Chelen: Peeta's crazy psycho... Opps I said that too early.
Capitolrebel13: Get out of here
Mrs. Everdeen: CR13 doesn't own THG.
Peeta is making his way out of the Justice Building. That girl. She volunteered? No, that can't be right unless she has some mental condition. On the first floor something catches Peeta's eye. He backs up, finding Caesar Flickerman slumped over on a bench with his face buried in his hands. He does not appear to be crying but is shaking uncontrollably.
"What's your problem?" Peeta asks but bites his tongue. Sounding cold and mean, that's how hijacked Peeta is. That personality, it was created by and belongs to Snow, not Peeta. "I mean, what's the matter?"
Peeta sits down in a chair across from Caesar. Why am I doing this? I don't even care about the guy. After a minute the question is on the tip of his tongue again but does not leaves for Caesar lifts up his head. His eyes are red, so maybe he had been crying, but they are not watery.
"That girl Chelen, the one who volunteered, is the eldest daughter of my best friend Terra. She died seven years back by some unknown disease. I haven't had any real contact with her children since then but before she died she was a producer for my show. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for her. She would always bring Chelen with her to the set. Chelen loved the stage, she used to help me rehearse and she liked me too. Me and Terra would often hear her say to people "shh, don't tell anyone but Caesar's my boyfriend". She was so cute and she always made me smile. Her father was more attached her sister so I didn't see Celi has much." Caesar voice is shaky. By now tears are threatening the engulf his eyes. "Chelen would always say "no one's gonna hurt my baby sister". And when Terra was on her death bed I promised I would protect them. How am I supposed to do that now? Chelen may be a survivor but she's not a killer." Caesar buried his face in his hands again.
There is silence in the air as Peeta thinks about what he is going to say. "No one expected anyone to volunteer. I don't think Chelen is going to play by anyone's rule but her own. I see a lot of Katniss in her. Don't count her out yet."
"I wouldn't in a million years," Caesar says smiling. Peeta gets up, pats Caesar on the back, and then heads for the door. Outside was a car waiting to take him back to the hotel him and Katniss were staying at. Katniss is at the Western Section's reeping so he would see her for a couple of hours.
"Mr. Mellark!" Someone yells just as Peeta is getting into the car. He turns to see Commander Jensor walking toward him. "You talked to Caesar, did you not?" Peeta nodded. "Would you mind telling me why it was he froze up on stage?"
"Umm." Caesar had confided in Peeta, told him something that was clearly difficult to talk about. Peeta is not sure if it was a secret or not but if it was Peeta didn't want betray Caesar's trust. Peeta, you don't like the guy remember? He told himself. It doesn't matter if you tell Jensor or not.
"If you want to know why Caesar froze up, ask him yourself."
"But-" She stammers but Peeta interrupts her.
"You're a Capitol person right?"
She nods. "Yes, I am but I was in 13 after the Quarter Quell."
"That doesn't really matter." Peeta barks. "You're still a Capitol person. You're all the same! You just use other people to get what you want with disregard for others. That's what you did to the Districts for years. I'm glad the Districts are in charge now. If I was Paylor I wouldn't have any Capitol people in any high up position. Oh and I'm glad Capitol children have to go and fight to the death in the Capitol Games. It's about time we got some entertainment. If you really want to know why Caesar froze up, go ask him yourself!" Jensor takes a step back. "Now leave me alone."
Peeta turns from her and climbs in the car. The front and back seat are disconnected by a window. He picks up the phone that is between the seats.
"Take me back the hotel." He orders the driver.
"Yes Mr. Mellark."
The phone clicks off and Peeta dials again only this to a hotel. After a few moments someone answered. "Haymitch Abernathy." He wait will his call is transferred from the main desk to Haymitch.
"What?" Haymitch groans in a rather snobby way.
"Out of alcohol again?" A smile tugs and the edge of Peeta's lips.
"You and Katniss always assume that every one of my bad moods is caused by lack of alcohol." Haymitch spits at him.
Peeta would have loved to have said that's because they usually are but what came is something entirely different.
"Don't talk to me about that mutt! She's a horrible creature."
"Peeta." Haymitch proceeds with caution, picking his were just right. "Katniss is not a horrible creature–"
"Yes she is! She used me in the Games. She made me believe she loved me when all she wanted was Gale. She never loved me and when that feast came, she abandoned me. She only saved me from Cato because she knew that she couldn't go back 12 without at least trying to save me! Then she just ignored me and spent her whole time with Gale. It was all an act Haymitch! She used me to get on the Capitol's good side."
"Peeta. She never did any of that. She may not have loved you at first but she does now. And she didn't abandon you during the feast. She left to go get medicine for you. She saved you from Cato because she couldn't imagine a world for her without you in it. She hardly spent any time with Gale and when she did she was wishing she was with you. And if she wanted to get on the Capitol's good side, she wouldn't have held out the Nightlock berries."
"No!" Peeta screams. "She was working for the Capitol the whole time. The Capitol wanted 13 to come out of hiding. They wanted the second rebellion to happen so that they can finally crush 13 and 12, showing once and for all who's really in charge. They wanted to show the Districts what happens to those who rebel even in the smallest of ways But they failed and the Districts won. And that mutt Katniss… the Districts should have executed her when they executed Snow!"
"Katniss is not a Capitol mutt. She was the Mockingjay of the rebellion. She was the embodiment what the Rebels wanted to accomplish. And you, you were a big part of the rebellion even though the Capitol had you. You were the embodiment of what the Districts wanted to take back from the Capitol and reclaim as their own. Katniss was the Hope and you were the Dreams of every District citizen fighting against the Capitol." Peeta had stopped arguing but his breathing was still heaving. Then the next time the person on the other end of the line spoke, Peeta realized it had not been Haymitch talking at all. "Remember that game I used to play with Finnick, the one that you now play with Katniss, Real or Not Real? Well Peeta, those memories of Katniss being a mutt, they're not real."
"Annie," Peeta whispers. "Thank you."
There was a short pause before Annie replies. "You're welcome." Peeta can just hear the smile in her voice.
"Are you back to normal yet," Haymitch roughly asks, taking back the phone.
"I… I think so."
"Good. Now why did you call?"
"I just wanted to let you know that I hate the Capitol but I do not agree with these games."
"You're not the only one kid." Haymitch hangs up without saying another word, which makes Peeta smile. Yes, I am not the only one.
Chelen: Again I say, Peeta's crazy psycho.
Peeta: You barely know me.
Chelen: And whose fault is that?
Peeta: Yours.
Chelen: Oh... yeah it kinda is.
Celi: Don't feel bad Peeta. She's not good with people, unless she's on a stage. Even then it's a hit or miss.
Chelen: Thank you Celi, you are very supportive.
Paylor: Review!
