Summary: (Mockingjay spoilers) One shot about Peeta's recovery in District 13. An attempt at re-hijacking.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Hunger Games series. I did not create the flashback scene.
I've had an episode. That's what they're calling it. When the images in my head make me feel and say things that are apparently inappropriate, or so the "professionals" say. No matter what they think, she's evil. I know she is. Katniss Everdeen is a manipulator. Nothing she's ever felt for me is real, and what I felt for her was misguided.
I can feel the effects of my latest dose of morphling slowly losing its benefits. I have control over my thoughts again. There's no point trying to escape. The littlest of movements brings a force of people into the room, and I can still feel the restraints pinning my arms to the bed.
Someone in a medical uniform walks into the room. I don't recognise her, so she must be from District 13. She's pushing the television again. That's what they've been doing. Making me watch those awful moments in the arena over and over, trying to convince me that my memories are wrong, that Katniss wasn't trying to murder everyone. I don't know what they hope to achieve, but making me watch her destroy the arena again isn't going to solve anything.
I've been watching the medic so intently that it surprises me when Haymitch is suddenly standing by me bed.
"What this time?" I ask sourly. "A photo of the berries? A video of us kissing? How about a montage, Katniss and Peeta: the Golden Days?"
I'm being harsh, but what's the point of being nice anymore. I don't trust any of them. If they're good people they'd let me kill Katniss and be done with it. Haymitch doesn't say anything, he just points to the screen and it starts playing. The first thing I notice is that it's something new. From what I remember of the Capitol's broadcasts, this is District 13. I can tell because the Justice Building is standing just as it does in all the reports on 13. I think they're taking a new tactic when I spot her.
She's sitting in front of the Justice Building, wearing that ridiculous Mockingjay outfit I've seen her in other clips they've given me. Someone's talking to her.
"So Katniss," says a voice from behind the camera. "You've survived the Capitol bombing of Thirteen. How did it compare with what you experienced on the ground in Eight?"
She answers immediately, never taking her eyes from the camera. "We were so far underground this time, there was no real danger. Thirteen's alive and well and so am-" She cuts herself off.
"Try the line again." Says the camera voice again. "'Thirteen's alive and well and so am I.'"
She breaths in deep. "Thirteen's alive and so-"
Something's putting her off. Even I can see that. And it doesn't look fake.
The camera voice tries again. "Katniss, just this one line and you're done today. I promise. "'Thirteen's alive and well and so am I.'"
She swings her arms around, shaking her shoulders as she goes. I can tell there's something wrong. She puts her hands on her hips before dropping them to her sides again. Taking another deep breath she opens her mouth and...cries?
She's crying. Not little sobs that can be transformed into something else, but tears that trace lines through the limited make-up she has on.
Someone whispers "Cut" and Haymitch freezes the screen. I'm looking at Katniss crumbling over something that happened during the bombing. But what? Did something happen to her family, something that could make her hurt so badly? I haven't heard anything like that. I'm angry now, that she has the nerve to be miserable while her family and "boyfriend" still exist in the world. She wasn't tortured. She didn't lose the people she loved. And yet, I want to reach out to that broken girl and hold her in my arms.
Haymitch has stayed quite throughout this screening, carefully watching my reactions.
"Why?" I say slowly, trying to understand the thoughts swarming my mind. "Why did you show me that?"
Haymitch looks as though he's trying to pick his words carefully. Finally he speaks, "We filmed that the day of your rescue. She couldn't go on knowing you'd be hurt by anything she said. She cares for you too."
And with that he leaves the room, but not before taking the television with him. I'm left alone with my thoughts again, wondering who this broken girl really is and why it bothers me that I can't help put her back together again.