Everyday is scheduled, and we must stay on task or beware the wrath of Effie. It's been more than two months in the Capitol. Day in and day out Peeta and I prepped and ushered from place to place. Recently each day has been harder and harder to wake up for, Paylor has been requesting we go to the sites of old Hunger Games arenas and watch the teardowns. It was fine and all until we reached the arenas for our first game and then what was left of the Quell arena. Those night we didn't sleep, both of us reliving the games in our minds. You can see the physical effects is having on us. Each day it takes longer to prep to cover dark circles in our eyes and made adjustments to clothes as we've both lost weight.

I've had a particularly bad night, when I terror involving Peeta and Haymitch offering me to Gale who would eventually in my terror carve me up. When I was woken from the terror by Peeta I proceeded to try at attack him with a ceramic vase. Naturally I was sedated, heavily. When I woke the next day, I was informed by Haymitch that Paylor and her advisors were deciding on whether or not Peeta and I should continue to stay here. He said when I was ready I should dress and go to the meeting.

I shower and find an outfit set aside for me. I put on a sunset orange silk dress and a black cardigan with grey flat shoes. It is warm and soft, perfect for the chilly late fall day outside.

I find everyone gathered in a meeting room, Peeta saving a seat for me. I slide into the chair beside him and hook my hand in his.

"They're all getting lunch, are you hungry?" He asks softly, knowing my answer is the same as his.

"No." I still feel groggy from the sedation.

Peeta picks at the hem of the dress, "My favorite color… it looks even better on you."

He kisses my cheek and I squeeze his hand in return, "What's happened so far?"

"Not much. They've discussed you a lot." He muses and traces patterns on the back of my hand.

"Why?" I ask.

"The effects of this place are far more severe on you."

I'm angry about it now, "You don't sleep either, we're both losing weight. It's effecting both of us the same."

"Darling… no its not… you scream in your sleep. You are physically sick for days after each terror. I don't even bring you comfort the way I used to. You attached me with a vase the other morning. Sweetheart, it's so much worse for you."

My hand finds the little lump on his head where I remember hitting him with the vase. Each time they sedate me it takes me a while to remember why I was sedated.

"You got me pretty good." He smiles and kisses the inside of my scrawny wrist.

Paylor and the everyone else comes back from lunch, ready to settle more business. I am grateful for the tremendous strides Paylor is making as President, I just don't care to hear her analyze and strategize the same things over and over. I zone out as she goes over statistics and reports of rebels being caught. I'm snapped back to reality when Peeta nudges me softly.

"Now, Peeta and Katniss, I can't even begin to thank you two enough for the help you've given me."

"What help? We are paraded around to talk about our relationship more than anything." I state, not catching the angle she is coming from.

"That is a valid point, Katniss. You've helped more than you realize. You and Peeta have given the nation something to gossip about, something to follow and entertain them. This has helped us more than we ever imagined. Back when Snow and Coin had control there were ways and technologies to monitor all of the citizens in Panem. We found a particular technology that lets us know who is and isn't watching the interviews and press events. Can you think of one person who wouldn't want to watch you and Peeta divulge details about your relationship and impending wedding?"

I nod, "Gale."

"Exactly. I think we have located their rebels hide out because of that. I've already sent a team to watch the location and see what they can discover." Paylor says and her advisors nod in approval.

Peeta sits up, "Where is the location?"

Paylor looks at me, Haymitch and then Peeta, "District 12."

Nobody watches for Haymitch or Peeta to react, I am counted on as the one to blow a gasket and cry. I am a basket case and everyone knows it. It isn't my fault, it's my current situation that has made me this way. Leave it Gale to try and ruin my relationship with Peeta and now he's help defile the memory of my home.

We are dismissed shortly after, having a schedule to keep to after all. I'm ordered by Haymitch to go back to bed and rest and he will be by with food. He has taken to forcing food on me. He means well, he is acting like the father I miss so much. He doesn't know what little I do eat, I usually expel from my body hours later when the terrors come.

Peeta snuggles next to me, "I have to go with Effie in a bit. I won't be long Caesar wants an interview."

