DISCLAIMER: HG CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME, OC ONES DO

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to update-had unexpected things happen in my personal life (e.g. family illness/surgery) and then I went on vacation so my updating will probably be all over the place

A/N: This chapter contains a flashback scene, since that is my jam lol

Chapter 166-Punished II

July 7 (twenty-four years ago)

Katniss frowns as she watches television, her eyes glued to Panem News Network. Dinner almost ready, she was watching the 6 pm news as Gale began to set the dinner plates on the island. Sienna distracted by her toys, Katniss glances at Avery's portable rocker, making sure the infant was still asleep, for she turned three months old today.

Katniss continues to focus on the news when she hears, "Katniss! Katniss you planning to join us?" and when she looks over, she sees Sienna strapped into her highchair, and Gale sitting at the island, waiting for her to join them.

Bolting up off the couch, she takes one last glance at Avery then walks quickly into the kitchen. "Sorry" she says as she sits down. Automatically reaching for Sienna's plate to begin cutting her food up, she sees that Gale has already done it, the 21-month-old quickly and quietly eating her food.

"What was so interesting?" Gale asks as they begin eating dinner.

"I've been watching the reports on Luella Lamb. You know, the woman from District 6?"

Gale nodded his head, for he was familiar with the Luella Lamb news story, and what she had done.

"I saw that the government official from 6 is sentencing her to a three-year prison term."

"Mmhmm" Gale says as he chews his food.

Katniss frowns at him in annoyance then says, "I can't believe the government official would do that."

"Why? She admitted to killing her husband." Gale then hears Avery begin to cry from her portable crib and says, "Maybe we should get her."

"No, she might cry herself back to sleep" Katniss says dismissively then says, "Gale-it's not that simple."

"I know, but she has to answer for her crime, she got a lenient sentence and that's good."

"You have no idea what she's had to endure, the years of abuse. She should not be going to prison at all."

"Katniss…..she slit his throat."

"What about the things we've done? Maybe she was scared for her life? Why does the government official get to decide her fate?"

"I don't think this is the same, she could have called law enforcement."

She glares at him as she rises from her chair and walks towards the great room, for Avery's cries continued to get louder and louder.

He watches as she goes over to the portable rocker and picks up Avery, then sits down on the couch and pulls up her shirt. He hears his infant daughter exhibit a sound of joy before her cries cease as she begins feeding.

He finishes eating his food and afterwards cleans up the island along with Sienna's highchair, while Sienna played in the great room, Katniss holding a now content Avery in her arms.

Later that evening, after checking on Sienna and making sure she was still asleep in her room, he goes back into the master bedroom and sees Katniss lying on the bed, her back up against the headboard, with Avery cradled in her arms.

"Hopefully she'll sleep all night tonight like she did yesterday once she's done feeding" Katniss says to Gale.

Gale gently touches his daughter's arm and smiles at Katniss, watching the infant's response to his touch he says, "I think she's going to be really different from Sienna."

"Oh yeah, most definitely. Don't get me wrong, I know it took us a while to get used to Sienna, but she calmed down and became a very laid-back baby. Avery seems to need more attention, and I think she's going to have quite a personality. Sometimes right before I feed her, she gives me a look with her eyes letting me know I've inconvenienced her making her wait."

Gale chuckles and says, "A head-strong personality…..sounds like an inherited trait of-"

"A Hawthorne" Katniss says cutting him off.

"Or an Everdeen, remember how Tigris once said no one knows what to do with you."

She laughs then gets a serious look on her face as she says, "I know you don't agree with me about Luella Lamb."

Not wanting to argue with her again, for he was hoping they could spend some quality time alone and if she was up for it, joining him the shower for they had only recently begun having sex again since Avery's birth.

"It's not that I think Luella Lamb deserves to be in jail, I think the government official in District 6 made the best decision given the circumstances. Could a better decision have been made? Maybe."

"That's my point though, why are the government officials making these decisions? Should someone else should be doing it? Or a group of people?"

He mulls over her questions, "As the government official I'm responsible for the District, if not me, then who?"

"A panel? Maybe a committee or a dedicated group can be formed that handles these kinds of things? They would have the time to investigate it more. I just don't know if decisions like this should be made by one person."

