We Didn't Start The Fire
by FanficAllergy & RoseFyre
oOo
Chapter One: I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
oOo
Last Time in Brand New Breeze:
With the food eaten and me finishing off half the apple pie, we walk up to our spot at the top of the hill under our maple tree. The maple's leaves are starting to turn colors, a mixture of red, orange, green, and yellow. It's a beautiful sight, but not quite as beautiful as Peeta's and Gale's faces when I tell them I've decided to keep the baby.
oOo
The sound of an approaching hovercraft jerks me awake. My heart races. The Capitol! They've found me! They've found us!
I reach in the darkness over my wife's pregnant belly to shake my husband awake. Inside, I'm cursing myself for suggesting a couple months ago that we stop the nightly watches. We haven't needed them, and with the door and winter, the chances of anybody finding us were slim.
But now somebody has.
Gale jerks awake, freezing when he hears the sound. A moment later, I hear Katniss suck in a breath. She's heard it too.
"The Capitol?" she whispers.
I nod unconsciously and then realize, belatedly, that she can't see me in the dark and gloom of the cave. "Yes."
"I'll get the weapons," Gale says, rolling out of bed. "You two wake the rest up."
We meet in the main room, with Katniss trailing in a couple minutes later. "Sorry. Had to pee. The baby decided that impending Capitol doom wasn't a good enough reason to stop dancing on my bladder."
"It's okay," Gale says, handing her a bow.
"Maybe this is just a false alarm. Maybe it's just someone, you know, flying over," Prim suggests.
"I hope," I mutter. This wasn't how I planned my life would go. Being abducted at knifepoint to make a journey beyond the fence to the middle of nowhere wasn't high on my list of happy endings. But now I don't want this life to end, not for the world. I've got pretty much everything I ever wanted and a little extra besides. And I'm about to become a father. Life couldn't get any better.
And now some idiot from the Capitol in a hovercraft has to shatter that illusion!
"What do we do?" Rory asks.
"We stay put," Gale says, his voice brooking no argument. "There's no guarantee they actually know we're here and the last thing we want to do is go running outside and confirm it for them. We disguised everything man-made last fall and we've been really good about keeping the smoke coming out of the smoke hole steady and the right color. As long as we give them no reason to come looking for us, they should just fly on by and forget about this place."
"I hope you're right," I mutter again. "All we can do now is wait."
We sit in the gloom of the banked fire in the main room with our weapons pointed at the door. We're trapped in here and, assuming it is the Capitol - really, who else could it be? - six people wielding bows and arrows and a few stone-tipped spears aren't going to be much defense against well-armed Peacekeepers. But it's the best we've got.
We hear the whine of the hovercraft slow and become louder.
"What's it doing?" Prim asks in a whisper.
"Fuck," Gale says, staring up at the stone roof of our cave, tracking the hovercraft's motion with his ears. I'm right there with him. It's stopping. Landing. If I had to make a guess, probably over near my mother-in-law's garden.
Prim's eyes are wide. "What do we do now?"
"Same thing as before," I tell her in a whisper. "We wait."
"And stop talking!" Katniss snaps at her sister.
And that, more than anything else, tells me just how tense she is. Katniss never snaps at Prim. Katniss is scared and my wife never reacts well when she's cornered and frightened. I set down my spear and reach out to rub her back. She's got the most to lose out of all of us, and I wish I could do more to comfort her. But rubbing her back and letting her know I'm here is the best I can do for her right now.
We hear the hovercraft set down and the pop of the main hatch opening. "They're coming out," Gale whispers. "Get ready."
I pick up my spear again and move to one side of the door. Violet flanks the other side, leaving a clear shot for Katniss, Gale, Prim, and Rory. I curse myself and my inability to master the bow. No matter how much I've tried, I just don't have the coordination and ability necessary to use the weapon effectively. It's embarrassing. Katniss and Gale tried to reassure me that I've gotten better at other things I used to be hopeless at, like walking quietly in the woods or tanning hides, but right now, with my family in danger, I'd trade all of that for the ability to take our enemies out in one shot from a distance.
The waiting feels like an eternity even though I'm sure it's been less than ten minutes from when the hovercraft landed. From my position by the door, I can hear people navigating through the brush. I'm praying that some of the traps we've set tangle them up. And one does.
