This story is rated M for a reason and this chapter is partly to blame. You have been warned. Thank you all for the support. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing; Simply working with the idea.
All Katniss can hear is muffled, mumbles through the fog. But she's coming out of whatever they gave her.
"Maddy." She manages.
"She's okay." Gale is by her side.
"Where-"
"She's asleep in the other room." He helps her sit up.
"And Agent Ghost?"
"He's fine, too."
"He's got this gnarly bruise that runs down the right side of his back from that sniper shot! Man! I have to get me one of those vests!" Cato exclaims.
"Where is he?" She manages.
"Why?" Haymitch speaks up.
"I want to see him." Katniss says.
"That's out of the question." Haymitch says.
"Why?"
"Because I told you not to mess with any of them. Agent Ghost especially!" Haymitch borderline yells.
"The man saved my life. He took a bullet for Maddy! I think I owe him a thank you." Haymitch stands.
"I'll pass it on but as far as you seeing him goes, it's out of the question! He's been reassigned as of immediately." He grabs a folder off the table in front of them. "I expect a full report. And you," he points at Katniss. "Are to stay here until further notice." He leaves, slamming the door for effect.
"For what it's worth," Gale stands, heading for the door himself. "I think the guy deserves a medal for what he did." It's only Cato and Katniss now.
"Hey, Katniss?" Cato says. "If you really want to thank him, he was in the locker room about five minutes ago." He leaves her alone to think. Regardless of what was going through her mind, Agent Ghost had saved both of them. But the more she thought about it, things were starting to click. Maddy's attachment, his lack of eye contact, Haymitch's outburst.
The other agents in the building had no problem directing her to the men's locker room. She initially finds it empty but has to do a double take when she sees a duffle bag open on one of the benches. Katniss traces the stitching, recognizing it as one similar to the one Agent Ghost had. Her ears pick up the sound of a shower coming on.
Katniss slowly makes her way to the sound. Because she's unfamiliar with the layout, she walks right behind the open showers in the room. She doesn't mean to do it, just like she doesn't mean to stand there and watch him.
It's definitely Agent Ghost; he has the bruise down his back to prove it. Katniss can't help but watch him, standing there under the shower head. He turns his head some and Katniss notices that he's clean shaven now. He reaches blindly for what she thinks is a shampoo bottle. He lathers his hair but whatever he uses rinses the color out of his hair. When she looks back up, he's no longer a brunette but a blonde.
All of a sudden, Katniss doesn't understand as all the images come together. He's really a blonde, no beard, with a jawline she's only ever seen on one man. Her eyes trail down his back. Her hands start to shake as she brings them up to her face. The contours of his back were the same ones she traced in simple hugs and passionate love making. If her eyes go lower, there's a scar he has just on the inside of his left calf from where Snow shot him.
"Oh my god..." Katniss whispers to herself.
Then there's the blue from her drug-induced sleep; the blue from those eyes she fell in love with the moment she saw him. But it couldn't be possible. She saw the blood at the bakery; she was at his funeral. How was it possible that their four-year old saw it but she couldn't?
"Peeta?" It escapes her before she can even think about it. His head whips in her direction and Katniss crumbles at the sight. There he was. It was so irrevocably Peeta that she's running into his arms without a second thought. She doesn't care that her clothes are drenched from the shower. All she wants is to feel him; his arms around her and his lips on hers. She jumps up, wrapping her legs around his waist and capturing his lips in a kiss so full of longing.
And he kisses her back, with just as much want and love that he can give. He didn't know what had been harder; her heartache or his self-restraint. Watching her, wanting her everyday; having her so close but not being able to even look at her for fear of her recognizing him.
"I'm so sorry." He whispers into the kiss. His tears mix with hers and the water from the shower as they continue to frantically kiss and touch one another.
Katniss wants to ask why and where he's been all this time but she figures they have later for that. Right now, she needed to know that this was real.
"Peeta?" She pulls back to look into his baby blue eyes but she doesn't continue until he says something. And because she needs that bit of reassurance as well.
"Yea?"
"Make love to me." Peeta doesn't need to be asked twice. He places her back on the ground to peel off her shirt and pants. Katniss jumps back into his arms once she's fully naked. They watch each other for what seems to be forever before Peeta says something.
"I love you."
