Okay everyone, seriously? I'm SO! So! So sorry. This last chapter was one of the hardest to write and I believe it took the longest. However it's the longest in return :) I hope you all enjoy it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

I was to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your time and your thoughts. This story wouldn't be here without you guys, whether you've been here through the journey or just catching up now. I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you, really. I love you guys

I don't own the Hunger Games or Alice in Wonderland

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Tick Tock

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With Peeta by her side, she finally ventured from her bedroom. Everything was the same, but different too. The walls were still stark white, and the marble floor still shone freshly polished like gleaming moonlight. But the people filling the corridor were dressed in a plethora of color. They ranged from the dreaded color red the whole way through to blue, hitting and exploring every hue and tone in between. There was a melody of whispers sneaking through the passages and Katniss couldn't help but feel her toes curl in happiness in the golden slippers Effie had dropped off a week before.

The people smiled as she and Peeta passed, murmuring thanks with looks of admiration on their faces. The Hatter's hand was warm in hers and she could feel her soul stitching back together with her body.

Haymitch nodded at them, a pink Tweedle Dum by his side, fixing the bandage that was still over his stump of an arm. She turned with his movement and flashed the pair a huge smile, bright white teeth blinding.

The Larkspur was there too, a little off from the large group of people. The golden wire was in his boney hands and he was muttering and mumbling to himself. Katniss acknowledged him as they walked by and he lifted his entwined hands in return.

Randomly wandering, their feet carried them down another corridor. This one lined with floor to ceiling windows that looked out at the grounds below and the sky above. There were plants growing in separate beds, mixing with wild grasses and flowers. A creature that looked similar to a deer stepped out, the only difference was the fact that its hooves appeared to be dipped in gold, and its antlers coated in crystal.

Katniss pulled Peeta along with her, pressing her face against the glass, watching the odd creature sniff at the foliage before trotting off into the denser area of vegetation. Air rushed into the girl's lungs as her dove eyes scanned over the scene, coming to finally rest on the bright sky high above them.

It was blue, like the ocean from her world. Calm and tranquil, a few tufts of clouds floated by, like the frothing sea foam after a crashing wave. A few mockingjays flew by, and even though Katniss couldn't hear them, she knew they were singing.

"Hatter," she mumbled delicately, eyes darting to him quickly. "Wh-why is… why is the sky different?"

She felt her heart beating oddly in her chest, a similar feeling of panic breaking over her. But the male gave her a soft smile, his fingers offering a reassuring squeeze before he spoke tenderly. "When Annie regained control of Underland, the sky turned back. It was orange and red because of the Red King. But with Annie it is blue and green." he paused and breathed for a few moments, his own swirling eyes moved to the new stratosphere and the girl beside him couldn't help pick up the bits of anxiety swimming inside him.

Alice was about to open her mouth but he continued. "It's different," he muttered, an ink color edging into his iris. "I don't like that it's different, it doesn't look like home."

She nodded without really realizing what she was doing, her mind came to rest on china blue eyes she used to protect along with the fact that she would never look at them again. As they stood there, staring at the offending atmosphere; swift, hurried steps closed in on them from behind.

The pair turned and was faced with an angry Johanna. Her blonde hair was sticking up in odd angles, contrasting with the width between her brown eyes. The patchwork hat was clutched in a white knuckled fist and she almost threw it at the blond male.

"Here," She hissed, shoving the object into his hand before picking up Katniss' palm and depositing Prim's golden watch in it. "You two need to stop fooling around and be responsible for your things. I'm not going to look after you anymore."

"What's wrong with you?" Alice asked shortly, feeling some of her skin prickle with irritation. The Gryphon would never be happy with her; there would always be something to complain about.

The woman looked insulted at the statement, her nose wrinkling as she frowned. "Well, when someone risks their life for me, I tend to say thank you. When I risk my life for someone else, I expect a thanks in return."

"Thank you?" Katniss said as her eyebrows knitted on her forehead.

"Not me, you idiot. Annie. Neither of you have thanked her for what she's done. You-" she jabbed a finger at Alice's chest. "Never thanked her or apologized for abandoning the main point of you mission. And you, Hatter, you went completely bonkers and didn't even thank her for fixing you, for the second time." Johanna's brown eyes were narrowed into slits. The brunette opened her mouth to speak but Peeta's soft voice made her stop short.

