Chapter 30:

Armondo falls to the ground, bleeding profusely from his nose, screaming obscenities. Effie just stares at Peeta, openmouthed. I don't think I've ever seen Haymitch run so fast- but a second later, he closes in on us. He looks furious.

"You idiot, get out of here!" he screams at Peeta. He gestures to me. "Take her with you." He begins attending to Armondo on the floor, apologizing and generally sucking up.

Peeta takes my hand with his non-bloodied one. Though he was just angrily taking out his aggression, his grasp is gentle, and he slowly leads me back to the elevator. He is silent, but breathing heavily. We walk down to the sitting room without speaking and await our fate with Haymitch. The TV is still on, and we watch.

Prim and Annella have just received another silver parachute- so at least one of them was able to get sponsors, I'm guessing Prim, hoping Prim, after everything that just happened. The parachute carries a rather large item this time- a replacement sled, though not as large as the first one, just big enough to get the job done. Prim and Annella squeeze on it together and ride out of the remains of the piled snow back towards solid ground.

The camera pans to the other half of the alliance- Jack, Mouseface, and Copper. Since the three of them had set up camp so near the edge of the forest, the avalanche had almost missed them entirely. All they had to do was quickly gather their stuff, move it a few hundred yards down, and resettle as they watched the natural disaster pass by. Interestingly, they now look like they are in a similar area of the forest as Prim and Annella.

The camera flashes to the Cornucopia- where Nutmeg is taking the first shift while the others sleep. She looks bored. Obviously, this latest Gamemaker incident didn't even register a blip on the Careers' radar.

Haymitch bursts through the door of the sitting room, seething. He goes straight for Peeta.

"What in the hell did you think you were doing?" Haymitch screams at him.

"I could ask you the same question," Peeta retorts icily. They are now nose-to-nose.

"I was trying to get Prim sponsors," Haymitch replies, "and she certainly won't have any more financial assistance from Armondo Valentine now. He said your actions are unforgivable."

"The man is a sicko!" Peeta exclaims, raising his voice. "Did you even see him violate Katniss? Huh?"

Haymitch shrugs. "He just wanted to cop his feel and to feel better about himself for a minute before dropping all of his cash to rescue her sister. I feel kinda bad for him actually."

Peeta shakes his head. "That's disgusting. I can't believe you would sic that psycho on her. Besides," he adds, "Prim can get other sponsors."

Haymitch shakes his head back at him. "You have no idea how this works, do you son? It took Armondo plus over fifteen other sponsors to put in enough money for the sled. If you think that the items that they sell for the Games, especially the Quell, are cheap enough for just a couple of people, you're completely delusional. She needs all the help she can get." He backs off, turns away.

The fluorescent-green liquid must really be in my system now. Though Peeta and Haymitch have both just pointed out excellent reasons why I should be insanely angry- at both of them equally- I've managed to ignore them. Haymitch is willing to do anything to get Prim sponsors! And Peeta will stick up for me, fight for me, and hurt anyone that hurts me. I couldn't be luckier than to have these two men in my life. Haymitch has been almost like another dad to me- when he's sober. And Peeta- well, I couldn't ask for a better fiancée. I speak up.

"Guys! Please, stop fighting. I appreciate what you were both trying to do here. Haymitch- thank you for doing your best for Prim. She got her sled; hopefully Annella's sponsors can pull in the next thing that they need. Peeta- thank you for watching out for me. I know you did what you did just because you care. You both are the greatest." I have a stupid grin on my face. Haymitch and Peeta both look at me as if I've gone off the deep end, but I am the distraction that they need to stop focusing on each other.

Haymitch announces, "Well, now I have extra work to do at the bar. Just stay out of my way, will you?" before he turns around and exits, slamming the door behind him, leaving Peeta and I alone in the sitting room.

We continue to watch the Games, and I am amazed at this wondrous green drink. Peeta is struggling to stay awake after such an exhausting day followed by so little sleep, but I am feeling completely relaxed but alert, with no need to rest. We sit on the couch initially, but Peeta begins to slump over with tiredness, and I suggest he lie down on his back and rest his head on my lap. He agrees gratefully, and I catch him looking up at me occasionally as I watch the Quell.

I allow myself to start running my fingers through his hair, and occasionally glance down to watch his beautiful long eyelashes flutter as he struggles to remain awake. I am overcome with tenderness towards the boy with the bread. He's been so good to me. I lean down and nuzzle him, kissing him on the cheek.

Peeta, eyes still closed, a little smile on his face, says softly to me, "I punched Armondo out more than just because I care, you know."

I know. I nod. "I love you, too, Peeta." I kiss him softly on the lips.

Once again, I am not quite prepared for Peeta's reaction. His face begins to crumple and his eyes glass over, filling with tears. I am astonished that he would get so emotional before I realize that I've never said those words to him before- at least, not to just him- any reference I made to loving Peeta was in front of a Capitol audience, saying words like love hoping to convince them that they were true, not Peeta. But lately, despite the contradicting emotions that he still elicits in me, I know that the words are sincere. And surely Peeta must have sensed that I felt this way?

Peeta manages to control himself, not cry, but has to take several deep breaths in order to do so. He doesn't speak for what seems like an eternity. And when he finally does, his words surprise me. He looks at me intensely, blue eyes bright.

"I wish that you didn't need some mysterious green drink to tell me that. But I love you, too, Katniss- more than you'll ever know."

Those are the last words I hear from Peeta before he starts to snore. Of course he can sleep, his brother is safe in the Cornucopia, surrounded by people that consider him an ally, safe in that golden horn from the other cruelties of the arena. I continue to stroke Peeta's hair, hold his head; feel happy that the boy with the bread loves me, but I shift my attention to the TV screen.

Prim and Annella are still crying as they've come to a halt on lower land, saddened at the loss of their alliance member, scared to set up camp anywhere else. They begin wandering aimlessly, in no particular direction, searching for a part of the arena that makes them feel safer. They won't find it.

But their noise, combined with Prim having kept hold of some matches and a torch, igniting some fire to lead them while they walk in the dead of night, have made them stand out like a beacon. A few minutes later they hear calls of their names. "Annella! Prim!" The girls turn around to find Copper, Mouseface, and Jack running towards them.

I grin to myself, thinking a little bit about fate, grateful for a moment that Peeta and I were brought together despite the devastating circumstances upon which it happened. The same thing applies to what I'm seeing on the screen: perhaps if the avalanche had never occurred, the two halves of the alliance would never have found each other- they could have just kept missing each other in the large forest expanse. Then again, maybe I'm just thinking that way because of the green drink.

Regardless, the members of the alliance of the rebelling districts are finally together.