HEY GUYS! ONCE AGAIN SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE, BUT TO SHOW MY COMMITMENT TO THE STORY I'M GOING TO PUT THE NEXT CHAPTER UP WITHING THE NEXT FEW DAYS! I DO HAVE A PLOT LINE IN MIND, SO BEAR WITH ME AS I WORK OUT THE KINKS! THANKS TO ALL MY AMAZING REVIEWERS AGAIN! THEY REALLY MOTIVATE ME. I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES OR ITS CHARACTERS. THEY BELONG TO SUZANNE COLLINS. HERE WE GO!

KATNISS POV

Our plates sat in the kitchen sink, the crumbs leaving a trail on the counter. Peeta and I were sitting together under a blanket on his couch. The TV was on some cheesy Capitol show that was supposed to be a comedy.

"This is do dumb," I said, wrinkling my nose in disgust. Peeta's head was on my shoulder. He smiled a little.

"It's not that bad," he said gently. I looked down at him, his blonde curls blocking some of my view. His blue eyes were so bright, full of life.

I never thought I would see Peeta like this again. When we came home he was rock hard, an emotionless expression always on his face. It made me sad. I had caused him to be like this. I had let them take him away from me.

Peeta had lived all for me for the past 13 years, so why wouldn't it be my turn? I had to try to get better. For him. I could focus on getting him well, returning him to normal. I could live my life to help Peeta remember his. I bit my lip, hoping this wouldn't fly out of my brain the next time the darkness overcame me.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked. He had asked me a question but I didn't hear it.

"Sorry, what?" I asked.

"You should probably head home soon. It's getting late," he said thoughtfully.

"Yeah," I whispered, looking down at the floor. "I guess so." It was quiet. I could see the nightmares flashing behind my eyelids, the darkness flowing like a river around them.

"Or..." Peeta said unsurely, trailing off with a shake of his head. I looked up at him. His arms were crossed and he had been watching me with gentle eyes.

"What?" I asked.

"You could stay," he said quickly.

PEETA POV

I knew as soon as the words left my lips that I she would refuse. Her grey eyes grew very wide and she took a step back, towards the hallway. I bit my lip, looking down for a second.

"Oh," she said breathlessly. "You know, we shouldn't push it. Well, I'll see you tomorrow Peeta." She said so quickly I could barely understand her. "Maybe." It was a whisper. And then she turned and walked briskly down the hall. I heard the front door slam shut.

'Damn.' I thought. I had scared her away. I frowned and walked to my studio. The word still sounded strange in my mind. I was so used to having a table and plain paper to paint on. Now I had all the paint I could ever need, an easel, and unlimited canvas paper. I sat down and grabbed a brush, letting the images fill my head.

I felt my hand start to move across the paper. The lines were small, but hard and angry. My brother used to tease me about how I painted with my eyes closed, saying that I had see-through eyelids. I didn't. I saw something in my mind and let my hand copy it. I felt a hot tear fall down my cheek and I wiped at it angrily. I had hurt Katniss. The only girl I had ever loved was scared of me. She had finally realized that she loved me too, and the Capitol took that away from me. What else could they take? They had my family, Katniss, my leg, and me. They had me, the real me, trapped in that room where blood stained the walls and screams echoed all around me.

I opened my eyes to look at the canvas. It was dark, maroon splatters lying around the room's walls. A boy sat in the corner, curled into a ball. His face didn't show, but his blonde hair was matted and stained red. I knew the expression that would be on his face. It was one I had worn many times, in a room just like this one. I felt more tears now. I leaned my head down on the easel, putting my head on my arms.

I hated crying. It made me feel weak, like someone could easily walk up behind me and hurt me and I wouldn't even try to fight it. I rubbed at my eyes angrily. Why did this happen to me? I wish my name had never been reaped; that I had never been sent to the Games. I wish that I didn't fall in love with Katniss Everdeen. If I didn't love her none of this would have happened. I knew as soon as I finished my thought I knew that it was not true. I would never regret loving Katniss, no matter what happen to the two of us. It wasn't her fault. It would never be her fault.

