Chapter 4

AN: Still don't own the HG.

I apologize for the delay. Just got home from the lake where there was no internet access and someone was dumb and left her laptop at work *slaps forehead* I've done a quick edit but nothing fabulous so if you see grammar issues I'm sorry! I'll do a more thorough check tomorrow (and I'm not 100% pleased with it) but I thought I'd get the chapter up, at least.

Review/Favorite/Follow alerts make me smile. :)

So, Katniss and Peeta will meet in this chapter. And I'll try to have the next chapter up by the end of the week.

"Well look who decided to grace us with her presence. And only an hour and a half after it was requested. New record."

Katniss scowled at her manager's announcement as she slid onto the stool next to him.

"Effie's on her way here," he said over his drink. When she cocked her eyebrow at him, he continued. "While I understand your stunt this morning, that woman is quite...distraught...over it."

"Her and her 'manners'," she snorted.

"Be that as it may or may not be, I'm not quite in the mood to handle her handle your moodiness so get that in check before she gets here."

"Just blame it on my stress. It's worked before," she grumbled.

He shook his head and downed the rest of his drink. "It won't be that easy this time. Effie's not the only one upset with you and your outburst. You made a scene, an embarrassing one; made yourself look loose cannon and that's not appealing to the public. You're on Snow's radar, sweetheart, but not in a good way."

In the two years they'd been working together, she couldn't recall at time when he was so candid. He usually got his point across through his behavior and use of cryptic phrases. She quickly picked up on what his actions, or lack of action in most cases, meant and formed a stronger bond with him than any of the others in the band. "What does that mean for me?" she asked, massaging her forehead.

"Before the press conference, I was informed that you all wouldn't be allowed out of your contracts quite as easily as you may like. There are some stipulations."

"Like what?" The bartender came over and she ordered two of whatever Haymitch was drinking. He smirked at her selection but she just shrugged him off.

"You still have two years left on your contract with him. On this particular contract, anyway. Under normal circumstances, you'd have two options – you either work or buy yourself out."

"He can do that?" She asked, taking a sip of the drink that appeared. She had learned the hard way, that when she drank whatever Haymitch was drinking to take sips not swallows. At least if she wanted to remain somewhat cognizant of what was happening.

He nodded. "He can do whatever he wants. He owns you."

His words sent shivers down her spine. "So I'll buy myself out. We've all got plenty of money."

"Not nearly enough. Seems it only takes a matter of an hours for Snow to alter your buyout amount." The implication was clear as he took a long draw of his drink.

"Can I do what you did, just help mentor new bands?"

He took a deep breath. Finally setting his glass on the bar he looked her square in the face. "You can't. He wants the public to believe that he didn't make a mistake in keeping you on."

"A mistake?"

"Every time you did something that we ended up blaming on stress, it came back to him. He's been able to keep it quiet but this one apparently tipped the scales. The 'stipulation' on your particular contract states that you have to continue selling albums."

She swallowed hard, tapping her slender fingers around her drink. "But the band's done. What, am I going to be on Gale's new album?" Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have thought that was a bad deal but after their fight today in her room she didn't think she could bring herself to working with him. No, not with him, under him. He was doing this alone – she'd just be a prop to his success.

"No. Your own."

She had chosen the wrong time to take a sip of her drink as she nearly spit it back out. Alone? That idea made her stomach drop harder than working with Gale. "What?" She felt the room narrow and thought she was about to fall off her stool. It was only Haymitch's grasp on her shoulders that brought her back to reality. "He wants me to do what? I don't...I don't sing in public, I never have. It's always been Gale."

"That's all about to change," he said quietly, shaking his head slightly and staring at the floor. "It has to. You don't want to know what he'll do if you're not successful." They sat for a few minutes, letting the uncomfortable silence settle around them. He cleared his throat. "Now, look, that's the deal. Wipe that look off your face or you'll give Effie something else to yell about."

She looked over her shoulder and saw the tornado of color that was Effie Trinket entering the hotel lobby. "Oh crap," she mumbled. She and Effie weren't close; they barely tolerated on another on a good day. And today was anything but a good day.

The normally put together woman turned toward them and her plastered-on smile quickly tightened. "Katniss Everdeen!" She called out, heading toward them. Though there was a large crowd forming in the lobby and bar, they seemed to part just for her. "What were you thinking? Have you absolutely no manners?" Her voice clipped in her strange accent that became more evident when she was angry.

