Hope

Katniss couldn't get over how alike Brennan and Peeta looked. The same blond curls. Similar bone structure. Brennan's eyes were blue as well, but they didn't have the same spark as Peeta's. It scared her to see Brennan being whipped because she couldn't help think, what if that had been Peeta? The image haunted her.

Now that the snow coat was fully applicated, her mother left. Brennan seemed more relaxed, but Katniss continued to stroke his hair. Her eye and cheek still stung; the snow coat was helping until she abandoned it. She couldn't imagine how Brennan was feeling.

She heard Peeta saying good bye to his family, and then he sat on the floor and leaned his cheek against her thigh. She rested her free hand on his head and stroked his soft hair.

No words were needed. They both knew that the Capitol was finally acting against the uprising, and they made it very personal. She couldn't imagine what people thought after seeing someone being whipped with such brutality. She couldn't believe that they had broadcasted it for all of Panem to see. Things had become a lot more difficult.

Peeta turned his face and kissed her leg. "How's your cheek?"

"It's a little sore." She admitted. "That was really scary, Peeta. I kept thinking that it could have been you."

"It wasn't me."

"You all look so alike, you and your brothers. I just… I don't know what I would have done if that was you."

Peeta rubbed her calf and was about to say something but Prim entered the kitchen. "He seems a lot better." She observed, looking at Brennan.

Katniss took her hand away from Brennan's head. "Yes."

"You should put some of that snow coat on your eye." Prim walked past them and put a little bit of the leftover medicine in a small cloth and handed it to Katniss.

"Thanks." She held it to her face and winced slightly.

"I'm going to head up to bed now. I heard Mom tell you that you could stay the night, so I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Prim."

She nodded and left. "Where's Haymitch?" Katniss asked suddenly.

"I think he left already. Before you went to gather snow. Why do you ask?"

"I think we need to talk about some of the wedding plans…"

Peeta nodded, understanding that it was time to start trying to forget about appeasing the Capitol. He turned his head so he could look at her face. "Katniss, about what you said before… I'm not going to do anything to provoke the Capitol. I'm not promising you that nothing will happen to me, because I don't know what could happen. But I promise to try my hardest to be safe, and to keep you safe."

"We have no idea what the Capitol can do." She said, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"I know that. But I'm not just going to do nothing. Do you want what happened to Brennan happen to anyone else?"

"No." Katniss said immediately.

"Exactly. Moving along with wedding plans isn't really going to help people. But I think after what happened today, people will be more careful."

"They shouldn't have to worry about things like that. Do you remember what you were saying at the engagement party before Plutarch interrupted?" Katniss said. "You said that maybe we should stop trying to subdue things in the Districts. People don't deserve to be treated like this. No one ever should ever starve. No one should lose their family members working in dangerous areas." She couldn't help the shake in her voice.

"Katniss…" he continued rubbing her calf.

"Kids shouldn't have their names put in bowls to be drawn for a game where they have to fight to their death." She slid off the stool into Peeta's lap. She rested her arms on his shoulders and leaned towards his face. "They watch murder for fun, Peeta. They wanted us to kill people. They watched with disappointment while I cried holding Rue as she died. They don't care how inhumane that is because they're sick. Don't you want that to stop?"

"Of course I do."

"Then we aren't doing enough. Pretending that nothing is happening and running off and getting married isn't going to help anyone." Peeta narrowed his eyes, but Katniss cut him off. "I know we thought it would at the time. But it's not enough. I'm fine with going through with it still, okay? But I think we need to do something else."

Peeta sighed. "I don't know what to think. You send me really mixed signals about the whole wedding thing, Katniss. It makes my head hurt."

"It's not about that!" He looked away. Katniss let out a frustrated sound. She grabbed his face and kissed him roughly. He was caught off guard and their mouths were firm against each other, but a second later their lips slid together and they were locked in a deep kiss. She leaned against him and pushed him so that his back was flat on the floor.

"Peeta Mellark," she said huskily when they pulled apart, "don't you dare question my decision to marry you. I'm getting pretty sick of you doubting me. Don't you know how much I love you? Don't you know how much you mean to me? How badly I want to officially be only yours? Why must I keep explaining to you that I want to marry you? You make my heart hurt when you ask me if I still want to. I don't get it." She showed him the ring on her finger. "Why do you think I wear this? I wear it because I'm proud to show that you gave it to me because you love me. Do you really think I don't want to marry you, or is it something else?"

He was quiet for a bit as he looked up into her eyes. He spoke in a hushed voice. "Sometimes I feel like it's not real. I've wanted you for so long, Katniss." Her heart clenched at the desire in his voice. He reached up and touched her cheek ever so softly. "It's hard to believe that I might finally, totally, completely have you."

