A/N So sorry for the long update time! Happy readings!
Chapter 25 – Katniss
I hate everything right now. Some are rational and some are really irrational, but I'm having some trouble telling the difference. It's just a butt-load of anger issues and its being directed everywhere. I hate the Career mentors. Finnick, for his continued references to Peeta and I's body parts, Coral, for her ridiculously over the top happiness and mom advice, and the rest for being jerks that won't stop making baby jokes.
I'm angry at Peeta for his continued efforts to act normal and the fact that he keeps failing. He randomly stares at my stomach like it's a mystery to solve and that it somehow personally offended him. I'm mad at Johanna and Rowen who suddenly decided that it was cool to hang out with the Careers if Peeta and I were there. I'm mad at Madge for making us have to stay out with the Career mentors since she joined their tributes and it's traditional for aligned mentors to work together until they split up. I'm also mad at this baby.
I don't want to have a baby. I'm not ready for this and its already happening. It still doesn't feel very real and maybe I will just keep it that way. It won't go away if I ignore it, but it can wait. There are bigger things to worry about now, like Madge, and getting Finnick and Johanna to stop calling Peeta and I, "Peenis". One is way less important, but still really annoying. Peeta and I decided to not announce the pregnancy to the Capitol yet so I won't be bothered by anyone outside the victors' circle for a little while.
Haymitch explained to us that news travels fast through important figures including victors. You can learn anything from sleeping with the right people. I wasn't sure which I was more upset about, my doctor telling someone they are sleeping with my personal information or someone sleeping with my doctor and asking her about personal information. Either way, the victors know and probably some upper level government officials like President Snow also know.
Haymitch said that they would not announce it themselves; it would mean more for the Capitol people if we personally announce it. People apparently care about us and our unborn baby. I wish they didn't, then maybe I wouldn't be having a baby at eighteen years old in the first place. Peeta actually wants children in his life but I know he isn't ready yet. We are still so young. If we weren't already victors our names would still be in the reaping ball.
I'm going to have a baby. The thought causes me to panic and my breath catches. Peeta shifts besides me on the common area couch and stares with worry at me and my stomach. I shake my head to show I am okay and not dying or whatever he thinks is going on with me and the baby right now. We both can't deal with this at the moment. We need to focus on Madge and the arena. One life changing problem at a time.
I look towards the screen and away from Peeta's panicked glances and shy away from his touch. He is driving me crazy. Madge is asleep with most of the Careers while two of them keep watch. She made them dinner and they all got to eat for the first time in days. Haymitch is worried about Madge's head injury. He thinks she might have a concussion which can be deadly in sleep but her heart monitor continues to beat strongly.
I'm proud of her for surviving. I really never gave her enough credit. She is a survivor and she definitely paid attention to Gale and my lessons in hunting. She set up a few snares around the area for meat. The District 2 boy watched her as she collected food and placed the snares but he did not watch her cook or how to reset the snares. Considering she collected poisonous food as well as safe food and used some of the most elaborate snares Gale taught her, the group will still have a hard time eating without her.
The cameras have begun to follow another interesting tribute as well. The District 3 girl, Petra, has begun setting snares that can only be meant for people around her area. She also managed to make a spear using a sharp rock, a stick, and some vines. It would be a silly weapon if she hadn't slathered the rock in another poisonous plant. She reminds me of Foxface and a sudden rush of guilt over never learning that girl's real name fills me. I bet Peeta knows. He killed her in a way. He would learn her name to torture himself with it.
I look at him sadly and he immediately freaks out again. "What's wrong? Do you feel okay? Is everything okay?" His words come out quickly and combine into what sounds like one long syllable which I'm surprised I understand. I recognize his tone of voice. It's the one gets when he is very excited about something or very scared of something and pretending not to be. So essentially, he is acting the same way with my pregnancy as he is that time he found a snake in our living room.
He is not making it easy to ignore the issue by bringing it up over and over again. I feel the sadness switch to rage and it must reflect in my facial expression because Peeta looks taken aback. Then help comes from where I least expected it. Johanna who had stretched out on the couch on the other side of Peeta kicks him in his side.
"Dude, you need to calm the fuck down. She is pregnant not terminally ill or some shit. People get pregnant all the time. It manages to work out most of the time without an overprotective baby daddy hovering like a crazy person," her eye roll is overly dramatic and Peeta glares but all I feel is thankful. Peeta is really hovering and it's really just making me panic more. Johanna nods at me as a sign of solidarity or sisterhood or something and I nod back.
