Chapter 10

(Peeta's POV)

As I wait patiently for Katniss to address any of her questions I stroke my thumb over the back of her hand. I let the feeling of joy consume me for barely a second but I allow it. Cause I have her back. This is not my Katniss, but it is still the girl I love and would do anything to help. I promised to be to devote myself to her and protect her since the moment I was reaped and this is my second chance to make sure I never lose her again. Even though she is broken and parts of her are lost I am lucky to be sitting across from her once again.

Her timid voice brings me out of my selfish thoughts. "So I am from district 12? The one that was destroyed by the capital after the Quell?" She takes another second to compose her question "And they did that...They did that because of us? Because we escaped?" This is my chance to clarify everything so she does not take the majority of the blame. I'm not nieve and I won't lie. a lot of things have happened in the name of Katniss Everdeen but that was not hers to control.

"Each question you ask I will give you as much detail as I can and paint the picture of events that have happened giving you a better idea of what you missed and hopefully it'll jog memories that have been altered or buried deep in your subconscious." I wait for her to nods once before I continue "Yes, you are from twelve you lived in the seam with your family before you were moved into the victor's village" I will not give her specifics until she asks "Yes, the capital did bomb the district following the rescue of myself, Beetee, Joannah, and Finnick. The capital picked you up before they could get to you..." I pause resenting the memory "The bombing was neither of our faults," she goes to object but I raise a hand "Yes, the capital did it because of us, but neither of us has any idea of a rescue mission. You and I were kept in the dark while Haymitch made deals with Finnick, Joannah, Beetee, and another of other. Personally, I blame Thirteen and everyone involved in the bombing cause they could have predicted that reaction from the capital if it was successful," I say as calmly as I can manage. I watch her consider this.

"I've seen the Quarter Quell tapes but I don't remember much from it. The doctors say a lot of that footage was used on me." I nod in understanding

"I can fill in the blanks for you" and even though I know it'll haunt both of us I recount in vivid detail the last few days of the Quarter Quell letting the memory consume me.

The hike up to the tallest tree in the 12 o'clock zone is torture with the scolding heat and unbearable humidity. The tribute costume does little to make the journey more comfortable and my body still aches from my experience with the forcefield on the first day. I don't tell Katniss cause I know she'll just worry. I follow up the rear of our party holding the large knife ready in my hand. Katniss is ahead throwing nuts at the force field.

Part of me wishes that Katniss and I ran away earlier in the day when she suggested it. The number of Tributes keeps dropping and I don't want to be stuck fighting with the other in the end. But it is too late now we know the plan and the more of us there are to take out the careers the better.

Once we reach the tree Katniss and I scan the circumference of the clearing as the three others talk through the plan for what feels like the hundredth time. I can tell Katniss is listening in hard on the discussion so I try to feel my heavy footfalls as silent as I can.

"You too come over here. It is time" Beetee calls to us. "Alright, I've already connected the wire to the tree now we need Joannah and Katniss to run back to the beach and drop the opposite end into the water"

"Wait, what?" I question staring dumbstruck at the bespectacled man before me "That was never discussed before. You're not separating us"

"Peeta" Katniss tries to console me but Finnick interrupts her.

"Peeta, look we knew you'd never go for being separated but we need this to happen so we can get rid of the careers. Joannah and Katniss are the fastest and smallest and they are the only one that'll make it there and back in time. You and I have to protect Beetee so he can do...whatever it is that you're gonna do" Finnick looks at Beetee and basically rolls his eyes. I want to argue back but Katniss grabs my hand.

"I'm gonna come back I promise." I bite the inside of my cheek and just nod. There is no fighting this. Either she goes now or we have to fight the three of them to make our escape. We need these allies right now and I have to be logical.

Before I know it Katniss and Joannah are preparing to leave getting their specific instructions from Beetee. Once they are well informed Katniss comes to stand before me placing each of her hands on the side of my face.

"I don't like this," I whisper

"Neither do it, but its the only shot we have and if I have to I can take Joannah," she winks at me but there is nervousness in her eyes and I fight the urge to drag her into the jungle with me and disappear.

"You run as fast as you can you hear me. If you're not back ten minutes before midnight I'm coming after you got it?" she nods and takes a breath.

"I love you Peeta Malark" I smirk knowing the response she's looking for.

"I love you Katniss Malark," She smirks, leans in and gives me a chased kiss then turns and jogs over to Joannah who is holding the coil. The two women turn and take off back towards the beach. And the sinking feeling in my stomach just gets worse as soon as they're out of sight.

An hour goes by and Katniss and Joannah should be back in fifteen minutes if everything went according to plan on their part. Finnick and I continue to circle the tree keeping guard, but something changes in the air and all of a sudden the wire goes slack. I catch Finnicks eye and make to run into the jungle but he's too fast and blocks my path.

