A/N: I'm glad MOST of you forgave me…so here's another NICE LONG CHAPTER IN RETURN FOR ALL OF YOUR KIND REVIEWS. (Starts Peeta's POV.)

I know that voice.

I told you he would come.

"Cato?" I turn to see the familiar man standing before me. "You came." I smile, getting up to run to him, though I cannot hold myself up and end up falling into his arms. ~

"Shh!" I hold him up and cover his mouth with my right hand. "You'll give us away before we even get out of the room. And of course I came! We have to go." We really have to go. I don't even have an escape plan after this. "Where do we go from here?" ~

"I don't know..." I whisper. "I think we're on the third floor though." ~

"Well, that may be a problem. There are probably people guarding every elevator and exit in this place. How am I even getting you out of this room?" I look down at him. "Are you okay now that I'm here?" ~

"I'm a lot better...Thank you." I rest my head on him. "If you keep that getup, you can say that they needed to move me somewhere else or something because of how I behaved in there...I'm sure you could make up some good excuse." ~

"Are you kidding? You saw how my dad saw right through me. I can't bullshit for my life...or yours." I hold him upright by the back collar of his shirt and walk him out the door. "Try your best to walk, okay?" ~

"I'll do what I can..." God, it hurts, but I take a step, two, one by one, and walk beside him, keeping my head down and walking as quietly as I can. ~

I take him out through the hallway, but when the path splits, I take him down the way I didn't come from. I saw no exits on the way to get him, so I wasn't about to waste my time with that. Then I think that I need some type of weapon so that we could fight our way out if we needed. So, instead of looking for some type of exit, I look for any room that could contain guns or the like. Anything is imperative now, because I'm sure they'll find out any moment that I escaped. "I missed you." I whisper to him, looking in the window of one of the rooms. Nothing. "And...and I thought you'd be too messed up to come with me. I was afraid you'd forget again." ~

"I sort of...kept myself sane by being insane." I laugh, limping along with him. "If that makes any sense."

You're welcome.

"Thank you." I say, before turning my attention back to Cato. "What're you looking for? Can I help?" ~

Is he still talking to himself? That poor kid. "Well, we're unarmed, so...we need something." I sigh. "I don't think we'll be able to get out without something. Do you remember passing by anything on your way here? Guns, knives, anything?" ~

I wish I could be more help. "No, I don't... I had four Peacekeepers with me, two on my sides helping me walk and one in front and one in back. I couldn't really observe if I tried." I sigh. "I'm completely useless here. I've only ever even seen the Capitol through clips of the Games every year." ~

"You're not useless...you just weren't anticipating me coming. It's fine. Let's just hope we don't get gunned down." We come across one of the elevators. No one's standing anywhere near it, though. It's just us. "Weird, there's no one here...should we...?" I gesture towards the door. "We can go in...do you think it'll be safe?" ~

"Maybe?" There could be people waiting. "If people see us...We may just have to lie. You'll have to try. And maybe hit me. Okay?" Not like I look forward it, but if it's between a slap and my life, I'll take the slap. I click the button to go down. It's our only option at this point. ~

When the door opens, I help him into the elevator and push a button to go down to the ground floor. "Last time I hit you, I knocked you unconscious." I remember all the blood coming out of the back of his head now. And I thought he was bad then. If only past-me could see Peeta today. The elevator stops and the doors open to a completely new floor. I've never seen it before considering I didn't wake up until about fifteen minutes before the torture. "Um...no talking, I guess." ~

"Just hit my face. It won't hurt too much." I nudge him, zipping my mouth closed as the doors open, following Cato's lead and glancing around. It's empty, for now. Almost too empty. ~

I whisper, "Which way should we go?" Every direction looks the same to me. "Do you think every floor layout is the same?" Everything in the Capitol seems...symmetrical. It can't hurt to think of each floor being the same. Maybe the exit will be in the same location on this floor as the torture room was on the third floor. "Come on." I drag Peeta down the hallway as quietly as I can, but his footsteps are always so heavy when he's limping. "Walk a bit more lightly." ~

"Sorry..." I whisper. "It could be. I wouldn't be surprised If it was. After all, everything in their Capitol had to be perfect." ~

We make many lefts and rights as I remember them (which isn't very well, considering my sense of direction). I was right-every floor has the same layout. I still don't know if I'm heading towards the exit or another nasty room. Just as I'm about to turn the corner, I see a few Peacekeepers by the door and pull Peeta back against the wall, slamming him a bit. "Sorry," I whisper to him, "but there are a few people over there. I haven't quite worked out a lie that would allow me to physically take you out of the building if this is the exit. Another room, yes, I'd be able to manage that. But why would I be ordered to remove you from the building?" ~

"Uh, uh..." I start going through excuses in my head, all pathetic. "They wanted me in a building closer to the execution site? Because it isn't this building, you know." I'd overheard a few of the Peacekeepers talking about it as they laughed at me one of the many times before today. ~

"I...guess that could work." I straighten up my posture and grip the collar of his shirt again. "Just...stop looking so happy. Make yourself crazy. I know you're dying to talk to yourself again. And if I hurt you, don't freak out too bad. Got it? Good." I don't even give him a chance to speak before I pulled him into the opening. Don't make eye contact. Eye contact is bad. Instead, I scan the room that we had just entered. I can see the exit right in front of me. Of course, it was easy to find, but it won't be easy to get out. They would never make something like this so easy.

