A/N: OMG! Thank you for the lovely reviews! I love all of you. This chapter is full of flashbacks. Either things I've written about, or things from the actual book, or possibly things I've made up that aren't in the actual book or in my story. So enjoy.
Important: I will not post Chapter 11 until I get 5-10 more reviews, followers, or favorites.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. All belongs to Suzanne Collins. NOT ME!
Chapter 10
Previously on "Always"
I make my way out into the woods, with my bow and arrows slung over my shoulder, in the cool autumn air. As I get into the woods, I immediately see two rabbits and shoot them both through the head. I put them in my game bag and walk farther into the woods.
I get to the lake me and my father used to share, and start soaking my feet into the water. It feels nice on my feet. After a couple minutes, I put my boots back on and almost immediately hear footsteps. I whip around and find nothing. I thought it was just in my head, when I hear more footsteps. I turn around again and find nothing.
And then, big hands cover my mouth and my hands are pulled behind my back. The last thing I remember is being hit in the head, as everything goes black.
I wake up in a cold, dark room. Where am I? I think to myself. I'm tied down to a chair, so I can't move. I go over everything I remember before going into the woods, then I remember hearing footsteps, and soon being knocked out. But where am I now? This room is not familiar to me at all. I swear, if this has anything to do with Gale, I will kill him. Okay, I wouldn't kill him, I've killed enough people in my lifetime. But I will threaten to kill him. Just like he has been threatening me for the past year. I'm pretty sure it is Gale. He did tell me the next attack won't be as easy to escape, I remember him telling me that.
As we are walking a man passes me, yet another, note. Seriously, I've gotten so many warnings, yet Gale never shows up.
Me and Peeta stare at the note, afraid of what it's contents may be. We slowly open the note and read what it has to say.
'You won't get out of the next attack so easily!' The note reads.
That's how I remember it happening. Since I've thought I've gotten so many warnings from Gale, and thinking he'll never actually show up, maybe this time he has. He wasn't just trying to scare me and my family to death, he was actually warning us, to stay away from him, he'll kill me, he will stop at nothing.
I am pulled out of my thoughts when the door to the room I am in is opened. I can't see the person, but it is a dark figure, about 6 feet tall, and, even though it's dark, I can see his dark brown hair... Gale.
"Hello, Catnip." He says, eerily.
"Gale." I say, through gritted teeth. "What the heck do you want?"
"What I've always wanted. You!" He says. "You and I will get married next week." He smiles, creepily.
"Never! I hate you! Just let me be!" I scream at him.
"It be funner to marry you." (BTW I'm trying not to make it too creepy. So if it is too creepy, let me know. Back to the story.)
"I'm already married and have a daughter, I can't possibly marry you!" I spat at him.
"Ha! Whatever happened to little miss 'I'm never getting married' or 'I'm never having kids' what happened to the girl that I fell in love with!" He screams at me.
"She died in the games." I tell him honestly.
"Well, this new Katniss, is going to die here. After our wedding!"
"Why after? Does it matter whether I die before or after!"
"If I'm not married to you when you die, then who else is gonna get all that money." He smiles, mischievously.
"What!" I yell. "Your marrying me to get my money! Your going to kill me for my money!"
"You want the truth?"
"Of course I do."
"Yes." And with that, he's out the door he came in from, leaving me in my little chair, in my little room.
I miss Peeta and Willow so much. I remember everything about them so vividly. I remember both of their blue eyes, and their hair, blonde and brown, their noses, both so similar. I remember how cute Peeta was when he was in my room with Willow.
"Hey, little Willow!" Peeta whisper. "How's it going? We haven't exactly met properly. I'm your daddy and this is your mommy. You probably recognize our voices from when we sang to you while you were still inside mommy."
Willow starts to whimper, and Peeta rocks her until she falls asleep.
"Have you always been that cute with kids?" I giggle.
Peeta had no idea I was listening to his whole conversation. One of the best moments of my life, was my wedding.
I get to the podium, in the middle of the meadow, where our wedding is being held, and Peeta takes his hands into mine and as soon as our eyes lock, we are the only people in the world.
