Chapter 14
Katniss had done it, she had won. She let relief wash her features as she remembered she was free to go home, to hug her daughter, to kiss her husband. She smiled as she saw the hovercraft come to carry her away where they could fix her up again.

She kissed Thresh's dead hand and grabbed hold of the ladder, the current froze her in place, and all she could feel was happiness, one that radiated through her.

Somehow in the midst of the mess, she was put to sleep. She drifted into the blackness, eager to wake up.

…

Gale's mother burst through the room with all the Hawthorne children. They danced, they sang, and when Mrs. Everdeen and Prim came in, Rory flat out kissed her on the mouth. Katniss had done it, Gale's Catnip was coming home.

The phone was ringing, no doubt the baker or someone congratulating. Gale decided he better respectfully answer, his house now housed a Victor, after all.

He picked it up, breathless from all the chaos in the house, "Hello?"

The voice on the other end was worried and rushed, "Hawthorne? This is Haymitch. I'm calling from a secure line. No one will be able to trace this call or hear what we're saying. Gale, they aren't happy. They think she's shown them up. I'm going to talk to her the second she wakes up. Until then, talk to no one except who you must. Someone will be along to move you into the Victor's Village soon. Say nothing incriminating because you don't know who will be listening."

Haymitch sighed, "Do you understand?"

Gale didn't know why he trusted the old man, but he pinned it to Haymitch bringing his wife home alive, "Yes sir."

"Good, son. If we present any kind of angle in the final interviews, I want you to go with it. You smile, you act as if nothing is wrong. And you damn sure don't leave that baby with anybody you don't trust. Goodbye Gale, we'll be in touch soon."

The line went dead in his hand. His good mood was gone. These actions had put Katniss in far more trouble than he'd ever thought possible. What was he going to do?

As he put the phone back, he answered his own question. He knew exactly what he would do: anything to protect his family.

He walked back into the room, speaking to his mother and Mrs. Everdeen in hushed voices. He didn't disclose much, only that Katniss and Keegan were in danger. They still had to act as if everything was okay, but under no circumstances was Keegan to be watched by anyone except those with a Hawthorne or Everdeen last name.

As the two women looked in Gale's eyes, they knew he was serious. He put on his emotionless mask, and headed back with the kids to continue celebrating.

…

Katniss woke up, seeing dim lights and hearing even dimmer voices. She saw the tubes coming out of her arms and panicked, trying to remove them before a calm voice and smooth hand stopped her. the olive skin made her heart skip beats, until she realized it was Cinna, not Gale.

"Stay calm, little bird. You're safe now. All we have to do is dress you for the video tonight, then again for the final interview tomorrow morning and you can go home to your nest, little bird."

Katniss sighed, she wanted nothing more to be in her own bed with her husband. Cinna reached in to hug her, "Haymitch told me to speak to you. They aren't happy with you, Katniss. They think you and Thresh showed them up on purpose. You're going to act as if you would do anything to get back to your family and that is it, got me?" she nodded, but she was still very confused.

Cinna dressed her in a very plain dark yellow ball gown. It was marvelous and a little too much for Katniss. He let her hair fall down in cascading curls and put just a hint of make up on her face. She looked like a mother.

He smiled at her again, "Gale is going to love you, Katniss. All you have to do tonight is sit there and smile. They're going to ask if you have anything to say, and I know you'll find the words. Tomorrow you'll get to see them."

She looked forward to it so much that she almost started crying in front of her prep team.

…

Gale had decided to watch the required viewing from the square tonight, so excited to see how the district would accept its newest victor. He'd already gotten gifts from just about everyone who could afford it. And those who couldn't spare the money settled with dropping by his house with congratulations.

The same happened in the square. Everyone was so excited to see Gale and Keegan, but he dare not let her out of his arms. He trusted Haymitch and saw no reason to let good advice go to waste. Thankfully, the screen turned on Caesar introducing Katniss. Gale almost dropped his baby when he saw his beautiful wife. The yellow made her "radiant as the sun" just as Caesar said. Gale felt his breath catch, she was heartbreakingly beautiful.

She smiled and waved directly to one of the cameras, blowing a kiss meant for Gale and Keegan. He beamed and stuck out his chest, his daughter squirming for her mother. Gale took her hand like she was waving at Katniss, and as if she had known what was happening, Katniss had waved back.

They showed the 3 hour video made from the games. It focused on the newest victor, Katniss Hawthorne. The crowd around Gale oohed and ahhed at all the appropriate moments, even clapping at certain times. When it came to Rue's death, Gale's voice was in the background.

