4.
2 week later, not much has changed. The Mellarks are still at Haymitch's and are recovering fast, except Peeta and Mrs Mellark. Rye woke up a couple of days after me and both of us can now move around, mostly. Sometimes we have to sit down because of sickness or headache or something. We still need someone beside us but we are kind of helping eachother. His arm is healing fast and his ribs are healing even faster.
Leaven is feeling better but still hasnt walked. My mother thinks he will be able to soon. Hopefully today. He's not as weak as he was before and is now able to feed himself and move his arms around fully. Its just his legs that everyone is worried about. He still has the chance of not being able to walk again which would put him out of work and effectively ruin his life.
Peeta still hasnt woken up and we all still have to keep an eye on him. Ever since Mother has told me that he could die, I have hardly left his side. I even fall asleep with my head on the table sometimes.
The other night, I had woken up to the sound of choking. I didnt think anything of it until I realised what it was. Someone gasping for breath. I jumped up to get my motherand because I had just woke up and I hadnt fully healed, all the blood rushed to my head and I fell to the floor, winding myself and giving myself a massive headache and sore legs.
I had crawled over to where Masan slept on the sofa and reached out to slap whatever I reached first which just so happened to be his face.
"Katniss?" He asks when he looked down at me, lying on the floor.
"Pe-eta-" I choked out and he shot up and ran out, coming back a couple minutes later with my startled mother. She is still tying her robe around her middle when Masan is pulling her by the hand to get her into the room as fast as he can.
Masan had then helped me onto the sofa where I fell asleep eventually and since that incident, I have refused to leave his side at all.
Until today, when I am being forced to. My mother says I'm well enought to go to school as long as Masan walks with me and picks me up afterwards so she is forcing me to go, even though I want to stay here. I made her promise to ring the school if anything happens though.
"Do I have to go?" I ask Mother at breakfast. Haymitch gave us all full access to the kitchen so we are allowed to eat anything that we want. If we run out of something then Haymitch gives Masan and Prim some money to go and buy the thing that we need. At first we turned down the money that he gave us but the wya he puts it, he has never really had anything to do with the money that he gets so it has built up over the years and he has nothing to do with it so he is helping us all out which I am very thankful for because even though I am still revovering from what happened, I have also not felt more healthy. I'm never really hungry and I'm always well slept. I have to sleep here whilst I recover so our house is going untouched for a while.
"Yes, you've been off for 2 weeks now Katniss." She says to me.
"But Prim doesnt have to go back." I argue.
"Because Prim is helping me."
"But I could help?" I ask.
"You dont know how, plus you keep getting in the way when I'm trying to keep Peeta alive."
"Yeh, so I can keep an eye on him!" I can feel my anger rising now.
"Its not up fot discussion Katniss! Youre going to school and thats the end of it."
I slam my spoon on the table and stand up. "Fine!" I shout and leave the room.
"You know, you're so much like your father!" I hear her shout from the kitchen, just as I'm standing at the archway to the sitting room.
"Good!" I shout back, letting all my anger out by kicking the sideboard, startling Rye who is sitting on the sofa next to Peeta's table.
Suddenly a wave of dizziness hits me and I grab hold of the door frame to keep steady. Note to self: stay calm.
"Wow! Katniss take it easy." Rye says, coming over and grabbing me with his good arm.
"Thanks." I reply with a smile. "Wheres your father?"
"He just went to wake Prim and Leaven up. Then he will take you up to school." Rye says.
"Okay." I reply and take a seat. Leaven has been moved into one of the bedrooms so that he can have a good nights sleep but every morning and night Masan has to help him with the stairs.
He emerges a couple seconds later with Leaven, but it still takes him a coupld minutes to get down the stairs with him on his arm. I watch as they take it step by step.
"Haymitch is walking with us to go to the Bakery." Masan says from the bottom of the stairs.
"Would it be alright if I come too? I need to get out." Rye asks and I nod.
"If you want?" Masan says. "But are you sure that you're up for that walk?"
"Its only going to be about 20 minutes dad, I'm sure I'll be fine." Rye replies with a sarcastic smile.
Once Leaven is on the sofa and Haymitch is finally downstairs, Masan calls us from the door and Rye walks out the room. I turn around to Peeta's table and kiss him on the head. Its the first time I've ever done that and I'm not quite sure why I do but I do. "Dont you dare die." I whisper in his ear. I dont know why I feel such a strong connection with him when I dont know him that well. It probably has something to do with the bread 4 years ago but somehow I think its more than that. Deep down I cant even begin to explain how much he means to me and If he died I wouldnt know what to do.
"Katniss! come on!" Rye shouts.
"I'll see you later Katniss." Leaven says to me and I smile.
"Coming!" I reply to Rye and stroke Peeta's sweat covered hair behind his ear one more time before leaving the room to join the others.
"What where you doing?" Haymitch asks.
"Nothing." I reply. Rye shrugs his shoulders and we set off.
It takes us a while to get to school, having to stop every couple of minutes for either me or Rye. When we pass the Bakery, Haymitch leaves us to go and help. Rye seems to look at it forever and Masan has to pull him away from the sight of his demolished home.
