Mockingjay: Broken Wings

by Jamie Sommers

A/U Katniss and Peeta are married, expecting a baby. Peeta's unsure of Katniss after the things he's seen while being held prisoner. Is she still trustworthy? With a traitor in the rebellion who can Katniss turn to? Haymitch, after all the secrets he's kept? Gale, who's loyalty lies with President Coin? Or will Peeta open up his heart to her again? Sequel to CF: Rekindling

2. True Colors

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

By: Jamie Sommers

Chapter One: True Colors

Well, I'm working this they way I always do, writing one chapter for every one in the book. Thank you so much to all of you for your warm words of support during my illness. I got a ton of get better soon PM's and they meant the world to me. Thanks for your great reviews. Some of them make me laugh my butt off! Some of them take my breath away, but they all mean the world to me. Thanks! Thanks S and A for your hard work and being so patient with me.

If you'd like to know more about future chapters before they're published, follow me on tumblr. www dot jamiesommers23 dot tumblr dot com.

Shall we all take a little trip into the world of...

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

The sound of Effie's high heels was clicking as she walked down the hall in front of the Peacekeepers that were dragging Peeta behind her. "Come. Come now." She pushed the down button on the elevator. "Throw him in here and I shall have the guards pick him up when we reach the bottom levels," she shooed the Peacekeepers away stepping over Peeta, his cuts and bruises fresh and raw, like he was a bump in the carpeting, paying him no mind until the doors to the elevator closed. "Oh my darling boy, are you alright?" She bent at the knees to check on him, careful not to touch any bloody spots so the guards wouldn't suspect that she was helping him.

"Effie, what's going on? Why are you acting this way? I don't get it?" Peeta looked up at her through swollen eyes. "One minute you're on my side the next you're acting like you're enjoying my beatings."

"Remember, Peeta, they are trying to turn you against the people you love. Do not forget you can trust me."

"That's right," he gave her a little smile. They don't know about us...not the real us anyway. I'm burning up, Effie."

"I know dear one," She opened up her purse, pulled out a tiny syringe and shot him in the hairline with something. "That will help lower your body temperature down. Now quickly, who do you love?"

"Katniss."

"Who can you trust?"

"Katniss, but Effie the things they've..."

"No, Peeta. It's all lies. Remember?"

"That's right. They lie. The Capitol lies, but you don't. Not to me anyway."

"No darling I don't. Now Johanna will help you. She'll talk to you and tell you about Katniss, make sure you ask her to tell you about her the second you get in the cell. What will you ask Johanna when you get into the cell?"

"About Katniss."

"Who do you love?"

"Katniss."

"Who do you trust?"

"Katniss. I love Katniss. I love Katniss. Even though I'm mad at her, I love her."

"Try to remember, you have nothing to be mad at her about. They've lied to you." Effie tried not to hurt for the boy, but she couldn't help it. He was getting so thin. "Have they fed you anything at all?" She watched as he shook his head from side to side. "I'll see what I can do about that, but I make no promises." Effie glanced upwards and saw that they were almost to the lowest level. She made certain to accompany Peeta to his cell each day so the guards didn't take it upon themselves to inflict their own form of punishment on him. "I shall send Darius in with something if I can." She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Stay alive my dear boy. Stay alive." She stood up and quickly straightened herself out. "You there," she pointed to a smaller Peacekeeper and a medium sized one, "come transport this prisoner to his cell."

"Yes, ma'am." They spoke in unison. Clear and concise. Though the two men weren't as large as most Peacekeepers, dragging Peeta to his cell was no problem for them. They tossed him into the confined space next to Johanna Mason with ease.

"Peeta, perhaps tomorrow you and I will be able to communicate a little more freely," Effie said ever so sweetly. "I do hate the way our talks have been ending lately." She looked over at Johanna. "Should I even bother with you?"

Effie could see the tremble in the girl's jawline, whether it was anger or fear she didn't know. "I've got me a regular torturer. Thanks for the offer though." Johanna stepped back into the darkness. "Come on Peeta." Her filthy fingertips appeared out of the blackness and pulled Peeta into the shadows with her.

"Till tomorrow." Effie waved her gloved fingertips over her shoulder as she left the pair with a heavy burden in her heart. "Toodle ooh."

The elevator ride to the floor where she and Annie were staying seemed to take forever. The second she opened the door to her and Annie's shared quarters she announced her arrival. "Annie, I'm home dear one." She couldn't save Peeta, there was nothing she could do to protect him from the wrath of President Snow, but she was able to save Annie Cresta though it had taken some very quick and dangerous thinking.

Effie had scooped up the bag that held her clothing in it as she raced away from Haymitch. She knew she was blubbering like a schoolgirl at his confession to her. He may not have come right out and said it, but now Effie knew how much she meant to the man. The simple fact that he had compared her to Maysilee left her heart singing and shattered all within a matter of seconds. The hovercycle Plutarch had arranged to be hidden beneath the bushes at the edge of the Capitol was waiting for her, fully charged and ready to be ridden to one of the private restrooms close to her home. Effie sat back in a reclining position and placed her feet on the pedals of the hovercycle. She wasn't sure why they called it a cycle other than the fact that they put wheels on it to give it a more nostalgic appearance. To Effie it was like a reclining chair with pedals and you could drive. It was really quite convenient. Many of her friends enjoyed using them when shopping, but Effie was always one for walking. She enjoyed the feeling of the earth under her feet, not flying past her. Once she made it to the public restroom, she followed Plutarch's instructions and left the hovercycle with a group of others that were parked next to a very busy tavern with the key in the ignition. She entered a private restroom by using one of the codes Plutarch had provided, changed out of her costume and turned back into Effie Trinket then went home. She slunk into her house, slid her shoes off, walked through the entire place before pulling out the trunk with the false bottom and when she felt it was safe, she hid her costumes with the rest in the bottom of the trunk then replaced the false bottom and layered old shoes, and accessories on top to give it weight. She stared at herself in the mirror, making sure her appearance was just right, it had to be perfect, and sat on the edge of the tub waiting for the inevitable. The moment she heard the stomping of the boots she thought, 'Perhaps you Peacekeepers should take a lesson in sneaking up on your targets,' and turned her tub on as though she were just about to step into it.

"May I help you?" Effie stood with her door open after letting them bang on it for a few seconds.

"Miss. Trinket," there was an elite squad member speaking, "President Snow requests your presence immediately."

"Well," Effie looked as though she were flattered. "If you wouldn't mind coming inside. I was just about to freshen up. It's been an awfully long day." She headed for the bathroom, but was headed off by a couple of Peacekeepers. "My. My." Her fingers rested against her decollete. "The tub will overflow if it is not shut off. Would you mind?"

"My men will take care of that for you," the elite squad member spoke again.

"There you go," Effie brightened up. "All ready then." She stopped by the door to slip on her shoes. "Oh, heaven help me I still smell like that rot gut." She turned to face the elite member and said quietly, "I don't suppose you could send in a female guard to watch me change so I won't have to face the president smelling like a...distillery?"

"Sorry Miss. Trinket."

"Such is life," she stepped out of her home and knew that she wouldn't see it again for quite sometime.

The president was waiting for her in a room similar to the one Viggo had questioned Portia in. There was a large table, several doors and one wall that held a large work of art on it. Two of his guards stood behind him, an Avox to his left next to a marble bar with exquisite crystal decanters and glasses on it and the rest of the room was devoid of people, though Effie was certain the president didn't think of his guard or the Avox as people. He got to his feet and gestured to a chair. "Have a seat Miss. Trinket."

"Why thank you, sir." Effie flashed a look towards the closest servant, a male Peacekeeper, telling him that he should be pulling her chair out for her, then took a seat. She flashed the president her very bright smile, crossed her legs at the ankles and spoke just above a whisper, "If you would allow me the opportunity to apologize for my appearance. I was in the midst of freshening up when you requested my presence and one must never keep their president waiting."

"You look divine, Miss. Trinket," the president assured her as he gave her a once over. It was vital that he noticed her attire this evening. Effie was wearing, down to the eyelashes, the exact same outfit she had worn while making the video with Viggo. She even had the bruises on her throat, compliments of Darius who had truly resisted giving them to her, but knew that he had to. He was the only one that wouldn't speak a word about her getting them to begin with which is why she went to him that morning and whispered into his ear...begged for his help. "You may leave," The president dismissed his staff. Once they were gone he gave Effie an approving nod. "It appears that my plan to capture evidence against Viggo Bettes as a rebellious traitor has in fact worked. Having you meet with the Head Gamemaker, learning how to use a portable camera and luring him into that illicit stockpile of medical supplies..." President Snow pursed his lips tightly, inhaled through his nostrils then sniffed at the rose he had pinned to his lapel. Effie wondered if it was laced with drugs, as the man seemed to relax quite a bit after smelling the flower. "You did quite well, Miss. Trinket. Quite well indeed."

"Thank you, sir." Effie lifted her fingertips and trailed them across her throat where the makeup covered her bruises.

"I trust the injuries Mr. Bettes caused you weren't too severe?"

Effie straightened her shoulders, "Taken in the line of duty, sir."

