Hunger Games: Flames of Rebellion

Chapter 15 of my Hunger Games story, enjoy :)

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jesuschick13: Well, here's the next chapter which shall reveal the outcome of her efforts. Glad you are still enjoying it.

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Chapter 15

PEETA POV

I was caught in a haze, my mind was hovering between things I remembered and rather vivid hallucinations, so vivid I couldn't be sure if they were real or not. The only assurance I had that I was still alive was the constant pain I felt from all my injuries. Johanna's screams had stopped, had they killed her, were they killing each of us off now and I was the last one. As if on cue I heard the door to my cell opening. I froze, I had to do something, I heard the figure approach but I couldn't see clearly, my mind was still in a haze, blurring my vision. The figure knelt down and grabbed my bound wrists, I reacted as quickly as I could and threw myself at them, pinning them to the ground.

"You're not killing me!" I bellowed as I frantically reached out and managed to grab them by the throat.

I tightened my grip; I had to kill them before they threw me off and killed me.

"Peeta." I heard the figure gasp out, the voice sounded familiar. But I wasn't about to take any risks, I tightened my grip, now desperate.

"Peeta!" The voice gasped, louder, I now recognized it, but it couldn't be. "You won't trick me!"

"It's not a trick," I heard the soft reply and then suddenly I felt myself get pulled down.

I thought that I was doomed but to my surprise the figure kissed me, and then I was sure of their identity. We broke apart as my vision cleared, I had been right, it was Katniss. She was breathing heavily and I realized my hands were still around her throat, loosely now. I immediately launched myself back as best as I could.

"My God, Katniss, I…Oh God, I'm so sorry." I choked on my words as I cried, I had nearly killed her, what kind of monster was I?

I heard her move, I looked up and saw she was kneeling in front of me, but there was no anger, no hatred, only relief and…love.

"It's okay, you were afraid; I know what they've been doing to you, that made it worse." She replied, but I shook my head, "What I did was unforgivable."

"No it's not…and I forgive you." She replied with a smile.

I shook my head, "This isn't happening, I must be hallucinating again."

"You're not, I'm here to rescue you, I came with the Rebellion, we came to rescue all of you."

I paused, my mind was racing, I knew to put it at rest I had to make sense of one thing at a time, and I decided to make sure it was the most important. I explained to Katniss I had developed a way to resist the venom, I played a little mind game with myself, I called it 'Real or Not Real', basing the answers on my memories during my more lucid moments it kept me more or less sane. I then asked her.

"You love me…Real or Not Real?"

She smiled and replied without hesitating.

"Very real," We then kissed with more intensity than before, until she finally pulled back.

"The others are waiting, we managed to rescue Johanna and Annie, don't worry, I'll get you outta here."

I nodded as Katniss then grabbed my left arm and slung it over her shoulders; she secured her free arm around my waist and stood up, lifting us both up, she then began to walk out of the cell and down the corridor, I did my best to keep pace with her, despite the agony I felt when moving.

KATNISS POV

I glanced over at Peeta, he was in a terrible state, I could tell that, despite my forgiveness, he was horrified that he had tried to strangle me. He was covered in even more dirt and blood; there weren't any more stings thankfully. I didn't have the nerve to look at his back, I was pretty sure his skin would mostly be flayed by now. I glanced at the closest visible wound, a sting on the left hand side of his chest, clearly visible due to the fact that, since the first whipping his shirt had not been returned to him. In less dangerous circumstances I was sure that, despite his injuries, Peeta being shirtless would've made most girls (myself included) go weak-kneed. I shook my head, I had focus on getting us out of here, this was no time to be ogling my boyfriend's chest. I continued down the corridor, hoping I could make it back before we ran out of time and the force-field came back on.

I could see how badly he had been affected mentally too, his eyes were empty, devoid of their usual brightness, however, when he looked at me some, of it had returned. I stopped as I reached a corner, just around here was the door that would lead to freedom, I peeked around and saw five Peacekeepers with their weapons drawn, they were looking for any intruders.

"Peeta," I whispered getting his attention, "I'm gonna have to put you down, there's five of them and I need to take them all out."

He nodded and I gently set him down so he was sitting against the wall. I quickly readied my bow and stepped out from behind cover, I took aim and fired, the first one fell, I fired a second shot, I managed to kill the second one and then the remaining three saw me. Before they could react properly however I ahd fired again and again, I killed a third but missed with my fourth shot, the last two suddenly charged towards me, I fired again killing the fourth. The fifth then barrelled into me, knocking my bow from my hands. I managed to get one of my hands free and grab my knife which I plunged into his back. I pushed the dead body off me, slung my bow and picked up Peeta again.

"We're almost there Peeta, stay with me," I told him, he didn't reply, "C'mon, keep it together."

He nodded and I continued, I soon reached the door to the balcony and opened it. The hovercraft was waiting, I hurried over as fast as I could and with Haymitch's help I got Peeta on board before climbing on myself. The door was closed and we flew off, just in time as the force-field came back on.

I spent the whole journey back in the medical bay with Peeta, holding onto his hand, talking to him, anything to keep him from slipping away again. When we made it back a team of doctors came on board and began taking Peeta to the hospital wing, I followed them but then one turned around and stopped me.

"I'm sorry Miss Everdeen, we're treating him in a private room, we can't have anyone else in until we finish treating him."

With that he walked away, leaving me alone in the corridor. I sank to my knees, unable to believe what I had just heard, I had gone to all that trouble of rescuing Peeta and fulfilling my oath and now I couldn't even be with him. I felt myself get lifted to my feet, I saw it was Haymitch, he said something to me, but the only word I could make out was 'rest'. I nodded numbly and he let me go, I walked back to my room in a trance, when I got back I threw off my weapons and boots before walking over to my bed and collapsing on it in a heap, still dressed.

'I-I saved him but…what now, I can't even see him,' I thought sadly, not even fighting the tears that welled up in my eyes, 'It's not right…why?'

I didn't have the answer so all I could do was cry until there were no more tears left. By then I was exhausted and soon drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

End of chapter and of story, hope you enjoyed it. Hope you liked the refernece to Peeta's 'Real, Not Real' game as well as Katniss' comments about Peeta's lack of a shirt :) please read and review thanks, stay tuned for the sequel too :)