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I do not own the Hunger Games nor its characters.

Chapter Forty-Three

I barely sleep, just nodding off every now and again. Katniss hasn't gone looking for Peeta straight away, which is a smart move as I can see that the tributes from 2 are out hunting. They were ecstatic at the rule change, although I sense that Clove was happier than Cato. I think it's clear who would have won if they had been the final two.

I'm still dubious, however. The Gamemakers have never bent to the will of the crowd before, despite how attached the audience can get to some tributes. There are always rumours of rigging the arena to suit a certain tribute, many of which I can testify to, but I suppose there's never been call for two winners before. I should feel a sense of pride but it has yet to make an appearance.

Almost as soon as Katniss is awake she begins her search for Peeta, lighting a fire halfway, I'm guessing to distract the Careers but it's hard to say if they'll fall for that trick, again.

An hour or two later she begins to follow the stream and notices Peeta's dried blood on the rocks. She's so close, all she needs to do is find him! He's so well hidden that even I'm struggling to find him and I know where he is.

"Peeta! Peeta!" She says in to air but there's no response. She begins to turn away when Peeta suddenly speaks up.

"You hear to finish me off, sweetheart?" I bet he thinks he's hysterical mimicking me like that.

"Peeta?" Katniss whispers, "Where are you?" She moves slowly along the bank, almost treading on his hand. "Peeta?"

"Well, don't step on me."

She jumps back and immediately begins to examine how he's camouflaged himself. "I guess all those hours decorating cakes paid off."

"Yes, frosting. The final defence of the dying."

"You're not going to die."

"Says who?"

"Says me. We're on the same team now, you know."

"So I heard. Nice of you to find what's left of me."

Katniss instantly launches in to a plan about how to clean him up but he tells her to lean in first so that he can tell her something. It's impossible to hear what he says but they look so close they could be kissing. I just hope he's reminding her that she can't pretend not to be in love with him, now. This rule change has been for them and they need to give the audience a show.

Katniss giggles as she pulls away from him and then begins an attempt at cleaning him up and treating his wound, which involves a lot of disgusting pus. The whole thing is very sweet and it shows she cares for him but it's not exactly the reunion the Capitol would have been expecting. They haven't even kissed, yet. This is cute but we need hormonally charged lust if they want to get home. The prices of gifts are increasing so I have to be even more careful than before with what I send them.

"What's next Dr. Everdeen?" Asks Peeta, playfully. The way he talks to her is so full of love that I just want to shake Katniss in to realising his feelings for her. She just thinks it's all a game.

"Maybe I'll put some of the burn ointment on it. I think it helps with infection anyway. And wrap it up?" She does as she says before pulling out Rue's rucksack and handing it to Peeta. "Here, cover yourself with this and I'll wash your shorts."

"Oh, I don't care if you see me." Yeah, I bet you don't, young Peeta.

"You're just like the rest of my family," she snaps, "I care, all right?" I'm hoping that this unusual innocence to her character suggests to the audience that she's just embarrassed by her feelings for Peeta in front of the camera, otherwise they're going to want to know why she isn't desperate to get him naked. She seems to be doing everything she can to ruin my plan!

"You know, you're kind of squeamish for such a lethal person," he jokes, "I wish I'd let you give Haymitch a shower after all."

I laugh before quickly stopping when Katniss asks Peeta what I've sent him. When he says nothing I do feel a pang of guilt. He's been bleeding out for days and I haven't sent him a single thing, not even food. No, this is what he wanted. Anyway, I can help them both, now.

"Why, did you get something?" He asks.

"Burn medicine. Oh, and some bread."

"I always knew you were his favourite," says Peeta, which annoys me, slightly.

"Please, he can't stand being in the same room with me."

"Because you're just alike."

Are we? I think back to Finnick in the Sponsorship Room when I called Katniss cold and calculating; he said that I'd just described myself. I can't deny that we are similar, we both grew up in the Seam and understand the need to provide for your family but I don't know about anything else. I try not to dwell on it too much, whether we're similar or not I need to find a way to get both of those kids home.

Katniss allows Peeta to sleep while his clothes dry and just as I'm about to get up in search of some food a brightly coloured Effie comes running in. Well, a version of running, she can only take small steps in those ridiculous shoes.

"I've just been giving interviews on how sweet Katniss and Peeta are together!" She squeaks.

"Oh no, what did you say?"

Her eyes narrow but I can tell that she's still eager to show off. "I said that it's just lovely that they can finally be together after thinking the worst for weeks. And I also thought it was cute how Katniss is trying to fix him up, she's really looking after her man! I think she might love him as much as he loves her, you know."

I lower my voice, "Do you think people are annoyed that they're not all over each other?" I know Effie's head is mainly full of fluff but she does have moments of showing some intelligence. I don't trust her completely but after nine years, I feel I know what I can and can't say to her.

Clearly she's thrilled that I want know her opinion so she moves a little closer and whispers, "Well, some of my friends have been curious but I think, on the whole, they just think that Katniss is worried about him dying. They've only just met up, I'm sure all of the hanky panky will begin when he's better rested!"

I have to laugh at the phrase 'hanky panky,' it's always seemed like such a strange saying to me. I ask Effie to mind the station for an hour while I go shower and get some food, which she's more than happy to do.

When I get back I find that Katniss and Peeta have moved a little further downstream in to a cave. Katniss is building some sort of fort out of leaves and vines to conceal it but I can see that the other tributes are on the other side of the arena.

