Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

Hello Peeta

Anger fuelled Effie's veins as she stared into Peeta's hospital room, or should she call it a cell. He was chained to the walls and the bed, his eyes were wild and he was paler than the whitest powder she owned. He'd been locked up like a wild animal, chained down like a prisoner. She could feel the horror radiating off of Katniss without even looking at her, she could see the anger in Haymitch's eyes. No wonder he was dangerous, how could he feel safe when he was being treated the very same as in the Capitol Dungeons.

"Are you ready to enter Miss Trinket?" one of the President Coin asked and Effie nodded, without a second glance to anyone she stepped towards Peeta's prison cell. "Remember if you need to come out at any time just call out, and Miss Trinket do not get too close to him."

Effie nodded her head and chose to ignore her words, she'd be going as close to Peeta Mellark as she chose, and nothing, not even the cold eyes radiating from the President of District 13 would stop that.

The solid grey doors slid open and Effie walked in to the chilling room, she could feel the sudden drop in temperature and it wasn't from the hollowed looks Peeta sent her way. She watched his skinny body tense as he looked at her and she sighed.

"Peeta, what have they done to you?" she half sobbed as she stepped closer to him.

Peeta seemed to frown in recognition but he continued to stare at her, he knew the voice but he couldn't put the face he was seeing with it. "Effie?" he finally muttered. Effie nodded her head and stopped, she needed to know what he thought of her and she smiled softly at him as he reeled back in shock.

"I know, what you must think. I look hideous! My nails! My wig! My clothes! My make up, they are all are gone and I'm left to look like this," she said wafting her hands over her body. "They've put me in a boiler suit! I was the most fashionable person in the whole of Panem. I was in magazines for my fashion sense, people wanted to look like me, they wanted to be me and now look!" she shuddered as she ran her finger across the delicately styled head scarf.

"What happened to you?" he asked, his eyes soaked her in and she waited patiently until he looked back to her face. His eyes were wide but black and the colour unnerved her, his eyes had been such a beautiful shade of blue.

"I was forced to live in a world of grey. Grey Peeta, you cannot imagine how much I despise the colour grey." Effie shuddered in disgust at the colour.

"Why are you here?" he asked, she could tell he was still unsure of her but she didn't blame him, the same happened to her every time she looked into a mirror.

"I've missed you so very much, there isn't much to do here in District 13 other than contemplate if steel grey is a nicer grey than a pewter grey," she said with a flick of her hand. "And the cave dwellers have finally allowed me access to see you," she said with a roll of her eyes, a nasty habit she'd picked up since working with Haymitch.

"Is, is that why my family haven't been to see me, they haven't received permission?" Effie felt the air leave her lungs at the simple question.

"You mean, you haven't been told? Nobody in this cave have had the heart to tell you anything?" Effie asked as she tried to control her anger.

Peeta shook his head, he stared at Effie and dread fell in to his stomach. He knew Effie, Effie had always been nice to him, been kind. He knew what she was saying."

"They're dead aren't they? That Mutt killed them!" he snapped and Effie jumped at the ferocity in his voice.

"Yes dear, I'm so sorry but your parents, they didn't' survive the bombing of District 12," she said slowly walking towards him. She didn't care if he was dangerous he was in need of comfort and she was the only person in his hell hole willing to offer it.

"Katniss did this, she killed them, she kills everything, she's a mutt, you've got to kill her Effie, you've got too or she'll kill everything."

"Peeta… Peeta… Peeta Mellark you listen to me right now!" she snapped and he stared up at her, his breath was coming out in short rapid pants but he'd stopped talking and Effie nodded.

"I'm going to tell you this once and you believe what I say because you and I, we were both in the dark about what was going on. President Snow killed your parents! Just like he's probably killed mine." Her eyes were raging with the fire deep inside and it took Peeta's breath away. "My mother and father, my sister and her husband will all be dead by the cold, wicked hands of President Snow and that's because of me." She was stood beside his bed, and she could imagine everyone behind the glass would be angry about how close she was to him but she didn't care, screw the people of District 13.

"Why would he kill your family?" he asked quietly, "You're a Capitol citizen."

"I know," she said quietly and she perched her bum on the edge of his bed. She stared in to the grey wall where the door to his room was, she wrapped her arms around her stomach and continue to stare. Snow would have killed her family, or captured them and tortured them for information. She knew he wouldn't have just left them alone, she'd put them in danger and now inside of her was another life in need of her protection.

