Hi Everyone. I know I haven't updated this story in forever, but I am continuing with it. Here is the chapter! I know it's really short I'm sorry! I don't own the Hunger Games or its characters! Hope you like it!
CHAPTER 6
KATNISS POV
When I woke up it was light outside. I sighed and began wonder how long we'd been asleep. I had finally managed to get my sleeping schedule back to normal and now it was messed up again. I rolled over in the bed, looking for Peeta. He wasn't there.
"Oh Peeta," I sighed. I slipped out of bed and pulled down on the shirt I had borrowed. It was at least five sizes too big. It stopped about mid thigh; still it made me feel a little self-conscious. I padded gently through the house, looking into all the rooms. I thought for sure he would be in his painting room, but the room was empty except for the bright light shining into it from the window. I walked down the stairs and into the living room and saw the porch door open. I walked out and looked into Peeta's backyard. I saw him then, curled up under a shady tree. This is the second time I've found him in his yard. He likes the outdoors, so I could see why he would come out here. It really is beautiful compared to my yard, which just faces the fence that leads out of the District.
I walk through the grass towards Peeta. As I get closer I can see he is crying, or at least shaking. I get down on my knees behind him and wrap my arms around his neck.
"Are you alright Peeta?" I ask gently. He's quiet for a second. Then I am thrown off of him. I gasp a little when I hit the ground. Peeta stands over me, angry tears in his eyes.
"You killed him," Peeta gasps. "You killed my best friend." I stand up, still a little out of breath.
"No, Peeta," I whisper, trying to grab his hand. "I didn't the Capitol did. They did this to you and they killed Micah." He blinks at me and then falls to his knees. His hands knot in his curls, pulling so hard I thought he might rip them out. I kneel down next to him and put my hands on his shoulder. "Peeta," I whisper gently. "Peeta, come back to me." I hear him whimper and I know that he's breaking through the haze of images. He is turning deathly pale.
"Katniss," he says. "The Capitol killed Micah, Real or Not Real?"
"Real," I say. Peeta grabs at his hair harder and moans.
"Katniss, I'm really dizzy," he says. I put my hand on his forehead to feel his temperature, but he swats it away.
"Don't touch me," he says. I pull away a little, moving my body away a few feet. He looks over at me with big eyes. His pupils are dilated; even through the sun is out. "I-," He stutters. "I'm sorry… just give me a second." I nod. His breathing quickens again and it takes all of my strength not to go to him. After a few more minutes Peeta opens his eyes. He is still a little shaky and very pale. I've never seen him have an attack this bad. Peeta opens his mouth as if to say something, but then closes it.
"Is it over?" I ask. You can hear my voice shaking and I clear it firmly. Peeta nods and scoots a little close to me. "Do you need me?" I ask. I look into Peeta's eyes. He nods and the blue rivers threaten to spill over again. I crawl a little closer to him and reach out my hand. Suddenly he pulls back and turns away from me. I start to think that the attack has come back but then he shudders and vomits into the grass. I sigh and crawl up behind him. I gently rub Peeta's back until he gets everything out. Then he turns around and leans his head on my shoulder. His forehead is burning up and it reminds me of our first Games.
"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I'm really sorry Kat. Sometimes they are really bad and I get sick."
"Don't apologize," I whisper, shaking my head. "It's not your fault; if anyone's it's mine." I brush through his hair gently and he leans into my touch. "You okay?" I ask. He takes a deep breath and nods "Sure?" I ask, gently brushing his curly bangs from his face.
"Sure," he says. "Help me up?" I stand up and hold my hands out to him. He grabs them and stands as I pull him up. He sways for a minute and I grab his arm firmly. "Just got dizzy," he mutters to me.
"Okay Peeta," I sigh. "Let's get you into the house." We walk slowly, hand in hand towards the house and up the back steps. I lay Peeta down on the couch in the living room and then head into the kitchen. "What do you want to eat that I can make?" I ask playfully. He smirks on the couch, elbows on the top with his head resting on his strong arms.
"How 'bout some toast sweetheart?" he teases back. "Can you handle that?" I roll my eyes at him and stick out my tongue.
"Yes," I say. I stick two pieces of bread into the toaster and walkover to sit next to him on the couch. It is quiet as I curl up against him. He wraps his strong arms around me and, for the first time in a while, I feel safe. I feel loved.
