Day 1: Horrible Reunion
Haymitch and Johanna have to hold me back as I watch my mother getting back up to her feet, her blood is coating my still clenched fist which is itching to strike again. If it wasn't for Haymitch and Johanna I would, I'll make sure she can never get up again for slapping Katniss. My mother looks at me with a mixture of shock and anger in her eyes as she hold her broken noise and blood flows down her face like a waterfall, I just smile at the sight while staring back at her. I watch my father walk between us to stop anything else from happening, I really wish it was just the tow of us, me and mum so I can make her pay. Johanna and Haymitch must somehow of read my thoughts as their grip on me tightens and they move my away from her, I would give anything for them to let me go and dad to get out of my way right now.
"You little brat!" My mother yells but I don't focus on her words, I just watch her blood flow hoping it won't stop. "First you let that slum rat from that disgusting filthy district seduce you, then you insult me and now you hit me for giving that dyke what she dissevered"
"You don't know her!" I yell back as I am dragged away. "Don't touch her again!"
"Enough Lisa" The firm voice of my father tells me, I can't believe he's defending her. He knows just as well as I do what she's like, he's seen her slap Katniss nearly hard enough to snap her neck just now and he's still defending her. "We will deal with this later, right now go back home with Katniss and put some ice on her cheek. Then go for a walk and clear your head"
I do as I am told and take Katniss back to my house, I guide her through the crowd of district citizens and reporters who back away letting us pass without a saying a word or asking a question. I guess after what just happened none of them want to stop me, I don't blame them because the way I am feeling right now I would punch the first person who tries to stop us. I lead her down the main street which is full of people but all of them have moved giving us a small corridor to walk down that leads all the way to the victor village, everyone in the district must have turned up because it is not a short quick walk to the Victor Village from the train station.
The Victor Village is just like I remember it, nice big houses surrounding a green grassy field and surrounded by a high brick wall. The only way in and out of it is a metal bared gate which is never closed and o don't think it can be shut, the wall and gate is meant to be there to provided privacy but all it does is make me feel trapped. Back in Twelve the gate has fallen down and the walls crumbling so it isn't as bad, but just walking through this gate again is already bring back those trapped feelings and the urge to escape is retuning in force. I guide Katniss into my house where my mother's Avox lets us in, she remembers me and gives me a quick nod and smile as I enter. I'm glad to see her again, she was more of a mother to me then that women who hit Katniss back at the station.
I take Katniss to the kitchen and let her sit down as I get some ice from the freezer, when I return I nearly drop the ice bag. For the first time I am seeing Katniss's wound, a massive bruise now covers her cheek and a large wet hand print is visible on top of that. I clench my fists in anger hearing the ice break within the bag in my hand, how could my mother do that. How could anyone just hit someone like that? I swear I will kill her for hit. I don't care what happens to me as long as she pays fir marking Katniss. But a hand on my shoulder clams me, I turn to see the Avox stood beside me and offer no resistance as she takes the ice bag out of my hand. I watch as she hands it to Katniss who quickly presses it to her face, I am an idiot. I was so caught up in my anger that I forgot to help Katniss. I glad the Avox was her, if she wasn't then that bag of ice would be a bag of powder long before it is pressed against Katniss's damaged cheek.
"I'm sorry" I say taking a seat next to Katniss. "She shouldn't have hit you"
"It's ok it wasn't your fault" Katniss replies her voice slightly muffled by the ice bag.
"I should have known she would do that, I've told you about her and wasn't making anything up but I still let my guard down and let her hit you" I tell her looking down feeling ashamed that I couldn't protect her. "I should have predicted this and stopped it"
"There was nothing you could have done" Katniss says. "Let's just forget about it and go for that walk"
"Ok" I reply. "I show you the woods"
"Great"
We leave the house and the Victor Village but this time the streets are empty, everyone must have gone home I thought as I take Katniss up a dirt path towards the forest. The forest is massive taking up must of the District which is built around it, the trees are so tall and their trunks so thick. They have been genetically altered to grow faster and larger than regular trees. I don't know what the Capital did to them but I am grateful, every time a tree is cut down a new one grows over night to replace it, it makes the District look nicer and doesn't feel like it's being destroyed tree by tree. But I know that isn't the reason why the Capital did it, they did it so they can have a constant supply of lumber. I lead Katniss deep into the trees where I know we can be alone, be unheard. I promised her I will tell her, I guess now's the best time. Everyone heard my father tell us to go for a walk so no one will miss us, epically after what happened on the station. This is the perfect time, we are alone with no one looking for us. I stop us in a small clearing and turn to face Katniss.
"That man said he was my father's ally" I tell her starting from the beginning. "I saw him speaking with my dad years ago and wanted to know what that was about"
"What were they allies in?" Katniss askes the question I want to know, something that man couldn't tell me but something I must find out.
"I have no idea, he couldn't say for the same reasons why I couldn't say this until now" I answer wishing I knew. "But I know it's something big, why else would they have to keep it so quiet?"
