**READ TILL THE END PLEASE.**

Song of the chapter; "Every Storm. (runs out of rain)" By Gary Allen.

It's been half a week. Half a week of what seemed like endless Rye's suppers, singing to my baby and my new baby. Rye sleeps in the same bed as me, and three out of the four days we wrapped his arms around me and we fell asleep like that. I didn't mind, I just pretended he was Peeta; he smelled and felt so much like him. He is so good with Willow and Eve, they both adore him.

I've been thinking about Eve a lot. About what I'm going to do with her after this whole mess is over. I'm going to need something or someone to keep my company so I don't feel totally alone.  Which I already do, and without Peeta, it'll just be even worst.

But what can I possibly do with a twenty year old dim witted girl who can't speak, or do anything for herself. Where can I take her, let alone who would take her?

We left early, in the middle of the morning, we didn't decide on a time; we are breakfast at our own pace and then got dressed. We took the girls to Haymitch and Effie's again, they adore them. Maybe they'd take Eve!

I gasp a little, and lift my head off of Rye's shoulder. "What?" He asks softly placing a hand on my jaw so I can look him in the eyes.

"Maybe Haymitch and Effie would take Eve! They love her anyways!" I exclaim. My voice echoes through the empty train car, and he looks at me and smiles.

"I think that's a great idea." He nods, I smile and press a friendly kiss to his cheek. Before leaning my head back on his shoulder, he sighs against me. "Katniss, I think we should talk." He says.

"Why?" I ask not lifting my head.

"Because I have these feelings in here ... for you that I just can't explain." He says softly touching the spot over his chest. "And I'm sorry, I know you probably want nothing to do with love after Peeta. And i'm probably the farthest thing from a suitor you could think of, but I just wanted you to know your not alone."

I sigh, and let a stray tear fall down my cheeks. I just knew this would happened, I knew if we spent enough time together either he or I would gain feelings for each other, I silently prayed at night the feelings wouldn't happen. "I know.." I sigh.

"You know?" He asks.  "What does that mean?  Does that mean you don't want to talk about this anymore?"  He asks sadly.

"N-No, it means I just - I knew this would happen sooner or later."

"What do you think about it?" He asks.

"I think .... that if you give me some time ... to cooperate and cope with everything that's going to happen today and for the next few weeks, I guess I could think about it." I sigh into his shoulder. I press my lips into his bicep, and tighten my arm around his upper arm.

"I just don't want things to be weird with me being his brother." He says.

"I know, he always told me that if something where to h-.." I take a few deep breaths, he's gone. Tears stream down my face, and he wraps his strong arms around me.

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it." He coos into my hair.

"Please, just don't love me, you see hat happens when people get close. They die." I whimper into his chest.

"No Katniss, they don't. The people who get close to you love you, they die for you." He explains.

"I don't want them to!" I cry. "I'd rather me die then my Peeta, he was so innocent and pure. He never did anything wrong to anyone, he was so innocent. He didn't deserve having to be associated with me."

"He loved you, that's why he did it. He killed himself because he knew you wouldn't leave with him there."

"How'd he know I would just go insane and never want to leave that place? How'd he know they'd get me out?" I ask loudly. He wipes my tears, and kisses my forehead.

"All your questions will be answered in a few hours, just sleep for now. Okay darling?" He coos.

"Alright." I nod. He positions me in his lap, and I fall asleep quick.

I dream about no one other than Peeta, his lips, his touch, his hard chest. The comfort he brings me in the middle of the night, our small little banter back and forth. Stay with me? Always. I remember the way he would always calms me down when I had a nightmare in the middle of the night. The way he loved me, unconditionally; not caring about the consequences.

****

A plush pair of lips on mine. Just barely though, I can almost not feel them. I stir on the bench seat. "Huh?" I mumble accidentally.

"Hey kat, get up." He coos brushing.

"Did you just kiss me?" I ask quietly.

"Yes, is that okay?" He asks calmly.

I think for a moment, then nod steadily, I stand on unsteady feet and make my way to him. "Yeah, that's okay." I smile. I bring my lips to and kiss him quickly, it lasts maybe two seconds. "Is that okay?" I ask with a sly grin.

"Y-Yeah." He stutters and reaches into his pocket. "You forgot this when we left." He hands me my locket.

I swore I was wearing it, how could I have forgotten it? I knew to wear it because i'd need Peeta's strength today. 

"Can you put it on me?" I ask.

"Yeah, turn around." I do so, and peck his cheek again then take his arm in my hands.

"Are you ready?" I ask.

"Yeah."

We walk from the train, greeted by the detectives who we talked to last week. I don't smile at them, I just keep a grim face.

"Hello." Rye speaks lowly shaking both the men's hands. They give me a warm smile, and I nod in return. I place a hand on my distended belly, it's grown so much in the past two weeks. You can clearly see I'm showing; people will start to think I'm having  Rye's baby. "Did you get the warrant?" He asks them.

"Yes, two days ago."

We all look towards the Bluemont Mental Institution. I can't help it, my fingers slip into Rye's and he kisses my temple. "It'll be okay."

"Are we ready?" The other man asks.

"Yes, but I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." Rye says. I'm caught off guard, the smile he gave the officer; the same exact one Peeta gave me on the beach. I let go of his hand, and cover my face with my hands. Rye touches my shoulder. "We'll be in in a bit, okay?" He asks the detectives.

