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

15. Are you ready, Peeta?

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

By: Jamie Sommers

Chapter Fourteen: Are you ready, Peeta?

Previously, Katniss and Peeta found out that Katniss was allergic to the baby and it was causing severe high blood pressure (yes this is possible). They finally found their way back to each other, but what happened? Hmmm... Effie went into shock after the escape from the Capitol, Johanna was in surgery, and Peeta gave Coin his list of demands. I wonder if she'll actually abide by them?

This past week I received some pretty amazing emails, pm's, not to mention my regular reviews, that pretty much left me in awe. There aren't a lot of fanfic authors that can say they have the best readers and reviewers and actually mean it, but I do. The words thank you don't seem like enough, but they are all I have, so thank you for being so kind. For such well thought out commentaries. For taking time from your life to read. For actually waiting on the edge of your seat for the next chapter, and for making me feel like I actually get paid for this. Thanks.

My beta A is on vacation till the end of the year so I have a sub. Thank you L for doing such an awesome job and for being one of my biggest supporters. You rock! S, thank you for all of your hard work and your inquisitive mind. A thanks for making me laugh.

To all of you, I wish you a Merry Christmas. Here is my gift to you.

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

The sound of gunfire…the screams of injured men and women calling out for help...the stench of death, it all haunted Peeta as he sat in the rebel's bunker in District Two, filling him with a loneliness and longing for the sweet breath of life Katniss had brought to him. There was never any down time; battles were constantly being fought throughout the district. 'It's the last one,' Peeta thought to himself. 'We've got control over all the other districts, now all we have to do is get control of Two and it'll be over.' Though he knew the war would be far from over once they completed their mission, success in Two meant he could go back to Katniss and that meant they'd be one step closer to home. Soldiers, both men and women, were huddled around the fire they had built inside of an old coal stove. The night was unnaturally chilly for that time of year and Peeta swore he could feel the cold clear down to the marrow of his bones.

His tired eyes scanned the groups of people: Plutarch and his camera crew were eating some rations across from him, Haymitch was curled up in a ball asleep to his left, Gale, Justus, Lavinia, and a group of other soldiers Peeta had come to know over the past week during their invasion of Two were all talking amongst themselves…looking over a map and trying to figure out how to take down what they all referred to as the Nut. The nickname they had given it came about after Plutarch made a comment about the facility being a 'tough nut to crack.' A mountain, just one of many that covered District Two, but this one in particular was unique. It held an underground fortress built after the Dark Days when the Capitol was desperate for a new military stronghold. It was filled with caverns, quarries that had been set up after Thirteen had been bombed, loaded with arsenals, military barracks, housed the miners and held a computer system linked directly to the Capitol. The conversation on how to bring the Nut down had been the same for the past three nights, and Peeta was growing weary of the same suggestions being thrown back and forth.

His flashbacks had been carefully monitored by the medical team that had come to lend a helping hand with the wounded in Two, and given Peeta a pen needle full of the medication that enabled him to keep his temper in check…most of the time. But without the stories of his past Katniss had been providing, memories of his former life had yet to resurface. He rested his head against the wall, allowing his brain a brief respite, sketching images in his mind of sunnier places…happier times. Despite his ability to look past the dark confines he was in and see the promise of light, his head just wasn't cooperating with him. All he could think of was Katniss and some of their last moments together. With his elbow digging into his upper thigh, Peeta lifted his fingers to his temple and began rubbing in slow circles. 'What I wouldn't give to be with you right now, Katniss.' He finally caved into his aching heart and relived one of their few nights together. The night he realized exactly how much he loved her, but had yet to say it.

He flashed his eyes towards his hospital bed and asked her, "Stay with me?"

"Always," Katniss answered then took a deep breath before he swooped her up in his arms, letting the pajama pants he loaned her fall to the ground and stay there, carrying her back to bed. "Peeta, please tell me you mean this…that you're not going to change your mind in fifteen minutes because you're worried you're going to hurt me or you feel guilty or…"

He climbed under the covers next to her and took her in his arms. "Let's make a promise to each other, Katniss." He tried to control his rapidly beating heart when she tucked her hand under his t-shirt and glided it up his torso until her palm rested in the middle of his chest. "I promise I'm not going to leave you because of my current mental state…or any other reason for that matter."

"Me too, Peeta." She rested her head next to her hand on his chest. "I'm not going to make any more threats about it being over between us. We're just going to have to stop acting like children and work through whatever problems arise." She began pressing kisses against his chin, sliding her body upwards until her lips lined up with his, and proceeded to turn his brain into mush.

"Katniss," before things got out of control, Peeta thought they should set some ground rules. "I want to make my intentions clear here. When I asked you to come back to bed with me it wasn't so we could…um…" she was carrying his baby yet Peeta felt like a child with a schoolboy crush. "Okay…" he fumbled his words, "…I don't want to…no…I do want to, but…oh geez," he blew out a breath.

"Just say what you want to say Peeta," she smiled down into his eyes, and continued kissing him from the side of his jaw up to his ear.

"I don't think we should rush things. I mean...kissing is good…" She flicked the tip of her tongue against his earlobe and he stifled a moan before saying, "Dear God it's…so good, but…"'What the hell was I saying?' He thought to himself.

He worried that he had said something wrong when Katniss pulled away from him and said with a stone face, "No sex."

"Um…" he wasn't going to come right out and say it, but now that she did, "…yeah."

"Peeta," her look of query frightened him. "What are we doing?"

"Huh?" Confused was a good word, no, a great word for his entire thought process.

"Are we friends? Are we husband and wife?" She shook her head like she was trying to clear it and sat upright, staring down at him. "Are we…boyfriend and girlfriend? What the hell are we doing?"

"Okay," he sat up and faced her, "You're mad. I shouldn't have said anything. I should've just let things…happen, right?" Screwing up what they had just rediscovered wasn't what he wanted.

"All I want to know is…what you think we're doing because I'm not playing around here and I'm sick of this whole…tug of war thing we've been doing, so tell me right now…do you want to be with me or don't you?"

"Yes," he said with wide eyes.

"Good." She lifted her eyes to his. "I want to be with you too."

"Okay," he said nervously. "Thing is…I know what I mean when I say 'be with you,' but I don't know what you mean, and…and…" He hopped out of bed and began pacing back and forth. "Katniss, everyone, and I do mean everyone, has been telling me that we're married, and I believe them. I'm sure it's true. Hell, we're having a baby. Only…" how did he explain that he didn't want to move to fast with her? Or that he did want to, but couldn't because if he did, he was sure he would ruin everything they were trying to build? Not to mention she looked absolutely breathtaking sitting in the dim room…her ivory skin glowing, her eyes shimmering, and those lips… Peeta let out a grunt, "I need to be married before I…before we do… anything we might regret…or not regret, and I know we're married…well, I think I know, but that's not the point." He continued tripping over his tongue when she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. "The point is…" he pressed his lips together and pointed at her when he couldn't think of what to say. "Why do you always get me so damn tongue tied?" A burst of air blew out from between his lips. "All I'm trying to say is…is that I want to remember our vows…or make new ones maybe, before we do…go…I mean we should be…" a shudder ran through his body, "…we need to be…I believe in a lifetime commitment… and if we… Geez!" He ran his hands through his hair leaving it tousled. "Katniss," he finally resigned that he'd never be able to voice his concerns, "I don't know what the hell I'm trying to say."

A, "Pffft," sound coming from behind her hand had Peeta narrowing his gaze at her, taking in the humor dancing in her eyes, the slightly rounded apples of her cheeks and the tremor of her shoulders.

"Are you…laughing at me?" She shook her head in answer and threw her other hand over her mouth too. "Christ, you're laughing at me." A quick shake of his head was all it took to get him to see how funny he must have sounded to her and before he knew it, his chuckle joined in on her light laughter.

"Peeta is everything…" the posted guard came through the door and stopped short. "Oh…um…" he turned his curious expression to Peeta, to Katniss then back to Peeta again.

"Busted," Peeta said innocently which was quickly followed up with a burst of laughter from Katniss.

"Peeta, our orders are to keep you two separate during sleeping hours," the guard said seriously.

"It's okay," he assured him. "I'll let security know first thing in the morning that Katniss has permission to come in at night." Peeta walked towards the door and held it open for the guard. "Thanks for being so quick though. Makes me feel better knowing there's someone out there paying attention to what's going on in here."

"Sure," the guard gave Katniss one more inquisitive look then took his position outside.

Certain that Katniss would start questioning why the guard listened to him, Peeta carefully turned to her, ready to defend himself, but all he saw was Katniss smiling at him from the middle of his hospital bed. Her hair was flowing over her shoulders in thick brown waves and her hand was cupping her stomach. "You…" he walked up to her and held his hand out, then moved it back as though he was afraid of being scorched. "You have a belly," he hadn't noticed it before. "How did I miss this?"

"I hide it with your sweaters," she pulled the pajama shirt taught against her abdomen to show him the little puff that had started to grow.

"Can I…touch it?"

"You don't have to ask, you know." She got onto her knees, her slightly distended abdomen right in front of him. "She's your daughter too."

A rash of nerves flooded through his system as he cupped his hands on the sides of her stomach and placed his cheek against it. "Wow," he said breathlessly. "She's growing."

"Uh huh," the feeling of Katniss' fingers running through his hair as he pressed his face against their baby was as perfect as life had been since he'd been in Thirteen.

The need to capture the moment was overwhelming. "I have to sketch you."

"Sketch me? Now?"

"Yes," Peeta turned to the counter Katniss had climbed down onto and picked up the pad he left there when he saw her feet dangling from the vent. "Now." It hadn't dawned on him that she might not want to be sketched since she had posed for him so many times during their lunch dates…while waiting for tests to be run…while sitting with Effie…

"Peeta, are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely," then it hit him. "It's okay, right?"

