I'm not sure how long I sat out there wallowing in my pity, but eventually, I head back towards the fence. I've just cleared it, moving around the small abandoned shed when someone clears their throat behind me.

"Peeta! Finally!" Katniss's arms come around my waist, hugging me.

"Katniss? W-what are you doing here? Where's Delly?"

"Rye showed up while we were shopping and I didn't want to interrupt their time together. They offered to take everything back to your house so I could come look for you."

"You left those two alone in that house?" I run my hand through my hair. "I'm going to have to clean every surface," I grimace.

"Why?" Katniss furrows her brows, her eyes wide and innocent. She seems to realize what I mean though because her expression turns horrified. "Oh. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Let's- Katniss?"

I wanted to get her as far away from here as possible but she's wandered over closer to the fence. "Katniss, the house is this way." She keeps moving towards the fence, curiously eyeing the other side. "Katniss?"

"Is that the woods?" She finally glances back at me.

"Oh, yeah," I say, trying to keep my voice casual. "We're not allowed past the fence though."

"I thought they were supposed to be electrified to keep animals out," Katniss says. "At least, that's what they told us back home."

I'm sure they did. "I guess they haven't gotten around to fixing it."

"Ever been on the other side?" Katniss asks, tracing her finger along the fence.

"We're not allowed to."

Katniss looks up at me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye and it tightens something in my chest. "I won't tell if you don't."

She ducks down through the hole that Gale and I always use, popping up on the other side and walking further towards the trees.

"Katniss!" I hiss, trying to get her attention, but she's either ignoring me or she doesn't hear me. "For fucks sake." I duck after her through the fence, running as best I can to catch up. "Katniss!"

She finally freezes when she gets through the first row of trees, opening up to a small clearing where it extends for miles and miles, clusters of trees and mountains as far as the eye can see.

"Katniss, we have to go back," I say, gently tugging on her arm, but she doesn't move.

"Wow," she breathes. "I've never seen anything like this in real life. Only in pictures." She scans the sight in front of her in awe.

Despite the possible danger, I can't help but smile because I had the same reaction the first time I ever came out here.

"Have you ever seen something so beautiful?" She asks, turning towards me. With the way the sun had started to set to create a halo behind her, the wind blowing her hair creating cracks in the perfect image Katniss usually seemed to present, it was a marvelous sight.

"No. Not until now," I say. Because in that moment, it was true. Katniss was beautiful, her gray eyes so full of life in a way Snow's would never be. I knew now that whenever I thought about the scenery these woods provided, and the beauty of it all, Katniss would be a part of it.

Katniss blushes, looking away, but something else catches her eye. "What's this?"

I had been so distracted by her that I didn't notice Gale's bow sticking out from his hiding spot in the hollowed trunk of one of the trees. He had a couple more scattered throughout the woods just in case.

"That looks dangerous, and we don't know where it's from," I say. "We should head back."

Katniss observes it closely. "It's really well made." She reaches back into the trunk, pulling out an arrow.

"Katniss, you're going to hurt yourself." I step forward to try to grab it but she moves it out of my reach. I'm going to kill Gale for being so reckless.

"There's nobody here. It'll be fine. I just want to try, please?" She pleads. "Grandfather would never let me try anything he thinks could be remotely dangerous.

Considering her clumsy nature, I could see this going horribly wrong, but she looks so excited to try something she otherwise wouldn't get to that I can't deny her. "Fine. One arrow. But then we're putting it back and leaving."

Katniss squeals, knocking the arrow and pulling back the bow. "I saw them do it like this in the games," she says when I raise a brow at how she knows how to do this. She aims for a squirrel that happened to stop several feet away and I try to hold back my laughter at her ambitious nature.

But before I can blink next, the arrow is somehow sticking out of the squirrel.

"I did it!" Katniss says, running towards the dead squirrel. I follow quickly behind, completely shocked.

Katniss seems to think it's no big deal and she lifts the arrow with the squirrel hanging off the end.

"Right through the eye," I marvel. "How?"

Katniss just shrugs. "Must have been beginner's luck."

I shake my head. This was no luck. Katniss really had a natural talent. And I told her so.

"It's not like I'm going to ever do it again," she rolls her eyes with a smile. SHe frowns though when I pick up the dead squirrel. "What are you doing with that?"

