What can I say, readers, I'm on a roll! Don't question it too loudly, you'll scare it away LOL

Chapter 24

KATNISS

The sound of my keys sliding into the lock of the hotel room is maybe the best sound I've heard since waking this morning. Pushing through the front door, I quickly shut it behind and lean against it closing my eyes. I can still feel my adrenally pumping through my veins from my frantic flight home. Having run most of the way back to the hotel, my heart is thumping and I'm damp from the exercise.

As my breath begins to slow and my ears stop ringing I begin to register the sound of Haymitch ranting out on the patio. Fear instantly grips my stomach. Pushing away from the front door, I cross the room towards the door that leads outdoors. As I draw nearer, his gruff voice sharpens in my ears. I sidle up to the door but arrange myself in a way that allows me to look outside but keeps most of my body is hidden. Peeking out the glass I easily spot Haymitch. He is pacing around the fire pit, one hand on his hip the other holding a glass of amber liquid. Sitting primly on the end of a chaise lounge is Effie her hands up as she clearly tries to calm him.

"If she can't follow a simple plan Effie, then why the fuck did we even come here?" Haymitch rants.

Effie stands and puts a hand on his arm. "Haymitch, she's a teenager," she reasons.

"She's a victor! A damn smart one. She knows better!" he growls.

Effie tilts her head, trying to make eye contact with him. He stills when she succeeds. "You're jumping to conclusions. Neither of us really knows what took place," she soothes.

\He sighs and shakes his head, "And you damn well know that doesn't matter to the press."

Her head dips a bit and she looks sad. "I wish it weren't like this still. You all should be able to live your lives without explanation after what you've been through."

Haymitch seems to soften at this. Placing a finger under her chin, he lifts her face up so he can look in her eyes. "It's the hand we were dealt Effs," he says, his voice gentle. When his head dips to place a sweet kiss to her lips I literally fall over in shock, stumbling against the door. I quickly recover and dash back to the living room. I look frantically around for a place to hide and decided on the kitchen. I blindly fly through the door and run straight into Peeta's chest. My momentum sends me sprawling. Peeta snags me by the arm but I still swing into the counter and lower cabinets with a thud.

"Whoa, where's the fire," he asks, placing his other hand on my other arm to steady me.

Between the shock of what I've just seen and the throbbing in my hip from its contact with the stone countertop, words elude my mind. My hand goes to my hip and I rub it. Peeta notices and concern etches his brow, "You okay?" he asks.

I look up at him and suddenly realize that Haymitch and Effie's smooch and my now bruised hip are the least of my concerns. I didn't get all the details from my snooping attempt, but based on what happened during my morning it's pretty easy to piece together what Haymitch was ranting about.

"We need to talk," I state, my mind trying to work out a way to escape what I suspect is coming.

Peeta tries on a smile. "Isn't that what we're here to do?" he asks.

I'm not given the opportunity to answer because we are interrupted by the swing of the kitchen door and a fuming Haymitch. He marches straight over to me and shoves a tablet into my hands. "What the HELL are you doing?" He shouts. "Have you hit your head or something since yesterday morning?"

I pull the tablet away from where it is against my chest and glance down. There, in all its macro detail, is a picture Gale and me in a lip lock. Anger fills me. Anger that someone evaded my privacy. Anger at Haymitch and his self-righteous indignation. Anger at Gale and his damn kisses. But most of all, angry at myself. I shove the tablet back into Haymitch's hands. "It's none of your business," I growl.

He sets it on the counter then steps to stand over me. "Oh but I think it is," he says, his voice low.

I swallow back the swear words my brain shouts out and simply stand staring at his chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Peeta reach for the tablet. My heart explodes with adrenal. NO! He looks down at the image and instantly his eyes harden. Pressing his lips into a thin line he carefully replaces the tablet back on the counter. He doesn't look at me or Haymitch, he simply goes over to the table and grabs a large green bag and heads for the door. I move to follow him, not that I have any idea about what I will say when I catch up to him, but I move anyway. Haymitch steps in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

"You can deal with him later," he says. "Now what the hell happened? Did you forget what we talked about?" he demands.

I shake my head and shove passed him, "No, I'm not doing this with you right now," I say plainly.

Effie enters the kitchen.

"Katniss," Haymitch warns, his voice rising. I glance back at him.

Effie places a hand on his arm. "Let her go for now," she soothes.

His eyes blaze at me but he finally relents with a reluctant nod. I don't need any more encouragement that is, I shove through the door. I expect to have to chase Peeta down, but I find him sitting at the dining room table, looking at me expectantly. I feel my face flush thinking about the fact he's seen the pictures of Gale and me.

"You want to get out of here?" he asks.

