I can't fucking take this anymore. This is all too much. I forget about Peeta, I forget about Ginny, I forget about why I am in this fucking damn forest in the first place.

After I place flowers around Rue's body, I find a tree to sink down against and sob.

And then the announcement happens.

"Hidee ho, beautiful tributes!" The announcer says in a far too cheery tone. "Great news for you all, we have now decided that two tributes, if from the same district, will both be crowned Victors. Do what you will with that. Enjoy your day!"

Peeta. Peeta.

Haymitch wasn't wrong. Somehow, the petition worked. All I need to do now is make sure we both survive and get home to District 12.

I scurry through the forest, a new determination about me as I try to find Peeta: the Baker Boy who I seem to repeatedly owe my life to.

I don't know how long I have been running when I get to a stream. I spy blood - fresh blood. I follow it desperately.

"Peeta," I whisper as quietly as I can. "Peeta!"

"You here to finish me off, sweetheart?"

My heart races at the hoarse, weak voice. But I know it. I know it so well already. However, I can't seem to tell where it is actually coming from.

"Peeta?" I whisper, whipping around. "Where are you?"

"Well, don't step on me." A voice says from the ground.

"Peeta!"

I kneel down to find him camouflaged amongst the moss and rock. I can't help but admire how well he's managed to blend in. I realise he is too weak to move, so I help sit him up and he hisses and pants in protest as I pull him into my arms.

"Peeta," I breathe, holding him tightly to me, so fucking relieved he is here and alive. "You fucktard, you had me scared."

"Ronnie," he laughs weakly as he leans heavily on me, "you don't know how happy I am to see you."

"I never thanked you," I rush, cupping my hand against his muddy face, "I wanted to thank you before we came in, for everything you've done for me. I was a bitch, I'm sorry."

He chuckles weakly again. "It's okay, Ronnie. You never needed to thank me- ah!"

He doubles over, hissing in pain.

I realise his leg is badly damaged, that blood is literally spattering down on the ground at our feet from a deep wound inside the flesh of his thigh.

"Cato stabbed me. He knew I was trying to protect you."

I close my eyes, hating myself further.

"I thought you had betrayed me." I confess. "I felt so angry at you... I'm sorry."

He shrugs as though this is no big deal. "I'd never betray you. I was trying to protect you, even then."

And somehow, I believe him.

"We need to get you somewhere safe," I say, helping him to his feet. "We need to find shelter and I can try and treat you."

Although I have no idea how I am going to treat him without some kind of medikit. I look up into the sky, silently pleading to Haymitch to do his best and find us a sponsor who can send us medicine.

Eventually, we find a cave. I take us inside and lay Peeta down. Instead of letting me go, he pulls me down to him.

"A kiss might help," he says, breathing heavily through his pain.

I frown down at his pale face, and press a hand to his forehead which is burning up beneath my touch.

"Shhh, we need to get you better."

"A kiss would make me better."

His lips quirk up at the corners as his eyes search mine, and I smile, despite myself. I also realise this could be the perfect opportunity to take Haymitch's advice and begin to big up this romance.

But even I can see that this is not the time.

"I need to treat your leg," I say, making sure my voice contains a slighter sterner tone.

I pull away from him and empty my backpack, desperate to find something - anything - that I can use to stem the blood flow and stop infection.

Iodine. It's a start, although it's going to cause Peeta more pain.

"Hold my hand," I instruct, knowing this is hardly going to be the best source of painkiller. "This is going to hurt."

He does as I instruct, entwining his fingers with mine. And then I pour the liquid.

"FUUUUUUCK!" Peeta screams, crushing my hand in his as his body goes taut and trembles, every single one of his muscles contracting.

"Shhhhhh!" I desperately try and soothe him, needing him to shut the fuck up before he gives our location away. "Please, they'll find us."

He presses his lips together, his eyes bulging out as he tries to cope with the pain. I stay leaning over his trembling body, letting him continue to squeeze the life out of my hand.

"It's okay," I whisper, "it's okay. I'm here. I'm here with you. I'm not going anywhere."

A softness flickers through his bloodshot eyes. He never takes them off me. And in turn, I never take mine away from his.

And it's funny, because, in that moment, as I lie in the cave with Peeta, I forget that I'm in the Hunger Games at all. All my energy, all my strength, goes into willing Peeta to get better.

Eventually, the pain must get the better of him as his eyes begin to droop and his body slackens. I reach up to touch his forehead, panicked at how hot he still feels.

"Please, Haymitch," I whisper, hoping that somewhere he can hear me, "don't let him die."

*****

My eyes flutter open. I find myself snuggled up against a body, and I realise with an immediate warmth that it's Peeta. His arms encircle me and I feel safer than I've ever felt before.

But the feeling of contentment quickly turns to horror when I realise how hot he is. I hurriedly unzip the sleeping bag, climb out and start to tug at his clothes, starting with his belt.

