Hi! It has been a while. I still plan on finishing this fanfic and I am deeply sorry for neglecting you all! I would also like to direct you to an 8tracks playlist I made for Madniss if you're interested :) /dewianouk/just-a-songbird

I promise more and longer chapters in a few weeks, after I finish my exams!
Love you all and thank you to those who stuck around!

23

Morning comes too soon. We are entangled under a sheet of plastic, in an attempt to keep warm.

Katniss her back is against my front, and her warmth is radiating. I don't want to get up. Because getting up will mean saying goodbye. S

he is stirring and turns around. We lock eyes, as I bend down to kiss her. We stay silent, not sure what to say. We seem to have said it all for now. ''Meet me tonight?'' I nod, stroking her hair.

She gets up, adjusting her clothes before walking up the stairs to get out of the house. ''I love you,'' I say softly. I catch her smiling before walking out of the door. I lay back, all of the easiness and rest gone. The very real threat of losing Katniss immediately starts suffocating me. The thought of her gone- it's more than I can take at the moment.

Get up.

I make myself stand, although my legs feel rather untrustworthy. I walk through the house and get out, just catching a glimpse of Peeta arriving at Haymitch's house. I go down to the square. Because I'm not really paying attention to where I'm going, I walk square into Gale. He looks me up and down, frowning.

''How are you holding?'' I force myself to smile. ''Well, we have to stay positive for Katniss, don't we?'' My hands are shaking and I feel weak. Weak because I won't be the one going into that arena but I'm being a crybaby all the same.

''She got out the first time-''

''She isn't coming back this time, Gale. Stop fooling yourself. It's Katniss, and she feels like she still owes him.''

He looks away. Well, he is better off knowing the plan before getting his hopes up.

''I'm going to check on my parents,'' I whisper quietly. I don't recall the walk, but in a few minutes I'm standing in front of my house. I'm uncertain as to going inside. I don't want to hear about the preparations for the Reaping. I don't want to feel the absence of my mother. But I'll have to face it. Because if not now, when will I ever? I take a deep breath and step in.

I walk into the living room and find it vacant. I walk over to our piano. The same piano my mother taught me to play before her headaches got the best of her. The same piano I used to sit at with Katniss in those precious moments before that awful Reaping.

I carefully sit down on the stool, my hands lightly touching the keys. Without my brain telling them what to do, my hands move over them swiftly. Playing songs from my childhood, tunes I cherish from moments with my mothers, songs I used to play for Katniss and songs I tried to teach her.

I play until my fingers are sore and I am in another world. Another galaxy. Somewhere the Games don't exist.

I stop around dinnertime and get myself something to eat. Some bread with strawberries on top. I stuff my mouth and head out to the Victor's Village to meet Katniss. I haven't even reached her door yet when she comes out, apparently waiting for me.

She embraces me, and I return it. I hold her tightly, savoring every moment from now on. ''How was your day?'' she grunts before pulling back and taking my hand. We start walking around the Victor's Village. '

'You wouldn't believe it. I'm sore as I've ever been.'' I smile lightly, squeezing her hand. ''Training for the Games, huh?'' ''Peeta's orders. He even lets Haymitch train, and it's not a pretty sight.''

I stop and pull her close. I watch her beautiful grey eyes. They really are gorgeous when you see them up close, with specks of silver and even a tiny bit of light blue around the iris.

''I wish I could talk you out of this Katniss, but I can't. And it's breaking my heart.'' I put my other hand on her cheek, feeling her warmth against my own cold skin. ''I just wish there was another way,'' I whisper. She brushes a strand of hair out of my face, seeing the struggle on her face. ''But there isn't. This is the only way, Madge.''

I bite my lip, anxious to keep my feeling to myself. She doesn't need the extra baggage. To keep both my words and tears from spilling. So instead I lean in and kiss her. And I'm in that other galaxy again.