Thank you again for all of the kind reviews! And the follows and favorites! I really appreciate each and every one!

Here is chapter 4, I hope you all enjoy it!

Once my shift in the coffee shop is over, I spend most of Saturday afternoon cleaning my apartment. I haven't dusted in who knows how long, and there are entire families of dust bunnies living underneath my futon and in the corner by my dresser. I replace the hand towels in the bathroom and put out the fancy hand soap that Delly gave me for Christmas last year. I also scrub about two years' worth of grime from the bathroom floor. My heart sinks as my eyes land on my shower chair, sitting there in the shower. The shower is made from frosted glass and has a door, so there's no curtain for my chair to hide behind. Katniss doesn't know about my fake leg yet. I guess tonight will be as good a time as any to tell her. In that regard, I leave my pair of crutches in their usual space next to my dresser.

Katniss meets me at the church in time for service, then drives us back to the coffee shop after picking up our sausage and mushroom pizza. My heart soars when she doesn't blink at all at the size of my tiny apartment, or at my absolute lack of decorating, and it swells even more when she sits down right next to me on my futon to eat and watch Iron Man. I find that I can hardly concentrate on the movie, however, because I'm so hyper aware of how close she is to me. That, and the millions of warm fuzzies that are released throughout my body every time our knees brush together.

After the movie is over Katniss gets up to use the bathroom. I'm busying myself with cleaning up our mess when she emerges with a funny look on her face.

"What's funny?" I ask, smiling.

"Oh it's nothing," she says. "Just that the people who designed this apartment had a strange sense of humor. I mean, there's no way a person in a wheelchair could easily get up here, there's no elevator or anything."

"Yeah...?" I say, confused. "Why would there be an elev-" and then my heart leaps into my throat. She saw the rails, lining the walls of my bathroom. I'm so used to them by now that I didn't even think that they would look out of place to someone else. I swallow hard against the giant lump in my throat. "You um... you saw the rails, on the walls?"

"Well, yeah. That's what I'm talking about. And it makes no sense, because there's no way-" and she breaks off, looking at me through narrowed eyes. "What is it?"

Please don't let her freak out, or be disgusted by me, or be upset that I haven't told her yet! "Um, the church had the rails installed there, when they converted this space into an apartment," I say, studying the pizza box in my hand. "They're for me."

Katniss's eyebrows knit together in confusion as she eyes me up and down. "You mean, you're-"

"A cripple?" I cut in. "Disabled? Handicapped?" I see a scowl forming on Katniss's face. "Yeah. I'm all of those things." I can't help but feel defensive. Years of seeing the pitying looks on people's faces once they find out about my leg will do that to you.

"Why are you being so defensive about it?" she demands. "I didn't even know! You didn't tell me."

I take a deep breath, trying to reign in my emotions. "I'm sorry. But it's not something I just like to announce. You know, out of the blue. Especially..." and my voice trails off. Especially to a beautiful girl like yourself.

Katniss snatches the pizza box from me, dropping it onto the coffee table before taking my hand and pulling me to sit back down. "And you thought that would bother me somehow? Why?"

I look down at her small hand holding my own, large and calloused and littered with burn marks from baking. "I wa-" I get out before I have to stop and clear my throat. "I was afraid it would." I tighten my fingers around her hand. "I, um, really like you, Katniss."

Katniss studies our joined hands, a blush creeping up her neck. "I know," she whispers, so softly I can barely hear her. Then she looks at me, a soft smile on her face. "I, um, like you too."

"You do?" I blurt out.

"Yes," she says. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about you, that reminds me of my father." I must give her an odd look, because she rushes her next words. "I feel safe when I'm with you. Protected. Like nothing can hurt me."

Her words cause a surge of protectiveness to ripple through my body. "I'd never let anything hurt you, Katniss."

Her lower lip starts to quiver a little, and she shakes her head slightly. "Can I see it? Your leg?"

I only hesitate for a few seconds before pulling my pant leg up to my knee, revealing the plastic and metal contraption that substitutes for most of my lower leg. Katniss eyes it up and down before leaning over to trail her fingers over it. "What happened?"

