I own absolutely nothing but the Story I am telling. The Characters and Original plot line belong to Suzanne Collins.

This story will be told between 1st person pov and 3rd person pov.

Enjoy.

Note: This chapter will be told in Katniss and Peeta's point of view, switching between Peeta and Katniss first person pov.

xoxoxoxox Chapter Six oxoxoxoxox

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead. It would be best for everyone if I were dead...

I'm lying in a bloodstained mattress, my eyes starring endlessly up at the ceiling, no particular thoughts crossing my mind in any specific order. I was just staring. My body felt stiff as if I hadn't moved in days and I most probably haven't. I don't recognize this dream, I haven't had it before but I recognize that I am in a room in the Capitol…My room.

I feel as if my body is void of emotions but the reality is that I'm in so much emotional pain I don't want to feel a thing. My lips begin to move and I can hear my own voice echoed in the silence of this room, bouncing off the walls and right back at me; the sound of my own voice. I know I'm out of it. I know because I feel weak and tired but my lips are still moving and my voice still singing. Tears that I didn't intend to cry begin to slowly make their way out of my eyes but I'm too tired to move so I let them create trails on my dirty face.

Prim's face comes to mind, her beautiful blue eyes smiling at me at first then screaming at me for help. Her body engulfed in flames and all I could really do was watch her. I tried, I know I tried to save her but my little sister had been engorged by the flames and killed in minutes. Prim had been so beautiful, so special. Prim was someone who did not deserve to die the way she had.

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run so we'd both be free.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."

I knew the song I was singing, knew it well and knew what I was implying to myself. The thought had been circling my head for days and I seemed to be succeeding in my quest for death…or so I thought anyways. I know I was out of it, I do. Half way through my song, deep in my own depression, perhaps a hallucination was triggered, I'm not sure but as my voice continued its melody I could hear the sound of other's voices.

With the little bit of energy I could muster I turned my head. My eyes they were blurry and I couldn't make out who was standing to my left but there was more than one person. One came over and flashed a light in my eyes, he was talking but the only voice I heard was my own which was still singing. The man whose neither face nor name I knew left for a moment and returned with a syringe. He injected something into my arm and after a while I heard my own voice slowly fading. The last lyrics of the song left my lips like a faint whisper.

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree."

I turned away from them, the melody still playing in my head and my eyes returned to the ceiling, though it wasn't long before my eye lids became heavy and I closed my eyes knowing that the this strange new dream would be part of the collection that awaited me when I awoke.

I didn't plan to wake up; I was perfectly comfortable with my body tangled up against Katniss's. It had been this way for nearly six months. After that night that Katniss invited me to stay, I don't think I hardly ever saw my room at night anymore. We had grown together, created a bond so deep that not being with one another at night was painful and frightening. I can't imagine what it will be like when the time comes when just sleeping on the same bed won't be enough to satisfy the hunger.

Never the less I know I was awoken by a strange discomfort. I couldn't quite place it at first as I opened my eyes and allowed my vision to adjust to the dark or lack thereof. It took me a moment to register that a small bit of light was peering in from the direction of Katniss's bedroom door. Shifting slightly I turned and froze to have Iris Everdeen's blue eyes staring down at me questionably. One eyebrow arched, arms folded and her head cocked to the side just staring.

I wanted to disappear or shrink and become small so I could escape the woman's gaze but could only stare back at her. She was silent for too long as if she was contemplating something then one of her hands broke free and with a silent gesture told me to meet her down stairs in the kitchen and she was gone. What was I going to do now? This was not the best of ways to introduce myself to Katniss's mother and I was half relieved that her father wasn't around for I don't think he would have been so kind.

It took me a few minutes to muster the courage to get up and leave Katniss. I made sure to leave the door to her room open in case she woke up and called for me. I was imagining the worst on my way down I honestly was. Would Mrs. Everdeen hate me? Was she going to forbid that I ever come into her house again? I didn't want to think the worst but the worst was the only thing I could think of. When I entered the kitchen I felt my heart cry out. She looked so much like Prim…even though Prim was just a dream.