I'm surprised by the suggestion, but nod. Grabbing the bag he took from the kitchen he stands and walks over to take a blanket off the back of the couch and hands it to me. "Let's go then," he says.

I take it, feeling a bit dumbfounded, and follow him out of the apartment. We take a silent elevator ride down to the lobby where we meet up with Carson, our drives. Carson offers me a kind smile and takes the blanket and bag from Peeta and me and leads us out the door.

Once in the back of the car, I chance a glance over at Peeta. He's staring out the window. The silence between us is killing me. "Where are we going?" I venture.

"A park," he says, then goes silent again.

I bite my lip. Angry Peeta would be better than this, this reminds me of the months we spent avoiding each other after our first games. I will not go back to that. "Peeta…about the picture…" I start.

He pulls his eyes from the window and looks at me. "Can we just talk about when we get there?" he requests, his voice even.

I want to argue, but with what? It's such reasonable request and he seems so…not mad, so I just nod in agreement.

We drive for nearly forty minutes. Outside the window, I notice the buildings and apartments slowly giving way to neighbors, then to houses on large lots until eventually its just woods and fields of wildflowers. I had no idea the Capitol had such places within it. As the car speeds over hills and valleys, I notice occasional scars of war. A large hole in the road that Carson swivels around, an abandoned transport truck. "Where are we?" I ask, glancing over at my silent companion.

"This used to be a park reserve, but during the war the rebellion used it as a staging area. The park has been closed for clean up, but the effort hasn't started yet it hasn't."

I glance out at the woods, full of green life, and even here inside the car feel as though I can breathe a bit easier. "Are we supposed to be here?"

"Effie got us special permissions, its fine," he says, his eyes never leaving the view.

This makes my heart constrict. True to his nature, Peeta set this all up before he left this morning. Looking back at what I thought was righteous anger I felt yesterday, I feel a bit guilty, that is until the image of him and Tova locking lips flashes in my mind's eye. Hypocrite my mind volleys. I wiggle in my seat, uncomfortable in my own skin.

The car slows and makes a left turn off the road onto a gravel one. We bump along for a few minutes until we come to a stop in what appears to have been a parking area at one time. It's now a patch of gravel dotted with weeds. Peeta opens his door and slides out of the car. As I excavate myself from the vehicle as well, he's collected the blanket and bag from Carson and is waiting for me. I fidget with my shirt, pulling at it as I moveI to join him. He gives Carson a nod, and turns and heads for a break in a wooden fence. I glance at Carson, and he offers me a warm smile. Not feeling very smiley at the moment, I instead offer a small wave and turn to trail after Peeta.

After about a half-mile, the path we are on opens up to a field with a creek on our right. Peeta finally looks back at me, "How about over under that tree?" he asks, pointing in direction of a tree on the bank of the water.

My dream creeps into the back of my mind and I feel a flush at the memory. To cover I walk over and take the blanket from him. "I think that will do," I say and head off towards the space we've picked. With a little searching, I find a spot that appears to be free of tree roots, but still near the water, and spread out the blanket.

Peeta drops the bag on the ground and eases himself down to the ground. He looks up at me, "You going to eat your lunch standing up?" he asks, digging into the bag.

"Lunch?" I ask. After the scene in the kitchen I'm completely prepared for a fight, so an offering of food has me totally thrown off.

"Yes Lunch. The meal between breakfast and dinner," he smirks setting a small stack of plates down in front of him.

"We're eating?" I ask, still struggling with this concept.

He stops unloading the bag and sighs. "Would you prefer to just yell it out?" he asks, avoiding my eyes.

I shake my head. "No, of course, not…I'm just…confused, I guess. I mean Peeta you've barely looked or spoken to at me to me since…" I trail off.

He runs his hands over his face and then finally turns his eyes to mine. "I don't have a map to how we do this Katniss, and yeah, I feel super awkward right now too. This morning this seemed like a good idea, I wanted to help break the ice," he offers.

I sink down onto the blanket. Always the first one to offer an olive branch, that's Peeta. "Okay," I relent.

He chews on the corner of his mouth for a second, then returns to digging through the bag. Before long he's unloaded a block of cheese, a small sausage of some kind, an apple, a half a loaf of fresh bread and a bottle of lemonade. He hands me the bottle of lemonade and then two glasses before starting in on cutting the apple, bread, cheese, and sausage.

My mind spins trying to find an olive branch of my own to offer. "Ummm, so you want to hear something interesting, that doesn't have to do with us?" I ask, filling the glasses.

Peeta glances up at me, "Of course," he says, handing me a piece of cheese.

I nibble on it. "When I got home this afternoon, I heard Haymitch and Effie out on the deck," I say, leaving out the part about Haymitch flipping out over my Gale lip-lock picture, "and I saw Haymitch kiss Effie," I say, a smile creeps onto my lips despite myself.

