Once again, thank you to my betas NotAnIslander and HPFanonezillion. They are both amazing authors and this story is so much the better because of them! :)

I've never been so grateful for my church family as I have been this week. After spending the one night in Haymitch's house, the very next day Delly and Thom helped me get Katniss settled in with Delly instead of having her stay alone. Delly rents a room in a boarding house of sorts, owned by an older lady called Sae who attends a more traditional church down near the Community Center. Sae's rules for her household are strict, but she is such a kind and nurturing lady that the four young women who live there all adore her, and she welcomed Katniss into her home with open arms, telling her she can stay there rent-free until Delly gets married and moves out.

Thom was able to arrange for Katniss to have this week off from work, donating some of his own vacation time since Katniss hadn't yet accumulated enough of her own. He also recruited most of the Mountainside AVL team to go into Haymitch's house and give it a thorough cleaning, after Katniss stated she never wanted to set foot in there again.

Although I'm relieved Katniss hasn't been alone very much this week, it's been hard because I haven't been able to see her since late Sunday afternoon. The roads have been quite slippery due to all the sleet and snow we've had, and Katniss hasn't felt up to driving out to the coffee shop either. We've only been able to speak on the phone in the evenings, and those few times had me doing most of the talking, trying to reassure her over and over again that none of this is her fault. During our weekly meeting, Dr. Aurelius gave me some information on processing shock and grief for me to share with Katniss, but I haven't had a chance to do it yet.

Friday morning dawns cloudy and cold, very fitting for my mood. Since I made up my work hours earlier in the week, I spend the early morning baking a batch of cookies and a double-batch of cheese buns with my personal ingredients to bring for the reception. Delly's told me a couple times that she hasn't been able to get Katniss to eat very much this week, so I'm praying the cheese buns will entice her to eat a little once the funeral's over.

Once the baking is done I head back upstairs to shower and dress, pulling out my light blue dress shirt and black pants that I haven't worn since I interviewed for my coffee shop job. I have to search for a YouTube video to help me remember how to tie my tie, but after a few fumbling tries I'm able to get it so it's at least not crooked. After a quick run of my comb through my hair, I pull on my nicer jacket before heading downstairs and out the door to walk to the church.

I'm pacing back and forth in front of the small auditorium at 10:50am when Delly and Thom finally show up, with Katniss practically propped up between them. Katniss is dressed in a charcoal grey skirt and matching sweater, which I'm guessing she must've borrowed from Rue or someone since I've never seen her wear a skirt before. Her eyes are red-rimmed and puffy and her face pale. When I move to take her from Delly's grasp, she almost falls into me.

"There, there, love," I murmur. "I've got you. It'll all be over soon."

She doesn't respond, only clutches my hand in her own, squeezing it so tight I feel my knuckles crack.

"C'mon Katniss, let's get you inside," Delly says. "You'll feel a lot better once the funeral is over."

Between the two of us, Delly and I manage to get Katniss inside the auditorium and into a chair as Thom heads back to the sound booth. Thresh, Rue, and Darius wave at us from the stage as the urn carrying Haymitch's ashes is brought out and placed on the table in front of the stage. A quick glance around the room tells me there's about forty or so people here. All of our group members who were able to get the day off, many of the band members, a few people I recognize as Katniss's coworkers from the Community Center. There's also a few people in military uniform, presumably members of Haymitch's army unit. Delly and Cassandra did a pretty thorough job of contacting people to invite them to the funeral.

Darius opens the service with a haunting rendition of Cry Out to Jesus, accompanied only by Thresh on the piano and Rue singing background vocals. Pastor Dale preaches a heartwarming eulogy, full of healing words and hopeful messages. It's especially remarkable since he'd never even met Haymitch, having to rely on stories that Katniss and I were able to tell him over the phone and via email earlier this week. Darius and Rue close out the service with There Will Be a Day before the congregation is invited outside for the burial.

I keep my arm wrapped around Katniss's petite waist as we walk around to the back of the church, feeling her stumble every few steps. As we arrive at the small graveyard, I feel a shiver run down my spine, as if someone is watching me. Looking around, my eyes land on a family waiting off to the side; a tall man about my age or slightly older, standing with a middle-aged woman and three other children, two boys and a girl. Their clothes are neat and clean but visibly worn, with the adolescent girl looking around curiously and the two teenage boys looking like they'd rather be anywhere else. They must be friends of hers from Seam County.

