I'm sorry im a little late, I've been busy with school, and im exhasuted, but I didn't want you guys to wait so long, so this is it.

Please review, it motivates me to write and tells me how im doing, and what things should be changed.

Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games, nor the characters, they all belong to Suzanne Collins.

Chapter 3- Mending the heart

Katniss's pov

After everything that happened yesterday, I still can't wrap my mind on it. Peeta came back, and he came to talk to me. Lying on my bed, I recall the events. He looks good, not as bad as me. He looks a little slim and the dark circles under his eyes betray the gorgeous smile he always gives me. His blond curls in need of haircut, fall on his forehead giving a boyish look. I can see the scar going up his shoulder, just another reminder of what we went through. His eyes are as blue as they can be, beautiful like the morning sky, I can't help but stare at them. After everything he's lost it's one precious thing that he hasn't lost. Everything went by so fast, I was so shocked to see him standing by my door step, he first looked relieved to see me, I wonder why. Then we talked, probably the longest conversation I had in months. Im happy to see him well and alive.

Exhaustion takes over and sleep overcomes me.

I awake with a start. Another nightmare, can't it just spare me one night. One night to fully sleep and wake up healthy just like normal people, just one night. I should of known that sleep wasn't going to help. I stare at the ceilling and I can't help but think of him. I wonder if he's sleeping enough, or if he still gets nightmares. Stupid me the dark circle under his eyes show that he hasn't slept much. I wonder what he thinks about when he wakes up.

I can't sleep anymore so I stand up and decide to take a shower. I look at the clock and it's only 5 am. The shower is so refreshing, I hope it rejuvenates me and make me look good. I don't know why Im acting this way. After my shower I make my way to my room and look at my dresser. There's a bunch of capitol lotions and make up that I don't know how to apply. Just at the corner of my eye I see that Peeta's awake by the smoke coming from his chimney. I go to my closet and try to find a dress to wear. A lot of them are to luxurious. Instead I pick a simple short green dress. After putting it on I try to braid my hair but it's still so I leave it. I hope he likes the way I look. Stop it! Katniss stop thinking like that. He probably doesn't think you're attractive. Although he says Im beautiful, but I just don't see it.

A knock at the door startles me. It's probably Greasy Sae, but Sae never knocks, cause she knows that I never answer I wonder who that could be. So I make my way downstairs, I open there he is again with bread, just like he promised.

His jaw drops slightly at the sight of me. For the first time Peeta Mellark has no words. I smile inwardly, I wonder what he thinks.

"hi" he finally says.

"hi" I repeat.

"so...I brought you bread just like I promised" he says.

"I see" I state.

I move so that he can enter. He sets the bread on the table and proceeds on making breakfast. I watch him for a moment, he seems focused on what he's doing, and I can't help but look at the stretch of his muscles while he works. He's making some eggs. He starts pourring some weird mixture that I don't know of in my cup. I can't help but ask.

"what's that?" I ask.

"oh, im making you hot chocolate, remember how in the capitol they gave us some weird drink and we were skeptical about it at first, but when we drank it it was delicious" he says.

I nod.

"here, try" he says.

He passes me the cup, and im not gonna lie it's pretty good. He looks at me so intently, he finally asks.

"is it good?"

"yes,...it's really good" I say

He passes me my plate, and we start eating. Sometimes I throw few glances at him. He's really beautiful, but I don't understand why he would want to take care of me. After everything I've done to him. He's confessed his love for me so many times, but all I inflict on him is pain. With the games and the war, the loss of our loved ones, and the way I've made him suffer just because I couldn't love him the way he loves me. Still he's here and still makes me breakfast.

He catches me staring at him, and all the sudden a smile creeps on his face and his stares at me too. My cheeks flush feeling embarrassed I look away.

I look up and he's still staring.

"what?" I ask.

"you didn't braid your hair today" he says.

I nod "I didn't" I shrug.

"I like your hair like that" he simply says.

"what do you mean?" I ask.

"I like your hair down,...it makes you look...different then what im used to see you with the braid" he says.

I take in his compliment. I was going to rebraid it, but since he likes it Im going to leave it down.

"thank you" I say.