There's the unmistakable clanking of someone walking up the path to our front door. Our pirate alarm, or, should I say, Capitol alarm. I roll my eyes. Well, it worked, and just like in the movie, it's not a welcome sound.
I shift my grip on my spear and get ready to stab at whoever dares come through our door when I hear a woman's voice call out, "Gale! Gale Hawthorne! Peeta Mellark! Katniss Everdeen! Are you there?"
"Who?" I mouth. The woman's voice sounds familiar, I know I've heard it before. But I can't quite place it.
I don't have to because the woman calls out again a moment later, "It's Cressida! Cressida Powers! We met a month and a half ago! Remember? When you helped my group?"
"It could be a trick, the Capitol could've tortured her to give us up," Katniss hisses, her eyes wary.
My wife has a point. It is Cressida. We all recognize her voice now. But that's not the problem. Even knowing that it's her, we don't know if we can trust that it's safe.
As though she's aware that we're suspicious, she says, "Um, Lavinia sends her love! And she wanted you to know that she and Castor are talking about getting married. They'll allow that in Thirteen."
"Sweetgale Hawthorne!" a male voice calls.
I snigger. I'm so going to tease him about this later.
Gale glares at me.
The man continues, unaware of our amusement. "My name is Commander Derrick Boggs of District Thirteen. On the authority of President Alma Coin, I've come to speak with you!"
"Sweetgale?" I whisper to my husband. "Your name is Sweetgale?"
Rory snorts.
"Shut up, Rhododendron," Gale snaps at his brother.
I shake my head at the two of them. "What were your parents thinking?"
"We'll talk about it later! When we don't have visitors!" Prim hisses, looking at her boyfriend.
"Please call me Rory?" the thirteen year old begs. "Please."
"Okay. I love you anyways, you big goof." She kisses him on the cheek.
I smile, then turn my attention back towards our unwanted visitors. I wrack my brain, thinking of some way that we can confirm Cressida's and this Commander Boggs's assertions. I look at our door, realizing it's not really any barrier to Capitol forces. Even if they aren't from Thirteen, they clearly already know we're here. We've got nothing to lose by testing them. "Send Cressida up first!" I call, watching my family's reactions carefully. "Once we confirm things with her, then, maybe, we'll talk."
My mother-in-law nods in approval and I see dawning understanding in both of my spouses' eyes. If they send Cressida up alone, we can verify the veracity of their claims with our own eyes. And if they are from the Capitol we'll have one more fighter on our side… hopefully.
On the other side of the door, I can hear the sound of lowered voices conferring for several long minutes. Finally they seem to reach some consensus and I hear Cressida call out, "Don't shoot! I'm coming up!"
"Shoot?" Commander Boggs asks.
She doesn't answer. Instead, I hear her footfalls crunching up the path. Then, a few seconds later comes a timid knock at our door. I slide it open just enough for her to enter, closing it behind her once she's stepped through.
The blond woman with the half-shaved head and vine tattoos running up her neck and across her skull stands in the doorway with her hands held up. She's wearing a charcoal gray coverall and a dark jacket made out of some kind of synthetic material. It's definitely not something I've seen anybody in the Capitol wear, it's nowhere near colorful or flashy enough. Nor is it the same outfit she was wearing when she passed through here almost a month and a half ago. She looks like she's been well-fed and she doesn't have any overt marks of torture on her, although I can see a few scars on the back of her hands that appear to be long-healed.
"Are you alright?" I ask quietly.
She turns to face me. "Can I put my arms down?"
"You gonna attack us?" Katniss asks, not lowering her bow.
"No, of course not!" Cressida exclaims. "I'd never attack you! Besides, I'm unarmed! They don't even give weapons to noncombatants in Thirteen!"
Katniss finally relaxes, loosening her grip on her bow. "So you made it?"
"Well, not all of us," Cressida hedges, dropping her arms to her side.
"Lavinia?" Katniss asks quickly, her eyes showing her concern.
The other woman shakes her head emphatically. "No! No, she's fine. What I said outside was the truth. She and Castor really are talking about getting married." She sighs. "But Thirteen doesn't want to do anything to celebrate the wedding, and…" She pauses, taking in our expressions. "Well, you don't need to hear about it."
I notice immediately that she's not the same hopeful idealistic woman who passed through six weeks ago. "Tell us what happened," I say.
"I really am only supposed to be in here to convince you to talk to Boggs and Fulvia," she tells us crisply with only minimal traces of her Capitol accent slipping through.
