Peeta slammed the door behind him and crossed the room in two steps. His hands hovered awkwardly over her, wanting to rid her of the heavy chains.
"What the hell is going on?" When she didn't answer, he knelt in front of her and cupped her chin.
"Talk to me."
"What do you want me to say," she said dully.
"Tell me why you were arrested for poaching. That can't be true, can it? After everything I told you. After everything we have talked about? Tell me they're lying." She didn't speak and she refused to look at him.
"Damn it, Katniss, look at me!" She blinked back tears and her eyes moved to his.
"What happened," he asked urgently.
"I couldn't let them take Prim," she whispered before bowing her head and pressing her forehead to the desk.
"Prim? What does Prim have to… ok… ok, let me think." Peeta stood and rubbed his forehead. His wife looked vastly uncomfortable and he dug into his pocket for spare keys. He shoved them into the lock and she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her wrists.
"Katniss, you have to tell me the truth. Tell me what happened. Exactly how it happened." Katniss opened her mouth to speak but the door opened and Peeta jumped to his feet.
"Captain Mellark, sir. There's a young woman here to-"
"Peeta!" Primrose Everdeen pushed past the soldiers and rushed into Peeta's office. She stopped when she saw Katniss and her wild eyes flew to Peeta. He cleared his throat and nodded to the soldiers.
"Thank you, soldiers. That will be all." He closed the door tightly and Prim ran into her sister's arms.
"Oh Katniss, I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry!"
"It's not your fault, Prim," Katniss said, her voice muffled by Prim's dress.
"Girls, please tell me what happened," Peeta's tone was desperate. "If I'm going to get you out of this, Katniss, I need to know the truth."
"It was my fault," Prim said before Katniss could speak. "No, Katniss- it was! I was meeting Rory in the meadow," she addressed Peeta. "He wanted to have a picnic and I said yes. Katniss stopped by this morning and asked if we could talk in the meadow, but I was helping Mom with Mrs. Anderson's baby. So I told her I would meet her later. Well when I got there, Katniss wasn't there yet. Rory was. The idiot had gone into the woods before coming to the meadow, to check his snares. He had a rabbit that he was taking to Gale and he asked me to wait for him while he ran back home. I slapped him across the face and screamed that he was being stupid. You told the Hawthornes that they needed to stop hunting. And he yelled at me that they are doing what they have to to survive. I told him he is going to get himself killed and I grabbed the rabbit from him. I didn't want him being found with it in his possession and figured I could hide it in my satchel. But Katniss came up and started yelling at him too. He got mad and dropped the rabbit and left us and I was about to follow him but Katniss said she heard a noise and told me to hide. A Peacekeeper jumped out of the woods and grabbed her and another one picked up the rabbit. I was about to come out to help her but they asked her if she had poached the rabbit and she told them she had just found it in the meadow. And they dragged her here. And I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to her so I ran straight here to find you. I didn't know they would bring her here to you. Please Peeta, you have to save her! It's my fault and she did nothing wrong!"
"It's Gale and Vick all over again," Peeta shook his head. "She's trying to protect you, Prim. But the both of you should have run away from that rabbit as fast as you could."
"There wasn't time, Peeta. It was like a peacekeeper was stationed there, waiting for me." Peeta's jaw clenched. He had no doubts that was exactly what had happened. Thread knew someone hunted beyond the fence. And he had sent Peackeepers to catch whoever it was. They had to have heard the conversation between Rory and Prim, but they had arrested Katniss. Thread knew exactly what he was doing.
"Shit," he finally said, hiding his face in his hands.
"You can't sentence her, Peeta! You just can't!"
"I'm the Captain, Prim! And Thread knows who she is because he is making ME sentence her! He's testing me. Testing my loyalties."
"To hell with your loyalties! Your loyalties should be to your wife and nothing else!"
"Prim," Katniss said softly. "Stop it."
"There is no way you are going to actually whip Katniss, Peeta. If you do, you are NOT the man I thought you were."
"That will never happen, Prim," he said angrily. "But I have to figure this out. I need to talk to Haymitch."
