Disclaimer: The THG universe belongs to Suzanne Collins only. I make no profit playing with her characters.

A/N: Just a short outtake of the last chapter from Peeta's POV today which has been a birthday wish of the lovely Mary last year. A big thank you to Fremus, who beta-ed and reviewed the this for me. All errors still in there are solely mine!

Thanks y'all for following this story, favorit-ing it and/or reviewing! Next chapter should be up by Monday.


Outtake Chapter 5

This Sunday is surely no day to be outside at all and I wish I had stayed at home and done the bookkeeping which I found no time for this week instead of being at one of the social events again that my mother wanted me to attend. Still in the hope of either finding myself a suitablewife or at least making me realize where she thought my place was in society - which was neither in this town nor as a baker.

If it hadn't been old friends of hers who I was sure to report back to her I wouldn't have bothered, but this way the most acceptable compromise was to take my leave as soon as politeness allowed. The scars on my leg had itched and ached all day, they are worth nothing but a forecast to rainy weather like the one I'm finding myself in now, another reason why I should have stayed home. My hosts had insisted on waiting until the rain was gone, but I've made excuses, declining using their carriage also until I had almost run out.

I could imagine the Lloyds' disapproving thoughts about my escape and I was happy that none of them could witness my difficulties now. With my leg hurting and the slippery ground it was getting more and more difficult to walk steadily now even with the cane that I had the foresight to take with me and I was happy that there were not too many people who could see my struggle or hear my un-gentleman-like muttered curses. How ridiculous I must look! It was the perfect ending to an everything but pleasant week. I took a moment to steady my stance and take a deep breath to gulp down my anger.

The grey curtain of rain is getting a bit lighter, but my clothing is already soaked at the places my umbrella couldn't protect and the hem of my trousers are all but appropriate covered in inch high mud. I could feel the chill creeping upwards into my legs and I hoped to be home soon. I knew that useless thing of a leg would be utterly stiff tomorrow anyway and I would be limping around even in my house with my cane all day feeling like an old man.

As I made my way along the nearly empty streets I tried to hurry but I could not deny I was really slow. The dirt splashed underneath my clumsy footfall. I decided to take the shortcut along the alley where the theatre was since the main streets didn't look less muddy right now. Normally I preferred the cobblestone plastered streets but it is all the same mud covered dirt. Plus it gave me an excuse to look at the monthly schedule of performances. An excuse for the farce that I have built up myself.

Theatre had been the only one of frivolities that I was keeping from my old life. I was not sure why her singing had been drawing me in so much, but since the first time I had seen her on that stage I knew my visit could not be a one time thing. Miss Glimmer had been right for once, it is worth every cent to see it. It made me forget the world around me, my leg, Clove's betrayal and my uselessness.

I knew Miss Everdeen was different the moment she had entered my shop, learned that she was living with her nephew and despite what others might think about that had shown me that she was following her heart. And my stupid own one had silently hoped that it would also lead her to me eventually when she got to know me. As if the spell she lured me in could have been mutual ... I had again been living in my dreams. Cripple that I was I had thought that maybe she could have looked past that. Unlike Clove who had looked past that because of staring at my father's money.

Also Miss Everdeen had made me wish and long for something that I now knew I was never going to have. So maybe I should leave it at just looking at the schedule since my affections are uncalled for, that whatever I felt while we danced existed only in my imagination.

But why I still bothered to take a look at the schedule I didn't know. In the end I would only hurt myself with that. She must know that I have taken a liking to her, and her response to that had been to send her housemate to buy bread since Delly's party. Not once did we meet and that's as polite as a rejection can be for something that hasn't even begun. She did not care the same way about me, she had not felt that spark, that was the cruel reality.

If I was honest with myself, I should have known from the beginning that I would never be more to her than the baker who was selling her bread. I never was.

Apart from when we had met at Delly's birthday party, I am not sure if she had seen the person that I am, and then only because she had involuntarily insulted me. If she would have danced with me if that hadn't happened ... I was not sure if I really wanted to know the answer. The truth could hurt.

