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

17. A Plan For the Future

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

By: Jamie Sommers

Chapter Sixteen: A Plan For the Future

When we last left our band of rebels, Peeta got shot on live television. We found out about Effie's upbringing and that Coin may have been the one to turn in Justus.

Please allow me to say thank you to all of you that wait so patiently for my chapters, and ask me to update. It makes me grin like the dickens when I get those messages. I'd update everyday if I could. On the bright side I am feeling much better and have been able to write more. I would also like to say hello to one of the nurses that took care of me in the hospital. Turns out she's a fan fiction reader and follows my stories. Thank you for taking such good care of me!

Thanks to my betas S and A who never let me down and always keep me on my toes. They are the best!

Since writing these stories I have had requests to continue with them after Mockingjay: BW ends and I have decided to do a series of one shots giving you glimpses into the lives of the survivors. Who they are...? I have also started writing my newest story, Courting Katniss and can't wait to get that one posted. For those of you who follow MJ:BW Outtakes, chapter three has been posted.

Please follow me on tumblr for updates and previews to my stories. www dot jamiesommers23 dot tumblr dot com

Now, let's go into the world of...

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

"You had to go and be the damn Jabberjay, didn't you?" Gale was pissed as hell at Peeta for disobeying Coin's orders. "Hope you're happy now. If you die you've got no one to blame but yourself." He didn't know when it happened, but some time in the past couple of weeks he and Peeta had gone from barely tolerating each other, to almost friends and back to their mutual disdain for one another. Though Gale didn't want to admit it, he knew his feelings were based on Katniss. He thought he had gotten over her, and then a bullet grazed his arm and Gale was faced with his own mortality. That's when he came to the realization that he had to give it one more shot. He had to put his heart out there and ask Katniss for a chance, but now that Peeta had been injured, Gale didn't think he'd ever be able to compete with him.

Peeta wanted to tell Gale to go to hell, that the reason he got shot was because of Gale's hatred. 'Gale's hatred,' Peeta thought to himself. 'He had been hard when you first got here, but nothing like this. What happened Gale? When did you start to hate people in general?' Peeta was desperate for answers but his mind kept floating in and out of consciousness.

There had been too many attempts on the Nut. The entrances to the mountain were impenetrable and a waste of precious ammunition, more importantly, soldiers. Peeta watched as the leader of the rebel forces in Two motioned for them to fall out. There would be no victory today, only wounded soldiers and a mountain of frustration as large as the Nut itself. With every ounce of his energy sapped Peeta collapsed onto the floor of the rebel's bunker. "Seen my sketchpad?" He asked Haymitch who had been barking orders in his ear during the attack.

"No, but I'll have someone find it for ya kid. Why don't you try to get some rest in the meantime?" Haymitch's hand on his shoulder was meant to be reassuring, but Peeta had no desire to be touched by anyone.

'If she were here you'd let her touch you,' he thought about Katniss. 'That's because she takes the hurt away.' He closed his eyes and let himself imagine a life with her and their daughter, only to be stricken with images of the Games. Not his, but someone else's. He turned to the woman in charge, Lyme and watched her carefully, remembered her movements while in battle, and realized that he was in the presence of another victor. He could see her winning her Games over a generation ago. A tall, muscular girl that excelled in the arena. Faces filled his head...Cato...Clove, their lust for blood during his Games...their hatred of Katniss. 'I tried to protect you,' he remembered joining the Careers in order to keep Katniss safe. Peeta started when he felt someone nudge at his arm.

"Here," Gale held out Peeta's sketchpad to him and a container holding his pencils. "Haymitch said you were looking for this."

"Yeah. Thanks," he took it from Gale and flipped through the pages. "Did you look through it?"

Gale took a seat on the ground next to him. "Nope." He dipped a canteen of water up taking a swig of it, then wordlessly offered it to Peeta.

"No thanks," Peeta was thirsty, but the thought of sharing a drink with Gale didn't sit right with him. "There's a picture of your sister in here." He had no clue why he said it. Starting a conversation with Gale wasn't on his top ten things to do list either. Since being in Two they had shared limited discussions with one another, stood side by side in battle, but their friendship had yet to be rekindled. "I didn't know who I was sketching...thought it was just an image of a girl, but then Katniss said it was Posy." Peeta flipped the page open and showed Gale a sketch of Posy sitting on a dining room chair, with her elbows on the table and her face propped in her hands. The smile she wore was encircled with a ring of chocolate.

Gale reached for the sketchpad and let out a little gust of laughter. "That was the night we spent at your house before you and Katniss left for the Quell." Seeing his sister sent a surge of longing through Gale. He missed his family, but he had to push those feelings aside in order to stay on task. He flipped the pages closed and stopped when he saw a sketch of himself on reaping day holding up three fingers. "Do you remember this day?" He asked Peeta.

"Bits and pieces," Peeta looked at the sketch then turned away from it. When he had drawn the picture in the middle of the night a couple of weeks ago, he had intended to sketch one of the soldiers that stood guard outside his door every night, but his fingers had a mind of their own and he wound up with a sketch of Gale. "I remember you doing that," he jerked his head towards the sketch. "I remember volunteering for Haymitch, and being ushered onto the train." He began talking in a low voice as he pulled up the memories of his final reaping day. "Katniss was crying...she was sick. They brought her lamb stew to eat and she ran into the bathroom so she could throw up. I was afraid she had the flu." He lifted the corner of his mouth in a tiny grin. "She was pregnant."

Gale rested his head back and handed Peeta's sketchpad to him. "Still can't believe she was hiding that for so long." Something inside of him bristled at the thought of Katniss keeping it from him. "She could have trusted me...told me. I wouldn't have said anything."

"I don't think trust comes very easily for her." Peeta tucked his pad under his leg. "She's been burned too many times."

"Yeah...well...she's never kept anything like that from me before," Gale said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Yes she has." Peeta's eyes flew open as he remembered an argument he had with Katniss about Gale. "She didn't tell you about us." His brain was working in overdrive. "I was jealous of you...wanted you to know that we had been dating and..." he pressed his fingers to his temple in an attempt to draw the memory out, "...and... Geez," his eyes read surprise. "We were going to tell you on reaping day...tell everyone, but Effie called out Prim's name...my name, and..." the memory faded to black. "That's all I remember."

"You don't remember your Games?" Gale asked with a look of inquisition.

"No. I do...most of it, just not my time with her in the Capitol or the cave." He let out a little laugh. "I can remember Effie though."

"Snow really screwed up with that one." Gale's lips hinted at a smile. "If he had known about you and Effie...you would have never gotten out alive."

"Neither would she." Peeta sat for a moment and asked, "How long?"

"How long...what?" Gale thought maybe Peeta was losing it again when he saw the look the guy had in his eyes.

"How long were you in love with Katniss?"

Gale looked away, unsure of what to say. "Peeta you know she and I have never done anything...had any sort of relationship outside of being friends, right?"

"That's what she says." And Peeta believed her, but there was a whole world of doubt still lingering inside of him when it came to Gale. "Now I want to know what you have to say. Was it all one sided? Did she ever have any feelings for you?"

"Don't know." Gale nervously ran his hands up and down his legs. "I thought she did when I kissed her in Thirteen, but..."

"You did what?" Peeta turned to him with accusation in his eyes. "You kissed her after we were married?"

"Actually, she was the one that kissed me," Gale thought it best to clear the air. "Thing is...I don't think it was me she was kissing. I think..." even at the time he had his suspicions, but now he was pretty sure, "...I think she thought I was you. When she pulled away from me all she kept asking for was you, saying that you were just there. She didn't know what the hell was going on."

