Hey hey hey! Im bak! And this chapter is kinda short so don't kill me. I have exams and projects and crap, but all I can really think about is fanfiction and my next chappies so bear with me! I love how may reviews I got! I luv yall soo much! 200 reviews no! DANG! :D ur fabu! Im attempting at responding to your individual reviews but there was one anonymous one. BrowniAngel. First off, epic username and second! THANK YOU SOO MUCH! Please log in so I can respond to you! Love you for reviewing so kindly! It meant so much to me! Plus your little thing you mentioned about my username. "Keep flying mockingjay." FREAKING BRILLIANT! I just love you…A LOT. Now on a different note, I get so many faves but some don't review! PLEASE REVIEW. They make me smile! Okay so ima shut up and let yall read. Enjoy!
"We all set?"
"Yeah."
"Then off we go."
Peeta grabs my hands and helps me off of the cot, into the wheelchair Dr. Aurelius provided for me and pushes me slowly, and steadily out of the room in the hospital wing.
It has been two days since I have found out the dreadful news about my child and my life hanging on the line if I decide to keep him. Him. That is another thing I have come to find out. My baby boy. I sigh quietly; Peeta asks me if I'm okay and I respond with a small yes. They finally released me today, and the past few days have been filled with numerous blood tests, medication preferences and hours upon the do's and don'ts of keeping this child within me. it's been hard on Peeta and I. Especially Peeta; my loving husband who has not once shown a side of succumbing to Snow's weaknesses. An occasional tear is not a sign of that; he just worries for me, and Dara. My little girl came back that day grinning like a fool. A great sign nowadays. Peeta and I try to make the fact that we are in the middle of a war that could mean for the destruction of Panem again, oblivious to her. And she seems to fall for the act, but one of these days, she is going to ask me why I am in a wheel chair, or why I we haven't named the baby yet, or if it comes to it; why my stomach isn't large any more.
God forbid.
My mother took her in for a while so that Peeta and I could have some time to ourselves; to figure out what to do.
In an attempt to dwindle these thoughts, I look around me. As we proceed down the hospital hallways of District 13, I hear crying and wails, moaning and people in agonizing pain. I can feel Peeta wheeling me faster into the hallways as to avoid the sounds. Then we find ourselves in a pleasant part of the wing. Where sounds of laughter and happiness fill the rooms. This brings a small smile onto my face until we reach the waiting area to exit. Stares and whispers fill the place. Some excited and some unforgiving. Yes, I want to tell them, yes, it was me who killed your people. But look where we are now, what does it matter any more?
The doors slide open as we reach them and as soon as we are out, Peeta stops pushing, walks to face me and squats down to my level. He caresses my cheek. "You okay?" he whispers. I nod, looking anywhere and everywhere but his eyes. At the few people wandering the halls and the iridescent, bright white glows of the lights that seem to cover the entire ceiling.
"Hey, look at me." I sigh louder this time and look at him, defeated. "I'm just thirsty, Peeta." He smiles, that smile that makes me smile. "You've always been a terrible liar." Nevertheless he hands me a water bottle and I chug it down. I here him chuckle that I should swallow slowly, and decide that ignoring him was not a very wise idea when I almost cough out my guts.
"Told ya so," he snickers, and I tell him playfully to 'shut up'. He feigns hurt, kisses me, and goes back to wheeling me down where ever. I have no idea where we are headed, and I don't care, all I want is to get the Hell out of this hospital of misery and go home. Or at least to our compartment.
As I sit, I take in my surroundings of this District. The exterior of the place hasn't changed much but I know the system has. Simply because of our new President Paylor who is a tremendous upgrade to Coin. There are still the same schedules and reflection time at the end, but the Food court is no longer a requirement; only for those who do not know how to cook. In every compartment, there aren't just beds. They were improved to feel homier; like ours. District thirteen still feels like the cold, electric box we all know and love, but it has less of the chill it used to have.
As we get further and further away from the hospital wing, I feel an instinct that some one is watching us. I turn my head and find two guards, along side Peeta and I. In paranoia, I make a yelp but Peeta calms me down. He leans into my ear, "They're supposed to be here, its okay." I nod dumbly. Why would Paylor send us guards? The beeping and static of one of their communicuffs (they still have them), breaks me out of my enhancement.
The bald one, I really need to find these people's names, mumbles some thing into it, and I really get only a few words out of it here and there, but when he regards Peeta, I know something's not right. Peeta leans in and his face masks frustration as he rakes he hands over his face and hair.