"Because I chose to fight against him." she replied quietly. "Because I want a Panem where children don't fight one another to the death, where their 12th birthday is a happy occasion not one filled with upcoming doom. I want people to visit other District and have food on their plates at every meal and not be forced to work until they can't anymore. It took me a long time to realise how corrupt the Capitol is and we need to fight against it. We're part of the same team me and you," she said and she slowly reached out for his shacked hand. "I'm your friend yes?"

Peeta stared down at Effie's hand, gone were her long decorated nails that changed with every outfit, her hands looked worn now. The woman in front of her had changed since he'd last seen her and he knew it had something to do with this place.

"This place, they took your wig Effie, they took you clothes and you want to follow them, that's not the Effie Trinket I knew! You're a mutt!" He curled his hand around her wrist and she tried to swallow the panic that hit her.

"I most certainly am not! And I don't want to hear you calling me that again Peeta, where are your manners!" Peeta blinked a few times before he uncurled his hand from her wrist and moved it towards him.

"You are Effie."

"Of course I am dear, it's bad enough having to look like this! But do you honestly think I'd allow an imposter to dress like this and let them call themselves Effie Trinket. I would rather sell all of my mahogany furniture then let that happen!" Effie stuck her nose into the air with her hands flicking out in disgust.

"I'm so sorry," Peeta muttered. "I just don't know what's happened. I was in the arena and then President Snow was talking to me and then I saw District 12 being bombed and now I'm here and I just don't know what's going on!" he shouted pulling at his restraints and Effie's heart hurt. She'd put her hands around President Coins neck personally if she had too.

"The arena was destroyed, all the Victors but you and Katniss," Effie frowned as Peeta flinched at the name but she continued on. "Knew what was going to happen. Peeta dear we are in District 13 but you were once in the Captiol, you've been tortured sweetie they've injected tracker jacker venom into you and it's changed your thoughts and memories."

Peeta seemed to stare at Effie for ages until he finally nodded his head, "how did you get here?" Peeta finally asked. "And I thought they'd been destroyed."

Effie sighed and pulled her legs on to the bed, she could see a shimmer of blue reflecting in Peeta's eyes and that allowed her heart to soar. "It's been in the planning for months, you and I were in the dark. When you entered the arena all the Victors were in on the revolution, the breads that were delivered was a count down so the other Victors knew what was happening. When the arrow wrapped in the coiled wire hit the force field the entire field dropped and it allowed us into the arena. How I got here, well Haymitch told me I was coming with him, I didn't get time to pack or anything. I was dragged on to the hovercraft and when we landed I received hostile and rudeness form the citizens here." Peeta shook his head at the look of disgust on Effie's face.

"I'm sorry you were treated that way Effie," he said and Effie smiled.

"And I'm sorry with how you've been treated here. You've been treated like a prisoner and it breaks my heart to see you chained like this." Tears filled her eyes as she rang her fingers across the steal clasps around his wrists.

"I'm used to the chains," Peeta shrugged and the tears fell from her eyes, she reached slowly for his hand, she could see the sores on his wrist and the redness from constantly been shackled.

"I promise you now my dear boy. Things are going to get better, I'll bet every wig I've ever owned and treasured that I will help you!"

"To help me then you have to destroy the Mutt Effie, with her alive this entire world will be destroyed because of her. She needs to be killed, kill her!" he said and a chill went down her spine at the seriousness in Peeta's words. She found herself mute and she simply nodded.

"Let us see if we can heal your cuts yes?" she said and Peeta wordlessly held out his arm to her.

With a sigh she reached up to her the sash wrapped around her head and pulled it off, thick golden curls fell from the scarf, she wouldn't stand by and allow Peeta to suffer while she clung desperately to her old beliefs. She glanced up to Peeta's face and he was staring at her in shock.

"You are so beautiful Effie," he whispered and a blush formed on her cheeks as he stared at her.

"Thank you dear," she whispered, she tore at the scarf and she used the dish of water that had been left by the door and carefully dabbed the cold water on to his sores, he didn't flinch and a new wave of anger hit her. How much pain did one have to face before he no longer felt it?

"You'd make a great mother Effie," he whispered as he watched her tie the remains of her scarf around his wrists, protecting them from the chains.

"I almost was once," she admitted to him softly. "I miscarried about five years ago. I didn't even realise I was pregnant until the miscarriage happened." She told him and he looked at her with sad black eyes.

"I'm sorry that happened to you," and Effie forced a smile on to her face.

"No matter my dear, it was several years ago and it would have been dangerous to have a child back then, it wouldn't have been correct. I wasn't married at the time and my career was so important to me, I was the Escort for District 12 still and I enjoyed partying. A baby would have tied me down," and the baby's father wasn't from the Capitol, she added the last bit in her head but she knew Peeta understood, he nodded his head but said nothing more on the topic. She knew outside the others would have been listening, Haymitch would be horrified and she'd make sure he knew that she never once blamed him for it.