"Allow me to pay you back for your sacrifice." He ran a finger over a remote control and the large display of art turned into a clear wall with Viggo Bettes on the other side of it. His hands were cuffed behind his back, his feet spread about shoulder distance apart, one eye was bloodied and bruised, his nose had blood dripping from it and from his waist there was a belt of some sort with two poles coming out of the sides a Peacekeeper on each end of it, occasionally pushing or pulling at him. "As you can see, we're currently in the process of questioning Mr. Bettes and his motivations for creating such a room as the escort's medical bay."

"Good for you, sir. I hope you get your answers." It took everything Effie had not to cringe at the sight of Viggo. She had caused this. This was the direct result of her actions, yet she had to be proud, her president was expecting it of her.

"Unfortunately we're not getting the answers we'd like. I was hoping perhaps, you could give us a helping hand with that." The president's eyes looked up at the television screen hanging behind Effie's head. It was muted, but he could see the picture. "What is going on in there?"

"It looks as though the Peacekeepers are attempting to keep Viggo on his feet, but he's..."

"No. No." The president gestured with two fingers towards the television screen then pushed another button on the remote to get sound. "In the arena."

She couldn't look at her watch no matter how tempting it was. "Are the tributes stuck in a portion of the arena they've never been in before?"

"I'm unsure?" The president looked to her. "Do you have the time?"

"Yes," Effie looked at her timepiece, "it's almost midnight."

President Snow sat down at the table and pushed another button on the remote. Viggo disappeared and now the work of art was a large television screen. The only tributes on display were Katniss and Enobaria who appeared to be running away from the beach into the jungle. "Where are the rest of her allies?" The president was thumbing at his puffy bottom lip. "What is she aiming at?"

"I don't know, sir." 'Shoot it, Katniss! Shoot it!' Effie's heart was practically screaming for joy. "Oh, I know...they were going to try and kill the Careers. Of course, she'll be lucky if she doesn't kill herself in the process."

"Yes," Snow said cautiously. "That's right. The Caree..." His face turned beet red as his hands slammed down on the table, knocking the remote to the floor when Katniss shot her arrow into the air and the force field keeping the tributes trapped inside of the arena, exploded into a burst of white light.

"Oh my word! Oh my word!" Effie was as shocked as shocked could be. If she could have jumped for joy without getting herself killed, she would have. "Did she actually kill herself?"

"What the hell is going on in there?!" President Snow turned his head from side to side in search of something. "My remote!"

"Here sir," Effie bent down and retrieved it, fumbling with it as she handed it to him.

He pushed several buttons then screamed, "Plutarch Heavensbee!"

A voice filtered into the room. "The Head Gamemaker has been missing since one of the systems went down, sir."

"What do you mean missing?" Effie stepped back and watched as the veins bulged in the President's temples.

"Just that sir. He received a call from one of the Capitol officials, Mr. Bettes, regarding a technical issue and we haven't heard from him since."

The President ran his finger over the remote now the work of art was half Viggo and half the arena. "Cut all of the feeds to the Games with the exception of mine."

"I'm sorry sir, if we cut the feeds we have to cut all of them or none of them."

"Then cut them all you imbecile! NOW!"

"Yes, sir." Effie could hear whoever Plutarch left in charge screaming out, "Cut the feeds. Cut the feeds. Shut it down!" Then the screen next to Viggo's pathetic form went black. "Sir, it's down. Should we try and get it back up for you?"

"That would be much appreciated." President Snow pushed another button and rid himself of the voice then looked up at Effie. "It seems your tribute blew up the force field surrounding the arena."

"My word," Effie put her hand on the back of a chair to steady herself. "What a buffoon! Does she not realize the Games cannot continue without the force field in place? That," Effie pointed towards the television screen, "is exactly why I quit earlier this evening. Because I'm surrounded by a group of morons. Well, I suppose now I have no choice but to go back to that disgusting district and be their escort until the Gamemakers get the arena up and running again...oh...wait...didn't they say, the Head Gamemaker is missing? That..." Effie turned her head towards Viggo.

"Yes, they said the Head Gamemaker was missing which leads me to wonder what Mr. Bettes has done with the man." The president pushed another button on the remote. "Which of our tactical bases are prepared for an attack against District Twelve?"

"Mr. President, we have three bases that are currently running drills, the one closest to Twelve is right on the coast of Eleven."

"How long until they can strike against District Twelve?" The president asked.

"They are in the process of a live ammo training mission sir, all they have to do is change course. I'd say...ten minutes." Effie watched the President's eyes light up with excitement when he heard the news. "Shall I call it in sir?"

"Yes."

"We'll strike the coalmine first Mr. President. That will cause the most damage to the area, burn the longest."

"NO!" Snow ordered. "You shall hit their Town Square, Mellark's Bakery would be preferable," he practically spit out. "I'm not looking for burning the longest, My intentions are to send a message. These, what did you call them Miss. Trinket?" He looked to Effie.

She had to think for a second. "Mongrels, sir."

"Yes, these mongrels, shall pay for what they are doing to my country. Wiping out a district served to end one rebellion, perhaps it's time we do so once again," Snow spoke about ending the lives of thousands as though it meant no more than what he was ordering for dinner.

"Yes, sir. Shall I keep you up to date on the attack as it progresses sir or your Head of Defense Official?"

"My Head of Defense would be satisfactory, though I'd like to be updated when the airstrike is over."

"Yes, sir." The voice was gone.

"Is our nation in danger of an uprising, sir?" It was taking all of Effie's acting skills tonight, everything she had, to pull this off.

"One moment, if you please?" The president held up a finger to her. Another button pushed. Another voice filled the room. "Have we sent in a hovercraft for the tributes yet?"

"We have a slight problem with that, sir."

"What's the problem?" Snow pressed his fingers to his temples and rubbed. Effie could tell she was already filling her role as his personal assistant, now she had to make herself invaluable. She walked to the bar and poured him a cup of tea, placed some honey as well as sugar cubes on a plate and brought the tray to him as she listened carefully to the president's voice gradually getting louder and louder when he found out that they were having a problem tracking the tributes locations. "Can you find Miss. Everdeen or Mr. Mellark?"

"We've located both sir, but Mr. Mellark's tracker states that he is underneath the Cornucopia and we no longer have any signal on his vitals. As for his wife..."

"THEY ARE NOT MARRIED! Did you go to a Capitol wedding? I did not officiate their wedding so do not call them husband and wife!" The President took a deep breath through his nose then asked again, "Miss. Everdeen? What about her?"

"Sir, we just lost all of her vitals, but our hovercraft has detected another craft in the arena."

"Did you send two into the arena?"

"Uh...no sir."

The president pressed a button, "Mr. Pembroke when we decided to transfer the hovercraft codes to you, am I to assume you got this done in a timely manner?"

"Mr. President, I am currently in the process of renovations to a secure room for the computer syste.."

The president pressed the button on the remote and cut him off. "Well, Miss. Trinket, it seems that Mr. Bettes has gone to a great deal of trouble to break those tributes out of the arena."

"My, goodness." Effie turned to look at Viggo through the glass.

The president spoke to the control room again, "Match destinations with the other hovercraft in the arena and pick up the tributes."

"Sir we've tried to access their location, but we've been locked out."

"Locked out?! How can you be locked out of our own systems?!" Snow slammed his palms on the table. "Who is second in charge while Heavensbee in gone?"

"Cressida, but she's missing too sir. Mr. Heavensbee's entire top tier of personnel, director, assistants, film crew, cameramen...well...sir, many of them were pulled when the surveillance in the Capitol went down."

"The sur..." That was it. Effie could see it in the president's face. There was just too much happening at once for him to process without exploding. The remote control was thrown across the room with such force that Effie was surprised it didn't shatter into a million pieces instead of five or six.

She waited approximately ten seconds before squaring her shoulders and saying, "I am ready for duty sir. What is our first course of action?"

He stood at the end of the long, polished table, his hands gripping the edge so tightly Effie was certain he would break chunks of the hand carved cherry wood off into his palms then lifted his focus to her and calmly said, "Your first duty will be to get me a new remote control and clean that mess up," he gestured with his hand at the few broken pieces of the device on the floor.

"Yes, sir." Effie stepped outside and found the Avox along with several guards standing there. "The President needs a new remote control immediately. Wait!" She thought for a second. "He needs two remotes." Effie pointed to one of the guards. "Do you know where to get them?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Then I suggest you run like your life depends on it, because it just might." She faced one of the other guards. "When he gets back you are to knock once. One knock on the door and I will answer it and retrieve the remotes. He had better be quick. The president doesn't like to be kept waiting." Effie walked back into the room and saw him staring through the looking glass at Viggo. "Your remote is on the way sir. Is there anything else I can do while we are waiting?"

"Yes, you can follow me p..."

The sound of a beep filtered through the room followed by a voice. "Mr. President, sir? Pardon the interruption but I thought you'd like to know that we are able to see the hovercraft above the arena sir and are attempting to intercept it as we speak."

"Excellent. Is there a way to display it on screen?"

"I'm sorry, sir. With the surveillance down, the only way to display what is going on in the arena is to turn on all of the camera feeds and we're not sure we're able to reboot them since the electrical explosion. I can patch the pilot's communications through to you sir."

"Excellent. If you wouldn't mind."