Katniss leaned her arms over his shoulders and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I guess, but I was thinking we might spend our night…otherwise occupied." She trailed her lips up to his ear and whispered, "Like getting reacquainted with one another."

"Oh…uh…" Obviously he hadn't been very clear earlier. 'Considering she laughed at you,' he thought to himself, 'I seriously doubt she got the message.'

"I'm fine with waiting, if that's what you want to do." She pressed her lips into his neck then back up to his ear again where her warm breath tickled him to no end. "I'll wait as long as you want, but just because we're waiting doesn't mean we can't…"

He waited for her to fill in the blank, and when she didn't he asked nervously, "Can't what?" Her lips on his, a warm tongue lightly lapping at his, her fingers through his hair, and her full, moist mouth torturing him into sweet submission was her answer. Five minutes? Ten? Peeta had no clue how long they had been at it. All he knew was that his sketchpad had been forgotten dropped to the floor right before he pulled her body close to his. Within a matter of seconds she was lying on her back, he was on top of her, and their kiss went from a curious discovery to sensual and steamy. The only time they came up for air was when he asked, "Am I hurting you…pressing against the baby?"

"No," she pulled him back down and the whole world vanished.

Thoughts of not rushing into anything were completely unrealistic. Keeping their relationship light and airy… 'Good luck with that,' Peeta thought to himself when he dug his fingers into her hips and pulled her close to him. When the air became so thick they could barely breathe, they finally pulled apart from each other, though neither one of them wanted to. "I…just have…to cat…catch my…breath," he rested his forehead against hers.

"Good God," her panting sounded like a train pulling into the station. "Okay…this is going to be very difficult."

"No kidding," he braced himself onto his elbows so his full weight didn't press down onto her. "What are we going to do?"

"Obviously we're skipping the whole…innocent boyfriend/girlfriend thing and going straight to the hot and bothered part of our relationship." She pressed her palm against her forehead. "That should be fun to relive."

"You mean we went through this before?" That had never really crossed his mind.

"Oh, yeah, and it was horrible." She grinned. "Wonderful…but horribly frustrating."

A little huff of laughter came out of him. "Glad I don't remember that. Sounds like you went through hell."

"Shut up," she smacked at his shoulder playfully. "You suck."

"That's because I'm a boy, and boys suck." His teasing was surely tormenting her, but he was having so much fun. "See? I didn't forget everything you ever said to me."

"That doesn't count. I said it a few weeks ago." She let out a huge gust of air. "Okay, get off of me and get that damn sketchpad."

"I thought we were…"

"You want to wait?" She asked him with a serious look in her eyes.

"Um…" he was actually reconsidering. "I guess."

"Then pick up the damn pad and pencils and sketch my happy ass." She pushed gently at his shoulders. "Where do you want me?"

'Everywhere and anywhere,' was the first thing that popped into his head as he bent to pick up the discarded pad. "Lie on your back." He positioned her so she was half on her back and half on her side. "I can't see the baby." His fingers found the buttons on her shirt and began undoing them from the bottom up then pushed the shirt over her hip leaving one button closed at the top to keep her breasts covered. "Can I pull the blanket down?" Her brow arched her lip quirked and Peeta remembered that her underwear was hanging over a shower rod drying. "Never mind," he gulped.

She skimmed the blanket down her torso and tucked it under herself leaving her stomach and left hip exposed. "Better?" He had never heard a more alluring word in his life.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat and took notice of the tiny freckles glaring at him below her hip, thinking, 'Okay, maybe sketching her wasn't such a good idea after all.'

"Sketch away…" she quirked a smile at him, "…cinnamon buns."

His eyes flashed to hers when he heard the name of Johanna's story character come out of her. "How do you know about Prince Cinnamon Buns?"

"Prince?"

"Yeah," he answered as he took a pencil to paper. "Prince Buns and Princess Fireball."

Katniss let out a laugh. "Where on earth did you hear that?"

"Johanna." He glanced up. "Put your head on your arm and look at me," he gently ordered her.

"So…I'm a princess and you're a prince. I'm definitely going to have to give her some grief for that one."

It was the last thing he heard as he got lost in a world of lines and shades. Sketching the curve of her hip, the swell of her stomach, it all caused a feeling of wanton need to surge within him. With each stroke of his pencil's lead Peeta could swear it was his fingers caressing the slope of her thin neck, the angle of her chin, the dip of her belly button and that line…that dark line that ran straight down, had his mind wandering where he knew it shouldn't be going. By the time he reached her legs, which were tangled in the sheets, he didn't need to look…he remembered, but he kept his eyes focused on her limbs just the same until he reached the tiny arch of her foot, and then he lost his concentration. The sketchpad was tossed onto the floor as he reached for her foot and pressed his thumbs against the ball of it. "You fell out of a tree and fractured this foot," he could see her falling in slow motion into his arms and both of them landing in a bank of snow. "Real or…"

"Real," she whispered. "It was the last time I went into the woods alone, and I got trapped."

"I was worried about you," his eyes wandered up her body until they reached hers. "Scared of you getting caught by Peacekeepers."

"Yes," she nodded.

"We were engaged, weren't we?" He asked remembering a fight they had. "You ran away," there was pain in his voice. "You left me."

"No, Peeta. No." She shook her head and reached for him. "I needed time to think about our engagement…about life."

"You didn't want to marry me, did you?"

"Yes, I did," she answered with certainty in her voice. "I was the one that planned our surprise wedding in Twelve, and I did that because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

He wanted to ask her if she still felt that way, but he was so afraid of what her answer would be. "They were waiting at your house for us," his memory of that night was flooding back in tidal waves of emotion. "We fought…"

"We made up," she reached down and stroked his cheek.

"You were in so much pain, Katniss," his voice cracked as he crawled up the bed to lie next to her. "You hurt your tailbone," he rubbed at it as though she had just fallen, "and my fingers were numb."

She placed soft kisses against his cheek and held him close. "I asked you to stay with me."

A gentle smile hinted at his lips. "I asked you to do that tonight."

"And I answered you the way you answered me back then. The way we always answer."

"I must have loved you a lot back then." If it was even half what he was currently feeling he could understand why they got married.

"You did," there was a hint of sadness in her tone. "We loved each other very much."

The sound of voices swelled in the hallway. Their sleepless night was coming to an end, and morning was quickly beckoning as the skeleton nighttime staff was replaced with the full daytime one. "You should button your shirt before they come in here. I get a shot first thing in the morning, and they'll be looking for you to prep you for that procedure," he said with regret filling his voice. "Katniss," he ran his hands through her hair, then took hold of her hands placing kisses against each one. "Remembering those vows we took means a lot to me, and if I can't remember them…" he glanced down then back up again, "…it wouldn't mean as much. I'm not sure if I'll ever remember them, but one day…maybe we can…" he wanted to say get married again, but it sounded silly to him so he let his sentence trail off.

"We can make new ones," Katniss suggested softly into his ear, "but not until we're both ready. Until then we'll just take it one step at a time. By the way," her breath fluttered the hair by his ear, "I really like the idea of going back to our horribly frustrating days."

Peeta let out a little chuckle. "I think I'm going to enjoy this next stage of our relationship, Katniss."

"I'm already enjoying it," she wagged her brows at him and kissed him softly then tucked her head under his chin and let out a satisfied sigh.

"…look at it?" Peeta glanced up at Gale who was towering over him.

"Huh?" He hadn't heard anything the guy said.

"I said they want to know if you want to take a look at it." Gale stared at him then followed up with, "The schematics for the Nut."

"Oh, uh…not really. It'll probably look like a blur." Peeta rubbed at his eyes, "I'm exhausted."

"Should I worry?" Gale eyed him up.

Lack of rest always seemed to get Peeta's ire up. "I'll get back to you on that." He rested his head against the wall, closed his eyes, and let sleep take him over before a flashback did.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

The words President's Quarters were staring back at Katniss as she turned the knob to enter the room she had prepared for her and Peeta almost six weeks earlier. With the book Regina gave her tucked under her arm, Katniss walked into the bedroom and stood staring at the bed. Since it was smaller than the one she and Peeta shared in District Twelve, the luxurious quilt that covered it spread out a few inches onto the floor. A fine layer of dust had settled on the furniture, a discarded shirt of Peeta's lay on the floor, the latest sketch Peeta had drawn of her was propped up against a couple of cups Katniss had found in the small kitchen area. His easel and paint supplies were tucked away in a corner, a partially painted portrait of Effie perched atop of it, and the spices she had sitting on the dresser looked out of place, sort of how Katniss felt while Peeta and Gale were off fighting and she was stuck in Thirteen.

It was the same story each day she awoke. Yawn, stretch, rub her baby bump that practically grew overnight, and for a few seconds forget that her life was a complete disaster. Then the realization that Peeta was gone would smack her in the face, and this time she didn't have the option to talk to Gale about it because he was gone too. The thought that she might lose both of them marred any prospective happiness for the day, and the camera crew that had been left behind to film her every move was no help. The only reason she didn't complain was because Peeta was able to watch the propos in Two, and she was willing to do anything to help encourage the rebels out there. The sound of her sigh almost echoed through the room as she sat on the center of the bed with her book in her lap.

"Dear Maysee," most of her journal entries started off addressed to Peeta, while he was gone she had written to him in lieu of talking to him so the residents didn't think their Mockingjay had completely lost her mind. When he got back and turned her away, writing to him was the only option she had and pouring out her heart onto the pages of her book was the closest thing she had next to having a silent dialogue with herself. It wasn't until Prim brought her the book shortly after she had been diagnosed, that Katniss took to writing her entries to her unborn daughter.

"What's that?" Peeta noticed the book sitting on Katniss' lap.

"My medical journal," she ran her hand over the cover. "Regina gave it to me while you were away so I would stop moving my lips and scaring the people of Thirteen." She let out a tiny laugh.

"What's in it?"

