So this is the last chapter, other than the epilogue that I'll post in a few days, and I find myself trying not to cry. I can't believe it's been two years since I first posted this new fic about Peeta being a Hawthorne. I've been blown away by the reception that this story has received and it means so much to me that something I've written has meant something to all of you. Thank you to all of you that have stuck with it all along and to those of you who've just discovered it. I know I have some of the best and most supportive readers and I am forever grateful and blessed.

I have to thank some wonderful friends and fellow fangirls. Thank you to Scoutchick104 for being my beautiful Beta! Also thank you to withheartfulloflove, soles-of-wind, chrissytron, jhutchmyanchor and shininalltheway for pre-reading. The support you all give me means so much to me and I know how lucky I am to know all of you.

I can be reached on tumblr under the username: stacylk. I have been asked to write a drabble for this story on there already and I'm more than happy to write anymore that I receive.

Chapter Twelve

The blades of grass tickle the ends of his fingers as he runs his hands through it. His mind continues to think of the times he spent with her in the meadow as his eyes drift over to the spot where they had lain together. Most of the time they had just talked about nothing in particular but there were moments of stolen kisses and roaming hands that made his skin flush and his heart break. Peeta grips the grass tight as another flood of emotions threaten to choke him. After Katniss had left him alone in the alley, he ran the distance from the square to the clearing, his eyes forward the entire time. He didn't need to give anyone another reason to talk about him, already he could feel the rumor mill begin. All he wanted was to feel normal, to have the girl he adored want him back. But even now he knew he was asking too much of her, because caring for him took too much effort.

A cool breeze tickles the bare skin of his arms and he's at least thankful that his clothes have dried. Peeta looks up to the sky to see the warm oranges blend into deep purples signifying that sunset has already approached and that curfew isn't far behind. With a reluctant sigh he pushes himself off of the ground and brushes the torn blades of grass from his clothing.

The walk through the Seam is quiet as families have already settled into bed since the shifts for the mines begin so early in the morning. However, he occasionally walks past a few older couples who watch him carefully before the gentlemen tip their head to him which Peeta returns. When the Hawthorne's home comes into view he slows down his pace, glad that he doesn't have to pass by Katniss's home for now. He's only to the first step when Hazelle comes rushing out of the door, her breathing heavy. Gale isn't far behind her with the younger kids, and Peeta shares a strained look with him. He wants to blame Gale for his situation with Katniss but he knows that it was inevitable, because one way or another she was always going to leave.

Peeta can feel his expression soften as his eyes leave Gale's, his attention back to Hazelle. "I'm sorry about what happened with Gale and for running off but I couldn't stay."

She waves him off. "Peeta-"

He ignores her protests, as his voice comes out rushed. "I'll work off any of the damage and personally go apologize to the Tailor. I'm not above groveling." Peeta laughs slightly, more from embarrassment than joy.

Hazelle says him name more forcibly this time as she tries to gain his attention. "Peeta!" He watches as her normally warm expression turns cold and indifferent. "You have a visitor."

Peeta sighs. "I don't want to see Katniss right now."

Hazelle shakes her head, her dark eyes troubled. "It's not Katniss."

Before he can formulate a thought the front door is being pulled open and a petite blond woman comes rushing out, nearly knocking Vick down. She doesn't pay any attention to the young boy as he clings to Gale's side to keep from falling. Hazelle keeps her eyes on Peeta but she's aware enough to step to the side to allow the woman to pass. He can feel the air in his lungs constrict as she approaches and the familiar grief her presence causes washes over him.

Peeta begins to speak when he feels the stinging contact of her slap seep into his skin. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be struck. She doesn't seem to be bothered by her action as she begins to yell at him. "Where have you been?!" Peeta reaches up to his injured cheek, gingerly holding his face. He can see Hazelle begin to say something but he merely shakes his head. "The nerve of you to make me wait with these people." He can feel himself bristle from her insult, as he lowers his hand.

He has to grit his teeth before speaking, hoping it helps quell his temper. "I wasn't aware you were in the district, mother."

