Thanks for the reviews, as usual. They were incredible. ;) Thanks to… Dasha, child of Athena 123098, Lovely Kacey Faith, Rosa, Michelle, etc. There are many people I love. Oh, and Ashley and Nicole and Haleigh and… Everyone else. But especially to Haleigh because it's her birthday. Happy birthday! Now go and read.

oOo

PEETA'S POV

I couldn't sleep that night. Even after Katniss' breaths grew even and her body relaxed in my arms, I wasn't able to fall asleep. I wasn't sure how long I stayed awake for, hours, minutes… My mind was trying to sort through the past day, but to no avail. Okay, so the morning was normal. We ate, went to town, met the little girl—Ivy, I think. After we walked away from that was when Katniss started acting weird.

What was her matter? Does she know something I don't? Is she already positive she isn't able to have kids and she just doesn't want to tell me? Is she pregnant and she's too afraid to admit it? Or maybe this was just one of her moments of deep, multifaceted realization where the mere thoughts of some things seem worse than reality. That last one was completely plausible, but I didn't want to live like this, never knowing when she'll be okay and when she won't. Teetering on the brink of insanity her whole life.

I felt a sudden rush of sympathy for Katniss. I took a brief moment to tighten my arms around her sleeping body, and then relaxed. What it must be like to have been like she had, lived in such a way where one little thing—okay, big thing—knocked everything askew, making her so lost and confused. Her life revolved around those of her family and Gale, reclusive and cloistered away from everybody else. But when she was forced into the world of the Games and unwillingly became the symbol of rebellion for the entire country, everything she knew and grew to love crumbled from her fingertips. She didn't want this. She wouldn't have ever wanted it, her heart being displayed to the world, and in the end, losing her best friend for nothing. No, she didn't want it, but she endured it nonetheless. And it's right there I'm shocked she's still here with me, fighting to stay in control, fighting for her sanity.

There was nothing I could do to stop the tremor that raked through my body. I had no idea, no idea, how much she was risking for me.

I propped myself up on my elbow to glance down at her sleeping form. Strands of black hair was falling into her heart-shaped face, casting even darker shadows on the planes of her cheekbones. The white sleeves of her gown belled up and settled on the bed around her arms, pearly in the moonlight. It bunched around her shoulders to wear the blanket was tucked, and her entire self was motionless except for the slight rise and fall as she breathed. She was beautiful, I had no doubts. But I wasn't sure what made me love her so much. She wasn't necessarily "nice and humorous", the kind that just attracted men from all angles. There were those kinds of girls that used to be in school. They tried to be beautiful, they tried to laugh and get boys to like them. Katniss was unsocial, unpopular, scowled 98% of the time, except still… She was nothing less than perfect to me.

With a small sigh and a shake of my head, I laid back down and tucked her again into the crook of my elbow. I wasn't sure what to think, nevertheless do. But this wasn't her fault. How upset she seemed, how distant and sad the look in her eyes was. I didn't know what I could do about it, though. My Katniss, my mockingjay. She was losing herself and I didn't know how I could help her. I guess…just be there, as I have for as long as she's let me.

I closed my eyes against her shoulder and attempted to wipe everything from my mind. I was exhausted, and had no clue what time it was. And eventually, having the comfort of Katniss' body in my arms, I nodded off.

It wasn't screaming that awoke me in the morning. In fact, I wasn't sure what it was. For a few seconds my mind took it's time re-gathering thoughts and such, and by the time it was done, I realized why this felt weird. My arms were empty. Immediately, my eyes shot open and I stared. Katniss wasn't lying down sleeping as I thought. The bathroom door was partly open, so she wasn't in there. For a split-second, fear overcame me, and then it quieted down. There's a perfectly reasonable explanation. There's no reason to…to be afraid. Certainly not for her life. Though, I had my doubts as I tossed of the covers and made my way downstairs.

At first notion I knew she was not in the kitchen; the room was vacant of any clattering noise, suggestions she was cooking breakfast. I knew it was a slim chance, but I had to try, didn't I? Swallowing the knot of panic in my throat, I made my way further into the living room, getting a better view of the furniture. One thump of my heart, then cold relief. Katniss was fast asleep under a swathe of blankets, curled on the couch. She was sitting up, so her head flopped crookedly onto her shoulder, a very uncomfortable position it seemed.

After the relief came obvious worry. Why was she down here? In my mind, only one answer cropped up. And I didn't like it.

