Battles

Chapter 7

Katniss P.O.V.

I feel sick to my stomach. What am I supposed to say to him? Do I speak first? Do I let him acknowledge that I'm here before I open my mouth?

Tears come to my eyes. I've never felt so lost around Peeta. He's supposed to be my safe place. My rock.

My home.

Just like everything else, Snow has corrupted that. He's ruined that security I felt whenever I'd get near Peeta.

I've never been afraid of Peeta, but this moment has changed that. Does he remember me in the right way at all? Does he still want me dead?

He just stares at me, and I become even more angry with Snow when I notice Peeta's eyes. They're no longer that beautiful blue color that I could stare into for hours. They are now dark and tortured looking, and I have to look away.

"You're alive," Peeta finally says. He sounds disgusted by that fact rather than relieved by it.

"Yeah," I barely get out. I clear my throat and try it again. "Yeah. I'm alive."

This isn't right. The air feels so cold and uninviting between us instead of warm and full of love like it used to be. There was a time when I would run over to Peeta and he would take me into his arms, letting my cares and worries melt away. But now, I'm wanting out of here.

Peeta's eyes trail down to my stomach and they stay there for a minute before he speaks up again.

"Who's the father?"

That's when I hear Haymitch's voice in my ear. "Don't, Katniss. Don't tell him."

I swallow hard. "That's not important," I say as I walk over a little bit closer.

"That's not an answer," Peeta tells me.

It's not him. It's not him.

"It's good enough for now," I say calmly.

Peeta lets out an unamused laugh and shakes his head at me. "How do you live with yourself?"

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"

If I'm not mistaken, the color in Peeta's eyes darken a bit.

"Snow told me you're a killer," Peeta says.

"You can't believe a word Snow says," I tell him softly.

"And why should I believe you?" he asks me.

"Katniss, back up a little bit," Haymitch says.

I do as I'm told before answering.

"I can't give you a good answer to that," I say truthfully. "But, Peeta, you have to trust me when I say that Snow did this to you."

"Snow didn't do anything to me," Peeta says defensively.

"Yes he did," I say calmly. "He brainwashed you and turned you into someone completely different than you really are."

"Katniss, stop," Haymitch says. "Drop it."

I take a deep breath and bite my lower lip.

It's not him. It's not him.

Peeta scoffs at me. "The next lie you'll be telling me is that that baby is mine."

"She is," I say without thinking.

"Katniss, leave. Get out of there," Haymitch warns me.

Peeta's face takes on an expression I've never seen before. I've seen him angry a few times, but this is much darker. I start to back up towards the door, but Peeta stands up. He's a bit shaky, but still stable enough to walk without falling down.