Katniss radioed Gale and Haymitch as soon as they were out of the mansion. Minutes later, two cars pulled up, full of their friends. Gale and Finnick helped support Peeta as they helped him into the car. Haymitch climbed into the back with his two kids, patting Katniss's knee comfortingly. She was seething but stayed silent the entire ride.
When they reached HQ, she exploded.
"I will KILL her," she growled, fists clenched.
"OK calm down, sweetheart. That's treasonous talk and we don't… we have no idea if any of our people are going to rally behind her."
"If you had heard her, Haymitch–"
"I did," he cut her off with a gentle tone. Katniss froze then her shoulders dropped.
"Gale."
"He knew you'd refuse to follow orders when he told you to call for him. So he snuck a bug in your pocket. We heard everything."
"We can't let her get away with this! We need–"
"Katniss," Haymitch said forcibly. "She has declared herself President of Panem. She's dangerous, perhaps more dangerous than she was in 13. You need to be careful." He gently patted her cheek and opened the door to head back downstairs. Katniss let out a cry of exasperation as she flung herself on the bed, burying her face in her hands.
"Katniss," Peeta said gently, as he tossed his ruined shirt aside. "Haymitch is right. We have to be careful. You shouldn't–"
"I won't let her hurt you, Peeta," she snarled, her eyes wide and angry. His eyes widened and he reached for her hand.
"It's dangerous to move against her."
"You heard her. She killed Aurelia. It's her fault so many of our friends and allies are dead. She can't be allowed to continue like this. She won't hurt anybody else!"
"That's not why you voted like that… was it? Because you…you're thinking…" She was silent and only stared down at their joined hands.
"Katniss?"
"I won't let her hurt you again, Peeta," she sounded much quieter this time and more desperate. She fingered the buttons of his shirt, well, Rye's shirt, and quickly set to buttoning them for him. Peeta's hand covered hers.
"Katniss, love of my life, queen of my heart, please listen to me. I can handle more needles, more tests, more…orders. But I cannot handle life without you. Please, my fierce songbird, do not put yourself at risk for me." He allowed himself to take her in for the first time and he inhaled sharply. Cinna had outdone himself. He had turned her into a work of art. The Mockingjay suit had been altered into something else entirely. Wings seemed to flow down her back and shining armor was at her legs, shoulders, and around her torso. When she moved, it looked like the birds swiftly moving through the trees, wings catching the sunlight and sending rainbows on the walls. Her hair was braided to the side, as she always wore but Cinna had clasped a small mockingjay in flight to the top of her braid. Such a small detail, barely visible but Peeta could see it. It differed from the mockingjay she wore on her chest. Her father's pin. A circle with a bird. In her hair, the mockingjay was flying freely with its wings outstretched.
Peeta thought it was beautiful and the message could not be more clear.
Cinna, like the rest of Panem, thought they were free. That Coin would lead fairly and the country could eventually return to its roots; rather than one family in charge, the people could decide who they would want to lead them.
But Coin had already declared herself President. There would be no vote. Boggs had told Katniss that Coin feared that she would not support her in her rise to power. Peeta understood perfectly what Coin was doing.
By keeping Katniss under her control, she not only ruled the country but the leader of the rebellion as well. And the way she could keep Katniss under her control was threatening Peeta's life. Katniss had made the Mockingjay deal just to save his life. She had included the Victors in her demands as well but she had done it to keep Peeta alive.
He knew that Coin would not hesitate to have him executed.
Well, studied, poked and prodded, and then executed. Perhaps she saw him as more valuable now than she knew about his powers but he doubted that would keep him alive for long. If she attempted to use any more tracker-jacker venom on him, he was sure his heart would give out as Darius's had done. Now that he had no more serum to use, he was actually afraid of long-lasting injuries and death.
Katniss shifted, drawing his attention again, and he squeezed her hand.
"Katniss?" She had not answered him or had said anything at all. She sighed and squeezed his hand once before standing.
"We should get you back to the hospital for your fitting. The execution is still a few hours away."
"But-"
But there was no time for more words. She was calling for Gale or Finnick to come help and they both appeared on the stairs.
"We need to get Peeta back to the hospital. Can one of you get him to the car?"
"I'm on it," Finnick rushed forward, bending low to allow Peeta to drape his arm around his neck. Peeta sighed, clearly uncomfortable, as Finnick scooped him off the bed and made his way downstairs.
"A few days ago I was leading the troops into the streets. Today I'm being carried around like a little kid," he huffed.
"You're still our Colonel," Finnick told him firmly. "You're still the one to lead us. Being carried around doesn't change that. And it doesn't change who you are. You're the same Peeta Mellark who fought bravely for your wife and for your country. With or without
both of your legs." Peeta managed a weak smile but didn't look very cheered. Finnick and Katniss helped him into the car and once again, Haymitch climbed in beside them. They were silent as they rode back to the hospital.
Katniss reached into the trunk to grab her bow, then helped Peeta wrap his arm around her neck. Haymitch supported his other side and two soldiers stood by, ready to help. Peeta grimaced as he made it past the hospital doors and very nearly collapsed into the chair they brought him.
"Thank god," Doctor Everett breathed, rushing toward them. "Where did you find him?"
"That's not important. He still has an appointment to get to, doesn't he?" Everett looked uncertain but nodded.
"Yes, of course. I'll take him to–"
"I am not letting him out of my sight," Katniss said sharply, which made both Peeta and Everett wince.
