I hate Spanish homework! Verbs are hard to memorize…if I didn't have any I would have more chapters up tonight. Enjoy!

Chapter 23 – Peeta's POV

The next couple months went by smoothly. I eventually got off the crutches and was able to walk on my own. Katniss and I did spend nights in separate beds, but many in hers and mine. No sex though, mostly because she wants my leg to be completely healed.

Tomorrow's the last day of school until winter break starts. Katniss and I are finishing our homework in her bedroom when Prim knocks on the closed door. "Come in!" Katniss says, still focused on her math.

"Katniss!" Prim came running in. She hugged Katniss around the back. "What is it?"

"So you know how Christmas is next week?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Rue told me that Jessica told her that Ben told her that Rory told him that Rory has a surprise for me for Christmas!"

I looked up from my work. "What?"

"Rory is going to surprise me for Christmas with something special!"

"Prim, if it's a surprise, you're not supposed to know about it." Katniss said.

"I only know that there is one, not what it is." She turned and skipped out of Katniss's room, closing the door behind her. We focused back to our work and finished soon after.

I exhaled loudly and sat down my pencil. "I hate calculus."

"Yeah, it will be the death of me some day. Is that all the homework we have?"

"Uh huh, the last of it."

"Good." She went to the closed door and locked it. I looked at her with a, 'what the hell is going on' face. She grabbed my face and kissed me hard on the lips. She bit on my bottom lip and I let out a moan.

Katniss guided me up and to her bed. "Babe, I don't have condoms." I said in between kissing. She pulled back and sighed. "Maybe not today, okay?"

"Okay. I just want to kiss you some more." She lays back on her pillow. I put my hand at her waist and pulled her close to me. I planted a kiss on her neck and deepened it little by little. Her breathing was fast. I stopped to look up. Her eyes were closed, but then one peeked open. "Why did you stop?"

"I just want to try something. I'll be back." I got off the bed and grabbed my notebook and a pencil. I sat on the desk chair and wheeled to my side of her bed. "Get comfortable."

"Why?"

"Please?" She moved a little and stared at me. "You're going to have to be there for a while, so are you sure you want to be like that?" She shifted to a sitting position against her headboard. "Perfect." I made a mark on the page and started to draw her. She was perfectly still, even her eyes. They were looking off into space, only moving to blink. Her chest rose and fell with her breathing. I added some final details and got up. She didn't notice. I leaned on the bed and kissed her. "Done."

"May I see?" I handed her the notebook. "Holy shit Peeta!"

"What? Did I screw up somewhere?"

"No, this is, it looks-I could swear you took a black and white picture of me."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should, Peeta. This is amazing!" She kissed me again. "I didn't like doing nothing though, that is the only downside." I kissed her this time. "I almost want to say go get some condoms, but we may be to loud for Prim."

"Yeah, we'd have to get her out of the house."

"Perhaps we could be quiet."

"Katniss, you said not tonight."

"I know. Sorry."

"No need to apologize."

Katniss's mom yelled from downstairs. "Dinner!" I tried to open the door, but remembered that Katniss had locked it. She got it for me, then walked with me down the stairs. "Don't worry Peeta, you'll have plenty to eat."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a teenage boy. You're gonna eat a lot."

"True. Thank you Lilian." She smiled and got two bowls out of the cabinet. She poured out some liquidy substance from a pot.

"Where is Prim?" She walked a little out of the kitchen and yelled her name. Not too much later Prim appeared at the table. "Prim, I made lamb stew." Her eyes lit up. She took the spoon from the table and took a big bite.

"What's the special occasion for lamb stew?" Katniss asked. Lilian said nothing. "Mom?"

"Girls, Peeta, I want you to be the first to know this."

"Oh God, what?" Prim set the spoon down in the bowl.

"I was offered a job in a hospital."

"Where?" Prim looked at her mother. Katniss had not said a word.

"In Five."

"Oh God mother! Did you take it?"

"Yes, I did. But only because it is paying three times the amount of money we have now."

Katniss had her mouth open and did not move a muscle. "We're moving?"

"There's the other part, sweetie. I'm moving. You and Prim are staying here. Peeta is welcome to stay if he wishes." There was a silent sigh of relief in the room. "Are you mad at me?"

"Well, if we were moving, yes. Still, you're moving away so that isn't fun at all. But I'm sure we can hold on." Katniss stood up. "Mom, I so happy that you are taking this opportunity." Katniss hugged her mother. "When are you leaving?"

"Just after Christmas."

"Jesus, I thought you were going to say this week or something!" Prim was tearing up.

"I know this is going to be hard, but I will visit every once and a while."

"Lilian."

"Yes Peeta?"

"Take care." She smiled and poured herself a bowl of stew. We nearly ate it all as we talked about what Lilian was going to do in District Five.