Author's note: Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting. It means a lot.

I want to say a special thank you to LavenderVanilla for some great insight and suggestions to mold this chapter (this entire story, really) into something I love sharing with you. After you're done with this chapter, go check out her stuff. I'm know you won't be disappointed.

Happy reading.

Trigger warning for talk of, and allusions to, recent and long-term abuse.

Chapter Ten

Katniss sat telling Prim and Iris about Gale's drunken escapades from the previous night.

"I don't think I need to hear anymore." Iris commented with a chuckle as Katniss took a breath.

There was movement by the door and Prim smiled when she recognized the figure standing there. "Conrad."

"Hey, Prim. What's up, kiddo?" He perched himself on the side of the bed.

"Not my white blood cell count." She said happily. "It's closer to normal, even for me."

Iris smoothed a hand over her hair. "And aside from a sore throat, the pneumonia is gone."

"It's just a day full of great news." He pulled a piece of paper out of his coat pocket. He read, "Ninety-nine-point-nine-nine percent match." He turned the paper so Prim could see.

"So you're my dad?" She asked softly.

"Biologically." He nodded. "Yeah."

Katniss finally spoke up. "Does this mean you're going to pay child support now?"

"Katniss." Iris scolded.

"What?" Katniss scolded. "I want to know what it means?"

Conrad nodded. "Well, I'm not obligated to, but I want to help out. Your mom and I will discuss the particulars, but I hope it means Iris gets more time with you two." He smiled at Prim. "And I'm going to talk to a lawyer and make sure I get some legal stuff all squared away. I want you to have your piece of the pie, so to speak."

"Har-har." Prim said sarcastically.

Peeta ambled into the room followed by Madge. "Hey, all." He said as he walked across the room to Prim. "How's it going?"

"Peeta, you're my brother." The girl said happily.

Peeta looked to his dad. "Really?"

Conrad nodded.

Peeta stepped closer and asked softly, "Does Mom know?"

"Not yet. I'm going to talk to a lawyer first." He looked around the room and then leaned toward Peeta. "I failed you before. I won't fail you again."

"What's that mean?" Peeta was confused. Katniss moved closer, wanting to wrap her arms around him.

"I'm dealing with it, Peanut. Don't worry about your mom." Conrad stroked Peeta's cheek gently and dropped his hand.

"What does that mean?" Katniss demanded. "She's hurt Peeta all his life and you haven't done anything to stop it before."

"Katniss, please stop." Peeta said.

Conrad gave Katniss a pleading look. "You don't know the whole story. Just know that I'm doing my best, okay?"

Katniss sighed and nodded, not sure she understood, but she saw the look on Peeta's face and decided not to push it anymore.

Peeta said, "Dad, are you sure about what you're doing?"

Conrad nodded. "I am." He looked around the room. "I need to get back. Mo was on one when I left."

"Do I need to come?" Peeta asked.

Conrad shook his head. "You stay here. Spend some time with your sister." He smiled and kissed Peeta's temple. Then he leaned over Prim. "I'll come back after the bakery closes with some cheese buns to celebrate." He kissed her forehead and stood.

"I'll walk you out." Iris said.

Katniss slipped her hand into Peeta's. "I shouldn't have talked to your dad like that."

He shrugged. "I've asked him lots of times why he didn't stand up to her and he always made excuses."

Katniss kissed the back of his hand before she realized what she was doing and very quickly grew embarrassed. She moved to the opposite end of the bed. "How about that, little duck? Three big brothers. Make sure Peeta keeps an extra eye on Rory. Now that he's your brother he's obligated to give your boyfriend death glares when he even thinks about you."

"He's not my boyfriend." Prim argued.

"Not yet, maybe." Katniss poked her side.

Peeta chuckled. "It would give me great pleasure to kick a boy's butt for you, Prim."

The girl blushed. "Thanks. I think."

Madge chuckled, reminding everyone she was there. "I'll leave you guys alone. I got more homework. Katniss can give you a ride, right?"

"Yeah, sure." Katniss said with an uneasy smile.

She watched Peeta and Prim a moment as they softly discussed the younger girl's health. Katniss was so happy her sister now had an older brother to keep an eye on her and share things with. Maybe she didn't need to worry anymore.

"I should bake you a cake or something to celebrate." Peeta said.

Katniss chuckled, "You know, Prim, this really explains your baking ability."

Peeta chuckled. "You a good baker, Prim?"

