You're in the homestretch! Enjoy!

Chapter 4

I open my eyes and focus. My arrow is almost aligned to my target, my hand steady in my bow. My heart rate drops, keeping the rest of my body still. Just a bit more to the right and I could shoot him in the eye and he'd be dead. I could kill him, I think. I could kill Peeta right now, if I wanted. I hold my breath…and finally drop my bow and arrow.

"This is ridiculous!" I yell at him, at both of them. Haymitch is off to the side, observing. Waiting. Peeta's composure has changed from wooden to slacken.

It's been several weeks since Peeta's supposed near attack on me in the woods, and he's been trying to find a way to trigger those emotions again, but in a controlled environment, so that he can figure out how to stop himself from that rage again without me being in harm's way. I still believe he would've been able to stop himself, but he wants to be sure.

It's been slow going due to the weather, but every chance we got where it wasn't so cold or the snow wasn't falling, he pulled me outside to try something else. Of course, Haymitch was always with us during these things, because he didn't trust himself, doesn't trust himself, to be alone with me at those times.

Our first try was some hand-to-hand combat. At first it was suggested that he try it with Haymitch. It was clearly obvious in the first attempt that Haymitch wasn't going to be much of a challenge. Although Haymitch is still pretty strong, all the years of drinking have clearly affected his ability to move swiftly. After a couple of bouts, being pinned to the floor each time, Haymitch had had enough and went back into his house. He didn't speak to us the rest of the week. Only when he had run out of white liquor did he finally come by my house.

I wasn't any better. Peeta was really tentative to try any wrestling moves on me at first, but after a few minutes of my taunting, he took me down on his first attempt. I wasn't ready, of course, since I was caught off guard. He just laughed and kissed me on the nose. On the second attempt, I really tried to get serious and even put on a scowl for good measure. After the fifth time on my back, I realized that he was actually having more fun out of this than he should've been, considering this was supposed to bring out the rage in him. Haymitch was so bored, he had even snuck out during the middle of it. It didn't help that every time he took me down, it ended with a kiss, as if to apologize.

Finally, Peeta suggested that we go back to the woods. I was not happy about that at all. Not because I was scared that Peeta's rage would be inescapable. I had complete confidence in the fact that Peeta would not kill me, after all. But since it was later in the winter, many of the larger predators that frequent the deeper part of the woods would be hungrier during this time of the year and would risk searching farther out of their comfort zone, thus moving closer to our district in search of food. It would definitely be more dangerous for all of us. It's just another factor that could make a controllable situation incontrollable. But considering that's where it happened last time, it was obviously the perfect environment for Peeta's rage to come out.

However, what if I had too many distractions around me to deal with along with Peeta coming toward me? Would I be able to do what I had planned? I was forming out my own plan as well, trying to figure out what I could do if Peeta were to try to attack me again. I had it planned out in my head, but I didn't want to tell them, not even Haymitch. Haymitch would think I'd have lost my mind to even consider my idea. It would be risky, but I was sure of it. We just had to have the opportunity to see if it would work, which would mean pitting me against Peeta.

So, I finally agreed that our best course of action would be to go back into the woods. I insisted we stay close to the fence, to avoid any of the large predators. Even during the hardest part of winter, and Gale and I needed to go hunting, we tried not to venture too far out. So, this time, we go only to half the distance of where we were the last time, but it's far enough away from the fence to where the trees have blocked it out of view.

Now, here I am, standing only a few yards from Peeta, attempting to take a shot at him. Well, not at him directly, but at an "X"marked on a tree that is to the left of his head. The idea is that maybe this will trigger one of the hijacked memories the Capitol had planted in him. Peeta suggested it. For the first time in a long time, I am unsure of my shooting accuracy. If I strayed just enough to the right, I could hurt him, quite possibly kill him. I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

Peeta slowly walks up to me. "You won't hit me," he says.

"Peeta, I target the eyes. An 'X' on a tree, it's not going to work," I say.

"Should I have painted an eye on there?" he asks, somewhat jokingly.

"Maybe," I say. "All I see when I'm looking there is you. It's not helping," I tell him.

"Ah. Yes, I'm used to being of no help," he says. Now he's gone into the world of sarcasm, which clearly is not making anything better for me. I scowl. "Okay, sorry. Let's just see if you can hit it without me standing there."