One loud knock came to the door. "Excuse me, sir." Effie opened it and took the remotes without so much as a how do you do, then closed the door in the guard's face. "Here you are sir and I have one extra so we'll never be in wait again." Effie squinted, "Perhaps you'd like me to use this to contact your officials on your behalf and locate them...summon them to your desired location?"

Snow narrowed his eyes in thought, "Why don't we put that on hold for the time being Miss. Trinket? I'd like to listen to the pilot of the hovercraft right now."

"Sir, if you'd rather I not be present for such..."

"Nonsense, Miss. Trinket." President Snow motioned for her to take a seat. "This is the job you accepted, is it not? And I was under the impression that you had resigned from your former position as an escort earlier this evening."

"Sir, I have the pilot's communications ready to be patched through to your location now," the voice spoke.

"Good. Good."

Effie sat across from President Snow and listened intently to the pilot of the hovercraft as he spoke. "Mr. President we have one tribute on board sir, her tracking device was still in her arm. The physicians have sedated her and are treating her for minor injuries, malnutrition and dehydration. We are currently on our way towards the other hovercraft, sir, though we are unsure who is operating the machine."

"Pilot, have you tried to communicate with the other hovercraft?" The president asked.

"Multiple times sir, but we've received no answer."

"Do you have weapons on board?" Snow asked.

"We do, but they have been...tampered with and are no longer functioning." The pilot answered.

Effie watched as the president grimaced. "Can you see where the other hovercraft is heading?"

"Yes, sir. There was a life sign a few minutes ago. A tribute from District Twelve, but her tracking device went dead as did her vital signs and we lost her."

"Can't you simply head to her last known coordinates?" The President asked through gritted teeth.

"We could sir, if our hovercraft hadn't gotten a residual shock from the force field exploding. Now our radar's memory has been wiped clean."

"How about your eyes? You do have those, don't you?" The president asked. "Tell me pilot, how are you able to see the hovercraft?"

"Out the windows sir."

Snow's nostrils flared and Effie could tell by the expression on his face that he was getting fed up with the pilot's ridiculous answers. "Then wouldn't it make sense to look out the windows and head in the same direction you were going in before your radar was damaged?"

"Well, yes sir, but..."

"But what, pilot?" Snow snapped. "Do not let those tributes get on that other hovercraft or you will regret it."

"Yes, sir. We're heading towards them right now Mr. President and...sir...it looks as though they've just lifted some tributes into the craft with a claw. They've got a ladder moving down now. We're on a course for interception, sir."

"Crash into the damn thing if you have to, but do not let them leave that arena!"

"Sir! Two tributes have just fallen from the ladder and the hovercraft is leaving. Do you want us to follow or pick up the tributes?"

"Follow! Follow!" Snow had saliva gathering in the corner of his mouth.

"Sir, our engines are going offline. The electrical current must have..."

"Pick up the tributes and bring them back. I want to know who they are immediately." Snow rubbed at his temple, pinched the bridge of his nose then turned his head to take a whiff of his rose. Again Effie saw him relax, then dab at the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief.

"It's the female tribute from District Seven, Johanna Mason and the male from District Twelve, Peeta Mellark."

Effie had to literally clench her teeth together to stop herself from screaming. Her boy, her darling, baby boy didn't make it to freedom. Now what was she going to do to save his life? 'Haymitch you're going to have to come back for him,' she thought to herself. 'You'll have to come back for me and for him and you better make it snappy.'

"Well, Miss. Trinket at least this wasn't a complete loss. We managed to get one of those savages before the rebels could."

"Rebels?" Effie's face spoke of complete and utter shock. "You don't mean actual rebels, sir...do you? As in, before the Dark Days?"

"That is exactly what I mean Miss. Trinket." He pushed a button and called in the head of his elite squad. "I want every victor from every district brought in for questioning immediately. You may hold the victors from Districts One, Two and Four in the upper level rooms. The rest are to be brought downstairs. There is to be no one outside of the Capitol allowed to roam our city from this moment on. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!" The guard left and began barking orders into a band on his wrist.

"I believe it's time I gather the rest of my officials." He pressed one button and in an instant multiple voices were speaking at once. "Ladies and Gentlemen," the president barely raised his voice. "There will be a meeting in two hours to discuss our nations current state. Do not be late." He clicked all of them off. "Now, if you'll join me." He led her into the room with Viggo. "Mr. Bettes, you remember Miss. Trinket, do you not?"

"Effie? Have they hurt you? She's done nothing. She never wanted to use that room. It was the other escorts that used it, not her."

"Oh so chivalrous, Viggo," Effie smirked. "Coming to my aid when you can barely take care of yourself?"

The president arched a brow in pleasure. "Would you like to help Miss. Trinket Mr. Bettes?"

"Yes. I would." Effie almost felt pity for the man who was actually trying to defend her while he was bleeding and bruised.

"Then tell me," the president continued, "Who was part of the elaborate escape plan this evening?"

"What escape plan?" A Peacekeeper pushed one of the long handles into Viggo's side thus giving him an electrical jolt through his system.

"Please Viggo," Effie pleaded as though her life depended on it, "Tell them what they want to know."

"I...I don't know about an escape plan," Viggo choked as he got another jolt of electricity sent through him.

"Tell me about the rebellion," President Snow strolled in front of him as though on a Sunday walk.

"There's someone high up in the Capitol that's a member of the rebellion...we have a traitor code name orange blossom that's been feeding us information..."

"Useless information!" Snow quickly snapped. "Don't tell me what I already know. Tell me what you know."

"Mr. President, I only know what I've been told during our meetings. I'm unsure why you think I...aaah!" Another jolt.

"You are the someone high up in the Capitol that we've been searching for aren't you Mr. Bettes? That member of the rebellion that none of us could find until your rebel ways began to show during the Games," Snow pressed his handkerchief to his lips. "A shame really," he gave his head a little nod and lifted the corner of his mouth in a grin as he watched Viggo's feet shuffle on the floor while both Peacekeepers gave him electrical jolts. "I had such high hopes for you."

The smell of singed hair, blood and roses filled Effie's nostrils. She didn't have the stomach for this sort of thing. This wasn't what a lady of proper breeding was brought up to do, but after an hour and a half of questioning Viggo, torturing him and getting nowhere, Viggo asked a question that turned all eyes towards Effie. "Sir," Viggo barely croaked out, "I will admit to my need for power, but why would I destroy the very country I wanted to run? I had no emotional ties to these tributes. Isn't there someone else you can think of here that did? Someone that works for the Capitol that had a bond with the pair from District Twelve?"

President Snow slinked towards Effie who paid him no mind. Instead she tilted her head and reached for the courage that Katniss and Peeta possessed when they stepped onto their platforms and faced the arena. "I wondered how long it would last, Viggo. You pretending to protect me in front of our president, but it didn't take much for you to crumble, did it? How many times have you lifted a hand to me and expected me to put on a brave face...go to a party...put on a dress...face a camera..." she lifted her fingertips to her throat, "...even today, I was expected to just go about my business after you choked me, and walk around the Capitol smiling. It's not easy, is it? Do not try and take your last act of barbarism out on me by pretending that I am some form of high level official in the Capitol government, which you so obviously hate. I am an escort for the lowest district there is. I shall no longer allow myself to be abused by you. I have gotten rid of one vile buffoon this evening and I will gladly rid myself of you too." She stepped back and addressed the president. "Sir, if you feel there is credence to his accusation then I will be more than happy to..."

"No, Miss. Trinket. You are absolutely right. Mr. Bettes has been taking out his hatred of the Capitol on you and you deserve just desserts." Snow turned towards a Peacekeeper and said, "Bag him."

Effie watched as a dark hood was pulled over Viggo's head. "Now what will happen to him, sir?"

"You'll kill him."

"Pardon me?" Effie was taken aback by his comment.

"Miss. Trinket, this man has caused you nothing but pain, hurt the people of the Capitol, is responsible for the breakdown of our nation's government. Are you telling me you have a problem ending his life?"

She was being tested and she needed to pass. "I have never taken a life before Mr. President, but for the sake of my country," she puffed out her chest, "I will stand by you and follow your orders." A Peacekeeper handed her a knife. "Well, what do you expect me to do with this? I am a lady of breeding. Not a pig farmer. Do you not have a more appropriate weapon?"

"I have a gun, ma'am. Have you ever shot one before?"

"Did you not just hear me say I am a lady of breeding?" Effie responded. "How difficult can it be. You aim the little barrel thingy and squeeze the trigger."

President Snow was almost laughing as he stepped outside. "I'll watch through the glass."

"Yes, that might be wise," Effie was trying desperately to block out the muffled cries of Viggo, wishing the president hadn't left the room so she could put an end to the war and just kill him herself right then and there. 'Haymitch,' she thought to herself, 'How I wish you were here with me. My vile little man, I need you so desperately right now.'

"Did you get that Miss. Trinket?" One of the Peacekeepers asked her.

"Yes, I think so." She held the gun out in front of her. It was quite light in the palm of her hand, it sent out a magnetic pulse that was quite deadly as long as Effie hit Viggo in the general vicinity of his heart, he'd be dead. "You are going to stand behind me so I won't be thrown backwards, correct?" The Peacekeeper had set the charge to wide spread.

"You shouldn't be thrown backwards ma'am, but I'll be happy to take up a position behind you," the Peacekeeper said with a look splayed across his face that said he almost felt bad for Effie.

