Chapter 13

***Hey guys! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while but life's been hectic! Lol love you guys and thank you so much for your reviews and support! ~Meagansparklesintheflames***

Peeta drives me home and I feel terribly guilty. I stare out the window and think to myself, "Why does everyone always get hurt because of me?" I can tell he knows what I'm thinking, because he can read me like an open book.

"Katniss?" he asks.

"Hmm?" I glance at him.

"Nobody thinks you've done anything wrong, love. In fact, I think you do too much for me. You give me more than I can give you, and I suppose that makes you wrong, but it's a good wrong."

I cry. There's nothing else to do. All I can think of is that there was a time when I reluctantly accepted his gifts, because I was convinced that I didn't love him. I mean, this is the kind of man that, in the face of death, took the girl he loved to the roof of the place they trained them to fight to death and took her on a romantic picnic. The kind of man who holds you when you have nightmares. Sleeps with you to ensure they don't come back, even though his are worse. Gives you a pearl on the beach of an arena where you will die because he wants you to make it home. Shows you a locket of your mother and sister and best friend to convince you there was nothing for himself at home if you died; that you were the only thing he had to live for. The man that endures torture and is completely convinced his love is a mutant, but comes back from it because he loves her.

I look at Peeta, and all I can see are these wonderful things that make my Peeta himself.

I'm convinced he needs better.

"Peeta, you deserve better. I want you to have better." I sigh. "I am a monster. You don't even need to be around me."

He looks aghast. "I don't want anyone else."

I smile slightly. "Good, because I'm the plague; you can't get rid of me."

We pull into our driveway and I groan. My feet are killing me, and now I have to walk up the stairs! I think.

Peeta grins. He obviously knows what I want. He lifts me up and carries me through the doors and up the stairs. I am released at the door to our room, where I plop onto the bed and sleep…

"Katniss, I am so sorry." Says Peeta. He holds my hand.

"Oh, Katniss, I'm really sorry. I wish he had made it." Says Prim.

"Who?" I ask. They exchange a worried look. At first I think it's my baby. I hold my stomach and realize he's kicking away. So it's not him.

"Gale." Says Prim.

The room spins. I suddenly think of all those fights we had. How I'll never get to say goodbye, or 'I'm sorry'.

"He's dead?"

Prim sighs. "Yes."

I scream.

I wake up to Peeta shaking me. "WAKE UP KATNISS!" He's crying.

"Peeta! Oh my god, what's wrong?" I ask.

He looks at me like I'm insane. "You were screaming!"

I frown. "I was?" He nods his head ferociously.

"Oh."

I sigh, and then think: It's weird how I keep dreaming of the two of them dying.

The phone rings.

"Mellark Residence." Peeta says.

He listens a moment. "It's for you."

I take the phone from his hands. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Katniss Mellark?" says a chirpy voice. It reminds me of Effie.

"Uh, yes, that's me." I say.

She sighs. "There has been an accident. Gale Hawthorne has listed you as an emergency contact. His shaft in the mine was blown to bits, but remarkably he survived."

I drop the phone. "Oh my god." I mouth.

Peeta picks up the phone. "We'll be there."

"Oh god!" I cry.

Peeta grabs me and pulls me tight. "This is NOT your fault."

"B-but… he-he… he j-ju-just…" I cry.

"Katniss Mellark, look at me. This is not your fault!"

I cry. "Okay."

"Let's go." He says. It's obvious he doesn't want to.

And so we get in our car. Going to see a man we hate. A man that is important to me. But still, a man we hate.