"Anyway you asked me how District 13 was here and I forgot to tell you. That's awfully rude of me," her tone was the one she was trained to use as a child, the courteous and polite manner her Mother had drilled into her as a child, a child that should only be seen and never heard unless spoken too. "It appears District 13 have been here all along but have lived under ground."

"So they left us to die while they stayed hidden like cowards," he snarled and Effie had to force herself into staying still, she agreed with Peeta and she was certain she probably wasn't helping him put faith into District 13 but she was proving to them that Peeta Mellark was still inside.

"Have faith my dear boy, you are safe in District 13 because I won't allow anyone to hurt my Victor!" Peeta smiled softly and nodded his head. He said nothing more as she wrapped his ankles with the remains of her headscarf. "I wish we could get you some decent food here but I hate to admit it but the food everywhere is terrible." She said and Peeta chuckled.

"And I thought it was only prison food that was bad." Effie smiled.

"Believe me dear, if I could smuggle you some tasty food then I would but first I must find some."

"Maybe I'm better off in here, sounds like outside this cell is tasteless food and badly dressed people."

"You hit the nail on the head, this has been the most fun I've had since I've been here." She admitted with a smile, "Entertainment is in shortage as well."

"If only Effie Trinket ruled District 13." Peeta said with a smile and Effie nodded.

"Dear, if I ruled District 13 there wouldn't be a split hair in sight and the colour grey would be banished."

She would have spent several more hours in here with Peeta, as long as the conversation of Katniss was avoided then Peeta was almost sane, but every now and again he would lash out and shout. The sweet boy she had met a few years ago had been stripped and in his place was a boy fuelled with anger and bitterness but also fear and panic. Wild animals would lash out in fear and Peeta was doing the very same. He trusted her, he felt safe with her so she knew he wouldn't recoil and attack her but if he saw her with Katniss then his trust will break and he would feel like she'd betrayed him, she'd be the enemy.

"Your friend Madge Undersee, she's also here in District 13. I can organise it where she can come in and see you. Would you like that?" Peeta nodded, there was a small smile on his face upon hearing Madge had survived.

"You have to go now?" he asked and Effie nodded. She stepped off the bed and pressed a kiss to her hand, she placed her hand on to his face and he closed his eyes.

"Be strong Peeta, you are my sweet sweet Victor and you deserve so much better than this,"

"Kill her Effie and we'll be safe. Kill Katniss and everything will get better, I promise." Effie didn't have the heart to say anything else and she just simply nodded her head. She unlocked the door and as it slid shut, her sadness turned into anger. She turned to face the people starring at her.

Katniss and Haymitch were in shock, they were still reacting to her earlier confession and her state of undress. President Coin was glaring at her and so was Commander Boggs, Plutarch Heavensbee seemed to be ashamed and it riled her temper

"Help him!" she snapped, "I've seen the Capitol treat Avox's with better manners and hospitality then what you are doing to this boy. You've locked him away like a wild dangerous animal, yet I've been sat in that room with him and I've managed to get close enough to touch him without him attacking me. And don't get me started on how little he knows. You didn't tell him about his parents, or why he was here? You should be ashamed of what you are doing!"

She looked directly at President Coin and the face in front of her morphed into one so familiar, she could almost smell the pungent fragrance of white roses surrounding her. "I'll be back to see him and you shall not stop me, also Madge Undersee will be allowed access to his 'cell' and Peeta will be treated like any other patient. He is sick, if I find out nothing has changed, then you'll regret it."

"And what exactly would you do Miss Trinket," asked President Coin, she was grinning at her, almost mocking her but Effie grinned, she was an Escort, she'd been around some of the most dangerous people in the Capitol, she could handle a badly dressed woman with horrific hair.

"Come on Katniss, it's time to get you ready for your next propo." Katniss nodded and walked towards Effie, Effie looked back at President Coin with a smile of her own before she turned and followed Katniss out of the room. It turned out District 13 was very much like the Capitol after all, and she'd just have to make sure she continued to put on a good show, she had too many lives on the line if she failed.

I wasn't certain how this was going, I finished the chapter on my word document with a little uncertainty but it was only when I read it through did I realise how much I liked it. I really wanted to show a different side to Peeta's hijacked form. I can imagine Peeta and Effie being very friendly and close during the Hunger Games and that trust has been bent slightly by Snow and he seems to want to trust her now but is still afraid and the longer she's there the more he sees it's really the true Effie and it helps him relax a little more around her.

I do hope you like this chapter, thank you for all that Favorited, alerted and reviewed the previous chapter!

Lottie