Author's Note: Here it is the last chapter for the night. I think there are probably typos but that's what you get when you are trying to type with a two year old running about. I have a direction in mind for this story and for now it will follow cannon. Please continue with the reviews and let me know how you like it. I'm really focusing on characterization and building relationships between them and then we will move on to the meat of the story. Love the comments. Keep them coming =) Tomorrow it's back to one day job, which actually means I can crank out more chapters so expect a few to come tomorrow! Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Confusion or Denial

I wake sometime before dawn. My pulse still pounding in my ears, my skin damp from another capital induced terror. Thankfully I think I have come to without screaming my lungs out, I glance around and realize after I moment that I am not on my own couch. It takes me a moment, but even though the houses are identical I can tell I'm in Katniss's. The blanket in a tangle around my hips is the first clue, the ice pack I've long since dropped to the floor, the small knick knacks they've decorated with, and it just smells like Katniss. I sigh in contentment. I wish I could just stay here, maybe then I wouldn't feel so completely and bitterly alone. Alone with my musings for a moment I'm surprised when I catch a shadow dart pass the entryway in the slowly brightening windows.

"Katniss?" I whisper out to the figure.

"Peeta" She returns somewhat cautiously. "What are you doing awake?"

"I never sleep much."

"Me neither" she offers.

"Where you headed?" I ask unwilling to let go of her yet.

"To the woods to meet up with Gale. It's Sunday his only day off from the mines."

"Oh right." I can't squelch the utter despair I feel at the thought of him spending the whole day with her though I know I shouldn't, she isn't mine. Gale has more claim to her than I do at this point.

"Peeta" She starts but then stops unsure what to say next. After a few awkward moments she speaks her voice cracking slightly "I hope you feel better." With that she silently steps to the door and slips out into the morning air.

I sigh and struggle to sit up and violently kick the tangled blanket from my feet. I have slept with my leg on and it's rubbed on the sore spots on my stump and my face and lip smart a bit. I'm sure my lip and face would be worse if it weren't for Mrs. Everdeen but I hate this feeling of constant ache that doesn't seem to go away. I stoop down and collect the blanket and neatly fold it and replace it in my place on the couch. Retrieving the ice pack I dropped in the night I make my way to the kitchen to empty it in the sink and then set it on a towel to dry out. I make my way back to the couch to slip on my shoes when Mrs. Everdeen catches my eye as she comes down the stairs.

"Good morning Peeta, leaving so soon?" She comments as she pads the rest of the way barefoot on the carpet.

"Yes, I think I should head home, I don't want to be more of a bother. Thank you again for last night Mrs. Everdeen."

"Peeta you aren't a bother. You are more than welcome here anytime. Wait just one moment, I have something for you. "With that she leaves me as she makes her way off into the kitchen. Before I can ponder the reason for generosity she is back with a round container. "Here this is some balm for your leg." I noticed you've been favoring it and I can't help but assume that it's been chaffing the skin; I'm sure it's sensitive. This should help with that."

She thrusts the container into my hands and I have to force my mouth closed in shock. "Th-thank you Mrs. Everdeen, my leg does rub a bit."

She offers me a small smile as I let myself out the front door and into the bright morning light. I make my way home and finally let myself in to my empty home. Grabbing an apple from the counter I make my way to my bedroom to shower, managing to catch a glimpse of my reflection along the way. My eye is black and purple and my lip is slightly swollen and red where it recently split. I quickly shower and dress in some fresh jeans and simple black t-shirt.

I nosh on my apple and head to the room to paint. Without meaning to I start painting the scene from the kitchen last night at the bakery. My mother's arm outstretched reaching towards me, my brothers' resigned expressions along with my father's sad ones. Before I know what to make of the painting I hear a door slam next door through my cracked window. Katniss must have returned from her hunting trip with Gale. It's late afternoon and my stomach gives a rumble. I need to make note of the time and eat more. I just can't seem to bring myself to have much of an appetite these days.

I slip on some shoes and make my way over to visit Haymitch. I find him sitting on a rocker on his front porch today instead of wallowing in the trash inside. "Haymitch" I nod as I take a seat on the porch step.

"You know I've lived here almost twenty five years with no entertainment what so ever. You two moving in has given me something to watch." He offers with mirth as he takes a sip from his hip flask. I can't help but smile, at least my life is amusing to someone.

