We Didn't Start The Fire
by FanficAllergy & RoseFyre

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Chapter Fourteen: The Unforgiven

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Last Time in We Didn't Start The Fire:

But instead of an answer, the trumpets blare and Claudius Templesmith's voice comes over the loudspeakers. "I present to you the winner of the Seventy-Fifth Hunger Games, Chaff Chavez of District Eleven!"

Chaff looks around. "What just happened?"

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After the ending of the Quell, all of us feel drained and defeated. Nobody wanted that outcome and each of us has our own way of coping. For Katniss and Gale, it's escaping to the woods outside and trying, if just for a moment, to forget that the Quell ever happened. For me, I find myself spending more and more time in the nursery with Rain, convincing and comforting myself that, while so many children died in the Quell, this child, our child, is safe.

I'm a bit shocked at just how much our son has grown. It seems like every time I turn around, he's reached a new milestone or discovered a new thing. Most recently, he's learned he has toes and he spends an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to put them in his mouth. It makes me hungry for the days when I can actually talk with him, play with him, encourage him. But for now I'll enjoy this moment because I know it'll be over so fast.

I can't completely escape the ongoing war coverage. Madge has to do her propo today. Coin demanded it, saying her message needed to go out now, while the Mayor's sacrifice is still fresh in everyone's minds.

Katniss sits with her, as planned. She's helping Madge, even though she's not good at public speaking, while the girl carefully recounts how she feels about her father's sacrifice.

Listening to Madge, it's hard to ignore what Coin's attempting to do. She's trying to set Madge up as the new Mockingjay and it's clear to me, at least, that Madge would make a horrible figurehead. She's barely able to hold herself together and the only reason she's even able to make it through the propo is because Katniss is there.

As I listen, I cuddle Rain to me, letting him sleep on my chest.

During one of Madge's breakdowns, Katniss mentions that the Capitol executed the Head Peacekeeper in Twelve. "They're not just going after rebels, you know. Cray was one of theirs, a Peacekeeper, loyal to the Capitol cause. They killed him because they needed a scapegoat, someone to blame for their own failures." Her voice is what sells it. She sounds like she regrets his execution. "If they can kill somebody who's loyal, who loves the Capitol, who serves the Capitol, what are they going to do to you? They don't care about their people, the Games prove that. We need to show them they don't own us. We aren't slaves. We're not mindless drones. And it's high time the Capitol learns that you can't pretend the people are happy when the people have no freedom."

She pauses for effect. "If we die, you die with us."

And there's our slogan. Katniss has that effect on people. She's hard to ignore.

I stroke my son's back, watching him make little sucking motions with his mouth.

Madge managed to get herself under control during Katniss's speech and she finishes off the broadcast by saying, "I'm proud of my father. I'm proud that he died well. But he never should have been in that Arena in the first place. None of them should've. We need to rise up and fight so no more people have to die to satisfy the Capitol's whims."

Madge's battle cry isn't as stirring as Katniss's, but at least she got through the broadcast. Hopefully, Coin won't force the girl to do more.

oOo

"How much longer is it gonna be?" Gale asks.

The three of us are standing in a television studio on a slightly raised platform. We're dressed in standard Thirteen military attire: flak jackets, loose black pants with many pockets, and heavy boots. Coin insisted we be representative of District Thirteen's aesthetic for this historic broadcast.

Tonight's the night we're going to finally break in. Tonight, Thirteen's going to announce to Panem that they've found the Mockingjays and the Revolution has begun.

It's also the night that Chaff Chavez is going to be crowned the first two-time Victor of the Hunger Games. It's Mandatory Viewing. Everyone's going to be watching, which means when we break in, we'll reach all of Panem.

Assuming we break in.

Right now, it doesn't look likely. The techs are tapping away furiously at their stations with lines upon lines of gibberish scrolling across the screens. I have no idea what all of it's supposed to mean. Where's a cake for me to decorate? I can do that. This is beyond me.

One of the techs sighs. "It should be soon."

"What's taking so long?" Katniss asks.

The explanation the tech spews out sounds like a bunch of disconnected words. For all I know, he could be speaking another language.