"And still you let her kiss you?" Peeta's feelings for Gale were growing stronger, except the emotions he felt were far from friendly. "We used to be friends. Real or not real?" Peeta asked wondering how Gale would respond.

Had he been Peeta's friend? Gale wondered if the camaraderie between them had simply been out of respect because the guy tried to protect him during his whipping, or because he constantly put his life on the line for Katniss' well-being. "Not real," Gale answered as honestly as he could. "I don't think you and I ever really made it to that point. I mean...I had a lot of respect for you...for what you were willing to do for Katniss, but I don't think we would've just hung out with each other on my day off for shits and giggles."

"Guess that explains why you have no regard for the vows Katniss and I took." Peeta slapped at the ground, grabbed his sketchpad and walked outside, ignoring Haymitch's warning call to him about covering his head. He was expecting anger...that rage that had become as familiar to him as the sound of his voice, yet there was none. Instead he felt hurt...betrayed. "We were friends," he mumbled to himself.

"Peeta...listen..." Gale felt the need to explain things to him. He had been the root of too many problems when it came to Katniss and Peeta. Where once before he wouldn't have given a damn if they broke up because of him...hell, he would've reveled in it, now he hated himself for being the source of their troubles. "Katniss...she never..."

"You lied to me," Peeta pointed at him. "You said not real...that's a lie."

Gale's focus wandered to a nearby tree and stayed there. Facing Peeta was a little too difficult. "We weren't friends. We were...acquaintances."

"Bull shit," Peeta hollered at him. "Why can't you admit it? I can't stand you...can barely remember a freaking thing from my life, but you...I remember talking with you after you got home from the mines. I remember..." he looked down at his right hand, "...taking a whip for you," his voice softened. "Now why would I do that if you weren't my friend?"

"Because that's the kind of person you are," Gale's eyes finally met Peeta's. "You always put others first. I hated you, and still you brought bread to my family...brought my brothers and sister cookies and muffins. You fed my family. Hired my mother to do your laundry, even though I know you and Katniss washed your own clothes, just so we could have enough money." Saying these things about Peeta reminded Gale why he had lifted his three fingers on reaping day. "You care about people, Peeta. That's just who you are."

"And you never once thought of me as your friend?"

"No," Gale admitted. "I did."

"So you lied to me in there," he pointed to the bunker.

Gale blew out a breath and said, "Maybe...I guess." He ran a hand through his hair and said, "You gotta understand here...thinking of you like that makes me feel like..."

"A piece of shit?" Peeta cut him off. "Because that's how I'd feel if I made a move on my friend's wife."

"I wasn't thinking. All I knew was that Katniss made it out of the Capitol alive, and no one knew where you were. If you were even alive for that matter." He continued without skipping a beat, "I had just survived the bombings of Twelve...faced death, and when she said I love you I thought she was..."

"She said what!?" Peeta's eye bulged out of his head.

"I'm telling you, man...she thought I was you." It had been Gale's first clue when he rehashed his thoughts of that kiss with Katniss. "She always thought of you," he said as though his heart had been broken. "The first time I kissed her," he got a far off look in his eye as he thought of that afternoon in the woods with Katniss, "she kissed me back, but then she touched my hair and it was like something in her head clicked. She yanked away from me and ran..."

"Into the woods," Peeta remembered the recording Snow had showed him. "I thought that was me. Snow he...he did something with the surveillance footage and replaced your image with mine."

"Nope. That was me." Gale toed at the ground. "That's when she told me that she loved you."

Peeta blew out a breath and ran a hand over his head, then pulled on his helmet. "Gale...I need you to tell me the truth. Tell me about you and Katniss...me and you. I need to remember."

Gale nodded at him and motioned for them to go back into the bunker. "Where do you want me to start?"

"When did you start falling in love with her?" Peeta asked.

"Right around the time she started dating you." Gale squatted in the corner of the bunker away from the other rebels. "Catnip changed," he looked at Peeta. "I mean she was still the same, but there was something more...girly about her," he let out a little chuckle. "That's right around the time you two started sneaking around behind everyone's backs."

Peeta sat next to Gale and listened to stories about Katniss...about himself, and all of them included the guy he was sure he could live the rest of his life without. "You two were really close before I came into the picture, weren't you?"

Gale's face transformed from serious to childlike. "Yeah. I like to think we still are, but for some reason I don't think that's an accurate assessment of our friendship anymore."

"Because of me," Peeta knew that was why Katniss had kept her distance from Gale, and Gale confirmed it with a nod of his head. "That's not very fair on my part, is it?"

"It's not really your fault, Peeta." Gale couldn't lie. He missed Katniss. His next statement took not only Peeta by surprise, but Gale as well. "Until we started talking out here, I hadn't realized how much I missed having you around." He glimpsed at Peeta. "I hated you for a long time."

Peeta let out a snort of laughter. "Yeah, I hate you too."

"I didn't say I still hated you."

"You didn't have to," Peeta thumbed at the pages of his sketchpad. "We should probably try and fix that." He paused before saying, "For Katniss' sake."

"Think we can?" Gale actually hoped that he and Peeta could find a common ground again.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Gale. I don't like you."

Gale's laugh caused several people to turn and face him. "I wish I could say the same for you, but...damn...you're a good guy. It's hard to hate someone like you."

"I should probably say, you're a good guy too, but...Gale," he turned to face him head on, "I don't really know you that well. I mean I have memories of you, but they're counteracted by the ones Snow implanted."

"Oh...well...in that case," Gale said with humor in his voice, "I'm an exceptionally kind human being. I rescue puppies from burning buildings. Help old women cross the street, and weep every time I shoot an arrow at game. The guilt over shooting a squirrel weighs heavily upon my heart." Both Peeta and Gale chuckled. "Look man, you'll figure it out eventually."

"Why did you say we weren't friends earlier?"

"We shared a few laughs...talked some, but is that really the basis of a friendship?"

"Sounds like the exact definition of friendship to me," Peeta answered. "Did you trust me?"

"Yeah," Gale scratched at his head. "It's hard not to trust a guy that stands up and takes a whip for you."

"It's easier to hate me than like me." To his surprise, this was what Peeta was doing with Gale. "Liking you is going to take some work on my part."

Gale stuck his hand out. "I'm sorry Peeta. I crossed some lines with Katniss that should have never been crossed, and you've got my word I'll never do anything like that again."

Peeta stared at Gale's outreached hand and shook it. "I appreciate that, and...I'm sorry for kicking your ass."

"Thought you already apologized for that," Gale laughed. "And you didn't kick my ass. It was a mutual ass kicking."

"Yeah," Peeta chuckled. "Keep telling yourself that." He confessed to Gale, "I didn't mean that apology when we were in the remake room. I just said it because it was the right thing to do, but I mean this one. I really am sorry for hitting you."

"I didn't mean my apology that day either," Gale admitted. "And I was about five seconds away from throwing a punch at you anyway." He got into as comfortable a position as possible, and said, "And you did not kick my ass."

"Yes, I did." Peeta grinned and rested his head against the wall. "I whooped you...baaaaad."

"Kiss my ass, Peeta," Gale joked.

"I mean...that's the kind of story you tell your grand kids." He pretended he was addressing them at that moment. "See that guy that cowers every time he's near me? I beat the crap out of him over your grandma. Now whenever he sees me he's as scared as a liiiiittle mouse."