"We need something for dinner."

"We're going to eat it?" She says, shocked.

"Yeah," I smirk at the look on her face. "Great source of protein in the district."

Katniss and I had the squirrel she shot for dinner, and we invited Haymitch but he didn't want to join us. I thought it would be awkward, just the two of us, but Katniss rattled on and on about the woods and whatever else came to mind, asking me all sorts of questions, saying she wanted to know everything about me. If I was being completely honest, I was enjoying learning more about her too.

That night, the nightmares kept me up. I had a hard time sleeping on the train but I thought I would feel better now that I was home, but it had only gotten worse in the couple days I've been here and being pretty much alone hasn't helped either.

So here I was, at the crack of dawn, even earlier than what I would consider baker's hours, making bread in my too large kitchen.

I'm just taking out my first batch of cheese buns when I hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Peeta?" Katniss' voice is sleepy. She's barefoot, in a nightgown she must have gotten with Delly yesterday.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry. I've been told I have a loud walk," I say. Putting down the tray.

She shakes her head. "No. It was actually the smell. It smells really good," she admits. Her face turns concerned when she takes a closer look at my face. "Have you been sleeping?"

I consider lying but the evidence is so clear on my face. "Not really."

Katniss studies me for a moment. "You're having nightmares, aren't you?" Off my look, she takes my hand. "Come on."

She leads me to the sofa, pulling me down next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," I admit. I don't think I could tell her about the things I see. They were because of her grandfather after all.

Luckily she doesn't push. "Okay." So instead, she scoots over, tugging me down until my head rests in her lap.

"What are you doing?" I say.

"You haven't been sleeping, Peeta," Katniss says. "Now you might not want to sleep, but at the very least, rest a bit. Baking bread at this hour is only going to make you more tired. I don't want you to collapse."

"I'm fine," I insist, but I can already feel my eyes drooping. I should move away, but the way she's running her hand through my hair is lulling me to sleep.

"Mmhm," she says, continuing her motions. I can't remember the last time I felt, I don't know…cared for? How pathetic was it that I grasping for that feeling from Katniss.

And yet, I feel my body start to relax and even though I try to fight off sleep, it comes anyway.

When I open my eyes, I feel much more rested. The sun is up now, and I feel warm and comfortable. I tilt my head, trying to remember what happened when I realize my head is still on Katniss' lap. I push myself up and am about to apologize when I notice the light snoring next to me. Katniss is slumped over the arm of the sofa, using her own arm as a pillow. She must have been tired from the early morning too. I didn't want to wake her up so I slowly moved off the sofa, taking the blanket on the other chair, draping it over her. She lets out a sigh, a small smile gracing her face.

I leave her there, getting back to the kitchen to finish up baking. Once the last batch comes out, I put a couple of cheese buns on a plate and go to wake up Katniss.

I sit next to her sleeping form and place a hand on her shoulder. "Katniss?"

She frowns, swatting my hand away. I chuckle, moving her hair off her face. "Katniss."

She mumbles something, her eyes blinking open. "Peeta?"

"Hey. I thought you might not want to sleep too long," I say.

"Oh, right. Thank you," she smiles, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She sits up, running her fingers through her hair in a desperate attempt to tame her wild hair.

"Hungry?" I offer the plate to her. She grabs one of the cheese buns, taking a big bite, complete trust in my creation.

Her eyes go wide and she looks down at the bread in her hand. She looks at me in awe. "This is the best thing I have ever tasted in my entire life!" She praises.

I feel my face heating up. "It's nothing fancy."

"Nothing fancy? If this was the only thing I ate for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest girl," she says, taking another bite, chewing happily.

"Do you want me to teach you how?" I ask. If it made her this happy, I was more than willing to share the recipe.

"Oh, will you?" She bounces on the cushion. "I never get to bake anything at home."

"Sure," I agree. "Want to today? We can deliver the leftovers to Haymitch and my family."

"Yes!" Katniss says. "I'll go get dressed." She runs towards the stairs with half the cheese bun still in her hand.

I shake my head, chuckling at her excitement, getting up myself. I change quickly and pull out some of the ingredients I had already put away, setting them back out on the counter.

"Hey, Peeta? Do you have a hair tie?"

