Hi everyone! - Thanks for deciding to give this fic a shot.

This was written for Jeeno2 as part of the Spring Fling Fic Exchange over on Ao3. Her prompt was Priest!Peeta and well here we are. I recommend you all check the exchange out. Lots of amazing work!

Also please check out Jeeno2's work - especially: Over an Open Field, We Have Brought Peace onto You and The Mockingbird (Three of my absolute favs)

Many thanks to the wonderful, talented, incomparable Court81981 whose superb beta skills, and late night chats helped bring this story together.

Enjoy!

1945

Peeta raises his head; his eyes burn, his sight is blurry. He pulls himself first to his knees, then to his feet, having just moments ago been knocked to the ground by something, a mortar blast perhaps. He rubs his eyes to clear them of debris, but he can feel the dirt in them scraping against his eyes.

Once his vision has returned, Peeta begins to scan the area. The men who can get up are already starting to, but it's the men who can't that Peeta looks to now. When his eyes fall on a crumpled body with copper hair about 30 feet away, his breath catches in his throat and his chest constricts painfully. He breaks out into a run before his body even has time to gain back its equilibrium.

Peeta crashes down onto his knees when he arrives at the side of the battle-worn bronzed-skinned young man. He notices right away that the man is breathing and feels a wave of relief rush through his body. It is then that he quickly assesses the soldier's injuries, only to discover that they will more than likely be fatal. Bits of metal from the blast stick into his body, legs, arms, chest, but it is the large piece of shrapnel from the mortar that has lodged itself in his abdomen that scares Peeta the most. Blood flows around the metal soaking the dusty ground below the soldier. Peeta can feel tears prick the corner of his eyes as he releases a shaky breath.

"Finn... Finn can you hear me?" Peeta takes the man's hand in his. Slowly the man turns his head, opening his green eyes to meet Peeta's blue ones. The man forces a cocky smile

"Father? Is that you? If it is, you better start those last rites. I'm not planning on hanging around much longer." He winces in pain, shutting his eyes tightly.

Peeta lets the tears fall from his eyes. He knows the man who lies before him, his best friend, Finn Odair, is right. Peeta knows he won't make it off the ground, but he can't do what is asked of him, not now, not for Finn.

When it is apparent that Finn's request is being ignored, the man opens his eyes once more looking to Peeta imploringly.

"Father, I need last..."

"Stop it Finn, don't do this, not now." Peeta never makes decisions based on selfish purposes, but for some reason he is not ready to let his friend go. Finn seems to understand, giving the young chaplain a sympathetic look. Peeta feels his hand being squeezed tightly.

"Ok Peeta." Finn gives in. "Not right now then, but soon. I don't want to end up in the wrong place." He smirks again, and Peeta lets out a low chuckle at the sight of it.

The two men sit quietly, Peeta tries to memorize everything he can about his friend with the little time they have left, but eventually as Peeta had feared, Finn's breath begins to quicken. His skin has lost its tanned glow, turning white, and his eyes have fluttered shut. Peeta knows he cannot stall any longer. He takes his free hand and draws the sign of the cross on Finn's forehead. He is right about to start his prayer when Finn's eyes fly open.

"Peeta, promise me when you get home that you'll... That you'll go to Annie and tell her I love her." Finn stares up at Peeta, who tries to swallow the lump in his throat.

"I will , Finn. I promise."

Finn seems content with that answer. A small smile crosses his lips before he closes his eyes for the last time.

Peeta inhales deeply and tries to steady his shaking hands. A moment later he begins to pray.

Blessed is our God, always now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things, and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every sin, and save our souls, O Good One.

Peeta feels someone tap his shoulder. He feels an anger pulse through him, wondering who would dare interrupt him at a time like this. He quickly turns his head to face whoever it is, only to find the world has turned on its side.

Peeta feels a hardness against his left cheek, and his eyes seem heavy. He lifts his head discovering a young altar boy by the name of Thom standing before him. The battlefield he was kneeling upon just moment before has been replaced by a small white-walled room. Out of all his nightmares the one about the day Finn died is by far the most common.

"Excuse me, Father," the altar boy begins nervously, "but they are ready for you now."

Peeta nods to the boy who turns and walks away, then pulls himself out of the wooden chair. His body feels stiff, and he wonders how long he has been sleeping. He knows it couldn't have been too long though. He doesn't sleep much anymore. If it hadn't been Thom, his nightmares would have eventually driven him awake, leaving him overwhelmed and terrified.

He makes his way across the room and looks at himself in the mirror. His blond waves stick out every which way, his blue eyes are bloodshot, and heavy bags hang under his eyes. A red mark covers the side of his face where the skin was pressed against his mahogany desk. He scrubs his cheek with his hand, trying to restore some of its color then drags his fingers through his disheveled hair, combing it into some sort of order. He stares at his reflection for a moment longer, knowing this is the best he is going to get, and he can't keep people waiting.

Those people being the family and friends of Corporal Gale Hawthorne, who was just killed over in Berlin. He could have been buried in Arlington, but his family wanted him to come home to Connecticut. Peeta has only been at St. Bridget's for less than a week, and he hasn't even been properly introduced to the parish, but Father Abernathy made it quite clear that he would not be conducting this funeral, and that Peeta would be doing it instead. Peeta had met the dead soldier's mother a few days prior. His mother, a woman named Hazelle, had mentioned that her son had a fiancee, but that the girl was too overwhelmed by her grief to attend the planning for the funeral.

Peeta dons his robes and grabs his bible. His leg is feeling okay today, nothing more than a slight limp and the ever-present ache. He decides to leave his cane behind.

