"How much longer will he be out?" The voice sounded familiar but was too far away for him to be sure. He tried to open his eyes but the lids felt heavy and sluggish. It was much easier to let the darkness claim him and pull him under. "He acts like he's in agony. Isn't there anything we can do? There has to be some way to make it easier for him. He's suffering."

"It has to work out in its own time. We will do more harm than good if we interfere." There was calm assurance is this strange voice. The surety soothed him further. He didn't hear the rest. "He will have a lot of questions when he wakes up. It will be difficult for him to know what is and isn't real. He will be confused and angry. You must be ready to deal with it. Be patient. It will take time for him to recover fully." The voice paused and then continued on in a reflective tone. "There's still so much we don't understand about how it affects the mind. It will be interesting to study the long-term effects."

"He's not an animal in one of your labs, Aurelius. Don't talk about him like that." This was said gruffly and carried the tone of an order. Aurelius demurred and offered a quiet apology. The brusque voice continued, "Lucky for the boy that a squad was in the area. He could have died out there. Get them settled and fed. We'll take a look around tomorrow and get rid of any others that might have wandered in. I thought the last batches had been killed off years ago. These were hybrids. Not as potent as the pure strain. He wouldn't have lasted long enough for us to find him otherwise. It's still a damned shame. Torture to get over."

Dr. Aurelius commented, "Torture is putting it lightly. His memories will have been severely affected. He will have to be watched closely to make sure there is no permanent damage. He could have been trapped in a nightmare all this time or a pleasant dream. We won't know until he wakes up. Let's hope for his sake that it was the dream."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Peeta stood aside and watched in trepidation as Katniss examined the pile of canvases. He could scarcely believe what had happened. He and his mother had agreed to a new start. She had loved him all along despite all evidence to the contrary. He looked at the smoke eyed girl who was carefully flipping through his paintings and felt a strange tugging in his chest. So many good things had happened to him in so short a time. It seemed unreal. She seemed to feel his eyes on her because she looked up, caught him staring and smiled shyly. His lips quirked up in response.

"What are you looking at?" She questioned playfully.

His face flushed as the answer spilled forth unchecked, "A dream come true."

Her cheeks tinted pink and she dropped her eyes to the painting held carefully in her hand. She pulled it free and gently set it aside. Curious, he stepped closer and grasped the canvas. It was a study in shades of gray and black. It had been done with a brush but the effect looked as if he had drawn each line separately with a pencil or charcoal. The girl in the painting stared at the viewer unafraid. The only spot of color was a bouquet of dandelions held in one slender hand. Some of the blossoms were a splash of bright yellow against the surrounding gray. Others had shed their petals for tiny tufts that blew free with the slightest breath of air. A few tassels danced around the girl, landing languidly on her braid and on the supple leather of her jacket.

"It's my favorite flower," she commented quietly. "They turn up in unexpected places. They are so bright and hopeful. My mother told me that only I would favor a weed. How did you know?"

He blanched at her words and shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't…I don't…." He stammered. "It just seemed to fit the picture. I always thought that you would prefer wildflowers over traditional plants. They are simple and complex at the same time. They have so many facets that most people overlook. It just seemed to fit." He repeated.

Katniss reached for the frame and pulled the picture to her. "I would like to give this one to my father if you don't mind. He would love it. Is that okay?"

Peeta nodded enthusiastically. "Of course. I'd love for him to have it." He gestured to the other abandoned canvases. "Did you find anything in there that would look good hanging in the bakery?"

She gestured to a separate stack. "Those four are beautiful. I think they would look lovely in the bakery. They made me feel as if I was standing in the woods, Peeta. You really are very talented." She watched as he picked up the four and flipped through them hurriedly. He acceded to her choices and made his way to the stairs. Looking back over his shoulder, he asked, "What did you want to do after we leave here? I thought that we could go back to Delly and Dodge's. Haymitch and your father didn't want us wandering around the district even with Finnick and Johanna tagging along."

She rolled her eyes but agreed to go along with his suggestion. They left the four paintings on the counter, said good-bye to Mrs. Mellark and headed out. Johanna and Finnick fell into step with them but remained silent as they crossed the square at a leisurely pace. Katniss eyed Johanna for a moment then asked innocently, "Do you think Gale will be joining the military? He seems like he would fit in well. It would certainly be convenient for you, Johanna."

