Katniss

We sit in silence for about five minutes, the only noise coming from my sobbing mother and sister. I look at my father and find him with his head in his hands, shaking. I turn to Haymitch, who has a pained expression on his face. "Why?" I whisper, trying to be strong and holding the tears in.

"I don't know, Sweetheart," he whispers back.

"A-and you," I stutter and he shakes his head.

"It won't be me going back into the arena," he says, "We both know Peeta is going to volunteer."

That's when the tears start to fall. Peeta… "Haymitch, you can't, I mean…" I look at my family and realise I can't say anything in front of them. I can't say it's your turn to save Peeta because they'll know I'm not coming back.

"I know," he whispers, reading my mind. "I, uh, need a drink." He stands up and heads to the front door.

"I'll come too," I say, looking back at my family before walking out after Haymitch.

We arrive at his house and the first thing Haymitch does is grab a drink. "What are we going to do?" I ask, quietly.

"Isn't it obvious?" he replies.

"You and Peeta will go into the arena, he'll try saving you, and you'll try saving him!"

"And there's no way for us both to get out alive this time," I say.

"Maybe, it's possible… But probably not," Haymitch slurs.

"And I actually thought we could settle down."
"Are you serious? You wouldn't be able to settle down if you were a mentor. Looks like all three of us are going back to the Capitol," he frowns.

I sigh and snatch the bottle off him, shoving the liquid down my throat.

"Hey!" Haymitch moans like a child.

I ignore him and take more and more gulps, the white liquid burning my throat. "Fine," he huffs and takes another bottle of alcohol out of his cupboard.

We stand, leaning against the kitchen counter until we're too drunk to stand. "I wonder why Snow wants people to vote for their favourite dress- there won't be a wedding," Haymitch mumbles.

"Me and Peeta are already married anyway," I sigh.

"What? When? Why?"

"Peeta and I had a Toasting a while after trying on my dresses. We new the Capitol didn't do toasting's so we just… did it," I reply.

"Cool," he slurs. "You love him?"

"Yeah. It's Peeta, who doesn't love him?"

"You have a point," he says.

"I wonder how Peeta is feeling about all of this," I mumble before gulping down some more liquid.

"He's probably only think about you, as usual," Haymitch replies.

"Probably," I mutter. "I'm going to go check on him."

I walk out the door and head to Peeta's house, except in my drunken state I don't know which house it is- they all look the same. I settle on the house next to Haymitch's and knock the door. My father answers with puffy red eyes. "Oops! Wrong house!" I giggle before a wave of sickness goes through me.

My knees fail and I nearly drop to the floor but my father catches me, nearly knocking the drink out of my hands. "Watch the drink!" I slur.

"Katniss…" my father whispers in a pain-filled voice.

"I'm tired, I feel sick, I want to go see Peeta, I'm tired," I repeat, before bursting into tears. "I'm going back in," I sob.

Without another word my father lifts me into his arms. He walks up the stairs and before I close my eyes I notice my mom and Prim sobbing in the corner of the hall.

He places me on my bed, takes my shoes off and the bottle out of my hands before tucking me in. Being treated like a baby upsets me even more and the tears swim down my cheeks. My father kisses my forehead before leaving the room. I turn on my side and close my eyes. "Peeta," I sob. "Peeta…" I fall asleep.

I'm back in the arena, sneaking through the woods looking for something- or someone. I hear a noise and duck behind a tree before popping my head out. It's Peeta. "Peeta!" I grin, jumping out of my hiding spot and into his arms.

"Katniss, why did you run off like that? I thought you left because you didn't love me!" He yells.

"Of course I love you," I reply but he shakes his head.

"You don't. You hate me, you wish you didn't pull out the berries because now you have to live with me!" he yells.

"I do love you!"

"You don't! That's why I'm going to go, I'm going to leave you," he cries. I grab his hand but he's already walking away.

"No!" I yell and try to run after him but my feet are frozen. "No!"

Then I see Cato coming out of the trees and then Foxface. They smirk at me before running at Peeta. "Peeta!" I yell. "Look out!" …But I'm too late.

Cato stabs my Peeta and he drops to the ground. Foxface let's out an evil cockily laugh before disappearing up a tree. Cato runs off into the forest while I stay frozen, watching Peeta die. "Don't leave me," I sob. "Don't go!" I un-freeze and drop to my knees. "I love you!" I yell and crawl over to Peeta. I've just reached him when he disappears. A cannon goes off.

I bolt upright screaming. "No!" I drop my head into my hands and cry. I hear someone run into my room and put their arms around me. "It was only a dream," my father says, rocking me back and forth.

"It was so real," I hiccup. "I don't want to go!"

"Ssh! I know," my father whispers and I feel a cold liquid drop onto my arm. He's crying. I've never seen my father cry, except for when I volunteered for Prim.

"I-I… Peeta! Is he okay? Is he hurt! I need to see him," I sob. "I want Peeta."

My mother rushes into my room followed by Prim. "Go get Peeta," my father orders and I hear them run off. My father rubs his hands up and down my arms, trying to warm me up. I hear loud and familiar footsteps running up the stairs and I look up. Peeta runs into my room and I leap into his arms. "Please don't go!" I sob.

"I have too, Kat," he whispers. "Who else will look after you?"

"I can look after myself!" I sob.

"I know you can but I need you too," he whispers.

"Why? Why did Snow do this?" I cry.

"Ssh! I know, I know. We all hate him and you know what?" he asks.

"What?"

"You're going to win. You are going to come out of that arena and you're going to kill him," he whispers.

"Not without you," I sob.

He lifts me and places me on my bed. Through my tears I see my father walk to the door and stand next to Prim and my mom. "Why did he have to do this?" I repeat. "W-we just got married and h-he has to ruin everything!"

I don't care that my family can hear me, I don't care that they know Peeta and I are married. I have other things to care about.

"I know," Peeta cries, his own tears starting to fall. "But we are going to train like the Careers, your mom can put us on diets, your father can help us, we'll even listen to Haymitch!"

I nod and we lay there, holding each other. My family goes back to bed and try to sleep but I bet they don't sleep a wink. Peeta and I cry together, he whispers ideas and tells me over and over that we'll kill Snow. And the last thing I think before I fall asleep is: I am, I am going to kill Snow and Peeta will be by my side, helping me.

REVIEW!