A huge thank you to my awesome betas NotAnIslander and HPFanonezillion for their help! Please check out their work, both are wonderful authors!

As uncomfortable as I am on this air mattress, the soothing touch of Katniss's hand interlaced with my own as she sleeps next to me allows me the first halfway decent sleep I've had in almost two weeks. And although my neck and back are stiff in the morning, waking up and looking directly into her sparkling grey eyes, with her halo of dark hair surrounding her face and her gorgeous full lips curled into a smile, almost makes me forget some of the horrible chain of events that led up to this point. She even slept wearing the old t-shirt I gave her.

"Hmm, good morning," I whisper. "This is a sight I could definitely get used to."

Katniss ducks down to kiss me, just a brief brush of her lips against mine. "Good morning yourself," she says, her voice thick with sleep. She brushes some hair off my forehead. "You look so sweet when you're sleeping."

I bring my arms above my head, stretching and yawning. "I was dreaming."

"It must've been a good dream," Katniss says softly. "You were smiling."

"It was," I say as I prop myself up a little so I can kiss her properly. "You were in it."

"Oh really?" Katniss asks as she rolls onto the air mattress, practically on top of me. "What was I doing?"

Wrapping my arm around her, I kiss her nose. "Well, you were outside, sitting in the grass in front of a small house, staring out at an absolutely beautiful lake, watching the sun rise up over the surface. You were wearing one of my sweatshirts, and it was chilly outside but you didn't seem to notice. It was so bright, the sunlight reflecting off the water, but you kept staring at it, with that smile on your face that only I ever see. Your hair was down and blowing gently in the light breeze. You were sitting with your chin resting on your knees, and your arms wrapped around your legs. And you were singing. It was a song about a meadow, and it was so beautiful all the birds were listening to you."

I pause for a moment, cupping her cheek. "You looked so happy, Katniss. I've never seen you so peaceful."

"Mmm, that does sound nice," she murmurs. "You dream good dreams."

We're quiet for a few minutes, with Katniss resting her head on my chest and my fingers toying with the end of her braid. But it's not too long before I hear muffled voices emanating from the bedrooms down the hall. I sigh, realizing our little bubble of serenity is going to be popped very soon. Delly is one thing, with her almost nonstop talking and way over-enthusiasm for pretty much everything in life. But even she can't hold a candle to her mother, who will be coming down that hallway in the next few minutes, offering to cook us all breakfast and not allowing any words in edgewise until we're able to politely take our leave of this place.

"Katniss?"

"Hmm?" she mumbles against my throat.

"What was so special about the dandelion?"

Sighing, Katniss burrows further into my side, her fingers trailing down my ribcage and across my waist so lightly it tickles, making me squirm. "Winters were hard when I was growing up. Remember I told you that my dad often had to hunt for food during his work breaks?"

"Yes, I remember." I remember everything about you.

"It was sometimes hard for him to find enough food for us in the winter," she continues, smiling and tracing her finger under the sleeve of my t-shirt. "Since the animals were more scarce, and not many plants were growing. Well, my dad always told me that once we made it to spring, we would be okay. Because spring would mark the return of the animals from their hibernations, and the blooming of plants and flowers, some of which we could eat. And he always told me that spring started when we saw the first dandelion."

She pauses, swiping at her eyes. "The dandelion meant that everything would be okay. That we would be okay. And when I saw it on Easter morning, Peeta, it was like God was telling me it would be okay. That I would be okay, if I would only listen to what my heart already knew."

"And wha-, what is that?" I stutter.

She sits up, propping herself up on her elbow. "That I'll be okay if I stay here, and love you." She looks down, her teeth catching on her bottom lip. "God knew what the dandelion meant to me, so he put it there for me to find."

I've barely had a second to process her words when I hear a door open down the hall, followed by approaching footsteps. "Katniss!" I gasp, my fingers wrapping around her arm. I'm terrified to break the spell between us, as if I tear my eyes away from her face she'll disappear. Why couldn't we have just five more minutes?

But she leans in, pecking me on the cheek. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

I only have time to smile in response and detangle myself from her before Mrs. Cartwright appears in the living room. "Good morning!" she exclaims in a singsong voice. "Did you both sleep well? I sure hope you're hungry!"

"Good morning, Mrs. Cartwright," Katniss and I say in unison.