"Haymitch? Haymitch Abernathy? Why in the world do you need to talk to him?"
"Prim, I need you to go with Peeta to Victor's Village," Katniss said softly. "Stay with him. And most importantly, you need to listen to him. He will tell you what I was going to talk to you about in the meadow. You need to do exactly as he says, Prim, do you understand?" Prim glanced at Peeta and nodded to her sister. Katniss reached for Peeta's hand.
"Take Prim to the meeting in my place."
"Katniss-"
"There's nothing we can do until morning. We can't draw attention to ourselves. I know you'll figure this out but until then, I'm stuck here." Peeta hated the thought of his wife staying in the cells overnight. He shook his head and grabbed the paperwork from his desk.
"I'll pay your fine and however much it takes to get you out of here. That will be your sentence. I'll set your bail, and then I'll pay it." He scribbled something on the paper and yanked the door open.
"Soldiers, Mrs. Mellark is free to go with a warning and a fine. See to it that the paperwork is processed while I phone General Thread." One of the men took the paperwork with a trembling hand and Peeta slammed the door again. He grabbed the phone from his desk and quickly dialed the number.
"General Thread, sir. Captain Mellark."
"Ah, Captain. I assume you are calling about the prisoner in your office."
"That's correct, sir. As I understand it, she wasn't even beyond the border. She was in the meadow and she didn't even kill the animal herself, she just found it, probably left from the REAL person who is hunting beyond the fence. So I'm issuing her a warning and setting a fine of-"
"I'll stop you right there, Captain. I had a feeling this would be a problem for you. So I've already contacted the Capitol. The Minister is in agreement with what you and I discussed this morning and he agrees that setting harsher punishments for wrong-doers is what the district needs. No more warnings and fines. There will be floggings and firing squads. Hangings and public humiliation. Now I know that she is your wife but she broke the law and you, Captain, are still bound by the law. She may not have been outside the fence this time but I'm not a fool. You have been covering for her for ages. We finally caught the person who is hunting on Capitol grounds. You will sentence her and carry out that sentence tomorrow morning."
"But sir-"
"If you have a complaint, you may take it up with Minister Antonius. Good evening to you, Captain Mellark." Peeta flinched as the call was disconnected and he dropped the phone on his desk.
"I don't believe this," he muttered under his breath. He dialed the number for the Minister of Defense but was told he was in a meeting.
"Please have him call Captain Mellark. It's urgent." He hung up and shook his head. He tried to contact Duartyr but he didn't answer either, nor did Lyme or Haymitch.
"God damn it!" He threw the phone into the wall and Prim flinched.
"Sorry," he growled, gripping his hair tightly.
"Peeta, go talk to Haymitch. It will be alright."
"How will it be alright," he demanded. "I don't know what to do here, Katniss! I seriously have no clue how to get out of this one."
"Talk to Haymitch," she said again. "He's a Victor, remember? I'll see you in the morning."
"I hate Rory Hawthorne," Prim wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. "I never want to see him again!"
"He was just doing what he had to to survive," Katniss said softly, reaching up to squeeze her sister's hand. "Don't hate him for that." Peeta was pretty irritated with all of the Hawthornes at the moment but he knew it wasn't really Rory's fault; the peacekeeper was waiting for Katniss. She had been set up. He probably would have arrested her with or without proof. He knew all of that but he still wasn't sure how he was going to free her.
"The sun is going down soon," he said in a hollow voice. "Let's get you settled and I'll take Prim home after the meeting."
Peeta squeezed back tears as he lead Katniss to the cells and watched her sit on a filthy bench. She wrinkled her nose and stood back up, wrapping her fingers around the bars.
"Pickens," he called and the young peacekeeper hurried forward.
"This is my wife, Katniss. I want you to guard her with your life, do you understand me?"
"Yes Captain," Pickens stammered. Peeta reached through the bars and cupped her cheek.
"You believe in me?"
"Always, Peeta."
"I will save you," he promised before he nodded to Pickens and turned away.
Prim waited by his desk and she jumped as he stomped into his office.