I walked in and sat down, watching silently as she seemed to be making something and then the smell of hot cocoa assaulted my nose and a warm cup was placed before me. She took her seat across from me, not saying a word a first. She took a sip of her hot cocoa, enjoying its thick texture. I took the time to study her. It was understandable that my father loved this woman, if at this age she was beautiful, then she must have been radiant when she was younger.

"Peeta Mellark." I jumped the moment she said my name, not expecting her to really know who I was. "I'm going to admit I didn't see it coming." She said with a smile as her expression finally softened towards me.

"Excuse me?" I asked stupidly not sure what she meant and she chuckled. This woman really was just beautiful. Her blue eyes danced with amusement and the gentle smile on her lips was so warm. She was thin and petite, her golden hair braided to the side just like Katniss.

"I mean I knew it wasn't going to be Gale, but I didn't expect it to be you either." I blinked, as beautiful as she was she wasn't making any bit of sense.

"I'm sorry?" she smiled at me and I couldn't help but want to smile back.

"Do you know of the legend in my family?" She asked brining to cup of cocoa to her lips. I shook my head and she smirked at me. "The women in my family Peeta are curious creatures."

"Aren't all women?" She laughed at that and I smiled.

"True, but we are more curious." She put the cup down. "I never told Katniss about it because I wanted to see if what my mother had told me was true."

"Told you what?" I was curious so I pressed on.

"That the first man the women in my family let into their homes that aren't already family, is the man we choose to stay with for the rest of our lives." She said it so plainly yet so poetically and it froze me. So she was basically telling me that Katniss had chosen me. . .

"But hasn't Gale come inside before?"

"No. Gale has been a good friend but he wasn't the one she chose." She sighed. "I always thought that because my mother told me about the legend, I believed it and played right into its hands. I never told Katniss because I wanted to see how real it really was."

"Everyone thought she'd choose Gale though." I don't know why I was trying to prove her wrong, maybe I was so shocked that Katniss could really chose me. That one day I wasn't going to wake up and she was going to tell me that she didn't want to be a part of my life. I was scared to believe Mrs. Everdeen because if I did believe I would begin to hope and dream about the stars.

"I knew it wasn't Gale from the moment she didn't let him into the house." She chuckled at the thought. "The other thing about the women in my family Peeta is we never choose the man everyone expects us to choose." I was silent. "We always choose the ones that love us the most, that's not to say your father didn't love me a lot." She nailed me; she must have seen a flicker of the question in my eyes because she answered it before I could ask it.

"Did you love him?"

"You father?" I nodded and she smiled at me. "I did. Jacob was my best friend; I had been by his side since I was a child." She said gently. "For a while I also believed that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him however," she paused to take a drink. "I could never let him into my home and I didn't understand why." I watched as she placed the cup down.

"Then you heard him singing." I was talking about Katniss's father and she knew that.

"Then I heard him singing. It took three seconds." I could relate it only took three seconds for me to fall in love with Katniss all those years ago. "I didn't know him for very long. We became friends but I could feel there was something very different about Alder. It didn't really surprise me the day I let him walk through the door of my house…" I nodded in understanding. She did love my dad and she didn't take it for granted his love, it was just that someone else happened; someone who she loved so much more and who loved her just as much as my father or even more.

"Are you going to kick me out?"

"Are you having sex with my daughter?" I chocked on my own saliva and I quickly shook my head.

"No Ma'am" I said trying to gather my thoughts. "We just sleep on the same bed."

"Why?" She seemed genuinely curious.

"It helps with the nightmares." I'm sure she thought I just meant with Katniss since her eyes suddenly filled with understanding and gratitude.

"I thought I haven't heard her screaming as much at night, I actually went to check on her tonight when I was startled to find you there." I blushed and she grinned at me.

"I love you daughter." I wanted to make sure that she understood that.

"I know." She said simply and I was left reeling from shock.

"You do?" and she nodded. "How?"

"Peeta you wouldn't be sitting here enduring this uncomfortable situation if you didn't" she chuckled as I nodded absent mindedly. "I'm glad it's you though." I cocked my head to the side but she didn't elaborate on that. "Just make sure I have warm cheese bread waiting for me and I promise not to kick you out." She said before getting up, putting the cup in the sink and walking out without another word.