As I head for the door, I hear someone say, "Where are you bringing that boy?" ~

I'm back.

"How convenient."

I'm only here to help.

"I appreciate it. And that isn't sarcasm, you know."

Oh, I know. I can tell. We're the same person, remember?

"How could I forget?"

I know it slips your mind sometimes.

"I'm not crazy."

You're talking to yourself.

"Because I have to."

Admit it, you enjoy my company.

"Not when you're acting like this." I pay no attention to the outside world. Only Peeta and I. ~

I remember what Peeta said to me and clear my throat. "I was ordered to bring him to the execution site for the night." I shake Peeta with my fist on the back of his shirt. "He...wasn't getting along the way we wanted on the third floor." It works, I think, because my voice is so hoarse from all the screaming and the silence. I haven't spoken normally in at least a day.

"He should always be escorted by at least two of us," he says, and I can hear him walking forward.

"I was told alone." Why alone? Shit. "You're all needed on the third floor, they said. It's important...about tomorrow." They need to go away. "Besides, he's out of it completely. I think I can handle it." ~

"But I don't want to die." I look up at Cato, my eyes lost and distant.

You're not going to.

"I know that."

Ah, playing the part well.

"You understand."

Of course I do.

"I don't." ~

I slap him in the face. Hard. "Be quiet, I'm sick of listening to you." I direct my next comment to the Peacekeepers behind me. "I'll repeat myself only once. You're all to report to the third floor immediately."

"We would've been paged." Stop being a fucking smartass.

"The boy from Two rampaged and destroyed his father's speaker." I laugh on the inside at the thought of that happening. I would've been beaten senseless if I did that. "These are direct orders."

Peeta's still talking to himself as I asked him to, so I shove him again. "I said stop." ~

My cheek stings, and my eyes well up a bit and I put my burnt hand up to hold my face. "Sorry."

You have nothing to be sorry about.

"I get that!"

Oh, oh, acting.

"You're stupid."

Which means so are you.

"Shut up!"

I'm definitely a bit insane if I'm having an argument with myself. But I ignore it. Because I'm a little mad at myself right now.

You didn't have to be such a jerk about it.

"I'm going to be a jerk if I want to." I huff, still cupping my cheek. ~

I look to the side. Most of them are filing out of the room. A few stick around and whisper things to each other, but they eventually leave. It's suspicious. Maybe they know, and they're just going to double check. They know Peeta's out and about, but they hopefully don't know about me yet. "Let's go, Mellark." I tug harshly on his shirt and drag him outside into the night. ~

As soon as we're outside, I whisper. "Well done." I don't change my face from that of madness, though, in case people are watching. My legs are in severe pain, but now that we're out here, I can't stop here. Not now. We've come too far already. "I can't believe this." ~

"Well done?" I ask, surprised. "I think they know. It couldn't have been that easy. Even if they were that gullible, I don't think we'll be safe for long, unless we go." I loosen my grip on him a little, but not completely. Just in case. "I can't believe it either...but I kept my promise. I told you I'd get you out." I turn to him and smile. ~

"That you did." I smile too, quickening my pace. "If they do know, then we just have to go faster than them..to do that, we need a plan. Where are we going?" ~

"I honestly don't know...but I think District Two is definitely out." I sigh at the thought of probably never seeing my home again. Then, I think of when Peeta had to leave District Twelve. Sure, people didn't like him, but it was still his home. "And I'm assuming so is Twelve." ~

"I would think so. I don't want to put my siblings in more danger...or my father." I think for a moment. "There is nowhere for us, isn't there?" With a sigh, I continue. "There are the other Districts, but they aren't the safest either... There is one thing that's possible, though." ~

His brothers that didn't even volunteer in his place. "What's possible?" It's hard to find a not-so-crowded street to walk down because people in the Capitol are always out walking around, even at night. That's rare even for District Two. "We need to find a place for you as soon as possible...I know you're hurt right now. I'll take anywhere right now." ~

"Past the Districts." I whisper. "Right by Twelve, there are woods. I've never been out in them, but when I'd look out my window at night, sometimes there would be smoke, or light." I see the look of bewilderment on his face. "I know it's a long shot, but we don't have much else. There could be something out there." ~

