I updated this chapter because I realized the timeline needed to be fixed to fit into the 30-day mark - also

I do not own the Hunger Games

Two days later, she was being checked by her mother. Peeta and Lionel hadn't allowed her to lift anything heavier than a pillow. They became full-time nursemaids, making sure she ate, rested, and did nothing else. River even attempted to cook dinner. Some things were successful, others were not.

The boys, as she began calling them, made the trek upstairs to share lunch with her these past two days. That was the highlight of each day. Before arriving at the bakery she hadn't had a day off since the time she'd gotten sick, and that was torture. Well, technically Katniss always had time off.

As much as she wanted to work straight after coming home from hunting, the boys wouldn't let her. They tend to hover over her like mother hens. Lionel, River, and Peeta insisted she rest after she came back from the woods. Peeta would make sure her bath was ready. Lionel would make sure she had a hot tea waiting for her, and River wouldn't let her come downstairs until she had eaten. Now that she was hurt they hovered even more.

Her mother took her hand. Katniss sighed.

"Are you and Peeta taking precautions when you have relations?" Her mother asked as she continued to check Katniss's vitals.

"Mom," Katniss whispered, not wanting to have this conversation with her mother, of all people. It was one thing to have it with her baby sister; it was another thing to have it with her mother.

Her mother chuckled. "I checked, you're not pregnant."

"Prim gave me tea," Katniss confessed.

"I thought she might have," her mother said. "But you still have to be careful if you're not ready for children. You're really taxed. Being overly tired and stressed causes you to be more susceptible to a pregnancy."

Despite not even having sex with Peeta her hands flew to her stomach.

"You're so adorable, the both of you. When I mentioned I'd have to prick your finger to rule out pregnancy, Peeta looked like he was going to faint. Your father was the same way too, in the beginning."

Katniss lowered her lashes not wanting to look her mother in the eyes. She didn't want her mother to see the truth. That she and Peta were glorified roommates. True, they shared a bed, but nothing happened outside of sleeping or talking.

"You know, I was a little disappointed when you and he decided to wait on having the Toasting. However, looking at both of you, I've come to think you've made the right decision."

Katniss's eyes flew to her mother's face.

Her mother cupped her cheek. "You're both approaching this marriage with honesty. Most couples rush into marriage with preconceived romantic notions. It is quite a harsh reality when they find out that marriage is more than just the carnal delight found between the sheets." Her mother blinked tears from her eyes. "It was hard for your father and I in the beginning. It took me a long time to adjust to life in the Seam."

Katniss never knew any of this. She always figured her parents lived a charmed life.

"Moving to the Merchant side isn't an easy thing to accomplish either. There are still many prejudices against folks from the Seam. I'd imagine the transition to a different way of life hasn't been easy. I suppose both of you made this agreement so that you can walk away should you decide it's too difficult."

"Mom, Peeta, and I…we-"

"Are a perfect couple and you're both so besotted with each other in the way that soulmates are," her mother said, checking Katniss's pulse.

Katniss blushed.

"Thankfully, your bruises are slowly fading. And the fatigue and dehydration are gone. Though I want you to continue drinking the tea. It's helping you recover." Her mother winked before she stood and left.

"Well damn," Katniss whispered.

That night, Katniss and Peeta had the house to themselves. Since Sunday, River had been sleeping upstairs just in case Gale tried something. Tonight, he finally left and it was nice to have the upstairs apartment back to themselves.

They were in bed lying on their respective sides of the bed, the pillow barrier was long gone. Each night they would ease their way closer to each other as they talked and fell asleep in each other's arms.

"You know, I enjoy that mid-day break. I didn't know my dad could be so funny." Peeta propped himself up in bed. He yawned but was trying to stay awake for her.

"I noticed you were tired when you dragged yourself upstairs. You used to yawn during dinner. I knew if you had a half-hour so that you could rest, you'd feel better at the end of the day." Katniss could see Peeta weigh her statement.

"My mom never let us have a break. It's why we work the way we do, but my mom is not the boss anymore. She hasn't set foot here since the day we married." He scratched his chin.

"I think your father has benefited the most. He's not the young man he used to be."

"Dad does take longer to do things."

"Peeta…" Katniss stalled before the words came rushing out, "Can I do the cooking tomorrow? My mother said I'm better rested. I am rehydrated, my swelling has gone down and some of the black and blues are fading. I can make something fresh for all three of you. And you wouldn't have to face another night of wondering will it be charred, raw, or limp."

"Katniss," Peeta sat up, about to argue why she shouldn't.

"Please," Katniss pleaded. Suddenly she did something she'd never thought she would do. She batted her lashes at him. Peeta turned pink.

