A/N: I, myself hate excuses but I must tell you this. My internet connection was down. I had this chapter written up later in the day I released the second one, but it wasn't until today that I got my connection back. Sorry for the wait. Enjoy!

My mother sits in the living area, with a cup of water in one hand and an almost distant stare in her eyes. However her eyes show that they are concerned for me. I think. Or maybe she's trying not to relive the memories that play in my head all day long-the ones about my father and Prim. After dumping my game bag on the kitchen table I walk past her and sit on the rocking chair. I haven't seen her since I was in the Capitol after the rebellion was over and the last time we spoke was… a month ago.

"Mom?" I ask. I didn't know what to say, not really. We don't talk on the phone much she keeps herself busy with work. So why did she decide to come all the way out here? It couldn't have just been for me, could it?

"Hi Katniss. I'm sorry to barge in without you knowing but Peeta said it'd be good for you to see me."

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of his name. "Y-you spoke to Peeta? Today?"

"No not today. Last week. I called the house and he answered saying you were out in the forest again. I asked if you two would like to visit District 4, but he said he had to man the bakery. I got off just to see you."

I believe it. Kind of, at least. She wouldn't come back unless there was something she needed. I smile. I can't think of what else to talk about so I say the first thing that comes to mind. "Did you know that the Capitol will build a medicine factory here, in place of the mines?"

She stares vacantly out the window, nothing is out there but trees, however I know what she's doing. She's thinking of past. Of father and his accident in the mines. When I first found out about the medicine factory I was infuriated. I don't know why really, but I only thought of my father and him being trapped inside. Then I snapped out of my thoughts, there is nothing left of him. He was destroyed, and with the flattening of the mines no one else would have to be brought to the fate he had.

"That is good hon." She says finally.

Something about the way she spoke made me disbelieve that she is not only here for me. So I ask, "Why are you here? Why are you really here? I know it can't be because of me."

"I am here for you and Peeta as well, but I also came to give you a message." She says tugging at the edge of her coat pocket. "By the way. Where is Peeta? I would have thought he'd be here from the bakery by now."

"He's uhh… got something he needs to do tonight. He's not going to come here." I don't want my mother to know that Peeta and I are not on speaking terms. Hell, I don't even want to admit it. She analyzes me, my body language, and I become aware that I clenching my fists really tightly they are paling. I release them immediately.

"Katniss what is the matter? You seemed distracted when you came in the house. And now this." She indicated my hands.

"I'm just hungry, that's all. I have fish, tubers and strawberries when I was out hunting. I'm going to go cook now." I say. I need to keep myself busy, if I don't I might just go crazy with anguish.

We walk to the kitchen and I grab my game bag. Taking out the fish and tubers my mother grabs a pot to make a stew. I cut the potatoes and she fillets the fish, we set them to cook and she goes off to wash up. I wasn't asking for my mother to stay the night, but I can't necessarily say "no" to her either.

Besides, as much as I hate to admit it. I do miss seeing my mother. I just don't like the vacant look in her eyes, the way she doesn't seem to realize me unless something is wrong, and just… yeah, the way she was too weak and forced me to care for her and my younger sister when I, myself, was still just a kid, too.

I stare out the windows near the table and I am too late to realize that he is doing the same. Peeta is in the street across from the window I am staring out of and we lock eyes. Neither moving. Neither looking away. Neither blinking. And my world just fades away. It is just me and him, no house, no mother, no fighting—but yet I can't seem to reach him. If I make a step he drifts further away from me, I open my mouth he will not hear me, it is as though we are a thousand miles apart, a thousand centuries, a thousand words of apology and forgiveness. I don't want this, but I don't move from my spot. I am a horrible person for not moving but I can't make myself move from where he holds my gaze. I am entranced by the intensity of his eyes, by those piercing blue eyes that haunted my thoughts last night. Those memories that would not allow me to sleep, not until morning came.

I didn't notice when my mother walked back in the room, because before I knew it she is standing beside me looking at where I stare. Although Peeta no longer stands there I cannot look away. My chance up and flew out of that window that separated us. The thirty yards that stood between my boy with the bread and me seems so small now that he is gone from that spot. I could easily have raced to him, held him in my arms, kissed him with such passion that proves I love him more than he could believe, taken him in from the growing cold. Take his pain away, the pain that I know I caused, from both the hijacked memories and the sense of losing me by my selfishness.

My mother snaps me back into reality with a question, "Are you and him fighting?"

I turn my gaze to my mother, she is still holding her gaze at the window, but her hand reaches to my shoulder. Slowly we lock gazes but she quickly drops hers and focuses on the stew that has been cooking. I don't answer her question. I don't want to admit that I am in a fight. I don't want to admit anything to her. How could she possibly understand?

She speaks again before I can think of something to divert the conversation to a lighter subject. "You know, darling. If you continue to fight with him you will never be able to rekindle the rocky relationship. Both Peeta and you have endured so much pain for one another. Both of you have promised to give your life away to protect one another. At least that is what Haymitch has said."

I can't help but roll my eyes at this. Both because she is lecturing me on my relationship and because she mentioned what Haymitch spoke of last night. I am about to walk out the doorway to the kitchen when she grabs me by the wrist.

When I turn around to face her that is when her hand connects with my face. I have just been slapped by my own mother.

Now, I know this is going to be very upsetting for Katniss. I hate being slapped by my mother, so I definitely know she will. But that is going to have to wait. We're going to check back up on Peeta in the next one.