The Arrangement

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of the characters. This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. Enjoy.

Thank you so much for all these wonderful reviews! I appreciate them so much! I am close to 1,000 reviews and I am overwhelmed by your support. I am so glad you have enjoyed this story so far. I know many of you are sad that this story is winding down, but I promise when I am done with this Hunger Games story I will start a new one. I have many new ideas. Of course, they all revolve around Katniss and Peeta.

Until then, here is another chapter of "The Arrangement." Please read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter 35 Katniss's POV

"Katniss, maybe he is still alive. Do you think you could find his place again? Maybe we can save him?"

Peeta's words fill me with hope. It may be a slim chance, but if he is alive then I want to try and help him.

"Seneca told me to never lose hope. Maybe he is still alive. We have to help him."

Peeta gets Johanna, Gale, and Haymitch to come with us. We are searching through the woods. Peeta insists that he carries me. He doesn't want me to walk. I am still weakened by the blood loss from the bullet I took in the shoulder, but Peeta is being ridiculous. When he needs a break from carrying me then he passes me to Gale or Haymitch, but his break is always ridiculously short and then I am back in his arms again. I feel so safe in his arms.

I bite back a giggle when he takes me from Gale much sooner than he takes me from Haymitch. His jealousy is cute, but completely ridiculous. Gale told me in the hospital that he is now in a relationship with Johanna. I am happy for both of them. I wanted Gale to find someone to love and he finally has.

While I am lost in my thoughts, I notice we have stopped. I look where Peeta is looking and see the depressing building I ran away from. I see the door where Seneca stood watching me as I ran away. I struggle out of Peeta's arms and he lets me walk on my own now. I walk over to that door and push it open.

"Be careful, Katniss." Gale warns with his gun cocked and ready. Peeta follows right behind me.

I walk into the darkness and Peeta looks around for a light to turn on. Haymitch's voice booms in the dark room. "No electricity…never has been." He tells us.

I could have told them that, but I didn't think it was of importance. I walk into the room and down the dark stairs into the dank basement that Seneca had led me out of. Once in the basement I start hyperventilating. What if I am going to find his dead body? I can't see anymore death. I was already going to have nightmares for the rest of my life.

Peeta pulls me into his arms and then has me sit down on Seneca's chair outside of the room.

"Katniss, I will go in and see if he is all right."

I am so relieved and grateful for him. "Thank you." I say quietly. He touches my cheek briefly before he uses the key outside of the door to open it. It creaks as he enters the room. Gale follows him immediately. Johanna and Haymitch stay out with me as Peeta has instructed.

I hear nothing for a few minutes and then I hear the relief in Peeta's voice. "Katniss, he is still alive. Haymitch, please bring me the food and water."

I race into the room and sit down on the floor beside Seneca. He looks at me in amazement. Peeta opens a bottle of water and holds it to his lips to drink. He drinks the entire water bottle. I pull out some bread and I break off little pieces and I feed him the way he fed me.

After he has finished half a loaf of bread and two bottles of water, Gale and Peeta help him sit up. He still hasn't said anything. I feel tears slide down my cheeks. If Peeta hadn't suggested we come back here, then Seneca would have died.

Haymitch and Johanna checked the entire compound and said it was empty. No one else was here. Snow knew that Seneca was alive. He just wanted to make sure no one came back to save him. Snow wanted Seneca to die a slow and painful death because he ruined Snow's plan.

Seneca reaches out and takes my hand. I notice that Peeta has a knife. He must have cut the ropes around his wrists. "Thank you." He whispers.

I nod. "No, thank you." I tell him sincerely.

He smiles at me. I reach forward and pull him into a hug. I wonder what would have happened to me if it hadn't been for Seneca. What horrors would I have suffered? What would have happened to me? To Peeta? To Mr. Mellark?

I start to sob and I feel Seneca crying as well as we hug. We stand up and walk out of the room together until Seneca can no longer walk well on his own…weakened by the abuse his body has endured. Gale and Haymitch appear on either side of him to help him through the woods. Peeta easily lifts me up in his arms and holds me close.

I bury my face in Peeta's chest and continue to sob. The horrors inflicted by Snow are over. Peeta and I can finally begin our lives together. I can't wait to spend the rest of forever with this amazing man. I love him so much.

Peeta holds me close and it is as if he is in my own head. "I know. I love you, too." He tells me softly and I smile against his chest and place a gentle kiss on his neck. His arms tighten around me and I tease him further with another kiss on his neck.

He leans over to whisper in my ear. "Keep that up, and we will be stopping in the woods for a while." His voice is deep, low, and sexy. My heart flutters in my chest and I feel goosebumps rise all over my skin just at his heated words.

"Take me home then." I tell him softly. He looks into my eyes and I see joy and elation. He leans in to kiss me gently, but we are both wrapped up in the kiss. We stop in the middle of the woods as he explores my mouth.

Johanna clears her throat. "Okay, you will be home in like twenty minutes. Can't you wait until then when you are alone to attack each other?"

Her voice brings me back to myself. Peeta and I smile at one another before I respond with a comment that has Peeta running through the woods as fast as he can carrying me in his arms.

"I may be able to wait that long, but I am not sure."

I am so light and happy. I can't wait to get home and spend some time alone with my husband. My amazing, handsome, loving husband who loves me much more than I ever thought anyone would love me. He is my forever and I can't wait to spend my life with him.

What did you think of this chapter? I have one more chapter to write from Peeta's perspective and then I will write a very LONG epilogue that may take two chapters. After I finish the story, I may write a few outtakes, but I am not sure. I don't think I need them at this point, but if I do write a few then I plan to write one from Seneca's perspective and one from Cato's perspective. Not sure about those yet.

I promise when I am done with this story that I will start a new Hunger Games story. I am about halfway through my other Hunger Games story "Star-Crossed." I will still start another story though because I have three other stories I want to write about. I am going to try to keep writing two Hunger Games stories at a time.

Please review and let me know what you thought about Seneca being found alive. I hope that made you all happy.