A/N.

Well I took a little study break to get this chapter done, be grateful! ;)

Enjoy x

Chapter 9 - September (Katniss' POV)

What the hell? Is this some kind of joke? He came to America just to see me. I think I'm going to pass out.

Suddenly Prim popped her head outside the door and squealed when she saw Peeta standing there.

"PEETA!" she screamed, flinging her arms around his middle. Peeta laughed and hugged her back.

"Uh, Prim, can you go back inside please? We'll be in in a minute and you can catch up then." Katniss asked, trying to keep her vice steady.

Katniss was still in shock. Peeta looked amazing. He had gotten a little taller since the last time they had seen each other, and there as about a head of height between them. His blonde hair had darkened a bit, probably from the lack of constant sun. His eyes were still the same, though. Bright azure blue, highlighting his face. Katniss felt inadequate standing across from him. She was only wearing sweats and a thin grey t-shirt, she had no make-up on and her hair was in its usual messy braid down her left shoulder.

Prim pretended to huff and walked back inside, gently slamming the door.

"She's so grown up." Peeta commented, still smiling.

"Yeah. Sometimes it's like she's older than me. She even has a boyfriend." Katniss replied, beginning to shiver in the Autumn air.

"She must be, what, fifteen now? Time flies."

A slightly awkward silence fell over them, and Katniss blurted it out before she could stop herself.

"Why did you leave?"

Peeta's eyes snapped up and met hers, filling with regret. "Believe me Katniss, it wasn't my fault. My mother-"

"Did she take you away because she didn't like that we were together?"

"I-I think so, yes. But I've resented her every day of my life since we left. I missed you so much."

"What did I do?"

"Nothing, Katniss, my mother just thinks that anyone that she hasn't personally hand picked isn't good enough for me. But you were good enough."

"Clearly not. It broke me when you left. I spent weeks sitting alone in my apartment, not doing anything except for waiting for you to call me. But that didn't happen. I had to have my little sister see me as a shell of the person I used to be." Katniss knew that she was being a little irrational. But she didn't care. When she had written that letter she had been lonely and lovesick. Now she was just bitter.

"Let me make it up to you, please." Peeta looked like he was prepared to beg, and Katniss didn't want that. She wanted him. She wanted to be close to him, to have his lips on hers, and to have nothing to rip them apart. But there was a little voice at the back of her mind that told her that she wasn't good enough for him. That Katniss and love just didn't mix. That Peeta would find someone better, and she would be back to square one.

"Ok. But please, please, don't expect a relationship right now. It's been a rough year, and I just want some time."

"Anything if it will let me be at least your friend."

They went inside, and Peeta listened to Prim tell him stories about Rory, Finnick, and everyone else that she was now friends with. Katniss smiled and realised just how much she had missed him. Everywhere he went he brought an airy confidence and a bright ray of happiness. You just couldn't help but love him. And that was the problem.

Katniss brought in the coffee she had made for herself and Peeta, along with Prim's soda. They talked easily until it was dark outside and well past midnight. Prim announced that she was going to bed.

"Ok you two lovebirds, I want to sleep so keep it down," Prim winked at them, and Katniss choked on the sip of water she had been swallowing. Peeta went bright red, but smiled shyly.

"You said to me how much it broke you when I left. It broke me too, you know. When we moved in to our new house, I would lock myself away and just stay there, alone, for hours on end. It went on like that for weeks. Eventually I made new friends, and met girls but none of them compared to you. I swear. If everything had of gone my way I would never have left the states."

Peeta's blunt honesty startled Katniss. She was just about to reply when her glass of water slipped out of her hand, shattering on the wooden floor.

"Shit!" Katniss muttered as she got up to grab a towel. Peeta followed and got one aswell, and he began to help her clean it up. Katniss set about picking up the glass, and Peeta mopped up the water. She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her right index finger, and when Katniss looked down there was an inch long gash running down the outside of it. It didn't look too deep, to her relief.

Peeta saw it, and grabbed her good hand, leading her into the kitchen. Katniss sat on the bench and Peeta went about looking for a bandage.

"They're in the top left cupboard. Over there." Katniss directed him throughout, teaching him how to properly bandage it. This is what she was almost fully trained to do, after all.

"Ok, all better now. Does it hurt?" Peeta asked, concern shining in his eyes, making him even more endearing.

"A little," Katniss confessed. But it hurt a lot more than that, it was throbbing and sharp.

Slowly, Peeta gently lifted her hand and placed a small kiss on her finger, never breaking eye contact with Katniss. He placed her hand back on the counter, and then realised the position that they were in. Katniss was sitting on the kitchen bench, with Peeta in between her legs. Their faces were inches apart, and before she realised what she was about to do, Katiss began to lean in towards him.

Her eyes were still open, and there was almost no space left between their lips. Her eyes closed, but then she had a horrible flashback. Peeta's face was no longer in front of hers, but instead it was Cato's. Bright blue eyes were replaced with a blue that was smoky and uninviting.

Katniss froze. Their lips were just barely touching, and she jerked her head back. "Stop, stop!" Peeta opened his eyes and stepped back. Katniss could feel her face turning pale, and her heart was hammering in her chest. She jumped off the counter and a dry sob escaped her chest. Peeta's face crumbled, and she could see the rejection and hurt in his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry," was all that Katniss could get out before she fled the room and locked her bedroom door.

A/N.

Oooh drama! You gotta feel for Katniss though :(

Well my head was going to explode if I studied for any longer, so I decided to be nice and treat you guys to this chapter.

Hope you liked it!

And can we maybe get up to 50 reviews before the next chapter is posted? Because that would be amazing!