It had taken nearly three weeks for Katniss Everdeen to come to trial for the killing of Alma Coin. The trial itself lasted five days. The prosecution had required less than half of one day to present its case, and the remainder had been used by the defense to establish Katniss Everdeen's state of mind at the time of the killing. The jury needed less than twenty minutes to find Katniss Everdeen not guilty by reason of mental disturbance. In view of this verdict, the case was immediately transferred from the jury to the Justice Council for further deliberations on Katniss Everdeen's fate. At three o'clock that same day, the Council released a statement that the final decision in the Everdeen case would be rendered the following morning at nine.
Just before the Council's afternoon statement, Peeta Mellark had been summoned by President Paylor to the Justice Center. Immediately upon his arrival, he was escorted into what seemed to be a judge's chamber. President Paylor had been seated in one of the chairs, and she stood upon his arrival.
"Mr. Mellark, thank you for coming on such short notice. Please, sit." She gestured to the chair opposite her, and Peeta sat down at the edge of the seat.
"President Paylor, can you tell me what will happen to Katniss?"
"The decision will be announced tomorrow, but the Council is still weighing its options. Because the jury found that Katniss Everdeen is not mentally fit, her mother has been given legal responsibility for her. The Council has offered two alternative sentences to Mrs. Everdeen, and she has requested a meeting with you before deciding what would be best for her daughter." President Paylor looked at Peeta, who had now blanched. "Mr. Mellark, will you agree to meet with Mrs. Everdeen?"
"Yes. Of course. Whatever I can do."
"Thank you, Mr. Mellark. Please excuse me: I'll bring in Mrs. Everdeen now."
Peeta nodded and began to stand up but President Paylor waved him off. As he sat down again, he began to wonder what Mrs. Everdeen could possibly want to talk to him about. He couldn't remember having even a single conversation with her in District 12, whether before or after their first Games, and especially not after her remarks about Katniss being too young for a boyfriend. In District 13, while Prim had involved herself in his treatment, he couldn't recall ever seeing Mrs. Everdeen. Following the fall of Snow's regime, Peeta had spent most of his time in the Capitol undergoing various medical procedures and therapy sessions so he had rarely seen anyone not directly involved with his treatment. But even during Katniss' trial, which he had attended each and every day, he had only seen Katniss' mother on the one day that she had testified about Coin's order that Prim join the medical unit that would be sent to the Capitol.
A sharp rap at the door interrupted these thoughts, and he stood up as Mrs. Everdeen entered the room, holding several folders in her hand. She walked over to Peeta and wordlessly sat down in the chair formerly occupied by President Paylor. Peeta followed her lead and regarded Mrs. Everdeen. He saw that she also seemed to be studying him, but with almost a clinical interest. Peeta blushed slightly but also refused to avert his eyes from Mrs. Everdeen's stare.
It had been general District consensus that Prim was the Everdeen daughter who favored their mother. With Mrs. Everdeen sitting not three feet from him, Peeta now saw that Katniss shared many more features in common with her mother than he had realized, such as their slight stature and the shape of their faces. And, unexpectedly, their eyes: while Mrs. Everdeen's eyes may have been blue, they were no less steely than Katniss', and every bit as challenging and determined.
"You remind me of your father when he was your age," remarked Mrs. Everdeen.
This observation caused Peeta to break eye contact and look down at his lap. He still struggled with grief over losing his family, and he didn't want to discuss them right now, especially when he needed to focus on doing whatever was needed from him regarding Katniss' sentence. "Mrs. Everdeen, I was told that you wanted to speak to me about Katniss. Can you please let me know what you need?"
"The Council is inclined to order Katniss confined to District 12 for an indefinite period of time. An obvious disadvantage of this scheme is that she will be far removed from her medical and psychiatric team, but Dr. Aurelius would be willing to treat her remotely via telephone. She would be assigned a caretaker, and Haymitch would also return to District 12, so there would be at least one familiar face. Returning Katniss home and surrounding her with people that she can trust unreservedly would, I think, be very helpful for her recovery. The one thing holding them back from making a final judgment, however, is you."
"Me?" questioned Peeta.
"Yes, you," replied Mrs. Everdeen. "While your hijacking by the Capitol is still classified information, it was reported to the Council in interest of full disclosure by Katniss' defense team. Accordingly, the possibility of your return to District 12 is considered to be the greatest drawback to the present proposal. Dr. Aurelius has submitted a technical report describing your diagnosis, your treatment regime, and your prospects for recovery. However, he cannot make a formal recommendation on this matter due to the rather significant conflict of interest. And so the Council has asked that I submit a recommendation before they make their final decision. If you're still considered a threat, Katniss could still return to District 12 if you agree to forgo ever returning to the District."
Peeta considered this information. "So, you're not returning to District 12?"