I watch them for a moment as the rest of the people file into place. The man looks so much like Katniss at first glance that I do a double-take. Same dark hair, same piercing grey eyes. The only thing that prevents me from smiling at him is the way he's staring straight at me, his eyes narrowed and an ugly sneer on his face. A sneer I don't see on any of the rest of his group. Who the heck is he? And why is he looking at me like he wishes it was me being buried instead of Haymitch?

Pastor Dale recites from Revelation chapter twenty-one verses six and seven as the urn containing Haymitch's remains is lowered into the ground. "And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children."

One of the soldiers plays Taps on his trumpet as we take turns tossing handfuls of dirt into the small grave, with Jacob Hammond standing off to the side directing people back into the church for the reception. I feel the tall man's eyes following us the whole way back inside, but I'm too busy trying to hold Katniss up to think too much about it.

We arrive back in the auditorium to find tables and chairs set up, with a serving table covered with food set off to one side. I sit Katniss down with Delly and Thom and the rest of our group members so I can get her something to eat, praying I can cajole her to actually eat something. Delly was right to be concerned about Katniss, as the differences in her slight frame are already noticeable. Her face is thinner, her hands look more bony, and I could feel her ribs more prominently when I was holding her through the burial. I load up a plate with three cheese buns and a few other things, hopeful that she'll at least eat one of the cheese buns. Walking back to the table, I notice that Thresh, Cassandra, and Rue have sat down with the family from Seam County.

"Here, love, try a cheese bun," I murmur to Katniss as I hold it in front of her nose. "I just made them this morning, especially for you."

But Katniss shakes her head. "I don't want to. I'm not-, I'm not hungry."

"You may not feel hungry," I whisper, kissing her cheek. "But I want you to eat anyway, at least one of these." I tilt her head up to look at me. "Please? For me?"

She stares at me for a moment, her lower lip shaking and her eyes glassy. Finally she nods, leaning forward and taking a small bite. She chews slowly, like she's savoring it. "You made these this morning? For me?"

"Of course," I reply, kissing her cheek again. "I know they're your favorites."

"Thank you, Peeta," she whispers, so softly I have to strain to hear it. "Thank you. You always seem to know… what I need."

That's because I love you! I scream internally. "Well, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't know what you needed?"

"I don't deserve you," Katniss mumbles. "I don't deserve things that are good, and kind, and beautif-"

"Now you stop that," I snap, a little more harshly than I intended. I've heard her say things like this far too many times this week to let it drop. "You stop it right now. I've told you over and over that it's not true, and I know I'm right!"

"Everyone I love always leaves me!" she cries, knocking the cheese bun out of my hand. "Every single one!" She makes a move to get up from the table, forcing me to grab at her arm. "Let me go!"

"I can't," I whisper. I can feel the eyes of the Seam man boring into my skull. "You know I can't. Please, just sit here with me for a little while longer, then we can take you home-"

"I don't have a home," she mumbles. But she slumps down into her chair, her eyes downcast and defeated, and refuses to eat another bite.

People start to filter out about thirty minutes later, with most of them coming around to express their condolences to Katniss before they leave. She accepts the hugs and good wishes with a plastered half-smile and rigid shoulders, slouching right back into her chair once everyone's gone. After Delly and Thom finish shutting down the sound booth and packaging up the food leftovers, I hoist Katniss out of her chair, leading her out of the auditorium.

Pastors Dale and Thresh are standing by the cafe in the atrium as we leave, so we spend another ten minutes or so talking with them, thanking them for the service and music. We're halfway to the doors when Thom remembers something he meant to take care of in the control room for the weekend's services.

"I'm sorry guys, but I need to get this done before tomorrow morning, so the graphics team can get the slides ready for Saturday night service," he says apologetically. "It'll only take about fifteen minutes, do you mind waiting?"

Yeah, but there's nothing I can really do about it, unless I want to carry Katniss back to Sae's house. "No, that's fine," I tell him. "We'll just wait over by the doors."

"Sounds good," Thom says. "As soon as I'm done I'll drive the car up to the doors to pick you guys up."

Hardly thirty seconds later Delly remembers something vital that she needs to discuss with Cassandra and takes off towards the church offices, promising to be back before Thom's finished.

By the time Katniss and I reach the front doors I'm wracking my brain, not at all wanting to leave her for the rest of the day, but not knowing how I'd be able to get her back to Sae's house without borrowing a car or asking Thom and Delly to come pick her up. I'm still pondering various scenarios when I notice the family from Seam County walking back through the parking lot towards the church.

