Thank you for all the reviews! It's nice knowing what you thought of this chapter. I decided not to leave you hanging too long. Here it is: the long-awaited Merrick and Katniss reunion. Enjoy!

Chapter 35

As I look into Merrick's eyes, a flood of emotion fills me. I am relieved to see him safe, angered about the path he has chosen, regretful for not waiting for him, and saddened to think about what the future holds for us. My eyes blur over and it isn't long before he takes me in his arms. My tears fall as painful cries escape from me. He doesn't say a word; he doesn't need to. His embrace is enough to bring comfort to me, providing me with a security that no one has ever made me feel before.

"Don't cry Katniss." he coos to me, pulling away to dry my tears. I lean my head back against the tree behind me and close my eyes, forcing myself to regain my composure. It isn't too long after that his lips find their way to mine. I allow myself a few seconds of pleasure before I pull myself away from him, forgetting that I'm not his. I belong to someone else.

"Merrick I can't." I gasp.

"Because of what I am?"

"No.

"Then why?"

"You told me to move on so that's what I did."

"Who?"

"You know who it is." I say but he doesn't acknowledge my words. "Gale."

"Oh, yeah, of course." he replies, trying his best to hide his emotions. I can see the grief reflected in his eyes. He's hurting. I'm not sure what to do next.

"Merrick, I should go." I say, slipping past him.

"Not yet." he says, turning and taking my hand. "Can we just talk?" I suppose I owe him that much…he did come all this way. I lead him to our tree and sit at its base. He joins me, the side of his body touching mine.

"So when did it happen?" he asks.

"After the Victory Tour. I spent the whole night waiting for you in District 2."

"I had basic training."

"I thought you had forgotten about me." I reluctantly confess.

"Never." he whispers, taking my hand.

"I was so upset with you."

"So that's why you chose to be with him."

"No, I decided to give him a chance."

"I thought I had time." he says with frustration.

"It's been 6 months, Merrick. You told me not to wait."

"I got here as soon as I could. They didn't even want to give me this assignment because of my father. I begged them." he grumbles resting his head in his hands.

"It's not like I planned for this to happen. I never thought Gale and I…"

"Do you love him?" he asks. I nod my head.

"I never should have come back. I'm sorry." he says before standing up to leave.

"Merrick, wait!" I call for him. He ignores me, walking past his helmet and gun to who knows where. I continue to follow in the direction he moved until I find him, leaning against a tree, sobbing into his arm. My heart breaks seeing him in so much pain. "Merrick." I whisper rubbing his back with my hand in small circles.

"It was stupid of me to think we would just fall back into our old patterns." he comments, turning his head to face me.

"No it wasn't." I tell him as I use my sleeve to wipe his tears away.

"You're the only reason I became a Peacekeeper. It's the only path that could have led me back to you."

"What do they make you do?"

"Mostly guard things and do nothing."

"Like you did today." I reply, my voice dripping with judgment.

"What else was I supposed to do Katniss?"

"Help them. You said you wanted to help people. They needed help today Merrick."

"They'll be ok Katniss. They'll pay a fine and be on their way."

"And be left with nothing." I finish. Our conversation is interrupted by a booming noise that repeats several times.

"What was that?" I demand, thinking he knows something about it.

"That was the Hob."

"What do you mean?"

"That was part of the plan…cease the illegal activities in District 12, starting with District 12's black market. Burn it to the ground."

I can see the rise of black smoke rise into the sky and I instinctively start running to see it firsthand.

"Katniss, don't. It's not safe." he says, stopping me. "The coal dust." he mentions, probably remembering that from what I've told him about it. It's embedded in the wood floors from its previous use.

"Whose idea was this?" I ask.

"My father's." he replies.

"Of course." I sneer. "Should have known…"

"I'm not my father." he murmurs to me. "And I haven't changed. I'm the same old Merrick." he says brushing some hair that has fallen onto my face.

"I have to go. I'm sure my family is worried about me." I comment.

"Let me walk you home."

"No." I blurt out causing more hurt feelings. "But maybe you could stop by sometime. Prim would like to see you."

"Ok." he says with a flicker of hope.

"Bye Merrick." I say before taking off. I avoid anywhere that I might be seen, and stick close to the fence until I reach Victor's Village. I run until I'm safely inside.

"I'm home." I call out while removing my outerwear. A body collides with mine, one that is too big to be either of my family members. It could only be one other person.

"I came here as soon as I heard what happened." he murmurs to me. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly. "You went there, didn't you?"

"Yes I did."

"I was so worried." he says with labored breaths.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you're safe." he says before kissing my lips. While he kisses me, I feel a little clouded, not really enjoying this kiss as I had with his previous kisses. I can't help but think of Merrick's return and how he saved me once again. We are interrupted by Prim clearing her throat and part immediately. We both look over to her, Gale still holding me in his arms.

