A/N: edited 01/01/15

Short 2k chapter but the next is a 9k+ monster so shhhhh

Chapter 17: Unraveling

Katniss

My heart is pounding as I race through the forest as fast as I can possibly go. It starts to snow, the white flakes falling steadily from the grey sky, and I force myself to slow down a little. Slipping over would not be a good thing, especially not now. Before long, the district will be blanketed in a deep layer of snow, the drifts piling up. Hunting will be almost impossible. I'm glad to have been hunting at the last minute.

I slide under the fence and fly across the meadow. Gale is a fast runner – he always won the races held at school, his long legs and practice from escaping from packs of wild dogs over the years giving him an advantage that's almost unfair.

I continue to run, down through the Seam. There are children squealing in delight, grabbing at the snowflakes with their bony hands but I can't stop do admire the snowfall like they can. Following the road that joins the Seam to the Merchant quarters, I rush past countless staring people. But I find to my dismay that I can't run as fast as I used to for as long, and end up having to slow down and catch my breath. If I'm struggling to run now, what am I going to do in a few months? The cold air is streaming past my face, making my eyes water, tears dribble down my cheeks.

Gale is angry. I saw it in his eyes. He's more than furious, and when Gale gets this way, he gets reckless. My head spins as I imagine what he could be doing to Peeta at this very moment. Surely at least one Mellark aside from Peeta will be home? Maybe, just maybe, Gale won't even get to touch Peeta. Maybe he'll just be shouting, restrained by Fen or Rye or Mr Mellark but unable to actually hurt my fiancé. I find that thinking this is better than imagining a bare knuckle fight.

Finally I spot the bakery and nearly cry out in joy, running senselessly down the alleyway. I pass the apple tree outside the bakery, run up past the pigpen and skid through the doorway of the bakery's kitchen.

"Peeta!" I gasp, my eyes wide. Gale has Peeta up against the wall by the collar of his shirt. Peeta has a split lip but he doesn't seem to be even trying to fight back. Gale throws another sharp punch into Peeta's stomach. Peeta has no expression on his face until Gale knees him in the groin. He grimaces and curls in on himself, sliding down the wall. Gale kicks him, the movement harsh and jarring. I run forward.

"Gale! Get off him!" I exclaim. Frantically I pull at Gale's arm, attempting to stop him from hitting Peeta again. He shoves me out of the way and I stumble backwards, just catching myself on the edge of the kitchen table and steadying myself. I stand upright and yank at Gale's shirt. "Gale!"

Stepping back, I run my hands through my hair in distress. Peeta is just taking each punch, like he can't feel them. He could easily fight back unlike me. I'm small and weak and useless against Gale's rage. My eyes lock with Peeta's and the look in his eyes almost kills me. I clutch at my chest, feeling a sharp pain shoot through me. I've done this. How many times will I have to hurt him until he realises that he's too good for me?

I turn on my heel and pull the heavy fire door open. Racing forward, past the staircase, I burst into the front of the shop.

"Katniss?" Mr Mellark asks, confused. Rye and Fen look up from where they're counting money by the till. "What are you doing here? Why are you crying?"

"Please! I'm not strong enough to pull him off," I sob, tears flowing freely down my cheeks now. "Peeta and Gale…" I don't continue speaking and run back into the kitchen, Peeta's brothers and father hot on my trail.

"Hey!" Mr Mellark shouts, seeing Gale and Peeta fighting viciously. Peeta has at last begun to retaliate. Gale's shirt is ripped. Working together, Fen and Mr Mellark tear a fuming Gale from Peeta. Rye helps his younger brother up. "What the hell is going on here?" Peeta's father shouts, his usually calm demeanour turning furious. Gale tries to pull himself free, glaring at Peeta.

"You fucked my best friend!" he spits.

"You don't own her!"

"And you think that fighting with resolve something?!" I yell, stepping closer to Gale and jabbing my finger into his chest with as much force as I can. "How could you do this?"

"Catnip, you're my best friend and you didn't tell me!" he says, his grey eyes sorrowful.