Katniss seems to understand at least some of what he's saying, I'm guessing she's picked up a bit more from doing her broadcasts, but she still looks confused.

On another screen, I see the Victory Ceremony is about to begin.

Caesar Flickerman bounds up onstage, perfectly straight teeth gleaming white in the spotlights. "Are you excited?"

The crowd roars.

"I said are you excited? We have an historic show for you tonight! But Caesar, I can hear you asking, aren't all Victory Ceremonies are historic? And you'd be right!" He pauses. "But this one, this one, is special. For tonight, we crown the first double Victor of the Hunger Games. Do you want to meet him?"

The crowd screams, "Yes!"

Caesar laughs. "Of course you do! So give him a great, big, Capitol hand! Chaff Chavez!" He twirls and motions effusively for Chaff to come onstage.

The man himself is not nearly as excited as Caesar is, although I'm not sure if that would actually be possible, but it's clear he's trying to fake it for the cameras. He's dressed in a simple outfit, dark gray pants with a matching waistcoat and a black button down shirt underneath. There's a chain leading from one of the button holes of the vest and I realize it connects to a pocket that's holding a watch - the same pocket watch Error gave him just before she died. I can spot the mouse peeking out.

I can tell Caesar sees it too. His face spasms slightly before he pastes a smile on once more.

Caesar motions for Chaff to take a seat in the Victor's Chair before sitting down beside him. The crowd quiets and Caesar begins, "Now Chaff, tell me about this year's Games."

"I'm not really sure what you want me to say," Chaff says, making a face.

"Well, how'd it feel to win again and bring pride to your district, Eleven?"

"Surprised, honestly. Didn't expect I'd make it through, old goat like me. I figured my clock was done punched and I was goin' to that great big Arena up in the sky." Chaff smiles wryly at his own joke. I also note he's playing up the whole stupid yokel persona. While he's always talked a little carelessly, this is over the top. It reminds me of Haymitch during the Final Eight interviews.

"So… you weren't expecting to win?" Caesar asks, leaning forward.

"Not at all, Caesar. After all, there were far younger and healthier tributes this year and, why, that Arena sure was deadly. I think at least a quarter of the tributes died from the Arena itself."

"Well, we have Seneca Crane and his unparalleled team of Gamemakers to thank for that! Come on," Caesar makes a effusive hand motion, "stand up, give them a round of applause!"

Out in the audience, I see several men and women stand up, including one with a highly stylized beard who waves happily at Caesar.

Seneca Crane. Youngest Head Gamemaker in Panem's history.

"I can't take all the credit, Caesar!" he shouts. "My right hand man, Plutarch Heavensbee, was the real architect!" He motions to a slightly chubby, red-faced man with pale, almost colorless, blond hair.

Plutarch Heavensbee doesn't look like the typical Capitolite, except for his clothing, which is immaculately tailored to accentuate the good aspects of his physique and made of really rich fabrics.

"Then let's give Plutarch Heavensbee a round of applause!"

The man bows as the audience cheers.

"How much longer?" Katniss asks the nearest tech impatiently. "They're starting to make me nauseous."

"We've run into a snag, Ms. Everdeen," an older woman states. "It seems their firewalls are a little stronger than we anticipated."

"Are we gonna get in tonight or not?"

"One of our operatives in the Capitol has created an exploit," the woman explains, her fingers flying over the controls. "It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Do you need to sit down?" I lean over behind Gale to look at my wife.

"No. I'm fine. Just…," she flushes, "my boobs hurt, okay?"

I think back, Katniss is overdue for Rain's feeding and with all the preparation for today, she hasn't had a chance to pump like she normally does. I squeeze her hand. "Hang in there. It should be over soon."

"I hope so."

I drop Katniss's hand, turning my attention back to the screen showing what's happening in the Capitol. The crowd's calmed down and Caesar is interviewing Chaff again. Finally, Caesar draws the interview to a close, saying, "Alright, who's ready to see this year's recap?"

The crowd cheers.

"Not me," Gale mutters from beside me.

"Need me to hold your hand?" I ask.

He smiles down at me. "That'd be nice."

