A/N: Yup, two chapters in a row ;) Also thank you for the wonderful, supportive reviews!
Peeta's POV
I can already tell Katniss feels worried about her family. It's nearly nightfall, and we've stopped to drink beside a creek. I scoop a handfuls of water and slurp some down. My eyes flicker to her next to me.
"Maybe Gale will feel better soon," I try to console her while she zones out, watching a tiny fish swirl around in the water.
"Yeah, hopefully," she shakes her head, bringing herself back to reality.
"Peeta," she suddenly looks at me. "I really hope your family is okay."
I lift my eyebrows in surprise. I wasn't expecting her to be thinking about that. I shrug, rubbing the back of my hand over my forehead.
"Thanks. But... don't worry about them. We don't know for sure if Twelve has been bombed... maybe they're fine," I shrug, comforting not only her, but really myself, for I've been wondering about the same thing for the past two days. Half of the time I terribly regret not asking them to come... but then again, I would have risked Katniss's safety. My mother surely would have ratted us out.
Instead of stopping to rest for the night, Katniss insists on moving forward. I try to persuade her to sleep, but she's strongly determined to continue. I finally give up resisting her plans, for her stubbornness always seems to outdo my own. At last the woods break into a large grassy meadow spreading far and wide. I gaze up at the now visible sky enclosing us. Although it's completely dark, the glowing moon offers decent light.
After three hours of wandering the clearing, I firmly insist that we sleep, but really for Katniss's sake because I know she's ignoring her tiredness.
"Let's go under that tree," I say, pointing to a stout pine tree. She sighs, but agrees. We lay out our sleeping bags.
"I'm taking first watch," I inform her. She presses her lips together, restraining herself from protesting. I laugh.
"Look, if you don't sleep, you'll never have the strength to reach Thirteen for your family," I tell her. She rakes a hand through her messy hair.
"Okay," she lays down on her back, staring up at the sky, hazy with stars. I know she'll be pissed at me, but I decide not to wake her till morning. Around dawn, when the warm colors wash over the clouds, I nudge her.
"Look at the sky," I whisper in her ear. She squints at the sunrise, and the rays of sun highlight flecks of blue and green in her gray eyes. A smile traces her face, but soon melts into an angry scowl.
"Peeta, its morning. You didn't wake me!"
"Well, I wanted you to sleep for once. And you didn't have any nightmares so-"
"It doesn't matter. Part of me taking you with me is so we could work equally as partners and get to Thirteen as soon as possible. Me getting extra sleep doesn't help us because now you are sleep deprived," she explains in frustration, roughly rolling up her sleeping bag.
I don't answer because she's partially right, but I'm plenty caught up on sleep because she's the one who's been taking the most watches in the past. However, I truly regret not waking her when she practically refuses to speak to me all morning.
We trudge quietly down a slight hill towards a large body of water. It seems larger than a lake, perhaps maybe a bay. We reach the shore.
"What is this?" She asks curiously.
"Oh, so you're speaking to me now," I smile. She rolls her eyes.
"Look, it just makes me upset sometimes when you decide to help me," she mutters.
"Why is that?" I ask her genuinely. She bites her lip.
"Because it usually doesn't benefit you. Don't you think I'd rather you get extra sleep, too?"
I fold my arms. "So you feel bad now because I care about you like you care about me?"
Her eyebrows furrow in agitation, and she opens her mouth almost if to say no, but she can't.
"Um, well... You know what, never mind, let's just keep going," She turns abruptly, clamping her hands tightly around her bow. I follow behind her, confused yet strangely sensing something positive in her reaction. We travel across the wet sand, attempting to walk along the edge of the water so our footprints will be wiped away by the waves.
Around the afternoon, we stop to collect some oysters I discovered while rummaging through a tide pool. We sit on some slick rocks, popping the oyster shells open with my knife. On my third one, I nearly swallow down a shiny, silvery pearl. I take the shell away from my lips and remove it. It's small and perfectly round... the color of Katniss's eyes.
"Here," I hold out the pearl. She eyes it with interest. I take her hand and drop it into her palm.
"Thank you," she glances up at me. I can't help but grin.
"You're welcome."
Katniss unzips a small pocket on her hunting jacket and slips the pearl inside with care. I can't keep my eyes off of her for some reason, and she catches me staring.
"Peeta," she shakes her head, her voice tinged with confusion.
"What?"
"Why... why me? Out of all the girls in District Twelve, why would you want me?" Her question is sincere, desperate even. She truly doesn't understand. I sit there aghast for a second before I can regain my thoughts.
"Katniss... you are unlike anyone I've ever known-"
"Peeta," she interrupts, sounding unconvinced.