"Okay."

My knees give out, and he catches me. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"Your s-smile, it was the s-same one Peeta gave me in the arena."

"On the beach?" He asks.

"Yes..." I cry. I take a deep breath and wipe my tears. "Can we go in?"

"Yeah." He nods. We starts to walk in.

"Hold my hand please." I request and he does.

The common room is open, strange men and women prance around the dirty, grimy floors. A man, Maggon, appears in a white suit, that looks like a surgeon's suit. I stare at him in shock, and his eyes go wide. "Katniss?" His voice is hoarse.

"Damien..." I breath.

"Where did you go? I was so worried." He rushes to me placing a hand on my arm.

"Why were you worried? You didn't speak to me at all while I was here." I say. I want to run and hug him, tell him I forgive him. But for some reason, I can't shake the unbearable connection between Damien and I. 

"I wasn't allowed, they over heard us talking and forbid me to talk to you." Finally, he hugs me. "who's this?" He asks nodding to Rye. I wrap my fingers in his.

"Peeta's brother."

"why?" He asks in a hushed voice.

"Why what?"

"Why would you do that to Peeta?" He asks me with a look of urgency. He looks to the men, Beckman and his partner. "I have to talk to Katniss and her friend if you don't mind, I'll bring them back to you later." He says.

"That'll be fine."

"I'll escort you to Ractor's office." He leads us, and we drop off the detectives. I assure them we are just gathering evidence but I really do want to talk to him.

We walk to a dead end, the perfect of the gray brick wall almost makes me sick. Oh wait, no-that's the smell of rotting bodies.

"How have you been?" He asks me.

"Good, I'm still pregnant actually." I say with a smile.

"His?" He asks quietly gazing to Rye.

"Oh no, Peeta's."

"He'll be happy to hear that."

I laugh. "He's dead."

He stops in his tracks. "Is that what they told you? Is that why you left?"

"They told me he hung himself."

"Well shit..." He mutters.

"What? What damien?" I ask quickly. "Is he alive?!" He nods briefly. "TAKE ME TO HIM PLEASE." I yell tears falling down my face.

I look to Rye, and let go of his hands. "I'm sorry." I mumble. He does the unthinkable and smiles. But his smile shows hurt, and pain.

"It's alright." He smiles. "Don't worry about it."

"But you just-"  he stops me 

"Kat, shut up." I smile at him.

"Whatever.."  I shrug. "Please take me to him." I beg Maggon.

"Comeon." He says quickly. We jog through the hallway, Rye's hand on my lower back. The tears make it hard to see where I'm going. 

We go into an underground tunnel, I've never been here before. The edges of the floor next to the wall are dank, dirty, and wet. Do they keep Peeta here?

Peeta.

Why would they lie to me? Why would they keep him here? Like a caged animal who's done something wrong.

My feet drag, Rye's basically carrying me now, everything in my body has begun to shut down.

We stop at a door, a large metal door with no windows and no metal slot for food. Maggon knocks, but we get no response. "Are you sure he's in there?" My voice cuts the silence like one of Clove's knives.

"As of this afternoon, yes he was." He speaks slowly, yet unsurely. "Do you want me to go in first? Or do you want to just go in?"

"He's okay right? He's not a mutt, is he?" I ask.

"No."

I flip the latch, and push open the huge metal door; it creaks as it opens. The cell is dark, untouched trays of food line the left and right  sides of the room. It's an octagon, the room, across from me: an indent, with a window up high. Mesh covers it, light shinning through.

"My name is Peeta Mellark, I am nineteen years old, my home is district twelve, I have a daughter, and a fiancée. Katniss Everdeen. She is pregnant. I'm going to die here."

His voice. The thing I've craved to hear for so long, but now is breaking me the most.

He's sitting with his knees drawn to his chest, his head between his knees, his hand on his forehead. He's dirty and greasy, most likely hasn't showered in months.

"P-Peeta?" I whisper bringing my hand up to cover my mouth. His head jerks, and he looks up at me.

"Your fake." He declares. "A figment of my imagination sent here to screw with my mind." He takes a deep breath. "Well fuck off."

"P-Peeta." Is all I'm able to get out.

"Fuck off!" He screams lashing towards me and push if me backwards.

He stops abruptly, staring at me, then at his hands. He touches my cheek. "Are you real?"

I nod still covering my face. He looks even worst then he did when he got back from the Capitol. "I'm real."

"Katniss." He sobs. "Are you taking me home?" He asks.

"I am baby.." I nod. He sobs, as I bring him into my thin arms. Suddenly, he bends down and looks at my stomach.

"Is it in there?" He asks.

"Yeah." I smile down at him. He presses a kiss to my distended belly, and looks up at my with such pride and happiness.

"I love you."

"I love you too." I breath.

Them his lips lock onto mine.

****

Hey guys, like I said before: I will only update unless I get 7+ likes. I changed it from 10 to 7, because after my request I got literally 5 votes. You guys usually do so much better than that. & I know I haven't been making a big deal about this before, but I am really trying to get serious here. I'm getting a lot of reads lately, & I'm super close to 100 followers. It takes literally 2 seconds to press the vote button, & I get 30 reads a chapter so why are you all not voting.

PLEASE VOTE.

anyways hope you enjoyed, Peeta's alive. 🙏♥️ and so is the baby, but that doesn't mean things will get better. 😈

Love y'all.

Xoxo kylee