Hey readers. I am so sorry this chapter took a while. I'm sorry for my lack of updating in general. The cooling fan in my laptop died on me. So my computer over heated and shut down and refused to turn on. Which was a good decision on its part. But it left me computerless while it was getting repaired.


I'm back in the woods beyond District Twelve's fence. The familiar sounds of animals scurrying about fill my ears and I drink in the sight of the lush green, natural forest. I recognized the distinctive gaits of squirrels and rabbits. Birds chirped loudly overhead. In the distance I could even hear the musical voice of a mockingjay.

I wanted to take off my boots, curl my toes into the soft green grass, and twirl until I couldn't see straight. I had done it. Me. A Seam girl from District Twelve had won the Hunger Games. I made it back home to Prim; just like I promised her.

There was no longer any need for me to hunt. As a Victor, I'm set for life. A house large enough to fit me, Prim, and my mother with room to spare. One that won't get cold in the winter, forcing sweet Prim out of her bed and into mine so she doesn't freeze at night. There's more food than we can eat, even when we're actually getting three square meals a day.

And the money. Now that I have everything I've ever needed and all the things I desperately tried to provide for Prim, what was I supposed to spend it on?

Perhaps I could use it to help the Hawthornes. They were practically family. If not for Gale, I would have never managed to feed my family.

When dad passed away in the mining accident, the same one as Gale's father, I was only a fledgling hunter. I could string and shoot the bow, but my aim was a far cry from what it was today. Gale showed me how to make snares and how to move silently. It was more about making your footsteps match the sounds the forest was making and not about moving without making any noise whatsoever. In return, I shared my father's knowledge of edible plants.

With all the fanfare about District Twelve having two Victors, the district has been closely monitored. Although, the increased camera coverage and security was probably a result of me pissing Snow off. And with Gale working six days out of the week in the mine . . . well, Gales's situation wasn't a pretty picture. His siblings, Rory, Vick, and Posy, must be starving. The least I could do was hunt for him, since he was too prideful to simply accept food or money from me.

Unconscious and unbidden, I find myself standing at the edge of the lake where my father taught me to swim.

I crouch; dipping a hand into the crystal clear water, searching for the plant in knew was there. The leaves above the water's surface were arrowhead shaped, something I appreciated now that I was a hunter. The katniss plant suited me very well. Soon, the stems would be long enough for the white flowers to bloom.

My fingers wrap around the base and I yank, pulling the roots free from the sediment. I clean the dirt off before eating it. They weren't particularly tasty, but like my father had said, as long as I could find myself, I would never starve.

A loud splash echoed in the clearing. My head jerked up so fast I heard the vertebrae in my neck crack. For a minute, all I could do was stare in disbelief at the scene in front of me. Then in horror when blinking didn't make it go away.

"This can't be real," I mutter. "It can't be."

Peeta was being dragged through the water by one of the Game's Mutts. The beast tore its teeth from the baker's legs, eliciting a painful scream, and turned its snarling jaw dripping blood at me.

It was a monstrous animal. Easily chest high on four legs. Its blonder fur was matted and brown in places. Dried blood, I realized. Peeta was not the creature's first victim.

Malice shone in its blue eyes. It raised its head, sniffing the air. Without looking way, I reached a hand behind me, feeling for the bow I had set down. The Mutt turned away from me in favor of trying to tear Peeta's leg off.

"Peeta, no!"

The arrow sliced through the air, embedding itself deep in the side of the beast's flank. The second arrow, which had been nocked as soon as I released the first, quickly followed, finding home in the thing's left eye.

I scrambled to my feet, barely managing to get the large longbow over my shoulder in my haste to reach Peeta. I knelt beside him, gently brushing wet curls away from his face. "You're going to be just fine, Peeta. I'll get us back to Victor's Village and my mother will fix this."

Peeta raised a shaking hand to the side of my face. He wiped up tears I didn't know I was crying.

"Please don't cry, love. Smile for me. You don't know how beautiful you are when you smile."

I managed a weak smile for him. "There. See?" I cast about frantically, looking for something to wrap his mangled leg in. Inadvertently, my eyes landed on the monster.

