CPOV

I know she heard me on the phone and I also know she won't tell me so. She's probably wondering how her mother of all people found out she was with me. I would wonder that myself if it weren't for the fact that it was Miss Trinket who called me. That woman seems to know everything that's going on in the Capitol, even if it's not supposed to be known. Not that I want Katniss to be a secret, but it seemed like she did when she came here and I will respect her wishes.

Instead, I take her to two of the bigger boutiques that I know of so we can get the majority of the shopping done. At the first store, she picks out a couple of pairs of pants and some simple tops to go with. She doesn't have the eclectic tastes of most women here in the Capitol and that's great because I can't stand most of the annoying brightness that they choose. I would have thought that after the rebellion, things would have mellowed out, but no such luck. I like things simple and classic. Just because they have money doesn't mean like they have to look like fools.

When we are gathering everything to pay, the young man behind the register keeps looking at Katniss with wide eyes.

"Is there something we can help you with?" I ask him, it's so rude, just staring. Katniss wasn't paying attention, focusing on some little pins in an open box.

The man shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but aren't you the Mockingjay?" He clearly asks Katniss, nodding his toward her.

She looks up at him then me, though I have no idea why; I already know who she is or was. She looks at him again and nods, not saying anything to him.

"I knew it! I have to tell…" He gets all loud and excited before Katniss slams her hand down on the counter.

"You. Tell. No one. Understand?" She says to him, glaring. Even I wouldn't dare argue with her or test what she may do should I not understand. The young man just nods his head and silently bags her things and slides my card for payment.

When we leave, Katniss is quiet, but I can tell she's still fuming. "Are you okay? Do you not want people to know you're here because you're with me?" I've never felt like this, like someone would not want to be with me.

She stops in the middle of the pastel colored sidewalk, and shakes her head. "I don't want people to know I'm here in general, not because I'm with you. I hate when people start asking me questions about all that crap I did before. It's not who I am, I stopped being the Mockingjay a long time ago."

Her explanation makes sense. She isn't who she was four years ago, most people aren't. Though I don't doubt for a second that many people in the Capitol wished she was. I nod my head and hold out my hand. She slides her small one into it and smiles.

"Why would I not want people to know I was with you?" She asks me, swinging our arms a little, making me think of children holding hands.

"Well, I thought that maybe you would be ashamed because you came here for an interview to be, well, mine because I was the first bidder. Now, you're here because I want you to be here with me because I like being with you." I answer honestly and with no shame. I do like her, I do like spending time with her, and I want to get to know her better.

"Well, I'm here right now because I like being with you too, Christian." She says, looking down and a blush plays across her cheeks. I bring her hand up to my mouth and gently kiss her knuckles, earning a smile from her.

The second store is where we have to get the gowns and appropriate undergarments for her. Katniss has a sweet flush to her skin when I grab a back-baring blue floor length dress.

"You'll look great in it, trust me." I tell her as she rolls her eyes following the saleslady into the dressing room. I will have to tell her how little I tolerate the eye-rolling later.

"Fine, Christian, but only because I like the color, not because you said so." She tells me with a sly smile on her face.

I hear the rustling of clothes being taken off and back on again. Then her voice wafts over the curtain, "Are you sure you want me to wear this to your business thing?"

She comes out and the dress is hugging every curve like I knew it would. I wave my hand at her and she turns to show off the back. I can barely see her scars for they are hidden in just the right places. Then I wonder if I do want her wearing something that sexy in front of all the men who wanted her and didn't get her.

"I definitely like it, but no, you're right, maybe something more formal for tomorrow." I say this more to the saleslady and she nods and disappears. I walk up to Katniss, who is looking at herself in the three-way mirror. Putting my hands on her shoulders, I whisper, "I think this will be for something else."

I feel her shiver and smile. Her cheeks are a beautiful pink now and I know she wants to get back to my apartment. The saleslady comes back with three dresses lying across her arms. I just nod and she takes all of them into the small dressing room and Katniss follows, looking at me underneath those dark eyelashes.

The next one is a too-formal navy blue dress. It makes her look older but not in a good way so I shake my head to it. She seems happy with that decision, as she gladly strips out of it. The next one is even worse; it's too colorful and looks like it was made by someone's ancient grandmother. Finally, the last one is perfect; a silky pewter floor-length sleeveless dress. Katniss even undoes her hair without me asking, so I can see its full potential.

"That's it! That's the one I want you to wear tomorrow night." I tell her and I hand the saleslady my credit card. She makes sure to point out the matching undergarments and we get those as well as a few other sets. I never really went shopping with my Ana, just sent someone else to do it and now I'm wishing I had gone with her. It's kind of fun, as long as what you're shopping for is for something interesting. Or with someone interesting.

I have someone take all the bags to my apartment as I take Katniss' hand in mine. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, who knew shopping could be so exhausting?" She says with a smile. I tug on her hand, directing her to a small café that serves sandwiches and pastries. She picks out a table while I order for us, as she said she will eat just about anything and I believe that she would.

When I come to our table with a tray of food, she looks at it all hungrily and then at me. "Which one is mine?"

"Whichever you like." I point to each sandwich, "This one is a slow roasted turkey with a cranberry jam and pecans. They call it a Thanksgiving special, though I don't understand what it means. And this one is lamb with a plum dressing."

She instantly grabs the lamb one and I remember that in her first set of Games, a lamb stew was sent to them in the cave. It figures that I would have chosen this. I hand her a glass full of lemonade and set mine down as well before putting the tray on an empty table beside us. One of the girls who work here comes to grab it, smiling at me the whole time while ignoring Katniss. I glare back at her and she closes her mouth and walks away. It's rude and I will have none of that, even though I'm unfortunately used to it.

Katniss giggles and I look back at her. "What's so funny?"

She smiles and swallows her mouthful. Shaking her head, "Is it always like this for you? Women staring, drooling over you?"

I squint my eyes at her and her smile widens, knowing she's right. "I don't care for it, but I also can't help it. I was just born this way, nothing cosmetic done. I won't even dye my hair those annoying colors that seem to be so fashionable."

She laughs again. "Oh, come one, that's the best part! I always liked how Caesar Flickerman always has his eyebrows dyed to match."

I have to laugh with her, the man always made sure he matched at least. He still did it in fact, I had heard. Supposedly he was hosting a talk show. I tend not to watch television even though there are three in my apartment.

We finish out the rest of our lunch, commenting on the people walking by and how silly most of them look. It's near impossible to find someone who doesn't have a too-bright hairdo or outlandish clothes on and you just know that not enough people from the outlaying districts moved here after the rebellion. It's a shame really, the people from the Capitol could learn so much, but they are so close-minded. Yes, I have money and lot of it, but it wasn't always like this.

As we walk back to my apartment, I take her hand in mine, rubbing her knuckles with my thumb. Her hand feels so small in mine and I revel in that she tightens her grip in mine when people walk past us.

"Katniss, what had you been doing for the past year?" I ask her, though part of me feels like an invasion of her grieving.

She looks up at me for a moment and answers quietly. "Not much really. Why?"

I shake my head, shrug my shoulders. "I was just wondering what the Mockingjay did to keep herself busy after her husband died."

"I really didn't do much at all." Her voice gets even lower, so I have to drop my head down to hear her. "I couldn't even hold on to the one thing that belonged to both of us."

"I'm sorry, what do you mean?" I ask her. She stops walking and I stop next to her. When she turns to me, there are tears misting in her grey eyes, no smiles, only seriousness.

"I lost my only chance to keep Peeta with me. I had a miscarriage."