Hello my lovely how are you all doing on this fine update day? Hehe I'm quite happy today, can you tell? I just wanted to say a quick thank you for the read, reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys seriously "light up my world like nobody else" haha one direction pun. Had to go there xD You guys are awesome. Now it's that time of the chapter for me to shut up :)

"Smile Mockingjay!"

I let out a squeal and try to get my bearings before I begin to charge for the scrawny man with the camera. The anger bubbles up inside of me and I run towards the man to shove him as hard as I can. I would like to do more damage but without my bow, I feel useless. My push only sends him back a couple steps and he just chuckles at me, he continues with the bright flashes of the camera. That only hurt my eyes more and more each time.

I try snatching the camera a couple times before he sets off the flash right into my eyes. I scream out and try to figure out where the man went. After all the light flashes I can't see two feet in front of me. I feel a strong pair of arms grab my shoulders. I yell out louder in hopes Peeta will come to help me from this member of, what must be Plutarch's camera crew, grabbing me.

"Let go of me you son of a-"
"Katniss it's me, Peeta." Because of my lack of trust in anybody I just continue to thrash around. I begin coughing from yelling out so much at this moment. When I direct my attention back up, I see the same steady blue eyes looking down at me with sweat beginning to form on his forehead. I burry my face into Peeta's chest and feel the tears begin to fall out. Peeta leans down close to my ear and whispers calmly to me. "I'll be right back Katniss. Stay here." His eyes go completely hard as stone and sure enough the warm protective arms leave me.

I turn around to find Peeta, he is walking quickly over to the paparazzi with an unnerving smile. "Come for your close up bread boy?" Peeta throws his head back and laughs, all of a sudden the smile is wiped off and his expression is fuming with anger. Peeta catches the photographer off guard and snatches the camera with ease. He throws it to the ground and the laughter of the photographer stops instantaneously. Peeta then continues to slam his fist against the man; and soon the man is on the ground bleeding heavily from his nose, he is guaranteed to have a least a couple broken limb, he is also guaranteed to have a black and blue body by morning. Peeta turns around to me sharply, and I begin to fear for my own life. Is it possible he's in the middle of an attack? Am I his next target? Peeta runs towards me and I close my eyes in acceptance, waiting for what could be my death.

This moment, right here, is why we're unrepairable. I'm accepting death without fear, and Peeta is charging towards me to attack and kill me.

There is nothing that could change that we could never be together.

Peeta's hands wrap around my face, I open my eyes and find him inspecting my face. I'm paralyzed in fear and confusion. Why isn't he choking me? When I let my eyes meet his I can tell that everything is going to be okay, he's isn't going to let anything happen to me, and he sees Katniss. Not a mutt.

"Katniss, are you okay?" I wipe away the few tears that fall down my cheeks and when Peeta pulls me into his large arms I burry my face in his shoulder. He comfortingly strokes my back and just lets out a few slight noises to let me know it'll be alright okay. I nod subtly into his shoulder, when I open my eyes I see the same bright flashes going off they are in the distance but still present.

"P-P-Peeta." I stammer over the first word, and can barely find any air left to breathe. I shake and grasp onto his shoulder even tighter. Peeta rests his hand on my cheek and just stares into my eyes.
"What's wrong Katniss?" His eyes widen in panic over my sudden change of mood.
"Where Twelve is rebuilding…" Peeta turns around and sees the camera flashes in an instant.

Before I can really tell what's happening I feel those flash backs coming back on and the current world around me seems to be fading. I am still haunted by the images of Prim, the explosion was bright, and I'm guessing it's the flashing of the cameras that triggered this flash back. I try to force the picture out of my head. Soon after following images of Prim comes Rue's death. Eventually thanks to the thought of my ally, comes the images of Finnick. The mutts that I couldn't save him from, even though he was the closest thing I had to a best friend. Even though I'm not asleep, I've been screaming like during my nightmares, if it wasn't for the fact that I'm slung over Peeta's shoulder being carried into my house, I would have collapsed on my knees and pulled my hair out. My eyes feel weak from the flashbacks and I know underneath my eyes must be puffy. I scoot into my closet as soon as Peeta sets me down and I hold my knees close to my chest and rock back and forth gently while holding my hands over my ears. I'd give anything at this moment to have the flashbacks leave me. This must be what Peeta struggles with.

I hear his footsteps come closer and Peeta doesn't let himself into the closet, instead he just takes his normal place outside the door. Not pushing, not forcing, just being…Peeta. I feel so terribly alone at this moment that I open the closet door and tug on Peeta's wrist for him to come in with me. He obliges quickly and closes the door behind him. It takes me several minutes to realize Peeta doesn't want to push me to talk. That I'll have to start the conversation if I want one…

"Peeta…I thought…we go rid of Plutarch…why were they all out there?"
"He didn't get his interviews…he needs something to report to Ceaser with." He has sickened look plastered onto his face. I peer through the hair that is covering my face, and I just stare at his face for a second or two. I look back down at my feet and try to figure out why I can't help this overwhelming feeling of sadness that comes over me. I want to go back into my cave, and close everyone else out. I even begin to feel like I want to force Peeta and Haymitch out of my life.

