Disclaimer: I don't own Hunger Games because if I did Finnick would still be alive.

A/N: Katniss never kissed Gale at all. Oh and the ending was kinda rushed. Woohoo, 7800 words in four hours


I watch as she lifts the bow a bit and see her arrow fly straight between the eyes of President Coin rather the late President Coin. I'm frozen with shock as to why she would kill her and not the man who has made her life a living hell. I see her whisper to her bow and suddenly I find myself sprinting towards her and as she turns her head I immediately know what she's about to do and reach out to grab the pocket on her shoulder. I feel her teeth sink into my hand as I grab her arm.

"Let me go!" she snarls at me. For a moment I feel fear because I know that if I do she's going to try again, try to take her own life. I don't know why I care though. I'm not even sure I should trust her , but why do I feel like I need to trust her. My mouth open on its own and I hear myself say without thinking "I can't." I know there's another meaning to it and it just leaves me confuse because the fear that plagues me right now tells me that if she dies, if I were to lose her again, then I would lose all meaning in my life, then, as if by magic everything rushes back to me.


I'm five years old, its my first day of school and my father has come to escort me. My mother didn't even bother to wish me good luck. I hold my father's hand as I spot her, the pretty little girl from the seam in her red plaid dress and braided hair, each of her hands were in her parents and her mother holding her little sister in her arms. The mother obviously used to live in the town before her marriage, though she did look happy. They pause in front of the school as the little girl looks around beaming and I feel my face heat up. I hear my father sigh and speak to me.

"You see that girl Peeta?" My father starts as he points to the little girl in the red dress.

I nod as he smiles at me, his eyes taking on that look that says his mind is far away.

"I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner." he finishes.

I frown at that and look back at the family, the mother was beautiful even more so than my own and I could see the little girl would look a lot like her mother when she grew up, she even looked nice. Then I look at her father, he was stunningly handsome and he looked gentle and caring like my own, but I can't think of a reason why anyone would choose to marry someone from the seam even if it was out of love when they could have my father.

"A coal miner? Why would she marry a coal miner if she could have you?" I ask in my childish voice.

"Because, when he sings... even the birds would stop to listen." he told me and just like that I feel excited.

"Really?" I ask and nearly jump when I see my father nod.

I turn back to the girl again and see her mother and father talking to Mayor Undersee and his wife as the little girl talks to the mayor's daughter. I think her name was Madeline. I hear someone call my name and turn to see my bestfriend Delly Cartwright.

The memory fades and is immediately replaced by another from the same day.

I'm sitting in the auditorium as the music teacher Ms. Carol continues to talk about the different songs we would learn.

"You will learn about the traditional lullabys of district 12 as well as how to sing Panem's national anthem..."

Instead of listening to the teacher I find myself staring at the little girl who sits a few rows in front of me.

"Who knows the valley song?" I hear Ms. Carol ask and I immediately see the little girl's hand shoot up.

"Good, please come up and sing it for us." she says as the little girl stands up, I see Madeline whisper something to her as she smiles at the girl.

"What's your name dear?" Ms. Carol asks and I find myself hold a breath as if it would prevent me from hearing her answer.

"Katniss Everdeen" the little girl responds proudly, her voice melodic and soft. Katniss, it seems weird but at the same time it sounds perfect for her.

As soon as she gets up on stage she starts singing and immediately all conversations stop and the auditorium is quiet, except for the beautiful voice of the little girl in front of us. Even the teacher is speechless and the birds are quiet no doubt listening to her. Her voice was soft, full, rich and powerful. Its the type of voice that commands attention, the type you would think angels would have.

As soon as her song finishes I realize what my father meant when her mother chose her father. Because I know that I am now under her spell.

The next memory surfaces next.

I'm twelve years old, my father and brother's are out while my mother's teaching me how to make bread.

"Not like that you stupid child..." she scolds me however she isn't able to continue because she sees something and rushes to the front immediately. At first I think its a customer until I hear her screaming.

"Get out of here. You brats from the seam are always going through our trash, well there's nothing there. Now leave before I get the peacekeepers." I hear her screeching and decide to take a look. What I saw made my heart drop as I see Katniss, thin and sickly, I immediately return to the kitchen as my mother instructs me on how long the bread has to be in the oven. As soon as she turns around I tidy up and leave the bread in too long.

As soon as I get the bread I pretend to be horrified as my mother sees the burnt bread. She grabs a wooden spoon and hits me.

