Music and the Beast
Summary: Caught up in a ruse to stay away from her past, top talent manager, Katniss Hawthorne wasn't one for music or romance. But maybe, there might just be someone to bring the music back into her life. Implied K/C, K/G, but ultimately K/P.
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Chapter Length: 7,781 words
Warnings: Long descriptions and blocks of text, awkward partial nudity and inspiring Haymitch (le gasp!)
First off I'd like to say thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter and added this story to their alerts and favorites list. Some of you even added me as a favorite author! You guys are awesome and you have no idea how much it means to me and how much I value your feedback.
A big thanks to my anonymous reviewers whom I couldn't thank personally, anonymous, Flying Fantasy, Anonymous, Cannoli, KinnFantiss, Johanna mason, and GIFtoJPG
Congratulations also to those who answered the Reader Pop Quiz correctly in their reviews and got a chance to see an extended preview of this chapter, Ballade Sarah, Senoj27, DandelionOnFire, Kamil the Awesome, CorpseBandit, underscore is back, and KillerTimes. Scroll down to see the rest of the chapter you haven't already read (or read from the start to see some non-major revisions I've made).
This chapter was a bit of a bother to write at the start, but it sped up after I hit the halfway mark because I was just so excited with what was happening. So take heed, it might be the same way reading it through. It slows the story down a bit from last chapter, but gains momentum towards the end, so there's a lot to look forward to.
Anyway, enjoy the read!
Chapter 5: The Wounded
They pulled up to a normal looking bungalow, except it wasn't so normal looking, not with a hundred or so cameramen, reporters, journalists and crazed fans camped out and crowding out in front. 'What exactly was going on?' Peeta's brows furrowed as she stopped a few hundred meters short of their ultimate destination parking behind the shade of a few trees, effectively concealing them. "What do we do now?" He asked the older man. "We can't exactly walk Katniss to the front door. They'd be on her in a second."
Haymitch just frowned. "Fuckin' Snow's done it now, hasn't he?" He muttered miserably, taking a swig of alcohol from his flask before looking back at where they had drove from, deep in thought. "Gonna have to take the long way 'round now."
"Lead the way." Peeta offered quite willingly, stealing a glance at still sleeping girl beside him.
Haymitch directed him to back up and drive quite a distance around the perimeter until they hit a patch of thick greenery and thistle where the road ended. The place looked like an old abandoned playground in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and a thick patch of forest, the only dividing factor a high metal mesh fence which he had assumed was to keep animals out, or the kids in. Peeta vaguely remembered driving past the location one point in his life or another, except then it wasn't deserted and unkempt as it was now, vines now growing up the sides of the swing sets, slides and teeter-totters. The now almost-sober Haymitch instructed Peeta to park his car in a thinned out patch of land, closer to the greenery than the playground itself to keep it hidden. Needless to say, it was a taxing effort taking Katniss' BMW through off-road conditions, but it held itself up. Peeta could see Haymitch's face greening from the corner of his eye at the bumpy ride, and he had a hunch the drunk wasn't very fond of car rides in general, at least when he wasn't distracted by alcohol or the welfare of his goddaughter. Katniss on the other hand, slept soundly, her earlier thrashing now substituted with deep, evenly measured breaths. Peeta was relieved.
"We're going on foot from here." Haymitch grunted as he got out of the car, stretching his legs, obviously not used to the long car ride even after years of touring around the country. He winced has his bare feet made contact with the forest floor, having forgotten his shoes back at the gas station. He swore. "Boy, hand me her phone, will 'ya?"
"I have a name, you know." Peeta frowned at him before getting out of the car and tossing the phone to him.
"Yeah whatever, bread boy." Haymitch waved his hand dismissively as he fuddled with the piece of technology in his hand, his large calloused fingers almost too much for its small touch screen. Peeta watched the man with a small smile on his face, mentally placing bets as to whether he'd get it to work. After an entire ordeal, he dialed a number and put the phone against his ear. The younger Everdeen answered.
"I told you, we have nothing to say-" Peeta heard Prim's voice. Haymitch had accidentally put the phone on speaker mode as he cursed.
"Damnit Primrose, will you just shut your pie hole for just one minute?" Haymitch growled into the phone. Peeta could have sworn he heard a meep from the girl on the other end.
"Haymitch?" She let out, her voice surprised.
"We're over at the playground. We'll be there soon. Make sure to get the back door ready." Haymitch paused, listening to Prim's voice. Peeta couldn't make out the words and he squinted as if it would drastically enhance his hearing. Haymitch grunted, nodding to himself and hung up, throwing the phone back at Peeta, catching him off guard. "Well then, don't just stand there. Grab sleepin' beauty and let's go!"