"and that's a beautiful dress"

"yes" I say.

"you probably chose it very carefully, judging by the colour" he says.

I look down at my green dress and he couldn't be more right.

"reminds me of the forest" I say.

"why don't you go hunting?" he asks.

I've contemplated the idea before, it's just that I never had the guts to do it. Sae begged me for days to get out of the house and go look around. Im not sure if im ready for that yet. Seeing all the changes and the faces of the people I've caused pain upon, im afraid it can bring back a lot of demons. Im so lost in thought I didn't hear Peeta calling me.

"Katniss?" he calls.

"yes" I say

"why don't you go hunting?" he asks again

"I don't think im ready for that step yet" I simply say

"I understand" he says

We move our plates to the kitchen sink, and just before im about to wash mine he says.

"no, I can do it" he says

I look at him intently, he makes me breakfast and doesn't want me to clean the dishes. What is wrong with him?.

"I can help too you know!".I say.

"I know it's just that I would like to do it if you don't mind" he says.

"it's not that I mind it's just that I would like to help after you made me breakfast" I state

"ok" he complys.

We clean the dishes, and at the corner of my eye I can see him staring at me. I look at him and our eyes meet. My cheeks flush bright red I try to hide my face so that he won't see me like this.

Once were done we make our way to the living room. We fidget a lot, because we don't know what to do.

"should I put the tv on?" He asks.

Since I made it back here I haven't thought of putting the tv on, so this will be a first since the rebellion.

I nod and he proceeds.

He changes through channels,and nothing interresting. Until we see a familliar face, Plutarch Heavensbee on his new singing competition show. Peeta seems intrigued by it. He moves closer to take a look. Plutarch begins singing and peeta bursts into a fit of giggles, and I can't help but smile a little. I haven't sang for awhile, so I don't know what I sound like but this is horrific. He sounds like his being strangled, and his capitol apperance doesn't help at all. He once told me about this show, and I did what I do best, ignore him.

"he sounds like he's constipated" he says through laughter.

"I never thought he would actually do this" I say

"well, he's definetly getting he's ratings alright" he says.

Once Plutarch singing festival is done, we proceed and change channels. Most of it are reports of the reconstruction of Panem. Until someone that I haven't seen since the rebellion appears on the tv. It's Gale. He doesn't look like he's from twelve at suit makes him look like he's an important figure in district 2, a general or something. It's been so long since I've last seen him that im closed in my own bubble watching him intently on tv. He looks like he hasn't slept in awhile. Welcome to the team. But he looks healthy.

My silence is broken of by Peeta.

"have you talked to him?" he asks

He looks a little sad asking this.

I shake my head.

"why don't you call him?" he asks.

"um, he's not my priority right now" I simply say.

"what do you mean?" he asks

"it's just that, I don't think were on good terms right now" I say

"ok" he agrees

I look at him I don't know what's going on in his head. The laughter we had a few minutes ago has completely disappeared. He looks sad, I can't put my finger on why he's sad. So I don't say anything.

I turn back on the tv, and Gale is talking about some issues about district 2 he looks like he knows what he's talking about and seems to be comfortable with the subject.

I know that Gale and I have some fixing to do. Since the death of...Prim, he's involvent in the bombing has left me sour. I know that it's not his fault, but I haven't forgiven him yet.

"um, im gonna head home, I have some things to work on" he says

"ok" I comply

"im going to come back in the afternoon to make you dinner" he says

I nod

He gets up and make his way to the door.

"I'll see you later Katniss"

"later" I say

He leaves. Idon't know what changed in him so fast, because he looked down a little bit. I turn back to the tv and it's another person on tv.

I sigh and lean back on the couch. I truly don't know what to do by myself. Well there's always hunting, im not ready for that yet.

I settle on the couch and search through channels in order to find anything interresting.

Xxxxxxxxxx

I hear my door open and I instectly think it's Peeta because he promised to make dinner. But it's not Peeta, it's someone I did not expect at all.

"Haymitch?" I ask.

"hello sweetheart" he says

Still annoyed with the nickname, but i've learnt to live with it. I just don't know why he's here. Since the rebellion, when we came back to twelve that was the last time I saw him. The stench of his alcohol lingers through the air.