"Katniss, do you know those people?" I whisper in her ear.

"Mmmhmm," she says. "That's Gale, and his mom and siblings."

What's he doing here? is my immediate first thought. Katniss may have forgiven him for kicking her out of his house and taking her job away after her mom died, but that doesn't mean I want her spending time with him after what he did. And with the way he was glaring at me throughout the service and reception, I doubt I'd want to spend a lot of time with him either.

"Do you want to see him? 'Cause it's okay if you don't. I can tell him you'll see him another time-"

"No, it's okay," she interrupts, sounding resigned. "I haven't seen the younger kids in a long time. Not since…". I don't ask her to finish her sentence.

Katniss clasps onto my arm as we step through the doors onto the sidewalk, meeting Gale and his family halfway. Gale is even taller and more ominous-looking close up. I'm not short, being only a couple inches shy of six feet, but he has me beat by at least four or five inches, and with his dark hair and piercing grey eyes he looks downright dangerous. Not at all like Thor.

"Hazelle," Katniss says as the older woman draws her into a hug. "It's nice to see you."

"Oh, my dear child," Hazelle says as she pats Katniss on the back. "It's so good to see you too. I'm so sorry it had to be like this."

"Peeta," Katniss says as Hazelle releases her from her embrace. "This is Hazelle, Gale, Rory, Vick, and Posy Hawthorne. Hazelle and her husband were friends of Haymitch growing up, just like my dad. Everyone, this is Peeta Mellark."

"Hello," I say, nodding in turn to each of them. To my surprise, Hazelle reaches up to hug me as well, even as I can feel Gale's ever-present gaze following me.

"Was it you who arranged this lovely memorial service?" she asks. "That was so thoughtful of you!"

This must be what a real mom's hug is like, is the first thought that comes into my head. "Yes," I say, feeling flustered as Hazelle releases me. "Actually, no. I mean, yes, but I had a lot of help." I slide my arm around Katniss's shoulders. "Katniss is pretty important to a lot of people here at the church, so we were all happy to pitch in and help."

"Well, you all did a great job," Hazelle says. "The children and I all thought it was wonderful."

"You're very welcome, ma'am. I'm glad you were able to make-".

"Ma, can we go now!" the youngest boy interrupts. "It's getting cold out here!"

"Oh, Vick, quit your whining!" the girl, Posy, snaps, knocking her shoulder against her older brother. "It's rude!"

"Oh yeah?" Vick challenges, glaring at his sister. "Make me!"

"And I think that's my cue to leave," Hazelle says, giving a stern look to her son as she takes her daughter's hand. "Thank you again, Peeta. I hope we'll be able to see you again sometime. And Katniss, don't be such a stranger now, okay?"

"Goodbye, Hazelle," Katniss says as she hugs the older lady one more time. "Thank you all for coming."

"Give me a minute with Catnip, can you, Ma?" Gale asks, glancing towards me out of the corner of his eye. It's the first time I've heard him speak and I feel my own eyes narrowing, wondering what he needs to say to Katniss that he doesn't want his mother to hear. "I'll meet you guys at the car."

"Oh, sure, dear," Hazelle replies as she starts to herd her children back down to the parking lot. "Try not to take too long though. Some of us," and she glances hard in Vick's direction, "are a little impatient."

"We'll leave without ya!" Vick calls as his mother leads him away.

Gale waits until the rest of his family are out of earshot before turning directly to me, his grey eyes blazing with anger. "You!" he snarls. "I thought I made myself very clear that you were to stay away from her!" Then he turns on Katniss. "And what the hell are you doing with this Victors brat? Is he the one you've been spending all your free time with?"

His ferocious gaze towering over me makes me gulp, but I stand my ground anyway, tightening my arm around Katniss. "What? What are you talking about? I've never even seen you before today!"

Gale advances another step, his nostrils flaring. "Don't you lie to me, Mellark! I know exactly who you are! And I clearly remember telling you to stay the hell away from Katniss!"

"Gale," Katniss says, laying her hand on his arm. "He's not who you think. Peeta's not-"

"You stay out of this!" he snaps at Katniss, yanking his arm away from her so hard that she pitches forward a bit. "I'd know this Townie bastard anywhere!"

Utterly confused and rapidly losing my temper, I turn Katniss so I'm standing between her and Gale. "Look," I say, as evenly as I can. "I'm not sure who you think I am, but I promise you, I've never met you before today."

"You're a liar!" Gale yells. "And an idiot if you think I'd believe anything that came out of your mouth!"