Peeta circled the car to get to Katniss' side, putting her seat up and unbuckling her belt before lifting her small form up from the seat. She was lighter than he had remembered in his arms and he could feel her deep breaths against his chest as she slept, undisturbed. His heartbeat quickened, his body reacting differently now that he knew the entire story behind the broken girl in his arms. He kicked the door shut, the sound of metal on metal making Haymitch look back and narrow his eyes at the boy before shrugging it off and walking along the rickety fence looking for something. Peeta breathed a sigh of relief, cursing his prosthetic leg as he followed the man. He had no intention of revealing who he was, at least not yet.
They stopped when Haymitch bent over to examine a specific part of the fence, digging around the dirt that anchored it before pulling the mesh out from the loose ground and then subsequently opening the mesh up large enough just for them to crawl through. The older man crouched down low with some difficulty before dragging himself through the hole. He held out his hands on the other side, motioning for Peeta to pass the sleeping girl over to him. Peeta raised his brow doubtfully at the man, not trusting him to be strong enough to handle Katniss' weight. He suddenly felt protective of the girl who for some reason felt perfect in his arms.
"Oh c'mon boy, I've been doin' this for much longer than you have." There was some truth in his voice and Peeta didn't want to think about what situations had called for him to carry an unconscious Katniss through a hole in a fence. He crouched low enough to pass the girl in his hands to the waiting arms of the older man who huffed as he cushioned the weight of the girl with little difficulty before standing up from his squatting position. He wasn't half-bad for a man in his fifties.
Peeta soon followed through the hole in the fence, after which he insisted Haymitch hand Katniss back to him. The man just rolled his eyes before complying and setting the mesh fence back into the ground, burying it back into the dirt and scattering stray leaves over where he had pried it from the ground to make the weakness in the fence inconspicuous. He waved his hand for Peeta to follow him through the trees and thistle, making sure to clear stray branches along the way to make the hike easier on the boy who held the young Everdeen in his arms.
'How far away exactly did they have to trek?' Peeta began to wonder to himself, small beads of sweat rolling down his neck and his shirt sticking unpleasantly against his back. In the back of his mind, he registered that he had been drenched in rain twice, soaked in spilt coffee and hadn't taken a bath in a full day. He sniffed his shoulder at the best angle he could, suddenly self-aware and conscious as to how much exactly he reeked of sweat, but the girl in his arms didn't seem to mind as she curled up against him in her sleep. He silently hoped that when he reached her house, her sister would spare him a short shower and maybe a change of clothes.
Haymitch noticed him lagging behind and he turned back to make sure things were okay. "If you're gettin' tired, I can always take over 'ya know?" He smirked at the boy, enjoying his reaction to the taunt. He laughed and led on. "It's not far off now."
They reached a small clearing a few yards from a fenced house which Peeta recognized as the bungalow from earlier. He could see the vague outlines of the reporters still camped out in front, blocked by the by the large bushes and foliage of their front yard. He was thankful they didn't need to deal with all the hullaballoo. He turned to Haymitch whose eyes were now trained at the fence. It didn't seem like he had any intention of moving and Peeta thought that maybe the fence was an unexpected obstacle. Peeta gulped at the thought of having to climb over the tall fence, wondering how they'd manage with Katniss in this state. He was about to make a move to wake the girl when Haymitch whistled a tune that mimicked some sort of bird and Peeta saw a blonde girl exit the house stealthily to meet them at the fence.
Haymitch walked out into the open to meet her as she unlocked a small hinge in the fence which was apparently a gate. Peeta soon followed behind him, pausing to get a better grasp of Katniss in his arms. The blonde girl whom he deduced to be Katniss' sister stared intently at him, and then to her sister. He shifted at the uncomfortable scrutiny. There was no time to question her gaze because she quickly led them to the back door of the house, shutting it quickly once everybody had gotten inside.
Haymitch seemed to know his way around the house as he lead Peeta to a couch where he could settle Katniss on. The blonde girl ran to another room and came back with antiseptic and bandages, immediately making her way to her sister, kneeling beside her and tending to her hands.
"Did she cut herself again?" she asked Haymitch, her eyes trained on the messy bandages Haymitch had applied the night before. The question seemed normal to the girl, as if it were a common occurrence, or once had been. Haymitch shook his head and then nodded to Peeta. He hadn't actually heard the entire story himself.
"She clenched her fists so hard they broke skin." was all he said. He didn't actually want to tell her sister that it was her anger at Snow and most probably himself that had caused her injuries.
"It happens." She answered, replacing Katniss' bandages and then turning her over on her side much like Haymitch had done in the car. "How long has she been asleep?"
"About six to seven hours." Peeta answered meekly. Katniss' sister looked very young, much younger than he expected. But her mature tone and calm disposition told him that the years had aged her quicker than what was meant to be.
"She's going to be out for another four to six hours then." She stood up and placed her hands on her hips, surveying her work. Peeta's brows furrowed, not entirely sure how she knew that. She answered his internal dialogue as if able to read his mind only moments later. "Last time she had an episode like this, she was out for half a day. At worst she doesn't get up 'til the day after." She finally turned to look at Peeta who looked like he had been living out on the street for days. "You look like crap."
