Well I think this is a new record for me... It's been months since I last posted! I'm so sorry! I've been busier than expected! I have had some recent story inspiration, so hopefully I'll post much sooner next time. As always, your support is greatly appreciated! :) Thanks!

This is my first shot at a FanFiction. I DO NOT own the Hunger Games Series. Some lines taken directly from Suzanne Collins' books.

I haven't read many FanFictions either so any theme resemblance to other Hunger Games FanFiction is entirely coincidental.

Chapter 37:

I run with the girl in my arms, forcing myself not to look back when another firebomb hits. I just have to keep moving. There is an aching stitch in my side and my arms shake as they support the weight of the girl, but I still surge forward stumbling through the trees. I only pull up short, gasping and coughing, when I catch up to my mother and the girl's father.

My mother's eyes are suddenly wide and frantic. "Where is your sister?"she demands as her gaze darts around to all the faces surrounding us.

My ears are ringing so badly I barely register what she's asked. It doesn't matter what she has said though because the words are already coming out of my mouth, "Peeta got her." At least I hope he has. No. He did. I know he did.

Now that we are far enough into the trees, most everyone has stopped running and the cries of sorrow and pain fill the air. I know that we can't stay here, it's not safe. I push aside my worry over Prim and Peeta and survey the area quickly identifying where we are and try to determine our next course of action. We will need water, shelter and distance from the fire. There is only one place I know of that has the potential to provided all those things. The question is can all these people make it there? There must be hundreds of us.

Off a ways a dozen more people come stumbling through the trees and I see two blond heads bobbing among them. I desperately want to turn around and go back to see for myself that it is in fact Peeta and Prim but I can't. There will be time for a reunion later but for now we have to keep moving, we will be endangering ourselves if we stay here.

"Thom!" I shout when I see him a few yards away. When he doesn't hear me I stride forward, suddenly motivated with great urgency. Before he can walk away I grab hold of his forearm, forcing him to turn and face me. He is covered in soot and dirt; if he had been wearing his head lamp I could have easily mistaken him for having just finished work at the mines.

"Katniss!" His eyes light up with relief- which quickly fades to concern when he sees that I am alone. "Where's Peeta?"

"He's here somewhere," I say in a very matter of fact manner, not wanting to allow my own concern and insecurity to be obvious. "If everyone is willing to follow, I know where we can go. Where there is water."

"What?! Where is this?" Thom asks, genuinely curious. Like most, Thom too has never ventured outside the fence. I wonder if he ever thought about it or if Gale ever tried to convince him too.

"A couple hours walk from here."

He raises an eyebrow. I know what he's thinking: that's a long ways to go for this many people in unfamiliar territory. "And its safe you say?"

"Safer than here," I shrug. "There is no telling what will happen next back there, so we need to get far away. We don't really have that much of a choice."

Thom glances back in the direction of District Twelve, the eerie orange glow from the flames and the rising black smoke still very visible in the sky. "Lead the way then. Most people will just start walking, but I'll stay behind and explain to those who are a bit more hesitant."

"Alright." I try to smile, but instead it comes out strained. "See you in a couple hours."

Without saying anything else he walks away and begins to mingle. I take this as my cue and start walking in the other direction. Quickly I explain to my mother and the Hawthorne's what is going to happen. They all nod without question even though I know they are all on edge about the idea of travelling deep into the woods, away from the only home they've ever known. It's my mother's reaction that surprises me the most. Her eyes are wide- she is worried about Prim- but that's all there is. I expected her to start shutting down but there is no sign of that dreaded blank stare.

As I talk to them, I notice others looking at me, a few people shuffling closer to eavesdrop. I see a few familiar faces from the Seam, but not as many as I would like to. Just before I turn to begin walking in the direction of the lake I say, loud enough for those immediately around us to hear, "I know a safe place. Come if you want to." And with that we walk. Again, no one questions me; they don't need to know how I know where to go, just that I do.

