Katniss and Peeta (When the Going gets Tough)

Accidents and Missing Pieces

"He's where mom?" You can tell in my voice I'm freaking out. I have every right to be as well. I mean Im in the hospital dazed and confused. They all have a sudden interest in their shoes. Like a little kid does when they are ashamed of themselves. All I know is I was in the military.

I was in the military because the country of Panem decided to start World War III. Peeta couldn't be in the military because he had a prosthetic leg. Hold on I was drafted. I had to go it wasn't a choice, but Jo, Gale, Finnick, Cato, Clove, and Marvel went too. How are they here? That's a question for another day.

"Would someone tell me where the heck my boyfriend is!" I'm screaming and crying.

"Katniss he is in the hospital."

"What! Why?" I can feel my anger rising. It's like a thermometer in summer it just keeps going up.

"He was heading home one day after visiting you. He was exhausted between work and worrying about you. He was distracted and didn't see the driver coming. It was a head on collision. He's lucky to survive."

"If it was head-on who was in the wrong lane?" I asked. Why do I want these details? I don't want to know all of this? Didn't the doctor tell me to take it easy?

"He was driving correctly the other driver was texting and didn't survive the crash. Peeta has been awake and is recovering. He's doing great he is only three doors down and the hall. Every waking second he is asking how you are doing. He made Prim record his voice so he could talk to you."

"Oh," is all I can manage. I'm so happy he is alive I look down at my hands, and I screamed.

"Katniss what is wrong?" My mother looks so scared and worried it scares me more.

"My hands what happened to me?"

"You were in an accident." My mother says quietly. Once again everyone is looking at the ground.

"What do you mean by accident?"

"We don't know all the details."

"We know you were severely burned all over your body, and you have amnesia." I look at my mother's face.

"Mom...what are you not telling me?" My mother started crying uncontrollably. Oh no. What did I do? Fin walks forward.

"Kat...you have to understand...you were very lucky. Cato and I got you out while the rest got the others."

"Spit it out Finnick," I snap. I know I shouldn't and I didn't mean to. my kind however is going a million miles a minute.

"Kat you were behind enemy lines in enemy hands."

"What?" That's not possible. I would remember something like that. I would be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I would remember something. "Then how do you explain the burns."

"When you were captured, we think you were near a grenade or land mine. We are assuming that debris that was on fire burned your clothes and your skin."

"Brainless, it's gonna be okay. I was stuck in there with you and I'm fine. I can't remember anything and the person I know who can remember, and wishes they couldn't."

For the first time I take a good look at her. She has burn marks all over her skin. They shoot up her arms, and legs. Part of her ear is burnt. Her face is perfectly fine and she looks like Johanna would any other day.

Then she removes her baseball cap. I am in a complete and utter shock. Johanna's short choppy brown hair is gone. She is completely bald. Her entire scalp is burnt. If the scars weren't there you would guess it was a military haircut gone wrong.

"Oh my gosh. Jo, I am so sorry."

"You just wait until you see yourself."

"What?" I have a hospital night gown on I throw back the sheets. Everyone but Johanna is shocked. It looks like they all have been holding their breath. My legs are completely burnt. There is not a patch of skin that isn't. They are all different colors. There are red, brown, yellow, even orange. How was I behind enemy lines and survived with this amount of injury?

"Told you so, we are both fire mutts now. The only thing I can remember is that we shared a cell. Your screams were-" she gets cut off as Gale covers up her mouth and carries her out the door.

I just sit there. I turn my head and out side the door on the nurses desk is a bouquet of roses. I start hyperventilating and gagging. I am coughing so much. I hear my mother telling me to take deep breaths.

Then everything goes black.