I don't own the characters, places, items or overall story idea - I just add a different version of this story.

8

We arrive back in 13 after about an hour. Peeta and I follow my mother as they move Eddy onto a stretcher and down to the Hospital. No one speaks as we make our way down, not even in the elevator. The fire I had in me back in 8 had long since gone out. All those people, the hundreds of wounded, their relatives, and two medics from 13, are no more. I turn to look back at Peeta who seems distracted with his thoughts. Like Eddy he'd lost his loved ones in a Capitol bombing. He'd know exactly how Eddy would feel because he still feels it. Even now. I slow down to walk alongside him. He doesn't acknowledge it, but i'm sure he's grateful for the companionship. When we arrive at the entrance to the Hospital my mother asks us to wait in the hallway. We sit on the same bench we did back when my prep team was in for diagnosis.

A small amount of time passes before we're allowed in to see Eddy. He'd apparently not been in any danger and the bandages over his face were from minor burns, nothing serious. His current state according to my mother was brought on by trauma and malnourishment. After his diagnosis she said he'd be fine in a few days time. Maybe fine is too simple a word, alive, thats what he'd be, he'd be alive. Peeta and I move in on either side of Eddy's bed. He'd been changed into a hospital gown. I lean over and brush back his hair. His breathing seeming more even than it was before.

"What are we going to do?" I ask Peeta who seemed intent on watching us.

"Take it one step at a time" he says. "And then if it's possible we'll get him to talk about it."

My mother walks over to me from across the room. "How do you feel?"

"A little beat up, But all right" I say. "Your hurt" I say noticing the bandage around her arm.

"It's only a scratch" she says. "Is he your friend?" She asks motioning at Eddy.

I feel a pang of guilt. Not only had I forgotten about my mother in 8, but I had forgotten to explain about Eddy. "Kind of" I say. Unable to find the right words to explain.

"He's our son" says Peeta not looking away from Eddy.

My mother and I just stare at him both of us caught off guard by his answer.

"Your son?" she says looking at him then at me. "And how exactly is this boy who you've both never met before today, your son?"

"We're going to adopt him" he answerers looking up from Eddy. HIs eyes ensnaring me with the longing, and the pain.

"Katniss?" my mother asks, waiting for me to either confirm or deny Peeta's claim.

I don't even have to think about it. I don't understand it but I know it's right when I answer "Yes." Turning to look my mother in the face showing I have nothing to hide. "Yes! he's going to be our adopted son." I know it's what Seam would have asked if she could. Seam who we had told would live only a few moments before she died.

"Are you sure?" my mother asks. Not in a tone of disapproval, but in that motherly way she dose whenever asking to do something for me. It's warm. She knows I don't need her permission but i'm glad at least for her understanding.

"I'm sure" I say. "I promised his sister I'd look after him, and I will."

"Then congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, it's a boy" she says halfheartedly before turning her attention back to the other patients, and walking away.

I look at her as she leaves. What did I just do? What do I even know about raising a child? Do I even know how to raise one? Yes. I do know how. Hadn't I risk my life everyday to raise one since I was twelve? Hunting, and Foraging off of the Capital's land which is punishable by death, to keep food on the table. Having both of us dressed and presentable for school every morning while our mother was unreachable. I can do this, it's not that different from raising Prim. But it's very different. Eddy's a boy, and not only that but he's going to be suffering from the loss of his family. How am I going to be able to comfort him with that. I have Peeta. He went through the same thing as Eddy. I'm sure that if anyone can help Eddy's it'd be Peeta.

"What are you thinking about?" Peeta asks, pulling me back from my thoughts. I look at him noticing I must have been sitting here frozen in the same spot for a while. Dang concussion, I think.

I chose my words carefully before answering. "About Eddy," I pause "and about you" I say turning my attention back to Eddy's slow breathing.

"Katniss, did I say anything wrong? I know I should have asked you first, but…" he starts.

I cut him off before he can get to ahead of himself. "No," I say. "It's just like that last interview before the Quell," I say "It was perfect."

We leave the Hospital for a late meeting in Command. We ask my mother to inform us if Eddy wakes up. Peeta's hand finds mine and i'm surprised at how much i've been longing for his closeness. As we walk down to Command I begin to feel uneasy about what I'll have to face when I get there. I directly disobeyed orders today, and there were many witnesses to prove it. I'm sure there's going to be repercussions, but will they go so far as Coin annulling our agreement for the victor's immunity? Have I endangered Peeta and the others with my actions?

