Growing Back Together Chapter 14: Your Everything, a hunger games fanfic

A/N: Obviously I don't own The Hunger Games or these songs. All rights go to their rightful owners.

When I wake up again, it is barely dawn, the sun slowly beginning to creep up into the sky. My knees are up close to my chest as I lie down on the ground. I can't hear the calls anymore, but I still can't find the strength to move. Some part of me believes that if I stay in this position forever, I will be safe and nothing can hurt me. Peeta can't get angry, Gale can't find me, and everyone I love will be unharmed. My stomach growling sends me to my feet though, as I remember how long it has been since I've had anything at all to eat. Peeta is probably freaking out, and will kill me when I get home for worrying him. Who knows what Haymitch will do, he's probably too drunk or passed out by this time to do anything anyway. As I push myself off the ground, I feel a sense of de ju vu wash over me as I stare at the replica of my old home, the one I grew up in. Somehow, I climb my way back through the window, closing it gently and take the walk back towards Victors Village. As my feet land on the gravel road, the crushing noise fills my ears, but I try to drown them out. I'm listening for any signs that I'm being followed, or watched. Any signs that Gale is near and I'm in danger. Anything at all.

Eventually, I make my way up the front steps to my house. I stop just before I push the door open and listen in. I can hear voices inside, arguing and crying. I can't tell who it is, but I have a good idea. Silently, I push the door open and step inside. I can hear Peeta and Haymitch arguing from the kitchen, and it sounds like Effie who is sobbing. I don't want to make any eye contact, or be seen by anyone, so I quietly walk towards the steps, keeping along the walls. I have to imagine I'm back in the woods hunting, for my feet to do what I want them to, to be absolutely silent, and for my body to be almost invisible – one with the house. I make it half way up the stairs before a dodgy step ruins my plan. A loud squeak breaks through the house, and I'm almost certain it wasn't heard over the arguing, but I was wrong. The voices stop abruptly and I hear footsteps coming towards the stairs.

"Katniss?" It's Peeta, and his voice is full of concern. I quickly run up the rest of the stairs and slam my bedroom door closed behind me. I recognise the sounds of feet storming up the stairs. I slid back against the door and bring my knees up close to my chest.

"Katniss, please let us in! Please Katniss! Open up the door!" Peeta begs as he tries to push open the door. I hold him back, but I can tell from years of knowing him that he isn't going to give up begging me anytime soon.

"Sweetheart, open the bloody door." Haymitch bellows. I don't think he's trying the door though, at the moment it just feels like Peeta. If both of them were doing it, there is no way I would be able to hold it. I don't bother answering, they should know I don't want to talk right now.

"Katniss, I love you. Please just open the door." Peeta begs. He stops trying to burst open the door now, and is merely standing outside pleading with me to open up. If I open the door, I know he'll want to talk about the whole Gale situation, no doubt Haymitch has told him. He can never keep his big mouth closed. But am I ready to talk to them about it? I don't want to keep thinking about it, it's going to wreak me, none the less talking about it. But it's Peeta, and he decides to hear my side of the story before he judges me and thinks I cheated on him, or I let him get that close to me. Slowly though, I push myself off the ground and lock my fingers around the doorknob. Twisting it slightly, I pull it back and poke my head through the edge slightly. I lock eyes with Peeta first, his eyes wide and red, he's been crying. He pushes the door open and immediately takes me into his arms. One arm wraps around my waist, while the other holds my head. I can hear him take deep breaths and gentle hushing noises, and its then I realise I'm crying.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt at all, Katniss?" Peeta asks urgently as he pulls away and looks me over. I shake my head and let him take me into his arms again, mine going around his neck. Effie takes one of my hands in both of hers and gently pats my head.

"Oh sweetheart. Don't you dare scare us like that again! We thought something had happened." Haymitch says as he stands besides Peeta and places a hand on my back, bringing it back and forth. I can't form any words, just sobs. Peeta picks me up and brings me over to the bed, where he sits me in his lap and gently rocks me.

"We'll talk to you soon okay, Katniss. We'll be back." Haymitch says as I look up slowly to see him and Effie leave the room, closing the door behind them. Peeta's hands bring my face back around to face his. He's crying as well, and I rarely see him cry anymore. He cups both hands around my cheeks, and with his thumb, gently wipes away the tears.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He whispers as another tear falls down my face.

"I… I just… I just couldn't." I whimper

"Can't you trust me?" He says with hurt in his eyes.

"Of course I can. But… I was scared. He said he would come back, and I don't think he would just come back for me if I told anyone. I couldn't risk it." I cry as his protective arms are secured around me.

"I'd like to see him try and come back. I will kill him, Katniss. I will kill him before he gets anywhere near you again." Peeta says as he brings my forehead down just a touch and plants a kiss on the skin. I can't help but cry more and shake my head.

"You can't stop him, Peeta. We hunted together for years. He knows how to sneak up on..." I don't dare say prey. Is that what I am? Am I his prey? Goosebumps run down my body, and even more tears run down my cheeks. I'm even beginning to make them terrible choking noises, and I can't stop it this time. I used to be able to control it a little, but not this time. No – this time it is much worse. I bury my head in Peeta's shirt.