"Everything," Katniss thought of the different things she had put into the book since getting it. "Most of it is filled with letters to you, but there are a couple of songs in here, some lunatic ramblings," she smiled playfully, "A few doodles...pretty much whatever was in my head that I wanted to share with you, but couldn't."

He gave his head a little tilt. "You mean...you've written to...me?" She nodded. "Can I read it?"

She clutched the book to her chest and said, "Sure...just...not right now."

"I don't have to read it at all, Katniss. Those are your private thoughts...like my sketchpad, so I completely understand if you want to keep it to yourself."

"You let me look through your sketchpad without complaining." There were things she had written she was sure would aggravate him, things that would probably cause him to feel guilty or bring on unnecessary pain, and since they had been getting along so well lately, Katniss didn't want to tempt fate. "Let's just give it a little time and then you can read it if you want."

Peeta grinned at her. "I take it you've complained about me in there."

Katniss had to hide her smile before admitting to him, "Maybe, but most of it's not complaints."

He sat at the foot of her bed, "Planning on writing in it today?"

"I would, but...I don't think I can." Her brow furrowed. "The only time I was able to get anything out was when I pretended I was talking to you, and now you're here so..." she gave her shoulder a slight shrug.

"So pretend you're still talking to me in there."

"Won't work. If I want to talk to you all I have to do is open my mouth and speak. Why would I write?"

Peeta looked up at the ceiling as though he were deep in thought, "Hey...why don't you write to the baby? You can tell her all about the things that are happening...complain about me if you want," he said with a frisky tone, "and share some of your thoughts with her?"

"The baby? Hmmm...it's not like she'd be reading it or anything," Katniss reasoned with herself. "Guess I'll give it a go later on."

It had taken her a few tries, but Katniss was finally able to get out a couple of entries, though nothing of importance. Today though...today was different. She was lonely, more so than normal, and missed having Peeta around to talk to. She pressed her fingers into the side of her lower abdomen when she felt the bubbly sensation start; trying to relieve some of the gas pressure that had built up, then began writing.

Dear, Maysee,

There's a lot to tell you today. Suppose I should start with your dad, but I can't really think about him right now. It's too hard, but I will. I'll tell you about him, just not at this very second.

Katniss let her eyes drift upwards. trying to figure out a different topic of conversation. She chewed on the end of her pen for a minute before writing again.

There are so many people here who love you already, and even though Johanna won't admit it out loud, I think she's looking forward to meeting you. According to your aunt Regina, Johanna made it out of the Capitol just in the nick of time. It took three surgeries to repair all of the damage the Capitol caused her. The first one happened the night she got to Thirteen. Regina repaired her internal bleeding, but a couple of days later Johanna started to lose blood again at a rapid rate. They had to operate on her again, your Aunt Prim got to be there for that one, and that's when they discovered that the seal they put on Johanna's liver to stop the bleeding wasn't holding, and had to replace it. A few days later one of the nurses saw Johanna pushing her hospital bed around her room and came to the conclusion that she had been doing so since she was able to stand after her first surgery, and that's why she kept on having internal bleeding. Your dad yelled at her when he found out what she was doing and asked her why she did it when they wheeled her in for another surgery, and she told him she couldn't get far enough away from the sound of her leaky faucet in the bathroom. Your dad checked it out, thinking he'd fix it for her. Thing is, there was no leak. It was all in Johanna's head. Dr. Valero decided to put her in a medically induced coma for over two weeks giving her body time to heal. She's doing a lot better now, but she's still in a lot of pain, and the artificial liver, they had to give her one during her third surgery, seems to be working just as good as her real one did. Your grandpa Haymitch keeps telling her she's lucky because she can drink for the rest of her life without having to worry about pickling her liver. He's a twisted man that grandfather of yours.

Your grandma Effie on the other hand…

Katniss let out a sigh as she thought of everything Effie was going through.

Oh, banana nut, your grandma is having a very hard time adjusting to life since being rescued. After what happened to her security guard and Portia, she went into a tailspin. Your dad and Gale told me everything that Peacekeeper did to get him to safety, about the way he dedicated himself to making sure your grandma made it out of the Capitol alive, and how he died only after making certain your grandma would be protected. Haymitch wanted to hold a little memorial for the guy, even asked Plutarch to figure out some way of showing how grateful we all were for his sacrifice, but nothing's been done so far, and his ashes are locked up in the memorial garden section of Thirteen. Sounds like a nice place, doesn't it? Well, it's not. I found the memorial garden and it's not a garden at all. It's a large security closet housing the ashes of Thirteen's dead. When I told Gale about it he actually went to Coin and hinted that District Two might have their own traditions to uphold when someone dies, but she couldn't be bothered with it, and pretty much blew him off. Haymitch said he'll get Steven's ashes (that's the Peacekeeper's name) out once things settle down and the war ends, but who knows what will happen? He's been so preoccupied with Effie since she got back. She didn't wake up for almost twenty-four hours after Justus gave her a shot on the hovercraft and when she did, all of us were holding our breath, waiting for her to say something, but she didn't. She didn't say a thing for almost five days. She just lied in bed staring into space. Your dad and I went to visit her every day. We talked to her, told her all about you, but nothing seemed to get through her. It wasn't until Lavinia and Gale were appointed as your dad's guards for the day that your grandma said something. I know I shouldn't laugh, but it was pretty funny at the time. We were all sitting around her room talking, Gale and Lavinia were standing at the door pretty much keeping to themselves when Effie got up and started walking around the room. None of us thought anything of it because she had been doing that for a couple of days, but the next thing we knew she had strolled up to Lavinia, and we all thought maybe she was going to say something, instead we saw her disarm Gale in the blink of an eye. All of us jumped back, your dad wanted me to hide in the bathroom, but I didn't have to.

Haymitch was yelling, "Put the gun down, Effie!" I was yelling at Haymitch to stop yelling, and your dad held his hand out to her asking her if there was a reason she wanted the gun.

"Mom, did you want to take Gale's gun?" He said.

And we're all just standing there staring at her when she nods.

Then he says, "Do you want to shoot someone?"

Now I'm hoping to high heaven she's going to say no, so you can imagine my relief when she shook her head back and forth and started pointing at something on the weapon. The next thing we know, Effie found her voice, "You'll only get a hundred decent shots if you have it on the standard setting," she says to Gale and flips a couple of switches on the gun. "This one will give you more power, longer range and up to twice as many shots, but you'll have to practice your aim. The only reason you didn't kill Mr. Tanner instantly is because you have terrible aim when it comes to guns." She flipped the weapon over in her palm and handed it right back to him. You should have seen the look on Gale's face. I swear you could hear his jaw hit the ground, and I could tell he was embarrassed by being outsmarted by a Capitol escort. Me and your dad laughed about it under the oak tree that afternoon. We called the doctor into the room right after grandma Effie gave Gale the gun back, and of course we were all excited to hear from her, but she went right back to being as quiet as a mouse again. A few days later we found out Lavinia stopped by her room and took her away to something Regina calls therapy. She was gone for about six to eight hours a day and Haymitch had no idea where she went, but whenever she came back, he said she seemed happier, and a few weeks ago she actually got up and took a shower on her own instead of Haymitch having to help her bathe. She's even kept eye contact with him and held his hand, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that she'll find her way back to us soon. Regina says that it might be a gradual thing or something could simply snap her out of it one day. Your dad is hoping she'll just snap out of it, maybe correct his manners or something, but I don't really know. I've seen this sort of thing before with your other grandmother when my dad died, and no matter what kind of medicine they've been giving to Effie, she still seems as bad as my mom did. Your dad though...he refuses to give up on her, and since he's been in District Two, I've done my best to try and get her out of her slump, but nothing is working, and she seemed like she was taking a few steps backwards. Since she's getting around on her own now, and we were all afraid whatever progress she made would be out the window, Regina thought it might be good for her to have a job...you know, do something with her time instead of just sitting on her hospital bed and staring into space, so your grandpop suggested taking her into the kitchen with him. Now I know Effie Trinket and that woman can barely make a cup of tea on her own, so I'm not quite sure what she's doing in the kitchen, but I'm thinking pops suggested it so he could keep an eye on her for your dad.

Writing about Peeta, even in the slightest of tenses, brought back the feelings of sorrow she had started with when she began writing. Katniss ran a hand over her belly and said, "Oh banana nut, your dad and I have really gone through hell, haven't we? Guess we all have," she glanced down at her stomach, "even you and you're not born yet, but at least we know things are better now. Let's just hope they stay that way." Regina had high hopes forty-eight hours after performing the procedure in which she administered a drug into the amniotic fluid in a last attempt to counteract Katniss' allergic reaction. Once they made it to the seventy-two hour mark and Katniss actually had low blood pressure, she was given her discharge from the hospital but had to wear a bracelet that monitored the baby as well as her own vitals. "I couldn't wait to get out of there that day, and once I did, I was going to bring your dad straight here, but that didn't work out too well."

"You have to be quiet, Peeta." Katniss flashed him a dirty look. "What are you laughing at?"

"I've never heard anyone scold someone so loudly in a hushed tone before."

"That makes no sense," she was sort of frustrated at how he was blowing off her suggestion to be quiet. "If we get caught in here do you have any idea what will happen?"

"No," he chuckled, "and I don't think you do either."

"Oh….shut up."

"Make me," he poked her in the precise spot that tickled her.

"Don't," she giggled. "I'm serious," her scowl took over the second her giggle died.

"I know," he teased her. "You're soooo serious, Katniss."

"I hate it when you do that," she turned on him. "That's it. I'm not taking you." She stood with her fists balled up on her hips. "You want to see it, go find it yourself."

"Oooh, an adventure." He took off down one of the halls she had yet to explore through. "You coming or what?"