"You're right," he mumbled. "We haven't thanked her," his blue eyes turned on the Mockingjay then. "We should go."

With a final glare at Johanna's smug look Katniss was pulled along behind Peeta, his hand resting easily in hers. His eyes glancing out the wide windows every few footsteps. He kept muttering and mumbling under his breath, though the only words Katniss heard were unsettling and orange.

When they entered the white Throne Room, Annie didn't even look up at them. Her green eyes were resting on the white floor; a short gown fell to her crossed knees as a hand aimlessly grazed her lower abdomen. Ringlets of chocolate hair framed her face and after Alice and the Hatter took a few more steps forward, her eyes darted to them.

"Annie," the Katniss said softly, watching Peeta as he bowed slightly before stepping closer. "We came to thank you."

Confusion seeped across her face as her brows furrowed and her mouth fell open in the delicate 'oh' shape in seemed accustomed to. "Thank me for what Alice?"

The girl went to speak, but Peeta cut her off with a small nudge of his hand. "We want to properly show our gratitude for the actions you took while we were all at the Red King's castle. You risked so much, for the kingdom and for yourself, when you decided to come and save us. Without you we would all be dead, and we just want to say thank you."

Realization dawned in her eyes and swiftly she jumped up from her throne chair, gracefully floating towards them. "Do you know what the color white means?"

Eagerness shone clearly through her features and when her question was met with blank looks she continued. Her fingers twitched at her sides before coming to lie on her abdomen again.

"White is the color of purity, innocence… it could go as far as being the color of childhood. It is the color of emotional freedom. Like a blank canvas," her gaze switched to Peeta at that moment, and he nodded at the idea. "It's the color of this kingdom, and when the Red King took over, he took Underland's purity and innocence away. He caused the people to focus and worry all the time. Red, the color of anger and hatred." Her lips pursed into a frown before breaking into a grin.

"But thanks to you two, and Finnick and Effie and Haymitch… we can work on making it a beautiful place again. Make it elegant, and purify it. White is the only color that has a hand in everything. You need all the colors to make white, and so, everything will be included. The people don't have to worry anymore. Not about food or going hungry, not about being picked at random to become Tributes to the Hunger Games. They can decide their own fate. Just like we can."

She looked fondly down at her stomach. "We can choose now." And the smile that captured her face made the others' hearts jump. Tears filled her eyes. "Everything's okay now. Because of you two." She shook her head, brown curls bouncing. "So thank you."

Katniss was in the process of digesting the information. Imagining how happy all the citizens of Underland would be. That they wouldn't have to worry about wars or famine anymore. And she couldn't help but think of Primrose again, and how much the younger Everdeen would have loved the idea and fought to the death for it. Suddenly, it seemed, there were footsteps and Alice turned to see the March Hare coming into the room from the large doorway. He was back to being golden again, almost gleaming as he walked by. He grinned at Katniss and nodded at Peeta before kissing Annie's cheek as he took her hand and led her back to the chair.

"You must sit my love; you're in a delicate condition now."

Annie grinned at them all again, it was like the sun, warming their skin and causing something like happiness to bloom in their chests.

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x. o. x. o.

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They began to fall into a routine. Waking up together in the morning, speaking in soft voices and using soft words, before getting up and heading to breakfast. Painting became a daily activity. Peeta tried to teach her, sitting behind her and grasping her hand around the brush with tender large hands. He smelled like insanity and happiness, and the girl couldn't help but lean into him.

She showed him the way to knock an arrow, and where to find an anchor point. That proper form was to keep the arm steady and aim before letting out a shallow breath. He would smile at her when he hit the bullseye and she couldn't help but beam back at him.

They helped Effie and Haymitch adapt to the fact that he only had one hand. He hissed at them and glared every time Katniss insisted on doing things for them. But eventually he became silent and thanked her with a cocked eyebrow and an insulting tone.

Peeta liked to bake for her instead of going to dinner. Creating pastries and cheese buns. Twisting the dough into complicated knots and dusting the golden, finished crusts with powdered sugar and glazing different ones with sweet honey. The bread sometimes stuck to her fingers, or would dissolve easily on her tongue. But whatever he did, it was wonderful.