"They can wait," Gale says without any trace of sympathy. "If they ask, you can tell them that we were just making sure it wasn't a trick. Wouldn't even be a lie." He pauses, taking in her posture. "You want something to drink?"
She smiles gratefully at him. "Um, tea would be lovely, thank you."
"You hungry?" I ask, noticing that even though she's clearly not starving she doesn't fill out the formless charcoal coverall.
"A little."
"Do they feed you in Thirteen?" Katniss asks bluntly.
"Nutrition is very closely monitored," Cressida answers almost by rote. "Waste is actively discouraged with very severe punishments for those who overindulge."
"Sounds like a great place," Gale says dryly. He gestures to Rory, who disappears into the kitchen.
"It's not as bad as all that," she says, trying to sound cheerful. "It's just... different from what I'm used to."
"So you mentioned that not all of you made it?" Violet asks. "I'm assuming Steenie didn't last long. She had that look about her."
Cressida nods her head. "You're right. She didn't even make it to the crossing point, just wandered off in the woods one night. We found her frozen under a tree the next morning. I think she couldn't bear living without her husband and daughter. I wish that we could have done something, but…" The woman shrugs. I understand her conflict. There isn't a lot you can do once someone's lost the will to live. My father's father didn't last a year after my grandmother died, he just gave up and pretty much spent his last few months waiting for death to take him while my father begged him to hold on. I was nine.
"It wasn't your fault," Prim says, coming over to pat the woman gently on the shoulder. "There was nothing you could do."
I smile at my sister-in-law. She's always so good about trying to help people. She'll make a great healer someday.
Rory comes back from the kitchen with a mug of tea and a little bit of stew from last night. Cressida takes it gratefully and sits down.
"Nicola and Valant didn't make it either," she tells us, taking a sip of tea. "Valant fell through the ice on the crossing. Nicola tried to save him but got pulled under as well." She stirs her soup morosely. "Thorn tried to go in after her, but Pollux and Messalla were able to hold her back. I think if Thirteen hadn't come along soon after, we might have lost Thorn too." She takes a long drink of the stew. "She's outside too, but they didn't think you'd trust her as much as me, and, well, Lavinia, who you would trust the most, can't talk."
Katniss makes a motion, conceding the point. She and Gale remembered Lavinia from before, and it was her presence in Cressida's group last time that made them decide to help. It's one of the things I like about my two Seam spouses. They may seem hard on the outside, but underneath, they really care about people and have a strong sense of duty and owing. Sometimes it's a bit annoying, but once you understand the method to their madness, it makes sense. I still think it's a little silly to keep a running tally of debts and favors, but if it makes them happy and keeps the peace, there's no point in trying to make them change.
"How long did it take you to get to Thirteen? Is it really far away?" Prim asks.
Cressida nods her head, chewing her food. "Pretty far. We made the crossing in late February and Thirteen picked us up soon after." She looks up at us. "You were right, it's a good thing we left when we did. It was starting to get warm when we crossed, and that's probably why Valant fell through. The ice wasn't thick enough."
"I see," Katniss says. "Why'd it take so long for you to come back, let us know you were alright? I thought you said you'd send word." There's no recrimination in Katniss's tone, but her choice of words sound like she's chastising Cressida.
"I wanted to!" Cressida exclaims. "But it wasn't deemed to be a 'prudent expenditure of resources and manpower.'" I can almost hear the quotation marks when she says that. It's clear she's quoting somebody from Thirteen. Somebody in power, likely this Commander Boggs who's waiting outside or another superior officer.
"So why are you here now?" Gale asks.
"Oh." Her eyes widen and she sets down the bowl, now completely empty, beside her and gets to her feet. "So much has happened! You're needed, more than ever, what with the Quell… We need you, Gale, to be the Mockingjay. To motivate the country to rise up!"
I hold up a hand to stop her. "I think we'd better invite your companions in. If you're going to give us a recruitment speech, you might as well do it where the people from Thirteen can hear."
oOo
"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder that people of all ages and stations died in the rebellion: this year's tributes will be selected from those males and females who have never taken out tesserae, regardless of age or other exemption. From this announcement until Reaping Day no new applications for tesserae will be accepted. In addition, to accentuate this reminder, volunteers will not be allowed."
Commander Boggs turns off the projection of President Snow reading the Quarter Quell announcement. "So that's it."
