A/N My reviewers tell me that I've been way to hard on Gale in this story. I actually AGREE with them. I needed a villain and I went overboard. I need to provide some sort of foundation for the character's anger with him. I'm rethinking my plot to make it more credible.
This entire story was 90% written before I even started posting and I've been posting one chapter a day. I'm going to finish posting everything I already had written and will come back at a later date to revise the story. Stay tuned. But I hope you can overlook my flaw for now and just enjoy this sweet love story as it is.
Rory jumps out of his chair after the news broadcast and runs all the way to his brother's office . He doesn't even bother to tuck in his uniform shirt. He stops at the door, out of breath but he follows the military protocol of knocking first and waiting for permission to enter.
After Gale announces," come in," Rory enters and salutes out of habit. Gale briefly glances up from the maps he has been looking at and waives his younger brother toward a chair.
"All packed and ready to go back to District 12?" Gale asks.
Rory has heard over and over how disappointed his brother is about him leaving the military to return home. But his service commitment is over and he longs for home. "Yes, but I have a favor"
"Favor?" Gale responds brusquely.
Rory is used to his brother's condescending tone towards him, and ignores it. He rarely asks for anything from Gale but this is important to him. So he plows ahead with his request.
"Before going home, I want a pass to go the Capitol."
Gale stops studying the maps and looks Rory in the eyes. "The Capitol? You've never had any interest in going there. Why now?"
Rory has to think fast. Gale is right – He's never had any interest in that shallow cesspool of humanity. But he can't tell Gale the real reason. He would forbid this wild goose chase.
"Well, what is it? One last hurrah with the loose ladies of the Capital?" Gale asks snidely. That's what Gale would do. Ever since Katniss chose Peeta, it's been one girl after another for Gale. It was hard to keep up with his flavor of the week. But Rory can't say yes to that. Gale would know it was a lie. That just wasn't his style.
He rubs his nearly shaved head for a moment. Then he notices the photographs on the wall behind his brother's head. They are of turning points in the rebellion. He has a sudden flash of inspiration. "I want to go to the Ministry of Communications."
"Why?"
"Because I want to look through their archives of film and photos of District 12. Most of our district was destroyed and I want to get some historical images to take back with me. Buildings that are gone, people who are gone…."
"But why?"
"I just think it would be nice for the people of our district who are left. Not many people from out district have connections in the Capitol that could get this stuff and you do," he says with conviction – hoping his ruse is persuasive enough.
"This is going to be a pain in my ass…"
"Gale, I never ask you for anything – no special favors – even though you are my commanding officer. I've followed orders, fought in several major battles and helped rebuild District 11. Please?"
Gale fiddles with his maps and finally says, "Fine, I'll get you the travel documents, and permission to get into the Ministry Archives."
Rory is relieved and gets up out of his chair but before he can say thank you, Gale has one request. "If you find any photos of dad, will you make me a copy?" he asks solemnly.
Rory eyes tear up a bit. He hadn't even considered getting photos of their father, who had been killed in a mining accident. They had nothing left of their father after their home was turned into rubble during the rebellion. "You've got it - and thanks a million."
Rory's train is running late to the Capitol. It gives him plenty of time to think about the news broadcast that brought on this spur-of–the-moment trip. It was probably just wishful thinking on his part. But everything in the news story fit. It couldn't all be a coincidence. The flower, the cats, the left hand, the herbs and that one piercing blue eye.
Even if he is wrong, his idea of getting pictures and film of District 12 will be worth the trip. But he will focus on those images after he gets what he came for first.
When the train finally arrives, he rushes to get to the Ministry of Communications so he has enough time to get what he wants before he visits the hospital tomorrow. Gale's connections get him right in the door and he is directed to the archives. After he tells the clerk – as vaguely as possible – what he is searching for, he is given a place to sit and search.
It takes him a while but he finally finds several photos that he needs. He asks the clerk to help make several still images from some film and news broadcasts. He also learns how isolate one person in a group picture, enlarge it and print it out.
His last request strikes the clerk as really odd. "I need a picture of a cat – but not just any cat – it has to be just the right one and I need help altering the image once I find it."
They search through quite a few cat images until Rory finds one that will work and the clerk does the alterations as requested. At the last minute, he also asks for a picture of a white goat. Rory manages to figure how to alter it himself.
He thanks the clerk profusely and tells him that he will be back another day to finish. But Rory has what he originally came for.
As he walks to his lodging, he passes a book store. There is a large display of children's books in the window. He pauses to look at them. Several are classics that bring him back to his school days. He realizes that favorite books from childhood can bring back long forgotten memories.
He goes in and gets the salesgirl to help him find a special book. Luckily they have it in stock. His plan is coming together. Hopefully, it's not all for nothing – besides – if he is wrong - the book will be a good addition to the library at the new school back in District 12.
