Disclaimer: I don't own any rights; the hunger games and all its characters are property of Suzanne Collins.

'No,' I moan, as I take in my fiery surroundings for just a split second. So this is what hell must look like. Seeing I'm awake now, Rue quickly takes my hand into her own, forcing me to move. 'Come on Katniss, no time to lose. It will be here any minute.' Thomas is already on the ground, dancing on his feet impatiently for us to come down and join him. 'What's taking you guys so long? We have to get to the river, now!' He shouts up at us in panic, his voice dimmed by the hum of the consuming flames. He coughs as his lungs fill themselves with the thick black smoke that's surounding us, making it almost unbearable to breathe.

His outcry rouses me from my current state of paralysing fear. Not wasting another precious minute I secure my bow and quiver with shaky hands and begin to scramble after Rue, who has already started her decent and is now halfway down the tree. When I get close to the bottom I plunge onto the soft pile of leaves that covers the ground below me. As we turn our backs to escape the approaching inferno, the tree I just sat in a moment ago begins to smoulder and almost immediately ignites as it is overwhelmed by the intense heat.

The fire is everywhere, licking the branches of the surrounding trees with its glistening crimson tongue, while the hot wind carries the ashes of the already burned wood and leaves. We're heading like madmen towards the edge, jumping over roots and other tricky obstacles in our flight to get away as fast as we can from danger. I trip when my left foot clumsily hits a stump, but I recover my balance before I actually fall. Thank goodness the river is nearby. Just a few more steps to safety.

But as we step out into the open, panting and coughing from the run and the polluted air, I register another danger, staring us right in the face. How could I have been so stupid? I should have realised we're not the only ones running from the inferno.

Clove and Glimmer are standing knee-high in the water, knifes ready in hand as they look at the spectacle before them, waiting patiently for any tributes to come out of the flaming hell. Clove is the first to notice us. 'You!' Glimmer screams, as I dive for Clove's knife. Thomas and Rue don't hesitate for a moment; they run towards the water now that the two careers are focused on me. Great. So much for allies. 'You're so dead!' Glimmer yells, coming out of the water for a hand-to-hand combat.

O shit! I back up, rapidly taking my bow in hand as I dodge for another knife that rushes towards me. In my panic I forget about Cato, who must be nearby. I just look for a way out. The water is the safest solution, were it not for Clove and her deadly knives still posting there. If I could take her out though… I raise my bow, ready to shoot her when I suddenly hear a deafening sound right behind me. I look back in horror as a nearby tree finally gives in to his battle with the fire, falling in my direction.

As quick as my feet can manage, I jump aside, missing the trunk by a few inches. But I cannot evade hurting my shoulder when it's hit by the radiating debris following after. As I lay there, face down on the grass, my bow beside me, taken by pain, I see someone approach. Not Glimmer though. Those firm legs are defiantly a male's.

For a moment I fear it's Cato. I tense, preparing myself for the inevitable blow. Maybe it's for the best. One quick stab, and I can leave this place once and for all. In my pain, I almost welcome it. 'Do it then,' I whisper, almost out of oxygen by the thickening smoke. 'End it.'

'Not today,' a familiar voice speaks. 'And not by my hand. Come, I need you to get up. Can you stand?'

'Peeta?' I mumble as I look up at him, not daring to believe my ears. He only nods. 'Can you stand?' he repeats his question, offering me his hand. 'What the hell do you think you're doing? Get away from here, before they see you!' I hiss. Then I realise were out of the careers line of vision now, the tree and the blackening cloud of smoke blocking the view. I manage to get onto my feet again without his help, gazing at him with disbelief.

'Okay, before you say anything, I suggest we better get going, before we choke here to death,' he says, just as I open my mouth. 'I'm sorry, but you'll need to shoot Clove in order to get to the river. It's our only way out. Can you do it?'

'I will try,' I say, knowing it would be hard to focus as the smoke's really stinging my eyes, turning them into a watery mess. I get my bow from the ground, checking if it suffered any damage from my fall. Thankfully, the capitol made it out of strong metal instead of wood, so there is none, not even a dent. I take an arrow from the quiver, and move in front of Peeta as we leave the cover of the burning tree.

