KATNISS

I could feel a wind hit me, only this time it was much colder. I still didn't open my eyes, even if I became more awake than before.

I had fallen asleep, I realized as I held my body more tightly. My backside hurt, still sitting on the same hard stone that I sat on this morning. I let my hands fall on my closed eyes, feeling the tender and swollen skin that must've been red by now.

I was still tired, but I remembered the fight so clearly. After I had told him no, we started to fight. He had screamed at me, and I had screamed at him but I don't remember what we screamed. The only thing I didn't forget was his small eyes when he whispered; "If that's the case, our friendship is over."

What I had feared the most happened, and as he left me all alone in the woods I couldn't help but to hug and cry myself to sleep. I opened my eyes and released the arms around my legs. My neck was stiff and hurt, and I was cold. I wanted to go home.

It was not until a few seconds that I realized that it was dark outside. And I suddenly freeze in panic, my eyes becoming wide in fear.

How long have I been sleeping? I thought as I grabbed my game bag and ran. Prim must be so worried. And the curfew. Oh no, the curfew.

I hoped that the odds were in my favor and that the peacekeepers wouldn't notice me.

The odds were not in her favor, and a peacekeeper noticed me.

As I was sneaking through town with light steps and a bowed neck, I prayed and prayed that no one would see me. I walked along the houses like a raccoon and made sure every step was fast, yet soft. It wouldn't be a problem, I thought with a racing heart, I'm quiet. My steps are quiet. I just wanted to reach home. Prim must be so worried, poor Prim-

"Hey!" I almost jumped out of my skin and felt a cold wave of nausea hit me, turning my head fast towards the scream. There, a man in white many houses away, aimed the light at me and I covered my eyes at the flash, groaning loudly in fear before starting to run. "Stop!"

I had never run so fast in my life. I felt panic hit me, my lungs burned and I wanted to cry when I heard the peacekeeper run after me. The wind screamed into my ears, blowing past me and the bag hit my back every time I bounced. I ran over the town square and changed direction fast so I could confuse the peacekeeper. Hearing him scream after me to stop immediately. I sobbed for air.

What if they took me? Would they kill me? And Prim, how would she survive? My mother would starve to death, my father would drink himself into the grave and Prim would have to marry and pop out babies every year whatever she liked it or not and I wanted to scream back to the peacekeeper to shut up and let me think.

It's not until I hear a shot ringing in my ear that I stop and stumble down to the ground. My eyes turn wide and my body freezes in the cold, my body shaking and my hands stinging when it took the fall. I don't understand what's happening, I don't understand why I fell down. Like someone poured water on my shoulder, I felt liquid cling into my shirt fast. And with a shaking head, I glanced down to my shoulder, only to see red growing on the textile.

Maybe it was the adrenaline, but I didn't feel any pain. And when I hear two more men screaming after my whereabouts, I stand up and run. I breathed heavy, clenching my wound tight so it wouldn't drip more blood and follow me like a trail, and my mouth is dry. Water and home was the only thing I wanted, but I realized fast that it wasn't possible. The peacekeepers blocked my way to the Seam, so I ran to town. Without looking, I saw a spring between two houses, impossible to see me if they didn't look right through. So I hurried and ran in between the little road that leads to the backside of the house, sweat running down my face as I held my breath so no one would notice me. Finally, I reach the end and turn once more, leaning on the blue wooden walls as I hold my breath, hearing the peacekeepers run past my hiding place. I almost expect them to sniff their way to me but am surprised when I heard their voices further and further away.

I finally breathed out, and my legs couldn't hold me up any longer. Like a leaf, I fall to the ground with shaky intakes and try to hold in my sobs, but can't. It escapes me and soon tears run down my cheeks and the pain in my shoulder grows. I was about to die. I almost died. My thoughts only made me cry even more and I lifted my hand against the shoulder. My hand is covered in blood and was filled with dirt from my fall. It stung but was nothing compared to what I felt right now. Lungs burned, mouth dry, backache and legs uncontrollably. I didn't know if the bullet actually was inside my shoulder or not, but it felt like it. And the thought almost made me dizzy.

