A/N: Wow! Last chapter's response was unbelievable! I couldn't believe my eyes! Thank you so much for all your reviews, from new readers and the ones who just found the story. I have been trying to personally respond to all the reviews to show you all personally how grateful I am to know what you think but I have been giving priority to writing the story. I thought you guys would be prefer an update to a thanks haha. And for the guests to which I can't send a personalized reply I want to tell you I appreciate your support just as much. :) Enjoy!

Chapter 4

The party (continued)

"Have you enjoyed yourself so far?" I ask Prim as I finally get a chance to talk to her today.

"Oh, Katniss! They have so much food here!" she exclaims with her eyes wide in admiration. "I just wish I could wrap it all in my arms and take it back to District 12!".

We have plenty of food and I make sure Prim lacks nothing she wants so I know she's talking of all the starving families back home. Only Prim would be at party full of delicious things she's never tried before and be thinking of others who will never know what they taste like. And I make a mental note to make sure that I do something about that. I know there must be something I can do. I start feeling so guilty and I want to rip off this dress that must have cost a fortune and buy food for everyone. But I know it's not that simple.

I just give Prim a hug and tell her "I know, Prim. I wish so, too. But you have hungered enough in the past so you enjoy this alright?" and I try to smile.

She looks so beautiful tonight. I watch her as she gracefully walks back to the crowd to find Roy.

I see my mother from afar and I see her just sitting, holding a cup of punch, staring at something in the far distance or maybe just very deep in thought. I wonder what she thinks about all this. After her objection after the games that I was too young to have a boyfriend, she's never really said anything else about the whole thing. She never even complained about the marriage even though she knew it wasn't real and I am much too young. How much does she understand about what is going on? I regret that we have never been able to confide in each other and she doesn't know as much as she should in regards to my life. Heck, Haymitch knows more about me than she does and I must admit, it's my fault. I have decided to make him my confidante even though I don't know him for very long and he's an obstinate drunk, I trust his advice. He did save my life, though. I hope she can enjoy this sick twisted night, somehow rejoice that I have married a good guy, see the positive in it as she, and I must include myself too, never do.

I search the crowd for Gale. Surely, by now he must be feeling bad about the things he said and be thinking about making things right. I won't be home for weeks, except for the Reaping, and he won't have a chance to talk to me for possibly over a month. He wouldn't let this night go by without fixing things. Then I remember Haymitch's words. What if he doesn't? What will that mean? Shouldn't the Gale I knew be able to over look this for the sake of our friendship? I know I can't offer him the romantic love he wants, but he has always known that to be the case. I had always said I'd never marry. So, it's not like Peeta came and stole my heart. Or did he secretly hope I would change my mind one day? If he did, that assumption is not my fault and it isn't fair for him to hold me responsible. Haymitch is right. If he doesn't see it that way then maybe I have misjudged him, maybe he wasn't all I thought he was. The possibility only seems more probable as the clock ticks by and there is no sign of him. Is he still even here? I feel a pang in my stomach as it starts to dawn on me that one of the very things that remained the same even after the Games, might be gone, too.

I want to be angry at the Capitol and blame it on them, for making me marry Peeta but I know I can't. If Gale felt that way about me, it was a matter of time before it showed and it would destroy our friendship. This marriage only sped up the process.

My line of thought is interrupted as I see Peeta approaching me with a worried look on his face.

"What? What is it?" I rush to him.

"Shh... It's ok. Let's just go to our seats. I think the President is going to speak" he tells me and I welcome his hand as he leads us to our tables.

Sure enough, in minutes, President Snow is in the spotlight ready to speak. Everyone quiets down and awaits impatiently to hear what he will say.

He gives a sly smile to the crowd and begins to speak.

"What a happy occasion this is" he begins. "To have our favorite star-crossed lovers finally joined together in matrimony" and he motions towards us. A second spotlight lands on us and we give smiles to the crowd which cheers in agreement. "What new exciting events can we expect now from our loved Mr. and Mrs. Mellark?" he asks us and I see someone has handed a microphone to Peeta. Smart choice.

Peeta gives the crowd his winning smile and they are hanging on his every word.

"Well, we are so excited to finally be married" he begins and looks at our joined hands and raises them slightly above the table for everyone to see. "We are barely just getting used to the idea that now nothing can keep us apart and it's too wonderful to think about anything else, honestly" he answers.