"Dinner is ready." she says in a low voice looking slightly embarrassed witnessing our affection. We follow her into the kitchen where my mother is placing the last plate of food on the table. I sit next to Gale and concentrate on my plate to avoid conversation. I'm not really in the mood for talking right now…or eating. I shift the food around my plate as I think about my encounter today. The guilt sinks in when I realized what Merrick had done for me. He took the one job he had refused all his life to be with me. I know he's not really a Peacekeeper, not in his heart. He'd never whip someone to an inch or their life or arrest someone for trying to provide for their family.

"What do you think Katniss?" Gale asks, breaking my thoughts. I have no idea what has been said up to this point.

"What do I think about what?" I ask.

"Why do you think they chose now to burn down the Hob? Thread's been here long enough to know what goes on there." he comments.

"They brought in more Peacekeepers. There had to have been at least 50 at the Hob." I answer, not really sure if that answers the question.

"Why would they do that?"

"To keep the peace." I sigh.

"Yeah, by scaring us straight. Very effective." he says, his voice full of sarcasm.

"Arrested everyone they could get their hands on."

"Who did they get?" my mother asks with concern. I list everyone they are familiar with. Prim starts weeping when she hears the news about Sae.

"What will happen to them?" Prim asks.

"I don't know. We'll have to wait and see." I lie to her. Admitting what Merrick told me would show that I had talked to someone on the inside.

"At least they haven't taken them to the stalks." my mother says.

"Not enough room." I add. For the rest of dinner, I drift in and out of conversation as I try to reconcile how I feel about Merrick and his new occupation.

When dinner is over we retire to the living room. Prim works on a pillow she's embroidering and my mother prepares her medical box for tomorrow. I sit in Gale's lap not doing much of anything.

"Everything ok?" he asks, nuzzling his face close to mine.

"Just a lot to think about."

"The Hob?"

"And other things."

"What kinds of things?" he whispers. I figure there's no hiding it. It will come out eventually. I remove myself from him and take his hand, leading him to the front hall where we sit on the stairs. I can only hope it's a safe distance from the rest of my family.

"Merrick's back." I reveal. The shock is clearly written on his face.

"How did he manage it this time?" he huff in disbelief. I look down, not wanting to answer. He's waiting though.

"He's a Peacekeeper now." I divulge with tears in my eyes.

"Why does he keep coming back?" he mutters, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. It's a different reaction than I expected. I thought for sure he'd rub it in my face, telling me 'I told you so'. "How did he even get District 12?"

"He is very good at getting what he wants."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Gale says, looking down at the stairs.

"I'm not going anywhere." I reassure him, taking my hand in his.

"Don't say it if you don't mean it." he says teary-eyed.

"I don't say thing that I don't mean." I tell him, kneeling in front of him.

"It's taken me three years to even have a chance with you. I'm not ready to let you go." he whispers.

"I know." I reply, kissing his lips. He pulls me into his lap and furthers the kiss, acting like this could be our last. I break apart from him.

"You have nothing to worry about. I'm yours." I tell him running my fingers through his hair.

"For how long?" he asks. I'm silent, not really knowing how to finish that. He slides me off of him, resting me on the stair next to him. "I should go."

"No, Gale, you don't have to." I say, following him to the door.

"It's been a long day. We both have a lot to think about." He gives my forehead a kiss and then exits.

I go upstairs to my room and prepare myself for bed, feeling that I won't be getting much sleep tonight between my conversations with Gale and Merrick today. At least I can try to get a little head start. I darken the room and slip under the covers, hoping for a quick reprieve.

As I lay in bed, I hear the sound of a few pebbles tapping against my window. When I get out of bed to look, I see no one. Just as I am getting back into my bed, I hear a low knock on the door. I put on my robe and slippers before descending the stairs. I check the front door first but no one is there. I then try the back door and find Merrick standing there in the cold.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper, bringing him inside.

"I just got done booking everyone from the Hob so they wouldn't have to spend the night in jail." he says, with tired eyes.

"And what about the fines?"

"I helped those that couldn't pay." he admits to me, showing me the kindness that I've always known him to have.

"Thank you." I whisper, wrapping my arms around his torso. He arms immediately envelope me, holding me close.

"You were right, Katniss. I always wanted to help people. Maybe I still can…even now." His hand moves up to the back of my head, cradling me close to his chest. My defenses slowly melt away and old feels dangerously rapture my heart.

"I love you Katniss. I know you can't say it back but I just needed to say that." he murmurs sweetly. In my heart, I want to tell him I love him too but my mouth cannot form the words. The silence is killing me and it must be the same for him because he follows up with another question. "Is there any part of you that feels the slightest feelings towards me?"

"Those feels don't go away that easily. Not after everything we've been through." I say as I continue to keep him close. My heart is starting to triumph over my head which tells me to keep these thoughts in private. "What are we going to do, Merrick?" I softly ask him.

"I don't know." he mutters, slowly breaking away from me. "I need to get back now. I'll try to stop by sometime this week to see Prim." he adds before gathering his things. He lets himself out and I am left standing in the hall, utterly confused about what the future holds for me.

Looks like Katniss has a lot to figure out. Let me know what you thought about this chapter. This was definitely a tricky chapter to write.