"That's not the way," she called out to him then lowered her voice down. "Peeta, that's not the…" she rolled her eyes and bit her bottom lip, "Damn you," she mumbled as she hurried to catch up with him. "Where do you think you're going?" She whispered loudly to him when he ducked into a narrow doorway.

"Looks like a closet." He leaned against a wall and it gave way, swinging backwards on a hidden hinge. "Holy cow."

"Oh my God," Katniss stepped into the large warehouse that housed an enormous amount of items. "Bet you these are the books Plutarch talked about," she said as she trailed her fingers across the shelves they were lined up on.

"Coin told me about them," Peeta pulled one down and flipped through the pages. "There's some kind of protective coating on this," he said absently when he felt the slickness of the pages between his fingers, and then put the book back on the shelf, taking another one off and finding the same. "She said they talk about the history of our world before the Dark Days."

"Plutarch said that's where they got the idea for a new government from." Katniss pulled a book off the shelf and said, "This one is called American History."

"Let me see it," Peeta shoved the other one back and began flipping through it. "Hey, did you notice it's not as dusty as the rest of them?"

Katniss shook her head from side to side and made her way past the books and began picking up various items from the shelving behind that. "Wonder why they have all these vases and things?"

Peeta followed the sound of her voice and took a deep breath, "That's…geez…" he ran his hand over the case that housed a large statue then turned to Katniss, "This is Venus di Milo."

"Who?"

She watched as Peeta walked around the partially clothed statue of a woman with no arms in awe. "Venus di Milo," he said softly. "This is from…God; I don't even know how old this is." His smile seemed to radiate a ray of light like none she had ever seen. "The story is this sculpture is of the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Her arms are rumored to have been holding a sash or something, and an apple…I think, but they were lost. Now this is a talent I'd kill to have." He lifted his eyes to Katniss and said, "Well…maybe not kill, but I'd definitely love to be able to sculpt."

"Don't you do that already?" She really had no desire to stare at some half naked lady missing some limbs that was getting his undivided attention. "I've seen those cakes of yours. That's sculpting, isn't it?"

"A flower is a far cry from a woman." He let out a little chuckle, "Plus the sugar probably would've melted by now."

"Or it would have been eaten by soldiers because they were starving to death." She gave him a little grin. "Still…I think your cakes are spectacular works of art."

"Thank you," he walked up behind her and placed a kiss in the crook of her neck. "I should have finagled some sugar rations from Coin so I could bake you a cake."

"Yes you should have," she leaned back into his chest and saw it through the shelving. "Peeta! Look!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him around to a wall lined with works of art enclosed in glass cases. "Isn't this it? Starry Night?" Katniss waited for a response and got none. "Peeta?"

"Effie said she'd take me to see this when we went back to the Capitol," his voice was low and full of regret.

"When did she say that?" Katniss looked at the original work of art that matched the framed print that hung on a wall in their bedroom.

"At the end of the Victory Tour." He stepped closer to it and sucked in a breath. "Do you think she'll ever come back to us, Katniss?" His eyes were so sad…lost.

"I know she will," her hands cradled his face. "You just wait and see. Effie will be down here snooping around with us in no time, and I bet you anything she'll have a thing or two to say to Coin about threatening her granddaughter." It had never dawned on Katniss to keep that bit of information from Effie. From her own mother, yes, but not Effie.

Peeta graced her with a warm smile, "I'd like to be a fly on the wall for that conversation."

"Who do you think will get out of the room alive?" Katniss stood behind Peeta and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Effie or Coin and her army?"

"Effie," Peeta said without hesitation. "Definitely Effie." He stood staring at it for a few minutes then turned her into his arms. "Look at how beautiful the swirls of color are, Katniss. The way the artist captured the warmth of the tiny village." He pressed his lips against her temple. "Did you know he painted this from the sanitarium he was in? This was the view from his window."

Katniss wondered if the artist had nightmares like Peeta and found a release in painting the same way he did, but she didn't ask. "This makes me miss home."

"This reminds you of District Twelve?" He thumbed at the painting.

"Our bedroom," she said softly against his chin. "There were so many nights that I'd wake up and you'd be staring at that print, just studying it like it was the first time you ever saw it," she cupped his cheek in her hand. "It was so hard to take my eyes off of you."

"I don't remember that," his forlorn tone broke her heart.

"You don't have to," she kissed him lightly on the lips. "Look at it now," she trailed her finger down his chiseled jawline, "and I'll look at you, just like I used to." They were silent as he studied the image and she studied him. "There," she kissed his chin, "we just made a new memory, and now we can both share it."

He held her face in his hand gazing into her eyes for so long, Katniss felt her spine tingle. "Do you know how crazy I am about you?"

"I might have an idea," she grinned.

"No," he shook his head, "you have no idea, Katniss. No idea at all."

The second his lips met hers Katniss felt her heart soar and ache all at the same time. A fluttering erupted in her stomach as her chest tightened. She had loved him before, but what she felt now was so much more than she could have ever imagined.

The history book Peeta had brought to the room with him sat on the nightstand. Katniss picked his shirt off of the floor and lifted it to her face, inhaling the clean scent of him. "I miss you," she mouthed as she placed it under the pillow next to her journal and went to find Effie. It was time she did what she promised Peeta she'd do. It was time to bring Effie back to life.

…..

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…..

…..

…..

Effie stood at the sink scrubbing a ton of some sort of filthy root Peeta's father had dumped into a large metal tub. Water ran over her hands as the bustling sounds of the daily meal preparation went on behind her. There were many people here that laughed at her, she knew this, had overheard a few of them on occasion talking about the uppity Capitol escort that had been banished to the kitchen. Did she care? No. She deserved all of the harsh words people had spoken about her behind her back, and then some.

"Trinket," someone called to her from the doorway. "Soldiers are here for you."

"Probably taking her to jail," someone on the staff murmured.

"That's enough," Peeta's father always came to her defense when he overheard them, but she really wished he wouldn't say anything at all. The last thing she needed was to feel responsible for yet another human being when so many of the people she cared about seemed to meet an untimely death because of her. "See you tomorrow, Effie," Bing gave her a soft nod before ordering one of the staff that had mocked her to take over the scrubbing, and though she didn't want it to, it brought a little lilt of a smile to Effie's lips.

"You're needed in medical," one of the soldiers said to her, and Effie simply followed them back to the hospital. Her home while being in Thirteen.

As her quiet footsteps made their way down the halls, Effie studied the two guards that had come to fetch her, and noticed their extra weapon was no longer a large bump at their ankle, and their main weapon was now more secure. She lifted the corner of her lip in a slight grin at the thought of her last trip to 'therapy' with Lavinia and Justus then let her attempt at a smile droop when she remembered that they hadn't been there for a week and now she was stuck in the kitchen washing produce that had been covered in grime. She gave herself a little shiver at the thought, looked at her nails, which were a complete wreck, her hands which were dry and in desperate need of lotion, and reached up to touch her hair which felt limp and lifeless.

"There she is," Venia smiled brightly when Effie entered the room and looked around at all that had been laid out and the camera that had been set up to film the commotion.

"Effie, you must come take a look at this," Flavius walked her around the room showing her the dresses Cinna had designed for Katniss that she could no longer wear. "Katniss has insisted on Annie wearing one of her dresses for the wedding!"

Effie's eyes lifted towards Annie when she heard the word, 'wedding.' Her fingers flew to her throat and her smile spread across her face when Annie walked up to her and held her hands. "Finnick and I will never know how to thank you. If it wasn't for you, this would never be possible." Annie threw her arms around Effie's neck and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Effie," she whispered in her ear. "You saved my life...Finnick's life."

A huge lump formed in her throat at Annie's declaration. Watching her try on various dresses had been quite a treat, and for a brief moment Effie was envious of the girl who got to wear something so beautiful and feel like a pampered woman. Katniss on the other hand was acting very much like herself. Trying on the different dresses Cinna had designed for her, complaining because she had to try them on then expressing her feelings in a very rude manner. "I'm sick of trying these damn things on!" Katniss pulled a flowing gown over her head. "It's not like I'm the one getting married! Christ!"

"Oh, it fits!" Octavia exclaimed. "Your breasts look divine in this," the prep team member gushed as though her compliment should have sent Katniss' head into the clouds. "Here are the shoes," Octavia slipped them onto Katniss' feet. "Perfect!" She exclaimed.

"Good grief," Katniss stared at herself in the mirror they had brought into Effie's hospital room for the day. "This is ridiculous. I should just wear my uniform. Beetee's made all sorts of adjustments to it so it'll fit me." Effie couldn't help but walk up to Katniss who looked absolutely radiant wearing the soft pink dress adorned with miniscule pearls on the bodice and iridescent sequins. The gauzy full skirt flowed down to the floor from just below her breast and the straps hung loosely in waves around her upper arms. "I am not wearing this thing. They want to film me...they'll have to do it while I'm wearing my uniform." Katniss hauled the dress up to her knees and was just about to storm off when Effie slapped her hand.

"Drop that skirt young lady," the sound of Effie's voice had the entire room turning towards her. "Have some manners," she scolded Katniss, then stood behind her with her hands on her shoulders, staring at the reflection in the mirror. "You look lovely darling, so quit complaining and act like the proper young lady I know you can be." She turned to the rest of the room and said, "I don't suppose any of you have a bit of lotion? My hands are terribly dry." All three prep team members held out various bottles from their kits. "One will suffice," she gave her head a little tilt then walked to Annie to voice her congratulations.

"You know," Katniss unzipped the dress and kicked her shoes off, "if I had known I was going to get yelled at, I would've never even put the damn dress on."

"Oh, pish posh," Effie waved a hand at her. "Now..." she said with excitement in her eyes, "what do we have that might fit me? I cannot in good conscience continue to wear this drab gray…thing." She gave her clothes a little tug. "Maybe if it were fitted, or...turned into a nice little pencil skirt."

"I could probably do that," Venia looked over the garment. "All I'd need is a needle and thread...scissors...yes," she eyed Effie up from behind. "I think I could make some very nice adjustments to this."

