DISCLAIMER: HG CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME
"People of Panem, we fight, we dare, we end our hunger for justice!" Katniss says in her best attempt at trying to sound inspiring while the camera recorded her. She was filming her first propo, and this felt like the one hundredth time at the attempt.
As she sighs knowing she has yet again screwed up, she hears Haymitch's laughter and stares as he comes into view saying, "That is how a revolution dies."
She glares at him, realizing this is the first time she has seen her former mentor since arriving in 13. Angry that he has not come to see her sooner, she knows part of the reason why, is because the last time she saw him, she was striking him as hard as she could while she cursed at him for leaving Peeta behind.
She notices that he looks terrible, no doubt because District 13 has no alcohol and for the first time since he was in the arena, he is in a place that controls his every move, and he has no access to what he needs the most. She begins to feel unsure if a sober Haymitch is someone she can trust, and as usual she is relieved Gale is with her, for he the only person she feels she can fully trust in 13.
"Mr. Abernathy, nice that you can finally join us. Perhaps you can help Miss Everdeen here with her propo. We are having difficulty….with believability" Heavensbee says.
Haymitch snickers loudly and says, "good luck trying to get Katniss to perform, that's not her."
Katniss gets down from the stage and moves over to the group. His bluntness expected, it still annoyed her.
"What would you suggest then?" President Coin says in a gentle tone. Katniss looks over at her, wondering if she is genuinely interested in Haymitch's input or if it is forced politeness. Either way, the tone gave off the immediate sense of insincerity.
"Katniss needs to be out in the field with the cameras rolling, she needs to be where the fighting is."
"But people think she's pregnant!" Gale says loudly. Katniss looks over at him, taken aback by the remark. She realizes that his tone conveyed worry, and she saw by the look in his eyes that he was worried for her safety. She doubts anyone else would have noticed, for no one else knew him as well as she did, and the people of Panem did believe she was pregnant, which she herself keeps forgetting about.
"Eh-we can spread the word you lost the baby from the electrical shock in the arena" Haymitch says. Choosing not to respond, she looks at Coin and Heavensbee and sees that they like the suggestion.
"That will work. We will have to increase your training sessions to get you ready. I'll make sure we have a camera crew ready" Heavensbee says before Coin begins wrapping up the meeting.
She sees Haymitch give her the stare of death. Knowing she cannot avoid him, she turns to Gale and says, "it's okay, I'll see you at lunch later" for Gale stood directly at her side not moving an inch.
"I'll be right outside the door; I don't trust him" Gale whispers into her ear before he exits out the door.
Once he is gone and it is just the two of them in the room Haymitch comes closer to her and says, "I can't believe you let Peeta out of your sight."
She looks down, unable to look at him in the eye and says, "I didn't have a good feeling about it, but I had no choice. I am not the only one to blame though, you promised me you would save Peeta" looking back up at him in anger.
"I guess we are even then" he says with sarcasm in his voice. "You need to stop moping around, you are not the only one who cannot stand this place. Do you think I want to be here? I had to be in medical for a week my body needed a drink so bad. But I'm here, and so are you, and Peeta is still alive, and we are not dead yet. We have to save him."
She nods, contemplating his words and says "okay" so softly he barely hears her as she turns and walks away.
"Do you want to meet at our usual spot tonight?" Gale says to Katniss as they rise to put their lunch trays away.
Realizing she did not get a chance to tell him about her earlier conversation with Heavensbee for their half hour lunch break was spent talking about her failed propo, she says "I don't think we are going to be able to meet there anymore."
"What! Why?" seeing the look of concern immediately form on his face.
She quickly tells him about her conversation with Heavensbee as they walk out of the cafeteria and his suggestion to her.
"We can start going to those events. I'm fine with putting in the request to be placed on the schedule."
"I'm not! I don't want to make small talk with anyone. Besides, all the girls will have their attention on you, I'm sure you heard about 13's pox outbreak, the minute you arrived they probably thought you are perfect for-"
"Breeding stock" he says interrupting her.
"Yeah."
"You are not the only one who has had a conversation with Dalton."
"They have very few children down here Gale."
"They can't force copulation."
"Can't they?"
"You are being ridiculous."
"You'd believe it if it were the Capitol."
They stop walking for they are right outside the training room. Knowing that she will be in training across the hall he says, "I just want to be with you."
"I am not going to the events" she says sternly.
"How can we-" but she raises her hand cautioning him not to continue, for she sees Boggs go into the training room, eyeing them as he passed by.
"I'll figure something out" she says as she quickly heads off to the nearby training room.
"Doesn't he look handsome?" Octavia says to Katniss as she finishes the final touches on Gale's uniform.
She does not respond, but she cannot deny that Gale does look striking in his uniform. They will be leaving shortly to head to District 8 to film a propo, and she and the rebel team were expected to be suited up and ready for filming.
While looking at Gale, she wished his strong arms were around her now, holding her tight. They have avoided the subject of how they will be able to spend time together, continuing to act as they normally do around others.
Her thoughts are interrupted by Heavensbee who drags her away, she listens as he begins telling her about the rebellion's plans to form a republic where the people of each District and the Capitol can elect their own representatives to be their own voice in a centralized government.
She wonders if those are really Coin's plans as Boggs hands her a tiny black object. As she brings it closer, Boggs tells her it is a nightlock pill and shows her where to place it in her uniform.
"In case we are captured" he says.
She makes a mental note never to forget where the pill has been placed, for she has the strange feeling the next time nightlock is in her hand, it will not be for show.