In a different world, the Dark Days brought about mutations, called elementals. Children with affinities for the elements. They are a danger, they must be exterminated. This puts quite a strain on the evolving relationship between Katniss and Peeta. Day Six: Hazel "Reconciliation"
Part Six
Peeta's plan of using a secret marriage to stop Coin from forcing Katniss and Gale to marry works, and she stops harassing Katniss about breeding with him, 'for now' she adds. Once the war is over, she tells Katniss that they will all be free from their secrets.
A few days after they shoot the propos, extraction teams are sent to all the districts to remove families of anyone that is involved, in fear of retaliation. Katniss is thankful, because she knows her mother and sister would be among the first casualties. She and Gale will be on the team that goes to District Four, apparently there is someone there that's high profile as far as the rebels are concerned.
When they arrive, Katniss is shocked to see a young woman, who cannot be more than twenty-three. She is slender, with wavy brown locks that end near her waist, and sea green eyes that are completely unfocused. This stirs something in Katniss, and makes her want to take her time and make this as easy as possible for her. She approaches her slowly, like she would a wounded animal, and talks in a soothing voice, "Hi, my name is Katniss and this is Gale," she gestures behind her but doesn't look away from the woman. "We were sent here to take you someplace safe. Will you come with us?"
The woman says nothing, and Katniss continues her easy approach, gently taking her hands in her own, willing her into reality. She blinks several times, and squeezes Katniss' hands, "I'm Annie."
Katniss smiles at her, "Hi Annie, I'm Katniss."
Gale comes up behind her, "Katniss, we've got to go, we're not going to make the rendezvous." He startles Annie, and she looks up at him with wide eyes.
She nods, "Annie? Can you look at me?" Once she has her attention again, she tries to explain, "Annie, we were sent to get you someplace safe, where you won't be hurt. Will you come with us?"
She doesn't seem to understand, and Katniss is afraid they'll have to knock her out with the gas they brought. She evidently takes too long as Gale chimes in again, "Annie, we've got to get you out of here. People are going to come for you, and they might hurt you if we don't get you to safety, now."
This triggers something, and Annie shakes her head and rips her hands away from Katniss, covering her ears and closing her eyes. Katniss shoots Gale a frown and he shrugs, "I didn't mean to scare her, but we've got to go or we'll be caught, too."
She elbows him, "Is that how you want the extraction to go in Twelve when they deal with your younger siblings?"
He blanches, but recovers quickly, "That's different, they're just kids, she's full grown."
Katniss huffs, "So is my mother, but you don't talk to her like that."
Her partner doesn't say anything for a minute, and they both wait to see if Annie will calm herself down. When she starts rocking side to side, Gale asks, "Should we use the gas? I can carry her. It might be easier on her if she's unconscious when we go."
It doesn't sit right with Katniss, all she can see is her own mother standing in Annie's place, completely vulnerable. "Let me try one more time."
She walks up to her again, and pulls her hands away, "Annie, it's okay, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. I'll take care of you, okay?"
Annie stops swaying, and opens her eyes and looks at Katniss, but doesn't say anything at all. "Walk with me, okay Annie?"
She puts one arm around her, keeps the other on her arm, and leads her to the door. "I think this is as good as we'll get, let's move."
Gale nods, and hurries in front of them, scouting the area to make sure it's all clear. They have to hike a good distance, where they'll be picked up by hovercraft. They're too far away from Thirteen to use a car, and they have to be quick so that the Capitol isn't made aware of their actions before they get everyone out.
Annie goes with them soundlessly, allowing Katniss to lead her the entire way. It takes longer, but they make it in time, barely. The hovercraft scares Annie again, and she tries to run, nearly getting away from Katniss. Thankfully, Gale stops her by looping his arm around her waist and hauling her over his shoulder, and into their hovercraft.
Once inside, he sets her down and apologizes for frightening her, and leads her to sit down, which she does. But, she is staring off into nothing again, and Katniss knows she isn't really with them anymore. She still sits beside her and holds her hand, trying to offer any comfort she can.
"I didn't know what else to do." Gale explains, concerned Katniss is angry with him.
"No, you did fine. We had to get her inside somehow, and she wasn't going to walk in."
