Chapter 35 – Peeta
"How is she?" Effie's voice breaks through the silent darkness and snaps me awake. I hadn't realized I was asleep, but the stiff feeling in my legs and back means I must have been for some time. I rub my eyes to trying to wipe away the pressure behind them and clear away the spots in my vision. I can feel my heart slowdown from the initial shock of waking and worry at who might be waking me.
I look back up into Effie's concerned face and get another surprise. She looks far more normal than I have ever seen her look. She has green streaks in her dyed blonde hair and she is still wearing more makeup than anyone ever would back home, but otherwise she looks fairly normal. I can actually tell what she looks like, and she looks nice. She's probably around thirty something which is honestly something I thought I would never be able to figure out. Most Capital citizens ages will probably always be a mystery.
Her outfit is just as crazy as usual and her skirt appears to be just layers of pink itchy looking material with a shirt made of feathers and bright green tights that matches her hair. Her shoes are so high that I wonder how she walks in them and realize I must have been completely passed out for her to have snuck up on me wearing them. I let out an involuntary yawn into my hand as I stretch out my sore muscles. The uncomfortable hospital chairs were not meant for sleeping.
"I don't know, Effie," I say once I feel alert enough to speak, "the last thing they told me was that the surgery went well but she was still unresponsive and unstable." The surgery had been her fourth, maybe her fifth; it was hard to remember. The wound from the sword had ruptured her intestine and destroyed her spleen and the fall…
The fall shouldn't have happened. They shouldn't have allowed it to happen. But Madge fell and brought Tilly down with her and its shocking that there even was even a Victor this year. Madge's heart kept beating after she hit the water, not for long, but longer than Tilly who had smashed next to her on the rocks. The doctors told them that the cut had probably saved her. She had lost consciousness before hitting the water and somehow her limp body was able to handle the crash into the water better than anything she could have done while conscious. Something about muscle tension and water pressure that no one but maybe Beetee could understand.
But, of course, the fall had still broken her. She broke both of her arms and a leg, every single rib including the one that punctured her lung, her pelvis and collar bones both had fractures. The rib that had taken most of the hit from the sword had to be reconstructed with metal and the tiny broken pieces of bone picked out from her intestines. She was filled with metal and pins and a new lung and spleen and liver. I found myself too scared to ask where they got her new spare parts and could only hope they worked to make her better.
Her heart had already stopped more times than I could count, but their machines and medicine kept it coming back. They had already sewn up her stab wound and I'm sure once she is out they will make it look like it was never there, but for now it's an angry red slice on her side similar to the ones over her chest and stomach where they had to open her up themselves. They let us see her through the window to the surgery room but it was all too much for any of us to look at and it didn't feel right to see her there so broken and naked.
Effie walks to the chair beside me and takes a seat. Her shoes are as loud as I thought they would be. "I'm sure she will be fine. We have the best doctors in the country!" I bite my tongue as I think that they have the only doctors in the country while the rest of us deal with apothecaries and home remedies. She didn't mean it as a slight. I nod my head instead and feel her pat me on the shoulder in an attempt at comfort.
She shifts in her seat and sighs, "I know we have a lot of things you don't in the Districts, every comfort we want and need. So I'm really not sure why we don't have more comfortable hospital chairs," I laugh in spite of myself. These chairs are in fact the worst chairs I have ever sat in in my entire life. Even worse than the random stool we have for when business is slow in the bakery.
"You should put somebody on that, Effie," I reply and she gives a small smile.
"I think I will, but first, I'm sending you to bed," she jumps back up onto her heels with a loud clack, moving in front of me to settle with a hand on her hip and a look of determination.
I shake my head, "I can't. I can't leave Madge. There might be problems or she might wake up,"
"You aren't even allowed in the room with her yet. There is nothing you can do here for Madge right now, but maybe you can take care of your pregnant wife," Effie gestures behind me and I suddenly remember that Katniss was here when I fell asleep. I look back and see that Katniss had taken up a larger chair, and was slung across the armrests. It looked even more uncomfortable than I felt, especially with her neck at such an odd angle. Her back is arched in a way that shows off her now fuller breasts but looks completely unnatural.
