12. Exposed

My eyes widened, curses rang in my brain. Peeta finally figured it out. And he had me trapped here on the bed with no means of escape except to fight him off-which would never happen since I wasn't strong enough.

"You're dreaming this, Peeta." My voice went high-pitched.

"You wish I was," he spat. His nails dug into my wrist, I hissed in pain. "Who are you?"

"Let me go." I wriggled desperately under him.

"Where is she?"

"I said let me go," I barked.

"I won't until you tell me where she is. What did you do to her?"

"What makes you think I did anything-?"

Peeta yanked me up and shoved me against the headboard of the bed, my head smacking against the wood. I cried out in pain. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Peeta was filled with enough rage to feel the need to bash my head in until I was dead.

He'll think you've done something to me so you could wiggle your way into my life and take it for your own. He won't appreciate that. If he's strong enough to throw a one-hundred pound sack of flour over his head, he can just as easily strangle you and possibly break your neck in the process. Mirror-Katniss's words decided to replay in my head of all times.

I had feared that this time would come. There was no way Peeta would let me escape this house. There were so many things he could do to me since he had me cornered with nowhere to run.

"Don't talk back at me. I know you did something to her!" he roared.

"I didn't!" My voice was desperate.

"Then why are you here?"

"Help!" I screamed. It was night; hopefully Gale came to check up on me even though I flipped out on him. I really needed him right now. I wanted him to burst through the door and rip Peeta off me so I could escape.

"Shut up."

I whimpered, wiggling uneasily. Here I thought Peeta never had an evil bone in his body. I was one-hundred percent wrong on that. He was holding me hostage now, waiting for answers that I would never give him.

"Get off her!" roared a voice.

My prayer had been answered.

I saw over Peeta to see Gale in the doorway, looking mega mad. Peeta looked over his shoulder, confused by Gale's presence. I wasn't confused, Gale must've heard me. Even though I was pissed at him, he still came for me. Sometimes I would never understand why Gale did the things he did.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Peeta snarled.

"I said, get off her," Gale hissed. His hands were clenched into fists, ready to be used if necessary. He looked about ready to charge at Peeta. "Now."

Peeta contemplated it for a bit before he released my wrists and climbed off the bed, but he still watched Gale with malevolent eyes. Gale pushed past him, climbing to check me over.

"I'm glad you came," I whispered. Despite how much I still hated him, I was just glad he was here. I didn't want to know what would have happened to me had Gale not come to my aid.

"I'm glad I did, too. Did he hurt you?" Gale asked me.

I felt the fingernail marks in my arms, but they weren't bleeding. My head throbbed painfully in the back. That'd take longer to recover from. "A little. Thank you...but I'm still mad at you." I slid off the bed, my back turned to Gale.

"Come on, we're back to that again?" he whined. I heard his feet thump on the floor, he was off the bed. "I apologized!"

"It doesn't matter." I stomped my foot in anger. "You know what you did, and a thing like that is hard to forgive when receiving just a simple 'I'm sorry.'"

"Umm, I hate to break up your little drama episode here," Peeta butted in, "but can either of you explain to me what's going on?"

I wheeled around to face Peeta, who was on the other side of the bed, Gale and I sharing one side. Peeta's gaze flickered back and forth, from me to Gale, repeating that for a few long minutes. Gale and I looked at each other.

"Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Gale proposed.

"You," I spat. "You tell him." I looked at Peeta. "You better sit down, Peeta. It's going to be a bumpy ride for you from here on out."

"I'm sure I can take it," Peeta said, folding his arms.

There was a minute's silence before Gale told the tale. He started off with our meeting Katniss, our venture in the woods, and then-reluctantly-about the hovercraft.

"So you mean to tell me that-?" Peeta tried to ask.

"Peacekeepers have her, yes," Gale confirmed solemnly.

"What's Katrina's part in all this?" Peeta eyed me.

"We didn't want you to get involved because we knew you'd do something stupid," I said carefully. "Well, Gale thought you would try something dumb. He came up with the idea for me to take her place, to protect you from yourself."

"And look how that turned out," Peeta said bitterly. "All this time...How could I have not noticed the obvious change in the personality?"

"I'm sorry for everything," I whimpered. "You don't know how badly I wanted to tell you the truth, but I couldn't risk you getting thrown into the mess Gale and I are put into."

"How long has she been missing?" Peeta asked thickly.

"A few days."

"A few days?" His voice rose. "She could be dead by now! How come she's not back?"

"We haven't come up with a good plan. But now that you're in on it, you could be useful," Gale mused.

"Umm, excuse me," I piped, "but weren't you the one who didn't want Peeta involved in this?"

"There's no point in saying that now when he knows," Gale retorted. "I think three is better than one or two at this point."

"So what's your genius plan?" I crossed my arms.

