OMG CHAPTER 2. So yeah I'm really excited about this story, there is a lot more plot in it than my last one, and I hope you guys like it. lol. So yeah First major plot part thingy is this chapter. and...yeah...IDK what to say except thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy, and thank you for all those of you who are reading this because of my last story i really appreciate the support. So here it is. Chapter 2! Also Reviews are super appreciated =D.


Chapter 2: Change

Katniss POV:

I watch Peeta leave and I feel exhausted. "I thought this was what he wanted." I say to Haymitch bitterly.

He examines my face for a moment and says "Really? You really think he wanted to force you to marry him? Even you would feel hurt if he had reacted the way you did." He heads for the door. "You should get some rest too; it's going to be a long week."

I'm left there standing alone in the company of cobwebs and shards of porcelain. When I head for the door, the sting of Haymitch's words takes effect. I should have controlled myself. He's been doing it for me.

I walk back to the train preoccupied with my guilt, lost in thought, and before I know it I'm lying flat on my bed, crying. Somehow I always end up crying, but I take comfort in knowing that I will never cry in front of Snow or the Capitol. I am woken up by the firm knock on the door, telling me that dinner has been served. I wash my face and head for the dining room.

"Katniss your eyes? Don't any of you know how to use a sink? I would think by now you would know how to use the soaps on sink, especially after what happened to Peeta yesterday." I touch my eyes and realize how swollen they've become. "Don't worry Effie; I'm sure the swelling will go down like Peeta's." I sit down awkwardly between Haymitch and an empty chair. "Peeta?" I ask Effie shyly.

"He said he didn't feel like eating." She gives out an exasperated huff, "And here I thought he had manners." The way she says it rubs me the wrong way, in a manner only Effie could, but I suppress the need to lash back, I don't feel like sitting through another one of her lectures about how manners and finesse is something us district people always seem to lack.

Dinner is strangely tense, Haymitch is seemingly sober but refuses to speak, while Cinna and Portia are preoccupied in conversations about how to coordinate my and Peeta's outfits. Effie of course interrupts periodically to complain about the condition of my eyes.

On the way back to my room I fight the urge to visit Peeta, maybe apologize for my reaction. I am all but a few steps away when I decide it isn't something I want to discuss and return quickly to my room. The room feels colder than usual; I walk into the bathroom and examine my reddened puffy eyes. That wasn't soap on his eyes either. I think to myself. I wash my face once again and dab the swollen skin under my eyes, it should be gone by tomorrow.

I lay in bed restless until my body gives out and I fall to a rocky sleep.

Much to my surprise the light streaming through my window is what nudges me away. Not the flamboyant ramblings of my prep team, or Effie's shrill voice as she dictates my daily schedule. I relish the silence for once.

I stand only because of my hunger. After washing my face and teeth, and changing into suitable clothing. The halls of the train are strangely quiet, and it isn't until I reach the dining room that I see any signs of life.

Effie sits in her usual spot at the head of the table, her lips are tightly pursed and arms are crossed over her chest as she clacks her heels in desperation. She looks like a child throwing a tantrum. Pathetic.

"Am I late? No one woke me up." As if staged Peeta stumbles into the room. "What time is it? No one came to my room."

Effie quickly stands and says, "The worst possible thing has happened!" Her frantic voice is enough to place me in a state of high alert. "The tour is being delayed. It seems like they have some problems at the district 10 train station and they can't receive us just yet. How dare they this to me." For a split second I'm mad at myself for even thinking that Effie was alarmed about something of importance.

"Yes Effie, how dare the Capitol place you in such a horrible situation." The harsh sarcasm in my voice is enough to make Peeta give me a questioning look. As if warning me that fighting with Effie will only lead to another lecture. But all of it is lost on Effie, she just continues to rant. "Thank you Katniss. I'm so glad you understand, and it isn't just about me, what about you two?" she responds with genuine disappointment. "We are supposed to celebrating your victory and now it's ruined." She falls back down to her chair and stares at her food.

Peeta walks to her and says "Don't worry Effie, I'm sure this is just a minor setback." She gives him a kind stare, like a spoiled child that just got exactly what she wanted and then begins to eat.

I stare at Peeta throughout breakfast, his eyes aren't puffy. I want to speak to him, but I'm not sure what about, instead I focus on my food. After we're done eating I look at Effie: "So what do we do now?"

"I guess you have the day off." Effie responds, her voice laced with gloom.

Instantly Peeta gets up excuses himself and heads out of the room.

Peeta Pov:

I'm almost to my room when Katniss interrupts me.

"Hey…" I can hear the reluctance in her voice.

"Hey…" I say, equally unwilling to start a conversation.

"We have the day off. What are you planning to do."

Go to my room and cry, maybe I'll die of dehydration. I think to myself. "I was just going to relax in my room. Wait it out I guess."