Haymitch laughed.
"Well, yeah." Peeta mumbled. It's not like he had the liberty to take care of himself the past twenty-four hours. Katniss had made sure of that, but he wasn't mad. How could he be after what he just found out?
"Is that-?" The girl frowned as she saw the dark stain on his pants.
"It's coffee." Peeta completed before she could jump into any wild conclusions. He turned a bright red, now shifting uncomfortably in his pants which had grown quite stiff from the rain and the dirt from the hike. Haymitch just made himself welcome, going through what looked to be a wine cabinet as he continued to laugh at the expense of the poor boy
"Well, no use standing there." She gestured for him to follow her. "Bathroom's this way. I'll have a fresh change of clothes for you in a jiffy." She turned to Haymitch. "You're one to laugh. You don't exactly smell like a fresh bed of roses either, and where the hell are your shoes?"
Haymitch just poured himself a glass of wine and waved her off, settling himself down on a bar stool and drinking himself away.
She turned back to Peeta, taking him by the wrist and pulling him along. "I'm Prim by the way."
"Yeah, Katniss told me about you." He was perfectly comfortable with being led around by now.
Prim perked up noticeably when she heard that Katniss had told him about her. "What did she say?"
"Not much. Only that you're both named after your parents' favorite flowers." He hadn't exactly had the time to make considerable amount of conversation with Katniss, what with everything that happened.
"Figures." Prim grumbled. "I'm the best thing that's happened to her and she doesn't even do me any justice." They approached a door and Prim led him into a room that looked relatively unused. "You got a name?"
"Peeta."
Looking at the girl in front of him, she was nominally different from her sister. She had paler skin and almost bleach blonde hair that ran down in smooth waves down her back. He wondered if Katniss' hair bore the same sheen. He had only ever seen her in a braid. Prim's eyes were very similar to Katniss' in shape, but the pale blue of her irises echoed that of his own. He decided he liked grey better.
"Well Peeta, the bathroom's in there." She pointed at a door across the room. "The towels are stocked, so you're all set. I'll go dig around for some clothes you can change into." She turned to leave but paused before returning her gaze to him. "And if you so much as make a move out that door to any reporters, Haymitch will be at you in a heartbeat."
Peeta cringed as the door closed behind her. Apparently, she still didn't trust him, but he couldn't help but take heed of her warning. Over the past few hours he had come to realize that Haymitch was more than just any old drunk, and he held a protective aura when it came to the Everdeens. He very well may be able to take him down if he did anything that jeopardized the siblings, not that he would.
He surveyed the room around him. There were no windows. It was safe.
He made a move to remove his jacket and shirt, folding them away as neatly as he could so as not to impose. He never really was good with laundry. He removed his belt and stood there suddenly, hesitating.
He couldn't remember the last time he was so self-conscious about his leg until this day. He had always hidden it and told people about it on a need-to-know basis, but today, more than any other day, he felt his leg was an unwelcome intruder in his otherwise normal body. He frowned as he shuffled out of his pants and folded them with the rest of his clothes before heading on over to the bathroom. The sound of his prosthetic against the bathroom tiles jolted him a little, and he reached for one of the stocked towels, throwing it on the floor to cushion the contact before proceeding.
After a meticulous shower and nearly leaving his skin raw from scrubbing, he emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his form, refreshed, but still troubled. While he was relieved Katniss was home safe, the flurry of reporters and journalists flocked by her house surely wasn't nothing. He thought back to what Snow had brought up.
Katniss was being blackmailed, and he was sure it had something to do with her father. If what Haymitch said was true and they had indeed bribed the press to stay quiet all these years, Snow had something up his sleeve to change that, and he knew this was part of it. He was certain Katniss knew that, and he was almost certain Haymitch and Prim had a hunch as to what was going on. The question was why wasn't anyone doing anything to stop it?
Peeta buried his face into his hands as he sat down on a wooden crate, the only piece of furniture in the otherwise empty room. He had noted the paint-less strips of wall, as if something were torn down earlier on, telling him it wasn't always this empty, and little clumps of foam he recognized as sound-proofing material confirmed that. This must've been a studio at some point or another. Now, it was just a room with pale white walls – cold, bare and empty.
He was shaken out of his reverie by the door suddenly opening, revealing a wide-eyed Prim with a handful of clothes. A bright red painted her face before she mumbled something incoherent and shut the door.
Peeta's face was pale with shock. Primrose, Katniss' sister, had just seen him half naked, in a towel, sitting on a crate, his legs spread open. He looked down, bending over and trying to replicate the possible angle she might have seen him in, hoping to god he did not just flash his junk at Katniss sister. And then his eyes widened. Had she seen his leg too?
Of course she had. It was impossible not to miss it. He buried his face even deeper into his hands, hoping she wouldn't ask any further.