"You stupid child, feed it to the pigs. Why not? No decent person would buy it anyway." she yells at me. As she grabs my arm and drags me to the back door throwing it open and pushing me out. I remove the burnt piece little by little and throw it to the pig knowing my mother and Katniss is watching. When I see her finally go in to the store to tend to a customer I wait for a while then look at the door again.

When I didn't see her return I threw one of the loaves to Katniss and wait for another minute before I throw her the second loaf. With that done I immediately return to the kitchen. Feeling proud of myself.


Blank... next memory

I'm sitting by the fireplace playing chess with Haymitch in Katniss' house. Its late and she hasn't returned yet. To top it all off there are two peacekeepers waiting for her. I came here to give some of the freshly baked bread when I found Haymitch there. Apparently Haymitch ran out of liqour and decided to go here to ransack Katniss' supply knowing I wouldn't give him anything yet. Unfortunately, she hid it extremely well and has decided to stay there.

I decide to stay as well, and soon enough a game starts between the two of us. We get lost in the game and lose track of time. I hear Mrs. Everdeen humming in the kitchen and soon enough a variety of delicious scents flow out from the kitchen into the living room. On the dining room table I see Prim doing her homework. I smile and think about how peaceful the Everdeen family's life is now, somehow I realize that if any family deserved this type of life it was the them.

Mrs. Everdeen, the sweet and compassionate woman, had stopped charging her patients once she learned Katniss had won the game. Knowing more people would seek her services if she didn't no longer charged them, and since they no longer had to worry about money she had decided to do so.

There was Katniss who lost her father at a young age and has been providing for them ever since. She would sell quality meet at the hob and to others at a low price.

Then there was Prim, the sweet girl who wanted to follow her mother's footsteps and become a healer. She had such an outgoing personality and could make anyone smile. Everyone loves her even my mother.

I notice it was starting to get late when I heard someone knock on the door. "I'll get it." I told them as I made my way to the door praying it was Katniss. On my way I caught a glimpse of the clock. 7:30. Dinner time. I guess it is her, she wouldn't be late for dinner I suppose. When I opened the door I was frozen with fright. Two peacekeepers were standing in front of me and I started to think of every possible thing they might say. I shake myself out of the stupor and compose myself.

"May I help you?" I ask them politely.

"Were looking for the Ms. Katniss Everdeen." The female peacekeeper said coldly as the male one just nodded.

"She isn't here right now. But if you'd like to wait for her you can stay at the living room." Prim says as I nearly jump. I didn't notice her come up behind me. I move to let them in and close the door behind me returning to my seat.

As the clock chimed 8 I started to worry again. She went out to hunt again so what if she was hurt? Or worse dead? No, don't think like that. What if she ran away with Gale? That did it. I started to panic. She wouldn't leave Prim and her mother would she. I turned to look at her family and I see them looking as anxious as I felt. Finally the door clicked and I heard Katniss' voice.

"I'm home. Mom, Prim." she calls out as she walks into the living room. I see the look of relief on her mother's face as she rushes to hug Katniss. I hear them talking and the two cast a glance at the peacekeepers. I see her acknowledge them and see her drop her bag on the table as she turns and makes her way to us and once she reaches us, leans in to kiss me.

She returns to the peacekeepers and soon enough they start talking.

"May we ask where you've been, Miss Everdeen?" the woman asks.

"Easier to ask where I haven't been," She say with a sound of exasperation. I watch her cross into the kitchen.

"So where haven't you been?" says Haymitch in a bored voice.

"Well, I haven't been talking to the Goat Man about getting Prim's goat pregnant, because someone gave me completely inaccurate information as to where he lives," She tells Prim emphatically.

"No, I didn't," says Prim. "I told you exactly."

"You said he lives beside the west entrance to the mine," She responds.

"The east entrance," Prim replies calmly.

"You distinctly said the west, because then I said, 'Next to the slag heap?' and you said, 'Yeah,'" I hear her argue.

"The slag heap next to the east entrance," says Prim patiently.

"No. When did you say that?" She demand rather testily. "Last night," Haymitch chimes in.

"It was definitely the east," I add. I look at Haymitch and we laugh. I remember rather well seeing as it was only last night. I also remember because it was Katniss that invited me to dinner. I see her glare at me and I try my best to look contrite. "I'm sorry, but it's what I've been saying. You don't listen when people talk to you."

