WHoo! Chapter 10 here we go! I never even expected this to be more than a couple chapters but now it's actually like a whole story. I don't know if I should change the name of the story to something more fitting…Oh, I don't know. Just read.

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure you know this, but I'm just sayin', I don't own zip. Except James and Thia, they're mine. But unfortunately I don't own Katniss or Peeta (sniff).

KATNISS POV

When Peeta and I get to the woods, I take him to where Gale and I used to rest. I haven't even thought much about Gale since I've come back to District 12. Seeing our old spot brings back memories, but by now I'm pretty much over them. I could live without him. (A/N Sorry to any Gale lovers! But if you are a Gale/Katniss fan, why are you reading this? Not that I mind, of course)

"Katniss, are you sure about this?" asks Peeta. "I mean with my leg and all…"

"Oh be quiet, Peeta. Don't back out know. Hunting is not that hard." We reach the flat rock and I turn around and face Peeta.

"Yeah maybe not to you." He gestures at me, then points at himself. "Me? The most I could hunt for is the ingredients in the kitchen."

I laugh. I can't help it. I'm trying to be serious, but there he goes again, making jokes. I punch Peeta lightly on the arm. "Okay enough joking now." I'm still smiling, no matter how much I try not to. "Let's get started."

Peeta follows me farther into the woods. His steps are extremely loud compared to my light, nimble ones. Some things don't change. "Okay, Peeta," I say. "Step one, be as quiet as possible. We don't want to startle any potential game."

We continue walking, but Peeta's steps seem to be louder. Frustrated, I stop. Peeta nearly bumps into me. "Is everything okay?" he asks, touching my arm.

I turn around. "I'm not gonna lie, Peeta, so you're about as quiet and nimble as Haymitch. Drunk."

Peeta winces, and I immediately feel bad. "I'm sorry," I say. "But do you think you could, be quieter? Maybe take off your shoes or something?" I know neither of those will work, but I don't want to make him feel bad.

Peeta sees right through me. "Katniss, I suck, and you know it. Maybe we should just head home and get some lunch, or…" He suddenly leans forward, capturing my lips with his own. His hands go around my waist almost immediately and hold me tight.

Melting into the kiss, I put my hands in his hair. It's really hard to concentrate and then I forget what we were talking about before. Peeta's hands rub my back, and soon all I feel is him.

Too soon though, he breaks for air, but his arms are still around me. I open my eyes, to see him smiling at me. Dang it, I think. He distracted me.

I move away from Peeta before his lips could cover mine again. "No way. You can't escape that easily." I pull Peeta farther into the forest, where we reach a pond. Whispering in his ear, I say, "Animals need to drink, so there has to be one around here. So stay quiet, and watch me."

Peeta obeys, and stands there looking at me. I'll admit, it wasn't in a student way. It was more like a Wow, she's beautiful way. Almost like he looked at me this morning. I blush, and shake my head, removing all romantic thoughts from my head.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see something move. Slowly, so not to startle it, I look. I see a squirrel, eating an acorn in a tree about ten feet away. I raise my bow and arrow, pulling back the string. I aim for the eye, and knock the squirrel a couple feet from where it sat. "Stay here." I say to Peeta, who's closer to the pond, still watching me. He nods, and I walk away.

I pick up the squirrel and inspect my work. Straight through the eye, a clean shot. Greasy Sae wil love this. I take the arrow out of the squirrel and pocket it, making my way back to Peeta, to show him how it's done.

When I go back to the pond, I see no sign of Peeta. Cursing silently to myself, I look around. Where could he have gone? And why doesn't he listen? Groaning, I walk in a two feet radius around the pond, listening for any sign of Peeta's loud footsteps. I hear none, so I decide to walk in the forest to the direction where we came from. About a minute later I hear something. It sounds like muffled crying or something, like someone's trying not to sob.

I go closer to the sound, and reach someone hunched over, sitting with knees to their chest, rocking back and forth. I stand there, not moving. It's Peeta. I could see his blonde hair poking out from between his hands where he's holding his head.

I kneel next to Peeta. I'm thinking, Not again. Today was supposed to be fun. But life never gives you a break does it?

PEETA POV

The shiny memory overtakes me. I see Katniss in the woods, taking me hunting. Then, with a vicious laugh, she turns around, arrow pointed at me. I try to shake the scene out of my head, and I bury my head under my arms, rocking myself back and forth.