Eventually we make it to school to find the school yard empty. Great! I'm late! Masan says that he will walk me to class so Rye has to come with us. He isnt allowed to stay anywhere by himself. We get a few strange looks as we walk down the hallway. But its nothing compared to what happens when I get into my class. As soon as I walk through the door, more than half of the class are up on their feet cheering and clapping. I smile awkwardly until a teacher gets everyone to sit down.
"Yes we know that Miss Everdeen is a hero but this is still a school." She says, waving them all down. Soon, the whole class is once again sitting in their chairs and then the teacher turns towards me. "This might be your first day back Miss Everdeen but that does not excuse you, do you mind telling me why you are late?"
"I'm sorry thats my fault." Masan says, walking around the door frame with Rye trailing behind him.
"Masan and Rye Mellark? What are you doing here?" She asks them and I step aside so she can see them better.
"Well because of Katniss' head injury, she had to have someone walk her to school and I promised Evelyn that I would do it for her but I had to get Leaven up and help him downstairs because he cant walk and then Haymitch and Rye wanted to walk with us and Haymitch took forever getting ready and then we had to stop a couple of times for Rye and Katniss but we finally made it and here we are." He says.
Suddenly, Rye reaches out for something to hold and I grab hold of him whilst Masan is having a conversation with My Teacher. Rye has his eyes scrunched closed tightly, his breath faltering. "Masan." I say quite loudly and he turns around to look at me, grabbing Rye's other arm almost instantly.
"You get sat down and I'll get him back to Haymitch's so he doesnt fall and make his arm or ribs worse. I'll make sure to ring the school if anything happens with Peeta." He hands me my back pack that he had over his shoulder. He refused to let me carry it myself.
"Thanks Masan." I say and start to walk through the room slowly, after giving Rye a pat on the back and a smile which he returns.
"I told Gale to pick you up after the lesson, dont move from that place until he shows up." Masan says as I sit down in my usual seat.
"Ok I know, you dont have to keep telling me." I say rolling my eyes.
"I'm serious Katniss, be careful today please." He says.
"I promise." I reply and he finally leaves.
The lesson goes by really slowly and I constantly find myself looking behind me to where Delly sits by herself at the table she used to sit with Peeta. She smiles at me but all I can see is little visions from the past of Peeta and Delly laughing. Most people would think I was paying attention but I was. I can still hear his laughter and it brings tears to my eyes at the thought that I might never hear it again. The teacher shouts at me a couple of times for not paying attention in class.
As promised, Gale shows up to take me to my next class, 5 minutes before the lesson actually finished because I have to walk slowly. He helps me pack up my pen and paper and helpd me up and out of the classroom. The bell rings just as I get to my next class. Gale helps me to my desk and then leaves just as the rest of the class filters through the door.
The next time Gale shows up its halfway through the lesson. There is a knock and I look towards the door to see him looking back at me through the little bit of glass in the middle of the door. The teacher motions for him to come in so he does. "Mr Hawthorne, I dont believe your on time." He says.
"I'm sorry sir but I need Katniss, something has happened." Gale says quite loudly like he's out of breath from running or something. I hold in my breath. He isnt smiling he just looks shocked. This cant be good.
"Gale whats wrong? What Happened?" I shout through the class.
"Its Peeta..." He replies with wide eyes and I feel my heart stop.
"Is he..." I say but I cant carry on.
"No, he isnt dead but- " Gale starts but is cut off by the teacher.
"If you dont mind, I still have a class to teach." He says and Gale nods in understanding.
"Katniss..." Gale directs at me, "He woke up and he is asking for you."
"Oh thank god... Sir can I go?" I ask the teacher.
"Of course and make sure you tell him that we cant wait to see him." He smiles and Gale walks in the room to help me with me stuff.
We pretty much run to the Victorc Village, stopping a couple of times so I can rest but we still make it there in about 10 minutes. When we get to Haymitch's, we both run in and straight over to the sitting room.
"Mum?" I shout and she moves aside to show Peeta. He's still lying on his front but his eyes are open. I run over and sit on the stool beside him. He looks up at me whilst reaching out with his hand, groaning, because of the pain in his shoulder.
"How long was I out?" He croaks.
"2 and a half weeks." I say in reply.
"Oh, thats a long time." He whispers with a small smile.
"Yeh it is. We have all been so worried about you and your mum." I say.
"My Mum?" He asks in confusion.
"Yeh, she was injured in the fire, pretty badly actually."
"Fire?" He asks. Oh no, he doesnt remember anything. Mum said this would happen.
"Yeah, the fire. Do you not remember?" I ask and he slightly shakes his head. "Peeta... the Bakery was on fire... You where all in it. Your dad was the only one that wasnt injured." I'm surprised that nobody explained this to him before I got back.
"Yeh." I hear Rye say coming up behind me. Peeta's eyes flicker up to him and widen in fear no doubt seeing what he looks like. "And Miss Katniss Everdeen here, saved our lives." I nudge Rye slightly but he carried on. "And she got injured in the process of saving me I believe."
Peeta looks at me again and now he looks slightly worried. "Injured?"
