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Disclaimer: The characters and some of the plot belong to Suzanne Collins.


My first instinct is to run in there, tell him I love him, kiss him, stroke his blonde hair, but Gale has a firm grip on me. I look at him and he shakes his head. "He's not stable yet, Soldier Everdeen. If you just run in there you could get hurt. They hijacked him back in the Capitol."

I start tearing up. They messed with Peeta. My Peeta. And when anyone messes with him, they mess with me. Gale even knows that from the one time he threw a punch at Peeta. Gale and I had gone into town to trade some squirrels for some bread and Peeta's father had been out so Peeta was covering. He knew what we traded for and when he handed me the bread, our fingers had brushed together. His eyes had that sparkle in them and Gale had gotten jealous since we were supposedly going out at the time and punched Peeta square in the jaw. I was shocked at first, but the next thing I knew, my hand was coming in contact with Gale's face.

I look back at Peeta through the window and see that Gale is right. His eyes are a dark blue, almost black, and his muscles are more tense than ever.

I look back at one of the doctors. "Please let me go in there," I plead. "I'm the best medicine he could ever get." The doctor talks to some peacekeepers and they agree to let me in as long as a guard is with me in case something goes wrong. A few seconds later, Gale lets go of me and a heavy, metal door swings open.

I walk in cautiously toward Peeta. He looks at me with wide eyes. "Get away from me..."

I stop for a second and try to keep my voice calm. "Peeta, it's me, Katniss."

He shakes his head. "No you're a mutt. You're a fucking mutt!" I back away and run out of the room crying. He's gone. He's gone forever.

I run down the hallway and bump into Coin, again, the last person I want to see right now. "Ah, Katniss. I heard what just happened. Word travels very fast. I was coming to see if you wanted to rest up for tomorrow." All I can do is nod. I could use a good eighteen hours of sleep. Tomorrow I have to get up at ten to get ready for some propos the camera crew are filming and then I start training. I head to my room and as soon as my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep.


It was a restless sleep, but I managed to get enough to the point where I think I can function. Johanna was rescued with Peeta and took Haymitch's spot in my room since Effie thought it was unethical for a man and a woman to be in a room alone unless they were married. Of course, Johanna, being the wonderful girl she is, was up all night and has resorted to calling me "bitch". I walk down the hallway to breakfast and later get beautified by my prep team. I am escorted outside and it's only me, Haymitch, Effie, Coin, and the camera crew. Coin feeds me a few lines and I say them perfectly. It's the last one that hits me.

"And I will get my boy with the bread back," she says. No, I might not, Coin. He's gone. He's completely gone.

I take a deep breath and start to say the line. "And I will get my boy-" My voice squeaks and I choke on tears that just start flowing. My makeup smears all over my face and Effie tries to wipe it away quickly. It's no use. I'm done for the day. I sit on a rock with my head in my hands. I just want to die. Eventually, they all give up and I head to my room.

Johanna is sitting on her bed and she looks at me when I walk in. "You okay, bitch?"

I shake my head and scowl at her. "Do I look like I am?" I lay on my bed and surprisingly she comes over and rubs my back gently.

"Katniss, don't give up. You're stronger than they are. The only reason they're doing this is because they know they can still break you. You're a threat they want to get rid of, but you can't let them know how to get rid of you."

I look up at her and wipe tears from my face. "What do you mean?"

She sighs. "I mean they can use people against you to break you. The only reason I'm a bitch and don't cry is because I have no one left to love. That's why I came here unharmed unlike loverboy." I take in her words. Peeta, Gale, my mother, Prim, even Haymitch and Effie. I have all of them to love and care about. She's right.

Johanna breaks the silence after a few minutes. "Let's go to training. It'll help get everything off your mind for awhile." I stand up and follow her to training, hoping, praying that she's right.

We get to training and all the tributes from the seventy-fourth Hunger Games are there except for Peeta of course. A trainer stands in front of us and explains instructions that aren't much different from the Games. I immediately head over to the spears since that's not my area of expertise. After training I go to check on Peeta. Even though I know the doctors, and Haymitch, are lying to me about him getting better and making progress, I at least need to see for myself that he's still alive.


A few days go by and it's the same routine over and over. Get up, eat, shoot propos, eat, train, eat, check on Peeta, and sleep. Every other day I also sneak in an hour of hunting with Gale after I check on Peeta, and check on Peeta when we come back. Gale has been more hostile since Peeta's return. Not a surprise.

Four days have gone by and I can finally go in to see Peeta. Again, I walk in slowly and cautiously, but try not to make it look like I'm afraid of him. I get up to the side of his bed and he looks normal. "Hey," he says. He said something without insulting me or yelling at me... Maybe this is his turning point.

"Hey, Peeta." I gently brush my finger against his cheek and he closes his eyes.

"That feels... Good." I smile. He's coming back.

I lean down and kiss his cheek. "I missed you. I want to get you out of here. Today." He looks at me, scared and nervous. "Everything will be okay. I promise. Besides, we'll need some help getting some heavy supplies off the hovercraft tomorrow. We can spend some time together tonight. Just like old times." I look at him for a few seconds and speak without speaking. "I love you, Peeta."

He nods slightly, furrowing his brows. "Katniss?"

I look at him softly. "Yes, Peeta?" He looks in my eyes and I feel a flutter of emotions run through me. He's going to tell me he loves me. I know it. I can feel it.

"I... I love... Someone else."


Decided to leave that cliffhanger for newcomers ;) hehe you guys hate me I know! XD I love you if you've read up to this far! xoxo