I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for abandoning you all for two months. These last two months have not been very kind to me. Plus I have been extremely busy and family has come and gone and come back again so I've had zero time to write. But I promise you that I will try my hardest not to make you got through that long of a wait again. I've already started working on the next chapter and my goodness it's a good one (wink wink)! Anyways thank you again to Dandelionlass for being so patient and make sure y'all review and tell me what you like or what you'd like to see in the next chapters to come!

xoxo,

Morgan / bakerboymellark

My stomach does a flip when Peeta's name flashes on my cell phone screen. I was catching up on my DVR collection the next day. We don't talk for long though we're on the phone for almost an hour. Peeta isn't the best at talking when he's nervous or doing something new, and I'm not good at talking period so there are long lolls between our bursts of conversations. Right before the both of us decided to end the call, Peeta asked if it would be alright if we could get lunch on Saturday and I readily agreed.

I had all week to get excited for our lunch date. I also had all week to agonize about it. There has been a few times where Johanna has caught me worrying my lip while deep in thought. She's the only one that knows about Peeta and I speaking again, and that's only because she's a sneaky bastard.

Finally, finally, Saturday has arrived and I've just under fifteen minutes until I get to see Peeta again. It's getting colder out and we're just doing lunch. We have only just decided to become friends so I dress down; a cream sweater, a pair of faded jeans and black slip on shoes.

"Katniss!" I hear Johanna call. "Peeta's here!"

I try not to rush as I make my way from my bedroom to the living room where Peeta and Johanna are casually making conversation, I only manage to catch the tail end.

"Don't fuck it up Mellark, I'll cut your precious jewels off and turn them into a necklace for myself," Johanna threatens.

"Yes ma'am," Peeta smiles. "Hello Katniss."

"Hello," I return.

We both stand there nervously until Johanna kicks us out claiming that Gale is going to come over and they're finally going to have loud and uninterrupted sex again. I shudder at the thought.

Peeta takes me to a little restaurant by the water of Puget Sound. The wind is slightly chilly but the sun feels nice beating down on us so I suggest that we eat our lunch outside. We both decide on the grilled cheese and tomato soup claiming that it's the best meal when you're in the mood for something warm and comforting.

"How are you?" Peeta stumbles over his words.

"I'm good. I haven't talked to Prim as much as I'd like but she's just as busy as I am, with going to school and Dr. Aurelius wants to extend her internship. How's everything for you?"

"I'm doing pretty good, work is slowing a tad now that I'm finalizing a few projects. I'm actually going out to Oroville next weekend to check out some of the crops that have been harvested, as well as my winery."

"I didn't know you had crops or a winery."

"Uh yeah, I bought out a farm from a family that no longer had the means of maintaining it a few years back. They now manage the farm for me as well as the winery. More than half of the year's produce go to shelter homes and what's left the family sells to local markets or restaurants. It's not one of the businesses that produce a lot of my money but it's by far my favorite. I don't make it up there enough during the year though, always too busy."

"Wow Peeta that's really amazing."

"Thank you. It's a breathtaking place. You'd really like it with all the hills and trees and creeks."

"I'm sure I would. It sounds like heaven."

"Want to go with me?"

"Go to your farm with you next weekend, just the two of us? Is that such a good idea?"

Peeta gives me a pointed look and sets his spoon back into his bowl of half eaten soup. "I do know how to control my urges. I'm not going to make up some rule of getting to know each other better only to whisk you away a few weeks later and ravage you in the middle of wilderness. There's a cabin I built there, one of us can take that while the other stays in the farmhouse with everyone else so we won't be tempted."

"I wasn't implying that you couldn't control your urges." Peeta gives me another pointed look, practically telling me not to be so dumb. "Okay, maybe a little, but I was talking about myself as well."

"Maybe you're right. I'll show you another time."

"Just because I think it's a bad idea doesn't mean I don't want to go."

Peeta smiles, "I'll pick you up after work on Friday. We'll come back late Sunday night."

"That sounds like a plan."

