I do not own the Hunger Games!
Cupcakelover56: Thank you for the praise and the great idea of how to bring them closer, I was thinking something along those lines but the similarity of bad parent sounds a lot better. Thank you =]
This is the alteration to my messed up chapter 11, sorry again about the confusion.
Katniss' POV:
"This is a bad idea," I say to Coin, and look around to find a few others who are sharing uneasy expressions. I look at Haymitch and he looks through the two way mirror monitors in each of the rooms of the gathered family members of each of the tributes, than nods in agreement.
"I'm with the mockingjay on this one, nothing good can come from this. Besides, what is the point?" Haymitch points at the screens, tapping the glass of the monitor to each of the rooms to emphasize his point.
"The point," Coin begins with irritation clear in her voice. "Is that we need to see how our little tributes handle being reunited with their families one last time before they die. Will they crack under the intense emotions and possibly unveil some very important secrets? Maybe. And that is why we must see." Haymitch attempts to protest this suggestion but Coin just waves him off, looking to one of her soldier's that is seated in front of the monitors. "Oh, good, right on schedule. Enlarge the monitor for room thirteen and make sure all the sound systems are working correctly, I want to be able to hear a pin drop in that room. Am I clear?"
"Crystal Captain-I mean President Coin," Coin's leading officer-I think his name starts with an H-types rapidly on the keys to set up the connections and causes the screen on room thirteen to blow up for everyone to see.
I don't have to look very hard at to notice the scared little girl in blonde braids waiting patiently in a chair next to President Snow, who is pacing around the room with a bored expression on his face and acting like he would rather be anywhere else but in that room.
Suddenly I hear the door opening with a loud clang before I notice Snow's other daughter, Athena, walking into the room with guards on either side of her. They unchain the links on her wrists and slam the door, locking them all in the room to be alone for the last time.
As soon as the guards leave the little girl runs to Athena, throwing her small body into her big sister with such a force that they almost tip over as Athena clenches the girl's tiny frame. Tears start to prick at my vision and I feel Gale next to me before I see him-he wraps his strong arms around me, kisses my temple, and grounds my instability with both his touch and familiar warmth as we watch the scene before us.
Athena's POV:
My sister cries silently as she holds onto me with an iron grip in her little fists and I feel my shirt become wet from her salty tears, but I do not care. My sister is alive in my arms and that is all that matters. I kiss the top of her head, holding her closer to me, then looking at my father I become overwhelmed with the urge to shelter Pompeia. Hide her away with my body, drawing her in like my mother had done so many times to me in order to protect me from the monster that shares my own blood.
"Athena," Pompeia whispers softly into my shirt, sounding like a wounded animal. And I put my hands on either side of her face to ease her face up to look into my eyes, so she can tell how serious I am when I tell her there will be no goodbyes. And how proud our mother would have been to look at her baby girl and see how much she looks like my mother.
"Listen to me Pompeia, alright? I love you. There is nothing that will ever change that and if I don't make it back-" My father chuckles loudly across the room, his arms folded across his chest as he looks at my sister and I in disgust, and I leer at him in attempt to wipe the arrogant smirk off his face. It does not work so I turn my attention back on my sister, ignoring the fact that I want to punch my father in the face.
"If I do not make it back Pompeia I just want you to know that I have a plan to keep you safe, and nothing bad will happen to you. No matter what... we will always have here," I place my hand over my heart in the gesture my mother taught me. The action that holds a special meaning between Pompeia and I-that through out every downfall a person's heart still beats true and strong-a part of us that no one can touch.
With a shaky hand and a tear-stained face, Pompeia places her hand over her heart and looks at me before crumbling to a state of uncontrollable weeping. Hugging her to me, I stroke my hand over her braids that are beginning to fall out of place and hum softly to calm her down.
"Alright," my father grumbles, looking at us with an expression of pure disgust. "That is enough of that. Pompeia, go wait outside. I have to have a few words with Athena, alone." Before I could begin to protest the door of the room opens and the two guards are escorting Pompeia out, but I run to the door and call out to her before she can leave. Everything is going too fast and I just need time to slow down for at least a couple minutes because I have so much to say to my sister but the clock is running out. Time is up and I can only hug her one last time, kiss her cheek, and tell her that I love her and that she needs to stay strong before the guards literally carry her out of the room. Gone.
"What do you want?" My voice is stiff and I do not bother turning around to meet my father's cold, dead eyes. Instead, I keep my back to him as I watch the door that my sister exited and hope that I can keep true to my promise to keep her safe.
"Now, Athena, is that any way to speak to your father? And with your sister in such a...fragile condition." I snap my gaze to him, gritting my teeth at his words and the threat he poses to Pompeia.
