Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games, and I don't own any of the characters.
AN: Hi everyone so this is my first Hunger Games fanfic, I hope you like it. Please read and review!
P.S. The Italics are dreams and Hijack episodes!
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Chapter One
The room was dimly lit as I crawled into a sitting position. A headache was arising within the enter workings of my brain. I could feel it diving deeper into my core as I inhaled. "Gale…" The former Seam worker plagued my dreams once again. It's been over a year since I heard a word from him. Greasy Sae informed me that Gale now lived in District 2, and was doing well. Though, it didn't mean much coming from a third person. A hand flies to my mouth as nausea over takes me once more. Every time I think of Gale my heartaches from the memories. I tried to love him the way he loved me, but the light in my heart kept flickering.
When I was in the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games, I kept thinking about him. Even though the Star-Crossed Lovers skit was just to keep me alive; every time I kissed Peeta I could see Gale's disapproving look at how the Capitol turned me into their puppet. I'm not even sure if the reason I kept pushing Peeta away was due to Gale, or the fact I wasn't going to be forced to be with someone.
My hands fumble as I grab two pills that are always waiting for me in the morning. With a sigh I gulp my pills down without water. The smell of eggs and bacon waft up to my room. Using all my strength I hoist myself from the comfortable bed. Greasy Sae must be hard at work making my daily breakfast. I honestly don't know why she comes, but I've always had this suspicion that she's being paid. I've always liked Greasy Sae, but by the way she looks at me I can tell she pities me. As I ease down the steps I could hear more than one voice. I hear a woman's voice; that sounds vaguely familiar.
"How is she doing?"
"Lately she's been coming around." Greasy Sae says.
"Annie?" I say as I come down into my kitchen. The raven haired woman smiles at me. "When did you get here?" Annie makes a few peculiar movements reverting to her old self for a moment, but a small tug at the back of her dress brings her back. A small head peeks from behind Annie's petite form. When my eyes met the small child's sea green eyes I knew he was the son of Finnick. My bottom lip curves over my teeth as I try to fight back the tears.
"Don't cry." Annie says calmly. From the look in her eyes I could tell she's on the verge as well. Every bone in my body wanted Annie to slap me. I wanted to feel the pain that I caused her. Finnick was dead, and he was never coming back. Annie awkwardly encircled her arms around my body. "Katniss, you've ended the Hunger Games!" Annie wails hysterically into my ear. "Never again does a District have to watch their children blood spill!" Her voice trembled as she grasped me tighter. While Annie cried into my shoulder my eyes stayed trained on the toddler standing in front of me.
"What's his name?" I ask.
"Finn." Annie releases me from her embrace as she beckoned for Finn to come over. "Say hello to Katniss."
"Ey Kathniss…" A smile finds its way on my lips as I bend downward to greet him. He was like a little miniature Finnick, and I knew when he grows up; he'll make his father proud.
"Hi Finn." Throughout the rest of the day we spent our time talking about how both of our districts are faring. I was pleased to know that Annie's mental health was becoming stable, and with the assistance of Plutarch building a Museum to dedicate to all the Tributes of the Hunger Games.
Annie and I talked for hours while Finn played with Buttercup. When it was time for them to leave I walked them to the train station. We said our good byes and promised to stay in touch. When I returned home Greasy Sae was just leaving. "I hope you don't mind that I let them in." She said. "I remembered her from 13, and she really wanted to see you."
I smiled at Greasy Sae, and offered to walk her home. During our walk we conversed for a while. While we passed by some places we stayed silent for the memory of our fallen comrades. "No word from Gale?" She asked while we passed by the area his house use to stand. I shook my head. For the rest of our walk we remained silent. "I'll see you tomorrow." Greasy Sae says as she walks into her home.
Once again I'm alone. I turn around, and begin heading back to the Victor Village. As I walk through the merchant section a voice capture my attention. "The Mellark Bakery use to be here, real or not real?" I quickly turn around to see Peeta standing at the rubble that was once his family's business.
"Real…" I felt like I should be the one asking; real or not real? Our eyes meet for a moment, and I had to succumb to my chant that always gave me comfort.
My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am eighteen years old. My home is District 12. I was the Mockingjay. I brought down the Capitol. President Snow is dead. I killed President Coin. She killed my sister. There are no more Hunger Games...
"My family died, real or not real?"
