Ahhhhh! You guys are the best! I came home this weekend to an inbox full of emails from fanfiction! You guys really made my whole weekend! Anyways, this chapter is a bit more fluffy and fun, a little break from all the dark stuff. School is starting tomorrow (noooooo) so I don't know how it will affect my updates but I can assure you I will not give up writing! Anyways, here is chapter 9!

I own nothing. All characters belong to Suzanne Collins.

Peeta and I come up with ways of getting each other through the rough days.

I stop taking the medication about 3 weeks after I started them. Dr. Aurelius said that he was pleased with my recovery enough that he felt I didn't need them. I was glad to hear that I wouldn't need to take them anymore.

Stopping taking the pills didn't stop the grief I still felt for my sister though. Didn't stop the guilt from enveloping me every now and then. Didn't stop me from blaming everything on myself. Peeta tells me not to but I can't help but think that the people I love died because of me.

I am in the kitchen, making breakfast for Peeta and I. This is actually a rare occurrence but I wanted to do something nice for him. As I stir the eggs in the frying pan in front of me I am suddenly caught off guard as I feel arms circle around my waist from behind. I let out a small yelp and then giggle lightly as he kisses my neck.

"Did I, Peeta Mellark, just sneak up on the Katniss Everdean? That has got to be a first." He says quietly into my ear.

"Well I suppose you did and that is definitely a first."

"What were you thinking about? You must have been pretty deep in thought, what with my heavy foot steps. Not to mention the prosthetic leg." I laugh again.

"Nothing, to be honest. For the first time in a while my mind has been clear of any thoughts other than how perfect this morning has been so far."

"hmm. I love you so much." He mumbles into my hair. I giggle as he tickles my hips lightly.

"Peeta stop…" I whine.

"What is it darling? Don't like being tickled?" he says menacingly and I yelp and worm out of his grasp easily. I run into the living room but he soon catches up to me and picks me up off the ground and into his arms.

He drops me onto the couch but still pins me down so I can't move. He starts tickling again and I can't help but scream and laugh at the situation. I try to wriggle free from his grasp but its no use. He has me pinned and I am his to torture as he likes.

"Peeta… stop! Ahhh…." I scream in delight. He is laughing hard now too and can hardly keep a hold of me. I finally get out from under him and leap across the room, still laughing.

"Oh no you don't. You aren't getting away from me Miss. Everdean." He says as he turns toward me.

"Then come get me Mr. Mellark." I say and with that he is chasing me up the stairs and into our bedroom. He catches up and picks me up again but this time spins me around a few times. I lock my legs around his waist as his arms snake around my torso. I lean down and capture his lips in a kiss.

"You are going to be late for work." I say quietly, raising an eyebrow and smirking down at him.

" that your plan all along darling? Did you want me all to yourself this morning?" He says with his own grin playing on his lips.

"Maybe it was." I reply.

"Well in that case it wasn't your best." He says and presses his mouth against my ears. "Your eggs are burning." He whispers and I let out a small gasp and drop to the floor.

I run down the stairs and sprint into the kitchen and open all the windows and turn off the oven. I start waving all the smoke out the window as Peeta stands in the entrance to the kitchen laughing hysterically.

"You are not very nice." I say with the best scowl I could muster up. This only makes him laugh harder.

"Look who's talking sweetheart."

"Would you stop calling me those weird pet names? You sound like Haymitch." I tell him.

"Oh hey now. He only calls you sweetheart. I call you lots of different things."

"Yes and I call you Peeta. Nobody seems to know my name though." I say with a grin. I really don't mind when he calls me those names, I just like teasing him about it.

"I like expressing my love in whatever way I possibly can whenever I possibly can. That's all. Is that so horrible?"

"No… I suppose not." I say giving in. "Wait, does that mean that Haymitch is expressing his love for me every time he calls me sweetheart?" I say in mock-horror. We both break out into laughter again.

"I certainly hope not. If so, then I will have to ring his neck the next time I see him, you do know that don't you?"

"Why, Mr. Mellark. Are you jealous of Haymitch?" I say.

"If he is expressing his love for you then absolutely." He says as he leans down and kisses me. We laugh as we kiss at the absolute ridiculousness of the idea.

"I really do need to leave. You need to stop distracting me." He says as he rests his forehead against mine.

