Author's note: This is the end! I cannot wait to hear what you think of it. Thank you so much for sticking with me.

If you're interested, I'm going to post some original stuff on FictionPress (Danielle Cheri)

Many thanks to my beta oh_well AKA karin6824 for all the help, advice, and support you have given this story. I appreciate every bit! And I cannot wait to read more of yours (seriously, y'all, go read her stuff).

I want to also thank my bestie and forever prereader writingbutunpublished for all your support.

Happy reading!

Part Twelve

There was a commotion downstairs and Prim came running into Katniss's room.

"It's Peeta. He's injured and insisted on being brought back here."

Katniss ran out past her sister and found the stretcher being carried up the stairs.

Peeta cried out in pain. Katniss noticed the mangled bloodiness below his left knee.

She grabbed his arm. "I'm here, Peeta. And I'm not going anywhere." She followed along to his room.

"I was fighting someone and a horse knocked me down." He explained through gritted teeth. "And then a carriage rolled over my leg."

Katniss squeezed Peeta's arm. "Let them take care of you and then you can tell me everything." She leaned over and kissed his forehead.

"We need some room, ma'am." One of the men said.

"I'm not leaving." Katniss said, holding tight to Peeta's hand.

"If you want us to give your husband the proper care, you will give us the space to do so." He glared at her for several painful seconds.

With a sigh, Katniss finally left the crowded room. She paced the hallway outside as the doctor worked. Prim and Gale stood nearby, both waiting for her to stop moving. Peeta screamed out in pain and Katniss stopped.

"Peeta?" Katniss stepped toward the door, but Prim stopped her.

"You'll just be in the way."

"What do you think they're doing to him?" Katniss pressed her palm to the door.

Prim squeezed Katniss's arm. "From what I could see of the leg, probably amputation."

"Oh, god." Katniss opened the door and rushed in.

They had Peeta lying on the floor near the fireplace. His left leg was mangled below the knee. The doctor was working on it. Peeta's clothes were soaked with blood and sweat. His eyes were closed.

"Is he dead?" Katniss whispered.

"Not if we can help it," one of the men said.

"Katniss?" Peeta groaned. "Katniss, I…"

Katniss ran forward and knelt beside his head. "I'm here."

"Me too," Peeta murmured. And then he passed out.

"Peeta?"

"It's good that he's out, your majesty. He's in a lot of pain."

Katniss was so concerned for Peeta that she didn't notice that the man had given her the honorific of a ruler.

"There's no saving it." The doctor said. "It has to go."

"Just do it quickly." Katniss said, holding tight to Peeta's hand.


Katniss sat beside Peeta after the amputation was complete and he was placed properly in his bed. She sat there the whole night and far into the next day. He slept most of the time, waking to cry out in pain every few hours. Katniss have him some of the medication the doctor left.

Prim walked in late the next evening. "Katniss?"

"He's mostly slept," Katniss said softly.

"That's good." Prim sat on the end of the bed. "They have him in the dungeon. And they need you for the trial."

"When?" Katniss didn't take her eyes off Peeta.

"Not entirely sure. But I think the decision has already been made. That's what Mr. Odair was saying to Gale anyway."

Peeta's eyes opened and he squeezed Katniss's hand. He looked more alert than he had been every other time he woke.

Katniss smiled and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "Hello there."

"I hurt," Peeta admitted softly.

"I know. They had to amputate." Katniss said. "It will hurt for a long time. I helped my mother with one once."

"Tell me."

"A man was crushed under a cow. His arm was far too mangled for it to be set. It was removed." Katniss smoothed her hand over his hair. "Not as noble as you, I suppose."

"No, farming is very noble. I was just trying to dethrone a king so my wife could rule." Peeta gave her a smirk. "I was so worried Finnick would mess up somehow."

"He didn't," Katniss said. "But I would have appreciated knowing what was about to happen. I was scared to death."

"Next time I participate in a coup, I'll give you all the details beforehand."

Prim leaned in. "You should let yourself rest."

Peeta grinned. "Yes, Doctor." He squeezed Katniss's hand again. "I love you," he whispered.

"Stop it," Katniss whispered back. "Get some sleep."