Shaking off the feeling of unease, I went to sit by her. Even the shifting of the cushion when I sat down didn't wake her. She mumbled something once, and then shivered in her sleep. Aware that a line was beginning to form in between my brows, I adjusted the blankets, and put my arm around her, making it so where her head was now resting on my shoulder instead of crookedly on her own. But to my disappointed, when I did that, she stirred.

"Mmmf…" Katniss groaned and opened her bleary eyes. They widened a tiny bit upon seeing me so close to her, but returned normal. Her voice was still croaky from sleep. "Hey."

"Hey." I was pleased by the fact she didn't shift or pull away upon waking up in my arms. In fact, I think I was ecstatic when she let me lean down to kiss her. "Are you feeling okay?"

For a second her eyebrows creased in confusion, and then she understood. But along with the understanding came the need for her to look away. "I'm feeling fine."

Okay, this was good. She wasn't pulling away or staying silent, and that was a good thing. In order to keep up this semi-good mood, I kept my tone light and my face neutral.

"Why did you leave, if you mind my asking?"

She blinked once, and then shrugged lightly, acting as though her shoulders weighed a lot in the presence of fatigue. "I woke up before you and couldn't sleep. So I went down here, and not five minutes after, I was asleep."

"Why did you go down here instead of waking me?" I put my cheek to the top of her head, out of curiosity more than anything.

"I've deprived you of enough sleep lately. I know I could've stayed there in bed, but…" Her mouth opened to say something, but she apparently changed her mind. "…but I was feeling restless."

I knew this seemed like an improvement, and it was, but she wasn't looking me in the eyes, which made me worry. Biting back worry, I held her closer. "There's something wrong, Katniss, I know it. Tell me. Please tell me."

As I watched, her mouth formed a subconscious frown and she shook her head. I could tell by the upset, shiny layer on her eyes that she was on the verge of crying. Not to mention the purple mark on her lips where she's biting it. Again, she shook her head.

"Katniss, tell me." I pleaded. "I need to know what's wrong, I need to help you. I can't stand seeing you like this, broken. Say the word, Katniss, and I'll be there. Say the word and I'll help you. Let me help you. Tell me, Katniss. I need to kn—"

"I can't tell you if I don't know myself, Peeta!" Enraged, Katniss flung herself from my arms and scrambled away from me to stand in the middle of the room, tears streaking down her face. "I can't tell you because I don't know. I don't know…" She clutched at her head, knuckles white with anger and distress. "I can't…" She was sobbing now, words distorted with tears. Her face was wet and red and twisted with emotional pain.

I was shocked into silence, confused and disconcerted. A cold tear felt its way down my face without me realizing it. This pain—her pain—hurt me as well, stinging where it hit home base. I wanted to reach out, to take her hand and hold it to my heart, let her know I'm on her side, even if I don't know what's wrong. But the second I lifted my face to meet hers, those familiar grey eyes turned a rain-cloud grey and she started shaking all over.

"I-I can't stand seeing you cry." Katniss squeezed her eyes shut and held her arms to her torso. It was obvious that some attempt to hold her together was unraveling. Just not working very well.

I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up, silent—for the first time in my life. She didn't raise her head to see me walk over to her, but she felt it when I slid my arms around her back and held her. But unlike most of the times I felt the need to embrace her, it had been tightly, squeezed to my chest to blot out the pain, both of ours. But this time everything about it was gentle. I let my muscles relax, feeling hers do the same under my touch, and I rested my forehead on hers.

"Then I won't cry." It was as simple as that.

She didn't reply to that. She didn't even hug me back. But her actions were not cold. Katniss just leaned into me and buried her face in the small of her neck. I felt the tears still fresh on her face wet my own shoulder. As the horrid barren feeling in my chest lifted, a small idea was forming in the pit of my brain. No matter how wonderful she felt against me, her mood practically dissolving when we touched, there was no doubt she wasn't going to go back to normal again. Heck, I didn't even know what normal was anymore… But I knew something smart I should do. To get someone who did know.

I held Katniss for a few more minutes, and thankfully, she was the one who pulled away. Though I was not too pleased to note her face was still wet with saltwater. She glanced up at me, eyes back to their usual silver, except sparkly with tears. Long black lashes framed the delicate shape of her eyes, and I resisted the urge to reach up and feel them.

Without speaking, I put my arm comfortably around her shoulder and guided her back to the couch, where she curled up once again. I pulled the blankets, which was trapped under her, out and draped it over her shoulders. "I need to go do something real quick. I'll be back soon, I promise."