Smart Peeta. The crowd melts in "aww's" at his words.

"But you must have some plans now that you are married?" he asks us and I can tell that Peeta's answer didn't satisfy him. I dread as I imagine what possibly could.

"Well, now we are looking forward to spending the next week together" he says caressing my hands and looking straight into my eyes. I laugh and pretend to be slightly embarrassed by the implication. He turns back to the crowd and continues. "Then we are excited for our first year of being mentors together and recently married. It will be a great experience" he finishes and I am once again marveled at how he can really look excited about this. He is so great at this. It's a good thing because I know I couldn't pull that off. I may have saved him in the games, but he saves me every day by saying the right thing for me. I am sure by now my mouth would have cost me my life.

President Snow keeps insisting Peeta says what I know he wants him to but Peeta cleverly avoids his peering questions every time until the crowd is getting suspicious at President Snow's insistence. But I know we are not off the hook. Not even close. Maybe for tonight we are but by the way he is looking at us I can tell this isn't over.

Finally everyone goes back to eating and dancing and has forgotten about the icy exchange between the President and Peeta but I know I haven't, and by the way he is holding my waist as we dance I can tell he is just as afraid as I am. I look into his eyes and see his eyes reflect what I am sure my eyes show, too.

My head is swirling with so many thoughts and I don't know how I am keeping it together.

It seems like my conversation with Gale was such a long time ago. I don't see him again that night. But I can't even think about what that will mean because all my mind can think about President Snow and his implications for future plans. I have a feeling I will soon find out.

I half expect to find him sitting in the car that will take me and Peeta away tonight. I sigh in relief as we get in and find it empty except for our driver. I am so exhausted, mentally and physically that I almost immediately fall asleep on Peeta. There is plenty of space for me to lay down on the seats of the long limousine but all I want is Peeta's comfort and the sound of his heart beat as he strokes my hair. Finally, I find some peace tonight, in his arms. As horrible as things are, in the wake of a possible rebellion, President Snow's plans for us, the upcoming Quarter Quell, the loss of one I thought was my friend, there is something unnervingly calming about being here with Peeta as his arms surround me in the promise that he will protect me. And I know it's not an illusion. He pulled us through tonight, didn't he? I relish in the thought that he will continue to do so and I am so grateful it is he the Capitol made me marry. They don't know the strength they have given me by pairing us together. And it is like this that I find sleep.

Hours later, I don't know how many, we arrive wherever it is we were supposed to go for our honey moon.

Peeta wakes me softly.

"Katniss, we're here" he tells me as my eyes flutter open. He brushes the hair away from my face and I don't even bother to fix it.

We step out to find ourselves in front of a resort in the middle of the mountains. The smell of pine hits my face and it is so perfect. I never thought I'd actually be happy to be here. But of all the places they could have picked I am glad it is here.

Peeta and I walk in hand in hand and check in as our driver follows with our things.

Peeta takes the key from the man at the desk and we step in the elevator. It feels like it takes forever to arrive to our floor and as the doors open I realize why. We must be in the penthouse as the sight from the glass walls is nothing short of breathtaking. In the moonlight I can see the forest stretching for miles and miles and, as tired as I am, I wanna get out of this sparkly red dress and run out into the trees.

Peeta comes to join me as I stand in awe, the glass against my face being the only thing keeping me away from the forest way down below. My breath must be staining the glass but I don't care.

I barely acknowledge Peeta next to me grinning from ear to ear as he watches me.

"I thought you'd like it" he says.

It takes me a minute to react.

Wait?

"What do you mean?" I ask finally looking at him.

He shrugs.

"I may have convinced a few people to get us this place" he says casually. "Effie was really difficult, though. She was convinced nothing but the beach would do" he says, looking out into the forest.

I am so happy I could kiss him right now.

Instead , I just close the space between us and give him a hug as tight as I can. I didn't think I could love anything about the next weeks, but I think I can even over look the cameras and the whole reason why we are here if it means I will get to spend the next week in the wilderness.

I laugh inside as I try to picture the cameras trying to follow me in the trees and I see there is more than one advantage to this location.

I only realize it once it's too late but I think I just kissed Peeta's cheek...

A/N: Soooo? What do you think? Oh, please, tell me! :)