"Bet people told you he didn't live there today and you didn't listen again," says Haymitch.

"Shut up, Haymitch," She says.

Haymitch and I crack up and Prim allows herself a smile.

"Fine. Somebody else can arrange to get the stupid goat knocked up," She says frustrated.

"What's in the bag?" the female peacekeeper asks sharply.

Right then the laughter dies down and I try to think up any excuse to put the blame on myself.

"See for yourself." Katniss says rolling her eyes as the peacekeeper pours the contents of the bag on the table.

"Oh, good," Mrs. Everdeen says, examining the cloth. "We're running low on bandages. At least you remembered what I told you and got them." She teases Katniss who growls at her and says "Not you too mother."

I couldn't help it and laugh, only I'm not the only one whose laughing. I see Haymitch, Prim and even the male peacekeeper laugh.

I go to the table and open the candy bag. "Ooh, peppermints," I say, popping one into my mouth.

"They're mine." She says as she makes an attempt to get the bag, only I've already tossed it to Haymitch, who stuffs a fistful of sweets in his mouth before passing the bag to a giggling Prim. "None of you deserves candy!" She says indignantly.

"What, because we're right?" I wrap my arms around her and hear her give out a yelp of pain which she tries to cover up, but I can see that she's hurt. "Okay, Prim said west. I distinctly heard west. And we're all idiots. How's that?"

"Better," She says. She then looks at the Peacekeepers as if she's suddenly remembering they're there. "You have a message for me?"

"From Head Peacekeeper Thread," says the woman. "He wanted you to know that the fence surrounding District Twelve will now have electricity twenty-four hours a day."

"Didn't it already?" She asks, innocently.

"He thought you might be interested in passing this information on to your cousin," says the woman.

"Thank you. I'll tell him. I'm sure we'll all sleep a little more soundly now that security has addressed that lapse."

The woman's jaw tightens. None of this has gone as planned, but she has no further orders. She gives Katniss a curt nod and leaves, the man trailing in her wake. When Mrs. Everdeen has locked the door behind them, Katniss slumps against the table.

"What is it?" I ask her worriedly as I hold her steadily.

"Oh, I banged up my left foot, the heal and the tail bone's had a bad day." She tells us as I helo her to the rocker I was previously sittting in.

"How did it happen?" her mother asks as she removes Katniss' shoes.

"I slipped and fell" we all look at her in disbelief "on some ice." she doesn't say anything else for awhile.

After a few minutes, her mother tells her that she might have broken her leg and would need to be on bedrest for a few days. Prim helps her change into pajamas while her mother gives her some sleep syrup. Once everythings done I help her up to her room but decide to carry her up halfway because she was stumbling.

"I thought you changed your mind." I tell her as I tuck her in. She shakes her head

"I would have told you." She says. I move to stand up but she grabs my hand.

"Please stay with me." She begs and I sit down again. She moves my hand and presses it to her cheek. "Always." I reply.

A few moments pass by before I speak again.

"Why would you tell me?" I ask her as she pulls me down to lie beside her. I oblige and pull her close as she snuggles into me.

"Because, your my fiancee." She says.

Another moment passes and I think she might have fallen asleep already. I stroke her hair when I hear her sigh.

"Peeta" she says softly.

"Yes"

"I'm glad I'm marrying you." She tells me and for a moment my heart starts beating fast. I can't help what comes out of my mouth next.

"Why?" I ask

"Because I figured it out in the forest. Gale's like this older cousin you can't help but crush on. But I suppose from the moment when you gave me the bread. I've always..." she trails off as she yawns.

"Always what?" I question.

"That I've always been in love with you." She finishes as her eyes close and her breathing becomes steady. I can't help the grin that's formed on my face. She's in love with me.

I know she's not lying because I've come across this Katniss before. One where she knows what she wants, can't lie to you and most importantly and rather disappointingly in this case can't remember what we've talked about afterwards. After awhile, I find myself falling asleep. I had a dream that was neither scary nor traumatic, actually it was the opposite.

I dreamt that Katniss and I were sitting in the meadow watching two children playing. The children, a boy and a girl were the same age. The little boy had my hair and her eyes while the little girl had her hair and my eyes. I guess they were our kids. I hear someone call to us and I see Gale coming up to us with a heavily pregnant... Madge? They were beaming at us as the kids run up to them and they throw their arms around Gale and Madge. "Aunty! Uncle!" the kids yell.

