Always

Silent

A.N. See that guys! Do you see that! Right above this lies a picture and on it, is how many views my story has. 3,000!! Can't believe this!

The jungle is thick and unlike anything I've ever seen. The leaves are the size of my body and the ground is soft beneath my feet. With the air being muggy and my stomach slowing me down, trying to maintain breathing is a struggle. Peeta slices through the jungle at the head of the group, his machete cutting away the leaves and branches. Finnick is in the middle with Mags resting over his shoulder. Every now and then she'll turn around and give me a toothy grin. I can't help but return the smile.

"Do you think we could take a break?" I ask panting. Finnick looks at me with a concerned face and Peeta stops mid-step to examine me.

"Are you okay?" Peeta asks me as he walks towards me. Finnick and Mags take a seat beneath a rubbery tree and Peeta takes my hand. "Be honest with me."

I sigh and look around. "I can't go much longer without water. We need water." I tell him and by the look on his face he understands that by we I mean the baby and me.

"Not that I'm ease dropping or anything, but Katniss if you climbed one of these trees them you could see if there is water near by." Finnick says sticking his head out from behind the tree.

"I don't appreciate you listening in on my private conversation, but I think that might work." I look over to Peeta and I can tell that he doesn't like this idea. "Peeta, you don't have to worry."

He shakes his head. "No, Katniss what if you fall and I can't catch you. You could hurt yourself and the baby." He tells me.

I shake my head. "Peeta, you always catch me."

"Come on man, let her climb the tree." Finnick buts in again and I can see the rage beginning to boil on Peeta's face.

He turns to face Finnick and takes a step towards him. "Last time I checked you weren't a part of this conversation. So don't ask my wife. My pregnant wife to climb any trees." His voice is dripping with anger and protectiveness.

He turns back to face me and shakes his head. "You're not climbing that tree." His tone is much more gentle with me than with Finnick.

I scoff. "Yes, I am. Peeta we are in the arena, I have to do this." I take another step toward him. "If you let me do this, I'll consider the fact that we might be having a girl." Another step closer towards him. "And if it is a girl, then maybe I'll let you name her after a bread." I close the distance between us and capture his lips in a kiss.

He pulls away smiling. "How could anyone resist that?" I return a smile.

He boosts me into the tree and I wrap my arms around the branch, pulling myself upward. When I reach the top of the rubbery limbed tree, my eyes find the cornucopia easily. The ocean water that is turning red from the dead bodies. I know that I shouldn't be surprised by the sight before me, but I can't help but think of our joined hands last night during the interview. Our show of unity. These people, these people were friends, and yet they still all tried to kill each other. I suppose I should have expected it. We're all victors for a reason.

But I guess I had been subconsciously,  hoping for some reluctance over killing their friends. The bloodstained Cornucopia proves my hopes to be wrong. What about Finnick, can I trust him? Maybe I should get rid of him so that Peeta and I can be on our own. I didn't want an ally anyways. Only Peeta.

"Katniss," Peeta calls out to me and I know he can somehow tell what I'm thinking. I shake my head and forget the thoughts.

I climb down from the tree, and Peeta is waiting for me. When I reach the last branch, I dangle from it before letting myself drop. Peeta catches me effortlessly and then sets me on my feet. Finnick meets my gaze, and it's like he knows what I've been thinking.

"So, how does it look down there, Katniss?" he asks. "Have they all joined hands? Taken a vow of nonviolence?"

I fight not to scowl. "No."

"No," Finnick repeats. "Because whatever happened in the past is in the past, and no one in this arena was a victor by chance."

I nod curtly, my lips pursed in a thin line. "I know." My hand itches for my bow and arrow. I could easily kill him now. But Peeta steps in between us and eyes me shaking his head no.

"How many are dead?" Peeta asks, and I sigh, my aggravation with Finnick fading.

"Hard to say, they're still fighting," I answer.

"Let's keep moving." Peeta draws one of his knives from his belt. "We need water."

At the reminder, I can't help but swallow. All this time, we still haven't seen a drop of the precious liquid. No stream. No pond. No nothing. The water from the sea isn't drinkable, which means that there must be freshwater somewhere. We simply have to find it.

"Better find some soon," Finnick says seriously. "We need to be undercover when the others come hunting us tonight." I nod my head in agreement and we continue to walk up the hill.

I keep my eyes peeled for any signs of water, but there are none. We go another mile and we're all panting once again. I see the beginning of another hill above us, and think that maybe we'll have better luck on the other side.

However, I realize that there is no other side. Despite trailing behind the picking up the rear, I know that the arena ends before anyone else. I know that behind that hill lies nothing good My eyes catch sight of an shimmer in the air. Just at the top of the hill. It hits the singing and the small square shines and glimmers. Immediately, I think of the first day in the Training Center with Wiress and Beetee. The thing that separated us from the gamemakers.

The forcefield.

My mouth opens to shout a warning to Peeta, but I'm too late. His knife swings downward and hits the force field. For a moment, I can see beyond the arena, the nothingness that lies behind it. It's as if the earth drops off. But then Peeta is flung backward, knocking over Finnick and Mags and reality slaps me.

He hits the ground with a thud and remains motionless.

"Peeta!" I run up the hill trying to reach him.

I drop to my knees beside him, faintly noting the aroma of singed hair that lingers in the air. My hands are trembling as I press my fingers to his lips. No warmth breath. He isn't breathing. Peeta isn't breathing. My husband isn't breathing. The father of my child isn't breathing.

Am I breathing? No, I'm gasping. Tears well in my eyes, a sob threatens to escape me.

I shake his shoulder. "Peeta!" I scream, but he remains entirely too still. I slap his cheek, hoping he'll jerk awake so that I can see his playful smile again. So that I can hear him say I love you again. Just once more.

I love you.

His voice fills my head and I shake him once more. As a last hope, I press my ear to his chest, the spot I lay my head on at night. The place he pulled me against him this morning. I close my eyes, tears sliding down my cheeks, praying to hear the strong heartbeat that I love.

Silence.

A.N. Well just to recap what happened in this chapter. Katniss is thirsty, Finnick buts in on conversations, and Peeta is dead. Wow so much has happened. Like and comment!

Quote from next chapter is from Finnick! "It may take a while, but you'll learn to live without him."