Thanks for all the great reviews from everyone! They make me so happy:) I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'd like to give credit to Whitney Housten for her fantastic song I Will Always Love You. Enjoy!

Everything is going great. The Careers are out looking for tributes to take down, while the redhead chick is switching out the real berries with the poisonous ones. I actually think my plan may succeed this time. My suspicions are confirmed when the redhead chick returns, carrying a hand full of berries in her hand. She plucks a few out and pops them in her mouth.

"Great! Now that phase one is complete, we should skedaddle before the Careers get back here."

"Phase one?" The redhead asks, still eating berries. "Since when do we have a phase one? For that matter, what's phase two?"

"We can get into the logistics of it later, for now we should…" My eyes fall down to the berries in her hand. "You did switch out the original berries with poisonous ones? Right? The Nightshade ones?"

"It's nightlock." Rue corrects me.

"Right. That's what I said."

"No. You said nightshade."

"Look would you two quit arguing? We've got to-" The redhead begins and then stops. She looks concerned for a moment. She opens her mouth. Rue and I don't say anything, but wait for her to speak. Her face goes pale, and as silent as when she snuck into the Careers' camp, she falls backward to the ground. Rue and I exchange glances before rushing to her. I feel her pulse, or rather her lack thereof.

"Shit…" Is all I can manage. I look to Rue.

"She must have somehow confused the berries and accidentally taken some of the poisonous ones." Rue suggests.

"What are we going to do? She just died. Right in front of us." I say with a shudder. I think I'm going to lose my breakfast.

"Katniss, everyone's dying. We're in the Hunger Games."

"But she died. Right in front of us. What are we supposed to do? How do we keep going after that? How do we stay sane? I'm never signed up for this! What-" Rue slaps me across the face. I stop talking, too shocked to say anything.

"Pull yourself together. She died. This means that the Careers aren't going to die. We need a backup plan. Now." The intensity of Rue's voice intimidates me. Who knew such a cute person could be so horrifying?

"Yeah. Alright." I squeak out. I put my thinking cap on. "We should go back to our original plan of destroying all their reserves…But how?" I pace back and forth, aware that time is running out. Suddenly, I hear footsteps through the woods.

"We're out of time." Rue says. I hear the worry in her voice. We don't have time to run for it. Instead I point up to the tree and signal Rue to stay silent. We climb up. Then I rummage through my backpack looking for anything that might be useful. I pick up the rope. I look at my arrows. I look down at the pyramid.

"Rue." I whisper. "I have an overly complicated plan that involves us weaving a basket, then we build a miniature deer made of wood, and then tie the deer to that tree over there. We also need to construct a costume made of yellow feathers and purple fun fur. That is essential. Then we-"

"Katniss, I have a better idea." Rue says, then holds up a stone she carried with her from the ground. Before I can ask, she throws the stone onto the ground below the pyramid of food. It explodes in a fiery inferno of wood, dirt, and trail mix. Rue and I are blown back from the tree. I hit the ground and the breath is knocked out of me.

"That. *cough* works too…" I manage, before putting my head back down to catch my breath. I sit up with a shock as I hear a scream that sounds like Rue's. I sprint towards the noise.

"Rue? RUE?" I can't seem to find her, then I spot her. She's been impaled by one of the tributes. I shoot instantly at the attacker. My arrow hits its target and he dies instantaneously. I try to say something but my voice has disappeared. Finally, words come.

"This-this was not supposed to happen." I immediately regret saying it. At a moment like this, I can't even force myself to try to be comforting? I just say the first stupid thing that pops into my head. But what does a person even say in a situation like this? Thank god Rue holds her hand out. I take it.

"Was the food blown up?" She whispers.

"Every last bit." I say.

"You have to win." She says.

"You bet your Grandma's gravy I will. For both of us." I reply.

"Will my Grandmother's gravy help you win?" She asks.

"I'll take anything I can get." I joke. And then mentally punch myself because Rue starts to laugh and then her face contorts in agony.

"Don't go." She says.

"I'm not. I'm staying right here." I say.

"Sing." She asks. I cringe. But how can I say no to someone's dying request? I sing the first song that comes to mind. I really hate myself right now.

"If I should stay…Well, I would only be in yoooour waaaaay." Dear lord. Why did I chose this song?

