Mockingjay - 4 weeks after Peeta's rescue

4. Leaving Thirteen

The morning sun throws shadows at the apartment wall as Katniss opens her eyes. The last month she never slept as deep as this night. She knows exactly why – it’s him. Every night at the train she’s falling asleep with her head on Peeta’s chest listening his heartbeat there were no nightmares. A sigh of relief lets her look down at Peeta lying beside her.

“Good morning! Good to see you my love” he smiles and leans up to kiss her. Oh, his kiss, every time since the Quarter Quell since she realized how much she really loves him, sends goose-bumps through her skin.

“Hey, stop your hands” Katniss grins at him. “We have to run away today, you remember?”

“You and me together in the wood again how could I forget? This time I don’t touch any stuff I’ll find I promise.” He smiles back while standing up.

“Your medicine is like magic. My burn marks are nearly gone and after this night without dreams I feel so much stronger than yesterday.” He is right Katniss thinks watching him walking through the little apartment. After the first few steps he looks like there’s no pain.

A knock at the door disturbs the two watching each other.

Prim and Haymitch enter the room. “Good to see you together again” Prim smiles and lays a rucksack on the bed. She hugs her sister and waves at Peeta to come over to her. “Here are clothes for you. I hope they fit you.” Prim gives him one of the Thirteen workers uniform.

“This afternoon is your hunting time, Katniss. We’ll use it to get you two out of the building. We must be very careful, they are very outraged because of Peeta’s escape.” Haymitch explains.

“But how can I go out with Peeta. They will recognize him immediately.” Katniss shakes her head.

“No, they won’t!” Haymitch opens the door and there are they, Flavius, Venia and Octavia, Katniss’ prep team.

Peeta looks stunned while Katniss starts laughing. “Take care of your eyebrows” she giggles.

Without notice Katniss the prep team chases Peeta into the bathroom.

Haymitch grins and then says more serious “Katniss we don’t know when we’re able to get you out there. It can be tomorrow noon or maybe in the evening. In this rucksack is medicine, bandages, something to eat and some water. But it’s only enough for one day at least you have to find water immediately and you have to hunt. There is also a tracker inside the bag don’t start it before tomorrow. It sends on a frequency Thirteen never used.”

“What about Finnick? How does he come out?” Katniss asks.

“He volunteers to find Peeta and will lead the search guard in the opposite direction” Haymitch says. “He’ll find you later.”

“Ok any other advice?”

“Stay alive sweetheart!” he grins and goes.

Katniss looks at her sister “Hey Prim, how do you feel about going back to Twelve?”

“I’m happy really. They are very friendly here, but people who try to kill my family I can’t trust anymore. Don’t worry about me, Katniss.”

“My little Duck, I love you!” Katniss embraces her little sister with a huge smile on her face.

Suddenly they hear a scream from the bathroom right before the door flies open.

An old black haired man runs out of the bathroom and screams in fear.

Prim jumps back shocked and Katniss stays in the middle of the room open mouth eyes wide right before she falls onto the bed and laughs until tears runs down her cheeks.

This old screaming man is Peeta after the prep team did their work.

“Nobody ever will recognize you, Peeta” she giggles.

“What do you mean, who is Peeta? My name is John Willow, I’m your old neighbor from Twelve and it’s my last wish to go into the wood.” Peeta says with a disguised voice.

“Good luck you two” Flavius says, Venia and Octavia aren’t able to speak. They only look with sad eyes and try to smile a good bye. Then they are gone. Prim leaves minutes later “See you tomorrow.”

Peeta tries to catch Katniss for a kiss, but she looks stunned steps back “Sorry John, but I can’t kiss you”.

“Come on Katniss, a little kiss” Peeta says in his real voice.“ Just close your eyes and give me a kiss, please”.

“Ok one kiss for an old man” she smiles and closes her eyes. Seconds later she feels Peeta’s lips on her lips and his arms around her. She doesn’t want to break it, but after a minute she rushes away from him.

“We have to leave now. We must get my bows and arrow and start our hunting” she says while pushing the sleeping bag into the rucksack.

They walk through the floors to the weapon room right beside the front door. The guard gives Katniss a questioning look after he noticed the old man behind her.

“Today nobody wants to go with me on my hunting tour, so I ask John to accompany me. I know it’s his wish to go into the wood once in his live” Katniss winks.

The guard shakes his head and gives her the weapons, an arrow, a quiver with bows and big knife. He opens the door and says “Be careful the capitol mud who tried to kill you must be somewhere out there.”

Katniss nods and walks with Peeta out of the building. The first step is done.

They leave Thirteen through a gate nearby and walk into the wood. Peeta is as loud as ever but this time it doesn’t matter. Katniss looks back and says “We have to go straight north and we must go as far as we can until sunset. We need water and I have to hunt otherwise we don’t have much to eat this evening.” “Ok, I follow you. I don’t let you out of my eyes this time” Peeta answers.

Four hours later without any distraction they arrive at a stream and find a nice place to rest.

John takes off his wig the fake eyebrows and the moustache and at least Peeta is back.

Katniss looks deep in his blue eyes and wraps her arms around his neck. Before she kisses him she murmurs “I’ve missed you so much, Peeta”.

In between two kisses Peeta suggests to find shelter for the night maybe there is a cave nearby.