The brown-haired girl rounded on her fiercely. "Convenient? What gave you the impression that I want something to be convenient, brainless? Trust me, inconvenient is much more my milieu of choice. Besides, Boggs is a stickler for regulations when it comes to that stuff. Dating in the ranks is strictly forbidden. A bad breakup could cause tension in the ranks. Best to avoid it wherever possible. I hope that the idea of military life is the furthest thing from Gale's pretty little mind. Otherwise, I'll have to be good and I hate having to be good. It's so boring."

Finnick chuckled at her blunt announcement. "Johanna, it wouldn't kill you to let this one go. The Hawthorne kid is a little to on edge for your usual games. He's wound tight if you get my meaning. All of that aside, you know after his performance during the fight that Boggs will be panting to recruit him for our squad. He kept his head and reacted well in a stressful situation. Boggs has wet dreams about that sort of thing. He's itching to sink his claws into your boy. Best to cut your losses now and not be disappointed later."

Johanna scowled. "Just because you had to cool it with Annie for the same reason doesn't mean you can spout advice when you feel like it, Finnick. He's not official yet. Until he is, he's fair game."

Peeta darted a questioning glance between the two. "Annie?" He asked inquiringly. Katniss couldn't hide her own interest as she sidled closer.

Finnick now wore the annoyed expression. He glared at Johanna who wore a pleased smirk. "Annie Cresta," he said reluctantly. "She grew up in District Four like me. Boggs recruited her after she pulled one of our guys out of the water during a training mission. He was twice her size but she was able to get him to the beach so the medics could set his broken leg. Annie and I dated in school. I saw her every chance I got. I spent leaves in D4 so that I could be close to her. When she joined the squad, it put us on hold. We both went to see Boggs so that we could explain our situation. He was sympathetic but felt that it would hurt the squad if she was transferred to another post. We decided to table our relationship until her three years are up. After that, we're getting married and she's going to another group or back home. She's not really cut out for military life."

Peeta's hand found Katniss's and their fingers tightly intertwined. Three years. "How do you keep from losing it?" Peeta asked quietly. "I couldn't be that close to her and not be able to be with her."

Finnick cracked a smile and flicked a glance at their joined hands. "If that's what I have to do to be with her, then I'll do it. It's not easy but it will be worth it in the long run." He looked thoughtful and said softly, "We only have three months to go. I've already applied for a marriage license and she's put in for a transfer. Since we've got all the important stuff taken care of, the rest will be a piece of cake. "

The foursome continued to walk in silence. As they neared the house, they saw a familiar dark-haired form sitting on the front steps. Johanna brightened considerably and quickened her pace. Finnick huffed out a laugh and shot the remaining pair an amused look as they watched her bound into the yard. Gale watched her warily and commented to the approaching group, "I just wanted to check Seth before I went home. I also wanted to tell you the news personally." He gulped loudly and a disbelieving grin split his face. "I spent the last few hours talking with Boggs. He asked if I would be interested in joining up. He wants to send me to the Capital at the end of the week." Johanna's face fell but she recovered swiftly and raised a questioning brow. "They want me to work with that Beetee guy that left a few days ago. He's an engineer or something. He's been trying to dismantle the weaponry left over from the war. I did a test and it showed that I have a knack for weapon design. He thinks my hunting and knowledge of snares nudged me in that direction. He figures if I can put them together then I should be able to take them apart. I'll go to District Two after I finish my basic training"

Peeta's mouth fell open at the deluge of information. Gale sounded more excited than Peeta had ever heard him. "Congratulations," he offered. "It sounds like a great opportunity for you."

Katniss added, "Congratulations, Gale."

Johanna wore a broad smile as she elbowed into the conversation. "Congratulations are definitely in order. You'll love Two. Our main base is located there along with the Academy. It's pretty intensive. You'll want to make sure that your skills are top-notch. Those guys don't play around." She stopped for breath. "Fortunately for you, I noticed your abysmal equipment earlier and have taken steps to remedy that. Black yew is the best wood for making a bow. I found a decent stave and can get it trimmed down for you once I know your draw length. Port Orford Cedar makes the best arrow shafts but that wood isn't native to Twelve. I could have some sent in from Seven but it would take a couple of weeks to get it harvested and on the train. There are some good-sized ash and poplar tree just beyond the fence. I decided to use the poplar because it's sturdy and flies true. That's what your first twelve shafts are made from. You will need to take a couple of practice shots to get a feel for them."

Gale's jaw dropped. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as his voice failed him. Finally, he choked out, "Why are you doing this? Are you telling me that you hand crafted a bow and arrows for me? How do you even know how to do that?"

Johanna shrugged. "I grew up in Seven. Lumber and wood products are what we're known for. My mom taught me everything she knew about weapons and which wood works best for different products. I've made swords and knives from red oak for training purposes. They come in handy for teaching balancing and proper handling of the blade without the lethal side effects. Bows aren't much more difficult. The measurements have to be precise so I will need to watch you use them."