He nods his head, thinking over what she has said. While he did not disagree that perhaps certain situations should not be handled by government officials, he was not sure if having an independent panel or group of individuals should be making those decisions either.


June 18 (Friday)

Gale's conversation with Katniss twenty-four years ago replays in his head as he sits in the President's mansion, waiting to be called into her office. While he and the other government officials brainstormed ideas over the years regarding Panem's government and changes that needed to be made, final approval went through the Capitol and Paylor. But one aspect of the nation's government after Snow's regime that never changed, was government officials deciding the fate of residents committing crimes, for no one could agree on who or what should replace the current system.

Because Cassandra committed a crime in the Capitol, her fate would be determined by President Paylor.

Knowing her team of advisors would be giving her their recommendation and opinion, he wanted to offer his input as well, even though it was also a conflict of interest. If he could explain to Paylor Cassandra's history with Kyle, he hoped it would help give her a lenient conviction, with the best-case scenario an acquittal.

He closes his eyes and inhales deeply as his thoughts return to that night so long ago. Not able to remember if Katniss ever spoke about Luella Lamb again, he did remember that after Avery was done feeding and fell asleep shortly after, that Katniss did join him for that shower.

He smiles as he slowly opens his eyes, remembering that one night of so many wonderful memories the two of them shared. He is relieved when he sees the door open a few seconds later, for his thoughts turned to Cassandra and Paylor, sparing him from the heartache that was about to overcome him.

As he is escorted into Paylor's office, he thinks over what he is going to say to her, but once he enters, he quickly finds out the President will be doing all the talking. She shows him the photographs found at Kyle's apartment, and he inhales sharply as he sees multiple photos of himself and Cassandra, in various places, some even private places or so he thought.

"The examination from the hospital verifies her statement that she was held against her will, as well as the injuries to her hand and body, and-the pelvic exam collaborates her statement that she was raped."

Having worked for Paylor for as many years as he has, Gale knows when she is holding something back.

"But-"

"The medical examiners concluded that Mr. McCalister was dead for one and half to two hours before law enforcement arrived on the scene."

In a sharp but respectful tone he says, "She was trying to reach me for almost an hour, she was calling from his phone, so I didn't know it was her calling at first. And it took another half hour to get to his apartment."

"She calls you instead of law enforcement?"

"She was scared. The man tortured her for ten days."

"All the more reason she should have called law enforcement, or a medical evac, her physical injuries were quite severe."

In a sarcastic tone he says, "Oh I know, I saw the room."

Not meaning to upset him, Paylor's demeanor softens as she says, "I know this is hard. But please try to look at this from my perspective. His brother, Ethan McCalister feels Miss Rawlings needs to answer for her crime. He wants a prison sentence, despite the overwhelming evidence of what his brother did. Miss Rawlings stabbed Mr. McCalister over thirty times. While I strive for full transparency in Panem, I want to try to keep as much of this under wraps from the media as I can. Over reporting is not a good thing, this whole thing reminds me of the Luella Lamb case all those years ago."

A chill runs down Gale's spine, feeling as if Paylor had read his mind when his conversation with Katniss ran through his head while waiting outside her office.

"There was a lot of media attention on that case" he forces himself to say in a calm manner.

"A mistake I don't want repeated. I want to get ahead of the story before information begins leaking out."

Understanding full well what that meant, he says, "And your decision is?"

"She will stay in the holding cell here in the mansion for the weekend. On Monday she will take a hovercraft to her new residence."

"New residence?" Gale says in a tone of confusion mixed with alarm.

"I am not sentencing her to a prison term. Clearly this was a case of self-defense. But Mr. McCalister's life maybe could have been saved had she called a medical evac sooner. And he would have paid dearly for his crime. We have made it very clear to the residents of Panem, that when there is a trouble or someone needs help, to call law enforcement or a medical evac. I think one thing I am most proud of that I have accomplished as President, is that residents no longer live-in fear of their government. It is unfortunate what happened to Miss Rawlings, but she cannot live in the Capitol, not right now."

"Instead of a prison sentence she has been banned from the Capitol?

