Katniss couldn't resist the cinnamon...hehe...and Corky well he ushered her into the room. YaY Corky...lol. I hope you are loving the Everlark. We have some more coming up.

A/N: This is the last chapter until next week. I hope you have enjoyed all of the Corky shenanigans, p.s. I do not own the Hunger Games

Katniss awoke slowly and stretched in his bed. She breathed in deeply as she smelled the sheets. His scent of dill, bread, and a hint of cinnamon wafted around her. A smile penetrated her face as she smelled him. Mornings like these were becoming addicting. She opened her eyes and searched the familiar, but empty room.

Whenever she got the chance to spend the night with Peeta she did this. His bed was the only place she slept like a baby. No nightmares. No worrying about Prim or her Mother. It was wonderful; his company was an added bonus. Her grey eyes searched the window.

It was still dark outside. She estimated she had at least two hours of darkness before the sun rose in the sky. She knew his family would not be up today so early on a Sunday. This was normally their day off, except for Peeta. His mother always was unfair with him and there were times she wanted to walk up to that woman and smack her in the face.

Sitting up, she pushed her hair away from her face. She normally did not leave it loose, but whenever she stayed here with him she unbraided it. Her lips twitched upwards as she thought of the way he made her laugh last night. So much so that he had to quiet her down. Her grey eyes took in the darkened, warm interior.

There, on his desk was a note.

Getting up, she scratched her head. Normally Peeta snuck her into the bathroom so that she could use it. Taking it, she read.

"Had to get up early to clean the ovens,

my dad asked me to do it last night.

Rye came in late last night and my parents are

still asleep if you want to use the bathroom."

She smiled at his considerate note. She slipped her pants on before using her hunter's skills to slink upstairs to the bathroom. What she did not notice was Rye was opening his door at the same time and caught her sneaking in. Nor did she catch his sly but proud grin at seeing her. Rye rubbed his face, his blond stubble scratching his palms.

Peeta had a right to privacy and whatever Peeta and Katniss were doing, Rye did not want to interrupt, although he was wildly curious. He had many questions about his little brother and District Twelve's most notorious poacher.

"Morning son, what are you doing up this early?"

Rye jumped at seeing his dad, standing there with his blond cowlick sticking straight up. His eyes flew between the bathroom door and his father. Like a good Mellark, he had the ability to lie effectively when necessary. "Ah, just waiting for the bonehead to finish using the bathroom."

"Okay, I'll wait until you're done," Eugene turned around, opening the door to his room. "Rye, remind the bonehead not to forget he needs to clean the ovens."

"Sure thing, dad." Rye scratched his face, trying to act like everything was normal. As soon as his dad went back to his room, Rye breathed easier. His brother or Katniss would never know how he protected their secret. He saw that she was opening the bathroom door. Normally with his other brother would've tortured the girl doing the walk of shame. But this was different. Katniss was not just any random hook up.

He wanted to protect her. Wisely, he dove into his room and quickly closed his door.

The hallway became quiet once more.

Katniss innocently looked down the hallway at the closed bedroom doors thinking everyone was still asleep. Stealthily she snuck out of the bathroom and crept back into Peeta's room. She quickly changed and fixed his bed. She took the clothing he lent her and put it in the bottom drawer. Giving the room a final sweep, she gathered her things made her way out through the window.

Katniss began to climb down the trunk of the tree. She kept an eye out for the squirrel. Last week she came to see Peeta several times and each time that fur ball was waiting for her. She wanted to kill the little creature but Peeta grew to like it. He often joked the squirrel was his best friend.

Her lips twitched as her thoughts turned to Peeta.

Anytime she was with him he got her to open up at the most random subjects. Somehow they got to speaking about her sister Primrose birthday that was coming up in a few months. Peeta wanted to make her a cake as a gift, but Katniss would not hear of it. She wanted to pay him in kind. So she agreed to bring him materials with which he could paint. Peeta had always wanted to paint, but brushes and paints were expensive. Katniss knew she could make some.

She could collect the items: fruits, leafy dark greens, and some hearty fall flowers and set to dry them. All that was needed was to pound them and grind them with her mother's mortar and pestle and mix their dust into some lard to make a paste that he could dilute with water. She still had to come up with a way to make brushes for him.