I wind my hands into his shirt and lean my head into his shoulder, "Can we talk about something happy?"

"Okay… how about I tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing you in a beautiful dress tonight for Paylor's national speech." Peeta smiles, "I can't wait to dance with you, to kiss you."

I kiss his lips softly, "One less thing to anticipate."

I hear Effie's heels clicking down the hallway, Peeta rolls his eyes and sighs. We know our time is up.

"I'll be back before you even get a chance to miss me." He whispers and kisses my cheek.

I catch his chin and pull him back for a real kiss. It isn't like the reluctant timid ones we've been sharing. Ever since the fight we had, Peeta has been far too careful with how he shows his affection for me. The kisses are sweet but lacking in passion. He exhibits far more self-control than I do, so often he breaks away and reminds me of the boundary we set. This time is different, I made sure of that. I caught him off guard and his emotions get the better of him.

He kisses me back with a new found intensity that I easily match. He pulls away from me and smiles.

"I love you. I have to go or Effie will have my head." He kisses me again and then leaves.

When Haymitch comes around I oblige him at pick at the small roll, the soup look unappetizing. Promising him I will eat more at dinner, he leaves me to get dressed. Octavia and Blossom come into my room and set out on making me pretty again. It seems like 2 hours are spent on my face and hair. Once I no longer look dead on my feet, Blossom helps me into a dress. Its tight knit dress under an overlay of elegant lace. It stops at my knees and the lace extends down to my wrists. It's simple and elegant at the same time.

My hair is curled and I am set on my way to the building for the speech. I was told Peeta would meet me there. It does nothing to calm my mind when Peeta doesn't show up for more than half of the event. I've been forced to smile and act cheerful when I am severely scared that Peeta is in trouble. Once Paylor has made her speech and dinner has concluded, I extract myself from the room. My frantic footsteps echo off the empty hallway walls, as I venture toward the entrance to the building. I've just passed a particularly dark room when an arm reaches out and grabs me. A strong hand rips me into the room and shut the door with a click.

"Scream or even make a noise and you will be dead before you even hit the ground." The strong hand has a painful grip on my throat.

I'm pushed up against the wall before I can register in my mind that this wasn't Peeta surprising me.

"Why are you doing this!" I whisper, afraid to raise my voice any higher.

"You know why." The person says in a distinct male voice that only I could recognize.

It pains me to say it, "Gale…"

He trembles as my realization, "Don't talk to me like that."

My hand snakes up my thigh to the small knife I keep banded around my leg. I've gotten a grip on it and have managed to hide it behind my back.

"Gale… just go. Leave me alone." I say pity sparks tears in my eyes.

His fist punches the wall next to my head, I jerk away in fright, "I can't let you go, you don't know the effect you have on me Katniss."

His hand slips from my neck, then both of his hands clasp my upper arms, "I get it Gale… Please just go. If they find you here… they'll kill you."

I'm angry at him but the last thing I need is to worry about my former best friends life.

"I have nothing left, don't you get it. I gave up district 12 and everything to help you. You picked him over me!" He growls pushing harder into my body.

Tears spring into my eyes, "I can't help who I fell in love with, Gale."

I feel his chest heaving against me, "You could have. You should have come back and realized my feelings for you."

I shake my head sprinkling the tears between us, "Please just leave. If you love me at all you will leave me alone!"

He trembles even harder then crashes his lips into my own. I try to rip my face out of the way of his but he pulls a hand to my face and holds me still. His hand presses harder into my arms, until I can't take the pinching pain anymore. I wedge my free arm in between us and push with all my might.

"Katniss… just let me show you how I feel." He pleads, his hand touches the hem of my dress.

His intent was made clear by his gesture, I whip my knife between us and he staggers back.

"How dare you think I would give you something I haven't even shared with Peeta." I growl at him

He says nothing and I back him into the corner of the opposite wall, "You have ruined everything for me, Gale. You've ruined my engagement, you are trying to ruin my relationship and I bet you are here trying to ruin my life. So let's hear it!" I hiss, truly angered now.