I take his hand. Out of the corner of my eye I see Katniss do the same. We're as ready as we're going to be.

The recap is just as horrible as I'd anticipated. Whoever put this together spent an inordinate amount of time focusing on the deaths of all of the tributes, especially the children. Throughout the whole three hours, the television keeps Chaff's face in a small window so everyone at home can see his reactions.

With each death, Katniss or Gale asks if the technicians are any closer to breaking into the feed.

The answer's always the same: soon.

It cannot come soon enough.

When Ashley Pitts, the teenager from Seven, dies in the tidal wave, Chaff blanches.

He's figured out who the final tribute was.

I can see him blink rapidly, probably to hold back tears.

I have to turn away when they show Justus dying. I don't need to see it. The image of that little boy's final moments is forever burned into my memory.

Thankfully, the film ends and the lights come back up.

"I didn't know," Chaff says. "If I'd known…"

"If you'd known what, Chaff?" Caesar asks.

The one-handed man fixes Caesar with a hard look. "I'd've ended it a lot sooner. Let the boy win."

Caesar flinches slightly, then rallies. "I admit it wasn't the best way to get a Victory. We can't all have a final rousing fight in each Hunger Games!" He punches Chaff's shoulder playfully. "But you did comport yourself well. Your district should be proud of you!"

"They ain't the ones that have to look at themselves in the mirror in the morning," Chaff states flatly.

"I do admit we can't all look like me." Caesar's clearly trying to keep the tone of the interview light, but even he's struggling. I can see it in his eyes; he's not buying everything coming out of his mouth. Still, he tries. "Ah, the time that we've all been waiting for is here! It's time to crown our Victor! Let's have a big Capitol welcome for President Snow!"

The crowd cheers.

President Snow enters with a little girl carrying the crown on a pillow. He approaches Chaff. I can see the man from Eleven struggling to maintain his composure in front of Panem's leader.

The crowning ceremony is thankfully short and Caesar presents Chaff and President Snow to the audience one final time. The two stand there waving.

"We've got it!" one of the techs exclaims. "Everybody get to your places!"

We scurry to our marks, straightening our clothes.

I give Katniss and Gale an encouraging smile. "Remember, if you don't know what to say, just give me the signal and I'll step in." We planned this. Gale is the focus, but we all know I'm the better speaker.

"I think I should be good, Peet. I've had this speech rehearsed for the last week."

I glance up at the screen and note there's a bit of static in the feed. It looks like we'll be in very soon.

President Snow, Caesar, and Chaff are still waving at the studio audience but I notice an aide or somebody come up and whisper something in the president's ear. The man smiles even wider, if possible, then quickly makes his exit, leaving Caesar and Chaff alone onstage, still waving to the crowds.

"Alright! We're in! In three, two, one!"

The screen flickers, but instead of seeing our faces, we see the cold yellow eyes of President Snow.

"What the fuck?" Gale exclaims.

"Language, Mr. Hawthorne," Snow admonishes. "Didn't your mother teach you better than to spew such obscenities in the presence of your betters?"

Gale levels a glare at the old man. "I say again: What. The. Fuck."

"Pity. Well, I suppose I should say it's a pleasure to meet you all, but that would be a lie, and I do so abhor lying."

"Have trouble looking in the mirror much?" Gale asks, scoffing.

"No, Mr. Hawthorne, I do not." Snow smiles. His eyes flick over me and Katniss and the room we're in. "I see you're looking well. Wherever you've been hiding certainly has agreed with you. Do tell me the location, I'll make sure to send my best troops there to improve the situation."

"Yeah, no."

"I thought you might say that." Snow turns to Katniss. "And Ms. Everdeen, such a pleasure to finally see you in person, so to speak. You truly have the most remarkable voice."

So he's heard her radio shows, he's probably seen the propos. I think back frantically, trying to remember if anyone has said anything secret. I don't think we have, but I can't be certain.

"How is your darling son doing?" Snow asks Katniss.

Well. There is that.

"You leave him out of this!"

"Ah, so protective. You must be a wonderful mother."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Katniss demands, "What do you want, Snow?"

"World peace, but I don't believe that's on the table."

"We don't want your version of it," she says flatly.