"Katniss, I promise you. He will not get away with this!" I cry even more and shake my head. He brings his hands up to my cheeks, gently lifts my head and presses his lips together. He rolls us back onto bed, where I roll off next to him. I immediately crawl into the fetile position and hold myself tight. Peeta hopes off the bed and walks around to my side of the bed. He brings the blanket up and tucks me in, pulling a chair from behind for him to sit on. He takes my hand and plants a kiss on it. Moving a strand away from my eyes, he looks at me with growing concern.

"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight" Peeta sings gently as he holds my hand tight and gently runs his fingers down my tear stained cheeks.

"Just close your eyes,
The sun is going down.
You'll be alright,
No one can hurt you now.
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound" He leans in an presses his lips against mine once more.

"I love you, Katniss."

"I love you too. And I'm sorry." I whisper as the energy from holding in this secret seems to drain out of me.

"Theres no need to be sorry. You did nothing wrong." He reminds me softly.

"Stay with me?" I ask

He smiles, obviously remembering how this saying all started for us. "Always."

The next day, I wake to Peeta's arms secured around me, his head resting in the crook of my neck. I don't dare move, I'm too afraid this is all a dream, and when I wake up, I will be back in the woods hiding from Gale. Peeta must already be awake though, because he senses my alertness under the skin and plants a kiss on my cheek.

"Morning beautiful." He says as he holds me just a little bit tighter.

"Morning. I thought you would be at work." I say gently.

"What, and leave you all alone? No freaking way. Besides, I thought we could take a walk in the woods, maybe go and have a picnic somewhere. I'm sure you know a place," He lets me roll around to face him before continuing. "I just think you need a bit of time away from the district right now. Back to the place you feel most at peace with." Doesn't he know that it is in the woods where Gale tried to pull his little stunts? But I can't turn Peeta down. He really thinks this could help me, and maybe it can, but the woods are no longer the place I feel most at peace with. Not after what happened.

"Okay." Is all I can say as I watch a smile form on Peeta's face.

It doesn't take us too long to get everything ready, and before I know it, we're walking towards to edge of the woods. I grip Peeta's hand and lead him to a familiar trail I have taken many times.

"It's going to be a long walk, but I think you'll like it." I whisper as Peeta walks besides me. Stepping over the twigs and under the branches, I don't worry about scaring away game, so it doesn't bother me the Peeta's leg is a little loud. I have my bow and arrow though, just in case. We walk for an hour or so before we emerge in the cleared area where the foundations of houses can be seen through the grass, one house still stands and where the lake glistens in the sun. Beautiful. Suddenly I feel at peace again, just like Peeta said. I feel happy to be in the place where I shared some of my favourite memories with father, and to be able to show Peeta. The look on his face as he takes in the atmosphere is amazing. He loves it. I lead him over to the lakes edge and sit down, my bow laying right beside me. I pull him downer with me, and lean back on my elbows.

"Wow, Kat." Is all Peeta says.

"I know. I used to come here with my father when I was a little girl. It's my favourite place in the whole world." I smile as I turn to look at him.

"It's so beautiful here."

"I thought you might like it." I whisper.

"It's perfect." He smiles. He begins to set up the food we brought with us, while I collect some Katniss roots from the dirt and some wild berries near the old houses. When I bring the berries back to Peeta, he eyes them for a second, probably double checking he knows what they are.

"They're wild raspberries." I say, assuring him they're not poisonous. We eat our lunch as we watch a family of ducks splash around in the water. Peeta pulls me into his lap, and I lean up against his chest, watching the lake. I'm happy. It feels like old times.

"Hey Kat? Can I ask you something? Well… actually sing you something?" I turn my body in his lap so my legs are on either side of his body and my hands rest on his neck. His arms find themselves around my waist like they do all the time. I smile and nod.

"I love your singing voice, you should sing more often." I laugh gently.

"No way, you're the singer in this relationship, but I'm willing to make an exception just this once."

"Okay," I laugh "What did you want to sing to me?" I smile as I get comfortable.

"The first time I looked in your eyes I knew,
That I would do anything for you.
The first time you touched my face I felt,
Like I've never felt with anyone else.

I wanna give back what you've givin' to me,
And I wanna witness all of your dreams.
Now that you've shown me who I really am,
I wanna be more then just your man.

I wanna be the wind that fills your sails,
And be the hand that lifts your veil.
And be the moon that moves your tide,
The sun coming up in your eyes.
Be the wheels that never rust,
And be the spark that lights you up.
All that you've been dreaming of and more,
So much more, I wanna be your everything...

When you wake up, I'll be the first thing you see,
And when it gets dark you can reach out for me.
I'll cherish your words and I'll finish your thoughts,
And I'll be your compass baby, when you get lost.

"I love you so much, Katniss Everdeen. You're my whole world, my everything. And I want to be your everything. Will you marry me?"

A/N: Ohhhhhh! What's going to happen next? :) I am mean, I know. But ah well :p Holy crap, nearly at 100 likes! Next chapter at 107 reviews! (gives me abit of time to do what I need to in my own life)

I love you all and thank you for reading :D
~Morgan-Jayde