Alright. You'll have to forgive any errors in this chapter because I'm done. I did not think it was going to take me this long to finish this chapter or the story really. You guys don't know how many times I wrote up the chapter, scraped it, and did it again. I've added then deleted so many times that I'm just hoping you guys enjoy the final chapter. On a final note, where I ended this chapter kind of forces me to do an epilogue so I'm on that.

Like always, thank you to everyone who's stuck through with me and thanks to anyone who should come across this story in the future.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; simply working with the idea.

Peeta sits in a creepy room with only a small table and two chairs in it. He pushes himself away from the table and stands. He alternates between pacing and sitting. Peeta knows he's been there for a couple of hours without any type of explanation as to what they were waiting for. He can't help but think that Gale probably already got home and, what was Katniss thinking?

"Fuck!" He shouldn't care what she was thinking because everything was his fault; he was the reason her family was put through all that struggle.

Peeta didn't initially remember where he'd seen the name Mellark before, but it didn't take long for him to realize the connection. Mellark Co. was the name that was all over the those faulty lease papers; he owned, or at least his family owned, all that property. It was his fault that Katniss had been put through all the crap. He was actually part of the them that they all hated so much.

He collapses into one of the seats again. He wanted to cry. To think that he was in love with her, suddenly was a joke. He really wasn't good enough for her.

"Peeta?!" The door to the room swings open and in walks his father. He takes Peeta into his arms and hugs him tightly. "Where have you been?" Peeta shoves him back.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Peeta shouts. "Is this all for appearances?!"

"Peeta-"

"No! My whole life I've been too afraid to confront you! To out you as the shit father you have been!" Peeta turns to the audience that are the other officers in the room. "Do you know he locked me up in a mental hospital, all to keep up the façade that the Mellark name came with? Does no one wonder what happened to his first two sons? Why aren't they around?" Peeta turns back to his father. "Because you ran them out by caring more about your stupid job than your family! You abandoned your sons, your wife…you walked away from it all for what? For money?! Well, you can take it all because that's all you've ever wanted!" Peeta pushes past all of them and promptly leaves the building. He was grown now and no one could keep him there if he didn't want it.

As he makes it out of the building, Peeta realizes that he has no where to go now. He didn't have a family and he couldn't go back to Katniss, not that he knew where she lived. The officers had driven hours out from when they picked him up. Apparently, they were in charge of bringing him to his part of town. Either way, Katniss wouldn't have him once she found out who he was.

"Mr. Mellark!" A man bounces down the stairs behind him.

"I'm not going back in there!" Peeta shouts.

"That's okay. You don't know me, but my name is Plutarch Heavensbee." He extends his hand out to Peeta but Peeta only looks at it. "Right. Anyway, I was, or am, your grandmother's trustee."

"You knew my grandmother?"

"Yes. I was her lawyer before she passed."

"Fine. What do you want?"

"I only want to give you what's yours." The man pulls out a passbook and hands it him. "Your grandmother left you everything and I've been entrusted to give it all to you or your airs. I've been holding onto it in hopes you'd come along."

"Everything?" Peeta asks as he looks at the passbook.

"Yes. That's just the bank account information. She also left you estates, bonds, the controlling interest in her company…well, your company now…"

It's what Peeta always wanted. A business that rivaled his father's; one he could use to take him down. But none of it mattered now. His heart and his world were shattered. He only wished he could go back to earlier in the day.

"Thank you, I guess…"

"Right." The man clears his throat. "You're expected bright and early for a board meeting tomorrow morning at your company, sir. And if you should need any assistance," he hands Peeta his card. "I'm always at your service."

"Hey!" Peeta barks at the man before he can leave. "You think you can help me get a phone?"

Mr. Heavensbee not only helped him get a phone but also hooked him up with his own personal driver. His driver was an older man and Peeta wasn't too sure what to think of him.

"You look just like her." He says.

"Who?" Peeta asks.

"Elise." Peeta freezes at the mention of his grandmother.

"I look like an old lady?" The man chuckles.

"When she was younger I mean."

"You knew her way back then?"

"I wasn't always her driver, you know. I used to be in business myself."

"So how did you get into driving my grandmother?"