"We take a hovercraft to the Capitol-"

"Why would they take her to the Capitol? The Peacekeepers are military, they'd take her to District Two," Peeta remarked.

"Yes, but remember, the Nut was destroyed," Gale said. "They'd take her to the Capitol. I'm sure they have a prison in there somewhere, people just don't know about it."

"I'm sure I can ask Haymitch to see if he can lend us one," Peeta said.

"Wait, wait, wait," I chirped. Both boys looked at me. "If we're going in, we're going to be fighting."

"Who said anything about 'we'?" Gale asked me. "Peeta and I are going; you're going to stay here in Twelve."

"Ha, you're funny. Gale, need I remind you that I'm the reason Katniss is out of Twelve! I have the right to join you guys in the rescue mission. You aren't kicking me out of it. Besides, you just said three is better than two!"

"Fine," Gale huffed. "But, if you're joining us, and if we do have to fight, you'll be the weakest link." Well, thanks for saying that out loud. Gale knew I wasn't a fighter.

"We can always train her up," Peeta suggested.

"We can't waste much more time, Katniss might not have much left," I whimpered.

"We'll take a day to train."

"You two are going to coach me? That'll be a sight to see," I snorted.

"I think I've got the perfect place," Gale butted in. "We'll practice over the district boundary."

"No way!" I said immediately. "We lost Katniss in there; I don't think we want to lose someone else."

"We'll stay in the cover of the trees, well undercover."

"I don't know where the boundary is," Peeta said quietly.

"I'll take you there tomorrow, if it's okay that I can stay here another night. I think I can find the fence again," I proposed. "I'll stay in one of the spare bedrooms." If it wasn't for the fact that Peeta didn't know how to get to the fence, I would have went home with Gale-only because I'd get to see the rest of his family again.

Peeta contemplated the idea. I wouldn't blame him if he kicked me out. He just figured out the truth, all by one little kiss on the lips. I didn't know why he didn't figure me out sooner.

"All right, you can stay," Peeta said.

"Thank you," I said, grateful. I looked at Gale. "So, what time should we all meet?"

"Early morning. If it's going to be just one day of training, we've got to make every minute count," Gale explained.

"Great. We better sleep now while we can."

"That's the best idea."

"Do you want me to escort you out?" I asked him.

"Nah, I'm afraid you'll kick me out or chase me like last time," he joked. I looked back at Peeta. I had a lot of explaining to do. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

Gale left, leaving an awkward silence between me and Peeta.

"So..." Peeta said oddly.

"Look," I said tiredly, "if you want to know everything, which I'm sure you do, ask me tomorrow. It's been a long day, and it's turning into a long night."

"Don't worry, I will."

"Goodnight," I called as I headed for the spare bedroom.

"'Night, Katrina." I flinched. I was so used to Peeta calling me Katniss that I almost barked to him that that wasn't my name.

Wow, four days of being someone could really alter your mind.

As I slipped into the white bed in one of the spare bedrooms, I felt lonely. I wouldn't dare try and sneak in with Peeta, not since he knew the truth now. It would make things awkward.

Tomorrow would be a long and vigorous day for me. Tomorrow, training would begin, and I would learn how to be a fighter-which was something I knew I wasn't a natural at.

I was in for the long haul.

* * *

I wasn't a violent person, but I was going to learn to have to be if I was to take part in rescuing Katniss. I didn't know how effective I'd really be, but that didn't matter to me, just so long as Gale, Peeta, and I got Katniss out alive from the clutches of the Peacekeepers.

We definitely were planning on going soon to the Capitol, but I needed training first. After all, I wanted to at least feel comfortable with knowing some form of offense should I get attacked. I wanted to contribute, not sit on the sidelines while Gale and Peeta did all the dirty work.

It felt odd being alone in a different room. I had to remind myself that Peeta now knew that Katniss wasn't in 12, that she was still in the Peacekeepers' clutches. It was an odd sight, waking up to everything white. I had been so used to waking up and turning over to see Peeta's face for the past few days.

It was weird how I adjusted to that fake lifestyle in only a matter of days.

I didn't shower because I had a feeling I was going to anyway whenever I'd get back to someone's house. Most likely I'd go back home with Gale and not Peeta. But I wasn't even sure of that, because for all I knew, we could be heading to the Capitol tonight.

Since I wanted to feel strong this morning, I took ten minutes making a braid. Hey, if I wanted to feel strong, who better to feel strong like than Katniss Everdeen? I looked the part already with the hair dye; I might as well make me even more convincing even though I knew it was just Katrina underneath the hair dye.

It was very awkward between Peeta and me from the time we ate until we left the house. We walked side by side. I was honestly afraid to say anything to him. I was just waiting for him to bombard me with questions; he had to have quite a lot.

