CHAPTER 12: WHIRLWIND

Being in Lora Mellark's presence for only a few minutes I discerned a one thing; she was definitely not Peeta. I couldn't even find a resemblance. She was cruel and mocking, even with the way she spoke normal words that weren't aimed to harm. Her eyes were as cold as her manner and I really couldn't fathom how Peeta had turned out like Peeta. She looked upon her son as if he was worthless and he wasn't one of the best people I've ever met or one of the most talented.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Peeta's voice was ice cold. My hand was being crushed by his but I didn't dare distract him.

"I just wanted to have a little chat with my son. Is that so bad?"

"What do you want?"

"Well if you're going to cut the pleasantries…I wanted to talk about this case you're building against me. Your own mother."

"I'm not building it." He mutters. I squeeze his hand trying to remove some of the tension in his body.

"You're helping your good for nothing father."

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!"

"Oh?" She raises her eyebrows. "I'm speaking the truth. You disappoint me Peeta. You were never worth anything and this has proven it."

I take at glance at Peeta's face. From years of practice he knows how to mask his emotions but I still caught the raw pain flash across his face. I wanted to kill her.

"If you came here to insult me then we're done. Come on Kat." He mutters to me, tugging me towards the car.

"So the girl is more important than your own mother?"

He barely looks at her. "Anyone's more important than you."

A disturbing humor dances in her eyes. "Look at that. I raise you and nothing. No respect."

He whirls around then, his calmness gone. "Raise me? You didn't raise me! You abused me and everyone else. You left dad to sort out all your shit. Don't you even try to guilt trip me! Leave us alone!"

Her amusement grows. "Well I would if you weren't filing a case against me. This nonsense has to stop."

"I'm not doing anything!" He yells. The conversation is turning bad fast and I'm afraid of what will happen with Peeta so strung out.

"Tell your father to drop it."

"Go to hell."

She nods as if contemplating the remark. "Peeta I'll warn you once. Drop this or there will be consequences."

"Is that a threat?" He asks disbelievingly.

"You can't threaten him." I bite back, unthinking.

Her cold eyes fall on me. "Not that it's any of your business. Why don't you run along home, girl? Go find another less complicated boy to sleep with."

"Don't." Peeta says menacingly. "Don't talk to her."

His mother laughs the high pitched laugh again, sending chills down my spine. "Look at you. All hung up on a girl. Sorry to burst your bubble Peeta but I doubt she's in it because of your personality. Especially ones that look like her."

She eyes me like I'm the town whore. "I'm done." He states before she cuts him off.

"Oh you're done? I'm sorry but I'm not going to let this happen for some cheap-"

"Stop."

"girl that's you're trying to charm into your bedroom-"

"Stop!"

"This is serious business Peeta. I am your family and she is just some slut that you've managed to-"

"SHUT UP!" He bellows. The veins in his neck jump out of his skin. He walks towards her, dropping my hand, her remarks pushing him towards a tirade. "You are nothing! I don't care what you came here for! Get out of my sight. Go torment someone else."

The next few things happen very quickly. There's a loud crack through the air and I realize that her hand has made contact with his face. My foot twitches, planning to make a move on her but Peeta's already striding over to his car, yelling obscene things over his shoulder. Without being asked to I know I have to follow him and leave this bitch by the bakery. I jog over, and wrench open the door as he revs the engine. He takes off quickly, far too quickly, the tires spinning in the gravel and speeds down the streets. I have to admit with the speed he is taking corners I'm a little afraid but I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt us and I know this was not the time to reason with him. When we're a few hundred meters from the house he slows down to a crawl. I can see the emotional tirade going over his face.

"Peeta?"

He swallows and shakes his head, pulling neatly into our driveway. He gets out without a word and slams the door, taking off towards the house before I could even open my door. This was not the Peeta I knew. The one I knew would always be there to open my door, walk me in. This was something else. Something only Lora Mellark could do. I grapple with the door and run after him but only make it through entryway in time to hear his bedroom door slam and see Finn and Jo's shocked faces. We stare at each other for a moment, each of us trying to calculate what exactly has happened.

"What's going on?" Jo finally whispers.

I grimace. "He… um…his, uh…." I can't seem to admit it. Instead I glance upstairs and find my feet carrying me to the top level. I try his doorknob but it won't budge.

"Peeta, open up." I say, knocking.