"Alright, you can cook tomorrow?"

Katniss smiled shyly. "Is there anything you would like to eat?"

"I personally love your squirrel stew or a fried rabbit sandwich." Peeta lay down and his stomach rumbled. "I can't do another night of River's cooking."

"Sounds like you could use a snack now." Katniss got up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to make you a sandwich; you're still hungry."

Peeta grinned and sprang from the bed. Katniss laughed at his antics. He wiggled his eyebrow. "I said tomorrow, Katniss."

"What? I plan on making you nice and fat." Katniss giggled and tried to escape.

Peeta caught her and carried her bridal style back to bed. His hands gently explored her body. Katniss couldn't suppress the giggles that escaped whenever his light touch grazed one of her ticklish spots.

She usually hated being touched because she was extremely ticklish, but Peeta was careful with her. Katniss squealed when he touched an especially ticklish spot. She laughed so hard a snort escaped her.

That made Peeta laugh and it was music to her ears. She took advantage of his distraction and pounced on him, pinning him down and giving him a little taste of what he did to her.

He couldn't control his own laughter when she discovered he was ticklish on his left side.

Katniss won and made him the sandwich which he gladly ate as part of his punishment. At the end of the night, Katniss realized she enjoyed being touched by Peeta.

The next day, she squared her shoulders and headed for the woods. Peeta walked with her to the entrance. He didn't have to, but Katniss was grateful.

"Here," Peeta said, producing a wax-wrapped sandwich. "It's grilled cheese and tomato. I noticed you didn't eat breakfast and I thought you might get hungry out there."

It was these small things that made her heart twitter-patter in her chest. "Thank you."

"Good luck."

Katniss nodded. She went into the woods. Her hands shook as she gripped her bow and arrow. She was, frankly, scared. Katniss kept on expecting another confrontation. But she forced herself to find the joy in hunting and being outdoors again.

There was something sacred to being outdoors and seeing the changes in nature as the trees were speckled with oranges and bright hues of red. She breathed in deeply, the smell of the fall and all of its pungent glory filled her nostrils. Walking forward, she slipped into her second nature as she caught a few birds, a rabbit, and several squirrels.

When she exited the woods, Peeta was waiting for her. Katniss couldn't help the cry of joy that escaped her or the smile that appeared on her face when she saw him standing beneath the tree. She ran to him and he caught her, spun her around, and held her.

She was safe in his arms once again.

The following day, she couldn't go hunting, because it rained heavily and her Mother, her sister, and the Mellark men prohibited her from leaving the bakery. It was odd being taken care of, but it was sweet, and when it started to thunder in the afternoon, Katniss knew that they were right.

Katniss cleaned the bakery and often found herself watching as Peeta made sample recipes of baked goods for the fall festival. His hands were fascinating.

Her heart fluttered every time he walked into the room. Her cheeks became heated when he touched her hand or brushed her hair away from her face. There were times her insides would grow warm and mushy when he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

That night, they were preparing to go to bed and talking about the bakery. Prim was in the spare bedroom fast asleep.

"I got word today that the Capitol wants to get rid of the flour given in Tesserae," Peeta said, folding down the sheets. "I was thinking of buying some and seeing what bread I can make from it and maybe making it as an economy bread for the people who can't afford a higher priced bread. I thought possibly to enrich it with raisins or nuts to make the loaf heartier."

Katniss was slowly starting to realize just how much money went into making the baked goods they sold. "As long as you can keep the cost down, and make the price affordable for the people who can't buy the more expensive bread, it will be a great idea."

"You really think so?"

"I do."

"We never had to take Tessare out, but a lot of my friends did."

Living amongst the Merchants, Katniss realized their lives had different stressors. Keeping a business afloat was not easy and many families had to send their eligible child to take out Tessare.

"Tesserae flour is not as refined as the flour you get here for the bakery," Katniss recalled those days. The small monthly box they would receive didn't suffice for a family of three. At the 74th game's reaping, she would have had 20 slips in the bowl. When the president died and the games discontinued the government decided to give all of its workers a pay raise. The miners' raise was so significant that their weekly salary lasted longer. The quality of life changed and Tesserae was no longer needed.

"What does the flour look like?"

They were both in the bed by now, his window was opened, and the lights were turned off.

She thought about the flour that came in those packs. "It's grainy and harder to mix into bread. Most people made flatbreads or used it as a thickener for soups and stews. They also made dumplings with it."

"Thank you, that was very insightful." He reached out and lightly touched her hand.

Katniss felt electrical currents running up and down her arm. Heat poured into her cheeks and she was glad the room was dark. He rolled to her and she didn't waste time in settling her head on his chest. Listening to his heartbeat was as soothing as listening to a cool breeze filter through the trees in the woods.