"You've had me for a while. Married or not, I love you and I want to be with you. I need you, and I want you in my life."

He opened his mouth, and Katniss didn't want to hear it. "Shut up." She said before pressing her lips to his. She kissed him with a fiery passion, moving her lips against his with verve. She tugged at his golden locks, and Peeta let out a soft moan.

"I didn't say anything," he managed to get out between kisses.

"Stop talking." Katniss lightly bit his lip and Peeta's grip on her waist tightened.

She kissed and nipped at his jaw, and suckled on the spot behind his ear that she knew he liked. "You're mean." Peeta said. He slid his hand under her shirt.

"So are you. You're still wearing your coat."

"That's a bad thing?"

Katniss unbuttoned it and pushed it off.

"Katniss, I'm sorry." She leaned down to cut him off with her lips, but he stopped her. "Let me talk."

"Fine," she huffed.

He traced swirls on her back with his fingers and some of her anger disappeared. "I'm sorry I always ask you if you still want to go through with getting married. It's a big deal for me. We can't get out of the wedding in the Capitol, but our own private thing is a different matter."

"I know that, and I don't want to call anything off."

"You were kind of hesitant when I proposed again."

"That's because you caught me by surprise. I want this, Peeta. I need it, okay? Thinking about a secret toasting between us makes me feel safe."

"It… it does?" his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes."

Peeta cupped her cheek and brought her face down to his. They kissed slowly, taking their time in letting their tongues explore each other. It was passionate, but it was almost sad.

Katniss lay down on top of Peeta, tucking her head under his chin. He was warm and it felt comforting. "Peeta?" she said after a few minutes.

He hugged her tightly. "Yes?"

"My eye's going to swell up. I can already feel it."

"Does it hurt? Put the snow coat back on!" he said concernedly.

"Calm down! I was just warning you so you wouldn't freak out. Too late." She sighed.

Katniss kissed him softly and got off. She stood and grabbed her snow coat off the table and sat down against the wall to face Brennan. She patted the spot beside her, pulling her knees to her chest as Peeta sat down. They kicked off their shoes. She held the medicine to her face and it started to numb the pain.

She saw Peeta's hand reach for his throat and he winced. "Are you okay? That must have hurt quite a bit." She rested her hand on his thigh and rubbed it with her thumb.

"It's not as bad as before. I'll be okay." He assured her.

"What about your stomach? Did he get your ribs?"

"Maybe. I don't know. It kind of hurts to move."

She stared at him. "Did I hurt you before?"

"No. I kind of forgot everything when you kissed me." He grinned.

"Are you sure?" Katniss moved her hand to the hem of his shirt and started to lift it up. She saw a large red patch on his stomach and how his skin was slightly raised. She frowned. "That's going to bruise."

"Katniss, you didn't hurt me." Peeta confirmed.

She lifted his shirt higher to check his ribs and put down the snow. "I'm going to check your ribs, tell me if it hurts."

As soon as she touched the first bottom rib, Peeta's stomach tightened and his face screwed up. "Ow!" Katniss leaned forwards and kissed his cheek.

"Sorry." She murmured. She continued moving up his ribs. She figured that on each side, his bottom two ribs were slightly bruised.

"I'm going to get you some ice."

He nodded and Katniss let his shirt drop back down. She stood and went to the freezer, opening it and searching inside. She found a bag of ice cubes and took it. She wrapped it in a tea towel and sat back down beside Peeta. She put it on his stomach gently. "Just hold it there."

He put his hand over hers. "Okay."

Katniss laughed. "I meant the ice."

"But you're doing that." Peeta grinned.

"You're funny." She said sarcastically. Peeta laughed lightly and Katniss snuggled up against his side and kissed his cheek again. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Katniss. Very much." He kissed her temple a few times.

"You two are making me sick." Katniss jumped a little. Brennan was stirring slightly. They both scrambled off the floor.

"Brennan, are you okay?" Peeta asked urgently.

"Never better." He croaked. His eyes were still closed.

Katniss tentatively reach out and brushed Brennan's hair off his forehead. He opened his eyes at her touch. "Thank you, Katniss." He murmured. She smiled softly. "I know I'm a troublemaker."

"Me too." She said quietly.

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry." Katniss said. But Brennan was asleep.

"Should we go get your mom?" Peeta asked.

Katniss shook her head. "No, he's fine."

"Okay." Peeta's eyes strayed to Brennan's back.

"The snow hasn't melted too much, so he's fine. Don't worry about him." Katniss said gently.

Peeta nodded.

"How about you go put the ice back on?"

"Katniss, will you hold my hand again?" He asked, sounding almost like a child, but the sorrow in his voice broke her heart.

"Of course." She said softly.

