A/N: Kates212 reviewed this story and asked me to write a chapter from Peeta's POV, so this chapter will be written from Peeta's point-of-view, rather than Katniss'. Let me know what you think! :-)

As I held Katniss in my arms, I couldn't help but find myself thinking how fragile she was. Since her father had died, she had spent all her life projecting this image of strength to all of those around her, being stoic for the sake of others, but deep down she wasn't as strong as she liked to believe. Katniss' weakness was her vulnerability. I knew she needed me as I needed her. As long as she needed me, I would be there.

I shifted off of the couch and Katniss looked up at me questioningly. Reaching my arm, she took my hand without hesitation and I pulled her up to her feet. "I think it's time for you to experience your first shower." I said with a smile and her eyes sparked with interest. She raised her eyebrow questioningly and I answered her unasked question with, "Life's all about experiences, Katniss."

I led her to the bathroom, knowing she was in such a fit of passion last night she wouldn't be able to find it without my help. As I thought of last night, I found my dick twitching in interest. Shaking the horny thoughts from my mind, I opened the door to the bathroom and led Katniss inside. She stood before the transparent cubicle and looked at me, waiting for me to elaborate. I opened the glass case door and pressed the button which turned the water on. She jumped back from the water as it made her jump, then composed herself, obviously embarrassed by her reaction. I saw a tint of pink flush beneath her olive cheeks as I showed her how all the nozzles on the shower worked.

Even though we had both spent a lot of time in the Capitol, I knew Katniss had only ever had baths, not a shower. Hopefully this new experience would take her mind off of the day. As I finished explaining, she looked bewildered, until she noticed I was looking at her and her expression changed to somewhat determined. I stood awkwardly for a moment, before deciding it was probably best to leave her to it. As I made for the door, her voice stopped me. "Are showers designed for just one person then?" Her voice trailed off suggestively and I had to compose myself before turning around to face her.

My voice caught in my throat when I turned around to see Katniss' dress from the interview last night hanging from her hips, her top half bare except from her bra, which complimented her full breasts wonderfully. My eyes ravaged over her body until I met her eyes and she shifted whimsically out of her dress and it slipped down her legs into a pile on the floor. She stepped out of her dress and turned away from me, reaching around her back and unclasping her bra, which fell to the floor onto of her dress. I could only stare in shock as she reached down and pulled down her underwear, revealing her ass to me.

I was fully hard now, my dick straining against my pants and trousers. I eventually found the words to speak, "Uh, I've heard some people like to shower together." I stuttered slightly, feeling stupid and flushed. "Well then." Katniss said, her eyes on me for a moment, leering over her shoulder, until she turned away and stepped into the shower, turning the water back on with a blast. Steam erupted from the shower and I stood rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do.

I must've stood still for too long, because Katniss peered around the glass frame, her hair dripping water all over the floor. The wetness accentuated her beautiful skin as her gray eyes pierced me with a look only she could muster. "Are you coming?" she asked me, her eyebrows raised. I could just make out the outline of her right breast as she leaned around the frame, which had fogged up from the steam from the shower. Her beauty overwhelmed me and I could only stand still, rooted to the spot. After a moment of motionless gaping, Katniss sighed and rolled her eyes before stepping out of the shower.

Water slid down her body and on to the floor, leaving wet puddles all over the tiles. She took slow steps towards me, her eyes locked on me like a predator locked on its prey. My eyes popped as I stared at her naked body, my eyes ravaging the parts of her I rarely got to see. I could swear I saw a flicker of a smile on her lips, but when I looked for further inspection; it was gone, replaced by her usual unreadable expression.

That was what I loved about Katniss; her unpredictability. As long as I was with her, life would never be boring. She could go from a blinding rage to a seductive shower in a matter of hours. She had described her behaviour as erratic, as if she were pushing and pulling me. This was true, but I was willing to keep up with these changes, because I knew that life with Katniss would be worth it. She made me happy, happier than I ever thought I deserved to be.