"Don't believe your grandfather. He's been given drugs by the Capitol and has lost his mind," Gale countered with humor in his voice.

"And yet I still kicked your ass." Both Peeta and Gale let out a loud burst of laughter.

Gale almost felt guilt over Peeta getting shot, but then realized that it was more concern over what Katniss would say to him. "If you die, she's gonna kill me, so do me a favor and don't die until you're on the operating table." It didn't matter what he had said to Peeta about keeping his hands off of Katniss, Gale was going to break his word to Peeta the moment he laid eyes on her.

Peeta wanted to tell Gale he wasn't planning on dying at all, but at the moment, he felt like he was on his way to a slow and painful death. His last thought before losing consciousness was that he no longer wanted Gale to take care of Katniss and his daughter. He didn't want them to live with the darkness that consumed Gale from the inside out.

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Johanna stared at her morphling drip with disgust, wishing she could increase her dosage, and wanting to rip the tube out of her arm all at the same time. Being dependent on something...anything wasn't her style, and the morphling had become a crutch for her. "Son of a bitch," she mumbled to herself as she rolled onto her side in her dark hospital room. They had all been waiting to hear about the battle in District Two. Though Johanna wasn't too keen on showing concern for Peeta, for anyone really, she like everyone else, was waiting as patiently as she could for an update.

"Johanna?" Peeta's dad knocked on her door and entered her room. "There's a live feed of Peeta on television," he spoke the instant she made eye contact with him. "Just thought you'd want to know."

"I'm sitting on the edge of my seat," she mumbled and contemplated what to do next for all of a second. "Shit," her bare feet hit the floor and she walked into the room where they were all gathered around the television screen. "Where's Katniss and Effie?" Johanna didn't believe for one second that they'd miss seeing Peeta do a live propos.

"Effie's in the Command Center, and the last time I saw Katniss she was in her quarters," Prim answered.

"Hey kid," Johanna nudged her. "Do you ever sleep?" She had noticed Katniss' sister Prim had been in the hospital all night long.

"Not tonight," Prim answered as they watched Peeta come up on an injured man.

The hatred was evident in the man's eyes as he held a gun up to Peeta, and Johanna despised the fact that she actually gave a damn about whether or not Buns got shot. She didn't want to care about Peeta or Katniss, yet she did and it made her sick to her stomach. She had done so well for years, pushing people away. 'And now two sappy brats are making you worry,' she thought to herself. She listened to Peeta's little speech thinking that the title Jabberjay suited him quite well. Smiled a little when he mentioned Hagar, and then felt an enormous amount of rage course through her when she watched Peeta get shot and crumple to the ground.

"Peeta!" Several of the people in the room yelled at the same time.

"No," Peeta's dad stumbled backward into a wall.

"Son of a bitch!" Johanna's hands balled into fists. "Shit! Shit! SHIIIIIIT!" She kicked at an empty chair sending it soaring across the room.

Everyone began speaking at once, staring intently at the television screen, looking for any signs of life from Peeta, and getting none.

"Can you tell if he's breathing?"

"Someone get him out of there."

"Get up, Peeta. Get up."

"Oh my God," Prim squeaked out. "Katniss." Her worried expression met the pregnant doctor who was constantly nagging at Johanna about her morphling usage.

"She's wearing her monitor. If something went wrong with her, the alarm would have sounded," the Capitol doctor said calmly.

"You sure she's wearing it?" Johanna asked. "The girl hates being monitored as much as I do." It wouldn't have surprised Johanna in the least if Katniss ditched the bracelet they made her wear.

"She's wearing it," her mother said as though she were positive. "Katniss wouldn't risk going without it. She's determined to do what's right for the baby."

"I would feel better if she were being monitored here in the hospital though," Regina said. "Prim, let's get this room situated for multiple patients. I'm sure Effie wouldn't mind sharing her space with Katniss."

"And me," Johanna took a seat. "Might as well keep us all together, right? It'll be easier than you having to run all over the hospital." The fact was, Johanna didn't want to be kept out of the loop, and she hated being alone. Since Finnick and Annie got checked out of the hospital, she was bored out of her mind and did nothing but stay sedated, get paranoid as a result of the morphling and sleep. "What the hell!?" Johanna yelled at the television screen when the live transmission from District Two went dead.

"Don't worry," Regina pulled some linens from a closet, "we'll have an update on Peeta soon enough. I'm sure if he was seriously injured they would tell us something." She turned her focus to the phone and stared, waiting along with everyone else in the room, for the thing to ring.

"I'm going to find Katniss," Johanna announced, unable to stay put and do nothing. "I'm outta here doc," she almost dared the physician to stop her. 'Come on, Buns. Be alive. I swear to God if you get killed after all that shit we went through...' Johanna hated the thoughts that were assaulting her brain until a comforting thought of Peeta in his Jabberjay uniform popped into her head.

"Quick," Johanna's eyes were darting from side to side the second she burst through Peeta's hospital room door. "Hide me."

"Hey! I'm changing!" Peeta scolded her then asked, "Why am I hiding you?"

"Sweet Jesus, Peeta! Just hide me!" Johanna didn't have time to explain.

"Okay," he opened up the long skinny closet that held his clothes and spare linens. "Get in and I'll pull this stuff over you." His head quickly turned towards the noise outside his hospital room door. "Are they looking for you?"

"Yeah," Johanna squeezed into the tiny closet. "Don't you dare tell them where I am," she warned him before Peeta pulled his clothes and linens in front of her.

"Excuse me, Peeta," a nurse entered the room with four guards behind her. "Have you seen Johanna Mason?"

"Today?" There was a long pause before Peeta said, "Nope. Haven't seen her since dinner last night."

"Would you mind if we took a look around?" Johanna heard a masculine voice ask.

Peeta let out a little chuckle, "Think I'm stashing her under the bed or something? Katniss would have something to say about that." There was no noise for a few seconds then Peeta said, "Make it quick, will ya? I need to get changed." Then Johanna's heart stopped when the closet door opened up. Peeta reached in and grabbed a change of clothes then shut the door almost all the way, "Sorry...did you need me to open this up so you could look inside?"

"I could see that there was no one in there," the male voice answered. After a few seconds he said, "Any sign of her in the bathroom?"

"No," a deeper voice answered.

"What's going on? Why are you looking for Johanna?" Peeta asked.

"Miss. Mason may have to be brought in front of the president, and no one can seem to find her," the sound of the nurse's voice filtered through the tiny opening in the closet door.

"Damn...what the hell did a petite sprite of a woman who was beaten within an inch of her life do that requires four of Thirteen's soldiers to search for her, and a visit with the president?"

"We believe she may have taken off with something that should be in President Coin's possession."

"Well, if I see her, or the item...What is it she might have stolen?" Peeta asked.

There was complete silence until one of them said, "An ear of corn."

Johanna had to clap her hand over her mouth when she heard Peeta's laughter fill the room. "You have got to be kidding me!" He laughed even harder. "Four guards and a meeting with Coin over an ear of corn!?"

"Stealing food is a serious crime here in Thirteen Peeta," the nurse said to him. "We cannot overlook such things."

"How do you even know she was the one that stole it?" Peeta asked. "Do you have proof?"

"The president's tray was on the delivery cart, and Miss. Mason was seen standing next to it."

