Ugh. Sorry for the long wait guys, the stupid hurricane kind of put a damper on things! Finally have power again! I just wanted to thank everyone for your reviews; they are truly the highlight of my day! Also…I am a hopeless romantic so these lovey scenes with Peeta & Katniss won't go away, sorry! Lol! P.s. this has semi sexual material, fair warning! Wanted to take a break from the loss of life and such lol. Another chapter coming tomorrow night.

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach, and then floats back up to the center of my chest in pieces, meshing itself back together once again. He's alive. I turn quickly to face Peeta, he is pale and the color is nearly fully drained from his lips. I reach out for his jaw, run my thumb over his chin and lips just to make sure this is real. He closes his eyes and kisses my fingers; I need the boy with the bread more than ever. Peeta pulls me up against him, burying his face in my hair. The tears that come are unstoppable; I thought I had lost Peeta forever.

"I have to stop hanging out with you; I don't know how many more lives I have left!" Peeta smirks through his tears then grasps his side in pain.

I manage to laugh through my tears too. I grab hold of his mouth and force him to kiss me, which doesn't exactly take effort.

Peeta groans in pain almost the whole way to the next apartment. When he removes his shirt we realize they weren't bullets but tiny balls with hundreds of needle like prongs that seem to multiply when they hit a target. I help to remove the small shrapnel caught in his side, it wasn't in far but it caused a considerable amount of blood loss. His shoulder will heel with time, the ball made a through and through hole the width of a pencil tip.

Peets finally sits down, looking exhausted. I can tell he is struggling to keep his eyes open, I kiss his cheek then follow Messala into the kitchen to gather some food for everyone to eat. We can still here everyone else in the living room.

"So, what happened?" Leeg pipes up.

"After Boggs stepped on the first pod, they just kept going off. Mitchell and I got separated from you guys instantly. By the time we could stand back up everyone was gone. After the pod with the shrapnel exploded, I heard another pod go off but there wasn't anything there. I thought maybe it was some kind of gas, but I didn't stick around to find out. I was hiding in the apartment building where I found Katniss." He leans forward and rubs his tired eyes, then sits back up as we enter the room with cans of soup. The smell of food apparently brings him back.

Messala passes him a can, which Peeta flips over in his hand to read the label. "Lamb stew" is prominent in big bold letters. He takes the can I am holding and rests it between his knees then opens the lamb stew and hands it to me. How does he always find a way to make my heart melt? I just smile and take a big gulp.

"Katniss, can I have a minute?" Jackson sounds ten times more cheerful than I have ever heard which makes me nervous. Either way, I follow her silently to the kitchen. "I just…I've been watching the two of you, you and Peeta I mean. Do you have any idea what he went through to get on this squad?"

"You mean the Block test? He told me what his test was, but he didn't elaborate…"

"Well, he failed. He was supposed to let you get dragged away, to become a martyr according to Coin. The only time he hit targets dead on was when he was saving you."

"But, wait. How did he get here then?" My stomach turns with lamb stew as I wait for her answer.

"He practically got down on his knees and begged. We got kicked out of Command almost immediately after that, but I still made out some of what happened. Coin is not your biggest fan, and she knows you don't exactly plan on kissing her feet anytime soon. She made a deal with Peeta that he could go if he would speak for both of you when we took the Capitol. Basically he is going to push her as president on the entire country of Panem."

"I don't, why would he do that?"

"You really don't get it? All she has to do is make one finger movement to give away your position, and the Capitol can have you. Peeta is saving you again, with his words. Since you won't promote Coin, he has too. " She sighs in hopes I can grasp her words.

I have to let this sink in. I don't have to wonder why Coin doesn't like me, and I am well aware of why I do not trust her. Welcome to the underground Capitol or District 13 as most refer to it. She knows I won't support her, so she is forcing Peeta to use his gift of speech. I wonder if he supports her or feels the way I do. How can she hold this over his head if we have no communication right now? So many loose ends.

"What's going on?" Peeta leans himself against the doorway, he looks much more awake now.

"Nothing. Just going over the Holo with Katniss." Jackson smiles as excuses herself to the others.

Peeta watches her walk out of the room, and then makes his way over to me. His whole body leans into mine, pushing my back against the counter. An instant rush of heat flashes through my blood, I look up at his bright smile. The color seems to be finding its way back into his face. I realize he has lost no strength when he lifts me to sit on the counter in front of him. He gives me those eyes, I widen mine at him. He cannot be serious, not here! Not now! I make a face that says 'no way'.

"What?" He just smiles, "I almost died! You owe me." He pulls my hips closer to him, and then brushes back my hair to expose my neck. Oh, his lips, mouth and warmth feel so good, even in the center of all evil. I pull him back, and kiss him.

"You'll have to wait till we make it home." I wrap my legs around him, getting him as close as possible.

"What if I don't make it back home?" The question stings my body, changes the mood.

"Peeta, we are both going home. All of us. Don't say stuff like that."

"Okay Katniss." He gives a lopsided smile and goes back to kissing my neck.

"Peeta, stop!" I giggle, it takes even Peeta by surprise because he stops and examines my face with signs of confusion.

"Why? We aren't going anywhere right now."

It does feel good; to pretend we are somewhere else. I meet his mouth with mine and push his lips apart with my tongue. He moans into my mouth, and slips his thumbs into the belt loops on my pants. I wrap my arms around his neck twist his hair in my fingers, Peetas touch could take me a million miles away from here. I'm unaware my hands and fumbling with his belt until it comes undone, those eyes again. I plunge my hand underneath his shirt, his body is so beautiful and his skin is so tight around his muscles. I push my mouth back against his, then reach into his pants and take a tight hold on his hardness. He can't stand it; he breaks our kissing and pushes his head against my chest. The way Peeta says my name makes me feel so strong, so in control. I just move slightly down, then back up before he rips my hand away.

"I can't—not- it just-, I want too. God do I want too." His cheeks are flushed pink, the most color they've had all day.

"Okay Peeta." I simply smile and push him back enough so I can get off the counter, kiss his cheek then begin to walk towards the other room. I look back as he pushes his hair from his eyes, walks to the sink and splashes water onto his face. I almost walk straight into Gale.

"We think we have a plan" He peers over my shoulder at Peeta, then meets my eyes. Jealously? Maybe but he lets it go…