"Hmm." He agrees, and she thinks he's done talking, but he sits across from her, "So. You and Mellark, huh?"
Katniss takes a deep breath, "Yeah. Me and Peeta." She pulls her legs up to her chest, and rests her chin on her knees. She hasn't seen Peeta since the propos were filmed, but Haymitch doesn't seem worried. He keeps telling her that Coin is coming around. She hopes so, because Peeta was taken right back to his cell and that was almost four days ago, now. She is afraid to think of what they might be doing to him.
"You know Katniss, if you didn't want to be with me, you could have just said that. You didn't have to go make up some lie about the two of you."
Katniss doesn't know what to say to that, so she says nothing, and stares that the floor.
"I know you, Katniss. A lot better than he does, maybe even better than you do. You don't want him, he's too soft for you. He won't be able to stand with you and fight when the time comes. He isn't strong enough."
The thinly veiled insults he's throwing at Peeta might not mean much coming from someone else, but Gale values strength and capability highly. He's saying that Peeta isn't good enough for her, which couldn't be farther from the truth.
"Gale, you don't know anything about Peeta. All you see is a noble when you look at him, but he's more than that."
"He's had everything handed to him his whole life!" He stands, unable to sit still while having this conversation, "He doesn't know the first thing about fighting or practically anything else that could be useful! How can you take him?"
Katniss' voice rises to match Gale's, "You think that's what his life has been like? That it's been nothing but easy for him?" She rolls her eyes, "Like I said, you don't know anything about him or what he's had to do. And, his spying seemed to be plenty useful, and now even Coin has admitted that he will be useful in the propos we're shooting."
Gale watches her, and smirks, "You have feelings for him, I can see that. But, I know you, and in the end you'll end up realizing that I'm the better option."
Katniss gapes at him, unable to reconcile the Gale that is her friend with the one who stands before her now, telling her that honest feelings don't matter to her, because she is too practical. Thankfully, she is saved from continuing the conversation as he leaves the room. She is alone with Annie for the rest of the journey back to Thirteen.
Once the hovercraft lands, they are boarded by medical personnel, who take the now sleeping Annie down to the medical ward on a stretcher. Katniss feels obligated to follow, figuring she will need at least one semi-recognizable face there when she wakes.
She's right. After they've run a gamut of tests on her, they wake her, and she is back to rocking side to side with her eyes closed and ears covered. Katniss scoots up on the bed next to her and rubs her back gently, trying in vain to break into whatever shell she's built up. It doesn't work, but it gives her something to do, at least until Prim bursts in, braided golden hair streaming out behind her as she runs to Katniss.
She leaves Annie's side and sweeps up her sibling in a fierce hug, "Little duck!" she cries, and Prim weeps into her shoulder.
"Oh Katniss, I thought you were gone forever!"
"No, no, I was right here Prim, the whole time. I'm fine, I'm just fine." She's gasping, and her throat is swollen from holding back her own sobs. Once she's regained her senses, she sees her mother standing behind Prim with tears in her eyes.
"Mom?"
"Katniss, oh Katniss, I'm so sorry honey." And she's in her mother's arms for the first time since her father died, and fresh tears fall. She leads them to her quarters, and they spend the rest of that evening reacquainting themselves with each other.
The next morning, Katniss has a meeting with Coin, and when she arrives, she finds Haymitch is there as well as Plutarch. Her nerves are totally shot after reuniting with her family, but she can feel the tension in this room, and it makes her hands shake.
Plutarch advises her that they are going to air the propos starring her and Peeta, as well as their interviews. He tells her that the districts will love it, that it is exactly what they need to unite them and incite them to rebel. He shows her what he has edited, and she is shocked at how moved she is by it. Peeta's look of determination as he stands next to her, ensuring her safety, makes her miss him so much more. The way they move together is in synch, like they anticipate each other, and she wonders if she and Gale would do that.
"You see that, Katniss? That between you and Peeta, is what we need to show everyone. What the Capitol has done by singling out elementals is make everyone afraid of you, and believe you are a separate species altogether." He paces the room slowly, "That is what is stopping the rest of the districts from rebelling with us. What we can do is use you two to show that we can fight, and win, only if we are united."
Katniss nods emphatically, and then looks to Haymitch, who is smiling at her. Her eyes swing over to Coin, questioning her siletntly.
