Catching Fire: Peeta's POV

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

I try to fall asleep and can't. The image of Gale tied to that pole, unconscious and bleeding. I might have dozed off a few times during the night, but I jerk awake soon after with the image of Gale burning in my eyes.

Finally, in the early hours of morning, I get up to make some fresh bread. At least while I'm baking I can keep my mind off of yesterday. Finishing the bread, I decide to bring a few loaves to Katniss.

I knock on the door lightly, not wanting to disturb everyone if they're still sleeping. Mrs. Everdeen lets me in after I knock once time.

"Good morning, Peeta."

"Good morning," I politely reply.

"You can just set those loaves on the counter," she says walking into another room.

I walk into the kitchen and set the loaves on the counter. I turn to look at Gale who is still on kitchen table where we put him last night. I see Katniss sitting in a chair next to the table with her head resting on the table as she sleeps. She looks younger in sleep. The harshness in her eyes and face isn't there in sleep. Her features seem softer. She has her right cheek pressed against the table, exposing the lash mark on her cheek. I follow the path of Katniss' arm to her hand. It's joined with Gale's. His hand locked with Katniss's smaller one. I don't know how long I stand there watching the two.

Katniss slowly wakes up. She turns her head toward me slowly as if she can sense me standing there.

"Go on up to bed, Katniss. I'll look after him now," I say before Katniss can speak.

"Peeta. About what I said yesterday, about running --" Katniss begins saying.

"I know. There's nothing to explain," I cut her off waving my hand dismissively.

"Peeta --" she tries again.

"Just go to bed, okay?" I say suppressing the yawn that want to escape.

She doesn't argue this time and slowly makes her way up the stairs. Right after Katniss is out of the room, Prim comes bounding into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Prim," I say from my perch by the counter.

"Good morning, Peeta. You can go home. I'll watch Gale. Unless you would like to stay for breakfast."

"No thank you," I reply heading to the door. I still need to visit Haymitch like I do every morning.

I walk in my house and grab some more bread before heading off to Haymitch's. I don't bother knocking, knowing he'll be passed out drunk. Besides, even if he wasn't still asleep, he wouldn't answer the door.

Walking into the kitchen, I'm right. Haymitch is hunched over at the table. A bottle of alcohol in one hand; a glistening knife in the other. It's freezing in his house. After setting the bread down on the meager available counter space, I wade through trash over to the fireplace. The fireplace is very seldom used. I think the only time I've seen a fire in is when Katniss or I are the ones to light it. I start a fire to warm the house of some before Haymitch goes into hypothermic shock. Making sure not to disturb him, I quickly make my way through the trash littering the floor and out the door.

Once home I take a shower to rid my body of the chill of the outside air. I can't suppress the yawn this time, and I realize how tired I am. I get out of the shower and look into the mirror. My eyes have bags under them like I haven't slept for a week. Well, that's wonderful. Making sure my hair is dry, so it doesn't freeze in the cold weather, I head back over to Katniss's.

Prim lets me in this time. I follow her into the kitchen and help her mix some herbs for Gale. I don't really know the names of the herbs but Prim describes them for me. She tells me what the mixed herbs will end up doing when we're done. She hands me a bowl telling me to fill it half way with snow.