I know I know I'm a horrible person. TWO MONTHS! I'm so sorry and this chapter is a little longer than usual to make up for it. I am also currently on my summer holidays (Or whatever you call them over in America) so will be uploading AT LEAST once a week

Also check out the authors note at the end :P Thanks!

Katniss

I don't remember walking to my house- I must have done it automatically- so much was on my mind. Why did people assume that just because I was a girl I was incapable of taking care of myself? I'd done it for long enough now. Just because I had one tiny breakdown and finally let out my thoughts to someone other than buttercup, people assume I've gone weak. I'm not weak, never have been, never will be so people should just avoid all the touchy feely stuff… I'm just no good at it. Maybe that's why I snapped at Peeta…? No. I won't defend him. He's in the wrong… I think. Argghh this is so confusing!

Most girls in this kind of situation would just go talk to their mom. I was never very close to my mom but I felt I should visit anyway as I hadn't seen Prim in a while.

It wasn't a very long walk to my old house but I was worn out from today's earlier events; physically and emotionally.

I walk slowly through the town centre trying to compose myself for Prims sake. I see Thom walking back from his morning shift in the mines and manage the friendliest smile possible at this time. Thom was one of Gale's best friends and work buddies before he moved away and we have been good friends the whole time- and even before that as his father knew my father like most of the coal miners do.

I reach my old house, undo the latch on the gate and walk up the old, worn path to the front door and knock rapidly three times. I take a final deep breath to compose myself before the door opens.

"Katniss!"

"Little duck!" Any sadness still in me quickly vanishes at the sight of my little sisters' happy face.

"I missed you Katniss, we haven't seen you in so long!"

"I know little duck, I'm so sorry. I promise I won't ever leave this long in between visits again"

"Good because I know mother was getting worried…"

I frown at memories of what my mother can be like when she's worried, or stressed, or anything to be honest.

"Oh" Prim seems to have noticed my expression changing. "Don't worry Katniss; she hasn't been like that; just a little… preoccupied?"

Her words do nothing to ease my worries and if anything make me more curious as to what my mother has been like. Prim has always stuck up for mother; when Dad died and Mom tuned out, Prim just kept treating her like some poor injured animal, she would get mad at me when I shouted at Mom and go on about 'love' and 'broken hearts'. What a load of bollocks.

I knew it was only in Prims best interest to get her better as soon as possible but I knew that tiptoeing around her was not the way to do it. Eventually I just snapped one day and practically screamed in her face but it must have worked because she seemed to 'wake up' in a way and she's been so much better ever since. She still has episodes where she will still zone out for a while but at least she is no longer a living shell of a person.

"Katniss" Speak of the devil.

"Hello Mother."

"You hadn't visited in so long, I was getting worried"

"Yes well I was busy" A lame excuse I know "But as I just promised Prim, I will visit more often. I'm sorry"

My mother seems a little taken aback by my apology. Am I really that horrible a person that it shocks her I am so quick to admit my wrong doing?

"Come inside, the bakers boy has just dropped off some bread"

Oh good I was starving... wait… the bakers boy?!

"The Mellark Bakery?"

"Of course, who else?" Says my mother looking at me strangely.

"Which son?" Although I'm pretty sure I know the answer already.

"The youngest, what's his name…?"

"Peeta" I respond without thinking.

My mother raises an eyebrow at me "Katniss why are you acting so strange?"

"Huh… I'm not acting strange…" It's only then I realise my mother had asked me this question a while ago and I had been staring intently at the loaf of bread the whole time.

"Primrose, could you go up to your room for a minute please?"

"Ok Mom" My sister scampers up the stairs quickly leaving me and my mother alone.

"Katniss, what's wrong?"

I open my mouth to say "Nothing" but my mother knows me better than this and she'll find out what's wrong sooner or later. Besides I'm not entirely sure what is wrong anyway so maybe talking about it will help..?

"I saw Gale today in the woods" My mother gasps, I don't give her time to respond.

"He kissed me."

"Oh Katniss..."

"And asked to get back together and marry him again"

Despite my emotional breakdown earlier I find no tears coming at the memory.

"What happened?"

"Not a lot… I told him no so he kissed me, I pushed him away, said goodbye and ran off"

"Are you ok sweetie?"

"Yes I'm fine now thanks. I did kind of have a little bit of an emotional breakdown when I ran away and then I…" I stop myself, not knowing whether to share the news of Peeta with her.

"Then you"

"Then I ran into Peeta Mellark… For the second time this week."

"The second time?"

"Yeah" I smile at the memory. "I kinda literally ran into him at the bakery, and then again when I was running away from the woods"

My mother laughs at me, actually laughs at me!

"Oh Katniss, you do know just how to attract male attention don't you"

"Mom! This isn't funny. After I bumped into Peeta today, well I kinda, um shouted at him?"

"What! Why?"

"He thought I was weak! I'm not weak! He asked if I didn't want to be alone like I was some invalid or some pathetic little girl who can't take care of herself!"

My mother sighs at me. "Oh Katniss, you are so much like your father. So stubborn…"

"I am not stubborn!"

"Oh yeah? Try telling that to poor kind Peeta Mellark who you just oh- so- nicely shouted at for seeing if you were ok! A true gentleman he is… all the Mellark men are."

Wow. That was unexpected. "All the Mellark men are" Did something happen between Mr Mellark and my mom? I knew they were friends at school but I never thought anymore of it from hearing the endless adorable, loved up stories of my mom and dad.

I do feel a bit guilty now. Maybe I shouldn't have shouted at Peeta, he was probably just being nice like he always is.

"Katniss, I think you should go and apologise to Peeta. You really shouldn't have shouted at him like that."

"I know, I guess I was still angry at the whole Gale incident."

I get up to leave. "Thank you Mom, give Primrose my love"

I give her a quick hug and head on out the door towards town with the Mellark bakery in sight.

This is so not like me. I'm not used to apologising to people, hell I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to say! I guess Mother is right- I am stubborn.

The walk seems so much shorter as I'm terrified of what will happen when I get there so of course my legs don't give me enough time to think as I practically speed walk there.

I suppose for personal matters I should really use a side or back entrance to the bakery to get to the Mellark house but I'm not sure where to go and I'd much rather face Mr Mellark or any of his sons, than his evil witch of a wife.

I open the front door to the bakery and the bell rings loud in the silence. I can't see anyone out front or just behind in the front of the kitchen.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Ok, now I feel stupid I should just go back there's probably no one here anyway…

CRASH

I hear a loud noise coming from the kitchen and a small whimper that sounds oddly like... Peeta?

I run behind the counter just in time to see Mrs Mellark raise the rolling pin above her head and start to bring it down onto the already bruised, pleading Peeta.

Without thinking I scream.

"NO!"

Cliffhanger DUN DUN DUN! Well not really but :P

Ok so I was thinking up new story ideas and I thought of this one. It's not Everlark but this is my second favourite ship 3 :

Love is a battlefield:

Cato is the short tempered baker living in district 12 with his two brothers and abusive parent, Peeta is the kind single child forced to train for the games by his family in district 2. What would the hunger games have been like if Peeta and Cato had switched lives? Would the star crossed lovers still exist? If so, who would they be? Who would be the victor/s? CatoxKatniss PeetaxClove Possible GalexMadge.

Let me know what you think and I promise if I were to start this story it would not get in the way of uploading this one :)

As always R&R, until next time ;) xxx