Ive never been a good liar so I just tell the truth. "Yeh, Rye was stuck under the fallen fridge, so Thom lifted up the fridge so I could pull Rye out but he must have been stuck on something because his hand slipped out of mine and I fell back, My head hit the corner of one of the counters. I now have a hole in my skull at the back which is affecting me more than you would think." He tries to reach out to hold my face, I think, but he yelps in pain just as he gets to it and flops his arm back onto the table so I take his hand again.
"What about everyone else?" He asks and I open my mouth to speak but Rye gets there first.
"Well, I've got a big hole in my skull just like Katniss, plus a broken arm and a cracked rib. Mum has a very serious head injury. Leaven has a slipped disk in his spine, which is pressing on his sciatic nerve, causing him to not be able to walk and dad... well he's completely fine." Rye finishes with a frown.
"So whats wrong with me because the only thing that doesnt hurt is my legs?" He asks.
"Erm... You have a very serious head injury, it may cause memory loss. Plus you have a neck injury, causing your neck to hardly move. Also, both your shoulder blades are broken and part of the bone from one of them had got lodged in your lung. My mother pulled it out but there is bleeding inside causing you to find it hard to breath at times." I say. "We have to have someone watching you at all times."
"Who's been looking after me?" He asks.
I open my mouth but Rye buts in again. "Katniss has, she refused to leave your side." Peeta looks at me and we keep eye contact for a few minutes before Rye starts laughing. I elbow him quickly, still looking at Peeta. "OWW! RIBS!" He shouts at me.
"Then go away!" I reply and Peeta laughs.
"Ow, please dont make me laugh... It hurts." Peeta complains.
"Sorry." I say with a smile, trying to keep the laugh in.
I realise now just how tired I am, and how much my head hurts. I let go of Peeta's hand and start to massage my temples with my elbows on the table, my faces inches from Peeta's. I start to take deep breaths. The noise in the room isnt helping much. "Katniss?" I hear Peeta ask. "Are you okay?" I nod slightly even though I'm not fine.
I feel someones hand on my shoulder, massaging it. "Come on Katniss, you need some rest. Youve had too much excitement for today." I hear Gale say.
"No I'm fine." I say as loud as I can.
"Katniss, Gale's right." Peeta says.
"No, just get me a cushion." I say and Gale leaves my side, only to come back a couple seconds later with a cushion from the sofa. I grab it off him and place on the table where my elbows where, just next to Peeta's head. I lean my head down on it and eventually room stops spinning. I feel Peeta start messing with my hair like my father used to and eventually I fall asleep, not having enough energy to pull myself back up.
"Katniss?" I hear during my sleep. "Wake up Katniss." I recognise the voice as Prim. What Prim doing in the woods. I can see her but she looks like a ghost. "Katniss, you need to eat." She says. No she isnt in the woods, she is standing over where I lie in bed.
"Prim?" I whisper. Or atleast it sounds like a whisper. I expected it to come out louder than that but I didnt even feel my mouth move.
"Katniss!" She says even louder, pulling me out of my dream. "Katniss you need to wake up!" I open my eyes to see that I was still wrong. We arent in my bedroom, we are in Haymitch's house in the Victors Village. "Everybody is waiting for you. You need to eat." She says and helps me up. I was lying on the table, previously occupied by Peeta. Someone must have moved me whilst I was sleeping.
Whilst walking to the dining room, I notice that it is really dark outside. "What time is it?"
"9pm. You where asleep for 10 hours." Prim replies.
"Wheres Peeta?"
"In the dining room, everyone is." She says and walks me through the kitchen into the dining room. "Oh and Rory dropped this off for you. I'm not sure what it is but here." She hands me a small blue folder with my name on it. Well it was obviously meant for me. I think I have a good Idea what it is.
"It must be the plans for the Bakery." I say to her, looking down at the folder. What else would Rory bring me?
"You're planning the Bakery?" Peeta asks.
"Yeh, I've been working on the floor plan." I reply, taking a seat across from him and next to Rye and Masan. "Your father helped a little bit." I started the plan last week because Rory couldnt do it and I realised that I didnt know the original layout for the Bakery so thats where Masan helped out. "When we got all the wood and stuff counted, we got that we had more than we needed and we also have a lot more floor space because the pig pen was destroyed and there is a big garden so all I can tell you is that the Bakery will be bigger than it used to be."
"Can I see them?" Peeta asks.
"No its a surprise." I reply and begin to eat.
"But dads seen them?" He whines.
"No he hasnt. He helped me draw the original plans out and I did the new ones all by myself. Its a surprise to you all. Your father isnt allowed to help rebuild it anymore either."
Dinner is a quiet affair as most of us are really hungry after healing. This is the first time Peeta has had real food since the incident and he seems to be having a great time. My mother has to go back and fill his plate up again atleast twice. It never gets boring though. We all sit there talking and laughing, even Haymitch, until it gets to 11:53pm and I feel the pain that I have become so accustomed too. I lean my head down onto the table and after a couple of seconds the room seems to go extremely quiet which is weird when you are used to the room being full of noise like it has been for the past couple of hours.
I feel, what I think is Rye, stroke my back with his good hand. He knows exactly what I'm going through but because I hit my head on a corner, my injury is worse than his. His head has almost healed now, whereas I still have quite a lot of healing left to do. "Right, I think its time for bed." I hear my mother say.
