Hello! Still sick but getting better! Please please please review and if you have any suggestions on where you want this story to go I am always open to suggestions! So enjoy chapter 4!

Suzanne Collins wrote THG I never could!

Chapter 4: Grieving Something Not Yet Lost

After the train took off for the Capitol I wished that he would come home, I know he will though. Peeta and I walk away from the platform and into the marketplace. We still hold hands, using each other for strength. We walk around for a while not taking to each other or anyone who tries to comfort us for our "loss" as they keep saying. People areacting like he won't come home, I know he will though. He has to. We eventually end up in front of the Mellark bakery, it's time to go home.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow then?" he says.

"Yea, if you want, you can watch the tribute parade with me at my house, it would be better if we go through this together"

"Ok see you then" he gives me a hug and turns to go into the bakery.

"Peeta" he turns around surprised.

"What?"

"Don't beat yourself up about this, there was nothing you could have done" He sighs and walks up to me and grabs my shoulders.

"I was picked, he wasn't, it should be me you are watching tonight, not him"

"He was doing what he thought was right. I'll see you later Peeta" I didn't plan it, it didn't go through my head it just happened. With his hands still on my shoulders, I kiss his cheek.

"And we still have to plan our date" I smile at him, knowing that might help him a bit. He smiles too, and I turn and walk away. When I am out of sight I run for my little house in the Seam. When I get home, Prim is at the table in the kitchen she runs up to me and hugs me and begins to cry into my chest.

"Prim, it's ok. He is coming home, I know he will. It's gonna be just fine, you'll see"

"I was standing there, wishing for my safety. That my dream wouldn't come true. And when I didn't get picked I was so happy that I didn't wish for the boys. If I had maybe wished, Gale would be here now"

"Prim, there was nothing you could have done to save Gale. Gale willingly went into the Games. He saved Peeta. He knew what he was doing, but he is coming home. Now you can wish for him to come home, and help the Hawthrones grieve" Grieve? Where did I pull that word from? No one should be grieving, he isn't dead yet. He won't be, he is coming home.

"Ok" she looks up at me, and I wipe the tears out of her eyes.

"Peeta is going to come over to watch the tribute parade later, ok? You can tell him that you are happy that he is right here with us, ok?"

"Ok"

"Now go and rest, it's been a long day," I bring her to our room and tuck her into the bed and sing her a song till she falls asleep. She will be alright, we all will.

After Prim is settled I begin to take what I caught in the woods yesterday and try to make a good dinner with it. I can't cook, and the rabbit ends up to be a tasteless pile of charred rabbit.

When Peeta comes by later the look on his face shows that he can still smell burning rabbit. I just smile while he gives me a knowing look. My mother, Prim, Peeta and I gather on the couch just as the TV flicks on and we see the street that the tributes will be on. They are made up in costumes to represent their district and to give the sponsors that could mean life or death for them a first glimpse.

Then Caesar Flickerman comes on the screen, he is wearing a powder blue wing and matching blue lips. The things people do in the Capitol.

"Welcome, welcome to the beginning of the 74th annual Hunger Games everyone! Now the time that everyone has been waiting for, the start of the tribute parade!" All of a sudden there is loud cheering as the first chariot comes out the gate and into the street. I can barely concentrate, the anticipation is killing me. If Gale looks stupid then he might ot get sponsors, then he won't get things he needs in the arena, then he will die, and that can't happen.

Out of impulse I hide in Peeta's shoulder, it's the only place where I know the games can't harm me. Soon his arm is around my back and me is holding me, and I in turn hold him back. I would normally think that this would bother me, but, I kind of like it.

"Katniss, look," Peeta taps my shoulder and whispers into my ear. I don't want to look, I shake my head into his shoulder. He taps my shoulder harder.

"Come on Katniss, you're going to want to see this." I peek, and what I see makes me gasp and end up with a mouthful of a bakers sweater, Gale is on fire. Like really on fire. He is wearing a black leather suit that is ignited with a beautiful flame. He has a headdress and a cape also ignited in flame. He doesn't look like the Gale Hawthorne I saw a few hours ago. He looks like some Capitol prop, but Missy looks right at home. She is wearing a black leather dress, defining her curves, and has the headdress and cape all ignited in the flame.

"Uhh," I groan as I turn back into Peeta's shoulder. He pats my back.

"Katniss, can we take a walk for a minute?" he asks into my ear.

I look up at him and say "sure" We get up and when I look at my mother she has a slight frown on her face, and Prim's smile might break her face in half. I glare at her which only makes her smile grow, as if it could.

We walk out into the cold night, I want to feel warmer so I slip my hand into his, I can see a smile beginning on his face.

"Katniss, I wanted to know if you still wanted to go on our date? I mean if you don't want to anymore that's ok but since the whole Gale thing I," he never gets to finish the statement because I cut him off by kissing him right on the lips. It's a good kiss, he doesn't know it's coming and it takes a minute before he begins kissing me back. When I pull away he says "Ok so you do still want to go on our date"

"Yea Peeta, can I tell you something that isn't easy for me to say?"

"Anything"

"Well, this morning, I woke up really early. It wasn't because I was worried, well I was but, I was really excited to go on our date" I look at the ground really embarrassed and glad its dark so he can't see the redness growing in my cheeks.

"Really?"

"Yea"

" Okay, I want to too, could we do it tomorrow, there isn't mandatory viewing so it wouldn't be a Hunger Games date"

"Ok, that would be fun. What do you want to do?" He takes a moment to really think about it.

"How about a picnic in the meadow?"

"I would love that" Love? Katniss what is up with you? You don't love dates with boys! You aren't some girly girl who gossips about boys, your best friends are boys. Maybe, maybe this is a new side to Katniss Everdeen, maybe she is starting to like boys. Even though it will never work out because you aren't getting married or having kids in this terrible world with the Games.

"Alright, I better be going home, but I will meet you there at five. And don't worry about the food, I'll bring it" He walks me home and kisses my cheek on the doorstep and looks at me till he is out of sight. I sigh, I actually sigh. It's totally out of character but, I cant help it. Peeta brings out a new side in me, he always has.

I run into the house because the sooner I fall asleep the sooner my date will come.