"Cato?" I breathed. There was no doubting it. The Mutt had Cato's eyes. My heart was beating uncontrollably. Cato wasn't one of the Mutt's he had been killed by them. Torn apart until I put an arrow in him. How had this happened? And how did he get to District Twelve?

Peeta moaned, snapping me out of my thoughts. I didn't have time to question why Mutt Cato was at the lake. I had to get Peeta medical attention.

With no small amount of effort, I heaved Peeta's heavy frame upright. With his arm held around my shoulder and me taking all the weight off his left side, we managed to get out of the water.

I was completely surprised when Peeta shoved me away from him. I went sprawling, slamming my head against the hard ground with enough force to see stars. A dark brown blur shot between us, knocking him over. Another Mutt was crouched over Peeta, who looked unconscious. I didn't hesitate to launch another arrow.

The second Mutt leapt away from Peeta, whirling to face me since I was the bigger threat. And my arrow, intended for the foul monster, pierced Peeta's chest.

Before I could feel horrified for what I had done, the Mutt threw itself at me, jaws aimed to tear out my throat.

I struggled fruitlessly. While not as huge as the Cato Mutt, this one was still stronger than me. I craned my neck away, ignoring how the thing was slobbering all over me. I needed to kill it. Peeta would die without me.

With one mighty shove, the Mutt was removed. I rolled to the side, avoiding its lunge, and come up on hands and knees with a rock in hand, which I hurled. The stone hit its target; the Mutt's nose, causing it to yelp and recoil in pain and shock.

I dug a hand into the inside pocket of my hunting jacket, retrieving the knife I kept there. Although I couldn't remember when I started that habit.

The beast came at me again. This time, I twisted sideways. The blade flinted in the sun as it flashed down, thrust with as much force as I could muster into the Mutt's neck. The carcass hit the ground with an impossibly loud thud. T took one look, expecting to see the face of Clove, Cat's district partner, and regretted it.

It was not her face I saw. It was Gale's.

I sank to my knees, dry heaving. I had just murdered my best friend. My only friend, if I was honest. I was friendly with Madge, who was the Mayor's daughter, but I wouldn't label us as friends.

But Gale, he was my rock. After our father's died and Prim was all I had left, he showed me how to feed my family. And I had just killed him.

Pushing down the revulsion I felt for myself, I crawled to Peeta's side. I grabbed his hand but he didn't react. I lifted it, pressing two fingers to his wrist.

Nothing. There was no pulse.

I threw myself on top of him, wailing. "Peeta, please wake up. This isn't funny. You can't be dead, Peeta. Peeta!"


I woke screaming his name. I pressed a hand over my heart in a pointless attempt to slow its frantic beating. I blinked when the door to my room slide open and the hallway's light flooded in, dimly realizing that I was still on the train.

"Katniss? Are you alright?" Peeta's figure was illuminated in the door frame. Not that I needed light to know who it was. Even if Peeta wasn't the only one concerned enough to check on me in the aftermath of the Games, I recognized him by voice alone. Peeta's voice was always full of complex emotions when he talked to me. Love was always there, no matter how much he tried to hide it. His voice was soft and gentle and sweet and full of concern for me. If it had been Haymitch or god forbid Effie, I would have expected to be mocked drunkenly or shrilly reprimanded for my bad sleeping manners.

"I . . . I'm fine."

"Right," he sighed. "If you're sure." I didn't say anything and he turned to go.

Crushing disappointment gripped me. I wanted . . . no, I needed Peeta to stay. He was so good at taking my mind off the horrors of the Games.

"Wait. Could you . . .?" My throat tightened. Peeta was at my side in an instant.

"What is it? Do you want a glass of water?" it wasn't what I wanted, but now that he mentioned it, my throat was parched. So I nodded. Anything to keep him in my room a little longer.

He pressed the cool glass into my hand. I automatically brought it up, drinking it down like Haymitch consumed alcohol. Peeta chuckled good-naturedly when I drained it, directing a sheepish smile at him, and headed back to the bathroom to refill it.

I sipped it and set it down on the nightstand. "Would you stay with me?" I whispered. Peeta pulled back, his blue eyes widening in shock. Hastily, I backtracked. "I mean . . . you don't have to. I just thought—"

"No!" Peeat said firmly, before I could say that I'd be alright if he left. "I don't mind. Not at all." He slipped under the blanket and pulled me so we were lying in the center of the bed with my back to his chest. His right arm settled comfortably over my hip.