The black in his eyes faded to navy, and a smile was never far from his lips. It was a few minutes after she had eaten a pastry, still licking the colored icing from her fingertips when he tackled her to the bed. Kissing at her neck and pulling her tight against his body. She wrapped her arms around his torso, unable to help herself from giggling she had a smile painted bright across her cheeks.

"Peeta," she mumbled tenderly, watching him for a moment when he took a second to meet her eyes. "Do you think Primrose is alive somewhere?"

He fell silent as the smile disintegrated from his mouth. He observed her with blank eyes. He had gotten better at hiding his emotions ever since he returned from Snow's grasp. His eyes refused to betray him anymore, and his features took a look of complete neutrality, skin relaxing as his brows remained calm above his eyes.

"Why do you ask?" He hadn't gotten control over his voice.

"I just…" her fingers twirled through the blond strands on his head. "I keep thinking about her, and how much she would have loved this place if she was still alive. I want to know what happened when she died. She passed here, but is she alive in my world?"

"This is your world Katniss. You're Alice, you're the Mockingjay, you belong here."

She felt the stardust again. "I know you want me to-" ink encircled the male's iris, contracting around his pupil, which shrunk to the size of a pinprick. "I just have to know, Peeta. I need to know if she's still alive or not. I think about her all the time and I feel like I'm going mad. I want to go home."

The muscles in his jaw clenched, and she felt his hands move away from her waist. "Home." It was even but faraway, like he was a hallway away from her, his voice muffled by the distance. "Where is that." It didn't seem to be directed at her, more of a statement than a question.

There was a pause where there were no sounds except for their breathing, and it seemed as the heartbeats passed, that the black in the male's eyes seemed to flare and grow. Soon it encased more than half of his iris.

"Katniss you need to leave." He said it softly as he moved away from her. Without his body heat the girl shivered. His large hands came up to his ears and pressed tight against his skull. Words were mumbling and falling quickly from his lips.

"Peeta-"

"Alice get the hell out!" He screamed. The color drained from her face as she noted the blackness in his look. It was dark and menacing, and she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that he was ready to pounce on her again.

Except this time it wouldn't be a result of kisses and pastries.

Tears pulled painfully at the back of her grey eyes and she stood slowly from the comfort of his mattress and moved towards the doorway. Her hand was resting on the knob when he spoke again. It was rough and cracking. Her skin prickled and her entire being shook, fingers twitching and picking at the fabric of her dress.

"And Alice, don't come back."

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x. o. x. o.

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"Katniss?" it was Effie's delicate voice that came closer. She was wrapped up in her closest again, but this time she had failed to close the door the whole way. The corridor had been bare and her sobs ricocheted off the marble and back into her ears. "Katniss, what's wrong?"

The girl sniffled and shook her head, trying to swallow the mucus in her throat but it refused to go down. She choked and cried harder. The look in the male's features refused to leave her mind easily. It was an expression of disgust and anger. Like she was the squished bug beneath his shoe. Just because she wanted to go home.

Effie pulled her into a tight hug; her thin arms were much stronger than Katniss would have ever guessed.

"Whatever it was," she said tenderly, hushing and humming at the girl as she rocked them gently back and forth. "It will work out. Look, Peeta's back at the castle, and Haymitch is home. Annie has Finnick, and the Red King is destroyed. Everything has worked out. You got back what you wanted."

Her heart will be stolen but the most unstable of us all, but not before she loses her very best friend.

"No," Katniss moaned. "I didn't get back what I wanted." A gaze of china blue flashed through her mind again, and the peeling laughter of her baby sister. "Effie, how can you leave Underland? H-how did my father get back to my mother."

The woman's grip tensed and Alice knew she hit a nerve. "I-I'm not supposed to tell you that."

"Effie-"

"No." the pink woman said sternly, pulling away to meet the grey eyes. "I swore an oath years ago to never reveal the exit to Real Alice, for fear she would run away before the battle was over."

"But the battle is over Effie!"

But the woman shook her head and refused to speak. Instead wiping the vestiges of tears away that were still sticking to the young girl's eyelashes. "Come, speak with Annie." And the woman led her through the series of hallways.

