A little Katniss/Peeta story that takes place shortly after their return to District 12. Hope you enjoy!

She sits in the garden, grass stains on her knees.

"Katniss?"

She doesn't look up.

He comes up behind her, puts an arm around her shoulders. "Katniss, what's wrong?"

He sees the wilting roses then and wishes he didn't ask.

"They're dying," she whispers, eyes unmoving from the browning primroses.

He pulls her in closer, runs a hand through her hair. "Hey. It's okay. We'll replant them."

"No. No it's useless!" She pulls away from him roughly, and starts ripping the flowers from the dirt. "She's dead!"

The way she shoved him aside, the hatred in her voice, the violence in her movement. It brings him back, his whole body shaking, the capital whispering in his ear.

No.

He doesn't let it. She has been so strong for him, getting him through each and every episode, now he needs to be here for her.

"Katniss," he says softly. She doesn't stop.

"Katniss."

Nothing.

"Katniss," he touches her arm.

"What!" she screams, turning to him. Dirt in her fingernails, dead flower in her hand.

And he pulls her in. He feels her crying. She drops the flower and wraps her arms around him.

"It's okay," he says again. "We'll replant them."

"I'm sorry," she whispers, disentangling her body from his. She looks up at him, wipes her eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore," she cries. "Why are you even still here?"

Because I love you.

He doesn't think she's ready to hear it. He's not even sure he's ready to say it.

"We've been a team from the beginning," he says instead, touching her tearstained cheek. He hasn't seen her this vulnerable in a while. "Katniss, you're one of the only things I care about anymore. And you have always been the most important person in my life." He tries not to remember the highjack. He tries to keep the shaking limited to his hands so she can't see. "I'm not losing you now."

She stares at him a moment, he clenches his fists to keep them still. The trembling moves to his arms.

And then she closes the space between them, pressing her lips to his.

And she's so vulnerable right now. She misses Prim and she's so lost. But he can't help it. They haven't kissed They haven't kissed in months, since that time by the pipes in the capital when he thought he would attack, and God how much he's missed this. He brings his arms around her and pushes his tongue in a little deeper. She brings herself closer and puts one hand in his hair, one on the back of his neck. She forces him closer to her and he moves a hand to her cheek.

He knows she's in a bad place right now, but there's something in the kiss that feels real, something hopeful.

For the first time in a long time, the shaking is completely gone.