"Thank you," Effie found herself being polite to the guards. It was bad enough she was going to take a life, being cruel on top of it to the gentlemen that were helping her seemed unnecessary. 'Do this, Effie. Peeta has been captured and you must get him out of the Capitol alive. Do this!' She squeezed the trigger and watched as Viggo Bettes, dedicated Capitol Official, died at the hand of a rebel for being a traitor to the country he loved. "Well," she handed the gun back to the Peacekeeper, "there we go," she dusted off her gloves. "Thank you gentlemen. Toodle ooh." She walked into the room with the president. "Do we have time...oh my, we have an audience." All of the officials had been watching the execution of Viggo Bettes through the looking glass. "Good evening one and all."

"Miss. Trinket, I'm sure you've met most of my staff at various functions with the late Viggo Bettes, however, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to them properly. Ladies and Gentleman, this is my newest personal assistant, Miss. Effie Trinket." President Snow gave her a nod of approval and maneuvered quickly around the room. "Would you like a moment before we start our meeting Miss. Trinket?" The president asked her privately.

Effie was about to say no, then remembered the computer she was currently hiding in her corset. "If you wouldn't mind. I would very much like to step into the ladies for a moment."

"Of course. I'll have one of my guards escort you there."

"Look at me, only this afternoon I was the escort, now I'm being escorted," Effie smiled at the president. "Thank you, sir."

"My pleasure."

The guard stood outside of the restroom while Effie bolted herself into the ladies stall and shoved her hand down her corset, her eyes constantly scanning the room, making sure no one was watching. She swirled her finger counterclockwise on the little mark Plutarch had showed her earlier in the evening then gingerly placed the computer back inside of her corset. It now had about thirty minutes of listening time. Whatever was going to be said in that room full of Capitol officials had better be good because Effie was wasting computer time on it. She gave herself a look in the mirror and said quietly, "Oh my goodness, so much has happened tonight. To think, that horrible district I worked for is being firebombed. I wonder if there will be any survivors when they're finally through. Oh well, such is life." She entered the meeting which was already in progress.

"I'm still not convinced he was the traitor!"

"Please. Please," Snow spoke in a calm tone, "Let's not act like the barbarians we are currently trying to prevent from taking over our nation."

"Sir, has orange blossom been able to get any information to us pertaining to the rebellion?"

"Unfortunately our inside contact has not been able to get deep enough into the rebels organization," Snow patted at the corner of his lips with his handkerchief. "We do need someone though...someone trustworthy to get inside."

"What about that sponsor Darlington? He owns a bar. Abernathy loves alcohol so maybe one of the others..."

"What does Haymitch have to do with this?" Effie asked.

All of the officials looked towards her as the president answered. "It seems that Mr. Abernathy has disappeared along with the female tribute from your district."

"And you're thinking he's part of the rebellion?" Effie nodded in agreement then added, "What does owning a bar have to do with anything? Because the man owns a bar that will automatically make him interested in becoming a rebel?"

President Snow along with a few others let out a little tuft of laughter.

"How about Julia from District Four? I hear her mother was quite the pastry chef in her day and she..."

Effie stood up and went for a cup of tea, "Yes, that's exactly who the rebels will trust, an escort from one of the districts they refer to as the Career districts and simply because the woman's mother could make a pastry she'll immediately bond with...whom? Peeta?"

"She has a point," Snow took the cup of tea she handed him out of her grasp. Effie was smart enough to find out from one of the servants how he took it before entering the room. "That's exactly what we need, someone who has earned their trust. Who can simply waltz right in and take up a spot in the rebellion." Oh, Effie knew she had planted the seed in his head, actually Viggo had planted it in her head, but it was imperative that Snow come up with the conclusion on his own.

"Mr. President, where on earth are we to find someone like that? Someone they find trustworthy? Goodness knows the ideas being thrown around here are going to be as transparent as Viggo's lies." Effie lifted the pot of tea and poured herself a cup, never offering any of the officials any. She would not be their beck and call girl. She was there for President Snow and him alone.

"What if there were some truth to Mr. Bettes' lies?" Snow looked around the table to his group of officials. "The boy is quite fond of her," he let his eyes rest on Effie.

"What about Abernathy?" One of the official's asked.

"He's not here, what do we care about him?" Another said.

"Wait a minute. Wait one minute." Effie held up her hand. "Are you suggesting that I...oh my..." She placed her fingers to her chest. "Peeta is quite taken with me, probably because he lacked a motherly hand growing up, though who could blame the woman? Look what she had for a son. Hmm... I could probably worm my way in with him, if he's part of it, and Haymitch...well, he's no problem for me. He and I have been at each others throats for over a decade. If I went to our suite as though nothing were wrong, met up with the rest of our team..."

"The rest of your team has been brought in for questioning Miss. Trinket," Snow informed her.

"Even better. Perhaps take me in for questioning too." She quickly turned to the president. "Nothing too much of course. Simple questions. I'd rather not have to face an inquisition like Viggo if you don't mind."

The room swelled with laughter. "Ah, Miss. Trinket your wit is quite refreshing. Yes, I do believe we could do that." Snow turned towards one of his officials. "Where did we take the stylist and her team?"

"They're in a suite on the third floor. We've questioned the...orange girl, but she wouldn't stop crying, so we threw her back in with the others. We didn't think you'd want us to question the head stylist without you sir." Effie heard the official say the orange girl and it made her think of the code name for the traitor, orange blossom. Could one of Peeta's prep team members be the link to the rebels? Is that why they were captured?

"Let's put Miss. Trinket in there with them," Snow suggested. "Would you like something to eat first or a drink perhaps? It's been such a long night."

"I think it would be best if I were to appear as though I had been going through royal, pardon my tongue, hell," Effie's eyes lit up and she bit back her smile. "Oh, sir. I do believe we can get this to work. Is there any word on Peeta yet? Is he alive?"

"We should find out, shouldn't we?" Snow made a motion with his chin towards an official who then got an update on Peeta's condition. They were operating on him, but he'll live. "Has anyone checked on the status of District Twelve?"

"I'd be happy to, sir." An official pressed a few buttons and got the update. They were currently in the process of bombing the district and had rumors of stragglers heading into the woods. "Shall we place an order for the pilots to firebomb the woods Mr. President?"

"Of course not," Snow stood up from his spot at the table and spoke softly to her, "Sometimes Miss. Trinket I swear I'm surrounded by incompetence." He addressed the rest of the officials, "The last thing we need is hundreds of miles of woodland burning. I'm trying to preserve our nation, not burn it down."

"Yes, sir."

Effie was led to the room with Portia and her prep team, asked questions alongside of them, answered them the way the rebellion expected her to, ironically the way the Capitol wanted her too as well, and the moment Peeta was well enough she went to see him, bent over him and whispered in his ear. "No matter what happens, remember how much I love you my dear boy." She placed a kiss on his cheek and turned to leave stopping at the door when she heard his voice.

"Effie?"

"Go back to sleep, Peeta. They need you back on your feet by tomorrow."

"Okay, but...me too, Effie. Me too."

Effie's heart smiled a little when her boy told her he loved her too. "I'll be back tomorrow to escort you to your quarters. Until then, I want you to eat and drink as much as possible."

"Yes, mom," he said sarcastically, but full of love.

Effie bit back the tears when she heard him use the term of endearment. She wasn't allowed to tell him that his mother was dead. The president was going to be telling him that in due time. Effie reached the end of the medical bay and met up with a Peacekeeper. "Excuse me, would you mind escorting me back?" She headed for her new quarters with Portia and Annie as roommates. Her suggestion to Snow after the questioning she went through with them. A chance to get closer to the duo. It wasn't until Peeta was out of the medical bay and Snow decided to stop using the rest of the stylists at the Capitol, from that point on, he would be working Portia and her staff twenty-four hours a day until one of them cracked under pressure, that he ordered Annie to be taken to a prison cell. Effie hinted at keeping a good alliance with the people from the "Career" districts in case they were needed during the war and suggested that they stay in the Tribute Center, she'd be happy to remain an escort to both women if needed, but only Annie was in need of an escort. Enobaria had a guard posted at all times and was left alone. Yes, their country was now in a full blown war. Fighting all across the nation. Effie got to see many of the news reels that were meant only for official's eyes, but the second she got a moment of freedom with Peeta she pounced on him. "I have a second and that's all. I will be asking you how I can help to join your cause. You will insist that you are not a member of the rebellion. No matter what I do...what I say, you will never admit to it, do you understand me? I don't care if I'm practically dead. I will tell them that I have joined your group another way, but not through you. Do not admit to being a rebel or so help me, I will kill you myself, Peeta Mellark." Effie couldn't help but notice the goofy grin on his face. "What are you smiling at?"

"You sound just like Katniss. Effie? Is she okay?"

"They got out. I don't know if she's alive or not, but," she gripped Peeta's hand in her own and smiled. "She's too stubborn to die. Peeta, I don't know how long I can protect you, they will..."

"I know," Peeta rubbed her hand with his. "You do what you need to and I'll do what I need to. Between the two of us, we should be able to..." he shrugged, "...I'm not sure...What do you think we can do? I make a mean french toast."

"I can perk an excellent pot of coffee," Effie grinned at him, "That settles it. My coffee, your french toast...Between Annie and Johanna's conversational skills, we're bound to set the social scene on fire."