The other brunette woman was again sitting at her throne. Her belly was protruding slightly, and Finnick was beside her. They were speaking in low voices, chuckles and ringing giggles filled the room with life. Effie gave Katniss a smile before leaving her and heading to an unknown location.

Alice watched the March Hare and the White Queen for a few moments. Observing with envy the way he would smile and then kiss her, as if the only thing in the world he was worried about was making her grin at him.

The Mockingjay faked a cough and even then it took a few seconds for the woman to tear her gaze away from her beloved to look at Katniss. "Yes?" she murmured.

"I-I…" she didn't know why she was here. Effie had led her here after telling her she couldn't reveal how her father had traversed between the worlds. "How did Colton Everdeen get back to his home?" she asked timidly, afraid of being refused once more.

By the expression that took the woman's face, something like pity mixed with resignation, made the Everdeen frown. "Dear Alice, I cannot tell you. We all promised not to expose it to you. If you must know, you have to get the Hatter to divulge it. He was entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of you when you finally arrived."

They stared at each other uncomfortably for a few seconds before the woman tried to turn back to Finnick. But Kat spoke again.

"Why did Rue tell Peeta he was the subject of the Hanging Tree?"

Surprise flooded across Annie's face, and then she smiled. Alice hadn't noticed the small dimples in her cheeks until that moment. "Have you not listened to the lyrics closely?" Irritation sprang up in the girl's mind, but instead of hissing that she knew the song, she simply shook her head and feigned ignorance.

"Well," the Queen started briskly. "The tree is synonymous with Underland. The place where the lovers must meet up. Strange things like talking flowers and animals who converse with humans. A cat who smiles. He, the Hatter that is, is the one who is accused of murder. His family was killed in a fire, and our dear Hatter might have lost a little bit of sanity on the way to Underland. Rue…" the woman shook her head. "Peeta had been captured by Snow before. Tortured and mutilated, his mind and body, and when he came back… Rue was more fragile than a bird. She didn't stand a chance against him."

Somewhere between her lungs and her mouth, Kat's breath stuck. It refused to move in or out, and her world spun quickly. Everything blurred together and she had the impression of falling. But when the white melted back into the floor and she could properly see Annie again, she had miraculously managed to remain standing. "What?" she said weakly.

"Effie had failed to remain vigilant with him that day, and he got away. He found Rue and killed her. He was under the impression that she was Real Alice. That was a part of Snow's original plan. To have Alice's love murder her before she could bring about his ruin." Annie shrugged. "Peeta never forgave himself, and I assume he's struggling with you being so close to him."

The girl was silent; no words came to her mind. Annie watched her for a while until ultimately turning back to Finnick who had managed to remain quiet the whole time.

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x. o. x. o.

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Her feet dragged as she headed back to her bedroom. The sky outside was a deep velvety green. Her mind was swimming and drowning in thoughts of Rue, the beautiful dark skinned girl who the Hatter had loved. And who he ended up killing.

She couldn't wrap her mind around the idea, the fact that he was Alice's biggest asset, and her biggest enemy. Given the chance, the part of him Snow poisoned would kill her without hesitation. But she knew after the fact, he would regret it and loathe himself for the rest of his life.

What a cruel fate.

She opened the white door to her room and stopped dead in her tracks. He was sitting there, head hanging as his hands twisted and untwisted together.

"Peeta?" she asked softly, stepping cautiously closer.

His neck snapped up so that he could see her, and relief was plain in his face. "Katniss," he breathed her name and motioned to a cupcake that was sitting on a delicate looking plate. "I wanted to apolo-"

But the girl shook her head and held up her hand. "No, it's okay. I understand."

Their eyes played a game of tag, and before long the male realized the conversation she must have had with Annie. "Seriously, Alice I-I-"

But she stepped closer and embraced him, letting herself sink into his lap. "Just tell me how to get home, Hatter. I can't take anymore magic and madness. I need the world to make sense again, because I feel like I'm losing my mind."

He nudged his mouth into her hair and placed a kiss on her skull. "I understand," he mumbled, grip tightening. "I'll take you tomorrow. So that you can be home, and so that Primrose can be returned to you."

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x. o. x. o.

