A/N: So these started out as a couple of drabbles from Greasy Sae's perspective, and then I decided to string them together and make a one shot out of them. I still think the title sucks, but I can't think of anything much better for this story! Enjoy...

Coming Back From Oblivion

One Week...

"Katniss?" I knock on the door twice before entering. She is in the same place that she's been in for the last month, sitting in the kitchen and staring off into space. She barely notices me as I come in.

"Did you eat what I made you yesterday?" I ask softly. Katniss gives the slightest nod, and then gets up from her chair and hobbles to the bathroom. That is her way of avoiding conversation when I am here.

I sigh and clean up around the house. She can't keep living like this much longer.

One Month...

The cat seems to help Katniss. She still sits all day, but now there is an orange cat purring on her lap. Sometimes I'll walk in and see her with an almost half smile on her face.

Her clothes are dirty, though I offer to clean her up every time I'm there. She brushes her hair now, which is an improvement.

Two Months...

We all have our ways of dealing with depression. Katniss shuts down, and Haymitch drinks. I bring him a supply of liquor every week. Even though I do not support his habits, I am not responsible for his actions.

Sometimes when he's sober he'll visit Katniss. I think it's good for her, but she still needs one the boys to visit her. And by boys, I mean Peeta or Gale. I've talked over the phone with Peeta's therapists. He's still a bit disoriented and confused. The trauma of the war didn't help him when it came to recovering after being hijacked, but he may come back to District Twelve soon.

I've sent letters and called Gale a hundred times.

He never answers.

Three Months

Gale responded to one of my letters. I was surprised when I saw it in the mail. After three months, I doubted he was receiving my letters, or if he was simply choosing to ignore them

Sae- thanks for looking after Katniss for me. This has been really hard on her. I can't come back though. It hurts too much. I don't think Katniss will want to see me either. It was my bomb that killed her little sister. I'm still struggling to forgive myself for that mistake. -Gale

I tossed the letter into the fire.

Just another teenaged boy running from his feelings.

Four Months...

Katniss' mom calls me after four months. I think this courtesy is a little overdue, but I know that Miss Everdeen is still avoiding thinking about Prim. Even Katniss is a reminder of her late daughter.

"How is Katniss?" she asks.

"A little depressed," I say evasively. "I think it will take a while for her to recover from the war."

"What about Haymitch?"

"Drowning his sorrows in liquor," I answer. "Do you want me to see if Katniss will come on the line?"

"No... I think she needs time. But, thank you."

And then she hangs up.

I shake my head. First Gale, now her own mother... How many more people will give up on Katniss Everdeen?

Five Months...

My life becomes routine. I go to Haymitch's house and clean up the mess he made earlier that night... Vomit, discarded bottle, etc. Then I go to Katniss' house and try to talk to her (I never succeed), cook something for her, and then leave. Miss Everdeen calls sometimes, but not always. Around noon I'll go back to Haymitch's house and help him through his hangover. I'll make him something to eat, then go back over to Katniss' house and make her dinner.

Katniss is a skeleton of who she used to be. Once so full of life, now a corpse barely managing to breathe.

Six Months...

I am beginning to think that this is the way life in District Twelve will be, forever. Monochromatic and depressing.

That's when he shows up.

Even though I talk with Peeta's psychiatrist once a week, they decided not to tell me when he comes back.

The first thing I notice is the primroses planted in Katniss' garden. The next is that there is a smell of freshly baked bread.

I run to the house and prop open the door. Katniss is smiling. She has clean clothes on for the first time in months. But the thing that made the most difference was the smile on her face.

She and Peeta were sitting across from each other talking. They were so engaged that they didn't notice me coming into the kitchen.

I turned on my heel and walked out. I didn't want to spoil their reunion.

Seven Months...

Somedays Katniss does not get out of bed. Somedays Haymitch drinks himself sick. Somedays Peeta shouts that Katniss is a mutt.

But some days Katniss will get up and take a stroll around Victor's Village. Somedays Haymitch will sober up. Somedays Peeta will have his proper memories.

Those are the days I smile.

Eight Months...

I wake up to the sound of hammering on my door. I hop up and pull open the door.

Even when the door is pulled away, it takes Peeta a moment to stop knocking in midair.

I can tell he sprinted here from the sweat on his brow and the huff of his breath. Even though I live in the Victor's Village and he only had to run down the street, Peeta has been out of shape from the mental stress he's been put under.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Katniss..." Peeta wheezes. "Katniss is missing..."

We go around Victor's Village calling for Katniss. We then wake up Haymitch and together we go into what was once District Twelve, now a pile of ashes. We yell for Katniss some more. Still no response.

Peeta is practically in tears, and Haymitch has begun drinking whatever's in his flask.

Suddenly, we see Katniss jogging towards us. She has a bow and a sheath of arrows strung over her shoulder. She's carrying a bag stuffed full of who-knows-what in one hand.

"Katniss!" Peeta exclaims scooping her into a hug. Katniss stands awkwardly as Peeta embraces her. I know both of them have not yet started back on their 'romantic relationship' yet. "Where have you been?"

As a response, Katniss dumps the bag she was holding onto the ground.

Three squirrels, four birds, and one wild dog fall out. All of them have been shot in the eye.

That's when I know Katniss, the real Katniss, is back.

Nine Months...

Everytime I see them, Katniss and Peeta are pouring over a book. Peeta is always drawing some sort of plant in them. Katniss is sometimes explaining how it's supposed to look, or simply watching Peeta work on the picture, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Peeta has been waking up less and less from nightmares about the war.

Everyone is beginning to recover.

Ten Months...

Katniss' mother comes back to District Twelve after ten months. She didn't call ahead. Why does no one call ahead?

When Katniss sees her mother, she stands stock still for a moment, then she runs up to her. Katniss pauses unsure what to do next, and that's when her mother scoops her into an embrace.

Miss Everdeen only stays for a few days, but in those days, Katniss is the most alive I've seen her since the war.

Eleven Months...

I find Haymitch one day out in the meadow pouring out all the bottles of liquor.

"First the Capital, now you. I will not have anyone else controlling my life!" Haymitch is yelling at the bottles.

I watch as the last drop is poured out.

When Haymitch turns around and sees me I say, "It's a good choice."

I think that's all there is to say.

One Year...

When I find Peeta not in the kitchen doing his normal early morning baking, I peak my head into his bedroom to see if he's alright. Katniss is curled up next to him in bed, and even in his sleep Peeta has a grin on his face.

I back out of the room and shut the door. Maybe we would recover from this war after all.

Everyone of us in the Districts has been subject to suffering before. Even families like Peeta's that were better off than most. I don't think anyone will be able to go back to the way they were before the war. Both Peeta and Katniss have been ripped and torn apart in the war, but together they are stitching themselves up. However, even stitches leave scars.

Part of Katniss' whole identity was watching after her family. Now that her family is either dead or safe, I don't know how much of her is left.

I never really knew Peeta. I really still don't. I only know one thing: he loves Katniss. And anyone who truly loves that girl wins a thumbs up in my book.

A/N: Reviews are appreciated!