Peeta's POV

The sun rises in a few hours, and Katniss can immediately tell where we are. But she's holding a grudge against me, and I make no attempt to apologize. It turns out we're close to 12, so we start out quickly adn quietly, keeping and eye out for enemies.

I got so badly beaten yesterday that I almost couldn't get up when I woke up. Katniss didn't seem to notice, though, and I made no effort to tell her. I would deal with the pain myself.

An hour into our journey, we ran into trouble.

It was the same Peace keepers who had taken us captive, and they were enraged at losing us. Luckily Katniss saw them first, and after tackling and dragging me behind a tree, she looked around for a weapon.
She didn't have her pack or bow, and I didn't either. The Peace Keepers were getting closer and closer, with guns in their hands, looking around for us.

"What are we goin to do?" I whisper. Katniss doesn't answer, bit I see something. A tracker jacker nest hangs from the tree next to is, right over the place the PK will be in a few moments. I remember Katniss used a trick against the Careers in the arena, so I decide to do the same thing, a little differently. I look frantically around, until I find a rock. It isn't too big, but it's not a little pebble either.

I stand up, and the PK see me. Their shouts ring out and I realize I only have a few seconds before they reach me.

"Peeta!" Katniss shrieks. "What the hell are you doing?"

5...

I rear my arm back, aiming at the nest.

4...

I throw the rock, but it misses and crashes into the bush.

3...

I find another rock, and aim in desperation.

2...

The rock whistles straight at the nest.

1...

Bullseye.

The nest crashes down on the PK, instantly breaking open and swarming them. Then a few fly towards me. I feel the first sting on my heek, and instantly I start to feel woozy, swaying on my feet. 3 more stings, and I collapse, swirling into darkness.

Katniss's POV

I can't believe Peeta was so stupid.

I mean, I understand he probably saved our lives and all that, but seriously? He's already beat up enough as it is.

I hurriedly drag him away, hooking my arms through his. He's already unconcious. The jackers don't follow though. The screams of the Rebels are too tempting, and they hurry back to their nest.

I collapse in exhaustion, but get up again, set on getting home. We're already almost there.

I see the enormous oak that I first spotted Peeta at.

"Almost there." I pant. Peeta isn't looking so good. He still lies limp in my arms. We break out into a clearing, and then I cut onto my old hunting trail. Almost there.

I'm starting to feel the exhaustion creeping in. I see the ruins of 12, and the smoke coming from the chimney of my house.

"Greasy!" I call out tiredly. And then , gathering all of my stregnth, I collapse onto the doorstep, Peeta in my arms, and yell out Greasy's name once more, before

everything

goes

black.