A/N: Guys, I promise I'm working up to that fabulous M rating. I just love this build up going on. And can I just say that this story is not going where I expected it too. I LOVE all the reviews I have received. Thank You. Keep up the R&R and I know this is more a stepping stone chapter, but the next one will but up sooner rather than later!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but MY writing and the Munchies Flamin Hot Peanuts I devoured while writing this

Hide and Seek

Ch. 4

We race off towards Haymitch's house, Peeta limping slightly behind. I slow down my pace so he can catch up, but I still reach it to Haymitch's door before he does. Neither one of us even though about knocking, so we just barge right in. I look all around to see what the loud noise was, when my eyes reach the bottom of the staircase, I can finally see it. Broken shards of a glass bottle, and a nasty smelling liquid pooling around them, I trail my eyes up two or three steps to see Haymitch lying there. His drunken body, crooked and contorted as it may look, I could still see the rise and fall of his back. Oh joy, he is still breathing. I look over to where Peeta's body was standing, but he had already moved over to help Haymitch up. Thoughtful. I quickly came out of my daze and ran over to help the both of them. But one should never underestimate his strength. He easily had Haymitch hoisted up, his shoulder being the support. I guess he saw my hesitation because he then said "Why don't you help by cleaning up the mess. Be careful. There are lots of little slivers. I'm going to go clean him up and shove him into bed. He is going to hate me in the morning."

And with that, he dragged himself and the load he was caring for, up the stairs and down the hallway. You would think that Haymitch would know better than to have a room up the stairs. He has a total of 10 minutes out of the day where he is sober. I'm sure this isn't the first time this has happened. I bend down and start picking up the shards and slivers of glass, but it is almost impossible to see them all with the alcohol all over the floor. A get up and head to the kitchen looking for something to dry it up with. As I find something that looks semi clean, I hear the water shut off from upstairs. It's funny how I never heard it turn on in the first place. I go back to the spot below the stairs and try to dry it up quickly because Peeta would be down soon. And I didn't want it to look like I had just sat there while he was working with Haymitch. I've got all the alcohol mopped up and already started at picking up the glass again before I heard heavy footsteps. Knowing who it was, I didn't even bother looking up. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be just fine," Peeta answers with a tone that confuses me, so I look up into his eyes as he finished his sentence, "he'll have bumps, cuts, and bruises, but he will still be breathing in the morning."

"Well that's good" I make a small laugh, but it's not one that I think he hears, but of course he does, he's Peeta.

"It's nice to hear you laugh. It's been a really long time." He says while walking down the steps, "Hear," He starts picking up some of the pieces, "Let me help you so maybe we can get out of here." He turns his head towards me, tilts it and smiles.

I'm not paying attention to wear I'm laying my hand, there must have been a shards angled upwards cause suddenly there is a sharp pain in my left hand, right under my pinky. "Damnit," I say a little too loudly. I try to hide my hand from his view, but I should have known better.

"Let me see it Katniss.." He says sternly. But of course I'm going to put up a fight, so I just pull away more. About to stand, he pulls on my right hand and looks me in the eyes. His beautiful blue eyes are darkening to a smoky hue of blue. I can tell he is serious. I finally give in, and hand my left hand. He examines it quickly, grabs my right hand again and pulls us both up to our feet. He leads me into the kitchen where he finds a first aid kit. When he opens it, we find a bunch of pills that look as if they would cure a hangover. Of course. But underneath all of that, Peeta finds a bandage and some ointment. He starts cleaning me up and then wrapping the bandage around my hand.

"This isn't really necessary Peeta. It's not that bad, and I don't care about some stupid.." He cuts me off briskly with his eyes darting into mine.

"I care Katniss, Is that enough for you?" I feel if something is hiding in this question. My heart skips and my mind is racing to figure out what he is asking me. But what else could it mean? Other than that he doesn't want my hand to get infected.

"Okay" Is the only thing I know how to say right now. With that though, he seems satisfied, for now. And I can live with that.

Soon we are walking back down the road, I guess towards my dark, cold house, I'm not really paying attention right now. My mind is racing of all the possible meanings behind tonight. He let me walk with him. He helped bandage me up. He said he cared, but do I really look too much into that one? And I wouldn't even take him to my woods. Sadly enough, I don't think I truly felt bad about it till right now, walking with him. Where I kinda feel like I'm invading his privacy a little bit.

He stops walking, and suddenly I can feel the inevitable about to happen. 'Just ask me." I say as I turn to face him. I can see his sadness, his pain, and it's all in his eyes.

"Why didn't you come get me before you went into the woods? Don't you dare say 'I don't know'! Don't lie to me again Katniss." I could see he meant it. And all I knew is that if I told him the truth, I probably had a better chance at keeping him. But I quickly reworded that though, because Peeta was not mine anymore.

Part of me started feeling like I wanted him to be.

I thought it best to tell him the truth anyway. I didn't want to lie again and lose what little I had left of him anyway.

I began to explain to him that I call those "My Woods", that they were my sanctuary away from home that I felt where mine and Gale's. (I see the cringe in his face and the flinch in his body as I mention Gale.) His hurt eyes turned into understanding ones. As I finish up I'm realizing I have grown short of breath from talking so fast, "And I'm just sorry. But I want you to go with me tomorrow. And I mean it!" I turn my head towards the ground. Not wanting to look into his eyes anymore. They just remind me of what I have lost.

Before realizing, I am being embraced into the warmest hug I have experienced in what feels like a lifetime. I realize I'm just standing there. But I want to soak it all in. When he lets go, I notice we are actually in front of his house. "Go get some sleep," I say with a small smile.

With a nod he begins to walk up the sidewalk. He take me by surprise when he turns to look back at me. "You know, I have nightmares too. Well, I guess I should say still." He calls out to me. "I don't just wake up to your screams; I wake up to my own." I hear the shakiness in his voice. It took a lot for him to tell me that. I am then running up to him and it is now my turn to embrace him, but unlike me, he wraps his arms around me, which make me pull him even tighter. He rests his head on my shoulder. And I can feel his breathing is in sync with mine.

I don't know what this feeling is. I felt it in the Quarter Quell and I didn't know what it was then either. But it was making my mind all foggy and I wasn't sure I liked it. But then I feel his lips on my cheek, and this sends electricity through my body. Without thinking I grab his face with my good hand, and bring his face closer to mine, where I can feel his hot breath on my lips. I know what I want to do, but to be sure he won't back away I search his eyes. They look a little puzzled, but they were MY blue. Deep and bright and beautiful. I don't even have time to react because he moved his lips down on mine before I even have a chance. It was light and fluffy at first, but has a lips started moving with rhythm that I didn't know I had in me. But even as he had my lips locked with his, my mind goes to words I heard from Haymitch sometime ago, "You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him, you know."

Knowing Haymitch's words to be of some truth, I let go of him and back away. He looks a bit startled, but then quickly composes himself. "You should go get some sleep; I'll be here early in the morning." I smile slightly. But I can sense that he can tell when something is up, but he doesn't push it.

He smiles slightly, "Okay." And with that, walks into his house. And I walk to mine, alone.

kg

A/N: Oh, Glorious Buzz Kill ;) You gotta love me. This chapter is the stepping stone for something amazing and possibly worth of that M rating I gave this story.