"Here," Katniss threw a deep red dress that no longer fit her to Octavia. "Do something with that too."

"Oh Katniss, I couldn't take this it's..." Effie reached out a hand and ran her fingers over the luxurious material. "Well...it's not like it's going to fit you any longer, and you can't really wear red to a wedding." For the first time in weeks Effie Trinket finally felt like herself again, and she knew exactly who it was that had made that possible. "You're quite a sneaky little thing, aren't you?" she said to Katniss who was the last one left in her room. "Arranging this dress fitting...bringing in such lovely things," she cocked her brow, "...lifting your skirt," she said with puckered lips.

"I didn't do a damn thing," Katniss smoothed out the tight gray shirt she was wearing then pulled one of Peeta's sweaters over it. "I have no clue what you're talking about. I hate dress fittings, and as you could see, there are only two left that fit me, so why should I even bother with dressing up?"

"Of course you hate them dear," Effie gave her hand a pat, "which is why I owe you a great deal of thanks."

"I told you..."

Effie lifted her now moisturized hand up to silence Katniss. "Simply say 'you're welcome' so we can move on."

She tried not to smile when Katniss grumbled out a, "Welcome."

"Wonderful," Effie gave Katniss a once over and told herself to have the prep team work on some maternity clothes for her. Her petite frame seemed to show the growth of her child quite a bit and her clothing barely fit her. However, there were much more pressing issues at hand. "Why don't we have a seat and you can fill me in on my darling boy, and Haymitch?"

"I've got a better idea," Katniss wagged her brows at Effie. "Why don't you come with me, and we can get the hell out of this hospital?"

The offer was too tempting. "Anywhere but that kitchen," Effie shuddered. "I do appreciate your father in law's attempt to help me, but...scrubbing roots?"

Katniss' let out a tinkle of laughter and said, "Nice to have you back, Effie."

"Perhaps for you, but I don't think our new president is going to be too thrilled to hear about my recovery." Effie followed Katniss through the halls until they walked through the doorway marked Do Not Enter. A slight rush of adrenaline shot through her at the prospect of breaking Coin's rules, though she kept it to herself as Katniss had instructed her to keep silent. When Katniss led her into the storage facility used to house the historical memorabilia, Effie's hand flew to her chest. "Why on earth is all of this in hiding?" She turned to Katniss. "The people of this district...this nation have a right to culture. They could make a museum of sorts...broaden their children's minds."

"I knew you'd like this place, but Peeta and I have a theory on why they're not letting everyone know about it, other than the fact that this stuff would probably disintegrate if too many people touched it." Katniss showed Effie some of the history books. "There are a few of them that have less dust than the others, and Peeta thinks those are the ones Coin and Plutarch talked about." Katniss explained to Effie what the plan was for the end of the war. "Peeta was reading one of the books, it's hidden in a private room, but he said there's some very interesting things inside of it that he was sure our new president didn't want us to know."

"Oh my," Effie ran her hand over the spine of one of the books with hardly any dust. "I think I shall read this one," her nimble fingers plucked it from the shelf. "You said there's a private room that I can read in?"

"Well...it's sort of...uh..." Katniss guided Effie out of the storage facility and brought her to the room she and Peeta shared without anyone's knowledge. "I wanted to make it like home for Peeta. The quarters they have here are kind of cold...unwelcoming."

The surge of pride Effie felt when she saw the room Katniss had created brought a smile to her face. "I am sure Peeta loves it. Why I bet..." her eyes landed on the partially painted portrait of herself. "Oh my. Oh my," she stared at her battered and beaten image draped in a sheet, lying in a hospital bed, staring back with empty eyes. "Oh my poor boy," she trailed her fingers along the edge of it. "What I have put him through," she turned to Katniss, "put you all through? Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, Effie." Katniss stepped closer to her. "The way I see it, your brain was in need of a mental break from all of this, but you're back now...so..." she gave her shoulders a little shrug. "I'm just glad I don't have to keep facing Peeta's absence alone."

"No darling," she pulled the girl in for a hug and was surprised at how tightly Katniss clutched her. "You'll never be alone again." Effie held onto her for a few more moments then said, "Now...let's get down to business and see what kind of trouble we can get into, hmmm?" She gave the book a pat, and Katniss a smile.

…...

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"Peeta, I've got her on the line," Plutarch held a phone out to him.

"Hel..." he cleared his throat. "Hello."

"Hey," the sound of Katniss on the other end was like a breath of fresh spring air.

"Katniss," he sighed out and collapsed to the ground. It had been three days since he had spoken to her and yet it had felt like a lifetime. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay? What's going on over there?" His questions tumbled out.

"I'm lonely. Banana nut is healthy, and I have a surprise for you. Hold on."

There was a shuffling sound on the other end of the phone, and some mumbled words then he heard her and his heart cracked. "Mom? Is that you?"

"Oh my darling boy," the sound of Effie's voice was music to his ears. "Dear one, how are you? Katniss has been catching me up on your propos and you look...tired."

Peeta let out a little burst of laughter. "That's putting it mildly." He knew he wasn't holding up too well. His flashbacks were happening a couple of times a day and his weapons had been taken from him unless he was going into battle. "I'm doing okay though. I swear," he lied.

"You're stronger than you think, Peeta," her voice was full of encouragement. "You remember that."

"I will." He sniffed and wiped his runny nose. Katniss' feelings of loneliness weren't foreign to him. He had been suffering through a terrible bout of depression without her near. "Mom, is Katniss really doing okay?"

"She's wonderful, though I will admit, she's a touch blue knowing you're there and she can't be. However, I have been keeping her quite busy."

"Good. And you? How are you?"

"Right as rain my dear," he could hear the smile in Effie's voice.

"Listen, we only have five minutes to talk and Haymitch is standing next to me with a goofy grin plastered on his face, so why don't I let you talk to him, okay?"

"Thank you darling," he could hear the little quiver of excitement in her voice at his suggestion. "Please take care and remember how much I love you."

"Love you too...and mom, you take care of my girls, okay?" Peeta didn't wait for an answer, he just handed the phone to Haymitch's outstretched ones.

"Trinkie!? Holy shit! Trinkie!" In all the time Peeta had known Haymitch he had never seen the man look so happy. Though he was thrilled that Effie was cogent, Peeta hoped that Haymitch didn't use up all his allotted phone time. Talking to Katniss was the only way he was able to make it through this time away from her, and the battles he had been fighting each day brought up too many memories of the arena. Haymitch understood, he had been in there himself, but the man wasn't in Two to fight like Peeta was, he was there to keep Peeta from harm or from causing it. Unfortunately Peeta hadn't listened to his mentor when he told him to stay away from the front line, and the fighting was taking a toll on him.

"Kid, you can't be rushing up there like the rest of these soldiers. They're trained for battle. You're not."

"No," Peeta pulled on his gauntlets, "I'm trained for much worse." He held his hands out and said, "Good morning," and felt a rush when the gloves formed to his hands. "If you're going to stand there and spend your time bellyaching about my wanting to put an end to this damn war, then I don't want to hear it, old man."

Haymitch reached out his hand and placed it on Peeta's shoulder, "You think Katniss is going to be thrilled with the idea of you going out there and putting yourself in danger?"

"I think Katniss would be fighting right beside me if she were here," Peeta practically growled at him. "And do me a favor. Don't go using her against me. I don't really appreciate it. You want to help me, grab a gun and let's go, otherwise get off my back." He turned to Gale, "Let's do this."

A huge gust of air expelled from Peeta's lungs when he thought of his first fight with Snow's army. The lives he had taken, regardless of them being the enemy, chipped little bits of his soul away.

Gale was crouched down behind a large boulder speaking for Justus, who was drawing out a diagram into the earth with a stick. "I'll go in here. Justus and Crandall will come around the side. Lavinia, can you get into that tree without them noticing?" Everyone had been impressed with her climbing skills. The girl gave Gale a hefty nod and patted at her weapons. "Great, Peeta, you stay back here and watch for..."

"I'm not staying back," he gave Gale a stern warning. "I'm here to help, not to be as pretty as a picture. If you want to win, you're going to need me."

"Fine...you can cover me," Gale said.

"We'll cover each other," Peeta wasn't about to be treated with kid gloves.

"Lavinia," Gale motioned for the girl to head towards the large elm. "We'll wait till you signal us."

Peeta pushed at the bump on his left shoulder enabling voice commands for his weapons to be dispersed. "Right heat, left star." The film crew took a close up shot of his gauntlets while everyone else stood back and watched as something shot out from Peeta's uniform and into his right hand. The sharp six inch blade began to glow then darken to a deep wine color within seconds. In his left hand a thin, black star shaped blade slid across his palm and into his fingertips.

"What's heat do?" Gale asked as he walked quietly beside Peeta, keeping his eyes peeled for the enemy.

Peeta stuck his palm out and it a shake showing Gale the knife that had attached itself to his glove.

"Does it stay there?" Gale asked.

"Yeah, unless I order it to drop," Peeta explained, careful not to use the word, release, as the knife would then separate from his gauntlet. "The blade is scorching hot. Slices through bone like butter." Peeta whipped around when he heard a crack and threw a star into the forehead of an oncoming soldier, who had appeared out of nowhere, barreling down on them. Another star shot into the palm of his hand, and would continue to do so until Peeta ran out of the twenty plus thin blades that were stored in his uniform.

"Aren't you afraid those will cut you, Peeta?" One of the camera crew members asked him from behind.

