CHAPTER 3: UNCOVERED

In the midst of everything Monday came quickly. I attempted to back off Peeta a little and deal with my own problems. We all did the usual; hung out on the beach, drank, ate and slept. I also tried to figure out more about Peeta to little success. See, after that afternoon when he fought with Rye, he simply bounced back to the normal Peeta once again. And it wasn't like I could just ask him what his problems were.

"Why not?" Prim asks me over the phone.

"Because I barely know him, Prim. And then he'll probably ask me the same question."

"And then you would just tell him. " She says simply. And by the way, your problems are barely going to be relevant anymore." She tells me matter-of-factly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I demand.

"Haymitch called you about mom. I know he did. "

"Prim I am not getting into this again." I warn her.

"Katniss you should really be more positive."

"Don't get your hopes up. I don't want you to get crushed." I say softly.

"I won't." She retorts before diverting the topic. "Gale's coming over to State 4."

"What?"

"I don't know he was a bit vague about it but he has some sort of business meeting."

"And was he going to tell me this?" I ask, slightly irritated.

"Oh I'm sure he'll call you. You should have seen him he looked really excited." I can tell she's grinning. Ever since she started dating his brother Rory she's been all for our relationship. "Anyway I have to go. Have fun at work. Love you."

"Love you too Prim." I say and hang up.

Gale was excited to see me? Well that was standard but he rarely visited State 4. I tried to think exactly when he had become serious about us. When had he started pushing for a relationship? I guessed I missed it somewhere over the years.

I try to ignore thoughts about Gale until he actually called me as I get in my car and drive to work. Today was the day. The meeting about this new case. I hoped I had the chance to be on it. It was the good news I needed in the middle of everything.

When I pull up Annie's waiting out front with two coffees in her hand. She wears her dark hair elegantly in a low bun and I grimace as I take a peek at mine.

"Hey, thanks."

"No problem." She smiles, handing over the cup. "You got called in for the meeting too?"

I nod. "Is this what everyone's been talking about?"

"I think so." She says. "I haven't heard much else though."

"Let's hope one of us gets it." I say as we head up the elevator and into the meeting room.

I'm surprised the minute we walk in because everything is already set up and there are far less people than I thought.

I recognize the head of the law firm, Seneca Crane the guy Haymitch knows, as well as one of the best lawyers at the firm, Cinna and two legal secretaries.

"Take a seat, Katniss, Annie." Seneca motions.

I sit down cautiously, slightly confused about the structure of the meeting. Once we are settled he clasps his hands and begins.

"Before we start, I would like to make clear that anything said today in this meeting must stay in this room. There will be no mention outside of this room about the details I am about to divulge. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." We mumble.

"Alright let's start." He says clapping his hands and a glint to his eye. "As some of you may have heard already, a quite complicated and covert case has recently come to this firm. It's been requested that we keep all information under wraps to avoid publicity to anyone involved in the case. Now as you may have already realized this is the team we are employing for this particular case. You are all responsible for it. Now Katniss, Cinna here has viewed your work and has requested you on the case however Annie will be filling in the gaps while you are studying. I expect you to will be able to collaborate without problems." I glance over at Annie and share a small smile of victory. My body feels a little lighter knowing that I, personally was chosen. "Now to the case. We are representing the plaintiff, that should be clear. The files are in front of you. Have a look through and become familiar with the charges, statements and evidence. Tomorrow we would like to brief you fully about the case however I think it is important that for now you become familiar with it as it is quite complicated. Go and read the files and please take care of them. Be in here tomorrow and we'll discuss how to approach it."

Annie and I stand and leave the room quickly eyeing each other as we go. I know we are both thinking that we have never dealt with a case with such precautions. Together we cross quickly into an empty office and sit down holding the files. All I can think is who are we representing?

"I can't believe we are on this." She tells me excitedly.

Neither could I really. I mean the firm is huge, there was plenty of people to choose from. "Not sleeping last year paid off." I mutter thinking of countless nights spent attempting to search for leads to varying success.

"Let's read it." She suggests opening the folder. My hands don't even make it to mine before she is rattling off the charges being pressed by our side. "Holy shit. Theft, credit card fraud, forgery, abuse…look what she's up for. There's millions of dollars here."

I open the folder to inspect and see the defendant's picture looking oddly familiar. I glance over the name and eye off the list of charges and see what Annie means. The case would be in our favor. Then I go back a page where the plaintiff's page is, the man we represent. My eye is drawn to one word that screams out to me from the paper.

Mellark.

I scan the page in a sudden frenzy. Owner of Mellark bakery….accusing wife, Lora Mellark….My hands are shaking as realization dawns on me. As the pieces finally fall into place.

I'm representing Peeta's father.

000

I'm speeding, I know it. And I don't even care. I tore out of that office as soon as I had put the pieces together. I remember the conversation on the porch that Peeta had with who I now know is his brother.

"She's going to get away with it."

Something had recently gone wrong with the case against their own mother and I hadn't even finished reading the file to realize what.

But I had to get to Finnick.

I march through the door of our house, slamming it.

"Finnick!" I yell hoping I don't have to hunt him down.

He comes running in from the kitchen. "What? Are you okay?" He asks frantically.

"Why didn't you tell me about Peeta?"

His face blanks. "Tell you what?" He frowns.