"Real…" I watched as his body tensed. I gulped as I waited for the stream of outbursts. His breathing went back to normal after a few minutes passed. "Are you back?" I cautiously ask.
"Yeah." He replies tiredly. "I tried coming back after the war, but Dr. Aurelius refused to release me until he was sure I was fully cured."
"You're cured?" I asked a little in disbelief.
"Well that's what he says," Peeta slowly bites his bottom lip. "the shiny memories are still there…It's just the matter of me being able to figure out what's real and what's not real."
"I'm glad you're doing better." A small smile emerges on my face as I can't help but feel happy that the old Peeta might come back. The months of Hijacked Peeta killed me little by little. I couldn't help blaming myself for what happen to him in the Capitol, and hearing the string of constant insults wounded me more than anything.
"Dr. Aurelius said he can only pretend to be treating you for so long."
"I've been busy." I explained.
"How can you receive the help you need; when you're not willing to better yourself Katniss?" Peeta broke our eye contact as if he was contemplating something. "I feel like I'm the only one that's trying."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing," Peeta said as he started walking off. "I'm heading home."
I stood there watching Peeta's retreating backside, wondering what he could have meant.
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(Peeta POV)
As I reach the Victor's Village I stop on the stone pathway. The only part of District 12 that remained unchanged. My muscles tighten, and my mouth became dry as I could feel an episode trying to emerge. I bite down on my bottom lip hoping the pain would keep the Hijacking Episode at bay.
With a deep breath I walk up the stone steps of my house. When I stepped off the train steps I couldn't help, but ask myself why I even came back. There was nothing left in District 12, no family, no bakery, and I was very certain that during my absence Gale captured Katniss' heart.
I enter my old home, and could tell that someone had kept up the up keeping of my home. With nothing needing to be done I go and crawl into my bed. As soon as I go to sleep the hijacked nightmares invade. I have three types of nightmares, my regular nightmares; which every person alive has, the Hunger Games nightmares; these nightmares usually are what ifs, like what if Clove killed Katniss before Thresh got to her, or what if we were mauled over by those mutts, and then there are the shiny hijacked nightmares; which are like mini episodes.
I sat in a padded room chained to the wall, there was a giant flat screen television mounted on the opposite wall. Two capital doctors walked into the room, one carrying a medium sized syringe. As one doctor roughly tilts my head to the right, the other injects something into me. The moment the clear liquid enters my blood stream I knew what they just injected me with. Tracker Jacker venom, there's no way a person can forget the effects that their venom causes.
My eyes widen as everything became shiny. The chains were no longer chains, but vipers that teeth were embedded into the underside of my wrists. I screamed as I tried to yank away; static there was a static noise ringing in my ears, and as if the television was in 3-D I could see only inches away from me; District 12's barred wire fence, as usual the power was off, but I could hear faint screaming. It was Katniss scream and she was running towards the gate begging me to save her. Gale manifested right behind, and cuffed a hand over her mouth. He grinned at me while he licked Katniss' neck. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she reached out for me.
As I tried to stand the vipers' sunk their teeth deeper into me, I winced in pain. "Peeta, please help! Don't you love me?" She screamed as Gale dragged her to the ground. I could do nothing, but watch as Gale tore away her clothing, and began exploring Katniss' body with his tongue; all the while he watched my emotions play across my face.
Though right before my eyes; Katniss' pleas for help turned into moans, her tears dried away. She was now wrapping her arms around his neck coxing him to continue. "I don't know why I thought a boy like him could ever help me. Aaah Gale!" Katniss purred into the raven-haired boy's ear. "I should have killed him when I found him in the Riverbed." I clenched my jaw as her eyes connected with mines; a sly grin spread across her face. "You were my little fool, and I'll burn you alive!" She laughed.
I awoke with a jolt; my sheets were drenched in my own sweat. I sighed deeply as I tried to repress the urge to go to Katniss' house, and rip her throat out. I calmly remind myself that that memory wasn't real; that District 13 showed me the video of Gale kissing Katniss by surprise. For a moment shame feels my heart, I know I love Katniss more than anything, but a few seconds ago I wanted to rip her throat out. How could I possibly be with someone that I constantly wanted to physically and emotionally harm. At this moment I question ; was I really cured, or did he just want the credit of curing the first Hijacked person.
