To everyone who has continued to follow, review, and read this story, thank you! You guys rock!
Thank you to SheepAmongstWolves12 for Beta-ing for me once again. Love ya little nerd sis.
Chapter Twelve
The deep purple of the plush carpet absorbed the artificial light streaming from above his head. It seemed to span the entire floor, wave upon wave of rich color that muted the walls around it.
He was lost in the color, a sense of drowning came over him and he had to remind himself that he was breathing safely on his own.
With a shaky hand he worked his fingers through his hair; the anxiety he felt ever since she had been taken was threatening to overwhelm him.
Peeta repositioned himself on the overstuffed seat he was appointed to wait on upon his arrival. The feeling of unrest was begging to cloud any judgment he had left, his emotions were on the edge of exploding as they clawed at the walls of his mind.
After he had awoken on the floor of the foyer, it had taken a few minutes for the previous events to inch their way back into his memory; the forefront of his mind had been foggy at first.
Utter panic had taken over as the previous events registered, he frantically pulled himself off of the floor, and the rational part of his brain had shut down, where now only an intense primal need was present.
He tore through the first floor of the manor knocking down anything that wasn't nailed or secured, glass, splintered wood, and chipped china laid to waste on the once pristine floor.
Peeta stood in the middle of his destruction, his chest heaving uncontrollable as the rage coursed through his veins igniting the flow of blood into pure heat.
He was almost feral as he searched for anything else to destroy, his glazed eyes landed on the polished wood of the table that he had grown accustomed to taking his meals at, meals he had shared with Katniss.
Peeta stalked over to the table his bare feet wading through glass and porcelain that scraped and cut the flesh at the sides and bottom of his feet.
He appeared unaffected by the wounds, his bare chest and back had too acquired such inflictions, small trials of blood made their way into the waist line of his slacks.
Peeta's hands gripped the edge of the table as he took pause, his breath escaping from his throat in short , shallow gusts.
For a moment Haymitch assumed that he had exerted himself, clearly relieved for it to be momentarily over, until the muscles in Peeta's back strained as the he flipped the dining room table on its side.
The piece of furniture joined the rest of the havoc that was now a part of his madness, its legs sticking out to the sides as the middle split sending the separate halves onto the floor with an angry clatter.
Hazelle kept in the corner, her hands covering her mouth as she attempted in vain to cease the tears making their way down her face and onto the neck line of her dress.
Haymitch too had hung back, only observing, until he saw an ebb in Peeta's tirade his shoulders hunching over, the grief of her loss pushing down onto him.
Peeta began to shake, before he felt arms circling him, squeezing to gain control, the younger man struggled, as his rage swallowed up any trace of rational thought left.
Glass lodged itself into his feet as he bore down, using his weight to escape the tight hold the older man had on him.
Haymitch leaned his head back as he attempted to protect his face from any injury while the back of Peeta's head thrashed back and forth.
Hazelle watched as the two men fought for control, eventually Peeta conceded, his movements now lazy with all of his energy drained.
Haymitch held onto him like a father would as uncontrollable sobs took over his body, anguish rolling off of him in tumultuous waves.
The older man kept his grip tight, as he lowered their bodies onto the debris underneath them," I know, kid," Haymitch sucked in a long shaky breath," I know it hurts, and all you're feeling is the grief but you need to push through it," Peeta began to struggle against him again, his breathing coming out ragged," breath Peeta, just breath son."
Peeta struggled against Haymitch's hold," I'm not your son," Peeta attempted to shove his shoulder into Haymitch's as he tried to gain control," You aren't my family."
Haymitch tried to calm his emotions at the blatant attack," Maybe not, but me and this woman here," Haymitch sharply nodded to where Hazelle waited, her face streaked in tears," are the only people in this house who give a damn about you and that girl," Haymitch took in a deep breath," and to be honest you're the closest thing to a son I have, so like it or not but you're stuck with me."
Peeta struggled, this time Haymitch released his hold," I have to go get her back," Peeta pushed himself off of the ground taking small shards of glass with him," I can't be here without her."
