Catching Fire: The New Story

Chapter 67

Haymitch's POV

"Haymitch! Effie screams as she pounds at my door for the hundredth time in about two minutes. I put my glass down and open the door. She pulls me to the living room and I see the boy sleeping with the girl.

"What, Effie?" I ask angrily. She points to to two.

"Them. They should be in bed. They have a busy day tomorrow, they should be a bit more comfortable." She says. I roll my eyes. She's going crazy about this.

"Effie, calm down. You should be the one going to bed. Let me handle them." I say, reassuring her. She calms down and thanks me. I just growl at her, grabbing a blanket from an empty room. I wrap it around them, they look pretty comfortable to me. But if I don't want Effie on my back again tonight, I should tell then to go to bed.

I shake Peeta's shoulder and he opens his eyes. "What, Haymitch?"

"Come on, go get to bed." I say, leaning down to see his face in the darkness of the room. "Take the girl too."

"Okay." He says. "She has a name by the way. I do too."

"I know." And go to bed.

Peeta's POV

I let Haymitch leave, grumbling about something, then pick up Katniss who is still clinging onto my shirt. She wraps her arms around my neck as the blanket Haymitch laid on us slips from her shoulders. I grab it and wrap it around her again. I pick her up and carry her, bridal style. I walk to our room, her in arms, a bit tired. We have training tomorrow. What would we do to show to the Gamemakers? They already know from just last year how good we are. Why do they want to see how we are this year? It makes no sense.

I lock the door behind me, wanting privacy for at least once. I lay Katniss down, who starts to stir just as my arms leave her warmth. I kick of my shoes I guess I was wearing the whole time and pick her up again, laying her on top of me. I brush some hair out of her face and watch her sleep until my eyes grow too heavy to see anything anymore but black nothing. Then turning into nightmares.

*

"Peeta." I turn around and see Katniss sitting beside me in her arena outfit. The same one from last, black jacket and pants. Just, not stained with blood or ripped. Her belly forming at the shirt.

"Yes?" I ask.

"I'll watch." She says. I then notice how dark it had become in such little time. I nodded, trusting her on waking me if anything happened. I'm more worried about her then myself. I kiss her cheek and lay down. She pulls my head too her lap an brushes my hair in a calming way. After a few minutes, I'm asleep.

I wake to screaming. Katniss isn't under me anymore. I jump up and grab my sword from its spot in my back sling. I run to her screaming, it's hers of course. She's calling me. She's calling me for help. I keep running, speeding up my pace as her screams grow louder. I see a talk man, Brutus. He has her in a headlock on her knees. Her lips a blue now. Her face pale. When she sees me, she starts wiggling in his grasp.

I run faster when I see the knife in hand, aiming at her stomach. I throw the sword at his head, aiming perfectly and hitting his target. A loud, piercing scream hits my ears and I fall to my knees when I see Brutus launching the knife into Katniss's side. I run to her and push a dead Brutus of her. A cannon goes off and I go back to her. She yanks the knife out of her and screams again. I lay her down before she falls forward, putting her head in my lap.

"You're okay. You're okay." I say softly as I brush her hair. She looks at me, scared. "You'll be okay. You're okay Katniss. Don't worry."

Tears streams down my face as hers do too. "I don't want to die Peeta. I want to go home."