No answer.

"Peeta." I knock again. Harder.

Nothing.

"Peeta please open this door. It's just me."

There's a small scuffle and I wait. Just when I am about to turn around the door swings in. I take no time in enveloping him in my arms, something that even now I still don't frequent. But I do it for him. He breathes in a shaky breath and rests his cheek on my head.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really."

I lead him to the bed and sit with him, lacing my arms around him. He leans in and I find that I like being able to care for him for once. He doesn't say anything. Or do anything.

"It's okay to be upset." I tell him quietly. I knew all about the place he was in right now.

Another breath. Silence. And then finally the tears come.

"I'm sorry for what she said to you."

"Don't worry about me."

"It wasn't fair."

"None of this is fair Peeta. But we have to get through it. We can win."

I can sense his doubt. The first time he's ever doubted me. "What do you think she'll do when I don't call it off?"

"I don't know." I mutter. The thought had come to me. But I'd also considered she wasn't exactly capable of doing anything. Was she? "It was probably just an empty threat Peeta."

He shakes his head. "No. She'll do something."

"Well we'll just have to get through that when the time comes."

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" I ask, bewildered. "I'm the one meddling in your life."

"You're helping."

"No I'm complicating."

He sighs, and then presses his lips to my cheek. I leave it be until his lips travel down my neck and back up again and I realize he's after something more than platonic right now. He turns my face with his finger and he attacks me with fervor like none other. Ready to get back to where we were before our encounter I kiss him back greedily. His lips are warm and familiar and I press harder against him when his hands creep under my shirt. They feel calloused and warm and I'm spurred on holding his face to mine and straddling his lap. Things amplify quickly with a lot of pent up emotions coursing between us. Soon our shirts are lying tangled on the floor along with my bra. My hands run over his chest and I'm struck again by the chiseled abs, rock hard and smooth against my skin. He flips us over and I land on my back with a small squeal before he quiets me with his lips again. I can feel his arousal pressing into me and excitement pools in my stomach wondering how far this will go tonight. Half my mind says go for it while the other half warns me to slow down.

The knock on the door decides for me.

"Are you guys okay?" Johanna's voice calls behind the wood.

Peeta closes his eyes, and sighs, looking down at me, placing a lingering kiss on my lips.

"We're fine. Go away Jo." He calls out.

The door creaks as she opens it and we both scream no in unison.

"Oh my god!" Her face would have been comical if it were any less mortifying. The door slams and then she starts yelling something out to Finnick. I feel my cheeks on fire as I glance up at Peeta still hovering over me. He smiles grimly kissing the tip of my nose before retreating.

"Maybe it's better that happened." He mutters throwing my shirt to me.

"Are you okay?"

He laughs lightly. "You're good at distracting me." The sadness lingers.

I crawl across the bed wordlessly, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding on tightly. "You're going to be okay. I promise." I'd never spoken such truer words in my life.

000

I wake groggy and confused the next morning and notice how this seems to be happening more and more often. As does waking up next to Peeta. Not that I'm complaining.

When I look towards him I see he's already awake.

"Have you been watching me?" I accuse but it's marred by the grin on my face.

"Maybe."

I laugh and kiss the tip of his nose playfully. "You're lucky you're cute."

"Oh am I?" He asks before his arms reach out and pull me onto his chest. I laugh and stare down at him feeling his chest on mine.

"I could get used to this." I whisper.

"Me too." He eyes travel do the door. "But Johanna would go crazy."

I laugh enjoying the carefree feeling setting into my body. "She'd get over it quickly."

The grin on his face is contagious and soon my lips are very busy. It's quite late by the time we both actually make it downstairs, laughing and sharing chaste kisses. Johanna rolls her eyes and resumes talking to Finnick and Annie. I don't really feel self-conscious considering Annie spent the night here. I'm pouring cereal into a bowl when Peeta looks at his watch.

"Oh…I'm meant to be at the bakery!"

My eyes go wide. Last night's events had wiped that from our minds.

He runs out the door but not before giving me one last kiss. "See you guys later!"

I can feel Johanna's eyes burning a hole in the back of my head so I purposefully don't turn towards her for a few minutes. I finally relent after she's cleared her throat loudly several times.

"What?" I demand.

"Are you going to explain last night?" I glare at her, sealing my lips. "You get home from your first date and Peeta's all upset and shuts himself in his room…then you sleep with him? What the hell happened?"