Haymitch's legs shook as he stood up trying to miss the thick pieces of glass around him," Kid, the Capitol has her now. How are you going to get her back?"
Peeta pulled pieces of glass from his hands, before pushing the sweating strands of his bangs from his forehead," I'll go straight to the source," he breathed in slowly before turning to make his way to the stairs," The president will see me, he can be a reasonable man."
Haymitch followed him out of the demolished room," Are you damn mad?! You must be if you think that evil man will give a damn about her or even you!"
Peeta gripped the railing," I have to; it's the only thing I can do now."
Haymitch pointed at him, his eyes glossy from tears," If you do this you will be damning her, and the rest of us."
Peeta gritted his teeth," I have to."
"So you'll go begging to him like an animal desperate for scraps?"
The younger man turned to him slowly, before speaking," I will do anything to get her back."
Haymitch shook his head," That's what I'm afraid of."
Peeta nodded his agreement to the older man before he ran up the stairs to bathe quickly and change, the wounds he sustained from his outburst stung from the sweat seeping into the cuts, salt and blood mixing.
Without much time passed, Peeta bounded down the stairs, with a fresh outfit of clothing on, his hands now bandaged but sore.
He glanced to the side to see Hazelle sweeping up the mess, her head down casted, as she concentrated on her task.
The pain Peeta felt towards disappointing her was almost too much to take but his need to bring Katniss back outweighed anything else he could fathom.
He assumed Haymitch had left, while he was upstairs showering, the older man's bellowing echoed up the stairs, and then the banging of the back door had informed Peeta of his exit.
Haymitch's complains weren't unsubstantiated but his opinion wasn't one Peeta wanted to share at the moment.
The train ride into the Capitol dragged on, but the wait to see the president was even more daunting as the young man was subjected to back ground check after back ground check.
He had overheard a few of the Peacekeepers talking of how the rebel forces were making it more difficult for them daily, this peeked his attention for a few seconds before his mind went back to the task at hand… to bring Katniss back.
He was eventually led to the windowless room with the far reaching sea of carpet, where he now attempted to wait patiently.
His legs had long ago, lost feeling, but his ever present anxieties had taken the place of any concern he would have had for the irritable pain.
Peeta's pulse quickened as a door he hadn't yet noticed, open on the opposite end from where he had originally entered.
His back straightened , when the slender man bathed in a dye of blue came into view, his hair colored in the same shade.
Peeta had become accustomed to the Capitol's obsession with altering their natural state, but even so the man's appearance took him back. When he finally recovered Peeta followed the attendant as he waved him on.
His voice sharp and an octave higher than what should be expected of a man," The honorable president has agreed to see you and hear your grievance," Peeta rose from his seat his palms gliding against the material of his pants," Come along, President Snow doesn't have patience for tardiness."
Peeta crossed the room with a determined pace, to where the attendant stood, the ostentatious man's foot tapping impatiently.
The light filtering into the room from the other side of the opened door, over took the artificial light with blinding dominance.
Peeta attempted not to squint against the harshness of the light, he needed his charm to show through, the side of him that could deal with any matter unfazed.
If for only the next few minutes he needed to present the façade that he was still the man he had been before Katniss came back into his life.
Before she had lifted the blinders, and helped him cast aside any misconceptions he had of the Capitol and the shell of himself that had been created from years of pain.
When Peeta reached the threshold, the slender man turned on his heel with a gust of breath, clearly already annoyed with the companion's presence.
Peeta merely squared his shoulders, determined to give off and air of confidence as he stepped into the light fully.
The warmth flooding his face was surprising, as his body was engulfed with sunlight.
He followed the attendant puzzled; Peeta had remembered the sky being clouded before he stepped into the building, the sudden appearance of the bright light knocked him slightly off balanced.
Careful to protect his sight, Peeta placed his hand over his brow, shielding his eyes before he peered up towards the sky.
Metallic sheeted metal blended into luminous sky that reflected off of the surface, creating the effect of two separate skies.
