Katniss drops the cup of coffee she was holding, as she hears her father mention Gale as the main suspect for Cranes's death.
"Forgive my clumsy daughter Mr Mellark." Diana says, giving Katniss a stern look.
"You seem nervous Katniss, are you alright?" Peeta ignores the older woman and immediately checks up on Katniss, who was now picking the pieces of glass from the ground along with their maid Lavinia.
"My daughter is perfectly well. Isn't that right Katniss?" Diana asks.
Katniss stays still and quiet.
"She must have gotten a little upset, understandably. You see that marine boy has been in this house." Charlie says.
"Oh really?" Diana asks curiously.
"Really. He's been here twice by now, he's been wanting to speak to me about something but, I couldn't attend him." Charlie explains.
"Well I would like to ask you not to receive him for absolutely any reason. I don't want any criminals in my home!" Diana says.
"You cannot judge that man like that, when the police still does not accuse him of anything!" Katniss steps in.
"I agree with Katniss. He could be innocent." Effie says.
"And who'll be the judge of that? You? Diana says in disgust.
"Excuse me, I feel very ill and I have to go out for some fresh air." Katniss is rushing out when Peeta calls to her.
"If you want, I can come with you?" he offers politely.
"No!" Katniss says a bit too harshly. "Thank you anyway." she says to make it seem nicer.
Diana raises from her seat. "Why not? Mr Mellark is a gentleman Katniss. And since he is offering..please do accompany her Mr Mellark." Diana smiles.
Katniss rolls her eyes. "Whatever." she says and walks away, Peeta following her uncomfortably.
X
A couple of minutes pass in silence as Katniss and Peeta stand alone in the garden. Then he speaks.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"Yes thank you." Katniss says shortly, not even attempting to hide the anger in her voice at this point. She doesn't even look at him.
A few more seconds of silence pass.
"I feel as if you're uncomfortable, as if you dislike me?" Peeta says this and it sound more like a statement than a question.
"I already told you, I like to be alone!" she snaps. "Excuse me. I don't want to be rude to you. But..look it's better if you just go inside with the others. I'll be there soon." she says now more calmly.
"If that's what you want." Peeta says, and then wordlessly walks inside.
She waits until he is gone, before she lets a sob pass through her lips. "This is not possible." she cries out loud. And then she spots Gale walking towards her.
"Gale! What are you doing here, you can't be here!" she sadly says.
"I couldn't leave Catnip, honestly I couldn't. Do you understand what I meant when I said that we need to lea.." she interrupts him.
"Why do you want to escape Gale? Answer me this Gale, do you have anything to do with the murder of that man? Is that why you want to leave like this? Tell me the truth!" Katniss accuses.
"I can't believe this. I can't believe that you would think that I'm capable of doing anything like that. Forgive me Katniss, but I'm not a murderer. If there is anything that makes me different it is my bravery, please get that straight. I'm not a coward." he says.
"A coward you would not be if you would have talked to my father and cleared things out, instead of begging me to run away with you leaving my family behind me!"
"If in that way you are getting into your own conclusions, I think it is best if we end this right here." he starts walking away.
"No Gale, let's talk!" she screams after him.
Gale turns around. "You know what? I love you and adore you, but this isn't possible." he walks away.
"So do I gale" she cries after him. "So do I."
But he has walked away. And right now Katniss had no other option but to dry her tears and join her family and Peeta to their lovely coffee session.
X
When she enters, Charlie immediately asks her if she is feeling better.
"Yes father." she lies.
"Come and sit with us Katniss. Let Katniss sit there." Diana says to Effie, who is sitting next to Peeta, basically forcing Katniss to sit next to him.
Katniss silently sits next to him. And the conversation is going again.
"And what else can you tell us about your family." Charlie asks Peeta.
"Well in reality I don't have any sibling nor relatives."
Charlie nods. "And your mother?"
"She died when I was born." Peeta simply says and for a minute Katniss almost pities him.
"Well I have to say.." Diana changes the topic as she could not care less. "..that I am very happy that you accepted my husbands invitation to visit us Mr Mellark. I do hope that this wouldn't be the last."
Peeta nods.
"..and I would also like you to meet my son Marvel. He's the oldest." Diana finishes.
"I agree, that would be good. If anything it will serve him to realize that not every young person spends their times in parties, like him." Charlie disapproves. "And hes good for nothing friends."
"Charlie, I'm sure Mr Mellark here does not really care about our family problems. Marvel is a very good boy. And well, as every kid he's a little confused, I'm sure that when he matures a bit he will be a good man."
Katniss is starring into space, her mind far away, but she can feel Peeta's eyes on her.
X
Diana had made plans for Peeta to come over for dinner tomorrow, and with this Peeta had left.
As soon as he and Charlie where gone, Diana got her claws out.
"Little princess" she says sarcastically. You could've been a little nicer don't you think!"
"And why? Why are you so nice to him all of a sudden?" Katniss asks.
"It is education and politeness! We are talking about a guest of your fathers, but now I realize that nothing matters to you Katniss. Not the honour nor the decency and even less our family name!"