"Yes, can we just focus on getting Madge out?" I'm surprised at the whine in my voice and sit up straighter as if to take the desperate need away. Peeta still heard it though and gives a sad smile and nods. I sit back on the couch and watch the screen flip through the various tributes until I fall asleep to the sound of Madge's steady heartbeat.
I wake up panicked, but don't know why. Someone has laid their jacket over me and judging from slight smell of alcohol it's Haymitch's. I'm still mad at him though for his congratulations and wishes that the baby is nothing like me. The first thing I look at is the screen reserved for Madge's heart monitor which continues at a normal if not slightly elevated pace. I look towards the main screen and see the Career pack hunting through the woods. They left the District 1 girl to guard the stuff and Madge who still needs rest. They completely ignore each other.
I glance towards the map and see that they are actually not far from the District 11 boy who is headed to the river and might arrive near the same time as the Careers. That won't happen for a bit though and I finally look around the room. Johanna waves somehow sarcastically at me when I glance in her direction at the other end of the large couch. She has her feet propped up in Rowen's lap and he smiles kindly and mouths hello.
Finnick, Cashmere, and Enobaria have all seemingly disappeared leaving their district partners to watch the tributes. Peeta is sitting with Coral across the room and appears to be in a deep conversation. He doesn't seem to notice that I woke up. I look back to Johanna and Rowen, "Anything interesting happen?"
Rowen still doesn't talk much so I'm not surprised when Johanna answers "Not too much. Your girl had a nightmare that shot her heart monitor way up but she woke up just fine and made food. It looks like District 11 will be out soon," she points to another screen where I see that the District 11 girl is struggling to get out of a large snare. She apparently dropped her weapon on the way up and the District 3 girl who set the trap is still asleep elsewhere.
"Where's Haymitch?" He left behind his coat but seems to have disappeared.
"Peeta sent him to bed," she replies. Peeta has finally noticed I'm awake and comes over. He taps on my legs to signal for me to lift them up and slides under them. Our position is now a reflection of Johanna and Rowen's which makes me do a double take at them. I can only stare curiously for a moment before Brutus calls out. The Careers are catching up to the boy from District 11 and will be on him at any moment.
District 11 is too busy drinking from the water to notice the groups approach. As soon as they notice him, the chase is on. The boy runs away and the Careers follow but he doesn't have a chance against all of them. At some point he must have hurt his leg because he walks with a slight limp and it slows him down. Bentley tackles him to the ground and Gus separates them before anyone is hurt or killed.
Gus hands the District 11 boy a spear and allows him to stand up then steps back himself, joining the half circle the girls formed around the about to duel tributes. He is set to fight against Bentley and it seems ridiculous to try to make this fight fair. The District 1 boy is larger and well trained but they still try and there is no show like their last victim.
The 11 boy blocks a few hits before Bentley's sword slices through him. He collapses and Bentley pulls out the sword to the sound of the cannon. I'm surprised I feel nothing except worried about how this will effect Madge's chances. Madge and Clarity immediately jump up. Clarity holds her knife up and smiles while Madge looks around panicked. She still has no weapon.
"Eleven left," the Career's maniacal smile causes Madge to back up nervously. The girl doesn't press forward though. She just sits back down and begins sharpening knives. Madge walks around looking for the pack to return. The Careers are now over half the remaining tributes. Seven of the eleven counting Madge. They will not last long together at this point and Clarity seems to think that the split will be happening now.
The Career hunting party eye each other nervously but Gus tells them they will discuss their situation when they get together. They begin walking back all with their hands wrapped tightly around their weapons. The camera shifts towards the tied up District 11 girl who has apparently passed out from being upside down. Petra approaches her with her poisoned spear.
All of the mentors look around at each other. The death of this tribute will most likely split the Careers completely and everyone seems to be preparing for a second bloodbath. Peeta is clutching my ankles hard and staring nervously at the screen with Madge. She won't handle a massacre well, I was hoping she would sneak out in the night, but it's only been a day and she is still injured.
The District 3 girl comes closer to the hanging District 11 girl. She lifts up her spear and the unconscious girl bolts awake and rips it from her hands. She swings it around quickly but Petra doges away and trips to the ground. The girl is left hanging and swinging the weapon through the air. She calms for a moment and looks at Petra on the ground.
"I thought you would be the Careers," District 11, Tilly, according to Peeta, speaks to the other girl. Petra just shakes her head and stands up quickly. The hanging girl looks up at the snare and points, "You did this? This wouldn't do anything against a group of people."
"I know," The girl's voice is quiet and Petra takes small steps backwards as if to run as soon as Tilly tries to escape or use the spear.