'Where…where are they?' I gasp in fear, when both Clove as Glimmer seem to have disappeared. I suspect an ambush, but as we walk further towards the river, it seems deserted. 'Were could they have gone?'

'Don't know, don't care. Come on, lets get out of here,' Peeta says, running past me into the water. With a slight hesitation, I follow his example. When the cool water hits my heated skin, I sigh in pleasure. I dive forward, allowing myself to let it cover me completely, washing the ash and dirt off me.

As we walk upon the other riverbank, soaked but safe, we gaze back to the burning forest. Other trees have crumpled as well, but the fire seems detained now. I wonder why it hasn't affected the trees at this side thus far. But then, this is the arena. Everything is possible. 'We better get into the shelter of the trees before we rest,' Peeta suggests, pulling me with him as I just stand and watch. I nod submissively and follow.

'Katniss! You made it,' Rue says with joy, abandoning her hiding place the moment she detects us. Thomas also runs towards us, although he keeps more of a distance. I let myself fall onto the ground, giving in to my fatigue. 'We were so worried,' Thomas said with a small voice. 'First that blond girl, then that tree… We thought you were dead.'

'I feel dead,' I say, my voice sounding hoarse by the inhaled smoke. I close my eyes for a second as I try to gain control over my breathing. 'Feeling means you're still alive,' Peeta says wisely, his mouth adorned with a smirk. 'I would not complain about that if I were you.'

'You!' Another shot of adrenaline makes me forget about my current state of exhaustion. I hoist myself up, looking at him with furious eyes. 'You bastard!'

He gazes back at me with uncomprehending ones, astonished by my sudden outburst. 'What?'

'You've heard me. You left me alone with the careers,' I shout at him loudly. This takes him by suprice. 'So? I told you I would not join them the day before. You knew. I cannot help it that you chose to stay with them, even after I warned you.'

'I wanted to talk to you about it, but you constantly avoided me so i didn't get the chance. And when we were sent to the arena…'

Rue immediately tries to shush me. 'Please, keep it down. Those guys from the river could still be here. They followed us when we made our run from the river. They probably thought the tree had done their job for them, so they could extend their focus on other prey. Then, that blond guy appeared. We barely escaped from them, but,' she looks at Thomas, 'he got hurt.'

'It's just a slash on the hip,' Thomas says, not really caring. 'I will be fine.' Rue just sighs. 'No, you won't. Not if that wound isn't properly treated. You're extremely lucky the blade only scratched bone…a few inches to the left and it would have pierced your intestines.'

He only shrugs.

'You'll have wait another hour before I gather some leaves for it though. First I want to make sure those creeps are out of the way.'

'Speaking of which, why aren't you with them? And why was Clove trying to kill you?' Peeta asks me.

'Because she helped me,' Thomas interferes in our conversation. 'They wanted to kill me, but she didn't allow it. So instead, she killed one of them.'

'Oh? So Marvels death is your doing? I already wondered…A shame you didn't take Cato out instead though,' Peeta utters impassively.

I simply ignore that reply. 'Anyway, how did you survive the slaughter of the Cornucopia?'

'Simple. The moment the buzzer went off, I ran away to the cover of the trees. I did manage to gather one of the backpacks before though; I grabbed it from an already fallen tribute. Once in safety, I did what I am best at: I hid. But I watched the massacre. Saw the way Cato and his gang murdered all those children without any remorse. I'm just so glad I didn't participated in that.'

'Like I did,' I say for him. I know that's on his mind. After a moment, he nods. 'Yeah, like you did.'

'Tell me, if you loath me so much, why did you come to me at the river?' I say, feeling my anger towards him rise again. 'Why didn't you kill me, or just left me behind?' I sneer. 'Oh wait, I know. You just needed my bow in case Clove and Glimmer were still present.'

'Katniss, I do not loathe you,' he says calmly, which surprises me, because I could have sworn he did. 'And I don't want to see you dead either. As a matter of fact, I was terrified when I saw that tree heading towards you.'