Last night she told him of her idea. Peeta was delighted with what she planned; he couldn't wait. Last night they discussed how he would decorate her sister's cake. Somehow time slipped by and she ended up staying with him. It was becoming harder to do, because it was a pain in the neck to have to wake up early and cross the district with the ever-present Peacekeepers.

She thought he needed an easel, maybe she could make it for him in shop class at school. Katniss was crafty with her hands. She thought about presenting him with a few colors now and then she could give him the rest for his birthday.

Katniss really wanted to do something nice for him. Peeta got up before everyone else to make sure she got out of the house before everyone woke up, but partially because his mother had been harping on him lately.

The shock of the Peacekeepers coming to their home had faded away and the woman returned to her antagonizing ways. Katniss wanted to say something to the witch, but Peeta asked her to be patient. Normally Katniss did not like disagreements, she avoided complications. She liked to be able to resolve differences, but for him and him only, did she refrain from confronting the woman.

Jumping down on the ground she looked up at the branches that moved.

"I'm going to catch you one day and eat you," Katniss muttered to herself as she caught a glimpse of the little terror. Most of the leaves were either on the ground around the base of the tree. Last night it wouldn't let her climb up the tree. It was launching twigs at her from the branch. The only way it would calm down was when Peeta gave it a piece of hard bread.

"My friend giving you problems?"

Startled, Katniss jumped back, and collided into Peeta's chest. She was so distracted she did not hear Peeta walking behind her. He was not a quiet walker. Furious that he managed to sneak up on her she turned to face him.

"Shouldn't you be inside?"

"I was, but I saw a violent intruder standing outside, threatening my furry friend." His eyes sparkled and his lips twitched upwards. "I had to defend the little guy."

Katniss wanted to laugh but couldn't because of his charming, flirtatious nature. "That evil little monster needs to see the end of my arrow."

"Stop being a bully, besides Corky isn't bad."

Katniss crossed her arms across her chest, "Wait you named him?" She shook her head, "And how do you even know it's a he?"

"Believe me, I know. Corky is a guy."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "He'd be better in a stew."

"You invade his home every time you visit me," Peeta chided.

She would have been mad at anyone else, but there was something so good and charming about Peeta that her defenses came down and she actually began to joke around with him as well.

Peeta shrugged. "He's a good listener."

Katniss couldn't help but laugh at Peeta's straight face. Sarcastically, she snorted, "I bet he is."

Peeta leaned toward her, whispering in conspirator's voice, "We've been talking, you know. He thinks you're cute for a bully."

From above, the squirrel in question turned his head to the side as if listening to the conversation. Katniss didn't know what to think about Peeta's declaration. She didn't know what to say about her being cute. She was a law-breaking hunter, after all.

Peeta shouted up, "Run away little guy. She's just cranky today."

Katniss jokingly punched him in the arm. "I'm not cranky today!"

"Ow!" He exclaimed and teetered back and forth as if she hit him hard. He rubbed his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at her. Katniss actually giggled. "You are cranky and a bully. Corky was right!"

They both laughed. Katniss pressed her back up against the bark of the tree and Peeta leaned over her. She noted the way the light hit his lashes, and the way they looked golden in the bright morning light. Her eyes shifted to the wavy hair that fell over his forehead and she wondered if Peeta got this close with his other friends. She knew she never got this close with Gale. She wondered why this was, why she never wanted to know Gale's favorite color. Why their conversations were only about the unfair way they lived. Katniss tucked these thoughts away as she gazed up into Peeta's face.

Peeta grinned as he leaned forward to gaze into her eyes. His blue eyes sparkled and filled with affectionate tenderness. "Did you sleep well?"

Katniss felt shy suddenly at his intense gaze then nodded her head yes. She always slept better with him than at home with her sister.

"Good, I'm sorry I didn't wake you. You just looked so peaceful."

"It's okay," she breathed in the cold air to keep her cheeks from turning pink. Somehow, whenever she was with Peeta time seemed to fly by. It was sweet that he always slept on the floor, never wanting to take advantage of the situation. She wondered how many fifteen-year-old boys would act in such a way. Because of this she was starting to trust him.

He tugged gently on her braid, and she couldn't help but smile.

He held out a bag to her. "Hey, here are some glass bottles that we're not using. Actually, my mom was going to throw them out but I thought you can use them to put dry ingredients in."

"Thanks, Peeta." Katniss took the bag of bottles and put them in her father's hunting bag. "I'm sure my mom will appreciate this. Do you want anything for these?"