"Mom! You.." Katniss defends herself but Diana yells at her, telling her to shut up.
"Mom I'm desperate. I'm in love.."
"You realize that that man could be a criminal! A murderer."
Katniss shakes her head. "This time, you won't make me doubt. Because I know that Gale is a good man, he is decent! And if you don't support me mom, I'm warning you that I will run away with him!" Katniss scream and walks away into her room.
X
The next day Katniss had met up with Peeta for the piece of land that she sold him. The two had met up in an office, and Peeta had given her the money in cash, as she had requested. After this Katniss knew she wanted to make things right with Gale, and she was ready to run away with him. She had met up with Gale, and told him that she was willing to do what was needed for them to be together. And to show him her trust, she gave him the suitcase of cash and asked him to keep it safe. That would be the money they would use to get out of the Districts. The only thing she asked of Gale was time. Time to sort things out before leaving.
Katniss was in her room sorting her thoughts out planning everything out, when Diana knocked on her door.
"Princess, please open the door. I have to talk to you." Diana begged, and reluctantly Katniss opened the door.
Diana gently places her hands on Katniss's shoulders. "Katniss I don't like seeing you upset like this. It hurts me to know that you've been crying."
Katniss breaks away from her hold. "It hurts me more to know, that you can't understand me. That you don't support me." Katniss says.
"How am I supposed to support you, when we know nothing about that man. And when it is most likely that he is taking advantage of you."
"No mother." for a minute Katniss is blinded my her mothers occasional moments of kindness, so much that she almost forgets who Diana is, and feels a sense of hope. She even smiles. "I promise that Gale is a good man. He had nothing to do to what happened to that guy."
"Love makes you blind Katniss. Many times it blinds are reality and the way people really are."
Katniss shakes her head and for the first time in what seems like forever talks about how she feels to her mother. "I just know that I love really really love him mother."
Diana nods.
"He's a good man, and if you gave him a chance and met him, you would understand. He's noble, he's.."
"I understand you Katniss. And I know perfectly well what you are feeling here.." Diana places her hand in Katniss's chest, where her heart is. .."But you are not like just any girl from the seam Katniss. We belong to one of the most important families in District Twelve. And you cannot be with a simple seam boy." Diana's insults slowly show up again.
"No no, he's not just a boy from the seam mom!"
"Please Katniss! In any other occasion I would take your feelings into consideration.." and Katniss immediately was brought back to reality. This was Diana Everdeen. She would never let her be happy.
"..if he was a good man I could talk to your father to make at least have a better position in the marines. And so your marriage with him wouldn't be so.. so socially from a different level." Diana says.
"Would you really do that for me?" Katniss asks.
"Of course I would. But unfortunately our real situation, does not permit that Katniss."
"Why?" Katniss asks.
"Because we are in the verge of losing everything. And you are the only person that can save us." Diana tells her.
"Losing everything? But how..why?"
"Well because the problems with the ranch have gotten very complicated. We don't have enough animals, the lands are not producing. The situation is so bad that we had to sell some of your fathers other properties. We have nothing left Katniss." Diana cries out.
"But I..I had never realized mom.."
"I know. You're always so distracted with your things..and besides your father forbade me from worrying you with any of this."
"Why?" Katniss rolls her eyes. "I'm not a little girl, I need to know about these things."
"I know but you know how much your father loves you." Diana says.
"And what is it that I can do to help mom?" Katniss asks.
Diana steps forward placing her hand on Katniss's shoulder again.
"You already know princess. Your father has always given you everything.."
Katniss nods in agreement. She has had the best father in the world and not for material things. Her father has always given her the love that lacked from her mother.
"..and now my love it's time for you to do what is needed for him." Diana says and Katniss pushes her mother away in anger as she walks across the room.
"No, don't you dare ask me to get back together with Sebastian because I will not marry for money, and besides my dad would never accept it! And you know what I'm going to ask him myself, it's the only way I would accept doing anything like that.."
"Don't you dare! Listen your father is very very sick. And you know that. What you don't know is how serious he really is. Do you really want to worry him like that? You'll give him a heart attack Katniss!"
"Of course not!"
"Our economical problems are effecting him a lot, princess. Too much stress will do just that. Give him another attack. If we lose this house and the ranch, your father will not get through it. Do you want to be the reason for that? Do you want him to die?" Diana accuses.
"Mom, of course I don't." A tear falls down Katniss's cheek.
"I know your father would never let you marry for money but, he doesn't have to know about it." Diana suggests.
"Everything is so easy for you mother! Sebastian does note even want to hear about me again. He would never agree to marry me because he knows perfectly well that I am in love with another man!"
Diana smiles.
"Thank god there is another person, who is very interested in you. And he doesn't know about your horrible relationship with the seam boy."
"What are you talking about?" Katniss wonders aloud.
"You lucky girl. He's really handsome And ready to solve all of our problems. Young, and a millionaire, Katniss! You couldn't have it better. You're going to marry Peeta Mellark."