'Yeah right. Sorry for doubting your words. For you, I'm just as bad as the careers.'

'Well, I think we can better stop this conversation, since you're obviously not listening to a word I'm saying.' He turns to the other two instead. 'So, the three of you are allies right? How did you meet? I know Thomas was saved by Katniss, but how…?' he asks Rue, chancing the subject as if nothing happened.

'Thomas and I were already allies before the game started,' Rue tells him. 'When we were at the training centre, none of the other tributes wanted anything to do with us, not even our own district partners. Probably because they were afraid we would only bring them down.'

'Even so, Finnick, my mentor, told me to look for an ally,' Thomas cuts in, looking at Rue. O, I think. That sounds familiar. 'And when I saw her, just standing there on her own…I talked to her. She was nice to me, not at all like the others. So, instead of facing the arena alone, we decided to join our strength; I have some experience with weapons you know, and Rue has a good flora knowledge. I would make a run for the Cornucopia to gather some weapons, while Rue would flee to a save place. Later, we would come together again. But…'

'Something went wrong,' I finish for him. He nods. 'Yeah. I ran into you. I was afraid you would kill me like you did with the boy from five, so I hid the minute I heard you.'

'I whistled the tune we had practiced back at the Capitol, our signal that we were save, and also a hint for Thomas where he could find me,' Rue adds to the story. 'But when I didn't hear from him… I knew he was in trouble. That's why I screamed.'

'I'm glad you did. If you hadn't, I probably would have shot him anyway,' I say in all honesty. Her brown eyes widen as she looks at me, not understanding. Thomas nods. 'That blond guy we ran into earlier was threatening her with his sword. But your scream took his attention, so she could escape him before he could stop her. Then she pulled me behind her.'

'Did she,' Peeta asks, looking at me with laughing eyes. Apparently, this story's amusing him. I don't get it. What is wrong with him? Thomas nods again. 'Yep. And then she shot the dark haired guy from one. But I've already mentioned that. '

'Question,' Rue says suddenly, looking from me to Peeta with interested eyes. 'I don't want to be rude or anything, but is it true what you told Caeser at the interview? That you're in love with Katniss?' I guess she had to ask. She is a girl after all, and girls love this kind of stories.

I feel my cheeks explode with heat, feeling very uncomfortable because of the direction this conversation is going. 'Let's not talk about that shall we.'

'Oh, okay. I'm sorry.' She replies, immediately dropping the subject again. But then Peeta responds: 'Of course I'm in love with Katniss. Why would I lie about something like that?' The look in his eyes. So sincere. He almost fooled me for a minute, until I realise he's just a born charmer with the excellent ability to deceive.

So now Rue decides it my turn. 'And you? Do you love him as well?'

Suddenly I wish I too am a born charmer with the excellent ability to deceive; alas, I am not. The intensive look Peeta's giving me doesn't help me either. I stutter as I respond: 'Y…yes. Of course…I…'

'If that's the case, why did you kiss that blond guy?' Thomas brings in, obviously confused.

'Did you kiss Cato?' Peeta asks, now playing the offended lover. I want to moan from shame. 'It's not what you think,' I begin, shivering again now that the cold wind has returned. My clothes are still wet. 'I did so in order to keep his attention away from Thomas. I didn't want to kiss him…it just…happened.' Wait a minute, why am I defending myself here? It's not even his business.

He doesn't reply directly, just stares at something in front of him. 'Well…' he says after a moment of silence, 'I guess you did what you needed to do. I forgive you.'

What? What the hell is he talking about? Forgive me? For what? Then I remember the cameras, and I say the only thing I'm suppose to say after this. 'I'm sorry if I hurt you.' I walk towards him, laying my arms around his neck, hugging him. He just lays his head against mine, closing his eyes. 'Please, in the future, act a bit nicer to me okay? Remember, we are the star-crossed lovers of district twelve,' he whispers, just loud enough for me to hear.

'I guess we 're having a new ally than,' Rue giggles to Thomas. Traitors! The smile Peeta offers me is almost an apologetic one. 'I guess they are right. I'm afraid you have to deal with me.' And with that, he kisses me.