"I love you, Peeta." He lowers her onto his length making them both moan from each others absence. His strong arms hold her up as he thrusts in and out of her. Her arms are wrapped tightly around his neck. She tries to keep kissing him but the feeling of him is too much. Katniss' head rests by his ear, instead, moaning heavily. "Katniss," he huffs.
In his chase for both their releases and the slickness from the water, Peeta loses his grip placing her back on the ground. But they never separate; not their bottom halves or their lips on one another.
"Let me help you." Katniss caresses his face sweetly before she turns from him.
"Katniss?" But he gets it. Katniss uses the wall in front of them to support herself. Peeta steps closer into her, tracing his hand down her back then gripping her waist firmly. When he thrusts into her like that, Katniss almost loses it. Her hand slips from the wall but Peeta's arm snakes around her waist keeping her up. He runs his hand up the other arm she has supporting herself. He clasps his hand over hers and leans over her naked body.
Peeta kisses the spot where her back and neck meet. He trails his kiss off to her shoulder then up her neck. Katniss turns her to him so they can continue with their intense kissing.
"Peeta..." She straightens up as her orgasm hits her.
"Katniss..." He kisses her chin as she comes down from her high.
"Sorry," she huffs. "It's been so long."
"Never apologize for enjoying yourself with me." Peeta kisses her firmly. Katniss warps an arm back around his neck.
"Are you close?" He thrusts experimentally into her making them both hiss.
"Yea, I think so."
"Then please, Peeta. Don't stop." He kisses her once more before he continues. It feels good but it's not going to get him where he wants. He pulls out of her and quickly turns her in his arms.
"I want to see you." He corners her back against the wall, kissing her just as passionately. His hand slips to her thigh, lifting it up and around his waist. Her knees buckle as another orgasm hits her. Peeta's arm wraps around her waist, at first keeping her up but then lifting her up again into his arms.
"Peeta please..." She begs for his release because she needs to feel him.
"Oh god, Katniss," he drowns his moan into her neck as he releases all he has inside of her. Peeta's chest heaves and his breathing is ragged. He brings his hands up to tilting Katniss' head up to kiss her sweetly.
Katniss doesn't stop staring at him long after he's done kissing her. His hands roam her body, cleaning her up as best he can before he finally turns off the shower. He wraps his towel around her body. He digs through his locker for a pair of sweats and a t-shirt to dress her in. He's forced to put back on what he was wearing earlier that day; a pair of black slacks and his black buttoned down shirt. Katniss reaches up to his bicep where the hole from the earlier bullet just grazed; further proof that Agent Ghost really was Peeta. Before Peeta can button up his shirt, she throws her arms around his waist.
"Why, Peeta?" She cries into his bare chest. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I couldn't Katniss. It was for your own good."
"How Peeta?! Where have you been?! Do you have any idea what I've been through?! What Maddy's been through?!"
"Let's not have this conversation here." He leads her back to her room to have a private conversation but when they open the door, the trio is there waiting for her.
"Where-" Gale cuts himself off. "Peeta?!"
"Peeta?!" Cato asks astoundingly.
"Aw shit!" Haymitch stands. "Damn it kid! I told you to stay away from her!"
"I knew you knew!" Katniss tries to go for his throat but Peeta holds her against him. "I'm going to kill you!"
"Wait," Gale walks over to them and places a hand on Peeta's shoulder. "You're really here?" Peeta nods. Gale wraps his arms around him; Cato joins him seconds after.
"I don't understand..." Cato says with a shake of his head.
"Where have you been, Peeta?" Gale adds. Peeta can only shake his head.
"I was...uh..." He can't finish forcing Haymitch to.
"He was in a coma after the shooting." They all turn to look at Haymitch. "He was shot four times in the chest and once in the head. The bulletproof vest would have been enough if it wasn't for the headshot. He's lucky to be alive." Katniss turns to Peeta rubbing up his chest and to his cheek.
"So I don't remember what happened all that time." Peeta rests his head against Katniss. "I'm sorry."
"Peeta, you don't have to-" He cuts her off with a kiss.
"When Haymitch told me, I felt sick. I couldn't believe that I'd abandoned you and Maddy."
"If you were in a coma, you didn't abandon us Peeta. But why couldn't you tell me? What about after? Why the whole thing with Agent Ghost?"
"As long as he was dead," Haymitch starts, "no one would be looking for him. I planned to throw him into witness protection but they dug up Peeta's grave." Haymitch continues. "In New Jersey. They found out that he wasn't really dead."