"No. The gloves are made to withstand the sharpest of blades, and bullets, kind of like my uniform," he didn't want to answer them, but he did want to help the rebellion. "Stay here," he pointed at the crew. "Keep an eye on them," he said to Gale. "I'm going in," He ignored Gale's warning, and said, "Shooter." A thin barrel slid next to the blade on his right hand, as though it were made to meld into it. A lens flipped over his eye from the side of his helmet, magnifying everything in sight, and he took aim on the flash of two white Peacekeeper uniforms he was unable to see with the naked eye in the distance. Two squeezes of his palm and Peeta watched as Snow's men went down without knowing what hit them. He quickly flipped onto his back and took aim when he heard oncoming footsteps, then pulled back when he noticed Gale.

"Did you get them?"

"I told you to stay...Shit!" Peeta hopped up, "Move!" He ran back towards the large bolder they had started at with Gale next to him, held his right hand towards the oncoming group of soldiers heading their way, and began firing. Within seconds Lavinia had taken out two of the dozen men coming their way, and they were joined by Justus and Crandall. The hand to hand combat his group found themselves in was a bit on the unfair side. A dozen men against five of Thirteen's soldiers who were burdened with a camera crew. Lavinia began picking off the enemy like a sniper; Gale shot his arrows, while the rest relied on rifles. Peacekeepers were dropping before they even reached them with the exception of two. One of the two met his demise with a star shaped blade buried between his eyes; the other's head was taken off with one slash of Peeta's red hot blade.

"Forward," Gale said for Justus who made a motion with his hand.

'Forward,' Peeta felt sick to his stomach as he thought, 'more like backward.' He may have been a victor, but taking lives had never been easy. Most of the soldiers he was in Two with didn't think twice about the men and women they killed, but Peeta couldn't get the image of Steven Tanner out of his mind. A man that believed in rising above what he was born into and standing up for what he believed in. 'If only the rest of you had that mentality,' he thought of the Peacekeepers he had just killed.

"Peeta," the sound of Haymitch's voice broke him free from his morbid thoughts. "Hurry up, boy. Two minutes left."

"Katniss," he grabbed the phone.

"I'm here. We have to hurry."

"I know," Peeta hated being rushed when he talked to her, but he didn't think it would matter if he had two minutes or two hours, it would never be enough time. "Close your eyes." He began speaking to her in a soft voice and ended the call the way he ended all their calls. "Now wrap your arms around yourself," he did the same and propped the phone between his ear and shoulder. "Okay…now squeeze. Can you feel me?"

"Yes," her somber voice was quiet and filled with pain.

"I'm holding you, Katniss...both of you." He ran his hands up and down his arms and imagined being comforted by her. "I'm right there with you."

"We're with you too. Right next to you...holding onto you."

"Has she moved yet?" He asked her hoping she'd say no, because the thought of missing out on something so momentous broke his heart and simultaneously wishing she'd say yes, so he'd know the baby's growth was right on track.

"I thought it was gas...it felt like bubbles, but Regina said it was the baby moving." She paused for a second, "It's not hard enough for anyone to feel yet."

A soft sigh escaped from between his lips. "Tell her I'll be there soon and when I am, she better be ready to kick my hand," a pathetic chuckle came out of him. "God, I miss you."

"I miss you too. So much," he could hear her voice cracking, and it threatened to break him.

"Tell me something happy, Katniss. What makes you happy?"

"We're home, Peeta...back in District Twelve."

He could see it behind his closed lids. "Can you smell the cake I'm baking?"

"Brown sugar and cinnamon."

"Banana nut's asleep in her crib...her skin is so pink it's almost translucent," he added.

"I just came home from hunting...I brought you some rabbits." His chest swelled up as he tried to inhale. "You'll cook for me," Katniss said softly.

"You'll help me clean the kitchen afterward, and then we'll feed Maysee and give her a bath." he imagined a beautiful baby girl with dark hair, curled at the ends, splashing away in a tub of water. "I love the way she smells afterward."

"Mmmm," Katniss made a sniffing sound. "There's nothing like the scent of baby, is there?"

"Except maybe her mom," he smiled. "Katniss, I lo..." The line went dead. 'Love you,' he finished saying in his head and let the phone drop into his hand. He lifted his eyes and saw the red light of the camera beaming at him. "Get enough?" He said harshly to Plutarch's crew before slamming the receiver against the table and walking into the night air.

"Boy, don't go out there without..." Haymitch started.

"I need some air," Peeta snapped. "Is that okay with you? With all of you?" He glared at the film crew and turned on his heels, grateful he hadn't been armed. The horrid sense of rage began to grow within him as he stepped outside. He reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out the pen filled with a combination of morphling and proteins and shot it into his neck. The calming sensation slid through him, and Peeta hated it. The only way he'd make it through all of this was if he could somehow hold onto his anger and direct it towards the enemy. The only problem was lately; his fury had been directed at himself for volunteering to leave Thirteen. He ran his hands over his scalp and pulled his helmet on. He had been given direct instructions to keep his entire body covered while outdoors in case of enemy fire. 'Oh, Katniss,' he sighed to himself. 'I'm sorry for leaving you two. So sorry.' He closed his eyes and thought of the afternoon Gale and Haymitch found him waiting by the oak tree for Katniss.

"Hey kid," Haymitch walked carefully up to him. "We need to talk."

"Can we do it later? I'm expecting Katniss any minute now." Their days without camera crews around were their favorites. They had both decided it would be for the best if they didn't let on how far they had come in their relationship. The feeling of sheer happiness was still so new to them that neither one of them wanted to ruin it with cameras.

"She's not coming," Gale said quietly. "Her doctor is doing some sort of test on her, and she sent me here to tell you."

Peeta gave Gale a look of suspicion. "Haymitch?" He asked for confirmation.

"Nothing's wrong with her," Haymitch told him. "I talked to the doc and asked her to keep Katniss busy for a couple of hours while we met with Coin."

"Coin?" Peeta took a careful step towards Haymitch. "What's going on?" He asked through his narrow gaze.

"She's sending Katniss on a trip to one of the districts to film a propo," Gale told him.

"No," Peeta shook his head. "That's not possible."

"It is possible and it's happening, kid." Haymitch gripped Peeta's shoulder. "She's been released from the hospital, which means she's able to hold up her Mockingjay responsibilities."

"I..." his insides were trembling. "I had a deal with her. Katniss is to stay in Thirteen."

"Yeah," Haymitch ran his hand down his face. "Heard about that deal and I believe your terms with Coin were, while you're able, you'll be going off to film the propos." Haymitch shook his head back and forth the repeated, "While you're able, kid."

"And I'm not considered able bodied because I'm still a patient," Peeta could have killed himself for his stupidity in his choice of words while making his demands. "Are you sure she's sending her somewhere?" He asked in the hopes that he had heard them wrong.

"I was in the meeting room when it happened," Gale told him. "As soon as it was through I told Haymitch about it."

"And I went to Plutarch," Haymitch said. "That's when I found out about that deal you struck with Coin."

"So now what?" Peeta worried then answered his own question. "I need to get a medical release." He began storming back into the safety of District Thirteen's facility. "Gale, where are they sending her?"

"They mentioned One since it's been taken over by the rebels now and it was so important to the Capitol," Gale answered dejectedly.

"No," Peeta shook his head frantically. "There's no way in hell she's going anywhere. Haymitch," he glanced over his shoulder towards his mentor, "I'm going to need Regina, and we can't let Katniss find out or she'll insist on going in my place."

"Okay, kid."

"What's the plan, Peeta?" Gale asked.

"Time I flew this coop and took up my real role as the Jabberjay," he flashed Gale a glance, "don't you think?"

"'bout damn time." Gale jogged alongside of Peeta who was quickly picking up his pace. "What do you need me to do?"

"Stay out of it." Peeta hadn't meant for it to sound so rude. "Look, if Coin finds out you blabbed, she'll probably take it out on you, and Katniss would hate her even more, so trust me...stay out of it. Let me take care of this and go do...whatever it is you're supposed to be doing."

"You sure?" Gale asked with a furrowed brow.

"Positive," Peeta answered as they all stepped into the elevator.

"Then I'm off to Special Weaponry with Beetee." Gale pushed a button on the elevator's control panel. "See you two later," he said to them when they stepped out onto the hospital ward.

Peeta wasn't too thrilled with Gale going to Special Weaponry to work, and almost reconsidered letting him tag along. "Heard about that bomb of theirs?" He asked Haymitch.

"Just what you and Katniss told me."

"Kind of makes me wonder why they need to fill that second bomb with something. Like blowing people to bits isn't enough," Peeta still wasn't too sure what to make of Gale and was seriously rethinking his relationship with his former ally.

"Why don't we deal with one problem at a time?" Haymitch suggested as they headed towards the area Regina worked in. "I'll get the doc. You wait here," Haymitch left Peeta standing in the hallway out of Katniss' line of sight then came back out with Regina in tow.

"Does she know?" Peeta asked Haymitch who shook his head from side to side. "You need to release me from medical care so I can go out and film the propos," he said to his physician.

"That's not going to happen," Regina gave him a stern look. "You're not going anywhere."

"You want Katniss to go instead?" Peeta snapped quietly. "Because that's what's going to happen now that she's not checked into the hospital, and if you try and admit her again..." Peeta shook his head, "...we both know Coin won't be too pleased with you." He let the look to her swollen stomach speak for him.

"I can't do this, Peeta," She said quietly. "The longest you've gone without a flashback is thirty-six hours."

"Considering I was having them back to back for a while there, that's pretty good, don't you think?" Peeta said trying to encourage the doctor. "You can send me with a ton of those pen needles." Beetee had created a portable device that shot Peeta's medication into his system so Katniss could carry it on her at all times. She had only had to use it once on him, and Peeta breathed out a sigh of relief afterward when he knocked on the bathroom door finding that Katniss had barricaded herself inside of it in order to stay out of his path. "Regina, they can't send her and they will. Please?" He begged and pleaded, "Please don't let Katniss and Maysee be put in a dangerous position. Release me." He could tell it was a difficult decision for the physician that had become very close to both he and Katniss, but she finally caved in and brought him a signed document declaring him medically fit for service. "Thank you," he gave her an impulsive hug. "You're a life saver."