The week quickly goes by with many texts passing between Peeta and myself. Most of them are mundane texts like how our day went or what we are going to have for dinner, but I like them and look forward to seeing Peeta's name pop up on my cell phone screen randomly throughout the day. We talk on the phone on Thursday night as we pack for our mini vacation. I'm nervous for this mini vacation since our last vacation ended with a disagreement and him leaving in the middle of the night. We're not together-together though, nor am I under the pretenses that I am his submissive and have do what Peeta says.

Five o'clock on Friday rolls around and I'm flying out of the parking garage at work and make it home in a matter of minutes. I have just enough time to change from my professional work clothes into something more casual and far more comfortable before my phone dings, telling me that I have a text message from Peeta. It reads that he's arrived.

I try not to fling open the door when he knocks, but I'm excited to see Peeta. His presence brings out the girly, nervous side of myself.

"Hi," I smile.

"Hey," Peeta smiles back. "You ready to go?"

I nod and reach for my bag that's been sitting on the couch since I put it there this morning. Peeta takes it out of my hand and intertwines the other hand with mine until we get to his parked car on the curb. Haymitch is silently waiting behind the steering wheel as we climb into the backseat

"So I thought that it would be a lot faster to take the jet there instead of driving and then we can just rent a car and drive down if you'd like to do a bit of scenic driving on the way back home on Sunday, if you'd like," Peeta adds to the end.

"Sounds alright with me."

The drive to the airport is a quiet one. Peeta and I still don't know exactly what topics are safe as we try to tread through these unclear waters of newfound friendship. I sing along to the car radio to myself instead but after I catch Peeta watching me and Haymitch stealing glances at me in the rearview mirror I stop.

The plane ride is just as the car ride was; quiet and filled with nervous grins every time one of us looked at the other.

"So how is work?" Peeta asks after a few failed attempts at making conversation.

"Different. Easier, now the Crane isn't breathing down anyone's neck. I got a promotion of sorts and Snow is allowing me work on the Nightlock project by myself. He's never given anyone like me complete control on a project this big. I'm essentially my own boss for this and everyone was convinced I was sleeping with him."

"You're a hard worker, he must have seen something in you or Crane put in a good word before he left."

"Or he knows that I was fucking someone who has the possibility of ending his career and gave me all this leeway in hopes of making you happy."

Peeta looks crossly at me. "Katniss, I would never use my power in the company you work for to get you further in your career. Whatever reason Snow gave you that promotion, it was on your own."

I don't say anything back to Peeta. I want to believe him, but things don't just happen for me. No matter how hard I work. I know that Peeta had something to do with the promotion whether he knew about it or not.

The drive to the farm was longer than the entire flight but I would have driven across the world to see such a breathtaking place. I imagined fields of different sorts of crops, and there are. Endless rows of different plants that are broken up by pastures of wild flowers and large trees to keep the cattle cool in the summertime. There are several barns and an old farm house at the end of the long dirt road.

"Here we are," Peeta announces once he cuts the engine to our rented SUV.

As soon as Peeta collects our small bags from the trunk the front door to the farmhouse opens and a petite girl comes barreling out.

"Peeta!" She shouts and launches herself into his arms.

She has to be around Prim's age, maybe a bit younger. Her skin is darker than mine and the elastic hair tie is doing nothing to keep her wild corkscrew curls from bouncing all over.

"Look at you!" Peeta looks at her at arm's length. "You've grown a foot since the last time I saw you. You've got to be taller than Thresh by now."

She giggles, "He's gotten taller too."

Peeta pulls her into a side hug and I can finally see the girl's face. She's definitely younger than Prim by maybe a year or two. "Katniss this is Rue. Her and her family run the entire farm. Is everyone inside?"

Rue nods. "Yup. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well," I smile.

"Come on, let's go see the rest of the family."

