Always

You're Worth Dying For (Revised)

I take my husbands hand as my mom examines his back. His face contorts in pain even though he is unconscious.
"Tell me you can save him, please!" I tell my mother through teary eyes and a runny nose. "Please save him." I whisper to her. She nods her head and continues to piece his back together.

I've always admired my mother's healing skills. It's the one time she truly seems to be living, and not in a haze.
"I don't think it cute your eye, but you better keep some snow on it." My little sister tells me after examining my eye. My mouth opens to say thank you, when a small moan comes from Peeta's lips. I brush back his sweaty blonde curls and place a kiss on his temple murmuring it'll be okay.

His eyes open only a slit, but I can see the pain swimming in his blue eyes. His mouth forms my name, but instead another moan of pain comes out.
"You're hurting him!" I yell at my mother as she pulls at his skin.

My mother simply ignores my screams and continues her work. She has pain killers in her box of medicine, but she says that you only use that for the worst cases. If Peeta isn't the worst, then I don't know what is. He yelps in pain and his face scrunches up.

"Momma please!" I scream at her. "Give him the medicine!" She shakes her head and tells Prim to put water on to boil.

"I'm going to give him an herbal tea and sleep syrup to help him." She tells my sister and me. "We can't afford to use the pain killers on just anyone." She tells us with a stern, but a sympathetic face.

I slam my hand against the table causing her tools to fall. "Peeta isn't just anyone! He's my husband and your son-in-law!" I yell at her, before I can monitor what comes out of my mouth.

No one in this room knew Peeta and I had a toasting except for Prim and mom, it's to late to take the words back now. My mother gives a look to Gale and Haymitch and has me drug out of the kitchen.

"Let go of me!" I scream at them while thrashing around. They place me on a chair in the corner and hover over me.

"So you and the boy got married," Haymitch says with a smirk. I give him a glare and turn my head slightly.
Gale's face doesn't burn with anger and hate like I thought it would, but instead with longing and maybe a hint of a smile.

"Gale I ca-", my words are cut short when the door bursts open and Mr. Mellark runs in with his two other sons. Mrs. Mellark is no where to be found and I know that the witch is as bad as she seems. Peeta deserves a real mom.

"My boy," Mr. Mellark cries as he sits next to Peeta in the seat I was taken from. He places his hand on his head and silently weeps over his son.
They remind me so much of each other, both gentle and caring. Both unable to see pain on others. Both too good for this world.

"What happened?" I ask Rye,Wheat, and Gale.

Gale takes a steady breath and begins.
"The new head peacekeeper Thread was sent here straight from President Snow. Apparently Snow though that district twelve needed to be "tightened up" on the laws. Rumors were floating around that he was looking for people that poached and that he would punish them." Gale whispers the last part and takes another breath.

"I was walking toward Cray's house to sell him the turkey I had shot when Peeta ran straight at me and grabbed my game bag. He yelled something about keeping you from the woods, but I couldn't ask why because he was already gone. Next thing I know he's in the square with his hands tied and his back being whipped." He shrugs his shoulders and looks at Rye. "He can tell you the rest."

I look over at Rye with a questioning look.

"Peeta ran into the bakery holding the turkey, I guess he was going to burry it or something. Anyways Thread was standing there buying bread," his voice trailed off into a whisper.