This is probably bad husbanding. I look back to Effie who waves her hands towards Katniss, "Go. Take her to a bed, where pregnant girls are supposed to sleep," I nod and jump out of the chair to the protest of all of my muscles. When I get to Katniss, she barely moves as I scoop her up except to groan into my chest. I might be imagining it but she feels slightly heavier, more solid maybe.
Effie waves goodbye and sits into one of the uncomfortable chairs and pulls out a nail file. She will come get us if anything happens. Katniss's arms snake around my neck as we approach the elevator. Thankfully, the hospital is in the same building as our rooms so it will just be an elevator ride to get either way. With my hands full of Katniss, I have to kick the up button and almost lose my balance on my fake leg.
Katniss's eyes pop open and she jerks hard in my arms. I hit the wall behind us but thankfully manage to stay upright and keep her in my arms, "Hey, hey, it's okay. Everything's okay," I say reassuringly. I wish I could stroke her hair or hold her hand but my hands are full with her and I just squeeze a little tighter and hope its calming.
"Madge?" she asks. Her eyes are wide with worry and panic. Probably the same look I had when Effie unexpectedly woke me up.
"She's the same. I'm just taking you up to bed," She immediately frowns, knitting her eyebrows together and squinting her eyes angrily at me. She wiggles in my grip and I know she is going to protest leaving. I tell her almost the same thing Effie told me, "We can't do anything for her down here. We have been here for over eighteen hours. Think of the baby," Her squirming stops but her frown deepens. Pulling the baby card is risky on a girl who doesn't really want a baby.
But she doesn't protest and leans her head back onto my chest instead, "Okay," she whispers. She must be exhausted. The elevator chimes open and we walk in together. Katniss's eyes have already drifted closed when we enter and by the time we get to our floor she fell asleep. She wakes up as I put her down onto the bed though.
"Your heart stopped twice," she says quietly into the pillow. I have no idea what she is talking about. Is she being metaphorical? That would be weird.
"What?" I ask.
"When they took you out of the arena, your heart stopped twice. There was so much blood and I was so scared that you were going to die but they saved you," I have to lean in closer to hear her, but when I do my heart stops for a different reason. "They can save her, too. They saved you."
I know her meaning was for encouragement for Madge's survival but I still feel a different kind of rush when I think that she was scared for me. She had never told me that before. That was before everything else when we had barely known each other. Back when I had thought it was all real and she had known it was all fake. For some reason the fact that she cared even then means a lot more to me now. Also, no one had ever told me my heart had stopped which is kind of freaky to think about.
I smile and push some hair out of her face, "I love you," and lean and kiss her on the forehead. I don't really expect a response, she is pretty withholding of the L-word even if I know its there.
So it makes me smile even more when she grins and whispers back, "I love you, too," before falling back asleep.
My heart had stopped twice. The thought gives me the comfort Katniss had wanted when I think of Madge. As I crawl back into bed and put my hand onto Katniss's belly, I can't help but have some hope for our future. For Madge, Katniss, me, and our baby.
The hand over my mouth is an even worse way to wake up than the shock of Effie from before. The same fear about Madge fills me and causes me to fight against the hand but it's strong and keeps me in place until I realize that the hand belongs to Johanna. She holds a finger over her lips in a demand for silence and removes her hand as soon as I still.
"What are you doing here?" I whisper harshly. I don't want to wake up Katniss if I don't have to. Johanna wouldn't be the one to break any news of Madge so hopefully this is separate. She motions her head towards the door and then walks out of the bedroom without speaking.
I change into a clean shirt and pair of pants and splash my face with water before following her out. I avoid looking at the mirror knowing all I will see is how tired I look. The clock says we had gotten to sleep two hours.
Johanna stands in the middle of the room inspecting her chipped nails as if she cared what they look like. Her head shoots up and her hands drop when I walk in, and she speaks before I have the chance to. "Let's go for a walk." That's pretty much become code for, "I have something to tell you, but not in front of the bugs we are all sure are in our rooms."
"A walk would be nice," I reply and we are outside before Johanna speaks again, saying something pointless about the weather that I respond to with something else just as pointless. Its bright out and part of me thought that was wrong. We were sleeping so it should have been night but the sun proves that it's the middle of the day and the people of the Capital are out in full force.