"Outside Panem?" That can't be possible. Something like that can't go undetected by the Capitol. "Even if something did exist out there, it took you three months uninjured to get to District Two. What if we get caught in that time?" I don't even know which way is east and which is west. ~

"Where else are we going to go that we won't get caught? Maybe people will see us on the way, but we just can't stay anywhere long." I get a little serious. "That's what got us here in the first place...me. But we have to go somewhere. And if there's something there, we have to try." ~

"Stop blaming yourself. We'll try, but I don't really know which way we're going." When we reach an alley way, I push him into it and pull the helmet up. I hold him up against the wall and kiss him intensely. "Just in case." ~

The kiss breaks off, and I'm left out of breath. "Of course...just in case." I pull him against me by the front of his garment and our lips meet again. ~

"We can't stay in this alley forever." I gently push him away and put the helmet down over my face. "But...that was nice." I smile and hug him. "So how do I look?" ~

"I wish we could." I give him a once over. "Honestly scary." I laugh. "Hard to imagine it's you." ~

Laughing, I ruffle his hair. "Really? You did seem afraid of me when I came to get you. Did you see the look on your face?" ~

"Oh god, I was afraid I'd slept so long that it was already time for my execution." I look at him nervously. "I was afraid you hadn't come! You scared me to death!" I laugh. ~

"Sorry...I didn't know if you had cameras in that room or not. But judging by your reaction to seeing me...I'm assuming none." He didn't have guards either. Maybe he wasn't dangerous enough to warrant one. I had one. He was an idiot, though. Maybe they wanted us to escape so that they could shoot us down while we're on the run. Or so that they have a better reason to do terrible things to us. They want a reason to torture us for another twelve hours. "I've come to bring you to your execution, Peeta," I joke. "No, you can't say goodbye to your boy. Never." ~

"Well, I don't think I'll need a reason to say goodbye now." I laugh. "You can't take me away!" I begin to run from him and stumble to my knees. "This does not decrease the impact of my almost exit!" ~

"It definitely does." I go help him up. "You're all mine, now. Let's go. Which way do we go? Do you remember the way to the place? We can retrace our steps towards District Two and then you can lead the way. Or we can just take a risk and go some other way." ~

"I'd rather be safe." I say, taking his hand. "When we get to District Two, I can get us to Twelve." ~

I look down at our hands and slide mine out of his. "No hand-holding, Peeta Bread." I laugh. "That would be a little too suspicious." ~

"Fine." I pout. "You still have to help me walk, though." ~

"Don't be sad, please. I just drugged some guy and stripped him so that I could save you." I put my arm around him to help support his legs as we go back out into the busy street. "Left or right?" ~

"Now you're stripping guys that aren't me? That makes me really sad." I joke, putting on a sad face. I'm honestly shocked no one has recognized me. Especially since the torture only finished an hour or two ago. "I think left. We have to keep on route near the execution site or they won't believe your story. So that's towards the center of the Capitol. The Square." ~

"Why do you seem to know more about the Capitol than I do?" I laugh and shake my head. "And don't joke about that! If I had made the snappy comeback I wanted to, you would've gotten jealous." We turn left and start to walk down the center of the street. Some people give us interesting looks, but I'm assuming they brush it off when they see me. With my face being partially covered and it being nighttime, they would have no idea it's me. Then I think: when they find out we left, would they broadcast it to the nation? I doubt they'd want people to think we've once again outsmarted the Capitol.

The Capitol is perfect.

But they'd want to find us, so wouldn't they want everyone to look out for us? If they find us, what the hell would even happen? Would they still plan on killing Peeta, as they wanted to because of the Games, or give him some fate worse than death? This thought keeps me moving, with Peeta limping along beside me. ~

"It's not the Capitol, it's any town! People usually move towards the center of the town, and there are lots of lights over there-so it's probably where the square is. The fact that they wanted to execute me there's just something I overheard." I say softly. "And I'm usually jealous anyway." I scoff. "It's just my nature. Sor-ry." ~

"Forget it. I learned my lesson. No teasing you." When it starts getting more well lit in the streets, I work harder to cover my face. "We don't look too friendly with each other, do we? That would be a dead giveaway. And I mean dead giveaway." ~

"Maybe... I think the arm around me is too friendly. Drag me more."

Do you need me now?

"No! I'll be fine."

Fairweather friend.