"Where is everyone going to sleep?" Rye asks, still stroking my back.
"Well, now that Peeta is finally awake, he will be able to sleep upstairs and Katniss? Im presuming that you will not agree to sleeping in an actual bed?" I pull my head up off the table but my head is too tired to stay up so I end up leaning back, my head finding its way onto Rye's shoulder. I have no energy to pick it back up so I just let myself stay there. He wraps his arm around me and I see Peeta across the table looking at us strange, I'm normally good with the looks on peoples faces but I dont actually know what he is thinking right now.
"But what if something happens?" I ask, finally answering my mothers question.
"Nothings going to happen and besides, you're really tired." She says.
"I'm fine." I say defensively but she knows I'm not.
"No, you're not!" She replies. "Anyway, there is only one room left upstairs and no more room in any of the others so you are going to have to sleep in the same room as Peeta."
"That's fine." I reply as if it doesnt bother me at all but infact I'm actually hold in the happiness. Atleast this way, I'll be able to keep an eye on him if something happens.
"Its better for us aswell because you have better hearing than us and Peeta's breathing is still very critical, so if anything happens, shout me. I'll be across the hall from you and both the doors will be open." She says to me.
"Got it." I say with a thumbs up, because truthfully, I dont really think I would be able to do anything else right now.
"Right." My mother says in a tone that makes me roll my eyes. Its the tone she uses when she tries to tell me what to do. "Rye, you get Katniss to bed and then go to bed yourself. Masan, if you wouldnt mind, could you get Peeta to bed. Haymitch, you are going to have to help Leaven. Prim you need to go to bed and I'll go and check on Aymee. Masan, I presume you're going to stay downstairs again to keep an eye on your wife?" Masan nods and then everyone getting out of their chairs. Rye keeps his arm around me as he helps me up the stairs and into a room at the far end of the hallway.
There are 2 double beds lined up next to eachother, with just a little table inbetween them. I smile slightly at the thought of finally being in a bed for once. "Your clothes are in the drawers, Peeta should be up in a minute, so I'd be quick if I where you. I'll be outside to make sure he doesnt come in." He grins and then steps out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
I walk over to the drawers that contain the clothes that Prim went home for about 2 weeks ago. Every other day, leading up to now, someone just brought me my clothes down and I got changed in the downstairs bathroom, I never actually knew where they where. I guess this was meant to be my room all along. I pull out a tank top and some shorts and replace them with the clothes that I am wearing now.
2 weeks ago, Haymitch gave Masan some money to buy his family some clothes, considering all of theirs where destroyed in the fire. That man doesnt even know how generous he is. Masan and Leaven have mostly just been wearing Haymitch's clothes because most of the stuff in the bags didnt fit either of them. They both have a bigger build than Peeta and Rye who fit in the clothes without question. He got some girls clothes aswell which mostly fit Aymee but some of them where too small so they automatically just went to me and Prim which I didnt argue with because they where more comfortable than most of the clothes that I have ever owned. There was so many clothes considering he only went to the Hob and picked up a couple of black bags full of clothes.
I pull on my oversized pyjama shirt and breath in the smell that seems to have lingered all these years. It used to belong to my father but after he died, I started sleeping in it and I have done ever since. "I'm done!" I shout through the door, dropping my clothes into the basket. A couple seconds later, Rye opens the door and waves me out. I have to stand outside whilst Masan gets Peeta changed.
I walk out, pulling on a robe that Rye hands me and Masan leads Peeta into the room, followed by Rye, who I guess is helping them out. Its quite cold out in the hallways, so I wrap the robe tighter around myself. There must be a window open somewhere. Living in the seam, I'm used to the cold but after spending the last couple of weeks in this house, I've got used to the fact that this house is nowhere near as cold as the drafty seam house. Instead of standing in the hallways, I decide to walk downstairs to see my mother.
She is standing in the sitting room, checking over Mrs Mellark when I get down the stairs. "Shouldnt you be in bed?" She asks, without even turning around.
"Masan and Rye are getting Peeta changed." I say and she finally turns around.
"Katniss... I need to say sorry..." She says. I'm about to ask 'what for' but it wouldnt take me long to guess anyway. "I know I've been hard on you these past couple of weeks..." I was no expecting that. "And I'm really sorry about that. I know that you have been worried about Peeta and I understand why, I shouldn't have been so hard on you and as my apology, you dont have to go to school yet, atleast until Peeta goes." She gives me a small reassuring smile and I lean against the doorframe.
"Mum... I understand why you where so hard on me, You where just trying to keep everyone alive and I got in the way." I reply. She smiles at me and goes back to her work.
"Katniss?" I hear from the stairs. Following the noise, I find Masan walking down the stairs by himself. "Peeta is changed, you can go up if you want." He walks down the stairs fully and stands next to me, watching my mother work.
"Could you both please not watch me?" My mother says with her back still turned.
"Sorry." Masan replies with a small laugh. "Come on Katniss, I'll make you some hot chocolate." He pulls me away from the sitting room and down to the kitchen.
