I'm back! what a cliff hanger!

Please tell me you all saw the new catching fire trailer, please. it was amazing! i loved every minute of it!

oh so this is not going to be long today, im sure you all want to get to reading, i would just like you guys to all check out the story UNFOLDING SCARS by LoveEverlark, she is a good friend of mine and it would be really nice if you all went and left her a nice review.

by the way, leave me a nice review!

now read!

Chapter 12

"Wh...what?" I stare at Peeta in disbelief. As soon as he said her name her face was the only one I could see. My eyes swell with tears but I choke them back, trying to keep my composure.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you, this stress is not good for you or the baby." Peeta paces.

"Wait," I say, racking my brain for something to say, ask, an explanation maybe, "What do you mean Prim?" I slightly flinch at saying her name, "Gale was nothing but good to her her entire life." I protest.

"Katniss there is a lot you don't understand about after..."

"After what, Peeta?" I interrupt, "After the war? I know about the bombs and I know that Gale designed them but he never meant for her to get hurt and I know that. Why are you bringing this up?"

Peeta sighs and runs his hands through his hair, taking a seat next to me on the bed. I turn toward him and wait for him to continue.

"No, Katniss, not after the war." he says, keeping his eyes in his lap. I open my mouth to ask a question but he raises his hand to silence me. "Let me tell this, please." he says. I nod and wait for him to go on.

"After the first games when we got back to the district you and I weren't speaking. I accepted it for a while and laid low, wanting to give you your space. About a week after we got back Prim came over to visit me." I flinch again slightly at the sound of her name but Peeta doesn't stop, "I remember it like it was just last week. She knocked and I answered the door. I was so surprised she was there, I thought you were in trouble, I remember being so scared but she was just there to visit. I let her in and we sat in the living room and I gave her a cupcake that I had just baked, I put it on one of my better plates saying that I never had a reason to use the nice stuff and we laughed. We talked and then she was done eating and went into the kitchen to wash the dish." he starts to rub his hands together and that's when I start to get nervous, he only does that when he himself feels nervous.

"She washed the plate and went to put it in a cabinet, I told her I would do it but she insisted, so I told her it was the top cabinet on the right. She reached up and the hem of her shirt rose enough for me to see... them." I feel the tears well up in my eyes as he goes on. "They were so deep, the bruises and I couldn't help it. I new it wasn't any of my business but I had to ask and so I did. She was so embarrassed and she tried to leave, making an excuse that she had to get back home to help your mom. I was so desperate to help her so I grabbed her arm as she tried to run to the door and the way her face contorted into pure fear was enough to push me over the edge. I pulled her in and hugged her and we collapsed onto the floor as she sobbed into my chest; we sat in the kitchen like that for a good ten minutes."

At this point the tears are freely streaming down my face. Peeta looks at me and reaches up to wipe them away. I lean into his touch and nod my head, signaling him that I'm alright and that he should continue. He gives me a look that can only mean 'are you sure?' and I just nod again and wait for him to go on.

"Okay," he breaths, "so when she finally calmed down enough I asked her again how she got the bruises. She was so terrified, but I assured her that no one had to know, I wouldn't tell a soul if she didn't want me to but she shook her head. I told her that she could tell me anything, she said 'promise?' and I told her of course. She thought for a moment, it was the longest moment of my life, and she said 'don't tell Katniss'. Those words broke my heart. I knew, at that moment, that something was terribly wrong. I remembered I nodded my head and she sat up straight, the look on her face made her look so vulnerable, like a child. I almost started to cry. She sat up straight and with one tear slipping from the corner of her eye she said, 'Gale hit me'."

I knew this was coming, how could I not. I knew this was about Gale, and by the way this story was going I new I was going to hear those three words. I did not know, however, how hard it would hit me when they were said. Sobs wracked my body and Peeta's arms were immediately around me, but they didn't help. All I can imagine, all I can see through my blurred eyes is my beautiful sister, long blond flowing hair, beautiful blue eyes, and a smile that could brighten any day. That beauty, that rose riddled with bruises, marks left by the only person I really trusted at the time. The worst part was I never knew, I never took the time to look and see the difference in her walk, how she acted around Gale. I wasn't paying attention.

When I finally started to calm down after about twenty minutes of straight sobbing, Peeta stroking my hair and whispering words of love into my hair as I soaked his shirt. I sit up and he looks at me, and at my protruding stomach and I know what he is thinking because I am thinking the same exact thing; is this stress going to hurt the baby? I have been under so much of it lately that maybe I should get a check up before I get off the train tomorrow just to make sure everything is okay, for now it seems to be fine.