"And so I'll gooOOoo. And yet Iee know, that I'll think of you every step of the waaAAAaayy." I'm so sorry Rue. But damn this song is just so great.

"And IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIeeeIIIIIIIIIIIIII will always LOOOOOOVE yououooooooooo. I will always love yoooooooooooouuouuo. Yoooooouu. My darling youuu. Youou." I take a breath and keep going.

"Bitter-sweet memories. That is all I'm taking with meeeeeee. So Good-byyyeiiie, please don't cry…We both know I'm not what you need-eeeeed. AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEIII WILL ALWAYS LOOVE YOOOOOUOUOUUOU. IIIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOYOUUUUUUU! Saxophone solo!" I yell and start pantomiming playing a saxophone and making noises.

"And I hope liiiiiife, will treat you kiiiiind." Wow. This is really offensive to Rue who's dying on the ground. But I can't just stop singing. I'm too far into the song. I have to keep going.

"And I hope that you have all you dreamed oooooof. And I wish yoou JOY! And HAppineeeEEss, but above all this I wish yooou looooOOOooove. AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOOOOOOOOVE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOooooOooooOOOOOO!" I feel a little tap on my arm. I stop singing and kneel down next to Rue. Suddenly everything is silent. I feel the need to continue singing, if only to break the uncomfortable silence. I force myself to stay silent.

Then, almost eerily, the mockingjays take up my song. I squeeze Rue's hand. I see a tear drop fall on her small palm that's now cold to the touch. I pause. Surely, that can't be my tear. I push that thought away. Rue's cannon fires. I sit there for a few minutes.

"I've failed you Rue. I'm…" I can't even bring myself to say I'm sorry. Rue deserves so much more than this. Only Whitney Houston could sum up this situation. "I will always love you."

I slowly uncurl my fingers from hers and back away. I pause a few feet away though. I gaze at the patch of wild flowers. When I read the books, I always thought it was cheesy how Katniss wreathed Rue in the flowers, but now I understand why she did it. It feels like the only appropriate way to mourn Rue.

Slowly, one stem at a time, I decorate her body in flowers. Covering the ugly wound. Wreathing her face. Weaving her hair with bright colors.

By then tears are just pouring from my face. I'm not ashamed to say I cried loudly like a three year old whose ice cream just fell on the ground. It's nearly impossible to hear the mockingjays singing in the background. I stare at Rue for a few moments in that meadow. It scares me how it looks like she's only sleeping. I hope she's dreaming of a better world than this one.

I jump back suddenly as Rue's face is replaced for an instant with the face of the Editor I killed. I stare in horror at it, and then realize I just imagined it. But my heart is racing. This is all too much. I turn and leave. I hurry away, still clutching one of the flowers. I realize that I'm rubbing the petals between my fingers. I can't figure out why I'm doing it, but it feels so natural. Is this something normal people do? No I don't think so. Maybe it's just a habit that I have. Too bad I can't remember…

All of this is too much. Rue's death is hard enough, and then that image of the Editor. I'm going to be honest here, it really horrified me. I'm really convinced that I'm going insane. As my nerves rise, I start to rub the petal harder. The friction is too much for it, I get so worked up, and I rip the petal in half. I stare at it, and an anger rises in my throat. I refuse to let Rue just die. I refuse to let the story keep going. I'm taking control of this story.

I draw my bow and start sprinting towards the Careers' camp. Someone will pay for Rue's death (in addition to that random tribute who no one cares about). By the time I get there, I'm convinced that there's steam coming out of my ears I'm so angry. I rip through the trees into the camp. I get a satisfaction at seeing the remains of the explosion. I hear a rustle from behind me. It must be Cato. I still have some fighting skills from Maximum Ride and I intend to use them. I turn and kick Cato in the stomach. He drops the knife he was ready to stab into my back. I pick it up and punch him across the face. I take my bow and hit it against his head. He falls to the ground. I knee him in his gut, and then pin him to the ground. I raise the knife.

We sit there for a few moments, both breathing heavily. Never of us are sure if I'll actually drive the knife through his chest. My hand starts to shake. Then I make the mistake of looking into his eyes. I didn't see any hatred, or sadness, or even fear. All I saw was confusion. Like he didn't know who he was looking at. Was this murderer the same girl that came into the arena?