When we get to Command, the only ones who've arrived are Cressida, Messalla and the cameramen. Messalla beams and says, "There's our little star!" and the others are smiling so genuinely that I can't help but smile in return. They impressed me in 8, following me onto the roof during the bombings, making Plutarch back off. They more than do their work, they take pride in it. Like Cinna.

The cameramen introduce themselves as we wait for the others. They resemble each other same sandy red hair, and blue eyes. The one with close-bitten nails introduces himself as Castor and the other, who's his brother, as Pollux. I wait for Pollux to say hello, but he just nods. At first I think he's shy or a man of few words. But something tugs on me, the position of his lips, the extra effort he takes to swallow, and I know before Castor tells us. Pollux is an Avox.

As the room begins to fill, I brace myself for what i'm sure is a lot of yelling. But the only people who register any kind of negativity are Haymitch, who's always out of sorts, and a sour faced Fulvia. Boggs doesn't show any sign that he's upset but it also has to do with his expressions being hard to read. Coin and Gale are in the midst of some exchange that seems positively chummy.

When Gale joins us, I say "Making new friends?"

His eyes flicker to the president and back. "Well, one of us has to be accessible."

Coin calls the meeting to order. "Our Airtime Assault has officially launched. For any of you who missed today's broadcast of our first propo, or the seventeen reruns Beetee has managed to air since, we will begin by replaying it." Replaying it? So they not only got usable footage, they've already slapped together a propo and aired it repeatedly. Individual screens slide up from the table, the lights dim slightly, and a hush falls over the room.

After the video which I found as boring and not very motivating, the screens retract. There's a moment of silent relish, then applause followed by demands to see it again. Coin indulgently hits the replay button, and this time I don't even bother to look at it. By the time the screens have retracted for a second time, I feel like I shouldn't have left the Eddy's side.

After a lot of congratulations to the camera crew and me Coin adjourns the meeting. I'm heading down the hall when Peeta catches my arm.

"Where are you off to?" he asks.

"The Hospital" I say as if this were the most obvious answer.

"Your mother already told us she'd have someone call us if he wakes" Peeta says. "Besides Katniss you might not have been hurt physically but you still need to recover.

I know what he means immediately. I'm exhausted. But what he meant was that i'm running away. Running from what happened in 8. I don't want to leave Eddy but I won't be of any use to him anyway not like this. I nod and he lets go of my arm. We make our way back to our room for whats sure to be a restless night.

When I wake the next day i'm alone. Assuming Peeta had another early class I change and brush my teeth before receiving my schedule. I head off for breakfast and find Madge there alone. We talk for a bit about what happened yesterday in 8. Neither Gale nor Peeta show up for breakfast today. I think about stoping by the Hospital to check on Eddy before my next class when I catch sight of Prim. As she walks into a nearby room I make a quick decision to tell her about Eddy. I get to the door when I hear voices coming from the open door. Something makes me stop. I lean in closer to the door, but keep from looking inside.

"So, what do think?" Says a voice who I realize right away as Rory, Gales younger brother and the second oldest of his siblings.

"I don't know" says Prim quietly. I feel wrong, like I'm doing something dirty by hiding here.

"Don't you like me?" Rory asks her. I pull back away from the door. I shouldn't be here, I think.

I start walking away from the door, then running, i'm in a full sprint by the time I collapse in a hallway. I'm out of breath, and my head is spinning. What did I think, that she would always stay a child? No, I knew she would one day grow up she'd get married and have children. But the fact that it's Rory is what really shook me. I didn't even know that they had spent enough time together for those kinds of feelings. But what about Peeta? Hadn't he fallen in love with me the first day he'd seen me? Ugh…I don't want to think about this right now. I get up and start moving. I've wasted my time and now I can't visit the Hospital without skipping class. And after having disobeyed direct orders yesterday I wasn't doing Eddy any favors by getting on Coin's bad side.

At lunch I'm still thinking to hard about Prim that I barely even notice that both Peeta and Gale seem strangely absent today. By the time I'm free of duties I decide to check my room before going to search for them. I make it back our room when I spot Peeta standing in front of the door. When he sees me walking up he smiles and quickly walks over to meet me.

"Where have you been?" I ask sounding more annoyed than I intended.

"Been busy" he says taking my hands. "Close your eyes I've got a surprise."