For a while, the further we go into the woods the darker it gets even though dawn isn't far off. Without the light provided by the fires of District Twelve I can't see exactly where we are headed. Which is quite unnerving, but I don't let on. I abandon logic and go on instinct; I've done this trek so many times that it's basically muscle memory now. Dawn eventually arrives and the sky is once again aglow as shades of orange and pink stretch across the horizon. The low, distant sound of fire bombs has been replaced by the crunching of feet on the ground and the rustle of bodies through the brush. Every branch that cracks sends a jolt through me. Since there are so many of us the sound is constant and reminds me of the crackling flames as they consumed my home.

No one speaks much; we are all so exhausted, and really what is there to say? Every so often I glance back to see who is following behind. To my dismay I never see the faces I really want.

After about two hours, Rory moves up beside me; worry has caused a series of creases to develop on his forehead. I know why. Surely if Peeta and Prim were here they would have made their way forwards by now. Peeta may not know where we are going, but he knows I would be the one leading the way.

"Why don't you go bring up the rear? See if you can find them," I say in just above a whisper.

He nods, with Gale's look of determination on his face. I have no doubt he will check every person until he finds them. There are hundreds of us, but that won't deter him.

I take turns carrying Posy, so she can sleep a bit, and then Vick, whose injured ankle causes him to limp along. It makes for slow going but I would rather have them with us and safe. No one is complaining about the pace, and besides, it's not like we are in a rush to get there. If it weren't for the fact that we need water, I would stop us all now and sleep away what little is left of the night.

Finally the lake comes into view. The early morning sunlight streams through the trees and the mist rises eerily from the water's surface. But it's beautiful. There is a chill in the air that makes me shiver. Relief washes over me at the sight of this familiar place and for the first time in weeks I feel like I can breathe a little bit easier. This place has always made me feel free, yet small. Not insignificant, just small. Like there are bigger possibilities out there- better possibilities.

Immediately I guide my mother to the shack, to set up her medical supplies. It always amazes me that this structure is still standing, when all the others around the lake had long ago collapsed with nothing left but crumbling foundations that nature has taken back. After sweeping out the fireplace I start a small fire while Hazelle goes to collect water to boil in the tin cups we brought along. Quickly my mother bandages my arm – the throbbing now only a dull ache. She then reaches forward, brushing hair away from my face.

I pull back. "What are you doing?" The last person who did that was Peeta. I don't need her comfort.

Her hand hovers in mid-air, a wounded look on her face, "Your forehead. I need to attend to it."

My hand shoots to my forehead and flakes of dried blood come off on my fingers. "Oh." I had forgotten all about my head.

She gently washes the blood away, her steady fingers move gently over my wound. "It's not deep and so far there is no sign of infection. It's already clotted."

A thank you hovers on my lips. Instead I say, "It doesn't hurt so don't bother with a bandage." That's a lie. Now that I am aware of it, my head is throbbing. But that could partly be due to lack of sleep and dehydration. I move away to lean against the rough doorframe, arms crossed and scan the people gathering around the lake. The knot in my stomach tightens. Something is not right.

I catch sight of Mr. Mellark and we exchange a worried glance. His wife on the other hand is making a very pointed effort to get herself comfortable on the hard ground. Though I can't make out the words exactly I can tell she is complaining.

"Katniss, I need you to examine everyone in line. Only send in those who are the worst off," my mother's voice calls softly from behind me. I was so busy looking out into the distance that I didn't even notice the line of people forming along the side of the shack. All injured, all looking for help.

I recoil. My blood starts pounding and my hands shake nervously. "I can't. I'm not Prim... I- I can't do that."

"Katniss-" She takes a step towards me. That's a mistake.

"No."

"I'll help you Mrs. Everdeen." It's Delly. Thank goodness. She slips by me and into the shack.

I refuse to be useless though. "I'll go gather what I can." My voice is weak.

I rush away from the shack as quickly as I can, landing on my knees at the water's edge. Splashing the cool water on my face, I draw in a shaky breath as I push my wet hands over my hair. I pause for a moment- my head in my hands- trying to stabilize my nerves. After one more deep breath in I stand up, and walk towards the trees. It is light enough out now that I am able to better see what I am doing and quickly I locate all the good gathering spots I've used in the past for my mother's medicines. When I return, the last of the refugees from District Twelve are filtering into the clearing and finding spots near the lake- for many their pace quickens and their faces become a little brighter at the sight of water. I look and look but still no sign of Peeta or Prim. Maybe they are inside. I hurry to the shack, avoiding eye contact with those lined up outside. My heart drops further, as I see Rory sitting on the ground next to the door. Alone.

