The Wrong Victor

Chapter fifteen: Peeta..

With Katniss and the other victors safe Coin has me working more. She keeps me away from Katniss as much as possible. Prim works with her everyday to get her more and more back to her old self.

I walk into the cafeteria to eat lunch before being shipped to District Two and I see a familiar head of hair braided down to her shoulder. I quickly grab my food before walking to the table that holds Johanna, Annie, Finnick, Prim, and her. Katniss.

Her hair is braided, but that's the only normal thing about her. She has goons behind her and she has handcuffs on. Why? She will be perfectly fine.

"Katniss, look who finally gets to join us!" Prim says gently scooting Katniss towards her. I sit next to Katniss and she still doesn't look at me.

"Katniss?" I ask leaning forward so I can look at her. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine." Her voice is soft but firm. She looks away from me and reaches for her food avoiding the bread. What is going on?

"Katniss, did I do something wrong?"

"No."

"Then why won't you look at me?"

"Because you're dead. You're not really here. I failed. You're all dead. This is just a dream."

"This isn't a dream, Katniss."

"It is! It is a dream! Peeta is dead! He's dead and I didn't get to tell him I love him. He's dead! He's dead!" She has begun screaming this sends Annie into a fit as well. I gently touch Katniss' arm only for her to smack me away and nearly fall over. "He's dead! Peeta is dead! My Peeta is dead! It's all my fault! All my fault!"

"Katniss, no. I'm right here. I'm not dead." She falls to the floor and curls into herself. The goons go to grab her when I block them and kneel next to her. "Katniss, look at me. I'm right here."

She begins to dig her wrists into the handcuffs pulling blood from the wounds. I gently grab her hands, but she begins to freak out more and scream. "He's dead! Dead! Peeta's dead and it's all my fault. I killed him. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Peeta!"

I grab her cheeks and hold her face still. "Katniss look at me I'm right here. Please. Look at me." I know I have tears rolling down my face at the state Katniss is in.

"No! You're dead! You're dead! I killed you! I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry!" She's sobbing her eyes clenched shut as tears roll down her cheeks.

I pull her closer and lean my head against hers. "Stay with me, Katniss. Please. Please stay with me. What you're thinking isn't real. What you saw isn't real. I'm here. I'm real. Please, stay with me."

She's silent for some time before I look down to see her eyes slowly beginning to open. I gently brush a few left over tears from her cheek and smile.

"Hey, I'm real. I promise. I'm real and I'm here." I whisper as her hand comes up to touch my cheek. It has a bit of stubble on it because of other things taking up my mind I forgot to shave this morning.

"Peeta doesn't have stubble." She whispers out before looking down at my shoes. "You double knot your shoelaces. And you don't take sugar in your tea. And you sleep with the window open?"

"I'm here. I'm real. I forgot to shave this morning and yes. I double knot my shoelaces and I don't like sugar in my tea. I get that from the cookies. And I overheat at night so I try to keep a window open. Can't really do that here."

"No, I guess there are no windows down here. You have a fake leg." Her hand goes to my leg and feels the prosthetic. That's when I notice. Her wrists are bleeding a lot more than I thought.