I drop the knife. I can't do this. Yes I killed the Editor and yes I killed that random tribute extra that was only included in the story because Katniss needed someone expendable to kill and I can't bring either of them back, and I failed Rue because I couldn't save her…but I can't kill Cato. I can't kill anyone else. I'm just not capable of it. Maybe I'm a coward but I won't lose myself. I'm not going to let my rage blur my vision.

I quickly get up and start to run away. Cato doesn't follow me. I just keep running. I decide I'm going to run as far as I can run, and then run some more. The running makes me feel a little better. It feels as if all my worries and mistakes are being lost in the wind. A small weight is lifted, but a weight nonetheless. My meditative running is interrupted when I trip over a log.

"Ouch." I hear. But I didn't say it. I sit up, but no one's there.

"Hello?"

"It's me, Peeta." I hear. I realize with a start that the log is talking. And the log is Peeta. Some of his camouflage rubbed off onto my leg when I tripped. I lick it.

"Is this frosting?" I ask.

"Yes. I used to decorate the cakes at the bakery." Peeta explains.

"So you camouflaged yourself…with frosting. Alright." I say, moving on. Making a joke about this is just too easy, it's not fair. Before I even could make a joke, one of the announcers is saying something about a rule change.

"Did you hear that Katniss? There can be two victors!" Peeta says.

"Yep." I answer.

"Katniss…Did you somehow know this would happen? You being here, and sounding so nonchalant when they announced it." Peeta says. Shit. He's onto me. I put on my best poker face.

"What? That's ridiculous Peeta. Your wound must be making you delirious." I say. Peeta looks confused.

"How did you know I was wounded?" Peeta asks. My poker face breaks a little, but I try to stay strong. I swallow.

"Hm?" I ask. Maybe I can play this off as if I didn't hear him.

"How did you know I was wounded if-" He begins but I cut him off.

"Wow! Would you look at the time? We should probably get some shelter in that conveniently located cave that's right there." I say, pointing to the cave. I help Peeta to his feet and we stumble over.

After we get into the cave, I have to tend to Peeta's wounds. Unfortunately I have no experience or idea how to do that.

"Let's take a look at that wound." I say. Peeta starts to take his pants off.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"The cut is on my leg." He explains. Oh god. I really don't want to have to do this. I pull out a knife.

"I guess we'll have to amputate it." I say. Peeta looks horrified.

"WHAT?"

"Naw. I'm just messing with you. I'm just going to cut off some of your pants to get to the cut." I say. Peeta looks relieved. I cut a circle around the wound. What next?

"Hm. Maybe if we pour some water on it?" I ask. Peeta looks concerned.

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"Of course. I'm a professional."

"Really?"

"No. But I've always wanted to say that." I dig through my bag and pull out some burn ointment. It certainly can't make his wound any worse. I start rubbing it on his wound. He cringes. His wound starts to pus.

"Ewww." I say. Then I look up at Peeta. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's alright. Katniss, if I don't make it…"

"I cannot believe we're having this conversation." I say. "Whenever anyone says that, they die. Unless someone interrupts them halfway through, like I'm doing now. So you're welcome."

Peeta bites his lips as his wound continues to pus. Then he gives me puppy dog eyes.

"I wish there was something to take my mind off the pain." He says.

"Hm… We could play I Spy." I suggest.

"That's not what I meant."

"20 questions?" I ask. This kid has high standards.

"I mean…" He trails off. He rolls his eyes.

"I don't understand what you're trying to tell me. Are you hungry? Do you want me to leave?" I ask, trying to figure out what he's trying to say.

"No. I don't want you to go. I want the opposite…" He says. I stare at him. What on earth could that even mean? Oh wait…

"No." I say frankly.

"But-" He begins. I raise my hand. Peeta stops talking.

"I am not going to conform myself to the pressure from society to be in a romance. I'm not going to give the Capitol what it wants. I'm not going to subject myself to that. If they want a romance maybe they should watch a crappy romcom instead of a battle between children to the death. What were they expecting?"

"But the sponsors." Peeta complains.

"Screw the sponsors. I'd rather Haymitch take the money and send it to the starving children in the districts." I cross my arms defiantly. Then I hear a parachute outside. Inside I find a note from Haymitch. It reads, Do it. I frown.

"No." I say, and rip the paper in half. A few seconds after another parachute floats down. Just one peck on the cheek.