"Evening Effie," she responded, giving Haymitch a swift elbow in the side to stop his snickering.

"And you," she slapped the back of his head as she cross to the seat on his other side. "You did not help the cause by congratulating her on her 'spunk' after she left!" She huffed and sat down. "It's like you enjoy making my life difficult."

"Nope," he answered, rubbing his head and side after his double-attack. "Just one of the few perks in my day."

She slapped the back of his head again.

Katniss suppressed her laughter. She didn't like Effie but she had never seen her so upset as to actually hit someone. She couldn't imagine the petite woman could pack much power into a slap but the way Haymitch flinched when she moved her hands made her question that assumption. It wasn't until Haymitch turned to glare at her that she remembered what she was supposed to do. "Effie," she called, leaning over the bar. "I'm sorry for this morning."

The other woman eyed her cautiously. "You'll have an excellent opportunity to make that clear to everyone when you announce your," she glanced at Haymitch who affirmed he told Katniss the deal, "solo act."

Katniss nodded slowly, the grimace returning to her face. "Yes, that would be just perfect." She didn't bother to hide the sarcasm in her voice, which Effie ignored.

"Excellent. The agency has lined up some promising writers and production teams for you to meet with in the morning."

"The morning? As in tomorrow?" Katniss asked. "Wow, Snow clearly doesn't want to waste anytime, does he?"

Haymitch threw her a look that simply told her to shut her mouth.

Effie pursed her lips. "I'm sure he doesn't want to lose any of District 12's momentum. Haymitch," she turned her attention away from Katniss. "I'd like a table for dinner tonight. Will you be a dear and request a table for four?" He started to protest until she placed her hand on his forearm. He sighed and meandered over to the host stand, starting up a lively conversation with the man.

"I didn't want to hear his reaction to what I'm about to tell you," she explained to Katniss, who was clearly confused as to why Effie sent Haymitch away. Confused and annoyed that she'd have to deal with this insufferable woman on her own.

"What could possibly upset him but not me?"

"I didn't say it wouldn't upset you. I know full well it will. But I can only deal with one temper at a time. And since it directly involves you," she added pointedly, "I saw it only fair to tell you first."

"I appreciate that," Katniss spat out.

"And I'll appreciate you watching your tone with me. I'm as much on your team as Haymitch is." Katniss snorted at this and Effie narrowed her eyes. "We don't like each other but we both are fond of him. And, believe me, this is as about him as it is you."

Katniss stared the other woman down, not sure if she fully believed that Effie was concerned for her, rather than the company's, best interests.

"I'd like you to start dating someone. Someone you already know, if applicable."

Effie's request threw her off. The anger that was building was beginning to boil over again. "I don't date," she snapped.

"You didn't date," the older woman corrected her. "At least not publicly. But that's not Snow's vision for you anymore. A public relationship will help you appeal to your audience. It'll make people like you."

"Haymitch always said I have the appeal of a slug," Katniss told her. "Why does Snow believe that'll change?"

"Because you won't be doing it on your own. You'll have a prep team to help you look your best at all times. Haymitch will stay on as your manager, of course. And you'll have me as your PR rep. Add that to some much needed time away from Mr. Hawthorne and we may be able to convince everyone that your outburst about his potential divorce was more about the end of two people in love and not about being caught with your hand in the proverbial cookie jar."

Katniss felt her jaw drop slightly at the end of Effie's speech.

"I take it you haven't seen any footage from the press conference?" The woman asked, slightly confused.

Katniss shook her head, unable to form words.

"Let's just say that any preexisting suspicions were confirmed. And what you need to do is convince everyone the opposite. You need to convince Snow, most of all. If you can't figure out a way to do that, he'll use it against you. And you don't want to know what he's capable of doing."

She recognized the warning, it was similar to the one Haymitch had given her on the same subject. Make Snow happy or suffer the consequences. She wondered if she wouldn't be the only one punished – maybe he'd go after Gale. Or Leevy. She didn't particularly like Gale's wife but didn't want anything to happen to her either. She didn't have any other loved ones except her sister. But she was safe on the other side of the country, sheltered by anonymity.

"So I convince the world that I'm in love with love. Won't a public romance just look like I'm over-compensating or something?"

Effie smiled slyly. "I'm glad you asked. I have a secret weapon that may just do the trick. He were originally brought in for Gale, since we didn't find out about your situation until today, but the paperwork was 'misfiled' and wound up in your pile."