Prim shrugged. "I guess."

Katniss ruffled her hair. "Are you kidding? Your chocolate chip cookies are amazing. And that last cake you made was really good, nice and fluffy. And she made the frosting from scratch."

Peeta patted Prim's arm affectionately. "Frosting runs through Mellark veins. I can whip up a batch with my eyes closed."

"Oh, yeah? What's your favorite kind?"

"Cream cheese. Sour and sweet mixed together."

Prim made a face. "Gross."

Peeta gave her a hard look. "Seriously?"

"I hate cream cheese." Prim said. "Bleck!"

As she watched them talk, Katniss realized Peeta kept his face in profile away from her and had been almost from the moment he walked through the door. She walked around and discovered the bruise across his left cheek. A soft, sympathetic sound escaped her throat and she reached up to touch it.

He waved her away. "Please don't."

"Peeta?" Prim asked. "How did you hurt your cheek?"

Peeta looked between both girls, his gaze stopping on Katniss. "It's nothing."

Katniss argued, "That's not nothing."

"Just drop it, Katniss." He pleaded.

She watched him a few more breaths and then nodded. "Fine." She smoothed a hand over Prim's hair. "I'll give you guys some time. I need some air." She stepped out of the front doors and saw Iris and Conrad were still talking several feet away. She didn't want to intrude, but she was also curious what they would still be talking about.

Conrad said, "Abuse isn't always physical."

"I know." Iris said. "I'm a nurse. When I first started, I ran into a lot of stuff, Conrad. I know it's more than that." She reached out and squeezed his arm.

"I'm getting a divorce, Iris." He said softly. "I need to fix it. If I can."

Iris pulled Conrad into a tight hug. "I'm here if you need anything."

"Thank you." He hugged her back and then stepped away. He waved and left for his car.

Iris turned and nearly bumped into Katniss "Oh. Hi, sweetie." She said with a smile. Katniss noted she was definitely more relaxed than she had been for a while. "What's up?"

Katniss shrugged "I needed some fresh air. And I thought Prim and Peeta could use some sibling time."

Iris placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Look, I know what Maureen's done, Katniss. Conrad just told me everything. And I know how hard it is when you're stuck in a situation you have no control over. I know depression and abuse are two completely separate things, but I was trapped for a long time by your father's death." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "And it still hurts to get out of bed some mornings." Her voice was thick. "But I do it for you and Prim. You make it all worth it."

"You think Conrad stayed for Landon and Sam?" Katniss asked softly. "Why? To keep an eye on them? Make them better people? Keep them safe from her?" She shook her head in exasperation. "It doesn't make sense. They're still jerks and Maureen is still a bitch and Peeta is hurt."

Iris shook her head. "If she never did it where Conrad could see, maybe he could pretend it wasn't happening. I don't understand it, but if she had Conrad so cowed to think that she would throw it right back at him, how could he overcome that?" She locked eyes with her daughter. "You know, it's not ours to say, Katniss. It's not our life. But he's trying. And you need to respect that."

Katniss nodded. There were plenty of years between Sam and Landon. If she was abusing Conrad just as much as Peeta, Conrad was probably sure there was no way out. Even with his son being hurt.

"It's not fair, Mom." Katniss said.

Iris smiled sadly. "None of it is." She draped an arm over Katniss's shoulder. "Let's get back inside."

The afternoon was filled with laughter and the occasional coughing fit from Prim. She looked much better and the nurses didn't scold their behavior too much.

Conrad reappeared later that evening with three large boxes. One held the famous Mellark cheese buns and the other two contained large supreme pizzas. Haymitch and the entire Hawthorne clan were right behind him with sodas and cups. Posy produced two bags of chips.

"Are we having a party or something?" Prim asked as she looked around the group.

Conrad smiled. "Of course we are, kiddo. In honor of you getting better."

She beamed and looked around the room again. "Whose idea was this?"

"Mine." At least three people said.

Katniss chuckled. "It was a group effort." She looked over at Peeta a few feet away and they shared a smile. "Conrad, you should tell them the good news."

Conrad's smile grew. "I don't know if it the right time."

Peeta shrugged. "Might as well, Dad. They already know."

Conrad nodded and opened his mouth to say something when there was an interruption at the door. There was Maureen, looking like she'd swallowed a dozen lemons. Landon and Sam were on either side.