We are barely stopped at all even though we get curious and longing stares. Johanna literally growls at anyone who comes to close and shoves people away with little thought. The Capital seems legitimately scared of her and I wish she would accompany me on every walk I go on through the busy streets.
She stops in front of a typical Capital clothing store, with all of the mannequins in the front wearing offensively bright mostly feathery outfits. "I have always wanted to go in here," she says as she pulls me towards the arm. That is the most bullshit sentence I have heard anyone say, but I know there must be something about this that's important so I let her pull me in.
A bell above the door chimes and Johanna waves at a woman wearing a sparkling mask behind the counter. The woman doesn't put down her magazine as we rush past the racks of clothing and mannequins and exit out the back door. The chime above the front door jingles again as we leave and as soon as we step out Johanna pulls my arm harder and begins to run down the alley we just entered.
This is the grimiest part of the Capital I have ever seen. Each store has a huge trash bin outside of it and the ground is covered in dirty puddles even though it hasn't rained in days. I follow Johanna's pace and watch as Avoxes walk back into stores or crawl down sewage drains as they spot us. No one wants to be questioned by the Capital and accused of doing whatever we are attempting to do.
She stops at another door and knocks four times, in a pattern and it swings open. I look back into the alleyway and don't see anyone following us but they must have been back at the store. I wonder if that woman in the store will be questioned and if she is, if she knew anything about us using her store as a getaway.
The room we entered was dark and I can only make out the person who let us in enough to identify their Avox attire. Johanna grabs a pile of clothes off the floor and throws them at me, smiling. "Get dressed bread boy. I can't possibly be seen with you wearing that," the last part is said with an amazingly accurate Capital accent.
"Do you mind telling me what we are doing here Jo?" I wince a little as I see that she also handed me a bright red wig and matching red tights. Is that the fashion now? Matching your tights to your hair? What is wrong with these people? Why are they even wearing tights? It's like 100 degrees outside.
"Yes," Johanna replies. She had already taken off her clothes and was slipping into a very large oddly square dress.
"Yes, what?" I struggle to pull the tights over my boxer briefs but I'm not taking my underwear off in front of Johanna. I'm pretty sure she would mock me just based on the principle of being Johanna.
"Yes, I mind telling you," she sticks out her tongue and puts her own blue wig on her head triumphantly. She looks ridiculous and I see a tag sticking out of the front of her dress. I really wish she would tell me why we are about to run through the Capital in disguises. I'm probably risking my life and she won't even tell me why.
"You put that on backwards and you are a horrible person," I reply.
She looks down at the tag and curses, "Oh, fuck me," before pulling it around on her body. I pull up some shorts that are far too short to be comfortable and then finish with a white tank top shirt and the red wig. We walk out of what must have been the storage room for another clothing store, into the store itself. The Avox that let us in sits at the register and surprisingly brings three fingers to their lips and then points them at me. I wonder if they are just a fan of Katniss, or a traitor from home. I repeat the gesture as quickly as I can as we walk out the door.
We don't get the strange and admiring looks that I normally get when I walk through the Capital. Everyone passes us by and a few people bump into us without a second glance. It's strange to feel so anonymous in a place where I had always stood out. We only walk a few blocks before we enter an apartment building. Johanna tells me to keep my head low and not look around too much, so I stare at the back of her feet as I follow her into the elevator.
She pulls out a key for one of the apartment doors and we walk in. It's sparsely furnished and not at all what I expected of the first Capital home I would see, but I don't think this is a normal place. Johanna stops short of a wall and I accidently bump into her, too to intent on keeping my head down. She throws a glare over her shoulder before beginning to push at a book shelf against the wall. I watch the bookshelf slide away and reveal a small set of stairs.
"Where the fuck are we going?" I am not going up some random stairs without some hint as to where we are going.
"You made it this far without bitching; he's right up the stairs," Johanna snaps.
"Who is right up the stairs?" I plant my feet and try to look as unmovable as possible. Johanna looks like she might try to force me up the stairs with a knife I'm sure she has hidden on her person.
"Plutarch Heavensbee," and I lose my immovable stance to take a few steps backwards.
"See? This is why I didn't tell you," She groans, "Will you trust me? He needs to talk to you,"
"And you're his messenger?" I ask.
