Bittersweet

Chapter 1:

I stiffened and rose up into a sitting position on the couch. I had fell sleep there as I always do most every night. I can't bear to be in the huge master bedroom in this intimidating, lonesome house in the victor's village.

District 12 had been restored back several months ago. Instead of feeling excited to be back in familiar territory I was depressed.

Prim was dead, Gale was gone, my mother was gone as well. I was alone in a big house. My only neighbors being Haymitch and Peeta. Of course Haymitch wasn't much of a neighbor since he mostly kept to himself and drank half his day away. Might as well be alone in District 12.

Then there was Peeta on the other side whom was supposedly stable and no longer brainwashed but he was still acting very strange around me and I tried to avoid him best I could. Most of the time I was successful but sometimes he cornered me and there was no escaping him.

I heard two noises at once and was on my feet in an instant.

The first noise was in the kitchen. It sounded as if someone were rummaging through my fridge.

Who on earth?

The second noise was a hard rattling on my front door.

I tensed up as the door was opened and there were footfalls. I glanced toward the kitchen and back to the door. Which should I be checking first?

"Hello?" I called out, tiptoeing toward the front door. I couldn't see who it was. Only a shadow of a person as they walked slowly toward me. "Who's there?" I called out again, more demanding this time.

My heart started pounding hard. I fought two games and a war and I was afraid of a burglar?

Get a grip, Katniss!

Some was eerily wrong. I could feel it.

"Katniss," a honeyed voice gave a purring hiss.

I drew back in surprise and clamped down on the fear that began to fill me. "Peeta…"

The boy walked closer and I backed another few paces.

"What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night?" I kept my voice level and calm. The complete opposite of what I felt.

He was deadly; a predator and I the prey. He wouldn't stop hunting me until I'm dead. I always knew this but I didn't want to accept the fact.

I gulped as the moonlight shined down on him. Illuminating his straw colored hair and his black eyes. They weren't his eyes. They weren't the gentle eyes of Peeta Mellark. They were the eyes of a monster.

I wanted to scream and cry at the same time. What had the Capitol done to him? He was supposed to be fixed!

I tried to scream and Peeta lunged at me and pushed me into the wall hard, smothering my mouth and nose.

I saw a glint of metal flash and started thrashing, trying to throw him off me. I couldn't let him any closer with that dagger. It would be the end if I did.

I bit down on his hand and he howled like a mad dog. I took advantage of this moment and screamed 'Help!' as loud as I could. I knew it was a weak effort, seeing as no one would come to my rescue, but I had to try. This couldn't be where it ends.

"Shut up!" Peeta slapped me hard across my face and I spun back into the wall with a hard thud. My head making impact.

I cried out in pain and pushed Peeta back hard. It sent him backward and he almost wasn't able to keep his balance.

He snarled and came at me again. "I'm going to kill you Everdeen."

I saw a form coming out of the kitchen in a hurry. "Katniss!"

"Haymitch!" I screamed his name. I thrashed against Peeta just as he pushed the knife to my neck.

"One move, little mockingjay and you're dead," Peeta growled. His face an inch from mine. "I'm going to slit your throat." He whispered into my ear. It would've looked intimate if he hadn't had the knife into my neck.

Haymitch was in the living room in an instant. My eyes caught his wide horror filled grey eyes and held them.

My eyes pleaded for him to save me.

"Stop it!" Haymitch yelled.

Peeta ran the knife slowly across my neck, slicing the skin.

Haymitch was outraged. "Let go of her!" he screamed this time. Fury clouding his eyes.

I whimpered in pain. Tears filling up in my eyes.

Peeta didn't have time to do anymore damage with his knife.

Haymitch locked his arms around the boy's neck and tightened. "I said let go of her!"

Peeta's eyes widened and he screamed like a wild animal. Scratching and clawing at Haymitch's arms.

Haymitch wouldn't relent and only tightened his hold. "Don't you ever touch her again!" he shook Peeta until his teeth rattled.

Peeta's eyes rolled back into his head. He was losing air and wasn't far from suffocating.

"Stop it! Haymitch, please stop!" I screamed. I sunk against the wall and slid to the floor.

Haymitch looked up at me. His eyes said no but he did as I said.

Peeta coughed and fell to his knees. Haymitch kicked him ruthlessly. I had never seen Haymitch so angry. He looked like he wanted to kill Peeta and if it hadn't been for me he probably would have.

Peeta cried out in pain and his eyes began to focus for the first time. The old Peeta was back if for a few seconds.

"Katniss?" he tried to crawl toward me but Haymitch held him back.

"You stay away from her!" Haymitch growled at him.

Peeta looked shocked. He was so innocent looking and any second he could snap back into the monster he'd became.

I couldn't help the sob that decided to come wracking my abused body.

"Go home. Don't come back." Haymitch said lowly. There was a threat in his tone.

Peeta scrambled up and backed away in horror at what he'd done to me.

"GO!" Haymitch shouted.

I hugged myself and tried to keep myself together but the tears wouldn't stop no matter how hard I tried not to let them fall. A hard sob shook me to the bone.

Peeta slammed the front door and it was quiet in the house.

I wasn't sure if Haymitch had left me or not until I felt someone knell beside me and wrap their arms around me.

Warmth enveloped me and without even thinking of what I was doing I turned my face into Haymitch's chest and sobbed.

"Tha-." I tried to speak.

"Sssh, sweetheart. Don't speak now." His hand caressed my hair. "You're safe now. You're going to be okay."

I snubbed violently and felt myself slowly calming down.

I'm not sure when it happened but I felt myself go slack in his arms. I either blacked out or fell asleep. The last thing I remember is being carried.

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