"I told you," I say. "I don't know who you-"

But I'm cut off as Gale swings with his fist, his knuckles connecting solidly with my left cheekbone. "Hey!" is all I'm able to get out before his left arm rears back to hit me again. I'm able to duck to avoid the blow, but my prosthetic left foot slips as I try to right myself, causing me to fall to the ground in an undignified heap.

"Gale, stop!" I hear Katniss scream as she crawls over me like a shield. "He's not who you think! That was his brother!"

Huh?! My brother? Which brother? And what has she told this guy about me?

"I don't believe you!" Gale roars as I scramble to my feet, making sure Katniss is securely behind me.

"Right now I don't care what you believe!" I retort, getting right in Gale's face. I can feel my left eye starting to swell as I clench my fists. "Or who you think I am. All I know is that you're completely out of line, coming here and causing trouble right after a funeral!"

That seems to snap Gale out of his rage for a moment, and he drops the hand he had raised up, probably to try and hit me again. "Hmph," he mutters. I can see his eyes trying to look around me to Katniss. "All right there, Catnip?"

Katniss comes around to my side, hooking her hand onto my arm and scowling furiously. "Gale, I think you should leave."

"But, but," Gale stammers. "You still haven't told me what in the hell you're doing… with him!" and he points his finger in my face.

"What I do, and who I spend my time with is none of your concern, Gale Hawthorne!" Katniss retorts. "Now go! I can't stand to even look at you right now!"

Gale's mouth opens, as if to continue the argument, but then closes again as he sets his jaw stubbornly. "You know, ever since…, well, you just haven't been the same, Catnip."

My temper is all but lost now. While I'm not exactly certain what Gale is referring to, his petulant tone and actions have done nothing but make me angry, not to mention my cheekbone that's throbbing from pain and embarrassment that I'll have to explain to Thom and Delly when they show up in a few minutes.. "I think," I say through clenched teeth. "I think the lady asked you to leave."

Gale gapes at me for a few seconds before bursting into a sick laughter. "Lady?" he chortles. "Lady? Since when do you call any girl a lady?"

"Gale!" Katniss yells. "Please, just go! You've caused enough trouble for one afternoon!"

Scowling, Gale shoots a final eye dagger in my direction, then turns on his heels and walks away.

"Peeta!" Katniss cries, sounding hysterical. Her fingers reach up to my face, pressing against my stinging cheekbone. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what got into him! I don't-"

"Ouch, that hurts!" I yelp, swiping against her hand as the pad of her thumb brushes over the tenderest spot. "Please, can we just wait until we get back to my place?"

Katniss freezes, slowly withdrawing her hand as her lower lip starts to shake and tears spill down her cheeks. "I'm s-sorry!" she stutters. "Th-this is all m-my f-fault!"

"No! No, love, I'm not mad at you! I promise!" I wrap my arms around her, stroking her back and feeling her falling tears drip onto my dress shirt. "Let's just get out of here, okay? Can you come over for awhile? I'll ask if Thom and Delly can come and pick you up later today."

"Mmmhmm," she mumbles. "And you'll need some ice for your face."

"Nah, I've had worse," I say as Thom's car drives up next to where we're standing.

"What do you mean by that?" Katniss asks. Pointedly ignoring her question, I open the door to the backseat and help her inside.

"Peeta!" Delly exclaims once I've climbed in next to Katniss. "What happened to your face?"

"Slipped and fell on the sidewalk," I say. There's no way I'm telling Delly and Thom about what happened. It's bad enough Katniss had to see it. "Stupid fake foot. Hey, do you think you guys would be able to pick Katniss up from my place later today? We want to spend some time together this afternoon."

"Oh, of course!" Delly says, nodding in Thom's direction. "I need to head back to my classroom now, and then Thom's on his way into work, so we can pick her up after dinner, if that's okay? That's no problem at all!"

"Thanks Dells," I say as I squeeze Katniss's hand. "We both appreciate it."

Five minutes later they drop us off at the coffee shop, with Katniss switching right into her healer mode by asking for a cup of ice at the counter. As soon as we walk through the door of my apartment she heads to the dresser, pulling out a washcloth and filling it with the ice and a couple drops of her lavender oil. Before I've even gotten my shoes off, she's pushed me down onto the futon and pressed the makeshift ice pack to my sore face.

"There," she murmurs. "How does that feel?"

"Better," I say, sighing as I close my eyes. I've had more than my fair share of black eyes, but it's been awhile, and I'd forgotten how much they sting. "Thank you."

