Song of the chapter; "Stand by you" by Rachel Platten.
Peeta's POV;

Haymitch did an awfully good job at persuading me to let the detectives do their jobs an look for her. Because the next day I went back to work at the bakery. I had came in without any heads up to my workers, I just came in. I told the assistant baker to tell everyone to give me space, and upon my explanation of my situation they have me my space.

I knead the dough on the metal countertop and look around. The front store light is the only one still on, everyone has gone home. It is almost eight o'clock, and they all have families to get back home to. And I guess I do too, I have the perfect child, but not the perfect woman. I wish she were Katniss. I wish I wouldn't have been so stupid to propose to Melody. But she messed with my head, I know that now. I'm starting to remember the things she did. How she re-hijacked my mind, how each time she was going me 'morphling' it turned out to be tracker baker venom. I should have known something was wrong when it burned as it coursed through my veins. But I didn't because I'm stupid.

The bell on top of the door jingles and I wipe my hands on my apron. And push through the swinging doors. "I'm sorry, but we're closed."

"I need an order of cheese buns." The words make me jump. Then I see who spoke them.

"You bastard!" I scream slamming him into the wall. "How dare you show your face around here after what you've done."

"Their for her." He notes.

"Where is she?!" I scream closing my fingers around his throat. "WHERE IS SHE?"

"You'll never know bread boy." He snickers shaking his head. "All you need to know is that we're happy together. Living together, I came to town to her her presents."

I squeeze harder. "TELL ME." I scream kneeing him in the groin.

He looks me in the eyes. "What if I told you she's dead?"

"SHES NOT." I shout. I can't take it anymore, I knew him again. Throwing him to the ground like a rag doll and punching him hard. All of a sudden he's on top of me and punching me, one swift kick to the groin makes him stop. "The cheese buns, there for her?!" I ask angrily.

"Yes!"

"Get the fuck out, they'll be here tomorrow."

He scampers off, and I lock the door making my way back to the bathroom. I loose it, crying and screaming about the woman I might never have back. All you need to know is we're happy together. It's a lie, she's not happy with him. I remember late night during our second games, I was talking to Haymitch about Katniss. He said probably the wisest thing I've ever heard him say. If she loves two people at one time, prove to her your the right choice. Make her choose you, because if she really loved the first one she wouldn't have fallen for you.

I sob harder thinking about holding her in my arms that night. Being so confident that she was mine, and I was her's. That we had both found our 'person'. That night I made my mission to keep her alive and well in the games.

I stand, and wash the blood from my knuckles. Gale's blood. I hang my apron up on its hook, and lock the door behind me as I leave. I walk quickly, not doubting that Gale would follow me home given half the chance.

I walk into her house. I race to her bedroom and find a box left on her bed. In it is the pearl, the locket, and I find a piece of paper and write a short note to her. I include the words I love you in the letter. Then, I walk downstairs and pocket my findings and walk into Haymitch's house. "Haymitch!" I shout waking him. "Get up!"

"What boy?!" He asks. "What is so important you had to come in here and give me a heart attack?"

"I was working, and Gale came in." That catches his interest, he stands and sits down at the kitchen table.

"What did he say?!"

"He asked for cheese buns, for her." I add the last part.

"Is she alive? Did he say?"

"He told me she could be dead, but before that he said they were living together and that she was happy. Do you think she's happy Haymitch?" I ask my voice cracking at the end.

"I think she's scared out of her own damn mind." He says.

"What do we do now?" I ask.

"Did you already make the buns?" I shake my head. "Tomorrow, I want you to notify the police, and I'll give the buns to your workers and we can follow him back to her."

I nod and show him the pocketed things. "I'm going to bake these into the buns." He opens the locket and smiles, a single tear falling down his cheek.

"Maybe I was wrong." He shakes his head turning and starting towards the couch.

"About what?" I stand holding the objects out to no one but empty air.

"Maybe she does deserve you."