When we get there, he starts rummaging around in the kitchen, looking for the chocolate powder. "So, Hows the Bakery plans coming?" He asks, looking through the bottom cupboards. Haymitch really needs to have a more organised kitchen.
"You know I cant tell you anything about that." I say, laughing slightly.
"I know, I'm just making conversation." He replies.
"Actually, I need your help with something." I say, remembering something that I needed to ask him.
"I though I wasnt allowed to know anything?" He asks, flashing me a stereotypical Mellark smile, normally the one that Rye gives to everyone. "Ah! Here it is!" He pulls the tin out of the cupboard and switches on the kettle.
"Yeh, well no one knows your sons as well as you do so you're the only person that I can ask." I say and he turns around, leaning against the counter with a smile on his face.
"What wrong?" He asks and I smile slightly.
"Well with the new plans for the Bakery, there is an extra room upstairs, so I was wondering, which one of your sons would prefer their own room?" I ask him.
"Peeta, definitely. He always complains that he has to share a room with his brother and Chris will probably move out in the next couple of years anyway." He laughs.
"Great thanks." I reply.
After I finish my hot chocolate, I say goodnight to my mother and climb the stairs to go to bed. The hallway is just as cold as it was before , this time though, the ground is actually gcold against my even though it's carpet. Haymitch really needs to sort his house out and get some heating in this place.
I quickly run down the hallway and jump into my bedroom. The warmth hits me as soon as I get through the door and I shut it behind me to keep all the heat in. "I thought your mum wanted the door open?" Peeta says from behind me, making me jump.
"Oh god! I forgot you were there." I say, spinning around quickly.
"Where else would I be?" He's lying on his front, diagoally across his bed. He doesnt have a shirt on and his back is bandaged up that much that you would think he did have one on.
"Thats a good point." I reply with a laugh, crossing over the room, dropping my robe and climbing into my bed. "And I'm sure my mother will open it when she comes to bed."
"Yeh I'msure she will." He replies. "Maybe you should get some sleep." I nod and turn around in bed, slowly drifting off to sleep to the sound of birds outside the window that I didnt even know was open.
"Goodnight Katniss." I hear Peeta say as sleep pulls me under.
My dreams are filled with good things tonight. Just as much as my heart is filled with joy. There is a very very low chance of Peeta dying now which I'm thankful for. He could still stop breathing but he shouldnt do. Mother would be able to save him if he did.
"Katniss?" I hear someone call through my dream. "Wake up." I recognise the voise but I cant tell who it is.
The meadow starts to dissapear and I can feel the soft sheets below me of a bed that doesnt belong to me. "Katniss?" My eyes shoot open as I hear a voice that isnt My Mother or Prim. The sudden change in scenery makes me head hurt and I let out a groan from the pain. "Sorry." He says.
"Peeta?" I ask, finally recognising the voice. I'm not sure how long I was asleep but it felt like minutes.
"Yeh, sorry for waking you up. I have a problem but no-one else is here." He says. I pull me head out of my hands, ignoring the pounding and look at him.
"Whats wrong." I ask.
"Erm... I need the toilet but I cant get out of bed, would you be able to go and get my dad?" He asks, going a little red.
"Yeh sure." I reply, thats what I'm here for anyway. I climb out of bed and pull my robe back around me. The clock alerts me that its 08:34am. My Mother really wasnt joking when she said that I didnt need to go to school today.
I find Masan downstairs, sitting on the sofa as close to his wife as he possibly can. My Mother is sitting beside him fast asleep. "Mornin'" He mumbles through the darkness. We have to keep the room as dark as we can at all times apparently it speeds up the healing process.
"Morning... Peeta needs help." I say to him and he finally looks at me, obviously worrying slightly. "Its alright, he just needs help to the toilet."
"Oh right okay, I'm going." He stands up, letting go of his wife's hand that I didnt know he was holding and walks past me, rubbing his eyes and yawning. I catch his arm before he has chance to walk away and he looks at me.
"Masan, when was the last time you slept?" I ask him.
"Honestly, I dont remember." He replies.
"You need to sleep, why dont you go to bed after you have helped Peeta?"
He shakes his head and glances at his wife. "I cant leave her, I cant leave any of them. They need me, I know that if I went to sleep then something would happen."
"Please Masan, You're not helping anyone by being sleep deprived. "
He nods slightly and I let go of his arm. "Yeah, you're right, after I've helped Peeta, I'll get Leaven up and then we can have breakfast."
"And then you will go to sleep?" I ask. By what I remember, the last time he went to sleep was that night that Peeta stopped breathing. He starts walking up the stairs.
"Yeh." Then he dissapears. "Would you come and help me please?" He asks from somewhere upstairs and I quickly follow him.
He's standing outside my bedroom when I find him. "I'll get Peeta to the toilet and get him changed, you wake Prim and the boys up, then you can help Peeta to the dining room and I'll get Leaven down, deal?" I nod and he walks into my bedroom to help Peeta. "And leave Haymitch to me, he's not much of a morning person." I laugh and walk into the room that My Mother and Prim have been sleeping in.
"Prim?" I ask in the direction of the bed that sits against the back wall. I can see her small frame sleeping under the covers, she's curled up right in the middle. She mumbles something that I dont catch. "What?" I ask her.