"I am no one's messenger," she snaps, "He is helping us. He helped you and your little friend get through the Games and he is helping us get through the Capital. So just get your ass upstairs and talk to him," she storms up the stairs without looking back to see if I am following her. I hesitate for a moment but she's right, I made it this far.
The stairs are narrow and dark. At some points I have to turn sideways to squeeze through the beams in the walls. No one would find this without looking very hard. There are only a few steps before a light illuminates from another door way that I walk through. This apartment is the plush, colorful monstrosity that I expected before. Plutarch Heavensbee in his large familiar purple robes sits in a giant cushioned chair. There are three other empty ones around him but Johanna stays off to the side, inspecting a cabinet full of breakable-looking figurines.
"Mr. Mellark! So good you could make it," I hadn't been left much of a choice but as he stands up and offers me his hand, I take it and hide dislike bubbling inside me. "Miss Mason, if you could please not touch those. They are very expensive," he quickly says in her direction. She moves back as if leaving them but once he turns back towards me she picks one up to throw lazily into the air.
"I know you must have a lot of questions so I'm just going to speed through this. This room has been checked for bugs and deemed clean. Yes, I am the Head Gamemaker and yes, I am excellent at it," the pride in his voice is sickening but I don't interrupt, "but I working with what you consider the Districts rebellion. If you think that the Districts are the only ones oppressed and living in fear than you are an idiot. We are just fed better and our deaths aren't put onto the screen. I hoped to earn your trust through my actions in the most recent Games, your friend would not have survived without my intervention and she definitely would never have won," he takes a breath for what seems like the first time.
"You told me yourself that she would not kill the young boy, so I made sure she didn't have to. I sent birds to interrupt Tilly Harts's death blow. I allowed her to poison the tributes from Distrcts 1 and 2 without interruption. I did this because you are Katniss Everdeen are important and I think Madge Undersee can be important, too," He paused and looked back at me. I'm supposed to reply, but instead I'm recapping the Games and remembering every unusual moment that worked in Madge's favor. There were a lot.
"How are we important?" I get out.
"The President didn't threaten you with no reason. The people saw you and knew, you had rebelled against the Capital in your own way and you had lived. You made them look stupid. He killed Seneca Crane for that reason and he forced this marriage onto you both and I'm sure the child was not something you wished for either," I shrug in response. "The people loved both of you, they still do, but we were not ready before. But we can be ready in the future and we want you both helping the cause,"
"And Madge?" She hadn't inspired anyone, just played the Game like any other player, any other piece.
"We have a different idea for her," he sighs, "You might have messed it up a little, but I'm sure we could still make it work," I open my mouth to question him but he waves his hand and keeps talking, "Finnick Odair told you what he is made to do, but what he and other victors do help us as well. The citizens of the Capital are loose with their tongues when they are happy, and the Victors make them happy. Your friend Madge had caught the interest of many high powered and rich citizens. We could use her help," he finishes.
"So, I just got my friend out of selling herself and you want to put her back in?" No. Madge would never do that. She would never agree.
"Well your plan isn't fool proof. I'm betting someone will still try and buy her, this way maybe she can help," A small crash comes from where Johanna is standing and I see the shattered pieces of one the figurines on the floor. Plutarch rolls his eyes and walks towards the mess, "And she might agree to it." He presses a button on the wall that sends a small chime through the apartment and a door off to the side of the room opens revealing an Avox.
And my heart drops into my stomach, "Mrs. Undersee?" The woman standing in front of us looks older, more worn down, than the last time I saw her but there is no mistaking Madge's mother. She makes a strange sound with her throat and bounds over to me and throws her arms around my neck. I'm surprised she even recognized me in my Capital outfit. We had never been close, we've said hello in town and made small talk about the weather. She would offer me snacks while I waited for Madge, but she hugs me now like an old friend and, wondering what she's been through to get here, I hug her back.
"How did this happen?" I ask her but realize she can't answer. Plutarch answers instead.
"Traitors are turned into Avoxes. I picked this one up at auction, a sign of good faith and a comfort to Miss Undersee if she decides to help us in the Capital," I look back towards Mrs. Undersee who had dropped the hug but still smiled at me. Maybe I remind her of home.