I turn to answer Katniss.

Or at least, I think it's Katniss. Instead of a dress, she's chosen to wear a pair of brown pants and a green long sleeve shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a braid and she was holding the end with one hand. She looks like she could be from here, and the sight of what feels like my two worlds colliding is almost overwhelming.

I must have been staring too long because she waves her hand in front of my face. "Peeta?"

I shake my head. "Sorry, what?"

She dangles the end of her brain between her fingers. "Hair tie?"

"Oh. Um…" I look around the counter. "I don't have a hair tie but here's a rubber band."

She smiles, taking it from me to secure the end of her braid. "Thank you."

While Katniss seemed to be pretty much a natural with that bow, I don't think the same could be said about baking. Katniss almost mixed up the salt and the sugar, overworked the dough, and somehow ended up looking like she got in a fight with the bag of flour. And lost.

"What are you laughing at?" She asks when I try to stifle my laughter after she somehow flings a piece of dough in her hair.

"Nothing. Nothing!" I hold my hands up in surrender.

She looks me over, and then looks down at herself. "How do I look like this, and you're spotless?"

"I've had years of practice," I say.

"Yeah, well, your years of practice doesn't stop me from doing this!" She blows a handful of flour in my face. She gasps as soon as she sees exactly what she's done, covering her mouth. "I'm sorry!"

"You don't sound sorry," I say as she tries to hold back her laughter, failing miserably. "But then again, neither am I." I sprinkle my own handful over her already flour covered hair.

"Peeta!" She shrieks. She reaches for some cheese that ends up down my shirt.

"Oh, that's it!" I hook my arm around her waist to keep her from running and I grab an egg I had been using for a different recipe, crushing it in my hand and wiping the runny yolk across her face. I can't help thinking about how my mother would have killed me for wasting a precious egg like that but Katniss' laughter quickly distracts me from the thought.

"Gross," Katniss says. She runs her hand over her face, and wipes the egg over my face.

"Okay, okay, I surrender!" I say, placing her back on the ground. She turns in my arms, lifting her face to look at me, her eyes bright, completely covered in flour and egg. I don't think she's ever looked more beautiful.

I can't help the sudden urge to kiss her. I'm about to brush it off, but then I remember what I'm supposed to be doing. If I'm supposed to make this seem real, then why shouldn't I kiss her now?

I've never kissed a girl but I've thought about it, and I've certainly heard Rye and Graham recount all the girls they've kissed and done…more with. I've had to hear all the graphic details about their hookups at the slag heap as they claim I should take notes because it might be useful one day.

Still, I bring my hand under her chin, tilting her head up. I lean in, searching her eyes for any doubt, but I don't find any. I can feel my heart beating so loudly, I can barely hear myself think.

I brush her lips once, and then press my lips against hers harder, her lips soft and warm against mine. Just this small touch alone makes me feel like someone's turned the temperature up in the house. It's quick and when I pull back, Katniss is shocked.

I think we're both waiting for the other to say something but eventually, I clear my throat. "Was that…was that okay?"

She bites that lip of her again, the blush creeping up on her cheeks. "That was my first kiss."

It shouldn't surprise me. Everything I knew about Katniss told me she wouldn't have much experience, and yet, I would have thought something as simple as a kiss would mean nothing in the Capitol, so it did.

"It was mine too," I admit. And regardless of what happens between us, I can't regret it.

"Really?" She pulls back slightly. "What about Delly?"

"Delly?" Is that what she thought? I can't control the look of disgust. "Gross, she's like my sister. And you're prettier."

"That's horrible to say!" She giggles, lightly swatting my shoulder. She doesn't seem to be bothered by the muck we were both covered in, giving me a huge smile and turning back to the counter. "Shall we get back to the bread?"

By the time we've finished we have trays of fresh baked bread, way more than the two of us would be able to finish. We decide to pack up most of it to bring to Haymitch and my family, and possibly a couple other families in town.

Haymitch barely acknowledged us when we enter his house so we just leave a bag of bread on the counter and head to the bakery.

"Isn't it a little counterintuitive? To bring bread to a bakery?" Katniss asks on our walk over.

"I suppose," I chuckle. "But we don't really get to eat the bread. Only when it goes too stale to sell."

