A/N: Hey guys, I tried to update as soon as I could, so I hope you enjoy Chapter Four. Quickly before that, I'd like to thank the reviewers of Chapter 3, they were all so nice and I am so thankful to see that people are enjoying my writing this much. Also, I received a couple PMs asking me why I am having Katniss and Peeta's relationship continue to develop slowly, to that I answer that I am trying to make it happen naturally. Remember even though Katniss realized at the end of Book Two that she did have feelings for Peeta, it's still Katniss we're dealing with. She still struggles with any emotional feelings at all. To be honest, I almost feel like I've almost gone a little bit too fast with their romantic development, but I digress. Everlark fans will enjoy this chapter a lot I believe. Let me know your input on the matter if you so choose, otherwise, I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Change of Fate

Chapter Four: Choices

Katniss

It has been about a week since we arrived in District 13, and I am still mentally recovering from what has transpired in our country in such a short period of time. The nation of Panem is in a full scale civil war between the Districts in Rebellion, and the Capital. Many districts have joined the rebel cause, while a few have stayed loyal to the Capital. From District 13, the leaders of the Rebellion map and plan out almost everything and relay their orders to their commanders out on the battlefields. My mother has joined the rebels as a healer, and my sister Prim is in schooling to become a combat medic despite my incessant protests that she does not. Still, she is only 13 years old and is several years away from being able to join the combat regulars. I myself have yet to formally declare my allegiance to the Rebellion, not because I don't want to overthrow the capital - on the contrary, I very much do - I am just not sure that I trust the Rebels quite yet. Peeta, my partner in the games and my - I don't know what to call him... my very close friend that I sometimes kiss - hasn't either. We have simply been through too much to really trust anyone else at this point. All of the other Victors we were rescued with; Beetee, Finnick, and Johanna, have joined the Rebels, leaving Peeta and I as the only remaining Victors not to pick a side.

Right now, I am in the remains of my old home. District 12. It sat ablaze for days after the Capital fire bombed it into dust and now it is mainly just a heaping pile of ash. Peeta is here with me, which I know is very difficult for him considering his entire family died during the attack. Really, I'm the only person he has left. And Haymitch I guess, if you can even count him. We haven't seen him since the day we arrived and met with the Rebel leadership. Finnick told me that since there is no alcohol allowed in 13, so obviously Haymitch has been locked up in the medical ward as he deals with the withdrawals.

I eventually hear Peeta moving some rubble about 50 feet to the left of me. I didn't realize he was that far away. We are under strict orders from the Rebels to stay close together while we are here, and we have a cloaked hovercraft overhead the entire time for security. I hurry over to meet up with Peeta and ask him why he strayed away only to discover that he is standing by the ruins of his family's old bakery. I grab his hand gently and hold it to comfort him. I do not know what is going through his mind right now, so I don't know what I can possibly say to make him feel better. I just want him to know that I am here for him. His eye catches mine ever so briefly and I see that his are swollen with tears. I pull him close to me, and gently rub away the tears that had begun falling down his face before pulling him in for a big hug. He holds me tightly, as I do him...

We still haven't had a chance to talk about us since we were rescued from the arena. I know we really need to, but there just hasn't been any real time where we are alone. I live in a compartment with my mother and Prim, and he lives across the hall with Finnick. During the day, he spends much of his time training and sparring with Finnick as he prepares to join the rebellion. I spend most of my time wandering around the many corridors and hallways of 13 and with my family. We do spend time together, don't get me wrong, but when we do see each other, we are usually in the presence of either my family, Finnick, or the other victor who lives near us, Johanna. That conversation will have to happen soon, because there are too many moments like these when we are together and I just want to kiss him and hold him and tell him how much I need him...

Yet right now is not the time. Apart from the many memories that are coming up as we traverse the remains of our old home, my friend Gale is in charge of our security today. He is in the hovercraft that is currently watching over us, and he is in communication with both of us. Gale also has deep feelings for me, feelings which for a while I thought I reciprocated. But I realized that night on the beach with Peeta that I do not feel the same way for Gale. I do not want him overhearing a conversation I have about something like that with Peeta. As much as I need to talk with Peeta, I also need to talk with Gale. Even though I do not feel the same way he does about me, he is like my brother. He was my only friend for so long, and I don't want something like this coming between us. Even still, I will have to make clear to him that I do choose Peeta.

Eventually, Peeta and I continue through the remains of our old home, and we spend sometime at my old house in the seam. I stop and kneel next to where it once stood and run my fingers through the ashes. Unlike Peeta, I do not cry. I have started the process of turning my sadness into anger - anger pointed directly at President Snow. Still, I am sad. He holds my hand as he helps me back up, and we head up the hill to the Victor's Village. We walk in silence, for there is not much to say.

When we reach our old houses, Peeta breaks the silence, "I'm gonna grab a few things, are you alright to go in alone?"