"Nah, just wanted to thank you for the purple paint. I'll be able to do a lot with it."

Katniss blushed because of his sincerity. "I've got to go, but I'll see you later."

"K," Peeta said and waved as she left.

She turned around briefly to watch him go back inside. It was still chilly and she was glad she had the foresight to bring her father's jacket with her.

There was a smile on her face as she made her way into the meadow. She took the road that had more wild brush so that she could disguise herself. Even though it was still early, she had to be careful now because it was bright outside, she no longer had the cover of darkness to hide her, she did not want to get caught by the Peacekeepers, but she also could not help the way her face grinned. Only Prim and Gale knew what she looked like with a smile on her face, but it was only reserved for special occasions or for when she was in the woods. Lately though, being the woods did not make her happy.

Part of the reason was Gale.

He was acting different these days: harder, angrier. She did not know what to do about him. She didn't know how to approach the subject with him.

The nearly silent static click of the radio had her running for cover.

She could hear them before she saw them: two men in their stark white uniforms walking through the meadow. Their communicators went off in the silence of the early hours. She watched the men as she moved silently through the high grass.

"Patrol C, report in."

The Peacekeeper answered back, "Patrol C reporting in."

"Is the area secure?"

"Roger that, area secure."

"Copy that, come back to base."

"Roger, Patrol C returning back to base."

She wondered what Gale would do versus Peeta.

Both would hide, but while Gale would burn with fury, Peeta would keep his tongue in check so that they wouldn't be caught.

Peeta was not like Gale, and for that, she was glad as she slunk against a tree. As the two Peacekeepers passed by, she closed her eyes. She waited until they were gone before she continued on her way back home. As she walked through the meadow, she was glad for the high grass. She ducked her head and made her way through the yellowing grass instead of on the path made by the Capitol's forces. She was very much in her element as she jogged into the path that she would need to make the jump over into The Seam.

She cautiously made her way home. Once inside, she breathed easily, thankful she had made it home safely. Yawning, she put her father's game bag on the table. She removed the glass containers and left them on the table. Her mother would know what to fill them with, and if not, Katniss wanted to fill one up with jerky she was making.

Finished, she scratched her head and headed up to the bedroom. She crept into to her bed, and was not surprised neither her mother nor sister was home. They left last night, before she had snuck out and had yet to return. The birth had to be a difficult one to have her mother sister out all Saturday night.

Since it was Sunday and she was not due to hunt with Gale today she decided to go to bed. Gale was going to make repairs to his house for the upcoming winter. He had to fix the leaky roof, seal up the windows, and fix the door Rory removed one of the hinges from on a dare.

Gale was at his wit's end with Rory and his shenanigans. He often wished Rory was more like Vick. Katniss yawned as she smiled softly. Despite all of the chaos happening, she felt oddly alright. As she disrobed and slipped into her bed she closed her eyes, but she could not sleep. She turned around in her bed and punched her pillow. It wasn't the same. It was not her pillow, nor her mattress, nor her sheets. It was the smell, she missed his smell. She frowned as an acute feeling of lonesomeness beat in her chest. She rolled her eyes at her ridiculous up, she decided she couldn't go to sleep.

"Might as well get up," Katniss uttered to herself.

As she got ready she stretched languidly. She could still smell him on her skin. It was intoxicating. The smell of bread, of food, was something of a luxury. She quietly redressed and walked out of her home and speedily made her way to the woods. When she came to the rock where she and Gale often sat, she gave herself a moment where she could be alone with her thoughts.

It was the way Gale found her. He looked at her for a long time and once more was reminded of just how pretty she was. He stuck his hands in his pockets, taking his time to study at her.

He wanted to say something. He wanted to reach out and tell her she was pretty, but something blocked him. Gale did not know what it was that did not allow him to walk over to her and tell her that he noticed her. He thought he wanted to be more than just friends or hunting buddies, but the idea just didn't sit well with him.

Was Darius right, he wondered, was she thinking of someone else? Fact is, he had been observing her, and even though on the surface she seemed the same girl, Katniss was different. She often drifted off into space as if in deep thought. Plus, she smiled when no one was looking. It was strange, her behavior, but it went hand in hand with what was happening in the district.

It left him uneasy. His world was changing and he was changing with it.