"Now?" his voice is calm but I know that it's for me. Both guards nod stiffly and he sighs. "But we just came out of the hospital and we just want to go back and rest. Isn't there any way we can do this little get together later." The other guard, the one with the white buzz cut, replies deeply. "No sir. Now." Peeta sighs and releases his grip on the chair. He turns to face me once again.
Taking my hands and kissing them, he whispers. "Apparently, we're in for a private meeting with Paylor and Plutarch Heavensbee." I tiredly shrug back into the wheel chair. "Not really, Peeta." He nods. "Really," he replies. His voice and face shows he is apologetic so I give him small smile. "Do you think he's going to make me do propos with this weight on me?" Peeta laughs and kisses my cheek. He stands. "I doubt it; he'll have to answer to me first." And then he pounds his chest and makes this ridiculous face that's a cross between a wild turkey and a deer; making me laugh to hysterics.
With a smile on both our faces, we head towards the place we're supposed to meet our fine friends at. And just to keep me happy, Peeta speaks with the guards about Plutarch. How is the old hag anyways? And does he still have pimples on his neck? And I heard that he stopped having menopause? The last one cracks me up, seeing as that's a women thing. The men beside us look oh so very uncomfortable and I am so close to peeing myself when we reach our destination. And suddenly, it's not funny anymore.
Buzz cut and baldy, step in front of us and open the door; their movements in perfect sync. Of course this reminds me of the last time I was present here even more. Take deep breaths, I remind myself, deep breaths.
As soon as we enter the room a several shrieks ring through the air.
"Katniss, Peeta is that really you?"
"Holy Mary mother of God, look how big you've gotten!"
"I cannot believe it! We missed you so dearly!"
And standing above me, mooning over my stature, are my shallow, affectionate Pets.
"Now, now, give her some room." A tall, thin, pink-all-over takes my view, and as soon as her gaze meets mine, she screams louder than all of them combined.
"My dear Katniss!" I force a small smile. "Hello Effie." She nearly falls when she rushes over to me and kisses both my cheeks, as well as Peeta's.
"Oh how we've missed you darling! And now look what you have gone and done to yourself!" She gestures to my stomach, as they all do in admiration. Now, during all of this, President Paylor and The guards stand, faces unreadable near the door.
"We're going to be big Girl on Fire, the mockingjay will fly again!" laughs a beaming Plutarch. "I'm talking propos, promos, and speeches. This war will come to a halt, as soon as the people of Panem see your face again!" He laughs once more and this all is too much for me.
In, out, in out.
But my method doesn't seem to cooperate with my body. I can't breathe, can't breathe.
My fingers grip the chair railings, clenching the metal material. It seems to be melting through my fingers. I'm trembling slightly and my face feels flushed. Peeta notices and comes to my rescue.
"Hey, give her some air!" he nearly shouts. The capitolians take giant steps back as if I am the one affecting them. He then, brushes back my hair and smiles. "Hey, Katniss. Look at me, look at me." I do. "Breathe, breathe; you're alright." I somehow find peace out of this chaos in his face, his voice. My body seems to respond to his commands. My airways open up and I gasp as if I'd been underwater, searching desperately for air. "There you go," Peeta says encouragingly, rubbing by back in small circles. Someone hands me a glass of water and I drink it gratefully.
Afterwards, I just don't have the mean to speak so I lay my forehead in my hands. I hear Peeta speak quietly to the others. "She's had a rough day; we would really appreciate it if you would just lie back for a little while. As in not attacking us with questions and press-active opportunities." He informs them calmly and to my surprise they back done, talking a seat at the table. I feel my chair being pulled along and me being lifted out of it. At first I freak out but then I realize that it's Peeta's arms that are lifting me into his lap. This is the closest contact I've been in with him from early this morning, so when his arms envelope me to him, I just want nothing but to stay there forever. Hidden from the shadows of this cruel world.
He kisses my temple and I shrink in his embrace even more. I see my prep team worried but I shed a smile and give a wink as they basically fall into their seats with relief, and then a look of love. They love me, and I love them. In a weird, twisted way. I really, truly do.
Paylor sends a hint of a smile my way, and I return it. She is the president and a personal friend and no Coin, which automatically places her on the top of my list. "Shall we begin?"
Apparently someone doesn't know the meaning of a rhetorical question around here because just then and there, a gruffly familiar voice breaks out. "Well now you can."
I hoped you guys liked it, it wasn't one of my best but I had to put it up. It was kind of a filler but I promise all of the reunions with old time buddies and the legitimate war is going to start soon. I know ive made a lot of people cry cause of the former chappies and that is FABU! But I made this to cheer y'all up…just a little. Please review! Luv ya like crazy!
-Jozette