Rue is a dominate personality of this large household just as Prim is in mine. She chatters on and on about what she's done in her last year of high school so far and what her plans are for the future. Her mother, Seeder, is at the stove stirring a large pot of gumbo with Julep, a whimpering five year old on her hip. The seven year old twin boys, Otto and Gaige, are fighting peacefully in the living room over an array of toys. Thresh sits quietly in the corner. He muttered a quiet hello as Peeta introduced to everyone but hasn't said anything else. If I met him in an alleyway I'd probably run the other way just looking at how massive he is and when he's not smiling kindly at his sister's storytelling he's got a frightening stare.

The only one that can cook better than Seeder is Peeta himself. The gumbo and rice is savory and the chunks of chicken and sausage and shrimp melt together in my mouth. I eat two helpings and think about getting more but I no longer have the energy to move so I stick with the two bowls I've already had.

When Julep finishes her food, Seeder bids us a good night and begins the nightly routine of getting her youngest into the bath and then bed. The conversation continues but keeps getting broken up by long pauses for yawns until Thresh can coax Rue up to bed as well.

"Would you like to stay here tonight?" Peeta asks me right after everyone has gone to bed. "There are two bedrooms at the cabin. I think you'd like it there."

I can't be sleeping in the same bed as Peeta but I think sleeping under the same roof would be nice. "Show me the cabin."

We put the bags back in the SUV and drive up a forgotten path that leads deep in the woods. A large cabin with floor to ceiling windows and real wood siding sits along a small portion of the river that travels down to empty into a massive lake. On the inside everything is spacious and open with dark wood and stone running throughout the house.

"Peeta, this house is beautiful!"

"Thank you, I helped design it. Never really was my taste but it felt right. Maybe it was destiny because fate knew that I would bring you here."

I roll my eyes and laugh at his cheesiness.

"The master bedroom is right through those double doors," Peeta points towards the end of a hallway where large double doors are shut. "My room is over here."

Peeta kisses my temple softly then heads into another part of the house. I open my bedroom door and gasp in amazement. The fireplace is already lit and the crackling of the logs and the smell of fresh pine burning sends tingles throughout my body. The large bed dominates the room and outlooks a balcony that gives off a breathtaking view of the river and forest around it.

I scrub off the small amount of makeup I have on and change into the pajamas before snuggling into bed. I was so tired but now I can't sleep. The bed is like a cloud and my eyes are heavy but for the life of my I can't fall into subconscious.

Finally I give up and pull my phone off the charger and send off a text message and wait. Minutes later I hear footsteps and the creaking of the door open. Peeta's face and naked torso is bathed in orange light from the fire. We don't speak as he climbs into bed and pulls me close to his body. I nuzzle into his firm chest and as if a switch was flipped, I fall into a deep sleep.

I awake up the next morning to the actual sound of birds chirping. The spot beside me is cold and in Peeta's place is a note stating he had some things that he had to get done but I was to enjoy the breakfast he made for me.

I lazily get ready, starting with throwing my hair up and having a soak in the egg-shaped tub with a mug of tea while I read one of the books I found on the bookshelf. When I finish my bath I dress in jeans and a warm sweater with my favorite boots that I use to go hunting with Gale. I just get done eating the sticky bread muffins when Thresh knocks on the sliding glass door.

He slides the door open after I motion him in. "Would you like some?" I ask as I point to the rest of the bread.

"No thank you, Peeta brought down a loaf for us. He sent me to show you around though. Rue's got him running all over the place and showing him how well everything did this year. He apologizes that he can't show you himself but says that I could probably do a better job."

"Alright, what's first on the agenda?"

Thresh first gives me a crash course on how to work the ATV I'm driving before we're off revving up and down the mountain range. Thresh points out various spots where wildlife is frequently spotted there. We travel down the river until we reach the mouth of the lake where we stop of a water break.

"So how did you come to meet Peeta?"

"He hasn't told you?"

I shake my head. "He's a private person; he doesn't like talking about himself much."