"I used to be a stock broker until I made one mistake and lost millions. No one wanted to give me a chance after that. I was famous for all the wrong reasons. So I couldn't get a job doing anything. At least until your grandmother gave me shot."

"I'm Peeta, by the way."

"Thresh." That simple conversation with him, was enough for Peeta to trust him.

He had asked to be taken somewhere quiet where he could think. So he took him to the park and pointed out a secluded portion with a bench on the edge. Peeta had taken the time to walk around a bit before he took a seat and pulled out his phone.

Peeta really didn't know what he was doing with this piece of technology but somehow, it made him feel more secure. The rep at the store helped him download an old back up which thankfully filled his contact list. He scrolls through them, not knowing who to call. He wished he could call Katniss but she didn't have a phone and he wasn't even sure what he'd say. Would she want to hear his explanation as to who he turned out to be? That his family was responsible for her strife?

He groans loudly now as he looks at the people who pass him by in the park. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to get back to Katniss and he had no way to communicate with her. He drops his head in his hands and tries to think; tries to recall every moment of the day they met. But he groans again when he can't remember. What he does remember is being piss drunk; it was a wonder he made it anywhere that day.

He goes back to playing with his phone when an idea finally crosses his mind. He highlights Annie's number and prays that she hadn't changed it.

"Please pick up...please pick up..."

"Hello?"

"Annie?"

"Peeta?"

"Thank god! Look I need you to help me with something."

"Anything."

"Do you remember where they found my car after I disappeared?"

Annie's information led Peeta to a shady part of town. He quickly found the bright neon sign to the bar he was searching for. He hadn't yet gotten drunk but he recalls his desperation after getting the news of his grandmother's passing.

He doesn't head into the bar but he does take a moment to analyze his surroundings. The only places to park were are on the street. He tries to remember what happened after but gets nothing.

Peeta looks over to his driver. "What towns are four hours from here?"

"There are several." He starts listing them off.

"No, not in between. What town is about four hours from here?"

"I don't know." Peeta gestures for him to get in the car. He tries to remember where he was with Gale earlier in the day but the more he thinks about it, the more confused he gets. They'd drove an hour and half from the Everdeen house to get to the market. Then the officers who'd taken him back had driven about four hours. So had they driven past Katniss' house or away from it? How he wished he'd been paying more attention but they'd taken back roads and long strips of roads with only mile markers, no telltale signs that could spark anything.

"Is there a car I can use?"

"I'll take you anywhere, Mr. Mellark."

"I appreciate that but I'm going to be gone all night and you should be home with your family."

"There are several cars at the manor."

"Then take me there."

They got to his grandmother's house in no time. Peeta dismissed his driver before he fueled up a car and headed over to his old condo. He stuffed a duffle bag with the essentials, threw it in the trunk, and he was off. His plan was to just drive four hours from the bar and if that didn't work, he'd drive four hours from the police station. He was just going to go until something triggered a memory from his alcohol induced trip.

He was almost at state lines when a cop car decides to pull him over. Peeta had no idea what he'd done but he would find out soon enough.

"Good evening, officer." Peeta starts as he tries to hand him his license.

"Where are you going?" Peeta laughs incredulously.

"I have no idea."

"Are you drunk?"

"No, sir. I just need to find somebody." The officer shines his light into the car then at Peeta.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mellark, but I can't allow you to leave." Peeta furrows his brow in confusion.

"Wait, what?"

"I have orders to not allow you to leave the immediate area."

"Orders?! From who?!"

It seemed that the police had no intention of pulling him over as long as he stayed nearby because Peeta had broken so many laws right about now. He'd sped, cut people off, and hadn't signaled once since he'd made that illegal u-turn after he left that cop that stopped him earlier.

He was so beyond angry as he pulls over in front of the building he detested most in the world. He barges in, security hot on his tail, as he races up the stairs to the CEO's office.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" His father is unfazed by Peeta's outburst. "You think you can just keep me here?!"

"I take it you tried to leave again..."

"That's none of your damn business! I'm a grown ass man and I'm allowed to go wherever I want!"

"Not anymore you're not. Not since you put my company's future at stake."

"Me?! Why is that my fault?" Peeta shouts.

