Katniss' POV;
I wallowed in self pity for what seemed like ever. But when I looked out the window, I saw a man taking Peeta away. Neither of them wore expressions on their faces, so it was hard for me to tell what was going on. But it didn't look like Peeta was coming back...
Not much longer after I decided to go to bed, seeing there was nothing left for today. So I climbed into my bed and pulled the blackest up around my face, cuddling against them like it was the only thing I knew how to do.
Not long after I fell asleep;
***dream***
Run Katniss! I chastised myself. You need to run! I took off as fast as I could, weaving in between trees and branches. Where was I? I looked around, the all to familiar territory surrounding me. The arena. Our first arena.
I wasn't paying much attention, and I slipped, tripping over a root and face planting into the gravel. I scrambled to my hands and knees, looking around.
I was kicked in the side, forced to roll over as pain spiked through my ribs. I gasped in pain, my hands holding my chest. I looked around desperately to see my attacker.
Peeta stood there in front of me, looking down at me with such hatred it hurt. "Who says you get to live?!" He spat at me.
"Peeta stop!" I yelled, scrambling backwards but coming up short handed to a tree.
"You left me here to die! You couldn't even save me! You blame me for all your issues, but in reality this is all your fault, Katniss!" He was filled with fury. "You should have came after me! You should have found me, saved me, protected me! And now, thanks to you, my minds all messed up and I'll never be the same!" He moved closer to me.
"Peeta I didn't mean for any of this-"
"Bullshit!" He yelled, grabbing my how off the ground and pointing it at me. "How about I kill you with your own weapon? Because you don't deserve to live!"
"Peeta, I'm sorry!" I yelled as loud as I could, but my voice was cut short by the sound of the arrow being released.
*****
Drenched in sweat, I sat up screaming, clutching my head in my hands and pulling at my hair. I need to get out, I though as I jumped out of bed and rushed down the stairs. I threw the door open and ran out, running to Peetas even though I knew he wasn't home.
His door open with a slight creek, his familiar scent still lingering. I breathed in, instantly settled by the scent. I sleepishly made my way up the stairs, and found his bed to be perfectly made. I crawled up onto it, wrapping my self into his scent, breathing him in.
I remembered all the nights he held me, kept me safe from my nightmares. How he would hold me so tenderly and lovingly... I remembered how I acted like I loved him- when I really had feelings for gale. How badly that must have hurt him, and yet he will loved me. And truthfully, I loved him. It might have taken a little longer then I would like to admit to realize it, but I loved him.
And as I wrapped myself in his scent, I grabbed the pearl he gave me and clutched it in my hand, slowly and peacefully falling asleep.
"Katniss...?" A familiar voice woke me from my groggy state. I peeked my eyes open, "Katniss, wake up." I looked to see Peeta kneeling not to far from me. He gave me a warm smile, "what are you doing here?"
"I can explain!" I said quickly, sitting up and smoothing my hair down. The pearl! I looked around in the bed quickly, nervously. Throwing the blanket around and digging through the sheets. "Where is it?" I asked desperately.
"This?" Peeta asked, holding up the small pearl in between his index finger and his thumb.
"Yes." I breathed, my hand going to my chest as relief filled me.
"You kept this?" He asked, rubbing it with his thumb as he admired it's shine.
"Of course I did, Peeta..."
"You tried killing me after I have this to you..." He said quietly, then looked up and met my eyes, "real or not real?"
I felt my face fall, "not real... " I gently took back the pearl, his hand dropping as I took it. I held it close to me, "this pearl means the world to me..."
He pondered my answer for a second, "Katniss, what are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry." I said quietly, tucking the pearl into my pocket. "I had a nightmare... And this was the only place I could really come to. It smells like you. It made me feel safe." I made sure not to look at him, but with a sigh, I pushed the blankets from me and stood up. "I'll leave, Peeta..."
"Please." He said quietly. "Don't leave... It's been so long sense I've seen you." His voice was soft as his head hung. "I missed you, Katniss..."
"And I missed you, Peeta." I whispered.
"I've been at the Capitol the whole time. I've had no word of how you were. I didn't even know if you were alive... I was just deemed fit enough to be around people. They have told me all the truths from lies..." He looked up at me, "but I much rather hear them from you."
I sat back down on the bed, "you can ask me anything. I have nothing to hide."
He sat on a dark green chair that was placed across from the bed. "You knocked down those bees to kill me off. Real or not real?"
"I knocked those down to save my life. To get enough time to run away. You were all trying to kill me..." I looked down at my hands.
He was silent for a minute. "You tried to poison me with those Berries... Real or not real?"
"Not real." I said automatically, recalling the time in my head. "I saved you from those berries. But we were going to eat them at the end so they wouldn't have a victor." I explained, watching his face.
"That kiss on the beach before we were separated..." He said quietly, "you felt more then friendship in that kiss. Real or not real?"
I looked up at him, our eyes locking. "Real." I said quietly, "so real it's unbelievable." I whispered.
"Katniss..." He said quietly, leaning back in his chair and covering his eyes with his hand.
"You were scared of me when I tried to kill you. Real or not real?"
"Real." I said quietly.
"You hated me for the way I treated you after I got back."
"Peeta."
"I nearly killed you, and I forced you away from me. After everything I was the one who nearly took your life. My words hurt you more then people thought they would have." He continued on stating these things as if I were to answer.
"Peeta stop." I said softly.
"Real or not real?!" He yelled. "I was a horrible person! I let them take me when the only thing I was supposed to do was protect you! I let Johanna take you from me. I let your life get ruined! Real or not real?! Real or not real?!"
I just watched him, tears brimming in my eyes. "Peeta..." I said quietly.
"How can you not hate me?" He pleaded. "Just hate me, so I can hate me!"
I climbed off the bed and I sat by his feet, resting my head on his knee. "We have been through so much together, Peeta..." I said calmingly. "I could never hate you. Even when you hated me, and tried to kill me, and when you were convinced I was trying to kill you... I still didn't hate you. You're always going to be my Peeta." I looked up at him. "You will always be that boy who saved my life. Who threw my that bread. Who volunteered for Haymitch. Who put his life on the line to many times for other people..." I reached up and set my hand on his face. "I could never hate such an amazing person, Peeta..."
He gave me a slight smile, "through all this chaos. I'm finally home..."
"And I've finally gotten my home back." I took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Peeta was my home...