There was paint all over my face and my arms. I shut the light off and closed my studio door shut tight. The stairs creaked as I walked up them, reminding me how alone I was. Katniss. Her name starts a wildfire of emotion in my head. Thousands of images flash through my head. Katniss kissing me, Katniss hunting, Katniss saving my life in the arena. Katniss shooting me with her arrow, and Katniss chocking me until I couldn't breathe. I was on the top step when I sank down to my knees. I couldn't tell the difference anymore. So many things zoomed in front of my eyes that I felt sick. The room started to spin and I put my hands in my face, covering my eyes.

I don't know how long I had to sit like that- curled up on the top step of the stairs- until the images finally stopped. I was sweating and nauseous and felt terrible. This was not the worst it could get. I had had lapses that had been much, much worse. Sometimes I got physically sick; so sick I couldn't walk or feed myself for a day at least. I sighed, standing up slowly.

I took a quick shower and put on my ratty old sweats that I always sleep in. When I walked into my room it was 12:00. I stood staring at my bed, dreading the moment that I would lay in it and try to sleep. I didn't like to sleep anymore. When I worked at Mellark's I cherished every extra moment of sleep I got. Now I just wished I never had to sleep. I reluctantly climbed in and turned off the light, but not until I opened my window. I couldn't sleep without it open. It got too hot. I like to smell the fresh air. I didn't like feeling trapped.

Just as I closed my eyes I heard a soft, muffled scream. I knew it was her immediately. I crawled out of bed, my eyes burning with tiredness, and leaned up against the wall under my window. I rested my chin on my knees and let my eyes slip closed. I wondered if she was dreaming about me. I always dreamed about her. Someone hurting her; myself hurting her. She was crying now, crying and screaming in fear.

"Oh Katniss," I whispered, my voice breaking along with my heart. I heard a door open somewhere and I felt my eyebrows pull together. Was she going somewhere? I couldn't bring myself to look into her window.

I jumped at the loud pounding that was coming from downstairs. The door I stood up slowly, walking down the stairs. As I got closer I heard one last bang and then it was quiet. I jogged to the door now, knowing who was standing there. When I threw open the door I thought that she had left.

I almost tripped over her when I stepped forward. She was kneeling on my doorstep, her face in her hands, shaking. She was crying, making a horrible throaty noise. I sighed and kneeled down on one knee next to her. Gently I placed one of my hands on her back and rubbed it comfortingly. She looked up at me, her face stained with tears. Before I could even blink she threw herself against me, trying to curl up into me. I was startled for a second and I started to see the images flashing through my head. I clenched my jaw and pushed the images away. Katniss needed me right now. I slowly, a little unsurely, wrapped my arms around her, holding her close to me.

"I-I'm sorry Peeta," she sobbed, soaking my bare chest with her tears. "I'm so sorry." What was she sorry about? Showing up at my door in the middle of the night? I had told her that I always listen to her when she has nightmares. I looked down at her, curled against my chest. She looked fragile, small. This was not the Katniss I loved. Something had genuinely scared her. Her eyes met mine and she whimpered a little. I pulled her closer to me, putting a hand on the back of her head. When she had stopped crying I gently lifted her into my arms and carried her, bridal style, into the house.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked as I laid her down on the couch. She shook her head, trying to hide her face for me. I placed my hand on her small arm. It felt cold. "Are you alright Katniss?" I asked. It was quiet. I thought she had fallen asleep and I stood up.

"Wait!" She sounded broken, afraid. "Stay Peeta! Please! I need you to stay with me." I was at her side again, holding her hand.

"Whatever you need, Kat." She pulled me up onto the couch and I lay against the back. She curled into my arms. I tensed, trying to keep the images away.

"Peeta?" Her voice brought me back from the edge. It was quiet and scared. My eyes flew open.

"I'm sorry," I said. She nodded, leaning her head into my chest.

"Are you alright?" She asked as my eyes started to flutter closed. I nodded, mumbling something incoherently. I felt her hand float up to my cheek as I drifted to sleep.

"I love you Peeta Mellark."

THAT'S IT! WHAT WILL PEETA THINK OF KATNISS'S CONFESSION? GUESS YOU'LL HAVE TO READ TO FIND OUT! PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER, IT WILL BE UPLOADED SOON! REVIEW!