Volition
by FanficAllergy and RoseFyre
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Chapter 7 - Deception
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The Capitol kept them separated.
From the instant they entered the hovercraft, white-clad figures - which were eerily reminiscent of the mutts they'd just run from - separated the two, tearing their hands apart and injecting them with something. When Katniss felt her legs buckle, she realized it must be some kind of sedative. She tried to hold fast to Peeta. But she couldn't. She prayed they wouldn't harm the boy with the bread for forcing the Capitol's hand. It was the last thought she had before she dropped.
When Katniss came to, she didn't know how much time had passed. Her whole body ached. Especially her stomach. From her bed, she could make out four white walls. Sterile. Featureless. A needle connected to a plastic bag jabbed into the back of her hand, while from behind her came the sound of a soft beep. The air smelled of chemicals and a riot of perfume.
She groaned. Turning her head, she spotted a figure out of the corner of her eye. Seated in a chair near the foot of her bed was her soulmate. Cinna.
"Where am I?" she asked, annoyed at how rough her voice sounded.
The stylist started, coming to his feet to stand next to her. "You're in the hospital." A ghost of a smile slid across his lips. "And before you ask, you've been asleep for a week and a half."
"Why so long?" She wasn't hurt, not really. Yeah, she had the burn on her leg and some cuts and bruises from fighting, and yes she was undernourished like always, but both she and Peeta had survived the Games in remarkably good shape. "Peeta!" she exclaimed. "Where's Peeta?"
"They let him out four days ago."
"Why didn't they let me out?"
"The doctors say you swallowed a little bit of the juice, and it took time for the antidote to leach all of the toxins from your system." There was something in the way he said it. Like he was trying not to give any inflection to the words.
Katniss frowned but didn't say anything. She'd never bit down, and she would've tasted something if she had. She didn't remember tasting anything. Besides, nightlock juice killed a man in an instant. If she'd bitten down, she'd be dead. The poison worked so quickly. There was no way for an antidote to be administered in time. Something about this didn't seem right. But she couldn't see any reason for them to lie. It didn't make sense.
She glanced down at her body. Nothing was changed, not really. Sure, what scars she'd had were gone, but she didn't have any modifications or additions. And everything felt like it was in the right place. Other than her stomach, all of her aches and pains could be explained by forced inactivity.
"Water?" she asked, looking around for something to drink. She wanted to wash the cottony sourness from her tongue.
Cinna handed her a cup, and she sucked down the liquid gratefully.
Just then, a large jovial man wearing a lab coat burst into the room. "Ah! My radiant Victor! It is such a pleasure to see you awake!" His fan of bright blue hair bounced up and down in time with each word. "How are you feeling, my dear?"
Rather than answering, Katniss asked, "When can I leave?"
The man walked over and peered at something above her head. "Well, assuming that the next round of tests come back positive, I think we can give you the all-clear. I know that I speak for all of Panem when I say that I just can't wait to see your and Peeta's reunion!"
She wanted to say something, tell him that there was no way she was going to let that be filmed, but she didn't. There was something in the way he said it which made her think a 'Star-Crossed Lovers of District Twelve' reunion was already scripted and planned. All it needed was the actors, and it'd be ready for Capitol consumption.
Instead, she said, "More water?"
"Oh! Of course!" He bent down and pulled a plastic bottle out, handing it to her. "I'm sure you're hungry, too."
She nodded, a little taken aback by just how enthusiastic the doctor seemed to be.
The man positively skipped out of the room, leaving her and Cinna alone again. She stared after him, wondering why he was so enthusiastic. None of this made any sense.
Her soulmate placed one warm hand on her arm, and her skin tingled in response. It was a soothing tingle, not the heart-fluttering passion she felt from Peeta, but calmer, steadier.
"I'm glad you made it through."
"I had help," she said, thinking of both Rue and Peeta. Her heart squeezed at the thought of the former and how she'd died. The young girl from District Eleven had deserved better.