"Let me go," he begs which is very uncharacteristic. He's calm sensual demeanor has evaporated "I'm faster I'll get Katniss and bring her back to you I promise" I make to push him out of the way but he whispers is almost inaudible "I am not your enemy Peeta. You know who is" I set back from Finnick in surprise and he takes that as my answer and runs off towards where the girls left earlier.

After I make another rotation of the tree I make my way a little closer to Beetee who is fiddling with the wire at the base of the tree. I try to get a closer look but hear the shuffle of running steps I whip my head in the direction of the sound and ready myself to greet Katniss, but instead, I am greeted by the form of Brutus running straight for me.

Everything happens so fast Brutus comes at me with his knife but even though he is a skilled fighter he isn't as fast or nimble as he once was. I have the upper hand with my young and healthy body. It takes me only a few seconds to disarm him of his weapon. I slash and jab with my own knife and catch him in the side and arm but they are only grazed. I miscalculate though and Brutus catches me in the jaw with a hard punch to the face. I stagger and drop my knife but Brutus makes a mistake by underestimating me and my ability to take a punch. I launch myself at the unsuspecting Brutus and the pair of us topple to the ground. I manage to maneuver myself on top of him and begin to assault him with punch after punch. I move so quickly he barely has time to throw more than two or three jabs at my sides. By the time Brutuses face is a bloody pulp and only moans are escaping his bleeding mouth my hands are wrapping around his throat. I look into his wide terrified eyes as he claws at my hands but there is nothing he can do and he knows it. I stare into those eyes until they have stopped blinking and are left glassy and unseeing. I don't remove my grip until the cannon booms over the head.

I push myself off the broken man that I have just murdered and look up to see Beetee lying on his back a wire wrapped knife in his hand. I head to the unconscious man but can do little for him and when I hear the sound of a second cannon fire I feel the blood drain from my face. I start to run in the direction that Katniss Joannah and Finnick headed off in.

"Katniss!" I scream not caring who hears me. I will take them down just like I did Brutus. I have to find her. I need to know she's alive. "Katniss!"

"Shut up!" I'm slammed into a tree and when I look up I see Joannah standing peering around.

"What the fuck! Why aren't you with Katniss!" I scream at her.

"Peeta listens to me," She whispers through gritted teeth "I tried to take out Katniss' tracker but she bolted. She'll be fine Finnick will get to her, but I have to do yours so they can't track us okay"

"What? Nowhere-" I start

"Peeta Please" She begs. Another tribute begging me to listen and it may go against my better judgment but I hold out my arm to her.

"This'll hurt like a bitch" and then her knife is digging into my skin but before I can scream in pain I feel something dislodge itself and then her knife is gone. "We have to go back to the tree common"

"I have to find Katniss" Joannah yells in exasperation

"Peeta! Shes gonna go back to where you were so we have to get there before she does so she doesn't run off again!" She starts to run and I follow her. The storm is rumbling in and the first small strikes of lightning light up the sky. We start to run faster and faster. I see the tree coming into view we're right on the edge of the cleaning I can just make out Katniss shooting an arrow at the sky before when the air around me explodes and I'm thrown into a tree.

I feel blood dripping down my face and into my eye and my shoulder is in so much pain but at the same time feels completely detached from my body. I'm laying on my back and open my eyes just in time to see a ladder falling from a gigantic hole in the midnight blue sky exposing a circle of a pink sunset. Johanna is back at my side shaking me harshly. The ringing in my ears subsides and I can make out her words.

"Peeta get up get up! We have to go" she demands

"Katniss-" Finnick has already gone up it looks like and he's taken Beetee. Katniss must be with them. We have to go or they'll leave us Peeta. Common my job is to get you out. Get up! she yanks on my uninjured arm and I awkwardly get myself up on to my feet. I scan the area there is no sign of Finnick, Beetee, or Kaniss"

"Are you sure she's with them!" I demand something close to doubt flickers across Joanna's face but she shakes it off.

"She has to be. Our job was to get you two out of here safely. Finnick and Beetee were in charge of Katniss and I was in charge of you. She's up there Peeta so get your ass up the ladder to your girl," I do another quick scan the debris of the exploded tree. Katniss was right here Finnick would've made sure she got out of here. I put my trust into the fact that these people seemed to have risked their lives to destroy the arena and get Katniss and me out.

Joannah and I jogged up to the rope ladder and each grab on. My body freezes in place making it impossible to let go and the ladder begins to rise. My vision is focused on the area behind Joanna's head. We're halfway up when I see the slightest flash of blue under the brush of leaves and bark. It must be Brutus' body. But when I am a foot away from being pulled into the hover plane that was waiting above realization hits me. Brutus' body would've been disposed of already I killed him over 20 minutes ago. As I am yanked into the hoverplane my body unfreezes and before I have a second to take in my surroundings the door I just came through closes and the plane lurches and the sounds of an explosion on the outside of the plane. There is another lurch and I can feel the plane is soaring off away from the arena.

