Hey guys, sorry this took so long but, here it is! The beginning of the end. Like I promised, I wrote the last two together and boy howdy, was it a struggle. Something in me just didn't want to do it. I just didn't want it to end. That and I could not for the life of me write what I wanted to write. Plus, Life events got in the way and we all know how that plays out.

So this one's angsty, cause I've done so much fluff I figured I needed a good balance here and there. Based off P!nk's "Please Don't Leave Me", cause I love that song. It's kinda short, but I feel like it does you all justice. Set after MJ but it's a little weird. Just imagine that the districts are having a really hard time after the rebellion, what with the new government and way of life, and everything is not all happy-ending quite yet. And it's from Peeta's POV! He's easier for me to write this kinda angst for. Dunno why, but not gonna question it.

Da da da
da da da da

Da da da da da,

I don't know if I can yell any louder,
How many times have I kicked you out of here?
Or said something insulting?

Da da da da da

I can be so mean when I wanna be,
I am capable of really anything,
I can cut you into pieces,
When my heart is, broken.

Da da da da da

Please don't leave me [x2]
I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please don't leave me

How did I become so obnoxious,
What is it with you that makes me act like this,
I've never been this nasty,
Can't you tell that this is all just a contest?
The one that wins will be the one that hits the hardest,
But baby I don't mean it,
I mean it, I promise

Da da da da da

Please don't leave me [x2]
(Don't leave me)
I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please don't leave me

I forgot to say out loud,
How beautiful you really are to me,
I can't be without,
You're my perfect little punching bag,
And I need you,
I'm sorry.

Da da da da
da da da da

Da da da da da

Please, please don't leave me
Baby, please don't leave me (no, don't leave me)
Please don't leave me
(I always say) I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this

Please don't leave me, (Yeah)
Please don't leave me
(I) I always say how I don't need you,
But it's always gonna come right back to this,
(Please, Please) Please don't leave me,
Baby, please, please don't leave me.

The very last one will be out tomorrow. Promise-swear. In the meantime, please review and/or add to your Favorites/Alerts. OH! And since the website has this new fancy cover-art thing, does anybody have any fan art they'd be willing to let me use? I can't draw worth shit and I don't particularly want to steal off the internet. Just PM me.

With that said, please enjoy! :]

Don't Leave Me

I sit in the chair next to her, watching as the healer woman works. It's late, the woman tells me, hinting at me to go rest. I don't move, though. I can't move. I just watch as she works on the girl lying on the bed.

She looks so small, so fragile like that. Unmoving and unconscious, with her face bruised and swollen. I've seen her like this before in the Games, but this time it's different.

No one really knows what happened. I don't even know. Tom said he found her like this in the street, lying face down and broken in the rain. It's not the first time they've seen this, he tells me. I believe him. I've seen it too. But it's the first time it's ever been this personal.

I stroke her hair out of her face, needing to touch her, to feel her skin just to remind myself that she's alive. My mind replays the last time I saw her this morning. She had gotten up early to spend the day hunting, her grey eyes as dark as the sky as she scowled at the rain. I tried pulling her back into bed with me. She had simply given me one of those rare hesitant smiles and kissed me before walking out the door.

That was only this morning. It's only been a day. I run a hand over my face, covering my mouth. There are so many questions, so many things I need to know, but I don't trust myself to speak. I'm afraid I'll break down if I do. And the last thing I need is a relapse right now. Especially if she's not here to bring me back.

The healer woman straightens up, stretching as she does so. She's young, maybe a few years older than me and has the luxury of looking so. Her voice is soft, telling me the trouble. Her foot's been broken, along with a couple ribs. Luckily, her hands have been spared. She'd never be the same if she couldn't hold a bow. I freeze when I hear she's suffered some head trauma. She might have to be moved. She might not wake up. But she's alive.

The healer places a hand on my shoulder and gives me what I think is supposed to be a comforting smile. I try and smile back, but my face doesn't work quite right. The woman seems to understand though, giving my shoulder a squeeze and offering some words of comfort. And then she's gone, leaving me alone in the room with the girl on the bed.

Not quite alone, though. There's a mewling at my feet as Buttercup reminds me he's there too. He blinks slowly at me, his tail moving languidly side to side. I just stare back at the cat, meeting his yellow eyes and suddenly feeling the need to apologize to him. She's the last thing remaining of his family, the only thing left of his old master. He's never liked me as much as her. And now I think he likes me less.

"I'm sorry," I croak, my voice low. The cat just blinks, judging me with those yellow eyes. I reach for him, only to be met with a warning growl before he jumps up next to her. Still watching me, he lays down beside her, protecting her like he used to. He growls at me again when I reach for her hand, but doesn't move from his position.

I draw my thumb over the back of her hand, slowly caressing it like so many times before. Her fingers twitch and for a moment I'm filled with hope. But her eyes are still closed and her face still and my heart falls. I shake my head at myself. It wouldn't be that easy and this isn't a fairy tale. True love's kiss doesn't exactly work like that. Still, I kiss her knuckles and pray for a miracle.

It's only when I feel something wet on her hand against my lips that I realize I'm crying. Slow, cold tears that just come as I sit holding her hand. I squeeze her fingers just a little tighter, feeling her pulse under my own. It's faint, fluttering like a butterfly in her veins. I take a shuddering breath of my own, feeling my own life dwindle. I can't be without her. She's my reason for Life. Not living but Life.

"Please," I whisper through my tears, "please don't leave me."

But she doesn't answer. And that breaks me even more.