I inhale deeply, breathing in the calming scent of the lavender and keeping my eyes closed as Katniss loosens and removes my tie and unbuttons the collar of my shirt, then tugs my shoes off and stretches my legs out onto the coffee table. I need to ask her about what happened with Gale, because he apparently knew who I was, or thought he knew who I was, and it unnerves me a bit to think that there's someone like him out there hating me. Especially when it seems like it's only a simple case of mistaken identity.

"So," I begin, sitting up and looking at Katniss. "Can you please tell me why Gale felt the need to attack me this afternoon?"

Katniss's eyes flit downward, refusing to meet mine. "I'm so sorry, Peeta. If I'd known he'd do something like that, I wouldn't have wanted him to come."

I reach my hand over to cup her cheek, tilting her chin up to look at me. "And that's fine, but it's not what I mean and you know it. Who'd he think I was?"

She doesn't answer right away, instead taking the washcloth from my face and replacing the ice inside. She's so nurturing. She's gonna be a wonderful mother someday.

"Gale's house is right by the woods in Seam County," she finally says. "Like you can walk out the back door and ten yards later you're in the woods."

"Okay," I say, taking her hand.

"A lot of times after work in the fall, we'd make a bonfire and roast our dinner over it," she continues. "Well, one Friday night a bunch of us were sitting around the bonfire, eating, when four college guys walked up from the nearby road and started setting up a tent a few yards away. I overheard one of them say they were on some sort of trial, or test, trying to get into a club at their school. Their trial was they had to survive in the woods for an entire weekend. They were supposed to find their own food, drinking water, et cetera."

"Hmm, it sounds like they were trying to rush a fraternity?" I say. "People often have to do stupid things like that to get into those."

"Yeah," Katniss replies. "That sounds about right. Well, one of the guys had snuck some beer along, and once they got their tent set up, instead of trying to find food or water they just sat there and started drinking. And well, it wasn't too long before they were pretty plastered." Her fingers tighten on my hand. "Peeta, one of the college guys was your brother. Rye."

"Oh boy." I can already see where this is going.

"Yeah," Katniss says. "And the more drunk they got, the louder and more obnoxious they became, which made Gale none too happy. He tried to get them to move their tent, but of course they refused, and he couldn't make them since they weren't technically on his property."

"Why didn't he call the police?" I ask. Rye is such an idiot sometimes.

Katniss shakes her head. "Gale didn't want to do that because we really weren't supposed to be having our bonfires out there, so close to public woods. He was afraid he'd get into trouble instead of the 'Townie college drunks', as he called them."

"Ah. I guess I can understand that. But still, public drunkenness isn't exactly legal either." And it might've made Rye grow up a bit if he'd spent a couple nights in jail.

"No, but when Gale sets his mind on something it's almost impossible to change. And well, things just spiraled out of control after a while. Rye started talking to me, asking me questions about edible plants and how to track animals. It started out innocent enough, but quickly turned into him flirting with me, and turned raunchy even faster."

Oh dear brother of mine, you're darn lucky I didn't know this at Christmastime.

"How raunchy did he get?" I ask, wondering if I really want to know the answer.

Katniss wrinkles her nose. "I don't think you want to know. But remember that day in town, when Rye said he recognized me?"

I nod gingerly, feeling my fingernails digging into the palm of my free hand.

"Well," Katniss continues in a timid voice. "He'd only seen me that night, and in the dark, but I guess that was all he needed. Even though he was so drunk he could barely stand. And Gale didn't like the way he was talking to me at all, so he told him to back off. When Rye refused, Gale hit him. And Rye's friends didn't like Gale punching Rye, so they hit Gale back, and the whole thing turned into a huge fistfight. Even Rory and Vick jumped in on it."

"Oh wow," I say through clenched teeth, absolutely furious with my brother. "I'm almost scared to ask, but who won?"

"In the end? No one, really. By the time Posy and I managed to pull them apart everyone was pretty beat up, and the boys were still screaming obscenities at each other. Gale told Rye if he ever saw him again, either around me or just in general, he'd kill him."

"Hmm. Well, I'm glad Gale didn't try too hard to kill me today," I grumble. "Especially right in front of the church."

