Hunger Games – New Beginnings

Chapter 1: Dandelions

Katniss has just spent the night with Peeta after having nightmares. What started as innocence became something more but was stopped before more could happen by Peeta. Are feelings lingering?

Katniss POV

I awoke the next morning to an empty bed. Where is Peeta? I touch my lips and memories of last night come flooding to mind. It wasn't a dream. It seemed so dreamlike his coming in the room and helping me as he did in the past. I never realized until he was gone how much I took that for granted.

"Peeta?" I get out of bed and slowly walk out of the room. I look into his room but the bed is empty. Where can he be? When I walk down the stairs I check the kitchen and he is nowhere to be seen. When I look out the window I see him speaking to a neighbor. I pull a strand of hair behind my ear. When I go to the kitchen I am looking for something to nibble on and find one of the loaves of bread he brought home yesterday.

I hear the front door open and close. In the door way Peeta looks in and finds me and smiles. "Good morning Katniss, did you rest well?"

"Yes" I reply "Very well thank you". "I went and grabbed some berries from the newly created Hob, maybe we can make some jam?" Peeta replies. "That sounds like fun, let me just change out of my pajamas" I reply.

I go upstairs aware that he watches me slowly cross to my room. I close the door and walk toward the closet. "Making Jam… what do you wear to make Jam?" I pick out something simple and comfortable and walk downstairs.

"So where do we begin?" I ask. "Well why don't you smash these blackberries and I will work on the blue berries" Peeta replies. "Okay I can do that" I reply.

When I have finished smashing the berries I go to grab for a glass jar and Peeta and my hands touch. A volt of current goes through me and I know he has felt it too. We look at each other for a second and then Peeta looks away. "You can take this one" Peeta says as he looks away.

What is going on? Doesn't he want this? I take the jar and fill the remnants of the berries and take the bowl to the sink to clean. I grab a butter knife to spread the new jam on some of the left over bread and sit down.

"So what do you have planned today?" Peeta asks. "I was thinking of hunting" I reply. "Really? That is great! Do you want me to come?" Peeta asks.

"Peeta if there is one thing I learned from the games, you aren't exactly quiet when it comes to hunting" I say which a smile on my face. "Well then, I suppose I will work on the Bakery today" Peeta replies with a smile on his face.

I walk to the door grabbing my father's jacket and sit as I put on my boots. "I will see you later?" I ask. "I will probably be home at sundown, I want to get as much time setting up as possible" Peeta replies. "Seen you soon" I say as I walk out the door.

"Well good morning Sweetheart" I turn around to see Haymitch standing in the middle of the entrance to the Victor Village. "Well hello Haymitch, what are you doing up this early?" I ask. "You mean waiting for you because Dr. Aurelius keeps calling me to get a play by play on your daily activities? I am awake… just be happy with that" Haymitch replies.

"Well I guess I am" and I lean in to smell his breath… "No spirits… wow that is a change" I reply. "Well I am looking at making a new me… we shall see where it goes… but still have moments". "Haymitch" Peeta calls out. "Peeta, I was just trying to get an update on Katniss as she hasn't called Dr Aurelius yet this week. You too look chummy, the living arrangements must agree with you" he replies with a smile on his face. "Katniss, you still haven't called him? You need to do that. I wonder why he didn't ask me to tell you I talk to him at least twice a week" Peeta replies. "He probably didn't want to worry you" I reply. "So he could bug me…hmm… seems about right" Haymitch replies.

"Well I will be going" I reply. "Where do you think you are going?" Haymitch asks. "If you must know I am going to hunt" I reply.

I walk a bit further up the road and hear Haymitch yell "Have fun sweetheart, just please call Aurelius when you get back… I am tired of my phone ringing nonstop" "Will do" I yell back. On the road I spot dandilions and know this is the right thing to do. I can get through this.

Gosh now to get into my right train of thought to get back into routine. I head toward the fence which makes noises in the breeze. I know the wires are off as the bombings turned off the power for this. I find my hole in the fence and slide through. I immediately find my bow and arrows and look for a stream. That will be a good starting spot.

I find two wild turkeys and a squirrel and bring them with me back to fence. I walk to Greasy Sae's house now in the Victors Village which has now become a small town Square as it is the only place comfortable right now for returning townspeople. "Hey girly, what do you have for me today? I see you hunted. It is nice to see you coming back to yourself" Greasy Sae replies. "Well, I have two wild Turkeys, and a squirrel" I reply. "Well girly that is a feast!" she replies. "I am working on it, I have been inside so long I have lost my touch…it will come back though" I reply. "I know, but this is great in general, you will get there" she replies with a smile on her face. "I will just clean these and bring something by later?" she asks. "Yes, that will be great, thank you" I reply.