"Holy shit..." I jump and snatches my head towards the sound, eyes wide in fear when I see a blonde, middle-aged man. Sitting on the steps by the door right beside me with a cigarette in his hand, almost burned out. He looked at me with wide eyes, shocked to see a girl bleeding against his house and I wanted to vomit. How did I not notice him?

I try to stand up and fall several times as I put my one hand up in the air slowly, tears and sobs escaping her like a waterfall as I pleads. Just when I thought I was safe.

"P-Please" I cried. "Please, I-I'm sorry, so sorry- don't tell them I'm here- God please, I beg you!" I have never been so scared in my life. Never. Why wouldn't he tell the peacekeeper? I had walked on his land and I didn't owe him anything. But I closed my eyes and asked for mercy, thinking about my sister. About my mother, Madge, and Gale. They would see me get executed in public and I didn't want to. I want to live .

"Hey- Hey, calm down.", the man said standing up, but I couldn't calm down. "I won't tell them, come inside so I can help you."

I lift my head, seeing through blurry wet eyes how he burns his cigarette before walking towards me. He places his hand on my shoulder and slowly leads me on to the steps to the door. Maybe this man would do stuff to me something far worse than the peacekeepers would do if they had caught me. But the warmth and dizziness, once I get inside, hits me, and I don't feel fear much longer. I realized that everything, fear, comfort, blood loss and a warm place, makes me very tired.

I don't remember much, but he lets me lay down on the couch and as I wake up and fall back between pain and sleep, I see the man treat my hands and shoulders gently. Only small glimpses, but I remember how he talked me through when he would do.

"I'm going to put a bandage on- shit, I'm sorry. I suck at this..." he mumbled as he rolled it around, in between my armpit and around again. When he was done, he gave me some water that I drank like a wildling, before finally falling in a deep sleep.

I should feel uncomfortable, but I wasn't.

After opening my eyes, I let last night's memories flow into my head again. The pain in my shoulder reminded me clearly.

The fight with Gale, the peacekeepers scream, the bullet hitting me, begging to a man I couldn't see clearly in the dark and getting treated by him. And then, falling asleep on his couch. I should feel uncomfortable, but I wasn't. It was way too warm in the living room, I realized as I stood up carefully, and the smell of bread made my mouth water. The sun hasn't gone up yet, so either someone baked bread in the middle of the night, or very very early in the morning. I looked around. I sat alone on the couch, on the floor was a cup of water beside me that I drank up immediately. Used bandages, cotton pads, napkins and scissors that the man had used on me were scattered all over the old carpet with big flower designs on them.

Before I could bend down and clean the mess caused by me, the door opened and I looked up to see the man who saved me last night. And I knew right away who he was.

Peeta Mellark. The baker. Who owned the bakery. Who gave me my birthday cake. I was in Mellark's Bakery. That explained the smell of bread.

"Mr. Mellark..." I whisper, my voice sore and heavy. Peeta closed the door behind himself, smiling at me before bending down to pick up the dirty items.

"Are you feeling better, Katniss?"

"I guess.." she said.

He didn't look at me, yet he continued. "You were lucky, Katniss. The bullet barely missed you. Only a scratch. Nothing to worry about." I don't know what to say. I still felt a lot of pain, but I was more embarrassed if anything. How the hell, of all people, did I manage to land in the bakery's backyard? I truly was lucky.

"How... How long was I asleep?"

"Nine hours." Peeta looked up at me for the first time, a small smile on his lips. "It's five in the morning." I swallowed down the dry air in my mouth, my cheeks red. I wanted to apologize, but Peeta left the room before coming back with a towel. "The curfew isn't over until an hour or so. You should take a shower. To clean the blood off."