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They were stalking through dense glades, the blades of grass brushing higher than their waists. There were thick trees that had vivid red trunks and glowing yellow leaves. There were blossoms floating along the water than ran over their feet. The petals were streaked blue and orange, a purple light emitting from their centers.

"Where are we?" Alice mumbled, making sure to keep Peeta's back directly in front of her eyes. Odd noises kept drifting from deeper in the trees, and Katniss wasn't interested in seeing the origin of the sounds. After facing the Mutts she didn't want to meet any of Underland's other animals.

"We're in the marshes. The mockingjays mostly live around here," there was a short pause as another snuffling growl emitted from the underbrush. "Among other things. But it the mockingjays, they'll take you back home." He continued, taking her silence as confusion. "They can fly with more than triple their weight attached to them. You'll be holding onto one of them, their tail feathers usually work best. And he'll fly you home."

"But won't I look silly coming back, flying attached to a bird?"

Peeta shook his head at her tone, there was a ghost of a grin pulling at his lips, but as he was walking ahead of her, she missed it. "He'll drop you off and go and find the birds your father brought back when he returned home."

The girl fell into silence. Lifting the hem of her dress, they trekked on, and she grew tired. After what seemed like hours, they were entering into an even denser area of the glades. Songs started to swirl around them, bouncing from tree to tree and reflecting off of the water beneath them. Her dove eyes rolled around the area, noting the thick layers of leaves littering the water that now reached her ankles. The air started to grow sweet, like mangos and peaches were being held directly beneath her nostrils.

"Here," the Hatter said finally. The luscious red trunks around them were larger than an elephant's middle, their branches rose high into the air, kissing now and then with a passing cloud. They were laden heavily with leaves, blossoms, and a multitude of birds. The plethora of creatures were chattering and tweeting to one another, while others still sang, beautiful noises and sounds trilling from their delicate throats. "We're here."

He lifted his arm into the air as the girl continued to take in her surroundings. She thought it was the best thing Underland had ever given her. An inquisitive mockingjay twittered for a moment before his curiousness got the better of him. He fluttered down and perched regally on Peeta's arm. Its talons curled effortlessly around the pale forearm, the creature's head tilting to stare into one of the Hatter's blue eyes.

"Hello," said the male softly, stroking the bird, careful not to disturb any of the white and black feathers. "Alice," he spoke after a few seconds of silently conversing with the large animal hanging on his arm. "He will take you home. He says Colton wanted him to."

Katniss desperately wanted to know how exactly Peeta was talking to the bird, but she kept her impulse under control and simply nodded her head.

"Just stick your arm out," the blond said, motioning at her. She obeyed the command and the bird immediately switched perches, sitting instead on Katniss' much weaker arm. But, to her immense surprise, the fowl was about as heavy as a feather. His head cocked side to side, staring into her grey eyes, almost like he were deciphering something. Peeta threw a fleeting grin at her, and this time she caught it. But not before noting the sadness that swam close to the surface.

"Peet-"

"Alice, you should go now."

He took a few steps back from her, the way they had come. Panic filled her chest and her heart entered into her throat. Constricting the small space so much that she felt like she couldn't breathe. "What's going to happen when I get back?" she asked quickly, almost hysterically. She didn't want to be away from him.

Another broken smile was passed to her. "You go back to living your normal life."

It was simple, and should have been easy. But the girl wasn't sure how to. Go back to being seen as a lunatic because she believed in a world called Underland. Go and live in a place that had no magic and no Mad Queens. No March Hares to keep her in line or Effies to lend a friendly ear.

He said nothing else, and the mockingjay was looking at her expectantly, so she cautiously grabbed a handful of the bird's thick tail plumage. But before the creature could spread its huge wings, she said quickly: "I never answered your question."

That gained her a quizzical blue eyed look.

"My home," she spoke so softly that the noise was almost lost in the mockingjays' din. "It's with you Peeta."

And then she flicked her perch-arm into the air and the mockingjay raised its wings, the tips almost grazing the sides of the glade, and pressed them hard down. The motion caused both the bird and the girl to soar yards into the sky. And without another look, or another word, the girl was gone.

And the Hatter was left staring stupidly into the damned blue sky.

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x. o. x. o.