"Yes, I am releasing Peeta Mellark from protective custody as of now." She states flatly.
Katniss gasps, "Where is he? When can I see him?"
Haymitch smirks at her, "Oh, I imagine he's probably at your room right now, looking for you."
She doesn't politely excuse herself or even thank anyone, instead turning on her heel and rushing through the doors, and back to her room. The entire way there, she's chanting over and over in her mind, 'please, please be there'.
She turns down her hall, and feels disappointment flood through her when she sees it's empty, though she tells herself he could easily be in her room, too. She swipes her hand on the control panel, and the door slides open to reveal her mother and sister sitting on the couch in her main room.
She almost bursts into tears right there in the doorway, but Prim is up and at her side before she disgraces herself, and pulls her inside.
"Katniss, it's okay, I promise. Come on." She leads her back to her bedroom, and opens the door, revealing Peeta. "Mom and I are going to go exploring if that's okay with you both?"
Peeta grins widely, but doesn't let his eyes move from Katniss' face. Katniss nods, and as soon as Prim has excused herself, flings herself into Peeta's arms.
"Peeta!" she whispers brokenly, "Peeta are you alright?"
He's wrapped around her, rubbing her back in soothing circles, "I'm fine, Katniss. They've actually been treating me very well ever since they found out I'm your husband." He teases. She can hear the happiness in his voice, and she chokes out a laugh.
She rests her head against his chest, listening to the soothing thud-thud of his heartbeat, and sighs, "I missed you, Peeta."
He drops a kiss on the crown of her head, "I missed you, Katniss."
When she's able to let go of him, she pulls out his bag of belongings and shows him to the shower. When he comes out, he looks like her Peeta again, and she curls against him.
It isn't long after that when they hear that District Eight and Eleven have both rebelled, with surprising force, and have overthrown the Peacekeepers there. District Twelve follows, but they soon lose contact with them. Other districts follow, and not three weeks after the first propo aired, the only one that they cannot win over is District Two.
It is because they are secure as the center of District Two is a mountain that they call the Nut, and that is where they keep their armory. It is hard to attack, but easy to defend, so this will be the first fight the elementals will be used en masse.
When Peeta learns that Katniss is going on this mission, he asks to go as well, but is flatly refused. Coin tells him he is only released from custody, not cleared to fight next to important personnel. She will not allow him on this mission. He desperately tries to reason with Katniss, and talk her into turning down the mission, but she is determined to go.
"It's just District Two, and once we have them, all the districts are united against the Capitol."
He takes her hands and folds them over his chest, "I only just got you back, Katniss."
"I know," she answers, and steps closer to him, resting her head under his chin, "And I plan on keeping you. That's why I have to do this. I'm afraid of what could happen to you if I don't go."
"Please, don't do this to protect me, Katniss."
She leans her head back to look up at him, "But we protect each other Peeta, and now it's my turn."
Katniss is assigned to a team, along with Gale and nearly every other elemental she has seen in training. She is more than ready to take out some of her frustrations with Coin on someone, and as a result, when they arrive, her group is making significant progress.
They are separated from the other teams, but that's normal, usually the elementals stick together while the soldiers go another way. It is no different today, and they fight their way through to the District Two rebels before any others manage it. Before night falls, they are ready to attack the mountain itself, where everyone has retreated.
Gale proposes a plan, something he has used in hunting back in Twelve. He says that they can smoke them out, by lighting fires at some of the entrances, and only leaving one or two open for them to escape. That way, when they come out, they will be afraid and disoriented from the smoke, which should make them easier to take down.
The idea of treating these people, some of which aren't allies of the Capitol, like animals makes Katniss' skin crawl. "We can't do that, Gale! These people aren't animals, this isn't one of your hunting trips."
He cocks his head to the side as he studies her, "Is it really that different? We can't break in. This will pull all the people out."
"Not all, Gale, some won't make it out."
He sighs and looks away but then nods and meets her frown with his own, "Maybe. But, this will accomplish our mission, and every day longer that we take that's another day of useless fighting. Don't you want this war to be over?"
"Not all of the people in there are Peacekeepers, Gale. Yes, I want the fighting to stop, but I also refuse to kill innocent people in the process, if I can help it!"