"Oh, well..." Peeta's sarcastic tone had Johanna wanting to crack up, "...where's the firing squad? A pox upon Mason's head!" Johanna stuffed a shirt into her mouth to prevent herself from laughing out loud. "Might I suggest you four get another ear of corn and leave Johanna alone. She's been through enough hell." Johanna heard footsteps then listened as Peeta said, "Take mine. In fact, you can have the whole damn tray of food if you'll forget this ever happened." Again there was silence. "Are you telling me none of you would like a little extra food for once? My lips will be sealed if you five can act like none of this happened."

There was some rustling noises, and then the sound of a door closing. Johanna waited until Peeta opened up the closet and stared at her. "What?" She threw her hands up in the air as she stepped over a couple of spare pillows. "I was hungry."

"Stealing the president's lunch, Johanna? Not too smart." Peeta sat on the edge of his bed and took his boots off. "Katniss told me that they beat the hell out of her prep team because Octavia took a piece of bread from the dining hall. I'd be careful if I were you."

Johanna rolled her eyes, looked around the room and saw Peeta's empty lunch tray, knowing he had given up his afternoon meal for her and stared at him as he got his clothes together. She sat on the edge of his bed and enjoyed the view until he realized she was watching him. "It's not like I haven't seen you in your skivvies or anything," Johanna teased. "Feel free to strip down to nothing if you like," she suggested a little too eagerly.

"I'm going in the bathroom." He snatched up his clothes and left her alone for a few minutes. When he returned his black uniform was hung up on several different hangers, and he carried a boot box. "You're lucky Katniss didn't come walking in here while I was changing. She'd have kicked your ass."

"She could try," Johanna played with one of the panels on his uniform. "All I'd have to do is push her over and she'd be stuck on her back like a turtle." She made a pawing motion at the air.

"She's barely showing, Johanna."

"Still," she gave her shoulder a shrug, "sounds like fun to me." She narrowed her gaze. "What is all of this shit on here?" She pointed to the uniform.

"Layer upon layer of protection." Peeta opened the boot box up and told Johanna about the special grip on the soles, the way they formed to his feet and how they were heat and ice resistant. "The actual uniform has so many weapons built into it," he blew out a breath, "sometimes I get worried I might accidentally stab myself."

"You've got knives on here?" She felt one of the sleeves.

"Yup, along with a gun barrel, star shaped blades, rope, cuffs, gas mask...you name it, I've got it." Peeta lifted the thing up and placed it on his bed. "Beetee's supposed to come back for it. They don't like it when we keep them."

"We?" Johanna asked. "Katniss has one too...like yours?"

"Not like mine. Hers has just as much protection, probably more than mine because of the baby, but she doesn't have the weapons I do that go with my gauntlets. She's got her own bow and arrows."

"What kind of protection?"

"Cinna and Portia designed these things so they could withstand pretty much anything." Peeta gave his head a little nod, "Hey Beetee." Johanna turned to see their former ally enter Peeta's room. "I was just telling Johanna here about my uniform."

"Spectacular, isn't it?" Beetee asked as he hung it on a mobile garment rack next to a smaller version which Johanna presumed was Katniss'.

Johanna mocked Beetee behind his back for Peeta's benefit, "Oh yes, it's graaaand." And was rewarded with an eye roll and smile from Peeta. "So, this thing will keep him safe?" She lifted the pant leg from his uniform up and let it drop back down.

"Yes indeed," Beetee answered.

"What if he gets shot?" Johanna asked.

"It will deflect the bullets," Beetee answered.

"Set on fire?"

"It's fireproof."

"Dropped into a vat of ice cold water?"

"Once he pulls his headgear on, he can withstand it as long as his carbon dioxide converter stays intact."

"Blown up!" Johanna turned on her heels as though trying to catch Beetee in a lie.

"He should be able to withstand the charge from a traditional grenade without so much as a scratch."

"Holy shit, kid. You're indestructible," Johanna grinned at him. "You're gonna have to let me borrow that some time. I need to acquire some...things around here and could use the protection."

"Oh, that would never work," Beetee missed Johanna's sarcasm completely. "The uniforms are designed for Katniss and Peeta specifically."

"Guess I'll have to risk it without the body armor." Johanna sat on the edge of Peeta's bed and waited for Beetee to leave. "That guy has no sense of humor whatsoever."

"Remember when he was going to do stand up comedy for the Gamemakers?" Peeta let out a chuckle. "Could you imagine?"

"That would go over as well as you painting a picture of a dead tribute buried in flowers for them." Johanna smacked the side of her head. "Oh, wait a minute...you did do that."

"Shut up, Johanna." Peeta sat next to her and asked, "So, what is it that you need to acquire?"

"Food," she answered.

"Is that it?"

"Hell yes," she answered without skipping a beat.

"Hmm," Peeta gave her a little nod. "Sure you don't want to get the ashes of a particular Peacekeeper?"

"Bite me," she got up and glared at Peeta, hating the fact that he could see through people so easily. "She's got him in a storage closet. He might have been a Peacekeeper, but he doesn't deserve that."

"Who doesn't deserve what?" Katniss asked from the doorway.

"Nothing," Johanna answered.

"Steven Tanner," Peeta answered.

"Oh," Katniss nodded. "I could steal his ashes the next time I go on a little tour of the facility if you want, Johanna," Katniss offered.

Johanna let out a sniff of laughter. "Sure, and I'll just tuck him under my pillow." She let out a disgusted noise and said, "You two might get all sappy over shit like that, but not me. He's dead. Can't do a damn thing for him now, and he sure as hell can't do a thing for me."

Before going to look for Katniss, Johanna stopped by her hospital room, which was being emptied, the staff was preparing it for wounded from Two, and Johanna grabbed the tiny canister Hagar's ashes were in. She shoved the container inside of her pillow case, took her toothbrush, dumped it in her new room and headed towards Katniss' quarters. She still hadn't thanked Katniss for swiping Hagar's ashes, and she probably never would. She only hoped that Katniss wouldn't be burdened with the same sort of container housing Peeta's remains inside. 'He's fine,' she thought to herself as she padded down the hallway reminding herself once again of all the things Beetee said Peeta's uniform protected him from.

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"You want to do what?" Lyme, a victor from District Two and head of their local rebellion asked Gale.

"Set off an explosion at the top of the mountain and cause an avalanche. We're wasting resources and men trying to fight it out with those people in there," he pointed towards the mountain they called the Nut. "That train tunnel is working to their benefit, but if we block off all of the exits...anywhere that allows air to travel into it, all at the same time, we'll end this battle sooner rather than later," Gale answered.

"Gale," Peeta couldn't believe what he was hearing. "There are a lot of people in there. We should try to give them an opportunity to get out and join the rebellion.

"They didn't join us before so what makes you think they'll do it now!?" Gale yelled out his frustrations. "The only way to win this war is by taking control of all the districts, and the Nut is the biggest thing we've got standing in our way before we head to the Capitol and take out Snow." Gale stood tall and said with a hard edge to his voice, "It's time to put an end to this shit once and for all. It's either them or us."

"Why does it have to be an either or!?" Peeta stepped closer to Gale.

"Do you think they're going to join the rebels once we blow up their mountain?" Gale shook his head. "You're crazy Peeta." He pointed towards the Nut. "Those people want us dead as much as we want them dead."

"I don't want them dead, Gale!" Peeta clutched the end of the table. "I don't want anyone else to die!"

"Well too bad," Gale grabbed a copy of the Nut's schematics off of the table the rebels were standing around. "We're in the middle of a war and people die. The sooner you come to grips with that the better...Jabberjay!" Gale said the name like an insult then stormed away.