They sat back down again and resumed their positions from earlier. Katniss leaned her good cheek on Peeta's shoulder and he rested his head on top of hers. They sat in silence, listening to each other's breathing and the fire going in the other room. She wasn't sure which one of them fell asleep first.

Katniss woke up to the smell of frying eggs. The snow coat that used to be on her face was gone, and so was the ice that used to be under her hand on Peeta's stomach. She blinked a few times to clear the blur from her vision. It was snowing wildly outside. She yawned and stretched her neck, trying to work out the kinks.

"I didn't want to wake you." Katniss saw her mother at the stove.

"Thanks. Did you need any help?"

"No, Prim has helped set the table in the dining room already. Just sit down when you're ready."

Peeta was still sleeping, his face relaxed, free of the concern it wore yesterday. Katniss kissed Peeta's ear. "Wake up." He didn't respond. "My mom made breakfast!"

His eyes opened and Katniss laughed. He blinked and smiled sleepily when he saw her. He reached out and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. He frowned when he did.

"Your eye."

Katniss could feel that it had swollen up a bit, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been without the snow coat. "It's fine." She assured him. "How's your stomach and your ribs?"

"Sore." He admitted. "But I know something that can make it better." Peeta said cheekily.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Katniss smirked.

"Come closer and I'll show you."

Katniss rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. She threw her hand around his neck and brought his face to hers. She kissed him soundly and his hand slid into her hair. He pulled on it gently so she'd part her lips. His tongue dipped in her mouth and Katniss let out a little moan before she could stop herself.

Her mother cleared her throat and loudly banged her spatula against the frying pan. They sprang apart. "Eggs are done."

Katniss stood up and ran her fingers through her hair. She stretched and grimaced at the pain her back and bottom from falling asleep on the floor. She held her hand out to help Peeta off the floor. He winced as he straightened and put his hand on his stomach. "That doesn't feel nice."

"Mom, Peeta's got some bruising on his stomach and I think his ribs. Do you think you have anything to help?" She asked as they took a seat in the dining room, as the table in the kitchen was occupied. Brennan was still sleeping, and Katniss's mother had given him a new layer of snow coat.

"I have some ointment that will help." She said, dishing eggs onto their plate. "I'll give it to you after breakfast."

"Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Everdeen." Peeta said. He began to brush his feet against Katniss's under the table like he always did. When Peeta first started doing it, she found it annoying. Now, she had grown used to it, and it eventually became a comforting act.

Prim came in and sat beside Katniss. "Good morning." She said cheerily. She sat down next to Katniss and grabbed some bread from the plate in front of her. She happily began spreading some butter on it.

"Hi, Prim. Thanks for helping out with everything yesterday."

"Oh you're welcome. I like helping. Sometimes I go with Mom when she's on a call."

Katniss raised her eyebrows. "You do?"

"Yeah. I like treating people." Prim shrugged and continued eating.

"That's good." Katniss was quiet then, and started to eat. She should have known that. She was her sister. Peeta noticed her expression and nudged her foot. She tried to give him a smile but failed. Breakfast was eaten in silence and Peeta offered to do the dishes. Mrs. Everdeen left him a small jar of the ointment for his bruises. She told Prim and Katniss to go outside and get some more snow for Brennan.

They put on their shoes and coats and went outside with a couple of bowls for the snow. "How's your eye?" Prim asked suddenly.

"It's not my eye that's bothering me." Katniss muttered. Her hands started moving faster. "How can we live like this, how can anyone live like this?"

"It's… not living. But since the last Games, something's different. I can see it." Prim stated.

Katniss stopped and looked at her. "What can you see?"

Prim looked at her. "Hope."

"You understand that whatever I do, whatever Peeta does, it comes back to you and Mom, to his family. I don't want you to get hurt."

"You don't have to protect me, or Mom. We're with you." Prim's voice was firm, but it was still the voice of a young girl.

Even Prim knew that something needed to be done against the Capitol, that other people wanted things to change. And they had found hope for that after Katniss and Peeta won the Games. If one thing could change, it meant other things could too. She really needed to talk to Haymitch with Peeta.

Katniss wrapped her arms around Prim, holding her tight. "I love you."

Prim gave her a light squeeze. "I love you, too."

A/N: There, a quick update! I really wanted to keep writing after that last chapter :)

Okay, I'm sorry if the ending kind of sucks. It's hard to incorporate the book and the movie in here, as well as my plot. The movie took a big chunk out from the book, because directly after the whipping they go straight to the announcement of the Quarter Quell and I don't want to do that. I think I'll be going off the basis of the book for the next couple of chapters.

Blah, blah, blah.

Thanks for reading! Please review! I'd love to hear some feedback.

-Wolf ;)