"what are you doing here" I ask.

"I came to check up on you, I see you're doing well"he says

"why?" I ask

" um, the boy was worried!" he says

What does he mean since Peeta came back, he's been checking up on why would he be worried.

"I don't understand, why would he be worried?" I ask

"it's just that I talked to him a few days ago and he wasn't happy about some circumstances" he says

"what circumstances?" I ask

Just as I ask that the door clicks open. Peeta looks between us and then his eyes settle on Haymitch, and he does not look happy.

"what are you doing here?" Peeta asks

"I came to check up on sweetheart" Haymitch says

"now you come to check up on her" Peeta says

"well since our last conversation did not go too well, I decided I needed to fulfilled my duties" Haymitch says.

"but now you do, I had to be the one to wake some sense on you for you to finally act" Peeta states

I have never seen Peeta like this. His brow is creased and he looks like he's about to jump Haymitch.

"what's goin' on?" I ask

"the boy hasn't been very happy with me lately" hay says

I look to Peeta " why?" I ask

"because he didn't keep his promise that's all" Peeta says

"what promise?" I ask

Peeta moves to the counter and places the dishes he has made on the table and proceeds on placing the plates.

"Peeta, what promise?" I ask

"It's nothing Katniss don't worry about it" he says

"nothing, then what are you guys bickering about?" I ask simply cause nothing makes sense right now.

"sweetheart it's ok nothing for you to worry about" Haymtich says.

"does this have to do with the capitol?" I ask

"It's just something Peeta and I discsussed a while ago, and I was being a douche bag by not really fulfilling my promise" Hay says

By this Peeta turns around.

"It's not that you didn't just fulfill your promise but you decide to do it while i've already started to do something about it" Peeta says.

Im lost in this conversation.

"look kid, not everybody can easily turn things around like you do" hay says

Peeta looks furious.

"change things around are you kidding me, im not some type of magician, but I sure as hell do have a conscious" Peeta states.

Im shocked by the use of foul language. This is not the Peeta I know.

"what's going?" I ask wanting to find out.

"Katniss eat your dinner" Peeta says.

"but can't you tell me if there's anything wrong" I ask

"don't worry about it ok, just eat your dinner" he says firmly.

"ok" I comply

We settle and eat. The air is uncomfortable, Haymitch and Peeta can't stop scowling at each other. A different side of Peeta that I see today. What is really bothering him. I don't wish to press on in oder to make him angry.

Once were done Peeta repeats the same thing he did this morning. Im afraid if I ask to help he'll be pissed at me.

"well, I think im gonna go" Haymitch says

"ok" I say

"see you sweetheart" haymitch says

Haymitch leaves. Im stunned by the exchange between that. I thought Peeta was his favorite. What could of made Peeta so angry at him.

Once he's done he makes his way to the couch once again.

"Peeta, you really don't wish for me to know what's wrong!" I say

"nothing's whrong Katniss, I just had a misunderstanding with Haymitch that' all" he says

"nothing for me to worry about" I say

"nothing for you to worry about" he repeats

"it has nothing to do with the capitol?" I ask

"no, not at all" he says

"ok" I comply

We stay there for awhile watching a cooking channel, which Peeta is highly fascinated in. Once the show is done, it's dark outside already.

"Im gonna head home now" he says

"ok" I say

He looks at me long before he says

"goodnight Katniss" he says

"goodnight Peeta" I say

And he leaves. Since when do I have a good night, that hasbeen stripped away from me. Having nothing else to do I make my way to my room. I change into my pyjamas. I ly on my bed and try to figure what has been bothering Peeta today. I can't recall anything I did wrong today. Feeling exhausted sleep envelops me and im pulled into the traiteous world.

I awake with a start, im sweating, im sobbing, my throat hurts probably from the screaming. I sit up and try to catch some air.

Until I feel strong hands pull me. I panic until I see him.

"Peeta?" I ask trying to see clearly through my sobs.

He envolps me in his arms.

"sch, sch, ssch, it's just a dream.

He's really here. Why is he here?.

Author's note: oh cliff hanger, hope you liked it and please, please review it helps a lot!

Thank you.