A/N: Almost through the suffering until they get back to District Twelve.

Be warned-I'm going to pull at your heartstrings some more. Team Peeta, always.

Enjoy!

Chapter 26

I open my eyes and feel the cold floor against me cheek. I lay there for a minute. I'm not sure where I am. The prior evenings events come back to me. I start to process. Peeta killed Snow, I killed Coin. Blood everywhere. I gasp and sit up. I want their blood off of me. I'm relieved to see I'm pretty well cleaned up and in clean clothes. I stare around the cell. Its dismal. Duh, it's a cell. I see my yellow dress discarded in the corner. Then I remember the wedding, Peeta, his hurt and confusion. It was him, he was back somehow. He remembered me, loved me.

I wish those damn doctors were able to cure him with some magic potion. I can't go through this for the rest of my life. What am I even saying. I am done with Peeta. I cannot ever forget those awful things he said to me. They came from some where inside of him. Haymitch always told me that I didn't deserve him and all of Peeta's ranting just played on my deepest insecurities. I am not good enough for him. I never was and I never will be.

I am a simple girl from District Twelve. I just want to take care of my family, hunt in the woods, spend time with my Mother and sister. I don't care about getting married, having children, winning Hunger Games. All of those things are not me, do not come close to defining who I am. Peeta Mellark just got in the way of the things that I really wanted. The simple things. He made me think outside the box and want him. Want to be a part of his world. If he had just kept his mouth shut about loving me during the games, he would have been killed off and I wouldn't be in this mess. My heart hurts that I even thought that. Peeta is so good. Or at least he was. He was so beautiful and amazing. His love for me made me feel like I was the most special girl in the world.

I know Peeta is sick. I know he can't control anything that's going on within his mind. Still, he spent more time since his rescue hating me than loving me. When you spend the better part of nearly six months telling someone you hate them and you're afraid of them, there comes a point where you have to move on. A part of me will always love and care for Peeta. But I've made my decision to bury it deep down inside my heart and lock it away forever. I'm going to take Prim back to District Twelve and life will go on. She'll be a healer, maybe we'll set up an apothecary in town, I'll find all of the plants she needs for them. She'll probably marry Rory and have a house full of kids. I'll be Auntie Katniss. We'll visit Mother and Don wherever they move to. It'll work out fin in the end. I can be happy with that.

Peeta will just have to get on with his life. There's nothing in District Twelve to return to so maybe he'll follow his father. Maybe he will return to Twelve and rebuild the Bakery. The town does need a Bakery. I'm not saying it won't be hard to see him, it will cut down to the bone. But we're better off apart now. Every ounce of love that I have hasn't been able to save him thus far and I have no hope that it will. Haymitch did us a disservice burning those documents but he's going to have to have more drawn up. I already mourned my marriage once, I'll do it again to make Peeta happy and set him free.

The door to the cell opens and Gale comes in with a tray of food and water. I breathe a sigh of relief that it's him. I comes over to me, and sits in front of me. Placing the tray to the side of me. He takes my hand in his, something is off.

"Katniss. How are you feeling?" he asks. "I'm okay. Everything is coming back to me about last night. Are they really dead?" I ask. "Yes" he says. Then continues "Snow was going to be executed so we had to release Peeta. He's on his way back to Thirteen. He didn't want to leave you but I made him. You on the other hand, killed an active President with no evident crimes to atone for. Haymitch, Plutarch, Beetee and Peeta are in the process of trying to gather evidence to support your actions and spare your life. If they are unsuccessful, you're going to be executed Katniss." His words hang heavy in the air.

I take a deep breath and react. "She was bringing back the Games Gale! She promised to punish everyone that didn't side with her, agree with her during this war. She's just as bad as Snow. I couldn't let her kill more children. I just couldn't. I don't care where they're from. They're Panem's children!" Gale squares my shoulders in front of him to make me face him. "I know Katniss. And when you go to trial, those are the exact words that you need to say to the judge. I can only hope that Coin was dirty. I'd hate to see you hang after everything you've gone through." he says.

My mind centers on him and I continue. "How's Prim Gale? Mother? Did they freak out when they saw me kill Coin?" Gale hangs his head. "They didn't see the broadcast Katniss. District Thirteen was being bombed while it was on." I look at him. There must be some mistake. "Thirteen was bombed? How badly? Where's Prim and Mother? Is everyone else okay?" Gales clears his throat. "Finnick, Annie, Johanna, Madge, Alexandra, Rye and Van-they're all fine. Your Mother and Don are fine too." He looks away from my eyes.

