Author's Note; So much drama in Peeta's life! What? You like it? Well heres another chapter for you :) I was thinking of doing a Katniss POV chapter but thought against it wanting her to remain more of a mystery, just as Peeta would see her. Enjoy and please leave review!
I woke up with a thin layer of sweat covering my entire body from torturous dreams of Katniss getting hurt and not being able to help her but having to watch the pain she endured. I fought and fought for these images to leave my head now but nothing is good enough to be able to distract my mind from seeing them. Pinching the bridge of my nose I get up from my bed to make my way to the bathroom to rid me of this uncomfortable sweat, not bothering to throw anything over my boxers seeing as though its one in the morning and nobody will be up. In the darkness I wander up the hallway until I reach the bathroom door and push it open. As I try and find the light switch so I can actually see anything I accidently knock some shampoo from a shelf, sending it crashing into the bath and sliding down to the tap side, making a load of noise.
"Shit!" I mumble as I walk over to and pick it backup and place it on the shelf. I pick up my flannel from its hook and dampen it with cold water from the sink tap and start to wipe my brow. The coldness is comforting as it removes the memories of my dreams. Bowing down again to the sink to rinse it and wet it once more, I didn't notice the figure standing in the door watching me but as I rise again I see it in the mirror above, looking at me with a shocked face.
"Dad, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I was trying to turn on the light and the shampoo bottle it.." I explain in the most apologetic voice I can but he cuts me off before I can finish.
"Peeta.. What's happened to you?" He asks and moves forward very slightly, a very worried look played on his face. I don't understand, why would there be something wrong with my just because I knocked over a bottle? It was just an accident.
"What do you mean?" I ask really confused until he steps forward and traces something over my pectoral and I gasp as I know exactly what's there, a scar. It's then I realise I'm only in my boxers so he can see every scar and cut I have. My mind races to find an excuse for their presence but nothing sounds legitimate enough to cause such scars.
"Oh, erm, most of them are from football, I told you, studs can be really dangerous on a wet, muddy day, especially as a defender. The others are from way back.." Even as the words are coming out of my mouth I know he won't believe them, even though he knows nothing about football.
"They're all exactly the same." He says as he looks over me, his eyes widening as he spots the fresher ones on my shoulder and arm. "They look like.." He stops his sentence and I can see him working out something in his head. Then before I know it, he turns and leaves the bathroom. I poke my head out of the door and see him walking back into his room and turning the light on. Shit. I run back to my own room as I hear loud but muffled voices coming from my parent's room. Dad must have made the connection between the scars and the shape of the fireplace poker. I just reach my room as I hear dad shout
"How could you do that to your own son?" I can hear my mum say something in response but It's nowhere near as loud as dad so I can't hear what she is saying to defend herself. I try and listen as best I can so I can be prepared for whatever is going to happen. I hear the shuffling of two pairs of feet and my heartbeat shoots up my parents come towards my room. I hold my breath as I hear them get closer but release if in relief as it is only my brothers coming in. They express the same look my dad did when they look at me, oh right, I'm still not wearing a shirt to cover myself. I quickly go to my drawer and pick out a random one and pull it over my head, not even wincing from pain because of the slight adrenaline coursing through my veins in anticipation.
"Shit Peet! Is that why they're fighting?!" Rye, my eldest brother exclaims, gesturing towards my top half whilst sitting on the edge of my bed. I lower my head in response which is all they need for the answer as my other brother, Kyle sits down.
"How long has this been going on?" Kyle asks with sympathy in his voice.
"A while." I mutter out, pulling some sweat pants out as well, now feeling conscious of my boxers with everyone in my room.
"Why did you never say anything? We always knew you and mum didn't get on but really Peet? You couldn't tell us?" Kyle asks as he rakes his hand through his hair, just like I do when I'm nervous or stressed. Another loud shout echoes down the hall and we all lift our head to the door as dad walks in.
"Come on son, I'm taking you to a hospital to get those fresh cuts checked over and see if they can give you anything for the scars." His says with an authority I've never heard from him before. He then directs his attention to my brothers.
"Boys, you can either come or wait here but your mother will be here packing too." He says and my brothers instantly get up as if telling him they are coming. We all get up and leave the house, getting into dad's car. The first part of the drive is awkwardly silent, nobody really knowing what to say, it was obvious mum was leaving the house and nobody really could talk to me about what she had did to me probably out of shame or guilt or something like that until my dad spoke up.
"I'm so, so sorry Peeta. I should have seen what was happening. What kind of father doesn't realise when his wife is abusing their son?" He says in a quiet tone and I swear I see a tear slip down his cheek but it's hard to tell in the darkness of the car as it's till only quarter past one. I don't really know what to say back to him as how harsh as it seems, how could he not know? It's been happening for long enough, maybe it was just me being good at covering it up. My brothers stay silent in the back seats as I'm in the front.
"Your mum's leaving and staying at her sisters. I'm not going to let her touch you ever again. Your home should be a place of safety and without her it would be. I know it isn't enough to take away what's happened but I'm going to try to be a better dad." He carries on and it kind of breaks my heart as I love my dad. He's a great dad to us and has never done anything wrong with me and my brothers and the fact he is blaming this on himself is sad to see but I have no comforting words. After that nobody says anything else as the lights in the streets increase until we reach the hospital.