"You know what!" I accuse. "That his father is trying to jail his mother!"

"Katniss be quiet." He warns me. "The whole neighborhood will hear. How did you find out about that?"

"I got put on his fucking case at work!" I yell.

He makes a frantic quiet signal with his hands. Steps closer. "You're on the case?"

"Yes…I should take myself off the case!" I realize. A wave of anxiety hits me as I realize how I really do not want to deny a case this big especially one I've been requested on.

"Wait, wait. Don't do that!"

I squint at him suspiciously. "Why not?"

"You could help Katniss. Help Peeta with the case."

"He's not even directly involved in it." I mutter.

He stops. Stares. "Have you even read it?"

I think of how I tore out of the office so quickly Annie could barely protest and how I am meant to be there right now studying my case quietly at my desk.

"No." I finally admit.

"Peeta is definitely directly involved in the case." He tells me.

"Why do you want me to stay on it?" Why does Finn care so much?

He sighs, runs a hand through his hair. A nervous gesture. He glances at a painting on the wall before turning back to me. "There's been some complications…you know I don't understand all this legal crap Kat, but it's going in the wrong direction. You know Peeta. You helped Johanna that time. Help him."

A thought hits me. "Whoa Finn, I am not doing what I did with Johanna again. That was illegal." I can't believe he is suggesting this! After everything that has gone down in these past years in relation to that how could he suggest it?

"But is working on his case illegal?"

"No…" I falter. "But we're not meant to work on cases we're personally attached too. The firm frowns on it, doesn't look good in court." People were fired for this kind of thing. The firm was one of the best and they don't take these things lightly.

"Oh, so now you admit you are 'personally attached' to Peeta?"

"Finn this isn't funny! I shouldn't be on it."

"You sound unsure."

Damn him! I was unsure. This was a big opportunity. I'd been working towards it and I didn't want to give it up.

"You want it don't you?" He says with a smirk. I grapple for words and his smile grows. "Then take it. Help Peeta, he deserves it. "He urges softly. He sees the confliction in my face and he knows he's won. He stands up. "Keep it a secret for now. We won't tell him. Review the case and you'll see what I mean."

And then he leaves.

As I watch him go I think back to that morning after I returned from State 12. A wave of guilt takes over me when I remember Finn warning me not to judge Peeta and me very clearly refusing to listen. And look what I'd done! Aside from the prospects of this case I suppose I did owe it to him to at least try and defend him.

I returned to work later that afternoon once I had calmed myself down to a presentable manner. When I head to my desk Annie peeks around the wall, trying to remain inconspicuous while giving me a look like I was an utter nut case. I didn't blame her. "What the hell Katniss?" She whispers.

"I…" Should I tell her? "Sorry I just had a moment."

She looks at me suspiciously before retreating slowly back to her desk. I suppose she related my strange behavior to something with my mother.

I open the file, now over my initial stages of shock, and try to calmly read it. It takes me a good hour with the amount of information that's contained within the folders walls. I close it and see what Finn means. I try to digest it all but I find myself struck with horror. And it saddens me that even the most perfect seeming people, the nicest, have their own colossal problems to deal with.

000

I return home late that night and I find Finn and I are having our own silent conversation. I notice Peeta chatting happily with Johanna and I wonder how he could possibly be that good natured, that happy given his circumstances.

"How was work Katniss?" He asks me with a smile. Surprisingly he's never said anything about the other day where he caught me. If I didn't know better I would have assumed he had forgotten. I wonder why he had forgiven me with such ease.

I realize I've been staring and try to avert my eyes. "Oh, um, it was good. I worked on some small cases today. Alimony and things." I lie because it's the first time I realize that he must know that the law firm dealing with his father's case is the one I work at. If I lie he'll assume I know nothing considering it's so under wraps.

"Sounds a bit dull." He admits.

I chuckle nervously. "Yeah I guess so."

Johanna is eyeing me from the table. I've never said so many words to Peeta in one conversation. I know she'll grill me about what's changed later.

Dinner flows quickly with Finn making spaghetti bolognese. I'm surprised when Johanna turns back to her room with no intention of interrogating me. I get ready for bed quickly, feeling spent after the day. Planning to leave my problems until tomorrow. As I head to one of the two bathrooms on the top floor I practically run Peeta over in the hallway.

"Sorry!" He's the first to apologize holding out his hands in apology.

"My fault." I mutter. "Sorry I wasn't looking."

"It's okay."

I try to step around him but he stops me, his hand on my shoulder.

"Katniss about the other day…" He looks sincerely ashamed, something I am not accustomed to.

"It's okay don't worry about it. It was my fault." I tell him truthfully. I can't believe he is apologizing to me! I was the one spying on a private conversation, even if he had made it easy to hear.

Before we can say anything else or the situation gets even more awkward I move past him and into the bathroom. "Night Peeta."

I can hear the smile in his voice when he says "Goodnight Katniss."

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed or added this to story alerts! Did you like the chapter? I need some feedback, so if you could, leave a review. The good and the bad, be honest :)

For those who are wondering, I'll be posting a new chapter at least every week but hopefully every 4-5 days.

Also, I have never studied law so I apologise in advance if some details in the story from here onwards are wrong regarding the legal system. Feel free to tell me if it's not right.

Thanks for reading!

-Elli