OH. MY. GOSH.

41 reviews ... only 7 chapters. IM LITERALLY GONNA LOSE IT!

YALL COME ON NOW! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE SUCH WONDERFUL READERS?

I am fangirling so hard... yet cowering in a corner cause y'all probably want to kill me! I know, I know, but in some ways for Katniss, its gonna take something huge to get her attention. BUT HAVE NO FEAR ( you should probably fear though in the middle of the next installment of this "series"... I'll warn you when its coming. )

RESPONSES!

Natalie5678 - YESSSSSSSSS! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS *insert story here* and thats what happens! OH MY GOODNESS THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am so happy you are loving this story! I just want to get this story going a little, but coming next week I think I will have to create a schedule such as Ill update Monday, and Thursdays. You can't wait for the next update? YOUR A POET AND DIDN'T KNOW IT... yeah that was lame... sorry. WELL WAIT NO LONGER HERE IT IS!

sweetjenndagz - YES YES YES! YOU CAUGHT ON MY DEAR! But remember, this is KATNISS we are talking about... its gonna take a bit longer than we expect. BUT YOU ALL WILL LITERALLY DIE WHEN SHE ADMITS THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE SO TENDER AND SWEET AND SOOOO... well Katniss :D The ending might shock you though here. ;) ENJOY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEW!

Bellakpotter3 - YAYAYAY YOU TRUST ME! Well it is an honor to earn you trust and I will do EVERYTHING in my power to keep that trust! I am truly honored that you trust me so much! Oh I cannot wait till we get in deep everlark! :) Yes, strep throat is terrible and I hate it. No, I loathe it because now it has turned into a nasty head cold and I sound like a man...meh! THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF ME... LOL If you think that was a bad cliffy... wait till you read this one... *awkward silence* LOVE YOU XOXO! Thank you for being one of the faithful as well! Gosh you have no idea how much that means to me!

kimbaleena2002 - HEYY GIRL! You were one of my first followers! YAYAYYAYAY! Yeah she is being a brat isn't she? I had such a hard time writing that chapter, but it was necessary for her to truly remember that she needs Peeta. I KNOW OUR BABIES! POOR PUPPY PEETA! So sweet and innocent. Don't worry, things calm down here ... a little... THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVEIW! :D

MiaBelles - I feel like I know you because I see you on TUMBLR ALL THE TIME and I'm just like oh my goodness... well as always, I have responses for you! 1. DAWWW NO THANK YOU! I love you and Im so glad you think I'm a fantastic writer! IT MAKES ME FEEL SUPER DUPER SPECIAL! 2. She said because she is stubborn and stupid ... a lot ... 3. I KNEW I WOULD GIVE SOMEONE A HEART ATTACK! *WIN* Well I guess you will just have to read and find out? THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVELY REVIEWS ALWAY MY DEAR!

Suze18 - I KNOW! MY HEART! THE FEELS! I can't take writing about Peeta getting hurt (and that was foreshadowing to it happening more than once... YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WARNED) :D LOL Thank you so so so much for your review Miss Suze18! I hope to hear your thoughts again! THANK YOU LOVE!

missilovepeetamellark - I had a terrible feeling I would cause you pain with this chapter... OYE VEY! IM SORRY I DIDNT MEAN IT (well, yes I did), I DID IT OUT OF LOVE (well, no I didn't) I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE ITS BEST FOR EVERYTHING (well, yes it is). I am so glad you love and your support is means the world to me! Thank you so much for being one of the faithful! IM SO HONORED! I cannot wait to hear what you think of this one... :D

love mangas - HEHEHEHEHE HAYMITCH! Mhmmm walked on something saucy there now didncha Haymitch? *WINK WINK* I know y'all were like OMGEVERLARKKISSAHHHHHHH... then there is Haytmich. I have a special plan for their first kiss... that is if it happens (GASP... nah nah JK JK) Y'all know I can't kill him off... I can make him suffer cause I am evil, but I can't kill him. I don't have it in me. Thank you so much for reviewing under a guest name and letting me know you are here! I saw you last chapter too and that means a lot to me! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Leah97 - HAHAHAH Couldn't wait forever now could ya? I DIED WITH FEELING WHILE REREADING IT! She is terrified of loving him because she truly thinks that he will find another girl who can give him what he wants. She is afraid to love because she has been stripped of love her whole life! OH MY GOSH PEETA! You will fall in love with him all over again in this "series" type thing. He gets more perfect if I can say. He doesn't deserve the crap Katniss puts him through but he loves her unconditionally. Which in my book is true love. :D THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW LOVE! XOXOXO

Goddess of Idiots - WHY HELLO THERE! YES IT IS SUPER DRAMATIC AND IF YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS BAD ... wait till we get further in the story and to the sequels ... oh boy do have plans for y'all... *laughs mischievously* I am updating just because you said please! Such wonderful manner... wow I need to shut up, I sound like Effie. :D Thank you so so so so so much for taking the time to read and review my story! IT MEANS SOOOO MUCH TO ME! THANK YOU!