"Let's go, Prim," he said briskly, his hand on the door. Prim stayed by his side and didn't say a word as he lead the way to Victor's Village. He was grateful for her silence as they climbed the steps of Haymitch's grand house and instead of knocking, he pushed the door open. Prim seemed uncertain for a moment but continued to follow him through the house.
Haymitch looked up when he heard Peeta's heavy footsteps on the stairs and his face darkened.
"Are you insane? What is she doing here?"
"I'm here to save my sister," Prim snapped and Haymitch's brow furrowed.
"Katniss has been arrested." Purnia and another Peacekeeper jumped to their feet.
"What?"
"How," Haymitch asked, his eyes wide.
"It doesn't matter. They arrested her for poaching and the point is, she was set up. Thread is making me sentence her and wouldn't let me set her bail. You have to tell Prim everything. And then tell me how the hell to get out of this mess."
"Jesus," Haymitch muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Haymitch, we have to do something," Mayor Undersee muttered. "We can't wait for 13. We need to get Katniss out of 12 now."
"Thread knows something is going on," Purnia said loudly. "It's why he had her arrested. But Peeta, you said that President Snow seemed to actually like her!"
"I'm not sure if like is the right word but he definitely seemed enchanted by her. Intrigued by her, maybe. Are you saying there's a chance he doesn't know she's been arrested?"
"It's possible," Purnia replied. "I'm starting to think Thread isn't following the President's orders anymore."
"Then whose orders is he following," Prim asked in confusion.
"We don't know, Prim," Peeta said softly. "That's what we're trying to figure out. Haymitch, you need to tell Prim what you know."
"Alright," the Victor said heavily. "Sit down, sweetheart."
While Haymitch spoke to Prim in quiet tones, Mayor Undersee introduced Peeta to the newcomers. His eyes widened in shock when two men moved forward to embrace him.
"What are you both doing here?"
"Same as you. Hoping for change, for some good to our country," Bing said gently.
"I'm no stranger to these meetings, Peeta," his father said softly. "I attended a few of them when Ash was still alive. I know what he was. And I know what Katniss is. You're taking on a heavy burden, my son."
"I have no choice, Pops. I've loved her since I was a boy."
"I know. She's a lot like her mother. Fierce. Beautiful. A fiery spirit you don't want to contend with. But this won't be an easy journey. For any of us."
"So why are you here, Dad?" Bran Mellark cast Prim a sad glance and in the shadows, he looked years beyond his age.
"I'm here for my family."
"Rye is safe, Pops. He and Madge left for 13."
"He is supposed to let us know when they arrive," the Mayor muttered. "They're accompanied by some of Commander Lyme's soldiers so we are hoping they arrive safely. But President Coin will want to know about Katniss's arrest."
"I want to try to reach Minister Antonius again. He was in a meeting when I called from the Justice Building. Surely he will tell Thread to let her go."
"Unless he is following someone else's orders as well," Bran said carefully. Bing nodded, chewing his lip anxiously.
"That's what I was thinking too."
"The Minister of Defense answers to the President directly," Peeta said dismissively. "And he controls the Peacekeepers of Panem. If Snow doesn't know about Katniss, then we have to contact him."
"I know you're recently promoted, Peeta, but I doubt even you can be transferred directly to the President," Purnia said skeptically. Peeta growled in frustration. He saw Prim rise from her seat and move to the corner of the room. He imagined she would need some time. Katniss still had a hard time with the fact that her father's death was no accident, and she had been aware of a possible rebellion for several days before she was told everything. It was information overload for a fifteen year old girl. He wanted to go and comfort his sister-in-law but all he could think about was his wife shivering in a dirty cell.
"Haymitch, how do we contact Snow?"
"I don't exactly have his office number, kid."
"I know that," he said impatiently. "But you know someone who does, don't you? He might not know about Katniss's arrest yet. And he might help us once he does."
"That's a lot of mights, Peeta. Even if we were able to contact him directly, you think he doesn't know yet?"
"Maybe not. You said yourself that Thread might be working for someone else. What if Antonius is too?"
