"Allies?" "Always."

Chapter 18

The attackers are dead. We're alone, but in agony.

I barely move my leg and cry out again. Tears start to roll down the side of my face. I feel nothing but stabbing, horrible, tremendous pain like nothing I've ever felt before.

Katniss drops everything and gets on her hands and knees next to me. "Oh my God, Peeta!" She squeals. "Peeta."

I close my eyes and choke out the name, "Rue."

I turn my head and sniff. Laying on the ground, Rue holds out her hand to me. I take it. "Katniss." I whisper. "Take the spear out of her."

She does as I instructed and Rue's face scrunches up as it is removed. Another tear falls. Katniss starts to cry too. "You blew up the food?" Rue asks me weakly.

"Every last bit of it." I choke on my tears.

"One of you has to win." She squeezes my hand tighter, as if she's trying to hold on to life. As if she's trying to hold on to us.

"Katniss is going too. She's going to win for the both of us now." I assure.

I hear two cannons and it startles me. Reflex makes me move my leg and I yelp in pain again. A few more tears spill out.

"Don't go." Rue holds onto Katniss's hand.

"Course not. I'm staying right here." Katniss moves Rue's head onto her lap and brushes a little bit of hair away from her eyes.

Then Rue says something I don't quite hear. I look up to Katniss with tears impairing my vision.

That's when my fiancée does something that can and will comfort the both of us. She tries to clear her throat and begins to sing.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you"

Rue closes her eyes. She barely breathes. I whimper in pain and close mine as well. All I need is some rest; some time to get away from all this pain and loss. To a place where I can be alone with the ones I love. Right now, thay place only exists in my mind.

"Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray
Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm"

I don't hear her sing the final two lines. Everything is dead silent, until the mockingjays start to repeat her song.

Rue's cannon fires. More tears come, but not from the pain in my leg. Words can't even begin to explain the pain in my chest. The same feeling takes over me like it had in the training center, except darker and broken. I was right. Without her, everything in my life will change. This will haunt me for the rest of my short life.

Katniss gently kisses her forehead and lays her head softly in a pile of grass. She drops her hand and I'm hesitant before doing the same.

Katniss then looks to me. A tear runs down her cheek. I wish I could wipe it away, but that is impossible right now.

I lift my head to look at my leg. There is a pool of blood and red plants around my thigh. I painfully push myself up into a sitting position. I need to get that spear out of my leg.