He reaches for his own knife and points it back at me, "You'll regret this. I was going to tell them to spare him but you've only made it worse for him. Have fun with that!" He hisses into my face.

I slash my small knife at his and cut his chest, he retaliates with a slice across the top of my wrist. I stagger back in searing pain, and he bolts for the window. I stumble into the nearest bathroom and grab a towel off the wall and wrap it around my bleeding wrist. I fumble to sheath the knife again and make my way to a spot where I will feel safe. I'm bolting into the pouring rain for courtyard with a few trees. Peeta is behind me, having just watched me bolt from the building.

I've barely gotten a grip on the situation before Peeta bursts into my view and crouches near me. I have nothing to say as he takes in the blood on my hands, and leg where my sheath is. His hands gently pull the towel open and exposes the gash to the bone.

"Katniss… you didn't do this to yourself did you?" He breathes heavily and closes the towel applying firm pressure to the wound.

"No!" I cry, "Why would I do that!"

The angry tears mix with the water than is pouring in on us through the sparse branches of the few trees in the stone courtyard. The concern on his face doesn't lessen with my confirmation that I didn't harm myself. I'm slightly angry that he suspects I would have intentionally done this.

He sighs, "Then please tell me why I've come back to a supposedly happy occasion and you are crying and covered in blood."

I tell him everything except Gale threatening his life, I need to figure out how I can protect him before he flies off the handle and tries to fix it himself.

"He got into the presidents high security building and your first thought is to hide outside?" Peeta looks at me quizzically.

"Yes?" I answer not really sure why I did run out here.

He holds me against his chest, I can almost hear his brain firing away trying to make sense of it all. Peeta scoops me into his arms and rushes back inside. We are a soppy mess, Effie would have a fit if she saw us. Peeta sets me down and I follow him back toward the ballroom. He turns as faces me, his face darkens immensely.

"What?" I whisper afraid he could be having an episode.

"He choked you?" Peeta grinds his teeth as he gently touches my neck.

I pull my hair to cover my neck and beg him to get Haymitch so I won't have to cause a scene in the middle of Paylor's dinner. Peeta rushes into the room and it seems like barely a second has passes before Haymitch is bursting out of the doors. He motions for us to follow him and leads us to the car that brought me here.

I'm sandwiched between them as the care speeds away. Peeta helps me wrap the towel tightly around my wrist. The two of them are talking hurriedly as the car zooms through the Capitol. When we get back to Paylor's mansion, I can see guards searching and securing the building. We are made to sit in the car for almost an hour before the guards give us the all-clear to go into the building.

Haymitch takes us to the large room where Paylor has her meetings and tells us to sit. Once Haymitch settled down he approaches me seeking the truth.

"Sweetheart, who was it?" He asks kneeling by my chair.

I can't find it in my heart to admit it was him, my mouth struggles to form any word. I just don't want it to be true, I can feel his hands gripping my neck.

Peeta leans forward, "Katniss… tell him. Why are you protecting him?"

"He was my best friend, Peeta. You can't expect me to betray him so quickly." I retort clenching my fists, a stinging pain erupts in my wrist.

Haymitch notices, and peeks under the towel, "I have something to fix that, hold tight sweetheart."

Once Haymitch is gone Peeta leans close to me, "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No… I'm fine Peeta." I answer weakly, he doesn't seem convinced.

"There's blood on your legs, darling…" He says quietly motioning to the bloody prints on my thighs.

I realize what he's insinuating and I start to cry knowing that Gale had that intent in his eyes.

"Peeta." I choke out, "He wanted to do that. He didn't get too, I swear. I can't believe he would do this."

Peeta is relieved and pulls me into his chest, "You're safe here darling. I won't let anything happen to you."

He rips a shred of the towel on my wrist and softly wipes the blood off my leg. His hand flips up the hem of the dress and he laughs.

"You carry a knife?" He asks.

"I know how to use it. I cut him before he got away." I mention.

Peeta smiles and kisses me softly, just then Haymitch returns with a syringe. Perhaps the largest syringe I've ever seen.