He considers this for a moment, and he knows he'll need her help setting and stoking the fires, so he offers a compromise, "Fine, I'll radio Coin, see what she wants us to do. Once we get our orders, we're following them, yeah?"
She doesn't look at him, instead watches the sun begin to set, and nods.
It's times like these that she really misses Peeta. He would never jeopardize people's lives like this. His moral compass is much more accurate than hers, but she knows he would agree with her on this.
A few minutes later, Gale comes back to tell her that his plan was approved, "I'm sorry, Katniss, but we're doing it. We'll have to start the fires at the same time, and keep them steady."
She doesn't have another plan, and she doesn't really have another choice now, either. Not with her family and Peeta all being back in District Thirteen, at Coin's mercy. She might have been saved from having to marry Gale and bear his child at her direction, but anything else is still enforced.
Katniss grunts and stands, brushing off her fatigues. "Fine, let's get this over with, then."
There are several entrances into the Nut, but one is larger than the rest, as there are train tracks that come from it that lead into the square of the district. They decide to start the fires at all of the entrances save that one, which will allow for survivors to escape. As the other soldiers arrive, Gale fills them in on the plan.
They gather materials to burn, and the water elementals douse them, to create ample smoke. Once the dampened pyres are set up, Katniss and Gale take an equal amount of them and start them burning. The air elementals focus drafts into the tunnels, ensuring the smoke is carried straight into the people there. After a few minutes, the screaming starts, and that is when Katniss and Gale increase the heat of their fires, making all exits but one impassable.
Peacekeepers and unarmed people come rushing out, hacking and coughing, blinded by thick billowing smoke. The rebels descend on them immediately, and most of the Peacekeepers are shot on sight. Some of them surrender, and everyone who makes it past the tracks is taken into rebel custody.
Katniss is down by a side entrance, watching the new prisoners make their escape, when she hears something coming from a side street leading to the Nut. It sounds like someone, rather several people, are yelling. Only it sounds horribly guttural, and she can't make out what they're trying to say.
The sounds get closer, and in the fading light, she can make out the forms of at least a dozen hulking men.
She pulls out her communicuff and calls for help as she falls back to take cover behind some debris. Rue and Gale are the first to arrive, spotting her quickly and hunching down next to her.
The silhouettes of these new adversaries are coming closer, but they have slowed down, they're taking their time, searching for something. Or someone.
Rue whispers, "What are they?"
"Let's find out." Gale answers, grinning at Katniss. She rolls her eyes, but buoyed by his confidence she follows his lead and stands, ready to fight again.
They attack the newcomers first. It's one of their signature moves, to try and keep opponents contained; they set up a ring of fire around them, with the flames licking up over their heads, effectively caging them. The fire is burning white hot, and she knows it is a few feet deep.
She is completely taken by surprise when a few of them step through, their grossly deformed bodies visible in the orange glow.
"What the hell are those?" Gale questions, readying himself to fight.
Katniss has no idea. Their bodies are bent and misshapen, with hunched backs and uneven limbs. Their hands fade into claws tipped with wicked looking talons, while thick and leathery skin is stretched tightly on overly developed muscles that twitch anxiously as they trudge towards them. This isn't the first time Katniss has seen a Capitol creation like this, though the Jabberjays are very rare now.
One of them opens its mouth, which is more like a snake's gaping maw as it unhinges, and hisses at them, "Die elementalsss," it raises an arm and fire shoots straight at them.
"Mutts!" Katniss cries out, and she shoves Rue down under her as she drops for cover. She hears Gale calling for all available help, and he gets a crackling reply, "We've got to hold them off a few minutes before anyone can get here!"
Katniss nods, "Rue, you stay behind me, okay? They can't burn me, but-"
"Yeah, sure, I'm behind you, one hundred percent." She answers back with owlish eyes.
She crouches low, and sees Gale mirroring her actions, as they both move outward to try and flank them. Once they're both set, she hears him count down on her communicuff, and on three they both jump up and emit powerful blasts of flame that should turn anything in its path to cinders.
Belatedly, Katniss realizes that if they can use fire, they are inflammable, just like she is. The three creatures are still standing, maybe a little singed, but now know exactly where she and Gale are. They separate, two after she and Rue and one after Gale.