"What kind of surprise?" I ask suspicious of his motives. "Is this why you've been gone all day?"

"It's a surprise and yes that's why i've been gone. So no peaking" he says practically jumping around from excitement.

I decide to play along and close my eyes. He leads me to our room which I know it is because it's the only place directly in front of me, and close enough that he could have taken me to. I wait for a second as he shuffles around the room.

"Ok, open your eyes" he says.

I open my eyes and at first I feel like i've misjudged the distance because there was no way that this was our room. The room was similar but this one was full with furniture and plants, that there was no way it could be the same room. I notice one of Peeta's paintings hanging from the wall. This is our room. But how did our empty boring room become so cluttered with so much stuff. I turn to Peeta who has a smug look on his face.

"Did you?" I ask unable to conjugate a longer sentence in my head.

"I did" he says breaking into a grin. "I was moving this stuff in from the Storage units all day" he gestures towards the room at large. "And Gale helped with the plants."

"Gale?" I ask doubting this most of all.

"Yeah, Gale" he says. "I had asked him to get me some plants for the pots, but when I mentioned they were for you he insisted on doing them all himself."

I'm stunned. This beautiful place was ours and Gale even helped. The furniture was different compared to the Capitol's. It was old but gave a warm feeling. There was a dinner table, chairs, couches, small long tables, carpets, and bookshelves filled with an assortment of books. The effort it must have taken to do this. Most of these things I would never have had a need for in the seam. I smile at it all, words unable to express the joy emanating from me. He takes my face in his hands and his kiss is sweet and gentle, so unlike the one we shared here just yesterday. My body seems to feel hot again at the memory of those kisses. Peeta seems to not have noticed or maybe he did because he pulls me towards the bedrooms.

I pull him to a stop, shaking the feeling from my limbs. I can't.

"Whats wrong?" Peeta asks taking in my expression, then giving me a warm smile "I wanted to show you Eddy's room."

"Oh, right" I say realizing how silly i'm acting.

As we enter one of the previously empty rooms in our compartment where there was neither bed nor furniture. I steal myself to absorb it's magnificence. It's absolutely amazing, I think. There's a bed, a dresser, and the walls with a painted meadow that is still setting. It's what every child's bedroom should look like. Prim and I had shared a bed back in 12 and even that was in the same room as my parent's bed. Not like this with beautifully painted walls and a matching bed set, and even the green carpet over the wooden floor seemed to belong here. I don't even have to tell him how amazing I think it is, because my silence is my answer. I take a seat on the bed thinking this is like a dream, only problem is not knowing if it will stay one or turn into a nightmare. I move my hand over the pillow with its blue color and puffy white clouds.

"Want to go see him?" Peeta asks taking a seat next to me.

"Yeah," I say quietly. "I'd like that."

We exit the room leaving the door open. District 12 has a superstition where the parents who's children have a room to themselves or share it with their siblings it's considered a very bad omen to see a child's bedroom door closed.

The trip down to the Hospital goes by like a blur of motion until were already at the entrance. My mother is walking out of the Hospital probably done with her shift. She walks over as soon as she catches sight of us. Her expression isn't something I thought i'd see here in 13. The one she wears when she's delivering bad news to a family. My hand tightens around Peeta's fingers and he looks at me curiously. Everything starts to slow down. The black spots start popping up across my vision.

"He's fine" my mother says taking in my ghostly complexion. "I had sent someone to get you yesterday."

"He woke up yesterday?" Peeta asks.

"No, he only just woke up today" she answers.

I recover from my initial shock enough to start making sense of what she's saying. "No one told us anything."

"Well, that wouldn't surprise me" she says flatly. "Two of Coins men came in yesterday after you'd both gone to that meeting, saying he was being moved" I stare at her confused. "If it weren't for that young man staying in the hospital they would have taken him to who knows where."

"What?" I say.

"Did they say why? Or where they were taking him?" Peeta asks seeming more upset than myself at the moment.

"No. they only said it was under Coin's direct orders" my mother answers.

"Who was it that stopped them" Peeta asks her.

"Was it Haymitch?" I ask but then realize he was at the meeting too.

"It was that young man from 4" she says. "He came here with you."

"Finnick?" I say looking confused.

"Yes. I keep forgetting his name, poor dear" she says. We thank my mother as she leaves to meet Prim for dinner. I take a deep breath before going in to see Eddy.