Maybe It Can Be Real

Chapter 60

Ending of last chapter:

He detaches himself from my grasp. Putting his hands on my shoulders, he whispers, "Stay here. I don't want you or the baby to get hurt. I'll be right back, I promise." And with a quick kiss to the forehead, he whisks out of the room, quietly going down the stairs.

Pushing my fist into my mouth to keep from yelling after him, I wrap my other arm around my stomach and pace back and forth over the floor. I close my eyes, telling myself over and over that he's going to be just fine.

Then I hear a shout and grunt of pain as someone is hit.

**** WARNING: SEVERE OVER-DRAMATIZATION AHEAD LOL ****

I freeze. One of those sounded like Peeta, but I don't know which one was him. Tiptoeing to the top of the stairs, I listen for sounds of anything - a brawl, a conversation, just anything to let me know what's going on. My heart is pounding like crazy, feels like it is about to burst out of my chest. I hear another grunt of pain, then the sound of something hitting the floor.

Peeta's insane if he thinks I'm just going to stand and wait up here when I don't have a clue what's going on downstairs. Grasping the railing with a shaky hand, I start going down slowly, hoping not to draw too much attention to myself. Then suddenly it's like I walk into a whole new room - I take one step down the stairs, and I can make out the loud, terrifying sounds of a fight. Flying down the rest of the stairs, I dash into the room beyond, fumbling and trying not to trip over anything in the dark.

When I reach the living room, I can just barely make out dark forms, one is Peeta and the other one is definitely male, moving around. Squinting, I try to see who's in our house, but to no avail. Glancing to my left I see the curtain blowing around and around, so I go over there and see that the window has been broken in. Gasping, I realize that someone broke into the house and was going to rob us. Looking back over at Peeta and the robber, I see a half-filled black bag, a lamp broken and shattered on the ground next to it.

Peeta knees the robber in the stomach and he falls down, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain. Peeta looks up, panting, and sees me. Fear fills his face, and he glances down at the robber briefly before looking back up at me. "Katniss, what are you doing down here? Get out of here! Go!"

A line of blood trickles down the side of his face, rooting me in my spot. It's like I'm in a different consciousness: I can hear Peeta yelling at me to leave, but it doesn't register in my mind. In one ear and out the other.

When the robber stands back up and grabs the bag, it brings me back to reality. I can't just stand here like a helpless dimwit. I've been through two Hunger Games and a war, for God's sake! I can handle a measly robber.

Since my bow is in a log in the woods, I have to make do with what's around me. Grabbing a book off the table next to me, I plant myself between the robber and the door, pushing my fear out of the way for now. Act now, think later.

While Peeta is preoccupied with me, the robber kicks out at Peeta's prosthetic leg, sending him tumbling to the ground. "Peeta!", I call out, my immediate reaction. He'll be fine, Katniss, just get rid of the robber first.

When the intruder races toward me, I raise the book and smack him as hard as I can with it, hoping to debilitate him until Peeta can get over here. Unfortunately, he realizes that I'm going to do that, so he ducks out of the way, but not before the book grazes his temple.

Then something - I don't know if it was the robber's hand, or bag, or what - strikes the back of my head, sending me sprawling down to the floor.

"Katniss!"