I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face and Katniss in my arms and for a moment I think about the dream as a possible future, when Katniss starts to stir.

"Good morning." I tell her.

"Morning" She says as she yawns and kisses me. For a moment I'm taken by surprise and I kiss her as well.

"No nightmares?" I ask as I think about my dream.

"None." She replies "Actually I had a nice dream last night."

"Really?" I ask her extremely curious.

"Yes, I dreamt the two of us had a toasting. I guess we eloped because only Madge, Gale, Prim, Delly and your brothers were there. Then our parents and Haymitch found out and they were extremely pissed but gave in and my mother told us we could live together as long as we live here." She tells me.

I grin at her. "Oh and what does that dream tell you about your feelings?"

She raises her eyebrow at me and says "Didn't I already tell you last night. I'm completly and hopelessly in love with you Peeta Mellark."

I laugh and tell her "I didn't think you'd remember. What about Gale though?"

"Don't worry. I told him yesterday. He didn't take it too badly. I think he and Madge have something going on." This time I look at her incredously.

"Seriously. Well in that case. You'd be happy to know I had a nice dream as well, and I think its connected to your dream."

"Oh really. And what pray tell was your dream about."

"Hmm, lets see. You and I were in the meadow and we were watching our children play"

"Children?" She asks

"Yes, children."

Immediately she launches into questions

"How many? What were they? What did they look like? How old were they? How old were we?" she asks without stopping while I laugh at her.

"2 kids. Twins. A boy with my hair and your eyes and a girl with your hair and my eyes. They looked like they were five and we looked pretty young." I tell her to answer her questions and I see her break into a warm smile.

"Gale was there too. He and Madge were married I suppose and she was pregnant." I can tell by the look in her face that she thinks this may be a possibility.


Blank... next memory

It was two months after we had started our relationship. I remember we were sitting there in the meadow. We were having a picnic. Me and Katniss, Prim was there talking to Delly, My brothers were given the day off so they came with us, Madge and Gale were there. We were just laughing, talking and generally just enjoying ourselves when Katniss turns to me and frowns.

"You know what I hate?" She asks and I shake my head. I didn't know what she was talking about because truthfully she hated a lot of things.

"I hate the fact that the capitol is controlling our wedding. I wish we could just have a simple ceremony. You know like the one in my dream." she says softly as I stare at her. Did she really just imply what I think she just implied.

I grin at her "Well how about we make that dream a reality." I whisper in her ears as she laughs and nods. I help her stand up and everyone looks at us.

"How would you guys want to help Katniss and I elope." I announce as they look at us incredelously.

"What are you two on about?" My eldest brother Makki asks.

"He means Peeta and I want to do a toasting. I want a wedding without the capitols interference and our parents will never agree so..." Katniss says as the girls shriek and start jumping.

"Sure why not." My other brother Rye as Gale nods. The girls just squeal and say something about getting Katniss ready and meating us at my house.

A few hours after that I find myself dressed in a long sleeved shirt and dress pants. The others were in a similar suit as well. We were only waiting for Katniss and the girls to arrive. I knew that I had Katniss all to myself for the whole night and most of tomorrow because her mother was staying with a patient of hers in the seam.

When the girls finally arrived I couldn't stop the gasp that escaped my lips as I saw her. She was wearing a white dress that reached just below her knees and she had little to no makeup on, her hair wasn't in its usual braids but was let down and curled at the bottom. The other girls didn't look bad themselves. The whole ceremony passed by like a blur and lets just say we spent our wedding night like any newly weds do.

Black... next memory

We were on the train going back to the capitol for the Quarter Quell. I remember going into Katniss' room when I found her curled up on her bed crying. I immediately rush to her and wrap my arms around her. "Its okay. We'll write letters to them." I tell her soothingly but she just keeps crying.

"Its not that Peeta." She cries. I look at her in shock. What could it be? I think to myself and as if to answer my question she says

"I'm pregnant." She sobs into my shirt. I remember just sitting there in shock as I digest this news. Under any other circumstances I would have been ecstatic but right now... Well, lets just say I'm horrified. Katniss, my Katniss is going back into the Hunger Games. Pregnant. I have to give her a fighting chance then. With that a new determination has overcome me and I tighten my hold on her waist.

"Are you sure?" I ask her

she nods then says "I went to a doctor because they have that whole doctor-patient confidentiality thing going on."

