Hello!
Here is the next Chapter, things will start progress now, and just so everyone knows this story has two main focus points, the relationship between Peeta and Katniss, as well as touching on the subject of Gale. And also the rebellion they are fighting in, and the events of the rebellion will play out differently, some people will die, others won't, the war tactics might change, and who knows (apart from me) if they will even win?
I hope you enjoy it. In this chapter I just want to get across the way the characters will be acting and their personalities more than anything.
"Well isn't this a loverly sight!" Johanna's voice brings me out of my slumber, that and the slamming of the door as she lets Finnick and herself in. Visitors isn't something I really want yet, I didn't mind Peeta being here because he doesn't irritate me, he is content to just sit in silence with me. But I really don't want to speak to Johanna, she is defiantly not on my list of priorities to talk to, I'd rather it be Gale or my family. I still don't know much of what is going on and I don't want to start my day off with an argument. But knowing I just need to get this over and done with I reposition myself on the bed so I am sitting up, still partially covered by the quilt.
"You wouldn't think they'd done it the way they're laying would you Finnick?" she pretends to whisper to Finnick, but she makes it loud enough for me to hear and swiftly turn a bright shade of red. She also knows that what we said about the baby is a lie and this just makes me more pissed off with her interruption than I already was.
"Johanna." Peeta's voice holds an unspoken warning, I had forgotten he was here and it takes me a few minutes to remember where 'here' is.
I then remember when Johanna shoved a knife deep into my arm. I shift in my bed flipping the quilt off of me and standing on my feet. My bones are sore and I ache everywhere. But the urge to hurt Johanna like she did me is more important than rest. How can they be letting someone like her walk around freely? Especially in a hospital! But as soon as I position all my weight onto my feet I feel my knees give way and my ankle scream out in pain as I fall to the ground.
"Katniss!" Peeta exclaims as jumps off his chair and runs around the bed, not quick enough to catch me. He kneels down beside me, a look of worry on his face, I just smile at him. It must have looked more like a wince as he then asks me if I'm okay and proceeds to help me up and guide me to the edge of the bed I just so gracefully fell off. His arms snake their way around my back, and carefully, he picks my up, allowing me to regain my balance and guide me to the edge of the bed so I can sit down. Peeta sits down next to me on the bed. I'm embarrassed at how incapable I am, and that Johanna was there to see me fall. Surprisingly she doesn't laugh, she just stares at me and this only seems to spur on the anger I have towards her. My anger must be written all across my face as Johanna mocks me.
"Awww it poor ickle Katniss angry! Well listen I helped you! Everything I did in that arena was for you honey!"
"Sorry I didn't thank you, I think the blood loss from you shoving a knife in my arm was more of a priority." I almost yell at Johanna, even if she is on our side, whatever our side is, I want answers. And even if she tried to help me it does't mean I have to like her.
She goes to speak again, an angry glint forming in her eyes, Finnick cuts her off.
"How are you feeling Katniss?" Physically Finnick looks fine, but there is a look in his eyes that I've only seen in his eyes once before. When the jabber jays were mimicking the sound of Annie. Its a pain I felt when Peeta was hit by the forcefield and I thought he had died. It's the same look that haunts all my family since the death of my father. I wonder if Annie made it here? If people from 12 were rescued, would they had had the chance to reduce people from other districts?
"Annie was taken by the Capitol, lover boy here has been throwing a pity party ever since." Johanna's bluntness shocks me, but what stocks me more is that Finnick doesn't say anything, he doesn't argue or explain he just continues to stare at me, drowning in his sorrows. The cheeky, confident man I knew at the Capitol is gone.
"How are you Katniss?"
"Good." I say as I stare at him.
"Well, if anyone cares, and I all know you don't, I'm great also!" Johanna pipes in.
Her fake tone irritates me causing me to snap, "Shut up!"
"Have I upset you?" She pretends to wipe a tear away from her face as if she cares, but I've never seen her care for anything. I had thought after she had told us about what Snow had done to her family that we were closer, that she would at least talk to me without getting on my nerves. But I guess some miracles never happen.
"What's your problem? What have I done to you? If anyone should be pissed off around here it's me. You shoved a knife into my arm! And you still haven't told me why.?"
"Chill princess, trust me I did it for your benefit."
"How can I trust you, you've given me no reason to."
"No reason to, god get off your high horse!"
"I wouldn't be on one if people would just tell me what is going on around here."
Johanna goes to approach me, her face starting to turn to anger. I feel Peeta grip on my arm tight as he discreetly moves to defend me. I quickly glance at him to tell him it's okay but the way he is starring daggers at Johanna tells me I probably shouldn't interrupt him.
"Johanna calm down." Finnick speaks up grabbing Johanna's wrist, turning her around to face him. "Just explain to her, you're making this much more dramatic than it needs to be!"
Johanna pulls her wrist free of Finnicks grip and sighs in annoyance, pulling a face just like a baby who is throwing a strop. I really don't see why everyone says she is on our side, she hasn't proved it and she seems more unstable than me. How can I trust her? I also can't help but feel bad for Finnick, he is unable to be with his girlfriend who could be going through some sort of torture right now and he doesn't know and he is also stuck with Johanna, trying to parent her.