"It's going to be okay," Peeta heard Gale's voice say to him in a much calmer tone. "You're going to be fine, Peeta. Just fine."

Peeta's eyes fluttered opened to see a pair of Seam gray eyes staring back at him. "Katniss, forgive me," he whispered before letting the darkness consume him.

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"IS HE ALIVE!?" Katniss screamed at the top of her lungs to no one in particular while standing in the middle of the Command Center.

"Please Fulvia," Effie pleaded with her. "Can't you tell us anything?"

"Cut the feed," Coin ordered when she saw Gale lift Peeta's limp body from the ground and carry him away. "If he's dead, I don't want Snow to know about it."

"Screw Snow!" Katniss turned to the president. "I want to know if he's dead or alive!"

"Katniss, we're getting feeds right now." Fulvia pressed her finger into her ear against a listening device. "He's breathing. I don't know how badly he's bleeding." Fulvia began relaying bits of information as she got them, not only to Katniss and Effie but to Coin as well. "They're fighting in Two ma'am," she said to Coin. "The people that were trapped in the Nut, the ones Peeta spoke to, are turning against Snow's army right now."

"Put it up on the screen," Coin ordered.

"Do you want me to air it?"

"Is Peeta still on camera?"

"I can keep him off camera if you like," Fulvia offered.

"Yes. Let's show President Snow how effective our Jabberjay was today," Coin had a lecherous gleam in her eye.

"Please Fulvia," Katniss turned to her, "is he okay?"

"He's with the medical team right now." Fulvia lifted her gaze to Katniss. "He's alive. Right now, that's the best I can offer you."

Effie couldn't stand the waiting. She couldn't imagine what Katniss was going through and quickly thought of something for the girl to do. "I think it's time we got Katniss' reaction to what's happening in Two, don't you?" Effie said to Fulvia. "I'm sure the nation is wondering how she feels after seeing Peeta get shot." Effie looked to Coin who gave her approval. "All right dear," Effie straightened out Katniss hair and had her take her robe off. "You need to make a speech." Effie looked around the Command Center and said, "We don't want to show this room on television. I shall take Katniss and the film crew to a more deserted location."

"Good idea," Coin agreed. "The last thing we need is for the Capitol to see something telling in our Command Center."

Effie gave the president a nod then led Katniss to a deserted staircase. "Let the world know how proud you are of Peeta, and that you can't wait for him to come home." She continued to straighten Katniss' clothing. "Let them know that the rebels will send out updates of Peeta's condition and he'll be fine."

"But Effie, what if he's not fine? What if he doesn't make it?" Katniss bit at her bottom lip.

"That young man has more to live for than most, he'll make it. All we have to do is get him back here and under proper medical care, and right now he's stuck in District Two. We need to get him home, Katniss." Effie stepped back and motioned to Messalla for the cameras to start rolling.

"Katniss, we're live right now, and you have just seen Peeta get shot. Any news as to his current condition?" Messalla asked from off camera.

"I know he's alive," she answered with her shoulders straight and high. "That he's on his way home to me right now." Katniss had said exactly what Effie was hoping for. Neither one of them knew where Peeta was, but the second Katniss announced on live television that he was headed back to her Coin would have no choice but to put the order in for Peeta's return. "And I promise we will keep the country up to date on Peeta's status as soon as we know more. In fact, I'm hoping you'll have us both on camera...together within days." She noticed Effie nodding at her, encouraging her to go on.

"Katniss," Effie asked quietly, "how did you feel when you heard Peeta speaking tonight?"

"Proud," she answered as she ran her hand over her bulging stomach. "Our daughter got to listen to her father share his wishes for our nation tonight. She got to hear her father's voice uniting lifelong enemies. I can't tell you how proud I am of Peeta. He has always had a way of seeing hope in the midst of an impossible situation. Tonight Peeta walked into a horrific scenario and showed the world that they didn't have to settle for the life the Capitol has forced us all to live."

"Why didn't you go to Two with him, Katniss?" Effie asked with an arch of her brow.

"I was supposed to be sent out to the districts to talk to the surviving rebels, but Peeta was afraid for our safety," she rubbed her stomach again and noticed the camera tilting downward then back up again. "Peeta volunteered to go out so I wouldn't have to put our child's life in danger."

Effie grinned at Katniss. "So once again, Peeta has decided to sacrifice his well-being for you."

"Peeta's always willing to sacrifice himself for me," Katniss looked off into the distance. "For anyone really. Peeta would give the shirt off his back to his worst enemy. You saw it in the Games. He saved Glimmer's life during the fire." Katniss stared into the camera's lens. "You saw it tonight. The way he put aside the hatred...the anger that the Capitol put in place between the districts, and asked the people of Two to join the rebellion. Peeta Mellark can see the possibility of a great future, and he's opened up my eyes...the country's eyes to how good life can be if we stand together and fight for it."

"Katniss," Messalla said, "we just got word that Peeta has been shuttled out of the war zone and is now in safe territory."

Effie and Katniss both smiled. "That's good to know." Katniss briefly wondered how much trouble she and Effie would be in for this little stunt. Telling the nation in not so many words that President Coin wanted to ship her off into the districts in her condition would make Coin sound as brutal a president as Snow. "If you're listening Peeta, remember Haymitch's words of advice, stay alive," she grinned. "To the people in District Two I want to say how thrilled I am that you've joined in our fight, and to President Snow..." Katniss leaned closer to the camera, "...you may want to surrender before I get there, and don't you worry...I am coming for you Snow. Peeta and I will both be there. You have sent hundreds of children into the arena to be hunted down like animals. Now it's time you felt what they did. It's time you understood firsthand what it's like to be a tribute." Katniss gave the camera a menacing grin. "And there is no hiding during the Games. We'll hunt you down...find you, and when we do you'll wish to God you had never heard the names Katniss and Peeta Mellark."

"Cut," Messalla said. "That was brilliant. Effie, great questions. You'll have to help with more of the pro..."

"Hold it!" A group of soldiers called out.

"For criminy's sake," Effie straightened up her skirt and blouse. "Shall we, Katniss? I'm sure our family is waiting for us."

"President Coin wants to have a word with you two," one of the soldiers said.

"Katniss," Effie walked out of the staircase and down the hall towards the Command Center with her arm tucked through her own, "you need to get to medical and have Dr. Valero check your vitals. I shall meet with the president." Effie's lips pursed when one of the soldiers took Katniss by the arm. "Unhand her you fiend," Effie pulled Katniss from his clutches. "My daughter in law must be monitored by a physician during this devastating time. Why, she's completely distraught over seeing her husband get shot."

Katniss' reaction to Effie's words were perfect. "I don't feel too good," she lifted her fingers to her forehead. "I think I'm faint."

"That is horrible dear," Effie motioned for one of the cameramen to usher Katniss to medical then saw Johanna heading down the corridor dressed in a pair of men's boxer shorts, a transparent t-shirt and bare feet. "Johanna darling, has Dr. Valero sent you for Katniss?"

"Uh..." Johanna gave the group of people a strange look. "Yeah. I'm supposed to bring her to medical."

"Then you mustn't waste time." Effie shooed the cameraman, Katniss and Johanna down the hall. "I shall be there shortly dear," she called to Katniss. "Now, let us speak with Ms. Coin, shall we?" Effie said brightly.

"It's president, ma'am," One of the guards said to her.

