Sing, a hunger games fanfic

Sing

A/N: This fluffy little one-shot is the result of me getting carried away with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Characters are a bit OOC - I'm ridiculously happy today and I think it shows a little in Katniss and Peeta towards the end. All credit for the song 'Sing' goes to Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I suggest you listen to it before/while/after reading this. The link is watch?v=e7R9hv4NUf4.

Summary: One-Shot. AU. Set in modern day London. Katniss Everdeen had given up writing songs after the death of her Father. Can a royal request and Peeta Mellark help her sing again? Lots of Everlark Fluff.

Part 1: Pianississimo

London, 2010

Katniss Everdeen had not had a good day. She had missed the bus this morning, spilt coffee over a pompous business man in a Prada suit at work and then was drenched on the way home thanks to the typical London weather. She had hoped to remedy the bad day by spending the evening curled up on her couch with a warm cup of soup and a sappy romantic comedy. But that was before she found a blast from her past seated on the doorstep of her terraced home.

The young woman knew why the paunchy middle aged man had waited for her; he needed a favour. He turned up once every two years or so with some outrageous request, determined to get her to return to her past life as a song writer and composer. Katniss always turned him down though; she couldn't bear to listen to music any more, not since her father died. She chewed on her lip as she eyed the man who was once her manager, mentor and good friend. He was staring at the ground, his head rested on the palm of his hand and he was absolutely soaked. She sighed, wondering how long he had been there.

"What do you want?" Katniss asked shortly while she rushed to open the door to escape the down pour of rain. She fumbled with her keys for a moment before she pushed open the old heavy door and entered, stepping over the mail on her door mat. Once inside, she peeled of her drenched black coat and hung it on one of the pegs next to the door then kicked of her favourite boots.

"Where the hell have you been?" Haymitch mumbled as he shrugged off his own wet coat and hung it next to hers before he headed in towards the kitchen. She scowled as she heard the familiar hiss of the kettle as it began to boil.

"Just make yourself at home" Katniss yelled sarcastically in his general direction. She stomped upstairs, changed her clothes and found them both towels before she joined him in her lounge room. He was bent over the fire, matches and wood in his hands and there were already two steaming mugs of peppermint tea sitting on the coffee table. Katniss fell back into one of the arm chairs and took a long sip of her drink while Haymitch got the fire going.

"What do you want?" She asked again when the flames engulfed the large piece of wood in the fireplace.

"Where have you been?" He asked, repeating his own question stubbornly.

Katniss rolled her eyes at him. "I've been at work!" She snapped impatiently. "I told you last time, I work at the coffee place around the corner."

Haymitch Abernathy's face twisted in disgust but he didn't say anything further. She already knew his thoughts on the matter. He believed she was wasting her amazing talents and was desperately unhappy. She believed that he was wrong; at least, she had convinced herself that she did.

"What do you want?" Katniss asked for the third time. The man's presence now irritated her and she wanted to get this over and done with as soon as possible.

"I have been asked to contact you… the Queen, the Queen of England, would like you to write a song for her Diamond Jubilee." He stated slowly.

The woman sucked in a sharp breath. A request like that only comes along once in a lifetime and she was honoured that the Monarch would seek her out for such an important task. But she couldn't do it. Her ability to write songs had died with her father.

"No" She replied shortly, her decision made.

"But she's asked for you personally" Haymitch Abernathy cried, his face contorted with fury.

"I can't do it anymore. The ideas are gone, the talent is gone." Katniss replied stubbornly.

"Are you not hearing me… the Queen asked for you personally!" He said, emphasising each word.

"Are you not hearing me? I can't do it anymore" She snapped in return.

"That's a load of crap Katniss" Haymitch shouted. "You just don't want to do it because you are fucking afraid of dealing with your father's death. He must hate looking down on you now, knowing that you are using him as an excuse to stop singing!"

The young woman stood, took two steps towards him and slapped his face as hard as she could. "Get out of my house" She snarled dangerously, shaking with rage. She was furious that the man had crossed that line. She didn't talk about her father with anyone, and she certainly didn't need those accusations thrown at her.