"What about Prim, Gale? How's Primrose?" I inquire. He looks me in the eye and he's crying. He pulls me in closer to him. "She didn't make it Katniss. They found her with Rory. They were wrapped around each other and he tried to shield her, protect her. They're both gone." I think my heart stops beating. Prim is gone. My sister is gone. My whole reason for living is gone. She is everything to me. I've cared for her since birth, always protected her, made her feel safe. She was my confidant, my real best friend, my sister. She was fourteen years old. Too young to die. Too young for the games. That's why I volunteered for her. She was too inexperienced in life and too good, pure, to take another child's life. I only delayed the inevitable. She's gone. My sister is gone. My body cannot handle it. It begins to shut down. I feel the light kind of go out. I hear Gale calling my name but I cannot answer him. She's gone.

There is just nothing left.

Haymitch POV

These kids really made a mess out of a great job. So proud of them for offing the tyrants. I hated both of them. But still, there are consequences to your actions no matter who you are. Peeta was let go. I've got him clearing debris and assisting in the rebuilding process. The bombs hit the outskirts of Thirteen before they were intercepted. There were only a few casualties but Rory and Prim had stolen away for a few moments alone and were unfortunately, in the wrong place at the wrong time. If they had fooled around at the apartment, they would have been fine. I've also had the doctors working non stop with Peeta per his request. He is determined to work on his therapy and get better so that he can make it up to Katniss. He doesn't know how far gone Katniss is yet. That although he may someday recover, the death of her sister may indeed be the death of her.

Her trial begins tomorrow. We've uncovered many secret dealing and political promises to Snow and his co-conspirators. I think I can get her released. Her Mother and Don have already moved to District Four. Lily can't handle losing Prim and Katniss is a mess. She has chosen to move on. It's sad that the woman is abandoning her daughter but she has made me sworn that I will stand in for her and help Katniss. She said she can't deal with everything Katniss is going through in light of losing Prim and her own depression over Phoenix's death several years ago. It's a road she just doesn't want to travel down again, for her own sanity. There's nothing I can do to convince her. I just hope Katniss can forgive her someday.

The trial begins. Peeta and Gale are there with me. They bring Katniss in and sit her in the front. She is unresponsive. She's lost weight, she's filthy, haggard looking. Peeta looks sick. The trial begins. All of the evidence is presented. It is determine that President Coin was in fact, a dirty politician not unlike President Snow. Katniss is cleared of her charges but not entirely off the hook. Judge Underwood addresses the courtroom. "Mrs. Mellark has shown a blatant disregard for human life in taking the life of President Coin. Although it was determined that she inevitably did all of Panem a favor, that was not known at the time of her crime. As a probationary condition to her release of these charges, she is hereby confined to District Twelve until this court sees fit. As she cannot care for herself, given her present mental state, someone will need to be entrusted with her care. Is there a volunteer?" Peeta immediately steps up and the judge dismisses him. "Mr. Mellark, while I appreciate your undying devotion to this young woman, she has repeatedly made it clear her intention to divorce you. I would chalk that up to her insanity but you have your own mental issues to deal with and I do not find that you are suitable to care for her at this time."

Gale stands up and volunteers. "Mr. Hawthorne. While I commend you for volunteering, you have been assigned to a Commander position in District Two, which you are already aware of. Mrs. Mellark will be secluded to District Thirteen. Your services to Panem far exceed the benefits of caring for your childhood friend. I'm sorry."

I stand up and volunteer. "Mr. Abernathy. I would normally laugh and tell you to sit down, but I know how you care for this girl. I've seen you sober up and care for both Mr. and Mrs. Mellark in ways that only a true father can. If you are truly willing to take on this responsibility, I will release her into your custody. She will have to have weekly therapy sessions via telephone with Dr. Aurelis and take any prescribed medication he may give her. Please report back to my courtroom in one year to update me on her progress. And remember, Mrs. Mellark is not to leave District Twelve without my granted permission. Please see that these rules are not broken. You leave within the hour for District Twelve. Good luck."

I thank Judge Underwood and look at the boys. I shake Gale's hand and then he shakes Peeta's and leaves. Peeta and I stare at her for a moment and then back to each other. He looks so forlorn. Then he says it "I'm coming back for her Haymitch. As soon as Doctor Aurelis releases me, I'll be back for her. I'm not letting her go. I'm not signing any papers so don't even let her try. I'm not giving up on her, or us. She's my world Haymitch. I love her."

I give Peeta a hug and pat his back. "I'll take care of her Peeta. I'll do what I can for her. She's all we both have left." With that, Peeta walks over to Katniss and scoops her p in his arms. She's completely unresponsive. He cradles her head to his chest and walks with me to the hovercraft awaiting our departure from the Capitol.