I sat there unable to believe that it had been so simple. She hadn't yelled at me or reprimanded me, she simply accepted it. Had it been my mother she would have slapped me across the face and told me never to return to her house. My mother. . . I think sometimes she hates me. Sitting there I felt a bit of jealousy towards Katniss, her mother was so loving and nice. My mother she was cruel and unforgiving, constantly reminding me of what I couldn't have or would never be.

"Who has the last laugh now?" I asked out loud as I sat in the Everdeen kitchen. Katniss had chosen me; she wanted me, that's the reason why I was sitting in this kitchen because I was the one. I felt pride surge through me and a huge grin spread across my face. The day I tell my mother I asked Katniss Everdeen to marry me and that she agreed would be the day I can make her swallow all her words.

I stood up slowly, taking the warm cup of cocoa with me. I looked at the clock on the stove before walking out of the kitchen. 3.03 am and it was a school night too. I would need sleep because in another three hours we had to get up. I made my way back to her room in the dark; already I knew my way easily around her house. When I entered the room I found Katniss sitting on the bed, the moon's light shone in through the window and I could see the troubled expression on her face.

"Katniss?" Peeta's voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I slowly turned in the direction of his voice. I could make out his silhouette and the closer he came into the moon's light the more of him I could see. My racing heart settled as he placed a cup on my night stand and got into bed with me. "What's wrong?" He asked reaching out and touching my face.

I was scared. When I had woken up and not found Peeta by my side I felt fear race through me, more over that dream was so strange and the loneliness and pain I felt transferred into my awoken state and I was a mess. I had hoped to find comfort in Peeta's arm but he had not been there and the fear had only escalated from there. I looked into his blue eyes, eyes that were currently searching mine. Slowly I leaned forward seeking the soft warmth of his lips as comfort.

He kissed my back just as gently as I kissed him, I could feel him silently telling me it was going to be ok, his hand rested on my cheek. When we pulled away I fell into his arms and we found ourselves soon lying back on the bed wrapped around each other. I knew no other arms could ever make me feel as safe and loved as Peeta's. He was my rock, my haven, my refuge. I didn't know what I would ever do without Peeta beside me.

"Where were you?" I asked softly, my hand resting on his chest.

"I was having hot cocoa with your mother." I shifted so I could look up at him curiously.

"My mom?" he nodded. "She…found you?" he grinned.

"Found us." I know I turned three different shaded of red because he chuckled at me. "and…?"

"And I have been ordered to always leave fresh cheese buns for her." He smiled at me and I shook my head. We were silent for a while after that and a little while after that I could feel Peeta's chest rising and dropping steadily and his breathing came out evenly. I turned and looked up at his sleeping face. I couldn't help but admire him, he was beautiful. His eyelashes were so long and blonde behind them hidden were the sky blue eyes that always captured my gaze, his skin the soft ivory color. I reached out and let my fingers gently trace his face.

I could feel my heart in my chest beating quickly and a need to reach out and touch him, to mark him and make him only mine surged through me. He was already mine but some part of me felt like he wasn't entirely mine. Not yet. My fingers lingered at his lips and I stared at them for quite some time, thinking of their soft and cloud like texture or how he always tasted warm like the inside of freshly baked bread. Peeta smelled like flour and spices; of oil and paint. He was my dandelion.

"Peeta…" I whispered his name unsure if he could hear my voice in his sleep. I felt a need in me to say something important to him, something special but I couldn't bring myself to tell him exactly what I wanted to say. "I…" the word lingered in my mind, I knew what I felt towards Peeta but some fear didn't let me say it. "I don't want to go to school tomorrow." I whispered and he smiled at me in his sleep.

"Ok." He replied, so maybe he was a really light sleeper.

xoxoxoxoxo

Katniss and I had spent all of Thursday with each other. We had not gone to school and just stayed in each other's company and of course Mrs. Everdeen's who by the way gave us disapproving looks for skipping school. She sat down and spoke with us, warning us about the consequences of unsafe sex and I swear I have never seen Katniss turn that red. I laughed at her when she cried out for her mother to stop talking and she glared at me but we all sat around and drank tea and talked about everything and nothing.