"My father died almost six years ago when I was sixteen. Rue was only twelve, the twins had just turned one. My mom didn't even know she was pregnant yet. She couldn't maintain the farm while trying to raise us while being pregnant. I had the best intentions but I started breaking and entering and started stealing things to sell in order to get money. Basically one night I found myself in Seattle one night and I broke into Mellark's bakery for some food. Peeta was there. I thought for sure he was going to call the cops. I mean eventually he drove me to the police station and I turned myself in for a string of robberies but he knew the judge and instead of going to jail I got probation and community service."

"And how did he come to buy this place?"

"When Peeta asked why I was stealing stuff I told him it was to provide for my family. No one wanted to hire a sixteen year old. My mom had put the farm on the market and I couldn't bear to see someone else living in a home that's been in my family for as long as anyone can remember. I had gotten home from my last day of community service and saw Peeta walking around the farm with Rue. He decided that he was going to buy the place as well as all of the land around it. First I was pissed off because he knew our story and I didn't want anyone buying the place, ya know?"

"But when Peeta explained how he wanted us to stay and maintain the farm for him because he doesn't have a clue how to run a farm and he's got other fancy businesses back in Seattle. He wanted most of the harvest to go to charity so no one has to steal to feed their family but then we got to keep the rest either to sell or to can for the winter. Peeta's become part of our family. He comes up four times a year and calls about once a month. Rue is in love with him, thinks Peeta is God or something. He wrote this outstanding recommendation for her and now can pretty much choose whatever college she wants to go to. He wanted me to go to college as well but I wasn't having it. School wasn't my thing so instead I began managing the farm and one of the farmers we had hired had a dream of starting up a winery and since Peeta likes wine and more money than he knows what to do with, bought a small place in the next town over and that guy gets to go work and taste wine all day. The wine is really good and all of the local businesses only use Peeta's wine so it was a great investment. A lot of people around here owe Peeta everything they have, I know I do."

I am at a loss for words. I truly don't know what to say. There aren't many people that are like Peeta. There aren't many people that are as broken as Peeta and still be able to be so selfless. It makes my heart swell and my eyes tear up just thinking about it.

I haven't seen Peeta all day. Even when Thresh and I return to the farmhouse for a late lunch, him and Rue as well as the twins are busy looking around the entire property to make sure everything's running smoothly. I've retired to my bedroom at the cabin by the time he walks in.

I immediately jump out of bed and head to the kitchen where I can hear him searching around the fridge for something to snack on.

"Hey sorry I was out all day. I didn't mean to be, Rue and the boys just get excited when I come up and want to show me everything they got to help do."

"It's fine. Thresh was a great host. He showed me a lot. I love it up here, we should come back for a longer stay next time."

"Yeah?" Peeta smiles.

"I'd love to come back and stay for a week in the spring. I bet it's beautiful."

"Then that's what we'll do."

I sit on the counter while Peeta makes himself a sandwich. As he eats it with one hand, his other hand rests on my bare knee. It's a thoughtless touch but it sends shivers up and down my spine. I think about to the story Thresh told me this morning and the warm feeling I feel while watching Peeta eat only grows.

"What?" Peeta asks self-consciously as I stare at him. "Do I have something on my face?"

I shake my head no. "I'm just really happy you asked me to come with you."

"I'm happy you said yes. I didn't think you would. I don't want you to think that I'm pushing us too far."

"You're not pushing at all. I am happy with the way things are happening."

"What is going to happen next?"

"We'll go to bed together, we'll wake up together. We'll get ready and take a hike to the lake together. Together we'll say goodbye the Seeder and the family then we'll drive to Seattle together. You won't be ready to drop me off and I won't be ready to go home so you'll invite me back to your place and we'll go to bed together again."

"I like that plan."

Peeta kisses my forehead before helping me off the counter. We do exactly what I say we should do. Peeta strips down to his boxers and we climb into bed together. We waste no time with staying on our respective sides of the bed and scoot straight into the middle until we're wrapped up in each other completely. My subconscious should be screaming at myself right now. She should be saying "Stop! It's too fast. You're just friends, remember?" but she's been missing the feeling of being safe in Peeta's arms just as much as I have.