The following night, Peeta came out of the bathroom. "You know, I don't know why I didn't figure out that green is your favorite color. I was shocked when you told me."

"Why do you sound so surprised?" Katniss was turning down the bed for the night.

"I should've known; you love the woods." Peeta began to toss the pillows on the chair.

"I do, there's something so freeing about being out there."

"You look so jubilant when you come back. Your smile is radiant. I love seeing you happy."

Katniss stopped what she was doing to savor his words. She cleared her throat, "Thank you for letting Prim stay last night. She enjoyed her hot bath."

"Katniss, your sister is family, and as long as your mother is okay with it, she can stay over any time she wants."

"Thank you. She's so excited about the festival." Katniss gave him a shy smile, as she sat on the bed not ready to get under the covers. She had a question to ask. "Maybe tomorrow night we can invite my family and your family for dinner together?"

"Really, you want to have dinner with your family and mine. Even my mother?"

Katniss sat crisscrossed on the bed. "I asked your dad, if your mother had plans. But your dad is coming. River's in and so is Carlton and his wife as long as River stays out of the kitchen."

"So after you go hunting, you're going to cook for all of us?"

"I was thinking of going fishing. It's getting colder outside and it will be nice to have fresh fish before it begins to get too cold to go out to the lake. A nice trout in butter and lemon with herbs, maybe some oven-roasted potatoes…ooh some fresh fall vegetables. My mother had some pretty yellow and green squash-"

"Katniss," Peeta called, interrupting her.

"Hmmm," She responded.

"You're making me kind of hungry."

Katniss laughed. "Would you like some tea or hot milk?"

"Let's make some hot milk. I have some cookies that no one has bought. We can dip them in the milk."

Together they made their way to the kitchen.

Peeta dipped his cookie into the milk. "What else do you like?"

Katniss was puzzled by his question. It must have shown on her face because he said, "I know you're deadly with a bow, but squeamish when it comes to injuries. I thought you were going to faint when you saw the blister on River's hand as you tended to him."

Katniss was embarrassed; she nearly threw up several times.

"I know you prefer honey over sugar in your tea. I know you hate getting up early, but do it anyway because the game you catch helps out everyone. By the way, Carlton would like for you to catch an extra squirrel. He wants to make a three-meat stew to freeze."

"Consider it done."

"But besides your favorite color and tea, I don't know what else you like."

"I like cheese buns." Katniss's mouth watered as she recalled the taste of the savory cheesy roll.

"Cheese buns?"

"Anything with cheese really. Prim makes the best goat cheese. In the Spring and Summer, she adds different herbs that make it taste unique."

"Okay, what else?"

"I like to read. I didn't have much access to books in the Seam. After Snow died, the government sent all of those books to the school. I used to pour over the books in the library during lunch. One time, I snuck one out and took it with me to the woods to read." Katniss said fondly. "To this day the Diary of Anne Frank is my favorite."

Peeta reached over to her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for sharing."

Katniss went to sleep and the next day the dinner was a great success. She caught Peeta speaking with Carlton. His cheeks were bright red. She figured Carlton said something inappropriate.

The following morning when she came home from hunting her spirits were low. Gale ruined all of the traps he had made for her. It began to downpour heavily and she wasn't able to catch much. She didn't want to say anything to Peeta or his family because she knew they would want to have a 'word' with Gale. Plus this happened outside of the district and there wasn't anything anyone could do.

Katniss wanted to cut out the middleman and go directly to the power behind Gale. Her old hunting buddy was as stubborn as a mule but there was one person in the entire district he never dared cross, his mother.

She took a shower, despite wanting a bath. It was busy downstairs and they needed her help. After she was dressed and feeling a little better, Katniss walked out of the bathroom and frowned when she saw a box on the bed. It hadn't been there when she walked in earlier. Curious, she walked up to it and saw a note.

"Please enjoy - Peeta."

Opening the box she squealed when she saw the books. She read out loud the titles as she picked up each book, "Catcher in the Rye, Pride and Prejudice, Of Mice and Men, Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre, A Christmas Carol, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Hobbit, The Fault in Our Stars, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, Jurassic Park, Night." She dug around some more and then her hands stopped and tears clouded her vision momentarily. In a shaky voice she said, "Diary of Anne Frank."

Within seconds, she was down the stairs. Like one of her arrows seeking its prey, she sought out Peeta. Finding him, she hugged him and placed small kisses all over his face. "Thank you for the books!" Katniss said, before hugging him and burying her face in his neck. His scent wound itself around her.

Peeta wrapped his arms around her, holding her. They both forgot they were in the front of the store. Peeta had been helping out patrons with their purchases.