"Did you vote for her to be president?" Effie asked as they walked down the hall but didn't wait for an answer. "That's one of the beautiful things about our new form of government. Democracy allows all of us, brave soldiers such as yourselves and even escorts like me, to be equal in the eyes of the law. We all have the right to choose who we think is best for the position of president." Effie noticed that the guards as well as the camera crew from the Capitol were hanging on her every word. "You realize that any of you have the capability to run for office."

"Is that the truth?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Why of course it is," Effie answered. "We do not have to live under such Fascist ruling in the districts any longer. Once we gain control over the Capitol our nation will have an election. We, the people, will choose a few select candidates, and everyone will have a vote as to who will be the best person to speak on behalf of the individuals of our nation."

"Peeta would be pretty good at that," one of the soldiers said.

"He would be, but I think being a husband and father is all that he wants," Effie loved that she had gotten their brains churning.

"You ever think about it, Miss. Trinket?" One of the soldiers asked her.

"Me?" Effie fluttered her lashes. "Who would want to listen to someone like me? And please, call me Effie."

"I'd vote for you," a guard said in a low whisper.

"So would I," Messalla said louder. "If it wasn't for you, there would be a lot of dead people here in Thirteen. That warning you gave us about the bombs enabled everyone to seek shelter."

"I'm so glad it helped," Effie stuck her hand out to one of the soldiers. "We haven't been formally introduced. I'm Effie Trinket, proud rebel spy," she said with a gleam in her eye.

"Soldier Ralph Carmine," he shook her hand. "The fiend," he chuckled.

"Helen Scroll," one of the female soldiers shook Effie's hand. "I love your skirt," she added.

"Dear, if you'd like, I can see about turning one of your uniforms into a pencil skirt," Effie offered and continued meeting those around her. By the time she entered the Command Center, she had the entire group of people escorting her smiling from ear to ear. "President Coin," Effie said lightly. "You needed to see me again?"

"Where's Katniss?"

"At the hospital. She wasn't feeling well and her physician sent someone to fetch her. I can only assume her doctor detected something on the fetal monitor Katniss wears." Effie pursed her lips, "Seeing her husband shot was quite traumatic for her, and not knowing when he'd return...well, you can only imagine how that may affect an unborn child."

"Dismissed," Coin called out to the group of people in the Command Center. "Not you Miss. Trinket."

"A private chat sounds lovely," Effie refused to be the first one to take a seat.

"Miss. Trinket," Coin started the second they were alone. "I don't know who you think you are or what you think you can get away with here, but I assure you, you will not pull stunts like you just did and walk away Scot free."

Effie moved closer to Coin, "Perhaps you and I should come to some sort of truce until this war is over." Effie gave her lips a tiny pucker and said, "I think it's reasonable to say we do not like one another."

"You're a Capitol bred spoiled rotten woman who would be on death row right now if it hadn't been for Katniss and Peeta's demands."

"As opposed to a power hungry president determined to seek out revenge against the Capitol by using a couple of children as weapons," Effie countered.

"I should have you arrested."

"Go ahead and try it," Effie glared. "As a matter of fact, I'd love it if you would make some sort of physical attack against me so I could defend myself."

"Don't tempt me," Coin glared at her. "I'm a trained soldier."

"I've seen the way you people train. It's pathetic." Effie leaned forward at the waist, "Please madam president make a move against me so I can walk out of this room with your larynx in my pocket." Effie said sweetly.

"You are committing acts of treason when you threaten me."

"Did I say I was making a threat?" Effie purse her lips in a 'how do you like that' manner.

"Have I done something to you, Miss. Trinket? From my perspective the only thing I've done is rescue you from the hands of Snow and given you a home."

"When you threaten my children you threaten me, and you continue to put Katniss and Peeta's lives in unnecessary danger." Effie stepped closer to the president and said, "I'd like you to be a woman of her word and stop your constant threats. Katniss and Peeta have done nothing but help you in this war, and yet you continue to endanger their safety for no reason whatsoever." Effie began pacing back and forth. "Why is that?" The question was more for herself than the president.

"It's a war. People are always put in danger."

"Yes," Effie's mind was racing like a hamster on a wheel. "Only, you continually..." She let her sentence trail off and started sorting things out in her mind.

"Miss. Trinket, I will not continue to..."

Effie blocked out Coin's threats putting each piece of the puzzle together. 'She needs Katniss and Peeta as the faces of the rebellion, so why is she constantly threatening their existence? Why would she send Peeta to Two when he was still in the middle of medical treatment? Why did she even contemplate sending Katniss into the districts? It's as though Coin is trying to cause their deaths, but why?' Effie lifted her eyes to Coin's and said, "You're afraid of them." She started thinking out loud. "You know the people of this country will have the ability to vote on a president, and as long as Katniss and Peeta are alive there's always the possibility of one of them taking your place as the leader of this country."

"You have a vivid imagination."

"Yes, I do, which is how I figured out the Gamemakers' plays in the arena before anyone else did." Effie arched her left brow. "That's why you didn't want Peeta speaking on camera. You wanted the world to view him as cold by blowing up the mountain in District Two then picking off the survivors. Only he didn't do that at all." Effie's jaw dropped slightly when she thought of the soldier who suggested Peeta run for president. "My word, you want them dead and out of the way of your political career."

"Unlike those of you from the Capitol, I have no desire to watch people die for my own personal gain."

"Who said you had to watch them?" Effie had been holding onto a bit of information for quite some time. 'Is this the right time to let her in on your knowledge?' She asked herself then decided not to play all of her cards. She'd give Coin a glimpse at her hand and let the woman wonder. "As President Snow's assistant I was privy to all of his records, personal and professional," Effie said in a nonchalant way. "I know who his enemies are, what their weaknesses are and how to best rid the nation of them without suspicion. I even know who his allies are," Effie walked slowly behind Coin. "Who he made deals with in order to benefit the Capitol. Who he kept an eye on, and why." Effie turned her accusing stare to Coin. "I was lucky enough to get copies of his phone conversations with one ally in particular." She lifted a finger and asked, "Did you know he recorded his negotiations? My guess was so he could use it at a later date if need be." Effie noticed Coin swallowing repeatedly. "Yes, being the assistant to the president provided me with more knowledge than you can imagine."

"What do you want?" Coin said stiffly.

"I want you to keep away from me and my children. We've won Two and now the only other thing we need to do is conquer the Capitol. You don't need Katniss and Peeta to go there right now. I think it's time we take a break from our war efforts. Rebuild our supplies...give our men and women time to recuperate before heading into battle with Snow."

"Are you trying to dictate the next steps of the war to me?" Coin leaned her hands on the table. "I will not bow to you and your threats."

"I'm not asking you to." Effie matched Coin's position on the table and said, "I'm telling you what you're going to do next. You asked me what I wanted, here it is. I want to have a say in this war. I want to be a part of it. I want to be a voice for those you do not allow to speak."

"You want to be a soldier?" Coin let out a laugh. "You want to go through training, ask Boggs to sign you up. He'll put you through training camp, but do not think for one minute that I'm going to be taking orders from you Miss. Trinket. This is still my country, and I will run it how I see fit."

"That's what frightens me. You thinking this is your country. It's not. This country belongs to the people of this nation, and you should be running it the way they see fit." Effie took her seat again. "Perhaps you should stop worrying about Katniss and Peeta taking your position as president, and start worrying about me." Effie glared at her. "As a matter of fact...I have always been interested in running for office."

"You wouldn't dare," Coin said through clenched teeth. "No one would vote for a pretentious Capitol snob."

