The Epilogue - Katniss and Peeta

Fake.

*Katniss' POV*

I watch intensely as the tall figure appears from the darkness, and my face turns to horror once I lock eyes with the man who I used to trust.

The man that used to be my best friend.

"Gale." I let out, shocked as I realize that I'm in the hands of the man who started this entire nightmare.

"Do you know how long it's been, Katniss?" He asks, and I shake my head, trying to be concise on showing my apprehension. "I induced you into a coma for a year."

A year?

There's no way.

Just yesterday I was with Peeta, I—I was just with him—

Peeta.

"I—I don't—I don't understand." I remark, my heart slightly picking up speed.

I reach up towards my hair, and I find that my hair is longer than I remember it being, and my muscles and body aches from being unmoved.

"I staged your death, Katniss." He walks around the room, his heels clicking against the floor. "It was ridiculously easy. All I had to do was intercept your new medication from the Capitol, switch it out with medicine to make you depressed, and then wait until you did something so I could switch you out with an already-deceased person in the hospital."

His smile sends chills down my spine.

"Why would you do that?" I ask, my voice breaking at the thought of the entire world thinking I'm dead.

This entire situation puts my mind in another state.

How have I longed to be dead for so long?

The days I spent wishing for a tragedy to strike me, just so I could be relieved of the pain that ached of my bones.

Now the only pain that's aching is the thought of them believing I'm gone.

No.

Peeta will know I'm alive.

He'll come get me.

I know him.

"You do realize that you are completely stuck with me now, correct?" He asks, and I respond with nothing. "I gave you so many opportunities to just come with me. But instead, you had to be stubborn and make me force you."

I stare at him, and even though my situation is bad, I can't help but worry about someone else's.

"Is Willow safe?" I ask, knowing all too well that he would gladly pawn her for my body.

I pray to whatever entity that my little girl is okay.

My body shakes in response to the chance of Willow being here too. I find uttermost fear in knowing she could be in pain.

"I don't want your daughter, Katniss." He remarks, and his tone is harsh. "I want you."

I try not to throw up.

I look away from him, and I try to picture Peeta. I picture what he must look like, believing I'm dead and that I've been gone for what Gale claims as a year.

Is he even hurt?

Stop asking stupid questions.

Of course he's hurt.

He's probably mourning my fake death, just like Willow and Rye hopefully are.

Not to mention Flynn and Haymitch, too.