Disclaimer: I don't own anything about The Hunger Games that is all the wonderful Suzanne Collins…just love the story and I am writing purely for pleasure. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the reviews! I am overwhelmed by all your reviews and support! I love writing this and I love that you all seem to enjoy my writing! Many of you think it is Cinna...are you correct?
Chapter 44– Katniss's Point of View
We stop in front of the President's mansion. Plutarch motions for me to go inside. I lead the way. Peeta follows me into the expansive mansion. I hated this place, but maybe that would change with a new leader.
I open the door and I see the man sitting on a sofa. He rises eloquently to greet me. I break away from Peeta and run towards him and throw my arms around his neck and embrace him. It isn't possible. He died. I saw him die when I was in the Capitol and yet his body is solid in my arms. I start to cry and my tears soak his shirt. I pull away and he holds me at arm's length smiling at me.
"I have missed you, my girl on fire. I never stopped betting on you."
Cinna. Cinna is standing in front of me. He looks alive and well. Tears course down my cheeks and clog my throat. "Cinna, how? I thought you were dead. They…they killed you in front of me. They…"
Cinna quickly shakes his head and I can see that it must have been a false memory. "Plutarch saved me after I was taken out of the launch room. Those men beat me up and when I woke up Plutarch was standing in front of me. I have been working with him…for the rebellion…since before the first Hunger Games."
The relief I feel is immense and incredible. Cinna did not die. He has been alive this entire time hidden away somewhere safe.
Peeta shakes Cinna's hand and then pulls him into a hug. Cinna returns it then motions for us to sit down with him so he can explain.
"The plan to start a rebellion was mine, Katniss. I am the one who got Plutarch involved. He, in turn, got District 13 involved. We didn't think much of President Coin, but knew she would do anything to be the President of the Panem. It was never going to happen, of course, but she didn't know that."
I am not as surprised by this even though I should have been. "Why did you want to start the rebellion, Cinna?"
He stares at me and I see that his gold eyeliner is applied with perfection as always. He is really here with me. "I have been an angry Capitol citizen for years…Plutarch and I both. When we were watching the reaping, I saw this small child chosen from District 12. Sadness gripped me like it always did when such a young child was chosen, but then I hear someone screaming and that was you, Katniss. You volunteered to take your sister's place. You knew you would probably die, but you loved your sister more than your own life. I admired that. I admired that so much. I decided that it was time…right then I decided. You had to be saved. You would be someone that everyone would fight for."
I am amazed and I can see Peeta is stunned as well.
"That is when 'the girl on fire' was born. I knew that you had to have an opening that demanded attention. I went to Plutarch and told him I was ready to be a stylist for the games. I knew Seneca Crane would be thrilled. He had been trying to get me to use my talents for the games for years. I told him the only way I would work is if I was assigned to the female District 12 tribute, Katniss Everdeen. He agreed readily. He told me that he also rooted for the underdog. This is when I knew we could manipulate Seneca to help you…even if he didn't realize he was actually helping you."
He turns to Peeta and smiles warmly. "You helped me so much, Peeta. You made everyone fall in love with Katniss when you revealed that you were in love with her. I knew you loved her…since I saw you shake hands with her at the reaping, but I never knew how important you would become to her as well. Your interview…where you admitted your love for her…transformed everything. You become the 'star-crossed lovers' from District 12 and everyone loved you. Haymitch and I began working together. We wanted to find a way to save you both. Seneca agreed to allow you both to survive, but then he changed his mind…or Snow did. Then Katniss, you held out those berries. I knew then you were only doing it to save Peeta's life along with your own. You saw him bleeding to death and knew you couldn't go home without him. Neither of you saw what I saw. Katniss you were already in love with Peeta…even then. You held out those berries and Seneca saved you both. It cost him his life, but he saved you both. He knew on some level that if you both died it was wrong. In the end, I really think he realized how wrong the games had become. At least, that is what I like to think anyway. He unintentionally ignited the fire you had both started and the rebellion took off."
I look at Peeta and he is overwhelmed. He asks Cinna a question quietly. "Did you know about the Quarter Quell? That we would be chosen?"
He shook his head. "No, I did not. Once I found out though, I knew that I was going to get you both out of there alive. I wanted to save you both. Peeta stunned everyone with his announcement of your pregnancy and again people were rooting for you…even over all their favorites. Haymitch enlisted the help of Finnick and Johanna. You had already accepted Beetee as your ally. We were going to get you out of the quarter quell alive. I prepared everything in advance because I knew they would come for me after you were launched in the arena for what I turned your dress into…Plutarch was watching so he could save me. He did save me…he had me hidden away in seclusion."
He stops and puts his hand on my leg with immense sadness in his eyes. "I didn't know until you were rescued from the Capitol that you had been taken prisoner. Plutarch kept this from me because he knew I would try to rescue you myself. I thought you had been rescued with Peeta. If I had known, I would have…"
I stopped him. "I'm okay, Cinna. It's okay. I am going to be okay now." Peeta pulls me against him and I lean into his warm chest for comfort. "When I was captured, I saw them kill you, Cinna. How did I see that?"
Cinna shook his head. "I am not sure, but they also made you believe Peeta didn't love you. They made you believe that Prim and your mother had been killed and that it had been arranged by your best friend. They played on your worst fears Katniss. They played with your mind. I know that when they beat me in front of you that it would have affected you…they must have used 'my death' against you to torture you. That is the only thing I can think of anyway."
I nodded. It made sense to me. Relief coursed through me. Seeing Cinna die had been one of the worst things I had ever witnessed. Now to know that it wasn't true. I wondered what else they had tried to convince me of…did I know all of what was real and what wasn't now?
I wrapped my arms around Cinna again and he hugs me back. "I am so glad you are alive and that you are the new President."
He smiles at me and I pull back and look into his eyes. He never let me down. He is the reason…he is the reason we are all free from Snow's reign.
"You no longer have to fear life my girl on fire. You are safe now. I am going to protect you and those you love." He pauses and then looks at Peeta and I. "And I am going to design your wedding dress and tuxedo for your wedding."
I feel elation soar through me and Peeta laughs. It is a light-hearted laugh and I feel lighter than air. "I would love that, Cinna. Truly."
"So, when is the big day? How long do I have to prepare?"
Peeta looks at me and I answer the question quickly. "As soon as possible…I want to be with Peeta forever…forever starts today."
Peeta pulls me to him and kisses me passionately. His lips are warm and I feel his arms wrap protectively around me, possessively. He explores my mouth eagerly only Cinna's next words bring us back to earth.
"Seems like a desperate situation. I better get started immediately."
What do you think? Are you happy with the new President? The next chapter will be final chapter. It will include the marriage of Katniss and Peeta. It will include what becomes of Gale, Prim, Haymitch, etc. PLEASE REVIEW and let me know if there is anything else you would like me to include in my concluding chapter. I don't want to leave anyone wanting to know something that I should have closed out.
There will also be an epilogue included to show how Katniss and Peeta are doing a year after they are married and maybe a little beyond. I hope you guys have loved the story. Once I finish this story, I have a few other ideas as well. Please add me as an author to follow so you can follow my next stories.
I also have another story that I have been writing at the same time as this one called, "The Arrangement." If you are interested in reading it please start following it. I have already posted the first ten chapters or so. It is AU and there is no Hunger Games but Peeta and Katniss are forced into an arranged marriage. Peeta already loves her, but you get to watch Katniss fall in love with Peeta. If interested please start reading .
Thank you so much for all who are following and reviewing! Please keep reviewing until the end! I have loved writing this story! TEAM PEETA ALL THE WAY!