~

Peeta showed me to the bathroom and gave me soap and clean clothes that belonged to a girl probably a few years older than me. He mentioned that it was his brother's wife's clothes that she left here and that they would probably fit me. And before I could thank him, or make this any more awkward, he had left me alone. I stared at his back until he left the hall before locking the door and going to the mirror, seeing my awfully puffy red face. Dirty and sore from all the crying and sweating.

"How did this happen...?" I whispered to myself, placing my hand on my cheek before shaking my head. It was hard, but with one hand I managed to take off all my clothes and underwear. Sometimes I accidentally moved too fast, the pain hitting me hard as I winced. I let the bandage be, not wanting to see my bloody wound before finally dipping down into the bathtub much bigger than my own. The warm water helped me relax, and I let out a moan in pleasure. Mellark. I was laying in their bathtub, enjoying myself.

I placed an arm over my eyes. Never in my life did I think of the Mellarks of something else than an average family. Sure, I traded with the father once a week when he was here, and I knew that the mother hated Seams. And Peeta.... It was that one time when I was so young and weak that he saved my life from my father.

Ugh! A rock of guilt suddenly placed itself in my stomach. This is the second time that Peeta Mellark has saved my life. And I never thanked him for it. Paid for it. I was too embarrassed to actually thank him and pay an extra squirrel or something. Several years went and I forgot all about it and I was sure that he did too. And now? What was I supposed to do now? Peeta had done something illegal for me. He hid me from peacekeepers, a violator. Treated my wounds. And I didn't know how to pay him back. I had nothing. An extra squirrel is nothing compared to what he has done for me. Twice.

I sighed. It was hard to be a Seam. Always paying back. I wished I could say thank you and move on, but my pride was too big for that.

~

After I was finished, I put on the clothes carefully and detangle my hair with my fingers, making sure to get the worst clumps. I once again looked in the mirror and was satisfied. I still looked tired and sore, but I looked more clean, fresh and smelled good. Stable.

Me, who didn't know what to do, went with small steps towards the kitchen down the hall where I heard sounds. And there he was, placing a plate filled with pastries on the table and looked up to me, who awkwardly played with my hands.

"Katniss, I made you some breakfast. Please, sit down." I didn't dare to obey, so I sat down on the chair.

"I have some work to do, so I will meet you at the counter. It's right through that door.", he pointed. And once again, before I could say anything, he left.

I was sure that I never in my life had such a good breakfast like this. Every chew of the cheesy pastry together with the tea made me hum in pleasure. Peeta had placed four big rolls for me, and I ate them all. I only wished that I saved one for Prim when it was too late. Wanting to be some good, I took the plate and the cup and washed it with soap and a sponge I found beside the sink. As I did, I looked at the window where the sun slowly raised up, birds waking the district up. I needed to go home and make sure that Prim was all right.

I took my bloody clothes and placed it in my game bag which I found by the door where I stepped inside last night. And in there I saw the squirrels and rabbits that had managed to follow me all the way from the woods, throughout the dramatic run to the bakery. If the meat had gone bad, I didn't know. And I definitely didn't want to give Peeta bad meat as a thank you. Going through the door where Peeta was working, I made sure that I'd figure something out.

Closing the door behind me, I immediately saw the storefront, the counter that was shiny and bright. And there were no customers either, not this early in the morning. I always walked past the bakery in the afternoons after hunting and watched through the window people buying loaves of bread from either Peeta or his associate. It was always crowded, but now that I look around, it's more likely that it's too small. I had always thought that they had the most money in town when I saw a line form by the front door. Maybe they weren't.

I slowly walked through the door to the backside and immediately saw Peeta kneading the dough with his back towards me. He stood right beside the oven, which gave away heat like waves and I already started to sweat. The whole room was covered with flour like a layer of dust and the counters had crumbs all scattered across it.