We were walking down the path to the boundary fence as the sun started rising. There were few people up and out, I knew that Gale was one of those people. For all I knew, he could be on the other side of the fence by now. When things needed to get done, Gale made sure they got done.

"So..." I said awkwardly. "What do you want to know?"

"How long of a walk is it to the district boundary?" Peeta asked.

"A while, so ask me what you want."

"Why did you agree to this?"

"Gale somehow persuaded me to; he made it seem that if I was Katniss, it'd be helping you out."

"But didn't you realize if I had known earlier that we could have formed a plan and rescued her days ago?"

Damn, Peeta made a valid point there. "We were panicking, okay?" I snapped lightly. "Any plan that sounded like it'd work we stuck with, regardless whether or not it'd blow up in our faces."

"How painful was it for you?"

"Was what?" I stole a quick glance at him.

"Being her, lying to me..."

"Oh...that." My head hung slightly. "I'm not going to lie about this to you, Peeta. I was sure you would have figured me out from day one. But you kept with the theory that you thought Katniss was turning over a new leaf. I don't see why, because to me, she doesn't seem like the type of person to turn around so quickly and become an entirely different person."

"I feel stupid for thinking that."

"Don't be. It could happen. It sounds impossible, but it's not." I shrugged.

"So what really happened between you and Gale?" Shockingly, his voice lowered a bit.

I scanned the area for eavesdroppers; I saw none that looked interested in us. Then again, there weren't many out in the early hours of the morning. Most wouldn't be up for another hour or two.

"Where do I begin?" I sighed. "I'll tell you a bit about my background first. Remember that nightmare I told you, about the bombing of that family in Twelve?" He nodded. "I lived that."

"That was your family?"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks," I said gravely. "I was the only survivor out of my family. Gale's been my best friend for years, so his family took me in, even though they weren't well off already with the family they had. I've been living with them for six months to this month. They've always been a second family to me.

"Anyway, to answer your question, here's what went down: Those nights I wasn't in bed, I was out talking with Gale because we needed to report to each other how well-or bad-progress was coming along. The first day being Katniss, he kissed my forehead. Now, mind you, he never tried any advances on me while I stayed with his family."

"Maybe he felt it wasn't the proper place to," Peeta considered.

"Maybe. Then he tried to kiss me that night you had the nightmares, your screaming saved me from making a snap decision. But two days ago...Gale saw you wandering around Twelve and came by since he figured you wouldn't be back for a while-that part of what I told you was true. The stress got to me, and I flipped out on him. I even considered telling you the truth then, because I couldn't deal with the pressure anymore. The only way he stopped me was by distracting me with a kiss. That's where things had a quick up followed by a very quick and harsh fall.

"We had a heated make out session in the spare bedroom-the white one that I slept in last night. He said 'I love you' to the wrong person." My voice became a growl. "He called me Katniss."

"Ouch," Peeta sympathized.

"Oh, that's how I felt, and angry, too. He wasn't aware of his mistake right away, but I caught onto it quick. He tried to cover up his mistake, but I wasn't going to have it. I chased him out of the house. I felt used after that, Peeta, after I kicked him out. It wasn't a nice feeling." I shuddered.

"Did you ever consider that maybe he did get confused, that he was caught up in the moment and said the wrong thing?" Peeta asked me carefully.

"That doesn't sound as possible as using me just so that he could pretend he was making out with Katniss."

"Katrina."

"Yeah?"

"Let me ask you this, because I find it very hard to believe that he would use you for that reason," Peeta said slowly. I nearly stumbled over my feet, so I walked carefully. "Has Gale ever done something like that to you before?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because I didn't have my hair dyed, and I wasn't pretending to be someone else."

"Say if you didn't have your hair dyed, and that situation happened to you, do you think he still would have slipped?"

"Maybe, because if he looked into my eyes, he'd think they were hers."

"I've met Gale before, Katrina, we're not total strangers. I don't know him well like you or Katniss do"-I saw a twinge of pain come across him-"but to me, Gale doesn't seem like the type who would take advantage of somebody."

"Agree to disagree," I grumbled.

"Just please be a little more open-minded and consider that maybe Gale accidentally did let it slip." Peeta's tone was very cautious. Was he afraid I'd flip out on him? He was just giving his opinion; I wouldn't scold or yell at him for that.

"Got anymore questions for me?" I wanted to change topics quick. We were starting to move away from the town now, towards the fence that hopefully would be off by the time we got there.

"Not that I can think of."

"Good, because I've got a few of my own," I said. "Did you ever suspect something was up with me?"

"Honestly, I had at one point, but I thought I was going crazy." Peeta shrugged. "I feel idiotic. I can't believe I couldn't tell the difference between Katniss and you."

"Hey, people have their gullible days," I said thoughtfully. "There's one question that's killing me, but I've got a smaller question leading up to it. How affectionate are you and Katniss to each other?"