"I'll just put your clothes here." A small voice squeaked. The door creaked open at a small angle, small enough for a slim hand to deposit the clothes on the floor before tightly closing it shut.
Peeta crawled over to the pile of clothes, grabbing them and holding them against his bare top frame. He leaned against the shut door and muttered through its boards. "How much did you see?"
There was no answer and he wondered if she had left. He was about to go and change when a small voice spoke out from the other side. "Your leg."
So she had seen. He sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. Well it hadn't been the first time someone found out about his leg without his consent. He had always just dismissed it, blaming it on an obscure car accident, and he was about to use the same excuse on Prim before she cut him off.
"It's you isn't it?" Her voice was close. She was leaning against the door as well. He didn't actually know what she was alluding to until she continued. "You were the guy on the bike from that night."
He could have sworn he felt his heart stop at that moment. She knew. "I don't know what you're talking about." It was a believable reply. After all, he had only found out himself not long ago, but Peeta's voice wasn't very convincing. How in the world did she know?
"I don't remember exactly." She started. He strained to hear her soft voice through the door's thickness. "But when I saw my sister in your arms earlier, I thought you looked familiar." That explained her scrutinizing glare. "And then your leg-"
"I lost it in a car accident." He said simply against the door. It was partially true. It just wasn't his accident per se.
"No you didn't." She seemed sure of her assumption now. "I saw you on that hospital bed. I was so young I barely even remember, but I know it's you." Her voice was shaky. "They said I couldn't see you, but I couldn't not see you. I needed to thank you. You saved my sister." There was a pause, and Peeta didn't deny her claim. "When I snuck into your room, a doctor told me you'd lost your leg." Peeta was sure she was crying now, her shallow breaths clear even through the door that separated them. "You saved my sister, and you didn't even know her."
"But it wasn't enough." He finally said, bitterness running through his voice. He realized he was in tears himself. It really wasn't, even to him. What more for the two girls who he had deprived a father from. There was a long pause, and Peeta wished she'd say something. Tell him he was right, or wrong. He didn't know how to handle it any longer.
"Those clothes were my father's." Was all she said. He heard her frame brush on the door. "Take care of them."
He heard her footsteps as she left and he couldn't stop himself from collapsing against the door, tired of it all.
When Peeta walked back into the living room there was lively chatter and a voice that he didn't recognize scolded Haymitch on his table manners, or lack thereof. He was greeted by an older woman who bore a strong resemblance to Prim, sitting by Haymitch on the table.
"Oh Maysilee, darling, tell Haymitch to get his elbows off the table, he won't listen to a darned thing I say." She turned to Prim, clasping her by the arm, frowning.
"It's me, mom. Prim. Not Aunt Maysilee." She just smiled as she placed the rest of the food on the table and nudged Haymitch to do as she had said, earning herself a growl.
This was Deborah Everdeen, Joseph Everdeen's wife. He had only seen her a handful of times, once in an earlier music video of the band, and other times in various magazines and interviews, not to mention the cover of their earliest album. It was safe to say that time had not changed her much and the same could be said about her mind. She was perpetually stuck in a time long past.
Peeta turned to the couch to see Katniss still asleep. Something tugged on his heart at the sight of her calm face as she slept. She wasn't smiling, but the calmness of her face at least told him that it was a dreamless sleep. 'Better than nightmares.' He thought as he was getting used to the tugging feeling that somehow always came with seeing her vulnerable.
"Oh, there's a young man in our living room! Maysilee call the police!" Peeta looked up to see a Mrs. Everdeen's shocked expression as she pointed to Peeta, obviously alarmed at an unfamiliar face. Prim just gave him a stiff smile before she softly pushed her mother's pointing finger down and explaining to her in a gentle voice.
"Don't worry mom, that's Katniss' friend." She used the term, unsure if it was an accurate way to describe him. Was he even friends with Katniss? Not really. It was more like she tolerated him for the sake of work, and even then, things still got screwed up. What else could she have said? Savior? Workmate with a bad attitude? The guy whose bike she trashed the first day they'd met? He doubted any of those descriptions would bide well with Katniss' distraught mother. Friend it was then.
"'Bout time you got out of there. What'd you do, invent the cure for cancer while you were in there boy?" Haymitch laughed at his own humor. Peeta felt it left something to be desired.
"Isn't he much too old to be friends with Katniss?" She looked worriedly at Prim. Peeta discerned that Mrs. Everdeen's memory of Katniss apparently did not register her as the broken mess she was now.
"Katniss is twenty-seven now, mom." Prim was very patient dealing with her mother and Peeta wondered just how much growing up it had taken her to be properly able to handle a mother with Alzheimer's, her father's death and her sister's issues.
"Oh, right." Was all Deborah could let out, still having trouble processing the information. "Well have a seat dear. We're about to have dinner." She patted the seat beside her, waving him to come over.