"Don't 'Catnip' me." I hiss.

"Please, Katniss…"

"I didn't want to tell you anything before I figured out everything else myself! I can't believe you've done this! I knew you'd be pissed as hell, but grow up!" I throw my hands in the air. "What did you think this would do? Make me leave Peeta? Jesus Christ, that's the last thing I'm going to do. I'm going to stand up for him because he's been nothing but a man all this time, unlike you." I let out a loud breath, pinching the bridge of my nose, trying to calm down myself. "How's this for spontaneous and exciting?" I add sarcastically on the end.

"Let me go," Gale mutters after a moment of silence, shaking himself free from Mr Mellark and Fenton. Just when everyone thinks that the fighting is over, Gale flies forward and Peeta thumps against the wall. Gale throws punches with lightning speed.

"Gale!" I shout, running forward, only to get jabbed in the stomach by Gale's elbow. I stagger slightly at the force, clutching at my stomach, feeling like I'm the one who's just been punched. Peeta sees this and pure anger washes over him as he pushes Gale back. The look on Gale's face is one of surprise.

"Are you intent or harming her?" Peeta asks, punching Gale square in the face and getting a few good hits in before they're pulled apart again.

"Son! That's enough!" Mr Mellark cries as he, Fenton, and Rye drag Gale, kicking and cursing, out into the street.

"It's not enough!" Peeta protests. I step in front of him and push against his heaving chest, trying to restrain him.

"Peeta, please," I whisper, looking up at him. He softens immediately and lets out a breath.

"Are you alright?" he fusses, the Peeta I know and have come to love coming back from under the violent mask I just saw. He takes my hands, his eyes worried.

"I'm fine, we're okay," I shake my head. "What happened?"

"He just burst in and started yelling and then he was punching me," he says. "I'm sorry, Katniss."

"Stop apologising," I say, wrapping my arms around Peeta. He winces. "Where does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt."

"Stop trying to be the hero all the time. Even heroes get hurt," I tell him. He chuckles softly, resting his chin on my head.

"Are you alright, Peet?" Mr Mellark asks, coming back into the room. I bury my face into his chets, inhaling his scent with closed eyes and listening to him speak.

"I'm fine. Is Gale gone?"

"Yes. I told him not to come back here until he was ready to apologise."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Fen asks his brother.

"You're bleeding," Rye points out, tapping his own lip. I look up as Peeta wipes his hand over his mouth, wincing and running his tongue over his bottom lip.

"I'm alright," he insists. "Really, I am." I pull away, feeling awkward. I've blurted out that the last thing I would do is abandon Peeta. Undoubtedly I'll be asked about that.

"Let's start closing up," Mr Mellark says. Rye and Fen pat their brother on the shoulder as they pass. Mr Mellark pauses at the door, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the doorframe before turning to face us. "You care about my son, don't you?" He asks me.

"Dad…" Peeta mumbles, gripping my hand tightly.

"Yes, sir. I do." I say quietly.

"Good, because he cares about you too," Mr Mellark nods his head. "And call me Farrell, please."

Peeta and I are left alone in the room together. I take a deep breath. "Well, we certainly can't seem to get out of the way of drama, do we?" I laugh. Peeta smiles, watching me. "What?" I ask, feeling self-conscious.

"So you do care."

"Uh, I couldn't exactly say no in front of your Dad."

"But you still care, and that's what matters," Peeta whispers. I blush and look down.

"I need to clean your lip," I say, moving towards the kitchen sink, feeling his eyes on me as I move.

Peeta

Despite my Dad embarrassing me and Gale arriving, I'm happy that finally, Katniss has said that she cares. She yelled at her best friend and said that she was going to stick up for me over him and to me that means the world.

"I'm sorry, Katniss," I say, following her to the sink. She runs a rag under the tap, turning it in her hands.

"Stop apologising. This isn't your fault. I didn't expect Gale to do this, not when your brothers and father were here," she says solemnly. "Sit down." She instructs, guiding me over to a sit on a stool.