"Then we're in big trouble. But let me contact Plutarch. If anyone can contact Snow, it's him." He went to sit at the table and started pressing buttons on the holo device. Peeta glanced over at Prim and sighed. He ran his hands through his hair, pulling it loose so it fell over his forehead. He glanced down at his uniform and suddenly felt like he was suffocating. He ripped the plastic pieces off and threw them aside, stripping down to his plain white t-shirt and white pants. He sighed as he tossed the helmet on top of the clothes pile, and crossed the room to where Prim was crouching in the corner. He knelt in front of her and gave her a kind smile.
"Hey." She peered up at him with red-rimmed eyes.
"Did you know?"
"Not until they told us in the Capitol. I'm so sorry, Prim. Your dad was a very brave man."
"I barely remember him. I was so young when he… and then Katniss became like my mom. Risking her life everyday to put food on the table. I didn't realize how much she risked when I was little. I took advantage of her. And now…"
"Hey," he reached out to cup her chin. "None of that. Your sister loves you, and she knows you love her. She will do anything to protect you. You didn't take advantage of her, Prim, you depended on her, and there's nothing wrong with that. Your parents left you and your sister was the one who was there for you. But you can help her now. You need to convince your mother that you need to leave 12."
"Haymitch said Mom told him she would never leave. Even if it's what Dad wanted. Katniss was going to try convince her, wasn't she?"
"I'm going to get her out of there, Prim, I promise. But it's up to you to convince your mom that you all have to go. You know you're in danger as long as you stay here. And you know Katniss won't leave either of you behind." Prim cocked her head and brought her knees into her chest.
"You really love her, don't you?"
"Always have. Since I was five years old, actually. I thought she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen and I told my Dad later that day that someday I was going to marry her." Prim smiled and rested her chin on her knee.
"Haymitch says that she can lead this rebellion. But I'm scared, Peeta. They killed Dad for it. What if they get her too? I can't lose her. She's my big sister and I-"
"She's a fighter, Prim. I can't promise that nothing bad will happen. But you know as well as I do that Katniss has a fire inside her, and if Panem sees it, we will win this war." She nodded, sighing heavily and he reached out to grip her shoulder.
"You're part of this now. You know we can't stay here much longer. You need to start packing your things tonight and be ready to run, alright? We won't let anything happen to you or your sister." Prim then did something that took Peeta completely by surprise. She leaped into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck, burying her face in his chest.
"I'm glad you're my big brother now." His arms tentatively crept around her and he closed his eyes.
"I always wanted a sister." She leaned back, smiling.
"I'm more trouble than I'm worth."
"I highly doubt that. But I'm sure I can handle it." She grinned and wiped at her face. Peeta helped her stand and squeezed her hand. Haymitch crossed the room,
looking anxious.
"What's the matter, Haymitch?"
"We've got a problem. Minister Antonius is missing."
There was silence around the room and Peeta frowned.
"What do you mean, missing?"
"Plutarch contacted the President to tell him about Katniss. Snow was angry, so he summoned his Minister of Defense. Antonius hasn't been seen all day, so Snow is sending peacekeepers to find him."
"I thought he was in meetings!"
"Apparently not."
"But Thread said he spoke to him this afternoon, that Antonius approves of cracking down on the district. How could he be missing?"
"I think it's clear that Thread is no longer following the President's orders," the Mayor said carefully.
"Well if that's the case, Snow will have him arrested and charged with treason. But how do we get Katniss out of jail?"
"Snow isn't going to just fly here to 12 to bust her out," Haymitch sighed. "We need a plan."
"We're all ears, Haymitch," Peeta gestured impatiently.
"We need to let Coin know what's going on." He hurried back to the holo and Prim cast Peeta an anxious look. He squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and moved closer to the holo. Haymitch frowned and pressed some more buttons on the device.
"Boggs, this is Haymitch Abernathy. We need to speak to President Coin."
"President Coin is in a meeting at the moment. What can I do for you, Haymitch?"
"The Mockingjay has been arrested and is in immediate danger." Peeta saw the dark-skinned man lose color in his face. Perhaps that was just the projection.
"Explain."
