Always

You Said Always

A.N. Everyone go read my new story Real or Not real! Please let me know what you think!

As Beetee wraps the wire around the tree, I grip Peeta's hand tightly, dreading the moment I will have to let go. His hand is warm and comforting around my small one, but my nerves still soar and I can't help but feel something isn't right. "Peeta, are you sure about this? We could still leave."

He looks at me and nods. "We can run after the careers are gone." He whispers back.

"That is it." Beete says, while handing over the coil over wire to Joanna. "I want Katniss and you to take this wire and place it in the water. Go quickly and meet us at the tree in the two a clock area." Joanna nods her head and looks to me.

"You ready fireball?"

"Why can't Peeta and I take the wire, while Joanna and Finnick stay here." I ask.

Beetee shakes his head. "No, you two are the fastest and smallest people here. Peeta would not be fast enough on his prosthetic."

Anger fills me and I move closer to Beete pointing my finger. "You should know that Peeta is faster than me on his prosthetic. He isn't handicap."

"Katniss," Peeta warns me and pulls me back to him.

"Is there a problem?" Finnick asks, twirling his trident.

Peeta shakes his head and I follow his motion. "No, just give us a second."

"Katniss, you need to do this and do it quickly. As soon as the lighting hits the tree at midnight, you and I will be far away from the others. I'm going to get you home." He pauses and drops to his knees, burying his face in my swollen stomach. "Keep her safe, Katniss. I love you both." He whispers to my stomach and kisses it one last time before standing. He pulls me in for a final hug and kisses my lips, leaving me wishing for more. "I'll see you at midnight."

I nod my head and will myself not to cry. "I'll see you soon."

He release his grip on me and his arms drop limp at his side. I turn to face Joanna and give her a nod, running into the jungle behind her. I don't look back.

Johanna unrolls the wire while I guard, and we're weaving through the trees at a pretty fast pace. "Better hurry," Johanna says, her voice slightly breathless from the exertion. "I want to put a lot of distance between me and that water before the lightning hits. Just in case Volts miscalculated something."

"I'll take the coil for a while," I say. She's had a long turn anyway and it's more work to unwind the coil than it is to guard.

"Here."

Just as I take the coil, both of us feel a vibration run through the wire and then suddenly it goes slack. Johanna and I stare as the wire drops down from above and falls in curls around our wrists and at our feet. Then the end of the wire falls between us.

Someone above us cut the wire. Someone close to us cut the wire . . . and it wasn't any of our friends. It only takes a split second for me and Johanna to reach this conclusion. I'm reaching back to my quiver for an arrow when something hard and metal slams into my temple. The world immediately starts spinning and blurring as I crumple to the ground, dazed. My head is pounding, amplifying the excruciating pain in my skull. A warm, sticky substance drips down the side of my face. Blood.

But none of this explains why I'm having trouble breathing. I force my eyes to focus and am stunned when I see Johanna on top of me, her knees planted on my chest. Johanna? I see a blood spattered spool on the ground beside her. Johanna hit me? Why?