The man frowned and rubbed his red cheek. "Fine" He said, getting up from his seat. "Fine – I'll tell Her Royal Majesty that you are otherwise engaged shall I."

Katniss nodded silently and pointed in the direction of her front door, livid that the man hadn't left yet. He shook his head in disappointment and trudged out of the room his eyes glued to the floor. She listened as he collected his coat and let relief flood her as she heard the door open. It didn't last long though.

"It's a shame, they've hired Mellark as the composer… would have been nice to hear one more song from you two." He called before slamming the door.

Katniss froze as the words cut through her like a knife. The memory of sparkling blue eyes cloud her vision and before she could think she had sprinted out the door and down the road after her old friend. "Wait!" She yelled as she tried to catch up with him.

Haymitch stopped and turned with a surprised expression on his face. He watched her as she bent over to catch her breath in front of him.

"Why? Why is Peeta getting involved in this? He doesn't compose anymore!" She cried.

Haymitch stared at her. "Because it's the right thing to do sweetheart. And if you can count on anyone to do the right thing - it's him." He answered.

Katniss dropped her eyes to the ground her, her heart in her throat. "I'll do it then…say yes to the Queen's secretary or whoever… and just… email me the details, dates, whatever" She choked before she spun on her heel and ran back into the house, leaving a stunned and silent Haymitch Abernathy standing in the rain.

Part Two: Crescendo

London, 2011

Katniss sighed loudly as she threw yet another piece of paper in the bin. The task was impossible. Every time she went to write something all she could think of was her father dying alone in the darkness, trapped amongst the twisted metal of the shattered train. It made her write the most depressing and ireful words… and this song was supposed to be a celebration. "I can't do this" She muttered to herself as she dropped her head onto the hard wooden table.

"You're trying too hard" Peeta told her as he placed his warm hand on her shoulder. "You never used to think this much, just let the words come"

Katniss didn't move. She couldn't bear to look into his concerned azure eyes again. It almost hurt more than thinking about her father. A stray tear hits the table under her face as she remembered how she had left the man she loved. How she had just run away to New York to live with her cousin Gale, leaving him to look after her mother and sister as they grieved.

Peeta sighed softly before he pulled her up from the table and led her to the piano. They sat together on the seat.

"Just listen Katniss" He told her gently. She watched as his fingers began to dance over the white and black keys, the beautiful melody filling the cold silence.

Katniss closed her eyes and did as she was told, letting the soft tones soothe her broken heart. She picked up the pattern and hummed along, desperate to the find the words because she owed him that much. She should never have hidden from him, she should have explained, she should have told him how she felt. A blush crossed her cheeks and her eyes snapped open, meeting his. She had found the words.

"Sing Katniss" Peeta whispered as he started the melody again.

"Some words they can't be spoken only sung,
So hear a thousand voices shouting love.
There's a place, there's a time in this life when you sing what you are feeling,
Find your feet, stand your ground, don't you see right now the world is listening to what we say."

His smiled at her as she lifted herself off the seat and scrambled to get a piece of paper and pencil. She didn't stop singing as she moved and his eyes twinkled as he noticed the slight skip in her step as she rushed back to the piano with the tools she needed.

"Sing it louder, sing it clearer, knowing everyone will hear you,
Make some noise, find your voice tonight.
Sing it stronger, sing together, make this moment last forever,
Old and young shouting love tonight."

Katniss blushed as her eyes met his. She wondered if he knew that the words were really for him. That she was pouring out every unspoken word and feeling. That she was confessing that she never stopped loving him.

"To sing we've had a lifetime to wait,
And see a thousand faces celebrate.
You brought hope, you brought life, conquer fear, no it wasn't always easy,
Stood your ground, kept your faith, don't you see right now the world is listening to what we say?"

Peeta looked so peaceful, his eyes closed, his body swaying and his hands moving skilfully along the keys. She grinned and closed her eyes and for the first time in years let herself reminisce about the times before her father's death. She remembered her father's sweet songs, her sister's musical laughter and her mother's eternal love. She remembered Peeta's gentle touch and tender kisses and Haymitch's hilarious drunken rants. Her whole body felt lighter and tears poured down her cheeks as she continued.