"Peeta, I'm so sorry!" Katniss cries. "I should've said something earlier, especially after we saw Rye in town. And I just didn't think Gale would do something like that to you! You're so different from Rye-"

"Apparently not different enough," I say, causing Katniss's face to crumple. "No, no, love, I'm sorry. I'm not upset with you." I slide my arm around her, drawing her close. "But please, next time we run into a friend of yours who you think might try to beat me up, a little heads up would be nice. Okay?"

I feel Katniss's mouth curl into a grin against my side. "Okay."

We sit in silence for awhile, until the washcloth starts to drip from the melting ice, dropping ice-cold drops of water onto my neck and causing me to jump. Smirking, Katniss takes it over to the sink to rinse it out.

"I'll get you some more ice later," she murmurs as she snuggles back next to me.

"Mmm," I reply sleepily. "Sounds good."

A few minutes later she sits back up, looking at me intently. "Peeta?"

"Yeah?"

Her fingertip gently traces the outline of the bruise, her eyes narrowing. "What did you mean by you've had worse? Worse what? Worse beatings?"

I feel my face flushing as I look away, afraid to meet her eyes. "I grew up with two older brothers, Katniss. And we got into our fair share of fights growing up. That night by Gale's house wasn't the first time Rye caused a fight." Please Katniss, just drop it. I'm not really in the mood for this.

Scowling, her eyes flit back and forth between my own and the blooming bruise. "You mean, your older brothers used to beat you up? What kind of men were they?"

Yep, she's got me there. "No," I mumble. "It wasn't them. Well, at least it wasn't them all the time. Rye and I, we'd practice wrestling moves against each other a lot, and sometimes things would get outta hand, you know? But…"

"But what?" Katniss asks. Her hand curls around my arm.

She's not gonna drop it. "Well, my mom was pretty disappointed when I was born, because she'd always wanted to have a daughter."

Her eyes narrow. "Okay, so…?"

"And, well, she kinda resented me for not being a daughter."

Her hand tightens on my arm. "Okay, so…?"

"Well, she wasn't all that great at… hiding her resentment sometimes. And when she'd get mad, she'd lash out. At whomever happened to be nearest. And about ninety percent of the time, that whomever happened to be me."

"Are you saying your mom used to, to hit you?!" Katniss asks, dumbfounded. "Like, on purpose? And more than once?"

I shake my head, causing a spike of pain to lance across my face. "She wasn't exactly the lovey-dovey type, no. She came from a family that yelled and hit a lot, and well, that's the only way she knew how to deal with things."

I see Katniss's mouth drop open. "And, your dad? He just stood by and watched all this happen? Why didn't he ever-"

"Katniss, my dad is weak!" I snap in disgust. "Sure, he's soft-spoken and seems nice, and gives out free cookies to the little kids that come into the bakery, but no. He never stood up for me, and he knew what was going on. He always knew, and he did nothing to stop it. He didn't even try to argue for me when my mom basically kicked me out of their house after my accident." I let out an emotionless laugh. "He helped me pack though, nice guy that he is."

Katniss is quiet for a moment, retrieving the washcloth and rummaging through her bag for her ever-present lavender oil. I've probably cost her a full bottle of the stuff by now with my ongoing supply of injuries. She drips a couple drops onto the washcloth, pressing it gently against my cheek. "So then, why did we go to their house on Christmas? Why'd you reach out to them again, after all this time?"

I lean my head back against the futon. "Because I wanted to forgive them. No, that's not it. I needed to forgive them. Like you said, that day we saw Rye in town. And I can honestly say that I have forgiven them now, but that still doesn't mean I want to see them again anytime soon."

A pained expression washes over Katniss's face. "Peeta, if I'd known, I wouldn't ever have-"

"No," I say, covering her hand with my own. "You were right. Regardless of everything, I needed to do that for my own sake. But, and Finnick's told me this before, there's a difference between forgiving someone and still allowing them to be a toxic presence in your life. And I'm not gonna allow my mother to be a toxic presence in my life anymore. Or yours. I have forgiven her, but that doesn't mean everything's just gonna be okay, because I don't think that's even possible. And I'm alright with that. I can live with it."

Katniss blinks a couple times, then nods. "Okay," she says as she snuggles up against me. "But it's sad that it has to be like that."

"Yeah, maybe. But like I said, I'll be alright."

I'll be alright. As long as I have you.

Song References:

Cry Out to Jesus by Third Day

There Will Be a Day by Jeremy Camp

All the songs in my story are available in iTunes and on YouTube.

Biblical Reference:

Revelation 21: 6-7

So, we've answered the question of how Rye knew Katniss... please let me know what you think! I appreciate each and every single review/ message! :)