"No, let me speak. I'm serious. I've always had a crush on you for obvious reasons. I mean, you're incredibly smart, you have great hunting skills, you always look out for your family, and I love it went you sing," I smile, remembering when we were little and her wonderful voice singing proudly in front of the classroom.
"Not to mention you're beautiful-"
"Oh my god-"
"No, you are," I insist. She scoffs.
"Fine, don't believe me," I chuckle.
"But it's even more than that..." I continue. My eyes lock with hers and I know I have her attention.
"Katniss, I can't survive without you. The games made me realize that you're all I'm living for. I knew, I knew when we were in the cave that I was determined for you to live a full life. I was willing to let you go home... because I thought I loved you.
"Sure, I was upset when I found out you were just acting. It took me a good couple weeks to sort out my emotions. And then... after the Victory Tour... I knew my feelings hadn't changed. In fact, they were stronger-"
"Stop," she whispers in pain. Her eyes glint with tears. Is it because of fear? Sorrow? ...Love? I break our gaze, staring down at the pile of oyster shells.
"I'm sorry," I mutter. There's an excruciating silence before she speaks.
"Peeta, I could never be what you want. I'm terrified to love. I'm not ready to-to get married or have children..." she trails, pressing her hands to her forehead.
"Katniss... do you really think that's what I want? I know we can't have an ideal life... especially not right now... Besides, I simply want what you want. I'd never force you into anything... because I love you," I explain, my voice quiet on that last part, because I know that word scares her. Her eyes flicker up at me.
"Well... thank you... Peeta, I-I don't know how I feel. Maybe I do love you, but I have trouble... expressing it I guess..." She stammers. I reach out and touch her arm.
"Hey, it's okay if you're confused," I try to reassure her. She shakes her head.
"I just don't want to hurt you. Really, I don't," she says sincerely. I nod. For a moment, Katniss looks as if she wants to say more, but doesn't. I scrap up the remainder of the shells and dump them in the water, and we leave the sight.
A few miles ahead, we discover a vast wilderness of ruins. At first, I think they're from Thirteen.
"Are we really that close?" I look over Katniss's shoulder hopefully as she intensely studies the map.
"I don't think so. These ruins are just labeled here as "Ancient City," whatever that means," she sighs, tapping a mark on the map. I look around at the mysterious sea of gray crumbling buildings, some a few stories high.
"You want to look around?" I ask Katniss.
"Might as well, it looks as if we have to go through them, anyway," she points out. We follow a concrete sidewalk that seems mostly intact. I eye each building intriguingly, wondering if this city was from before the first rebellion or even before the formation of Panem. My feet crunch on something, and I look down to see half of a chipped red sign, with large lights decorating the edges. To my right, stands some sort of theater.
"Woah," I gently push against the fading red door. Surprisingly, it swings open with ease.
"Peeta, what are you doing?" Katniss calls anxiously. I'm already inside.
"Come here. This place is really interesting," I tell her, admiring two dusty oak staircases in the entryway.
"We don't have time to sight see," Katniss argues, refusing to step inside. After a moment, I turn back to her.
"Yeah, okay..." I say reluctantly, stepping out again. However, out of the corner of my eye, I spy something hovering in the sky near one of the toppling ruins.
"Katniss, get inside," I demand, yanking her arm. I force her inside and shut the door behind us.
"What are you-" vaguely, with both hear the roar of engines. Instinctively, I grab Katniss and we crouch down underneath one of the oak stairs. Shaking uncontrollably, we hold one another tightly. After a few seconds the roaring stops, but neither of us move.
"My family, the Hawthorne's-" Katniss whispers to me, her voice cracking. I press her close to me.
"We don't know-maybe they didn't see them," I breathe into her hair.
Oh God. That was the Capitol. No doubt they're looking for us now.
Katniss's heart beats so incredibly loud I can almost physically feel the pounding. She can't stop trembling.
"Shh, let's go this way," I usher her deeper into the theater. Practically crawling, we slowly slip along each battered isle of seats. I lead Katniss to the rickety stage.
"Let's remain here for a while," I suggest. She can't speak, but forces a nod. I want to comfort her, to reassure her that everything will be alright, but I'm not sure about that. We need to hide here in case those hovercrafts are still searching for us. It will all over if they do something insane and bomb this area.
I take a step up onto the stage. We might be able to hide behind some torn curtains for the day. I try to walk upstage, but my prosthetic foot strangely gets caught in a gap between two boards. Suddenly, I plunge downward.
"Peeta!" Katniss screams my name before I slam into the ground.
...Strange lights pulse around me... they come in and out of focus. A dark figure huddles over me... I hear her voice, thick with sadness... I want to engulf her in my arms...
"K-Katniss..." I croak out, my lips barely able to move.
"Peeta," she sobs. A gentle hand caresses my cheek.
"You'll be okay... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."