OMIGOD I'M SO SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE.

I really am sorry. You know the reason...we're not going to go over this drill today. And to make up for it, imma make Kat's life suck a bit more in this chapter for you to brood over. Love you all :)

Gale tensed against me. I wanted to tell him it was okay but the look on my face obviously made him even more uncomfortable. Peeta's mouth hung half open as he looked from me to Gale, and then back to me. I decided to shatter the silence with a stupid lie of an act.

"PEETA! I'm so glad you're okay!" I shouted, running over to him and throwing my arms around him. Of course I was relieved to see that he was alive, but I didn't want him to know under any circumstances about the thunderstorm of feelings in my head.

I heard him give an uncomfortable laugh, but he squeezed me tightly. "Me too," he whispered in my ear and I shivered, hoping that Gale had managed to hang on to something when I left him for this ridiculous drama.

"How's Mom?" I asked, pulling back. "She's with you, right?" When Peeta looked down, a terror slowly filled my heart. I stopped moving and could only look into his flat, blue eyes.

Then his face broke into a smile. "Of course she's with me. What did you think, Katniss? That I couldn't take care of your mother? She's almost as important to me as you are!"

I couldn't help but grin, and my smile widened when my mother came to the door with cry of relief. "Kat! You're okay!" I nodded, overwhelmed, and ran to her. My mother and I had barely ever exchanged hugs, but once I was in her arms I never wanted to let go. "Does this mean..." she said in a soft voice - "...you have to go back there?"

I frowned and looked at her meaningfully. "Mom, you know I have to kill Snow's twin," I told her quietly. "I'll be absolutely fine. Haven't I survived for so long out in the wild with madmen after me?"

"You were alone?" she gasped, and I shook my head.

"No...Gale was with me all the way." She sighed again, nodding, and looked around as Annie ushered everyone inside. She held Jax close to her chest, and I knew she would keep him latched to her for a while.

"Katniss, when you go, I'm coming with you."

"Are you out of your mind?" I hissed. "You'll get killed, Mom! I've lost everyone already...you know how precious you are to me!"

"Then take Gale along," Mom said in a low voice. She knew that it would be pointless to argue with me. "I don't trust you to go by yourself, but if he's with you, I know you'll be safe."

I looked at her for a while, wanting to blurt out all the thoughts that were on my mind but my mouth stayed shut and I wasn't able to say anything. Instead, I nodded and she added, "Bring Peeta, too."

"No, I can't to that!" I said quickly, and then seeing the confusion on her face, put a hand on her shoulder. "He might get badly hurt if he comes along. You know how weak he's feeling right now. I...I love him, Mom, and I can't let anything happen to him!"

My mother studied my face for a moment, and then shook her head. "You're lying, Katniss."

"What?"

"You're lying." She put a hand under my chin and lifted my face. "Look into my eyes." I looked; her once pale blue eyes had now turned somewhat darker, and there was a defiance there that I'd never seen before...a fire that had never been there until now.

"You can't lie to your mother, Kat," she murmured. "I know you know very well that he won't get hurt because he's strong." I let out a breath and closed my eyes, thankful that she hadn't heard anything else in my words. "You're just worried about him."

I shook my head in agreement. "You're right, Mom, I'm just worried. Under no circumstances do I want to lose the one I love. I'm so glad you understand."

"I don't understand why you're still lying to me," she groaned, frustrated.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my hands beginning to grow cold and clammy.

"Kat, I've known the truth you've been hiding all along. Your heart isn't with Peeta...it's with someone else."

The night passed quickly. The moment I hit my head on my pillow, blackness overtook me and I fell into a fitful sleep until the early morning, refusing to rethink any of the words that had passed between myself and my mother the night before.

The peacefulness ended when something thumped against my worn-out butt.

"Breakfast time, sleepyhead," Peeta swooned, walking over to me and putting his hand on my cheek. I unconsciously swatted it away and buried my head back under my pillow. "Five minutes."

"Katniss." He sat down next to me, and I forced myself to face him.

"Good morning, Peeta."

"Katniss."

I rubbed my eyes and sat up with a grumble.

"You should eat quickly...we're going to leave in less than an hour."

That got my eyes to open. "What do you mean, we?" I asked him anxiously. "You're not going anywhere. You're staying right here, safe and sound with everyone else."

"And let you go alone? Are you crazy?" he said incredulously. "There's no one I trust to go with you more than myself. I'd give up my life for you Katniss, and that is exactly what I intend to do now."

Guilt slapped me in the face. I was going to inform him that he should begin to trust Gale as well, but I decided not to hurt him just for the fact that he loved me so much and would care for me until I was in my grave.

"All right," I said, giving up. "But you do know that Gale's coming too, right?"

His face darkened, and I almost regretted telling him. "Annie treated Gale yesterday so his injuries have healed significantly." The expression on his face hadn't changed, although he tried to smile.

"There's nothing going on between us," I assured him.

"No, no, I knew that, don't worry," he laughed airily, waving it off.

"Really, there isn't!" I didn't know why I was trying to pacify him when I could have just kept my mouth shut. Maybe I was trying to make myself believe the lies that I couldn't stop pouring out. Leaving him on the bed, I hurried into the bathroom and banged the door shut, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself.

When I looked in the mirror, I couldn't even recognize myself anymore. A few weeks ago I'd been the girl with the fiery look in her eyes, the rare but clever smile, and the stance that could threaten anything that came near her. Now all I saw was a jaded, defeated but more mature woman who, at the moment, badly needed someone by her side to share her pain yet at the same time tell her it was all right. Yet was it so mature to keep denying the truth and create a dishonest cover for someone who really loved me? How long could I hold off telling him anyway?

I heard voices in the background and someone walk off. Seconds later there was a knock at my door and the one voice I'd hoped not to hear just out of sheer guilt.

"Come on out, Katniss. I grabbed your breakfast. We need to leave right now." I squeezed my eyes shut and slid down against the door, trying to reply.

"I'm...I'm coming," I said in a hoarse voice, willing myself to stand up and cautiously put my hand on the doorknob.

"Catnip? Are you all right?" No, Gale, I'm not. But I still have to stay strong and pretend I'm all right so that you and Peeta don't start worrying. I knew by the nickname that he was alone in the room. I opened the door and started walking out of the room, avoiding his face. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," he retorted, but I was halfway across the hallway before he could say another word.

"Let's go," I ushered, turning back and looking at him. "We've got a president to kill."

Kat trying to sort out her feelings right there ^^ don't worry, the big blowup will come soon enough ;) Next chapter there will be some awesometastic action. Well. As long as I'm able to write it right XD PUN!

Oh and about the reviews...THANK YOU SO MUCH. You guys make my life, you know that? Well in case you didn't know that you know that now. And interestingly, I had quite a few new reviewers randomly review the last chapter...LOL thank you guys so much, I'm so glad you're enjoying it! :) The more readers the better, right?

Have a fantastic rest of the weekend. Love, Gale~