Peeta let out a snort of laughter. "Thank God you're here."

Effie walked him into his old quarters at the Tribute Center. "I convinced them that you'd be more relaxed in a familiar environment." Darius stood waiting to care for his every need. "They gave you an Avox, but no attendants and you'll have Peacekeepers guarding each exit."

"Yeah, I kind of figured I wouldn't be allowed to wander around."

"The television is not off limits as a matter of fact, they are encouraging you to watch as much of it as you can this evening. Oh and there are cards." Effie walked to a drawer and took out a small box of unopened cards that came with each suite. "Looks like there's enough to build a skyscraper."

"Any paper...pencils?" Peeta asked.

"No. I'm afraid, nothing with a point or that might be made into a weapon."

"A pencil a weapon?" Peeta chuckled. "What am I going to do? Hold off the armed guards with a piece of led and wood?"

"I'm sorry, Peeta." Effie walked towards the elevator and told him the last bit of business. "One more thing. You have an interview with Caesar Flickerman tomorrow."

"You've got to be kidding me?"

"That would be why they'd like you to update yourself on the current events of our nation," Effie stood there and wished with all her might that she could take him, run with him and hide him away in the tiny room where they had so many meetings over the past year, but even that isn't a sanctuary anymore. "I shall see you tomorrow...before your interview. Portia will be here with your prep team bright and early."

"Yeah...okay." Peeta hung his head down. "Goodnight Effie."

"Have some manners young man. You address me properly when I'm leaving the room." She looked him straight in the eyes. "Not my feet."

"I apologize," he straightened up his posture and made eye contact with her. "Goodnight Effie."

"Much better. I realize that we have been faced with a difficult situation, but together we shall hold our heads up high and take pride in ourselves and the district we represent."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Goodnight Peeta." As Effie met with Portia that evening to go over Peeta's attire for the interview, they had five minutes together where no one was listening.

In those five minutes Portia learned what dangerous game Effie was playing, how much of herself she was risking, and Portia could no longer stand by and play makeup artist. When they were behind closed doors, in an area where the Capitol had portable cameras picking up conversations, Portia asked Effie quietly, "Effie, you care about Katniss and Peeta, don't you? Care about what happens to the children of this nation like them?"

'Oh, Portia,' Effie thought to herself, 'They will kill you...torture you first, then kill you.' "Yes, I do," Effie answered the way the Capitol needed her to.

"Then join us," Portia had a quiet desperation in her voice. "Help us. Cinna died for this cause."

"Cinna!" Effie whispered harshly. "You mean...Cinna was a...rebel?"

"Yes. He wasn't a thief. He was a rebel. He died so children could live...so Katniss and Peeta's child could live without the fear of having to face the arena at the age of twelve. Twelve, Effie." Portia was working her cause.

"They killed him...I stood up for you...you lied...I...I..." Effie sniffled. 'Make it sound good, but don't take too long. You need to join this cause.' "Katniss? What happened to her? Is she dead?"

"No. The rebels broke her out of the arena. She's alive and in hiding, but Effie, Peeta...he's so important...they both are and he trusts you. I know you can get him to join the rebellion."

"You mean he's not a member?" Effie was shocked...again. She was getting so good at this.

"Neither one of them are. They had no idea about any of this. They're just a couple of kids that fell in love, but their love..."

Effie couldn't keep it together no matter how hard she tried. Her voice cracked and tears began to fall. "Their love touched the world over didn't it?"

"Yes," Portia's tears joined hers. "Yes it did." They held hands. "Will you help us, Effie? Please? If not for this country...for Katniss and Peeta."

Effie nodded her head and said quietly, "Yes. I will. I shall help."

"Thank you," Portia mouthed to her when they heard a door open, then walked into the bathroom to clean up.

Effie had infiltrated the rebellion at President Snow's request. She had Annie under protection and was in charge of Peeta's questioning, which meant she avoided as many beatings as possible when it came to him. She would sneak him medications and did her best trying to walk the fine line between rebel and Capitol Official. Effie's new title, Official Assistant to the President of Panem. She was now privy to more secrets than any rebel could possibly dream of. Each day she went to work hoping not to get caught in her web of lies and each night she prayed for Haymitch to come to her rescue. To save her before it was too late and she wound up digging herself into a hole so deep, she'd bury herself alive.

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"How you doin' down there?" The sound of Gale's voice echoed through the headset Katniss was wearing. She was holding back the tears, the guilt, the pain. Doing her very best to turn off her emotions as she walked through the streets of District Twelve's Town Square. "Katniss? Do you want me to come down there?"

"No," she snapped at Gale through the headset. "I'm fine, Gale. I just need some time, okay?" She was about to walk up to the bakery and instantly knew time wasn't what she needed. "Pops?"

"I'm here." It was like listening to a deeper, richer, older version of Peeta. "I'm right here," his father answered.

"You...can you..." Katniss swallowed. "Meet me in the village?"

"Sure thing."

Katniss began moving her lips, talking to Peeta as she did several times each day. "It's gone, Peeta. The bakery is gone, but your dad, he's alive. He saved my mom and sister. He saved your girls just like you asked him to and he's still watching over us, Peeta. He's still taking care of your girls till you come home." Katniss took one last look at the bakery and ran out of the Town Square and into an untouched Victor's Village. "What?" She stopped short at the stark contrast between the village and the rest of the district. Their district was full of charcoal, soot, ash and skeletons. Victor's Village was as pristine as the day she had moved into it. She turned in a slow circle, taking it all in and saw Peeta's dad standing in the middle of it waiting for her. "Pops?" It was the name Peeta called his dad every now and then. Katniss hadn't felt comfortable calling the man dad, but Pops suited him. She ran to his outstretched arms and missed her own father...Peeta so much, but was more than grateful for this man, she sometimes wondered how she had gotten by so long without her own dad.

"Are you okay?" He kept his arm around her waist.

Katniss nodded. "Yeah. I saw it...the bakery. I don't ever want you to go there. Either one of you. Okay?"

"Okay," Bing walked her towards her house. "I'm going to wait out here while you go in."

"Don't you want to come inside with me?" Katniss asked.

"Actually, I was thinking I might stop by your mom's house...pick up a couple of things for her and Prim, maybe make things a little more like home for them."

"That would be nice," Katniss said. "Will you...be here when I get out?"

"Do you want me to be here?" Bing asked.

"I need you to be."

"Hey, Catnip? You guys okay?"

Gale's voice rang through her ears and it was the last thing she wanted to hear. "We're fine." She turned to her father in law, the man that had been a source of strength for her over the past two weeks and said, "Go ahead and go. I should probably do this myself anyway."

"If you need me, all you have to do is give me a holler," he gave her hand a squeeze. "Go on now. I'll wait till you get inside."

Katniss stood at her and Peeta's front door, it took a moment before she twisted the handle and walked inside, but when she did she was smacked in the face with a million memories...sounds, smells...conversations...

"Katniss? Do you know where my sketchpad and charcoals are?" Peeta called down to her while hanging over the upstairs railing.

"Did you look in the spare room where all the rest of your art supplies are?"Katniss called up to him.

"Of course I did, but they're not there."

"Then I have no clue where they are. You must've left them somewhere."

"Me?" Peeta stormed down the hall then back again. "I can't find them anywhere! This is crazy, Katniss! Are you sure you didn't do something with them?"

"Yes, Peeta," she said flatly. "You found me out. I'm secretly hiding your charcoals and sketchpad in my wild plot to drive you slowly insane. Next week I'm moving onto my next phase and hiding the nutmeg!"

She ran her hand across a kitchen chair and noticed that there was barely any dust settled on their furniture. Was it in case someone from the Capitol came to their district for a news story and they needed a proper place to stay? Katniss was tempted to walk through their home and completely trash the thing. The thought of someone staying in their home irked the hell out of her. She walked through their kitchen and opened up their pantry. The scents that filled her nostrils were more than she could handle. Tears filled her eyes as she lifted the bottle of cinnamon up and held it to her chest.

"What would it take to convince you to come over here and bake with me?" Peeta's head tilted down, his hair was hanging in his eyes...a few curls stuck to his temples from the sweat that had collected at his brow.

Katniss lifted her cup of tea to her lips and sipped. "Depends on what you're baking."

"Pita bread."

She hadn't meant to choke on the tea she was sipping, but she did. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, why?" He asked.

"I just..." she bit her lip. "Didn't that ever bug you? Being named after bread?"

"Oh, it pissed the hell out of me, but what was I going to do? Tell my dad his family's traditions were stupid?"

"No...I guess not. Why are you making pita bread?" Katniss asked.

"Your mom is roasting some lamb, Prim made cheese and has been working on that yogurt for awhile now, my dad picked some produce...I needed cucumbers for this particular dish. See," Peeta greased a pan, "Effie used to send me all sorts of books about foods and cultures... I learned a lot about different heritages, backgrounds on certain types of foods...recipes and stuff and tonight we're trying something new. That's why we need the pita bread."

Katniss sauntered up to Peeta as he mixed some batter. "I've never had pita bread before. Is that what's in it?"

"This isn't pita bread. This is that coffee cake you like. I wanted to make sure I made you something you liked first."

Katniss had a look of surprise on her face."Let me get this straight, our entire family, Haymitch..."