"How far off are you?"

"A month and a half."

"Do you know what we're having."

She nods and I wait for her to answer but she doesn't.

"Well" I ask

"Twins. A girl and a boy." she says. Just like in my dream. Suddenly I think there's more to our dreams than we originally thought. She was right about the toasting, our parents finding out, her mother's condition. Me? My dream? Gale and Madge got together, now were having twins. Suddenly, I feel happy. Can the rest of it become true. Was it a glimpse of our future or were we just following a patern and all of this was just a coincidence. Katniss starts crying again and I just hold her, trying to calm her down.

"Its going to be okay. We'll figure something out." I tell her.


Black... the next memory takes longer to appear and I find myself wishing it hadn't because this is the point when I break my wedding vows.

I wake up to find myself in a hospital room, when I sit up I remember the doctors gather at my bed and check up on me. I see Plutarch Heavensbee in my room and a camera crew. Suddenly the doors open and I see Haymitch with a pregnant Katniss and I'm immediately overcome with anger.

How dare that mutt show her face in front of me. Everything is her fault. The capitol capturing me, my torture. Everything.

I rush to her and grip her neck. When I looked at her eyes I didn't see fear, anger or the blood lust I expected but shock, hurt and acceptance. The next thing I know I'm consumed by darkness.

Black... Next memory

I'm talking to Delly about my family's accident when I start yelling at her.

"DON'T TRUST HER! SHE'S A MUTT. SHE'LL KILL YOU. THIS IS HER FAULT."

Delly starts to argue while backing away but I won't listen to her. Finally she's by the door when someone pulls her out. A light turns on and I turn to it and I see a team of doctors, Haymitch and a crying Katniss, Gale with his hand on her shoulder. They were in a room together. I feel my stomach clench because I know I caused those tears but a larger part of me ignores it even when a part of me wants to chase her when she rushes out the room.


Black... Next Memory

I'm asleep when I hear three people talking.

"Your daughter is completely idiotic Capri." I hear Haymitch say, it takes me a moment to realize that Capri is Capri Everdeen, Katniss' mother.

"I admit what she did was idiotic especially in her case but she is by no means an idiot." She replies softly.

"I don't get it why would she spare that man's life. Why would she spare those peacekeepers. What's so different between killing them with Beetee's arrows and killing them in that mine." I hear Gale ask.

Now I know their talking about Katniss, but what are they talking about. Why would Gale kill them in a mine? What did she do?

"She probably thought of her father." Mrs. Everdeen said softly.

"But to run head first into a battlefield to spare the life of one injured man and get herself shot. Honestly, that girl doesn't know how to follow orders. I told her not to do anything rash." Haymitch snarls.

Katniss was shot? When did that happen? Isn't she seven and a half months pregnant. Oh God.

"She was lucky though. Katniss could have died if she took one step to the left or she could have lost the babies if she was turned a few inches to the right. Thankfully Cinna remembered to put an armour into her uniform." Mrs. Everdeen said.


Black... Next Memory

"Hey" She says

"Hey" I reply back looking her up and down. Relieved that she didn't seem to be injured.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Katniss asked tiredly her arms folded protectively on her eight and a half months pregnant stomach.

"Look at you, for starters." I start and the next words that leave my mouth come as a shock to me. "Your not very big, or particularly pretty." I say but I know that's a lie she looked beautiful in that satin dress.

I see a look of hurt cross her eyes before it returns to its tired and worn expression.

"I know." she says softly and this surprises me.

"What's this?" I start my voice hostile and dark "is the mockingjay feeling a bit insecure?" I snarl at her.

"No, just tired. Look, I'll come back tomorrow. I don't feel to good." She says as she turns to leave. I feel scared about her leaving and I blurt out the first thing that comes into my mind.

"Katniss. I remember about the bread." this stops her.

"They showed you the tape of me talking about it." she tells me and I look at her in confusion.

"No. Is there a tape of you talking about it? Why didn't the Capitol use it against me?" I ask her.

"I made it the day you were rescued." She starts "So what do you remember."

"You in the rain." I say softly "digging in our trash bins. Burning the bread. My mother hitting me. Taking the bread out to the pigs but giving it to you instead." I see her nod.

"That's right. That's what happened." she starts "The next day, after school, I wanted to thank you. But I didn't know how."