"Oh young love," one of the women sighed. She turned to her husband, "Why don't you do nice things for me?"

The husband replied, "Start kissing me like that and I'll give you the moon."

Monday Katniss was with her sister. They were putting the books away on the shelf the boys made. It had taken them all day yesterday to put three shelves up; shelves that fell to the floor by themselves. Katniss chuckled. All four of the Mellark men were experts with pastries and bread, but between them, they could not figure out how to properly saw a piece of wood. Katniss and her sister ended up finishing the project this morning.

The bakery was only open half-a-day today as they were making the final prep for the fall festival. Peeta and his brothers were downstairs putting the final touches on the items they were going to sell. Prim was staying over tonight.

"Where do you think Peeta found all of these books?"

"I don't know Prim, but they magically appeared from one day to the next."

"They must have cost him a lot of money." Prim carefully touched one of the books with a paper cover.

"Prim," Katniss sat down on the bed. "Do you think we'll be together when this is over?"

Her sister spun around. "You haven't had the talk about what happens with him yet?"

"No," Katniss said, embarrassed. "We talk every night, but not about the one subject we need to talk about." She really did care about him in a way that was different from the love that she felt for her sister.

"Katniss, you can't avoid this talk forever. Your 30 days are almost over and if you don't have this talk with him he might not want to have a Toasting with you. Then you'll never know unless you ask him what he wants."

"I know, I know I should have the talk with him and ask him what he wants and how he feels about sex. But sometimes I just like being kept wrapped up, talking about other stuff with him instead."

"Like what?"

"Everything," Katniss shrugged. "We've talked about everything I can imagine, even the mundane things like the weather. We've talked about the future of the bakery…you."

Prim rubbed her face. "Vick said you weren't going to chicken out."

"Gale's baby brother?" Lately, her sister mentioned Vick increasingly in her conversations."

"By the way, Vick said his mom was livid when she learned you reported Gale to the Peacekeepers. She expected you to resolve your issues with Gale on your own. Mom was fit to be tied. She told Hazelle to shut up because she didn't know the truth, only Gale's side." Prim shelved a book.

Katniss sighed heavily. She knew Hazelle was a no-nonsense kind of mom, who appreciated honesty. Katniss could only imagine what tall-tale Gale told his mother. Hazelle was madder than a hornet's nest when Darius showed up. "So you're spending a lot of time with a boy who is two years younger than you."

Her sister turned red. She had a guilty look on her face, much like her cat Buttercup did that one time he drank the goat milk Prim needed to make cheese.

"What's going on between you and Vick?"

"Nothing, I can only talk to him in school because mom prohibited me from going to the Hawthornes's. I know Vick's so young, but he's so different from his brothers…he's just a friend. " Prim trailed off. "He was mad when he overheard Darius tell Gale that he hurt you."

"You like him?"

"No!" Prim was quick to say. Katniss watched Prim's cheeks pinken.

"You know what they say, when there's smoke there's fire," Katniss said, enjoying how the shoe was finally on the other foot.

"The same could be said of you and Peeta. I mean, look at all these books he got you. Something is there."

Katniss wasn't sure. They were growing closer, but she didn't know what it was between them. It could be friendship or a type of camaraderie; they were allies. Though lately, she wanted to be kissed and touched. She wanted to know what 'IT', was like. Did she simply lie there while he stuck his appendage inside? Was it supposed to feel good? Would she feel those electrical currents like when he placed kisses on her forehead or when he touched her hand? Katniss wasn't sure, but she did not want to discuss these things with her baby sister.

Katniss picked up the Diary of Anne Frank and clenched it tightly against her chest.

Prim sat by her. "I sound like a broken record, but I am going to say it again. You need to talk to him, and you need to do it as soon as possible because in 9 days there are only three possible outcomes. You keep on living like this, which I don't think will go well with everyone. You have a Toasting with him and really become man and wife. Or, he lets you go and you separate. If you two separate you know there are those who have the same mindset as Gale who will try to take advantage of you or Peeta, and others who will shun you."

Katniss knew that what Primrose said was true. All this time she'd been trying to make herself fit into the Mellarks' life, instead of being a brave woman and speaking her mind. She needed to put her fears aside and talk to Peeta about them as a couple. Tell him about her desires and make him choose whether or not he wanted to be with her, a girl from the Seam.

Katniss would accept his decision but she hoped Peeta would choose her, just like she'd chosen him.

This is the next story I'm going to finish up. Fletcha is already finished and in the hands of Jrosely. I'm thinking of working on another story at the same time. I asked on Tumblr and the choices are.

Katniss Everdeen is Not a Stalker

Hate to Love You

The Hybrid