"I, ah, had an accident," I say, my mouth gone dry. I'm not ready to tell her the whole ugly story yet. In my head I can hear Finnick's voice, telling me that I shouldn't be ashamed of what happened, that I'll never truly let it go if I don't learn to talk about it, but now isn't the time. Not when I haven't even worked up the courage to try and kiss her yet.

Katniss looks up at me, her grey eyes glinting in the soft light emanating from my laptop. "I've seen worse," she says, pulling my pant leg back down.

"Where?"

She takes my hand again. "My mom grew up working in her parents' pharmacy, so she knew a lot about medicines and things. After she married my dad and moved to Seam County, a lot of their friends and neighbors couldn't afford to see regular doctors when they got hurt or sick. My dad knew all about herbs and other plants that could be used for healing purposes, and my mom learned how to suture wounds and treat burns. At least once or twice a week, we had somebody in our kitchen who needed some sort of healing. So, I've seen quite a bit."

Just the feel of her hand holding mine, her thumb rubbing back and forth over my knuckles, and the fact that she didn't run out the door as soon as she saw my leg, has me so overwhelmed with sensation I can hardly think. I can form only one clear thought. "Katniss," I say, my breath catching. "Can I kiss you?"

She smiles that soft smile again, her cheeks turning pink. "You, um... you don't have to ask me."

"Okay," I stammer, cupping her angelic face in my hands and leaning towards her. She leans in to meet me halfway, and then our lips are touching. A shiver travels through my body as my fingers wrap around to the nape of her neck, holding her gently in place. Her lips are so soft, and mold so perfectly to my own it's as if God created them, and her, just for me. In the less than a handful of girls that I've ever kissed, I've never felt a connection like this before.

I lose track of how long our lips stay pressed together, but eventually the need for air becomes apparent and we reluctantly break apart. I lean my forehead against hers, running my thumbs along her cheekbones and breathing in the sweet scent of her skin, dreading the time I'll have to let her go.

"I should... I should get going," she finally whispers. "It's getting late."

"Okay." I get slowly to my feet and help her stand up, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into a hug as soon as she's upright. Just like her lips, her body seems to mold itself perfectly to my own, her head resting right under my chin. "Will you text me when you get home? Let me know that you're safe?"

I feel her nod against my chest. "And I'll see you tomorrow night again, right? For Sunday night service?"

"Yes," I breathe out. "I'll definitely be there." Then I lean back and kiss her one more time before walking her down the stairs and out to her truck. "I'll see you tomorrow," I say, once she's unlocked and opened the door.

"See you tomorrow," she repeats. Then she stands up onto her tiptoes to kiss my cheek before climbing into the pickup and starting the engine.

I watch her truck until it's disappeared down the road. I slowly climb the steps back up to my apartment, sinking back down onto the futon as soon as I get inside. Rubbing my fingers lightly over my lips, I close my eyes and remember the feel of her body pressed against me, her lips against mine. Another sharp ripple of pleasure courses through me, causing me to shudder. That's definitely new.

I've just cleared away the last of our mess from tonight when my phone beeps.

[Katniss] I'm back.

[Peeta] Thank you for letting me know. Do you have a busy day planned for tomorrow?

[Katniss] Not really. Some yard work, and maybe a grocery run. Uncle Haymitch doesn't really eat that much unless I buy food and cook for him.

[Peeta] I'm sorry. I'll pray for him.

[Katniss] It's okay. And thank you. He needs all the prayers he can get.

[Peeta] What time should I meet you at church tomorrow?

[Katniss] 5:30 sound good?

[Peeta] Sounds great. Sweet dreams Katniss, and I'll see you tomorrow.

[Katniss] Goodnight Peeta.

Katniss is waiting for me next to the cafe when I walk into the church atrium on Sunday evening. My heart stutters with how beautiful she looks, wearing a forest green tunic over a fitted pair of jeans, her hair in its signature braid. She smiles when she sees me, greeting me with a quick hug. About three seconds later Delly and Thom are next to us, with Delly looking between Katniss and me and smirking.

"Katniss!" Delly exclaims. "You came back! That's wonderful!"