"She was set up and is now in jail awaiting her sentence. Her husband has been charged with the task of carrying out her sentence in the morning. Fining her won't suffice, it seems, and Thread is suggesting a flogging sentence. She's small, Commander, she won't be able to sustain many injuries."
"Understood, Haymitch. I will inform Alma immediately. Stand by." Haymitch tapped his fingers on the table, waiting for Boggs to return.
"Haymitch, we need a plan in case 13 doesn't help," Bing said urgently. "Can you lead the way to 13?"
"We had one of our men, a coal miner from the Seam, head to 13 just a week ago. He still hasn't made it. It's a dangerous journey on foot and if 13 doesn't send a hovercraft, that's exactly what we will have to do. I don't know if it can be done."
"Look, am I the only one thinking of what the Capitol did to 13? They wiped it out, Haymitch. I'm glad the people went underground and survived but our district won't have that chance!" Haymitch gave Peeta a sad look.
"I know, Peeta. We just have to warn as many people as we can and hope they listen to us."
"And if they don't? We just leave them to die?"
"Peeta, you know people won't go near the woods," Bing said heavily. "They're frightened of the Capitol propaganda. Not to mention if they keep the fence turned on, it will be impossible to get over the border. We just have to… look out for our own." Peeta's eyes were hazy.
"Are you saying your pregnant wife will willingly run away into the wilderness?"
"If I explain how bad things are, yes. We can tell them what we know, Peeta. But that's all we can do. You have to decide who's most important. This is rebellion, Peeta. We will follow you." The others nodded around him and his shoulders slumped. Prim stepped forward and slipped her small hand into his.
"I believe in you," she whispered. He squeezed and his head shot up.
"Alright. We leave tomorrow night. We cross the border and make straight for 13. But we will need some help. We need someone who has been into the woods before, who knows how to trap and hunt." He glanced at Prim and her eyes widened.
"You're joking."
"He was Katniss's hunting partner. And I know you wouldn't leave his brother behind, no matter how angry you might be with him. We have to get them to leave with us. All of them."
"Peeta, their mother is dying! She won't be able to make the trip to 13. It will take about a week on foot!"
"You have to talk to them, Prim. Talk to Rory. Gale won't even listen to Katniss anymore, and he certainly won't listen to me. Haymitch might know the way to 13 but he hasn't been in these woods. We need someone who has."
"I'll try," she said doubtfully.
"I will make a call to the Capitol and ask them to turn the fence off," the Mayor folded his hands. "Make up some excuse for it to be off for a couple of hours. That will give you enough time to get across the border with as many people as you can."
"Wait, you're not coming with us?"
"My wife is ill, Peeta. She wouldn't be able to make the trip. We will stay and wait for 13 to liberate us, once Katniss has launched the rebellion." You might not be alive long enough, he wanted to scream at him but he remained silent and merely nodded. Madge would hate him for not convincing her parents to leave too.
"Haymitch," Boggs had returned to the holo and Haymitch sat back down.
"She says she cannot risk sending a hovercraft at this time. They have not been properly maintained and she won't risk sending one out before it has been checked out. But she has summoned maintenance to see to it as we speak. Now our intel suggests it would take a week for you to reach 13 on foot. We will deploy hovercrafts as soon as we are able, but we will not be able to reach you until the day after tomorrow." Peeta was about to protest but Haymitch grabbed his shoulder.
"Alright, Boggs, we will make it past the fence."
"How many do you estimate will be with you?"
"As many as we can convince to leave," Peeta said loudly.
"We cannot liberate the entire district at this time, Captain. I assure you, 12 will be our first priority once the rebellion is officially launched."
"And I assure you that once Snow finds out that Katniss is missing, he will retaliate! Send firebombs to annihilate the district. Sorry Commander, I won't leave them behind to die."
"We will send out trucks as well, in case we cannot fit everyone into the hovercraft. We have been preparing for your arrival, Captain, but understand that we have limited resources. Accepting an entire district into our bunkers will be difficult and possibly dangerous. They will all need to go through extensive medical screenings. We will do what we can to help," Boggs added hurriedly, seeing Peeta was about to speak again. "I am just telling you the facts."