President Snow smiles. "I suppose no, you wouldn't be a fan of my version, Ms. Everdeen." He regards her with amusement. "You're a bit more busty than I was led to believe." He pauses. "Are you still nursing your son? How archaic."

Katniss clenches her teeth and narrows her eyes. "Can we get to the point?"

"So blunt. I suppose we can get to the point, Ms. Everdeen." He pauses for effect. "Or is it Mrs. Hawthorne? Or perhaps Mellark?" He waves one hand. "No matter. Before we start our tête-à-tête, I propose we not lie to each other."

Time for me to step in. "But twisting the truth is fine, right?"

He looks right at me. His gaze is unnerving. "Ah, Mr. Mellark." He smiles. "I see you know how the game is played."

"I'm sure I'm not as good of a player as you."

Snow acknowledges my words with a slight nod. "Experience, my dear boy. Hard earned. And it only comes with time."

"I've got time."

"Perhaps. But what about your family back home?"

"What family?"

"Why, your mother and brothers, of course." He doesn't know we know Farl and Rye left. As for my mother… I think about how to respond, but I don't get a chance.

"Too late," Katniss snaps.

"Why would you say that, Ms. Everdeen?"

Katniss snaps her mouth shut, realizing she's already given too much away.

He looks from my wife to me. "Ah! I see you know the fate of your brothers. But you still have a mother."

"If you could call her that," Gale mutters.

"Such strong opinions. So I'm guessing she has no value to you?"

"None at all," I say. While I can lie with the best of them, I don't have to. Besides, I'm curious if Snow will keep his side of the bargain to tell the truth, which means I should as well. "She's the reason I left. Why would I care what happens to her? My family's here."

"Pity. But you do have friends still in Twelve."

I smile, letting my pleasure show. "There's nobody left there I care about."

"And can you say that about your companions?"

Gale shrugs. "Everybody I love is here."

Katniss nods.

Snow's eyes become hard. "I see. And how is your darling son, Mr. Mellark?"

"Our son is fine," I say, stressing the word 'our.'

"So you're maintaining that fiction. I do know you are our little Rain's father."

"How do you know that?" Katniss demands.

"I have my ways. Although you might want to school your wife a bit more on the game, Mr. Mellark. She's got the most honest face I've ever seen." He smiles beatifically at Katniss. "Don't worry about it, my dear. It's a refreshing change. And you didn't give away anything I didn't already know."

"How?" she asks, clearly confused.

"Now, now, you can't expect me to give up all my secrets." On the screen to my left I can see the Victory Ceremony has ended. We've lost our chance. Snow must know it too because he says, "It's been such a pleasure talking to you, but I really must go. I have a country to run. I look forward to chatting with you again."

The screen goes dark before any of us have an opportunity to retort.

"Well, that didn't go according to plan."

"Ya think?"

oOo

The largest conference room in District Thirteen is filled to the brim with people. Huddled in one corner are the technicians who worked on the failed break-in attempt. Every so often, one them glances worriedly in President Coin's direction and flinches guiltily when the president meets their eye.

President Coin stands, her hands resting on the back of a large chair, surveying the room. There are three seats clearly reserved for Katniss, Gale, and me next to her on her left, while on her right, Fulvia, General Glenn, and Commander Boggs are seated.

When the last of the people she's expecting arrives, an almost emaciated older man who I think might be Coin's current vice president, Coin calls the meeting to order. After she takes her seat, Coin turns to Fulvia and says, "What, if anything, did we accomplish with that unmitigated disaster?"

"Well, it appears that the back door our operatives placed was not as effective as we'd hoped," Fulvia admits.

"Obviously."

"But it also appears that our message is getting out."

"Yes. To the audience we didn't want it to. Speaking of," she turns to us, "what possessed you to engage Coriolanus Snow in pleasant conversation?"

"What were we supposed to do?" Gale asks, crossing his arms and glaring at Coin. "Just cross our arms and glare at him?"

"That would have been preferable to providing him with information he did not have."