"She was here last night too," I say proudly. "You missed her."

"Oh yeah," Delly says. "My mother scheduled a wedding dress fitting for last night, so I wasn't here. I tried to tell her that we still have plenty of time, but she insisted that we should get it done now. But that just means I'll have to stay at the exact same size until the wedding, and goodness knows that's pretty much impossible!"

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Delly," I say.

"Oh, and Peeta," Delly continues, like she didn't even hear me. "Thom made an appointment for all of you groomsmen to get fitted for your tuxedos the week before the wedding. He'll email you the details."

"Sounds fine," I mumble, wondering how in the world I'll be able to afford a tuxedo rental that week. That's the week my final tuition payment is due.

"When is your wedding?" Katniss asks Delly.

"It's the Saturday before Easter weekend, since Thom has that week leading up to Easter off from school. I need to remember to get your name down on the invitation list." Then she pauses, looking at Katniss. "Oh, but then you'll probably just come with Peeta, right?"

I wince. "I'm sure we can talk more about that when it gets a little closer," I say, trying to verbally smooth the wide-eyed look from Katniss's face. "Who'd like a cheese bun?"

Delly ends up sitting with Katniss and me for the service, but thankfully doesn't make any more comments about her wedding, or anything else that Katniss and I might be doing around Easter time. Once the service is over I walk with Katniss out to the parking lot, where she offers to drive me home.

"I'm sorry if Delly made you uncomfortable," I say as we drive up the mountain towards the coffee shop. "She gets so excited talking sometimes that she doesn't always think things through."

Katniss raises her eyebrows. "I've never met anyone like Delly before. She is very sweet, but she never stops talking!"

I start to laugh. "That's why she and Thom make such a great couple. She does all the talking for both of them," I say with a wink, causing Katniss to smile. I love the way her eyes crinkle a little when she smiles.

Katniss pulls into the parking lot and eases the truck into park. "I can't see how Thom could get a word in edgewise anyway," she jokes.

I reach over the console to take her hand. "Will I see you again Friday night, for group?"

Katniss nods, blushing. "Yes," she murmurs, looking at me shyly. "And maybe I can bring some dinner for us, before group starts?"

"Oh that sounds great!" I exclaim, feeling that surge of warmth trickle through my chest. "And we could watch Iron Man 2 after group, if you'd like to."

"I'd like that," she says, squeezing my fingers. "Do you like Thai food?"

"Are you kidding? It's one of my favorites! There's a great place down there-"

"The one near the Community Center?" Katniss interrupts. "I love that one! It's so yummy!"

"I knew there was a good reason why I liked you," I blurt without thinking. I immediately clap my hand over my mouth as Katniss starts to laugh. "I mean, that's, oh geez-"

I'm silenced by Katniss's slender fingers covering my mouth. "It's okay," she says, the soft smile on her face.

Instinctively I reach my hand up to her fingers, pressing them against my lips. "You have no idea, the effect you have on me," I whisper. "I feel like a lovesick teenager when I'm around you."

"It's okay," she says, one of her fingers now tracing the dimple in my chin. "I like it."

"That's good," I whisper back, tugging on her hand. She leans in over the console towards me, her finger trailing across my chin. Our lips meet and it's even impossibly better than the kiss last night. That warm feeling in my chest expands outwards, down my arms and legs, until I feel the toes on my good foot start to curl. I could sit here, right here in this truck, in this parking lot, and do this forever.

But that darn need to breathe rears its ugly head again, and we reluctantly break apart. I kiss the tip of her nose and then her forehead before pulling her as close as I can into an awkward hug. "Will you-?"

"I'll text when I get home," she says, finishing my sentence.

"Thank you," I murmur. "Goodnight Katniss."

"Goodnight, Peeta."

I squeeze her hand one more time before sliding out of the truck and watching her drive away.

The next couple of weeks fly by, thanks to work, classes, and plenty of time daydreaming about Katniss. I feel like I can't get enough of her. The color of her eyes. The scent of her hair. The softness of her lips. Finnick again advises me not to try and hover too much, as he calls it, so I text her around once a day, just asking how she's doing, with her usually replying within a half hour or so. Knowing how busy she is, with work and taking care of her uncle, I take the response time as a good thing. We spend most of the weekends together, and I'm even able to hold her hand while we watch the movies. And, we exchange a few more incredible, toe-curling kisses.