"I didn't know that. I would think you'd get first pick."

That's what most people in town do think, especially the ones in the seam. Gale told me himself.

"Yeah, well, we'll see if they even take it. Sometimes my mom can be a little…prideful," I admit.

"Really? She seemed delightful," Katniss says.

I snort. Of course she would. Katniss would probably think an angry wasp was delightful.

I hold the door open for her to enter. "After you."

The little bell over the door rings and Rye looks up from the counter.

"Hey! It's my favorite person! Oh, and Peeta's here too," he says, sticking out his tongue.

"Hi Rye!" Katniss says brightly. "How are you?"

"Better now that you're here. I can take a break."

I roll my eyes. "We're not here to work. We just brought you this." I toss both bags towards him and he catches it midair.

Rye doesn't hesitate to reach in the bag and take a bite out of one of the buns. "It's still warm." he moans.

"What are you doing?" Our mother comes in and snatches the bag from Rye. "What is this?" She sneers, waving the rolling pin in her hand, seemingly oblivious to Katniss and I.

"Peeta and I baked some extra bread, and we wanted to share it with you," Katniss pipes up.

"Oh!" Mom's eyes go wide in shock. "Hello, Katniss. I didn't see you there. How are you, dear?" She gives her a smile much too big for her face. When she turns to me, her smile tightens. "I hope Peeta is treating you well."

"Oh, he's wonderful!" Katniss beams, leaning into her hold on my arm.

"Did you need any help out here?" Dad comes in from the back, his apron covered in flour. "Peeta!" He comes forward to give me a hug, before doing the same for Katniss. "Katniss, you're looking well, dear."

"Thank you," she says, returning his hug. The way she clings to him, I'd imagine she didn't get very many hugs like this.

"Katniss, would you like a tour of the bakery?" Dad asks.

Katniss glances back at me, as if asking for permission. "You should," I say, nudging her. "Go on. I'll be right here."

She smiles, kissing my cheek and following my dad to the back. Only when she's finally out of view does mom glare at me. "Why did you come back here?" Rye tries to sneak the bag of bread back from the counter, but mom slaps his hands.

"Katniss wanted to drop off the bread we made," I explain but of course. Like always, it's the wrong thing to say.

Mom scoffs. "That girl is the only good thing about you."

Something inside me snaps then. "You know what, Mom? You can't talk to us like that! We are not your punching bag!" I yell. I'm aware of the fear in Rye's eyes but enough was enough.

"Do not talk to me like that, boy," Mom hisses, pointing the rolling pin at me. "Just because you're a Victor now, you think you're better than us now? You're still the same weak boy," she says, stepping closer, her eyes cold. I know that look, and I know what's coming next.

It's like I'm a kid again, frozen in terror by my own mother and I can only shut my eyes as I wait for the impact.

Only it never comes. Instead I hear a loud crack and a thud. I pop my eyes open to find Katniss on the ground and my mother covering her mouth.

"Oh my goodness," Mom says. "Is she alright?" Now she cares?

Not that I'm paying much attention to her. I bend down as quickly as I can, Rye and Dad also crowding around her.

"Katniss?" I gently shake her shoulder. I don't see any injuries on her face or head, and when she opens her eyes, blinking, I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god. Where are you hurt?"

"Katniss, honey," Mom stammers. "I am so sorry. I never meant-"

"It's okay," Katniss waves her off, but I can tell she's holding back tears.

"The President's going to flip shit when he finds out," Rye says, shaking his head, glaring at mom.

"He doesn't have to know," Katniss quickly says. "I don't want anyone to get in trouble."

"Let's give them some space," Dad says, escorting Mom out of the room. He must have seen the murderous look on my face, or maybe he didn't trust Mom to say something she shouldn't.

"Where are you hurt?" I ask again. "Where did she hit you?"

"Does she need Mrs. Everdeen?" Rye asks.

"It's just my arm," Katniss says. She brings up her right arm which is red and slightly swollen.

I examine it, careful not to hurt her. "It might be broken. We should see her just in case."

"I'm sure I'm fine," Katniss says. "Who's Mrs. Everdeen?"

"She's the best healer in the district," Rye says. "Need me to come with you? I'm great company," he winks at Katniss who smiles, but I can tell her arm is bothering her.