He reconciled that with the changes he was seeing in the district. The heavy amount of uniformed officers caused him to wonder what was going on. He supposed he couldn't blame Katniss for acting the way she was. People were doing things that surprised him, like Delly working at the Hob. He had been watching her from afar. He noted that she stayed after school all of the time to get homework for her brother.

There were rumors her brother was an invalid and that's why she worked hard, because she had to pay for the medical bills. He found it admirable that she would do it. He noted that no matter where she went, Delly was always smiling. Her joy and smiles often made him want to smile as well. He couldn't understand why just after seeing her his entire day seemed better.

Gale rubbed his face as he focused on Katniss once more. He wished he had someone to talk to. There were times he wished for someone to share his day with, to tell them of his worries or even to get their opinion. In his heart of hearts, Gale wanted a family of his own: he wanted kids, and a good wife. He wanted to hear them running in the house, wanted to curse them under his breath when he was fixing something they broke. He wanted to say that's my boy or that's my girl.

It's what he wanted despite the reaping and the Games. But he couldn't have all of that if he didn't find someone to share it with, someone who wanted that life. Gale wasn't sure if Katniss wanted any of that. They never had that conversation. All they talked about was hunting, trapping, how unfair the system was, and how to survive. He was confused when it came to Katniss.

She was his hunting buddy, although they were friends, but, he never shared personal things with her.

Yet Darius's words were mocking him.

Frustrated, Gale ran his hand through his hair as he watched her sitting on that rock, then quietly stalked away. He promised himself he was going to talk to her. He needed time to process what he wanted to say. So instead of approaching her, he slipped into the woods to check on his lines.

Katniss had no idea Gale was in the forest as she sat on the rock. The tepid fall sun warmed her skin. Soon enough she would not have this. It was scary to think that Madge and Peeta's homes were both searched. She wondered when they would make a move against the folks in the Seam. It could happen. Many spoke about the things their parents told them. They recalled the way things had been and the cruelty they suffered. Katniss understood the Capitol did not relent.

She sighed heavily and once more thought about Peeta and the things that were going on between them. Things were happening inside of her and she was confused as to what it all meant.

This obsession with Peeta Mellark began because of a loaf of bread.

But it continued well past that. The more she knew about him the more she wanted to be with him, but she had no time for things like this. She needed to concentrate on getting ready for the winter. She looked up at the sky and saw the birds heading south. That was a sign it that snow was on its way.

She got up off the rock and decided to go hunting. She needed to start making catches and drying meat for her family. She waded into the forest.

After hunting, she was surprised when she found Gale in the woods. "I thought you were fixing the door and getting the house ready for the winter."

"The door was an easy fix, and as a punishment, I have Rory sealing up the windows; Vick is supervising. Once I get back from the Hob, we're going to tackle the roof."

Conversationally she asked, "How were the lines?"

"They were pretty good, got a few rabbits. Did you make any good catches?"

"A few rabbits and I shot a lot of birds, some squirrels, plus a wild dog that cornered me in a tree, for Greasy Sae." Katniss was proud of her catches.

Gale whistled, admiring her full game bag. "Nice haul. Berries for Madge?"

"Yup, you want to sell them to her?" Katniss suggested.

Gale grimaced as if he was offered some horrendous medicine. "No thanks."

"What's wrong with Madge?"

"Uh, she's she's so fru-fru, always wearing those fancy dresses with lace and stuff. "

"So," Katniss said. They had this argument before, but Katniss was going to defend her friend.

"So!" Gale stopped walking altogether. He looked at her as if he had not seen her before. "Katniss, she lives in the biggest house in the district."

"No, Haymitch Abernathy lives in the largest house in the district."

Gale shook his head. "Yeah, but he had to become a Victor to do that. What has Madge had to suffer in order to have her comfy life? Ask yourself?"

"Gale, you don't know what Madge goes through. I wouldn't make assumptions about other people's lives."

He frowned heavily. "Are you sympathizing with the Capitol Now?"

"Gale, I'm just saying we only see one side of the coin. The side that the Capitol wants us to see." Katniss thought of the way Peeta and Madge had to endure their belongings being inspected by the president's goons. The way Madge had to deal with her addicted mother and absent father. Or how Peeta had to silently endure being torn down by his mother's verbal and, at times, physical attacks.

Neither one deserved that life.

No, she told herself, Gale did not know what was going on.

"Which side is that Catnip? The side where they reap the benefits because of their spoon-fed status."