True to form, Delly's mother prepares enough waffles, eggs, and bacon to feed a small army, talking a blue streak the entire time while Thom, Delly's father, and younger brother sit at the table, shaking their heads in amusement at the bewildered look on Katniss's face. After the fourth or fifth story about the various things that went wrong during Delly's wedding, thankfully omitting any mention of Katniss and me disappearing towards the end, Katniss excuses herself so she can change in the restroom, pinching me on the arm as she passes. I grin behind her retreating back, rubbing at my arm.

Yes, I know. I'm ready to leave here too.

As if he read my mind, Thom volunteers to help Mrs. Cartwright with the dishes a couple minutes later, leaving Delly and me to clean up the table as her brother leaves for work and her father heads to the living room with his newspaper.

"So, Delly," I say. Something had occurred to me while we were eating, and I have a feeling Delly will be able to answer this question. "How'd your parents know that Katniss and I would be back together last night?"

Delly's hand freezes on the sponge she's swiping across the table. "Um, I'm not sure what you mean?"

"The air mattress?" I say. "It was shoved right up against the sofa, as close as it could possibly get. How'd your mom know it was okay to do that?" Delly looks at me, her eyes wistful. "What? Did Katniss say something to you before the concert or something?"

"Oh Peeta, Katniss was so miserable!" Delly cries, immediately covering her mouth with her hand. "She was so sad," she continues in a stage whisper. "She called me the day Thom and I got back from our honeymoon. And then she came over to our apartment the next night to talk for a while."

"She did?" I ask, incredulous. In the entire time that I've known her, my impression was that Katniss only tolerated Delly. "What did you talk about?"

"Well, I wouldn't be a very good friend if I went around blabbing everyone's secrets, would I?" Delly says with a grin. "But what I can tell you is that she was completely miserable the first couple times she came over. But then earlier this week I noticed something had changed. She still seemed sad, but she also seemed… determined? Like she'd finally made a difficult decision. And then, after I saw the two of you at the concert, well I hope you don't mind that I texted Mom on our way here asking her to set up that air mattress next to the sofa. Otherwise, you were gonna be bunking in with Davey, and he snores louder than a chainsaw."

"No, no, what you did was fine," I say quickly. I place my hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Delly. Thank you for being there for Katniss when she needed a good friend."

Delly smiles, blushing. "Aww, you're welcome. I'm so happy for you guys. You two were meant to be together. I could see it the first time you laid eyes on her, that day at the church. You were a goner from then on."

"Yeah," I say, scratching the back of my neck. "Yeah, I was."

Once the kitchen is cleaned up and goodbyes are said, we pile into Thom's car to head back towards home. Katniss holds my hand for the drive as Delly chatters on about their honeymoon, minus any of the more graphic details, thank goodness. Thom drops us off at Sae's house so we can pick up Katniss's car, and after she unpacks her overnight bag we head over to the coffee shop.

"I am dying for a cheese bun," Katniss says as we pull into the parking lot. "It's been two weeks since I've had one, and that's just not okay at all."

Grinning, I hand her the keys to my apartment. "Alright. You head on upstairs and I'll get your cheese bun for you. Hot chocolate too?"

"Of course," she replies as she hefts my backpack over her shoulder.

Clomping up the stairs ten minutes later, my hands full of paper cups and cheese buns, I shake my head over the amazing turn of events in the last twenty-four hours. Was it only yesterday that I was contemplating not even attending the concert because I was afraid to see Katniss again? Was it only yesterday where I thought I'd never be happy again?

Thank you, Jesus, for giving me another chance with Katniss. And forgive me for ever doubting your unconditional love for me.

Katniss is sitting on the futon when I come in, her smile as radiant as the sun as she snatches the bag of cheese buns from my hand, pulling one out and sighing with contentment as she bites into it. "You made this one," she announces.

"Yeah," I reply, blinking. "I specifically got it out of the freezer and heated it up for you. That's why it took me so long. The ones they had out in the case were made by the other girl."

"I can always taste the difference between hers and yours," Katniss says around a mouthful. "Hers are good, but yours are so much better!"

Sitting down next to her, I gently wipe a smudge of chocolate from the corner of her mouth. "Katniss?" I ask in a shaky voice. "Can I hold you? Please?"

She looks at me, concerned. "You don't have to ask me," she says as she slides closer, tucking her legs up. I wrap both my arms around her, reveling in the feel of her lithe body curled up against me. "You know that, right?"

"I never want to assume," I whisper as I close my eyes, burying my nose into her hair and inhaling deeply. "Oh Katniss, I've missed you!"