"No!" Her words were quick, frantic, as those enrapturing eyes of hers widened. "Don't leave me."

I was on the brink of saying, 'Okay, I won't leave. I promise.' Except I didn't. Instead, I leaned forwards so where I could just barely feel her nose brush mine. I tilted her chin up with a single finger and kissed her, trying to make it as sweet and as pleading as possible. Something lassoed my heart and tugged as when I drew back. Her mouth was parted when I opened my eyes again, eyes shining and wide, but nevertheless understanding.

"Don't be long. Promise."

I let a smile of sorts touch my lips and I gave her a second kiss, this time on her cheek. "I promise. Don't worry." And with a third small kiss, I stood back up and left.

My feet knew where we were headed, and it wasn't far. In fact, it was the very next house. I knew that Ms. Everdeen was at work from what Katniss told me, but Primrose should be at home. I stepped unsure up the porch. My fist made a sharp rapping noise when I knocked on the door. From somewhere in the house, I heard the sweet voice of Katniss' little sister call to me, "You can come in!" With only a smidge of hesitancy, I opened the door and stepped in.

Prim wasn't in the living room. Feeling a tiny bit awkward, I peered around the arch doorway into the kitchen. She was in there, hunched over the stove, making something. When I stepped up under the doorway, she turned her head to look at me. Dimples appeared when she smiled.

"Hey, Peeta!" She glanced at her project then back at me. "I am making pancakes. Would you like one?"

I felt a bit lightened by her bubbly attitude. But I had no time for pancakes. "No thank you, Prim. I actually came to ask you something. Maybe a favor."

Primrose, made curious by my tone of voice, turned off the stove flame and slid the last breakfast item onto a platter. There were three of them, slightly lumpy, but an even golden brown color. Prim put the platter on the table and looked up at me, a teensy worry line appearing between her blond eyebrows. "Is it Katniss?"

I nodded, slowly. "She's…not right. Ever since she came home from the day she spent with you and your mother."

"What's wrong?" Clearly seeing she'd not be able to have her breakfast just then, she brought a Ziploc bag from in one of the cabinets and put the pancakes in that.

"She's been…. I don't know." Suddenly unsure of this, I let my eyes flick to different things in the room. "I don't know if this is normal or not. She's been especially upset. It wasn't something I did—or said, I don't think. She's been crying a whole lot more, and arguing, and just… I don't want to label it as depression, but I thought that since you know her best, you'd help."

"I don't think I know her best now, Peeta." Primrose looked slightly sad, but her expression changed back to concerned sister. "But yeah, I'll help."

I nodded, thankful for how quickly that worked, and left, leaving Prim to trail behind me.

We got back to my house—it was only a few meters away—and I opened the door for her. With a short nod of her head, she thanked me and walked inside.

Strangely enough, Katniss wasn't on the couch. Frowning slightly, I exchanged a look with Prim, and decided she went back upstairs to our room. Thankfully, she was right there, curled under our covers, face pressed into the pillows. When she heard the door, she lifted her head and her eyes locked on her sister. Immediately, that familiar soft mask stretched across her face, and she held out her arms. "Primrose,"

Prim ran across the room and they hugged tightly. Katniss had her face pressed tight against her little sisters' hair. Though they'd seen each other not long ago at all, they acted as though they had been apart for months. Months… I laughed inwardly once, without any amusement.

But to my perplexity, they didn't let go after a few minutes. I noticed that fresh tears were streaming out of Katniss' face and the fright told in the worry lines on her forehead told me that she didn't want to let go. Prim was her lifeline; the last thing she had to hold on to of her past life.

These two people were my family. I had none left. My father…. I haven't seen him since leaving District 12. But Ms. Everdeen treated me just like a son, and I have been growing to feel like one. And Katniss, of course, was more family than I'd ever have. But of course Prim was included. Who could not love her? But now I had a reason to call her my little sister as well.

Feeling a sad pull towards them, I sat down on the bed next to Katniss and put my arms around the both of them. Primrose met my eyes when I did that, and they said, thank you. I just closed my eyes and let the weirdness of the moment overtake me. I wanted to protect them, they were my family. And though I loved them both, I was the first one to pull back.

For a few more seconds Prim and Katniss held one another, but then Primrose pulled back. "You look awful."

"Thanks, Prim." Katniss rolled her eyes, and her expression softened a tad.