"We thought me being near you would put you in danger. But I couldn't just go, especially if they could use you two as bait. And I was right. They came after you and Maddy to draw me out instead." Peeta tells her. "We thought you'd be safe if I stayed away, that I could protect you from afar and as long as you didn't know, everything would be okay." He cups her face. "But I wanted to tell you. So badly, Katniss! So I did the next best thing. Agent Ghost would be my cover. You have no idea what it was like to be so close to you."
"It's okay." Katniss whispers against him. She strokes his head softly. "It's okay." She turns to look between Haymitch and Peeta. "But you two can't keep this from me! We suffered so much and you were right there the whole time!"
"I'm sorry." Peeta repeats. She really didn't know how sorry he is for everything that's occurred.
"No more secrets." Katniss says.
"If that's what you want, sweetheart." Haymitch says.
"Never again." Peeta adds.
"So what happens now?" Katniss asks.
"Like I said," Haymitch stands. "Agent Ghost, or Peeta, has been reassigned." He looks around the room to the rest of them. "As have all of you."
"What about Katniss and Maddy?" Gale asks.
"Crane's not stupid enough to attack them if they're here at the federal building. Not that that's going to matter." He slams two folders in front of Gale and Cato.
"Crane?" Katniss questions Peeta.
"Katniss..." Peeta shakes his head.
"Peeta..." Katniss warns making Peeta relent.
"Crane's the guy who's after me." He clears his throat. "He's Snow's son."
"Are you kidding?! I thought were done with him!" Peeta shakes his head.
"No. He wants revenge for me killing his father."
"But it wasn't you who killed him..." He nods.
"As far as he knows, I'm the one responsible." Katniss goes to say something but Peeta doesn't let her. "And that's the way it's going to stay!" He quickly clears up.
"Fine. How long do we have to stay here?" She asks Peeta.
"You and the baby will stay here until our mission is over. Peeta's coming with me." Haymitch says.
"The hell he is! He needs protection too!" Katniss shouts.
"Haymitch, you can't let him do this." Gale says as he looks between the folder and him.
"It's not my decision." Haymitch says. Gale and Cato look at Peeta who stares back at them. Katniss looks first at Haymitch, then Gale and Cato, and finally to Peeta.
"You can't do this!" Gale yells at him. "This is a suicide mission!"
"What's going on, Peeta?" She was being left out of the loop again.
"It never would have been." Peeta says. "As far as everybody knew, I was dead."
"That's why I told you to stay away from her." Haymitch says absentmindedly.
"Shut it, old man!" Peeta hisses.
"Peeta?" He looks down at Katniss. "What are you doing?" He turns away, unable to explain it her. So Gale stands furiously and explains it to her.
"He's going to walk right into Crane's camp and turn himself over!" Gale shouts. "He'll kill you!"
"Peeta? That's not true." But he doesn't deny it. "No, Peeta! You can't! Not after I just got you back!"
"Katniss, you were never even supposed to know." He holds onto her shaking hands. "I was dead. The mission was to protect you long enough to infiltrate but Crane killed every agent that tried. We get wind of him and he's gone. Worst of all is Haymitch has lost contact with his man on the inside. We fear that they're dead too. Now, we have another lead and I'm the last option. If I don't act now, he'll run again and after he got so close to hurting you and Maddy, I can't allow this to go on. The only way to save you is for me to go."
"And maybe die?!" Katniss shouts.
"If that's what it takes to keep you two safe-"
"How can you say that to me?! I'm your wife! Whatever happened to everything is going to be okay, huh? Now you're just going to give up?"
"I'm not giving up Katniss. I'm just being realistic! I would love to tell you that I will turn myself in and Haymitch and the boys are going to save me, but Crane's psychotic!" He shouts. "I'd be surprised if he doesn't shoot me dead the moment I get out of the car!"
"And you still want to do this?!"
"I have to."
"No!" She slams her fists into his chest. "How do you know that, Peeta?! How do you know that once you're dead he won't still come after us?! And then what? You won't be here to protect us!"
"Don't you see, Katniss? That's what I'm doing. I'm protecting you and our daughter."
"No, Peeta." She tries but he only shakes his head.
"You don't have a choice here." He turns to look the closed door in the room. "I'm going to spend some time with Maddy."