"What time is it?" She asks louder.
"About quarter to 9 little duck." I reply.
"Shouldnt you be at school?" She asks, pulling herself up into a sitting postion.
"Mother said I dont have to." I reply. She is watching me, her eyes full of sleep and her hair still quite tidy for someone who has just been asleep. "Now come on, breakfast soon."
"Okay, I'm coming." She says, throwing the duvet off. I leave the room to wake Leaven and Rye up.
Leaven and Rye's room is only across the hallway from my sister so I only have to take a couple of steps before I'm at their door. I knock but recieve no answer so I turn the doorknob hesitantly and step into the room. I'm met with the sound of snoring. Leaven is the only one actually sleeping on the huge queen sized bed in the middle of the back wall. He's lying on his front, without his shirt on, his arms hugging the pillow that his head rests on. The covers are resting at his waist.
Rye is sleeping on a small matress on the floor. Something tells me that they where meant to sleep in the same bed but didnt want to so Rye slept on the spare matress. He's lying on his back, cradling his broken arm close to his chest, the blankets around his waist.
"Rye? Leaven?" I try but neither of them move an inch.
I lean down and try to wake Rye but he just mumbles something and falls back asleep, so I decide to move onto Leaven. I step around Rye's matress and over to the bed, dodging the mess on the floor. I pull open the curtains and the room floods with light but still neither of them move an inch. "Leaven?" I say, shaking his shoulder slightly.
"Ow!" His eyes shoot open and I pull back quickly. "Katniss?" He asks looking up at me.
"Sorry. Breakfast is out soon." I reply, shoving my hands in the pockets of my robe.
"No its fine, you just made me jump thats all... Is my dad around?" He asks.
"Yeh, he's just helping Peeta go to the toilet and then he will come and help you downstairs."
"Okay, where's Rye?" He asks.
"He's still asleep, I couldnt wake him up." I sigh.
"Oh right. He's always been the deepest sleeper." Leaven laughs. "Could you help me up please?"
I nod and grab him around the waist as best I can, pulling hard until he is able to swivel his hips around so he's in a sitting position with his back against the headboard. When I stand up again, my head spins, forcing me to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Are you alright?" He asks.
"Yeh, it was just too much. I'll be fine." I reply, leaning forward and taking deep breathes.
"Yeh, I understand." He replies, stroking the top of my back. "RYE!" He shouts across the room. The sound ripples through my head. A second later, it starts pounding.
"What?" I hear Rye ask. Atleast he's awake now.
"Get up! Breakfast will be out soon." Leaven says.
"Katniss?" I hear from the door. I look up from where my head sits in my hands and find Masan standing at the door with Peeta. "You okay?"
"Yeh I'm fine." I reply.
"Okay well are you alright to help Peeta downstairs to the dining room?" He asks and I nod.
I pull myself up to my feet but the room spins again. I reach out for something to grab and I feel somebody take my hand. I'm guessing that its Leaven as he is the only person close enough.
When the spinning finally stops I'm just left with the pounding through my skull. I walk to the door, letting go of Leavens hand and taking hold of Peeta's arm.
"Okay, he doesnt need serious help, just make sure that he gets downstairs without falling." I nod and guide Peeta towards the stairs as Masan dissapears into the bedroom shutting the door behind him.
His arm is linked around my shoulders as I help him downstairs. His little yelps of pain arent very nice to listen to and every time one leaves his mouth, I have to stop and ask him if he is okay. Everytime, he assures me that he is but I can tell that he isnt.
When we finally make it to the bottome of the stairs, Peeta sighs in relief and pulls his arm back. "I'm glad thats over, remind me to never do that again." He laughs slightly and I go to step down the last step.
I dont realise what is happening until I hear my name being called and feel my forehead hit something hard. I dont black out but my eyes dont focus properly. "Katniss are you alright?" I hear Peeta ask but I dont have enough energy to move or talk, so I just lay still with my eyes closed for a minute. "Oh god! DAD! RYE!" The sound of him shouting, ratlles through my skull and I force my hand out to tell him to stop.
"No..." I mumble.
He grabs my hand tightly and comes closer. "What?"
"Dont shout..." I get out, realising just how messed up my voice is.
"Just let me get help." He says, attempting to move away but I just pull him back.
"No, just help me to the dining room." I force out.
"Are you sure?" He asks and I nod.
It takes us 5 minutes but we eventually are both up and walking towards the dining room. Masan, Leaven and Rye had walked past us earlier so they are already in the dining room. They offered to help but Peeta told them that I was fine so they carried on.
"You go in, I'm just going to get some water." I choke out and Peeta looks at me.
"Are you sure?" He asks, letting go of my waist. I nod and he lets go of me fully, standing there for a seconf to make sure that I dont fall and then walking into the dining room after I assure him, 5 more times, that I'm completely fine.
Its not until he's gone and I'm alone that I realise just how much I need him, or anyone for that matter. My head is pounding so much, that I can even feel it in my toes.I feel like the slightest noise will rip my skull in two and I can taste blood for some reason. I cant see at all out of my right eye and my left eye is all fuzzy. I can barely feel my legs and my arms arent much better.