Peeta's eyes widen in suprise. "No way!" he exclaims.

I toss the remaining cheese into my mouth and nod in the affirmative.

He sits back a little and tilts his head in thought. "Well, actually that kind makes his odd behavior over the last few days make a little more sense," he says.

"You don't think…Were they together during our games?" I wonder.

Peeta shrugs. "I don't know. Guess it doesn't really matter as long as it makes them happy now," he says. Grabbing a piece of bread, he stacks it with meat and cheese and hands it to me.

"But how does something like that work, they are from two different worlds. He's in 12, she's here," I ask pinching off a piece of bread and tossing it into my mouth.

Peeta takes a bite of his sandwich and considers me for a moment. Feeling self-conscious at the scrutiny, I take a bite of mine as well.

"Do you think she'd ever move to 12?" he asks, reaching for a slice of apple.

"Do you think she'd ever fit in there?" I rebut.

"I can't see Haymitch in the city," he concludes. "No place for his geese," he chuckles.

This causes me to truly smile for the first time since we've arrived, but I turn a bit more somber with the next thought. "He can't leave 12, at least not now, we're his wards for a few more years." I point out.

He chews thoughtfully for a moment then asks, "Would you move here, if it meant he could be happy?"

"If I could build a house out here and keep everything Capitol at least 10 miles away, maybe," I offer. "How about you?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "All the cars and lights and the constant noise, even out here it seems so close. I don't know if I could do it. Does that sound selfish?"

"No…because I was fibbing before, I so couldn't live here," I snort.

Peeta joins my laughter. "I thought it sounded out of character for you," he says raising an eyebrow at me.

This feels normal, I suddenly realize. I haven't felt this way since we first arrived. I close my eyes and try to soak it up.

"You okay?" he queries.

I nod but don't open my eyes, because I know when I do this feeling will have to end. I lean back on my elbows and breathe in the meadow air. Around me, I can hear Peeta picking at his lunch, but he stays silent, allowing me a few more minutes of calm. When I do open my eyes again, I find him staring out at the water. He must sense my gaze because he looks over at me. "Are you done eating?" he asks. I shove the remainder of my sandwich in my mouth and nod. "Want to walk by the river?"

Suddenly my sandwich feels like sawdust in my mouth. It's time to pay the piper. "Sure," I reluctantly agree. He and I quickly pack up the remaining food and then make our way over to the water's edge. We walk for a bit, all the while the tension seems to build.

It's Peeta who is brave enough to start the conversation. "So, what's going on with Gale?" he asks, clearly trying very hard to keep his voice natural.

I groan and shake my head. "Nothing!" I exclaim.

He chuckles mirthlessly. "That picture wasn't nothing," he counters.

I rub a hand over my eyes. "He kissed me," I state.

"Yes, that I know, I do have eyes," he says, almost teasing, but not quite.

"It's a long story," I mutter.

"And we literally have no place to be," he returns.

We stop under a tree and I turn to him, "During lunch, I kinda lost my patience with him and let it slip that things weren't the best for me when I first got home last year," I start.

Peeta goes over to the wide tree trunk and begins picking at the bark. "He asked about why you didn't object to my return back home didn't he?" he asks astutely.

I shrug, but nod in the affirmative. "Anyway, after lunch, we went for a walk and…it got emotional. We talked about Prim," I say choking on her name. I clear my throat. "Then he…he kissed me. I wasn't expecting it," I tell him, leaving out the part where Gale confronted me about my feelings for Peeta and the part when he told me loved me. I think some things are better not disclosed, espcially since they do not change the events in question.

"So Haymitch was right?" he snorts, breaking the tension.

"It physically hurts me to admit it, but yes," I groan.

This causes him to laugh, which in turn makes me smile a little. After a moment he regains his composure. "So…I know you weren't expecting it but did you…" he pauses for a second, clearly lost for words, "Look, I don't know how to ask this, so here it is; did want him to do it again?" he finally asks, his eyes focusing on a leaf he's plucked.

"No," I say without needing to think about it. "And I thought I had made a good case for why he and I wouldn't make a good match before the kissing commenced," I tell him.

He looks up from his inspection, "Oh yeah, what argument is that?"

"We're far too much alike."

"Some would argue that's a pro, not a con," he counters.

I shake my head, "It would end in disaster," I mutter.

He squints at me, "Yeah, but do you care for him?" he asks, his voice soft.

"Of course I do but not in the way you mean," I answer truthfully.

He considers me for a moment, then looks back down at the leaf. "I kissed Tova," he says, his voice just above a whisper. "And not just once."

My breath leaves my body as though I've been punched. I open my mouth to form words, but no sound escapes.