"Oh, good. I have seemed to have gained your attention," he points out, while his puffy lips pull back into a leer as he steps closer to me. "Yes. We would not want anything to happen to sweet, little Pompeia. Now would we?" His breathe assaults my senses, a mixture of blood and roses, and I resist the urge to gag.
"Do not touch my sister, you-" I bite my tongue, looking to the ground in search of an answer to my situation and finding nothing but the little cracks in the once pristine marble floor.
"That is what I thought, Athena. You may think you are so tough, that you can outlast any amount of painful whippings but I want you to know that I am the one in charge here and that if you disobey me I can and will destroy everything that you hold near and dear. It is just a shame, being that little Pompeia is so very young and...innocent." His emphasis causes me to lunge forward at him but one of the guards-who seemed to appear from out of no where-grabs me by the arms before I can do any real damage, unfortunately.
My father chuckles at my struggles to escape and assault him, steps forward but remains a foot away to mock me, and smiles one of his cruel smiles. "You have so much to learn, my dear. You have no idea the potential you have, what you could have been, but just like your mother-you disappoint me." I glare at him, hoping the saying would come true and 'looks really could kill'.
He leans forward, close to my face, and I smell the blood from his sickness mingling with the scent of those awful roses. "All that training we did and you want to lie down like a dog for the district's, for these rebels. You can win this and you can take my place and rule the Capitol after I am gone because that is what I made you for, my first born-a warrior, someone of power."
"Father?" My voice hints of interest, like I am beginning to understand his words and becoming influenced to do his bidding. My father smiles, leaning forward as to not miss a single word of what I have to say. As if he has already won me over.
"Go to hell," I whisper coldly, and then spit in his pompous, superficial altered face. Then, looking at him closely, I see he is no longer smiling and his eyes are ablaze with anger.
"You will regret that, you foolish girl. So much potential but-in the end-such a waste, like mother like daughter. Too weak to take a stand." I continue to glare at him as he walks to the door, burning a hole in the back of his head with my stare full of hatred. Then, with his hand on the doorknob, he turns his cold gaze on me once more and smiles.
"Maybe Pompeia will not turn out to be such a waste, after all with a bit of shaping and conditioning she could have a certain amount of potential. Though I do fear she is so weak, too innocent. Isn't that the word you used? Such a precious thing-innocence-but it makes you so weak." I am trembling at this point and beginning to struggle in the guards firm hold, as I watch my father stare at me with implications in his words.
A guard opens the door to escort him out but he turns again to look at me one last line with the cruel smile painted on his grotesque face. "Oh. And Athena. Happy Hunger Games."
And just like that he was gone, leaving the scent of blood and roses lingering in the air and a stabbing pain in my chest at the mere thought of the plans he had for my sister. What have I done...?
Katniss' POV:
I watch as Athena slides to the floor once President Snow walks out the door, it shuts with a soft click, as shes looks around with a stunned expression written on her face. Folding her arms and balancing her elbows on her knees, the girl hangs her head in shame. I have seen enough but I cannot tear my gaze away.
"Haymitch," I call quietly, it is a miracle that he even hears me but he does. I feel his presence at my side as I continue to watch the monitor.
"Got something for me, sweet-heart?" There is humor in his words but I don't feel much like laughing as I watch Athena crumbling from what I only can understand as worry and fear. Fear for her sister.
"I want you to find that little girl," I whisper to Haymitch, nodding at the screen for emphasis before looking at him. "Find her before Snow gets ahold of her and bring her to my house, I will explain everything later but tell my mother to make sure both her and the girl are safe. And, for god-sake, do not let Coin get wind of it until I think up a proper excuse for why I want to house a child of the Capitol."
Haymitch looks at Gale confused, like he is asking a question. Gale and I lock eyes, his grey eyes sparking with curiosity before slowly softening to understanding, then he looks at Haymitch and nods in confirmation to my request.
"Already up to no good, sweet-heart? Scheming up some plan, I should not be very surprised, but-just be careful-I don't want you ending up blacklisted by Coin. But just remember that I go where the mockingjay goes, so you're stuck with me sweet-heart. Girl on fire or not, I got your back."
I smile slightly at his words but the smile falters as I begin to think of Pompeia dying in various ways-like Prim, then Rue...followed by many others. "And I always have your back, Haymitch. Now hurry, please." I turn to look at him but he is already gone, the door swinging shut behind him, and I exchange a glance with Gale to signal that this is the beginning of something big. And as important as it is to me I know it can also cause a lot of trouble, but with at least Haymitch and Gale-and possibly Peeta-I know we can take it.
Reviews? I would like your opinion on whether everyone would like me to continue with this type of format-with Katniss', Athena's, and Peeta's POV-or if you have any other thoughts or opinions just throw them out there. Thank you =]