"You're wrong about that. Once I get Katniss and Peeta's support...the backing of all the victors, the people of this country will see me as someone they can trust." Effie flicked a little piece of lint on her skirt away. "There are many things I could accomplish as president, unless of course you and I decided on some sort of agreement. Maybe I'll be so busy with Katniss and Peeta...with the war effort, that I wouldn't have time to worry about running for election."

"You want to make decisions on where to send Katniss and Peeta and when, be my guest," Coin spit out. "This war is almost over anyway, and I will have my victory."

"It's not just during the war that I'm concerned about it's afterward as well." Effie said with an effortless tone in her voice, "The Mellark family will be able to return home if they wish when this is all over." Effie knew that's all Katniss and Peeta wanted. They were desperate to go back to their home in Victor's Village and live a quiet, normal life. "They will not bother you, and you will not bother them. You can pretend they don't exist."

Coin's harsh stare had Effie wondering when the woman would be putting in the order for her own death. "As I said, the war is almost over. When it is, you and the Mellarks can get the hell out of my sight."

"Wonderful," Effie clapped her hands together. "In the meantime I suggest you make sure nothing happens to us. You see I've arranged it so the recordings of Snow and his...ally are to be made public if anything happens to me, and we wouldn't want that to happen now would we?"

"Of course not."

"How divine that you and I are on the same page Madam President." Effie pursed her lips lightly. "And are we going to be taking a little break from the fighting like I suggested?"

"Our districts need to regroup. Gather supplies...food...weapons... I have decided to put our invasion of the Capitol on hold for the time being," Coin said it as though it were her idea.

"Brilliant. May I also suggest we come up with an elite squad," Steven Tanner came to mind, "that can infiltrate the Capitol and lead us to victory? You mentioned going through training with Boggs. Why don't we train and test all of our soldiers for this particular battle?"

Coin moved in closer to Effie and said, "What did you have in mind?"

"Everyone has a fear of something. I, myself am petrified of something happening to Katniss and Peeta. President Snow seems to be able to hone in on an individual's worst nightmares and use them against them. What if we trained our soldiers to overcome their fears?"

"Train them not just physically, but mentally as well?" Coin walked towards a coffee pot and lifted it up. "Would you like a cup?"

"Yes please. Do you have cream and sugar?"

"Black," Coin answered.

"That will suffice," Effie accepted Coin's peace offering for the time being.

"Miss. Trinket, my goals have always been to keep the people of this district alive. Once the uprisings began I expanded my goals of keeping the people of this nation alive. I do hope you believe me when I tell you that."

"I realize that you have taken on the responsibility of leader, and think you must do everything in your power to protect the people of this country, but you must also remember that Katniss and Peeta are two of those people you have vowed to protect. Madam Coin, I feel that you have let your own fears control your actions."

"And I believe that you have let your fearlessness take control of your actions," Coin said to her. "You will wind up doing or saying something to the wrong person Miss. Trinket, and it will be the death of you," Coin's threat didn't sit lightly with Effie, but she didn't show an ounce of fear.

"Perhaps," Effie sipped at the hot coffee like she was at an afternoon tea party. "Perhaps I will."

"In the meantime, I am not an idiot," Coin's expression went from threatening to conniving. "I know that two great minds are better than one. If you have thoughts on the war, I would appreciate it if you brought them to me privately."

"So you can take credit for my ideas?" Effie waved a hand in the air. "Oh pish posh. What do I care? Feel free to take credit for my brilliance. Everyone at the Capitol did too."

Coin ignored her comment and began speaking to her about the upcoming battle at the Capitol. "The tunnel that leads into the city was the rebels' downfall during the last uprising."

"This time it will be the Capitol's," Effie said with a mischievous smirk. "They have supplies hoarded away, and will be able to live for a little while, but soon enough they will be on the verge of starvation. You see, the people in the districts know how to be hungry. They've spent their lives preparing for the Games, but the people in the Capitol only know how to waste. They will not survive very long on crackers and water."

"Yes, taking a break from fighting is perfect." Coin finally caught up with Effie's idea. "It will give the people in the Capitol time to go through what little resources they have left."

"Exactly," Effie lifted a finger in the air. She wasn't a fan of Coin's, but the woman was in charge of the rebellion, and she seemed willing to allow Effie to give her input. "We'll need to put up a barricade in front of the tunnel so they can't make an escape."

"We have posted soldiers there to shoot anyone that tries to sneak out into the districts," Coin said like she was one step ahead of Effie.

"Perhaps build a rock wall at the tunnel's entrance. If we were to build it from the inside we'd have the tunnel to protect us. If someone on their end tries to remove it, they would be out in the open and easy to pick off."

"The idea of blocking off the tunnel is good, but a rock wall is a horrible idea. Too much work and it will put our men and women in the line of fire," Coin began jotting some things down on paper.

"What about a holographic wall?" Effie gave Coin a sly grin. "The tunnel in Twelve still has the device they used to shovel out the earth. It used holograms. If Beetee and his staff were able to look it over, perhaps they could figure out a way to project a wall. From what I understand the holograms can be made solid."

"A hologram?" Coin tapped her pen on the notepad. "That's an excellent idea."

"I thought so," Effie sipped her beverage wishing she had something to sweeten the bitter drink.

By the time Effie and Coin had finished their conversation, they had gone through the entire pot of coffee and filled up several pages of notes. "Miss. Trinket," Coin stuck out her hand. "I will keep you informed of the war's needs for their Mockingjay and Jabberjay. For the time being, I think they could both use some rest and relaxation."

"Madam President, I believe now that we are working together in lieu of against one another, we shall put an end to this war in no time whatsoever."

"Let's hope so, Miss. Trinket."

"Please call me Effie." She shook the woman's hand. "And I shall call you President Coin."

"Thank you. Contrary to what you believe, I would rather not have to arrest you for calling me Ms. Coin."

"Well..." Effie puckered her lips. "I needed a way to get under your skin. I do believe it worked."

"Yes, it did." Coin gave Effie a quick head to toe look. "Did you really use less material on the skirt?"

"Yes," Effie nodded. "I've had many women comment on it as well. I was thinking, perhaps we could allow some of them to make alterations to their wardrobe. Venia and Octavia are quite handy with a needle and thread. I'm sure they could hold classes, and the leftover material can be used to make maternity clothes. You do have pregnant women other than Katniss and Regina here in Thirteen."

"The women would be using their current wardrobe?"

"Yes," Effie nodded, thrilled with the thought of providing something feminine for the women of Thirteen.

"Come up with a proposal, and I'll look it over."

"President Coin, it has also come to my attention that there is a history class being taught to certain children here pertaining to the new laws that will be in affect once we win the war. Perhaps I should go over your teacher's curriculum and make certain that they are providing accurate information? We wouldn't want to be like the Capitol and teach our children fabrications."

"No, we wouldn't want that," Coin grimaced at Effie. "How much did your father teach you as a child?"

"I know five languages, the inner workings of many countries governments including, liberal, fascist, socialist...why I even read about the countries that based their government on their religious belief system."

"Miss. Trinket...Effie, you have fooled many people into thinking you're not very bright. Why is that?"

"When you live in the Capitol you know that the people there...the important people, tend to be threatened by those with brains, and if you're a woman... Well, I don't have to tell you that being a woman in a position of power means you have to work twice as hard."

"Fortunately for me, we here in Thirteen don't view women as inferior because of their gender."

"Unfortunately for me, I was raised with the thinking that using your beauty was preferable to using your brains." Effie could still hear her mother and father telling her how far she would go in this world because of her looks. "If you are elected president when this war is over, I hope you teach this world to look upon all people, men...women...no matter what color, age, size...teach them to look inside of an individual, and not to measure a person's worth by their physical appearance."