Walking into the Command Center with Haymitch behind him, Peeta felt a sense of anger, only this one wasn't a result of Snow's hijacking, but Coin's underhandedness. "Afternoon, ma'am," Peeta walked past the guard at the door and placed his medical release in front of her. "As you can see I'm ready to go to work as your Jabberjay. My doctor put the order in the computer system this afternoon." He took a seat at the table and said, "So...what's my first job?" The twitch in Coin's jaw almost made him smile with delight until she began to speak.

"Well, soldier...since you're obviously doing better, why don't we send you where we really need you? District Two is the last..."

Peeta listened to the president and felt his insides churn. Leaving for a day or two to film a propos was one thing, but abandoning Katniss for God knows how long was another story. When Haymitch volunteered to join Peeta, he had argued with his mentor, finally letting it drop when he realized that there'd be no stopping the man from going along. "When do I leave?" Peeta asked Coin with a stiff spine.

"I see no reason to wait," she placed a call down to Beetee. "We'll need you to suit up our Jabberjay, and prepare yourself for a trip to District Two."

"Yes, ma'am," Beetee's response came over a speaker.

"Justus," she spoke to Regina's husband who had been pouring over a computerized map. "You and your team will join Peeta." She paused for a second then added, "Bring soldier Hawthorne with you. The rest of Boggs' team will be staying back unless needed." Coin faced Peeta. "Am I to assume your wife is no longer fit for duty?"

"The girl can film while she's here if you need her to," Haymitch's hand on Peeta's shoulder told him to shut up. "Probably wouldn't look too good if she went into battle now that she's showing. That Mockingjay uniform doesn't really hide that baby bump of hers."

"I take it you'll inform her of this, Haymitch?"

"Yes, ma'am." He motioned for Peeta to follow him. "We'll be on our way."

"The hovercraft will leave as soon as soldier Mellark is ready," Coin gave Plutarch and his team a deadly stare.

"We'll be on our way then too," Plutarch stood from the comfort of his seat. "Fulvia, I'll need you to stay back with Cressida and a cameraman." Peeta and Haymitch left the room while Plutarch began leaving directions for his staff.

"I need to see Katniss," Peeta was about to push the button on the elevator that would take him to the hospital.

"Kid, I would wait until you're dressed and ready to go. Otherwise there's still a chance that she'll fly off the handle and rip Coin a new one," Haymitch's warning made way too much sense.

"I won't leave here without talking to her first, Haymitch."

"I ain't leaving without saying goodbye to Effie, so that's fine. We'll go together, but let's not stir the pot too soon."

Once he was dressed and given his orders to leave, he and Haymitch raced towards the hospital, each one going their own way. "Give Effie a kiss for me," Peeta called over his shoulder. "Tell her I love her and I'll see her soon."

"Same for Katniss," Haymitch called back.

"Where the heck have you..." Katniss stopped mid-sentence. Peeta could only assume it was because she noticed he was in full uniform. "Peeta?" Her brow arched in query.

"Katniss," he rushed to her side and took her hands in his. "I have to go. Coin...she's sending me to Two."

"No. No." Katniss began pacing back and forth and shaking her head, saying the words over and over again.

"I have to," Peeta talked over her, trying his best to explain. "Two needs soldiers and I've been released from the hospital so..."

"When the hell did that happen!?" She snapped her head towards him.

"While you were in with Regina," he answered, purposely leaving out the bit about talking their doctor into it for fear that Katniss would go off on her. "Since I'm better now I ca-."

"Better?" Katniss let out a huff of laughter. "Oh yeah, and who was that punching the chair last night while I was in the bathroom?"

"I stopped though," Peeta tried to hold onto her again, but she pulled away. "Right after you shot that stuff into me and ran into the bathroom, I stopped Katniss."

"I don't care!" She screamed. "You're not well enough to go anywhere yet!"

"I am, and I'm going," he countered as gently as possible. "Do you think I want to leave you?"

"I don't know, do you?" Her accusatory tone stabbed him in the heart.

"No, I don't. But I have to." He hated himself for not telling her the reason why, but Haymitch had been right. If Peeta had told Katniss the truth, she'd storm into Coin's Command Center and demand to go in his place. "Please understand, Katniss. We both have a job to do for this rebellion and it's time I do mine."

"Do it from here." She stood with her hands on her hips. "Don't go."

"I have to," he pulled her into a hug only to have her break his heart.

She gripped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him hard on the lips. "Stay with me?"

He knew what his response was supposed to be, but he couldn't say it. "Not this time, Katniss. I can't." He stepped away from her and headed towards the door. "I'm sorr-"

"Get out!" She threw a pillow at his head. "Go if you want to leave me so bad! Just go!"

He gave her one last parting look and closed the door behind him.

"Wake up, kid." Haymitch shook his shoulder. "You need to come inside. Gale figured out a way to take down the Nut."

…..

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"What's it called?" Katniss and Effie looked over the medical files Prim and Regina were showing them.

"P Zero X," Prim answered. "From what we can tell, it's a biological weapon that one of the scientists here was working on. We think the plan was to disperse it via the ventilation systems..."

"Like the smoke bombs they used during our rescue mission," Effie thought aloud.

"Yes," Regina added, "Only this isn't going to put you to sleep. It's supposed to cause some sort of disease that would..." she gave her head a shake before continuing, "...would cause the majority of people to be stricken down with flu like symptoms, only...that's not what happened." Regina scrolled through the files showing how many people had died within a short span of time. "Somehow during testing it filtered through the air ducts here in Thirteen, and many of them were plagued with a deadly pox. Those that did survive were left sterile."

"What's this called again?" Katniss asked through questioning eyes.

"P Zero X," Prim answered.

"Take a look at this," Katniss wrote out, P 0 X on a sheet of paper and pointed to it with the tip of her pen. "Pox," she spit the word out. "What the hell were they thinking?"

"They were thinking they needed to take down their enemy," Effie answered, "and the only way a small group like Thirteen could take out the masses in the Capitol is to get them all at once."

"She's right," Regina agreed. "I don't think they wanted to kill people. I think they wanted to send in a small group and plant devises throughout the Capitol, release the gas at once, and cause them all to fall ill. The symptoms they were going for would have caused even the largest of men to be weak in the knees."

"Once their enemy was down for the count, they could have easily invaded and removed Snow from power," Effie began pacing in tiny circles. "We're all too familiar with the Games, and when do the Gamemakers attack? When the tributes least expect it. When they're weak from lack of food...sleep...water... Why, that's their favorite time to announce a feast," Effie tapped at her lip with a fingertip. "That's what they were aiming for. Imagine, if you will, the Peacekeepers...government officials...Snow, all stricken with an illness that would, as you said Regina, bring them to their knees. How simple would it have been for the troops of Thirteen to enter and imprison their enemy? Why, they could have thrown people into cells and left them there...see who survived and offered them asylum."

Katniss' stomach started churning as she listened to Effie's probable tale. "Did they accidentally set it off here?"

"During a test run, one of the vents was left open," Prim searched through the files until she found the one that had answered all their questions. "See? It seeped through and they had to quarantine an entire section of Thirteen." She turned to Katniss, "I'm guessing it's that area you found."

"I wonder who the president was back then." Katniss asked. "I mean...I kind of got the impression that Coin has been in power for a while now."

"She wasn't in the quarantined section," Regina answered, "but her husband and daughter were." She pulled up their files. "Her daughter died almost twenty-four hours before her husband did."

Picturing Coin as a wife and mother was something Katniss had a difficult time doing. Then it struck her, "Coin probably put in the order for the testing and wound up getting her family killed in the process."

"That doesn't excuse her behavior, Katniss," Effie chided. "If anything, she should have had more mercy on you when you first got here."

"Yeah," Prim crossed her arms over her chest and agreed wholeheartedly with the woman she had once feared more than anything.

"I'm not excusing her," Katniss said disgustingly. "That woman has a few screws loose, but at least now I know why." She strolled towards a chair and said as she plopped down, "Like Beetee says...get in the mindset of your enemy."

"Don't say that too loud," Regina warned. "She has a great deal of supporters here regardless of what happened."

"Do you think they know the source of their pox?" Katniss asked.

"I think some know," Regina answered.

"Hmmm..." Effie lifted a finger, "but do they know she was the one who approved the testing?"

"I can find out," Katniss lifted her mouth in a conniving grin. "And we won't have to worry because the guy I'm thinking about asking was the first to bring up this whole pox thing to me." She thought about Dalton from district Ten, and said, "Hey Effie, you got dinner plans tonight?"

"I usually eat in my hospital room," she answered. "Why? Did you have something in mind?"

"Regina," Katniss strolled towards her doctor. "I think it's time Effie had dining hall privileges, don't you?"

"I think that's an excellent idea." Regina's smile matched Katniss'.

"Just follow me," Katniss said quietly to Effie as they carried their trays of food through the dining hall. "He's over there," she gestured with her chin towards Dalton. "Hey," Katniss plopped down next to him, Effie across, and Prim on the other side of Dalton. "Mind if we join you?"

"Of course not," he smiled at them. "Miss. Trinket, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Isn't that a nice thing to hear?" Effie said happily. "I'm afraid most people around here don't think very highly of me."

"That's crazy," Dalton assured her. "A lot of us know what you did to get Peeta out of the Capitol, and what you said during your interview with Flickerman saved many lives...takes a lot of courage to do something like that."

"Why thank you mister..."

"Call me Dalton," he stuck his hand out.

"Effie," she shook it in return.

"I was telling Effie about that..." Katniss checked to make sure no one was listening and whispered, "...pox epidemic. She's worried because I'm pregnant that something like that might happen again."

"I seriously doubt it," he answered quietly then motioned with his finger for them to lean in. "Rumor has it, one of their scientists did an experiment without authorization first and was going to be brought up on charges in front of Tribunal, but right before his trial he committed suicide. People here think he was distraught over all the damage he caused."