"Lunch, mom." Prim laughed. "Lunch."
"Lunch, dinner, what's the difference if all you're feeding me is this tasteless rubbish every day?" She huffed. "At least Haymitch gets to eat steak. I'm stuck with blanched vegetables."
Peeta reluctantly walked over to the table, his eyes lingering on Katniss, worried if she'd be hungry by now. It had occurred to him that Katniss wasn't really one for eating her meals, and nobody seemed to give it a second thought. He took a seat next to the older woman and bowed his head slightly at the intrusion.
"Why are all the curtains closed? It's uncomfortably dark in here." Deborah asked in the middle of lunch, obviously not aware that their house had now become a public spectacle to the press.
"The doctor called and said you couldn't be too exposed to direct sunlight." Prim thought on her feet. It was complete bullshit, but she couldn't think of a better way to explain the reporters who now camped out on their yard.
"Oh, so now I'm to be kept in a cave? What am I, some sort of vampire?" Deborah asked incredulously. 'I suppose next he's going to ask you feed me raw meat and put me in a coffin!"
Haymitch laughed. "Relax and eat your vegetables, 'ya old coot." He teased the woman while taking a particularly large bite of his steak. He seemed to be at ease with the woman, and Peeta began to wonder if she had forgotten about her husband as well.
"Peeta, can I talk to you in private?" Prim asked when her mother was too distracted with how to manage her food. He nodded and followed her out the room.
"Those reporters-" He began, nodding his head in the direction of their front door.
"They arrived here midnight." She continued for him, recounting the ensuing chaos. "They came by, asking if I had anything to say about my father's death or when he started abusing alcohol or if he had hurt us when we were kids. There were so many questions, I panicked."
Peeta nodded, remembering her call. "Snow must have sent them." He muttered to himself. Prim scowled at the mention of his name. "He was blackmailing her this entire time." He met Prim's gaze to see that her eyes were questioning, obviously starved for the details. "We were supposed to remake some of your father's songs for an album for Snow."
Prim's eyes widened. "Katniss told me to come back here two days ago. Told me to make sure my mom hadn't signed any documents." She started putting two and two together. "My mom had said an old friend had come over to talk, but I never thought it would be Snow."
Peeta furrowed his brows. "What do you mean 'old friend'?"
"Snow knew my father long before the band had gotten together." She sighed as she explained. "He was always trailing behind him, and when the band formed, he wanted to be their manager, but he was more of a groupie than anything." Peeta nodded for her to go on. "The band went big without him, and for awhile, he never even talked to my dad. Only time we heard back from him was when mom was diagnosed and dad asked for his help. Things started going downhill from there."
Peeta had understood. Snow had taken advantage of Mrs. Everdeen's sickness even then, and he did it again, this time to get the rights to Joseph's songs. He was a sick man.
"I've always hated that man." Prim gritted her teeth. "He was always talking behind my father's back. Always talking shit about my sister too."
And now here he was, CEO of a huge entertainment company and now owner of the rights to all of Joseph Everdeen's songs, the tables now turned in his favor. It all seemed very fishy to Peeta.
"Does Katniss know about this?" Peeta asked, his expression now grave.
"I doubt it." Prim crossed her arms. "Doubt she'd even be working for him if she had. The only reason I know is because Snow always thought I was too stupid to notice." She shrugged. "He has this thing about blondes."
That, Peeta also understood, what with Snow's son being one of the daftest blondes in the business. It was probably why he didn't of Peeta as a threat either.
"Katniss was trying to protect you." Peeta started recounting his side of the entire ordeal. "She didn't even want to have anything to do with the stupid album. I was just too caught up in my fanatics to give it any thought."
"But then why did she-"
"My guess is that Snow threatened to reveal the details of your father's breakdown. Maybe even add some of his own made-up bullshit to stir up controversy, and now he has, and it's entirely my fault." Peeta clenched his jaw as he swallowed. "If I hadn't walked out, or if I had at least brought her back after she ran out, none of this would have happened. All over a stupid list of songs."
Prim laid her hand on his shoulder, bringing him back. "It wasn't your fault." Prim assured him. "Whatever made Katniss run out of there is a good enough reason. She doesn't do things on a whim." Peeta wouldn't look at her. "We can't all run away from this forever." She insisted. "Maybe we can call Gale, he could help us."
Peeta shook his head. "Gale's with Snow on this one."
"How? That can't be. He's always hated Snow."
"Apparently not anymore." Peeta spat out bitterly. "When Katniss was getting frantic, he didn't even lift a finger. He knew about the blackmail, and he did nothing."
"There must be something." Prim felt betrayed, and there was an uneasy feeling she just couldn't shake off.
Before they could discuss any further, a slight stirring from the couch caught their attention. Katniss was getting up.
"Kat." Prim approached her sister and helped her sit up. Katniss held her hand to her head as she rubbed, the gravity of twelve hours of sleep hitting her like a ton of bricks. She winced when she felt the pressure on her wounds and looked confused at the bandages that wrapped her hands tightly.
