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 23

KATNISS POV

I can't sleep. I try, but I can't. I toss and I turn but all I can do is think about Peeta. More than once my hand slips to the small bump in my stomach. I notice it more and more with each second that passes. I know Peeta would notice it too. Now that I know he is alive, all I can think about is how much I want him next to me. How much I really do love him.

"Katniss?" Prim's voice is a whisper in the dark and I roll over on my bed to see she is awake but my mother is still asleep.

"Did I wake you?" I feel guilty if I did. I know that both Prim and my mother have been busy in the hospital and need their rest.

"It's okay," Prim admits.

I smile sadly at my sister and slide over on my small bed, pulling the sheet up and inviting her in.

Prim comes over instantly and we lay like we used to in our small house in the Seam; together on one bed.

"Pretty soon I won't be able to fit in here with you," Prim whispers after a moment.

I look at her in confusion until I see her eyes dart to my tiny bump of a belly. Suddenly, I feel sick to my stomach, thinking about how it will be in a few months, how uncoordinated I will be, how useless I will be.

"You're going to be a good mom," Prim continues when I don't say anything.

"I just wish Peeta was here," I admit in the dark. It's easier to talk about Peeta when I know Prim can't really see my face.

"He's alive, Katniss. He could come back here. They could rescue him," Prim says.

I shake my head, ready to share all my fears with my little sister tonight. "It's not safe for him. Not after his speech today. Nowhere is safe for him. I know if he stays in the Capitol he is as good as dead but if he comes here…what would happen to him? You heard them booing him earlier today. No one wants him here either…except maybe me and Haymitch."

"Katniss…you're the Mockingjay. People believe in you here. You can demand that Peeta comes back here and is safe…you can demand almost anything you want," Prim reminds me and suddenly she sounds so much older then I remember her being. I suppose that is what happens when someone grows up. I quickly have to remind myself she isn't the little, scared twelve-year-old anymore.

I glance down at my stomach again, knowing I can see the bump that is proof that I do have some part of Peeta with me. "Can you see it?"

"See what?" Prim asks, clearly confused.

"The bump? The baby…" I stumble on my own words, trying to explain what I mean.

"Not really…" Prim admits. "Can you?"

I nod.

"That's normal. You see your body everyday…you would notice it first," Prim explains to me.

"Peeta would notice it," I say out loud, though I don't know why.

Prim nods. "Probably. He seems to notice everything about you."

A long pause fills the room as I let Prim's words sink in. Suddenly, there are tears rising in my eyes.

"I need him," I hardly manage out.

"So make them get him back here," Prim says.

I glance up at my little sister and I realize how serious she is. She has been down here longer then me, and she must listen to those around us better than I do because I can tell, by the tone of her voice that she is serious. She believes I can demand that Peeta be brought back and kept safe and maybe she is right. Suddenly, I feel a surge of hope in me; maybe I can bring Peeta back.

PEETA POV

I slowly become aware that there is a dim light to my left and that I am laying on the cold cement floor of my cell in the Capitol. I try to open my eyes but am struggling with my right eye. After a few attempts I realize it is swollen shut. I gingerly touch the wound and can feel dry blood on the side of my head as well.

I push myself up off of the floor and groan instantly. I realize my left wrist is broken the second I put pressure on it and I quickly fall back onto my chest.

"At least I know you're alive," Johanna's voice comes from across the hall.

I lift my head to see Johanna looks much thinner then I remember last time as her arms hang out of her own cell across the hall from mine. I wonder how long I have been laying here.

"What?" I groan out.

"I thought you might be dead," Johanna says. I realize she is not joking.

But ironically, I find myself laugh a little. "Not yet…"

I push myself up with my right arm and carefully slide up against my own cell bars, relaxing my back against the cold metal. Instantly, I can feel pain in my stomach and I touch my side. I am certain there is a broken rib there as well.

"What did you say to have them do that to you?" Johanna asks.

I look over at her and realize she doesn't look great either. Her lip is swollen and from the way she is holding her own shoulder, I wonder if something is broken.

"I wouldn't make Katniss look like the enemy. That's what Snow wanted," I explain.

Johanna nods but remains silent.

"How long was I out?" I finally ask.

