The reviews have been coming in by the bucketload! So thank you SOOO much to everyone who has reviewed, and/or read this. I have been getting so much support and death threats, it isn't even FUNNY. But then it really, really was. :DD Happy reading!

oOo

Still Peeta's POV

I remained unspeaking for days. District 13 was very active starting the moment Katniss was found. When the news of relocating District 12 residents back home was still on, I was in the first fleet of hovercrafts ready. With lips sealed and eyes dry, I made that half-hour ride over a patch of mountains, only thinking of how Katniss was meant to be making them with me. Instead, she was stuck in a glass room dying. But the thought of her only hurt worse, so I made a pact to block her out.

Even after I was situated back home in the newly renovated District 12, watching people pass me window. Children's laughs, the chatter of passing adults, the gasps of awe over our newly built hospital. They all formed a bubble of life around my house behind the bakery. Of course, the fourth house in the Victors' Village still belonged to me, but seeing it only brought a pang of heartache. So I settled with a small cottage behind the bakery.

Since my family was gone, I inherited the small cookery. There was only one in District 12, so I was in charge of all the bread. But I didn't want to own the bakery, or try to smile handing out loaves of fresh bread to smiling women and men proud to feed their families. I didn't want to be forced to live like I had. I wanted to run. But of course, I was too much of a softie town-boy to do that. I wasn't as competent as some when it comes to surviving in the wilderness. The thought of simply smelling the sweet scent of pine hurt. I was being so weak…

Katniss and I were walking back to my room in District 13. Stress had been visibly building in the little creases of her eyebrows, and it was necessary to soothe some of the pressure off of Katniss' back. I had decided to show her my newest painting.

When we rounded the bend and entered my room, I watched as her mouth fell open. It was apparent she didn't know about how funny she looked, because all she did was drift up to the canvas and touch it with her pointer finger in awe.

This time, the painting was in black, white, and shades of gray. Of course, it was of Katniss, but the contrast was breathtaking. She was standing in a field of white with her slim back turned towards the painter. There weren't many intricate details, just occasional shading with grays. I had been focusing on the simplicity of my feelings, not necessarily the colors I used to present it. Black-and-white seemed like the best choice.

Still watching her with slightly amused eyes, I sat down on the edge of my bed. "Do you like it?"

She sighed a content sigh, still gazing at the picture."It's beautiful."

"I was thinking about painting another one tomorrow."

She was still looking pleasant when she turned around and seated herself next to me. Though I couldn't help but see the tiny bit of tension in the way her eyebrows slanted. "That will work out because the doctor said I have to have another checkup."

I looked at her with a sympathetic frown. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. It's just a… you know… checkup." She shook her head and, with an embarrassed grimace, waved her hand in the vague direction of her stomach.

"Oh."

We sat on his bed in silence for a while, just looking at my painting. It seemed as if it was done in a short amount of time, but it didn't look sloppy. The major contrast of the black against white made it look as though a professional had done it. I couldn't help but be proud.

But when I sensed eyes upon me, I glanced at Katniss, who was looking at me with a soft look in her wide, grey eyes.

"Why do you paint me a lot?" She asked me quietly.

"Because you live in my head a lot." I felt a warm, melting sensation in my chest as I looked fondly at the small girl seated next to me. My life. There was nothing to do but smile serenely. "You always have."

From all the pain I've been through, I've shut myself out from the world. I closed my bakery, and don't answer the upset calls of people wanting bread. Pretty soon, another bakery had to be set up because of my unwillingness to cooperate.

Despite having home open for us, Haymitch stayed in District 13, for one reason or another. Every now and then I hear the shrill ring of my telephone announcing Haymitch has news, or just wanted to check in. I've never answered, of course. I've always been so afraid of what the news might be. Somehow, deep in my chest, I knew that if Katniss really hadn't made it, Haymitch would come himself, and probably Prim and Ms. Everdeen as well. But then again, I could be wrong.

In any case, I shut myself away. Away from the voices of my friends and new family. Away from the people at my door wanting the bakery to reopen. Away from any thoughts of Katniss.

It wasn't because I was mad at her, or anything. What I felt was natural human instinct. I was afraid. I was afraid to death of every possible outcome. Katniss could be dead. Katniss could be in a coma for the rest of her life. Katniss could wake up and never be able to see me again. Katniss could wake up and come to her senses and not want to be with me anymore. She could wake up and realize what a screwed-up world she lived in, and run away from it all.

I didn't know if any of my fears were worthy to be fretting over. I was probably just being childish worrying about all this. But nevertheless, I was worrying. I was worried whether or not my Mockingjay would ever come home to me, even if only to say goodbye.

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For the next few chapters, I'll just be revisiting sweet moments between Katniss and Peeta. I wouldn't be able to snap immediately to when Kat wakes up, so this is something to trigger the waterworks and makes you still love the pair even though they're apart. There'll be a few paragraphs before the memory, and stuff. I'm making it up as I go. Thanks to my new friend for the idea of revisiting sweet memories. Though if no one likes this idea, I'd apologize for the length and recapping and such. Have a good weekend!