As I watched her walk towards me, I could already feel her. Even though we weren't touching, I could feel to overpowering force she brought with her. She was a hurricane of beauty and destruction, mixed into the perfect amount, to make something beautiful and deadly. In comparison, I felt like nothing. I was broken. We were both broken, but she managed to pull it off, to glamourise it in a way which only made me want her more. I loved her demons, her scars and her dark side. All of the things she was most ashamed of and too scared to voice aloud.

My eyes studied Katniss warily whilst I retained my stunned position. She reached her arm out and grabbed the waistline of my jeans, considering I wasn't wearing a shirt already. Her fingers brushed against the skin above my dick and I felt in flinch. I wasn't sure if she did or not, but something in her eyes made me feel like she did. It always felt like Katniss knew more than she let on. With a devious smile, she pulled me towards her and into the shower, still clothed.

The water beat down on me, soaking me to my core. The fabric of my trousers clung to my legs, making my erection painfully obvious. Katniss's gaze slipped down to my crotch momentarily and this time I definitely saw the smile flash across her face, before the expression was gone and she turned away from me. She lifted her arms above her head as she washed her face and the way it outlined the contours of her back, I couldn't help but stare.

My eyes slid down the smooth curve of her shoulder blade as she moved, the muscles in her back relaxing. Her olive skin shone brightly as the sun from the bathroom window gleamed on it and water from the shower cascaded down her slender back. There were freckles dotted against her skin and he lower back curved out to her hips perfectly, where her hipbones protruded, showing that she had grown up in District 12 and spent her life not eating enough, like most of us.

She was so beautiful. As the water drizzled down her body, I had to resist the urge to reach out and stroke my finrgertips down her. I felt the want building up inside of me, pushing out all of my other emotions. I reached out tentatively, my fingertips hovering millimetres from her skin. She exhaled and her back pushed out, making contact with my fingertips. She flinched momentarily, a mark of how nervous the Games had made her, but once she realized it was me, she stood frozen and I slowly stroked my fingers down the curve in her back where her shoulderblade was.

My fingertip left a trail of goose bumps and I took a step forward, my lips descending on her skin. I brushed gently against her skin and felt her shudder under my touch. I felt a surge of pride, being able to do that to her. All my life, Katniss had seemed somewhat of an unattainable dream, yet here I was, sharing a shower with her. I wondered to myself if there would ever be a time where she would be comfortable with the fact that she was in love with me, but I doubted there would be. This was her way of dealing with things.

She'd push me to see how far she could make me go, then pull me back when she was craving more. Some people might find it controlling, but it was Katniss. Maybe these were flaws, but I couldn't bring to hate them. I had accepted these things about Katniss before I had pried into her heart. I hadn't known what I would find and I still didn't now, but I was determined to find out. I wasn't going to stop until she was mine, forever. The sad thing that breaks some people apart is that once you get them, you stop doing the things it took to get them. I would never let this happen.

We were at the stage where I was so close it hurt. She was almost mine, but not quite and nowhere near entirely. But I knew I would catch her every time she fell. She shuddered before turning around to face me and I saw tears in her eyes. "Katniss, what's wrong?" I asked her, but she just shook her head before making to step out of the shower. Luckily, I was stood between her and the door, so I shut it behind me and stood in front of it, my arms folded across my chest. She looked at me threateningly and I shut the water off, so the only sound that could be heard was our heavy breathing and the dripping of water from the shower head.

"What are you doing?" Katniss said, her voice thick with anger, her eyes locked on me. I was in her path and probably about to get steamrolled, but there was no way I would back down. "What's wrong?" I answered her question with my own and I could see the frustration in her silver eyes. She reached past me for the door and I grabbed her arm with my hand, so she couldn't move. I hadn't applied much pressure and Katniss looked at me shocked, tears staining her cheeks. "Peeta, what are you doing?" Katniss repeated and my brow furrowed.

"Look Katniss, I've tried the gentle approach with you, but it doesn't seem to be working. Now tell me, what's wrong?" My eyes were locked on hers and I felt her falter under my gaze, before her eyes flickered away momentarily as she wiped away her tears. Her arm outstretched in my hand, I pulled it around my back and her in to me. Her face pressed into the hole in my chest and I felt her collide with me. My arms were around her in an instant, keeping her warm and I felt her shiver and shake against me.