Peeta can faintly hear Hazelle instruct Gale to take the younger kids into the house. He chances a look to the older boy as Gale takes Posy by the hand, while ushering the boys inside. They share a look and Peeta is shocked by the pity and odd kindness he sees there. The door finally closes and he doesn't have long to contemplate Gale's expression before his mother is laying into him once again.

She pulls at the front of her dress as she straightens her appearance. "Well I wasn't aware you were here either, at least not until a few days ago." She turns slightly around, cutting her eyes towards Hazelle. As she turns back to Peeta, he again catches Hazelle's eyes and can feel a deep blush invade his face. "I arrived about a day ago." His mother doesn't react to the apparent surprise on his face. "I've been staying with some friends of my parents at the Shoe Maker's home."

"I wasn't aware you were there."

She sighs as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I wanted some time to myself before I had to deal with anyone from the district. Imagine my surprise when I hear of how popular you've been with the gossips, and as if you couldn't cause anymore of a stir you have to have a public brawl with a miner over a Seam slut."

Peeta's hands unintentionally curl into fists at the barb. "I can't imagine how embarrassing that must have been for you."

His reaction catches her off guard, causing her cold expression to falter for only a second. "Enough of this foolishness. Go gather your things and be quick about it. I'm not going to wait any longer."

Peeta stands there watching as she picks at a loose string on her sleeve before conceding. "Yes, mother."

With a heavy sigh he walks around his mother, passing Hazelle to make his way into the house. When he reaches the threshold he can hear Hazelle behind him but he keeps his eyes forward as he walks towards the stair case. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Vick and Rory entertaining Posy at the dinning table, she occasionally laughs at something they say but she watching him intently. When he chances a look her way, he catches his reflection in one of the hanging frames across the way. With the distance separating him from the reflective surface he can't see the extent of the damage but the red coloring and puffiness surrounding his cheek is visible. Peeta stops at the beginning of the stair case, griping the banister tight.

Hazelle's footsteps have stopped as she stands beside him her hand resting at his shoulder."You don't have to go. You can stay here for as long as you want." When he doesn't respond she steps onto the first step, blocking his way. "Please just think of the pain you were in when you first arrived. I know that what happened today is still fresh and painful. But it's nothing compared to what it was before. Is it?" She carefully reaches towards his uninjured cheek to lift his face up towards hers. "You could be happy here."

He gently shakes her off. "Maybe some people aren't supposed to be happy so others can be." The pain in her face is apparent, but he tries to push the guilt he feels down. "It's alright not to be chosen."

Hazelle leans forward to place her hands at his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. "You're wrong because I chose you. You belong here with us. With your family."

Peets steps back out of her grasp, his shoulders slumping. "Thank you, but we're not family. You're not my mother, and I'm not your son. No matter how much I wish I was. I'm just a mistake that you keep having to pay for."

Gale steps into view. Peeta hadn't been aware he had been standing there. "True. You're not her family."

Peeta can hear Hazelle's voice warning, "Gale."

Gale gives his mother a look before turning back to Peeta. His eyes hold a strange expression but unlike outside it's not pity but compassion he sees there. "But you are mine. You're my brother."

Peeta shakes his head clearly confused. "Gale, you don't even like me."

Gale points behind him to where the boys sit with Posy. "You think I like those two squirts half the time? No. But they are my brothers and I love them." He sighs deeply as he works his hand through his dark hair. "I've been so pissed off that everyone in my life has chosen you over me. First our father, then Katniss, that I never stopped to realize that I don't have ownership over them." Gale steps closer to Peeta. "They're as much a part of you as they are a part of me. I should have been the man that our father wanted me to be. I should have welcomed you here, but I want to be that person now, and it starts with not letting you leave with that woman."

Peeta gives him a small smile, but it's overshadowed by the regret he feels. "I can't stay here, Gale." He attempts to step around Gale but he grabs a hold of Peeta's arm.

Gale looks down to where his hand rests before looking up. "If you go with her you know she'll leave you again. Aren't you tired of being left? Stop following." He drops his hand from Peeta. "You won't become the man you're supposed to be if you don't stand up to her."