For the first time, without Peeta telling me what to do with good intention and not letting me think, I finally glance at Peeta who worked his muscles with the dough over the counter, and thinks about him. Not about his cheese rolls or how to pay him back. Only about Peeta Mellark. His blonde hair curly glued on his skin with the help of his sweat, and I remembered his icy blue eyes that told me to calm down. I couldn't lie to myself, he was handsome. Attractive. He looked a lot like his father, I realized. A lot. I barely saw Peeta, if not through the window walking past the bakery. And besides how he saved my life two times, I don't know much about him. I knew that his older brothers were married since the whole district talked about their weddings, but I didn't know anything about him.

It wasn't that odd, really. He must be at least in his 20-30's or so. Hearing or talking gossip about a 20-year-old wasn't something girls in their 16th's did. It was more interesting to hear about who went to the slagheap this time or if a classmate got married. But somehow, I wanted to know more about him. Because he saved me, or because I owed him, I didn't know. I would ask Madge if she knew something about him. After all, she was the mayor's daughter. She knew everyone's business.

Peeta suddenly turns around and my cheeks turn into a deep shade of red when he lifts his eyebrow questioningly.

"You scared me, Katniss," Peeta says with a smile. Not anything on his face expression showing any kind of fear.

"Sorry, I guess I keep my hunter's t-tread," I stammered. Oh, God. This couldn't get more embarrassing . But Peeta keeps smiling, almost like it's a duty and turns around again to place the pieces of dough in the oven.

"I hope you feel better now, Katniss." It is quiet for a long time and he glances over his shoulder while wiping the flour on his apron. Waiting for an answer.

"I... I don't know how to thank you." I whisper, looking down at my fingers like they would help me in any kind of way. I suddenly remembered how I begged the man for my life and cried like a baby only a few hours ago, and I wanted to die and disappear at the thought. So embarrassing...

Peeta looks at me for a long time, with nothing but an empty stare that makes me shiver in coldness, even if I was sweating. Maybe I was too tired before, but I realized now that his behavior has been like that since I came. Smile, talk to me formally and guide me. Like one of his customers. Predictably, he smiles again. That empty smile he keeps doing like he was standing by the counter and I don't know how to feel about that.

"I know that it isn't my business, but I'm quite curious." He occupies himself by cleaning the table where he just worked, his back towards me again. I secretly admire his muscles tensing. "I woke up to the sound of the peacekeepers, so I went outside for a smoke. The next thing I know, there is an almost shot girl begging for mercy by my doorstep." I swallowed audibly. He didn't need to re-tell everything again, thank you very much, but I knew what he was coming with.

"I... had a fight. With a friend." He gave me so much, I could at least give him honesty back. "And I fell asleep in the forest. The next thing I know, I'm being chased by a peacekeeper." Peeta turns his head towards me and lifts an eyebrow questionably. "I hunt. You know... I traded with your father once a week." I say matter of factly. "You gave me a cake.. For my birthday."

"Ah, now I recognize you now," Peeta nods his head. "Yes, my dad always appreciated your work when he was around."

I nod my head and we both become silent.

"Once again, I don't know how to thank you Mr. Mellark... If there is anything I can do..." I tried again but didn't get the answer I expected.

"I'll come up with something." I don't know what it is that makes me freeze. Either his eyes that turned small, his smirk or the words filled with some odd tension that makes me shiver. The way he looked at me was uncomfortable, and I felt like a prey. A puppet even, that he could use just because of the situation. I had to pay back, and he could use me however he wanted. I didn't like this. Not at all.

I say my goodbye fast before I leave, and his eyes don't leave me until I'm out of sight.

~

"Katniss! Katniss!" Opening the front door, Prim immediately runs towards her sister with big eyes filled with tears and jumps into my lap. Lupus barling behind her. I grabbed her back immediately, hugging her so tight that the wound reminded me to calm down. But all I can think about is how I ran from the peacekeeper, thinking about my little sister starving to death or seeing her bigger sister get executed. But now, she was alright.

She was safe.