"Katniss, please." I begged, willing for her to talk to me. She looked up at me and shook her head and I just sighed. We stood in silence for a moment, my wet trousers heavy and uncomfortable against my legs, but I couldn't bring myself to move away from her. I could feel her suppressing her tears, trying to be strong. I reached up and turned the water back on to keep us warm, as goose bumps had started to form all over my skin. We collapsed to the floor of the shower, her naked body on top of mine and she nestled in to me.

I realized how unconventional this was, but that was us. There was nothing normal about Katniss and I. I wondered if any two couples are ever the same. I doubted that they were. The thing is, love is universal yet unique. I could do nothing for Katniss except be the vessel she held on to when times were rough. That lack of power berated me, yet empowered me. The water and steam kept us warm until it felt like I was drowning in the moment.

I took this time to examine her. Her cuts from earlier looked much better, a red tinge in the water where her blood mixed with it. I didn't know what to make of what I saw. Suddenly, Katniss lifted her head and whispered to me, her voice barely audible above the shower. "I'm so tired, Peeta." She said, tears still stinging in her eyes.

I acted quickly, shutting off the shower and pulling her up into my arms, knowing she didn't even have the strength to hold herself anymore. I grabbed a warm towel off of the radiator and wrapped it around her and had the pleasure of watching her face light up momentarily and she shrugged into it for a moment, before dropping it to the floor. "What are you do-?" I began to ask before she slammed into my chest, her arms wrapping around me. "You're warmer." She said with a smile.

"But I'm still wet." I said with a laugh. "I don't care." She said, her hands brushing against my back gently. I stood there for a moment, before drying us both off with the towel whilst she hugged me. When we were dry, I plastered up our cuts and wounds from her rage before picking up into my arms and laying her down on my bed. She was already asleep in my arms before I set her down, throwing the blankets over her.

I walked back into the kitchen, cleaning around, giving my hands something to do as I thought about Katniss' behaviour. I didn't understand how she could go from teasing me to get into the shower with her to crying when I kissed her back. It didn't make sense. My thoughts were a swirl and I could feel myself getting frustrated. But this wasn't the usual emotion. My vision got hazy and shiny and I knew I was about t have an episode.

I ran to the phone and punched in Dr. Aurelius' number. He answered on the third ring, "Hello?" he answered tiredly. Some things never changed. "Doctor..." I managed to croak out and I guessed by my voice he immediately knew what was wrong. "Peeta, hold on. Think of her. She loves you, hold on to that." His voice was urgent and I gritted my teeth as his words sank in. Katniss. Katniss. Katniss. Katniss. Katniss. Her name through my memory and with it images of her veiled my vision.

I loved her so much; I didn't know what to do with it. She was both the cause and cure of my episodes. The thought of her made me stronger, but made the Capitol version of me angrier. A war raged inside of me and my fist curled and slammed against the table. I could feel my blood pumping around my body and I tried to remember that Katniss was sleeping. I didn't want to wake her, but I was finding it hard to hold on.

Doctor Aurelius was muttering words down the phone to me, but he seemed so far away it was hard to hear. He kept going over the therapy we had repeated when he treated me. He had made me think of Katniss, because she was what made me happiest, because I loved her so purely, in his words. Eventually, after much deep breathing and listening to Doctor Aurelius and millions of images of Katniss flying through my mind, I managed to fight the episode off. This was one of the first times I had done this and Doctor Aurelius congratulated me.

Now that my episode was behind me, the telephone conversation became slightly awkward. "So, how is Katniss?" he asked and I found myself reflecting on his question. I began to explain to him Katniss' erratic behaviour, moodswings, emotions and he listened intently, making no comments until I had finished. When I had, his tone turned grave.

"Get her home as soon as you can. I'll have medication at your house waiting for her. Make sure she takes it."

Fear flooded through me. "Medication. What for?"

"I feared this might happen, what with her depression. From what you described to me, it's obvious that Katniss has bipolar disorder."