"Do you know bigger traps? For more people?" Petra stops moving backwards and stares at the upside down girl curiously.
"Yes," she replies simply.
"They aren't the only ones who can form alliances, you know," I'm shocked to hear my own words to Rue come out of the new District 11 tribute. These girls watched me on television. They might even have been fans. Tilly probably watched with the rest of District 11 as I sang Rue to death and saw her body covered in flowers. Her family might have been one of the sponsors from District 11 who sent me bread after Rue died.
The District 3 girl seems to ponder it for a moment and then smiles. She must need the girl for something. I am guessing for more elaborate traps and snares. Either way a new force has entered the arena and they both seem to add something. Tilly has shown herself to be a strong competitor and Petra seems highly intelligent. Wonderful. Like there wasn't enough for Madge to deal with. Petra helps Tilly cut herself down and I half expect her to slit the girl's throat but Tilly collapses as soon as she hits the ground. She says she needs to rest and Petra calls guard duty. I want to watch just to see if they turn on each other but the main cameras switch to the Careers.
They have arrived back at their camp and have formed a small circle with Madge towards the back. She is preparing to run in case they decide to split up. The argument begins. Everyone is tense including all of us watching. This could end badly for a lot of people. They are all holding their weapons and Madge sits back defenseless.
She seems to remember something and suddenly jumps into the argument. "Rowen!" she shouts as loudly as she can with her still hoarse voice.
The Careers all turn and look at her curiously. We all turn and look weirdly at Rowen who shrugs his shoulders in confusion. Gus asks Madge what she is talking about. "Last year's victor, Rowen, he only ever won because the Careers fought too early. There are still some threats out there! That district 8 guy was really strong like Peeta Mellark! I am pretty sure that District 3 girl is really smart, even Ware was nervous around her. She could be the next Beetee and that District 11 girl knew how to use a weapon and I bet she knows how to survive out here! They will wait till we are weak and just pick us off easy," she sounds so adamant.
They seem a little surprised by her shouting but they pause and appear to think about her proposal. Madge sounds very convincing and I realize she has probably become just as good at Peeta at stretching the truth to your own needs. Words can be a good weapon in the arena and it's all she has right now. I'm glad she is using it well though a little nervous that I know so many good liars.
It's probably a good idea for the group anyways since they are all good fighters and none would come out unscathed. The other tributes are also doing just fine in the arena. Ware continues to hide and Eli, the strong District 8 victor, is well fed and already wrestled with some sort of cat mutt and won. Now, there are two aligned tributes who have decided to fight against the usual pack.
"She is right," everyone looks towards Calista surprised, "Too many years without a District 2 victor. I won't let it happen again." She glares around at Madge and the other tributes, mentally threatening all of them but still agreeing to hold off on killing anyone. Madge gives a hint of a smile and then ducks her head shyly.
I look around the room and see that most everyone looks relieved to see their tributes still alive. Brutus looks annoyed that there was no blood drawn. His tributes most likely would have come out on top. I remember from Brutus's games that he killed his fellow Careers fairly early in the game, deciding to work alone than risk anyone else winning. He brutally murdered a record number of tributes while living off of sponsorship foods.
The tributes sit around and let Madge feed them again. Since they decided to stick together the tension has greatly dissipated. Madge reminds me of Peeta and I hope it doesn't end the same way with him. She doesn't have anyone to save her if she gets hurt but she also doesn't really have anyone she is trying to save. The games probably would have been easier without worrying about each other the whole time. I look to Peeta happily. Madge could still be okay. We could be okay.
He's staring at my stomach again. Dammit, Peeta. I kick him myself this time.
A/N Longer excuse down here: So so sorry about the update time! I had a ton of stuff this past week and just didn't have time to write. I will continue to try to stay within the once a week constraint.
As you will see in this chapter: Katniss is an 18 year old girl who doesn't want kids. I am going to keep her that way. I'm not saying she is going to hate her baby or anything but she is definitely not going to be a super happy camper and I kinda hate when that happens in fics. So….just expect that. Peeta is also really young and even if he wanted kids….18 is scary.
Thank you for all the reviews! So many for this last chapter it blew my previous record away! Keep it up!
Anonymous Reviewers:
Victoria: Thank you! Sorry again about the update time!
Jazzie1217: I respect your opinion but…Madge and Gale are half my story. There are literally like a thousand Katniss/Peeta fics that you can read if you are not happy with this one. I will not be cutting Madge or Gale.
Maddie: Thank you for your defense : ) I really appreciate it and glad you like my characters! You actually made me intrigued about where you think Madge is going so you will have to tell me if it turns out how you think!
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