"Gale," Katniss muttered.

"Seriously Katniss the Capitol doesn't care about us. To them, we're just a quota, a number of trolley's that have to be filled in order to be paid. If we die in the mines, if we freeze or starve to death it doesn't matter because there will be another kid from the Seam willing to work. Look at what happened to our dads Katniss. They didn't even find yours; he's buried down there," Gale sputtered, kicking a rock. "My mom didn't even get two months worth of severance pay. It's why she had to start doing laundry.

"I wish Snow was dead. I wish this was not the way things were. I hate this place. I hate feeling so frigging helpless. If I could I'd kill that son of …" Gale picked up a rock and threw it at a tree. A flock of Mockingjays shot in the air chirping and screeching, scaring wild turkeys that were resting nearby.

Katniss immediately notched her bow and shot several birds that took off running.

"Damn, how do you do that?" Gale walked over to the dead turkeys. The birds were fat and plump.

"I'm the better shot," Katniss said.

"Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in."

She relented, feeling bad about him only snagging a few rabbits. His brothers could use the meat. "Take those birds, home okay; the next thing you snare is mine."

Gale gladly took the game. "Thanks."

Katniss moved forward. "I'm pretty much done and I'm on my way to the hob, want to tag along?"

"Sure."

After putting their weapons away, they left the safety of the woods and went out into the meadow. "What do you think, are we getting snow soon?"

Gale sniffed the air, and peered toward the mountains. "It still feels to warm, maybe in a few weeks."

Katniss nodded and they walked a bit further. She wanted to speak to Gale with the same easiness she did with Peeta. "So have you been stocking up?"

Gale shrugged.

"Gale, have you been putting things away for the winter?"

"Yeah, I have been." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But it's hard, Rory and Vick are constantly hungry and mom is giving them food. I'm counting on the fact that we can hunt when the weather isn't that bad."

"I'd just get more stuff and tell the boys to slow down. If it's bad now, it's going to get worse later on. You've been saying this is going to be a bad winter."

"Look, you don't have as many mouths to feed as I do."

Katniss bit her lip. He sounded like he was going to get angry.

"We'll survive, and if anything I can get Tessera."

She breathed easier. It looked like he was letting it go. "I don't want Prim to do that. As it is her nightmares are getting worse."

"She is still not doing better," Gale frowned.

Katniss paused to look at Gale. She considered each word carefully. "I mean she won't be twelve until May, but I know she's afraid of getting picked."

"Well tell her to get over it. The odds are in her favor; she'll only have one ticket. Plus, you don't have to worry about Tessera because you guys don't need as much food as my family does. You want me to talk to her? I'll tell her to stop being overdramatic."

Katniss looked to Gale and ducked her head. Anger poured through her body. How dare Gale quantify her concerns as nothing, she thought to herself. She wanted to tell him to shut up. Her sister had every right to feel afraid and apprehensive over the reaping. It was a terrifying experience and even if Prim only had one slip, 12-year-olds got reaped all of the time. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from yelling at Gale.

"Seriously Katniss, she's overreacting. She'll probably go through all of the reapings and not get picked, get married, and pop out a few kids. It will be the same with her kids and grandkids and all of this worrying will be for nothing," Gale said, hitching his pack over his shoulders.

Katniss shuddered.

"It'll be the same with me. My kids will have to go through that. It's part of the unfairness we have to deal with!"

"I'm never having kids," Katniss said quietly.

Gale stopped for a moment, but Katniss kept moving. "Why not?"

"I'm never getting married." Katniss made sure her voice didn't convey all of the emotions she was feeling.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to," she stopped, turned around and spoke vehemently. "I can not and will not subject any child of mine to a reaping, the constant hunger, the censorship, and poor living conditions. Look around you, Gale! We hunt in the forest for food because we can't afford to buy it. We have a president that we didn't elect into office. Not to mention an insane amount of Peacekeepers that don't keep the peace, only inflict pain and suffering. I don't want children!"

Gale said nothing, but Katniss saw it on his face that he didn't like it. She turned around and began walking. They cleared the meadow and were on the wooded road that led to the town when Gale said, "If you had the chance to leave the district, would you do it? Would you pick up and run away?"

"I can't picture Prim in the woods."

"But we can make it though, with Prim," Gale insisted.

But as they walked, Katniss heard the distinctive crackle of the Peacekeeper's radio.