We enter the Hawthorne's house and I can't help but feel at home.

Posy drags me into the main room where Gale and Rory share the couch. Hazelle has dragged Vick into the next room to help with the meal; he's the only one who shows any skill at domestic duties, the other boys are hopeless.

Gale nods at me as I enter, giving me a ghost of a smile.

I return the greeting, but my eyes land on Rory, who gives me a much warmer smile as he stands to greet me.

"Welcome to our humble abode." He says jokingly as he comes over to hug me.

He wraps his arms around me and I breathe out a sigh of relief.

"Happy to be here." I whisper into his shoulder.

He squeezes me tight, leading me over to the couch to sit squished between him and Gale.

But even Rory's hand tightly clasped around mine can't shake the fear that rests in my gut.

Nonetheless, I nestle myself into his arms and hear Gale give an audible snort from my other side.

"Don't hate Gale." Rory whispers, jokingly, to his brother.

"Excuse me? Don't even start with me Rory. You have no idea what you're talking about." Gale retorts, visibly fuming.

"Just because I can get a girl and you can't get that Undersee girl doesn't mean you're not going to get anyone Gale."

Uh oh.

"What'd you say?" Gale perks up at Rory's joke, but he doesn't look at Rory, he looks at me.

I'm screwed.

"I was just saying that-" Rory starts, but I won't let him finish.

My elbow dive-bombs into the side of Rory's ribs and he lets out a small groan.

I turn to Gale and keep my face straight. "He wasn't saying anything."

"Oh really Prim?" Gale eyes me, amused. "Is that so?"

"Yep. Yes it is." I meet his gaze and we lock eyes intensely for a minute, caught in a menacing staring match.

"Okay, alright then." Gale gets up to help Hazelle in the kitchen, his eyes not leaving mine until he turns and whispers loudly, "I see who wears the pants here then."

As he shuffles past us into the kitchen Rory throws out his foot to trip him.

Gale falls forward, catches himself, looks back and gives Rory a death stare.

Apparently I'm not the only one who's screwed.

"What was that all about?" Rory hisses, spinning around to face me.

"He doesn't know you know stupid! Could you keep your mouth shut for once?"

"No." He smiles proudly. "Life's more fun when you just keep talking."

"Well find something else to talk about. That's not exactly public information you cow."

"Okay, okay." He backs down, "No need to get huffy. But it's not like Mom doesn't know."

"What do you mean?"

Rory looks around cautiously before leaning his head close towards mine. "Look" he whispers. "Madge came around here during the first games. And then the first day of the games in the square, when she came over to stand with us… I think she gets what's going on."

"Still, you could be a little more subtle!"

"Why?"

I think back to the night with Gale, when we spoke and he told me how he felt. No, I can't tell Rory that.

"Just because it would be nice for you to be nicer to him for a change okay?"

Rory shakes his head, rolling his eyes sarcastically, but I know I've won the battle.

Victory is sweet.

I lean in closer to him, and he wraps his arm tightly around me, playing with my hair.

"Hey Prim?" he whispers.

"Yeah?"

"Can I show you something?"

I nod and he lifts me to my feet, pulling me across the floor to his bedroom door.

"Rory! Hazelle will kill us if she finds us in there alone, no matter what we're actually -"

"Calm down, I just want to show you something, okay?"

I step back, apprehensive, but Rory's hand clasps mine securely.

"We'll be quick Prim, I promise. Now come on."

Rory yanks me into his room gently and I cast a nervous glance behind me, waiting for Hazelle to be breathing down our necks with her perfected 'motherly' glare. But she's not there, so I allow myself to be step into Rory's room and close the door quietly behind me.

He drops my hand and lowers himself to the floor, climbing under his bed. He grunts as he writhes and he looks like a worm.

I giggle, I can't help it, and he comes out with a small cloth sack, he's covered in dust.

He looks satisfied with his find, and so he plops down on his bed and gestures for me to sit beside him. As I sit on the rusty bedsprings, he opens the small sack and reveals an abundance of coins.

"Rory! Where did you get all these?"

"Well." He says softly, the corners of his mouth fighting back a smile. "Gale always goes off to the mines early in the morning right? And well, we shared a room for a while, before he gave up his spot to Vick and slept on the couch. But anyways, I got into a certain sleep habit and I unfortunately wake up super early everyday now, as he does. So I wait for him to leave and I gather up my packs and stuff and I go collect things from the meadow. So I'll grab whatever herbs or animals I can within the fence –Gale would kill me if I ever crossed it- and I go sell 'em at the Hob. Well, I did, until they burned it down. And recently, I've just been collecting donations from people in the Seam and the District and stuff, to try and sponsor Katniss in the games. I've actually got a decent amount saved up." He smiles brightly at me, his pride evident, eyes gleaming.

"Oh Rory." My face breaks into a wide smile and I throw my arms around him tightly. "Thank you so much."

I loosen my grip and pull back slightly, but Rory's grip stays firmly on the small of my back.

A ghost of a smile plays on his lips as he whispers softly.

"That wasn't a proper thank you, now was it."

I smile, and Rory leans in to kiss me.

I miss this.

The feeling of closeness, of having his arms wrapped around me, his lips on mine and feeling his chest rise and fall under my palms. Feeling totally and completely surrendered to another person. Feeling safer than ever, while being closer than ever to someone else.

I'm thankful for the quiet refuge of Rory's room.

It's only been a few days, but I miss being with him.

As we continue to kiss, we lay back on his bed and his arms wrap tight around me.

After a while, we slow and then stop fully.

I rest my head on his chest and he kisses my forehead, drawing swirling patterns on my back with his finger.

For a moment, it's an escape. I can ignore the world outside, the arena that Katniss waits in and just lay here in Rory's arms, and feel safe and happy.

Rory is my escape.

And my heart could burst as he whispers in my ear.

"It's going to be okay Prim."

And for the first time, I actually believe it.

We lay there for a few more moments until a light tapping on the door disturbs the peace.
"Rory. I know you're in there." Gale hisses. "You and Prim better get out before Mom's through in the kitchen or you're done for."

I see the fear flash through Rory's eyes and I can't help but laugh as he jumps to his feet, pulling me to my own. He tosses the satchel back under the bed and we practically fly through the door, landing on the couch with a thud.

We share a silent look and I can't help but laugh at Rory's scared expression.

Hazelle's intimidation tactics are clearly effective.

Gale walks in and rolls his eyes at us, but joins us on the couch.

And then Hazelle calls us all in to dinner and we all grab plates and find our 'assigned seats' around the TV, counting down the last few minutes until the program starts.

I start shaking more and more as the seconds pass by.

And that's when the door knocks.

Hey guys! Just wanted to thank everyone for the amazing feedback, and I can't help but say how excited I am for this thursday. MIDNIGHT PREMIERE OF THE HUNGER GAMES. I honestly cannot wait for the movie :)

I had the most incredible opportunity ever to see the cast live and in person in Toronto on NML, and I got some great pictures of Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark), Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne) and Alexander Ludwig (Cato). It was so great, and now I am SO PUMPED to see the movie. It looks incredible. That being said, this'll be a crazy week so I'll try and update as often as I can, but I can't make any promises.

Thanks again! I appreciate every review, I really do.