"The Hawthorne's are coming over for dinner too."

"Gale's family...all these people are going to be coming over for dinner and you need pita bread for it, but you've opted to bake me a cake first?"

"Well...yeah. You always come first, Katniss."

Katniss reached for the bottle of dill and moved her lips, "I miss you. So much." She walked towards their living room and saw a picture of them that Effie had brought with her when she came for the wedding shoot. It was taken when Katniss and Peeta weren't posing for the camera at the end of the Victory Tour, the night that Peeta proposed to her. Katniss remembered the moment the photo had been captured.

"Look at all these people?" Peeta hadn't let go of her hand the entire night. "Do you think they even realize this isn't normal behavior?"

"Probably not," Katniss was tired of dancing. "What are the chances of us getting out of here?"

"Slim to none, bordering on the none," Peeta looked around the banquet hall. "I can try and hide you for a few minutes if you like?"

"You'd do that for me?" Katniss could feel her heart palpitating when she looked at him. He was really handsome and he was all hers.

"Sure I would." Peeta took her hand and led her to a corner of the banquet hall behind the servant's station. "See? We can just hide behind these trays they're getting ready to bring out." Peeta leaned against the wall and rested her in his arms. "I almost wish there was a cave around here so we could be alone."

Katniss let herself relax against his shoulder and lifted her eyes to his, "With water dripping down the dark stone walls."

Peeta tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and moved closer to her. "I was so in love with you...I wanted to tell you so badly, but...gosh, Katniss, I was so scared."

"Yeah, I was scared too, but not anymore." They just stood there, looking at each other. His head resting against the wall, hers against his shoulder. His fingers still brushing back strands of her hair, her hand cupped around his bent elbow.

Katniss picked the picture up off of their mantel and studied it. She remembered Peeta telling her once that he wanted to stop time and live in a moment forever. That's what the picture reminded her of. Time stopping. Around Katniss and Peeta was a swirl of imagery, a blur of people dancing, eating, working and in the center of it all she and Peeta were perfectly still, caught up in nothing but one another. "I'll bring this with me so when you come to Thirteen it'll be like home," she continued her conversation with Peeta. Katniss walked to the closet and took out her game bag and placed the photo inside as well as the bottles of spices. There were a few other things she needed to get. Her father's jacket was still there and she had to bring that back with her. Pajamas. "You'll want those and...well, I'll feel better if I'm sleeping in your shirts. Plus I want a few of your sweaters." Katniss walked upstairs to their bedroom and rifled through their bedroom drawer and then she saw it...her sketch. "Here it is. I'm definitely bringing this with me and...I don't care what they say, I'm bringing your paints. They can just go piss up a tree if they don't like it." Katniss placed the sketch of them inside of the leather binder in the game bag. "This thing is getting full. Good thing your dad is getting Prim and mom's stuff." She went into their bathroom and took the three bottles lavender body wash Peeta was so fond of, wrapped it in a towel and held onto it, then put in the unwrapped bars of soap he loved so much. "Got your favorites. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone where I'm hiding it and I've got some good hiding spots out there. I've found a ton of places to hide over the past couple of weeks." She headed to her dressing room for one last thing, a box. It was the only design left from Cinna's collection. It was a special one that Katniss had never touched. She didn't have the heart to. "You never knew about this one. Cinna didn't design this one because Snow told him to. He did this one for us...because he loves us and when you come home...well, you'll see it then, but I'll tell you what's it's called. He named it, 'Wedding Night,' and...well, you're just going to have to come home if you want to see it." Katniss walked into their bedroom and sat on the edge of their bed, set the box down and curled onto her side, holding Peeta's pillow up to her face, taking in as much of his lingering scent as she could. "I can't cry. I'm not allowed to get upset...I mean I'm allowed, but..." she took a few cleansing breaths and tried to remind herself why she had to stay calm. How important it was for her to keep her emotions in check.

Katniss could see Justus and Dr. Valero signing back and forth to one another and then heard a woman's voice tell Justus to leave.

"Are you telling me that baby is still alive!"

"Yes ma'am," Dr. Valero sounded so pleased and Katniss almost let out a sigh of relief when she heard the strange woman's response to Dr. Valero.

"You'll need to abort it."

"Excuse me!"

"You heard me. I said abort the child. Miss. Everdeen is no good to this..."

"Mrs. Mellark." Dr. Valero corrected the woman.

Katniss was just lying there in a state of shock. She had no clue who this person was telling Regina to kill her baby but she was already making a mental plan to kill her.

"Mrs. Mellark...Miss. Everdeen...I don't really care what the girl is going by these days. All I care about is the state of the uprising in this country. That young lady is a vital part in winning this war and she will not be able to go out and fight if she's pregnant."

"President Coin, that isn't your choice to make."

"Isn't it?" Katniss squinted and saw the woman Regina called President Coin walk to another end of the room. "It is my job to lead the people of the districts to freedom and right now they're looking for the Mockingjay. Unfortunately she's lying in your hospital bed fighting to keep an unborn child alive. She's young. She'll be able to have another child. Abort the baby and tell her she had a miscarriage."

"I...I don't think I can do that."

"Not a problem. We have other physicians here in Thirteen. They don't all have your training, but I'm sure they'll be able to leave her with the ability to reproduce. After all, we are quite fond of children here. I shall contact one of my other doctors immediately and..."

"No." Regina placed a hand over her own pregnant belly and said, "No. I'll take care of it. I'll do it."

"NO!" Katniss sat up screaming. "You can't! You can't kill my baby!"

"Katniss, I'm President Coin." She walked closer to her. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Dr. Valero did everything she could to save your child."

"No." Katniss tried to get out of bed and found she was strapped into it. "I heard you! You want it dead!"

"You don't know what you're talking about Katniss," Dr. Valero walked up to her. "You lost the baby...had a miscarriage. No one wanted the baby to die. We tried to save it."

"No! I heard you two talking! I heard you!"

"I think she's confused again Dr. Valero." President Coin shook her head sympathetically.

"Katniss I'm going to sedate you. You have to rest."

"The baby!" She didn't know what was happening anymore. Was it true? Did she lose the baby or was the doctor going to abort it? "No." Katniss could feel the medication the doctor shot into the tube attached to her veins putting her to sleep. "I'm not wrong...am I?" She looked pleadingly into the eyes of the doctor.

"Rest Katniss. You'll feel better when you wake up."

Katniss inhaled one last time, taking in as much of Peeta as she possibly could then went to his art studio. Before she even entered the room she could smell it. Blood and roses. "Snow." She knew he wasn't there. There was a team of men and women that searched the district prior to her arrival. They watched the area for seventy two hours to make sure no one from the Capitol had any cloaked hovercrafts in the area and finally President Coin agreed to let Katniss walk through District Twelve. Katniss opened up Peeta's art studio and looked around the room. It appeared to be unscathed, but looks were deceiving. She eyed each painting then found the source of the stench. The mutt version of Gale had a long stemmed white rose placed in a crystal fluted vase right in front of it. Peeta had told her that was Snow's favorite portrait. Katniss snatched the vase and stomped down the stairs, threw the crystal in the fireplace and lit the rose on fire. "You bastard!" She went to the kitchen sink and scrubbed her hands, the scent wouldn't come off. Blood...roses...blood...roses...blood...blood... "BLOOD!" She picked up the closest pot and threw it across the room causing a loud crash.

"Catnip! You okay?" Gale asked.

"Katniss!" Bing's voice rang through the headset.

A screeching noise came from an area close to where the pot landed. "You! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Katniss?" Her front door flew open.

"Hey Pops, look who's here." Katniss reached down to scratch between Buttercup's ears and the cat arched its back and hissed at her. "I can still cook you if I want to!"

Bing let out a sigh and said, "Nice to see some things haven't changed."

"Where's that pot?" Katniss started looking around the room.

"What do you need a pot for? You're not actually going to cook him are you?"

"So I can knock this straggly thing unconscious and bring it to Prim." Katniss picked up the pot off the floor.

"Or we could just put him in a pillowcase," Bing suggested.

She shrugged. "I'd rather hit him over the head."

"How about I get a pillowcase instead?"

"I'll get the case." Katniss looked at the cat. "I need you to get something else for me."

"What's that?"

"Peeta's paint supplies. I can't go back in that room," Katniss swallowed the lump in her throat. "I left a few other things upstairs too. My game bag...a box on my bed...a towel with some stuff in it."

"I'll take care of it." As Bing walked up the stairs Katniss heard him talking to Gale. "She's fine. Just ran across a...pest."

Another stipulation to Katniss coming back to twelve was that she had to keep an open line of communication with the hovercraft at all times. Gale was the person President Coin agreed to, he'd become quite active in the rebellion since coming to Thirteen, but Katniss insisted on Bing being part of it too. He on the other hand turned down all of the offers from Coin and refused to join the rebellion. Said his job was to protect Peeta's girls. When he was assigned living quarters several flights below Prim's and her mother's, Katniss had a fit and insisted that he be moved next door to them. She also insisted that she be provided her own quarters for her and Peeta. When he came back, she'd have to have a home ready for him and she wasn't going to be scrambling at the last minute to get something ready. She wanted to walk him to their quarters and say, welcome home. The Everdeens and the Mellarks now had three adjoining residencies. When Gale suggested that his family move closer to her, Katniss said she had already caused enough trouble. She didn't know why Gale was getting on her nerves lately, but he was. Maybe because he was so gung ho about this rebellion or because he was constantly wanting to do things for her, things Peeta would normally do. The one thing that really got under her skin was that the doctor told him not to tell her about Twelve and he completely disregarded her medical advice. Katniss had almost lost the baby that day. It wasn't Gale's fault, she knew that, but he was so damn hard headed, he just couldn't see past his own perspective. The funny thing was, Katniss used to be exactly like him, still was in a lot of ways, but the baby...it changed her.