She stepped in and looked around the room, making sure she had everyone's attention before she asked her husband, "Why are you eating dinner here with your bastard and not at home with your actual family?"

Conrad's smile faltered and Peeta moved closer to Katniss. She wouldn't dare try anything in a public building with so many witnesses. Would she?

"Mo, please, let's talk outside." Conrad begged softly.

"No, we will talk in here." She held up a piece of paper. "You wanted to keep all the bad news to yourself while you basked in the glow of learning you're a daddy."

Conrad reached out to snatch the paper from her hand and she swiped it back. She smiled evilly at Iris. "Dear Daddy isn't a match for your whelp. Neither is his son."

Katniss looked over to see Sam's expression matched his mother's. Landon's wavered as he looked at Prim.

Maureen handed her husband the piece of paper. "I know you went to see a lawyer about a divorce. But guess what, Conrad? You won't get rid of me easily. By the time I'm done, I'll own everything and you will have nothing." She headed out the door, Sam and Landon on her heels. She turned back only a moment to say, "I'll let you keep the house. It's a dump anyway."

Conrad's face was red with embarrassment and Katniss noted the way he shook. She turned to see Peeta, who had slipped his hand into hers in the midst of his mother's tirade, was in worse condition. Tears fell from his eyes and he wiped at them quickly, turning away from the others as best he could to hide them. He trembled with fear.

Katniss reached up and rubbed his arm. "Let's get out of here for a few minutes." She suggested softly.

Peeta nodded and hesitated as she started walking. She looked back and smiled encouragingly, leaving the rest of the group to assure Conrad that he was among friends.

She led him down to the lobby and out a side door into a dark courtyard. There was a fountain in the center that was already shut off for the winter, but the spotlights that pointed toward the statue of a young girl with a water bucket were on. Katniss sat on the side and pulled Peeta along with her. It was quiet for a while and she noted his shoulders slowly started to relax.

"She just wanted a big show." He finally said. "She thought it was her best way to get to us. My dad is easily embarrassed anyway, but she wanted to humiliate him."

Katniss squeezed his hand. "Are you okay?"

Peeta shook his head and shrugged. "As okay as I can be, I guess." He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "I appreciate you being here and taking me out of that room. I wouldn't have been able to do it on my own." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm starting to rely on you, Katniss."

"Well, what are friends for, right?" She said, not very convincingly.

He nodded. "Yeah, friends." He lifted his hand and turned her face toward his. "But I'd die for another kiss." He breathed.

She shook her head and gave him a calculating look. "Doesn't it weird you out that we're basically related?"

He smiled. "Prim and I share a dad. You and she share a mom. It does get weird when you think of it that way." He stroked a finger down her cheek. "But I try not to think about it. Because you're a wonderful person in every way. You think of everyone else but yourself. You give everything." He leaned in a little. "You should take for a change, Katniss, because you so deserve it."

Katniss said nothing else.

Peeta grabbed her face between his hands and stared into her eyes. "Look, I know that this is the worst time to do this, but I can't ignore it anymore. I really like you, Katniss. A lot. We work well together."

She gently pushed his hands away. "Peeta, you aren't thinking right. Your mom was just here showing her ass. You're trying to turn it around or, I don't know, make it better. But you can't do that by kissing me. Here or anywhere." She stood and took a few steps away. "I know I've been a bit confusing myself, so that's why we need to put a stop to this now. No more kisses."

He nodded and stood.

She took a step toward him. "No more touching."

He held out his hands, palms up. "I feel comforted when we hold hands. And I know you do, too."

"Then we can hold hands." She said. "But nothing else."

He took another step toward her, hands still extended. "Right."

"Right." She swallowed and slipped her hands into his. "This is nice."

He nodded. "It is." He leaned in and stole a quick kiss.

Katniss smiled and touched her hand to her lips. "We said we weren't going to do that."

Peeta grinned wickedly. "I didn't exactly say I wouldn't."

She shoved his shoulder playfully and led him back into the building. "You feel better?"

"Lots better."

She paused outside her sister's room.

Peeta said softly, "I'm sorry we don't match."

Katniss lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "We'll just hope for the best. Maybe this next round of treatment will work."

"Maybe." He squeezed her hand. "I think Landon can be convinced to get tested to match. I'll try to talk to him. Or I'll get Dad to."

"But maybe you won't have to." She suggested. "Maybe he'll decide on his own."

Peeta nodded and pulled Katniss into the crowded room.