all I ever do is hurt you." I felt like running away right then. I knew this would crush him. But I couldn't make myself leave. He grabbed my hand and opened his mouth to talk.

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault that there's the Hunger Games. I understand that you couldn't handle that. But maybe we don't have to get married. Can't we still be together without ever having to get married?"

"No. You and I both know we couldn't handle it. At least I couldn't handle having a limit..." He looked away, but looked like he was thinking about it.

"It would be like a cage in the middle of the forest. You can smell and see the freedom, but you could never enjoy it."

"Yes, exactly." I tried to hold myself together, but I was dying inside. I felt like breaking down and crying. I've been strong so long, I guess I couldn't be strong anymore. I put my hand up to my face and sobbed. I knew that Peeta wouldn't want to be around me anymore now, and I couldn't stand the thought of never seeing him. It was bad enough that I could never be with him.

I felt his hands on my shoulders. Then I felt his arms wrap around me and his voice saying something to calm me down, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. His voice was comforting though, so I calmed down and looked at him. He tried his best to smile but I could tell he was hurting too.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't hold it in any longer." I said.

"It's ok. You have every right to cry."

"I just hate knowing I'll never see you again…"

"Never see me again? What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you won't want to see me after I leave."

"I would never not want to see you! If we can't be together, then at least we can remain friends."

"Oh. Well I guess that's a lot better than nothing."

"Yes, I guess it is."

We changed the subject and talked some more. It was getting pretty late and I knew my family might be wondering where I went too. So we said goodbye and I went home. I tried to act happy around Prim and my mother, but it wasn't the easiest thing to do.

The only thing I could focus on was Peeta. And as I lay down in my bed to sleep, I dreaded the nightmares that were going to haunt me tonight.

So what do you think? Please review or PM me! Let's say I need to have at least one review before I upload the next chapter! =)

~Richinlove