"Remember how one of my advisors had worked for many years with all of the District's local community leaders? My advisor wrote a comprehensive report detailing each District's service needs. For example, District 12, 11, and 9 tend to need additional help in the medical field and teaching. And almost all of the District's need help in social services, from someone to answer the phones to people providing direct services, the exception being the Capitol and District 1 and 2, which is unfortunate all these years later. My advisor had written in the final report, that resident's found guilty of minor and lower level crimes should complete mandated work in their assigned District in exchange for a prison sentence. It's a win for the District and the person, the District gets additional help and the person avoids a prison sentence. My advisor called the concept-resident community service. Miss Rawlings will be assigned to work in the District I am sending her to and cannot travel outside of it until she completes the required service term."

"District 5" Gale says in response, for he knew where Paylor was planning to send her.

She nods her head in response and says, "I thought going back to her home District would make the adjustment easier" in a sympathetic tone.

"I'm not so sure about that" Gale says in an apprehensive one.

"Is there another District you recommend?" Paylor asks in response.

Gale pauses, then shakes his head no in response. While sending Cassandra to District 5 was not ideal, the District was close enough to District 2 that he could travel to the District to see her frequently, for he knew she would need him now more than ever.

"Then she'll be going to District 5 on Monday. She will be housed at an apartment complex near the District's town square and she will be provided a weekly allowance for food and other purchases. Her service term will last for six months."


"Why can't I go to District 2? Do my service term there?" Cassandra says through her sobs as she holds Gale's hand, the two of them sitting in the holding cell.

"District 2 doesn't need the help, neither does 1" Gale says in a sympathetic tone.

"Can I come to the cottage on weekends at least? Or stay with you at the house?"

"You might have to work some Saturday's; it all depends on what the Counseling Center you will be working at needs help with. And-you can't leave the District, if certain people found out you are spending time in District 2 with me, it would give the appearance you are not fulfilling the terms of the resident community service program."

"Ethan, you mean?" she says in disgust.

Gale nods then says, "You are the first person to be given resident community service, the President and her advisors want this program to work, but there are rules in place that a person must follow."

"I shouldn't have to do this Gale!"

"I know, but unfortunately the medical examiners wrote in an official report the length of time between Kyle's death and when law enforcement was called. It raises doubt, despite the physical evidence of what happened, but Ethan could go the media, and you don't want all of Panem learning about you, about us, by letting the President address Panem and deal with Ethan contains this, it's our best option."

"Our?"

"Yes. You are not alone in this. We are here for you, all of us. I'm only a few hours away by train, Juniper and I can come visit on Sunday's."

Her tears beginning to fall again, she reaches up and touches his face as she says, "I'll miss you-so much."

Placing a kiss in the palm of her hand in response, he then says, "Me too" before hugging her tightly.


July 15 (four weeks later)

Cassandra drinks her coffee as she organizes the large stack of files on her desk in her small, but comfortable cubicle. Working in District 5's Community Counseling Center for a month now, she has been helping the center organize files, as well as additional clerical tasks including scheduling appointments, and helped the office manager of the center compose memos and complete various office tasks that needed to be done.

Unsure if she would like the work when she first arrived, she settled in quickly and while at times the work was monotonous; acclimated well and enjoyed working with everyone there, for everyone at the center was very friendly and welcoming.

Once she finished her first task of the morning, the office manager asked if she could cover the reception desk from 11:30 am-1 pm for the receptionist had a dental appointment during that time and they had no one else to cover the front desk today. Quickly letting the officer manager know that was fine, for she knew covering the front desk meant she could leave early for the day, Cassandra eats her salad early for she didn't want to eat her food at the desk, for the phone at times got quite busy during the lunch hour.

While taking a call and entering information in the computer, she sees a tall figure walk up to the front desk and sign the sign in sheet. Too busy to look up at the person, once she hangs up the phone she says, "Thank you for your patience, I'll be with you in a just a minute" as she saves the information she enters in the computer, for she typed at a slow speed.

She feels her chest tighten as she hears a familiar voice say, "Cassie, is that you?"

She slowly rises her head up and looks straight into her brother's blue eyes, unable to speak.