Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own Mockingjay.

Ch. 53

My eyes hollowed out, my soul empty. I sat in the same chair. All day. Meals are served at the same time. People come in and go out at the same exact time. The only way things changed were if I got up and moved. But the second Katniss had left it was if I had died. Her being near kept some spark ignited inside of me, but now I didn't even get to watch her sing herself to sleep. Haymitch wasn't here either, which Dr. Aurelius said was a big cause to my "problem". It was only him, my doctor, and occasionally running into Johanna in the halls, hearing Annie screaming in another room. That was all the interaction I got.

Snow's mansion used to be the center of torture and pain, now all it held were the tortured and the pained.

It was a yesterday that Dr. Aurelius came to me, looking differently than he normally had. More positive, his eyes wider. It scared me because I only saw ghosts of people anymore. Dr. Aurelius was the only smile I got to see, and even that was rare. I knew he would be proposing something new, I just didn't know what.

"Peeta, you need to get out of here." He said. I was sitting in a different chair than I normally did. This one was stiffer, more uncomfortable. I couldn't quite seem to sit still.

"And go…?" I didn't look at him, instead I sat staring out the window. The sun shone brightly and a little bird was perched on a tree that had bright flowers on it. Someone once told me that the color of the flowers was natural, I hadn't decided if I believed them.

"Back home." He paused and looked at me for a second before going on, "Quite a few people have started moving back to Twelve. You have the money to build the Bakery back up if that's what you would like and I think it'd be best for you to start moving again. Sitting like you do will only cause your progress to reverse itself."

"Where would I live? My home was reduced to rubble." I still don't look at him even though I know he wishes I would. He probably couldn't tell what I was thinking right now, but neither could I. I didn't want him to jump to conclusions.

"Your home in Victor Village. You'll be near Haymitch and—" He stops himself short though I do know the name that was about to leave his mouth. "Look Peeta, Katniss has gotten worse. I talk to Greasy Sae every other day and she says that she never leaves her room. Haymitch is in a constant drunken stupor and Greasy can only do so much. Peeta I know you can handle your attacks. I've seen you do it before. And I have pills if it ever gets too bad. I know you'll be wary about this, but Katniss needs someone, she needs you." He stops, waiting for me to look at him, this time I do.

"Look, I'm not a big believer that one distinct person has some special powers with another person, but Peeta I think you're the only hope."

The second he had said that Katniss needed me I had already wanted to pack my bags. Just one thing held me back; would she actually let me help? I couldn't be asking questions though. I had to get going. She needed me.

"When can I leave?" Dr. Aurelius smiles, I almost return his favor, but decide against it. There was no happiness, yet.

"Tomorrow morning. Annie and Johanna are going back to Four."

I woke up early, earlier than I should have. It was a total of six hours until I had to leave and there was absolutely nothing to do. I gave up just trying to lie in bed and began to pace the room. Effie came in with her same old mantra, "It's going to be a big, big, big, day!" and towed me off to breakfast. From there I went to the Hovercraft. I would be home before 5 o'clock. I hadn't been to Twelve since I left for the Quarter Quell. I finally felt whole, in some parts. Other parts of me were still completely empty.

Dr. Aurelius gave me pills and told me to take them if I ever felt myself getting bad. He also told me to leave if I felt any thought against Katniss while she was in my presence. He said as she began to heal I would have to stay my strongest, if I attacked her while as my monster I could very easily kill her. I shiver at the thought of that.

Annie and Johanna accompanied me. Annie slept in another room in the Hovercraft. Johanna sat right beside me, one of her hands tight around her waist, almost as if she were holding herself together.

"I always hated Hovercrafts." She says to me as we take off. "First time I rode in one was on the way to the Arena, I can't not associate them with fear."

I knew what she meant, but I stayed silent.

"Annie's pregnant." She laughs and shakes her head, "Sometimes I get so mad at Finnick for leaving her like that, you know? I promised him I would take care of her if anything ever happened, but I can barely take care of myself. I think she'll be able to handle herself once she gets into routine. There's a lot of nice people in Four." I watch as a tear rolls down her face.

"You're not going to stay with her?" I ask her. My hand somehow finds hers. My relationship with Johanna had never been much, but we had seen each other at our weakest and I could tell she needed someone right now.

"I can't. They offered me a job in the Government and I can't give that up. And I don't know. I do want a family someday. Or at least a husband. I can't spend my whole life stuck in four because Finnick decided it was okay to die!" She stops, covering her mouth with the hand that was wrapped around her waist.

"Oh, you must think I'm horrible. I am? I'm horrible. Finnick was one of my closest friends, it's been hard." She begins to sob.

"I understand." I pat her back and hang onto her hand, we stay like this until we hear Annie joining us, only then do we act like everything is okay. It's not soon after that, that they are gone.

I'm left to myself.

Sorry I was gone so long! I was traveling and then recovering! I hope you can forgive me. Hopefully the last few chapters will be closer together. Which brings me to, I'm almost done! I still can't believe it!

Please REVIEW! It will probably make me want to write more! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! ~boywithbreadlover