"And you are okay with this? Bribing your daughter to come see you by selling herself to men in the Capital?" It comes out a little cruel, but so is what they are trying to do to Madge. The smile drops of her face quickly and she shifts in place, suddenly looking younger and more like Madge. She looks back towards Plutarch uncertainly and then shrugs her shoulders at me. Maybe, maybe she is willing to let her daughter sell herself to see her and to spy on the Capital.
"The answer is no," I finish, "I won't let Madge do that, for anyone. If that's all I would really like to go now. It was nice seeing you Mrs. Undersee," The initial shock and happiness at seeing someone you thought was dead had gone away only leaving a dull ache at the thought of why Plutarch had her. Why would Madge's own mother let her daughter sell herself for secrets?
Another crash comes from Johanna as she drops another figurine onto the ground. This time, very obviously on purpose. I lead going down the stairs and try not to look at Plutarch shaking his head and the haunting look of longing and disappointment of Mrs. Undersee.
The way back is easier except that I feel worse. We stop in another store and take off the clothes and are given something far more normal and we walk back on the streets where people notice us again, though no one appears to be following us. They lost track a while ago. The sun has moved in the sky enough for me to guess that this whole ordeal has taken around two hours. My body feels overly heavy and my feet have started to drag by the time we get to the training center.
Johanna stops me outside the doors and my tired groan slips out involuntarily. "Just one second," she snaps, everything she says is always snapping, "They offered me a similar deal before. Not with the nice you know, family visits deal, but a way I could help. I was too chicken shit to do it and Snow didn't have anything to hold against me so I didn't have to and now it would be suspicious if I started. That was stupid of me. I'm stuck sitting on my ass while people actually do something about all of this shit. I don't know your friend but I know you and your bitch of a wife and I am betting any friend of yours would be just as pissed at herself later as I am at me now," she finishes her mini-speech, probably the most I have heard her talk that wasn't just a string of curse word, throws open the door and storms inside.
Was she right about that? Would Madge be willing to do something like that to take down the Capital? My biggest thought is no, but then I think of what they did to her now. What they did to her aunt Maysilee and her father and her mother. And I think of a mockingjay pin that became a symbol against the Capital and suddenly I am not so sure.
A/N Yay! I am not quite to 50 but you all were so encouraging that I worked through the weekend to get this to you! This is a long author's note and I'm sorry but I hope you enjoy the little insight into my writing.
I changed the height of the cliff. Cause I was stupid and didn't google how far people can survive before picking it. So its 150 feet.
Check out my tumblr, which might just be me and my beta talking to each other but I think we're pretty amusing and I know some of you want to fancast people and we are going to do that. It's qtoyourbond.
Anonymous Reviews:
C: I know suspenseful!
Guest 1: Madge technically won…
Guest 2 (Jenn): Don't feel bad for not reviewing. I know some people don't have accounts and it really means a lot to me that you keep me on your favorites even if you don't like ! Its always great to hear that my characters are in character : ) Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. I wouldn't want you to fall out of your chair.
Guest 3: She hasn't died….yet (I'm such a dick)
Guest 4: Thank you, suspense was the goal with such a cliffhanger and I'm glad some people felt it!
Guest 5,6,7: Here is your update : )
Guest 8: There is some Everlark! You shippers are insatiable :P
Guest 9: Thank you! I try to keep it fresh.
Jewels: "She seems so broken yet strong at the same time" – That's exactly what I am trying to do! That was awesome to hear! All the other stuff is spoiler-y so…not responding.
D: - haha that made a sad face. I am so glad that you like my POVs. I know it's an iffy thing and sometimes it isn't pulled off properly. I am glad you think I have. Gale definitely doesn't think his actions through very well. Someone does need to tell him to stop letting him do that (he needs a Peeta). Snow might have some choice things to say but his punishments would have to be pretty under the table. I mentioned her interviews slightly. I said they went through her friends and because they didn't have many people they went to talk to Gale. They wouldn't need to explain that she didn't have a family. I am betting a lot of tributes have dead parents. Your English was great!
Guest 10: Yup "cliffhanger" har har I am glad you enjoy my story. Hope this update was fast enough!
Guest 11: Done! Thank you : )
An: Thank you! With so many choices I love when I am considered a favorite.