"Prim!" She grabbed her sister's face in her hands immediately as she saw her, stroking her cheek, making sure she was really there. "Oh god, what happened? Are you okay? How did I get here?" She looked around the living room to make sure of her current location.
Her eyes settled on the Peeta who stood watching the two sisters, not entirely sure what to do now that she was awake. "Hi." When it came to Katniss, he really had a way with words.
"You." Katniss narrowed her eyes at him.
"He brought you here when you-" Prim hesitated. Katniss looked at her bandaged hands and a look of recollection crossed her face. "Let's just say you passed out. Haymitch helped him get you here."
Peeta rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. In the back of his head he was thankful she was now awake, but a small part of him knew that now that she was, he'd have difficulty dodging the scolding she would inevitably subject him to. But it didn't come.
"I don't need your pity." She gulped, thinking back to where their conversation had left off. Had she actually blacked out long enough for him to take her here? "No matter what happened back there, I don't need you to protect me. I can handle this on my own."
Haymitch and her mother now stood up to see what all the commotion was about.
"He needs to leave, Prim." She muttered decisively after awhile, propping her up and scooting her legs off the edge of the couch. Haymitch ushered Deborah to her room, sensing the animosity. He didn't want the poor lady more distraught than she already was. When nobody else showed any sign of making Peeta leave, Katniss stood up. "Why aren't you leaving?" She asked Peeta, more anger in her voice. "You think I need your charity! You think I need your pity!"
Ah, there it was. Peeta winced at her scolding, not expecting it to be this harsh, but nonetheless, he remained steadfast in his place.
"Katniss, calm down." Prim tried to push the livid Katniss back to her seat, to no avail. "He can't leave, there are reporters everywhere."
Katniss shifted in her stance, not wanting to have to concede. "Call Snow." She said finally. "Tell him I'll do whatever he wants. Just make him send them away."
"Katniss, no." Prim shook her sister, both of her hands grasping her firmly by the arms. "You're not doing that. Who knows where he'll stop if you let him have his way. You don't have to do this. It's not what dad would have wanted." Katniss scowled at the mention of the familiar words that had now escaped her sister's mouth. Peeta had told her the same thing. "Katniss, you can't do this on your own."
"And you don't have to." Peeta offered, not sure how it would help, but he felt the need to let her know she wasn't alone in this. She was obviously very angry at him, and he couldn't blame her. He doubted Snow would have gone so far if he hadn't run out after her, but inside, he didn't regret it. He knew now what that man was capable of and in a matter of hours, he had gotten to know Katniss and the reason for her guardedness. Most of all, it pained him to now know that he was inadvertently the cause of all of it. The only thing he knew is that he had made a promise to her father, and Katniss be damned if she took that away from him. Whether she knew it or not, fate had somehow brought them together, and he'd be helping her with or without her consent.
"But then what else can I do?" Katniss was suddenly out of breath, weighing her options. "If I don't, Snow's going to spit on dad's grave. And then what?" Her eyes were trained into nowhere, unfocused and it took all her strength not to let her tears fall. "All I have to protect is his name. What else do I have? I've already caused him his life Prim. I don't want him to have to lose even that."
"Maybe he doesn't have to." Haymitch walked back into the room suddenly, his face bright and expectant, despite the atmosphere. Katniss stared at him, unbelieving.
"And do you propose we achieve that?" Prim asked the question on everybody's mind.
"Well, Miss Pouty over here can start by ditching the whole 'loathing in self-pity' act. If you ask me, it's getting really old." Haymitch addressed Katniss with no reservation.
Peeta was appalled at the man's insensitivity. "Haymitch, don't you think you're going a little too far with-"
"Lemme finish." Haymitch shushed the boy with a glare. "Bread boy and Goldilocks are right." The next few words that came out of his mouth were unexpected. "Snow won't just stop at making a mockery of old Joe's name. He won't settle 'til he's completely destroyed him." Haymitch had stated the words with such certainty it drove shivers down Katniss' spine. "And it won't help if you go all boo-hoo on us now, sweetheart."
Katniss bit back her sobs and wore a hardened face. If there was anything she hated more than Snow at this moment, it was looking weak, and Haymitch knew just how much it affected her when he called her out on it. "And what do you suppose we do then?"
"We all know Snow's got us running 'round in circles." Haymitch starts, looking particularly pleased with himself for getting through to the girl. "He was gonna release an album and make money out of old Joe, probably usin' the money to fuel some of his other more devious plots. Let's face it. Blackmail or not, Joe's dirty past was gonna come out some day, even Joe admitted that. Snow was gonna reveal it either way." Haymitch shrugged. "But now that Snow's played his hand and the whole world knows about your father's not-so-peachy past and other illicit activities, he's pretty much ruined his own plan. No well in hell is an album of his gonna sell now." He turned to Peeta and raised his flask in a mock toast. "I guess we have you to thank for that, pumpernickel."