This isn't real, I tell myself. Katniss wouldn't do that. It's just a stupid hijacked flashback. Shake yourself out of it, Peeta.

I'm so caught up in trying to stay sane that I don't realize someone's hand on my shoulder until the person shakes me. "Peeta? Peeta, it's me, Katniss."

Katniss. That killer. Mutt. I quickly dismiss the thought, and look up hesitantly. Part of me sees Katniss as a vicious killer who deserves to die, while the sane part is telling me to ignore those thoughts and that Katniss is not what the shiny memories show.

Katniss looks uncomfortable, probably because of my crazy gaze. I'm breathing loudly, and trying not to sob, but one escapes me. Katniss puts her hands on my shoulders. "Peeta, snap out of it. Don't listen to the memories. They're lies."

I reluctantly nod my head, but there is still an internal war going on in my head. One particularly violent memory makes me scream, pushing Katniss away. Katniss lands about a couple feet away, and I stand up. Trembling, I take a pointy stick, then slowly walk towards Katniss. Her face registers shock, and I see tears running down her face.

Something in my head tells my something is wrong here, and when I see Katniss start to sob, something breaks inside of me. I drop the stick and fall on my knees to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Katniss." I'm fully crying now, tears streaming down my face. "I'm so, so sorry." I sob, and I feel Katniss arms go around me. She's kneeling next to me, doing the comforting for once.

"Peeta, it's ok. It's not your fault."

I shake my head violently. "Katniss it is not okay. I almost…I almost…"

"Sh, Peeta, I'm fine. You didn't do anything. You overcame it."

I abruptly turn around, and Katniss jumps, pulling her arms away. "What if next time, I don't overcome it, Katniss? What if I hurt you? I won't be able to live with myself if that happens. I might not be strong enough next time!" I turn away from her, ashamed of myself. "You're safer if you just stay-"

Katniss shoves me back toward her, turning me around again. "Do not say it. I am not staying away from you Peeta." Her voice is firm, but I can see her crumbling before my eyes. "I have worked too hard to keep you alive and with me and I am definitely not giving up now. So don't go all depressed and saying I'll be hurt by staying with you, because the truth is, Peeta, that the only thing that will hurt me is you leaving me. I want to be with you, Peeta. Baggage and all. And you know better than anyone how much baggage I come with, so I'm more than willingly to deal with yours."

Katniss lets go of my shoulder, but I catch her hand before she can stand up. I pull her back down next to me and clutch her in my arms. "I love you, Katniss. I love you so much, it hurts."

Katniss hugs me back, sobbing in my shoulder. Why does she do this to me? When I want her, she doesn't want me, and now I consider leaving, and she wants me. It seems like our relationship will never be right.

When Katniss calms down, I pull back slightly, just to see her face. I wipe the tear tracks from her cheeks and look into her beautiful grey eyes.

She speaks first. "Are you okay?"

I give her a small smile. "I was about to ask you the same thing. And yes, as I'm okay. Well, okay as I'll ever be."

"Me too."

We stare at each other for a few moments. I put my hand at the side of her face to caress Katniss' cheek.

"Stay with me." She says.

"Always."

Katniss hugs me again, her head against my chest. I stroke her hair. She buries deeper into my chest. Suddenly I feel the urge to kiss her, and forget about what happened. Well, what happened before she confessed her love for me again.

I nudge Katniss off my chest, and look into her eyes. She looks at me confused. She looks so adorable that I cup her cheek and kiss her lightly on the lips. I do it again, asking permission to kiss her. She lets me, bringing my face closer to hers. For a minutes we just kiss each other.

Then, I feel myself wanting a little more. I run my tongue along her bottom lip, wanting her tongue to join mine. Katniss immediately opens her mouth, and complies with my wish.

Soon are tongues are dancing and its like nothing I've ever experienced before. I briefly wonder if Katniss has ever had experience since she's such a great kisser. But then I realize I don't really care (much) because she's mine now. And she always will be.

Katniss and I explore each other's mouths. I nibble her lip, something I learned from my brother. He didn't do it to me of course, he just told me about it.

Katniss and I spend the next ten minutes just kissing, and I couldn't ask for a better girl.

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