Day 2: A Morning Surprise
I wake up first before the sins even risen, lying beside me smiling in her sleep is the angelic face of Katniss. I love these rare times that I am awake before her, I love the beauty in her sleep face. I smile at the sight and get up, there is something I want to do to welcome her to my home. I quietly get dressed and sneak out of the room, down the stairs and into the kitchen. But I am not alone, my mother glares at me as I enter and smile back as I see her croaked broken noise. At least the Avox nods politely at me and I return that nod as I walk over to the cupboard were we store all our food. I decided last night that I would wake up before Katniss, that I would surprise her with a home cooked meal. I may not be the best cook but it's better than letting my mum do it, she will defiantly poison it if that happens. But I know a thing or two about cook, at least I like to think I do.
An hour later I learn that I don't, that I am not as good of a chief as I hopped I was. The plate holding Katniss's breakfast doesn't look edible, black burnt bacon, toast that looks like a wild animal tore into it with its claws and a lumpy cup of hot chocolate. I was hoping to make that right because Katniss always says she likes the one's the Capital makes but no, mine went wrong in nearly every way possible. I look at this plate with disappointment and embarrassment, I was hoping to give it to Katniss but looking at it now I wouldn't give it to an animal. I hear footsteps above me, my room his right above the kitchen so it has to be Katniss. Great I don't have time to make a new one, I look at the plate and think "Where can I hide this?" and "I can't let Katniss see this" But I was to slow, I loss the chance when Katniss walk into the kitchen. She stares at the plate then at me, hopefully she won't laugh. But thankfully she doesn't, she just walks up to me.
"Good morning" Katniss says before giving me a quick, gentle kiss before she looks back down at the plate. "What's this?"
"It was my attempt at making you breakfast but…" I reply looking down at the burnt torn up mess that was meant to be food. "…It didn't turn out like I hoped"
"Thank you for trying" Katniss says as we both look up and meet each other's gazes again. "But I don't think it's safe to eat"
I can't help but laugh a little at that, I should be embarrassed at what I made or upset that she rejected my meal but I just laugh. Katniss is right this food isn't edible, so I just laugh it off as I throw away the possibly deadly meal.
"You are right" I say after that short breath laugh. "I can't kill you now can I?"
"Like I couldn't take you if you tired" Katniss replies and we both smile at that, hand to hand I will win but at a distance Katniss will put an arrow in my heart before I get close.
"I could" I whisper leaning so close towards her that my breath hits her ear and makes her shiver, I smile more at that achievement before I continue you. "Right now I could easily take you, pin you to a wall, table or even on the side. I can keep you pinned down and keep on of my hands free, I can imagen it now you trapped at the mercy of my wondering hand" When I pull back I see Katniss red in the face, she thought about it. "But I'm not like that" I tell her before adding. "Unless you want to that is"
Later that day
Katniss and I are walking down the main street of seven enjoying the snow which is gentle falling down, everyone is polite they nod or smile at us but leave us to ourselves. We have been enjoying our time wounding the District, I have been showing Katniss around my home District. I show her where I went to school, this tall tree I always used to climb, the main market and now we are heading for the main square. The day has been so peaceful and fun, it's freezing cold but has been great. My breakfast disaster even helped make this a good day, I had no idea how good laughing at your mistakes and failures could feel. The whole time our hands have been linked never breaking apart once during this whole tour, it feels so right holding Katniss's hand in my own, I don't want to ever let go and don't plan on doing so any time soon. It may be bone chilling cold out but ma hand feels so warm. We walk into the main square and it hasn't changed a bit since I left for the Hunger Games. The Justice Building dominates the square, it's a tall building easily twice the size of the buildings around it and is painted white, Peacekeepers hanger around the building ever guarding or smoking and docked on the flat roof of the building our two Hovercrafts. In the centre of the square is a large gallows with enough noses to hang twelve people at once, four whipping posts are to the left of it and there are four stockades to the right. Thankfully no one is in ever of those horribly things, but the blood on the ground by one of the whipping posts tells me it was used recently but the blood is frozen and stands out on the white snow. Merchant stores surround the square and Justice Building, most of them are empty right now but a few people are in some of those stores.
"I always hated this square" I tell Katniss looking around this place that is so beautiful in the warmer months but that beauty is over shadowed by the pain that fills this square, so many people have died on those gallows, been whipped to unconsciousness at those posts or impressed in the stockades. I have been in the stockades before just because I walked into a Peacekeeper when I wasn't looking where I was going, I was six at the time and was forced into those horrible things and trapped there for nearly a day. Ever since then I hated this square and the Peacekeepers, I still don't know anyone but them who would trap a six year old over and accident. "This place can be beautiful but the Peacekeepers ruined that"
"I guess twelve is lucky in that way" Katniss says looking around. "Our Peacekeepers don't do their jobs, we just starve"
"Ever way the District suffer while the Capital grows fat on that pain" I reply shaking my head. "Now we have to stop something that has a chance of changing that"
"I know, I hate it too" Katniss says. "But we have no choice, I still don't think it is enough what we have been doing so far do you?"
