Hello! I'm back with the first chapter of my new story! This is a modern AU and written entirely from Peeta's POV. I got this idea in my head when I was about halfway through Where We Can't Be Safe, and since I hadn't seen this idea done before, I decided to go for it. :)

Right now I'm planning on weekly updates, so you shouldn't have to wait too long between chapters. I need to thank my excellent beta and mentor hpfanonezillion for her wonderful help, both with the story itself, and soothing my frazzled nerves over posting a story like this.

This story will contain references to the Bible, God, Jesus, and prayer. There will be a lot of music lyrics and some prayers sprinkled throughout, as well as Bible verses and celebrations of Christian holidays. If this troubles you, then I would suggest looking elsewhere. However, if you're a fan of TobyMac and other contemporary Christian music, then I think you will love this story. :) There will also be plenty of references to Marvel movies, cheese buns, and football. ;)

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"I hate to say this, because I don't want it to look like I think this isn't a good cause," my friend Delly Cartwright says as we unpack the boxes of bright green t-shirts. She points to the beautifully lettered sign tacked up over one of the doorways. The sign that says, 'Bring a Friend, Give a Chicken'. "But that line is really funny."

I can't help but laugh. "Yeah, it does sound a little odd," I say as I lift another pile of shirts out of the box and brush them free of cardboard residue. I shake one of the shirts out and show it to her. "But at least the shirts don't say that."

We're sitting on the floor of the church atrium early Saturday afternoon, where in just a few hours people will be lining up to claim their new shirt, along with the friend they invited to qualify for the prize in the first place.

Delly picks one up and looks at it closely. Written across the front in that large, semi-cursive font that's so popular lately, are the words 'Love God, Feed People', directly above a picture of a chicken. And for every person who brings a new friend to one of the three church services this weekend, both the bringer and the friend will get one of these lovely t-shirts, and our church will donate a live chicken to a poor family living in El Salvador.

"At least it looks like an actual chicken," Delly says. "The last time we did something like this I think they had one of the three-year old kids draw the picture. This time it almost looks like a five- or six-year old drew it." Then she glances at me and winks.

"Gee thanks," I say as I grab the shirt from her hands and fold it back up. "You know I drew the picture this time!"

Delly giggles. She knows darn well that I drew the chicken picture, and lettered the sign hanging on the wall. Just like I design all of the other logos and such for the church. I'm one of the small group leaders for the Young Adults ministry here at Mountainside Church, which is located near the top of one of the smaller peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.

"So," Delly says as we start arranging the various piles by size. "Are you bringing a friend this weekend, Peeta?"

I sigh. "No," I say sheepishly. As group leaders we're supposed to set a good example, but lately my circle of friends has tightened enough that pretty much everyone I know is either already a member of Mountainside Church or attends a different church in the area. "I've really been too busy to meet any new people lately."

Delly scoffs. "You work at the coffee shop, Peeta!" she exclaims. "It should be easy for you to meet new people."

"I'm a pastry chef, Delly," I say, a little too harshly. Delly's eyes widen and I quickly apologize. "I'm sorry, Dell. But it's not that easy to meet people when I'm in the back baking all the time."

Delly nods sympathetically. She knows how busy I am, trying to put myself through Bible college. One of the many ways our church makes its mark in our community is through the coffee shop that we own, where I work as the only full-time pastry chef. There's another girl who bakes there part-time, but chances are if you come into our Mountainside Coffee Shop on any given day and order a croissant or cookie, it's one that I've baked. I attend my Bible college classes in the afternoons and evenings, with the occasional class completed online. I'm in the beginning of my fourth year now, having started a year late because I couldn't scrape together my first tuition payment until then.

"Well," Delly says as we finish arranging the shirts behind the counter. "I'm bringing someone."

"Oh?" I'm not surprised in the least. Delly and Thom, her fiancé, are always finding people to invite to church. Thom is the production designer and director at our church and also attends the same Bible college as me. "And who might that be?"

Delly winks at me. "Remember that girl I told you about? From the Community Center? I'm bringing her."

Delly recently started taking archery lessons at the Community Center, which is next to the Kroger grocery store about twenty minutes down the mountain. Delly doesn't own a car, so most days after her kindergarten class is dismissed she walks the ten minutes or so to the Community Center, where Thom works part-time, to wait for him to finish his workday. One day while she was waiting she decided she was bored and signed up for some archery lessons. Her instructor, Delly told me, is a young woman who moved to the area about six months ago.

"Really?" I say in surprise as I awkwardly stand back up. "She finally gave into your badgering, huh?"