"Hey Kat?" He asks. I look up at him. His blue eyes sparkle with an unsaid question.
"Yeah?" I ask, grabbing one of his big, warm hands in mine.
"I-I kind of need your help with something," he says a little shyly.
"Okay, what?" I say right away. He smiles gratefully at me.
"I want to rebuild the bakery," he says gently. I smile at him.
"Of course I'll help you Peeta," I say, brushing his hair back. Peeta kisses my nose.
"Thanks." The toaster buzzes and I walk over to get his food. It burns the sensitive skin on my hands and I almost drop it as it sizzles against my skin. I find the cabinet where Peeta keeps his plates and put the pieces of toast on the old plastic plate. I walk over towards the couch where Peeta is curled up with his chin on his knees. All I could see was his back, but as I passed the side of the couch I saw that his eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. He was asleep. I set the plate down on the table and walked down the hallway until I found his spare closet.
Peeta's house was the complete opposite of mine, all the rooms and storage closets in completely different places around the house. When I found the closest closet I opened it up. There was only one thing in it. A single wool-knitted blanket that looked like it was at least twenty years old. I grabbed it and made my way back to the living room. Peeta had sort of fallen over while I was gone. He still had his arms wrapped around his legs, but his head now rests on the arm of the couch. I smile down at him and place the blanket over him. I sit down on the carpet and lean my head against the couch cushion. I can feel Peeta's even breathing on the back of my head and, somehow, it calms me. Before I know it my eyes close too.
"Katniss." It's only a whisper, but it draws me out of my sleep. My eyes slowly blink open and I turn my head to look at Peeta. He is still sound asleep. I rub my eyes and sit up. My neck screams out in pain from being stiff for so long. "Katniss." I look around with wide eyes. Who is saying my name? Peeta is asleep, and he is not making any noise. I crawl away from the couch and look around it towards the window. There is a shadow. I stand up, my hands shaking. When it sees me moving towards it, it begins to back away. I move faster, towards the door. It halts, as if it's challenging me to come outside. I open the door and step out. It's gone.
"Where are you?" I cry out angrily. "What do you want?" I feel tears prick behind my eyes. The leaves behind me rustle and I turn. There's nothing there. "I know you're out here!" I scream. My voice sounds hysteric. "Leave me alone." The wind blows the leaves around me and I don't know where to look. To my surprise I feel hot tears running down my cheeks.
"Katniss," It whispers. The voice sounds almost evil. It is so quiet is wisps around with the wind.
"What?" I scream out. I sink down to my knees and put my face in my hands. That's when I smell it. It makes me gag. I look up to see a simple white rose lying in front of me. There is blood on the outside of the petals. Snow. I scream. I scream so loud I'm sure the whole District can hear me. Tears run down my face as I crawl backwards away from the rose. "No," I say. "No!" I don't hear his loud feet until he's right behind me. He sinks down to his knees and wraps his arms around me.
"Katniss," Peeta says frantically. "Katniss, what's wrong?" I turn towards him and curl into him. He puts his hand on my head and the other on my back. "Katniss, please! What is going on?" His eyes gaze into the yard and right past the rose. How can he see it? How is he not gagging on the smell? He just pulls me a little closer to him. "What's going on? What happened, baby?"
"I-I fell asleep," I gasp. "And I woke up a-and you were still s-sleeping." I take a deep breath and pull myself together. "Someone was saying my name. And I kept looking around and saw a shadow outside the back door. When I went towards it, it backed away." I feel my heartbeat quicken and my eyes start to sting again. "I heard it all around me. And I kneeled down and put my hands in my face. And then I smelled the rose. I didn't see or feel anyone come up. It was just there and_" I say.
"Okay, okay, okay," Peeta says, putting his hands on my face. I feel him wipe away my tears. "It's alright Katniss. Where's the rose? What did you do with it?" I whip my head up and look to the patch of grass where the rose was. Peeta was right. It was gone. Had I imagined it?
"Peeta, am I crazy?" I ask. He laughs, but there is no humor in it.
"I don't know," he says. His eyes are truthful. I close my eyes, trying to hold back the tears that are burning into my eyelids. "But if you are than so am I. We have been through so much that we could both be crazy for all I know." I nod against his chest. We are crazy, broken, and scared. But we are not alone.
That's it! Please Please Please review! Look out for the next chapters for both my Hunger Games stories!