"I missed you too," she murmurs. "So much."

We're quiet for a long time. I think we even fall asleep for awhile, because when I open my eyes again, judging by the way the shadows are falling across the coffee table, it seems a bit later in the afternoon.

"You're so warm," Katniss says, her voice muffled against my chest. "You're like my own personal space heater."

"Are you too warm?" I ask, loosening my arms and shifting so she can sit up.

"No!" she cries, clinging to me. "No please, I like it! I've been so cold without you, I'd forgotten what it was like to be warm."

"Okay," I say, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry-"

"There were so many nights I couldn't get warm at all, no matter what I did or tried," she continues. "I'd be huddled up in my Vikings blanket, wearing my socks and your t-shirt, but it still wasn't enough. Not even hot chocolate would help. It was like all the warmth had been leached from my body."

Shaking my head, I press my lips into her hair. "You won't have to worry about that anymore," I murmur. "I'm not letting go of you ever again."

Katniss sighs deeply, burrowing impossibly further into my side. We're quiet again for several minutes, and I can feel myself starting to drift off when she suddenly tenses.

"What is it, love?"

"Peeta, I need to tell you something," she says, looking up at me, her grey eyes clouded with worry. "Actually, there's a few somethings I need to tell you."

The look on her face, coupled with the tone of her voice is enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "Okay," I say shakily. "Talk to me."

She looks down, staring blankly in the direction of the coffee table. "Promise you won't get mad?"

"Yeah," I say slowly. "But it's not that bad, is it?"

Instead of answering, she takes my left hand, holding between her own tiny hands for a moment, then running a finger along the lines on my palm. "I love your hands," she whispers. "They're so big they span almost my entire waist when you hold me, and yet they're so graceful. When you draw, and when you bake, I love to watch you. I love to watch your hand stroke a pencil across the page. Or watch you knead dough for my cheese buns." She brings my hand up to her lips, kissing the rounded area below my thumb. "How can such strong and powerful hands, still be so gentle?"

She looks up at me, her eyes shiny with tears, and I can see it. I can see it there, on her face, see that she loves me. It wasn't just something said in the heat of an emotional moment there at the concert. She actually loves me.

"Katniss, you-"

"No," she says, covering my lips with her fingers. "I need to tell you this. No more secrets, no more hiding anything."

"Okay."

She brings my hand to her lips again, kissing the knuckles this time. "I missed you. I missed you so much that it hurt. It hurt so badly. Like when I lost my sister." Her lower lip is quivering, her voice shaky. "But I was too stubborn to admit that I was wrong. That I'd made a mistake, leaving you like that. So one night, I couldn't take it anymore." She looks up at me, straight in the eye. "And I called Gale."

Something in the tone of her voice makes me feel like I've just had the wind knocked out of me. "What did he do to you?"

Shaking her head, Katniss cups my face with one small hand. "He'd been bugging me for a few days about when I was coming back, and I kept putting him off. Telling him I needed more time. To give my notice at the Community Center, and to Sae, things like that. But those were only excuses. I was telling him I needed more time because I still wasn't sure I truly wanted to leave."

"That's good, Katniss," I tell her. "It's good that you slowed down and really thought about things first."

"Yeah," she scoffs. "For once, huh?"

I lean in, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "So, you called Gale, and…"

"Sae was out of town for a few days," she continues. "Visiting with her granddaughter or something, and I was so cold and lonely that night. So Gale drove over, and we sat around for awhile watching television. He was complaining about something or other, like he always does. And he kept tugging on my braid. He's always thought that was funny, but I don't like it. Then the next thing I knew, he had his arms around me and he was kissing me."

I immediately squeeze my eyes shut, trying to rid my brain of the awful mental picture I've just conjured. "Katniss, did he try to force… did he force you-"

"No," she whispers. "He didn't force me. I let him. I was lonely, so lonely without you. It was like I was numb; I couldn't feel anything. And I guess I thought if I let him kiss me, maybe I'd be able to feel again."

My stomach lurches, my arm stiffening around her waist. "Was it-, was it only a kiss, Katniss?"

She ducks down, shaking her head against my side. My limbs grow even more rigid, my jaw clenching so hard that it hurts. "How far did he go?"

"Farther than you have," she admits, choking on the words. "He, um, he saw me, here," and she presses her palm to her chest. "Under my shirt. And he touched me."