LovePercabeth4eva - I AM SO GLAD YOU LOVE THIS STORY BECAUSE I LOVE YOU! YAY! I am so thrilled you liked this chapter. There are going to be some adventurous ones coming up. I have an evil plan to destroy all y'alls feels! Don't worry, I will give y'all fair waring when it comes! I cannot kill off Peeta, no matter how good the shock factor, or how it will make the story go, I cannot find it in me to kill him off. So you NEVER have to worry about that! Thank you so much for your review! AHHHH IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME KNOWING YALL LOVE MY WORK! THANK YOU!

Thgfangirl - YOU DO THE THING! MY THING YOU DID THE THING ... I DO = OH. MY. GOSH and YOU DID = OH. MY. GOODNESS. AHHHHH IM SO PROUD! Thank you so much, I am so glad you liked it! PSHHHHHH You fangirled when I replied to your review? GIRLLLLLL I FANGIRL WHEN I SEE YOU REVIEW MY STORY! YES YOU! ALL YALL! So NO it is not weird at all. I fangirled because you fangirled! Well the next update is here my dear! THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR YOUR REVIEW LOVE! XOXO!

OKIE DOKIE... I keep the promises I make and I hope y'all see that. :D

ANYWAYS... (write the drill in a pretty note for a cookie... Im kinda curious if y'all know the drill... hint* its in previous A/N )

I LOVE YALL SOOOOO MUCH! Each and every one of you. YES FOLLOWERS I SEE YOU, YES FAVORITERS (or whatever your name is) I SEE YOU! OBVIOUSLY I SEE YOU REVIEWERS!

And just so you know I speak in caps a lot because I'm excited! Okie dokie?

REMEMBER THE DRILL?

(I don't own THG)

STAY BEAUTIFUL

- CE

Fear. A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, or pain. In this moment, fear boils into pure, unadulterated terror. However, I know that if I wait any longer, I will lose him all over again, and this time, there is no chance of him coming back, which in this case would completely destroy me. I bolt towards the blaze that conquers his house and I will stop at nothing until he is in my arms. I know, that with the odds being never in my favor, that this will cost more skin being burned and scars to add to my collection. Help is not far behind me, but I continue to sprint towards his house. I reach the front lawn, plowing my way through the sea of people, and when I have almost reached the front door, pair of strong forceful hands yanks me back. I kick and scream for them to release me. I have to get to him.

"LET ME GO!" I scream.

"Katniss! Calm down, listen to me!" My terror-filled eyes reach Haymitch's, "You cannot go in there! Its too dangerous, I – "

"Haymitch, he is going to die!"

"NO HE WON'T, NOW LISTEN TO ME! I kept him alive through The Hunger Games and you can bet I will keep him alive now! YOU STAY HERE!" he yells at me. "Andor, Darrion, hold her! Make sure she doesn't move." Haymitch commands two boys who are about my age to hold each of my arms and makes sure I don't do anything stupid. They are taller than me, and much stronger, but not from around here. Must be new. They obey and gently, but firmly grip my arms. I fight them at first but then realize its no use. Haymitch enters the house with three men waiting on the porch for to assist him if needed, it's far too dangerous for anyone else to accompany him. He smashes through the front door and goes inside, showing no fear, but determination to bring him out. Minutes seem like hours, which are agonizing, and a crash comes from inside the house. My breathing is shallow and my vision becomes blurry. How long can it take to find him? If I lose Peeta, I have nothing left and everything inside me will die along with him. I'm so stupid! Why did I say all those horrific things to him a few months ago? Why couldn't I toss my arms around him and kiss him? Why couldn't I just tell him that I know that look he gives me?

A sob begins at the pit of my stomach and travels up until it comes out of my mouth, "Peeta, please."

"Katniss, he is going to be okay! Breathe, Haymitch will get him." One of the tall boys says attempting to calm me.

Nothing can call me in this moment, only seeing his face will free this fear that bonds me to this anxiety.

All of the sudden I see Haymitch holding him over his shoulder and crashing through the living room window and spilling out onto the front lawn. It is plenty big and is five times the size of a normal window. Haymitch lands on the ground over the flowerbed dropping Peeta in the process. The two tall boys release their grip on me and move to a rolling-in-pain Haymitch and I move to the side of an unconscious Peeta.

