Hey everyone! If you're reading this, I want to thank you for taking an interest in this story! This is an RP that me and my friend Kristina did for like 6 months. Please keep in mind this story is rated M for sexual content and use of language.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or the characters involved in this story. They all belong to Suzanne Collins.
It's about three months after the seventy-fifth Hunger Games. Everyone is in District Thirteen preparing for the war. I am walking the main hallways to my quarters when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see it's Coin. I roll my eyes. Of all the people in the world, it just had to be her. I'd be happier to see a drunken Haymitch on my shoulder right now.
I glare at her and push her hand off my shoulder. "They need you down in Command, Soldier Everdeen," she says. I can tell by the look in her eyes that there is no way I am getting out of this. She means business.
I walk down to Command escorted by two peacekeepers Coin had specifically told to watch me to make sure I don't take a detour. I have a tendency to do that lately. Usually I'll slip into a closet or under a stairwell to escape. To think about things. To make sense of what has happened...
I am Katniss Everdeen.
I am seventeen years old.
I escaped the Hunger Games twice.
District Thirteen does exist.
Things have happened between other guys and myself.
I don't know if I did those things with Peeta for an act.
I know that two guys stand out amongst the others though...
Unfortunately, I can't do that now. I walk through three sets of heavy, metal doors and see Gale, Boggs, and some other person I didn't know sitting at the table.
Gale gets up and takes my hand. "We're good, soldiers," he tells the peacekeepers. Why can't I be trusted? I mean, I know I'm going insane from not having Peeta here right now, but I just want some privacy. I worry about him a lot being held captive by President Snow. They'll torture him to death. I last saw him a few days ago on a mandatory viewing from the Capitol. He looked thin, pale, and weak. Then he told the whole country, actually more specifically me, that the people in Thirteen would be dead by morning. He didn't seem like he meant it though. It actually seemed as if he could care even less... Then there were loud gasps and the camera went blank just as I heard him scream and saw blood splatter on the floor.
I haven't realized I've been standing the whole time thinking about this until Gale cleared his throat. I sit down in a chair next to him and speak up. "So what am I here for?"
Boggs, the head of Command, stands up and starts pacing. I hate when he does that. "As you know, Soldier Everdeen, we lack soldiers that know how to fight hand-to-hand combat." I nod and keep looking at him. "This young man knows how we can get some skilled soldiers." He motions to a redheaded boy who is sitting on the other side of Gale and the boy stands up. He doesn't look to be more than maybe thirteen or fourteen years old. He walks over to me and hands me a blueprint of what looks to be a metal table with a few wires dangling from it.
"First of all, I'm Hawk. You had my sister in your seventy-fourth Games. Her name is Finch." I tense up remembering seeing her lips stained with purple juice from the nightlock berries. Gale rubs my arm and Hawk keeps talking. "Getting down to business, I found a way to bring back tributes who have died in the Games. The blueprint is instructions for a table that can bring people back to life, provided we have their body and some form of DNA."
I study the blueprint and only one person comes to my mind at the moment. My father. He could kill Snow in a second. However, I don't have his body and I'm sure every trace of his DNA is off of his hunting jacket by now. I look up at Hawk and stare at him for a second before speaking, realizing what he's suggesting. "So we're bringing back the tributes from my Games?"
He nods. "Yes. Only your first Games, though. We have the military defense flying in with the bodies tomorrow. We want you to get to know them, make them feel comfortable, train them, make them like you. We want them on our side and back in shape in three days or less." I nod knowing this is a lot harder than he thinks it is.
I look at Gale and I can tell he knows I'm nervous. "You can do this, Catnip. Once we get the Careers back, they can help you, too. I'll be by your side the whole time." He gently kisses my cheek and I blush.
The whole country of Panem is resting on my shoulders now. I am being assumed to the Mockingjay position at this very second and there's no going back.
Tonight, I lay awake in my bed, thoughts are turning in my head. Between this new position, the war, and choosing between Gale and Peeta... Peeta! What would he think of all this if he were here right now? I know he would be comforting me tonight, kissing away the nightmares, unlike Gale who keeps his distance. I know sleep is not an option so I get up and wander the halls. I see Buttercup sitting outside the room that belongs to my mother and Prim. He meows at me and I let him in the room quietly and keep walking. I suddenly see a man's figure pacing in front of me and I freeze when he sees me.
"Hey, Catnip." Just from him saying that I know it's Gale. I practically run into his arms and start crying. No one, outside of my mother and Prim, has seen me cry like this. He rubs my back. "Shh... Katniss, it's okay. You can do this." I shake my head and he takes my face in his strong, warm hands. "You're stronger than they are. This isn't like the Games. More than one person can survive." With that he pulls me closer and I soon find my lips kissing his and my hands running through his hair.
He pulls away gently about a minute or so later. I lost track of how long the kiss was about halfway through. "Come sleep with me tonight." He takes my hand and takes me to his room and we both lay down, his arms wrapped around me. This change in his attitude has me perplexed. Just two days ago he didn't care about my feelings at all and now, here I am in his bed, with him gently stroking my arms. I want to ask him about it, but I'm scared of his answer. And to be more honest, I just don't have the energy after all that's happened today.
I close my eyes at his touch and remember the tributes will be here tomorrow. I need sleep so I can face the people I killed and train them to be strong soldiers. That is not on my mind though. When I am asleep, I dream of me and Gale in the meadow, running around, laughing, like there is no danger whatsoever. And that's only the beginning.
I hope the prologue really spiked your interest more in this story. I'll try to update every few days (seeing as I have chapters 1-8 done already). This is my first fanfic EVER so please review. Thanks! :) xx