"You are my only heir to the throne here. I will not have you jeopardizing my future or yours so that you can go gallivanting around who knows where!"

"The only heir?! What about Luke and Ryan?! Your other sons?!"

"Neither one of them has your education, your experience. They aren't worthy."

"And I am. What, because I was a prisoner in your dungeon growing up? It's my life! And I was happy where I was! Not that you give a shit about my happiness. So not that I have to tell you but the first chance I get, I'm out of here."

"Not if I can help it." His father stands up from his desk.

"You can't keep me here. I'm not a kid anymore!"

"Why would you want to leave, Peeta? You have everything going for you here. You're going to have a company soon, make millions like you've always wanted."

"Wanted." He reminds his father. "And besides, I have that. Nama gave me her company so I don't need yours."

"About that...How's that going?" Peeta's father reminds him with a smug grin. It wasn't a secret that his grandmother's company was in trouble. The CEO that took charge in Peeta's absence was ill equip to handle the company's assets and now, the it was close to bankruptcy. "You know if you leave...That company isn't going to last long."

Unfortunately, his father was right. He didn't want to be responsible for the thousands of jobs that would be lost if he failed to bring the company out of it's problems. But he wanted to get back to Katniss, even though he couldn't remember where she lived.

"Either way, I won't ever work for you or anything you stand for." He turns, ready to leave, when the door to his father's office swings open.

"Sorry. I thought Mr. Mellark was alone." Peeta instantly recognizes the man as Snow, the man he'd met when he fought for the Everdeen property. "Have we met?" Peeta simply scoffs as he turns to look at his father.

"These are the type of people you have working for you. They lie and cheat, and you're one of them. Why I ever wanted to be anything like you, I'll never know."

Peeta let a week go by. His life went by as if he was a zombie; he just went through the motions, not feeling or being too invested in anything. He didn't belong here in this world. He might have all the money in the world, land for days, but he wasn't happy.

Peeta tried to leave town several times but every time, he was stopped by police. He couldn't get away and he was getting desperate. Sure he didn't want his grandmother's legacy to go up in smoke but he wasn't the man for the job anymore. His focus wasn't in the work that surely the company was suffering more then anything under his control.

Part of the problem was that Peeta's mind was never far from Katniss. There were countless times he'd picked up a pen and started to write a letter to her but when it came to addressing it, his mind drew a blank. He couldn't for the life of him remember her address. He'd walked down that road hundreds of times on his way to work but he didn't remember a street sign or a house number on Katniss' home. He couldn't mail it to her even if he ever managed to finish writing the letter.

He was sitting in yet another board meeting for that week, this one discussing Peeta's most recent plan to get the company out of the red. But having designed the plan, he wasn't even listening at this point. The only thing that was on his mind was Katniss. Peeta missed her terribly. His heart and soul called out to her but he couldn't see her; one side of him was sure that she hated him. He wrestled with himself on whether he even should try to see her anymore. On one hand, he had nothing to lose. On the other, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle the actual rejection from the woman he loved.

Peeta hides his face behind his hands. All the memories of her were going to kill him. Every smile, every laugh, her kisses, touches, the I love yous, his body suddenly shook with sadness.

He slowly brings his head up and looks around the room. This life was once his dream but his new dream, he had promised to Katniss. He had nothing to lose, right?

Peeta stands suddenly making the whole room look at him.

"Yes, Mr. Mellark?" But he doesn't respond as he pushes himself away and walks out of the room. Thresh is already waiting downstairs so all Peeta has to do is get into the car.

"Take me to my place."

It was all or nothing at this point. He could only hope that she'd be able to help him one last time.

"Peeta, you sounded crazy on the phone." Annie says.

"That's because I've reached my limit, Annie. I can't take this anymore!"

"Calm down, Peeta."

"I can't! I can't leave because my father owns the town and the cops! I'm done, Annie." She swallows uncomfortably. The only time she remembers people speaking like this were from back in her days at the hospital. She didn't like where this conversation was headed.

"Whatever you're going to do just...think twice. Please."

"I have a plan, Annie, but I need your help."

"Mine?! What can I do to help you?"

"I have to leave. I have to go see Katniss."

"This is about a girl?"