"Look at you; you're a mess all because of those cameras." I can tell he is trying to hide the anger in his face. At this moment I feel like a lifeless body just sitting here, nothing more. Peeta turns my body so my back is to him. He pulls out the hair tie at the bottom of what used to be my braid. He carefully uses his fingers to comb through my hair, he slowly braids my long hair back down my back. I turn back towards the door, and Peeta takes in a large breath before saying another word.
"It's okay if you don't want to come out yet Katniss. But I need to go turn the TV on and see what's going on out there on Ceaser's show." I feel my legs shake a little, and when Peeta's warmth leaves my side, I feel more lost than ever.
He takes a look back at me, I hold my hand up to him on impulse and he gently pulls me to my feet. I'm standing there looking up at this boy that I've known since I was five. Suddenly I don't feel quite as alone. I surprise myself at what I do next. I take a step towards him and wrap my arms around his neck, his arms wrap around my scrawny waist and I feel his smile form against my cheek. I don't dare smile, I haven't smiled in so many months, I don't really remember how. As usual I find myself pulling away first, Peeta keeps my hand in his and I allow him to lead me to the hallway and we sit on the small couch in the spare room with the TV. Peeta flips on the TV quickly and sits down beside me. He holds my hand and strokes the top of it with his thumb, even though I know his attention is on Ceaser who is just now signing on for his late night show.

Ceaser's normal blue hair is pulled back into a ponytail, he rattles on and on for a while about the latest colors of the season and I begin to relax just a moment too soon.

"After the break, we have an update for all of you about our favorite victors, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! Are our favorite star crossed lovers finally going to tie the knot? New pictures indicate our girl on fire is igniting a spark in Peeta's heart. Stay tuned for more!" Ceaser lets out one of the most sickening laughs I've ever heard from him.

I bring my knees back up to my chest and close my eyes.

"I know it's not that way Katniss…"
"Peeta…I-"
"No Katniss. I know it's not."
"It's just…I need a friend right now Peeta. I don't want the "star crossed lovers" act."
It startles me how hard it was to get that sentence out. My stomach hurts as soon as the words left my mouth. I can't help but somewhat regret them. But it's already out. Nothing can change that either. The air suddenly becomes colder than ever.

Before I can apologize or add anything onto the last comment I screwed up and said, Ceaser's face is on the TV and pictures of me and Peeta are popping up on the screen. Of me asleep on his shoulder, while he is smiling down at me as we sit by the fire. Of our hug goodbye, and of the embrace when he was making sure I was okay. I close my eyes and try to accept I have the capital staring at me and of all the rumors that are going to start from the pictures.

I stand up and begin to walk out of the room I run into Annie. She actually decided to tour Panem so she's been on the go a lot recently. I almost make her fall over as I hug her.
"I had the report on. I'm sorry Katniss. But at least you have Peeta…"
"I pushed him away too Annie. I told him I just needed a friend."
"Katniss, he needs a friend too."
"Who's side are you on?"
"Katniss! I am not picking sides!-"

I push Annie and that enormous bulge of a baby out of the way and storm into my bedroom; I pull on some sweat pants and crawl into bed without another word. Right before I drift off to sleep I realize how many nightmares will crawl into my dreams after today's events. Sure enough they do.

I thrash around and I feel someone gently shaking my shoulder. My eyes pop open desperate for reality after the nightmares that twist everything I know. I'm meted by Peeta bent down on his knees. His eyes are bloodshot and he looks like he is half dead. The stress is written everywhere on his face.

"You were having a nightmare. I'm going to head home…"
"Peeta…I'm still healing. What I said earlier…I shouldn't have said that when I'm so confused."
"It's alright Katniss. Good night."
"Please…don't go. You're the first person that pulled me out of that depression. Please…just stay." Peeta looks at me full of confusion.
"Won't that be weird for you Katniss?"
"No. I need at least one decent night of sleep." Peeta half smiles at my joke and continues to stand awkwardly by the bed. I scoot over and give his wrist one tug towards the bed and he slowly and cautiously slides onto the bed. He doesn't make any effort to cradle me like in the second games. But having him here to keep the nightmares away is more than what I should be asking of a friend. I look up at Peeta and catch his glance.

"Peeta, are you going to tell me why you're so stressed?" I touch the creases of worry on his forehead and he shies away a bit.
"Katniss, I'd really rather not."
"Peeta…please."
"Not now Katniss. You need to sleep. Maybe in the morning."
I crinkle my nose in defeat and just lay my head back down close to Peeta.

This moment. Right here, right now. Is the first time I can see that this is the one thing that could change. Something that I never even thought of. Maybe…we can be repairable.

I close my eyes and breathe in the comforting smells of Peeta and listen to his breathing even out. I fall asleep within seconds.

Hey Guys! What did you think about today's chapter? Hate it? Love it? Let me know in the reviews below! (If you're new here 1review=1preview!) Thank you guys so much for reading! I shall talk to you on Thursday! 3

~Freezethemoment