I'm surprised one evening while doing homework to find an email from Pastor Dale, asking if I'd be available to meet with him sometime this week. We set up the meeting for Thursday afternoon after my last class. Thursday is one of the days I ride to and from school with Thom, so he drops me off at the church on his way home.

I walk into the office section of the church nervously. I've been in here a couple of times to see Thresh about various things, but never to see the Senior Pastor. Mrs. Hammond is sitting at the desk outside Dale's office when I arrive, working on some math with their six-year old son.

"Hello Peeta," she says when she notices me. "Just knock and go on in, Dale's expecting you."

"Thanks," I tell her, knocking once and entering the room.

"Peeta!" Dale says. "So nice of you come on such short notice." He gestures to the set of chairs opposite his desk. "Have a seat."

"So Peeta," Dale begins once I've sat down. "Pastor Thresh told me that you were interested in becoming a Teen Pastor once you graduate from school. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir," I say, nodding eagerly.

Well," he continues. "The church elders just held our quarterly meeting last week, and from the growth we've seen in the church over the last several months, we're predicting that we'll need to start offering the teens their own service within the next year. We've been hearing from more and more parents of teens that they think their children ought to have their own service. With their own pastor."

My heart starts to pound. Oh my word, this is exactly what I want! If I could stay and work here after graduation, then I wouldn't have to move away, I wouldn't have to leave the church and my friends, wouldn't have to worry about possibly taking Katniss away from her uncle... "That sounds really nice, sir," I say. "I would definitely be interested in applying for that position."

Pastor Dale smiles. "Now, you know, Peeta. It's very unusual for a church to hire an unmarried pastor-"

"Yes, I'm aware of that," I say, tapping my fingers against the arm of my chair.

"And, do you understand why that is typically the case?" he asks.

"Yes," I say. "Yes I do. And I do agree with it as well. It's best for the protection of both the pastor and those he is pastoring."

Dale clears his throat. "Thresh tells me that you've been, what's the word, seeing someone? A young lady who attends church here with you?"

I feel my cheeks burning. "Yes, for about a month now. She came here for the first time on our Give a Chicken weekend."

Dale chuckles. "Ah. That was quite the successful weekend for bringing in new visitors. It must've been those amazing t-shirts that we gave away, yeah?" and he smiles at me. "You really are a talented artist, Peeta. Have you thought about doing something with that once you graduate?"

I shake my head, shrugging my shoulders. "It's really more of a hobby, sir. But I do enjoy helping out here at the church when it's needed."

"Mmmhmm," Dale says, running his fingers over his salt-and-pepper whiskers. "You know I don't like to pry into the personal affairs of our group leaders, but... do you foresee this relationship that you have with..."

"Katniss," I say. "Katniss Everdeen. She works down at the Community Center."

"Ah," he says. "What a lovely name. Anyway, do you foresee your relationship with Miss Everdeen as one that might turn serious, eventually?"

"I certainly hope so, sir," I say proudly. "At least, that's my intention. I'm, ah, not really the type to play the field."

Dale pushes his chair back from his desk, getting to his feet and holding out his hand. "I'll keep you updated on the Teen Pastor position, then. And thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me."

"You're very welcome, sir!" I say, shaking his hand. "Anytime!" I practically run out of his office, shaking with excitement. First Katniss, now potentially a job lined up for when I graduate? And exactly the job I'm training for? Oh dear Lord, this is everything I could've wanted! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I decide not to tell Katniss about my meeting with Pastor Dale. Seeing as our relationship is still very new, and me being not really brave enough to broach the subject of our future yet, I decide to wait until they either actually develop the Teen Pastor position and invite me for an interview, or I get ready to start talking to Katniss about our possible future together.

But I do text Finnick and Annie as I'm walking home, receiving an enthusiastic reply from them that boosts my confidence. This is the Lord's plan for me. Everything is falling into place!