"I was going to marry her Annie. I'm in love with her! I can't stay when I don't belong here anymore."

"What about your company?"

"I have a plan for that too but I'm going to need your help all the way through."

"How can I help?"

The plan was in full swing. At this point, Peeta was being followed no matter where he went, so he needed a look-alike to help shed his tail. Annie had helped him find someone similar to him. He was meeting him at the bar where this whole ordeal had started. Whoever was following him never actually followed Peeta into places so it was easy for Peeta to hand over the hoodie he was wearing along with the keys to his car. He watches from the bar window as his tail takes the bait. His doppelgänger was to go back to Peeta's house and leave with the help at the end of night. From there, no one would know where Peeta had went.

Once the coast is clear outside, Peeta adjusts the bag over his shoulder and breathes a sigh of relief. For once in the longest week of his life, he was alone, free to do what he wanted and he was going to go to Katniss; even if that meant hitchhiking his way to dead ends until he found her. But he doesn't need to complicate things further because a bus hisses to a stop right in front of him and the memory comes flooding back. The door to the bus opens and Peeta analyzes the bus driver.

"I know you..." Peeta starts.

"Do you have change this time?" He says seriously at first but then he grins at Peeta.

"Do you still drive the same route?"

"Same route for the last ten years, kid." Peeta quickly pulls out some money from his wallet and hands it to the bus driver. When he sees it's another hundred dollar bill, the driver frowns. "Really, kid?"

"That's for you and if you can get me where you got me last time, I'll owe you so much more." Peeta digs out some change and places it in the till before he takes his seat. Last time, he'd made it to Katniss in a drunken haze. This time, he hangs tight to his bag and makes it a point to memorize everything in sight. After a few hours, Peeta's the last one still onboard. The bus suddenly stops and driver turns to him.

"End of the line, kid." Peeta walks over to him and shakes his hand.

"Thank you." Peeta walks off the bus and look around the town. It was definitely the same town he'd gotten off at more than a year back, which meant that Katniss was only a couple miles away. He readjusts the bag over his shoulder before he starts the trek up to her house.

Peeta tries to take the quickest route to her house. He was anxious to see her, regardless of the outcome to his actions. He finally makes it to the hill that overlooked the Everdeen's property. He's pleasantly surprised when a big fat cat approaches him.

"Buttercup! Come back here!" He hears a familiar voice shout. "Come-" The voice pauses when she sees Peeta.

"What's up, munchkin?" Prim runs into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Peeta! Where have you been?"

"I got lost." He smiles at her.

"But I found you! Or we found you!" Prim says as she picks up Buttercup.

"Yes. Yes you did." Peeta picks her up and continues walking them to her house. Prim happily talks to him about everything, from her school to what they had for breakfast. But she doesn't talk about the one thing that Peeta wanted to know about. "What about Katniss? How is she?"

"She's not good." Prim says dejectedly.

"Why's that?"

"She's been so sad. She locks herself in her room and at night, when she thinks everyone's asleep, she cries." Prim whispers the last part. "I wish I could make her happy." Peeta lifts her chin up.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Prim brightens up as she looks at him.

"Maybe you can help! Every time you're around, she's happy!" Peeta wanted to believe that this time around he could but he didn't think she'd be happy to see him.

"We'll give it a shot, okay?" She nods frantically as they make it to her house. Prim tries to kick herself to the ground so Peeta puts her down.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Prim yells as she runs through the house.

"What is-" She freezes when she see's Peeta in the doorway.

"Look who we found?" Prim naively tells her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Everdeen."

"Peeta…I-" She still doesn't know what to say.

"Where is Katniss?" He asks, instead.

"She's not in her room now. She spends most of the days cooped in that barn out there." Peeta turns towards where she points. It was the barn they frequented after they initially started sleeping together.

"Thank you." He turns to leave but Mrs. Everdeen speaks up.

"Peeta?" She turns to Prim. "Run along upstairs so Peeta and I can have a talk…" Prim does as she's told leaving Peeta and her alone. She gestures to one of the chairs in the dining room and Peeta takes a seat.

"Mrs. Everdeen-" Peeta starts.

