"Peeta's not here." Her fingers dug deeper into her palms, nails close to breaking the skin. Tears stung her eyes. It didn't matter if she deserved Peeta. He wasn't here. And he deserved so, so much better than her. She repeatedly told herself that it was better this way. That without her around him, Peeta had a chance to find someone better. Someone worth the good man he was.

And then, then stupidly she thought that Zevran and Richard could be right. That Peeta would would want that for her, want her to find someone to be happy with. Not necessarily to love, but to care for and be cared for in return. She had found that. Or she had thought she had, anyway. "Peeta's not here and he might never come back. And I might never go home. So don't tell me I deserve him."