Something feels wrong though. Every wrong it is very silent except for the sounds of low moans. My vision finally focuses in and I take in Beetee lying on his back with three doctors around him. Joannah Leaning against the wall with her eyes squeezed shut. And then Finnick sitting on the floor with his knees tucked up to his chest and his face covered by his hands. I scan again. No Katniss. I walk straight up to Finnick and Kick him in the side forcing him to come out of his fetal position. He stares up at me with guilty eyes.

"Where is she?" I sneer. He just shakes his head slowly up at me and I see my ownself-hatred reflected on his face this only makes me angrier "Finnick where the fuck is Katniss" I reach down with my good arm and pull him up by the collar of his shirt so his face is an inch from mine. "I'll fucking kill you if you don't tell me"

"Peeta" My head whips to the right where my mentor is standing in a doorway. I release Finnick and turn to Haymitch.

"Haymitch, Where is she?" I plead with him to just give me it straight cause I already know what has happened but I need him to tell me what he has don't. Cause I know this is his fault.

"Shes still in the arena. We could waste any more time -" but my fist catches him in the mouth before he can finish.

"You son of a bitch I'll kill you. You left her there for Snow to take. You piece of shit I'll fucking kill you" I keep throwing punches and Haymitch continues to take them not even trying to resist. Then there is a pinprick in my neck and everything goes dark.

"Next to this I know I was here and they were telling me how as soon as the Quell was announced a rescue mission was put into action to get you and me out. But after further digging, I found out Finnick wasn't told to make sure you got out. He was told that he was responsible for Beetee while Joannah was responsible for you and me...I think someone in thirteen didn't actually want you to make it out of the arena or the capital and arranged for it to look like we didn't have enough time to get you" I growl. I look up at Katniss to identify how she has taken my recount of the Quell and the rescue.

"Why?" a sarcastic laugh bubble out of my mouth.

"Cause you are...were ...are terrifying and inspiring to the entire population of Panem. Let's say you were rescued and we won the war, but you didn't like the person running to vote in office. You vote would've swayed the entire nation. You're unpredictable and cannot be tamed. This person made sure I was saved because they believed I am the complete opposite...And I suppose I am" Katniss knaws on her bottom lip taking this in.

"Who do you think this person is?" she asks and I consider lying but I want her to have all the facts.

"President Coin" To my surprise a smile plays across Katniss Mouth.

"Wow look at me. Just found out who I am and already have two presidents that hate me enough to leave me in an arena or leave me to get torched. What a wonderful government we have," she snorts out a laugh. I can't help but laugh too. We relax into silence "So the bombing of twelve wasn't our faults it was because the rebels rescued us. We had no part in the planning?" I nod and after a second of contemplation, she says "That does help a bit. I still feel responsible but not in the same way".

"Good. I think that enough for today you need to rest." She nods in agreement. I hesitate a second and then ask "Do you want me to go? I can stay if you want I can sleep in the chair if that makes you more comfortable" I rush out my words. She meets my eyes with calm stormy grey ones.

"Please stay with me," She gulps down what seems like insecurities or fear "I don't want to be alone...when the nightmares come" I nod in understanding. I go to remove her restraints but she shakes her head. "Don't"

"Katniss, you won't be comfortable in them" I try to reason.

"I don't want to hurt you" I bite the inside of my mouth and fight the urge to tell her she won't cause honestly I don't know if she will or even if she'll remember this tomorrow.

"Fine then let me at least let me attach both hands to one side so I can lay behind you and you'll still be somewhat comfortable" she agrees to this. I readjust her then turn off the lights and climb into bed behind her. Pulling her into my body and breathing her in. "Goodnight" I sign into her.

"Goodnight Peeta. Thank you" she states vaguely but I understand the meaning behind it. And I take a small step to test the waters

"You're welcome...Katniss"I feel her tense but there is no protest or anger. Slowly I fade into sleep lulled by the comfort of a familiar person's deep breaths coming evenly from next to me. I can almost pretend that we are back in the victor's village with the windows open and the familiar sense of home engulfs me.

Okay, I guess I lied. I couldn't sleep so I wrote this chapter from scratch and I'm pretty proud of it considering it was spontaneous and I'm sleep deprived. I hope you guys enjoy it. I wasn't planning on going into the Quarter Quell but I think it helps give perspective to what happened before my story picked up.

Please let me know what you think and like I said I'd love any suggestions you guys have to offer. Please message!