Peeta cradled her body and turned her over, careful not to push the knife in any further. He held Katniss's head under his arm and arched her back up with his knees, keeping the dagger from touching the ground.

He wanted to pull out the dagger and bandage her wound. He wanted to slit his own throat and force the Gamemakers to care her. He wanted to do more than hold Katniss and watch her die, but she promised that if he tried to do anything but embrace her, then she would kill herself.

All she wanted was Peeta to be the last thing she saw.

"Wow, Bread Boy, you've looked better."

Peeta laughed at that. Nothing about any of this was funny, but he was so overwhelmed, it was the only response he could manage. "You couldn't be more beautiful sweetheart." He fought his tears with every strength he had.

Katniss weakly lifted her hand. It shook; the blood loss was starting to show. Peeta grasped it before her strength ran out and her hand fell. Slowly, she traced an outline of a bloodstain on Peeta's hand with her finger. "I'm so sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" his voice almost cracked, but he held it in.

"I couldn't protect you. You had to kill someone. I'm sorry, Peeta, that I couldn't protect you from that." Closing her eyes, she took in a breath and pulled in her lips until they were gone. She looked like a snake, or President Snow. But she was biting down on them in pain.

"Katniss? Katniss!" She opened her eyes. Letting out a sigh of relief, he couldn't hold it in anymore, but only a few tears spilled out. Katniss let go of Peeta's hand, raising her own and resting it on his cheek. Peeta held her wrist for support, holding it up. Using her thumb, she wiped away the tear streaks from his face. It only caused more to appear.

"Stop crying over me. I'm not worth crying over."

"I don't want to just sit here and watch you die Katniss. I can't." He didn't obey her request to stop crying. It only made him want to cry more. "I'm in love with you."

"I know," was all she said. Katniss moved her hand to the back of Peeta's neck and used all the strength she had to pull his head closer to hers.

She parted her lips slightly and let his rest softly on hers. It was short and gentle. Peeta pulled away and looked Katniss in the eyes. He seemed to read her mind; they were having a conversation without saying anything out loud. He kissed her again. This one was harder, deeper, full of longing. Peeta tried not to treat it as a goodbye kiss, but that's what it turned out to be. The best goodbye kiss ever.

A canon went off, and just like that, the 74th Hunger Games were over.

AN- Considering writing a fourth chapter. Hmm, what do you guys think? What would the rest of the story be like without Katniss? That would be interesting. Are you excited about opening night! Me too! Hope its good. Not seeing it today though because I'm going to go see my friends in the Phantom of the Opera. (My friend is the Phantom!) Read and Review please =]