"Oh Peeta, if anyone needs to know about the love of Jesus, it's her," Delly says. "I've tried opening up to her about myself a few times, trying to get her to talk to me, but she's still very closed off, almost like she's suspicious. I do know that she's twenty-one years old and lives with her uncle, but that's about it."

"Hmm," I reply as I head over towards the little cafe area to start arranging the food trays there. I spent most of yesterday's shift at the coffee shop baking the treats that will be sold at the services this weekend. There's doughnuts, croissants, brownies, frosted cookies in the shape of mountains, and a personal favorite, cheese buns.

"You guys!" I hear from behind me once I'm about halfway to the cafe. "You'll never guess what's just happened!"

I turn around with an amused smile on my face. Cassandra Hanson, the wife of our music leader Pastor Thresh, is waving a letter in her hand, trying to keep it out of reach of her husband who's playfully trying to get it back from her.

"What is it?" Delly asks. "Tell us, tell us!"

Cassandra stops right in front of us, smirking as she hands the letter back to Thresh. "TobyMac is coming in concert down in Richmond the Thursday after Easter," she begins.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Delly exclaims. "Does that mean Mandisa is coming too? They usually tour together!"

"Um, yeah," Cassandra continues, sounding distracted. "But that's not the best part. This letter is an invitation to all the music pastors in the greater Virginia area to come and audition to sing with him onstage! Specifically, they're looking for someone to sing the rap parts in his collaborative songs!"

My eyes widen. Thresh has several original songs written that I know he's been eager to have recorded, but our church has told him that he needs to raise at least half the funds himself, or find a recording studio willing to record them. But if he's invited to sing with TobyMac, wow. The doors that could open are too many to count!

"Well, of course you're going to audition, aren't you Thresh?" Delly asks. "I mean, this is the opportunity of a lifetime!"

"Ya'll, I don't know!" Thresh says in his deep voice. "I just don't know if I have what it takes to sing Lecrae's parts. I mean, he's Lecrae! And for TobyMac? I just don't know."

"But you already know all the songs," I say. "You wouldn't even have to practice. We do most of those songs for Sunday Night service, and you know how much the kids love you!"

"See, I told you!" Cassandra says, linking her arm through her husband's, her pale skin and light brown hair such a sharp contrast to Thresh's dark skin and hair. "I think you should!"

"Pastor Thresh, I can't even understand why you're hesitating!" Delly says. "You might even be able to get your album recorded! I mean, what if TobyMac's record producer is there? He'll hear you and probably trip over himself wanting to record your album!"

Thresh's deep brown eyes skim over the letter again, his brow furrowing as he reads. "All right, I'll do it."

"Yay!" Cassandra squeals, throwing her arms around his neck. "That's wonderful!"

"Yeah, like I had a choice!" Thresh mumbles. He's smiling though.

"When's the audition?" I ask.

Thresh glances back at the letter. "It's in six weeks, from today," he says. His eyes widen. "I better get practicing!" Then he kisses his wife quickly on the cheek and heads directly for the auditorium.

"Wow, what an opportunity!" Delly says. "That would be so wonderful for Thresh!"

"Yes," Cassandra says. "If we can get his album recorded, then all we need to do is find Peeta a wife and I'd say my work is done for a while."

She winks at me, and I try to smile, but her comment digs deeper than I'd like to admit. My dream job once I graduate from Bible college is to be a Teen Pastor, preferably here at Mountainside Church. But we don't even have a specific teen ministry, and I don't even have a girlfriend. It wouldn't bother me so much if it wasn't for the fact that the vast majority of churches are reluctant to hire pastors who aren't married, or at the very least engaged. The risk of something being misunderstood is just far too high with an unmarried pastor. Especially an almost twenty-three year old, unmarried pastor who's in charge of a bunch of teenagers. And really. What self-respecting girl would want me? I don't even have all of my limbs anymore.

Delly helps me stock the cafe after Cassandra heads back to her office. Once we're done I tell her I'll see her later and walk the mile back to my studio apartment over the coffee shop to take a quick nap. I'm awake before 5am every morning except Sunday since the coffee shop opens at 6am, and I worked extra hours yesterday baking the items for this weekend's services. Then the two nights before that I stayed up late studying for an exam I have to take on Monday, so a nap sounds really nice right now. I let myself into the tiny apartment and flop down on my futon, barely getting my shoes off before falling asleep.