Leave it to Haymitch to come up with the oddest bread-related nicknames and spin a totally horrible situation into an advantage. "I still don't know where you're going with this, Hay." Prim stood, frowning more noticeably at the man's nerve.
"It ain't gonna sell. He's got no more cards to play. He's got nothin' on us now." He said slowly, hoping one of them would catch on. When none of them did, he silently cursed their generation for being slower than a pack mule on drugs.
"Yeah, nothing except that now everybody thinks Joseph Everdeen was an alcoholic and a bad father." Peeta was starting to get impatient and highly doubted the man's sanity. "We've got no moves, Haymitch. The cat's out of the bag. We can't fix anything."
"Aha! That's where you're wrong boy." Haymitch clapped his hands together, certainly looking more excited than he intended to be. "I didn't say anythin' about fixin' a damn thing. That boat's long sailed away. What we can do is redeem the ole' bastard." It made Katniss uncomfortable hearing Haymitch calling her father a bastard, despite having heard him call the entire band bastards long before.
"How are we gonna redeem him, Haymitch? We don't have anything left." Katniss asked, the entire proposal now sounding preposterous to her.
"You talk like you don't know your own father." Haymitch huffed. He was sincerely hoping they'd take it better than they were now.
"Joseph Everdeen was more than the press made him out to be. He was then, he is now, and he probably will be in the future – more than what people think him to be." He straightened himself up and looked at all of them solemnly. "There are always two sides to the story, prob'ly even more. Snow wants people to think Joe was a lowlife with nothin' left to give but music of a lost generation. But we know him better than that." He paused. "To us, he was more than just a musician. He was a father, a friend, a husband, an inspiration, and he was damn good at bein' all those, if you ask me. His music changed lives. Even at his lowest, he got up and straightened himself out. For you." He stared Katniss down intently at his words. "You know that, Kat. We all know that. You've just been too busy tryin' to forget, when what you really needed to do was try and remember. And now that you have, problem is, no one got up and told the rest of the world."
There was silence in the room as Haymitch's words ran through their minds. Like it or not, his words had struck a chord, and all three of them couldn't help but think back to the times Joseph Everdeen was every inch and more of what Haymitch had described. What he said was all true, hard to admit, but true.
"You're right." Katniss finally said. "And it's going to stay that way, isn't it? Unless we do something." She didn't want to forget. Not anymore.
Peeta nodded, amazed that Haymitch actually had it in himself to be inspiring. He could be quite convincing if he wanted to be. The man was full of surprises. He shouldn't have expected less from someone a man like Joseph deemed worthy to be among his circle of friends. "So what do you have in mind?"
"I say we beat Snow at his own game." He cracked his knuckles in suppressed anticipation. "Let's release an album. Not just any album – an album that's both Joe's, and our own. Forget the shit they say about old Joe. We'll make them remember all the good he's done instead. Knock the fuckin' socks off their feet and make 'em sorry they ever put him in a bad light. Joe fought his wars with music, so will we."
"I'm in." Peeta said, suddenly invigorated. Haymitch wasn't one for words, but when he spoke, he packed a punch. "Joseph Everdeen changed my life." He paused, looking at Katniss from the corner of his eye. "More than once."
"I'm in too." Prim joined in, suddenly giddy. For once, she felt like she was treated like an adult, actually having a say on an issue that counted. "Though I'm not sure how much I can offer. I was never as musically gifted as dad or Kat."
"That's fine, every hand counts if we're gonna make this work." Haymitch turned to Katniss. "It's all on you, sweetheart."
Katniss turned to each of the people in the room and she reveled at how one man had meant so much to each of them. She had spent the past few days remembering her father, more than she would have liked and when she thought back on all those instances, the only memories that came back to her were how much of good person he had been. Not once had her memories made him out to be a bad influence and she realized, the only thing stopping her from continuing his legacy was her inability to forgive herself for something that happened ten years ago. She had been running away from it for herself, not for her father or anyone else. It made her feel ashamed. Haymitch was right, she was weak. But not for the reasons she had first thought. She would be selfish to deny her father his redemption, and for the first time in years was going to do something that would live up to his name.
"I'm in."
"That a girl! I knew you'd do your old man proud." Haymitch jumped up and pumped his fist in glee at her answer, gathering the two Everdeen sisters into a large hearty embrace and Peeta thought it was impossible to see an even happier Haymitch than he saw now. He found it hard to believe that Katniss had ever thought the man hated her. Looking at him now, he held nothing but love for the two girls. He almost felt a bit out of place until Katniss pulled him in for the hug as well.