I realise just how bad it is, when I'm walking towards the dining roomand the glass of water I was holding in my hand, falls to the ground with a load smash. I need to get to the dining room and to My Mother. "MUM!" I attempt but nothing comes out other than a little squeeky noise.
I keep stumbling until I reach the door to the dining room and I fall against the door frame. "Katniss, you're just in time." I hear Masan say.
"Katniss? Your eyes, they're... red... Bloodshot?" My Mother says.
"Mum!" I say as loud as I can and this time it comes out properly. I didnt know what else to say other than that.
"What?" My Mother replies, slightly startled.
I'm about to say something but my head spins and I fall again. This time its worse though because I hit my head on something hard on the way down, spinning me around, causing the impact from the floor to all go to the back of my head where I was first injured at the Bakery. The last thing I see is Peeta and Rye, reaching out for me but not getting their quick enough.
The next time I wake up its to the sound of voices. "I know Peet." Rye.
"Do you?" Peeta replies. "Katniss is the one that saved us all Rye and she is paying the price. We are almost healed and she wont be healed for a good month yet."
"Damn it Peeta! I know, I feel just as bad as you do!" Rye's voice vibrates through my skull until it reaches the back where it feels like someone has stabbed me in the brain. I groan and attempt to bring my hands up to cover my ears but it hurts so much that I have to put them back down.
"Katniss!"Peeta shouts, causing my head to hurt again. He runs over to me, which I wasnt aware he could do.
"I'll go and get Evelyn." Rye says. I notice that his arm is no longer in a sling.
"H-H-How long was I-I out?" I ask Peeta.
"I think you should wait for your mother." He replies, looking down. What is going on?
"My M-M-Mother?" I stutter.
"Yeh. Here she is." I try to turn my head but its restrained on something so I wait for her to come into my line of vision. When she does, she's with Leaven. A walking Leaven.
"I'm glad to see that you're awake." My Mother says. "Now, you hit your head pretty hard."
"H-How l-long was I-I out?" I ask.
"13 days not I believe. You caused serious damage to the back of your head, your skull and the nerves. You have damaged your speech which should only be temporary, along with use of your legs. I'm sorry to say this but you wont be able to walk for a while. There is a good chance that after a while you will have diffculy taking in information, but you wont have to deal with that yet. You severely damaged your neck and I wouldnt be surprised if you suffer from headaches and sickness for the next year." I feel my head spin, just by taking in all this new information. I guess she was wrong that I wouldnt have to deal with it yet.
"Thats p-p-pretty s-serious." I say with a small laugh to hide the fact that I'm trying not to cry.
"Yes it is." Leaven replies.
"W-What happened t-to y-you three?" I ask.
"I'll leave Peeta to explain that. come on boys." My Mother says and leads Leaven and Rye out of the room.
I direct my eyes towards Peeta. He's sitting on the stool that I used to sit on to watch him. He has his head in his hands and I can hear the sound of him quietly sobbing. "W-W-Whats wrong?" I ask, reaching out to pull his hands away from his face.
He takes my hand in both of his and looks at me. He has tears streaming down his face. "Its all my fault." He says.
"N-No it isnt." I say, trying to reassure him, it doesnt seem to be working though.
"It is, the fire, everyone getting injured, you getting hurt, all of it, it was all because of me." More tears fall from his eyes and I grip his hand as tight as I can.
"H-How is it y-your f-fault?" I ask.
"Well, the day of the fire, I was in the kitchen when it happened. I heard just heard My Mother and Father go upstairs, so I took a break because My Mother never lets me take a break. Anyway, I was sitting at the counter in the kitchen and I had completely forgotten about the bread I had just put in the oven and I knew I had to get some more stuff from the store room, so I went into it but before I did I put a chair to stop it closing because it locks automatically from the outside. The chair must have moved because the door closed." He has more tears streaming down his face and I take hold of hands to calm him down a little bit. He lets out a shaky breath and closes his eyes momentarily.
"I-Its okay t-take your t-time." I get out, I'm actually surprised that anyone can even understand what I'm saying.
He looks at our intwined hands and begins stroking circles on the back of left hand. "W-When the door closed, I heard an explosion coming from the other side of it then the fire alarm started but I'm not sure how it exploded because we have this safety thing at the back of the ovens that contains the fire so it wouldnt explode. Then I heard a scream from upstairs and I knew it was my mother. I then heard Leaven shout my name but then another explosion happened and it must have blasted him off his feet because he stopped shouting for me. A third explosion happened a couple minutes later, which made me lose my balance because I dont rememeber anything else after that..." I nod in understanding as a couple of tears fall from my eyes, remembering that day. "Until a couple of days ago, when the memories started to come back fully."
My eyes grow wide. "W-What?" What does he remember? "What do you r-remember?"
"You. I remember you." He looks up at me and our eyes lock. "You... kissed me back... when I kissed you?... Why?" He's still watching me.
"Yeh... I-I'm s-s-sorry." I say, not taking my eyes off him.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldnt have kissed you at all. I thought I was going to die." He says with a small laugh.
"I-I wasnt g-going t-to leave y-you to d-die." I say to him.
"I actually wanted you to." He says.
