DUSK ~Peeta Mellark~

They're Back

I sat in the cafeteria still messing with the pearl. I didn't know what else to do. What was there to do? Peeta could be dead by now and God knows what they'll do to Cason. Lilly has no idea what is going on because she's either still in the bunker or taking care of anyone who got hurt or who is sick with Prim.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned my head to see Katniss. "Hey." she said quietly as she sat down next to me. I gave her a half smile and looked back at the pearl in my hand. Katniss took notice of it too but didn't say anything about it.

"Any updates?" I asked. She shook her head. It was awful not knowing anything. We sat in silence for a while but when we both heard footsteps, we both turned around and saw Coin. I think we were both hoping she would tell us something good for once. "There's no news." she said almost sadly. "I'm sorry." She sat down with us.

"It's the worst torture in the world. Waiting when you know there's nothing you can do. Especially for people like us." I watched Katniss wipe away tears as Coin spoke. She wasn't wrong. It was really the worst torture I'm sure both Katniss and I had ever been through.

"But whatever strength, courage, madness, keeps us going, you find it, at times like these. You have it soldiers. It's what's kept both of you alive all this time. And it won't fail you now." I saw Katniss start to sob and I put my hand on her shoulder for whatever comfort I could give her.

-

Katniss, Finnick, and I sat in a small room. I watched Finnick tie and untie knots with a rope. I knew when he did that it meant he was nervous or upset and sometimes even mad. It was his own way of comfort. Just like the pearl that I continued to play with.

Suddenly the door opened and Haymitch came in. "They're back." He said quickly making way for Katniss who was already on her way out the door. I looked at Finnick and he looked at me. We both followed quickly behind them.

When we got to the hospital part of 13, I watched Katniss run to a bed surrounded by at least 5 doctors. On it was Johanna. She looked only a little better than Peeta had. Her hair was shaved off and even though she was basically just skin and bones she was shoving doctors off her like it was nothing.

"Finnick!" I heard Annie call his name. They both ran to each other meeting halfway. She jumped into his arms, and they kissed. I turned around at the sound of my name being called. There he was on one of the beds surrounded by doctors. I ran in his direction as fast as I could and pulled him into the tightest hug ever when I reached him.

Finally, he was safe. He was there. Snow couldn't hurt him anymore. Tears ran down both of our faces and we stayed that way for what felt like hours. When we finally let go, Lilly came running to the bed doing the same thing I did.

While they were taking in each other's company I noticed Katniss being taken away on a stretcher. I saw Haymitch following the doctors taking her to a room. I didn't have time to think about that. I turned back to Cason and Lilly and pulled them both into one last hug.

-

Boggs pulled me into Katniss' hospital room. He explained everything on the way. Peeta had tried to kill Katniss. I sat in a chair in the corner of her room while Plutarch explained everything in more detail.

"It's called hijacking. We don't know how long the capitol has been doing this to Peeta." He explained "It's fear conditioning." Beetee said. "Enhanced with tracker jacker venom. You were stung your first games remember?" Katniss did her best to nod but with the neck brace it was hard.

"The venom puts the subject in a dissociative state. And they torture him. With shocks and beatings, they strip down his identity. And then all that fear and suffering is redirected. Associated with other memories or a person."

"They can change his memories of Katniss?" Prim asked. "To make her seem life-threatening." Beetee responded. "They turned him into a weapon Katniss. To kill you." Haymitch said. "But you can reverse it?" Prim asked. She looked worried.

"Fear is the most difficult thing to overcome. We're hardwired to remember fear best." Beetee said. "It's new terrain. But we've put together a team. I'm optimistic." Plutarch finished.

That night there was a meeting that everyone was supposed to go to. Coin was just going to announce the success of the mission. But I didn't go. I went to see Peeta through the one-way window. What I saw was heartbreaking. He struggled to get out of the restraints holding him down.

It made me want to run in there and tell him that everything was ok. But I knew it wasn't. And I was sure nothing I could do or say would calm him down anyway. So, I stood there. Watching him.