However, if that wasn't memorizing enough, the sphere seemingly floating where rafters should be was aglow, a myriad of color in orange, red, and yellow licked at the space around it.
Peeta kept his face tipped up toward the artificial sky, all the while his feet followed the sound of footsteps created by the slender man escorting him.
Wonderment had overtaken him; it wasn't until he hit a force strong enough to cause him to falter a few steps back that Peeta took the time to look forward.
A wall of foliage with white roses springing forth stood in front of him, the massive structure stood at least ten feet tall from the ground.
Peeta shook his mind free from its trance, he was thankful for the structure; the jolt had brought him back to reality and the reason why he had ventured here originally… to free Katniss.
Peeta peered around the corner of the wall of plant life to only find another wall, favoring the one beside him.
The attendant had long walked off, leaving Peeta in the process. So he took the advantage of taking in his surroundings, as a winding maze of roses and foliage came into view.
The realization hit Peeta; the president had fashioned himself an oasis of Eden within the secure walls of his confine.
Peeta sighed; convinced he had caused himself to become lost, until he spotted the slicked back coif of the pretentious man who was sent to lead him in.
The man tapped his toe feverishly, his arms folded over his narrow chest," Well, are you coming, or would you rather behave as an insolent child?"
Peeta nodded silently, motioning for the man to lead on through the maze of a garden.
The sniveling man narrowed his eyes at Peeta before turning on his heel and continuing on. Peeta was sure to keep his eyes trained on the man's back, his perseverance from before was back in full force.
Glances of color still made it into his peripheral vision; he could feel the temptation to take in the rare sights that only the president's personal garden held.
However, Peeta was far too acquainted with the tainted beauty of the Capitol and the secret snares it held, unlike the passion he had for Katniss that was the purest emotion he knew.
Peeta flooded his mind with memories of her, the way her nose perked up at the end, the deep curve of her hip, how it transitioned into the soft supple shape of her breasts.
He filled himself with images of her, using her as his anchor, to remind him of his purpose, and his sole reason for breathing.
Peeta was led through the garden with twists and turns, there were times that he could have sworn that they had already ventured through one particular passageway.
He had inquired this much to man before him, but had only yearned yet another puff of infuriated breath, before silence settled between them again.
He was growing tired of the charade, his patience lessening, as the possibility of this being a farce came into his mind.
Perhaps, the only purpose for their walk through the maze was to force Peeta into conceding, any lesser man would by now, but Peeta had determination keeping him on his path, and nothing would cause it to wan.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the attendant turned back to Peeta waving him forward, his eyes moving to bench a few yards off where an elderly man with wide set shoulder sat, a soft white bud perched between his pointer and middle finger.
The slender man displayed his propriety, a slight slanting of his shoulders, meaning respect and a curt nod before he turned on his heel, leaving Peeta alone with the man as he admired the flower in his grasp.
Peeta took in a deep breath, his hands curling into nervous fists, before flexing his fingers, willing himself to relax as he stepped forward.
He was aware to stop a few feet from the older man, and then bowed to show his respect, before he waited to be invited to sit or speak.
The white haired man stared indifferently at Peeta, his eyes sizing up the younger man, before a softer expression came over his sharp features as he studied the flower between his fingers.
The man tilted his head to the side, his attention still on the closed rose bud as he spoke, "Do you know why some thrive while others fail, Companion Mellark?"
Peeta was first caught off guard by the question but recovered quickly," No."
Snow exhaled a long breath," Survival. Although it's not enough to merely survive, to achieve ultimate prosperity we must rid ourselves of weakness," Peeta watched as his hand curled into the bud destroying it immediately, the petals falling to the ground as his hand unfolded," and in return dismiss anything that is less than perfection."
Peeta swallowed hard, " It's quite remarkable what you have done here, sir."
Snow stood up, brushing the remaining petals from his palm before walking over to a wall of blooming white roses," Mr. Mellark there's no need for you to be so formal with me," the older man looked over to Peeta sharply before turning back to his flowers," you and I have a special past. I would assume we could look past formalities."