The following morning is cold and Rory shivers as he stands outside the hospital looking at the huge directory. He's not sure what to look for. Shortly, a security guard approaches. She recognizes Rory's uniform and chitchats with him about his role in the rebellion.
Rory is in a hurry but he realizes that this woman can probably get him to where he is going and get him through some doors that might otherwise be closed to him for security reasons. He knows that he not nearly as tall, handsome or captivating as Gale but he does his best to charm the guard so he can use her as his guide. He pretends that he is going to see a military friend who is on the same floor as the patient he really wants to see.
It works and soon he is in the waiting room of the ward he has been looking for. Luckily the guard has to go back to her duties. Rory sits down because he suddenly feels overwhelmed. What if he is wrong? But then again, what if he is right?
He decides to look through his photos and the book he brought. He remembers the arboretum that was featured in the news broadcast. Maybe he should go down and pick some herbs. But he decides to just find the room. He slowly gets up and wanders through the hall looking at the nametags of the patients in each room.
He finds a tag that says 'Kitty'. That's the nickname the staff has given the patient from the news broadcast. There is a nurse in the room so he hangs out in the hallway pretending to get a drink of water. After she leaves, he looks around and enters the room.
The patient is hooked up to a breathing machine and her face has a lot of bandages, one arm is in traction and one eye is covered with an eye patch . The news broadcast said she had lost an eye. There was some blond hair splayed out on the pillow.
Her eye is closed but the head of her bed is in a partially raised position. He glances around the room. There are pictures of cats on the walls and there are several vases of flowers on the side tables.
What now? He's not sure. He doesn't want to wake her. So he sits down in the chair next to her bed. He puts down his large envelope of pictures on the floor and starts to look through the children's book he purchased the night before.
The machines beep softly and he listens to rhythm of the breathing machine. After a few minutes he decides to get up and try to look at her from another angle. He looks closely at her face but so much of it is covered, it is hard to see the resemblance to the girl he was hoping she would be.
Her eye starts to flutter and Rory steps back and backs into his chair and it scrapes the tile floor. Her eye pops open. It looks like it is trying to focus. Her eye opens wider and then she squints. Rory decides this is the time to talk.
"Hi, I came to read you a story today. I hope that's ok." She blinks once. He assumes that means yes.
"This was one of my favorite books from my childhood. I thought you might have heard it."
He started to read the humorous and heartfelt story of some farm animals who were lost and couldn't find their home. He holds the book up over her face so she can see the whimsical illustrations and does his best to read from that angle.
"I hope you liked it." Her eyes seemed to sparkle. He guessed that she did. "My teacher read this in 1st grade. There was a blond-haired girl in my class who loved that story too. She even wrote about it for weeks during writing time."
"I have some pictures of that girl. Maybe you know who she is." He holds up a series of pictures of the same blond-haired, blued eyed girl. Her kindergarten school picture; a picture of her as a 7 year old in winter coat playing in the snow; another one when she is 10 years old at the District 12 Victor's Parade of the 72nd Hunger Games – two years before Katniss and Peeta were selected as tributes. There are several others including a picture of the girl sitting with her mother being interviewed just before the Quarter Quell.
"I heard you liked cats – that's what they said in the news broadcast – they said they nick-named you Kitty because of that. I brought you a picture of a cat. Maybe you have seen a cat like this?" He pulls the altered photo from the envelope. "The girl I knew had a cat named Buttercup. I couldn't find a picture that cat but I made this from my memories of him in District 13."
A tear welled up in her eye. "Do recognize Buttercup?" He was choked up but managed to get the question out. She blinks once.
"They said you loved the Buttercup song from the morning TV program. But I don't think it was about the song. It was about the name. You love a cat named Buttercup."
Rory doesn't wait for her response and quickly continues. "The girl I remember had a goat. A goat named Lady . I heard she had a pink ribbon around her neck the day she arrived." He shows the goat picture he found.
"I think you are girl who loves animals, a girl who is a healer and loves the smell of healing herbs like they have here in the arboretum. A blue-eyed, left-handed girl." Again she blinks once.
"They think you are one of the Capital orphans that were at the palace on the last day of the rebellion but I believe you're from District 12." She blinks once.
"I have two more pictures for you. This one is Katniss – your sister. She's at home in District 12. This one is your mother. She is working at a hospital in District 4. They both think you died. But you didn't, did you?" She blinks twice.
The girl's eye is filled with tears so Rory looks around and finds some tissues. As he gently wipes the tears, he says, "You're Primrose Everdeen." Her eye blinks fiercely and she even tries to nod her head but it starts some of the machines beeping. She stops and starts looking at him intensely. He can tell that she is trying to figure who he is. He decides this is his cue to leave.
Before he goes, he tapes all the pictures on the walls, and as he does, his eyes fill with tears. He wipes them away and leaves a note on top of the book for the nurse. As he exits, he says "Goodbye Primrose."