"Ready to go?" Bing asked her.

"Yup. I'll give you the honor of capturing that...thing," she motioned towards Buttercup.

As they stood in the center of Victor's Village Katniss knew there was one more place she had to see. She climbed up into the hovercraft, Gale's hand reaching for the pillowcase that held the howling cat, "I can see why you had to come back here now."

"Shut up," Katniss said dryly. "Help him out with the rest of that stuff will you?" She walked up towards the pilot and asked, "Can you get close enough to the school for me to see something?"

"Sure. Anything in particular?"

"Yeah, there's a big oak tree that stands a good distance away from it, but it's still considered part of the school's property." Katniss told him.

"Want to sit up here with me and tell me if you see it?"

"Can I?" Katniss asked. The pilot nodded. It didn't take long for them to head in that direction and when they did her heart jumped for joy. "It's still there. Do you see it?"

"Looks like they didn't even touch the school," the pilot commented.

"Can you let me down by that tree? See it?" Katniss was pointing at it and practically jumping up and down in her chair.

"Did anyone sweep this area?" The pilot asked Gale.

"I don't know. Pretty sure they searched the whole district. They wouldn't have let her come back here unless they did," he answered.

"Just let me down!" Katniss was getting up, paused at Bing and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It's our tree, Pops. Our tree!"

"Let her get out," Gale gave her a little grin. "Want me to..."

Katniss was heading down the ladder before Gale even finished his sentence. "Peeta, look!" Once her feet hit the ground, silence took over. "There's so much I have to tell you. So much I need to share." She walked under the tree and sat next to it, closed her eyes and imagined he was next to her. It was lunchtime and she was retelling him one of her tales.

Katniss woke up in a dimly lit hospital room with the doctor by her side. President Coin, Haymitch and Plutarch were all standing in a corner talking amongst themselves and then she heard Haymitch's voice. "There she is. Hey there sweetheart."

"H...hi," her throat was so dry.

"Don't try to talk yet, Katniss," the doctor told her. "Lavinia, would you mind getting her some water please?"

"Katniss, it's good to see you again. Remember me?" Plutarch tried to smile at her, but even he couldn't fake it under the circumstances. Katniss just nodded.

"We're thrilled that you're doing better," President Coin was the only person in the room that didn't look affected in the least or sound genuine for that matter. "You gave us a bit of a scare there."

"Wh..." Katniss shook her head a little.

"Let us explain what has happened over the past few days Katniss," Dr. Valero sounded very businesslike instead of warm and friendly like normal.

Katniss sipped from the cup Lavinia held to her lips and listened as she was told about the bombing of District Twelve by Haymitch. The loss of her baby by Dr. Valero. Her mental disorientation also by the doctor and confirmed by the plastic bracelet she was now wearing. She sat and listened, but didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it.

"No," Katniss shook her head. "I'm pregnant. I know I am."

Haymitch ran his hand down his face and said, "Show her doc."

The doctor took one of the fetal monitoring devices they used in District Thirteen and placed it above Katniss' abdomen. Above her the image of an empty womb was displayed in the air. "I'm sorry, Katniss," Dr. Valero said softly. "We tried our best, but your body just went through too much."

They had just told her that she lost the baby and Katniss felt the room start to spin. She needed her husband, she needed Peeta. "Peeta," she mouthed. "Banana nut is..." her eyes filled with tears and an electronic bracelet on her other wrist began to beep.

"I'm sorry, I'll have to ask you all to leave now," Dr. Valero spoke to the group of people that were standing around Katniss. "Lay back." Katniss was moving her lips frantically, staring into space as everyone left the room. Once they were all gone she felt the doctor's lips against her ear. "Your baby's alive, but you must calm down or we'll lose it. Please Katniss. Trust me."

"Wha..." she breathed out.

"I can't explain until we're certain everyone has gone, but you need to calm down. That device you're wearing on your wrist is monitoring your baby's vital signs. It's telling me whether or not its heart rate is getting too low, which it is. Now, lie down and let me help you."

Katniss did everything the doctor told her to and somewhere around three in the morning Justus and Regina woke her up. Justus kept watch over the door, Lavinia lay under the covers as though she were Katniss and had the blankets pulled up over her head and Regina took Katniss into a dark closet that held medical supplies.

"Dr. Valero, what's going on? Did you mean it when you said the baby was fine?" Katniss asked her.

"Before we go any further, lean back," the doctor took out a palm sized device and placed it over Katniss' stomach. "I brought this with me from the Capitol. Effie Trinket..."

"You know Effie?"

"Yes, she asked me to take care of you...she's had me taking care of you since you went into the arena," Regina told her.

Katniss smiled. "This is her grandchild, you know? She adopted Peeta as her son."

"She thinks of both of you as her children," Regina showed Katniss a button. "See this? That's how you turn this on. It's the only one in Thirteen so you must take care of it."

"You want me to keep it?"

"Yes. If anyone here gets their hands on it, they'll know about your baby and we don't want that. You see, Effie was afraid that you might be taken advantage of during the uprising. I didn't understand why at the time, not until I realized what you and Peeta meant to this war. You're both very important to this rebellion, however, President Coin can't in good conscience use a girl that is with child to fight. That would make her look just as bad as...as..."

"As a president that puts a pregnant woman in the arena," Katniss finished for her.

"Yes, I suppose so. Go ahead and push that button," The doctor urged her with a small smile on her face.

Katniss could feel her pulse racing, her finger was shaking as she touched the button on the hand held device and then the image of her and Peeta's baby shone above. "Banana nut," she whispered.

"I'm going to teach you how this works so you can keep an eye on your little one, but you must keep this to yourself. There are only four of us that know about this child now and we must keep it that way," Regina warned her.

"Five," Katniss whispered. "Peeta knows. He knows and when he comes back, I won't lie to him and tell him..."

"Of course you won't. We'll tell him the truth, but that's it, Katniss. If we tell anyone else, we'll be risking our lives," the doctor ran her hand over her own baby.

"I wouldn't do that to you...I'd never hurt your child." Katniss found a kinship with this woman, this doctor that worked for the Capitol that Effie Trinket trusted with her care. This physician was going through much of the same thing Katniss was, the sickness, the worry, she understood what it was to be responsible for the wellbeing of a life that was growing inside of you. "Why do they think I lost the baby?"

The doctor let out a breath and confirmed Katniss' suspicions from the other day. The president did in fact order the child to be aborted so Katniss could take up her role as the Mockingjay, but Regina had become a doctor to preserve life not end it. "Effie had her suspicions about the woman and so did my husband, I guess now we all know the truth and we're stuck with the lesser of two evils, but Katniss there is a catch here...as much as I hate to say this...you are going to have to fill your role as the Mockingjay eventually."

"I won't help that woman," Katniss ran her fingertip around the baby's heart and moved the picture closer to her. "How do I listen to this?" The doctor showed her the button to push. "Is it still too soon to find out if it's a boy or girl?"

"Yes. That will take several more weeks. When it's time the word gender will appear in the bottom left hand corner. If you touch it, it will display the baby's gender for you."

Katniss nodded. "I should shut this off now." She carefully tucked the device away in her pocket and thought she'd have to go on a search for a hiding spot very soon. "You said there are four of us that know?"

"Justus, Lavinia, you and me," the doctor answered. "Outside of us...I just don't think we should trust anyone else."

"What about Gale?"

"You mean Mr. Hawthorne?" The doctor's face turned to stone. "I'm sorry, I'd have to insist you keep this information from him as he's working quite closely with the rebellion now. Justus has just been invited to join their group and will no longer be working as closely to me as I'd like, but Lavinia is proving to be quite the nurse and I'm teaching her as much as I can, she'll be very helpful."

There was something bothering Katniss. "Dr. Valero. You showed me an image...all of us an image earlier and there was nothing inside of me. How did you do that?"

"The equipment here is a bit, outdated, shall we say. It was simple enough to substitute Lavinia's medical schematics for yours. When they use any form of monitoring system on you it will automatically show Lavinia's system." Regina smiled. "I was able to fool the Capitol into believing my husband was dead for years Katniss, this was a piece of cake."

"Thank you." She wanted desperately to hug the woman. "I'm not sure how long we're going to be able to hide this, but..."

"By the time they find out, Peeta will be back and they'll have their Jabberjay. They won't need you to go out and fight. Besides, you're quite petite. I can't imagine you'll be showing for awhile. I didn't start showing until the middle of my fourth month."

"How far along are you?"

"Five months," she smiled. "We're having a boy."