"Like how I was with you," he stammered.

"Peeta, I want an honest answer," I whined. I could easily tell he was lying.

"There's a lot less compared to what you and I did." He winced. He wasn't the only one feeling that pain. "We'll cuddle at night, but rarely is there much kissing. And even if there was kissing, it'd only be once or twice if that."

"So then let me ask you this: Were you falling harder for the "new" Katniss, or were you still madly in love with the real Katniss?" Peeta looked befuddled by my question. "Let me make this simpler: Were you in love with me or her? That's the best way I can word that question," I added quickly when Peeta still glared at me with the same look.

"Honestly, that was a constant battle," he sighed. "I mean, I liked the different personality...but, it just wasn't the same. Do you know what I mean? Like, that wasn't the girl I fell hard for. I fell for her because of who she was, and who she still is."

Somehow I could believe Peeta on that. I could take his word for it.

"Okay, good, because honestly, at times I got worried." I laughed nervously. "I was just afraid I'd hurt you even more if you did fall for that."

"Now I have one for you."

"Oh. Shoot, then."

"Those little affections that you gave me-were they real or were they just part of the act?"

I stopped in my tracks. We were away from town, so nobody could see us. Peeta stopped and watched me. Did he honestly think that I loved him like that? No way. My heart belonged to someone else...well, it used to. I didn't know if it still did now.

"Why would you ask me that?" I stuttered.

"I swore I saw happiness in your eyes when you did."

"I don't know what you were looking at, then. Peeta, it was all an act." But somehow I got the feeling I was partially lying to myself. No, you aren't, dipstick. It was all an act, same goes for the 'I love you' that you said a few times to him. "And, I hate to say it, but so were those three little words that I told you from time to time."

"Yeah, that still hurts."

"I'm sorry."

"Eh, it's not really your fault. I couldn't spot the difference quick enough. That's what happens when you're gullible, you get hurt." His voice was bitter. He looked out ahead of us. "How far is the fence?"

"We're almost there," I said. I started walking again, Peeta in tow behind me. To me, this conversation still felt a little awkward, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

"So the only thing to the plan we have is getting a hovercraft and flying to the Capitol," Peeta listed. "But how are we going to be able to tell where she is, and how are we getting in?"

"I have no idea. Hopefully we'll figure that out while you two are training me."

"Yeah, that'll be interesting."

"Hey, I can throw a punch if I have to."

"Yeah, but I bet you have slow reflexes."

"I can be fast," I said defensively.

"Uh-huh. We'll see."

"We're here."

I could see the fence up ahead, Gale standing near it. I didn't give him a smile at all; I was still pissed at him. Just because we were in this rescue mission together didn't mean that I had to like him to do it. I saw that Gale brought Katniss's bow and quiver of arrows.

"Is the fence off?" I asked once Peeta and I made it to the fence.

"Do you hear it humming?" Gale asked in return. There was a moment's silence. No humming. I could only hear the sounds of birds on the other side, and my breathing. I shook my head. "Then it's off."

"Are you sure that's where you want to train her?" Peeta asked Gale, looking past the fence uneasily.

"Do you have a better place?"

"A hovercraft could be in there, just dying to catch us like they caught Katniss."

"We'll keep in thick cover."

"Can we not argue about this?" I moaned. "Daylight is wasting. Get through the fence."

"Ladies first," Gale said.

I rolled my eyes and slipped through the fence. I saw Peeta hesitating.

"C'mon, Peeta, do this for Katniss," I said. "That's the whole point we're out here, for her. Live a little. If I can do it, so can you."

It took a few minutes, but eventually Peeta slipped through, too. Gale pushed the bow and arrows through the fence first before climbing through himself.

"So I'm guessing I'm being taught how to shoot?" I asked Gale.

"Might as well. It'll give you an alternative if you don't feel like risking injury to yourself."

With my luck, I'd end up injuring either Peeta or Gale in training. That wasn't what I wanted to do. I mean, maybe I'd want to hurt Gale, but I'd rather just get a few kicks or punches in. I'd never want to put an arrow through him. The thought of that made me remind myself of the nightmare I had about him being speared by the hovercraft. Quickly, I shoved that out of my head.

"How deep are we wandering?" Peeta asked. I looked at Gale, waiting. He knew the area better than I did. I had only gone in once; this was Peeta's first time. Gale was the expert, therefore the leader.

"I'll decide it. You better be wide awake, because this hike might take a while."

Peeta looked at me.

"Knowing Gale, it's probably true," I considered.

Gale took lead, with the quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder and the bow in his hand. Peeta and I followed our guide into the woods, not knowing how deep he was taking us.

**Who do you think is the better couple? Katniss and Peeta, or Katrina and Peeta? I think Katrina's and Peeta's bonding on the way to the fence was kind of nice.**