Kingdom Come

A/N: Hey guys! Remember me? The girl who never updates? Yup. So, I finally will update! This chapter is more of a filler chapter, but it delves deeper into Peeta's past, as one reviewer had suggested. I hope it clears a bit up, and this chapter has no cliffhanger, so I guess it isn't the best I've ever written. But still I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. Unfortunately. :(

"You did what?" Madge shrieked into the phone, causing Katniss to move it away from her ear. She had just called her friend after returning from the meadow with Peeta, and she had to explain to her that the secret that had been held by the three friends had just been confessed and that there was another one in on it. Regardless of Katniss's assurances it was all fine, he wouldn't tell if she didn't want him to, Madge wasn't taking it very well.

Leaning forward on the couch, Katniss gripped the phone tightly. "Madge," she sighed. "You were the one who encouraged me to trust him. You said he wouldn't tell, remember?"

"But I didn't think you'd listen! Katniss Everdeen, you never listen to me. If I knew anything, I thought it was that. And suddenly, you do when it could be a life-influencing decision? What the hell is wrong with you!"

Katniss couldn't hold back a chuckle as she heard the door closing, symbolizing Peeta's return. He yelled a hello to her, a teasing in his voice, but she shushed him, signaling she was on the phone.

"Madge, I got to go. Peeta's home," Katniss explained, rising up from the sofa.

Madge sighed, from the other end. "I hope I'm right. I know Peeta's a good guy, but in your case, good could work against you."

Katniss put her free hand on her hip, glaring at something not there, as if it were her friend. "Hey! You know it wasn't my fault! If anything, you should place some of the blame on yourself! I make my own decisions. We'll talk about this later, ok? Bye Madge." she hit the end button on the phone and threw it on the table. She sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hand.

"Hey, you ok?" Peeta called from the living room doorway. Katniss looked up at him, and nodded quickly, brushing off any worries from her face. She opened her arms, giving a tired smile.

"Welcome home, Peeta."

He came forward and brought her close with a sigh. Katniss held on tight as he stroked her hair gently. Snuggling into the feeling of his arms, she

"Was that Madge, Katniss?" he asked quietly. Katniss nodded into his shirt, not even angry that he listened in on the conversation.

"Yea."

He pulled away, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Listen, Katniss. I understand what she's doing. She's only worried for you, I mean, you're her best friend." he gave her a small smile. "And she's only met me twice or so, I'd find it hard to trust me that quick."

Katniss was quick to protest. "But-"

"No," Peeta shushed her, shaking his head. "It was the same with you, Katniss. It's fine. Don't worry about it." he released her shoulders. "Ok?"

She slowly nodded. Peeta smiled again and leaned in to kiss her. It was slow and sweet, but ended all too soon as Prim walked into the room.

Katniss stumbled away, falling back into the couch, her face turning bright red. Peeta turned around, unfazed by the appearance of Katniss's sister.

"Hey Prim," he greeted. "How's your day?" she shot him back a sweet smile.

"Oh wonderful Peeta," she chirped. Her eyes wandered to Katniss and her smile turned to a smirk. "But I'm tired so I'm just gonna go take a nap... you guys can get back to snogging." she waved her hand in the 'tata' motion and skipped off to her bedroom. Katniss groaned.

"Remind me not to let Madge sit her again," she sighed to Peeta, who just shook his head with a small smile.

He stared after her, confused. "Isn't snogging British?"

Katniss ignored that. "Well," she said. "We've got an afternoon to ourselves with a little sister we know is secretly watching us. What do you want to do?"

Peeta grinned. "I have an idea," he said.

An hour later, they sat on the living room floor, giggling as they shared stories from their childhood and eating greasy slices of delivered pizza. There were splats of sauce on their faces and some on the ground, but they didn't care. They were happy to be a normal couple for just awhile.

"I'm so serious! He had to chase me up the river because the tube was going too fast. He even fell and ripped his swimming trunks."

Katniss was laughing so hard, tears wetted her eyelashes. "That's too funny, Peeta. Your grandpa, which side was he on?"

"My dad's," Peeta replied, and Katniss nodded.

"Thought so. Because he sounds really nice. And, no offense, but your mom... well, I wouldn't classify her as 'nice'."

Peeta shrugged, swallowing a mouthfull of pizza. "She doesn't have a nice bone in her body. I swear, if she didn't look like me I would demand a blood test. We're nothing alike."

Katniss put her hand on Peeta's leg. "You aren't," she assured him. "If I know anything, it's that. You're the best person I've ever met. Almost everyone in my life has let me down," she confessed. Her eyes locked with his. "But not you. You've always been there."

Peeta smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Aww," he said, "when did this turn into a discussion about our feelings?" but he pulled her to his side and kissed her forehead anyway.

They were silent for awhile, having eaten themselves full and told all their stories that were funny enough to tell. Katniss laid her head on his shoulder and he found her hand with his. They were silent then, but it wasn't uncomfortable. But Katniss had a question on her mind.

"Peeta," she said, "Um, I don't know how to ask this..."

He shrugged, accidentally bumping her head in the process. "Don't worry about it. Just shoot. Oh, and sorry for that."

She ignored the apology and just blurted out the question. "Why did your mother kick you out?"

Peeta seemed startled by the question. Almost as if he'd forgotten that he had ever even had a mother, and just pretended he had always lived with the Everdeens. But in a way he always knew this question was coming, but he was surprised it wasn't sooner.

He sighed first, twisting their hands around, thinking over the question. Katniss knew to be patient, because he would be with her.

"Well, it's pretty complicated," he started. "Actually, it isn't. It was actually quite simple." he had changed his mind over the words he had started to say.

"The day before you found me, my mother made a decision. A certain event had occurred and now, she didn't need another person to weigh her down, A.K.A., her last son. She recieved a big amount of money, and she had enough to actually hire better, more professional workers."

Katniss furrowed her brow. That didn't make sense. Why would she recieve a large check in the mail? Wouldn't it be addressed to Mr. Mellark? Unless...

"Oh, Peeta!" she gasped, her free hand flying to her mouth. "You don't mean...?"

He nodded grimly. "It was an airplane crash. He had flown out to see my aunt, and he left my mother, middle brother and I at home because he needed someone to work. On the way back, they hit some horrible turbulence and it went down. At least that was what the news said," his voice was bitter with regret and anger, and I knew he blamed himself.

"I should have told him I'd go. He had work to do, he said he'd get done when he got back. I should've gone and done it for him!"

Katniss grabbed his face in both hands, turning his head to face her. "You listen to me, Peeta Mellark," she said with a stern tone. "You will not blame yourself for this. It had nothing to do with you. Nobody is to blame. Especially not you."

He stared back at her, and she could just see the glassy look and she knew he had tears in his eyes. He seemed puzzled, as if he hadn't expected the objection.

"Do you understand?" she asked him seriously and he nodded, so she released his face. Leaning back on his shoulder, she was surprised with herself for being so stern with Peeta. But she couldn't stand the thought of Peeta blaming himself for something he couldn't have control over. But he seemed to make a habit out of things like that.

"Katniss-" he started to sigh, but she shushed him, twining their fingers together.

"Just enjoy it, Peeta. Enjoy the peace."

Because who knows how long we have left.

Love? Hate? Eh? Tell me in a review!

Next chapter, more concepts will arise. Hopefully it will be better. Peace out!

-Pie