***

I was up late last night cooking the buns for my Katniss. I was careful to cook the small objects into the buns. I placed them in a wicker basket and left them on the counter to be remember in the morning. I showered, and then crawled into bed in the guest room like I do every night. I decided two weeks into her disappearance that I needed Melody gone. I couldn't spend all my time searching for Katniss, the girl I love; and then go to bed with a different girl. I'm going to ask Melody to leave in the morning, if I do get Katniss back tomorrow; I want nothing stopping us from being together.

I wake the next morning my head pounds extremely hard with every step. Probably a side effect of all the stress. Melody is gone, so I wake Willow and have her go to Haymitch's. I'll have him come straight home and watch my daughter. I stuff my pistol in my waistband and start walking across the pitch black hard. "Where are we going daddy?" She asks me.

"I'm going to get your mommy back." I tell her as we walk. "Your real mommy."

"Melody?" She asks. I shake my head. "Did you hear mommy yell last night?" She asks.

"No sweety, I didn't. I think that was just a bad dream." She nods and I walk into Haymitch's with the buns and Willow. "I need you to come back here afterwards, I can't find Melody."

He nods. "The police are coming we better hustle."

***

"The plan is simple, wait for him to come get the food. And then we'll follow him back to Katniss. No shooting unless needed." The head policeman says.

I'm positioned a hundred yards away, back in a corner. I can see everything without having to flicker my eyes. I squat, my pistol in between my legs as I hold it right.

That's when he appears, a large coat and he stalks into the bakery. I shrink down as small as possible and watch him leave, back into town. We regroup quickly as me and the other men follow him. We break off, only the head policeman and the a few other guys come with. Gale heads into town, not even once glancing behind himself to check for anyone. He plucks a bun off of the too and bites into it, he grimaces and spits it out onto the ground. I sigh glad I put the stuffed ones on the bottom. We follow him, then he moves into the masses of twelve. I run to keep up with him, I bump into someone and my gun drops going off. Everyone screams and looks towards us. Gale included. He sees me and darts off I smash myself in the face with the palm of my hand.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I scream to myself. "I BLEW IT I BLEW IT."

The sergeant catches up to me and takes a deep breath. "We lost him, I'm sorry son. We got another call, but if you get anymore more ideas call us. We'll be glad to help."

How could I be so stupid?

***

Katniss's POV;

He wakes me early, the next day. Insisting I get up and follow him, that he had another surprise. What could be such a surprise he couldn't bring it into our room? Either way I stand in my matching pajama set as let him lead me.

We reach the hallway, and I get a glimpse outside. "Your going to love it." He smiles kissing my cheek. "I promise." He opens the door and reveals a white tiled room, metal tables line the wall. Plastic sheets hang from the wall. "Come on." He smiles eagerly. I let him pull me. That's when I see it.

Melody. She's tied to a bed, a choke in her mouth like I was. "What is this?" I ask appalled. She looks at me with begging eyes.

"She's out new toy, isn't it grand?" He asks.

"Are you insane? You can't do that." I say to him.

"No, you'll love it. Watch." He finds a crop, like a long stick. It has a baseball sized lump at the end, he brings it down on her stomach laughing. Then he does it again, and again, and again. "You try."

"I can't." I shake my head. That's when I remember her stabbing me. I slowly take the crop from his hand, and look her in the eyes as I bring it down on her stomach. I did it for two reasons, he wouldn't let me leave without doing it, and I need revenge. He removes the choke from her mouth and she screams.

"Don't yell." He covers her mouth and she bites him I guess because he pulls back quickly. "You bitch!" He shouts. "Come on Katniss, I'll deal with her later." He puts the choke back in place and takes me roughly by the arm.

"Let me see your hand." I say quietly when we reach the room. "I've learned a few things from Prim, let me see it." I say. I suddenly feel a little closer and comfortable around him. He shows me his hand and I smile "it's just a little bruising, nothing some cold water won't heal." He nods.

"Thank you my dear."

"Anything for you." This time I kiss him, I hope my attempts are working. He kisses back and lays me down on the bed. Fear consumes my body as I lie there motionless.

"As much as I'd love to continue I have to deal with her." He sighs sitting upright.

"Are you going to kill her?"

"No darling." He says rubbing my hair. "I'm letting that for you."

***

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