"A few days…or well…I guess I don't really know but they brought us three meals while you were on the floor, so at least three days," Johanna says.

I nod simply, realizing I am rather hungry, though that is a feeling I am long used to and so it doesn't mean much anymore.

"Snow is going to keep doing that to you until you say what he wants you to say," Johanna states the obvious after a long moment.

"I will never do that to Katniss," I say simply.

Johanna nods, "I don't expect you to. I know how much you care about her…but I also know that if this is how things are going to be the odds of you seeing her again, or ever seeing that kid of yours are not great."

I simply nod. I know Johanna is right. I know the odds me living through this are not in my favor, but if Katniss survives and if our child survives and if there is a better world out there for both of them then that is a cause I am willing to die for.

KATNISS POV

It's been three days since Prim and I talked about what I meant to the rebellion, what I meant to President Coin, and what that meant I could demand of her. I have given it much thought, because I wanted to be ready for any response she could have but now I am ready to face her. I am ready to be her Mockingjay if she is ready to make sure Peeta comes back to me safely.

My hand goes to the tiny little bump on my stomach as I move toward the chamber I will meet Coin in. The jumpsuit makes the bump non-existent, but I know it's there; I know a part of Peeta is with me in his child, a child that deserves to meet the better half of its parents, which will undoubtedly be Peeta.

I enter the room to find Coin with Plutarch Heavensbee at her side sitting at a large table. Both look up at me and I can tell they have been expecting me.

"Katniss," Plutarch smiles. "Welcome."

I simply nod and shift uncomfortable from my standing position.

"I heard you have come to tell us something," Coin presses when I say nothing.

"Yes," I clear my throat and pull out the sheet of paper I have listed my demands on. My hands are shaking.

I glance up to see Coin cocking an eyebrow at me but Plutarch is just smiling.

"I…I will agree to be your Mockingjay…" I manage out and see Coin perk up at my words. "But I have some conditions of my own…"

I glance up again and see Coin is watching me more carefully now.

"Go on…" Plutarch presses.

I clear my throat once more and try to stand as tall as I can. I glance down at the sheet in my hands though I can hardly read through the rattle of my nerves. It doesn't matter anyway. I know my demands by heart.

"You will rescue Peeta…as well as the other captured Victors as soon as possible. Once you do so, they will not be held accountable or charged with any crimes—" I start.

"No," Coin says flat out, cutting my off.

I feel the color drain from my face as I realize I may have just lost Peeta for good. "What?"

My voice is hardly above a whisper and Coin all but ignores it.

"We will try and rescue them but if we succeed and they are brought back here there will be a trial and they will be held accountable for any and all of their actions—" Coin says.

I am angry now and I slam my hands down on the table. "It's not their fault you let them get captured! You left them there! They are just trying to keep themselves alive now! They will say and do anything—"

"We make no exceptions in District 13," Coin's voice is even and emotionless; as if the rise in my temper and the tears I feel threatening me because of the stupid hormones from the pregnancy, hardly affect her.

I am even angrier now and I ball up my fist as I stand straight and tall. I will not let her see me cry. "You will rescue Peeta and the others and they will not be charged with anything or you can find yourself another Mockingjay!"

I am surprised by how steady my own voice is and from the look on her face, so is Coin. Both of us glare at each other for a long moment before I hear clapping and I turn my head to see Plutarch smiling up at me and clapping.

"There is our Mockingjay," Plutarch says and I am confused by his smile. He turns to President Coin and continues. "There she is! I told you she was in there…"

Plutarch is pointing at me now and I realize he is speaking about my anger and rage.

"She can move crowds with that. People will follow her. Give her what she wants," Plutarch pushes Coin.

For once, I like Plutarch Heavensbee.

Coin seems to study me for a long moment and I don't think she is going to give in, but then she sighs and I feel my own heart flutter a bit.

"Fine…" Coin swats her hand as if there is an invisible bug in front of her. "Anything else on your list?"

I glance back down, though I don't know why. I know what is on the list. "And my sister gets to keep her cat."

Plutarch seems to laugh a little and it does cause me to smile. I am surprised, however, when I glance up and see Coin smiling just a little.