We laid in companionable silence. Peeta's breathing tickled the back of my neck. It was so even I though he had fallen asleep already.

"Nightmare?" he questioned, softly.

I bit my lip. I didn't want to admit I was having nightmares. Most nights I dreamt of the Games. When Rue died in my arms. When I found Peeta hiding half dead near the river. Only he was dead in my nightmares. He would beg me to join him or blame me for killing him. Cato and the Mutts stared in my dreams frequently as well.

I shuddered at the reminder of my most recent nightmare. Peeta hugged my trembling form even closer to him. Each night, much like I just had, I'd jerk awake in cold sweat, screaming or about to. Getting back to sleeping afterwards was always difficult.

Admitting that I suffered from nightmares meant I had to admit that the Games still had a hold on me. And until it was absolutely necessary, I wanted to leave them behind. Forget all about them until it was time for the Victory Tour.

The nightmares were a weakness. A weakness I couldn't afford. I could only imagine how badly I would frighten Prim if she woke to my screams.

"I have them too."

I rolled over to face him. Peeta's expression was serious, but I didn't believe him. I told him that.

He laughed wryly. "I promise, Katniss. Sometimes I'm too scared to fall asleep."

"But I never hear you screaming." I felt guilty for not noticing that he was having trouble sleeping. After everything we had shared in the Games, knowing he had been watching me as often as possible since we were five, I was positive that Peeta already knew about my nightmares.

"That's because I don't scream," he answered. "My body stiffens. Locks up and I can't move until it's over."

I frown. That sounded worse. Knowing it's not real but not able to do anything about it because he couldn't move.

"Do you want to tell me what yours was about? It might help," he said.

I seriously considered his offer. Maybe the ones about the Games, but I couldn't possibly divulge this one. It was too personal. "What are yours about?" I countered.

Peeta grinned winningly, clearly thinking my asking meant I was agreeing. "I'll share my demons and then you'll tell me yours." Or not. He offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. I really wanted to know if his nightmares were anything like mine and if Peeta confided in me, there was no way for me to pretend mine were inconsequential.

"Alright."

He wrapped himself completely around me. If there was any space between us before, there certainly wasn't anymore. "Mine are always about you."

"Me," I repeated, surprised. That was the last thing I was expecting. I thought for sure it would be the Mutts responsible for the loss of part of his left leg. It hurt unbearably to hear that Peeta was afraid of me. I tried to escape hi arms but he refused to loosen his grip.

"It's not like that, Katniss. I dream of losing you."

I stop struggling. I wasn't expecting that either. Peeta's soft admittance stirred something. My stomach felt all fluttery.

His deepest fear was losing me. My nightmare appeared childish in comparison. I was afraid of my feelings for him, and those for Gale. Scared that by letting myself feel something for him, I was inviting myself to get hurt.

Nevertheless, I recounted my nightmare. Peeta's response was to clutch me all the tighter.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Katniss. You don't have to proclaim your undying love for me. Just let me be with you. Let me help you. That's all I ask."

I swallowed. "Okay."

"Okay?" he asked.

"I'll allow it."

Peeta rested his chin on top of my head. "Thank you."

I didn't feel like I had said or done anything deserving of thanks, but didn't ask why he had said that. Instead I said, "Stay with me? Until I fall asleep."

"Always."

Peeta's embrace chased the nightmares away and I slept peacefully for the first night since we left the Capitol. Judging by the bright smile on his face when Effie demanded we get up, scolding us on how very improper it was for Peeta to be in my bed, he had a peaceful night's sleep as well.

"I'll see you at breakfast?" I nodded. He kissed my forehead and left for his room.

I felt refreshed and ready to face the day. Then I remembered we'd arrive back in Twelve soon and Peeta and I would be surrounded by cameras.

I flopped back down on the bed and inhaled the scent of bread and cinnamon that always lingered around the baker's son. Maybe I could pretend Effie never woke me up.

"Don't tell me you're still asleep in there sweetheart?" Haymitch's voice sounded outside me door. "I will set Effie on you. If I have to be up, so do you."

Or not. Damn Haymitch.