Peeta looked like he was about to protest, but he nodded and let his eyes fall shut.

Katniss glanced toward Prim and then put her eyes firmly on Peeta's chest. She watched the rise and fall of his breaths. "You paid more attention to Mama's lessons, what will happen now?"

Prim moved closer to Katniss. "Realistically, we have to watch for infection. Fever, gangrene. It could happen any time, but the next several days are most critical. After that, healing will take a long time. And then move on to a false leg to help him walk again."

Katniss nodded and rubbed Peeta's arm. "How am I going to do all this, Prim?"

It took Prim a moment to understand what she was asking. "You took care of me when Mama and Daddy were arrested."

"It was just you and me, Prim. This is an entire kingdom." Katniss looked down at Peeta. "And all my worry for him in the mix."

"First things first," Prim said, "you should appoint an advisor or a council. A person or people whom you trust. And then sort out how you will participate in the conviction of the king."

"He can rot." Katniss lifted her eyes to Prim. "Don't you agree?"

"I do." Prim stood. She gave her sister a smile. "I suppose it's too soon to ask about marrying Rory."

Katniss smiled. "Not too soon. I don't see why you shouldn't marry the man you love." Katniss looked back down at Peeta. "I want to sit with him for a while longer. Is Mr. Odair still here?"

Prim nodded. "His wife and son just arrived. It seems Peeta set up our home as a safe house until everything settles down."

"There are enough rooms for it. I can move my things in here to have an extra."

"I will let someone know."

Katniss looked up. "If Mr. Odair is here, send him up to speak with me. And Gale. And you come back too. If you think I should have a council, this is where we will start. I trust the three of you pretty well."

Prim smiled and leaned over to press a kiss to Katniss's cheek. "I will be right back."

Once Prim was gone, Peeta opened his eyes. "Good choices. I trust Finnick with my life."

Katniss smiled and dropped to her knees beside his head. "You trusted him with Prim and me, so I thought it would be best."

"There are a few others I want you to meet. The men who planned everything. You should take their advice, too."

She nodded. "I'll listen to it. But I don't know how much I'll use."

"Katniss, you should never think that what your advisors tell you is what you should do. Advice is just that. You take it in and you think about what you feel is right. And if you think it works, you do as they say. If you don't think it will work, then you do something else." He pulled on her hand until it was at his lips. "And my advice to you now is not to worry about me. I will be fine."

"You need to sleep some more." Katniss kissed his knuckles.

"I feel like I've slept a week."

"Just a day. But you can sleep some more."

The door opened as Prim tapped on it. "We're here."

Katniss stood as Gale and Finnick followed her sister inside. Both men bowed, each with their own version of a cheeky smile.

"Stand up." Katniss said with a grin. "Did Prim tell you what I needed you for?"

Gale shook his head. "Just said you wanted to talk."

"I do. I trust the pair of you have had plenty of time to meet."

Finnick nodded. "You have a very loyal friend in Mr. Hawthorne."

Katniss looked toward Gale. "And, Gale, your impression of Mr. Odair?"

"He got you here safely," Gale said. "From what I see he is to be trusted."

Katniss sighed, "I hope you are both right." Katniss pushed Peeta down as he tried to sit up. "You stay put." To the others she said, "Prim suggested an advisory council. I believe you two are the best ones to start. With my sister and husband, of course."

"I'm flattered, your highness," Finnick said.

Katniss sat beside Peeta. "I know it isn't very proper, but please find a seat."

As the others pulled chairs close, Peeta spoke softly, "Finnick knows some things about your grandfather others might not."

Finnick looked toward Prim for a moment and then said, "I will keep most of the details from delicate ears, but I've had chance to be close to the former monarch. He is not well."

"I'd gathered," Katniss replied.

"It's not a normal ailment," Finnick continued, "King Coriolanus has been taking poisons to create a tolerance against anyone that might want to kill him."

Katniss nodded.

"Does that mean he's dying?" Prim asked.

No one answered.

Peeta shifted on the bed and let out a soft groan.

Katniss patted his hand. "I need to know who was taken to the dungeon along with my grandfather. Who is still out there to be arrested?"

"We can find that out for you," Finnick promised.