"I-I w-wasnt g-going t-to l-l-" Thats when my voice goes completely. I had a feeling this would happen eventually.
"Well, thank you for everything you did, it means the world to me and my family." He says and squeezes my hands. His eyes are watching mine and I dont know why I do it but I pull him down by his shirt and kiss him hard, this time it feels like a normal kiss between two people, not full of the taste of burning flesh or anything like that. His mouth tastes like meat, I think its rabbit meat but I'm not so sure. His hand finds my hair and my stays in his other hand as I cant move that well. He pulls way first, granted I cant but still.
"S-Sorry..." I say and he doesnt say anything back, too shocked probably.
"Peeta?" I hear from the door. I cant turn my head to look at who it is but I can tell by the voice that its Leaven. "Evelyn has made food, are you coming?" Peeta nods.
"What about Katniss?" He asks.
"Dad will be in in a minute to carry her through." Leaven says and leaves the room. Peeta follows a second later keeping his eyes on me. I can still feel his lips on mine and the taste in my mouth.
When Masan finally shows up, I'm kind of bored and I must have thought about everything I could have possibly thought about. "Sorry I'm late, I had to help your mother." He slides his arms under my shoulder blades and legs and pain ripples through my body. "Sorry." He says and I just shake my head.
When we get to the dining room and he places me on a chair, thats when I finally breath. "Right, now we can eat." My Mother says and I start eating about as much food as my stomach can take. My Mother must have expected it because she seems to have put extra on my plate. After that, I end up stealing some of Peeta's, well actually he gives it to me but I still get it anyway.
GALE POV
"Gale! We havent seen you for a while now, how have you been?" Leaven asks me as he answers the door. I have had other things on my mind than coming here. I did want to come see Katniss but truthfully I was scared. The last time I came to see her, Evelyn told me that she might not make it and I didnt want to come back incase she told me that she wouldnt be coming back but I know that I needed to eventually.
"Yeah, I've been working on the Bakery and hunting but then I saw Delly walking here so I came with her." I reply, looking down at Delly's small fram next to me.
"Come in, we are just having breakfast." I step into the house with Delly behind me and Leaven shuts the door. "Katniss woke up this morning." He says and I feel the smile spread to my ears. Thats the news I was hoping for. If she's awake that means she's better.
"Where is she?" I ask, eager to see my best friend.
"She's in the dining room. You have to be careful though, she isnt moving very well and her hearing and speech isnt that good either." Leaven says and I nod.
He walks us through the house and into the dining room and almost as soon as we get in there, Peeta bolts up and throws his arms around Delly. From what I hear, she hasnt been here that much either in the past week. I cant help it but the jealousy rises up in my body as he gives her a kiss on the head. Nothing special just something that looks so easy, he has obviously done that a lot more times before.
"How you feeling?" She asks him with a smile as he finds his seat again.
"Better now that Katniss is awake and you're here." He replies to her and thats when decide that listening to their conversation is a bad idea for me so I walk over to Katniss instead.
"Hey Catnip." I say and she turns her head about a centimetre in my direction and I'm guessing she cant move it any more than that from how she has to lean it on her hands. "How are you?" I ask, deliberating wether or not to give her a hug. I would but I might hurt her. I start to think against it when Evelyn speaks up, stopping the thoughts of a hug.
"She cant speak and she most definitely is not fine." Evelyn says and I find myself backing away slightly.
"So how is everyone else doing?" I ask the room. From scanning everyone I notice that everyone looks a lot better than last time I came. Peeta is moving fine, Leaven can walk and Rye now has full use of his arm.
"We are getting by, I suppose, how about you?" Masan replies.
"I'm good thanks." I reply to him.
"How's the Bakery doing?" Leaven asks and I turn to face him, knowing full well that most of the eyes in the room right now are directed on me right now.
"Give it another week or 2 and you will be able to go home." I say truthfully. With the amount of people that are helping on the Bakery, I'm surprised that we didnt finish earlier.
"Thats good." Masan replies.
"How's Aymee?" I ask Masan, but Peeta answers.
"She still hasnt woken up yet and we are all really worried about it." He says with slight tears in his eyes. I see Katniss reach over and place her left hand on his legs which is probably taking up almost all of her energy right now. Peeta takes her hand and squeezes tightly. The jealousy comes back again but this time its not as strong. I have a feeling that it has something to do with Delly.
"Oh well I'm sure she will wake up soon." I say to reassure them all.
"Can I talk to you outside for a minute Gale?" Delly asks me quietly and I nod. I dont think anyone heard her say that to me so I dont think anyone noticed anything which is really good. I follow Delly out the front door and into the Victors Village. She turns to me and I notice the tears streaming down her face.
"Whats wrong?" I ask her.
"I cant believe Aymee hasnt woken up yet, what if she dies? I wont be able to talk to Peeta without crying." I pull her into my arms and she buries her face in my chest. She always cares about everyone else before herself and thats what I love.
When she eventually calms down, she pulls away from me with a small sad smile playing on her lips. "You know, we are going to have to tell them eventually." She laughs slightly through the stray tears. "We cant hide it from them forever, its not that easy."
"We will tell them when the time is right."
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