Greasy and I have come up with an unofficial terms when it comes to game… I hunt she cleans and cuts some for us and some for her family until we all get on our feet. My walk home is filled with all the thoughts my hunting distracted me from. Peeta. Where do we stand? I realize he has been through a lot which I have caused. How can I ever fully get him back? Is it even possible? I look just past the houses and see the sun setting in the distance. Peeta will be getting home soon. Better get cleaned up and prepare myself for seeing him.

I walk into the house which has the days ending light coming through the windows. I run up the stairs when I hear the front door opening and turn around. "Katniss" Peeta replies "Are you home?" He looks up and sees me on the stairs. "How was your day?" he asks. "Did you have any luck?" "Yes" I yell back. "Greasy Sae will bring some by in a bit. I caught two wild turkeys, and a squirrel". I look into Peetas eyes and find for a second he zones out. His hands tighten and for a second I am concerned until I see he comes back. "That is Amazing!" he replies. "What are you up to now?" "I was just going to take a quick shower and then be ready for dinner" I reply. "That works" he replies "I will get one after dinner. I am thinking Stew tonight?" "Sounds good I reply"

I walk into my bedroom and grab some clean clothes and place them on my bed and walk to bathroom to take my shower. When I finish I walk out of the bathroom I almost run into Peeta in my towel. He looks into my eyes and I know he is trying hard not to look anywhere else as I quickly run to my room.

Peetas POV

This has been such a hard day not talking about what happened last night but I don't want Katniss to do anything for me. I know she played me in the first games… and in the second games something real happened… or at least it did for me. It is so hard to know what is real and not real anymore. How can I really tell how she feels?

I am just going to think of other things. Bread… cheese bread, sour dough… what am I kidding… this is not working. I walk in the front door and call out her name. "Katniss, Are you home" I ask. "Yes" I hear coming from the stairs. Look at her face… her hairs in tendrils past her neck. Stop it Peeta! Geeze, get a grip on yourself. I zone out for what seems like ages but it is only a matter of seconds as one of the capital's false memories jump in my mind. I come back and now she has told me she is getting a quick shower and heads to her room.

There is a knock at the door and Greasy Sae is here with the game ready for dinner. "Thank you Sae, we really appreciate it." I reply. "Of course, I am so happy you two are safe and sound. This arrangement really helps my family too" She replies. "Well I better get started on dinner but we will meet up tomorrow with your grandson to work on the bakery?" I ask. "Of course, we need that bakery up and running, you don't realize how much your goods gave joy, it will be nice to have that back." She replies. "Thank you Sae, see you tomorrow" I reply. "Tomorrow" she replies as she walks out of the door.

I walk into the kitchen and start the stew, and put the new meat in the fridge so it will be dinner tomorrow. As I walk up the stairs I go to my room but as I get to the door I am stopped by a Katniss who is clothed in nothing but a towel. It is so hard to look away but thankfully she runs to her room and I stand just in awe of what has happened. How does she have this effect on me?

Katniss POV

I quickly try to put on my clothes on the bed. I felt butterflies when I saw him. So vulnerable but with him I am okay with him seeing this side of me. He has helped me get through so much that aside from embarrassment from being nearly naked in from of him. I run downstairs and into the kitchen to find Peeta in front of the stove. I know he hears me walk in because he replies "Almost done" without looking at me.

Is he embarrassed to have seen me? I guess with two people living in such close quarters it was bound to happen but he is acting as if nothing has happened. I decide this is the best idea as maybe I am just overthinking things.

As we sit at the table he tells me about his day at the Bakery. It was a success and he found that somehow at least one display case made it out of the wreckage. Most of the glass is broken but the metal structure that held the goodies is actually is good shape with a small dent in on side of the metal. "That will give it character" I reply. "That's what I thought, it give me something more to work with" he replies.

After dinner we slowly walk back to our rooms. "Peeta" I ask "Yes" he replies looking from his door to me. "Thank you for coming to me last night, I really appreciated it" I replied back smiling at him. "Your welcome" he replies "anytime" and smiles back at me before opening his door.

I open my door and walk in and shut the door. I lean back against the door and slide to the floor. How can I have this feeling? Is this what it will feel like every night… like we are walking on eggshells? I can feel things coming to the surface but I am unsure how to figure out what it means. Is he still in love with me or is he just trying to be nice and I keep putting him in awkward situations? Last night gave me hope… something might come out of everything. What that is I guess only time will tell.