"Peeta! Peeta, don't you leave me! Come one now, don't you dare leave me, Peeta Mellark!" I scream beating his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for those awful things I said to you, but please, please come back to me!" I sob. No, this cannot happen! He promised! I feel the walls within me begin to crumble and my inner most being burning into ashes. If he dies in my arms, then I swear by it I will die with him. I am so selfish, stupid, and naïve to think that he would come back to me after the way I have treated him. I wouldn't come back to me if the roles were reversed.

"You stay with me Peeta." I whisper the last part burying my head into his chest and breaking into tears. This is it. He is dead and I am destroyed. Death has won and I have finally lost the battle that I have fought for so long. I sob until I feel a gentle hand on my back as I lie on Peeta's chest. I look up to see to whom is belongs and see Peeta smiling at me the best he can with what very little energy he has.

"Always." He whispers hoarsely. I blink, and throw my arms around his neck sobbing into it. He pats my back and soothes me. He is the one who almost died, shouldn't this be reversed? He is alive (barely), and his skin is burned, there is blood caked on my shirt but I could care less. Peeta Mellark is alive.

"Don't you ever do that again Peeta Mellark, do you understand?" I scold him with the greatest amount of firmness I can muster. He chuckles seeing right through me and cups my cheek.

"Yes ma'am." He smiles and kisses my cheek.

I embrace him once before moving around to crouch behind him on my knees so that he can sit up against my chest. I push the smoke-cover hair from his eyes and one of the tall boys brings Peeta a cup of water. He thanks him and turns his attention to the saving grace in his hands. Town healers, who have just recently arrived, come to my side gently asking for me to let go of Peeta so they can take him and treat him. He has a serious burn on his right thigh, and mild burn across his chest and stomach and a few that should leave small blemishes on the backs of his fore arms. He must have blocked his face with his arms. I resist at first, but Haymitch barks at me telling me this is for Peeta's own good. Releasing my hold on him, the healers place Peeta on a stretcher and I let go of his hand so I can check on Haymitch. I wonder what caused this? What was it that had to happen for this fire to swallow Peeta and his house? I push the thought-provoking issues aside and turn my attention to Haymitch. Greasy Sae has him sitting in a chair sipping on a cup of water, his arm has a minor burn on it and his other one has scratches from breaking the window. I walk towards and embrace him as lightly as I can.

"Geeze, why all the emotion, sweetheart?" he scoffs. He knows that I am beyond grateful. "This is why I am here, because you and your emotions wouldn't be able to handle situations like that." He chuckles motioning to the smoky house. All I can do is gently smile at him. He is my mentor, and for very good reasons. He stupid when he wants to be, but fiercely protective at all times. A father figure in a weird way.

I leave the sight of the smoke and diminished flames to take off to join Peeta. I pick up my package that lies perfectly where I left it. I make my way to the tall boys home where I was told Peeta would be. It is to my curiosity as to why he is there, they looked nothing like healers and are much more, uh, blessed in the muscle department to be in the medical field. I knock politely, but if it was anyone I knew personally I wouldn't have bothered. One of the tall boys swings the door open and smiles brightly at the sight of me.

"Hi Katniss. Peeta is right in here. He is asking for you, so I assume he will be very excited to see you here. I'm Darrion!" He says with a bit too much enthusiasm. Most likely from District 4. "I am not from around here, so this area is a huge change of environment to me. So my apologies if I seem out of place." He says leading to the back of his home. Yep, definitely District 4. I notice the signs as I follow him through the hallways. Broad shoulders, tall build, golden hair, and sun kissed skin. He reminds me so much of someone who I used to know, and for and instant, pain again seeps through me by the death of Finnick Odiar. Darrion passes the other tall boy, introducing him as Andor, his older bother.

"We have plenty of time for pleasantries later, you idiot. Take her to Peeta for heaven sakes!" He says playfully shoving his brother, and I let my mouth quirk up in a small smile at their comradery.

Darrion knocks on the door lightly before opening it. Peeta is lying on a bed in room that resembles a peaceful hospital room. It matches the rest of the house and a calm demeanor washes over me. Dirt and sweat are pasted on my face and I am positive he thinks I look like a million bucks, but knowing Peeta, he could care less if I look terrible or radiant as the sun. A smile threatens to split his face in two when he sees me and goes to move but winces back in pain from the burn on his stomach. It sends pain into me just to watch him suffer. A tall woman in a grey pants and a white button up shirt that's with her sleeves rolled up. She has is glasses on top of her nose and is examining the burn on his right thigh, and when she looks up at me she smiles. She has blonde hair and olive skin and yet she reminds me of someone very familiar. I can't put my finger on it.

"Hello Katniss. Peeta has spoken very highly of you." She smiles. "I am Geneva." She stretches out her hand and I shake it.

"Pleasure to meet you. That is a very lovely name" I say. Great job Katniss, way to stay on topic.