"We were outside at the end of the day. I tried to catch you eye. You turned away... and for some reason you picked up a dandelion... I think." I see her nod. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" she asks

"Pick up the dandelion?"

"The same reason I called you my dandelion. Dandelions are the first flowers to bloom in the spring. It symbolizes a new beginning which you gave me when you gave me that bread. You saved my life and that day outside the school when I turned away I saw the dandelion and I remembered it was edible so I picked it up and ran to the meadow. We made a salad that night and that was when I remembered I could hunt." She tells me.

I pause for awhile trying to digest it.

"I must have loved you a lot." I tell her.

"You did." I notice her voice catch and try to shrug it off.

"And did you love me?" I ask her

"I do. That's why Snow had you tortured, to break me."

"Then why did you drop that tracker jacker hive on me. It seemed like you were trying to kill me."

"I was." She confesses and this confuses me "I was trying to kill all of you. You had me treed."

"Later, there was a lot of kissing. It didn't seem genuine on your part. Did you like kissing me." I ask her.

"Sometimes," she starts "When both of us are coherent."

"And what about Gale?" I can see I hit a sore spot for her.

"What about him?" she asked angrily

"I thought the two of you were a couple." she looked outraged by this.

"We are not. His girlfriend is, was Madge. That's why he's furious at the Capitol. She died trying to evacuate the citizens of District 12. The towns people, she died trying to get you family out." She screams at me and suddenly I feel bad about what I said. I didn't know Madge died trying to save my family. She left the room immediately. Two weeks later she gave birth to Madeline Anne Everdeen-Mellark and Patrick Rye Everdeen-Mellark.


The flashbacks end and I return to reality to see Katniss being dragged away by the guards as she screams for Gale to kill her. I turn immediately searching for him, trying to make sure he doesn't do it but I find him frozen in shock, beside him was Delly, her little brother Perry, Johanna, Annie, Beetee and Mrs. Everdeen holding our children. The children I've never been allowed to hold because they were afraid of what I would do. Truthfully, I was afraid of what I'd do myself.

My attention returns to Katniss who has just kicked one of the guards and bitten the other. Both of them impulsively let go of her as she manages to get a knife from one of their belts. It happens too fast and I was too far away that I couldn't make it in time when she plunges the knife into her abdomen. By the time I've reached her she's already pulled the knife out and cut her wrist. I didn't know what to do and everything was in chaos. I knew no one would be able to make it in time to save her.

"Let me go." she says again this time softly as I cry and I repeat my former words "I can't." Her mother is beside us immediately. Behind her I see Delly and Johanna holding their godchildren. I know she preferred Madge as the godmother rather than Johanna but she came second. I suppose.


The next thing I know I'm in the ICU again holding on to Katniss' hand begging her to wake up. Even though I know its useless. The doctors said that since Katniss hadn't healed from any of her previous injuries yet she would only have a ten percent chance of survival. And all I can think of is Why? Why did she kill Coin? Why did she try to take her own life? Why didn't she think of her mother, of Madeline and Patrick, of Me? What would I do if I lose her?

I hear the door open and see Haymitch. He's holding a disc and he quietly inserts it into the player.

"I think you should see this." He says as I turn to the screen.

The screen is black at first then it shows an image of a greenhouse full of roses and I see snow in there. I watch as the doors open and Katniss enters. She doesn't seem to notice him as she heads straight for a white rose seemingly mesmerized. I know this because she jumps when she hears him speak.

"That's a nice one." He starts "all the colours are lovely of course but nothing says perfection but white."

Katniss doesn't say anything of course she wouldn't.

"I was hoping you'd find your way into my quarters." Snow says.

"..."

"There are so many things we should discuss, but I feel your visit will be brief. So first thing first" Snow pauses as he coughs into his handkerchief. When he pulls it away it was red, stained with blood. "I wanted to tell you how very sorry I am about your sister."

Again only silence greets his words.

"So wasteful, so unnecessary. Anyone could see the game was over by that point. In fact I was just about to issue an official surrender when they released the parachutes." he pauses.

Katniss I could tell was confused by this point, just as I am. I loosen my grip on her finger.

"Well you really didn't think I gave the order, did you? Forget the obvious fact that if I'd had a working hovercraft at my disposal, I'd have been using it to make an escape. But, that aside, what purpose could it have served? We both know I'm not above killing children, but I'm not wasteful. I take life for very specific reasons. And there was no reason for me to take the lives of a pen full of Capitol children. None at all."