All he does is shake his head sadly.

It's not possible. They have to be here somewhere. I should have gone back. I should have gotten her myself. Peeta would never let anything happen to Prim. Although he was not in control of the situation, any one of those firebombs we heard during our retreat could have killed them.

"I heard that there are some people left back there," Rory says slowly as he stands up. "There's a chance that's where they are."

"Alright," I say with determination. "I'll head out right now."

"I'd wait Katniss," he says with a tired sigh. "Get some sleep first. It's a long walk and you won't be doing them or yourself any favours by being exhausted." That sounds exactly like something Gale would say.

A part of me wants to pat Rory on the head, tell him not to worry and send him inside with Hazelle. But I can't. He is no longer a child I can coddle. He's too much like Gale now.

"I'll try."

"When you do head out, let me know, I'm coming with you."

"Thank you Rory, but this is for me to do. She's my sister and he's..." I stop mid-sentence, suddenly flustered. He's mine. "Besides, you need to stay and look after your family. They need you."

He nods, acknowledging this. Without saying much else we part ways. Reluctantly, I take his advice and find a shaded spot next to a large tree to sleep. I lean my back against the cool, damp bark and slowly let my eyes drift shut. My limbs feel like they weigh a thousand pounds each. For a moment the peacefulness that comes with sleep settles over me, yet every time my head begins to nod to the side, it jolts back up. I spend the next hour adjusting and readjusting my position trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. How can I ever sleep again? I finally give up and lay flat on my back staring up at the sky. Its mid-morning now and grey clouds are moving in, completely covering all traces of blue. They move slowly and grow darker as they mere. The trees are still and not a single bird song can be heard. A sure sign that rain's coming.

For the longest time I lay there trying to think of nothing. It's virtually impossible though, thoughts always find a way of creeping in. So instead I try to select which thoughts to allow. Only the good ones like Prim's smile and Peeta's eyes, or my father singing. Even those don't last, they get tainted by reality. Reality being that currently I have none of those good things; they've been taken from me. My father I can never get back but Prim and Peeta, there is still a chance...maybe. And that's when my thoughts are once again bombarded with all the ugly and terrible things. Nothing is right with my world; everything has spun completely out of control.

My anxiety level begins to rise. Sitting up quickly my head spins. I grip the ground, dirt forcing its way under my fingernails. It feels strangely good, and all too real, like its grounding me. Closing my eyes I take a deep breath in as my fingers continue to play with the grass, it smells good too. I can also smell the smoke clinging to my clothes and taste the salt on my dry lips. My ears perk up at the rumblings of distant thunder and when I open my eyes I see the beautiful lake. A lake currently surrounded by people from District Twelve, people who wouldn't be here at all if I hadn't led them. And there are others from home waiting to be rescued. Others like Peeta and Prim possibly.

I finally feel like myself again- or at least closer to being myself. Despite not having slept I have renewed energy, so I grab my bag and without telling anyone I slip into the forest, heading back towards what's left of District Twelve.

An hour into my trek the wind suddenly picks up. The leaves rustle and the trees bend back and forth, then without much more warning the skies open up and it begins to pour. The rain instantly soaks through my clothes as the wind whips past, sending shivers through me. I continue on, ignoring the water running down my face and dripping off my nose. The storm makes the walk more difficult, causing me to stumble over roots and lose my footing in the mud. Every so often the rain eases up for a couple minutes, only to start up harder than before. I start to notice steam rising up from the ground the closer I get to District Twelve where the cold rain is clashing with the hot air from the fire. The air is denser too from the smoke; that's one good thing about the rain it's putting out the fires.

The next thing I know I'm in the clearing. Wiping the water away from my eyes the torn down section of fence comes into focus, and beyond that, through the smoke and rain, I can just make out the remains of the Seam. Scanning the horizon I search for signs of life, but the Meadow is deserted. Well not entirely.