I jump in before Gale can say anything more. "Um, that may not be the case. He seemed pretty aware of Gale, Katniss, and myself. It's clear he's heard Katniss's broadcasts and who knows what else he's done? For all we know, he's tortured people in Twelve to find out information about the three of us. In fact, I consider it likely."

Coin turns to look at me. "You make a good point, Peeta. Continue."

"There's not really much more to add. It's not really on us. We were there and ready to make the announcement as planned. We were simply trying to stay ready and keep Snow off-balance to provide the technicians time enough to work. It's unfortunate we weren't able to break through, but I don't really think this is the unmitigated disaster everybody seems to think it is."

"And what about the knowledge that hasn't been mentioned in Katniss's broadcasts? How did Snow know that you were the baby's father?"

I shrug my shoulder. "He guessed?" I hazard.

"Coriolanus Snow does not guess," Coin says firmly. "He works on certainties. He doesn't gamble. It's how he's achieved and maintained power for so long. I think we've hit upon the biggest issue that this failed broadcast revealed." She pauses, clearly for dramatic effect. "We have a spy in our midst."

"What makes you say that, Madam President?" General Glenn asks.

"How else would he have known the paternity of Katniss's child?"

Nobody answers.

Alma Coin leans back in her chair. "Exactly. There is no other possible explanation for how he got that knowledge."

I disagree with her. I think it's much more likely that Snow realized early in our conversation that Katniss cannot keep her emotions from registering on her face and so used my wife as sort of a lie detector for his apparent knowledge. I know that Katniss hasn't mentioned the paternity of our child on her broadcasts, but she has described our son at least a bit, and there was that propo Cressida filmed right after he was born along with a few others later on. Rain was born with blond hair. It's not too far of a stretch to assume that the blond haired husband is the biological father.

Looking at her, I can see Coin has probably considered that and rejected it out of hand. It doesn't fit with her view of the world. She doesn't gamble, so she assumes Snow wouldn't either.

But I'm guessing President Snow does gamble, especially if he feels that the odds are in his favor.

Commander Boggs speaks up. "So, who do you suspect, Madam President?"

"Everyone."

"Including the people in this room?" Gale asks incredulously.

Coin turns to him. "I said everyone. Naturally, you three are unlikely infiltrators, as are the rest of your party. Your movements are too closely monitored and your knowledge of technology leaves much to be desired. But that doesn't mean you couldn't have help from somebody more technologically capable but less strategically placed."

"We are not spying for Snow!" Katniss exclaims. "We have as much if not more to lose than you!"

"I said you were unlikely." It's as much of an apology as Coin is willing to give, but I can see it doesn't placate my wife at all. "The most likely culprit is a transient," Coin muses aloud. It sounds on the surface like she's thinking it through, but I'm certain she's not. She's already zeroed in on the group she trusts the least: people not native to Thirteen.

I glance around the room to see the reactions of the people who fall into that group. Fulvia looks confused while Cressida, Pollux, and Messalla have schooled their features into carefully blank masks. Castor is staring at Coin in shock and I see a few others I don't know mirroring his expression.

General Glenn asks, "What makes you think it's a transient as opposed to anyone else?"

"The timing. It stretches credulity to think a native of Thirteen would betray me, would betray our cause, to Snow. But those transients who come from the Capitol or districts of questionable loyalty must be considered potential threats."

"But you're talking about hundreds of people," one of Coin's advisors blurts out. "Why, half the people in this room are transients!"

Coin tilts her head, regarding the man through narrowed eyes. "Who better to be a spy than someone placed highly within my inner circle?"

"But how are you going to go about finding a spy?" a technician asks.

A predatory smile forms on President Coin's lips. "That would be telling."

oOo

AN:
Written: 6/21/15
Revised: 9/22/15
Revised 2: 9/29/15

The title of this chapter comes from the Metallica "The Unforgiven" song off of the Black album.

This chapter took us forever to write, mostly because we were seriously drained after writing the Quell. Specifically, Justus's death. It was hard. Really hard. So we actually started this chapter in May but didn't finish it until late June. During which we started two other fics (and finished one of them) and worked on assorted one-shots because we really needed a break from this.

There was no randomization this chapter. Aren't you lucky?

Thanks for reading! We hope you're enjoying!