Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Peeta's lie about Katniss' pregnancy is tested by the Capitol, leaving the Lethal Lovers only one option going into the Quarter Quell.

CHAPTER 10

PEETA POV

It is still dark out when my eyes flutter open. I am woken by the sound of someone chocking, or rather, someone getting sick.

I quickly sit up and glance around for Katniss, noticing she is not next to me. It doesn't take me long to spot her, a few feet from me, on her hands and knees, throwing up onto the jungle floor. Mags is already over her, gently rubbing Katniss' back.

I gather myself and move toward Katniss. Mags gives me a kind smile and allows me to take her place.

I push Katniss' braid off her shoulder and rub her back until she is done being sick. I feel terrible, knowing she hardly had anything in her stomach to throw up to begin with besides some of the water we drank earlier.

"Are you okay?" I ask her, when I believe she is finished.

Katniss sighs and leans back into me, closing her eyes. I can tell the throwing up has taken a lot out of her.

"Morning sickness…" She mumbles.

I bit my bottom lip, feeling so responsible for her being in such a state. She is sick because she is pregnant and she is pregnant because of me. This is all my fault.

"I'm sorry…" I whisper.

Katniss shakes her head against my chest. "This was my choice too…"

I am not sure if she is playing this up for the cameras, or she is simply reminding me that she took part in the pregnancy idea as well. Either way, if it was meant to make me feel better, it only made me feel guiltier. She really didn't choose this; I did.

I gently kiss her forehead and try to wipe the beads of sweat from her brow. She continues to lean back into me, eyes closed, until Mags is in front of her with a leaf.

I smile up at the old woman, knowing she brought Katniss some water in hopes of making her feel better.

"Thanks Mags…" I say.

Katniss opens her eyes at my voice and smiles kindly at the older woman, taking the leaf and sipping slowly from it.

"Don't drink too fast," I remind her, not wanting her to get sick again.

Katniss shoots me a glare that lets me know she doesn't need a baby sitter. I can feel my cheeks grow red.

"Something is moving," Finnick's voice startles us, and instantly both Katniss and I are looking in the direction Finnick is pointing in.

I stand on instinct to keep Katniss safe. Finnick is right, something is moving through the forest. I walk toward it when I realize it seems to be some sort of mist, some sort of fog. I smile for a second, thinking it will bring some moisture that can only help us at this point.

"What is it?" Katniss asks quietly.

I glance back to see Katniss is now on her feet, bow drawn and ready to fire.

"Just some fog…" I say, and turn my attention back to the cloud encroaching on us. It is nearly upon me now and I reach out to touch it. But when my hand connects with it, it feels like it is on fire. I pull my fingers back to see blisters forming on them, and I suddenly realize the fog is poisonous.

"RUN!" I scream and turn back.

No one questions the urgency in my voice, and I grab Katniss' hand with my undamaged one, pulling her away from the fog as fast as I can with Finnick and Mags only a few steps behind us.

KATNISS POV

I watch cautiously as Peeta reaches out to touch the fog moving in on us but I flinch when I hear his scream to run. It startles me to hear such pain in his voice and for a split second I step forward to see his hand boil over.

"Run! Its poisonous!" Peeta yells, taking my hand and pulling me forward.

I am trying to register what he is saying, while still keeping up with him. I am still dehydrated and certainly not at full strength, and I know he isn't either, yet somehow he is the one pulling me.

At some point, Finnick, with Mags on his back, pulls head of Peeta and I. I watch them for a minute but then feel my feet slip. I trip over an overgrown root and am on the jungle floor in seconds.

Without even realizing it, my first thought is about the child inside of me. I have already put it through so much; this fall cannot be good for it. I am angry with myself and it occurs to me that I am truly protective over the child I am still not sure I want. However, I don't think that will matter. I have already caused this little life too much stress, too much pain and its too fragile. I am certain even if I make it out of this arena, the life inside of me will not.

"Katniss!" Peeta's hand lets go of mine for a second but he is quickly back, trying to help me up.

I see the fog creeping over, and Peeta turns his back to it, protecting me but getting hit full blast on his neck.

He winces and I understand why. Some of the fog has gotten onto my neck and the pain is unreal.

Peeta manages to pull me to my feet but we hardly get a few yards before my knees give out again.

"Peeta…" I whisper, realizing my body feels like putty. The fog is paralyzing me.

"Katniss, come on!" Peeta tries pulling me up, but I can see the fog is affecting him as well.

"Katniss…Peeta…lets go!" Finnick yells from up ahead.

"We can't…we can't move much…" Peeta manages out, but I can hear his throat muscles contracting as well. Breathing is hard for both of us.

"It's the fog…" I gasp out.

Finnick doesn't take more then a second to think about it before he is by our side, the fog creeping closer.

