I had never felt so relieved to be back in District 12. I walked onto the platform and immediately heard Katniss scream my name. She tackled me in a hug and I lost it. I cried into her hair and my knees buckled and I dropped to the ground. She held me tightly and I realized that maybe she had missed me all the months we had ignored each other.
"Oh Peeta, you were gone for two weeks! I was beginning to think you would never come home," She said. I lifted my head to look her in the eyes.
"Two weeks?" I asked and she nodded her head.
"It was only four days. I was only in the capitol for two days and on the train for two days," I said frantically.
"No Peeta, you were gone for two weeks," Haymitch said.
"Haymitch I don't know what they did to me," I was panicking. "I remember trial one and trial two, but then nothing. They could have done anything to me and I don't even know it. Oh god."
"Peeta, It's going to be okay. I'm here now, and I won't leave you again," Katniss said.
"Promise?" I asked my voice thick from the crying.
"I promise," and she wrapped me in her arms again.
"Two weeks," I whispered and she squeezed me even tighter.
"Come on we should get you home," Haymitch tugged on my arm. We walked quickly through the town to the victor's village. Our speed, however, did not shield us from the eyes of the townspeople. Their whispers reached my ears and I tried to tune them out, but I could still hear them whisper my name.
Haymitch opened my front door and I began to shake. Katniss pulled me into the house. It was just as I had left it. Flour covered the counters, icing stuck to the table, and recipes littered the living room floor. I ran up to my bathroom and threw open the cabinet that contained my medications. Bottle after bottle I flushed down the toilet while I sobbed. After the last bottle of pills was emptied I slumped against the bathtub and took a shaky breath.
"Peeta," Katniss whispered cautiously. I looked up at her in the doorway.
"Oh Peeta," She sat down next to me and grabbed my hands giving them a light squeeze. I looked down at our hands intertwined and felt a bit of hope bubble in my chest.
"I'm sorry I left you," she whispered.
"What?" I looked at her in confusion.
"I never should have went with Johanna. I should have insisted that I stay with you," She said and silent tears slid down her face.
The memory prickled in my mind and the world began to get fuzzy. In the distance I could hear Katniss whispering my name, or maybe she was yelling, I couldn't tell for sure. Edges of my vision became shiny and suddenly I was in the arena again, running alongside Finnick.
"Run Peeta! She'll kill us if she catches us!" Finnick screamed at me. I didn't need to ask who he was talking about. My mind just told me I was running from a dangerous Katniss. I clenched my fists together and tried to pull out of the vision. It was difficult and I broke out into a sweat. I was now semi-aware of my surroundings. I was in my bathroom and Katniss was still holding my hands. I tried to release her hands, but she held them tighter. She was saying something, no she was singing. I couldn't make out the lyrics to the song she was singing, but I could hear the smooth notes rolling off her tongue. I was no longer in the arena. I was safe. My eyes became clear and I stared at her.
"Peeta," She whispered.
"Did I hurt you?" I asked cautiously.
"No, you didn't move," She replied and released my hands, "Haymitch is waiting for us downstairs." She got up and left the bathroom. I struggled to my feet and followed behind her. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I could hear Haymitch grumbling to himself as he searched my kitchen for any sort of liquor.
"You won't find anything," I said beginning to wipe off the flour from the counters. Haymitch grumbled some more, but gave up his search and sat down at the table. The kitchen was silent for a moment. I was painfully aware of Katniss standing in the doorway of my kitchen watching me. The silence was broken by the ring of the phone. I jumped a little and gripped the edge of the counter so tightly my knuckles began to turn white.
"Peeta," Haymitch said, "Pick up the phone."
I took a deep breath and walked to the phone mounted on the wall. "Hello?" I said.
"Hello, Peeta! It's Mrs. Everdeen and I've been assigned as your new doctor since Dr. Aurelius has given up on you," The voice on the other line said. My hands began to shake. Given up on me? Is the capital really trying to cover up what they did to me? What does she mean new doctor? Paylor promised me no more tests.
"Peeta?" She asked.
"Peeta? What's going on?" Katniss asked. Haymitch rose from the table and snatched the phone out of my hand.
"Who is this?" Haymitched demanded.
"It's Mrs. Everdeen. I'll be Peeta's new doctor. Now please return the phone to him. This is between me and him," I could barely hear her words.
"It is not between you and him. It is simply his business because he doesn't want any more doctors," Haymitch said firmly.
"Do you know who I am?" She asked her voice rising so I could hear it more clearly.
"I don't care who you are, this boy has been through enough," Haymitch said and slammed the phone back onto the receiver.
"Who was it?" Katniss asked. I remained silent and waited for Haymitch to answer.
"Your mother," He finally said after a minute.
"My mother? What did she want?" Katniss asked.
"She's been assigned to be Peeta's new doctor," Haymitch informed her.
"She told me no more tests," I whispered. The angered boiled inside me threatening to come out, but I gripped the counter tightly and shut my eyes.
"It's okay Peeta. No one's going to hurt you," Katniss said and walked over to me. I shook my head, but remained silent.
"She's my mother, Peeta. She wouldn't hurt you," Katniss said reassuringly, although I wasn't sure who she was reassuring, me or herself.
"She works for them now, Katniss. I can't trust her," I said.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Katniss said her temper beginning to show.
"You weren't there Katniss! You weren't strapped to a bed with god who knows what being pumped into your veins!" I snapped at her.
"But…" Katniss started but I cut her off.
"She left you Katniss! How long has it been since you've really spoken to her? How do you know she's the same woman you knew before? The capital changes people!" I said. She glared at me and stomped away, making sure to slam the front door shut behind her.