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I was emerged in a river of fire; engulfed by the flames of hatred. The smell of corrosion, death, and sorrow was thick in the air. The screams of children muffled my ears, but one scream stood out. Prim. My little duck scream pierced through my ears making blood spill out. "Prim!" I scream frantically trying to emerge from the river of fire. I swam the best I could, but four pairs of arms wrapped around my shoulders.
"If we burn," said President Snow.
"You burn with us." President Coin finished as the pair began to drag me beneath the flames. Just before my head was completely submerged I could see Prim; both of her arms were out stretched towards me begging me to save her, but I couldn't do anything to save her.
"Katniss!" Prim screamed as her body turned to ash, and blew away with the wind.
"No, Prim I'll save you! Prim, I'll save you!" I thrashed around my bed tearing at the sheets my mother sent from the Capitol. "Prim..." I whispered as tears ran down my face. It's been year since the Capitol was overthrown, and year since Prim died in front of me. A long croaking meow came from the doorway. Buttercup must've jumped off the bed in time to avoid being kicked off like many other unfortunate nights. He slowly crouched down, and sprung onto the bed. "It's just you and me now." I whisper to him. Buttercup lifts his head up towards me as if he was agreeing with me.
I tilt my digital clock towards me to see the blinking numbers: 12:00 AM
I curl my legs up as I rest my head against my knees; slowly swishing strands of my hair between my right hand's index finger and thumb. Finally deciding to get some fresh air I crawl out of bed. Buttercup jumps off the bed, and follows me into the kitchen. I give him a piece of fish before I leave the house, my way of saying thanks to the old wuss puss.
The moment I open the door a warm summer's breeze greets me. Lightening Bugs are buzzing around my backyard, and some of Haymitch's geese lay lazily in my pond. I sit on my grass as I listen to the sound of District 12. It's not the same sound that use fill the air, but it does give me the little bit of peace I need.
Though, the peace is broken when a shiver run up my spine. I could sense that someone was watching me, and to my surprise Peeta was sitting on his back porch. My heart froze for a moment as our eyes connected. I tried reading his expression, but I've always found it hard to read him, and now with the new Peeta it's ten times as difficult. I softly bite my lower lip trying to think of something to say, but nothing was coming to mind.
"Gale kissed you by District 12's fence, real or not real?" Even though he was a house down from me I could still hear him. The sound of desperation was lurking in his voice, but his facial expression was blank. I knew he wanted me to say, not real, but if we were to start a new; we both have to be truthful to one another.
"Real."
"I knew it." He stated off-handily. "While I was detained in the Psych Ward at District 13, they hacked the Capital, and showed me the video of Gale and you kissing."
"If you already knew it was real, why did you ask me?" My brows furrowed together as I tried to keep my cool.
"I was just curious to see if you would lie." Peeta said as he got up from his porch, and walked through Haymitch's yard.
"Why would I lie about something like that?" I huffed out as I was now standing, and came face to face with Peeta.
"I don't know why would you lie about loving me when we were in the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games?"
"Peeta I did that to keep us alive!"
"I know that, but sometimes I can't help, but feel I was strung along; wrapped up in your mind games." Peeta exhaled deeply. "I was the happiest when it was just you and I in that cave. I didn't care if I was knocking on death's door. I had you beside me, and when we kissed it was real for me..It was always real for me." His right arm snaked around to my backside, and pulled me in closer to him. Our eyes locked as he softly kissed my neck. "Ever since I can remember all I ever wanted to do was hold you in my arms, and tell you everything was going to be alright. I wanted to be the person you could depend on especially after your father passed, but I was too late."
"Peeta."
"It's still too late. I'm forever a mutt created by the Capital, and even though they deem me as being cured I'm not." He pulls me in tighter, holding me as if I'll vanish into thin air if he wasn't careful. "I still have those urges to harm you, and I don't know what to do Katniss." He buried his face into the nook of my neck. "How can someone love but yet hate a person at the same time?"
"Peeta, you're not a mutt, you're still you." I proclaim as I shakily wrap my arms around him. "We'll get through this. I'll try and get the help I need, but I can't do it if you're not you. If you lose yourself, then it's like Snow won. Don't let him win Peeta."
"I won't Katniss." He looks back at me, and weakly smiles. "Just like old times we'll get through this."
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AN: Okay that's the end of chapter one, I'll try and get chapter two up by at least this weekend. So please review, and give me feedback! Until next time bye!