"Fine," Coin nods, clearly trying to wipe her own smile from her face.

"Great. When do we start?" I ask.

As if on cue, the door swings opened and Effie comes in carrying a huge black book. I am shocked to see her. I was certain she was dead.

"Effie?" I nearly am throwing myself at my former escort.

"Oh Katniss! I am just so happy to see you!" Effie is kissing both of my cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her, shocked at the own excitement in my voice.

"Oh darling! I am a political refugee…" Effie says.

I hear Plutarch cough at Effie's choice of words and I know he doesn't agree.

"Plutarch saved you?" I ask.

"Saved is what he likes to call it…" Effie shoots Plutarch a glance over my shoulder. "I don't know if that's what I would call it, but here I am and as always, ready to help you, Katniss."

"Help me?" I am confused.

"Of course! I may be all that is left of the team, but I am going to help you and that little one be the best Mockingjay you can be!" Effie bends down at touches the little bump of my stomach that no one but me seems to notice.

"You are glowing, Katniss," Effie comments.

I feel myself blush, but then I notice the black book in her hands again and am intrigued. That book looks familiar.

"What is that?" I ask Effie, pointing to the book.

Effie glances back at Plutarch and Coin, sending them an odd look.

"We will give you a few minutes with Miss Trinket," Coin says as she and Plutarch rise from their seats and clear the room.

I am confused by why I need alone time with Effie, but I don't mind it. I would have never thought it in a million years, but I am actually happy to see Effie Trinket. She is something bright and familiar in the cold, gray District 13.

"Come sit…lets talk," Effie motions me to the large table Coin and Plutarch were sitting at.

I follow her and take a seat next to her, and she slides the black book in front of me.

"What is this?" I ask.

"Open it," Effie says.

I run my fingers over the leather of the book. It feels worn and there is a crease in it, as if someone folded it up, trying to take great care to hide it. I slowly open it, unsure if I really want to know what is inside.

The second the pages fold open, I recognize the drawings on the paper and I feel the tears well up in my eyes.

The drawings are of me, in a black outfit. The drawings are of my hand with an archer's glove.

The pictures are of my Mockingjay Pin, but this one is black. The drawings are Cinna's drawings.

I thumb through the pages and the tears grow even more. I never thought I would see anything from Cinna again. In my mind, I knew he was already dead. The Capitol killed him before the second arena, but a part of me had hoped that wasn't true. However, these drawings confirm just that; the fact that Effie is handing them to me, and not Cinna.

I flip to the last page and the words in the middle of it make my slam it back shut. They are too much for me to take.

"I am still betting on you…"

It's written clear as day in Cinna's handwriting because he cannot deliver me the message in person. Because he is dead. He is dead because of me.

"Katniss…" Effie says my name gently.

I push the book toward her and wipe up my tears. I want to blame the hormones, but I know I would be crying regards of being pregnant or not. Cinna was one of the few people who really knew me, who I genuinely cared about.

"They are lovely," I say quickly and try to give Effie a brave smile.

"Cinna asked that no one showed you this until after you decided to be the Mockingjay on your own…" Effie says.

"He's dead…isn't he?" I ask the question I already know the answer to.

Effie sighs and nods quickly. "Yes…yes he is."

I nod back the tears that are flowing now and try to put on a brave face. "He's dead because of me."

"Cinna knew the risks…we all do," Effie says quickly and opens the book back up to the last page, where Cinna's message to me is the center focus. "But he believed in you. We all believe in you Katniss…"

"Thank you, Effie…" I say quietly.

"We have the costume…" Effie says just as quietly.

"What?" I am confused.

"We have the costume…Cinna created the Mockingjay costume," Effie tells me. "He wanted you to know he believed in what you were doing…and he didn't want anyone else to make it for you, if you chose to…to be the Mockingjay."

I am at a loss of words, which isn't rare for me, and it makes me think of Peeta. He would know what to say to make my gratefulness and love for Cinna apparent, but I am no good with that sort of stuff and so all I can do is let a few more tears come out.

"You can do this, Katniss…" Effie tells me quietly.

I simply nod at her because even if I didn't think I could I know I have no choice. I need to save Peeta and becoming the Mockingjay is the only way I can do that.