"I don't know" I answer, it's true I don't have a clue. "We have been doing what we have been told but it still may not be enough"
"Me too" Katniss says. "I have an idea though" I turn to look at her. "How about we…"
Day 5: A party surprise
Katniss and I are being prepped for the party together in the same room for the first time since the Victor Tour begun, the Head Peacekeeper only gave us one room to prep in much to the anger and annoyance of the Capital people. I don't see the problem but they seem to think that Katniss and I changing in the same room will cause the world to end, I swear the people of the Capital overreact over every little detail. By the time we are down Katniss and I are wearing matching clothes again, long green dresses, minimal make up and a pair of matching high heels. I look good in this but I have to admit Katniss looks better, green defiantly is her colour she looks fantastic in it. On each of our rests is a bracelet that looks like a chain of leafs joined together. I guess they are using leafs as their inspiration for this outfit, typical District Seven is always ever a tree or a leaf. My hair was only brushed and to my relief it is not styled in one of those crazy Capital styles, Katniss's hair is just in her normal beautify braid. After Katniss and I look each other over and our pre teams give us a final check we are free to leave, my hand finds Katniss's as we leave the room and head for the ball.
We made our speech earlier today without any problem, we did what we were told and said what we had to. Nothing more nothing less, but now we are about to do more. I just hope this surprise we have planned will be enough to please Snow and save our friends and families, Haymitch, Johanna and my father agreed in on it although my father was a bit hesitant and if my mother was to find out then she would kill us all to stop it from happening. Katniss's family should be fine with it, my mother is the only person who will oppose to this plan. If all goes well then the story of my mother hitting Katniss and I then hitting my mother will be forgotten, replaced by an even better story. The kind the Capital can't resist to tell, the kind that will make it difficult for are friends and family to be killed off by Snow. I just need to meet my father later on tonight, he will give me the last piece we need to pull off this plan. Then it up to me to take the next step when the time is right, that shouldn't be a problem to spot though. I only wish it was for real and not for the cameras.
Katniss and I walk into the ballroom at the end of the line, everyone's head turns our way and watches as we make our way to the centre of the room. The ballroom looks like it does every other time I have been here, paintings of trees decorate the walls and large chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The only differences is that there is more food on offer and I don't have to stay by my mother's side all night pretending she is the greatest thing on this planet, this time I am by the greatest thing on this planet no universes. Again we are blinded by the press like always and have to answer a few questions for them but they soon pass and all want to know the same thing, how does it feel to be back in District Seven? How does Katniss like it? What's it like compared to Twelve? They want to know nothing but stuff like that and since they all have the same questions its over nearly as soon as it begun, they leave us alone as Katniss and I head over to the food table to get something to eat. Must of the food is bread and fruit that grows on the trees in the District, meat from Ten and several dishes from the Capital. It's the same dishes as before but they don't taste as good, it's almost as if they just reheated the leftovers from the last District.
"So how do you want to do this?" Katniss asks as we eat.
"How about we try to do it in secret but get caught by everyone instead" I suggest before taking a sop of wine. "You know like what we saw in that move a few nights ago"
"Sounds good" Katniss replies as her cheeks reddens as she remembers what else we did when that move was on.
"Ok as soon as my dad gives me it we will do it" I say as we continue to eat. An hour later I have the item in my hand as I lead Katniss off to the side of the ballroom making sure as many people as possible see us move, it works as one looks over my shoulder I can see a lot of eyes on us and two people taking their cameras out. We stop in a place that looks privet but in fact everyone can still see and hear us, then we face each other and the planned surprise begins. "Katniss"
"Yes" Katniss replies pretending that she has no idea what's going on as I get on one knee.
"Ever since I first saw you I knew you were the one for me" I tell not having to lie because it's true, I was in love with her the moment my eyes first fell upon her. "You make me do happy and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you…" I open up a small box and show her what's inside, it's a beautiful ring with Primroses carved into the gold and it has a sparkling diamond stone. Katniss smiles as she sees he ring, I never showed it to her. I told her my dad was giving me an old family ring but in reality I had a ring made, I had to pay extra to get it rushed to be ready one time but the cost was worth it to see the smile a tears of joy on Katniss's face right now. "Will you marry me?"
"Lisa…" Katniss just stares at the ring completely amazed and surprised by it, I know if we are to get married it will only be once. Even if we have to do it to please Snow and not because we are ready I wanted at least some of it to be real, not all of it to just please that Snake. "Yes, I will marry you"
I place the ring on her finger and she hugs me so tightly when I'm done I swear it was a miracle that she didn't break me in to, her lips soon find mine as people start to cheer and take photos of us. Our plan worked, we were caught and the Capital people can't look away from us now. Hopefully Snow will be pleased and our friends and family will be safe, make everyone forget about the incident back at the train station the moment we arrived and maybe keep us safe from being auctioned off to some rich pervert. I doubt the last part will happen though, I have seen married Victors sold to the highest bidder before. I can only hope that we are different and not sold off or at the very least to get them to leave Katniss alone, I will do both our work to keep their hands off of my fiancée.