Summary:

What if Coin convinced Haymitch, Plutarch and the tributes to save Peeta instead of Katniss during the Quarter Quell? What would happen?

" But Katniss… This is Peeta! You know him… He wouldn't do that! "

" Oh yeah, I know him. I do. He totally would. "

She laughed and turned away from Haymitch.

Chapter 7 : Hard to hold on

Peeta stayed still, siting on the bench. His head was standing on his knees, that he held close to his chest. For how long, he didn't know. When he looked up, he took a look at his schedule and saw " Grand Hall of District 13 ". He sighed and thought that he had to go there, because if every single inhabitant of 13 was invited to this place, this had to be important. But he completely ignored where was this hall. He got up, and walked to the elevator, he tapped on the level where his room was located and there, Primrose and Katniss' mom walked in. Then, everything became clear in his mind. The announcement… Katniss… His throat thickened painfully and he didn't want to be there anymore, he wanted to disappear deep under the ground. Oh, the irony of the situation…

" Peeta? You don't seem so good. " Asked a gentle voice.

" I'm exhausted. "

" Oh, hum… Can I do something, maybe? "

" Don't worry about it Prim, I'll be just fine. "

They remained silent and the elevator, now crowded, stopped at the 20th level, where a bigger crowd was trying to make room in a huge hangar. Peeta tried to sneak through all those people, which was a difficult thing to do. A hand tapped on one of his shoulders and he saw Finnick when he turned around. The boy was smiling sadly.

" I'm really sorry Peeta… "

" That's kind of you Finnick. "

They waited, standing side by side, for Coin to walk on stage in the back of the hall. When she walked in, everyone got quiet. Inhabitants of 13 didn't seem use to this sort of public announcement. Peeta's heart was beating so fast, he could feel it in his ears. Minutes passed, and there was still no sign from the President. The boy looked around him and noticed Prim and Katniss' mother talking with Jazz, the boy he trained with before. Prim seemed to handle the whole situation pretty good. Better than him at least. Well, she didn't know yet. Finally, the silver hair woman walked and tapped the microphone to check if it was working. She cleared her throat and looked at the crowd in front of her. Peeta saw Boggs, that didn't seem capable to keep his fake smile on.

" Hello everyone. If I invited you to come here, all together, it's to share with you some news that just came from the infiltrated people in the Capitol. "

Peeta closed his eyes, trying not to think about Primrose and her mom, anxious about what the President was about to say. Finnick's hand closed on his forearm, they shared a look. Peeta took a deep breath and stared back at the stage, where Coin was immobile.

" We're truly sorry to announce the mockingjay's death. "

Shocked noises were revolving in the hall from everywhere. Some people were shouting, angry to learn that their President couldn't save the girl on fire. Peeta heard " liar " and " traitor " many times and thought that Coin may not have the power and control that she wished she had.

" This doesn't stop the fact that the revolution is still going. We have to do all we can to make President Snow's government fall. We have to make sure that this symbol of rebellion didn't die for nothing. We need to stay strong, and united. "

The noises were louder now, and Coin was smiling, looking at all those angry people. Maybe she thought that they would fight harder hearing about all of that. Peeta could clearly say that he hated this woman now. With all his heart.

" ENOUGH! " Yelled the silver-haired woman.

Everyone focused on Coin, that seemed less impassible than usual, almost revolted.

" I expect from every single person here some rigor and a cold-blooded attitude. We can lead this revolution to its success and give back its past splendor to the country of Panem. Hope isn't dead, and it will never be. "

Then, the President of 13 left the stage as quietly as she walked on it. Peeta and Finnick headed back to the elevators, the smaller one shaking as hell. His fake leg sliding on the stone ground.

" Are you going to be alright? " Said Finnick, his voice down and deep.

" I don't… Want to keep going like that. "

Finnick helped him to walk until they reached the elevator. There, was Haymitch, more down than he had ever been. He was shaking too, but the reasons were totally different. Peeta knew it. His mentor simply wanted to drown his pain in a bottle or two of liquor. He got down to the level where his bedroom was, but Peeta and Finnick stayed in the machine, wanting to get to the highest floor. They sat on the same bench, the one where they try to find peace and refuge. They didn't say a word, waiting for dinner's time to appear on their bracelets.

Peeta didn't feel brave enough to confront Katniss' family looks, but he had to go to the cafeteria. The tension was so dense that Peeta swore he could feel it around him. Only rattling flatwares and coughing sounds were hearable in the room. He was chewing on his potato, not tasting anything. He was still feeling as if he was made of nothing. He was feeling hopeless, and the guilt from Katniss' death was a hard and heavy thing to bear, even more in front of her mourning family.

It was now 9 PM and in an hour, the boy will take a shower. Then he'll try to get some sleep in his room. Prim had to force her mom to eat a little bit of the carrots they had for diner, and Peeta felt guilty. He was the one that couldn't bring her daughter back. He threw his plate, still full of the food he got, and walked to his level where he deambulated like a ghost.

" Peeta… " Mumbled a hoarse voice.

" Haymitch? Are you okay? You look sick! "

The man was staggering, almost falling at every step he took. Peeta smelled his breath. Alcohol. So he found some, somewhere. Maybe the man paid someone that worked in the kitchens or a guard…

" I saw it! … I mean, I saw her! Do you believe it? "

" Haymitch? What are you talking about? "

" I might have drank too much… You get it? She was there before my eyes! Alive! This makes no sense… no sense! " Chanted Haymitch.

Haymitch started to laugh uncontrollably, and settled his hands on Peeta's shoulders. Well, he tried. They hit the wall instead. Peeta took a step closer to him and took hold of one of his ex-mentor's arm.

" Haymitch, I'll help you out, come here. "

" You shouldn't…! I don't feel so good… Really not good. " Warned the older man.

Peeta jumped back fast enough so he wasn't covered in his mentor's vomit. He helped him walking to the showers. He got him undressed, leaving him in his underwear, washed him, dried him and guided him to his room. The man didn't stop murmuring things, repeating " alive ", " no sense " and " impossible " over and over. Peeta sighed and sat him on his bed and thought that the man forced it too much this time.

" Peeta…? " Asked Haymitch in a weak voice.

" Yeah? "

" You have to be sure… "

" About what Haymitch? "

" I saw her! Alive… She was alive! Impossible, isn't it? But there she was… Alive! "

" Haymitch, get some rest. You will explain all of this tomorrow morning. "

" Peeta… Thank you. "

" … You're welcome. Good night. "

The boy sighed and closed the door behind him when he left his mentor. He got to his room to take a towel, and a pajama in his drawer. He realized a new uniform was delivered for the next day. He headed to the showers and saw the blue ink disappear from his forearm and could take as much time as he wanted in under the stray of water. Well, this had been a long day. His heart ached when he thought about Katniss again. Then, what Haymitch said came back to his mind. Could he be right? Could Katniss still be alive? But then, why did Coin tell everyone that she was deceased. He waited until the water felt cold and his fingers became crumpled to exit the cabin. He got in his pajama, threw his dirty uniform in the laundry basket and walked out of the bathrooms, rubbing his hair with a towel.

NDA : Wow, this was a laborious one! But it's out!

A lot of you told me that it was impossible for Katniss to be dead.

Now, do you see what's happening?

Well, hope you liked this one. I'll post one before friday if everything's okay.

Bisous, see you in the next chapter. :)