"As pleased as I am that you want to get my clothes off, maybe we should remember that my mother is watching."

"Damn it, Peeta," I hiss, starting to tug his trousers down. "I'm trying to cool you down."

He arches an eyebrow. "By stripping me?"

"Yes. You're burning up. A fever means infection. I need to clean you up properly."

I pull his trousers clean off and try not to puke up all over his oozing leg wound. Somehow, I don't think that will help.

I notice his boxer shorts are covering part of the cut and in order for me to clean it properly, I'll need to remove them too.

My hand hovers at his waistband. I feel like I should be asking his permission first, but this is a potential life or death situation.

"I don't mind you seeing me," Peeta murmurs, sensing my discomfort. "If that's what you're worried about."

"Fine." I say, yanking them down and trying not to look directly at what lies beneath.

A soft chuckle emits from Peeta's lips telling me he was watching me closely for my reaction.

Ignoring him, I begin to clean the wound with the leaves Rue used to treat my stings. Peeta winces and shakes through his pain, his breathing getting shallower.

I stop to grab his hand, entwining my fingers with his.

"I'm sorry," he wheezes, "I was supposed to be saving you. Not the other way around. I'm useless."

"You're not useless. You saved Harry, didn't you?"

"For you. Because I wanted to protect you."

I stare down at him. Blue eyes stir something inside me. I squeeze his hand tighter. His fingers slip against mine.

"I did know you existed," I confess. "I remember the bread. You saved me then. And you are saving me now."

"Kiss me, Ronnie," he begs, "please."

This time I oblige, leaning down to press my cool lips against his searingly hot ones. He emits a sort of sigh, as though my kiss alone is offering him some sort of relief from his pain.

The moment is interrupted by the Gamemakers making an announcement. There is to be a feast. A feast where I may find the one thing Peeta needs to live.

*****

"I forbid you to go!"

"You forbid me?!" I laugh whilst gathering my things together. "Please, I'd like to see you try and stop me in your condition."

He grabs my wrist but I easily shrug him off. Panic is rife in his eyes.

"Ronnie, you can't. They'll kill you. You can't die for me."

"I'd sooner risk it than watch you die in this cave."

"Then don't watch me die. Leave. But don't go to the feast. It's a trap and I can't be there to protect you."

"I don't need protection. I need allies that are alive."

I think about Rue, about the arrow in her chest and I freeze for a second, trying to ignore the wave of pain that had momentarily engulfed me.

"I will drag myself from this cave and scream your name until they find me and kill me themselves."

Oh, for fuck's sake. This guy is more stubborn than myself. And it's irritating as fuck.

"Fine, I'll go climb some trees, then." I lie, throwing the sheath of arrows over my shoulder.

"I don't believe you. Ronnie, I mean it - you leave now and I'll scream."

"Fine. Do what you want." I say, deciding to call his bluff.

I march out of the cave, leaving him behind.

"Ronnie!" I hear him yell. I slow down, but I do not turn around.

"Ronnie!"

He can barely shout, his voice strangled with pain. "Ron-!"

He falls silent. Slowly, I turn around and see that he's passed out. I walk back and drag him back under the protection of the cave.

And, just for the cameras, I kiss his forehead and then leave.

*****

"OW YOU MOTHER FUCKING CUNT!" I scream as Clove throws a knife at my head. "THAT HURT!"

Also blinds me a bit as my own blood pours into my eyes from the fresh gash in my forehead.

Luckily, Thresh comes to my rescue and bludgeons Clove in the head before she can finish the job.

"Ta, gotta run!" I say quickly, grabbing the number 12 backpack and racing back towards the forest without a backwards glance.

When I get back to the cave, I am passing out myself from my own blood loss. Luckily, I manage to inject the medicine into Peeta's leg before I collapse into sweet oblivion next to him.

*****

Just like when I woke up after the wasp attack, I find myself looking up into a pair of eyes.

"Hey, you're awake," Peeta grins, pressing a hand against my cheek.

I sit up immediately, but instantly regret it. Why do I learn nothing about coming to? Peeta catches my shoulders in his hands, holding me steady.

"You're better," I whisper, reaching up to touch his own face which is no longer hot. "The medicine really worked."

Peeta turns his face so his lips connect with my fingers. I sigh into it, before leaning forward and throwing my arms around his neck, holding him tight.

"I should be mad at you," he says, wrapping strong arms around me and pulling me onto his lap. "But I'm just so fucking glad you're back."

He kisses down on top of my head and I hold him tighter. I can feel the race of his heart beneath his chest, and I find the strangest urge to crawl right inside of him. My relief that he is better and not dead is suddenly too overwhelming to cope with.

"Ronnie?" Peeta asks, as though he senses my desperation. But he doesn't let go. In fact, he clings to me just as tightly.

"I didn't want you to die," I say just as a shuddering sob escapes my lips.

We sit like that for a while, just holding one another.

It's not until I finally let go do I remember that there are cameras there at all.

******