"Oh sweet mother," Violet breathes. "That's horrible." I turn to look at Violet. Her eyes are wide and her hand is pressed to her lips, which are parted in an O of horror. "The children, oh sweet mother, the children!"
"You are correct, Mrs. Everdeen," Commander Boggs says, nodding his head. "This year, in an even more despicable move, the Capitol has decided that the most innocent will be made to suffer."
"What do you mean?" Prim asks.
My mother-in-law turns to her youngest and says, "It's not just people who are older than twelve. You heard the recording. Anyone, regardless of age, is eligible for the Games. Children under the age of twelve can't take out tesserae. They've never even had the chance. All of those babies..." she trails off, looking pointedly at my wife's stomach. "Newborn babies will have their names entered into the Reaping Bowl," she continues hollowly. "And worse, no one, not a parent, grandparent, sibling, or anybody, will be able to volunteer to take their place."
I wrap my arms around Katniss, resting my hands on top of her belly. Our child is set to be born before Reaping Day. If what Violet says is true, if we were back in Twelve, our baby's name would be in the Reaping Bowl on June first and if their name was drawn, there'd be nothing any of us could do to save them. I tighten my arms around my wife. I need the comfort of knowing that this isn't going to happen. That our child is safe. That we're safe.
I feel Gale come up on my left and wrap his arms around the both of us. I know he's got to be feeling the same thing. Both of us want this child more than anything, and the thought of losing them before we even get a chance to know them is horrifying.
I feel Katniss shift in my arms to wrap her arms around the two of us, humming just loud enough for us to hear her but no one else. It's the Valley Song. Our song. She's trying to comfort us without words. Katniss might not be good at words, but her actions speak so much louder. I tighten my arms around them both and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to keep the outside world at bay.
After she finishes her song, I feel her squirm slightly, attempting to get free. I reluctantly let her go, resting my head against Gale's shoulder. If I could I would keep her in my arms forever, but that's not Katniss and I wouldn't want to cage her like that.
She strokes her hand along Gale's and my beards. I'm looking forward to spring when I can shave again. I've missed feeling her skin against my cheek.
Katniss gives us each a reassuring smile before turning to the people from Thirteen. "What's this got to do with us? We left," she states, stepping into her role as our de facto leader.
"That's just it, that's just the point!" the third person, who was introduced as Fulvia Cardew, says. "You left! You escaped this tyrannical regime and you, Mr. Hawthorne in particular, are a symbol for all of those people who are struggling and fighting against the evil the Capitol is perpetuating against the districts!"
"You wanna try saying that again in language that a poor boy from the Seam can understand?" Gale asks, coming up to stand next to Katniss.
"Mr. Hawthorne," Commander Boggs says, "Panem needs you. The districts need you. They need a figurehead to rally behind. They need a symbol of rebellion. You, Mr. Hawthorne, are that figurehead. You are that symbol. You are the Mockingjay."
"I don't have to be there to be that symbol," Gale points out.
"Oh but you do!" Fulvia jumps in. "People need to know your story! They need to know that running away and standing up for themselves can have a happy ending. Why, they need to see you and your lovely wife together!"
"And Peeta?" Katniss asks, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh, he's important too!" Fulvia brushes her question off with a negligent wave of her hand. "He, too, was able to escape the chains of the Capitol. Obviously he doesn't have quite the importance that you do, as his escape wasn't as public of a spectacle, but he's important too."
"That's not what she meant," Gale states flatly.
The woman blinks. "Oh. I'm sorry. Please, what did you mean?"
"She meant that Peeta's my husband. Our husband," he motions to the two of them. "Katniss may be my wife, but Peeta's a part of my happy ending too."
I struggle to keep my face from showing just how much Gale's words mean to me. I've always been a little afraid that I'm not needed in this relationship, that the only reason Katniss refused to choose between us was out of pity, and that Gale just went along with it to keep the peace. Yes, they've told me many times that they care for me and that they love me and that I'm a part of this family, but that doesn't stop the fears, especially after my mother told me that I was a mistake and everybody else knew it too. I've always believed that nobody would ever want me for me, but only because they had no other choice. So hearing Gale's declaration that I'm a part of his happy ending fills my heart with emotion.