"She's hurting right now. I never thought I'd see Katniss, of all people, like that…"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Why'd you go? Without telling anyone? Without telling her?" So Gale hadn't said anything which, turns out, made things a lot worse. It left things to speculation. Who knows what any one of them had thought of him.

"My memory came back-"

"So you just leave?!"

"I was forced to go back, and," he could have told her about his father and the cops but he doesn't. On some level, he could have tried harder even with all the obstacles. "I didn't think that Katniss would want to see me…"

"How can you say that, Peeta?! If you knew what she's gone through with you gone-"

"It's my fault, Mrs. Everdeen. Or my father's!"

"What are you talking about?"

"All this business with Mellark Co.-"

"What does that have to do with anything?" She tries to figure out.

"I'm Peeta Mellark! I'm his son! It's why Snow, or whatever his name was, thought I looked familiar! If you saw my father, there wouldn't be a doubt in your mind that we were related!"

"But-" He cuts her off again.

"It's my fault that you've been dealing with this mess your entire lives! My father owns the company that ruined your lives!" Mrs. Everdeen stands and hugs him tightly.

"You are not your father." She whispers to him.

"Yes-"

"No! You're a young man who came to us lost, without direction or memory, who was adamant about helping total strangers. Yes, your father might have been the reason we've had some difficulty but you were the one who brought us out of it! That's more than enough evidence for me to know that none of this is your fault. Not Katniss, or any other person in this family would ever blame you for anything."

"Not Katniss?"

"She's misses you terribly, Peeta. She thinks you left because of her."

"It would never be because of her."

"You think you can help me fix one more problem then?" Peeta nods slowly. If Katniss would forgive him, than everyone would be happy.

"You said in the barn, right?" She nods as she releases him. "Then that's where I'll be."

Peeta makes his way to the barn. He opens the door cautiously as he steps in. He doesn't see anyone as he makes his way through until he sees Katniss lying on the floor.

"Katniss?"

"Peeta?" She questions but doesn't turn to look at him. Peeta kneels behind her and places a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm here."

"Why?" She croaks.

"I came back to talk to you."

"Why'd you leave me? Was I not good enough?"

"No! Katniss I love you."

"I'll marry you, Peeta. I'll have a hundred children if it brings you back to me."

"Katniss-"

"Peeta…" Her voice breaks making his own heart break. "Please…come back to me…"

"Katniss, I'm right here!" He quickly scrambles to lay next to her. He slowly turns her around so she can see for herself. When she's looking at him, she gives him a weak smile, but it's almost like she wasn't really seeing him.

"Peeta…I love you…"

"I love you too." He tries but Katniss seems to be out of it. She leans into him and kisses him softly. She immediately deepens the kiss and Peeta can't help but reciprocate. Her hands find the edge of his shirt and pulls it off. "Katniss-"

"Peeta…make love to me. If this is the last time we're together…" She closes her eyes tightly as a tear escapes her. "I want to feel you."

"It won't be…" Peeta tries but Katniss gives him a defeated smile before she wraps her arms around his neck. She continues to kiss him, not letting up in fear of him disappearing on her. Peeta's hands rid them both of their pants before he climbs on top of her. "Katniss, I don't have anything. We can't."

"I can't get pregnant…" Her remark catches him off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"This is a beautiful dream. You couldn't possibly get me pregnant." Peeta places both his hands on her cheeks.

"Katniss, I'm right here. I'm really here!" Peeta raises his voice. He wanted to startle her, wake her up from her delusion.

"Shh." She places a finger over his lips. "Then be here." Katniss captures his lips again before she expertly lines herself up with his hard on. She wraps her legs around his waist, taking him in fully.

"Katniss," he groans at the feel of her walls surrounding him.

"I love you, Peeta! I love you so much." She chants as her breathing gets heavier with every thrust.

Peeta couldn't help but think he was taking advantage of her. Katniss obviously wasn't in the right state of mind and here he was, having sex with her. But at the same time, he was just happy to have her with him. He'd missed her badly enough that his body couldn't resist the temptation. Peeta lets out a frustrated groan before he adjusts her legs some, taking an alternate position on her.

"Yes, Peeta! Right there!"