I rub my face roughly trying to think how to phrase this. "First of all, I didn't have sex with him." I say pointing my finger in her direction. She mumbles something under her breath that I choose to ignore. "And…" I look around the room wondering whether I should explain this with everyone here. Then I think fuck it, none of us can keep a secret from each other. They'll find out anyway. "We were leaving and his mother turned up."

"What?"

"How?"

"Oh my god!"

Their voices tangle together in a chorus of disapproval. I wait patiently for them to process it. When I'm sure they've got their head wrapped around it I continue. "She came and threatened Peeta to drop the case against her."

"Are you kidding me?" Finnick yells.

"Shut up! Yes, that's what happened!"

"She saw you Katniss." Annie suddenly pipes up.

"So?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowing.

"She's the opposition. She could identify you and rat you out."

I gape at her. "But she doesn't know who I am. She doesn't know I work for the firm."

"Let's hope it stays that way." She mutters, crossing her arms.

"Is that all that happened?" Finnick asks.

"Well…Peeta got angry and told her to fuck off and then she started insulting me and he got even angrier and then she slapped him."

I'm uncomfortable with the sudden intensity of their stares. "Did he do anything?" Jo whispers.

"He stormed over to the car and tore out of the parking lot."

"What's she going to do when he doesn't drop the charges?" Finnick asks.

I draw a deep breath. "I don't know. I thought it was just an empty threat but Peeta thinks that she'll do something."

"She will." Finnick nods gravely. I know he's right because he's known Peeta for longer than any of us.

"This is not good." I mutter raking my hands through my hair. The panic was slowly rising in my chest. I feel suffocated. "Finnick this is not good! How the hell are we supposed to win? You said it'd be okay!" I yell at him.

"I was stupid okay?" He yells back.

I cover my face with my hands.

"Look this isn't over yet!" Annie speaks up, glaring at Finnick. "Nothing has happened to jeopardize the case!"

"Everything has happened." I grumble.

"No." She says forcefully. "There's a hell of a lot of stuff we're juggling but none that the firm knows of. We just have to keep it that way."

I stare at Annie considering what she just said. She was right. Sure Cinna might be a little suspicious of me. Thresh might be collecting my mail, Peeta's mother might be able to identify me and far too many people might know about this covert case. But nothing had actually happened. For now…we were safe.

"Okay." I agree quietly. "But Peeta's mother is in town now. I've got to be careful."

"Well you're lucky you're going away soon." Annie smiles.

"What?"

Her eyes roll. "Your trip back to State 12? Remember?"

Oh. The trip I'd been avoiding? Yes. I do remember that. "I forgot it was so soon." I admit.

"You're still going, though?"

"I think I need to." I say grimly. I had to see for myself whether Prim was handling the situation or Prim was just wishing she was handling the situation.

"Better get those tickets."

"I'll go call the drunk old bastard." I grumble, walking away.

000

I couldn't help but notice the smugness in Haymitch's voice when I claimed that I wanted the tickets. This was exactly why I avoided these things and supported myself. But between stubbornly paying my college fees and buying every other life necessity, I didn't have enough to be able to afford a trip back home. Aside from all that he purchased the ticket willingly which either meant that he was feeling agreeable or I actually do need to see my mother. I expected the latter and that scared me.

It's around dark and I need to print off the details for my trip that Haymitch has emailed me. I scout around for my laptop looking in my room, the lounge, the kitchen and Johanna's room before I finally end up in Peeta's. Why was everyone so intent on stealing it?

I find it lying under a few of his shirts on the desk. I throw them in the laundry hamper. Boys. I lie on his bed while I sift through my emails, finding the one from Haymitch. It was concise and blunt as usual. I suspect he emails Prim with a bit more tact but then again he had always liked Prim better. I hit 'print' and swing my legs over the bed to go to Finnick's room where the printer is. I still don't know why he got to have it. I try to stand but fall back on the bed with a yelp of pain, holding the bottom of my foot.

"What the hell?" I mumble, shaking my foot to try and make the pain dissipate. I lean my head over the bed to see what has attacked my foot. The spiral bind of a sketchbook sticks out from underneath, the end of the wire facing up, waiting to be stepped on. I sigh and kick it further under the bed before I freeze. Sketchbook. The sketchbook. Containing who knows what that Peeta still won't let me see. Suddenly I lean myself further over the side of the bed and move to retrieve it.