"Fine. We will be ready. Deploy your hovercrafts and your vehicles. We will cross the fence before sun down tomorrow."
After the meeting had dismissed and Bing and Bran had left to convince their wives they had to leave, Prim brought up an important point.
"What are we going to do about Katniss? Thread wants you to sentence her tomorrow morning and we can't leave the district until evening."
"I'll figure something out," he sighed. Haymitch shot him a sympathetic look. "Come on, Prim, I should get you home before your mother starts to worry."
No one spoke to Peeta or to Prim as he escorted her back to the Seam. The sun had long since set but Peeta gripped his rifle at his side.
"Talk to your mother tonight. Explain what has happened. And just be ready." She nodded and leaned in to hug him.
"I know you'll save her." He watched her go inside and dug his hands in his pockets as he turned away. He walked back to his house, which was too dark and cold for his liking. He changed into some jeans and a soft black shirt and tried to make some dinner. He couldn't stand the silence. His eyes drifted to Katniss's bag, which still sat in the corner. Shaking his head, he grabbed a loaf of bread out of the box and exited his house again.
The Justice Building was even darker and colder. Peeta shivered as he made his way down the hall, toward the cells. The young Peacekeeper, Pickens, was wide awake behind a desk, staring off into space. He jumped to his feet when he saw Peeta.
"Captain Mellark!"
"Go home, Pickens," he said gently. "I'm here to relieve you of duty."
"But sir-"
"It's alright," he pressed. "I'll watch over her. Thank you for guarding her for me." He patted the soldier's shoulder and Pickens swallowed but nodded.
"Yes sir. Goodnight Captain." When he was gone, Peeta pulled a chair up to the bars. Katniss's brow quirked from across the cell.
"What are you doing here?"
"I told you I really can't leave your side anymore. Here," he pushed the bread through the bars. "I thought you might be hungry." She grabbed the loaf and scarfed it down. Peeta's smile faded and he gripped the bars.
"I should have brought you something else. I'm sorry."
"My boy with the bread," she said through a big bite. "Making sure I don't starve." He reached through the bars and gripped her free hand.
"I need you to be ready, Katniss."
"Ready for what?"
"Just… be ready. For whatever is about to happen." She swallowed her bite and frowned.
"Peeta, what are you talking about?"
"What we discussed in the Capitol. I need you to be ready." Her eyes widened.
"But-"
"You know how much I love you, don't you?" She froze and opened and closed her mouth several times.
"Yes. Yes, I do. But-"
"You know that I'll do anything for you?"
"I wish you would stop saying that, Peeta. I don't want you to… don't you dare put yourself in harm's way for me." He stroked her cheek and tried to manage a smile.
"I took a beating for you when we were kids. I gave you that bread, knowing my mom would hit me. But I barely felt it. Because I knew you would live another day. I knew I had saved you, for that moment at least."
"Peeta-"
"What we talked about before we came home. It's happening. President Snow is going to help us move to District 4. You'll love it there. I'm going to contact him and let him know that's what we've decided." She nodded, giving him a bemused look.
"Ok. But did you… I mean, what's going to happen in the morning?"
"I won't let anything happen to you."
"But what does that-"
"Get some rest, Katniss," he cut her off, nodding toward the flimsy bench. "I'll be right here." She gave him a dubious look before she swallowed down the rest of the bread and returned to her makeshift bed. She gave him one last look and saw him nod before she pulled the blanket over her head and tried to fall asleep. She couldn't exactly ask him to sing to her but she needed to hear his voice.
"Tell me a story, Peeta."
"Ok," he replied immediately. He told her fairytales of princesses with glass shoes and wheat spun into gold and frogs becoming princes. He sensed her need for him to keep talking and he spoke soft and low, well after she had fallen asleep. He tilted his head back on the chair and closed his eyes.
"Sleep well, my love," he whispered into the night.
Shout out to Boxbex155, a happy belated birthday! Sorry I couldn't post on Saturday, I was out of town. Hope it was a great one!
I know yall are getting anxious- and don't judge Rory TOO harshly cause he will explain what he was thinking, in the next chapter.
Have a great week everyone! XOXO