When Katniss was whimpering their names after the tracker jacker venom: "I know Keegan and I are at the back of her mind because she wants to come home to us, she keeps giving us little signs to prove it."

When she outstretched her hands in the salute: "And I wish I could tell her she's at the forefront of mine, every day."

Even a random shot of Katniss just walking with Rue along the river. She turned to the camera and smiled: "The things that make Katniss the one for me? I couldn't tell you. I just know that it was fate that brought us together that day, some higher power saw something in the two of us that just clicked. And I don't know what it is about her, but I love her more than anything. Except maybe my daughter."

And finally, although it was out of order, Caesar's voice fading in the background dubbing Katniss the 'Girl on Fire,' Gale's rang out, "Keegan actually means 'tiny little fire.'"

Katniss was crying happy tears on the stage as the video cut away to show Gale and Keegan before showing Katniss winning. She was so happy that Gale missed her that much, she had saw the sincerity in his voice and knew that every word was true.

She hadn't even noticed when Caesar turned to her with the microphone, "Is there anything you'd like to say before the interviews tomorrow, Katniss?"

She nodded, "I love you, Gale. And I love you, Keegan. Mommy will be home tomorrow."

She smiled, Caesar signed off, and the screen in the square went dark.

Gale looked around him, his entire family was crying. As he looked to the familiar faces, they were crying too. Some were looking at him, some weren't. but they were all crying as they pressed three fingers to their lips and saluted the seventeen year old girl who had given them hope.

…

Katniss was escorted back to her room and fell asleep almost instantly. She longed to get away from the dreadful place called the Capitol, she longed to take her man and her baby and run. She briefly considered the possibility before succumbing to sleep.

When she woke, she was the happiest person on the planet, today was the day she could go home! She showered, fumbling with all the buttons till she got a temperature she wanted, and ended up smelling like lilac. She pressed the button to dry her body, and then another to dry and untangle her hair. She thought about braiding it, but quickly realized that the prep team would have to fix it for the interviews today, so she just left it flowing around her.

She practically skipped to eat breakfast with Peeta, Haymitch, and Effie. They all greeted her with happy faces, even Haymitch. The four were ready to get back to 12. Katniss wondered why Effie was excited, but dismissed the thought, it really wasn't her business.

Cinna came in and directed Katniss to a room where he could dress her and fix her hair. He elected to do it all himself. He had chosen a more simple, white frock. "I wanted you to have something you'd like to wear home and see your family in."

She had smiled, "It's perfect."

The interviews were done live, under the training center. Caesar asked her mundane questions about her family, what she'd do with her winnings, and how she felt about being crowned Victor. She had smiled through it all and given the bare minimum responses to every question except those concerning her family. "I just want to go home and kiss my baby girl."

"And so you shall. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the victor of the 74th Hunger Games, Mrs. Katniss Hawthorne, the Girl on Fire!"

She'd smiled the whole way home that afternoon, willing the miles to pass faster and faster, all she'd wanted was to go home. When she finally saw the rolling mountains outside her window, she began to pace the length of the train. Why, why, why couldn't this thing go any faster?!

She heard Effie announce it, and her eyes went wide at the thought of being home. She stepped outside the train's doors onto the platform, trying to be nice and wave at everybody, looking for the only set of eyes she needed right now.

Searching, searching, surely Gale was here to see her home?

Then she saw him, and the whole world disappeared. Katniss Everdeen had never been one for love or the feelings that came with it. In fact, she hadn't cared about it for a long time, until she realized that she could be taken from Gale Hawthorne, and he could be taken from her. When she'd realized she'd wanted that future with him, she had chased it, finding the wonders of love and the universe. She loved him more than anything, and she ran through the crowd, straight to his arms.

He lifted her and spun her, just like he did when he'd passed his last reaping. He kissed her like she was the only woman in the world. When he set her down, the next person she wanted was her sweet baby. Katniss cried tears of joy at finally being home.

…

The cameras had caught everything, but Snow still wasn't convinced. He knew she really loved her family, but being shown up isn't something the Capitol liked, especially the President.

He smiled and sipped his tea, knowing his time with the Girl on Fire was drawing near. He would take that baby from her if she didn't submit to his will. He smiled to himself, making the mental promise that if it went that far, he'd make sure she was watching. He'd make sure she felt the same humiliation that he had when she'd offered the berries.