Haymitch made his way back over to the women and pointed to a table in the corner that was being prepared by the staff. It was well hidden from the lobby and he was assured it would be the best place for people of their status to have a quiet, peaceful dinner. "Some kid's looking for you," he reported, staring intently at Effie, who stared back, a smile still playing on her lips.

All three sets of eyes then turned toward the maitre-d' where a young man stood, nervously running his hand through his blond hair. "Ah, and there he is now! Peeta!" She stood, calling to him. When he looked over at them, Katniss felt a chill run through her. Piercing blue eyes that looked eerily familiar, as if out of a dream or memory, latched onto hers. It felt as though he was moving in slow motion, though she was sure that was just her imagination. When he reached them, he flashed a nervous smile that was as bright as anything she had ever seen.

"Peeta, I'm Effie Trinket. I believe one of my associates spoke with your boss yesterday." She held her hand out and he took it, though his eyes stayed focused on Katniss'. "And this is Haymitch Abernathy," she continued, putting her hand gently on Hatmitch's shoulder. "I believe you two may have already met."

"Only for a moment," he answered quietly, finally pulling his eyes off of hers, turning them towards Haymitch. "It's a real honor to meet you. You're something of a legend in my family." His voice may have been soft, but Katniss heard a confidence in it that she wasn't expecting. Especially for talking to someone who he apparently admired greatly.

Haymitch looked the boy up and down and snorted. "I wouldn't announce that in public, boy," and nodded his head toward the table that was not set up. "Let's sit."

Effie clucked after him. "He's drunk," Katniss explained, watching him stumble through the tables.

"From what I hear he's always drunk," Peeta answered.

She laughed softly and looked back to him. "More often than not," she admitted. "So you're the secret weapon?"

"Is that what she called me?" he asked, with a hint of humility. "No pressure, I suppose."

She wanted to tell him that he couldn't begin to understand the pressure he'd be under. That both of them were under to succeed. But he couldn't possibly understand. He saw this as a job – a way to break into the industry, obviously, not as a way to protect her or anyone else.

She should be repulsed by him and his schmoozing, calling Haymitch a legend and pretending to be humbled by his nickname. Instead, she realized she didn't know how she felt about him. His pure physical attractiveness was obvious, she couldn't help but notice the craned necks and hidden glances from the other women in the bar. But she had met plenty of attractive people, hell Finnick was more attractive than this guy. Yet Finnick had never made her stomach twist like this. She had just met Peeta and already she felt something more intense than anything she had ever felt, even more than Gale. Gale. She had just been dumped. Anything she was feeling was a consequence of that. Rebound feelings. Combine that with the arousal that came with the realization that she would have to make herself the center of attention and totally change her personality to do so and it was no wonder why Peeta was having this effect on her. "We should probably go over there since they're going to be talking about us."

He held his hand out to help her off her stool. She considered taking it, having never really been exposed to chivalry, even if it wasn't authentic. Instead, she hopped off on her own and started walking toward the other two. She glanced over her shoulder at Peeta and had to quickly look away. He was watching her, his eyes on her, with a boyish smile that made her feel like she was a teenager again. 'Damn it,' she thought.

Dinner passed uneventfully. Haymitch and Effie were already seated next to each other when Katniss and Peeta arrived, so Katniss took the spot next to Haymitch, resolving that she was less upset with him than with Effie. She found it difficult to pay attention to most of what the 'adults' were talking about because even though those intense blue eyes were focused on Effie, they were hypnotic from the side.

"Katniss?"

She shook her head and realized that the three of them were looking at her, waiting for a response. "Huh?"

"What do you think about the idea?" Haymitch asked.

She shifted her gaze between the three of them, biting her lower lip as she tried to remember something about what they had just been talking about. 'Damn him,' she thought. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Peeta's hand gently tap her fork off the table. They both reached down to grab it.

"They want to know how you feel about doing a few months of photo-ops and interviews. They think it'll be a good way to prep you for when your debut," he whispered.

"What do you think?" She didn't know why she bothered to ask him, but since they'd be working together she told herself it was as much a decision as hers. Or at least he deserved some input.

"I think it can't hurt. It'd give me some time to get to know you and write some stuff that feels more natural for you. Make you more of an individual and less like a piece in their game."