He quickly follows up with, "I did not, however, lie about it…or her. We have never had any kind of romantic connection until the kiss on the porch," he defends, even though I've said nothing.

I just shake my head in disbelief until I finally find my voice, "So…you have a romantic connection now, that's what you're telling me?" I ask, my voice hollow in my own ears.

"We had a date this morning," he answers.

I begin to pace back and forth in front of him. "But didn't you just say you could never move here?" I demand. "How do you think this going to work out? Do you really see someone like her settling into a place like 12?"

He shrugs, "That question has occurred to me but…"

"But what Peeta? You're just going to toy with her while you're here and then just dump her? That isn't who you are!" I shout.

He bristles, "It's not who I am?" he repeats, "Who the hell am I then Katniss? Cuz most days I don't even know," he yells back.

I march up into his personal space and look him dead in the eyes, "You're Peeta Mellark, the kindest and most thoughtful person I've ever known. You are NOT someone who would use a girl just to satisfy some…male urge. You're better than that!" I growl.

"I'm not that same man," he shouts. "My brain is fucked up if you haven't noticed!"

I shake my head, "That is an excuse," I spit.

He drags a hand through his hair. "Why are we even arguing, this isn't any of your business! I have the right to date someone If I want to! You didn't see me flipping out over you smooching it up with your old boyfriend!" he accuses.

The words feel like a slap and my heart feels as if its been ripped my heart in two. My eyes fill with tears. Looking up at his seething face I feel desperation building up in my stomach. I don't know it now, of course, but the next thing that happens will be what keeps me going in the weeks to come.

Going up on my tiptoes I place my lips against his. He freezes at the contact and I pull away, completely confused by my own actions. I'm about to apologize when his lips come crashing down on mine. This isn't like the chaste kisses we share on tour or even like the more demanding ones from the beach, this is, for lack of a better word, desperate. My arms of their own volition, loop around his neck, pulling his mouth closer to mine. Peeta lifts me off my feet and pushes me against the tree, his lips never leaving mine. My hands go into his curls and I realize it feels like the finest spun silk. I run fingertips over the strands as my back arches into his body. He groans, sending his tongue in search of mine and when they touch, I swear I see stars. I feel his hands travel up my body until they come to rest, one on each side of my face. He holds me gently, but its as if I can feel his fear that I might just disappear; little does he know that is the last thing I want. I what I want is to feel more of him. One of my hands slid out his hair and down his chest to the hem of his t-shirt. I greedily pull at the fabric, looking for skin. At the first graze of my fingertips against the hard muscle of his abdomen, I feel him quiver and he bites down gently on my bottom lip. This only encourages me. My other hand soon joins the first and they begin exploring the plains of his abs. I send one hand sliding across his stomach around to his back. Once there I find it's covered in well-defined muscles. How did I ever miss this? my foggy mind wonders, but the thought doesn't stay long because he is moving his lips off mine and using them to trace the outline of my jaw. I toss my head back overwhelmed by the sensation. I feel his one of his hands let go of my face and make its way down my body. He mimics my move, sliding a hand under my shirt. I don't know if it's the touch of his fingertips on my navel or the sound of my name in my ear, but suddenly I realize what we are doing. We're kissing. I'm kissing Peeta. No not just kissing, we're full-blown making out! Overwhelmed doesn't begin to cover the wave of emotions that wash over me. I swallow hard and move my hands to push him away. I give him a shove, but he doesn't go far, he is after all at least twice my size, but it does bring the make-out session to a screeching halt.

I look up at him. He's breathing hard, his pupils are huge and his lips are a bit swollen. All I want to do is throw myself at him again, but instead, I snake out from between him and the tree. I run my hands through my hair. "Peeta," I begin, but trail off.

He turns marches right back into my personal space. "Yes, that did just happen, don't freak out," he says, reaching out with a hand to caress my cheek. I back away. "I…I don't…" I mutter, panic filling me. He approaches me again, this time slowly as if I were an injured animal. "I'm feeling just as confused as you are right now, but we can figure this out…together," he says, his tone soothing. I shake my head, trying to put together a scenario that makes sense to me. I stare at his face; one I know so well. "Peeta, I want to kiss you," I say in astonishment. His lips quirk into a crooked smile, "Yeah, I got that," he says softly. My heart starts to pound. "I want to kiss you?" I ask myself aloud. He doesn't respond, seeing the question isn't meant for him. He just stands there, his hands in fists and his face…his face is…my Peeta! The real one, 100%. My heart thumps loudly and tears fill my eye. I bring a hand to his jaw. "I've missed you," I say, as tears begin rolling down my face. He looks confused but doesn't say anything. Suddenly I wonder what I've done. My deceitful brain then beings to drown me in one question after another. It's crushing and I can't bear it, so I turn and take off in a run.