"Not with Katniss, no."
"But you're her mother! How can you abandon her?" Peeta's eyes blazed with outrage. "Again?"
Mrs. Everdeen met Peeta's fire with coldness. "And you're the man who has tried to kill my daughter at least twice so I think that you can tone down the self-righteousness just a bit."
At this, Peeta deflated entirely, not only by the truth of Mrs. Everdeen's recrimination but also by the unexpected reminder of the angry and strained conversation that he and Katniss had had after Annie and Finnick's wedding. Lost in his thoughts, he started when he felt a hand on top of his forearm.
"I'm sorry, Peeta. That was uncalled for." He stared at her blankly, and Mrs. Everdeen continued. "I know how many times your only concern has been to protect Katniss, including preventing her from taking nightlock after she killed Coin. I've read Aurelius' report, and I know what Prim told me in District 13." She removed a paper from one of her folders and handed it to Peeta.
"As you can see, I already plan to declare that Katniss should be returned to District 12 and that you do not pose a threat to her. I do believe that she needs to be surrounded by people whom she trusts. You're one of those people; I'm not." She allowed Peeta to finish reading her written statement before continuing. "You and my daughter used to bring out so much strength in each other. I know that Katniss would do better if you returned to District 12 but what I don't know, and why I'm here, is whether the same could be said for you. Do you even want to return to District 12?"
"Yes-of course!" Peeta exclaimed. "I'd do anything for Katniss."
"I know, Peeta, I know," replied Mrs. Everdeen softly. "But what's best for Katniss' recovery isn't necessarily the same as what's best for your recovery. You need to be aware of that."
Peeta nodded. "Please believe me, Mrs. Everdeen, when I tell you that going to District 12 is what I need to do." He handed the statement back to Katniss' mother and looked expectantly at her.
"I do believe you. And thank you." Mrs. Everdeen returned the paper to its folder and then selected two envelopes from her stack of documents. She handed one to Peeta. "Please take this." She watched as Peeta carefully opened the envelope and studied a photograph of two young men.
"He was good friends with my older brother, which is how we knew each other," Mrs. Everdeen explained. "This was taken when they were about nineteen or so. He was so kind, so gentle-you really do remind me so much of your father. But you also remind me of your mother." Peeta's head snapped up and he stared at Mrs. Everdeen, who persevered in her observation. "I didn't know her as well, of course, but I do know that she was a very determined and stubborn woman, and you are a very determined and stubborn young man."
Peeta smiled wryly at this observation, and he looked down at the photograph once again. When he looked up, Mrs. Everdeen was again scrutinizing him.
"Your father might have wanted to marry me at some point when he was younger, but he wasn't one to pine, and he moved on with his life. As you know, Katniss' father often traded with your father, so I kept up with him that way. I was always glad to hear that he was doing well and had a growing family that he loved." She paused, and a smile crept over her face. "I rarely went into town after my marriage, but one of the few times I did was when Katniss was just a few months old. I had her with me as I stopped by the bakery, and your father just beamed when he saw her. He was so happy for her father and me. But that happiness paled in comparison to the pride in his voice when he told me how you had been born only the previous week. You and your brothers meant the world to him."
Peeta continued looking at the photograph in silence. After several more moments, Mrs. Everdeen again broke the silence. "I'd like you to have this as well." She handed the second envelope to Peeta, who carefully opened it to reveal another photograph, this time of a group of twenty young children. The recognition was so instantaneous and so joyful that Mrs. Everdeen laughed at the grin on Peeta's face.
"I see that you recognize the picture of your kindergarten class. I thought that you might like it."
Peeta gazed at the photograph. Of course, he had immediately looked for and found himself and Katniss. And then there was Delly right next to him, and there was Madge off to the side. How young and innocent they had all looked back then, before everything.
"I can't take these pictures," he said suddenly, and he held them out to Mrs. Everdeen. "I can't take them away from you. They belong to you and Katniss."
Katniss' mother shook her head, stood up, and walked over to the door. "These photographs have a great deal of meaning for me, and I wouldn't have given them to just anyone. You're right-they do belong to my family, and giving them to you doesn't change that. Take care, Peeta."
She left the room before Peeta could fully understand all that she had entrusted him with that day.
…
A/N: I've developed various head canons that I might try exploring as fics. This story is inspired by the four head canons listed below.
- Katniss is much more like her mother than she realizes or would ever admit. The story could have been longer if Mrs. Everdeen weren't such a woman of few words.
- While Mr. Mellark still thought of Mrs. Everdeen with fondness, he well and truly moved on with his life.
- Peeta is younger than Katniss by several months.
- While Mrs. Everdeen was initially suspicious of Katniss and Peeta's relationship being a Capitol set up, she has come to believe that Peeta and Katniss do love each other and can help each other heal.