Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Peeta's lie about Katniss' pregnancy is tested by the Capitol, leaving the Lethal Lovers only one option going into the Quarter Quell.

CHAPTER 20

PEETA POV

After my conversation with President Snow I was thrown back down in my cell. I am not sure how much time has passed. Could be a week, could be more, could be less. All I know is that they have been treating Johanna and I relatively fairly since I agreed to help President Snow.

They have fed us enough to keep us alive and have not tried to harm either of us. I am assuming this is because at some point they will put at least me on camera, and I can't look broken.

"Do you think they are leaving us in here to rot from boredom?" Johanna asks from her cell across from me.

I glance through the bars of my cell and shrug. I am leaning against is playing with the hem of my t-shirt. My thoughts have been consumed with Katniss and our baby since I have gotten here. I just hope I can help keep them safe.

"Don't know," I say shortly.

"You are so talkative," Johanna teases.

I sigh and roll my eyes. "It's just frustrating…"

"What? That they left us here?" Johanna snarls.

"Left us?" I question what she is saying.

"Yeah, I mean…the alliance. They left us here…or left us in the arena but, whatever…" Johanna says, kicking her feet off her cell bar sand laying down on her back, staring at the ceiling. "I don't care, I knew what I signed up for but you on the other hand…"

"I just want Katniss to be safe," I remind Johanna.

Johanna sits up and watches me carefully for a long moment. "She really does love you…Katniss, I mean. She loves you. She isn't the smartest thing in the world so I don't know if she knows it…but it's pretty obvious she does."

I cock an eyebrow at her. I know I love Katniss but I am not sure the feelings are mutual. I am certain Katniss cares deeply about me and I trust her with my life, but I don't know if she feels the same love for me that I feel toward her. I don't know if she ever could or if anyone really could.

"Trust me…love makes people act differently. She loves you," Johanna tells me.

I smile a little at Johanna's words. They do offer some comfort.

I am about to respond when two guards enter the hallway and come toward me. I stand when they reach my door.

"President Snow wants you upstairs," One guard says.

I nod and let them open the door, tie my hands, and escort me up to meet President Snow.

The guards drop me off in Snow's office where I find the President behind a long, dark table. My hands are untied upon Snow's request before the guards close the doors behind me. Snow then motions for me to take a seat across from him.

"Peeta, my boy, how are you?" Snow asks as if he is genuinely interested.

But I want to skip the small talk. I want to know what he wants from me. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Right to the point…Katniss did wear off on you a bit," Snow's lips turn into a twisted smile and I wonder if he finds his words humorous. I certainly don't, and so I remain silent, waiting for him to continue.

"But at any rate, I did want to discuss what I need from you right now. You are still open to helping, per our agreement?" Snow continues.

I nod. "As long as Katniss stays safe…"

"I can't guarantee her safety but I will guarantee she is not a target of the Capitol right now. Assuming she doesn't do anything to change that," Snow says quickly and I can tell that those particular words cut him as they come out. He clearly wants to destroy Katniss, but I am standing in his way.

And Snow knows he has only one choice. He can attack Katniss, lose me, and potentially lose control of the Districts, or he can let me protect Katniss and I will do all I can to ease the unrest.

I think about Snow's words for a moment and decide they are probably the closest thing to an agreement I can get, and so I nod. "Fine. What do I need to do?"

President Snow gives me a small smile, which I don't like at all, before he continues. "What I need from you is a video…an interview of sorts…"

I feel my brow furrow in confusion and wait for the President to explain himself a little more.

"There is a great deal of unrest in the Districts…and unrests leads to riots which leads to rebellions. Rebellions, as you are aware, my dear Peeta, lead to thousands upon thousands of people in the Districts all dead. We don't want that, I don't want that. The last thing Panem needs right now is a war…" The President continues.

I nod slowly. I don't know if I believe he doesn't want a war. I think deep down President Snow would love to burn the Districts to the ground, but he needs us for his own survival. I also know that nothing I say will change the fact that District 13 wants a rebellion. "What am I supposed to do about that?"

"Warn them. Let them know that a rebellion will not be tolerated and what it will mean. Do you want your child to grow up in a world that has been decimated?" Snow jeers.

I straighten up at his words, feeling uncomfortable. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a fact, Peeta. Come now, you seem smarter than that. You know what a war will cost us all," Snow says.

I wait silently for Snow to say something else.

"I want you to call for a ceasefire. If you can get that to happen, I don't see any reason why you and Katniss cannot go back to District 12 and live a happy, normal life," Snow says.

But something in his comment bothers me. It's the way he avoids eye contact as he talks about District 12. Surely, he will never let Katniss and I back there, and surely there will never be peace for us, but right now the only thing I can worry about is her safety and the baby's safety, and if the only way to protect that is to ask for a ceasefire, I can do that.

Finally, I nod my head. "Okay."

"Good boy. We will bring you up when we are ready…give you a few more days to look a little healthier," President Snow gives me the same creepy smile he greeted me with and actually stands, patting me gently on the back before motioning for the guards to take me back to my cell.