Stepping forward to join Katniss and Gale, I reach out and clasp his hand, noticing the way Fulvia's eyes narrow when she sees it. She is not happy. I hazard a glance toward the other members of the Thirteen delegation. Cressida looks smugly pleased while Thorn's face is impassive. Commander Boggs, on the other hand, is unable to hide the look of revulsion that crosses his features.
"I'm not sure what you're asking, Mr. Hawthorne," Commander Boggs says, his voice stiff.
"Okay, how about I spell it out for you?" Gale's voice is hard, unyielding. "It's not just me and my lovely wife, but my lovely husband as well. We come as a group, we stay as a group, we're symbols as a group. Is that clear enough for you?" He catches and holds the other man's eyes, engaging him in an unspoken battle of wills.
Boggs looks away first, a frown on his lips. "Crystal." He straightens, shooting a glare in my direction. "My answer is that I am not authorized to make that decision. My orders were to find you and your group, Hawthorne, and persuade you to come with us to District Thirteen. I am not authorized to speculate on what kind of living arrangements or roles you might play in doing your part to aid in the rebellion. That would be President Coin and her council's call."
"I see," Katniss says, pressing her lips together. "I think then that our answer is going to be no."
We haven't talked about it, but I know Katniss has been dead set against going to Thirteen since Cressida brought it up.
Cressida herself speaks up. "Can you at least talk it over? We can go outside and you can give us an answer later, but I'm sure that President Coin would be happy to make any reasonable accommodations for you. You are the Mockingjays. All of you. I'm sure that an arrangement can be reached that will make everybody happy."
Katniss grunts. "Fine. We'll talk it over."
I show everyone out and slide the door closed behind them, then we all move into the kitchen so if anybody's listening at the door, we won't be overheard. And that way I can start making breakfast. I'm a little surprised that Katniss has made it as long without eating as she has without causing serious bodily harm to someone. All of us learned pretty early on in her pregnancy not to stand between Katniss and mealtime, otherwise you'd be likely to lose something important.
With that in mind, I hand her the heel of our last loaf of bread and get to work making breakfast. "You guys talk," I say. "No need to wait until food's ready."
Violet sits down on the sickbed. "It's days like this that I wish I had access to coffee."
"We haven't had coffee since Dad died," Katniss points out.
"I know." Violet rubs at her forehead. "Doesn't mean I don't need it sometimes."
"We still have some of that roasted dandelion root if you want it," I offer. "It's not quite the same as coffee, but it's close."
My mother-in-law smiles at me. "That would be lovely. Thank you, Peeta."
"Any other requests?" I ask before I start cooking.
"Cheese buns," Katniss says under her breath.
"Well, if you'd gotten me a goat, you could have them!" Prim counters.
"I know, Prim," Katniss says.
"Maybe we can try in the spring," I soothe. "That's when they have their babies, right?"
My wife shrugs. "Pretty much."
"So we'll try soon," I soothe. Then pause. "If we don't end up going to Thirteen."
"We're not going to Thirteen," Katniss says shortly. "You heard Cressida, they didn't even care about us until the Quell announcement, and then they only want us because we're 'useful.' Heck, they don't even want us," Katniss points out. "They want you." She motions at Gale. "The rest of us are just your baggage." She fixes him with a hard look. "What do you want to do?"
"I kind of feel we should go," Gale says, glancing at the two of us guiltily.
I'm not surprised by Gale's answer, but apparently our wife is.
"But you didn't want to before," Katniss points out.
"I didn't think Lavinia and Cressida and their group would make it to Thirteen," he tells her. "Three of them didn't. I wasn't willing to risk you or the baby. But now… you heard them, we could make a real difference, Catnip. We could finally throw over the Capitol, go back home to Twelve if that's what you want." He pauses, running his hand through his hair, like he always does when he's stressed. "It's the right thing to do. You heard what the Capitol's doing this year. Kids are gonna get Reaped. It's just not right! I've always wanted to make a difference, Catnip." He eyes her hopefully. "I guess this way I could."
"You can make a difference without leaving here," Katniss counters. "I need you. We need you. We need you, Gale, husband, brother, and father-to-be." She makes a face. "They just want Sweetgale Hawthorne, the Mockingjay."
I can't stop myself from sniggering. Now I've got something to get back at him whenever he calls me man bride. Payback is a bitch. Still, Katniss has a point. They really only want what Gale stands for, not who he is.
