Pure joy and relief flow through me, slowing my racing heart. I had been prepared for the worst; prepared to lose him for good this time. But I haven't lost him. I've managed to keep him alive, and now I never want to let him go.

I lean over to kiss his lips, which are much warmer now. Life is returning to his once frozen body, and I can't help smiling as he kisses me back. He must have sensed the urgency, the need for him in my kiss because he doesn't hold back. His arms are cradling me close to him, closer than I've ever been. I'm not sure if we are still two separate people or one person who is finally whole.

"You saved my life," he mutters, breaking the kiss.

My mother hands Peeta some liquid medicine. It smells sweet, and I instantly know what it is: sleep medicine. He takes it without protesting, licking his lips to get the final drops into his mouth. She checks his temperature with a thermometer and writes the number down. "Good. You have warmed up quite a bit, and now you need to rest."

"Is it safe for him to sleep?" I brush my fingers through his hair, worried that I might lose him.

She nods. "His body needs rest in order to recover. He should be fine without your help now." My mother hands me some dry clothes. "These are for you two."

I crawl out of the sleeping bag and quickly get dressed. The clothes feel warm against my skin, and I'm grateful to finally have something dry to wear. My wet clothes are still piled up where I left them. I push them aside to deal with later.

I help Peeta put on his dry clothes. This time I need to remove his damp underwear, but I'm not sure I can. My face is already burning at the thought of him being completely naked. Fortunately for me, Peeta doesn't let me suffer through it. He takes the underwear off and tosses it onto the pile. I hand him the dry pair, and he puts it on. "Thanks," I say, feeling embarrassed. I gently slide his pants over his bare legs and cover his one remaining foot with a sock. I save the shirt for last because it is the easiest to get on.

Peeta pulls the sleeping bag around himself and closes his eyes. "I should be thanking you, Katniss," he says sleepily.

"Go to sleep," I whisper into his ear.

He dozes off, and I follow my mother back to the others. Prim and Lavash are sleeping side-by-side with Buttercup keeping watch over them. Haymitch is sitting on a rock next to a small fire, a bottle of white liquor in his hand. The smoke from the fire travels up the cave walls and exits through an opening in the ceiling.

"We need food," he says, taking a swig of the liquor. "And fresh water."

My mother offers to find the water while I go hunting. The air is frigid and nips at my nose, but this weather is nothing I can't handle. At least it's not raining anymore.

I decide to gather some edible berries as I hunt. Once I've got a large pile stashed away in my pockets I begin following deer tracks. I haven't caught a deer in a long time, and a big buck could easily feed the whole group. The tracks lead me to the river, where a young buck is drinking the cold water. He is smaller than I had hoped, but food is food. I aim an arrow at his head and shoot, killing him instantly. I collect my kill and head back to the cave.

On the way there, I see my mother collecting medicinal herbs. A few canteens of fresh water are scattered at her feet. "Do you mind taking these back for me? I might be here awhile."

I scoop up the canteens and grab the buck's antler, dragging him along. "It's no problem. I was heading back there anyway."

I make it to the cave in time to see Prim returning with more berries. "Oh, Katniss, you're just in time."

"In time for what?" I ask, lugging my kill into the cave.

"Breakfast," she replies with a smile.

I set the buck down by the fire and empty my pockets of berries. Prim gathers my berries and hers into one pile and then divides them up. I skin the buck in record time since it is so small, and then I tear off pieces of meat and cook them over the fire.

I want to take some food to Peeta, but Prim tells me I should let him sleep. I agree, and we eat in silence. My mother comes back half-way through the meal, and Prim offers her some cooked deer meat, which she accepts without hesitation. It has been awhile since any of us have eaten.

The only one not eating is Haymitch, who is passed out on the ground. Lavash grabs a stick and pokes his arm with it. "Wake up. We have food." Haymitch catches the stick and yanks it away from him, which causes Lavash to yelp.

Prim jumps to her friend's defense. "He didn't want you to miss out on the food," she tells Haymitch. Lavash retreats to Prim's side, and she pats his shoulder. "I'm sure he didn't mean to scare you."

"I wasn't scared," he argues. "I just wasn't expecting him to wake up."

Lavash seems to be a timid boy. He was so brave when we were in immediate danger, but maybe his bravery was an act for Prim. Growing up with an abusive mother probably didn't help him overcome his nervous personality. He must have spent his childhood in fear of his mother, just like Peeta. Speaking of Peeta, he is so kind and gentle. How exactly are these two sweethearts the product of that awful woman?

I wait a few hours before bringing Peeta some food and water. He opens his eyes as I sit beside him, a small smile on his face. "What did you bring me?" he asks, noticing the food.

"Berries and water." I hold the canteen up to his lips so he can drink from it. "How are you feeling?"

He takes a small sip of water before replying. "Cold," he admits. "But not freezing."

I feed him two berries at a time. His hot breath drifts around my frozen fingers, warming them. I can't help noticing the way his tongue carefully takes the berries from me, as if he is afraid I'll disappear along with the food. "Peeta..."

"I'd feel better," he begins, patting the spot next to him, "if you were here beside me."

The berries are forgotten as I crawl into the sleeping bag with him. His arms are quick to encircle my body and pull me close to him. I can hear the steady beat of his heart as I rest my head against his chest. It's not long before I'm carried off into a peaceful sleep.