She panics, and turns and grabs Rue, "Run!" she shouts, and they take off, but they don't make it ten feet before the ground in front of them combusts, and they're forced to dive for cover again. She covers Rue with herself again, knowing the girl is in much more danger than she is right now.
In what seems like seconds, the mutts are on them, grinning maniacally. They raise their hands at the same time, the same angle, she can see their palms start to glow like embers. She braces herself, finds her center and as soon as the flames start to erupt, she wills them to calm. What would have been melon sized balls of flame flicker down to almost nothing, and then they are both hit so violently, by something she never sees, that she can hear bones crack as they are tossed back.
She looks back at Rue who grins, "Fire against fire may not actually work so well."
Katniss smiles back, understanding Rue just saved them. "I guess not."
Those two mutts are down, and don't seem to be moving, but to be sure, she pulls out her pistol from its holster and fires two clean head shots. She scans the area for the third mutt and Gale, but doesn't see any sign of them. Checking the area again, she realizes that during her fight she must have lost concentration because the ring of fire has completely gone out.
None of the other mutts are there, either.
"We've got to find the others Rue, come one." She reaches back for Rue with her free hand, and Rue quickly takes it, as she leads the way back to the main entrance of the Nut.
They creep along, both keeping an eye out for any movement, when she hears that guttural moaning sound again. She swings around, looking for it, and at the last second looks above her. There, on a ledge of the mountain, sits one of the mutts.
It's eyes are bulging and red, and it licks its lips, "Katnisss" it groans, and then rocks start falling down the side of the mountain. She and Rue start backing up and stones crash down all around them and the ground shakes. One catches Katniss across her forehead, and she turns in time with it, so it only leaves a gash instead of crushing her skull. Rue is hit on her chest, and starts to have problems breathing, so that Katniss has to support her as they run.
She can feel herself getting pummeled on her back before she turns to try and incinerate them as they come. The moment she turns, she feels a blow on her left side that steals her breath. She's down, laying on her back and staring at the darkening sky, unable to breathe. Rue peers over her, her face full of bruises and welts, and now tears as she shrieks for Katniss to get up!
She can't. All she can do is lay there and try to breathe. The pressure on her side has turned into a blooming heat that surges in intensity each time she moves. Rue shakes her, and she wants to tell her to stop, just stop, so the pain will die down, but she's getting all fuzzy and tired. Her vision darkens, and her eyes fall shut. In moments she slips into unconsciousness, the sounds of screaming floating all around her.
She wakes two days later, back in District Thirteen's hospital. There are cords and sensors everywhere, and beeping noises that are already driving her crazy. She tries to sit up, but the pain that lances through her side forces her back down.
She must moan, or make some kind of noise, because a head of blond hair pops up from her bed where it was resting, "Katniss? Katniss, are you awake?"
She tries to smile at his voice. It's Peeta.
Slowly she opens her eyes back up, but the second she tries to say anything he puts up a finger telling her to wait, and leaves. He returns with a cup of water and she realizes she is thirsty.
He helps her drink, and makes her do it slowly after she chokes on the first swallow. After her third cup, she feels able to talk, "Hi."
Peeta smiles down at her, "Hi yourself. You gave us all quite a scare. How are you feeling?"
Katniss grimaces, "Not so good."
"I'm not surprised. You took a serious hit, you lost your spleen." She has no idea what that is, but it sounds serious, and she's shocked as the events start coming back to her.
"Rue?" she rasps out, "Gale?"
Peeta nods, "They're both okay, I promise. Back up got there in time to help. They'll probably both come by sometime later to check up on you again."
She relaxes back into her bed, letting her head fall back against the pillows. "Good."
"Are you very tired? Did you want me to get you anything?" he asks her, fidgeting at her side. Katniss looks up at him, and hesitates before patting the side of the bed next to her.
Peeta frowns worriedly, "I'm afraid I'll hurt you."
"Not possible." She says with as much conviction as she can, and pats the bed again.
He laughs, "Okay, okay, let me help you" He slips his arms under her back and knees, and eases her over to the side so he has room to climb up next to her. Once he's in, he settles on his side, head propped up by his left arm, and watches her.