"Katniss," says Peeta and she walks over to him, brushing the hair back from his eyes in a way that could convince anyone that they really are a couple. "Thanks for finding me."

"You would have found me if you could," she says.

"Yes. Look, if I don't make it back-"

"Don't talk like that. I didn't drain all that pus for nothing."

"I know. But just in case I don't-"

"No, Peeta. I don't even want to discuss it," she snaps and puts a finger on his lip to quieten him. I know she knows that the cameras are on her but something about the sterness in her voice makes me wonder if she does care for Peeta, even if it's just because he's from 12. She may be calculating but she's not void of emotion.

"But I-," Peeta begins, again but Katniss stops him by quickly placing her lips on his and kissing him. Finally! It's not as passionate as I would like but, hey, at least I have something to work with, now!

"You're not going to die," she says, pulling up the sleeping bag around him. "I forbid it. All right?"

"All right," he says and I'm sure he's still in shock.

Katniss steps out of the cave for a moment and this is where I test just how similar we are. This is when I see if she truly understands me. I click on the catalogue icon and find the cheapest bowl of broth I can before sending it in to her. This is only meant to be a sign, the more she gives me the loved up teenager the better the gifts will be because I'm sure we'll have sponsors desperate to give money to them. They can say that they sponsored the first ever couple to win the Hunger Games.

She opens the package expectantly but her face soon turns sour when it's not the gift she hoped for. I know she's understood me when she goes back in to the cave and tries to act smiley saying, "Peeta! Peeta, look what Haymitch has sent you."

The cheery girl from the Opening Ceremony and interviews has finally reappeared as she tries to get Peeta to eat. She's covering him in kisses and pleading with him to eat but it takes an hour for him to drain the bowl.

As the night goes on the pot of sponsorship money slowly increases and I allow myself to feel a little more confident about getting them both home, although I know that the medicine Peeta so desperately needs will wipe out our funds. I want to support him but I can't be stupid; Katniss is still the one we need to get home.

Mags comes and keeps me company for the rest of the night, although I tell her a woman of her age should be sleeping in a bed. This, of course, gains me a crack across my calf from her cane.

"She's special that one," Mags says.

"I know but she's so infuriating! She just refuses to do as she's told or go along with any sort of plan that isn't her own."

"Not unlike someone else we know," she teases with a gummy smile and I haven't the energy to argue. "You sleep, I'll watch."

When I wake up Mags has been replaced by Chaff who is sipping away at a glass of wine. I look to the screen to see that Katniss is sitting next to Peeta, telling him about when she bought a goat. I ask Chaff what's going on.

He smirks, "He wanted her to tell him a story. Young love is so soppy." I agree.

"You can get going if you want, you must have been here for ages."

"It's okay, I've got nothing better to do and Katniss is strangely fascinating."

I guffaw as I sit up and check our sponsorship money, it's up from yesterday and now that everything is so expensive I'm glad that I've spent it sparingly. I suggest that Chaff go and help the older mentor who is helping Thresh but I get the distinct impression that there's no love lost between the two of them so I let it drop. Besides, it is nice to have company and I seem to have been Mr. Popular this year.

Suddenly, the trumpets sound and Claudius Templesmith's voice is heard across the arena inviting everyone to a feast but this is no ordinary feast. Apparently, each of the tributes needs something and they'll be able to get it at the Cornucopia at dawn tomorrow.

Surely they're trying to tempt Katniss with the medicine for Peeta and I think she could do it but, no doubt, Cato and Clove will be there and they'll be out for her blood.

"No," says Peeta to Katniss, as if reading my mind. "You're not risking your life for me."

"Who said I was?" She asks.

"So you're not going?"

"Of course I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato and Close and Thresh? Don't be stupid. I'll let them fight it out. We'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there."

"You're such a bad liar, Katniss. I don't know how you've survived this long." This begins an argument between the two as Katniss is eager to go but Peeta is threatening to follow her and thereby slowing her down, risking both of their lives.

"Then you have to do as I say," she says, "Drink your water, wake me when I tell you, and eat every bite of the soup, no matter how disgusting it is!"

Peeta agrees and does indeed eat all of the soup that Katniss has prepared for him. He's given so much up for her and just when he has the chance to live it looks like he's going to come good on his promise to die for her.

"I can't let this happen," I whisper to Chaff. "He has to come home."

Katniss goes outside to wash up the pans and I send her in a parachute with a small vial of sleep syrup. It's a common remedy in 12 to put patients to sleep and with a healer for a mother I'm sure she'll recognise it straight away.

She tests it out before mashing it up in a bowl with some other berries and mint and returning to the cave.

"I've brought you a treat," she says to Peeta, "I found a new patch of berries a little further downstream."

He takes a mouthful and frowns. "They're very sweet."

"Yes, they're sugar berries. My mother makes jam from them," she really is a bad liar, "Haven't you ever had them before?"

"No but they taste familiar. Sugar berries?"

"Well, you can't get them in the market much, they only grow wild." She's almost got the whole lot down his throat now.

"They're sweet as syrup," he pauses. "Syrup." His eyes widen in realisation but Katniss is too quick and holds his nose and covers his mouth, forcing him to swallow. He tries to make himself sick but he's already falling asleep.

"Who can't lie, Peeta?" She says and I know that the whole country must be going ape right now. She's going to risk her life for him the way he did for her. It's as if they really are in love