Saturday afternoon Katniss and I arrive at the church a couple hours early, at the request of Pastor Thresh. We're surprised to find him practicing with the band when we get there, so we sit down in a row near the front to wait. But as soon as he sees us, he stops the practice, dismissing the band members.

"Thanks for coming, y'all," he says once he climbs down from the stage, wiping the perspiration from his forehead with a rag.

"What's going on?" I ask him.

"I need your help with something," he says. Then he takes a deep breath and looks right at Katniss. "Actually, I need your help with something."

"Me?" Katniss says, looking startled. "What do you need with me?"

"You said you like to sing, yes?" Thresh asks.

Katniss immediately shrinks back a little, causing me to wrap my arm around her waist. "Um," she mumbles. "I've never sang in front of anyone, except my parents, and my sister-"

"Yeah, I got the impression that you weren't used to singing for an audience," Thresh answers. "Which is why I dismissed all of the band members. Except for Rue," he adds, as Rue walks out from backstage and jumps down to join us. She looks at Katniss and smiles.

"Thresh needs help with a song," Rue says. "He's auditioning to sing with TobyMac soon, and one of the songs has a part that he has to sing against, and none of us girls can sing it correctly. My voice is still too high, and Cassandra's voice is just wro-"

"She doesn't have the correct pitch for the song," Thresh interrupts, shooting a glance at his smaller sister. "So, do you think you could help me?" he asks Katniss. "Just for this one song?"

"Pleeeese?" Rue begs, her doe-like brown eyes trained on my girlfriend. "He won't rest until he nails this song, and he's driving the rest of the band bonkers because of it."

Thresh rolls his eyes as Katniss gulps a couple of times. I tighten my arm around her, trying to give her the courage to do this, which obviously is difficult for some reason. Finally, she nods.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Thresh says, his shoulders sagging in relief. "Do you need sheet music, or chords, or-"

"Just play it for me," Katniss mumbles as Rue shoves a microphone into her hand and starts pulling her towards the stage.

"Can I stay and watch?" I ask her before she's dragged away.

"Don't you go anywhere," is her reply. Okay then, I think as I sit down in the front row.

Plugging his iPad into a speaker, Thresh hands Katniss a paper containing song lyrics as Lose My Soul starts to play. He plays the song twice while Katniss follows along, pointing to the paper at the parts he needs her to sing. Once she nods her head, Thresh switches to a music-only track and picks up his own microphone. Rue sings the initial verse, then Thresh nudges Katniss to join him for the chorus.

I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,

Don't wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.

I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul,

Don't wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.

Thresh takes over for the next verse, with both Rue and Katniss providing harmonizing background vocals.

The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it's you,

But they don't know that who you are is not what you do,

True, we get it twisted when we peak at the charts,

Yo before we part from the start,

Where's your heart?

You a pimp, hustler?

Tell me what's your title,

America has no more stars, now we call them idols,

You sit idle, While we teach prosperity,

The first thing to prosper should be inside of me.

We're free

Not because of 22's on the range,

But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed,

Not the same, even though I made a fall,

Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I'm Paul.

Rue joins in with Thresh for the chorus again. And then, Thresh nods at Katniss to begin her part, with him providing the harmonizing background.

How do I sense the tide that's rising?

De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity,

How do I sense the tide that's rising?

It's hypnotizing me from living in light of eternity,

How do I sense the tide that's rising?

De-sensitizing me from living in light of eternity.

I don't realize that my jaw is hanging open until I feel a dribble of drool almost run down my chin. I knew Katniss had a beautiful voice; I could tell that just from hearing her speak. And, she'd started to sing along during our worship at church by now, although softly enough to mostly blend in with everyone else. But this... this is the first time I've really heard her sing. And oh my word, even with her being a little tentative and nervous, what a gift she has for it! If we were outside, I'd swear that even the birds would stop their own songs to listen to her.

I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul.

Katniss's soul was definitely born to sing.

When the song ends the three of them run through it again. And then again. And then one more time before it's time to start setting up for service. I close my eyes during their last practice run, feeling like her voice is penetrating throughout my own soul. Even Thresh seems mesmerized by her.