"Thank you." Katniss rubbed at a growing headache at her temple.

Gale said, "You also need to get support from the kingdom. They won't trust you right away. We have to show them who you are."

"You'll help me?" Katniss asked her friend softly.

"You know I will." Gale gave her a grin.

Peeta groaned in pain.

Prim moved toward the table to mix some of his medication with a glass of water.

Gale and Finnick leaned their heads together for a moment and then stood in unison.

Finnick said, "We will find the names and consult with you as soon as we know something."

"Good." Katniss helped Peeta drink the water Prim had poured for him.

The men left. Prim gave Katniss a tight hug. "Come get me if you need help." She then leaned over Peeta. "Let her take care of you."

Peeta nodded.

Katniss waited for her sister to leave before she walked around to lie down beside Peeta. "How do you feel?"

"It's getting better." He said softly.

"You'll let me know if it gets bad again?"

"I will." He pulled her against his chest. "You will do great at this."

She drew circles on his chest with her index finger. "Do you really think I can trust Finnick?"

"I do." Peeta tangled his fingers in Katniss's hair. "And Gale? Should I trust him? Trust you with him?"

"I won't be alone with him, if that's what you're thinking." She looked up at him. "You should sleep. Let your body heal. I know you must be putting on a brave face for me. So you need to worry only about recovery. And you need to let me do what I must and believe the best."

"I do." His eyes were growing heavy. "Will you stay with me, Katniss?"

"I'm here, Peeta. Always." She dropped her head back to his chest and waited for his breathing to slow.


Everything happened pretty fast over the next few days. All of the former king's prisoners were released. They were given medical care and sent home to their families. The men and women loyal to the king who weren't killed in the initial round-up were placed in the dungeons.

Katniss's large council took a vote on whether or not they should be executed the way the king had executed so many innocents over the years. There was an overwhelming majority of agreement that all the prisoners deserved death. Katniss didn't know what to think.

In the end, she sat with Peeta, Prim, Finnick, and Gale.

"It would make you no better than him," Peeta reasoned.

Prim agreed. "They deserve a trial. And a punishment to fit the crime."

Finnick and Gale believed the opposite.

Gale said, "Your parents were taken. And my father. And countless others. Me."

"But they kept you alive," Prim pointed out.

"Might as well have been dead. But what those people did was worse than what I did." Gale rubbed his eyes. "I don't know, Catnip, you're the queen now. You get the choice. But I say we shouldn't even give them a hope of freedom."

"I spoke with… my grandfather." Katniss looked around at the faces gathered around her. "He won't last long enough for a trial."

"Then let the bastard suffer." Finnick's voice was harsh and Katniss couldn't blame him. After everything they had all been through, she felt the same way.

"It's settled." Katniss stood. "Trials start for the others in a month. And our former ruler gets to meet his maker in his own time." She held open the door for the others to leave. "Mr. Odair, Gale, I expect you to see that my orders are carried out."

"Of course." Finnick bowed before he left.

The others followed in his wake.

Katniss closed the door and helped Peeta back to the bed. He had been allowed to move to a chair for a few minutes at a time. And that time was now up.

"How do you feel today?" She asked as he settled against his pillows.

"Better than yesterday. But not as good as I could feel." His head fell back. "I'm hurting."

"You should have said something, Peeta." She went about measuring out his medication. "You could have gotten this hours ago. Stop thinking you can just let yourself be in pain. It doesn't make you any stronger."

He drank the concoction she gave him.

"While you wait for that to work, perhaps I can tell you something that will lighten the mood." She grinned.

He groaned and gritted his teeth. "What is it?"

"You want children, don't you?"

"Yes. And we have a palace to fill now."

"We have to start somewhere, don't we?" She placed a hand on her stomach.

A slow smile formed on his face as her words made their full impact. "Yes, I suppose we do." Peeta pulled Katniss against his chest and kissed her softly. "You will do great with all of this, Katniss."

"Am I making the right choices?"

"Do you feel like you are?"

She chewed her lip a moment and then nodded. "I think so."

"And that is all you can do." He pulled her close again, their lips meeting for a long kiss that held the promise of his love and support for all that was to come.