"What's wrong?" No time was wasted; Prim cut to the chase of why she was here. "Peeta said you have been acting off."

Katniss' eyes flicked up to mine with no emotion betrayed, and she looked back down. "I don't know. He keeps asking me that, too… I don't know what's wrong."

"It's just…there?" Prim ducked her head for a second, biting her lip in contemplation. Then she glanced back at me. "Peeta, would you mind giving us a few minutes? Girl time…?"

She knew something. I could tell by the look in her eyes she already has an idea. Feeling anxious and uneasy, I got up and left, closing the door behind me.

I paced through the house as I waited, down the stairs and into the kitchen, paced for a few minutes there and then left to pace in the living room, then the master bathroom. Though it was "master" it was still a tight squeeze for my pacing needs. As I paced, I thought.

Primrose knew something. She knew something. All that doctor experience must have taught her something. So in her time, she must have heard of something like this. Maybe it was yet another crazy neurological disease. Maybe it was something as totally benign as stress. Maybe I was worrying about nothing.

For a half-hour I paced, and right in the middle of walking up and down one of the guest bedrooms, Primrose appeared at the door. Hastily, before she could talk, I scanned her face for any notion of horrid news. But on the contrary, she looked relaxed, but sympathetic and sad.

"Is everything…?" I ran my tongue along my dry bottom lip with worry. "Is she okay?"

Primrose nodded. "She's fine. She's going to be alright."

A wave of relief hit me, not the strongest I've ever felt, but still strong. I closed my eyes and let my breath escape. A few seconds later, I reopened my eyes and looked at Prim. "What's wrong with her?"

But to my distress, she hesitated. "I… Maybe I should let her be the one to tell you. It's nothing major, I promise."

My feelings were mixed, relief mingled with the lingering apprehension. "Thank you, Primrose. Really."

"It was nothing." And by the tone of her voice, I nearly believed it myself. "I should go now, though."

"Are you sure…?" I wanted to thank her more for helping me out, but honestly I felt like just being alone with here right now.

She knew this. "I'm alright. I need to get back to my pancakes anyways." Prim gave me an empathetic smile, and left.

I didn't even get to fall on my knees and thank her fifty billion times. Well, thank goodness. Swallowing, I let my legs adjust from not pacing, and exited the guest bedroom, only to enter my own. But to my surprise, Katniss was not still curled under the blankets. She was sitting up, legs bent in front of her. Both her elbows rested on her knees and her hands covered her face. What seemed like an ocean-ful of tears dripped from in between her fingers with every silent sob.

What had Prim told her?

Having the feeling of dread settle back down on my stomach, I rushed over to her side and put my arms around her. It wasn't really easy, seeing as how her hands were latched onto her face. I wove my fingers through hers and drew her arms down before being able to hold her to my chest. She made fists around clumps of my shirt, clenching and unclenching around the material. Noiseless heaves of her chest shook her entire body, making it shudder against mine.

This was worse than earlier. This was worse. Primrose said it wasn't anything bad. She said Katniss would be fine. Did she do anything? Did she say something bad? Maybe this is just a really bad dream. I pressed my face into Katniss' hair and breathed in her real, sweet scent. I don't dream with senses. This was real. Real and painful.

Finally, after quite some time, her breathing slowed and the tears were muted for now. I pulled back slightly to cup her face. "Katniss, love, what is wrong? What did Prim tell you?"

"You mean she didn't tell you herself…?" For a split-second, Katniss looked confused, but then the look of fright and worry reappeared, along with tears that made her eyes shine. "I shouldn't...I shouldn't tell you. Maybe it's nothing… It has to be nothing…" She seemed to be trying to convince herself more than anyone.

"Please, Katniss." She did this often, I've noticed. "Tell me. Please."

A fresh tear ran down her face, and she looked helpless. "I won't. At least….not yet. Not until I know it's true."

"When will you know?" I wiped the tears off with my thumb.

"If things go as planned?" She bit her lip and closed her eyes. For a second I thought she wouldn't tell me. The pregnant pause between us seemed to stretch on forever.

I raised my eyebrow.

"If things go as planned…" Katniss took a deep breath, then looked back up into my eyes. A galaxy full of stars reflected in them, dark and beautiful. She took a deep breath. "That would be tomorrow."

oOo

You guys are smart, right? You can probably guess what's wrong, if you look at the simple, rounded facts. But I'm not telling you. Don't be upset, though. You'll learn next chapter. Love all of you, and don't forget to review!