I smile, he is always looking out for me, "Yes Peeta, I think I'll be fine. I don't think Snow will pop out of my closet when I enter," we share a laugh before splitting up. I enter the place I lived for a year after our first games and it feels haunted. It's remarkable that it wasn't destroyed during the attack, but I guess that's because they wanted it to remain as a symbol. A symbol of the Capital's never ending presence. I move quickly, because I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be. I head to my room and grab my dad's old hunting jacket out of the closet, pausing to make sure that Snow in fact isn't in there causing myself to laugh, and a picture from my parent's wedding day. I solemnly look at the picture, and I desperately wish my father were here with me right now. But then I realize I shouldn't feel so sad because Peeta doesn't have either of his parents. Then my mind trickles to another thought... My own wedding day and the idea it might happen with Peeta. I feel myself blush uncontrollably at this, and even more so when I imagine a picture much like this one, except with the two of us in it instead. I quickly put the thought into the back of my mind as I get ready to depart when a familiar hiss comes from behind me. Startled at first, I realize that it is Buttercup. Somehow, she has managed to survive this long without us. I realize how much it would mean to Prim to have her cat back...

As I consider this when Gale's voice rings in my ear, "Hey you two, we should hurry up. Be at the gates of the Victor's Village in about 5 minutes."

I try to get closer to Buttercup, but she hisses at me again. I sigh in mild frustration as I turn around and look at my dresser and my mind and body freeze in sync on the spot. A single white rose sits atop the dresser. Without a doubt in my mind I know that it is from Snow. He left it here to try and get inside my head. Well I refuse to let him. I grab a luggage bag from my closet, stuff my dad's jacket, the wedding photo, and hastily I throw Buttercup in as well before zipping it up and running out of the house. I meet up with Peeta outside and we hurry out of the Village where the hovercraft then uncloaks itself as we board it. We buckle in and then quickly it takes off.

When we are safely in the air and on our way back to 13, Peeta grabs and squeezes my hand warmly. "You ok?" He asks.

"Yeah..." I trail off, unsure of whether or not I should trouble Peeta with what I found. He gives me a knowing glance, so I confess. "Snow left me a gift in my room though," I respond.

His face fills with concern, "What do you mean?"

I proceed to explain to him about the rose and how Snow knows that the smell of it haunts me. I hate Snow. I do not like the word hate, nor do I like the feeling it creates inside of me, but I hate Snow.

I express this to Peeta. After several moments of processing it, he turns to me and says, "I don't know if I hate Snow, because my father raised me to never hate anyone or anything. But I hate what he's done. I hate that he destroyed our home and killed my family... I hate what he's done to you and how he tries to get inside your head the way he does." He pauses for a moment before an awkward smile forms on his face and then he continues, "but sometimes, I also feel like I need to thank him."

I look at him aghast, "Peeta, what do you mean? After everything he's done, what could you ever thank him for?"

He angles his head slightly before meeting my gaze and I stare into his beautiful blue eyes as he says, "In a lot of ways, he gave me you." I am completely taken aback, but I let him finish. "If we hadn't gone into the Games last year, I don't know if you ever would've spoken to me..." I am slightly saddened by this, mainly because I sort of think he's right. This causes me to tear up, but he lightly grabs my cheek and pulls it close to his face and our eyes meet again. He gently wipes away the tears before speaking again, "Don't be sad about that. I'm not. Because we did get sent into the games together. We were forced to endure the horrors of two different arenas together. We did become far closer because of it... And all of the chaos and destruction that's going on around us is terrible, and its awful thinking that I played a role in creating it. I feel the guilt on my conscience all the time. But sometimes I get through the day thinking to myself, 'at least it brought you and I together.'"

I melt when he says this. I believe that this is the most amazing and beautiful thing that anyone has ever said to me. Tears fill my eyes again, but this time these are tears of joy. I don't understand how Peeta can love me so much. I am sure that I don't deserve it - least of all from him. For the crazy emotional roller coaster I've put him on, confusing him with how I really feel, he rewards me with his unrequited love... I am still not sure I can tell him that I love him, but I am getting closer. And when he says things like this to me, I don't know how much longer I can go without letting myself fall for him completely. I pull his face in and kiss him passionately, as passionately as I did the night on the beach. I do not want it to end, so I don't let it for as long as I can. When he tries to pull out for air, I pull him back in. By the time I run out of breathe and we have to part lips, we are both panting. We share an awkward smile and laugh before I lean my head back onto his chest and close my eyes as we lock our hands together with our fingers intertwined before I speak for the first time, "Peeta, that is - that is just - I can't even explain. I am speechless haha."

I feel him smile into my head before kissing my hair and then my forehead before leaning forward so that our eyes meet again. "Katniss, you know how I feel about you. I love you, and I have for as long as I can remember." I melt again in his strong, powerful arms and am blushing uncontrollably, "Just know that I don't want you to rush into saying that you do too. I want you to say it when you actually feel it, however long that takes. Ok?"