"No! I'm not going to abandon my principles just to please the Capitol." I say. Another parachute. Peeta's going to die. Hm...I think about that for a moment. Yes, Peeta's wound is very bad, but he's also a main character. He can't die…then again, I am gambling with his life. I owe it to Rue to not let Peeta die.

"Hmph. ONE peck. And don't expect anything else. And it better be really good medicine." I say. I force myself to turn and head back into the cave.

"Ka-" Peeta begins. I look at him, and he stops talking.

"One peck on the cheek. And this means nothing." I say. I pucker my lips and leaned in close. Then I freak out and retreat.

"Okay. I can do this. I just need a moment." I tell myself it's the same as kissing that aunt that always comes over for Christmas and smells like dead flowers (not that I can actually remember anything about Christmas). I get that image in my mind, but it only makes things worse. I shiver. Come on. I can do this. Do it for Rue! I pucker up, count to ten, and then give Peeta a quick kiss on the cheek.

"That wasn't too hard." I say with a smile.

"That's it?"

"Be grateful I didn't abandon you to fend for yourself with only your whipped cream camouflage."

"Actually, it's frosting."

"Same difference."

"Not really, they're completely-"

"We are not going to have a debate over cake toppings." I say. I start to leave. "I'm going to go get the parachute."

I'm very disappointed. I was expecting some live-saving medicine and what does Haymitch send me? Broth. Yeah. Not even like chicken soup or something a little more filling. No. Broth. Plain broth. Needless to say I'm pissed.

I feed Peeta his broth (not live-saving medicine), and accidentally spill some of it all over his shirt.

"Oh jeez."

"It's okay." Peeta says, laughing.

"I'd hate to waste the soup that I went through so much trouble to get." I say. Peeta laughs.

"Thanks for helping me." Peeta says. "You should have the rest of the soup."

"It's a very kind offer, but I abandoned my principles to get you this soup and sohelpmegod you will eat it all and you will enjoy it." I say, maybe a little too forcefully. Peeta looks scared and starts sipping his soup. Then he stops and stares at me.

"Oh God, do I have a pimple?" I ask.

"No. No. You've got a flower in your hair." He says. His hand reaches out gently.

"Whoa whoa whoa." I recoil. "No touchy facy. Or hair. Got it?" I say. Peeta nods. I pick the flower from my hair. It's one of the flowers that I decorated Rue with. How on earth did it stay in my hair this entire time?

"Why are you rubbing it?" Peeta asks me. I hadn't even realized I was doing it again.

"I don't know. It's just something that I do." I answer.

"Is it a habit from when you were little?" Peeta asks.

"No. Well, maybe? It's…complicated. Jeez, that was cliché. Just ignor me." Peeta laughs at me.

"Well, it's certainly unique." He says.

"Yep. Me and my weirdness are one of a kind." I say. Peeta smiles and then yawns.

"You should go to sleep." I say.

"So should you." He says.

"Fair enough." I say. But then I remember the nightmares. I'm really not in the mood for that, so I'll just keep watch instead. I watch Peeta fall asleep and his breathing slows down. I sit there rubbing the flower and try not to think about Rue or the Editors or Cato or the expendable tribute or Peeta or anything. Of course it doesn't work. Eventually I fall asleep. Strangely enough, I don't have any nightmares. I also don't have any dreams. I don't dream about anything.

After I wake up, I inspect Peeta's wound. It's worse than before. I smile so he doesn't worry, but he can see through it. Looks like Haymitch's broth did nothing (not that I'm surprised). There's only one way I'll be able to save Peeta. That's the feast at the Cornucopia.

Of course, just as Claudius announces it, Peeta says, "No."

"You have no control over me. I'm a strong independent woman and I can do whatever I want."

"I won't let you risk your life for me."

"Too bad it's not your decision. I'm going and you can't stop me. So deal, because I'm not going to let you die. Plus I have plot armor." I say.

"What?"

"I have a good shot." I correct myself. I really need to watch what I say.

"Katniss. If you go, I will drag myself out of this cave and scream until someone comes and kills me." Peeta threatens. I raise my eyebrow.

"And if you do that I will personally resurrect you from the grave to kill you again." I retort. Peeta is being really stubborn, but he gives in after we glare at each other for ten minutes.