"You're me! I can't be friends with me," I say, blocking the voice out of my head. "Just act like a jerk. Pretend I'm someone else. Like, someone who was responsible for me dying, if I did really die...Does that make any sense?" I don't know if I make much sense anymore. ~

"Yeah, that makes sense..." I grab his hands and hold them behind his back, and kind of push him along the way. "But I know it's you, Peeta. I'm not going to willingly hurt you." And the voice in his head keeps coming up to talk to him. I wish there was a way to tell it go away for now. While still slightly amusing considering I'm only hearing half of the conversation with himself, it's still sad to see his brain so messed up. ~

"Would you rather me get beat up a bit by you, where you can control it, or risk me dying, and you can't do anything?" I didn't want it either, but of the two, I'd rather obviously get kicked around a bit.

Abusive relationship.

"I don't want to hear from you!" ~

"That's right, Peeta. Tell yourself to shut the hell up!" I shove him into the brightly lighted street that lies in front of us. We must be getting close to the city center. Some of these things are actually starting to look familiar. "Hey," I whisper to him, "is the train station around here somewhere? I think it is...maybe we can sneak onto a cargo train?" I don't know how plausible that would be, considering Peeta couldn't even take a train on his journey to my house. Or, at least he couldn't take it for a long distance. ~

"I don't know the map of the Capitol." I mutter. "Weren't you just here for the Victory Tour?" ~

"I was too busy thinking about you! I didn't care about this shitty place..." The Victory Tour feels like it was ages ago. I guess twelve hours of torture can do that to someone. Until he reminded me, I didn't even realize I was here only a few days ago. "Besides, I wasn't really out and about...but that's probably why these places look so familiar to me. I was only ever really in the Square, so I think we're close." Looking around, I see some familiar shops that sell ridiculously overpriced items. They sell the most pointless things, too. I'm used to seeing so many shops selling food and the occasional clothing store...but the Capitol goes overboard. They have shoe stores. Dress shops. Hair accessory shops. They even have a huge department store dedicated to hair. There's barely any food around. It's all concentrated in a few spots. But when you do run into a place that sells food, it's enormous. After all, the Capitol people eat so much, so such a large place would be fitting. "Should we take our chance with the train, or go on foot? You're frail and you look dead. Once again, no offense." ~

"Only if there's a train," I respond calmly. "If not, we take it as a sign not to take a train. Okay?" ~

"Alright." I start pushing him in the direction where I think the train station is. "Do you think they'll broadcast it when they find out we're both gone?" I say after a few moments of silence. "I mean, that would pretty much be warning us that they're on their way. They could be on their way now and we wouldn't even know it." I quicken the pace a little bit and kick the back of one of his legs when someone gives us a suspecting look. "We need to get somewhere fast. We...you need to sleep. You need a good sleep." ~

As he speaks, I hear a loud noise. "Was that a train?" I start to pull in the direction of the noise. "C'mon!" I look around desperately and see a very familiar machine about a block away. "Look...!" It's a black train car...plastered with the words "Capitol Coal". ~

"Peeta, your impulses aren't always the best thing to follow." I don't care if it's a District Twelve train. It has to be a trap. "Remember that one time you went crazy in the Games from killing someone? And when you decided to eat an unfamiliar berry? And when you showed up at my house unannounced? And when you decided to stay when I said leave? Yeah, all of those are choices that brought you here." He drags me along anyway. "Hey, watch it! I'm the one who's supposed to be walking you." ~

"Maybe it's luck, though. We haven't gotten much, so maybe now it's our turn. They couldn't have brought in a huge train from Twelve in fifteen minutes." I stop pulling. "It's not an impulse, it's hope." ~

"Peeta, stop!" I hold him back and turn him to face me. "Your hope can get us both killed! I'd like to at least make it out of the Capitol before that happens." ~

"Fine." I reply. "Then what do you suggest we do?" ~

I look back at the train. Maybe our luck has changed. Maybe. "How are we getting on?" ~

"Well...I found the train. I was hoping you'd have an idea on how to get on it." ~

"You did not find the train! It was pretty much in plain sight!" I push him along towards the train and look for a door. "Maybe I can hide you in a bag or something? Or...I don't know. I would probably be able to get on the train if I were alone, but with you here...I don't know." ~

"Then find a bag. I don't object... at least I won't have to walk." I smirk. ~

"They don't just have bags lying around. That's unsanitary."

The longer we stand around, the more likely we are to be caught by someone. We've already veered off from his place of execution. "It would've been so much easier if you weren't...you right now." My stomach rumbles. "And it would be much easier if we weren't hungry. I knew I should've taken that food." I continue to search the area for anything at all to hide him. ~

"They actually brought you food?" So I was right. They were trying to starve me, too. ~

"Yeah, but I didn't bother with it. I was preoccupied with getting you out." I find a door and look through the window. "No people. Just a bunch of boxes. Safe to go in?" I sigh. ~

"Worth a shot, isn't it?" ~

A/N: Now do all of you forgive me? REALLY? PLEASE. Review and maybe I'll do more nice things. ;D xx