I can only nod in acknowledgement. I am still unable to formulate my thoughts into words, so I just lean back into his chest and snuggle close to him. We remain this way in silence for the rest of the trip back to 13. It is as close to a perfect moment as I've experienced since my father passed away all those years ago.

Our flight doesn't take long, considering that Thirteen is the closest district to the remnants of Twelve. We begin our familiar descent into the tunnels underground that lead to the headquarters of the Rebellion, and pull into the hanger bay. As we disembark, there is a small group of troops marching through and there is an eery aura around the place. When we get off, it is getting late and I tell Peeta that I'm going home before getting dinner with my mother and Prim, and I invite him to join, but he declines saying that he has to go train with Finnick, but he says that he'll come over and visit once he's done. I agree and give him a warm kiss before he leaves.

I begin making my way out of the hanger and to the residential zone, but Gale comes up from behind me and stops me, "Hey Katniss, can we talk?"

"Yeah sure," I say as we walk to the same side room that we first entered when we got to Thirteen. "What's up Gale?" I ask casually.

His face doesn't display any emotion, and he looks a little awkward and unsure of himself. "I heard what you and Peeta were talking about on the hovercraft," he says quietly. I don't understand... he was in the cockpit. "I was still plugged in to your ear sets," he admits.

Anger immediately overcomes me, "Gale! That was a private conversation between Peeta and I. You shouldn't have eavesdropped..."

He pretty much ignores this, "Do you love him?"

"I-I-I don't know." I can't even tell Peeta if I love him, how would I be able to tell Gale if I did? "Look Gale, we need to talk -"

But he interrupts me before I can continue, "Do you love me?"

I am now officially frustrated. "Gale... I don't know. But what I do know is that I don't feel the same way about you the way I do about Peeta. I don't know if I love Peeta yet, but I know that I don't love you that way. You're like my brother. You've help me grow up and grow into the person I am today, but I just - I just don't think you and I are going to ever be like that."

I can see the pain spread across his face like the plague. "What changed? What happened in the Games that made you feel differently? Before you went in the second time, you told me the you chose me. What did he say to you, how did he convince you to change your mind?"

"He didn't say anything Gale! He didn't convince me - "

"I had hoped that night on the beach between you two had just been really good acting on your part for the cameras, just like the first time. I guess I was wrong."

He was wrong. I realized that night just how much I do need Peeta. "Gale, I am sorry. Very sorry. But you were wrong. That wasn't an act. I do choose Peeta." I let that ring for a moment, and I can see how hurt he is. I don't feel good about it, but he's the one who asked the questions. "Gale, I understand you're going to have to deal with this in your own way, in your own time. But you are still my friend Gale. You are still like my brother Gale, and I don't want this to take away from our friendship."

He studies my face for a while silently before he nods solemnly. "I can't say it's going to be easy, but I'll figure it out. Just, give me some space and I'll give you two some space."

I nod, and he gives me a faint smile before departing and leaving me alone in this room. Not long after I leave too and continue on my journey back to my family's compartment in the residential zone. I think about many things on my walk, from Gale and Peeta to the Rebellion and the war. Eventually I think back to what Peeta said on our way back from Twelve, and how despite all of the miserable things he put us through, and how evil of a person he is at his core, Snow did bring us together. Peeta is right, we do owe him a thanks of sorts... And I'll be sure to tell him that right before I kill him. But to do that, I have to formally join President Coin and her Rebellion. I consider this for a while... While I may not necessarily like President Coin, nor do I fully trust her, we have a common enemy. I think back to an old saying that I heard before entering my first games, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' If I can help the people of Panem and get rid of Snow by joining with Coin and the Rebellion, I think that is a deal worth making. I continue wrestling with this as I make my way back home.

I make it back to my compartment and open the door to find my mother, Prim, and Peeta already there helping them move stuff around our small home. "Hey sweetheart, how are you?" He asks me brightly.

I smile and give him a warm hug. "I'm ok. But I have some big news..." This causes him to stop doing what he was doing, unclear as to what I'm going to say. "I think I'm finally ready to officially join the Rebellion."

Peeta grins in response. "Awesome! Now you'll be able to train with Finnick and I, maybe you and Johanna can even start getting along better haha."

I purposely ignore his last comment, although I'm sure Johanna and I will eventually have to deal with our dislike for each other. "I'll have a few requests before giving Coin my support, but I'm ready now." I pause and I feel the fire brimming inside of me before I turn to look back at Peeta and my family, "I am ready to be the Mockingjay."

Hey, too much Romance/Love Triangle-ness? I was trying to avoid it, but I realized that in the scenario of Peeta making it back to the rebels this would eventually come up. Oh well, I hope you enjoyed it, and please review! It makes me feel so great to get feedback from my readers! Next chapter will be up later this week!