Sorry it took so long to post. I was gone on vacation to SC and FL. It gave me lots of time to think of details for this and future chapters. It was also cool because one day my sisters and I took a little trip to Shelby, NC where they had been filming some of the Hunger Game movie. They were gone, but a security guy pointed out a few places they filmed at. We will see if we recognize any of it in the movie. I think you will really enjoy this chapter. Oh, I don't think I said it yet, but obviously I don't own the Hunger Games:)

As I slip into the observation room I look into where Peeta lies on his bed as usual. But this time he is lying there staring up at the ceiling. The sleeping medicine was finally wearing off, but I know he will still fall back to sleep easily and be drowsy.

I want to run right in but the thoughts of the last time I had faced him while awake still haunt me. I can still hear his screams in my mind. I can still see him pulling on the restraints. His wrists are still wrapped in bandages.

I stand at the glass and watch for a while. He seems so calm.

"Maybe he will be in his right mind?" I think as I walk over to the door and open in just a little.

His eyes look at the door immediately and squint to see who is there.

I stand in the darkness still not sure if I should go in. Part of me feels like I am being pulled in while part of my mind is telling me to shut the door.

"Who's there?" Peeta says as he stares intently at the door.

"It's me, Katniss," I say softly as I step into the light.

His eyes focus on me and I can see his body become tense. As we stare at each other neither of us move.

All of a sudden his pupils get very large and his eyes seem very unfocused. He clenches his fists very tightly. I am beginning to get frightened, so I take a step back as my hand begins to feel the door for the knob. The whole time I do not take my eyes off Peeta.

After what seems like a long time his pupils shrink back to normal and his eyes focus in on me again. He continues to clench his fists.

"Peeta?" I say as I take a step forward.

That only seems to make him tenser, so I freeze. After a moment I take another step forward.

Something inside him seems to snap as he begins to pull wildly on his wrists and his eyes get a very fearful look in them.

"Get away from me!" he yells.

I take a few steps back so I am up against the door but that does not make him stop. As he continues to pull on his wrists I can see little spots of blood forming on the bandages.

"Stop!" I half yell, but that only makes him pull harder.

"Quit pulling on the restraints!" I begin to plead, "You're hurting yourself."

He keeps pulling with all his might.

"You're going to kill me… if I don't kill you first", he huffs as he had been fighting for some time.

I can see the blood continue to seep through the bandages around his wrists.

"Stop, please!" I continue to plead.

Finally I slump to the floor with my knees bent and put my head between my arms as I feel the helplessness overwhelm me. As I sit on the floor with me head in my arms, I can hear Peeta fighting the restraints less and less.

Finally all is quiet except for his heavy breathing. I keep my head down because I am afraid he will freak out again. After a long silence I hear a quiet voice.

"Katniss, are you okay?"

"No," I answer without looking up. My voice sounds as if I am very close to tears.

I keep my head down for a while longer, and then slowly begin to lift it. I find Peeta still watching me but his eyes seem much softer now. It reminds me of the hurt look he had when he had held me tight after a nightmare during the Victory Tour. The look that said I'm sorry but I don't know what to do.

I don't know what to do either, so we just sit and look at each other.

After a bit Peeta tries to adjust his position. As he does his wrist ketches on the restraint. I see him wince in pain and close his eyes tightly. The muscles in his hand go stiff.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

He just shakes his head a little still keeping his eyes closed.

I slowly get up and walk over to the bed. I put my hand gently on his shoulder. He opens his eyes and I can see the intense pain in them. I look down at his wrist and can see the blood continuing to ooze out of the bandage. I know I need to unwrap it and take a look, but I am not sure if Peeta will let me.

I move slowly down to the restraint and begin to unbuckle it. At this point I don't think of my own safety only that I have to help Peeta.

After his wrist is free, I begin to carefully to unwrap it. Peeta winces occasionally if I pull because the blood has dried and the bandage is stuck together. When I see how deep the cut is I know I need to clean it.

"I'm going to get some water and clean bandages," I say as I gently lay his arm down on the bed.

"No, don't leave me," he whispers.

"I'll only be gone for a minute."

"Please, don't go. Last time you left me I was captured by the capital. What if they get you this time? I can't bear to think of what they will do to you."

I smile lightly and walk over to his head to gently push back the hair that is almost matted to his forehead and kiss him on the check.

As I walk out of the room I hear him whisper, "Please don't leave."

I walk down the hall to the supply closet. I had been here many times when visiting Prim or mom. I am busy getting the supplies I will need when I hear a frantic voice behind me.

"Please, help me."

I turn to see a woman cradling a young girl in her arms. There is a bloody cloth on her forehead.

"She fell off the bed and hit her head on the corner of the dresser. It won't stop bleeding."

"I'm kind of in a hurry." I start to say, but see the mother's concerned look and decide I will help. Peeta would want me to if he knew what was happening. I lead the woman over to a small table.

"Let me take a look at it," I say as I reach up to remove the cloth. It is not as bad as I thought it might be. I get some more medicine from the closet and gently apply it to her head, then wrap a bandage snuggly around her head.

"That should be fine until the morning. Come back and have one of the doctors look at it then."

The woman gives me a hug before she picks up the little girl. The girl gives me a sleepy wave as they walk down the hall.

I quickly gather up my supplies and head back to Peeta.

When I enter the room I can hear Peeta whispering something. As I get closer I can just barely make out what he is saying.

"Katniss. They took Katniss."

I can see his eyes are closed as he flops his head back and forth. I am not sure if he is delirious with pain or if he is sleeping. I set down the supplies and walked over to the bed.

I gently take both sides of his face in my hand and say, "Peeta, it's all right. I'm back now."

As he opens his eyes there is still pain but also relief.

I get a chair from the observation room and sit down to get to work. I carefully wash the blood off of his wrist. He still jerks a little if I touch a very tender spot, but he does not fight me at all. After it is clean I let it air dry as I unwrap and clean the other wrist. Then I put medicine on them and redress them. When I am completely finished I stand up to stretch.

"Thank you," Peeta says as I set the roll of bandages down.

"It was nothing," I say as I look into his blue eyes. I can see that most of the pain is gone.

Without thinking I reach up to brush the hair out of his face. I feel the sweat on my hand and look down to see his face and chest are covered with sweat.

I can only imagine how hot and sticky he must be feeling. I know how that feels as that was the way I was when I would wake up from one of my nightmares. I would usually take a cool shower to help me relax. Obviously Peeta cannot do that.

I think for a moment, then without a word I walk to the door and go back to the closet and where I find a small tub and fill it with cool water. I pick up a clean cloth and go back in the room.

Peeta raises an eyebrow as I set the tub on the bed and began to dip the cloth in it.

"It will help you relax so you can sleep," I say as I gently wipe down his face.

Then I do his chest and lastly his arms. As I work quietly I can see and feel his body relax.

When I am picking up the tub after I am finished Peeta speaks for the first time, "What, you're not going to take off my pants and wipe down my legs?"

My head jerks up to see a little smirk on his face. He must have been thinking back to the first arena when I had been so squeamish of having to remove his pants to clean his leg.

"I don't think so," I say as I smile a little too and shake my head.

When I look up after setting the bucket and cloth by the door I see that Peeta is still looking at me but with glassy eyes. He is almost asleep, but still enough awake to see me standing there.

"Katniss, please," he whispers as he pats the bed. I can see where he has scooted over to show there is room for me.

I climb up on the bed next to him and I lay my head on his chest. He uses his free arm to pull me in close and lightly kisses the top of my head.

"I love you," he whispers as he drifts off to sleep.

I am soon asleep also.