"Katniss-" Haymitch tried to reason with her but one dark look from her made him fall silent. He had seen that look on Ash's face once or twice. He didn't dare push.
Haymitch and Katniss trailed behind Peeta and Everett and didn't say anything when Everett waved them toward some chairs in the corner.
"Now then, Peeta, I have brought several different models for you to choose from. You may prefer one's appearance to the others but keep in mind, it is really about the functionality of the leg itself."
"How does it work? Once he chooses one, does it just attach and detach?" Everett glanced over at Katniss, clearly wary that she would start to yell again.
"Capitol technology is more advanced than anything in the districts. We will be able to fuse the prosthesis to his nerves so that the new leg will become part of him. It will work just like a real leg. Maybe even better than his old one." Everett reached for a heavy-
looking metal leg and Peeta wrinkled his nose.
"Yes I know it looks rather mechanical but again, the functionality is the important thing here."
"I'd rather not look like a machine," Peeta shook his head.
"Very well. We can move onto the more human-like models instead," the doctor responded, slightly irritated. He held up a prosthesis that looked like it had been cut off someone's body. Peeta felt sick.
"It looks and feels real, and in time, will combine with the bones and muscle in your thigh to start working as a leg. It will take some time though."
"How much time?"
"This isn't an exact science, Peeta," he said more gently now. "This is a healing process. I already told you that the healing process is unique and individual. What works for you might not work for another patient. You could take to this leg quickly and start
physical therapy in two weeks. Or your body may reject it and we will go through ten more models before you can begin PT. There are many factors to think about." That was clearly not the answer Peeta wanted.
"Can't you just… attach it and give me a bunch of medicine to help me adapt to it?"
"No," Everett said firmly. "This isn't like before. We aren't treating you like an experiment anymore. No more serums, no more trial and error medications, and no more super-soldier program. You're a regular man now. Something you've always wanted. So it's
time to get used to that fact and stop seeking rapid solutions to your problems." Peeta looked like he wanted to say something or perhaps just curse the doctor out but Katniss had walked over and stood behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder. Sighing,
he reached back and grasped her hand.
"Ok. Let's try it out."
-
It wasn't a pleasant process and more than once, Peeta asked Katniss to leave. But she refused. Haymitch said he would wait in the hall but Katniss did not let Peeta's sour mood drive her away. The fitting went well, in her opinion. After three tries, they found a prosthesis that Peeta seemed to like. More importantly, he was able to stand on his own, unlike the previous tries. It was very thin metal but it melded to his thigh well. Peeta was angry that it was still a machine and he swore he would never wear shorts again but Doctor Everett put in the order to have it customized for him as soon as possible.
Peeta was tired and sweaty after the fitting so Katniss had dinner delivered to their room and afterwards, helped him take a quick bath. Haymitch, Rye, and Madge came to the room not long after as Katniss was helping her husband into a nice shirt. Rye's outfit looked suspiciously like a Peacekeeper uniform and Peeta raised a brow.
"You're going to this as a Capitol soldier?"
"I'm Katniss's safety detail. Coin didn't want it to look like a Peacekeeper but still wanted me to appear as an authority figure."
"And me? Her fucking husband should be a part of her safety detail." Rye bit his lip.
"She says you're too valuable." Peeta cursed under his breath.
"Katniss, you look really beautiful," Madge said gently.
"Thanks Madge. You're looking better, how do you feel?"
"I feel better," she nodded. "I can walk on crutches now. I'm actually going home tomorrow. I mean… I can leave the hospital, not going home, but I… well, you know what I mean." Katniss nodded and gave Rye a soft smile.
"Ryen will take good care of you."
"I know he will," her friend smiled and turned her head to kiss her husband.
"Beetee made some more changes to your bow," Rye nodded toward Katniss's weapon. "And brought you a new quiver of arrows."
"That's nice of him," Katniss glanced back at her bow.
"Peet, have you ever seen her shoot?"
"Not technically," he replied, glancing sideways at her. Rye's smile widened.
"I have. You're in for a treat."
"She is literally going to be firing one arrow a couple of feet away," Haymitch grunted. "But I have to agree. She's a sight when she shoots. Just like her father."
"Well maybe I'll see more of it when we settle down somewhere," Peeta reached for her hand and kissed it.
"If we go back to 12, I'll take you into my woods someday," she said softly. He gave her a warm smile and kissed her palm.
"Back to 12? Katniss, 12 was destroyed," Madge said with a tone of hesitance and uncertainty.
"I know. But we can rebuild it, can't we? Who says the citizens of 12 have to stay in 13?"
"No way in hell I'm staying there," Rye shook his head. "Katniss is right, I'd like to go back home. It won't be easy but we can do it." Haymitch moved to stand beside Katniss and wrapped one arm around her shoulder.
"Ash would be proud of you." She tried to smile but found that it was more strained than anything. She shifted the bow on her back and felt its weight really getting to her. It had never been this heavy before. Was it because of what she was about to do? The
execution would be starting soon and she would be murdering a man in front of the whole world. She felt like she was going into the Hunger Games. They broadcasted everything of the Games and she could just imagine all of the eyes on her.
"Well, we better get going," Haymitch said heavily, echoing Katniss's thoughts. "Tonight's bound to be an interesting night." His brow raised in Katniss's direction but she kept her face impassive as she took hold of Peeta's chair and rolled him out of the
hospital toward the waiting car.
One way or another, they would find freedom tonight. Katniss was determined to make it so.