"I think," Violet chimes in, "that going to Thirteen might be the right thing to do. Not because of the rebellion, but because they've got access to medicines and facilities that we just don't have out here." She regards her daughter seriously. "What if something goes wrong in childbirth, Katniss?"
Katniss stares back at her, confused. "I've got you."
"But I mean really wrong. Really really wrong." Violet sighs. "It's happened before in Twelve."
We all nod. Each of us has known someone who's died in childbirth. Most recently the Mayor's assistant's wife died giving birth to their second child. Poor guy was a wreck. I now have a lot more sympathy for what Carrick went through when I think about Katniss going through the same.
"I'm fine!" Katniss protests. "Haven't you all been saying just how easy I've had this pregnancy? I feel fine! Yeah, I wish that the kid would stop dancing on my bladder while I sleep, but other than that, I feel the same!"
"You're lucky, Katniss," Violet tells her. "But do you really want to take that chance?"
"Yes," she says stubbornly.
That's my wife. So distrustful of outsiders. I'm lucky to have gotten in.
"I'm with Katniss," Rory pipes up. "You heard that Boggs guy. Can't make a decision without having say-so from his commanding officer, sounds awfully restrictive to me. I bet it's like school. Every minute of your day planned out to the second. No way to escape, nothing to do except for what they tell you to do. Well fuck that."
"Rory Hawthorne!" my sister-in-law gasps.
The boy shrugs unapologetically. "I'm sorry, Prim, but that's what I think. We're gonna be miserable there. Besides, if we go to Thirteen, you'll never get your goat. And who knows? They probably won't even let you bring your cats."
Prim's eyes widen as she considers the possibility. "But I can't leave Dandelion and Buttercup! They need me! They're about to start a family!"
I stifle another snicker, but Prim's right. The kitten that Katniss and Gale found ended up becoming Buttercup's girlfriend after all and is now pregnant. Who knows when she'll have her litter? And if we go to Thirteen, they may not let us bring the cats at all.
I sigh. "Both Violet and Rory have good points. I'd like to go to Thirteen just for the medical care, but I'm not sure if it's worth it," I add. "I was watching the group. Boggs doesn't like us and Fulvia's trying to figure out how she can use us. Only Cressida seemed to be in our corner, and if I had to guess, she doesn't have very much say in Thirteen's politics at all. If we were to do this, we'd have to negotiate with this Alma Coin herself. From Boggs's reactions, she doesn't strike me as the kind of person who negotiates or accepts unusual circumstances."
Gale thins his lips. "So what you're saying is that they're going to try to break us up."
I shrug deprecatingly. "Well, you have to admit, what we have is pretty unconventional. They'll probably try to keep you and Katniss together and shunt me out of the limelight."
"So do you want to go to Thirteen or not?" my husband asks.
"Part of me wants to go," I answer honestly, "but I'm just not willing to give up what we have here."
"I know what you mean," Katniss says.
"Have any of you realized that what we've got here is already over?" Gale points out. "If Thirteen can find us, so can the Capitol." He crosses his arms over his chest. "And if we say no? The type of place you're describing doesn't sound like it takes no for an answer very easily."
"I think we'll have to take that chance," Katniss says. "I'm not going. Is anybody else with me?"
Rory and Prim raise their hands.
"Anybody against me?"
Gale raises his hand.
Katniss looks at her mom and me. "What about you two?"
"I'll do whatever the group wants," I reply. "I wish we could have just their medical facilities and not the extra baggage, but I don't see that happening."
"Same," my mother-in-law says. "Part of me thinks that we should do what we can to help, but I'm selfish. I know what they're talking about means war, and war means people are going to die, and I'm just not ready to lose any of you."
"Then I think we've got our answer," Katniss says. "We're not going."
"Prim, you go tell them," I say.
"Shouldn't Gale be the one to tell them?" the girl asks.
I shake my head. "I don't want to give them any opportunities to snatch him and run," I say. "Not that I think they will, but better safe than sorry."
The group nods. We've learned that lesson well in the past year.
oOo
The group from Thirteen decides not to leave right away, just in case we change our minds. I suspect it's because they've got orders not to return without us, and they don't know what to do now that we've said no.
Cressida and Thorn are both welcome additions to our group. The former Peacekeeper tells us stories of what it's like growing up in Two's Peacekeeper Training Camps. While Cressida explains some of the realities of making television in the Capitol. It's an enjoyable way to spend an evening.