I must've been more tired than I thought, because it's already 5pm by the time I wake up, and service starts at 6pm. I guess I forgot to set an alarm. I bolt up on the futon, quickly changing into a clean shirt before brushing my teeth and jamming my shoes back on. I grab my wallet and my old orange iPhone 5c and race out the back door. I debate driving my moped down instead of walking, but my leg's not too sore and it's such a nice evening that I decide to save the gas and just walk. By the time I step through the front doors of the church it's almost 5:45. I hear Delly calling my name over the din of conversation filling the atrium, and I find her waving to me over by the t-shirt line. She's standing with an absolutely beautiful, dark-haired young lady who's looking around with trepidation.

As I approach the two ladies I notice that Delly's friend has the most striking coloring that I've ever seen. Her hair is mahogany brown, with strands of auburn flashing in the evening natural light in the atrium, and woven into a single braid that reaches most of the way down her back. She's shorter than Delly by several inches, but she has a presence about her that is proud. I've never seen anyone else like her before.

"Peeta!" Delly says excitedly as I reach them. "This is my friend and archery teacher, Katniss Everdeen. Katniss, this is Peeta Mellark."

I stand there for a few seconds, gaping at her eye color, which is the perfect combination of silver and grey. "Peeta," I blurt out. I feel the blush creeping up my neck as I gulp and hold out my hand. "My name is Peeta. It's wonderful to meet you, Katniss."

She eyes my hand suspiciously before grasping it in her own. "Hello," she says. Even in that one word of greeting, I can hear how beautifully musical her voice is. I feel my heart skip a beat as I clear my throat, which has suddenly gone dry.

I can see Delly grinning as her eyes flick between Katniss and me a few times. "So Katniss," she says. "Are you hungry? Peeta here makes most of the goodies that we sell in the cafe."

A slight flush creeps its way up Katniss's cheeks. "I didn't bring any money," she mumbles.

"Oh no, let me get it for you!" Delly exclaims. "Do you like hot chocolate? The hot chocolate here is better than any Starbucks you'll ever have!"

"Um, I've never had it before, but-" Katniss starts to say, but Delly interrupts her.

"Then you're in for a treat!" Delly says. "I'll be right back!"

Katniss and I watch awkwardly as Delly practically skips across the atrium to the cafe. "Um, I'm sorry if Delly seems a little pushy," I say. "She's really a lovely person, she's just a bit much for some people when they first meet her."

Katniss looks up at me. Her eyes have flecks of hazel in them, and her intricate braid is twisted around her head and tied with a piece of leather string. She's wearing a fitted green top with a plaid shirt over it, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and the bottom tied in a knot around her slender waist. Her fitted jeans have holes in both knees and are tucked into a pair of brown leather hiking boots. She is breathtaking.

"She also doesn't ever take no for an answer, either," Katniss replies. "She's been bugging me about coming to church with her since I first met her." She takes a long look around the atrium. "But I will say, this is unlike any church that I've ever seen."

Delly returns then, holding two cheese buns and two paper cups of hot chocolate, which she hands to Katniss and me. "You didn't need to get me anything," I try to protest, but Delly cuts me off.

"It's an apology of sorts," she says, wincing. "Thom came up to me when I was waiting in line and said that one of his camera operators just texted to say he was sick and couldn't make it tonight, so I need to cover for him." She turns to Katniss. "Do you mind sitting with Peeta during the service? I'm so sorry, but we really need both cameras covered."

Katniss shakes her head after a few seconds. "No, that's fine. But why do you need cameras during a church service?"

"I'm sure Peeta would be happy to answer any of your questions, and I'll meet you again after the service," Delly says. "I'm sorry, I really need to get on the camera, we have less than five minutes till service starts."

I take a bite of the cheese bun. Delly even remembered to have them heated a little, since they're always better warm. Katniss takes a bite of hers as well, and I swear I see her eyes close and hear her sigh as she chews.

"This is good!" Katniss says once she's swallowed her bite. Her eyes narrow as she looks at me. "You made this?"

"Y- yeah," I say. I'm never at a loss for words, so why can't I seem to have a normal conversation with this girl? I clear my throat. "Yes, I make a lot of the items that we sell in the cafe. I work at the coffee shop that the church owns. I also lead a small group there on Friday evenings."

I hear the two minute countdown clock start in the auditorium, so I stuff the rest of the cheese bun into my mouth and indicate to Katniss that we should make our way inside. I let her choose the seats, and she settles into a row about four rows up from the back, in front of the sound booth.

Katniss takes another bite of her cheese bun and looks around the auditorium, her eyes landing on the stage where the band members are ready to begin the worship time. "You guys have a drum set on the stage?" she asks. "And an electric guitar?"