I take several shots at the X, hitting it right on the mark each time. Clearly, eyes aren't the only targets I can hit. Of course, I've hit many other things aside from the eyes of animals. Ropes. Apples. Fake birds. Chinks in force fields.

"Now all you have to do is the exact same thing. Keep your focus on it. I trust you," Peeta whispers to me. I nod. I can do this. I can do this.

Peeta moves back to his position, and as I'm positioning myself again, Haymitch moves to Peeta's left side and whispers something in Peeta's ear. Peeta nods in acknowledgement, but he's staring in my direction, his face is emotionless, his body stoic. He's not smiling at me at all. He's waiting. Waiting for me to shoot. Waiting for the rage to come. Waiting for this moment to determine how strong his willpower is.

I take aim at the X, my eyes focused on nothing more than the center of the X. I blank out everything surrounding it, the leaves, the sky, the colors, Peeta, Haymitch, even the tree itself, and center on the X. I feel my body inhale, then exhale, my left arm as stiff and solid as the bow it's holding. I pull the arrow and string back until it and my hand rests slightly against my right cheek.

In the split second it takes for me to release the arrow, I hear it. The sound of a mockingjay. It's not a song, just a chirp, really, but it's enough to jilt my arm just a fraction to the right upon its release.

The arrow doesn't land on the X this time. It lands just to the right of the X. No, it didn't hit Peeta, but something else does. Someone else. Haymitch has punched Peeta square in the jaw. What?

"Hey!" I yell, running towards Haymitch, dropping everything to use my whole body to attack him. It was enough. Enough to cause a stir in Peeta.

Before I can reach Haymitch, Peeta knocks me to the ground so hard that I'm disoriented as to who exactly it was that attacked me. Then I see Peeta standing above me, eyes menacing. He's not rushing, though. His movements are slow, but still he moves toward me.

"You! You're trying to kill me!" He yells. His voice is not the same. It's darker, deeper. It no longer possesses the melodic tones I'm used to hearing from him when he speaks, when he talks with reason and sense. When he speaks in love. Right now, he's speaking in anger, in rage. In pain, too.

"No, Peeta. I'm trying to protect you. We protect each other, remember?" I yell back. I see the confusion in his eyes. The black of his pupils and the blue of his irises fighting to overcome the other.

Haymitch is there, holding him back from me. He wants to knock him out again.

"Wait!" I tell Haymitch, as I catch my breath. "Just wait."

This is my chance to prove what I've known all along. The one thing that I had planned for this very moment. I steady myself, straighten as much of my body as I can from the position I'm in and take a deep breath to relax me, then take another one to start my song. The same song that my father used to sing to my mother years ago. The one that I sang to Peeta only a few months ago. Peeta starts yelling in Haymitch's grasp, struggling to break free.

What else shall I see
Eyes bright and blue
You bring life to me
I've found myself in you

My voice is weak with this first verse because I'm still trying to breathe normally. Peeta is still struggling, but I know he can hear me.

What else can I feel
My heart so anew
My world has changed
I've found myself in you

I slowly get up from the ground and steady myself as I look at him. His eyes are closed tight, but he is no longer fighting to get to me.

What else do I say
What words are so true
Than the ones that express
My heart is with you

Haymitch is no longer holding him. He stands back as I move closer to Peeta. I move my hand down to his arm, and he shudders slightly at my touch. He opens his eyes to me, and they are a deep blue now.

What else am I for
If I'm not here for you
For I don't want to know
Cause I've found myself in you

I look at him, and a faint smile forms on his lips. "What do you see?" I whisper.

"My healer," he whispers back, stroking my cheek. I wrap my arms around him, and bury my face in his neck as he strokes my hair and kisses my head.

I move my head up and over his shoulder as I look to Haymitch. I smile at him and my mouth forms the words thank you. Haymitch nods first, then furrows his brow and shakes his head as he smiles back. Yep, he definitely thinks I've lost my mind.

Thank you to all who read this story and I hope you enjoyed it. There will be more to come, so if you enjoyed this, then keep a lookout! And please don't hesitate to post your reviews and critiques. I welcome any suggestions, so long as they are constructive.

Again thanks to Danalos the Lady Chaos (.net/u/35728/) for beta reading this. And finally, thanks to Suzanne Collins for creating such a wonderful story and creating such unforgettable characters.