"I can't carry her," Peeta says.

I feel weak by his words. He shouldn't have to carry me. I should be able to take care of myself. I have never been weak before.

Finnick looks lost. His eyes keep twitching to Mags and then back to me. I know he has to make a decision because he can't carry us both and Peeta is too weak now. Between the electrocution and the fog, I am lucky he is alive.

Mags makes Finnick's mind up for him. I watch her kiss his cheek and smile warmly at me before running off into the fog.

"MAGS! NO!" Finnick cries.

A cannon goes off and I feel responsible. Mags killed herself for me, for my child, for my chance at survival. Her blood is on my hands.

"Katniss…" Peeta's voice brings both Finnick and I back to the world around us, the fog creeping in.

Peeta is in worse shape then I am now. I see the boils all down his neck and I know those are because he was protecting me. I need to be strong now.

"I can't carry you both," Finnick says.

"Take her," Peeta orders.

"No…take him," I say back.

Finnick doesn't seem to listen though and starts to gather me.

"No!" I push him off and use every ounce of strength I have to stand. I will not lose Peeta like this. "Take Peeta."

"Katniss—" Peeta starts.

"I'm fine," I say to him, then turn my attention back to Finnick. "Take Peeta."

Finnick watches me for a second but we don't have time to argue with the fog creeping closer. He effortlessly throws Peeta over his shoulder and indicates for me to run.

And I do. I push as hard as I can, though every muscle in my body hurts, and I lead us away from the fog.

But it keeps coming, and I even notice Finnick slowing down now. We are all going to die. It doesn't matter.

And then I trip again, down a hill, into a small lake, and wait for the fog to come. But it never does. It's as if the fog has his a wall behind us, and suddenly we are safe.

PEETA POV

The fog is excruciating. My neck feels like it is on fire and I can't breath. My lungs are collapsing, and I am certain no matter how fast Finnick runs, we will all die in the fog.

I watch Katniss trip a second before I feel Finnick drop me, and I role down the hill, face-first, into a small pond.

The water hits me and instantly I feel relief. I lift my head and immediately see the welts on my hand nearly fade.

The water is healing the pustules from the fog.

Instantly, my thoughts move to Katniss. The fog touched her as well. I look to my left to see her and Finnick both slumped down near the pond. Her back is rising and falling quickly, and I know she is trying to catch her breath.

For a second, I think about the baby, the damage that has probably already been done; but I can't worry about that. Katniss is my only concern.

"Katniss…come on!" I wade through the water toward her.

She lifts her head weakly to make eye contact with me.

"Come on, the water heals it…" I reach her and slowly pull her into the pond by her shoulders.

I can feel her relax in my arms the second the water hits her skin and she lets out a comforting moan.

I myself let out the breath I did not realize I was holding in. I run my hand through her hair and let the water soak into her skin.

"This is amazing…" Finnick whispers.

I glance behind me to see Finnick sinking his head under the water and then emerging, his own pustules seeming to fall off.

"Do you feel better?" I ask Katniss after a moment.

She nods and scrubs the scabs on her neck. They seem to fall off as easily as they came.

The three of us fall silent for a long moment, until Finnick emerges from the pond and slumps down next to a tree trunk, his thoughts seeming to be somewhere else.

"She died for us," Katniss says quietly.

"Who?" I ask, caught off guard by her voice.

"Mags…" Katniss turns her eyes to lock with mine and I can see a sadness in them. "She died so we could live. Its my fault…"

"She did it to help us. She did it, Katniss. You can't blame yourself. We owe her, but she made her choice. Okay?" I say quickly. I don't want Katniss to carry this burden.

Katniss nods, but I can still see something else is bothering her.

"What?" I ask.

"I'm worried," Katniss says.

I can't help but smile a little. She has never been one with words, and I can only hope to decipher what she is worried about now. "About what?"

"I fell…I am worried I did something to the baby," Katniss admits quietly, avoiding eye contact with me.

I am surprised by her comment. I am not stupid to the fact that she is less then thrilled about the baby. It was not something she ever wanted, and I can only assume she is speaking like this to play it up for the cameras, but something in her eyes tells me different. Something in her expression tells me she already cares deeply for this baby. I shouldn't be surprised. She has always been protective. I have watched her with Prim for years.

"You didn't," I assure her, though I don't truly know. I just know that it isn't something we can change now, so it does no good to worry. "That baby is strong, just like you."

Katniss gives me a weak smile, and I pull her close. I hold her in my arms for a moment, happy with the body contact when I feel her suddenly go rigid in my arms. I can sense something is wrong.

"What is it?" I ask her.

"Peeta…back up very slowly," Katniss breathes in my ear.

I hear the alarm and slowly turn my head to see a rather aggressive looking monkey snarling at us. A mutt.