The Hanging Tree. *ON HOLD*

Chapter Four ~ Katniss

Chapter Four ~ Katniss 

(This chapter is told in Katniss' POV)

I rushed off after Peeta knowing, and hating, the look in his eyes. He stormed off into the bedroom we had been assigned to. The Tracker Jacker venom had never left his body, simply subsided for a while. But when it came back... It was awful. His usually clear, happy blue eyes became dark, almost black and all happiness left his being, and his anger was like glass. Whenever it broke, shards of it would ping everywhere and injure anyone standing near. The scars I had from his anger were countless.

When I entered the room, I saw him slumped on the double bed, his head in his hands. This wasn't one of his angry turns. This was much worse. He became confused, and disorientated. He would forget everything except a tiny piece of hatred for me. It was never enough to fuel his anger but his greatest talent was always words, and he would use them to hurt me. He looked up when I came in and his face registered recognition. There was no hate on his face. Maybe he wasn't going have a turn! The idea bought a smile to my face and I went to sit next to him. I put my arm around him but he jerked free. A jagged breath came from my mouth and I began to do, what I always did with him when this happened.

‘Your name is Peeta Mellark. My name is Katniss Mellark. We are married. We were married on the 21st June. We have two beautiful children-‘

‘Primrose and Finnick, I know Katniss.’ I just looked at him utterly shocked. I was so sure that... that he was going to hate me. He must have seen how stunned I looked and he said gently.

‘It isn't the tracker jacker venom Katniss. This is me. I know about us and Prim and Finn and I love all three of you. Don't worry.’ He said. I moved closer to him so our hips were touching and his arm snaked round my shoulders. I lay my head on his shoulder and we stayed like that for a little while until I spoke up.

‘What are we going to do?’ I asked my husband.

‘About the games?’ I nodded a little, confirming his question. ‘I have no idea. But I know that only one person can come out.’ I let out a little noise that sounded like a choked animal. We were supposed to choose which one of our kids we wanted to keep and which one we didn't mind never seeing again. Snow was once again torturing me, this time not with Peeta, not with fear but with impossible decisions. Because these games, I cannot win, and that thought scared me more than any other I have thought over the space of 40 odd years.

‘We have to choose.’ I whispered dangerously close to tears.

‘Not yet we don't.’ Peeta said his voice steely and hard.

‘Well when then?’ I asked moving my head away from his shoulder.

‘When the time is right,’ He whispered.

‘The time will never be right! It's better now than-‘

‘Do you want to choose which of our children have to die?’ Peeta said standing up and shouting at me.

‘You know I don't!’ I said. ‘But-‘ A small cough made us turn from our bickering and there stood Finnick.

‘If you're done discussing our fate, dinner's ready.’ He said his mouth set in a straight line and his grey eyes hard.

‘Finn, honey I’m sorry, we…’ I said making my way towards him but he just backed away, threw open the door and sprinted down the corridor. ‘FINNICK!’ I cried after him helplessly.

‘He's not there Katniss.’ Peeta said grabbing my arm. He spun me around so that we were face to face. ‘We are not going to decide.’ He said and pulled me into a fierce hug.