"I was thinking maybe I could come with you today. Maybe I could help out somehow? I'm sure there is something I could do without making a complete mess of it." I say, still staring into his deep blue eyes.

"You have no idea how amazing that sounds." He tells me. I throw out the burnt eggs and grab a few slices of a bread that Peeta had baked a few days earlier. I throw on my hunting jacket and boots and we head out together, eating our bread on the way.

We walk out the door hand in hand, and I lean into him slightly. We walk together through the Victor's Village and eventually come into the town, and soon arrive at the half- built building that will soon be the Mellark's Bakery. I honestly can't wait until it opens. Peeta will be so happy.

I also know that it won't be easy for him. Working by himself, without his family right beside him will be difficult. I am determined to be there for him though, to help him every way I can. When I don't think I can get out of bed in the morning, he is always there to comfort me and help me along with the day. It is the least I can do to do the same for him.

I immediately recognize and greet Thom. He has been back from 13 for a while now and has taken up the position of one of the head builders. He really has done an excellent job since returning.

"Hey Katniss! Haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?" He says, a twinge of worry in his voice. The last time he saw me I was likely simply wandering through town, like I did fairly often not too long ago.

"I have been alright actually. A lot better lately. How have you been?"

"Very well. The town is coming along, slowly but I really do think it has a bright future."

"Absolutely." I reply and Peeta leads me to the side of the building. "Alright what is my first job?" I say, looking up at him. He shows me how to do a simple job, painting some of the trim on the outside of the building in a simple white paint.

The rest of the day goes well. Peeta leaves me to go help out in other ways. I stick to my simple tasks that I complete with ease and at a high quality. By the end of the day though, I am exhausted from being out all day and truly grateful when Peeta tells me it is time to go home.

"Today was good." I say at dinner that night. Peeta is beside me, lightly holding my hand under the table. "I think having things to do through the day is helpful. It keeps my mind from wandering to things it shouldn't."

"I know it helps me. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Maybe you could come out more often, maybe even help out in the bakery when it opens." He tells me.

"That would be great if I knew how to bake." I say with a smile. With that he stands up from the table and takes both of our empty plates to the sink. When we have finished cleaning them he surprises me by pulling out a large mixing bowl and a bunch of ingredients that I know he often uses when he bakes.

"Were you planning on baking something tonight?" I ask him.

"I am going to teach you." He says pulling me against him and looking down at me.

"Very funny Peeta. You know I will ruin anything I touch." I say with a smirk.

He smiles back at me. "I don't believe that for a second. Now come here and let me show you. It will be good practise for when you help me at the bakery."

I roll my eyes but obey as I follow him over to the counter where all the materials are laid out in a neat row. He patiently tells me what ingredient to add, and how much. I mix up salt and sugar a few times and make quite a mess of the eggs that I attempt to crack into the large bowl. Never once does he get frustrated as he carefully scoops the shells out of the mix.

When I have finally managed to put together what looks to be a presentable dough he teaches me how to gently knead the dough, folding it over itself again and again. I get the hang of it after a while and he praises me. He is so gentle, so patient. I wish I was like that. I got frustrated several times making the dough. He soothed me and told me it was fine.

When the dough is finally in the pan and Peeta puts it in the oven I walk into the living room and throw myself onto the couch, absolutely exhausted. He soon creeps into the room and I scoot down the couch slightly so he can sit down. When he does I lay my head onto his lap and snuggle closer to him.

"You did great you know." He tells me after a few minutes.

"Are you kidding? I almost ruined it over 10 times."

"But you didn't and you learned from the mistakes you made. You will make a great helper at the bakery."

"We'll see I guess." I tell him.

We lay there in the living room for a long time. I fall into a peaceful sleep on his lap, with his arms around me. I feel him move and stand up at one point, to get the bread out of the oven I think but I lay there still, just thinking.

He comes back into the room with two slices of warm bread in his hands. He hands me one and I sink my teeth into it gratefully. I immediately recognize the taste but can't quite place where I had had it before. I look to him with a confused look on my face as I chew and swallow a few more bites. Then it hits me.

I immediately lean up against him wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I remember this bread." I say quietly.

"Me too." He says and leans down to capture my lips with his own. I think of that day, that I surely would have died on had he not given me that bread. I remember every moment we have had together since then and think of how grateful I am for that day.

We don't say anything else on the subject, there is nothing else to be said. We make our way back up the stairs where we climb into bed and snuggle into each other's arms.

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