My mother was right, I was worth nothing and my bakery a waste of money. Maybe I should finally face it, marry whoever is willing to share my name, preferably lives faithful and live off my family's funds like I was supposed to under the pretense of being part of the family business.

Just like anybody else Miss Everdeen had judged me by what she saw. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wanted to be seen as me, not as the baker, not as the crippled third son of Edward Mellark and most certainly not as another piece in mother's strategic alliance marriage ga ...

I made a turn to the left and stopped abruptly which I regretted soon, because it sent a searing pain through my leg and I bit on my lip to suppress any noises in case I needed to be invisible, but a sigh escaped me though. I listened carefully, no, whoever it was that I had heard talking a few yards ahead, they hadn't noticed me.

I could hardly make out their forms through the damp mist. It most certainly was a man and a woman as far as I could tell, and he was holding her by the waist. Normally I would draw back now, it was none of my business what couples do, but then I heard her exclaim: "Please get your hands off me, Mister Stone!

A cold shiver ran through me when I recognized that voice. Speak of the devil.

I suddenly became very conscious of my heart beating in my chest. It was no question what I would do and so, as fast as I could without putting myself at risk of slipping, I hobbled over. Obviously they had been farther away than I originally thought. I put down my umbrella and used it to steady my pace as another cane. I was hardly aware of the cold raindrops falling on my head, only of possibly her being in need of help.

Then my worry was confirmed when I heard that gunpowder-worth man saying: "Now now, don't be so shy, Katniss, everything is going to be fine…" And then they came fully into view. I was only three, maybe four feet away and still neither of them had as much as glanced at me.

I noticed that her lips were pressed tightly together and her eyes were wide opened in fear and that was the last sign to what would have been happening if I hadn't basically stumbled across them. I shunned the thought; that was nothing I wanted to think about. I straightened my shoulders, lifted at least the umbrella from the floor, gathered my courage and demanded: "I believe the lady asked to be left alone!"

"It's none of your business, Mellark." His voice was spiteful, but I didn't back out. Stone wouldn't let go.

"It is, Stone", I muttered, but I didn't think he could hear me – or she for that matter, when she drew back and he finally relinquished his grip. The tension between them was still palpable. If she didn't pay more attention in the future, some encounter like this was likely to happen again, I could see it in his eyes, in his attitude. This was not over. But again, I should not make this my business, and still I did.

"I hope to see you soon, Miss Everdeen!" Stone threatened with a sugary voice and with one last smirk in my direction, he finally headed away, further into an alley. After one glance that he did not turn towards us again, I hardly paid attention where to he had disappeared. It was hard to stay calm for me, but I did. I didn't want to scare her further, but I must know if he had hurt her.

"Are you alright, Miss Everdeen? He didn't …, did he?" I asked and made my way over to her slowly, so she could see every step I made. She was leaning against a wall taking deep breaths and possibly processing what just happened to her. I took her in, soaked through to the bones, her hair a mess and still frightened. Now with Stone gone, she only looked like a scared child, vulnerable, but that only lasted for a few seconds until she regained control over her posture.

"No, no, he didn't, you … you were just in time", she whispered and I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding. Thank God!

"Thank you so much, Mr. Mellark, I cannot thank you enough for … sparing me those unpleasantries." She rambled on and avoided my questioning gaze, I didn't dare trying to get closer to her, for once not knowing what I should do. I was unsure. She has made her position very clear and I respected her wishes, but I also wanted to make sure she arrived safely wherever she was heading which, assuming where we were, was probably the theatre.

"Would you … would you like me to walk you to the Capitol? I won't be offended, if you refuse after what just happened, but maybe my umbrella and I could keep you from the rain and Mr. Stone", I offered despite knowing it better and I cursed myself for that. I should not push her just because I wanted her to be more than a friend, and most likely we will never be even that. Seconds passed where she said nothing which I took as no for an answer. Get over it, Mellark; I scolded myself.

I had already half turned around to go, when she replied: "I'd like that very much right now." She stressed the last two words so much that it was hard to ignore and ceased any delight that I could have taken from that. Wordlessly I offered her my arm, ignoring the spark that went through me despite it all. Once again she has made her point.

It's only for now. It never will be.