I turn away quickly with unshed tears in my eyes and stumble back towards the trees. Collapsing on the ground I let out the sob I've been holding in for hours. They better not be among those lying completely still in the Meadow. I don't know if I could bring myself to go check. So many people who could have been saved! Why couldn't I save them? Stopped this all from happening?

I'm numb and empty. At the moment I don't even care about the puddle I'm kneeling in. Really what does it matter?

The rain begins to let up some, so I take the opportunity to get to my feet and start looking around the woods. The first thing I do is find the log where I have always hid my father's bow and arrows in. An actual smile works its way up my face as I cradle them in my arms, running my hands along the smooth wood of the bow. It feels so good to have these back, it's been months since I last used them. It's like regaining a missing piece of myself.

I decide to search the tree line for signs of people or some sort of camp; I don't walk too close to the edge, not because I don't want to be seen, but to prevent myself from seeing things in the Meadow I don't want to. I tread quietly along searching a wide radius that falls in line with the opening in the fence. If there were injured people coming through that fence they wouldn't have strayed far. So far I have found nothing, not one single trace of life. It doesn't help that the combined rain and smoke makes for very poor visibility and I don't dare risk calling out.

A branch cracks. I whip around, bow and arrow ready. Nothing.

There is a rustling in the brush, and a flash of white catches my eye. My heart leaps to my throat.

Slowly I turn in a circle, one foot over the other.

A heavy boot stomps behind me, and before I have time to react a pair of arms grabs me roughly, pulling me backwards into the brush and down an embankment.

I let out a scream as I struggle and a hand quickly clamps over my mouth. Even though my back is to my captor, I know it's a Peace Keeper.

Indescribable terror grips me. This is it. They've found me. They're taking me back to the Capitol. I start to tally up my crimes against the Capitol; there are lots. I thrash and struggle to get out of his grip; he groans when my elbow manages to connect with his chin. This gives me a great deal of satisfaction for I refuse to go without a fight.

Finally I'm turned around aggressively and brought face to face with the Peace Keeper. "Would you stop fighting for one second Katniss? You're making this more difficult than it has to be."

He knows my name? I immediately stop struggling and register the face in front of me.

"Thom?"

"Bet you weren't expecting me."

"But...What are you..." I sputter. When I think about it though, I never saw him at the lake.

"I couldn't actually leave anyone behind, and somehow I figured you would come back."

I stare at him absolutely dumbfounded. "Where did you get the uniform?"

Something in his expression darkens a bit. "I'll explain everything, just follow me."

Thom's solemn tone has me immediately on edge, but I don't ask any more questions; I just follow him. We push through the brush and emerge into a sheltered hollow where there must be a couple dozen people huddled together. The sight takes my breath away. Thom keeps walking, but I stop in my tracks. When he realizes I am no longer next to him, Thom turns back.

"What's wrong?" his voice is gentle.

I clench my hands into fists to prevent them from shaking. "Thom, are they-" my voice cracks. "I mean did they..." I can't go any further until I know.

There is the slightest movement of his head. "They're here."

Those two words cause an explosion within me; I have never felt such intense relief before. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in. I feel like I am floating. They're here. They're alive.

"Katniss!" The voice breaks my trance, and my eyes fly open just in time to see Prim running towards me.

Rushing forwards we collide within moments and I wrap my little sister in my arms, squeezing her tight. I stroke Prim's hair as she cries into my shoulder. "I was so worried," she whispers. "I thought I'd never see you again. The bombs kept coming. We-"

With tears in my eyes, I finally find my voice, "It's okay Prim. You're safe, we're safe. Everything is going to be alright." Holding her back from me a bit I smooth the hair out of her face and see that, although she is covered in dirt and blood, she looks otherwise unharmed.

As if reading my thoughts Prim says, "The blood's not mine, I'm fine. I mean my ears are ringing and everything is muffled, but it could be worse."

I nod. It's not surprising seeing as she was so close to the blasts. She's right though, it could be worse. I shiver at the thought.

Grasping my hand, Prim looks me straight in the eye, "Come on, I'll take you to Peeta."

My feet move without thought as Prim guides me forward. She'll take me to Peeta; that means he is unable to come to me on his own.