Katniss had asked her mother all sorts of questions about her father and the door. She asked about their relationship and Mrs. Everdeen was all too ready to tell her daughter everything and share anything. Around two she said goodbye and went off to work and I spent the rest of the afternoon with Katniss in her backyard rocking on the bench swing in her backyard.

It was Friday now; we went back to our usual routine of pretending we didn't know each other in school, in front of everyone's always watching eyes. We had decided that we didn't need or want everyone else to be in our business what we learned from our dreams was that we hated how others dictated our relationship and we didn't want that here. Lunch time came around and Finnick, Annie and Johanna sat before me with strange expression's in their eyes….something was up.

"Hello Mellark." Finnick said with a grin and I narrowed my eyes at him. Something was definitely up.

"Hello Odair." I said back with the same tone of voice but letting him know that I was suspicious of his odd behavior. Finnick was my best friend and a mischievous bastard.

"I like Katniss Everdeen" He said simply and I choked on air. OK that was…what was he up too? As far as I'm concerned Finnick Odair had been in love with Annie Cresta…what did Finnick know? I watched him carefully and nodded after a while.

"I see." I said cautiously and his grin grew wider. Johanna next to him was grinning same as he.

"I'm going to go ask her out." He announced and I stared back, I turned to look at Annie who was looking away. She wasn't looking at me because she knew I would be able to see right through her and figure out what they were all up too.

"When?" I asked and Finnick stood, his award winning smile shown down on me and without another word made his way toward Katniss's table and sat in front of her startling Gale and Madge.

"Hello Katniss" I stared at those sea- green eyes as they stared at me. His smirk was a cross between charming and irritating. It reminded me of sugar cubes. I narrowed my eyes at him, had he come to tease me again.

"Finnick." I said his name as if warning him to be careful and that seemed to intrigue him because he raised an eyebrow at me curiously.

"I'm horribly in love with you." Gale next to me began to cough violently and Madge dropped her plastic fork on the table. The entire court yard had gone quite all eyes and ears on us. I however didn't buy it one bit, something was up. I knew Finnick, well in my dreams I knew him and he was always one to instigate. He also loved secrets and I knew he knew something. So I calmly smiled at him and it actually shocked him when I leaned forward challenging him.

"You don't say…" I said back. "I happen to be horribly in love with you too." I could hear Madge gasping next to me and numerous gasps erupt throughout the students. Finnick blinked before it registered in his head that I had caught on and I was playing right along and that seemed to put me on his good side because he smirked at me. We now shared a secret.

"Excellent!" He said his face leaning ridiculously close to mine, our lips merely inches apart. When he spoke again I could feel his breath on my lips. "Meet me at Avox Café after school." I smiled confidently at him and he smiled right back, no one else could tell but we were waging war.

"Ok." I said with a grin. "It's a date." He stood and winked at me before leaving back to his table, my eyes locked with Peeta's for a moment and I could see the way his eyes laughed at what I had done, both of us knowing what had really went down. Beside me I felt Madge press herself against me.

"What was that?" she hissed in a hurried whisper, Gale coming close to listen also curious. I looked at the two and shrugged.

"I got a date."

"And a possible boyfriend!" Madge pressed on.

"Katniss everyone knows that Annie Cresta is in love with that boy!" Gale added trying to reason with me as if to tell me this was a horrible idea.

"She is?" I turned to look at Annie who to everyone else looked down but I saw the small smile on her lips…she also knew…my eyes looked towards Johanna who at that moment turned to look at me and she grinned at me…oh my god she knew too!

"Katniss I know you're dense but how could you have not seen the way Annie looks at Finnick!" Madge said agreeing with Gale. I simply shook my head and she threw her hands up in exasperation.

"I could have sworn Finnick liked Annie too." Gale said more to himself then to us and I turned to him and blinked.

"He's obviously horribly in love with me." Gale gave me a narrowed look and I shrugged. I was more curious to figure out what Finnick knew and what possessed him to come over here to talk to me. . . The end of the day could not come fast enough.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

End of Chapter! Ehehehe, yes I know its short but oh well. Sooner or later you readers will figure out where I'm taking this, but if you're still confused its okay, it happens. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review~

ButaTokki