No, no, no, no, no. No one else is allowed to touch her like that. She's mine. Only mine!

I inhale shakily against my skyrocketing blood pressure, willing myself to calm down. She's telling you because she's being honest. Don't reward her honesty with anger.

"And," I say, forcing the word past the marble-sized lump in my throat. "What did you feel, when he touched you there?"

Her fingers tighten against my cheek, her thumb brushing my cheekbone. "Nothing. I didn't feel anything. It was all wrong. His lips were wrong, his hands felt wrong. All I could think about was how I wished it was you instead."

A single tear runs down my face. Katniss catches it with her thumb, brushing it away. She does love me.

"Katniss-"

"Peeta, it didn't go any further than that," she murmurs. "I finally came to my senses and pushed him off me." She tries to smirk, but it ends up looking more like a grimace. "He wasn't too happy. He muttered something about how kissing me was like kissing someone who was drunk before he stomped out the door."

How dare he! I think as my hands clench into fists. Gale knew darn well what Katniss was going through, and he tried to take advantage of her. He's very lucky that I don't know where he lives. "Katniss, was that-," I pause, clearing my throat. "Was that the only time you ever kissed him?"

She shakes her head, causing my heart to sink into my toes. "No. There was one other time." Then she looks straight at me, her grey eyes speaking volumes.

"After your mom died," I gasp, feeling my face flush in anger. "He tried something after your mom died, when you were living at his house. Didn't he?"

Katniss blinks, nodding. "Yes."

I tighten my arm around her, planting a hard kiss on her temple. "Is that why he took your job away? Because you wouldn't give him what he wanted?"

Tears start to roll down her face. "He never said that was the reason. But it makes sense."

"Oh, my love." I crush her to me, her petite frame shaking in my arms. "I'm so sorry. He was not a good friend to you, Katniss. He tried to take advantage of you. And when you didn't let him, he took away your job and kicked you out. You are not at fault here."

Katniss sputters, crying openly now. "I'm so sorry, Peeta! I should've known, or seen it coming, or-"

"Shh, it's okay," I whisper, stroking her back. "I forgive you, even though there's not really anything to forgive. It's all over now. I've got you."

She sniffs, rubbing her nose into my sweater. "I don't deserve you. You're too good for me."

"No, no, no," I say sternly. Now it's my turn to brush her tears away. "Don't you ever think I'm too good for you. Katniss, you have brought such incredible light and joy to my life, and the only way I can repay you for that is to love you, completely and passionately, for the rest of your life. And I'm afraid even that won't be enough."

Smiling through her tears, she leans up, pressing her lips to mine, her soft, pink mouth molding perfectly against my own, tasting like chocolate and salty tears. I will never, ever get tired of kissing her. Not ever.

"Peeta," she whispers once we break apart. "I'm sorry. About what I said to you, at Delly's wedding. I know… I know you don't think that about me."

Fresh tears sting my eyes, remembering what she screamed at me during that horrible argument. "You have no idea, the effect you have on me," I say, choking back a sob. "It's been so hard for me to stay a gentleman around you. Because every time I hold you or kiss you every ounce of me is screaming to go further."

Katniss sits up, nodding. "Delly told me you were a gentleman. Way back when I first met you."

"Well, you sure don't make it easy," I say, winking. I trace my finger along the curve of her cheek. "You're so beautiful, Katniss. My hands ache to touch you. To explore every dip and curve of your gorgeous body. But I've promised myself, and I'm promising you, that we won't go that far until we get married. You deserve nothing less, Katniss. You deserve to have a man who's willing to wait."

"Peeta," she says, her lower lip shaking like it always does when she's trying to reign in her emotions. "About that. I still-, I still don't know if I could be a pastor's wife. I don't-, I don't know if I can. There's so much pressure-"

I stop her mid-sentence with another kiss, leaving us both breathless and Katniss looking confused. "You don't have to worry about that."

"What?" she asks, looking even more confused. "Peeta, I meant what I said. I can't have you give up on your dream just for me."

Guiding her head to lay against my chest, I wrap both arms around her, squeezing her so tight that she squeaks. "Don't you understand? You're my dream. You're a dream come true for me. God led me to you, Katniss. He knew you could break through all the pain and bitterness I was carrying around for so long. There's no way any of this makes any sense otherwise. I know God meant for us to be together. And if that means I need to rethink my career choice for a while, then so be it."

