Together With Troubles

Chapter 8

Katniss' POV:
As I watch Peeta answer the phone I see his expression immediately change. "Peeta?" I say a little worried. "What's wrong?" He looks up at me and continues talking on the phone. "Yes. Yes. I understand. We'll be right over." He says hanging up the phone. "Peeta what is going on?" I ask standing up. "Just grab your jacket. I'll explain in the car. We have to go." He says running to the door. I run upstairs and grab the first jacket and pair of shoes I see. When I go downstairs Peeta is already outside. "Peeta wait!" I yell locking the front door. Finally when I'm in the car Peeta takes off down the road. "Peeta what is happening!?" "Madge and Gale were in a car accident and they're not looking too good." I gasp. I thought he was going to say something way worse but this is still really bad. "How? What? When?" I ask trying to get more details. "She didn't tell me very much. She only told me to come to the hospital as soon as possible." I sigh and lay my head against the window. What has Madge done to deserve all of this? She has been through a lot the last couple of months and I just don't understand. As we get out of the car and walk into the hospital I grab Peeta's hand hoping it isn't as bad as he says it is.

Peeta's POV:
When we walk into the hospital we wait in the waiting room until someone can talk to us and let us see them. But Madge and Gale aren't who I'm worried about the most. It's Katniss. While I was on the phone I didn't just talk to a nurse I also talked to a police officer. He told me that the accident wasn't caused by Madge or Gale. It was caused by Cato. They saw him running away from the scene when they were putting Madge and Gale into the ambulance. He broke out of jail a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure I should tell Katniss. It would only make the situation worse. She has the right to know whether I like it or not. But right now is not a good time and I can tell by the way she keeps squeezing my hand.

Katniss' POV:
When a doctor finally comes to talk to us we brace ourselves for any really bad information. "Ms.Everdeen, Mr.Mellark your friends are going to be fine. We just need to keep them here for a week or so." "Will we be able to see them?" I ask worried. "Well you may see Madge but Gale is still in a bad condition right now. You can come back and see him tomorrow." I look down at the floor not wanting to hear that. But I can't change what happened. At least they're going to be fine. "Now if you want I can take you to her now." I nod my head and sigh. Peeta grabs my hand and we follow him down the hall. When we get to Madge's room I freeze not wanting to go in. I hate seeing her like this. "Katniss are you ok?" Peeta says looking at me worried. "I'm fine I just........I don't know." I say looking away. "Look Katniss they're going to be ok." I nod my head and slowly walk in the room. "Kat, Peeta." She says sitting up."Hi how are you feeling?" I say sitting beside her. "Fine. I just wish I knew how Gale was." "They haven't told you anything about him?" "No." "Well he's still in bad condition" Peeta says "but he's going to be fine." She smiles a little and grabs my hand. "So how are you?" "I'm fine. Its you I'm worried about." "Well I'm worried about you." "Why are you worried about me? I'm fine." "I just thought you were a little scared. I know I am. I thought I would never have to deal with him again." I see Peeta shift nervously. "What do you mean about me being scared and who is him?" "You mean you don't know?" She says covering her mouth and looking at Peeta. She looks back up at me and grabs both of my hands. "Katniss that accident wasn't me or Gale's fault. It actually wasn't an accident at all. It was Cato. He broke out of jail a couple of weeks ago." I slowly remove my hands from hers and run out of the room. This can't be happening.

Peeta's POV:
I sit in Madge's room and stare at the floor. "Peeta why didn't you tell her?" Madge ask tears in her eyes. "I don't know. I just thought it wasn't a good a time." "Peeta she had the right to know." "I know. I know. But I didn't want to scare her." "Well whether or not you were going to tell her you have to go talk to her." "Madge I didn't tell her because I didn't want her to worry." I say walking towards the door. "She has nothing to worry about" Madge says stopping me. "Because you're going to protect her."
I walk into the hallway not knowing where to find Katniss. She could be anywhere in this hospital. I walk to the end of the hallway and see no sign of her. I decide to walk towards the waiting room and I find her sitting on a bench staring off into space. I sit beside her and she lays her head on my shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asks quietly. "I didn't want to give you anymore bad news." I say wrapping my arm around her. "I had the right to know Peeta. We are engaged and getting married soon. We have to tell each other things no matter if it is good or bad." "I was just trying to protect you and keep you safe." "Keep me safe?" She says sitting up. "Peeta I'm never safe! Never! Not from the memories that haunt me everyday since that asshole kidnapped me. All I need is for you to always be there for me. That is what keeps me safe." Then she gets up and walks to the end of the hallway. As I watch thinking she will continue down the hallway she stops and covers her face with her hands. I go to her and wrap my arms around her. "Peeta what am I going to do?" She says crying. "It's going be ok Katniss. I promise. Nothing is gonna happen to you." "Peeta how can you say that? Don't you see what happened to Gale and Madge? That could happen to me but he might just kill me instead." "Don't say that." I say holding her face in my hands. "I love you and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." I wipe her tears away and kiss her forehead. "I love you too Peeta. But you don't know how afraid I am." "You don't have to be afraid. I'll always be by your side no matter what." "Peeta will this ever end?" I stare into her eyes and kiss her. "I can't promise you that but I can promise you that it won't last forever."
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Song-So Far by Ólafur Arnalds ft. Arnor Dan