His lips brushed against her cheek as he kissed away her tears. She opened her eyes to find his. She rested her forehead against his and hoped that he could see the same love in hers that she could see in his.

"Some words they can't be spoken only sung,
To hear a thousand voices shouting love and life and hope."

"Just sing; just sing; just sing; just sing."

She didn't realise that she had raised her volume until Haymitch entered the small studio with a stunned expression on his face. He spotted them sitting together at the piano, music pouring out of them as they sat with happy smiles. "I don't believe it" He chuckled quietly to himself.

"Hear a thousand voices shouting love"

The last note resonated as Peeta expertly closed the lovely piece of music.

Haymitch erupted into applause while Peeta and Katniss laughed at him. He grinned widely and his eyes sparkled with excitement and relief as he watched his two ex-colleagues smile at each other. "We're going to need a choir" He said after a moment, voicing his thoughts.

"It's for the Queen - we're going to need several choirs" Peeta notes as he nods in agreement.

"And an orchestra" Katniss added, her expression pensive. "And there is no reason why we can't have drummers, children singing and even a crooner of some sort!"

The three old friends grinned stupidly at each other, all of them welcoming the feeling of déjà vu. They brainstormed for an hour, then debated about chords, dynamics and timing. Katniss scribbled notes all over the lyrics in English while Peeta added small black symbols to the sheets of music in front of him.

"I think we need to celebrate this" Haymitch suggested after they had worked non-stop of two hours. He disappeared out of the room and returned with a bottle of Champagne. "Let's hear it again you two" He said as he poured them all a drink. And he smiled proudly as he watched as they moved to the piano… just like they used to.

Part 3: Fortississimo

London 2012

Katniss laughed as she twirled her sister around the spectator box at Buckingham Palace. The concert for the Diamond Jubilee was in full swing as Will-I-Am and Jesse Jay told them that tonight was gonna be a good, good night. Haymitch had already had too much of the free alcohol that was served in crystal glasses and was a source of entertainment for Peeta and Mrs Everdeen.

"When does your song come on Katniss?" Prim asked as a comedian stepped onto the circular stage to introduce the next act. The young blonde woman had not yet heard the piece of music that seemed to have brought her sister back to her. Due to the significance of the event it only a few people in the country were allowed to hear it before the actual event.

"Soon little duck" The older woman replied smiling. She looked over at Peeta and wondered if he felt as nervous as she did. She could only hope that the people of England liked it as much as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second did. She hoped that the combination of amazing singers, musicians from around the world and the music and lyrics would be enough to win over the crowds hearts.

The woman blinked out of her reverie, surprised to find him stood in front of her. "This is it" He whispered pointing to the stage where the Master of Ceremonies, Gary Barlow, was introducing their piece. They both grinned at the roar of the crowd and watched proudly as the little African Girl, Rue, began magnificently.

"Dance with me" Peeta whispered as he pulled her into his arms.

The music flowed through them as they waltzed around the small room. The blonde man grinned at her as she sang along with her eyes closed. He became lost in everything her. The way her dark lashes were pressed against her cheeks, the way her pink lips moved as she sang, and the way her slim body moved in his arms.

Katniss sang louder, her voice carrying through the room. She smiled as he twirled her and clung to him when she was back in his arms. She pressed her body against him, breathing in his amazing scent, feeling the radiating warmth and listening to his steady heart beat in his chest. She looked up at him and sang to him alone.

"Some words they can't be spoken only sung,
To hear our voices shouting love and life and hope."

He stilled at her words and his lips crashed into hers. She laughed against his lips as happy tears built in her eyes. And she kissed him; she kissed him because she wanted to, because she loved him, because he had never given up on her, because he made her remember and because he gave her the words to sing.

When the kiss came to an end he pressed his forehead against hers and looked into her sparkling silver eyes. "Katniss, will you marry me?" He asked suddenly, "I can't lose you again"

A giant smile spread across her face and she pressed her lips against his over and over. "Yes, a thousand times, yes" She replied, laughing. And they kissed as Rue sang the final lyrics and the crowd erupted with cheers.

"Hear a thousand voices shouting love"