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate ya'lls help today, Katniss," Thresh says as they turn off their equipment. "You were perfect, exactly what I needed for this song. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Katniss says, rather shyly.

"Yes, thank you!" Rue exclaims. "Maybe now he can stop whining about not getting that song perfect and concentrate on the services this weekend."

Katniss smiles widely at Rue. "It's all right, really. I didn't mind."

"I'm starving," Rue says. "I'm gonna go grab a cookie from the cafe. Katniss? Wanna come with me?"

"Um, sure?" Katniss says, looking at me, her eyebrow raised in question.

"You go ahead," I tell her, squeezing her shoulder briefly. "I'll stay here and find seats for us." She's making friends here! This is wonderful!

Thresh and I watch the two girls walk out of the auditorium and into the cafe line, Rue speaking animatedly to Katniss the entire time. I hear Katniss laugh at one point and my heart swells.

"I tell ya, Peeta," Thresh says. "Your girl Katniss really can sing. It's been a long time since I've heard someone with pipes like that."

I shake my head in awe. "It's really the first time I've heard her, and I think my heart almost stopped a couple of times."

"Really?" Thresh asks. "You mean to tell me that you've never heard her sing before today?"

I shrug. "She signs along during worship. But never really loud enough for me to hear only her."

"Hmm," Thresh mumbles, distracted. "I'd sure love to have her in the band. Cassandra really, really... did I say really? She really wants to start a Prayer Team, but I can't spare her from the band without someone to replace her. But wow, Katniss blows Cassandra's voice out of the water!" Then he glances at me sheepishly. "Just don't tell her I said that!"

"I won't," I assure him. "But I don't know about Katniss. She hasn't told me the whole story yet, but somehow I get the feeling that she doesn't like singing in front of people. I think it's painful for her in some way."

"Mmmhmm," Thresh says again. "That's too bad..."

"If you want, I can try to bring it up with her," I say. I don't add that in the couple of minutes since he's mentioned it, I've imagined Katniss up there on that stage, leading worship with the rest of the band, with the entire church just as enthralled with her beautiful voice as I am. "I can't guarantee when, but I'll do it."

"Really?" Thresh exclaims. "I'd really appreciate it, Peeta, thank you!"

"You're welc-"

"But wait," Thresh interrupts. "She's not baptized yet, is she?"

"Ah, I doubt it. I don't think she'd been in a church for a long time before our Give a Chicken weekend. Why?"

Thresh's face falls. "It won't work then. Dale says that all the band members have to be official members of the church, since they're so visible. And to become an official member..."

"You need to be baptized," I finish softly, sighing. "Yeah, I can understand why, but..."

"She's been coming here regularly with you since then, hasn't she?" Thresh asks.

"Yeah. Every week. She comes to my small group on Fridays too. Why?"

"Well, maybe it's time for you to initiate that conversation with her," Thresh says. "See where she is in her journey." He must see my pained look, because he continues quickly. "You're afraid to have that conversation, yes? I can tell from the look on your face."

"Yeah," I say, exhaling. "I don't want to push her. From what I understand, she's pretty delicate." I see Thresh raise an eyebrow in question. "What I mean is, she's the type of person who will run if she's pushed too hard. And I... I don't want her to run, from me."

Thresh claps his hand on my shoulder. "Maybe you can look at it more as guiding, then? Instead of pushing?" he says. "Like it or not, you're her guide on her spiritual journey right now. And guides don't usually let their people just wander around aimlessly, correct? Guides help people stay on the correct path."

I press my lips together, nodding. "Yeah," I say, as the sound of giggling tinkles into our earshot. Katniss and Rue have returned from the cafe line and are standing at the entrance to the auditorium. As I watch, I see Rue lean over to whisper something into Katniss's ear, leading to another round of giggles from them both.

"Looks like Rue's made a new friend," Thresh observes.

I nod again, smiling. "Yes," I say, almost to myself. "That's good. That's real good."

Song Reference:

Lose My Soul by TobyMac, featuring Kirk Franklin and Mandisa

So, things seem to be going pretty well for our favorite couple! Please let me know what you think! :)