Always

Arena Days (revised)

I wake up to the sound of my stomach growling. I look over to my left and see Peeta sound asleep. He looks so peaceful when he is sleeping, so much younger than he actually is. I admire his features, his blue eyes at my favorite. "Peeta," I say shaking him.

He groans and turns over opening his eyes. His blue iris eyes stand out like a sore thumb, but in a good way. It's shocking how handsome he is.

"What" he says with a raspy morning voice.  I smile at him, remembering last nights conversation.

"I need to go hunting, I'm starving and we've eaten the food from the sponsors already." At this my stomach growls again, proving my point more.

"Okay Kat," he says and laughs. I grab my bow and he grabs his knife. With that we leave our cave.

"You go to the left and I'll go to the right." Peeta points with his finger in what direction he's going. He looks at me longingly as if he'd like to do more, but instead he smiles and limps while walking off.

Not to long after siting and waiting I see a small rodent climb up the side of a tree. I take a deep breath, aim, and shoot. It hits the animal right through the eyes. As I lean down to pick it up I hear the cannon sound. I jolt up and practically fling the animal across the arena.

I run as fast as I can and the wind causes my eyes to become dry.

"Peeta! Peeta!" I yell in the woods.

Branches are catching on my clothes and I'm having trouble breathing but I don't care because I have to find Peeta. I have to find him.

I'm not looking where I'm going when my foot catches on a root and I start to fall. Expecting to hit the hard ground I try to protect my head, but I don't hit the ground. I hit the stomach of someone. As I open my eyes I'm met with the pale white face of a red headed girl. Fox face, the tribute from district 6 is lying on the ground dead and I'm on top of her.

I scramble off of her stand quickly. Her eyes are grey and her lips are blue. She's dead.

I stumble backwards as flashbacks of Rue's dead body fills my mind and I run faster than before. My chest hits his back before I can stop my legs.

"Katniss!" He says and grabs my arms. "Are you okay, I thought the cannon was you." Peeta tells me and grips me tightly.

"You scared me half to death." He whispers into my hair as he pulls me against him. I don't hug him back, I simply stand and let him embrace me. All I can feel is the cold body of the girl that was beneath me.

He lets me go and looks at me for a split second before kissing me. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He says as he pulls away from me.

I shake my head and back away. "No, it's okay." I pause and look around the woods. "I should finish hunting."

"Yeah." He whispers and he watches me as I walk away.

After we've roasted the animal I caught, I ask Peeta what's been on my mind all day. "Why do you think Cato hasn't come after us? He's the last career standing." I ask looking at Peeta.

"I don't know. Maybe he thinks he's out numbered or something. I really have no idea." Not even looking up from the ground he says, " but I also think he's preparing for something big." I look at him with a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just that careers don't wait this long to kill unless it's going to be a big show down. It's against their rules of life." I think about Peeta's response and wonder if maybe he's right. It would make a lot of sense. "He's planning his final show down and we both know it won't be pretty." I look up at Peeta and I know he's about to say something I won't like. "You have to let me protect you, Katniss. I'm afraid of what he'll do to you if I don't try." He finishes with a sad look on his face.

"Peeta," I say. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides, I'll always have you to protect me. That's what we do, we protect each other." I say the last sentence looking him square on so that he'll get my point. He gives me a sad smile and I know that's the end of the conversation.

"Attention all tributes, we have decided to allow two tributes if from the same district to be able to win together. This will be the only announcement." My eyes become wide and I look at Peeta. Am I dreaming or did they just say we could both go home.

"We can go home, together." I say to him as we embrace. "We can have a normal life again." The joy I feel can't even be close to what he is feeling. I look him in the eyes and I kiss him.

The next day the sound of a cannon blasting is what startles us awake. We both know what this means. Thresh has died and Cato is the only one left. I look up to him and I know he can read my mind because he gives my forehead a kiss and tells me that it will be okay. "You were right. He's planning a final show down."

"Are you ready for this?" He asks looking at me. I give him my honest answer, not caring that the Capitol is listening.

"No." We gather our things and before we leave the cave he pulls me aside and grabs my hand. "Together?" He asks.

"Together" I say grabbing his hand and pulling usbaway from our safe haven.

A.N. Hey everyone! Woahh long chapter. For me at least. Anyways I hope you guys liked this chapter also if you didn't already notice, Thresh was the cannon that woke them. Alright so next chapter will be the huge finale!! Will they win?? Or will they loose....Alright see you guys later! Don't forget to comment and star it! :)