A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows and favorites! Here's chapter five!
Chapter Five
"Jacob Everdeen. It's good to see you!" John said the next day when we met to hunt.
"John Hawthorne! Good to see you, too!" My father replied. They shook hands.
When I saw John and Gale waiting for us at the rock this morning dad and I were both shocked, but for two different reasons. Dad was shocked because he thought it would just be us. He didn't know anyone else came out here to hunt. He thought everyone else was just too scared.
"Why aren't you guys working?" I asked.
"They gave us three days off for your homecoming," Gale replied without looking at me and I glared at him.
"Dad, you know John. This is his son Gale," I tell my father.
"Nice to meet you, son!" my father says, sticking his hand out to Gale's.
"You too," Gale replied with a smile.
My father looked at me then,"Homecoming?" he asked and my face paled.
"Uhh... Y-yeah," I stuttered. I sat down on the big rock, closed my eyes, and tried to control my breathing.
Gale came over and knelt in front of me. He places one hand on my knee and the other on my shoulder.
"Hey," he whispers. "You're okay. You're here with me."
I open my eyes and the images that were before me were horrifying. I saw Marvel on his knees with an arrow in his chest and little Rue was laying at his feet. Cato was to the left of them with an evil grin on his face. The last thing I remember before the darkness was my scream.
"Catnip?" I hear Gale ask as I wake from my foggy haze. Then I hear, "Come on, Katniss. It's time to wake up." Prim.
I slowly open my eyes and find Gale and Prim leaning over me. My mother is standing at the end of the bed. I try to move my hands to wipe my eyes and find that I can't move them. I look and realize each hand is being held, one by Prim and the other by Gale.
"What happened?" I ask.
"You fainted in the woods when your father asked about your Homecoming," my mother answers. "Gale brought you back here while John and your father went hunting."
The memories came rushing back. Marvel and Rue and Cato. I shook my head to rid them of those thoughts.
"Get her a glass of water, would you Prim?" my mother asks.
"Of course," my sister leaves the room.
When the door closed behind Prim, my mother and Gale exchanged a glance then turned to me.
"We talked to Haymitch," Gale said. "He said it used to help him when he talked about it to someone. Tell us about it. The games, anything, Catnip. Just tell us something that haunts you. Maybe if you tell someone it will get it off your mind."
I sit up in the bed then squeeze his hand as tears begin to roll down my face.
"The one that has haunted me the most is when Rue died. I keep seeing Marvel. He throws the spear and it hits her in the stomach," I sob. "And-and then I see the arrow in his chest and Rue covered with flowers. I see everything that happened in the games but then they change. It happens in the same concept but it's P-Pr-Prim that I'm singing to and covering in flowers as she dies. And as she dies she's screaming, 'Why? Why couldn't you save me?" I glance at Gale, "And it's-it's-it's you instead of Marvel. And the arrow is in your chest and you're on your knees and you're screaming, 'Why did you do it, Catnip? Why did you shoot me? I thought I was your best friend. I thought you-' and then you die." I whisper the last four words. Gale scoots on the bed and pulls me into his lap wrapping me in his arms.
I sob into his chest. I rant to my mother and Gale for the next hour. Prim never returns with the water that my mother sent her for and I finally realize that that was their code. My mother didn't want Prim to hear about my nightmares so when my mother believed the conversation was getting to be too much for her she sent her away.
Gale sleeps in the bed with me that night, and it's the first night that I don't have nightmares since leaving the games.
I wake up to a presence above me.
"Shh... go back to sleep, Catnip. I'm just leaving for work," Gale whispers. He kisses my forehead and begins to walk away.
"Hey," I whisper as I grab his hand.
"Yeah?"
"Please be careful," I reply.
"Always."
When I wake again, it's on my own. The sun is shining brightly through the window.
I shower and put some clothes on. Just as I slip my shirt on over my head there is a knock on the door. "Katniss?"
"Come in, Prim," I reply.
"Here's your water," she says as she enters.
I turn around and laugh. "Prim, mom told you to get that water for me yesterday."
She giggles, "I know."
She sits down on my bed and I turn back to the vanity. I grab my mockingjay pin that Gale gave me and put it on just under the collar of my shirt.
"Did Gale stay here last night?" Prim asks.
"Yeah, why?"
"Just wondering," she replies. "I didn't see him leave last night."
I join her on the bed.
"So, how's everything going with you and Gale?" she asks.
"What do you mean with me and Gale?" I retort.
"Oh come on. You know what I mean," she replies.
"No," I pause. "I don't."
She looks shocked. "You honestly don't know? You don't see the way he looks at you?" she asks.
"I didn't think he looked at me any special way," I reply.
She stands from the bed and walks to the door. "I hope he tells you soon, for both of your sake's," she says then leaves the room.
Tell me what?
Later that night, when my dad, John, and Gale got off work, our two families decided to have dinner together. My mother made a soup out of the two wild turkeys that I had gotten while hunting today. I also stopped by the Hob and got some vegetables, too.
We were having a great time. We were laughing and telling old stories. It was a wonderful sight. It felt good to see the kids with full bellies. But the dinner soon went from good to bad.
About half way through the dinner, our front door burst open. Two Peacekeepers walked in; a man and a woman.
"Miss Everdeen?" the woman asked.
I stood from the table.
"Yes?" I peek behind the Peacekeepers and out the front door that was left open. There were at least a dozen more Peacekeepers outside on my front porch.
"Is there anywhere in your home where a private meeting can be held with a very important man?" the man asks.
"Um- uh yeah, yes sir. Our study is down the hall," I reply pointing.
He nods and turns to the door. "Bring him in."
A path is made on the porch and a man steps through them. He passes the threshold of my home and smiles. Gasps are heard behind me from my family but I am frozen in my place.
"Ah, Miss Everdeen. It's so wonderful to see you again." he said while grinning evilly.
President Snow.
"So, Miss Everdeen. How are you adjusting to your new home?" the president asks me after we entered and got settled in the study.
"It's wonderful and so beautiful," I reply.
He sighs, "You know, I was never one for small talk; so let's get right to the point. Every victor is required to begin appointments after their Victory Tour."
"Appointments, sir?" I ask.
He grins, "Yes, appointments. Every victor sells their body to the patrons of the Capitol. We have to keep our citizens happy, don't we. And what better way to give them what they want? Physical pleasure."
"And if I refuse?" I ask.
"If you refuse? There will be severe consequences. You love your family, don't you? Your sister, you parents. Your cousins." he asks.
I pale. "Of course I do."
"Then I suggest you not refuse. Have you ever thought why your fellow mentor does not have any family or a wife? Johanna Mason? She's the same, no family, no husband. And there are many others who do not have loved ones only because they refused to go along with the appointments." he stands from behind the desk. "I suggest you agree; for the sake of your loved ones."
I nod slowly.
"Good. Your Victory Tour begins six months from tomorrow's date. I suggest you be ready to begin your appointments then. Goodbye Miss Everdeen."
Review!