"Listen Prnicess, I'll say it once because I don't owe you anything, if anything you owe me. So be quiet."
Naturally I go to interrupt but peeta is quick to stop me. He leans closer to me so his mouth is inches away from my ear, I can feel is warm breath traveling down my neck as he whispers to me, "Please Katniss, it will make sense, just listen to her." As he speaks his lips graze my ear ever so slightly, sturring something inside of me, I ignore it but am unable to speak as I don't trust my voice to come out normal due to his closeness. Instead I just nod my head and try to put a bit of space between Peeta's body and mine without him noticing. But he does notice and I feel terrible as he lets go of me completely and just stares at Johanna as I let her explain.
(So Johanna did everything she did because of the same reasons in the actual book so I won't explain them as I want to get on with the story.)
"So I really don't see why I need to apologise Princess, I only did it to remove your tracker and I put up with Nuts and Volts for you the entire games! So you should be thanking me, because none of this is my fault, it's all Snow's fault."
I don't really know what to say, I'm not good with words. Though everything she has said seems believable I still don't trust her, and I don't know if I will ever be able to be friends, we are too alike, but there is one thing we can settle on and that's our mutual hatred towards Snow.
"Okay."
Next to me I feel Peeta's body relax at my response, he lets go of a breath I didn't realise he was holding and starts to speak, "well now that's settled-"
"But just cause I did all of that for you Princess doesn't mean I like you, got it?" Johanna interrupts.
"Don't worry I feel the same way."
"So when you getting out of here? You've had 3 days off, we've all had to work and you've been lounging around the place with lover boy here" she motions to Peeta, "I'm sure he doesn't mind, he hasn't left you're side, he obviously enjoyed spending the time with you." At this Peeta turns a light shade of pink.
I'm shocked at Johanna's words. He hasn't left my side since we got here? It would explain him still being in his dirty clothes, but why wouldn't he go, has he not visited Rye?
"Jo, lets go, i'm hungry." Finnick, quiet until now heads for the door and is followed by Johanna, and even though I feel bad for Finnick, i'm glad their going, talking to people isn't my strong suit, especially people I haven't known that long and was about to kill a few days ago.
"I hope you feel better Katniss and you should come down to the training room soon, I know they've stored your father's bow in there, Gale bought it from 12 for you." This news brings me joy, the first happiness I have felt since being reaped for the games. The idea of not having my bow scars me, it's been one of the few constant things in my life that I trust. Even though it wasn't Finnick who got it for me I still say thank you as he leaves.
Sadly Johanna isn't quite ready to leave yet as just before she walks out the door she turns back around her mood has become much more somber, "Katniss I am on your side and next time we see Snow I will kill him. Painfully, I promise."
I almost smile at what appears to be a way of bonding with me, but I also know she means what she is saying. Snow has ripped everyone she loves from her and she is fighting for revenge, justice, and to protect everyone else who has loved ones. Just as I am.
"Not if I get to him first, I will only feel safe when my arrow goes straight through his head and I watch the life leave him. He can never be able to hurt anyone else again. We've all suffered too much."
"Yeh, we have." It's only momentary, but I see pain flash through her eyes, it isn't a sarcastic reply, just the truth, and that hurts more than any insult ever could.
"We'll get him, we will make him pay. I might miss for you, just get him in the side so he bleeds out painfully until you get there. Then you can finish him off." I shoot her a smile, in an attempt to make the mood lighter. At my words Johanna smiles ever so slightly, not the fake smile she wore at the Capitol but, despite how morbid the conversation is, it is a genuine smile I have never seen before. That smile and the pain she has been through because of Snow makes me think that perhaps we can work together to bring him down. To make him suffer, like he has made thousands do.
Occupied by my gruesome thoughts I had fail to hear Gale walk into my hospital room. It is only as he stands in the door frame and calls my name that I notice him.
"Catnip." He just stands there, he eyes starring into me I become a bit uncomfortable at the intensity of his stare but I don't look away, I've missed him too much. His face is unreadable, I can't tell what he is thinking I never can, I want to hug him. I want to be reminded of home and how everything used to be. Things are so different now that I don't know what to say to him at first.
I notice him look at Peeta who is still sitting next to me on the bed. The look he gives him is much colder than the one he gave me and i'm not sure why.
"Welllll," Johanna says, rolling the 'l' on her tongue, "as un-awkward as this is I'm gonna go before you kill each other with those looks. See you at lunch Princess, Lover boy."
And with that she walks out the room leaving me alone with Peeta and Gale.
There it is the second chapter, how are you guys finding it?
I just want to say that Katniss' feelings towards Peeta are complicated. She thinks it is friendship but is unsure as to why it is different than it is with Gale. She is starting to find more comfort in him than Gale and as the story progresses their relationship will progress positively and negatively.
Hope your liking it, please review it means so much to me, and I'll see you in the next chapter with Gale, what do you think his reaction is going to be? x