Peeta looks up to where Hazelle still keeps her place on the stairs, watching him intently. A sudden burst of laughter catches his attention, his eyes drifting past Gale to see Rory hanging Posy upside down by her ankles. And finally he realizes this is the first place he ever really felt loved. With one last look to Gale, Peeta spins on his heel walking directly to the door as he hears Hazelle calling his name. He can feel Gale right behind him nearly catching him as Peeta rushes outside. He finds his mother standing in the spot that he left her in.

Her eyes go directly to his empty hands and before she can question him he cuts her off. "I can't go with you."

For once she's openly flabbergasted. "What?!"

Peeta stands his ground. "It's our chance to both be free, to start over." When her expression softens he continues. "I know you never wanted me, and it's alright."

Peeta watches her entire demeanor change, and he's curious if this is the person she had been hiding from the world all along. "I tried my best. I never wanted to be a mother, but I thought maybe you could make me a better person. I was wrong."

He hesitantly raises his hand to rest it on her arm. "I know you tried."

His mother reaches up to his face and he has to fight the urge to flinch, but when her hand rests gently on his injured cheek he relaxes. "You were always better than I ever deserved." She rises up on her toes to kiss him on his forehead. "Goodbye, Peeta." She pulls back from him, before walking towards the square.

He watches her go. His voice comes out in a whisper that he hardly hears himself. "Goodbye, mother."

She keeps her eyes closed, but Katniss can still feel him near her. With an aggravated sigh she opens her eyes, her hand reaching down to tear a couple of blades of grass from the ground. She had fought with herself against returning to the meadow, since everywhere she looked she was reminded of Peeta. But the need to remember, to feel him close had won out. If she concentrates enough she can still feel the touch of his lips on her skin and it sends shivers down her spine. She regretted walking away from him the instant she did it but her pride had been stronger than her need to have him close. Although lately she could feel the urge to hold him close increase with every second. She yearned for him, a ridiculous description she always thought, but it was the only way she could explain the feelings she had when it came to Peeta.

She's brought out of her thoughts when someone sits down beside her, causing her to jump. Katniss can hear Gale chuckle before she looks to her side. He's watching her closely and she can tell he's concerned about her.

Katniss turns her attention back to the field in front of her. "I heard what you did." She briefly looks over to see Gale's puzzled expression. "For Peeta. It was a good thing."

He gives her a sad smile. "Even if it's confusing for you to have him here?"

She matches his expression. "Even if."

They keep eye contact until Gale shakes his head. "Wait. How did you know?" A look of clarity comes over him. "Rory."

Katniss gives off a full laugh. "You know he tells Prim everything. I'm just waiting for those two to announce their toasting."

Her statement causes him to become solemn. "I always knew an Everdeen girl would end up with a Hawthorne boy."

Katniss can feel the familiar sense of anxiety that always accompanies Gale's feelings towards her. "Gale-"

He shrugs, ignoring her tense body language. "I just thought I would be the Hawthorne you would love. Certainly not my half- brother."

Katniss shakes her head as she shifts her weight. "Gale, you're wrong. I don't have feelings for him."

Gale gives her a soft knowing smile but she can see the pain contained there. "Yes you do, Catnip." He takes a beat. "But I think love is more than some simple emotion because it covers so much more than one feeling. And don't get me wrong I'm not entirely over the fact that you chose him, I still want to be the man that you end up with." He holds up his hand when she begins to argue. "I'm not an overly sensitive man, but I do know that I'll never measure up to him in your eyes."

Katniss turns her body to his. "Gale, you mean so much to me."

He nods. "I know, and that will have to be enough for me."

She watches him until she can't, looking to her lap. Her voice is small and she hardly recognizes it as her own. "Gale I don't think I could face him after the things I said."

"It's time to stop running." He stands up to leave but not before placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. Katniss can hear him leave, her eyes focused forward until she looks up into the sky where warm oranges have begun to blend with deep purples as the sun sets.