Peeta nodded before walking towards the president with caution," The matter to which I've visited has to do with an employee of mine, a young girl," Peeta took in a breath before continuing as he stopped a few inches from where the president stood," She was taken from my residence under false allegations. I was hoping in your great wisdom, that you would grant her amnesty."
Snow rose a brow," Oh? And what was her crime," the older man looked over to Peeta then back to the rose he was fondling," I'm of course not going to be hasty and grant freedom to every criminal who has connections."
Peeta's fingers curled into his palms before he spoke," Soliciting, sir."
Snow turned his body toward Peeta's ," Soliciting? To whom was she soliciting," the president blindly snatched a flower from the garden maze, rolling the blossomed bud between his fingers," if I may ask?"
The younger man swallowed, his throat already raw," To me, sir."
Snow feigned shock," Is that so? Well I'm sorry to say this Companion Mellark, but I can't allow such crimes to go unpunished."
Peeta felt his heart stop," Please sir, I'm begging of you. She's only a young woman, without any common decency or self worth. I'm afraid I seduced her, and with your permission I want to offer myself to be punished in her place."
President Snow narrowed his eyes," No self worth, hmm? I doubt that Companion Mellark. Do not forget that you and I have known each other for a spell, and I know that you would never throw yourself onto my mercy for a woman who meant nothing to you."
Peeta shook his head," She means nothing to me sir."
Snow breathed in deeply before replying," Let's stop these games, Companion Mellark. I grow tired of them, and my patience is thinning from your desperation," he threw the flower to the ground before speaking," I have been quite aware of the power that girl has over you. I only granted the permission for her to be under your employment for a short time, hoping the connection had faded over the years. To be honest you two were only children, and we both know how fickle children can be. However, I underestimated the obsession you formed for her, and it is now that I know my decision to allow you to have a short time with her was correct."
Peeta felt sick as bile rose up his throat," You were planning on executing her all along, weren't you?"
Snow nodded, his face calm," Indeed I was," he turned back to his wall of rises," there's no need to thank me for allowing you to have time with her, I'll assume it's implied."
Peeta could feel his palms curl into themselves," Thank you? You're about to sentence a woman to death, and you believe I should be grateful?"
Snow shook his head," No, Mr. Mellark. I believe you're the one that sealed her fate when you became involved with her. If there's someone to blame, it's you. And do not push the limits of my charity. I'm still allowing you to carry on with your life," Snow turned back toward Peeta, his face flushed," Did you really think that I wouldn't know what you were up to or that I would allow such things to happen? I control what happens in my country. I am the authority on all things, even your delusional sense of loyalty, Mr. Mellark."
Peeta took a step back, his knees nearly giving out underneath him, the sickly sweet aroma of the rose garden threatened to choke him.
The ground had shattered beneath him, and he could feel the abyss of grief beginning to swallow him whole.
Snow stepped forward, closing the gap between their bodies as a dazed Peeta tried to gain control of his shaking body, the faint smell of blood wafted from the elderly man.
Peeta could feel his gag reflex kick in, as a realization occurred, he knew now that he was in the dragon's grasp, his teeth bared and relentlessly dripping with blood of the naïve.
He should have listened to Haymitch, and not have been so foolish to believe that he was in control of his own life, he was merely a pawn in Snow's plan.
Snow leaned in, as the muscles in Peeta's jaw clenched," I own you boy; I would have thought you were clever enough have already came to the realization."
The light around him dimmed, as President Snow pulled away, making his way back to his rose garden. He had been a foolish boy who still believed in loyalty and integrity, when in truth they only existed in fairy tales.
The paint flecked off of the wall, gathering beneath her nail, as she scratched the lines into it.
She gritted her teeth as another nail broke under the pressure, blood slowly oozed out down her knuckle to pool at her wrist where it too, like the rest, would eventually dry forming to her skin.
The pain had lessened to an irritating pressure after three hours of digging into the unrelenting concrete, now only the joint in her wrist ached as it swelled.