I feel her shake her head. "Peeta, you shouldn't have to-"

"Katniss," I interrupt. "If there's anything these past several months have taught me, it's that I'm not ready to be a pastor. Just because I'm graduating soon doesn't mean that I'm ready. I still have a lot of learning to do. Finnick even advised me to wait for a while, to learn from his mistake. He said he was too arrogant, and jumped in too soon, and it backfired horribly for him. So, no. You won't have to worry about that."

"Okay," she says, still sounding uncertain. "What're you gonna do, then? When you graduate? Stay here at the coffee shop?"

"Maybe," I reply. I sit up, nudging her so she'll look at me. "Actually, Pastor Dale invited me to interview for the new logo designer position they've developed at Mountainside. At first I told him I wasn't sure, but now I'm wondering if I should. It's only quarter time, like Thom's director job at the church, with no benefits. So I'd have to stay on here also, or find something else… but… what do you think? Should I go for it?"

"Is it what you want?" she asks immediately. "Because if it isn't, then no. Otherwise, I know how much you love to draw. Wouldn't you like to get paid for doing something you love?"

"Yes," I say wistfully. "But I'm not sure drawing chickens for t-shirts is exactly what I love to draw."

Katniss giggles. "Hmph," she snorts. "I happen to like my chicken t-shirt. And if you have creative control over what you're designing, it could still be fun, don't you think?"

"And you look incredible in that chicken t-shirt," I say, kissing her nose. "Okay then, I'll go ahead and see if they still want me to interview, and we can go from there. Sound good?"

"Peeta, it's not about what I want-" she starts.

"Yes it is," I interrupt. "Katniss, one of the huge mistakes I made before is not taking into consideration what you wanted, and that's going to stop. Right now." I dip my head, kissing her firmly on the lips. "You're it for me. I'm in this for the long haul, and from now on any decision I make about my future is going to have your input. Because you're the most important part of my future. Okay?"

She stares at me with a look of fierce intensity, coupled with a choked out sob as she brushes my hair off my forehead. "Okay."

"And who knows?" I continue as her fingers stroke through my hair. "If God truly means for me to become a pastor at some point in the future, then maybe we'll both change our minds about it. But before anything like that is decided, we will both need to pray about it first. For a long time. And we'll decide together if that's what we want."

"Together?" she asks.

"Together," I say firmly. "Because being a pastor is a full-family job. And if my family isn't ready, then I'm not either."

"Okay," she murmurs. Her fingers brush softly over my lips. "You know, before you came along, I thought I'd never want to get married. After what happened to my mom… I said I never would." She swallows hard. "Losing my father completely destroyed her."

"I can't imagine how hard that was," I whisper. She ducks back down, snuggling into me. "But you're so strong, Katniss. So much stronger than you think you are."

"I don't know about that," she says. "But what I do know, is that you've managed to worm your way into my heart in ways I didn't think was possible. And now I couldn't get rid of you if I tried."

"So don't try."

"I won't. Besides," she says wickedly. "Who else is gonna make me cheese buns whenever I want them?"

"No one!" I exclaim. "Seeing as how I'm the only one with that recipe, I think you're pretty much stuck with me."

Katniss inhales deeply, nuzzling into my side. "I can live with that," she mumbles.

Her fingers trail up and down my side, giggling as she finds my ticklish spots. "I love this sweater," she says. "It smells so good, and it's such a great color on you. It brings out your blue eyes."

Grinning so wide I think my face will split open, I plant a kiss on the top of her head. I can feel the heat radiating from our bodies, covering us both like a warm, fuzzy blanket.

"Actually, I think this was Rye's sweater, but he always hated the color. He said the red made his eyes look too green or something dumb like that. So I took it when I moved out of my parents' house. I like it, it's comfortable. Even if it does make my eyes look green."

"Hmm," Katniss mumbles. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear you say it was Rye's sweater first. And I don't care if he thinks his eyes are too green. You and he look nothing alike."

The absurdity of her statement makes me laugh. "What? You can't be serious. Rye and l look way too much alike. And I can't tell you how many times he's used it to his advantage."

"Hmph. Do you honestly think I would've spoken to you, that first time I saw you at church, if I'd thought you were Rye? All I had to do was look at you to know you weren't him."

I tilt her chin up, looking down at her face, sure she's trying to tease me. But her gorgeous silver eyes are completely serious. "Really?" I ask in surprise.