No.

I pull back. These were his private things. I right myself and stand, carefully placing my feet on the carpet and head towards the door to get my flight details.

I look back. Why wouldn't he let me see?

No, Katniss! I reprimand myself. Go get the fight details!

I make it to the door with my hand on the knob before I turn around again.

It wasn't really that bad…I mean I only wanted to look because I know his stuff is amazing. That's not so bad, right?

Walk out of the room! The little voice in the back of my head tells me.

I stand there for several minutes inwardly battling with myself, jerking in each direction before I finally lose every ounce of self-control and dive for the sketchbook like a mad woman. He won't even know. It flips to the right page automatically because he's dog eared the page. That, sadly, makes me feel better since if he really didn't want me to see it maybe he should have hidden it better.

Or maybe you shouldn't be looking through his things!

The drawing is the last thing I expected. I thought maybe it wasn't his usual caliber and he was embarrassed, or that it was abstract or experimental or some arty shit like that. But no. It was a picture of me. And it was detailed. I look at the girl in the picture. It was very clearly a moment that happened in our lounge room, the background is identical to the room downstairs, but the girl looks far too beautiful to be me. The long dark hair, eyes, nose and mouth are all mine but there's just something about the way he's drawn her that makes it look almost too good. Is this the way he sees me? It's a candid shot and I must be talking to someone out of the picture because a small smile is plastered onto my face as I look at something that can't be seen. This could be a picture from any day but I wonder when he had first started it.

A wave of delight goes through me. Peeta really was too good to be true even if the drawing was way too glorified. I close the sketchbook carefully and place it back under the bed, finally putting this query to rest. I can't keep the smile off my face. So when Peeta walks in just as I am about to walk to the printer he looks a little confused.

"Hi?"

I try to smooth my face over. And fail. "Hey."

He looks at me suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

I motion to my computer still on his bed. "I had to find my laptop which you'd hidden nicely under a mound of your clothes."

His suspicion is taken over with sheepishness. "I had to use it yesterday."

"You have your own laptop!"

"Johanna had mine and yours was there…"

I roll my eyes and walk quickly over to Finnick's room to retrieve my printing. I walk straight in without knocking and nearly walk right into Finnick sorting through a laundry hamper only in his underwear.

"It's the middle of the day Finn! What are you doing?"

He grins up at me striking a provocative pose. "Do you like what you see?"

I push past him and retrieve the paper from the printer on his desk. "There is no stopping you." I mutter.

"You're the one that barged into my room Katniss. Without knocking, I might add."

I roll my eyes and grin at my best friend. "I've seen it all before anyway." And I walk out to Finnick's laughter.

When I reenter Peeta's room he's perched on the bed flicking through internet pages on my laptop. "What's that?" He gestures towards the papers in my hand.

"Flights."

He scoots over and I lie next to him on the bed, propping my face up with my hands. I look at the computer screen and see he's on the university website.

"Flights back home?"

"Yeah, I called Haymitch today to confirm. I leave in just under two weeks."

I can see him thinking about something as he moves the cursor randomly over the computer screen, trying to look like he's doing something.

"What are you thinking?"

A pause. "I want to come with you."

"Come with me where?"

He rolls his eyes. "To State 12." When I keep on staring at him with a shocked expression he continues. "I've been talking to Prim. We both think it's a good idea if I come back with you."

"You've been talking with Prim? How?"

He flips his phone towards me for a moment, showing me a lengthy text conversation with Prim before he takes it out of my hands again.

"Why?" I demand.

He shrugs. "I like your sister."

I hang my head, resting it on my arm, imagining an array of embarrassing things they have been talking about behind my back. "Peeta you don't have to come. I'm fine."

"I want to come Katniss. And besides, do you really think I'd like to stick around with my mother in town? I'd rather be with you." He nudges me gently, placing a kiss on my cheek.

For once the gesture doesn't calm me. "That's not why you're coming!" I burst out.

"I just said-"

"No, you and Prim want you there because you think I can't handle it! Because you think I'll break down! Well, I've been dealing with my mother my whole life Peeta! I can do this." I've sprung off the bed, now standing in the middle of his room.

"I didn't say that!"

"Why else would you want to come?" I yell.

"Because I care about you! Because if it were me, I'd appreciate someone coming with me?"