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Her head was hurting again, and breathing felt close to impossible. Her throat felt parched and suddenly she was thirstier than she ever had been. It was like she passed through the desert, ate the sand, and sun bathed for a thousand years. Her eyes cracked open and then immediately slammed shut.

The room she was in was bright, stark white. More blinding than the White Castle had been, and the girl was confused.

"Look, she's opened her eyes!"

The soft female voice made Katniss rip her eyelids open again, despite the stinging it awarded her. There beside her, pale and blonde and delicate as always, was her dear Primrose.

"Katniss," there was a smile on her baby sister's pink lips. "You ga-"

But the young girl couldn't finish her sentence. The eldest Everdeen sister clambered from her sheets as quickly as possible, wrapping her arms around the thin girl. There was a surprised stiffness in the blonde's spine, but then she leaned into the embrace and let her own arms lace around Kat's waist. The older girl was surprised to feel tears pulling sharply at the back of her eyes.

She's okay, she's okay, she's okay… she's okay.

Primrose giggled quickly, her slender fingers working through the mass of Katniss' brown hair. There was an unpleasant noise that came from beside them, it landed somewhere between a cough and a bark. Alice looked and saw Gale sitting there, his gaze was reproachful, a slight glare in his deep grey eyes.

"Oh, like I was saying," Prim said quickly, flushing pink as she pulled herself from her sister's death grip. "You gave us quite a scare, Kat." She grinned softly; china blue eyes darted to the male before settling back on her sister. "Gale-"

"I thought I'd lost you Prim." Katniss said hurriedly, ignoring the irritated look the boy was throwing her way. "I mean, after the Dormouse, a-and the way the March Hare said I'd lost blood. They almost didn't let me come back, but I had to know."

"Not this again," Gale muttered under his breath before pressing his lips together and forcefully reaching for Kat's hands. "Listen to me." He looked directly into her eyes. "You- I don't know exactly what you were doing- but you were running through the grounds-"

"I was following the White Rabbit."

Katniss said the words with finality, as if the statement answered what she had been doing. But the male ignored her and continued. "Primrose ran after you, and you fell into a sinkhole. You hit your head pretty hard on a rock," his voice became considerably gentler by this point and his fingers started to trace around the contours of her face. "And your sister fell after you. You both got hurt. There was a lot of blood Katniss, when we found you we were all really scared." He paused and took a few breathes here, waiting for the seriousness of the situation to dawn on the girl's face. But when she continued to stare back at him, he continued.

"Dr. Aurelius came and treated both of you. After a few days Primrose woke up," he looked at the blonde, giving a fleeting smile that reminded Katniss of someone else. "But you… you didn't. You've been asleep for at least a month. You kept muttering and twitching. I… I, uhm, I held your hand through it because I didn't know what to do." There was a look of sincerity behind his eyes now, and she wondered if that's what founded the warmth in Peeta's hands. "I didn't want you to be alone in whatever you were going through."

Primrose stood delicately. "I'm," she looked between the two of them. "I'll go get mother, I'll be back." And then she walked out. Katniss wanted to call after her and almost did, thinking of volunteering Gale for the job, she really didn't want the blonde out of her sight. But Gale's hands were now holding hers tightly, and she was forced to sit and talk with him.

"I was scared I was going to lose you Katniss." He said softly, tucking a piece of long brown hair behind her ear and out of her face. "I didn't know what to do." His voice had dropped to a whisper, and before she knew what was happening, his lips pressed quickly against her forehead.

"Gale…" she watched him a moment. "I appreciate it." She saw a smile blossom on his face but she shook her head. "But, you can't lose me. You don't have me."

He stared at her, mouth hanging open in blatant shock at the statement. Within seconds his brows furrowed deep into his face, casting his grey eyes in deep hooded shadows. A question was working its way from his throat when Primrose reappeared with Mrs. Everdeen at her side.

The remark must have died in his throat as the mother began to fuss over her eldest daughter, tears coming to her eyes as she hushed and spoke in little whispers. Prim sat smiling widely, unaware of the tension between the two teenagers. Gale got up and left shortly thereafter, shoving his hands into his pockets, muttering and mumbling about women.

Eventually Mrs. Everdeen left too, under the pretense of getting dinner ready, and once again Prim and Kat were alone.

Grey eyes met blue ones, and they giggled lightly over their mother's antics. "She was really worried." The blonde said.