"Katniss…" He breathes into her ear making her moan in her desperation to be with him once more. As badly as Katniss wanted to prolong his stay inside her, it was too much. Peeta wasn't the only one that was heartbroken by the longing. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She wanted to be as close as possible to him.

"Peeta, please..." She begs. Peeta picks up his pace all the while chanting her name.

Just as quickly as it started, they both come undone, one after the other. Katniss refuses to let her grip loosen on Peeta, afraid that he'd run or disappear from her life again.

At the thought, Katniss' breath hitches. Peeta tries to raise himself up to look at her but she hangs tough to him. She buries her head in the crook of his neck before the tears start to fall.

Peeta's eyes roam the room, as they're the only part of him that can move. He feels the wetness on his neck and tries to pull away once again. Instead, Katniss holds on tighter and is no longer able to cry silently. She becomes more hysterical at Peeta's attempts to pull himself away.

"Katniss..." He tries. His hands grip her forearms in an attempt to release himself from her grip but she refuses to let him go. "Katniss..." He tries again.

"Peeta, please don't leave!" She cries. "I can't lose you again." He kisses her deeply before he slips his head from her arms.

"I won't go anywhere if you don't want me to." He tells her but it does little to calm her. The tears glisten in her eyes before they fall again. "Katniss, please," he wipes away her tears. "You're going to make me cry."

"Peeta, I'll do whatever you want. Just please don't go."

"I won't." He runs his hand over her forehead. "I won't." Katniss finally lets Peeta pull himself up and out of her, but she doesn't let him go far. Her hand holds his tightly. Peeta grabs a blanket that's carelessly thrown over a post before he lays down behind her. Katniss' grey eyes never stop looking at him. Peeta wraps himself and the blanket around them. Katniss keeps looking at him even after he's in place. "Kat-"

"What do you want Peeta? Just tell me so I can keep you!"

"I want you to sleep." Katniss furiously shakes her head.

"You'll leave and I'll never see you again!"

"Katniss, I won't. I'll be right here."

She's not convinced. So for the rest of the night, Katniss spends every minute keeping her eyes on him. Peeta stares right back into her eyes. They're about two hours into their staring contest when Katniss' eyes start to droop.

"Sleep." He caresses the side of her face. Katniss definitely, but sleepily, shakes her head. Peeta places several kisses all over her face. When he deepens a kiss he places on her lips, Katniss' eyes close and don't open again. Peeta feels for her breathing before he lets out a sad sigh.

The Katniss he knew would never let herself be so vulnerable. And the comment about this all being a dream made Peeta think. Did she really not believe that he was really there? She thought she was living a dream and that by closing her eyes, it would all be over. She'd wake up alone and depressed, just like she had for the last few weeks.

And it was all his fault, Peeta thought. A tear slipped from Peeta's eye. He quickly wipes it away before he looks down at her. He'd make it better. He didn't know how long or how easy it would be, but he'd never leave her side again if that's what it took.

Katniss' eyes open slowly. She blinks a few times, trying to realize where she is. She places a hand on the ground and tries to push herself up, but there's weight on top of her. Katniss tries to pull herself away but now she notices a pair of arms around her. Katniss isn't sure how she ended up on the floor of the barn or who was wrapped around her.

"Katniss…" Her whole body stills at the sound of his voice. "I'm so sorry." Katniss places her hands on his wrist. She flinches when her left hand touches something cold. She looks down at where her hand touched and her eyes stay locked on the familiar watch.

"Peeta?"

"I wanted to come back but I thought you didn't want to see me…" He says lazily.

"Why wouldn't I want to see you?" Katniss asks.

"Because…Mellark…" He mumbles.

"Mellark? That's the name of the company that used to own our land… But what does that have to do with anything, Peeta?"

"Because, I'm Peeta Mellark." He mumbles into her hair. "My father owns the company that made your life miserable…" Katniss turns in his grasp. Peeta's eyes are closed so he's talking to her in his sleep.

"You didn't do anything." She tells him. "You didn't know who you were." He sighs.

"But I feel responsible…"

"So you left?" He shakes his head.

"The people out of town recognized me and turned me in…I was forced to go back…"

"So why are you here?" Katniss' curiosity keeps her asking questions.