I go into the kitchen to make some more hot water for tea when I hear two sets of footsteps approaching. I look up to see both Katniss and Gale silhouetted in the doorway. My heart jumps. "What's wrong?" I ask, setting the pot down.
"You don't have to stay now, you know," Katniss leads, nibbling her lower lip.
My heart drops. Is she saying she doesn't want me?
My expression must be giving it away because Gale follows up with, "No! I meant it when I said you were a part of my happy ending. When I asked you both to marry me, I meant it and I meant it for life. Just, Katniss and I know we didn't give you a whole lot of choice in the beginning there. You should have that choice now."
Katniss looks up at me, her heart in her grey eyes. "I don't want you to leave, Peeta. Not now, not ever. I need you. I want you. I love you. I just hate having that whole kidnapping thing hanging over us. It's never going to go away. You might have forgiven us, but I'm not sure we can forgive ourselves."
It's the most I've heard her say in a long time. She doesn't do talking, but I can tell she's trying for my sake.
I open my arms. "Come here," I say to both of them.
They come over quickly and I hold them tight. "You're both mine, and I'm yours," I say thickly. "'Til the end of time, if you'll have me."
"Of course we'll have you, Peeta," Gale murmurs against my ear. "This wouldn't work without you. You're my man bride."
"And you're my Sweetgale Hawthorne," I grin up at him, giving him a quick peck on the lips.
My husband rolls his eyes and sighs. "I'm never gonna live that down, am I?"
"Nope."
oOo
The following morning, the team from Thirteen makes one final attempt to persuade us.
"I've mentioned your concerns to President Coin, and she's agreed to hear you out," Fulvia tells us. "Won't you please reconsider? Your country needs you. We need you!"
"We don't need you," Katniss counters bluntly.
I step in before my wife can alienate these invaders any more than she already has. "Thank you for the offer." I nod at each of them in turn. "We do appreciate all of the lengths you've gone to. We're happy to see that Cressida and her group were able to complete their journey. But at this time I'm afraid we're going to have to decline your generous offer."
"I thought you might say that," Boggs says in a carefully neutral voice. "I've been authorized to leave a communication radio in case you decide to do your duty to Panem." His tone makes it clear just what he thinks about our refusal. He motions to the radio. "Just flip this switch and depress this button and it'll send a signal to our headquarters indicating that you're calling for a pickup." He holds the radio out and Gale steps forward and takes it. I notice Katniss scowling at our husband, but I understand why he's accepting the offer. If something happens to Katniss or the baby during childbirth, I know that Gale will change his mind, even if it makes Katniss angry. This way, we have an emergency button in case something goes wrong. Yes, there will be a high price, but for our family? For our wife? For our child? For each other? Gale and I would be willing to pay any price to protect those who matter most to us.
oOo
We put the visit from Thirteen out of our minds because we have so much to do at this time of year. We need to finish prepping Violet's garden and, now that the rivers and streams have finally fully thawed, it's time for me to start setting nets once again. We also need to go through our supplies and stores and get rid of anything that's gone bad, as well as take stock of what we need for the following year and see if we have enough surplus to plant. Winter was a slow time, but now that the days have gotten warmer, we've got a lot to do.
Besides, Gale and I have one very important job. We need to make a cradle.
Gale and I talked about it over the winter, and we decided that we wanted the cradle to be of a finer quality of craftsmanship than any of the beds or other furniture that we've made. And we don't have a whole lot of time to build it in.
I hate to admit it, but I'm excited to work together on this project with my husband. Like Katniss and her voice, there's one specific thing I adore above all others in Gale: his hands. It was his hands that I first noticed. Granted, at the time, they were holding a knife on me, but they were strong, beautiful, masculine hands. I found myself staring at them even while we were at odds. The things he could do with them - turn hunks of wood into furniture, set a snare, draw a bow. His hands told a whole story, covered with little nicks and calluses, the nails short and uneven. Gale can do amazing things with his hands.
In fact, it was because of what Gale could do with his hands that I fell in love with him. It wasn't anything flashy. It happened the morning after Reaping Day, when Katniss, Gale, and I had our first date as a triad. After we decided we were going to try this unconventional relationship, the three of us got to know each other better and Gale made me a flower crown. He probably didn't think anything of it, but he made me, Peeta, the first flower crown. No one had ever put me first before. Not even Katniss. But Gale did. It was then that I realized that I'd grown to love this prickly, stubborn, Seam man.