Gale's lips lifted into a grin. "Thanks, Johanna. That would be great. We can do that when you're free." Johanna returned his smile with one of her own. They wandered into the house comparing the merits of a recurve bow versus the new compound bow that was the rage in the Capital. The others watched them with varying degrees of amusement.

Peeta snorted as he took in Gale's absorbed expression. Katniss elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "She threw an ax at his head," Peeta reminded. "If this doesn't go well, chances are he's going to end up hurt in the very literal sense. Finnick, are you sure that she's entirely sane?"

Finnick laughed uproariously. "I wouldn't say that. She does like him to go to all that trouble for him. Don't freak out, Peeta. He'll be safely out of her hair by the end of the week. If they meet up again, he'll be able to hold his own." Finnick paused to consider something briefly. "Well," he said slowly, "he'll be able to keep her from killing him right away. The training will help him. It will give him a fighting chance. She doesn't try to kill unless she's really mad. The last guy only lost his little finger. She cut it off with a paring knife. He did call her incompetent so I'm inclined to believe he deserved what he got."

Peeta sent Katniss a pained look as she let out an amused giggle. "Not you too. I should have known. She's not been teaching you to throw axes on the side has she?"

Katniss grinned. "No. She hasn't taught me anything. She didn't need to. I can shoot. I'm not bad at knife throwing either. She did promise to give me a few lessons before she leaves. I think it would be fun to throw an ax."

Peeta groaned and covered his eyes. He gave Finnick a resigned look. "Are you any good at knife throwing?"

Finnick blithely answered, "I'm fair. Why? Are you asking for lessons?" At Peeta's subdued nod, Finnick laughed loudly. "Don't blame you. Can't be too careful these days. Girls are a lot tougher than they used to be."

Peeta gritted his teeth and vowed silently never to ask the man another question for as long as he lived. Katniss patted his arm sympathetically. "Want to go see Seth after supper? He should be awake by then. They will let you in for a few minutes, I'm sure." He smiled slightly and nodded. "Let's get the food taken care of and then we'll head out." She gave him a small peck on the chin and then hurried into the kitchen muttering about sandwiches.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO XOXOXOXOXO

The sun cast a faded orange glow over the pair as they walked together toward the clinic. Gale and Johanna trailed behind still discussing the pros and cons of the different snares. The girl also had an interest in hunting and trapping. Her mother had given her a broad, undefined education covering some very questionable topics. That knowledge stood her in good stead during her tenure on Paylor's bodyguard squad. She snorted irritably at one of Gale's more impassioned arguments. Their voices carried as the volume increased. Finnick began to shoot them annoyed looks interspersed with pointed glares. Johanna was shirking her bodyguard duties to argue with the dour newcomer. She narrowed her eyes at him in warning and then turned back to her conversation. Finnick glared at the back of her head then went back to scanning the surrounding forest.

The exchange from earlier in the day continued to wear on Peeta. He knew without doubt that Katniss loved him. He was sure of it. He couldn't help but wonder if she would be willing to stay in Twelve after their current difficulties were cleared up. He opened his mouth to ask but was interrupted as she turned toward him. "Do you think you'll stay here forever? Here in Twelve I mean? You could probably keep working at the bakery if you wanted."

He tilted his head as he considered her question. "I never really thought about it. I just always assumed that I'd stay here and work at the bakery. Seth will get first crack at it but he can't do everything by himself. Yeah, I do. I think I'll stay here afterward." He swallowed noisily. "What about you? Where do you think you'll end up?"

Her lips curled up. "I don't know. There are so many places to go and things to see. I've never been anywhere but here." Her eyes swept the buildings, noting the well-kept storefronts and carefully tended lawns. "Twelve does have everything that I would need to call home. It's close to the woods. I can keep up with my hunting and fishing. I've made some friends here. I could see myself living here." His indrawn breath pulled her eyes to him.

"When this is over if you stay here, I want to make you toast," he blurted out. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. Finnick and Johanna looked on in confusion. Gale, however, shot Peeta a horrified look. He blushed furiously and avoided looking directly at Gale. "I mean, I'd like for you to make toast with me. Do you like toast?" He finished lamely, his face crimson.

Kantiss looked slightly shocked as her big eyes locked on his blue ones and stayed there. She was intimately familiar with the toasting tradition in Twelve. She wasn't ignorant to what he was actually asking. Her breath caught and she took up a furious study of the toe of her sandal. Peeta watched her carefully, his mind churning at the thought of the request he had dropped on her so carelessly. He watched anxiously as she lifted her eyes back up to his and beamed brightly. "I think I'd like that very much, Peeta. I'll allow it."