"Yeah," I say. I'm starting to regain a little of my confidence now that I've eaten something. "We have a band for our worship time. We have lights and a sound board too. It's sort of like a concert."

"I've never been to a concert," she says under her breath, her eyes still with a deer-in-the-headlights sort of look.

"Then you're in for a real treat," I say proudly. "Our band is excellent, and our Music Pastor even writes some of his own songs."

"Good evening Mountainside Church!" Cassandra calls into her microphone from the stage. "And an extra special welcome to all of our guests here this evening! We're so happy you're here! Now, who's ready to worship?"

A chorus of cheers erupts from the audience as the opening bars of Turn It Up fill the auditorium. Thresh is sitting behind his piano on the stage, with his younger sister Rue on the keyboards. Shannon Leeg is in her usual spot on the drum set, with Jackson Boggs on the bass and Darius Bernard on electric guitar.

Thresh begins to sing.

You are here as we lift you up

You are riding on our praise

Be enthroned over everything

You are seated in our praise

Then Cassandra takes over the melody.

This is prophetic I can feel it in the air

We lift our praise and you change our atmosphere

With hearts open now, everybody's singing out

Oh, I am free!

Then tiny Rue joins her voice in for the chorus.

Turn it up this sound of praise

Make it louder, than any other

Lift Him up, and shout His name

Over all

Usually I sign along with the rest the congregation, as the words to the songs are displayed on the two ten-foot screens above the stage. But tonight I don't, both because I don't want Katniss to feel uncomfortable, and I really don't want her to hear how off-key I tend to sing.

"How many songs do you usually do?" she asks me once the song ends. Her silvery eyes haven't lost their deer-in-the-headlights look yet. If anything, they've gotten even wider since the music started.

"We usually do three," I reply as the initial bars of This Is Living Now sound throughout the auditorium. I instinctively start tapping my foot. "And this is one of my favorites!"

Rue's small but clear voice opens the song.

Waking up I know there's a reason

All my dreams come alive

Life is for living with you

I've made my decision

Cassandra takes over her part of the melody for the bridge and their voices join for the chorus. I can't help but sing quietly along, waiting for Thresh's part of the song which is my favorite. The band is definitely showing off for the guests here tonight. Even Katniss is tapping her foot to the music now.

Then Thresh steps to the front of the stage with his microphone in hand. The audience starts to cheer as he begins, drowning out almost half of his part.

I'm like what's the dream of? What's the hope in? What's the doubt for? Live to no end

This is living, the life I've been given's a gift

If I'm a live it, I'm a live it to death

So what's the dream of? What's the hope in? What's the doubt for? And live to no end

This is living, the life I've been given's a gift

If I'm a live it, I'm a live it to death

"This is living now!" I call, forgetting for a second that I wasn't going to sing out loud tonight. I quickly glance down at Katniss. She's still tapping her foot, and there's the slightest hint of a smile on her pink lips.

"I didn't know that you rapped in church," she exclaims. "That guy's a pastor?"

"Yeah, he's our Music Pastor," I reply. "He can play pretty much all the instruments, and he can sing pretty much any part. But he really loves to rap. His favorite songs are by Lecrae and TobyMac, both of whom are Christian hip hop and rap recording artists."

Katniss nods her head and claps once the song is over. I think I even see her singing along softly to Awake My Soul, the third and final song which also features a rap solo by Pastor Thresh.

Pastor Dale Hammond appears on the stage as the last notes of the music fade away. He thanks the band for the amazing worship and leads us in the opening prayer. He's dressed in his usual outfit of dark, fitted jeans, a button-down shirt, and jacket.

"Your pastor looks like the guy in that show, Arrow, don't you think?" Katniss asks me.

I chuckle a little. Pastor Dale does look a lot like an older version of Stephen Amell from Arrow. "Yeah, he gets that a lot," I tell her. "Do you like that show? I try to watch it when I get the chance."

Katniss nods. I guess it shouldn't surprise me, given that she's an archer herself.

Katniss listens politely through the rest of the opening prayers and Pastor Dale's message for the evening. We're right in the middle of a Women of the Old Testament series, and tonight Pastor Dale discusses the book of Ruth. I listen intently, taking notes in my journal since I'll be leading the small group discussion on Ruth next Friday.

Delly runs over to us as soon as the service ends and she's able to lock her camera. "I'm so sorry again Katniss, for having to leave you," she says. "But I hope you enjoyed yourself with Peeta!"

Katniss nods. "I really liked the music," she says. "I didn't realize you had music like that."