Her lines weren't as precise or graceful as his had been even as a child, she assumed the pain in her hand could be a factor, but it was more likely she lacked his natural skill for creating things that only existed in make believe.
After Darius had left her alone and huddled in the corner of her cell, Katniss head had leaned back into the cold stone behind her, the air had grown colder without another presence.
The room was voided of any sound outside of her ragged breathing, and the searing grief of loneliness that tore at her insides.
Memories she had buried back in her mind were occurring to her all at once, as she was powerless to stop them.
The way her arms would wrap around her body as she fought the chill of the cement room off, her frail form curling into itself.
Katniss looked over to the empty space on her left where the sight of a young girl with dark hair materialized.
Her petite body colliding with the walls as she took running starts, the impact and momentum sending her back to the ground. She was desperate to feel something other than the furious fists of the house mothers, or strangling hold of hunger.
At least when she hurled herself into the wall it was her own doing, the bruises and scrapes were products of her free will, she had controlled the situation.
Katniss shuddered, a chill working up her body, but this one was far more reaching than what the temperature could have accomplished.
She could feel her mind wandering, and the familiar fog of madness due to isolation was coming over her.
Katniss shook her head violently, the sheared dark tresses of her hair moving wildly through the air, she refused to be taken over again.
She shut her eyes tight, the force making the muscles in her face sting as she willed her mind to pull recent memories forward.
She exhaled loudly, her lids relaxing as an image of serene blue irises came to the forefront of her mind. It was only a matter of seconds before other images began to spill forth like water out of a spout, every one clearer than the former.
The form of his lips, how with little execution he could elicit guttural moans of content, a deep sigh escaped her lips at the memory.
Her mind flooded with his presence, the outlining of his strong jaw, his broad shoulders and chest that kept her warm and safe.
Peeta was the anchor that refused to let her float into oblivion; he was her calm in the storm.
When she finally opened her eyes, the girl with the tangles locks had disappeared, Katniss' eyes fell upon the bare walls across from her.
Turning her head slowly to the right, she recognized the same cement walls, she reached out her fingers tracing over the subtle bumps and grooves in the texture.
It had surprised her at first when muted paint peeled off enough to show her the stone underneath. Her movements were slow and deliberate before they turned frenzied and wild; her nails etching lines and designs into the wall.
She was shocked when the image of fairy appeared before her, and another one had followed, a memory she had kept with her for so long was once again being created in front of her.
This time it was by her shaky untrained hand that clung to the security and love she had felt when the piece of work had first been created by his skilled hand.
Peeta wasn't only the man she loved he was a part of her that stood for something simple, the notion that great strength and beauty could appear in the most dire of situations.
The echoing of footsteps alerted her to company, Katniss stopped her finger in midair, her palm laying flat onto the lines, the grooves scratched and pressed into her skin comfortably.
She had been dreading the sight of another person; it was easier to come to terms with her fate if she realized early on that she was alone.
Having others near, even the peacekeepers who kept guard down the hall, represented life, something she wouldn't be a part of soon.
Katniss kept her eyes on the wall, the image of her scratches burning into her memory, before she turned her head to where the footsteps had stopped.
A stabbing sensation came over her when she was met with his face, soft fair skin peppered with slight stubble at the jaw line, while dirty blonde bangs fell in front of eyes as blue as the sky after a rain storm.
This was how she wanted to remember him for her short time in this life, it would be the image she would have as her body dropped from the platform, the noose tightening around her throat.
She hoped that her neck would break before the rush of panic hit her as her lungs stung from the lack of intake of air. She laughed to herself, it felt hallow as it filled the room around her, this was her existence now.
Her last hours would be filled with assumptions of her death, and hallucinations of the things she would be leaving behind.
Katniss watched him closely as he did the same," I've been told that when one's death nears it can slowly chip away at their sanity," she shrugged," I suppose that makes sense since if you really understood the weight of the situation, the terror alone could stop your heart. Insanity is the only way to die with dignity," Katniss marveled at how accurate her image of him could be," Even if you are a hallucination, it's nice to have you here."