He's lying, he has to be. I think to myself because the only other answer to the question of who could have sent those parachutes would be us. The Rebels.

"However, I must concede it was a maserful move on Coin's part. The idea that I was bombing our own helpless children instantly snapped the frail allegiance my people still felt for me. There was no real resistance after that. Did you know it aired live? You can see Plutarch's hand there. And in the parachutes. Well, its that sort of thing you look for in a Head Game Maker, isn't it." He pauses again as he dabs the hanndkerchief on the corners of his mouth. "I'm sure he wasn't gunning for your sister, but these things happen."

Now all I can feel is dread and anger. If Katniss found out about this then it could account for the momentary insanity. It makes me sick as I think about the fact that the Rebels not only killed innocent children but some of their own, worst still Prim.

"My failure" says Snow "was being so slow to grasp Coin's plan. To let the Capitol and the districts destroy each other and then step in to take the power with Thirteen barely scratched. Make no mistakes, she was planning to take my place right from the beginning. I shouldn't be surprised. After all, it was Thirteen that started the rebellion that led to the Dark Days, and abandoned the rest of the districts when the tide turned against it. But I wasn't watching Coin, I was watching you, Mockingjay. And you were watching me. I'm afraid we've both been played for fools."

"I don't believe you." Katniss speaks for the first time since she woke up.

Snow shakes his head "Oh, Ms. Everdeen. I thought we agreed not to lie to each other. Besides if I were you I'd be worried about yourself and your loved ones particularly your children. After all, Coin no longer needs a mockingjay who disobeys orders and is an immediate threat to her rule."

Katniss raises her eyebrow "That was the same thing Boggs told me. I had the power to put anyone I wanted into the presidential seat and if my immediate answer wasn't her then I'm dead." With that she turns to leave as the screen goes black.

Immediately, I'm back in the hospital room gripping Katniss' hand, only this time, I know what led to her decision. Haymitch holds out an envelope for me.

"I didn't know what she was planning but she asked me to give this to you just in case." Haymitch says as I grab the letter. He stands up from his seat and turns to leave when he stops and addresses me one final time.

"Its amazing how quickly the venom left you when you saw her reach for the nightlock." with that he was out the door. I open the letter and immediately begin to read.

Peeta,

Promise me you'll take care of my mother and the twins. They'll need you more than ever if I do succeed in my plans. What ever you do don't try to save me. Let the violent legacy which stains Panem's history end with the last Everdeen heir.

My mother isn't an Everdeen heir because she wasn't born an Everdeen, Prim's dead so she's already ruled out and Madeline and Patrick, they were born into the Mellark bloodline. Everything that's happened in Panem. Everything that stained it was because of the Everdeens.

My ancestor Carlos Everdeen had brought up the idea of Panem. Its name, the structure and had even funded the rebuilding of the nation.

His descendant Maverick Everdeen, another ancestor of mine lived in district Thirteen. He started the rebellion that led to the Dark Days. He saw it unjust that the Capitol hardly did anything, so he rallied the men and convinced the to rebel. When Thirteen was about to abandon the rest of the districts he moved to Twelve and passed on secrets from the time before the Great War and the Natural Disasters.

Generations later there was my father, Petrarch Everdeen, he started the talks of a rebellion in the mine. He was Haymitch's bestfriend. The Capitol found out and they orchestrated the explosion that killed Gale's father. He told me our history before he died and it scared me.

Finally there was me, Katniss Everdeen. The mockingjay, the girl-on-fire who started a rebellion by pulling out poisoned berries. So many people died for me, so many people died because of me. My little sister included. So please let me go, move on and take care of them.

Remember, that I will always love you my Dandelion, my boy with the bread. You gave me hope and you saved me in my worst times, and you made me feel safe in the most dangerous circumstances.

I love you forever,

Katniss

I cry as I finish reading the letter. Katniss isn't an Everdeen anymore. Why couldn't she see that. She was a Mellark has been since the night of our toasting. I grab her hand "Please wake up. For your mother, for Madeline and Patrick, for me." I whisper. I wait for awhile for a response and cry harder when none comes, I drop my head onto the bed. Suddenly I feel her squeeze my hand and I look up to see her waking up. I hold my breath but can't stop the tears that continue to fall.

"Peeta, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She asks me and I laugh at the irony because she's the one who was on the hospital bed.

I hug her and say "I'm fine. Better than that. I'm perfect."