As I stare out into the distance, I catch sight of my strawberry bush. The netting Gale put up around it to ward of animals still stands in tacked. I fish around for a bit and manage to pick six, ripe, juicy berries. I carefully place them in my pocket before stumbling back the way I came. I look out over the hills as I stand in the meadow. I think about what might have been if I had run away with Gale, like he asked me to. I never would have had to endure any of the suffering I did if I had left with out a second glance. Peeta would almost defiantly be dead if I had gone. After the first games, Gale asked me to go again, but this time, it wasn't just my mother and Prim that would be coming. If I left, I would have to take Peeta with me. When I said it after the games, I didn't mean it, but now I do. I couldn't imagine life without him. If it weren't for him, I would be dead. I was maybe a day away from death when he tossed me that bread. After the rebellion, I put together a plan to end my life. But Peeta brought me something nobody else could ever bring me. Hope. Gale had so much hatred, kindled with rage. I didn't need that. But Peeta brought me the promise that life could be good again. My dandelion in the spring. No matter how hurt I was when Peeta and Gale decided I would choose whoever I needed to survive, in a way, what they said was true. To survive is what I've always had to do. That's all I've ever known.

I kick off my hunting boots, and toss my jacket aside. I walk in to the kitchen, and place the berries on the table.
"That bush is still there. It's like buttercup. All the weird little things survived the rebellion. A cat that hates me, and a strawberry bush."
Peeta looks up at me and smiles.
"Well, we survived the rebellion. And so did Johanna."
Johanna Mason. I wonder if she's ok. It's been a long time since I've seen her. We shared a room for a while back in the rebellion. She told me how they tortured her with water.
"Yeah, but Johanna's weird, and I'm little. So, my point still stands." I say, reaching up on my tippy toes to kiss him on the lips, just to prove how little I am. Taking me completely by surprise, Peeta swings me up into the air, swings me over his shoulder, and carries me into the lounge.
"Peeta! What are you doing?" I ask through laughter.
He doesn't answer, just carries on walking. Once we're in the lounge, he drops me on to the sofa, and starts to tickle me. I laugh so hard my stomach hurts.
"Peeta! Stop! I can't breathe!" I squeal.
He finally stops. I sit there panting for a while, trying to catch my breath.
"What was that for?"
"It's been a long time since I've seen you laugh like that." He says, looking deeply in to my grey eyes.
"Well, thank you. For making me laugh." I add as an after thought.
He kisses me on the cheek, then heads back out into the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Which is now a safe thing to do, since my mind won't over flow with unwanted images of Snow, mutts and lost children every time I'm not interacting with someone else. Instead, my mind wanders back to the thought of Johanna.