"Is that what you think?" Prim asked innocently.

"I think this district is good at keeping secrets," he answered. "But hey...what do I know? Could be I'm leery of trusting anyone after living under Snow's regime."

"Who isn't?" Katniss asked with a roll of her eyes. The rest of their meal was spent in casual conversation as they had gotten all they could out of Dalton without arousing suspicion. "Prim, go with mom and pops," Katniss noticed them standing up from one of the tables. "And don't..."

"Yeah, I know...don't tell mom." Prim gave her sister a hug goodbye. "Tell Peeta I love him when you talk to him."

Hearing her sister say the words 'I love you' so easily left Katniss feeling a bit envious. Sometimes it was like pulling teeth trying to get the words out of herself, even in the worst of times.

"Get out! She threw the first thing she could grab at Peeta as he stood in the doorway before he left for District Two. "Go if you want to leave me so bad! Just go!" When he shut the door behind him, Katniss screamed out, "You promised you wouldn't leave me!" Then she knocked over the chair she had been sitting on. "Damn you, Peeta," she cried through her anger. She leaned up against the wall of the hospital room Peeta had been staying in and squeezed her eyes shut. "How could you do this to me...to us?" She reached down and cupped her stomach. "I hate you," she mouthed and almost sobbed until the door creaked and she was getting ready to throw something else at Peeta's head. "Gale," she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to say goodbye. I'm off to Two." He eyed her up. "Do I need to duck here, Catnip?"

She looked down at her hand clutching a plastic container full of cotton balls. "Oh...uh, I thought you were Peeta." She set the jar back on the counter.

"Do you always look like you're going to hurl something at his head? Or was that just for my benefit?" He gave her a boyish smile.

"Shut up," she wiped a hand under her nose. "So you're going to Two, huh?"

"Yeah. Guess Coin figured out I was the one that told Haymitch and Peeta about your mission since the rest of my unit is staying behind." Gale walked towards her, "Well, I should go. I'm running late as it is and..."

"What do you mean my mission?" Katniss picked up on what she was sure Gale wasn't supposed to mention. "Was it me? Was I the one that was supposed to go?"

"Hey, look..." Gale flustered, "...I don't want to get in the middle of this thing."

"Oh my God, that's it, isn't it?" It was the only reason she could think of that Peeta would have been released from medical care. "Regina," came out in a low growl. "Where is she?"

"Okay...well, see ya, Catnip," Gale turned and headed down the hall.

"Wait!" Katniss ran the few steps after him, and threw her arms around him. "Watch him for me, Gale. And take care of yourself too, okay?"

"I will. You take care of..." he glanced down and let out a small chuckle, "...that thing that's taken over your body."

"Oh, shut up," she gave his arm a soft slug. "Bye."

"Bye, Catnip."

She stood in the hallway and watched as Gale's back disappeared, and a camera crew rounded the corner. She let out a disgusted grunt and knew she had to find her doctor before they caught up with her. "You," she pointed at Regina. "You released him when you knew..."

"Come here, Katniss." Regina dragged her by the arm into an empty room away from the camera that was quickly barreling towards them. "Don't you dare point a finger at me. Do you think it was easy for me to do such a thing? Do you think I'm thrilled with this? My husband is on that hovercraft right next to yours, so don't you dare come in here and start accusing me of anything without knowing the entire story."

"Justus got sent?" Katniss knew what that meant. "Lavinia's gone too, huh?"

"Yes," Regina said with a shaky voice and strong jaw. "I'm sure anyone we care about is on that damn hovercraft, including Haymitch."

"Why would she do this?" Katniss didn't need to say Coin's name for Regina to understand.

"Because she needs to win a war," Regina said on a heavy sigh. "It was either you or Peeta, Katniss. How could I have allowed you to leave Thirteen knowing what might be out there waiting for you?" She gave Katniss a look of sorrow. "At least your daughter is safe. That's all he wanted, Katniss. Was to make sure you and the baby stayed safe."

It took her a second to come to her senses, but when she did, Katniss turned on her heels and started to run towards the Hangar hoping that she'd make it there before Peeta's craft lifted off.

"Katniss look here," Effie pointed to a passage in one of the history books she was reading, pulling Katniss from her reverie. "This books talks about presidential elections."

Effie's last two words peaked Katniss' interest. "Elections?"

"Yes," Effie answered and sat next to Katniss on the hospital bed. "Apparently they had a system known as electoral votes, which made absolutely no sense to me," Effie said with a slight wave of the hand. "Then it was changed to a majority vote. People from the nation would enter in their choice for a leader once every six years. It used to be four, but they changed that too," Effie said offhandedly. "I wonder how President Coin feels about this electoral process."

"I wonder if that's why no one here has ever seen these books." Katniss said, and then wished Effie a goodnight before sneaking down to the quarters she set up for her and Peeta.

…..

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"Come on...come on..." Katniss was tapping her foot and pushing the elevator's button over and over again. "Move it!" The second the doors opened she jumped inside, not caring in the least that she was being filmed and pounded her fist into the button that would take her to the Hangar. "Please don't be gone yet," she chanted over and over to herself as the elevator moved at a snail's pace.

The walls of the hovercraft felt like they were closing in on Peeta. It reminded him too much of the crafts that he had ridden on with Portia before going into the catacombs and being sent into the arena. As if on cue he heard a voice say, "Are you ready, Peeta?"

"Huh?" He looked around to see who was talking, but everyone had been in their own little conversations leaving him to his thoughts.

Then he heard it again, only this time it was Portia and she was standing in his room at the Capitol before the first Games, "Are you ready, Peeta?"

"I didn't tell her," Peeta mumbled to himself. "I didn't tell her," he said louder with fear in his eyes. "I...I need to get off," He unbuckled his seatbelt and made for the closed door of the hovercraft. "Let me off!"

"Peeta, you must sit down," Plutarch spoke firmly to him as the craft began to roll.

"No! Noooo!" He pounded on the door.

"Are we sure he's all right?" Plutarch asked Haymitch.

"What's wrong boy?" Haymitch got up and tried to usher Peeta back to his seat.

"Please, Haymitch. I didn't tell her...I have to tell her," his heart was pounding a mile a minute. "Please?" He begged.

"Hurry...Hurry," Katniss' legs were shaking as she bit nervously at her bottom lip. She lifted her hands to her face and brushed away the tears that had been silently falling from her eyes, damning herself for being so stupid and letting Peeta walk out of the hospital thinking she was mad at him.

"I swear Plutarch, you stop this craft and you'll get one hell of a propos out of it," Peeta had no choice but to use the cameras to his advantage.

The excited quirk of the former Gamemakers' brow sent a thrill through Peeta, as did his order to the pilot, "Stop the hovercraft." Plutarch faced Peeta and said, "You've only got a few minutes so I suggest you hurry..." the steps let out into the Hangar and Peeta took off. "Follow him," Plutarch yelled at his cameramen.

"Katniss. Katniss." Peeta said her name with each footfall against the hard tarmac, rushing towards the elevator. "Come on...please hurry." He pushed the button over and over again, and then said, "I'm taking the stairs!" He made long strides down the hall and then the sound of his name had him stopping just short of the doorway. "Katniss," he breathed out her name and turned to find her standing on the opposite end of the corridor.

"Peeta," she called to him and raced as fast as her feet would take her into his arms.

"Katniss," He scooped her up and flattened his lips against hers. "I love you, Katniss. I love you."

"I love you too," she pressed her lips against his in a frantic kiss. "I love you so much."

"I had to tell you," he spoke between frenzied lips.

"Me too. I'm so…" She tried to say she was sorry, but his mouth captured hers and his hand held her head in place.

Their hurried kiss slowed down. Their arms wrapped around each other's bodies. Heads tilted to the side as they both opened their eyes to take in as much as they could with what little time they had.

"I love you," he pulled slightly away from her. "I am so in love with you."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that again," She pulled him close to her. "Peeta, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Shh," he ran his hand down the back of her head. "I know why you did."

"And I know why you're going," she said with sorrow in her eyes, and then dropped her head. When she lifted her face to his there were no more tears. Being strong was what he needed.

The second Katniss lifted her eyes to his; he could see the fire inside of them. "That's my girl," he cupped her cheeks and pressed a hard kiss against her lips. "That's my girl." He gripped her tightly to his chest. "You make sure to stay busy."

"I will, and you stay alive," She pressed a kiss into his ear. "Come back to us, okay?"

"Just try and stop me," he gave her another kiss before telling her, "When I get back...we're going to make it official again. Just you and me."

"Just you and me," Katniss said with a nod. "Mr. and Mrs. Mellark."

"Gotta go, boy!" Haymitch's bellow called to them.

"I've got to go," he kissed her again.

"Tell Plutarch he better let you make calls to me," Katniss held her hand out to him...their fingertips were barely touching. "Wait," she moved closer to him and pressed her hand against his heart.

They both knew the camera was filming them, yet neither of them gave a damn.

"One," he mouthed and ran her braid through his hand.

"Two," she mouthed back and held her chin high with pride as his heartbeat sang to her.

"Three," their free hands moved downward...their fingers linked together over their child in an unbreakable bond.

"I love you," she mouthed.

"I love you," he mouthed back. "Both of you, more than you'll ever know." He placed a soft, lingering kiss against her lips.

She gave him a nod and took a painstaking step backwards.

He nodded back and turned heading straight for the waiting hovercraft.

One camera filmed Katniss watching Peeta leave with a great deal of pride in her stance, but what it didn't see was the emotional turmoil inside her heart.

Another camera captured Peeta as he stood next to a tiny window inside of the departing hovercraft with his palm flattened against it, staring at his wife and child. "I love you," he mouthed to her once more and hoped she would continue to feel his love from across the nation.