"Do you want me to go on?" Peeta asks timidly.

I think for a moment, do I really want to know the rest of the story? I know the answer already, I do, I need to know more than want.

"Yeah." I croak, surprised at how my voice sounds from all the crying, I really hate crying.

"Are you sure?" he asks, taking my face into his hands.

I nod my head, not trusting my voice again, thinking it may falter and he would stop before he could finish the story. He nods and his hands fall to his lap, his gaze dropping to the floor.

"Prim... it was very hard for her and I'm not going to repeat it word for word, mostly because it was very choppy; basically it was a while into the Games. It was when we were in the cave that the beatings started. She said that Gale would say things to her. He would say that she looks just like a mix of you and I; he wasn't to happy with anything that reminded him of us. She would tell me how he would always leave when we were on the screens and that right after he came back he came for her. Because she looks like a mix of us. The beating stopped until the second Games, the night I told every one you were pregnant they started again."

It all starts to click now. Prim had blond hair and blue eyes, like Peeta. She had the same face as me though, same shape and we had the same nose. She looked like what maybe a child of ours would look like. That's it, that's what brought him back. I am having a child with Peeta and that is what Gale the most angry.

Anger swells within me more than any other emotion. Why didn't anyone tell me?

"Why didn't you do anything Peeta?" I choke out.

He stands and starts to pace once again and it just pisses me off but I try to contain my anger.

"I did Katniss!" she pleads, "I did. Gale and I got into so many different fights about it and everyone of them I felt more and more like I was justified in killing him. But you and him were such good friends..."

"Then why didn't you tell me!?" I shout at him.

"Because! She begged me not to! I was not going to go back on my word. And I thought I could handle it, and I had every intention on handling it. But then we had to go back into the games for the second time and... my whole world fell apart. And I even thought in the arena one night when we were lying in the jungle that if I make it out of here I was going to make it up to Prim, and I would end Gale. But then all of a sudden I wasn't being taken home, I was going to the... the..."

Oh no.

His eyes go dark and I can see it coming before he can even realize what is going on, the flashback. In two seconds flat I am off that bed and at his side, all remaining anger vanished. His hands form fists and his whole body starts to shake.

"Peeta," I coax, placing my hands on his face, "It's not real. Peeta it's me, your wife. I'm here, I love you." I feel his muscles tense under my touch but I keep talking. His eyes dart around the room, no doubt looking for a threat that is not there.

"Peeta your safe. I'm safe, the baby is safe."

At the word 'baby' his body relaxes ever so slightly. That gives me an idea.

I grab hold of one of his hands in both of mine, he fights me but eventually I pull it over and place it on my stomach.

"That's your baby Peeta." I tell him. "That's our baby, and it loves it's daddy so much. Come back to us Peeta, come back to us."

His body starts to relax and his eyes turn back to the beautiful blue that I love. I put one hand on top of his on my stomach and reach up and cradle his cheek in the other.

All of a sudden I feel something move inside me. It feels so weird, like a muscle spasm in my stomach. Then it happens again. I grab Peeta's hand and move it to the side of my stomach to where I feel it happening. His brow furrows at first, confused at what I'm trying to show him, but then his eyes grow in pure wonder and joy.

"Is our baby..."

"Moving?" I finish. "Yeah I think so." we both sit on the bed and keep our hands settled on my stomach, marveling at the child growing inside me.

After a while Peeta looks at me. "I'm so sorry," he says, "I really did mean to tell you sooner."

"I know," I sigh, "I just wish I could have taken a swing at Gale before he left." I half joke.

I don't totally forgive Peeta just yet, but I know I will. Right now I will just have to get over it and move on, It's over, it happened, and there is nothing I can do about it now.

"Um, Katniss," Peeta chuckles, "you kind of sat on your muffin."

I look down and groan, the thought of muffins just makes my stomach growl and want more food. Peeta laughs at me and stands, holding out his hand for me to take.

"Come on," he says, "lets get you cleaned up. Then we can go to dinner."

I grab his hand and he helps me up, then goes to get changed as I jump into a quick shower.

No one was in the dinning car when we got there so we ended up eating dinner alone. It was quiet but the good kind, we talked about the baby a little, about what we were going to do tomorrow, mostly we sat in silence and enjoyed each others company. After a while I started to yawn and Peeta and I went back to our room to get ready for bed.