"Thank you! A lot of other people think it suits me. Thank you, sweetheart. That will be all. See if there is anything you can do to bring Haymitch here please." She says to Darrion who simply nods and closes the door. "I see you have met my sons?"

"Yes ma'am." But like Andor said, this is no time for pleasantries.

"How is he doing?" I ask her wanting to know everything that could possibly cause him to be in an immense amount of pain.

"You know, I am right here, why don't you just ask me?" Peeta smirks at me, followed by giving me a face that pouts. I giggle and ruffle his hair. Did I seriously just giggle? "If you wanted to know, I have been better, but it wasn't as bad as it was in the first Games, so you can actually breathe now." He smirks closing his eyes completely satisfied. I roll my eyes; for someone who can be burned to the crisp, he can still have the witty attitude. However, by the ever so slight slur of his words and witty comebacks, I know he is jacked up on something.

"I'll let you two have a moment." She says kindly. As soon as the door closes behind her, I slip on to Peeta's bed and wrap my arms tightly around him. This is the most affection I have given him in months. We sit in comfortable silence for a few blissful moments before Peeta speaks up.

"Katniss." He whispers, running his fingers through a rat's nest that can also be referred to as my hair. All of his wit has left him almost immediately and is replaced with worry. I place my hand over his heart to make confirm what I already know. He is alive.

"Peeta." I mock his tone.

"I'm so sorry…"

"Don't you dare!" I say harshly, sitting up to look at him, "This is entirely my fault! I should have never said the things I did. I should have never pushed you away like that. I … " oh, Katniss, not now! Please don't cry now! Too late, the tears start to bubble over. I am worthless when it comes to words and he knows that. I want to be angry at him for just sitting their watching my blubber on, but then my anger would be completely unjustified. "I should have never pushed you away." I whimper.

He pulls me flush against his left shoulder, "I should have never let you go."

My eyes meet his and suddenly, the urge to kiss him feels far too great for my inner being to fight. I need to kiss him. Wait, no, correction I want to kiss him. My Seam Grey eyes flutter to his lips and back to his own bright blue ones and he seems to understand the message. Though his arms maybe somewhat burnt, he doesn't hesitate to slip his hand to the back of my neck and pull me closer until I feel his warm breath on my lips.

A soft knock falls against the door and I spring so quickly from his grasp, that he is even a tad shocked. However, I grab his hand. We are a team, aren't we? That burning sensation in the pit of my stomach is unfortunately still there. I need to kiss him.

"Katniss, may I speak to you outside for a moment?" Geneva asks sweetly. Nodding, I release Peeta's hand and kiss his forehead then proceed to follow after Geneva. She closes the door behind her and turns to me.

"He is beat up pretty bad. Now I know his house at the moment is… Uninhabitable, but is there a way we can move him into another house? A place where I can check on him? Dr. Aurelius should be here tomorrow to assess him as well, do you – "

"He will stay with me." I say, cutting her off. That is that, no questions asked, no if ands or buts about it. I won't lose him again. We still need to discuss what went down in flames between us a few months ago. Well rather I need to explain my stupidity to him.

"Are you sure? Is there something we can do to help?"

"No, he will stay with me. He has done it before and he will do it again." I say in tone as my final word. She smiles and pats my shoulder.

"We have someone who can help cook as well." I continue, "She is a –"

"Culinary wonder! Greasy Sae, I have met her. I met her as soon as I came into town. My sons, Andor and Darrion came here with me." She says enthusiastically. "We are from District 4."

I nod, and a memory of an old friend surfaces and I have to push it aside to keep myself from crying.

She pauses and looks at me as a mother looks at her child with love, "You can't imagine what you have done for the people of Panem Katniss. What you have done for me." She says sadly; suddenly, I miss the enthusiasm of these District 4 natives.

"What have I done for you? If anything caused you to hate me." I say.

"Oh no Katniss, you have given me hope. Even in the darkest of times, you gave me hope. Just like my brother." She holds me by the shoulders smiling gently.

"Do I know your brother?"

"Yes you did." The way she says it in past tense makes me freeze.

"How?" I whisper, my voice barely audible.

"Katniss, my brother's name was Finnick Odair."

BAM!

Didn't see that one comin' did ya now?

HA.

GOTCHA.

YAYAYAYAYAYAY! Oh thank you all so much for your precious words on the last chapter! I got over ten reviews alone for that chapter and it blew my mind!

Leave me a pretty note (with the DRILL inside) and I'll respond (even if you don't know the drill) LOL I love reading your thoughts, questions, and support. Its true what famous authors say... we would be no where without the readers. You guys keep it going!

LEAVE ME SOMETHING, YEAH?

I ADORE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU

****Importante****

I will reveal the name of the sequel in chapter ten (literally in the text. It will be all capitalized so you can miss it).

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Stay beautiful!

- CE