Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.

I open my eyes and gently pull away from Peeta. He stirs a little, but doesn't wake up as I climb out of bed and silently walk over to one of the windows in our room. The sky is still a bit dark, but I can see that there are storm clouds in the distance. It's been raining for the past couple of days, but without much thunder and lightning. I haven't been able to go out for my morning hunts and have really missed them. I don't think those clouds will get here too soon; maybe I'll be fine if I hurry. I need to try, I've been stuck inside for too long. I need some fresh air and exercise.

I quietly put some clothes on and then head toward the door. I don't want to wake Peeta, but can't resist placing a soft kiss on his cheek before I leave the room, closing the door behind me. I think it's Saturday, and he tends to sleep in a bit more than usual on the weekends, when he doesn't have to start baking. Maybe I can even get back before he wakes up.

I pull on my boots and jacket, grab my game bag, then head out. I tell myself that the clouds haven't gotten closer at all in the time it took to reach the log where I keep my bow, in the woods near where I used live. I have plenty of time.

I shoot and collect a rabbit and two squirrels before I hear the first clap of thunder. I'd become so focused on the hunt that I forgot all about the weather around me. But this noise makes me jolt. The woods are usually so silent and it's startling to hear a loud, out of place sound.

I look around and realize the wind has started to blow quite fast. Was it windy at all when I left this morning? I don't think so. I look up into the sky and see that the storm clouds are now directly overhead. Okay, now it's time to go home. Out of habit, I start heading for the log where I keep my bow, now realizing just how far away from it, and deep into the woods, I'd gone. I've just tucked the bow inside when the rain hits. It's an instant downpour and I have to hold my free hand (the one that's not keeping the game bag slung over my shoulder) over my eyes so they don't get rained in and prevent me from seeing. More thunder resounds all around me and I start to feel a bit nervous being outside.

Normally, I walk around the edge of town to reach the section of woods I usually hunt in. But I think I should go through town now, and see if I can find some place to wait for the storm to end. But most of the shops don't even open on the weekends, now that there are so few residents of District Twelve. No one really minds doing their shopping during the week. I don't usually even come through town on weekends, and I have to struggle to remember if there are any places that might be open. The produce store, maybe, but what time is it? I don't think they open this early. Still, I make my way toward it, glad for the shelter the awning outside provides. It looks dark inside, but I try the handle. Locked.

By this time my clothes are completely soaked through and the wind has picked up even more. I'm just thinking I need to bite the bullet and make a run for home when the door to Sae's soup shop next door opens.

"Come in," she says, her face concerned as it takes in the sight of me.

I turn toward her, immensely relieved. I'd forgotten she lives above the shop now. "Oh," I say, surprised to see someone, "thank you." I don't waste any time getting inside. I sit at a table and Sae quickly brings me a bowl of soup. "What were you doing out there?" she asks.

"I -" suddenly I feel foolish for staying out so long. I should have been paying closer attention to the weather, but I was just so glad to be hunting again. I should have noticed the clouds getting closer, before it started to storm, and gone home. "I was hunting," I say.

"In this weather?" Sae says, "were you planning to pick up some drowned animals?"

I shake my head, smiling at her joke, "No. It wasn't like this when I left."

"Hmm," Sae says.

The worst of the storm passes. There's no more thunder and lighting, and the rain has slowed to a drizzle when I decide I can head home. It seems like Sae and I have been talking for a while, but I don't think it's been too long. I give her one of the squirrels I shot, as thanks for the soup and shelter. She says it doesn't seem like a fair trade for me, but I insist that there are always more squirrels, and then leave.

I walk home at a brisk pace, eager to get back to Peeta, and hoping he hasn't worried about me. My hair and clothes start getting wetter again and I'm really starting to get cold by the time I finally reach my house. I step up onto the porch and am just reaching for the doorknob when the door quickly swings inwards.

Peeta's there, his eyes wide and his face a mixture of relief and anger. He reaches out and his arms close around me, lifting me up and pulling me inside. He's holding me very tightly and it's hard to breathe.

"Peeta," I say, and my strain must be evident in my voice, because his arms loosen, but just a little. His lips are softly brushing against my neck.

"I was so worried," I hear and feel him say, before he sets me down and pulls away to look at me. "Where were you? How could you have gone out in that?" He doesn't even give me a chance to answer before his mouth is on mine. In spite of my wet, windblown hair and clothes I start to feel warm already. I wrap my arms around his neck and start to feel a tingling and tensing in my upper back, but then he abruptly pulls away.

His gaze is calmer than the one he greeted me with, but still full of distress. "You have to be more careful, Katniss," he says, placing his hands on my upper arms, just below my shoulders. Suddenly he looks afraid. "I can't lose you."

I reach up and place both my hands on his face. "You won't."

Peeta shakes his head. "I was so worried," he says again, "I woke up from the thunder and you were gone and it looked so bad out there. I just kept hoping you weren't some kind of human lighting rod."

I start to smile, but stop myself. There's nothing funny about it, really. People do get struck by lightning, and after all we've been through it's understandable for Peeta to be quick to worry about me. "I'm not," I say, "I'm fine."

Peeta starts to touch my wet hair as he stares at me, still trying to accept the fact that I'm safe. "What took you so long to get back?"

"I went into town, so I could find some place to wait for the storm to end, and Sae was there. She let me into the shop," I say.

I see Peeta's tense shoulders relax a bit. "Why didn't you call me?"

"You know she doesn't have a phone," I say.

"Well, from the grocery store, then…oh, they were still closed."

I nod. "I'm sorry you were worried. I shouldn't have gone out at all. But I really wanted to, after the last couple of days."

"I understand," Peeta says, "I just wish I would have known you were with Sae. The not knowing was the worst part."

"Of course," I say, "I won't go out again if it looks like it might storm, I'll be more careful. It's not like we'd starve without the meat."

"Good," Peeta says, and finally it seems like all the tension is gone from his face. He leans in and kisses me again for a few seconds, then pulls back away. "I love you so much," he says. Then he takes a deep breath, sighs softly and smiles. "You must be freezing."

I look down at my wet clothes, having forgotten all about them while we were talking. "I am," I say. Peeta goes to the linen closet and gets a towel. I slip out of my boots, then take my jacket off and hang it up to dry. The shirt underneath isn't so wet. I pull the tie out of my braid and when Peeta gets back with the towel he starts to run it over my hair and squeeze the rainwater out. "I don't think this towel is good enough, you're really wet," he says.

I look up at him and that see he's smiling just a little. Before I have time to say a word, he's scooped me up in his arms and is heading for the stairs. "Hey!" I say, more out of surprise than protest.

"You can't keep these wet clothes on," he says. And he sounds so serious that I can't help laughing a little. We reach our bedroom and then he carries me into the adjoining bathroom and sets me on my feet in front of him. He pulls my shirt off me, and the rest of my clothes follow. Then he gets a new towel and wraps it around my shoulders first before proceeding to gently run it over my chest and stomach and then downwards over the rest of me. He's taking longer than he needs to, but I let him. I'm not even self-conscious about him seeing my scars anymore.

Eventually, he throws the towel aside and then just stares at me, taking in every inch from my legs up to my face. When his eyes finally meet mine, he smiles. "Okay, I'll get you a change of clothes," he says, then turns to leave, and I know he's teasing me. But two can play at that game. I remain rooted to where I'm standing and cross my arms over my chest.

Peeta must have expected me to stop him, though, because he turns back just before he's out the door. "Unless you'd rather take a shower?"

"Shower, definitely," I say, "I'm cold." And, with that, he steps back toward me again.