She nods, that soft smile gracing her lips and causing my toes to tingle. "Yes," she whispers, brushing my cheekbone with her thumb. "Your eyes are different. They may look similar, but yours are kind, while his are greedy. Your smile is sweet and loving, while his is more of a sneer. That whole time we were at your parents' house on Christmas I could feel his eyes on me, and it gave me the creeps. But when you look at me, when I feel your eyes traveling up and down my face and my body, I feel safe and loved." Then she kisses both of my cheekbones. "So you see, the two of you are nothing alike."

I stare at her, unable to find my voice for several seconds. "I think," I stutter when I can finally form words again. "I think my heart's going to burst."

Her melodic laughter fills my tiny apartment, swelling my heart even more. "Well, please don't let that happen, because it would be even a bigger mess to clean up than your leg was."

"Hmm, you're right. That would be a big mess." I lean for a soft kiss. "So I'll be extra careful then, okay?"

"Hmm, okay."

We're quiet again for a while, reveling in each other's warmth, dozing on and off. It's almost 4pm by the time I open my eyes again, to Katniss's fingers combing through my hair.

"Peeta," she says, looking at me intently.

"Hmm?"

"There's more I need to tell you," she confesses sheepishly.

Shifting us so we're sitting up, I reach up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. "Okay. What is it?"

"I-, I went and saw Dr. Aurelius." Katniss looks down at her hands, and I notice for the first time that her fingernails are all bitten down, like they were when we first met back in September. "I called his office on Wednesday morning, and they said he had a cancellation that afternoon, so I went. Delly encouraged me to call him, and she even came with me to the appointment. And I think he's gonna be able to help me, just like you said. He said I was brave for coming in to see him. He even stayed late with me when I wouldn't stop talking about you. I'll see him again next week Thursday for my regular weekly appointment."

She pauses, looking back up at me. "Peeta, I'm sorry that it took me so long to admit you were right."

Waves of relief and joy wash over me, so strong I have to lean my head back against the futon. "Oh Katniss," I rasp. "I'm so happy! I'm so happy you did that! Thank you!"

"You were right about him," she admits with a chuckle. "He's sort of an odd man, but there's something about him that's very comforting."

"I've always thought he looks like Dr. Erskine," I mumble. "You know, the guy who invented Captain America's super soldier serum?"

Giggling, Katniss nods. "You know, I think you're right! I hadn't even thought-"

"What a minute," I interrupt, snapping my head back up so fast I wrench my neck. "You said you went on Wednesday afternoon? As in, just a few days ago?"

"Yeah. I called the office that morning, and they said there'd been a cancellation for that afternoon, so they were able to get me in right away." She looks at me quizzically. "Why?"

I start to laugh, a giddy, hysterical laughter. Katniss raises her eyebrows, staring at me in confusion until I laugh myself out, tears streaming down my face. "Oh wow. Anyone who says that God doesn't have a sense of humor is so, so wrong."

"Why?" Katniss asks, tentative, her eyebrows knitted together. "Will you please tell me what is so funny?"

"Katniss, I was supposed to see Dr. Aurelius on Wednesday afternoon. But I cancelled my appointment because I couldn't bring myself to go see him and have to tell him that you'd left me. I just couldn't do it."

A half-laugh, half-sob escapes from Katniss's throat as she looks at me. "Oh! Peeta, I'm so sor-"

"Stop," I say, covering her mouth with my fingers. "We're already past all of that, and I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. I just think it's funny, how I canceled my appointment so you were able get in to see him." She takes my hand, kissing my fingers. "I'm glad, Katniss. I'm so glad you're trying to get better."

"You're a good example," she murmurs, pressing her lips to mine. Her hands grab a hold of my sweater as the kiss deepens, my arms holding her as tightly against me as I possibly can. Our mouths stay locked together, sitting here on my secondhand futon in my tiny studio apartment, for what seems like hours. And when we finally break apart, panting, our lips swollen and our foreheads pressed together, I feel Katniss's tiny hands reach up and cup my cheeks.

"Peeta," she says, her voice breathless. "I love you."

Fighting against the torrent of emotion threatening to burst forth, I smile, planting another kiss on the tip of her nose. "I love you too, Katniss. Always."

So I think they both made a lot of progress here. Peeta finally made his intentions clear, and Katniss is finally getting some help. Right now I have this story planned out for 21, maybe 22 total chapters, so we're in the last third of the story. :)

I can't wait to hear what you guys think! Please don't hesitate to leave me a review!