"Can you believe it, Peeta? The people we thought were so great...fighting to save the children of our country... Yeah," she rolled her eyes as she leaned her back up against the oak tree, "the, oh so wonderful president that wants to take Snow's place, had no problem killing our child just so I could be a figurehead." She lifted her eyes up to the spot where their initials were carved. "I'm supposed to agree to it. Haymitch keeps pestering me about it, he says the sooner I agree to it, the sooner they can get you and Effie out of there, but Justus told me that has nothing to do with it. They have yet to come up with a plan or proof that any of you are alive except for Effie. Effie..." Katniss sighed. "That woman has done a lot more than I gave her credit for. You have no idea all of the things she's gotten into Peeta or maybe you do. Have they found out about her? Haymitch says no, but I worry about her too. Finnick has been freaking out over Annie, and Beetee... you wouldn't believe it. They literally wheeled his hospital bed down to their...I don't know what room, the moment he could sit upright. I haven't seen him in over a week. As for me and the baby, we're good. I still wear the bracelet around my wrist but it hasn't gone off in awhile. The doctor told Coin it monitors my vitals, blood pressure...heart...stuff like that, but it really keeps an eye on our little one. She's pretty smart that doctor of mine. Has put allergy alerts on my medical record so I won't have to eat the same as the rest of these people...like hot grain. She even adjusted something in the computers so I get more food than Gale." Katniss started to laugh, "You have to see our trays when we go to eat at the dining hall. He always looks at my tray like he's the one that should've gotten served my portion. She gave me something for the morning sickness so I won't keep throwing up, but we're running low on it and pretty soon I won't be able to hide it. I told her I could have your dad sneak me a piece of food before each meal, he works in the kitchen alongside Greasy Sae, but for now, he still doesn't know about the baby. I'd rather keep it that way. I really don't want to put his life in danger and...it broke his heart when he thought the baby died. He blamed Gale for it. Yelled at him, screamed at him...it was horrible Peeta. Your dad went through so much pain. Losing you...your brothers and then the baby...he started shaking Gale and screaming at him and Gale just kept saying he was sorry. He didn't mean it then..." Katniss sniffed a little, "then Pops he...he uh...he just pulled Gale into one of those hugs. You know the kind and started telling him how sorry he was. That it wasn't Gale's fault, it was the Capitol's and he was just reacting to the events that happened. Poor Pops. He's better now though and he must've made up with Gale because they get along really well. Then again your dad gets along with everybody." Katniss closed her eyes and rested her head against the oak tree. She tried to imagine Peeta sitting behind her...resting her head against his chest and not the bark of a tree. "Did I tell you that Effie hand picked Dr. Valero to take care of me in the arena. She's the one that sent in that nerve medicine for me, which saved the baby's life by the way. Turns out I did have some nerve damage from that gas. Effie...I think Haymitch is sort of lost without her. I've seen him, though I try not to...he's just lied too much to us, and every time I see Haymitch, he's got this look on his face. Plutarch said it's because they don't allow alcohol here, but it's more than that. Finnick and I were talking one afternoon when they moved me from a private room in with the rest of them and he said, 'Haymitch has that same look we do, Katniss. He's lost someone he loves.' I don't know if Finnick was talking about Maysilee or Effie, but...I kind of have a feeling it's Effie. Can you imagine that? Haymitch actually loving our Effie? Then again, who wouldn't love her? She's pretty amazing."

"Hey, Catnip, we've got to head out soon." Gale's voice just kept grating on her nerves.

"A few more minutes," she snapped. "Oh, Peeta, I don't know what to do about Gale. I'm so mad at him and for the life of me I don't know why. He's been really nice to me...too damn nice. It's like he's trying to fill your shoes or something and I hate it. I mean why would he do that? Why would he try and take care of me when he knows you're the only man I'll ever love?" Katniss picked up a twig and threw it.

She could almost hear Peeta's voice telling her, "Because I asked him to take care of you while I was gone, Katniss."

"Well, I don't want him to. I don't need a man to take care of me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Katniss crossed her arms and felt a familiar surge of anger flooding through her.

"You know I love that feisty side," Peeta's voice spoke softly to her in her mind.

"Then you must be head over heels with me lately," she stood up, dusted the earth off of her bottom, ran a quick hand across her lower abdomen and bid him goodbye. "Okay...Jabberjay...time for you to fly home. I'm sick of hiding our baby and sick of living in Thirteen without you. I just wish I knew for certain if you were alive or not. Everyone is just making assumptions. If only I knew..."

"Catnip. We've got to get back. Beetee said the Capitol is going to be showing a broadcast in a few hours and Coin wants us there for it."

"Seems I'm being beckoned," she ran her hand across the rough bark of the oak tree. "I love you, Peeta," those were the only words to him that actually went out through the headset for the others to hear. "Stay alive." She gave it a thought then said, "You better be alive or I swear I'll come to the Capitol and kill you myself." As Katniss climbed the ladder to enter the hovercraft she looked into the eyes of her friend, Gale and wondered if he was doing what Peeta asked or acting on his own behalf. She was going to have to ask him. She fiddled with the bracelet that said, 'mentally disorientated,' then felt the warmth of a caress lightly brush across her cheek. She closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. "Peeta," she moved her lips. 'Can you feel me?' she wondered and in that moment she sent out as much love as she could to help ease whatever pain he was going through without her.

…..

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The floor of the cell was like ice. The sounds coming through the tiny window above Peeta's head were of Johanna being tortured...beaten...dunked into a tub of ice water until it felt like her lungs were going to explode. He held his hands over his ears and rocked back and forth trying to remind himself of the the girl...'What was her name?' He asked himself. 'I don't remember your name, but I know you...know you so well, don't I? I can't remember what you look like,' his mind was reaching for her face. 'Follow your fingers. You've sketched her before. Trace the outline of her cheeks...her jaw...her nose...' He could see it now, '...you have freckles. Twelve of them across the bridge of your nose.' Peeta sighed and imagined himself cupping her cheeks in his hands. Cradling her face, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear...

"Let's go!" The sound of a Peacekeeper dragging Johanna back and tossing her into the cage next to his broke Peeta from his spell.

He waited until the guard was out of sight and then scampered across the dusty concrete floor. "Johanna," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

The sound of her teeth chattering echoed through their cells. "Hey, ccccinnamon bbbunss. Wh...what's sh...shaking? Other th...than me?"

Peeta stripped his shirt from his body and handed it to her through the bars. "Here. Take it."

"No. Not after the last tttime."

Peeta had gotten beaten after the last time he gave her his shirt and then they brought him in for surgery to help stitch up his wounds and heal his broken bones, giving him just enough medication to keep him still, but not enough to knock him out. He felt everything. "I don't care, Johanna. Take it."

"Well, I cccare. I won't use it, so put it bbback on."

"Look, I haven't had anything to drink for hours and I'm parched. Dry your hair with it and then I can squeeze my shirt into my mouth...you know...quench my thirst," Peeta made a lame attempt at a joke, which actually brought a small smile to Johanna's dirt streaked face.

"Sorry. I'm drinking the water out of my own hair today." She scooted back into a corner. "Have they brought you anything to eat?"

"No, but I saw a mouse earlier and I'm working on a plan to lure it into my cell...try and catch it. Maybe we'll feast tonight." Peeta slipped the shirt back on and sat against the wall of his cell. "They'll have to feed us something soon or else we'll starve to death and they haven't gotten any information out of us yet so..."

"I'd rather they just let me starve." Johanna rolled her head towards Peeta. "Then again, who would keep you company after your wonderful treatments if they did that? So...do you remember anything about her?"

"About who?" Peeta asked. Since they started pumping stuff into his veins his memory wasn't what it used to be. The majority of the time he was in his cell he was lethargic, trying to keep track of basic things.

"Fireball" Johanna sounded so disappointed.

"Fireball?" Peeta sat for a minute then said, "Sounds familiar. Do I know her?"

"Yeah," Johanna let out a sigh. "You know her. Your wife...mother of your child...pain in my ass...any of this ringing any bells?"

Peeta shook his head trying to figure out if Johanna was serious about him being married and expecting a kid. He didn't think she was right about that. Surely he'd remember something as important as being a husband and a father. "You sound tired Johanna. Maybe you should get some rest. I'll keep an eye out for that mouse." His eyes scanned the dark and murky jail cells in hopes of finding any form of nutrients. At this point a spider would've been a welcome meal, but he saw nothing. Eventually he allowed his mind to float back to the image of the girl he was sketching in his mind. She was the only thing keeping his mind off of his next scheduled beating. He could see her now. Long dark hair, bright silver eyes looking at him like she knew his every secret and then he could hear her voice.

"I love you, Peeta."He didn't know if it was real or not, but it made him feel better knowing she was there with him. She was taking care of him. Stroking his hair while he rested his head in her lap. Above her were the leaves of a tree surrounded by the blue of the sky. "I'll watch over you while you rest. Close your eyes and get some sleep. I won't leave you."

He wanted to ask her what her name was, but somewhere inside he knew it, he just had to figure it out on his own. 'I'm so tired...hungry. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home,' his mind began to get foggy from all of the drugs that had been pumped into his system.

"You will. We'll be together soon enough and when we are, we'll never let them separate us again."

Peeta took comfort in the girl's confidence. He believed her. As he allowed sleep to take over he finally remembered her name, "Katniss," he whispered.

Johanna looked at him as he fell asleep, with a smirk she said softly, "That's right Peeta. Some things you never forget."