She wants to laugh at him, but as she tries to move to her side, she flinches in pain. Peeta's hands are on her then, and he helps her situate herself so that she is facing him the same way. He slides his left foot under her right, and then his right under her left, so they are crossed at their ankles.
She smiles at him, no longer needing words to convey how happy this makes her, finally having time to be together, even if she is injured.
He pulls her braid over her shoulder and undoes it, threading his fingers through her hair. It is extremely relaxing, and she eases down, letting her right hand fall forward to lace through his waves.
He hums in contentment, "I am never letting you out of my sight again. Every time I do, something awful happens."
Katniss smiles, "I think you might be exaggerating."
"Oh no, I'm not, you didn't see yourself when they brought you in. We'd better just stick together from now on, you and me."
"If we do that, I'll lose all my mystery and you'll get tired of me." She whines back.
He doesn't answer right away, but his voice grows deeper when he does, "That will never happen, Katniss." She hears him take a deep breath and swallow, "I've never actually said it, but I should have before now. I love you, Katniss. If something happened to you, I'd have nothing left. You're…you're my whole life."
She stops running her fingers through his hair and looks into his eyes. She's never seen them so serious and clear before. He means it, every word. It makes her skin tingle and her heart pound. She's smiling when she tells him, "Then kiss me."
She drifts in and out of sleep for the next few days, but Peeta is always there. Her mother and Prim are often visiting, and Gale and Rue do come to see her, though Gale doesn't stay long. Rue is so traumatized from nearly watching Katniss die that she's been deemed too mentally unstable for any field work. Katniss knows that the young girl feels guilty, but for herself, she is relieved. She is too sweet and innocent to be put back in harms way.
A few days later when she wakes and Peeta is nowhere to be found, she is anxious right away, but he allays her fears not twenty minutes later when he comes back. He strides over to her, kisses her on her forehead, "We have visitors, are you up for company?"
She nods, bewildered, and reaches for his hand, threading their fingers together.
Haymitch walks in, followed by who can only be described as the most gorgeous man she's ever seen, and then another woman, who is small and thin like she is, with short brown hair.
Haymitch introduces them, "Sweetheart, meet Finnick Odair," he waves at the man and then the woman, "and Johanna Mason. They've been working in the Capitol as spies for us for years. They're also elementals, water and earth, respectively. We got them before the Capitol did."
Katniss nods at them both but says nothing. Johanna chuckles at this, "Well, she's just as talkative as you said she'd be."
Peeta jumps to her defense, "She's still recovering, now will you tell her what you told me?"
The woman shrugs, "Sure. So, those mutts you fought back in District Two? Those were, Capitol made." Katniss nods along.
That much she had worked out for herself. What she was groggy on was how they were able to fight her attacks off. If she remembered correctly, some of them had actually walked right through her fire.
"What you don't' know, is that they are genetically engineered elementals."
"What?" Katniss mumbles, "How could they do that? Why would they? Snow hates elementals, why would he make them?"
"Well, he made them by using elemental DNA. He's got hordes of it. I mean, why do you think he was keeping elementals alive for so long, and putting us all through those tests?"
Her mind flashes back to that dark time in her life, and she remembers that they wanted to see how strong she was. How long she could resist being burned.
"He tested them all, and took DNA from the ones he found desirable, and spliced it together to make those mutts."
Katniss leans into Peeta's side, realizing this means they probably have her DNA there, "But why?"
Finnick steps around Johanna, "He made them, so that he could fight us with them. He knew one day we would find a way to fight back, and he wanted to be prepared for it."
Her focus lands on Finnick, and her eyes narrow, "I know you."
Finnick smiles, showing off his dimples and he starts to walk up to her, "Do you? Most women would never forget me."
She ignores his comment, "No, I recognize your voice, I've heard it before. It was you, wasn't it?"
He smiles a little and looks down, "I didn't think you'd remember that. I had to gas you, after all."
Peeta speaks up, "What was Finnick?" he asks, sitting down next to Katniss so she can lean against him easier.
"He's the one who got me out of the Capitol."
A/N Sorry it was an insanely long time since my last update. But, one more chapter to go and we're all done! I will get that up this week, I promise! This was written for day 6 of Prompts in Panem, Hazel "reconciliation". Special thanks to all those who have reviewed, favorites and followed; you all rock! I hope you liked this update, let me know what you think!