"I don't need anyone!"

"I know you don't need anyone Katniss! This isn't about what you need it's about what you want. And I really do want to get away from all this court shit. And besides Prim really wants to meet me."

I glare at him trying to weigh up my options. The offer he was making was tempting but…"I don't want to drag you into this." I tell him truthfully.

"I dragged you into all my shit."

"No I dragged myself into it."

He sighs. "Look if you don't want me to go, I won't. I'll stay here. But I'm just saying that I'd like to go with you and I think it'd be a good idea."

I take a cleansing breath trying to rid my anger. I did want him there but I had my reservations. But also knowing Prim and my ambition to take care of her, I know she'd never let me live it down if I told Peeta to stay. But there was something else that overrides even my feelings to my sister. Like a self-preservation reflex. State 12 had always been separated from my life here. I kept it like that intentionally. The only mixing that had ever occurred was when Prim would fly over here. But I couldn't mix up my life any further. I had enough problems here and bringing this life into my other…the risks seemed to catastrophic.

"Peeta…" I wanted to. I knew that. But I couldn't. "I'm sorry." I mutter, looking at the floor. I feel the unfamiliar sting in my eyes and the tightness of my throat. "I just…I just can't. I have to do it by myself." My eyes threaten to spill over and he senses my distress.

His eyes crinkle. "Don't cry. It's okay. I understand." He soothes me as if he wasn't begging to come a few minutes ago. Guilt that I don't anticipate washes over me and the tears suddenly fall. "Hey, hey." Peeta takes me in my arms. "I shouldn't have brought it up, I'm sorry."

I shake my head against his chest. "No. I want you to come it's just…"

He waits patiently.

"….I just don't think I can do it right now Peeta. There's so much going on…"

"It's okay." He says again. "Promise to call me when you're gone?"

The corners of my mouth tilt up. "Promise."

He kisses my on the forehead and leaves it at that.

I change the topic hoping to feel a little less guilty. "How was…how was the bakery?" I ask tentatively.

He sighs. "I told dad about how my mother confronted me."

"You told him?"

"Yeah. I kind of had to Katniss." I rake a hand through my hair nervously. "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared I'm going to screw this up. That it's all going to come crashing down."

"Hey, hey. Nothing's crashing down yet." He sits up and pulls me into his side.

A new horrible thought occurred to me. "Does your dad know who I am?"

His mouth twists. "I told him about you when I first moved in and before I knew about you being on the case. I've tried to steer clear of your name lately. I told dad that I was taking a different girl to the bakery and that you still had it in for me."

I'd never had to deal with Mr. Mellark. I hoped to keep it that way. "That's good then." I mutter. We were hanging on, like usual.

"She found Rye at his house though." Peeta mutters. "Coerced my whereabouts from him. We need to be careful." He warns.

"That's nothing new." I wave him away.

"No I'm serious. I need you to be safe. Otherwise this won't work."

"Why wouldn't I be safe?" I demand my voice rising.

"I…" He falters. "You'll be fine, okay? I promise."

It wasn't exactly my safety I was worried about. "Promise me you'll be okay, too?"

He stares at me. Hard. "I promise."

000

The days of my impending trip start to run out. Peeta never pressed the issue further but I can tell he's a little bit put out with my unwillingness. But I knew deep down this was something I had to do alone. Prim on the other hand would be another story and I purposely have not called her texted her recently, biding my time until she chews me out.

It's late and now the night before I leave. I'm trying to finish my paper so I'm homework free when I head over. Between the firm, a boyfriend and a full time degree I never seem to have enough time for anything.

Jo is at Thresh's and Finnick is sitting outside in a rocker. Recently, to escape the drama we'd taken to spending most of our time either here or at Cato and Thresh's. Trying to pretend our lives are normal. It's worked surprisingly well. Thresh and Cato hosted a party in which Finnick carefully veered away from shots and any form of bets, his arm staying around Annie the entire night. Delly organized an impromptu beach volleyball tournament for fun on the Strip and we all played; Peeta, Finnick, Cato and Thresh, gliding effortlessly across the sand while the rest of us face planted and missed the ball. We swam and frequented our favorite seaside restaurant on the Matilda Bay and even took a road trip up state to the border of State 5 where we hiked for two days up a mountain. Peeta became explicitly handy, taking half of my things in his pack which he didn't even flinch about with his muscles. Poor Delly on the other hand looked like she was about to keel over. So pretty much, we'd gotten used to being normal. This however was about to come crashing down when I got on that plane tomorrow.