"But this is my fault," I say, wincing when she presses the damp cloth to my lip.

"You're gonna have a really swollen lip," she murmurs, ignoring me. "What happened?"

"I told you. Gale burst in and started yelling at me," I repeat. "I didn't know that he didn't know about the baby." Katniss tilts her head to one side, her beautiful grey eyes welling up. She's still in her hunting clothes, her knees muddy and a leaf in her hair. I bring my hand up to her braid and pull it out. She smiles at me, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"I didn't want to tell him," she admits quietly. "I was frightened of what he would think, what he would do."

"He would've found out eventually," I remark.

"I know. But I just wish this hadn't happened," she pauses and places a hand on my forehead to brush my hair from my face. She dabs at my jaw line and cheek with a gentle touch.

"Gale's worst for wear – trust me," I smirk. Katniss laughs lightly.

"Don't big yourself up," she nudges me before getting up. "Do you have any ice?"

"Yeah, in the refrigerators in the basement." I say.

"I'll go and get some. Sit tight." Katniss says thoughtfully. "We need to keep the swelling down." She shoots me a small smile before leaving, and I wait for her to return. When she does I sigh in relief when she presses a bag of ice against my jaw, the cold soothing my skin. Hawthorne isn't getting this special treatment, and the thought makes me feel better about myself.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I ask Katniss. She smiles at me, looking down at her stomach. "I'm alright," she mumbles. "I've taken worse tumbles than that."

"I'm sorry, Katniss," I say, looking down at my lap. "I'm sorry for doing this to you."

Katniss swallows, a small smile on her lips. "I kissed you first."

"But I was the older one, the one with more authority." I insist.

"Oh, I see," Katniss says, raising an eyebrow and taking the ice pack from me. "You think being older equals more authority." She laughs at the idea and I chuckle lightly in agreement, but stop immediately, my face aching.

"Ouch."

Katniss gives me a look. "Stop laughing."

"I'll try."

"Peeta, I'm sorry," she mutters, serious again.

"For what?" I ask. She sighs wearily and leans back in her chair.

"For ruining your life. I've brought this on to you."

"No, Katniss. Don't think that," I say. "Besides, I'm the one causing trouble."

"No you aren't. You're a saint. You're nice to everyone."

I shake my head. "You've got it all wrong. I yelled at Fen and Rye today, before Gale decided to visit." I grimace. "Like, really yelled."

"Why?"

"I was just stressing about you coming over. Mom's gonna be horrible. And I don't want you to be shouted at."

"I think I can defend myself," Katniss teases. "You know that."

"Of course I do."

"Just keep the ice on, and it should keep the swelling down. I'm sorry about Gale."

"You know that I'll always be there for you. I won't give up, no matter how much Gale hates me," I promise. "I shouldn't have asked you to marry me."

"Why not?"

"Because you shouldn't have to be proposed to at sixteen… You don't have to marry me, Katniss. Please don't think you do," I mumble. Katniss twists her fingers together in her lap.

"Please believe me, Peeta, when I say that I'm marrying you because I want to," she says, her eyes wide and thoughtful.

"Don't do this if you don't want it."

Katniss is silent for what seems like an eternity. "There are so many things I don't know if I want," she begins gently. "But one thing I know I want is to marry you."

"Why?" I ask, wanting an honest answer.

"Because, like you've told me so many times, you will look after me, and the baby."

"Katniss-"

"And I'll do my best to look after you too." Katniss smiles. My heart splits in two, but I'm weirdly okay with it. Katniss gives me a rueful smile and stands. "Prim's probably wondering where I am."

"Tell her that I'm sorry for keeping you."

"I don't really want to go. I feel guilty for having to leave," she says sadly.

"I'm alright. I'll see you Sunday."

"I'll see you then, Peeta," she says, squeezing my hand and pressing a soft kiss to a bruise below my eye. Her cheeks redden and she grabs her bag before dodging out of the kitchen, into the shadows. I walk to the door and wait for her to turn the corner, the snow falling in flurries.

She ran before I could offer to walk her home.