Once outside of the house I notice a familiar figure across the way. His drunken self is looking just as bad as before, possibly even worse. He glances in my direction, and then does a double take. We haven't seen each other since we came back. I spent all my time inside until recently. And he spends all his time with a knife in one hand and a drink in the other.

"Sweetheart, you're finally going out!" His words slur out. I cross the ground between the two of us.

"And you're still in the same clothes, nothing has changed." I say bitterly. He makes a sloppy bow and smirks.

"You're not all that great looking yourself." My eyes narrow, and scowl. He doesn't get the idea that I don't appreciate his rude remarks. He continues on:

"You weren't picked up by the capitol, and somehow that boy looks in better shape then you do." I didn't know Peeta was visiting him.

"You've seen him?" I try to play dumb. Acting like I haven't seen him.

"You haven't? I see him leave your house in the early morning hours, and come when the sun sets. Glad to see you two together again." I lunge at him; he stops my fist from hitting his face. It's one swift motion.

"Girl on fire is still burning. Good to see you are still a fighter. What are you two now? Victors? Survivors? Friends? Star-crossed lovers?" My nostrils flare, my voice becomes harsher than usual.

"We are not star-crossed lovers." I spit out the words. He releases my fist, pushing it down at my side. Haymitch walks to his door but turns around for one last word.

"You said that before. Then we found you two together in bed. Not to mention the time you clawed my face for not saving him. Sure about that sweetheart?" His words hang in the air and he closes the door behind him. I shake the conversation off. It has been so long since we were star-crossed lovers.

Despite Haymitch's words I do well in the woods. I am able to collect some walnuts, herbs for Peeta, and catch a rabbit with the snare. Sigh. I sit down; it's still too early to go home. Not to mention I am not ready for the questions. I have to regroup my thoughts. I don't know what questions will arise from him tonight. They aren't going to get easier. He's going to start asking about whom we are, what we are together. I feel it. I know it is coming soon.

The sun sets with a sky that is filled with the shades of orange. Peeta's favorite color is included. Maybe I will have to take him to see it sometime. After gathering my few finds, off to the Hob it is. I don't know what it is, but I get a bunch of looks the moment my foot steps on the grounds. Greasy Sae is my only stop for my rabbit is all hers.

I nod and begin to walk away, but she stops me.

"I appreciate this Katniss, I've always appreciated it. Seeing you out is really nice. Seeing you healthier is a breath of fresh air." I've never been good with words, so I nod once more and head home as the sun fully sets.

Peeta is staring intensely at the television- something I never watch. He doesn't even move a muscle when I arrive. Then I see what he is so engrossed in. It's the interviews before our Quarter Quell. If it was possible- I would wish Cinna had designed me a sweater of invisibility. Mine is first. He must've waited until I left to watch them, and he probably wasn't expecting me for another few minutes. I take a seat next to him on the couch. I come out in the wedding dress of President Snow's choice. The dress was beautiful; Cinna's things were always so beautiful, but what an awful pick. President Snow picking it was just another chain he had around me. Caesar Flickerman starts with his opening question;

"Is there anything you'd like to say?" I pull my knees into my chest; Peeta's eyes are still glued. My response was "Only that I'm so sorry you won't get to be at my wedding…but I'm glad you at least get to see me in my dress. Isn't it just…the most beautiful thing?"

Peeta whispers something but I can't make it out. I turn into a Mockingjay and my interview concludes with loud roars from the audience. Peeta's eyes never leave the screen, but I burry my head into my hands. I know what is coming up. I remember Peeta's interview so clearly, watching it just makes it come back to life. I peep through my fingers until I hear Peeta on the television; then my hands go straight to my ears, and my eyes close tightly. I still hear it though.

Caesar: "You realized there was never going to be a wedding?"

Peeta: "Caesar, do you think all our friends here can keep a secret?"

Caesar: "I feel quite certain of it."

Peeta: "We're already married."

I am wishing he would just stop the recording, because I already am going to have to explain this tonight. I don't need to explain the baby tonight too.. And just like that-almost on cue comes up the bomb of Peeta's announcement. The tape cuts right after. We sit in the quite darkness of the night, just the fire place smoldering. My hands are still cupped over my ears, my eyes shut, and my knees to my chest. I don't know how long it is until he moves. He scoots closer to me; taking my hands from my ears, cooing my name until my eyes open slowly, yes there are tears forming.

He holds my hands in my lap, mostly so they don't try covering my face.

The question is so innocent. "We were married- Real or not real?" Pause. "It was point blank but I need to know- real or not real?" I answer with familiar tears rolling.

"Not real. It was part of the games…You wanted it so badly to be real though. I don't know if I did or not. That's not something I never figured out. You said it because you could move an entire audience. You know that? You stopped everyone's heart with the whole "She came here with me" the first games. The second time it was with our secret marriage." Staring at the wall he asks the second question.

"You were pregnant. It was mine-real or not real?" He seems so broken by my first answer I don't want to answer the next. I manage to spit out:

"Not real. Another part of the games- you trying to protect me, protect us really. Saying that, well you could've earned us sponsors. I don't really know what you thought it would do; it made all the victors band together though. And it made all of them in the arena protected you and me."

He sighs heavily. I curl up so my head is in his lap.

"I'm sorry Peeta. I'm so sorry. You wanted it all to be real so badly."

He puts his arm over me, just like he did in our first games.

"I've had nightmares about it. I needed to know if it was all real." His blue eyes meet mine. "When I'm not here- the nightmares consume the night. I don't sleep."

I just lay there. My words come out faster than I can filter.

"We used to sleep together on the train." His eyebrows rise.

"I thought that wasn't real- you told me it wasn't real."

I take a deep breath. "What the capitol said was not real. We spent nights together on the train car, stopped the nightmares." He looks at me and wants me to continue. So I do.

"Neither of us could ever sleep, you'd wander and I would be terrorized by images. You came in one night during my screams, stayed with me, and then we realized together we could get through the night." He smirks a little to himself and then he locks eyes with me. His eyes are pleading. "Can we?" You can't say no to his voice, so I don't. I stand up without another word and walk up the stairs. I stop midway. He understands. Peeta rises from the couch and follows behind me. I hold out my hand on the stairs; he takes it. The footsteps of his are heavy on the stairs- Buttercup goes dashing past us. Peeta smiles that schoolboy grin of his and shrugs. We make it to my room, he leaves me to change. Then I do the same. Once I re-enter the room; I open the windows- not a lot, but enough for a slight breeze.

"You like sleeping with them open." I say softly, and then lie down in bed.

"I remember."

I curl up under the covers; he gets in and immediately brings me to his chest. I don't contend. I don't argue. I allow it, because for the first time we can truly sleep. There are no servants to scare, no Effie to explain too, no schedule to adhere to. Just sleep.