We Remain

Chapter 17: Say Something

My foot slips on one of the branches. I fall 5 feet. My back slams on the floor. I gasp trying to breath. Pain shocks me in my back. I close my eyes and wince. Peeta runs to me and tries to help.

"No." I choke out. I sit up. "The sun is melting the snow. The water is flooding the Cornucopia and Rain Forest. The last place is the mountain."

They all stop and freeze. Then they start moving even faster. I sho Peeta to finish packing the things while I recover. I reach for the bow and arrows. A few broken from the fall. At least I have a second sheath. Finnick grabs my arm and begins dragging me. I turn around and see Peeta and Johanna already running ahead. I stumble onto my feet and begin running next to Finnick. My back is painfully hurting. Considering my wounds aren't exactly fully healed.

"Katniss!" Finnick yells at me. It's hard to breathe and it's slowed me down. Finnick grabs my arm and pulls me along.

Next thing I know I can't find Peeta nor Johanna. As I'm running along with Finnick. He pulls my arm and we both tumble down a slope. Then someone catches me from falling any farther. I open my eyes and Peeta cradles me. Blood dripping out of his arm. Gashes in his forearm where the tracker might be.

"Stay still." He says. His digs a knife in my arm. I'm about to scream but Johanna places her hands on my mouth and Finnick holds down my legs and arms. Peeta pulls out the blue tracker and hides it under a rock. Johanna and Finnick let me go. Peeta wraps my arm with a cloth quickly.

"I'm sorry." He says. I turn and see Finnick digging the knife, himself, into his arm. He throws the tracker far off into the trees.

"Let's go!" Finnick says. They begin running. Peeta and I hold hands. Maybe so I won't be too slow.

After about an hour we stop at a small stream to fill our canteens.

"I wasn't told." I announce. "No one told me of the plan."

"It was kind of last minute. You were recuperating." Peeta says.

"Does it really matter?" Johanna rolls her eyes.

"Yes! It does! You can't make decision without me! We are allies!" I flip out.

"Calm down crazy!" Johanna says. "You aren't my favorite person here. I could slit your throat in a second!"

"Why don't you just do it already! Get it over with!" I yell at her. Johanna comes at me with a knife. I pull my arrow back and aim for her head. Peeta stands in front of the arrow and Finnick grabs Johanna.

"Let me go muscle head!" Johanna yells screaming profanities.

"Peeta move!" I demand. He stares at me, not moving. I lower my arrow and drop it.

"Oh come on! Don't give up now badass!" Johanna tries to release herself from Finnick's grasp.

"Don't waste your...last breaths." I say. I walk away and sit down alone. I see Finnick finally releases Johanna and she chucks her axe at a nearby tree. I begin to examine my broken arrows.

Peeta comes and sits next to me. He rests his hand on my thigh and rubs soothingly.

"The cameras can't find us right?" I ask. Maybe no is the time.

"I can only assume. Gamemakers won't be able to find us. They will see our tracker but not us. That's why we hid them. We are at peace." Peeta says.

"But the cameras. They are everywhere. Can't they just-"

"No, they only use the cameras when the tracker is near it. Have you ever since the randomly show a tree without a tribute in sight?" Peeta says. And he's right, throughout the years I've never seen gamemakers show us the rest of the arena, only maybe the first few days. But after that, it's focused on tributes.

"Peeta I have something to say." I begin. This might be the last time I have with him alone.

"Me too." He interrupts. Whatever he's about to say, I know it's real. No cameras to make him act. This is the real Peeta.

"If we get out..." He says. Like he is doubting it. So am I. "I would like to know if you'd marry me."

I'm taken back. "Yes. I would be honored." I say. Since it's our last few days together, I want him to know that I care and love him. He kisses me on the forehead. I rest my head on his shoulder. He holds my hand.

"I wish I had something to give you." He says with hurt.

"Here. I'll give you something." I unpin my mockingjay pin from my shirt. I pin it on his shirt. I straighten it.

"No Katniss. This is yours." He refuses.

"Keep it. Please." I say.

"Thank you. What were you going to tell me?" He reminds me. Now that he has told me this, I feel like I need to tell him. Or guilt will forever kill me.

"Peeta, it's about the baby." I begin.

"Listen Katniss, I was upset that you didn't tell me. But now I'm happy. This is probably the best thing to happen to me since you came in my life."

Now he's making me feel more guilty. How could he think I could bare a child still and tumble down a mountain slope and cut open my forearm? Well, the woman in district 12 does have it worse than me. No, let me correct that. They aren't in the Hunger Games.

"Peeta..." I can feel the tears swell in my eyes. "I..lost the baby. The night before the games started."

He sits still. Looking at the sunset. His face emotionless. Tears are streaming down my face. I just want him to interrupt this dead silence. But he won't.

"Please say something." I say with a shaking voice.

"What do I say?" He whispers. I see a crisp tear roll down his face. The sun hits it exactly, making it shine.

"Anything. Be mad at me, or sad, or angry everything. Just don't sit there." I cry.

"Why would I do that?" He says. "And I am sad. Beyond words. I don't think I can necessarily put it into emotions yet."

"I'm sorry. I didn't tell you earlier." I whisper.

"I just wish I was there with you." Peeta holds my hand. "It wouldn't have made it better, but we would have had each other."