Playing With Fire

Chapter Two ~ Numbness ~

"She's waking up." I hear his gentle voice as a whisper in my head and my world comes slowly back into focus. I can make out at least three blurry figures all standing and eagerly waiting around my bed, where I appear to be lying. The whisper belonged to Gale and I'm secretly thankful his voice guided me back to consciousness; I fear that I would have been lost forever without it.
"Hey, Catnip."
Gale is standing at the foot of my bed, his arm resting on my bed post. My mother and Prim stand on the side nearest the doorway and Peeta leans on the edge of my desk. The three figures become four as I see Prim is attached to my mother in a tight embrace. Bless her. She was probably thinking I wouldn't wake up. Peeta and Gale smile at me at the same time and I notice how happy I am to meet Peeta's kind, blue gaze and see Gale's charming grin. I smile back at them and Peeta comes closer to my bedside.
"How long was I out?" I ask no one in particular. Then I feel the faint burn in my right arm, from where I was electrocuted. It stings but the pain has been subdued; most likely from my mother's healing treatment.
"Just over a day. We were worried about you, dear." My mother says and she leans over me, breaking gently away from Prim, to kiss me on the forehead. 'We' again. This time I know that 'we' includes everyone I care dearly about. Gale and Peeta are my second family in a way and I'm so happy to see them with me together.
"I feel better, thanks for whatever you did." I smile at my mother and she just shakes her head.
"Actually, Katniss, I did hardly anything. Peeta made a herbal broth for you and that remarkably dulled your pain by the looks of it, seeing as you're back with us."
"Oh, thank you, Peeta." He looks at me knowingly, like he did when I said thank you to him for the bread he made me the other week. As if he is saying, 'I know.'
Before Peeta replies, my mother interjects by asking if any of us wants a drink or food. I feel my stomach rumble at the thought of food and I think of Peeta's cheese buns which he makes frequently for me as they are my absolute favourites.
"Actually, I better be off. I promised Rory and Vick a snowball fight before my shift in the mine tomorrow." Gale says as he shrugs his coat on.
"Gale, are we going hunting tomorrow?" My voice croaks and I regret saying it instantly. Of course we can't go hunting tomorrow. How unbelievably selfish I am; Gale works all day from six to nine. A coal miner's wage. Barely enough to support him and his family of five. This is why he enters his name in the Reaping Ball dozens of times. For extra grain and oil, called tesserae.
"I'll see you soon, Catnip." He gives me a wink and walks out the door. I hear him leave the house and a slight pang of longing tugs at me. My mother and Prim leave too, though they head downstairs to make dinner. That just leaves Peeta and me in my bedroom.
"Peeta, do you mind helping me up?" I say, pulling the duvet covers back. I need to get dressed or at least have a shower.
"Yes, of course," He leans to put his arm around my back and I place my arm around his neck, standing up. "Are you feeling alright?" I simply nod, though the dizziness rushes to my head and I almost fall backwards into bed again.
"Um, I need to go to the bathroom." He stables me while we stagger to my en suite.
"Do you need anything else, Katniss?" He asks me and I can tell he is eager to help with whatever he can. I don't answer him straight away but I try to break from his hold of me subtly so I can try and pull my shirt off. The pain in my arm comes back suddenly and I can't help but cry out.
"Katniss, would you like me to, to help?" He gestures to my shirt and I don't have a choice.
Just then, my mother walks into my bedroom and sees us in the en suite. Embarrassment sweeps over me and Peeta immediately pulls back, turning around to face my mother.
"I think Prim wants your advice on baking apple pies, Peeta." She looks bewildered for a split second but then composes herself and smiles.
"Oh right, yeah, I'll go now." Peeta doesn't look back at me and I sense his burning face. Some small part of me deep down wishes he had stayed with me. My mother gives me a stern look and I can't help feeling like I've committed the worst crime in the world.
She walks over to me in silence and helps me into the shower. Whilst I let myself get lost in the hot water she stays in my room, tidying so I believe.
Once I've pulled myself away from the intense heat of the shower, I find her sitting on my bed. Without saying a word, she towel dries my hair and then braids it in a simplistic style down my back. I have no idea what is running through her head. All I can think about is Peeta. For some reason, I wish he was with me now. I want him to stay with me as I fall asleep, just like he did whilst we were on the train and in the Capitol. We haven't been in such close proximity as that since our last night on the train before arriving back into District 12. That fateful day.
My mother gets up and walks to my wardrobe, pulling out a fresh night gown, then hesitating.
"Would you like to eat dinner downstairs or shall I bring it up for you?" The smell of a casserole and apple pie drifts up the stairs and I instantly feel my hunger increase. I stand up, too quickly, and my whole arm sags in agony. My mother rushes over to me before I hit my head on the side of the bed, though the pain surges through my whole body and I spasm uncontrollably. The dressing gown has already slipped to the floor and I'm left in just my underwear. The cold starts to ebb its way into my body again and I feel myself shivering and sweating at the same time.
"Peeta!" She runs to the door and shouts down the stairs. I feel myself slipping away again. The blackness returns at the corners of my vision and I scream out. My mother is frantically rushing about me. She has just managed to haul the covers over my freezing body when Peeta runs into my room.
"She's going to black out again, stay with her and keep her warm while I remake your broth." Peeta doesn't say a word but crosses the room and holds me tight, steadying my spasms and sending heat through me. His face is a fixed image of worry and love.
"Gosh, Katniss, you're so cold again." I groan and cry out for a second time, but Peeta's gentle yet iron hold on me keeps me from lashing out. It takes all my strength to stay with him, every now and then he soothes me by talking about innocent things. The snow. Bread. Cakes. Every minute I become calmer, though the pain threatens to send me back into my oblivion. When my mother comes back into the room about half an hour later, I still spasm but Peeta rocks me and I breathe deeply. I never knew how much an electric fence could hurt if electricity actually ran through it; not a custom here in 12. Why was the power suddenly turned on?! The blackness returns and I'm thrust back into my limbo of unconsciousness. Nonetheless, a bitter taste of carrots, parsnips and a faint hint of sleep syrup passes my lips and I know with Peeta's broth in my system, I will wake up soon.