"Spring Lullaby"-HungerGames FanFiction (was 'Dandelion Spring')

Part 2

Katniss POV

I shrink away from the window, gasping for breath. Peeta's back! A strange combination of joy and horror fills me and I slide down the wall to the floor, resting my head on my knees. I'm not sure how to react. Part of me wants to run out there and throw my arms around his neck, and the other wants to lock the door and hide, because how I feel is just too complicated.

Deciding I need to try to clear my head, I crawl to the stairs and manage to ascend to the bathroom. I find myself peering out my bedroom window. I can see his room clearly from here.

He is unpacking his bags, taking out shirts and putting them in drawers. He looks calm, and strangely enough, watching him calms me.

I shake myself and step away from the window. What's wrong with me?

I strip off my clothes and leave them lie where they fall. I turn on the shower and order a hot cycle, and then I just stand under it, letting the stream pour over me.

Why did he come back? He'd be better off in 13, where he'd be taken care of. Starting over there would be much easier than here.

The water starts to sting, but I hardly notice. My hair feels heavy because of the weight of the water and the massive knots, and after a minute, I decide to shampoo it. Soon it becomes a ritual; shampoo, rinse, condition, and work through the knots with my fingers. It takes me an hour to get them all out, and by then the water is cold. I get out and wrap myself in a robe. I'm freezing now, and my thoughts still aren't any clearer.

I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Knowing Peeta is next door, has unsettled me as much as calmed me. I decide to pretend he isn't there, that everything is the same as it was before I saw him.

I close my eyes and soon drift into a hazy sleep, filled with strange dreams.

I am running. Running through the woods, nearly tripping over rocks and tree roots. Mutts are on my tail, so close I can hear then breathing. My heart is pounding so loud it makes my eats throb. I reach a cliff that is so steep I can't hope to climb, and realize I am trapped. I reach for my bow and arrows, but there is only one arrow left. I fire it and it sinks into a mutt's shoulder,, only slowing him a little. I am screaming so loud my voice breaks and out of nowhere Peeta appears. He throws himself in front of me and tosses a mutt as it pounces on him. But there are too many and soon they pin him to the ground. I can only watch in horror as one tears out his throat and the other leap towards me...

I sit bolt upright, panting hard, my mouth open in a soundless scream. Tears are streaming down my face and I am shaking.

Why?

I look outside and see that it's getting towards evening. And there is someone banging on my door. I don't make much of an attempt to move. It's probably just Greasy Sae coming to cook for me.