"No thanks. Just deal with Mom, yeah?"

"What else is new? Sorry about that, baby Snow," Rye gives an apologetic smile.

"Come on, Kat," I help her stand. "It won't hurt to get you checked out."

It's only when we're out of the bakery that Katniss asks the question I've been dreading.

"Peeta, what was that?"

My first instinct is to dismiss her like every time someone asks me about a bruise or a cut. "Katniss-"

"She tried to hit you!" Katniss says, her breathing quickening. "She tried to hurt you! Has she done it before? You have to tell someone!"

"You don't get it!" I say. I'm so disgusted with myself, with my family, that I can't bother to look at her. "She's my mother. People, they talk. There's rumors but nobody knows for sure, and yet they still pity us. My brothers and I. Could you imagine how much worse it would be if they knew for sure? Besides, she hasn't hit us in years. Not since we've gotten taller than her anyway."

"That long?" Katniss frowns. "How could a mother…I saw the look on your face, Peeta, when she raised that rolling pin. Nobody should ever make you feel that way."

Your grandfather does, I want to say. But instead I say, "Katniss that was really stupid. You could have gotten really hurt."

That stubborn edge I now associate with Katniss flashes in her eyes. "You could have too. Besides, I believe the proper thing is 'thank you.'"

I stop her, placing my hands on either side of her face. "Thank you. Even though I might just kill you for putting yourself in harm's way."

"You wouldn't kill me. You'd miss me too much," she says.

I shake my head, dropping my hands and pointing to one of the small houses towards the edge of the seam. "We're here."

I knock on the door and it swings open almost immediately. Mrs. Everdeen's surprised face. "Peeta Mellark?"

"Hi, Mrs. Everdeen," I smile, gesturing to Katniss. "I was hoping you could take a look at Katniss' arm?"

"Oh," her mouth falls open when she realizes who's with me. "Ms. Snow."

"Katniss please," she says, offering her uninjured hand. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Everdeen. Peeta says you're the best."

"Well, I try," she says, taking Katniss' hand. "Come in. What seems to be the issue?"

"Her arm," I tell Mrs. Everdeen. "We were visiting the bakery and…" I hesitate, wanting to give any information that would help but also too ashamed of what my mother had done to admit it outloud.

"A rolling pin fell on my arm," Katniss says, squeezing my arm in comfort. She was the one injured and still putting me first.

I can tell by the look on Mrs. Everdeen's face that she doesn't buy it but she doesn't ask any more questions and instead focuses her attention on Katniss. "It doesn't look to be broken, but it does look like a bad sprain and it's going to be a large bruise. I don't want you to make it any worse by moving it so let me fashion a splint for that wrist. You should only have to have it on for a week or so," Mrs, Everdeen says. She rushes to her kitchen and rummages through the cabinets coming back with supplies and getting right to work.

Katniss takes an interest in everything Mrs. Everdeen is doing and asks questions about everything, even venturing to ask about the different plants and herbs she kept on the table. Mrs. Everdeen was patient, even elated to entertain her.

"Thank you again, Mrs. Everdeen," I say, handing her some coins.

"Of course, Peeta," she says. "I'm here anytime, okay?" She says, a knowing look on her face,

I nod and Katniss thanks her too. She now has a wooden splint on her wrist and she swears it doesn't hurt but it's already bruising.

"You don't deserve to be treated like that, Peeta," Katniss says once we're out of the seam. "Especially by your own mother."

"I know it's wrong," I admit. "But I didn't always know. I never knew how mothers were supposed to be because she's the only one I've ever had. I was supposed to a be a girl. That's what she tells me. Three boys was too much for her."

"That's still not an excuse."

"Yeah. But you know what the worst part is?" I look over at her. I've never told anyone this, even Gale. "The worst part is the way everyone looks at me, like they don't know whether to pity me because of what she does, or because she's an indicator of what I could become., They judge me and treat me differently because of her. More than my brothers because she's always been the coldest to me."

"I would never look at you differently because of that," Katniss says. "You are the kindest person I know. You make me happy just by being you because that's who you are as a person. I see you, Peeta Mellark." she says, her cheeks turning pink. "I know what it's like to be judged by your family's actions. I understand."

And in that moment, I was sure she was the only person that did.