"Really?" He questioned eagerly, his heart pounding in his chest. "Do you mean it?"

She dropped her head into her hands and closed her eyes briefly. Finally, she raised her head and met his gaze squarely. "I do," she answered softly. The double meaning of wasn't lost on either of them. His face flooded with happiness and he reached for her when it happened.

Gunfire erupted around them. The flaring lines of tracer bullets cut paths in the twilight, their whistling passage igniting the still evening air. Finnick immediately returned fire and yelled at Katniss and Peeta to drop. Johanna and Gale ran forward to lend their help. Johanna's curses accompanied a barrage of fire as the tiny woman brought her weapon to bear. Gale drew two knives from sheaths hidden underneath his coat. He passed one to Katniss and then unlimbered another from a boot. Peeta found himself wondering how many knives that Gale carried on his person. He pulled Katniss protectively underneath him and covered her with his bulk. His eyes darted back and forth searching for any nearby threat.

A pained groan from Finnick was accompanied by the muffled thud of a bullet meeting flesh. Wounds marked by splashes of ruby-red that blossomed on his arm and lower leg. He tumbled to the ground and lay unmoving. Johanna yelled out his name and moved swiftly toward him. Grabbing his abandoned weapon, she tossed it to Gale and kneeled to check her fallen friend. "He's still breathing," she announced. "We need to get him to a medic ASAP."

Gale shrieked out a warning and ran forward, his gun alive in his hands. There were five shadowy figures moving toward them in the lowering light. One of them staggered slightly as another impact was heard. He didn't fall. Johanna cursed under her breath and Peeta felt his blood freeze as she looked toward him and mouthed, "Armor." What the hell were they supposed to do now? Peeta glanced back over his shoulder. The road looked clear. He bent and spoke quietly in Katniss's ear, "I'm going to go help Johanna and Gale. When I do, you head toward the house. Don't stop until you get there. Make sure you lock the door. Delly and Dodge have a phone. Use it. Call Haymitch and get us some help. We'll try to hold them off. Don't leave the house for anything. Do you understand me, Katniss?"

She nodded and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. "I love you," she breathed.

He stared at her in awe, forgetting briefly the chaos surrounding them. "Love you too," he answered softly. He rolled off of her and pushed her to her feet. "Now go!" He hissed and pivoted toward the fight. She took off as fast as she could toward the distant house. Peeta watched her until he could no longer afford to then scooped up Gale's discarded knife and drove it into the neck of an oncoming armored figure. The man gasped as the blade cut deep. A pink tinged spray burst forth covering Peeta in gore. He wiped his blood slick hands on the man's shirt, let him fall at his feet and looked around hastily for another threat.

"Peeta," his name rang out in a terror filled shout. He swung around and gasped in horror as his eyes found Katniss grappling with a figure almost twice her size. He ran forward with the knife still clinched tightly in his fist. She was holding her own by dent of sheer determined will. Her slippered foot landed a heavy blow into her attacker's groin. The man's muffled grunt of pain was audible. She didn't let up and drove stiffened fingers into his exposed eyes. She seemed to remember the knife clutched in her hand at the last second. The blade flashed as she drove it home, buried in the eye she had just blinded. She fell to the ground and rolled to regain her feet. Her pretty orange dress was ripped and stained but to Peeta she had never looked more beautiful. He could feel a proud smile blooming on his face. He took one step toward her when a sudden sharp impact to the back of his head drove him to his knees. He dimly heard her shout his name and fought to stay conscious. He groggily raised his head and cried out as he caught a blurry image of her being dragged down the street, the knife flying from her grasp. He climbed jerkily to his feet and lurched down the street screaming as he went. The blow caught him from behind, sparking a swirl of stars that exploded outward taking consciousness with them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

The voice seemed to come from far away as it insistently called out his name. He moved slowly through the layers of fog that seemed to surround him as he fought his way back to consciousness. His eyes blinked open then blinked again as the light assaulted them. He grunted and turned his face into the pillow. The sound of curtains being drawn and the voice repeating his name pulled him back. He shook his head to clear it and turned to meet the teary smiling gaze of his brother.

"Hey there, little brother," Seth whispered. "It's good to see your eyes again."

"How long have I been out?" Peeta rasped. His throat felt dry and scratchy. A cup of water appeared and he sat up slowly, leaning against the headboard until his head steadied. Grabbing the water, he took a careful swallow. "Where am I?"