Cinna seemed to know what she was thinking, because his thumb rubbed against her arm, grounding her. "And you helped others. Soon, this whole thing will be over and you'll be back home."
"Until the Victory Tour."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now just take it one day at a time, Girl on Fire. One day at a time."
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After dinner, Cinna left to take a shower and get food of his own, leaving her alone. Well, technically, not alone. Haymitch was with her, but he'd staggered into the room and promptly collapsed in Cinna's chair, and, with a swig of his flask, fell asleep. So she might as well have been alone. She stared at various machines attached to her, trying to figure out what they did. It was something to pass the time.
The door to her room opened and a nightmare stepped through.
President Snow.
Red mouth, yellow eyes, white beard.
As he entered, Katniss was assaulted by the stench of blood and roses. It turned her already sensitive stomach, and her bland hospital-approved dinner threatened to make a reappearance.
"Ah, my dear Miss Everdeen. How lovely to finally make your acquaintance," he greeted with a sickening grin. "You're quite the enigma, my dear."
She raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
"Yes, you're quite the puzzle. What do I do with you?" He tapped the side of his bearded face with one finger. "You've shown you have very little regard for following the rules, but I can't very well punish you and Mr. Mellark for falling in love, now can I?"
The blood drained from her cheeks. "Why are you here?"
"Such directness. Refreshing, really." He took a step closer, clasping his hands in front of him. "I propose, my dear Miss Everdeen, that we not lie to each other."
She shrugged. "I'm not a good liar anyway." If he would tell the truth, she'd at least know where she stood.
"No, I don't believe you are." Snow steepled his hands and leaned forward. "So, my dear, you do understand that Mr. Mellark is not your soulmate."
Her stomach plummeted. How did he even know that? Had he searched both their bodies while they were unconscious? It seemed the most likely explanation. Knowing that the question was likely a test, Katniss said, "I do."
A brief nod. "And I'm assuming you've met your soulmate." Another test.
"Obviously. I have my mark."
"And who is the lucky person to be matched with you, my dear?" Snow's eyes were intent, like Buttercup when stalking a mouse.
"He's gone," she said, thankful that Cinna wasn't there in the room. She wasn't lying, but it wasn't the whole truth either. Her heart beat double-time in her chest. She prayed the machines around her wouldn't give her away.
"Ah. I see." His eyes flicked away. "Pity. May I assume that you met your soulmate here in the Capitol?" His eyes narrowed. "Don't bother trying to lie. I've seen the tapes from the Remake Center. I know your mark wasn't present when you arrived."
He had looked at her body. What else had he seen? Katniss tried her best to keep from shuddering. "I did." She thought it was best to keep her answers as short as possible. She'd give less away that way.
Even if they seemed to piss the president off. Snow's eyes flashed. "And just who might the lucky gentleman be?"
"I told you, he's gone." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. "It doesn't matter."
"It matters to me." The words came out in a hiss. "A name, Miss Everdeen. Now."
Katniss wracked her brain, trying to think of someone. Anyone. Anyone other than the truth. The only names she could come up with were Cato's and Thresh's. In desperation, she said, "Thresh." She regarded the president out of her peripheral vision. She hoped he'd buy the falsehood.
Snow leaned back, a pleased smile oozing across his red lips. "There. That wasn't so hard."
She tightened her arms around her body to keep the relieved sigh from escaping. She'd done it. She'd fooled him.
So why did she feel so terrible?
"In retrospect, it's so obvious. Why he left you alive after that unfortunate explosion. Why you were so upset over his accidental death." He paused, placing a cold hand over hers. "You have my condolences, Miss Everdeen."
"Thank you," she mumbled, still refusing to meet his gaze.
"No. Thank you. You've answered all of my questions." Snow turned, walking to the door. "And for that I am grateful. You've eased my mind greatly. So let me ease yours. I promise I won't do anything to you or your beloved Mr. Mellark now. After all, who can stand in the way of true love? Certainly not I."
As he left the room, Katniss shivered. The words were meant to be reassuring, but somehow, deep in her heart, she knew they were a threat.
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