The warmth that enveloped him was all-encompassing, and for once, he felt like he belonged somewhere, like he was part of something bigger than he was. He had always thought he'd live his life chasing after a dream that his idol once dreamed and he thought he'd achieve that by working as close as he possibly could to his idol's work. Well, nothing could get closer to that than this, being involved in a project to personally exonerate Joseph Everdeen with his two daughters and his best friend. This was everything he could have hoped for, and then some. But as he felt the warmth of the body beside him as her arms pulled him closer against her frame, he knew that what he really wanted was right here, and that this was where he belonged, and he suddenly found himself hoping for more.
Prim was the first to pry herself out of the group embrace, reasoning that Haymitch had yet to take a bath and reeked of year-old cheese, but Katniss and Peeta found it hard to let go. With an arm around each others' form, they couldn't help at smile at the development. They were allies now. Two people fighting for the same cause, and it had brought them closer together. There was no longer any reason for Katniss to resent the man she now leaned herself on. He wasn't doing this out of pity. He was doing this for her father, and because he wanted to. For Peeta, it was something more – a promise, a dream, and possibly, love.
"I've gotta make some calls." Haymitch now paced excitedly back and forth in the living room. "But first we got to get those motherfuckin' reporters off the lawn." He turned to Katniss. "You up for an impromptu press conference?"
"What? Who? Me?" Her eyes darted through the room in search of a scapegoat, but who was she kidding, it had to be her. "I can't."
"Why the hell not?" Haymitch shifted his weight to one leg, tapping his fingers as he crossed his arms.
"Well for one thing-" Prim came to her defense. "She looks like she hasn't taken a shower in a week." Katniss pouted. It had only been a day. "Heck, Haymitch, you haven't taken a shower in a month, tops." Prim walked over to Katniss, pushing her with both hands by the small of her back in the direction of the nearest bathroom, effectively releasing her from Peeta's one-armed embrace. "I agreed to this, but only if you all keep your butts squeaky clean. I refuse to work with people who reek worse than garbage bins." Katniss looked hurt at her words, but she knew they were true. She did feel a bit funky underneath her clothes. "And damnit Haymitch, her hands haven't even healed yet. If she goes out there, people will more likely be curious about her hands than what we have to say."
"Fine, 'ya pussies." Haymitch turned around to leave, but Prim caught him by the collar.
"Oh no, you don't." with Haymitch by the collar and Katniss being directed sheepishly, Prim turned to Peeta. "Get this man to bathe, will you?"
"Gladly." Peeta laughed as he complied, wrapping a strong arm around Haymitch's waist and actually hauling him up over his shoulder. It wasn't easy, but it was manageable. The two girls stood and stared at him, surprised he was even that strong. After an entire hour's trek with Katniss in his arms, a few meters' walk with this lug was nothing. "C'mon Haymitch, let's get you decent. Don't want the two pretty ladies running off at the stench of you." The old man struggled against Peeta's grasp, kicking and screaming profanities as he was lugged away. Katniss and Prim laughed at the scene, which looked ridiculous, even to them.
"Looks like this is actually happening." Katniss mumbled to herself, releasing a long pent-up sigh. It was the feeling of relief that surrounded her now, as if an entire burden was lifted off her shoulders. "What do you think dad would have thought? You know, if he were here."
"He'd be really proud." Prim smiled as she wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her away.
Notes: So yeah, awesomesauce in the making, yo. THIS was the story I was originally going to write. My original three-shot that I had planned out revolved mainly on the musical production of this album they're about to make, so it was going to have a little of a Music and Lyrics type feel to it. But somewhere along the way, these amazing ideas came out of nowhere and Music and the Beast became so much more than I had intended it to be. I'm really thankful for those who were with me in the development of this story, and I'm in it for the long haul now.
Haymitch has always been one of my favorite characters, along with Finnick, so being able to write for him in so many dimensions in this fic is absolutely amazing for me. I have so much fun spinning him in different lights, and he's such a father figure in my mind, it almost hurts. I really hope this chapter was able to showcase that. He's a genius in disguise, he is.
There's a lot more going on now than ever, and Snow doesn't know what's gonna hit him. Rest assured that the conflict doesn't end here, and there is much more to come.
Again thanks to all those who reviewed. There are so many of you who've added this to their alert list, and I'd love to hear from you some time in the reviews!
ALSO! I've looked through some of my subscribers and A LOT of you have some AWESOME stories. If you have any recommendations (your stories or other people's stories) PLEASE LET ME KNOW if you'd like me to plug them and/or read them myself.
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Where did Haymitch leave his shoes?
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Chapter 6: Redemption
There were no words for how nervous Katniss felt at this moment. The dull pain that remained in her hands from relatively fresh wounds as she clenched her firsts in anticipation was the only thing keeping her head from floating up into nowhere, and as Haymitch began drilling her on what and what not to say, she barely registered a thing. She was going to do this. She was going to get up, and address all her issues.
In front of hundreds of reporters.
With cameras.
Cameras that would broadcast her failed attempts at a press conference to the entire nation.
Probably the world.
She felt sick.
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