Seth let out a shaky laugh and mussed Peeta's hair playfully. "About seven days all together. We don't know how long you were down before Gale found you and brought you back."

Peeta's brow furrowed as he searched furiously through a set of hazy memories. Brought him back? Abruptly, he set up and latched onto Seth's shirt. "Where is she? Is she safe?"

Seth pulled his fingers loose and asked, "Is who safe? What are you talking about, Peeta? You've been really sick. It's been touch and go. Luckily, Haymitch Abernathy knew the commander of a squad of Peacekeepers that was engaged in training drills close by. They had a doctor who came as soon as Gale got you back to town."

Peeta looked at his brother desperately. It wasn't making sense. "Seth, where is Katniss? Is she okay? The last thing I remember is her being dragged off in the middle of that fight."

Seth looked even more confused than before. His eyebrows pulled down and scrunched together as he looked at his brother carefully. He was saved from answering as Mr. and Mrs. Mellark hurriedly entered the room. "You're awake," Pryce exclaimed. "We were so worried, son. How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"

Peeta's eyes darted from one to the other. His hand raked frantically through his tangled hair. "Dad, please tell me where she is and if she's okay. I need to know she's alright." His eager eyes met his father's bemused ones. Pryce open and closed his mouth a few times then turned meet Seth's bewildered look. "Dad?" Peeta asked again.

"Peeta, you've had an accident. You were gone for hours before we realized that you hadn't returned. Gale went to your usual spots in the woods. He found a few scuffed tracks at a rock ledge he knew you went to occasionally. He managed to follow your trail to a lake about four miles from town. When he found you, you were barely breathing. You were covered in stings. You had a knot on your head from a log that you hit when you collapsed. He carried you out and brought you as far as Haymitch Abernathy's. Haymitch recognized the stings and the animal that fell out of your shirt. It looked like an ordinary wasp to the rest of us but Haymitch was familiar with the slightly larger size and golden color. He put in a call to a group of soldiers who were running training exercises in the woods over by District Thirteen. They were the closest. They had a Dr. Aurelius with them who had treated tracker jacker victims before. Apparently, the ones that stung you were hybrids that had mated with regular wasps. It's lucky for you that it wasn't the real thing. You had at least ten stings that we could see. The hybrids have diluted venom. Had it been the real thing, you would have died instantly. "Pryce paused and swiped roughly at his eyes. "You were so lucky, son. We were lucky. We almost lost you."

Peeta gulped as a knot swelled up in his throat. He didn't remember any of it. What he did remember though was enough to overcome his sudden panic. "I'm sorry that I worried you. Please, Dad, tell me where Katniss is and if she's okay."

Pryce glanced at Maura with an anguished expression on his face. "Peeta, she's not here. She's never been here. The venom causes hallucinations, son. Even the diluted venom of the hybrids was enough to send you into a coma for over a week. You didn't stop moving and thrashing the time you were out. You talked occasionally and said her name. The doctor said that to you, what you were seeing was real. We had to let the venom purge itself which meant that you had to suffer thorough whatever you were seeing until the last of the poison wore off. She was only in your head, Peeta. She was never here."

Peeta blinked in confusion as his thoughts contradicted everything his father was telling him. He knew that he had found her. She had come home with him. His father had spoken with her multiple times. He turned pained eyes on his brother who watched him through tear-reddened eyes. Seth mutely shook his head. Peeta closed his eyes to block them out. He had one last appeal to make. He turned frantic eyes toward his mother and looked at her pleadingly. "Mom, tell them please. We talked in the bakery. She was there. We decided to start over. We made up. You told her that you were happy that she had decided to stay here. Tell them. Please, mom."

Maura's eyes welled up with tears. She looked at him with leaden eyes. "God, Peeta, I wish I could tell you that. I wish I could. I'm so sorry, precious boy. I'm so sorry." She knelt by the bed and gently took his hand in both of hers. Matching pairs of blue eyes met and filled up with tears. "She was never here, Peeta. You saw her while you were asleep. You've been out for so long that we were afraid you would never wake up. She's with you in your heart, Peeta but she's never been here in Twelve. I'm so sorry that I can't tell you differently."

Her words penetrated where others had failed. She wouldn't lie about this. Not to him. He clutched her fingers tightly and let himself slump back against the headboard. His breath caught as sobs ripped his heart wide open. His mother's cries echoed his own as he pulled her into his arms. Burying his head in her shoulder for the first time in his life, Peeta wept brokenly as realization set in. She was as she had always been for him, only a dream.

End Part 12