KATNISS POV

Two weeks have passed since the night Finnick found me cowering over my nightmare; since the night quietly admitted to myself that I might indeed love Peeta Mellark.

In those two weeks I have been forced to eat better, which in turn has created something I am not entirely comfortable with. My stomach, the stomach that Peeta's baby is growing in, has changed a little. I can notice it but Prim swears to me she doesn't see it.

I am only a month pregnant, but I can already tell the baby is growing. The small hump that I only seem to see is a constant reminder that Peeta is gone, might be dead, and that his baby is all I have left of him.

I sit up in my bed, trying to stretch my toes out and wipe the sweat from my head. I have been getting rather sick each morning in the hospital now. The nurses call it morning sickness, but it doesn't just come in the morning, so I think the name is stupid.

"Katniss?" A large man with dark skin enters my room, startling me, though I know he si a shoulder by his uniform.

"Uh…yes…" I manage out.

"I am Soldier Boggs. I am here to take you to President Coin," Boggs extends his hand.

I shake his hand wearily but do not entirely trust him. Prim has told me a little about President Coin and I am still unsure about her as well.

"Do you feel well enough to leave?" Boggs asks me.

At this question, I quickly shake my head. I have been getting stir crazy in the hospital and I want to find out what is happening to Peeta.

"Let's go then," Boggs motions for me to follow him.

I get off my bed and do follow him out of the hospital and down a long set of corridors before we come to two large doors.

"Right this way," Boggs opens the door and motions me inside.

I move into the room and am surprised to see Plutarch Heavensbee with a woman who has long, silver hair. I turn my head and see Beetee in a wheelchair.

"Beetee…" I cover my mouth with my hand, wondering what happened to him.

"I am okay, Katniss," Beetee assures me.

"Miss Everdeen, good to see you," Plutarch smiles at me and motions for me to sit.

I gently slide into my chair but keep my eyes glued to Plutarch, incase he decides to make a move. I don't completely trust him.

"How are you feeling? Heard you were getting a little sick," Plutarch tries to talk to me like we are best friends, but I am in no mood. He is the one who left Peeta in the arena.

"Well, being pregnant does that to you," I snap back quickly.

"Well, we are so happy you are here," The woman speaks.

"Katniss, this is Alma Coin…President Coin…" Plutarch introduces the woman.

The woman gives me a reserved smile and I give her own back. I don't particularly like the way she is watching me and eyeing my stomach like it disgusts her. Suddenly I think that Prim is crazy to say she doesn't see the baby bump. President Coin seems to see it.

"Katniss, we have to ask something of you," President Coin begins and I immediately want to scream. I don't want anyone to ask anything of me anymore.

However, I do not say a word, but rather let her continue.

"You have given people great strength and hope…the Districts are finally ready to stand and fight the Capitol. All we need is to organize them, to have someone lead them," President Coin says.

"And that someone is you…the Mockingjay," Plutarch adds with a smile.

I feel the color drain from my face. This is the second time he has called me that and I hate it. I don't want to be a symbol for anything. I just want to get Peeta back and keep my family safe.

I shake my head. "I am not…"

"We would like you to shoot some Promos. Let the people know you are alive and well," Coin cuts me off.

I feel my anger rising in my throat. "I can't do that."

"Katniss, it's just a few quick videos," Plutarch says.

"Peeta was always the one better on camera. You probably should have saved him if you wanted a Mockingjay," I spit at Plutarch.

Plutarch sighs. "Katniss…"

"You left Peeta in that arena to die!" I am suddenly screaming and on my feet. Before I even realize I am doing it, my hand goes protectively to my stomach.

"Katniss—" Plutarch tries.

"YOU DID! YOU SHOULD HAVE SAVED PEETA! YOU NEVER GAVE HIM A CHOICE! YOU JUST LEFT HIM!" I am spitting venom now.

"HE KNEW!" Plutarch yells back.

The shock of his words silence me and I fall slowly back into my chair, trying to comprehend them. "He what?"

"Peeta knew about…well about all of this. Haymitch told him once we found out you were really pregnant," Plutarch says.

I shake my head. There is no way Peeta knew and did not tell me. "You're lying. Peeta would have told me."

"He knew it wasn't safe to. He wanted to protect you Katniss…and the baby. He wanted us to rescue you. He was in on it and he knew the risks," Plutarch says.

I shake my head again but I can feel the tears rising in my eyes. If Peeta did know then he was keeping it from me but also, he knew there was a chance he was leaving me alone with his baby.

"Katniss…trust us," Coin says.

"Why should I?" I spat back, the tears falling down my cheeks now. "Peeta would have told me. He wouldn't have kept me in the dark—"

"He knew, Katniss. He was in on it, just as I was…and Finnick and Johanna. We all did it to keep you safe, Peeta included," Beetee tells me.

My heart breaks at his words, because I know I can trust Beetee. He wouldn't lie to me. Not about this, and that means Peeta knew there was a good chance he was never going to make it, that he would never see his child. Suddenly, I feel like I am suffocating, and I do all I can to quickly rush out of the room before the vomit in my throat makes its way onto the floor.