Peeta watched her shoulders slump, her body broken and bruised, the white gown they had dressed her in hung off of her form, and Peeta could see where her bare arms and lips had begun to turn paler due to the drop in temperature.
Her delicate hand pressed against the wall beside her, dried blood sat at her wrist, this alarmed him enough to take his focus from the pictures on the wall.
However it didn't take long for his eyes to focus, he had to bite back the tears when he recognized the figures.
She had attempted to recreate the mural from the orphanage, the one he had made her to keep her happy when they were children.
Emotion overwhelmed him and Peeta was positive which one he was feeling more, grief, sorrow, pain, hatred, or love.
He looked back to her when he heard a shuffling of feet, she had begun to crawl on her hands and knees, her face contorted in fear and curiosity, and much like a wild animal would do.
The train of fabric of her gown followed behind her, threatening to tangle around her bare feet. Her normally long hair had been cut haphazardly, to fall at her shoulders, the ends curling around her face.
She rose up slowly, her balance shaky; it was then that he noticed the full extent of her bruising that spanned throughout her face, marring her natural beauty.
Peeta shook his head," No, honey I'm not a hallucination. I'm real…it's me."
Katniss breathed out a reply, her voice raw from being unused," Peeta?"
"Yes."
She lets out something resembling a sob and a gasp as she launched her body to the glass partition separating them.
Her nails claw at the clear material, her eyes wide, wild and wounded, while Peeta placed his palms flat against the surface.
He angled his head to the side attempted to gain her attention, perhaps if she concentrated on him than he could help settle her frenzy.
It took for a few seconds for Katniss' movements to calm, her eyes set on him, her chest beginning to raise and fall naturally.
Her hands rested against his, and even through the glass barrier, Peeta could feel the heat radiating from her, the way her touches had always affected him.
Because even in her broken state of mind she was still able to make him feel alive and human.
Peeta broke their connection long enough to yell down the corridor, impatiently asking for the glass to be taken down momentarily.
He wasn't positive if his request would be met or not but he hoped that the peacekeeper who granted him access would find his generosity once again.
Peeta was answered when the glass wall slowly slid down, his hands connecting with Katniss' without hesitation.
The feel of her skin was enough to knock him down, a warmth traveling up his arms to rest at his chest.
He uncurled his fingers from hers, his right hand going to her cheek gingerly, careful not to apply pressure to the bruise and deep cut there.
The surface of her once smooth skin, a texture he remembers vividly from hours of exploring her, was now torn with unclean edges and swelled bruising that yellowed her olive skin.
Katniss leaned her head into his touch, reveling in the warmth that radiated from his palm, temporarily filling her with calm.
A trail of heat made its way up her wounded cheek stopping in her hairline above her ear, his fingers tickling the curve of skin.
Peeta was careful to be gentle as he untangled the strands, weaving the knots out with one hand while the other held onto hers.
He worked the tips of his fingers down halfway, while lifting the hair to the side to examine the damage that had been done.
Katniss closed her eyes, as she lost herself in the sensation of his caress. Peeta slid his fingers to the ends, curling his hand in the jagged strands, before releasing her hair, allowing it to fall back to her bruised shoulders.
Peeta tried to swallow the lump forming at the base of his throat," Why did they do this to you?"
Katniss opened her eyes slowly, a sad smile gracing her lips," Because they can."
Peeta shook his head wildly, while his fingers pressed into the back of her hand," No, they did this because of me."
It was Katniss turn to touch his face, her battered hand resting at his cheek," I don't want you blaming yourself for any of this," her lips widened, the smile reaching her eyes," When I first saw you, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me," her hand moved up his cheek into the bangs that hung around his face," because you look the way you would if you were back in the district. You look like my Peeta."
Peeta turned his face to the side to lightly kiss the inside of her wrist, his lips resting there as he spoke into her skin," I am your Peeta. Every part of me belongs to you," he turned his face back to hers," and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it."
Katniss' eyes moved to where her hand worked through his hair, and over the contours of his face," You're here with me now, that's all that matters."