I guess I just have a thing for emotionally constipated hunters from the Seam.
In about mid-April, after we've finished tapping the trees for their sap, Gale and I head out to fell a large willow along the stream. We decided that the light-colored wood would work best and that Katniss would be upset if we chopped down any 'useful trees,' in her words. Gale initially wanted to use cherry, and I wanted to use walnut, but both of us came quickly to the conclusion that, in order to keep the peace, we'd go for another kind of hardwood tree.
We get to the tree we've staked out and start chopping it. It's hard work. Unlike the conifers and softwood trees we've used earlier, this tree is going to take a lot more work to fell. Gale and I take turns rinsing our heads and hands off in the cool stream water. We're making so much noise that I'm not worried about any predators approaching us. So when I'm at the stream cooling down and I hear the unmistakable sound of several large animals moving through the brush, I freeze, swearing internally. Stupidly, I left my spear back with Gale. All I've got to defend myself is my knife. I hope to hell it's not a bear.
I consider calling out for Gale but decide against it. If it's not a bear, it's most likely a human, and I don't want to give away my position. I look around, trying to find a decent hiding place or a way I can get back to Gale quickly.
I don't find either.
I swear again, this time under my breath. I'm going to have to have Katniss or Gale show me how to operate in the wilderness more effectively. This merchant uselessness is getting old. No wonder Katniss and Gale were so frustrated with me early on. I'm frustrated with myself.
I hear a male voice calling out in the woods. "Please! If anybody hears me, help! Help us, please!" The voice is familiar. And I feel like I should know this voice. But it's not Gale or Rory. Who in the hell can it be?
I stand up, careful to keep myself shrouded in the brush. I'm still not about to give away my position just because somebody's voice sounds familiar. It could be my mind playing tricks on me. The cries come closer and I'm able to see three forms emerge through the thinning woods. One is a young blond haired male, and he seems to be supporting the much thinner figure of an equally young blond haired female. Behind them is an older blond haired woman with a vacant expression on her face.
All three of them look familiar, even through the dirt, grime, and blood that's covering them.
"Anybody! Whoever's out there! Help us, please!" the male cries out again.
And that's when it clicks.
"Rye? Is that you?" I ask, taking a step forward in disbelief. It can't be… But my mind isn't able to come up with any other conclusion.
The man turns, revealing his face, and I can confirm that it is my brother.
His eyes widen in shock. "Peeta? What are you doing here?"
oOo
AN:
Written: 3/29/15
Revised: 6/14/15
Revised 2: 6/22/15
The title of this arc comes from the Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire" about affecting history. Granted, the verses don't really apply, but the chorus is perfect.
The chapter title comes from Meatloaf's song. The "that" is explained in the song (even though most people don't really get it), but here it means going to Thirteen. Yes, we totally pulled a mind screw on you. ~_^
As you may have noticed, we've switched to Peeta's POV. He will be the POV character for this arc and Gale will be taking over the final arc of "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" when we get there. We wanted to have a chance to see each of our trio's thought processes. However, we didn't consider the fact that neither of us is terribly good at writing Peeta's internal dialogue (though we're getting better). Katniss is easy. Gale is slightly more difficult but doable. Peeta's damned chatty and a dude at the same time. He's also got serious self-esteem issues and a crap ton of baggage. If you think Katniss has baggage try living in Peeta's head for a while. To give you an example, she tends to avoid thinking about things and tries to run away from stuff that makes her uncomfortable. Peeta tends to think through all of the things, be hyper aware of how people are reacting around him, and also cuddles his insecurities to his chest like a well worn stuffed animal.
Now we get to the Quell. We wanted to do something we've never seen before and that would be horrifying to the districts. Obviously this is going to affect each district differently. There are a lot of repercussions to this Quell announcement.
(By the way, if you want to know what happened in the 74th Games while our group was in the wild, we suggest you go read our side fic, "In the End." It can be found on FanficAllergy's profile page.)
This arc wasn't planned out when we initially started writing this. We'd planned on ending with the resolution of the romance arc and kept saying "If we write the rebellion." "If we write the revolution" how would we do it? Well, you now get to see it. The rebellion is coming and it's not going to be like anything you've seen. Take what you know of canon and throw it out the window. The players and circumstances have changed.
We hope you enjoy the ride.
Things We Randomized:
- What little they hunted
Thanks for reading!