"Nice shiner kid. Didn't get enough fighting in the arena huh?"

"I wasn't fighting." I say in a soft mumble.

"How'd it happen then? Get a little too fresh with Katniss again?"

"No." I say as my face flames bright red remembering the last predicament he caught us in. "If you must know, my mother welcomed me home last night."

Haymitch says nothing in return, just sips from his flask before handing it off to me. I take the offered flask swallowing what surely must be liquid fire. I stifle a small cough and hand it back to him. We sit in amicable silence for a while before I stand and stretch myself out.

I'm about to step off the porch to head home when Haymitch surprise me by asking "You eat recently kid?" I shake my head.

"Haven't really had much of an appetite I guess." I say.

Haymitch nods knowingly. "I can't tell you it will be alright Peeta. I can't even tell you it will get better. I'm obviously proof of that."

I glance at him in trepidation. Is this what my future holds?

"I see the way you look at her Peeta. And you know what I mentioned back at the capital. I don't really know what's going on in her head but I can guess. Take it slow boy, I think she'll come around."

"Yea" I croak, "What makes you so sure of that?"

Haymitch stops to ponder for a minute. "I've seen the way she looks at you when you aren't looking."

I take that as my bid to leave and head back to the house to forage something for dinner. I end up trying a can of soup but find it reminds me too much of the stew from dinner the other night and I end up tossing it.

I resign myself to bed but wake well before dawn. Knowing I'll be unable to sleep after witnessing the latest trauma I head to the kitchen and decide to bake a few loaves of bread. I think I'll take one to Haymitch and one to Mrs. Everdeen to thank her for generosity. I find the routine easy and I fall into it at once losing myself in the business of baking and thinking of nothing else.

Its sometime after sunrise when I finish and I bag up the fresh warm loaves to deliver them. I start with Haymitch's first. I find him passed out on the couch and knowing how hard it is to catch sleep myself I don't disturb him. Instead I leave the loaf on the table where he can easily find it when he comes to. Next I swallow my pride and head to the Everdeen's house. At least I can find solace in the fact that Katniss is probably out hunting and I won't have to worry about seeing her.

Mrs. Everdeen invites me in when I try to just hand off the bread and of course she won't take no for an answer. She plops me down at the kitchen counter for tea to go with the bread and she is making idle chit chat when Katniss storms down the stairs fuming.

"I can't do this." She stops short when she sees me sitting at her counter.

"Hi Katniss" I offer sheepishly.

"Uh hi Peeta."

Mrs. Everdeen just smiles her knowing smile and addresses her daughter. "Can't do what?"

"This" Katniss spouts as she tosses a paper with a half-finished drawing. It looks sort of like a mannequin but I can't be sure.

Katniss catches me glimpsing and my questioning look. "Ugh" she mutters "It's my talent". She comes around to the stool next to me and plops down and immediately begins to dissect an orange with more force than necessary. "Cinna is helping me to design clothes for my talent, but I'm no good."

I pull her tablet closer "It's not too bad." I say as I pick up the pencil and began to even up some of her lines. I stop when I realize both Mrs. Everdeen and Katniss are peering down intently at what I'm doing.

"I didn't know you could draw." Katniss says.

"Paint," I say "but I do draw on occasion. "Painting is my talent; I've only done a few so far." I say before thinking about it.

"Can you show me?" She asks.

I swallow with nerves but she's giving me that look. How can I say no?

Before I know it she's in my paint room peering at her portrait, she doesn't say anything. She then moves over to the easel that has the kitchen scene and she covers her mouth with her hand.

"Wow." She says. "You are really good."

"Thanks" I say softly unsure of what her mood is. One minute she seems interested, the next she's so far away I feel like she wouldn't touch me if I was the last man on Earth.

"Maybe you could help me out with my drawings sometime?" She says a bit nervously.

"Sure." I offer and blow out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Okay" she says as she heads out the door and down the stairs. "Tomorrow then?" she pauses before she heads out the door.

I smile and nod my head in approval. Her smile in return is nearly blinding. When the door shuts and I see her dart past the window I sink to the bottom step and sigh. There is no doubt about it; I am still very much in love with Katniss Everdeen. The question is, is she in love with me?