I'm writing my conclusion when I hear the footsteps behind me and they're loud enough to tell me they're Peeta's.

"You've been working all night." He complains, throwing a freshly baked cookie at me. Surprisingly I catch it and take a bite.

"I'm nearly done." My eyes stay trained on the computer screen as I type the last few sentences. I hit save in relief, slumping back against the couch and look at the time. "Shit…is it really midnight?"

Peeta chuckles. "Want me to proof it?" This was turning into our usual routine as I usually slaved away on my assignments, completing them hours before the due date. I used Peeta to make sure it made sense while I tried to escape delirium.

I pass the laptop over and keep munching on my cookie. He reads it quickly, much faster than I can read, nodding his head. "I don't know why you make me read them, you write better than I can."

"Don't start making me do your assignments to." I tease.

He chuckles and closes the laptop lid. "You ready to head up?"

I nod my head, getting up from the couch and stretching. I pretend not to notice how his eyes travel over my body, though I cross my arms self- consciously. Normally, to avoid Finn and Jo's excessive innuendos and comments, we sleep in separate rooms. Occasionally spending the night together. Tonight however, since I was leaving tomorrow, it went unsaid that we'd be sharing. Peeta leads me into his room and throws a t shirt and some boxes at me since I packed most of my clothes. I suppress a grin, always enjoying the feel and smell of wearing his clothes. I noticed a while ago that he doesn't actually wear pajamas, he just strips off and sleeps in his boxers. This was more than fine for me and I enjoyed sleeping against his bare chest. I climb into the bed and collapse against him, exhausted.

"I don't want to go tomorrow." I mutter into his chest, snuggling as close as I can.

"What do you mean?"

"These last few weeks have been fun. Normal. That's all going to go away now."

His arms tighten around me. "You'll be back before you know it."

"I'm sorry." I say, probably for the millionth time this week, but I wanted him to hear it.

"Stop it Katniss. You know I'm fine. Stop worrying."

I sigh, not quite believing him. It wasn't fine. I was bad at being a girlfriend. I'd never really done it before Peeta.

He notices my silence and I can't help the tear that slips from my eye. What was wrong with me lately? I couldn't stop crying!

He shifts, turning my face towards him. He wipes the tear from my cheek. "It'll be okay. You'll get to see Prim and then you'll be back with us in a week." He leaves out any mention of my mother.

I nod unconvincingly. He studies me for a moment, as if deciding something, and suddenly his lips crash down on mine. I respond immediately, my reflexes taking control. He moves on top of me, covering my body with his and kisses me roughly. My hands roam down his back, feeling the soft skin, until they are impossibly low. I feel the waistband of his boxers and he pauses, but only slightly, before he attacks me with a new fervor and I'm spurred on. One of his hands moves to my breast, and kneads it, and I moan out in pleasure. My hands slip inside the boxers and slowly start to strip them down, earning a guttural moan from him. I can feel his erection brush against me and desire pools low in my stomach. His lips move from my mouth to my neck and he gently sucks on the skin causing my senses to go haywire. He flips us, and his other hand slowly moves up my waist, higher and higher, and I know what he wants. I remove the shirt, exposing my bare skin and watch in delight as his eyes darken at the sight. The rest of the layers of clothing separating us come off quickly and end piled up on the floor.

In the back of my mind vaguely note that this is the furthest we've ever gone and judging by both our arousal we wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. I grin and look up at Peeta, his hair a mess and eyes intense, astonished at my good fortune to have him all to myself and realizing that he really was the one I wanted. He was a thousand times better than anyone else.

And then he says those three words that change my world. "I love you." They're low and rough and incredibly sexy.

The words do something to me, and a feeling like nothing else washes over me. The decision's made. And for the first time ever I wasn't afraid. "I love you too." I whisper. I'd never said those words to a guy in my life. Peeta is the first.

And watching him, and finally feeling him, I told myself that he would be the first and last.

A/N: First of all I am really sorry for the late update but I really hoped the chapter was worth it :)

Thanks so much for everyone's reviews and support, you guys are great and keep me writing.

Next chapter: Katniss' time in State 12. Don't worry there will still be some Peeta in that chapter!