"Oh?" Delly says. "Do you like to sing? I know Pastor Thresh is always looking for more singers. Cassandra has been wanting to start a new Prayer Team, but Thresh can't spare her from the band yet."

Katniss blushes and looks at her feet. "I do like to sing," she says quietly. "But I've never sang in front of anyone besides my parents and sister."

"You should come back tomorrow night," I blurt out. Katniss's eyes snap up to meet mine. "Um, that is, if you want to. We have a service tomorrow morning which is just like this one, but the services on Sunday evenings are geared more towards teens and young adults. The music's even better then!"

Katniss stares at me for a few seconds, her face twisted into some sort of scowl. "All right," she says. "I'll ask my uncle if I can borrow his car."

"Oh no," Delly says. "Thom and I will pick you up, just like we did tonight. Then you don't even have to bother your uncle."

"Um, okay," Katniss mumbles. Then she looks up at me. "It was nice to meet you, Peeta."

I can't hide the smile from my face. "It was wonderful to meet you too, Katniss. And I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow evening as well."

Katniss nods and turns towards the door, her green chicken t-shirt dangling from her small hand. Delly follows her for a few feet before turning back to wink at me. I watch them disappear before exhaling a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Oh Lord," I mumble to myself. Did Delly bring Katniss here just so I could meet her? Could she be the answer to my prayers?

I pull my phone from my pocket as I head for the doors, opening the texting app. I'm so absorbed in what I'm doing that I almost try to exit out through the window next to the door instead of the door itself.

[PEETA] Hey. Can I call you tonight? I need to tell you something.

I stare anxiously at my phone as I walk unevenly back up the hill to the coffee shop. After a couple of minutes the three little dots appear, and I wait impatiently for his reply.

[FINNICK] Sure, but give us a couple hours, yeah? The little one is cutting molars and having a heck of a time getting to sleep lately.

I smile. It's still hard for me to imagine Finnick as a daddy, even if his son is almost a carbon copy of him.

[PEETA] Sounds fine. Text when you're ready, and say hi to Annie for me.

I shove my phone back into my pocket. I arrive back at the coffee shop about twenty minutes later, climbing up the back steps to my apartment. I pull off my shoes and take out my phone, checking it before dropping it down onto the futon. I pull a bottle of orange juice out the mini fridge and take a big swig before grabbing my laptop and opening up one of my class assignments. I should study some more for that exam on Monday, but my mind keeps wandering back to Katniss Everdeen. I feel my heart speed up as I remember how her small hand felt in mine when I shook it. The way her green top flattered her beautiful coloring. The way her eyes sparkled during worship time with the lights flashing. After a few more minutes I close my laptop and set it aside.

I check my phone. Finnick said he needed a couple of hours, so there's at least an hour left before I can talk to him. Sighing, I pull myself off the futon and make a peanut butter and banana sandwich for a snack, washing it down with some more orange juice. I check my phone again and decide to take a shower. I go to the dresser for some clean underwear and find I'm down to my last pair. Looks like I need to make a laundromat run tomorrow, which is always fun on a Sunday. Yay.

I open my laptop back up after my shower and try to concentrate on studying, but again it's a hopeless cause. I'm just picking up my phone to check it for the millionth time when it beeps with an incoming iMessage.

[FINNICK] Kid is asleep for the time being, are you free now?

[PEETA] Yep. Wanna FaceTime? I'd like Annie to hear this too.

[FINNICK] Sure thing.

A few seconds later my phone beeps again with the incoming FaceTime alert. As the screen clears I can see Finnick and Annie sitting on the ugly flowered couch in their living room. Annie's grandmother, a woman they call Mags and who they live with, has very questionable taste in furnishings.

"Hey Peeta," Annie says in her soft, slightly accented voice. "How're things up there in the mountains?"

"Great!" I say. "The weather's beautiful up here this time of year. You remember, don't you?"

"Yes," Finnick says with a trace of melancholy. "The gorgeous mountain weather is one of the things I sure miss about that place. It's gonna be hot and humid down here for at least another six weeks! But I don't really think you wanted to talk to us about the weather. So what is it? Worried about an exam again?"

I swallow thickly and shake my head. "No. Well, yeah, I actually do have another exam on Monday. But... but tonight, I um...". I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair. "Tonight I think I met the girl I'm gonna marry."

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Song references:

Turn It Up by the Planetshakers

This is Living Now by Hillsong United

Awake My Soul by Chris Tomlin and LeCrae

All the songs in my story are available in iTunes and on YouTube.

So there you have it! Chapter one! Please let me know what you think, I greatly appreciate any and all reviews!