She tightened her hold on the fork and popped back up. "I think it sounds fine. It'll give me some time to get used to the new me. Then Peeta and I can get to know each other. Make it more authentic."

Haymitch let out a small sigh of relief and sat back in his chair. Effie clapped her hands and began writing furiously on a napkin. "Excellent. It's best if we get started right away with you, we have so much work to do. Peeta, you'll need to come down to the office tomorrow to sign your contract papers and meet with the production team. And, Katniss, I'll let your prep team know they can get started in the morning."

"Lovely," Peeta and Katniss both said at the same time.

Haymitch let out a snicker and stood abruptly from the table. "If that's all, I'm going back to my room." He grabbed his glass and started stumbling out.

Effie groaned. "That," she said, nodding toward the drunk, "is an PR nightmare. I'll go make sure he doesn't say or do anything I'll have to clean up in the morning. I'll have cars sent for both of you in the morning." With that, she chased after Haymitch, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

"So." Katniss started, not really sure what to say to him right now. Or if she was supposed to say anything to him. Or what she was supposed to do herself.

"You want to get out of here?" he asked suddenly. "I hate these kind of places, they feel so stuffy."

"I don't think I'm allowed out," she answered, eyes turned to the swarm of reporters lined up outside the hotel doors.

"These places have back doors, you know."

"Anywhere we'd go people would figure it out." She countered. The anger and intrigue were battling one another. The anger had been around a lot longer and was a lot stronger than she imagined.

"I know some places."

"I'm really not in the mood to be harassed by paparazzi tonight. I'll get enough of that for the next two years. At least."

He thought this over for a minute. "Come on, Katniss. Tonight's kind of like your last day of freedom for a while. Those reporters have three other people to focus their attention on. After you announce your solo album it'll just be you."

"You're an idiot if you think they're going to go after the others tonight. I'm the one who walked out of a press conference." She was frustrated that he didn't understand. This wasn't a game for her, it was her life. Which, ironically, had become somewhat of a game lately that she was being forced to play. With no clear rules or instructions.

"Then think of it as your last hurray or something."

"What were you dropped on your head as a child or something?" She snapped. "I don't want to go anywhere."

"Are your moods always this up and down or is tonight a special occasion?" He asked with a sarcastic tone. Here he was, trying to help this woman relax and forget about what was going on in her world and she kept shutting him down.

"You're just one of the lucky ones, I guess," she answered, confusion filling her brain. What was her problem. Oh yea, Gale. And Snow. And this whole mess.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart." He stood and turned to leave.

She refused to watch him go, her anger not yet having subsided. She heard a soft cough behind her and as she turned, there was his hand again, outstretched, waiting for hers. "What?" she asked.

"If you can't go out and have fun, then I guess we'll have to celebrate in the hotel."

Katniss stared at his hand, then up at his eyes that weren't masking anything. It unnerved her. Had she been wrong to distrust him earlier? She couldn't keep her head straight around him and she didn't like it. "Are you always this damn stubborn?" She expected him to walk off when she snapped at him. It's what Gale would have done. Always did.

"I prefer persistent," he answered with a smile. "And, yes, it's unfortunately one of those Mellark traits that I inherited. I don't back away from things because they're challenging."

She fought her own smile. Again, rather than taking his hand, she slid off her chair and stood toe to toe with him. Her emotions were on high alert. "Sit at the bar for fifteen minutes. Room 718."

She tried not to breathe in his scent, like a freshly baked cookie. And something else she couldn't identify that seemed to send a shock through her body. He nodded and she spun away nearly hitting him in the face with her braid. She decided not to second guess herself on whether or not that was a good decision. He had a point – this was her last day to do what she wanted before her life became totally dictated by someone else. She ignored the nagging voice in her head that told her this action was probably being dictated by what happened today.

She took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the barrage of cameras that stood between her and the sanctuary of her room. She couldn't believe this was going to be her life for the next two years. It was the one thing she liked about being in the band – the attention was diffused among the rest of them. Now it was going to be all about her.

"You can do this," he whispered in her ear, making her jump. He pressed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

She exhaled and walked away from his touch into the crowd. He tried not to stare at her retreating figure for too long, the way she filled out her jeans, the way her braid swung back and forth. More than that, he fought to keep his smile from breaking his face in two. He took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink, keeping a strict eye on the clock behind the bartender. 'Fifteen minutes,' he told himself. 'Fifteen minutes.'