Squeezing his eyes shut, Peeta took a deep breath. He was preparing himself, steeling himself against this situation. He was tired. It was too much, had been too much for a long time now. It was almost impossible to move on when he kept being dragged back into it.

It was like he was stuck in a loop, running around a track that he didn't ask for.

Shaking his head, he opened his eyes. "No," he said firmly looking her in the eyes. "I'm sick of this. I'm sick of everything Katniss. I'm not that guy. I'm going to be that version who went through all of that. I'm sorry, you know I am, that you got stuck in it. But I can't live if I'm being dragged back."

His shoulders slumped and he looked back at Gale in the bed. Another shake of his head. "I'm sorry."