I throw on a shirt of his. A lot of my cloths, even my newer maternity ones, are a little snug so I just wear some of his to bed most of the time. He laughs at the sight of me walking around in just his over-sized t-shirt with it slightly protruding out around my middle. I scowl and he puts his arms up in defense. We climb into bed, my back flush up against Peeta's chest, his arm lazily draped across my middle, hand settled on my stomach.

"Kantiss?" Peeta shyly says into my hair.

"Yeah?"

"You still love me, real or not real?"

I spin around in his arms and take his face in my hands.

"Very real."

I can see the smile on his face in the dark and he gives me a lingering kiss before settling down and falling asleep.

The next morning was hectic. Effie was rapping on our door at exactly nine A.M. and making sure we were up and dressed by nine thirty and in the dining car. Haymitch was waiting for us when we arrived in the car for breakfast.

"Morning." he nods, sipping on a mug of coffee.

"Good morning." I reply and we take our seat. Effie sits in her usual spot and starts to ramble.

"Now as soon as we arrive we will be taken..."

"For god's sake Eff we know, you told us yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. We know what is going on when we get there, stop worrying." Haymitch groans.

"I just want us all to be prepared." she chirps. She is in an annoyingly good mood today.

We ate the rest of breakfast in relative silence. Every now and then Haymitch would make a comment but it was nothing out of character for him. You could feel the tension start to grow as we get closer to the Capitol. The witty banter between Haymitch and Peeta died down, Effie grew more and more straight in the back, and my grip on Peeta's hand which I am now holding grows more and more tight.

When we were all finished with our meal we stood. If I didn't know him so well I wouldn't have seen it, but Haymitch throws Peeta and eye a worried glance before he and Effie go off to change into their Capitol appropriate clothing. Peeta and I take off in the opposite direction to do the same.

Peeta picks out a pair of black dress pants and a white button us shirt, I help him with his blue tie. I put on a blue dress that matches Peeta's tie that is one of my better fitting articles of clothing. It is simple, blue with blue lace at the top and black trim.

"You look stunning."Peeta says as he zips up my dress and kisses my shoulder.

"Not to shabby yourself." I tease.

He takes my hand and we walk out of the room. It took us about an hour to get ready so now we go and find Effie and Haymitch so we can all wait these last fifteen minutes together before we are in the Capitol.

We sit in silence, all in the car made out of glass. Then Peeta stands. I stand next to him and look where he is and see it, the place I have been dreading to go ever since that day. I notice Peeta stiffen beside me and Haymitch starts to stand.

"He's fine." I say. Haymitch sits back down but continues to watch him. I look at his eyes and see they are slightly dark but I can tell he is trying to focus. I grab hold of his hand and he relaxes slightly, but I know this is the best I am going to get out of him until we get home.

We pull into the train station and I gasp. There are hundreds of people with cameras and microphones and notepads. Effie stands up straight and tall and plasters a smile on her face.

"Smile Katniss." she says through her teeth. I do so but it's half hearted. I don't really feel like smiling at the moment.

The train comes to a stop and we file towards the door, Peeta has my hand but positions himself slightly in front of me, as if to protect me. I want to object but just one look at his face shuts me right up.

The door opens and there stands Plutarch Heavensbee, a huge smile on his face and a camera crew behind him. The roar of the crowd is almost deafening.

"Welcome to the Capitol!" He shouts.

"Thank you!" Effie says in pure delight as she steps off the train, waving to the crowd. Haymitch follows her with a rather annoyed look on his face.

Peeta and I are next. As soon as Peeta takes a step off the train, me trailing right behind him, the reporters bombard us with questions.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mellark what sex is the baby?"

"Katniss is Peeta really the father?"

"Katniss why was Gale visiting you in 12?"

"Peeta, are you jealous of Gale?"

"That's enough!" Plutarch yells as he leads us some how through the crowd and to the waiting car. "So sorry about that. You know how people like to talk."

"What the hell Plutarch?" I berate, "Why the hell do people keep asking me if this is Gale's child?" this is not the first time it's happened. It happened in town a while back and I had to tell that girl off. What is going on here.

"Katniss what you have to understand is that we needed a story besides, PREGNANT VICTOR, so the Gale thing is just for fun, everyone knows it's Peeta's..."

"Everyone does not know you moron!" I yell. "You told people that it might be Gale's baby! What the heck!"

"Hey," Plutarch defends, "At least I'm not the one who told the world you were pregnant, that was all Haymitch's doing."

"What?"

OMG! even i didn't see that one coming, or maybe i did...

leave me a review and i will get the next chapter up Monday!

quote for the next chapter comes from... Ceaser!

"So let's address this Gale topic..."