He stands behind the heavy wooden door that separates the offices from the church's main room. Peeta takes a deep breath, trying to settle his shredded nerves. This is his first time conducting a church funeral, and the fact that the deceased is a fallen soldier creates a need in Peeta to make sure this ceremony is conducted perfectly.

The door leads out onto the altar at the front of the church. In his peripheral vision, Peeta can see that the church is filled with mourners, but his eyes are locked on the flag-draped casket that is positioned at the foot of the altar's stairs. Without glancing at the parishioners, Peeta walks determinedly towards the casket, his leg giving him slight problems on the stairs. When he reaches Corporal Hawthorne, he rests his hand on top of the wooden box and bows his head.

He prays that his death came fast, that he did not suffer, and that he had a hand to hold as he passed. He thanks the soldier for his service to the country, for his sacrifice. Peeta can feel the emotion begin to bubble in his throat. Even though he has never met Gale Hawthorne, and now he never will, it does not matter to him. Gale was too young to die, and Peeta needs his prayers to show he understands, because Gale could be any of them. He could be Thresh or Boggs. He could be Finn.

Peeta finally lifts his head and scans the room. His eyes land on Hazelle Hawthorne. To her right sit her two surviving sons, both teenagers, and on her hip is her daughter, Posy, who looks to be about ten. As Peeta continues to scan the row, he is stopped short when he makes eye contact with a raven-haired woman who looks to be in her early 20's. The woman is wearing a simple black dress and a scowl on her face as she glares at Peeta, her eyebrow raised at him in question. Peeta ponders if this is Hawthorne's fiancee. He gives the woman a slight nod and offers a small smile. She responds by quickly looking away.

As the service continues, Peeta can't help but glance over to the dark-haired woman several times during the ceremony. She has yet to look at him again; instead, her eyes are either glued to the coffin or she is staring off into space, seemingly a million miles away. Peeta can't help but notice how completely lost she looks.

The church part of the service ends, and people begin to make their way to the graveyard. Peeta follows the casket out of the church. Once on the steps he looks to the ominous gray sky. He hopes that the inevitable rain will stay away until the service has concluded.

At the gravesite, the young priest's eyes fall to the soldier's fiancee once again. Her light-colored eyes carry a sheen of unshed tears. She bites her thumbnail and begins to stare off once again, not looking once to the casket in front of her.

The service continues and the military ceremony begins. The flag is folded with respectful precision. When it is presented to Gale's mother, Peeta sees the young woman to her left pull her gaze from far away to watch the cloth triangle as it is placed in Hazelle's hands. Peeta remembers visiting Finn's widow, Annie when he finally arrived stateside, seeing the flag that was once draped across Finn displayed in its glass case on the wall. He wonders if the younger woman wishes it was her wall that this flag would hang on.

The service ends with a departing prayer from Peeta. The crowd begin to disperse, a few stopping to compliment Peeta on the ceremony and to introduce themselves to the new priest. Soon it appears everyone has left, and Peeta is glad as it is then the sky opens up and rain begins to drench the ground below.

Peeta gets ready to leave himself, his leg now painful from standing too long and the change in the weather. It is then he notices the same dark-haired woman still sitting in her graveside chair. Her hair, which was up in a bun, has now fallen to her shoulders, weighed down by the heavy rain. Peeta painfully makes his way over to her.

"Miss?" he calls when standing in front of her. She is gazing off in the distance, still not focused on anything. He calls to her again and still he gets no answer. He quickly pulls off his own jacket and tries in vain to use it as a cover to shield the already-sodden woman.

Peeta isn't sure what to do. He doesn't want to try to force her to leave, but he worries about how unresponsive she is. So he stands there not saying a word while he continues to shield her from the rain. Suddenly to Peeta's surprise, she looks up to him and he can see tears running down her face.

"He was the last family I had left. Everyone else is gone." The sadness in her voice matches the sorrow in her eyes, and Peeta feels something in his heart break for her. The woman takes a shuddering breath before continuing. "Polio took Prim, then Daddy died and Mama followed soon afterwards. Now Gale. I have no one else." Sobs begin to wrack her body now. Peeta drapes his coat over the woman before painfully dropping to a knee in front of her, covering one of her hands with his.

"What about the Hawthornes, are you not close with them?" She responds to Peeta with a sardonic snort.

"Hazelle is a widow with three children. She doesn't have time for me." She sniffles. "Plus, I have always been under the impression that Gale's mother thought he could have done better than me, not that I disagree." She trails off. Peeta doesn't know this woman, but that she thinks she did not deserve the love of the man resting behind them saddens him immensely. This woman's loneliness is palpable, and Peeta wants nothing more than to comfort her, to let her know that she is not alone.

"Well," he begins, "my name's Peeta." The woman looks up at Peeta, startled, and he can't help let out a small chuckle. "Well, officially Father Mellark, but you can call me Peeta." She cocks her head at Peeta and is silent for a moment before speaking.

"Katniss... my name's Katniss Everdeen.," she replies almost shyly.

"Katniss." Peeta tests the word with his tongue. "That's a lovely name." Katniss responds with a small smile. "I tell you what, Katniss, if you ever need someone to talk to, ever, please don't hesitate to come to me. You don't have to go through this alone."

"Thank you.," she whispers. She begins to shiver and looks around as if she, for the first time, has noticed the rain.

"Should we get out of here?" Peeta asks, and Katniss nods in return.

Katniss rises and makes her way over to the covered grave. Peeta stands back, giving her space for this final goodbye. Once she has finished, she turns back to Peeta, and the two walk out of the graveyard together.

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