"Oh." She says, but I can see her searching through her head, most likely for an excuse to talk. "Want to take a walk with me, outside I mean." She looks nervous.

"Sure." I say, unable to deny her.

It's a surprisingly nice day; I guess you tend to lose track when you're indoors and moving at high speeds. The scenery hasn't changed as much as I'd expected it to. Jus some tall trees on the side of the tracks. I guess to her this is as relaxing as it gets. It probably reminds her of Gale. We walk silently, side by side, for a couple of minutes.

"You didn't come to dinner last night." She says cautiously.

"Yeah I wasn't feeling very hungry." I lost my appetite when I realized that getting married to me made repulsed you more than the arena. "I just decided to go to bed early."

"Oh. I was just curious…" she says softly. There are awkward pauses as we walk, neither of us knowing exactly what to say. Should I apologize? Should she? Instead we both agree to walk silently. Side by side, not one of use willing to break the silence. No more attempts at a conversation are made and soon enough we decide to return to the train where we part ways to our individual rooms. I sit on my bed unsure of what to do with my time. At least when we were busy there were distractions, no matter how unpleasant.

I hear a knock on my door several minutes later. "Come in" I yell from the bed. But when I see Katniss open the door I quickly stand. "What are you doing here Katniss?"

"You said we would try to be friends!" she says shakily.

"Of course…yeah…" I say trying to shake the surprise from my face.

"Then why can't we talk? Is it going to be always awkward when I'm around you?" I'm not sure why but her words hurt me. Is it my fault? Am I impeding the very friendship I offered?

"I'm sorry…come in?" and she takes a hesitant step past the door. "I'm sorry we didn't talk today, I just didn't know what to say. And this trip, it's tiring, I don't even sleep well." The frustrated features of her face soften and I can see sympathy make its way through. She knows exactly what I'm talking about. I doubt sleep is easy for her.

"I don't sleep well either." She takes a few more steps into the room.

"Yeah…I figured I wasn't the only one." I step back and sit on the bed. "Would you like to sit?" I say pointing at the bed. She stares at me slightly scared. I can see her body tense up. "I'm sorry there aren't any chairs I can offer." She nods, her body relaxing, she closes the door, and sits next to me on the bed.

"I can't forget you know. Sometimes I'm even scared of going to sleep." I see her eyes widen and for a split moment I'm scared I've said too much. She thinks I'm insane…who knows, maybe I am.

"The nightmares don't really stop…" she says as her eyes fixate on her fingers, "it feels like I never really left the arena, like I'll wake up on top of the Cornucopia."

I let my body slide further down the bed; I'm exhausted even though it's so early. "We're not exactly safe here either." I feel the bed move slightly as he nods.

I'm jarred awake by the motion of the train, we're moving again. To my left, Katniss is sleeping peacefully. I wonder if this is the first time she's been able to. It was for me.

I get up slowly, and somehow manage not to wake her up. I exit the room and head for the dining room, it's late and I'm starving. Sitting alone in the dining room is Haymitch. His face is extremely sobered. He turns to me and says "I guess you'll be the first to know."

Katniss POV:

When I open my eyes it takes a few seconds to realize that this isn't my room. When did I fall asleep?

I stretch my arms and rise slowly from the bed; I haven't slept like that since before the games. The room is dark and makes it hard to find Peeta.

He's gone.

I slump on the bed for a moment, feeling abandoned. Maybe his nightmares didn't stop maybe they were worse.

I prop myself off the bed and head for the door, but before I reach it I hear loud footsteps quickly approaching.

I hesitate to open the door, instinct tells me to back away from loud footsteps.

Seconds later Peeta comes busting through the door with a wild look in his eyes.

"Katni—" he says out of breath, he turns on the light of the room, burning my eyes momentarily.

"Peeta what's wrong?" I say alarmed.

He calms down instantly and looks at me sadly. The only thing that flashes through my head is we're going to die, and all our families have been killed. The look on his face makes me want to cry.

Without warning he embraces me and kisses me passionately. His lips are warm and full. As he takes my bottom lip and caresses it with his. At first I'm frozen, shocked by his boldness but slowly I feel my body being pulled into the passion. My legs get week and we stumble towards the wall. But we don't stop; the feeling was too strong to break away. My hands travel to his hair and back. This wasn't like any of the kisses we've had before, it was intense, passionate, satisfying, and there were no cameras.

He pulls away for air and presses his forehead against mine.

"Snow is dead. We're returning to district 12." He says silently "You're free." He pulls away and I see his face. He's smiling but the sadness in his eyes is unmistakable.

He exits the room, and I stand alone, my fingers on my lips. Trying to digest everything he's just told me. But two words come back to me. "You're free" not we're free, just me.