Katniss nodded. "I'm sorry." She stared at her fingers, experiencing a familiar feeling of having so much to say but no way to voice it. "I-i… you don't remember any of it?" She asked quietly.

A flaxen eyebrow disappeared behind pale bangs. "Remember what, running through the grounds?"

Alice shook her head. "No, Und-Wonderland Primrose? You were there too." With the blank face she received Katniss hissed slightly. "The orange and red sky, blue and purple trees? Th-the Tweedles and the mad man, the March Hare?" her brows furrowed together, that same feeling of desperation falling in her chest. "Wonderland, Primrose. You were there."

Had it all been a dream?

The younger girl's eyes widened. "Katniss don't talk like that. You know father used to tell stories about Wonderland." There was an edge to the normally happy voice. "I don't like hearing about it, it reminds me of him."

"It's real Primrose. I was there!" But the girl continued to shake her head. "Don't you remember Buttercup? The Cheshire-"

"Kat, you must be able to process information white you're asleep." She watched her unevenly for a second. "There was a stray cat that came to live with us, just within the last day, and I named him Buttercup." She took a moment to scuff the soles of her feet off the bottom of the floor. "Listen Katniss, you just need to rest. You were asleep for a really long time; you need to sort things out. I'm going to go help mother in the kitchen." Even with multiple pleas for the girl not to leave, the blonde quickly stepped out. Katniss was about to get out of the bed and follow her, force her to remember. But there was a distinctive click when Primrose left, and Alice realized with horror that she was locked inside the room.

Panic welled up again, except this time she didn't have Peeta with her. She felt herself shake and her fingers twitched manically. The girl quickly grabbed the mass of tangled hair and quickly began to braid it together.

Because that was the only thing she had left that was from him.

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x. o. x. o.

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With nothing to do for the next few weeks, the girl tried to rearrange her mind. Placing all the mental scars into the not real category, while the grey, cranky, fluff ball that was Buttercup went into real. Primrose would sit with her sometimes, reading Kat information from one of her textbooks, testing herself on the human anatomy while Katniss kept track of her progress in the book itself.

Gale puttered through, sitting beside her and describing all of his little sister's development. Posy was going on three years old and the idea of the small girl tottering around made Katniss smile, and action she rarely performed anymore.

Eventually they let her leave the house, after Dr. Aurelius promised the family that she wasn't a harm to herself or anyone else. No one would stand to listen to her experiences in Underland, all of them labeled the experiences as stories or dreams; no matter how many times Alice had told them it was real.

It was one day months later, in the summertime as heat sat heavily in the air, when Katniss was sitting outside by herself. The sun had set hours before, Primrose and mother heading inside to go to bed. The sky was clear, not a cloud littered the atmosphere, and for what seemed like the billionth time, tears were leaking from her grey eyes.

The moon was nothing but a golden sliver, dotted and punctuated by diamond stars against the velvet black sky. The gold reminded the girl of Cinna's glittering eyeliner, which reminded her of the beautiful white Mockingjay dress he had made for her. And that forced her to think about Peeta, and the day he let her into his room for the first time.

She was sniffling and wiping at her face, trying to get a grip on herself before her howls woke the whole damn household, when she heard a few shuffling footsteps.

Her eyes darted away from the astral sky to the source of the sound and her breathe caught once more.

"Hi," he said softly, walking closer to her and sitting on the green grass. The blue in his eyes didn't swirl anymore, and there wasn't a black ring around the edge, but there was still a deliberate sense of lunacy leaking from him. "I see how weird Underland was to you the first time you were here." He spoke the words delicately, giving her a smile.

"P-peeta, wh-what are you…?"

There was another smile from him and he looked at her skeptically, "Did you really think I was going to leave you alone here?" she didn't answer the question but felt the water leak out of her eyes for a whole new reason. She tried to speak but her voice was lost somewhere between her lungs and her mouth so she just gaped at him for a few minutes until she shut her lips.

"Besides," he said tenderly, with a half-smile sitting smugly on his face his fingers searched and found hers, wrapping them in a warmth that Gale could never compete with. His eyes flickered back to the gleaming golden crescent moon. "I don't know if I ever told you, but you're home to me too."

.

..