It's still a few weeks until she spots him. Katniss is heading back home from the fence, the sun has already set and she's positive that it's after curfew so she's hyper aware of everything around her. Reluctantly, she decides to take the path by the mines, since ironically at night the Peacekeepers don't usually venture this far into the district. When she sees him she nearly drops her hunting bag as she trips over her own feet. Peeta's back is to her, his attention on the vast opening of the mine. And for a moment she can feel her heart break as she imagines the darkness reaching out to pull him deep into the belly of the mines. Katniss turns on her heels to walk away more than once, but every time she ends up turning back around.

She stands there watching him silently, before finally gaining the courage to approach him. "You're out here, late."

Her voice startles him, his expression dazed. The minimal glow from the overhead light, lighting the entrance of the mine gives little in visualization. But she can pinpoint the moment he recognizes her, his expression a mixture of relief and grief. "Oh yeah." He looks down to his chest, brushing away a cloud of flour. "I just recently started at the bakery." He tries to keep eye contact but Katniss can see his eyes wavering from hers constantly. "It's hard work but I love it. The small wage I get helps out Hazelle, which is good."

Katniss gives him a soft smile, but she can feel her heart break from hearing about how content he is. "I'm glad to hear you found something that makes you happy."

He nods as he begins to rub his hands together. "I'm beginning to find my place. I feel like I finally found a place to belong, even if I didn't get everything that I wanted."

She can feel her chest constrict. "Peeta-"

Peeta cuts her off, his voice urgent. "I've been meaning to thank you for breaking it off." He waits a moment to continue. "My whole life I've been looking to other people to find what makes me who I am. But you forced me to wake up." Peeta reaches out to brush a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "You gave me purpose." She closes her eyes as his hand lingers there. "Thank you, Katniss." Peeta withdraws his hand and Katniss is surprised by how cold she suddenly feels. He gives her a quick smile before heading towards the Seam.

She opens her mouth multiple times to speak before she forces her voice to work. "You were right about me!"

Peeta stops abruptly, turning towards her surprised. "Excuse me?"

Katniss swallows hard. "When you said I was afraid. You were right." She begins to close the gap between them. "I was terrified of what would happen to me if I stopped basing everything I did on survival and just lived my life."

Peeta begins to walk towards her until they're only a few feet away from each other. "Katniss."

She can feel the tears rush down her face before she realizes she's crying. "You made me want things." Peeta steps into her body to take her hands in his. The small circles he draws with his thumbs on her skin is enough to make her forget her words. "And when we were together I wanted to be more than the role I saw myself in." He gives her hands a tight squeeze, urging her on. "You're the only one that's ever seen beyond all of that." Katniss pulls him closer until their hands are trapped between their bodies. "I don't want to have you casually or just some of the time. I want you at my side, always." She leans into him enough so that her lips are nearly touching his. "I don't want to be invisible anymore."

When he speaks, his breath tickles her face causing her to shiver. "You never were, not to me. And I promise you'll never have to be again, not ever."

Katniss presses her lips onto his, and with their close proximity she can sense he's surprised by her actions. She doesn't have to wait long for him to recover, because he's soon setting the pace as he parts her lips with his tongue. Katniss tightens her already tight grip on his hands to keep from losing her balance as she gives into the desires she had been fighting for so long. They stand there kissing for what seems like ages until Peeta pulls back from her, both their breath coming out in shallow, quick bursts.

Katniss keeps her eyes on him and she's suddenly aware of how much she truly loves him. "I can't promise you I won't ever be afraid again, or try to run."

Peeta leans down to brush his lips over hers once more. "It doesn't matter as long as we're together, and if you do run I'll always go find you."

They stand there in the dim glow of light, clutching onto each other. Reveling in the feel of each other until they have to leave, but Katniss knows now for the first time that's there's a constant in her life. Because no matter how lost she becomes in the dark she'll always have Peeta to find her. The boy she had ignored and fought the entire way. The boy who had endured pain and neglect, he had given her purpose as well. He taught her to be brave and selfless. Peeta taught her to love.

A/N:Well that's it! I hope the ending was what you'd all hoped for. I will post the Epilogue in a bit. And as always PLEASE REVIEW!