"I love you. I have nothing to lose…" She runs her hand through his hair. He's still asleep and she takes the time to look him over. He has dark circles and bags under his eyes that rivaled hers. Katniss hadn't slept in weeks and apparently, she wasn't the only one. Her nights were dedicated to trying to stop the constant trembling that overtook her throughout the day and crying. She did a lot of crying now. Katniss finally understood what her mother went through when her father died. Love made her so happy one minute but the next, she felt like she couldn't go on another day.

"Peeta," she wraps her arms around his neck.

"You hate me. It's okay. I hate me too."

"Peeta, wake up." Katniss runs her hands through his hair as she kisses him awake. He blinks, yawns, and finally stretches out fully. His eyes focus on Katniss who keeps her eyes trained on him.

"See, I'm still here." He whispers.

"I don't hate you." The small smile Peeta gave her instantly disappeared. His face goes from serious to confused in less than a minute. "You talk in your sleep."

"Oh." He blushes bashfully.

"I don't hate you. I could never, regardless of who your family is." Katniss caresses his face. "You made me fall in love with you before I knew anyway." She smiles at him.

"Could you have loved me if you knew? If we met under different circumstances, like if you knew I was Peeta Mellark from the door?"

"Yes." She tells him honestly. Peeta smirks at her.

"Yea, right." Katniss scoots up more over his body and kisses him on the lips.

"The moment I saw you, I knew that you were different. You made me feel good, safe, and scared all at the same time. I was a goner the moment we met."

"I was a goner when I saw you and your sister...but I thought, she's too young for me so I settled for you." Katniss shoves him back making them both laugh. Peeta grabs her hand and kisses it softly. "So, you're feeling better from last night…"

"Last night?"

"Yea, you fell apart. It terrified me, Katniss. I thought that I had lost you." Katniss hides her face in his shirt.

"My mom says I've been having blackouts, or something similar." She sighs. "I yell or cry and can't remember anything the next day. I space out and lose track of time. I missed you."

"Me too. I was so stupid to keep away. I thought I was doing the right thing." Peeta pulls her in tightly.

"Did Gale know what happened?"

"Yes, but I asked him not to tell you."

"I knew it. I'm going to kill him." Katniss growls.

"But he really didn't understand what was happening. As far as he knew, I was being arrested for stealing condoms." Katniss and Peeta share a laugh.

"Peeta, I love you." He kisses her softly.

"You know…" Peeta caresses her cheek tenderly. "Last night, you said you'd do anything for me…"

"Oh? Did I?" He nods.

"You said you'd have my children…" He teases. "All one hundred of them…" Katniss hides her face behind her hands. "And that you'd marry me…" She looks up at him now. "I asked you to wait until I had enough to get us started. Well, now that I know who I am, and that I have more money then I know what to do with, I have more than enough. So, I wanted to know…and there's no pressure here!" He says quickly. "You-"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Yes, Peeta. I'll marry you."

"You're serious?" Katniss kisses him passionately.

"Yes. That part was true. As for your children, I hope there's not a time limit for them…" Peeta scratches the back of his head as a blush creeps up on his features.

"About that…you should probably take a morning-after pill." Her eyes go wide. "We got carried away last night, things happened, and then you wouldn't let me go…not that I wanted to leave but-" Katniss lips crash over his. Her hands drop to his underwear, frantically pushing them down and away. "Katniss?"

"If I got pregnant from last night and have to take a pill then we might as well go for round two." She kisses him again and this time they don't stop making out until they're both completely out of breath.

"Wait!" Peeta stops. He turns and reaches for the bag he brought with him. He pops open a side compartment and pulls out a small box before he returns to her. "Here! This was me hoping for the best." Katniss can't help but gasp when she opens the box. Inside was a ring with the main stone carved into a rose. It was adorned with more diamonds that formed the rose's petals. The band curved out like vines in few places and itself was further detailed with yet more stones. "If you don't like it, we can get another one."

"It's beautiful." Katniss tells him. He helps her pull it out of the box and slips it onto her finger.

"So the world knows how lucky I am." Katniss wraps her arms around his neck and smiles against his lips. She chuckles as Peeta smiles big at her.

"Where were we?" Katniss asks before Peeta pushes her onto her back and they continue where they left off.