I must have got lost in his eyes because before I know it, the priest asks
"Do you, Katniss Everdeen, take Peeta to be your husband?"
"I do."
"Do you, Peeta Mellark, take Katniss to be your wife?"
"I do."
"By the power invested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. Well, aren't you gonna kiss the bride?"
Peeta looks over to the priests and says "you bet I am." And with that we are in a deep passionate kiss, our first kiss as husband and wife, this is a kiss we will remember forever.
I am now, happily, Katniss Mellark.
All these memories are now in the past, because next week, I will be forced to be Katniss Hawthorne, only to be killed by my soon to be husband, so he can have all my money. Pure evil!
Then I realize. I can't let this happen! Don't want Peeta to be left all alone with Willow to take care of. Willow can't grow up without a mother. I have to get out of here.
I start by trying to rip the rope that is tied around my hand. When that doesn't work, I notice I've loosened the rope just enough to slip my hands out. So that's what I do. My hands come out of the rope and I untie the rope around my feet.
When all the rope is untied, I make my way to the door and slowly push it open, trying not to make it creak. When it doesn't, I tip-toe out of the room.
The hallway is completely dark, and I have no idea where I am going. I decide to just go straight, but end up running into a wall. I start backing away and end up going the other direction, but run into another wall. What?! There must be a way out! Then, I see a little light shining through a small opening. That must be it!
I start going up a ladder leading up to the small opening. When I get closer, I realize it is a cellar door. I open it up and find myself outside. I step out, and immediately my arm is grabbed and I am pulled up.
"How the heck did you get out?" Gale spats at me. When I don't answer, he starts hitting me all over, hard.
The last hit is right in the face, and I black out.
Peeta's POV (This is now going back to when Katniss was in the woods, from last chapter. Let's see what Peeta does!)
After Katniss leaves to the woods, I take Willow to bed and snack on some cheese buns. There still warm from this morning.
I start to think of all the threats Katniss had gotten, and now I wish I didn't let her go into the woods alone. I'll go ask Haymitch if he can stay with her in the woods. Since Willow is asleep, I guess I'll just call him, so I don't leave Willow, and I won't wake her up.
"Hello?" I hear a hoarse voice on the other end.
"Haymitch! Are you drunk?"
"No! Why?"
"I was wondering if you could go check on Katniss in the woods. I got worried after I remembered all the threats she's gotten."
"Okay."
"Thanks." I say.
"No problem." He says, sarcastically.
I'm sure Katniss is fine, but you can never be too sure.
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An hour after I asked Haymitch to check on Katniss, I see him running back to the Victors Village. Oh no. If Haymitch is running, then this can't be good.
"Haymitch! What's wrong?" I ask when he arrives at my front doorstep.
"Katniss wasn't out there. I looked everywhere."
"I'll go look. Can you watch Willow?" I ask.
"Yeah."
I am now running into the woods, worried as heck! If something ever happened to Katniss, I could never forgive myself. Anything that happens to Katniss will always be my fault! It's my job to keep her safe, and I'm failing!
"Katniss!" I yell frantically. "Katniss!"
I make my way to the lake she and her father shared. She always comes here when she goes hunting. But when I get there, she isn't there either. I'm about to look somewhere else, when I see Katniss' bow and arrows on the ground, right next to blood. Oh no! This can't be happening! Wait... What happened! Is she alive? Where is she? Is this her blood? It has to be, unless it's an animals blood.
I get closer to Katniss' things and see an envelope on top of her bow. I pick it up and open it.
It reads: 'I told you she wouldn't escape the next attack as easily. You won't see her anytime soon, she's mine now!'
This has to be from Gale. Who else would it be from? I need to get Katniss back. I will get her back. If it's the last thing I do. I will save Katniss and protect her.
Always.
A/N: I promise for some Everlark in the next chapter. Pinky promise.
REMEMBER: No chapter 11 until I get 5-10 more reviews, followers, or favorites.
What do you think should happen next? Let me know, and maybe I will put your suggestion in my story.
Thanks for reading
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