Peeta closed his eyes lost in the feel of her touch," You saved me that day on the street, when we found each other again," he opened his eyes to find her staring at him dead on," I was lost in the dark, and you pulled me back to the light," he reached up to where her hand had stopped at his jaw line, his fingers wrapping around hers to bring it to his chest," You're the real hero the fairy tales write about."
Katniss shook her head, her fingers balling up the material of his shirt," No, I'm not. Because you saved me too."
Peeta lowered his head before looking into her eyes again ashamed," No, I didn't. I went to Snow begging for your release, like a fool. He refused with much delight."
"Do you realize how brave you were to go to him? I don't think you notice how special you are, or how much potential you have to be something really great."
"You have so much faith in me but all I tend to do is fail you," Peeta stepped back out of her reach, their hands separating," I failed you at the orphanage, when I didn't defend you at the Capitol, when I promised you we'd be together as a real family," he began to pace the floor in front of her cell," and I'm failing you now."
Katniss pulled her arms around her, grieving the loss of his touch," I want you to move on. Find a woman to marry and have the family you've always wanted," this caused him to stop in mid step, his body now facing hers, his brow furrowed," I'm going to die, Peeta. There's no reason that you shouldn't carry on with your life."
Peeta could feel the heat rising from his chest to settle at his flushed cheeks," No, absolutely not! I won't accept that!"
Katniss felt the tears she had been trying to fight slid down her face, the salt burning the cuts there," I love you, Peeta Mellark. I have always loved you, ever since that first night when you looked into the window at me. All blonde shaggy hair and gangly limbs that flooded my mind and spirit. You never left me, I held onto you when I couldn't even remember your name. I love you, and I love that we were able to fight dragons together."
Peeta storms up to the wall separating them from the waist down," If you love me than how can you ask something like that of me?!"
"It's because I love you! I don't want you wasting away in that house, drowning yourself in the past and pain. I can't leave you when I know you'll be living with the ghost of me. I need to know that you'll be happy."
Peeta buried his hands in his hair, needing something he could hold onto and at the same time punish," How I can be happy if you're gone?"
Katniss swallowed the tears threatening to choke her," I am going to die Peeta. There's nothing we can do about it, whether you accept it or not…it's happening."
Peeta removed his hands from his hair to place them at the sides of her face," If you die, you'll be taking me with you. It won't just be another piece of me that I lose; it'll be all of me. There won't be anything left."
Katniss shook her head," That's not true, and you'll be-"
The sudden pressure of his lips on hers, made her already dizzy mind, almost incapable of thinking accurately.
The bruises around her lips stung from the contact, but the sensation of his tongue asking for permission dulled any pain, all she could feel was excitement.
Closing her eyes she allowed herself to be lost in him for the last time, every muscle in her body relaxed, and she wished that the wall wasn't there preventing Peeta from enveloping her body with his.
A low moan escaped her throat, and she assumed she had been holding it deep in her soul on account of the amount of heat that made its way through her body.
Katniss could feel herself drowning in his quiet noises, and the presence of his lips and hands against her.
She was close to losing her mind all together, the insanity of bliss swallowing her whole when she felt the warmth of his tongue leave her mouth as well as the absence of his hands from her face.
Katniss' eyes sprung open as Peeta's cries echoed around her in mocking torment.
A peacekeeper at each side of him pulled him further down the corridor, his heels dragging as he tried desperately to dig into the ground using his weight to anchor him down, all the while his eyes still on her.
The pain he wore in his blue iris' cut through her, causing all of the pain from her ailments to wash over her.
Katniss could still hear him shouting out her name, followed by sentiments of love, when his body was out of sight. She crumpled to the ground in a heap of white material and shattered spirit, as the glass partition rose back in place. This was her grave, even before her body was to be broken; her soul had already been laid to rest, when Peeta was taken from her.
A/N: There is only one chapter left until the story is complete, and I'm half way through with it. I'm actually very sad to see this story end, but I expect to begin two more stories when this one is through. PLEASE REVIEW!