Authors Note-

I hope you all had a Happy Easter! I like this chapter and I have a feeling that you will too! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! Remember, if you have ANY suggestions please don't be afraid to comment! And at the moment I'm also working on a new fanfic called 'A New Beginning' and I think you guys will enjoy it! So stay reading! Thanks!

-Prim

Chapter 21

Peeta P.O.V

I slam my car door close and don't even bother to lock it. There are far worse things I could lose today.

I sprint through the car park and burst through the door of the main airport. Where is she? Which plane is she catching?

Shit. I forgot to ask Gale that. Now I'm never going to find her in time.

A lady at the front desk looks at me funny and then says, "can I help you sir?"

I nod eagerly. "I need to know what planes are flying out within the next half an hour to District Four."

She looks at me sideways, "you aren't Peeta Mellark are you?" she asks.

I hesitate. I can't afford to get stuck with fans, "no, I'm not. I'm just a look alike."

"Oh," she says with a bright smile. "Well you are certainly right!" She looks down at her computer screen. "We have one flight leaving to District Four in two minutes, flight 690 at gateway nineteen."

"Is there any way I could get there in time?" I ask desperately.

"No, I'm sorry, final boarding was ten minutes ago," she says with a frown.

"What if I told you I was Peeta?" I ask with a sly smile.

She bites her lip, "I suppose I could try and help." She punches in some numbers and pauses a little, "delay flight 690 at gateway nineteen, we have a code red."

Katniss P.O.V

I shove my carry one bag into the small compartment below and sit down. The seat is small and I have to squirm around for a while to get comfortable. I clip my seat belt in and look across to Prim who is madly texting on her phone.

"Prim, who are you texting?" I ask.

"Just some friends," she says while looking at the screen.

"Okay, well, can you put your phone away now? We are about to take off and you should know about their policy on phones," I say looking around the area.

"I know, just let me finish," she says. A few seconds later she is done. She stares at the phone, as if she is waiting for something.

"Prim," I hiss.

She frowns at the phone, "fine." She switches the phone off and stuffs it into her pocket.

I watch her as she stares out the window, she looks anxious. "Prim," I say softly and I place my hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

She looks at me with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to go Katniss," she says as her lower lip trembles.

"I know little duck, but we don't have a choice," I say as I stroke her back.

"We do Katniss," she says.

I stare at her.

"I don't want you to leave District 12, your life is here. I don't want to ruin that for you," she says as a tear rolls down her cheek. I gently wipe it away.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"I mean Peeta," she says.

My heart hurts at his name. I want to stay. I really do. But I can't. It's too dangerous. I cannot afford to lose Prim again.

"I know you love him," she says while she looks at me with pain in her eyes. "That's why you have to stay."

I shrug.

"What if he is the one Katniss? What if we move to District Four and you never find anyone? What happens when every day you see his name in the headlines and you think 'what could have been?' What happens when he finally settles down, when he marries someone, and you will be thinking 'that could have been me'? What happens then Katniss, tell me, what happens then?" Her eyes are stern, serious, so serious it almost scares me.

All I can manage to do is sigh.

"I don't want you to be alone Katniss," she says softly.

I look away and wipe my eyes before I start sobbing. She's right, I know and she knows.

"I know you want to stay," Prim says. "I'm the one who needs to go. I'm seventeen now Katniss. I need to move away. Besides, a university in District Four offered me a scholarship there a week ago. I told them I would think about it. I was considering it anyway. I need to go Katniss. You need to stay."

Through the tears in my eyes I look at her. I always forget this. I always forget that she is old enough to move away, take care of herself. I forgot about the many scholarships she was offered. I forgot how mature she has become. Maybe this is because to me, Prim will always be my little duck. She will always be my little sister. No matter how old she gets.

"What about the threats?" I ask.

She almost laughs, "do you really think once the media gets hold of this story they will come anywhere near me? The whole of Panem will be watching them."

I suck a deep breath into my lungs. "I can't leave you, you know that Prim." I say this firmly. So firmly that it makes Prim shut her mouth. She almost had me convinced. But I know and she knows that I will always put her life before mine. In whatever situation.

We sit quietly as the engines begin to roar to life. The sound is almost deafening at first but I settles into a loud hum. Flight attendants come around checking that all electrical devices are switched off, they also go through the safety procedure. I find it hard to listen because my mind is on Peeta. What will he think when he finds out? Will he care much? I know he could always find another, easily in fact.

I run my tongue over my dry lips and think about the first time he kissed me. In the pool, when I was in my bikini. It's hard to imagine, even now, how he could ever fall for a girl like me. Especially when there are so many other girls out there that are prettier and generally better for him than me. I remember the way he looked at me when he first saw me. He looked surprised, then embarrassed, then slightly shy. Amazingly I remember everything about him. I remember the way he looked when he danced, to the way he looked when I caught him painting. The way he smelt in the mornings. I remember every single detail.

I've never loved until now. I know that. Prim knows that. Peeta knows that. The whole world knows that. And to me it seems like this is the first time Peeta has loved. But why me? There is nothing special about me. I'm just your average girl. Why would he ever love a girl like me?

The plane begins to roll out towards the run way. I inhale a deep and needed breath. This is going to be hard. But I need to go. For Prim. I grip onto the sides of my seat as we line up with the runway, the engines roar to life again. The plane begins moving forward. And I brace myself for lift off. But it doesn't come. If anything we are slowing down.

That is when the captain speaks, "Ladies and gentleman we are going to have to return to the airport because of a technical difficulty. The flight will be delayed until further notice. Please take your items out with you when we arrive back at the gateway. Sorry for the inconvenience."

I shake my head. Really? Now? Of course. Just my luck.

At the corner of my eye I see Prim attempting to hold back a smile, I frown and sigh, again.

The plane rolls back to gateway 690 and everybody stands. I take our carry bags out of the compartment and hand Prim hers. The people in front of us slowly shuffle out of the plane and into the waiting area. I drag my bag behind me and mutter things about faulty wheels.

"Katniss," Prim whispers behind me.

I turn to her although she isn't looking at me, as small surprised smile is chipping away at her lips. "What?" I ask.

"Look," she whispers.

I turn around. And I see them. The pair of blue eyes looking directly into mine. The dirty blonde hair falling into his eyes. The only person in the world I ever loved. The only person in the world I will ever love. Peeta.