Coin was quiet for a few moments then said, "Watson McKenzie is the teacher I've put in charge of the history class. She is quite smart and has a way with her students. Get together with her and go over her lesson plan. She's very easy to work with."

"Thank you, ma'am." Effie stood and confessed, "Well, this turned out better than I had hoped for."

"It did," Coin agreed. "And I didn't have to put you in front of the firing squad which should make our Mockingjay and Jabberjay quite happy."

Effie gave the president a slight smile before excusing herself. She wasn't quite sure how long their truce would last, or if Coin was only appeasing her to get the most out of Katniss and Peeta, but Effie was willing to milk it for all it was worth.

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"Did Dr. Valero really send you up here to get me?" Katniss asked Johanna who showed up outside of the Command Center just as she was leaving.

"She wanted to monitor you in the hospital, and I volunteered to come grab your fat ass." Johanna's lip lifted in the corner. "You sure it's safe for you to ride in the elevator? I think there's a weight limit on here."

Katniss glared at Johanna, "You sure it's safe for you to be walking around here with no shoes on and a see through shirt? Someone might get distracted by your boobs glaring at them," she pointed to the t-shirt, "and step on your foot." Katniss was tempted to do so, but refrained.

"Wouldn't feel a thing anyway," Johanna gave her head a little know it all shake. "I've got enough morphling in me that I could walk across hot coals and shards of broken glass, and it would feel like a foot massage."

"Perfect," Katniss groaned. "Just what the rebellion needs. A shit faced Johanna Mason." Katniss leaned against the wall of the elevator. "Just stay away from the cameras dressed like that. We wouldn't want you to cause any innocent children to go blind."

"Hey, I've got a great rack." Johanna adjusted her boobs in her shirt. "People should stand in line to get a gander at these babies."

"Oh yeah...can't wait to see the crowd of people you'd attract."

"People would come from miles around to take a peek at my perfect tits," Johanna said with a cocky edge in her voice.

"You think there are people left in this country that haven't seen your tits?" Katniss heard the cameraman stifle a laugh and felt quite pleased.

"Screw you, fireball."

"Don't you mean Princess Fireball?" Katniss had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to bring up the story Johanna had told Peeta while being held captive.

"Christ, he told you about that?" Johanna made a face. "Figures. You two can't keep anything from each other." She pointed at Katniss. "It makes me truly sick to my stomach."

"So I was a great warrior, huh?" Katniss had to bite her lip to keep from smiling.

"It was a story," Johanna said viciously. "The boy was having his brain scrambled and he needed to remember you."

"So you made up a story about me being a princess and him being a prince? Why didn't you just tell him the truth?"

"They were listening." The blood drained from Johanna's face and scared the hell out of Katniss. "You could hear everything in there," Johanna said flatly. "His screams were worse than actually being tortured." It was as though Johanna had been transported back to the Capitol's jail cells and Katniss was watching from the sidelines. "They'd come in to get him, he'd always fight them too. I used to tell him to stop. Just go with them, but he fought anyway. The cells would be quiet for a little while...too quiet, then Peeta would let out a bloodcurdling scream from somewhere, and it would rip right through me. By the time he'd come back they'd have to drag him to his cell. You could see where they beat him...where they shoved the tubes into his arm so they could pump those drugs into him, and he'd just curl up in a little ball, hugging his knees to his chest and moving his lips...I never knew what he was trying to say to me, but he wouldn't stop moving his lips."

"It was me," Katniss stared at a spot on the floor filled with a combination of hatred and guilt. "He was talking to me."

"Maybe," Johanna shirked her shoulder. "He was losing his memory of you so I'd tell him stories about Princess Fireball and Prince Cinnamon Buns. Eventually he'd stare at me...his legs would straighten out...he'd stop clutching himself, and he'd start talking to me again and not just moving his lips."

The elevator's doors opened up on the hospital floor. Johanna stepped out first followed by Katniss who turned to the shocked cameraman and said, "You can go now. I'm here. Tell Effie I'm fine." He gave her a nod and stepped back into the elevator. "Johanna," Katniss called quietly to her before she walked away. "Do you think he's okay?"

"Yeah. Nothing is going to get through that uniform. Portia, Cinna and Beetee saw to that."

Katniss gave her head a little nod and followed Johanna's footsteps down the hall. She didn't say a word while she got a quick exam to make sure the baby was okay. She listened along with everyone else when banana nut's heartbeat filled the room, and began moving her lips the second her doctor and family left the room. "Johanna says you're fine. Everyone says you're fine, and I'm trying to believe them..." Katniss lay her head on the pillow and curled onto her side, "Is it weird that I believe Johanna more than anyone else? She seems to know things about you that I don't." She ran her hand over the cool pillow and pretended it was Peeta's hair. "You'll be here soon. Prim said they got an update on you and they have to bring you into surgery, but they should be able to stop the internal bleeding. I'm trying not to worry. Keep telling myself you're strong. You can get through this, and so can I. If I worry, my blood pressure will go up and I haven't had a problem with it for weeks. I sure as hell don't want to have that problem now. You'll probably get more pissed at me for worrying about you, then at that guy for shooting you," this thought brought a hint of a smile to Katniss lips. Peeta was so forgiving, he'd probably offer to sit down and talk with the man that shot him in an attempt to make peace.

Her eyes flashed to the clock, it had been over three hours since Peeta had been injured. "You should be here any minute now." She closed her eyes and held her breath telling herself to stay calm. Her insides began trembling, her palms began sweating, and her brain began going to a place she needed to stay away from. 'He's dead. They're just saying he's alive so I won't freak out. He was shot. Of course he's dead. Stop it! Stop thinking the worst!'

"Hey fireball," Johanna threw the curtain open that separated them. "Want to go wait by the elevator? Lying here like this is making me think, and I hate thinking."

"Yeah," Katniss threw her legs over the bed and left her robe behind. She and Johanna paced back and forth by the elevator until the hospital staff ran towards it. "He must be here," Katniss bit her bottom lip for the umpteenth time that night.

"Stand back," someone ordered them, but Katniss paid no attention to it. She didn't hear the doctors and nurses calling out for medications, or specific equipment. She ignored the other family that waited for their son who had taken a stray bullet during a battle. In her head all she could hear was the whooshing sound of their baby's heartbeat providing a rhythm for her tapping foot and the rocking her upper body had begun to do. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, 'Peeta's been shot.' Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, 'Please be alive.' Her breath caught in her chest when the elevator doors opened to reveal three gurneys, one of which held Peeta. Katniss stood there waiting, not wanting to get in the way of the doctors who were trying to keep him alive. Dr. Valero started talking to Peeta, announcing that he had come to and asked him if he knew what had happened to him.

"I got shot," he answered and Katniss felt her heart leap into her throat at the sound of his voice.

"Yes. We're bringing you into surgery right now, but someone wants to see you first," Dr. Valero motioned for Katniss to come forward.

She had been waiting for so long to see him again, to feel his hand in hers, and when she saw him her heart broke. He was pale from what she assumed was blood loss, thinner than when he had left, and the sparkle that filled his eyes had dulled to emptiness. "You better not die, Mellark," Katniss did her best to keep her emotions in check. "I mean it. If you die, I'll kill you myself," she bent down and placed her lips against his cheek, whispering, "I need you Peeta." She gave him a soft kiss on the lips. There was a catch in her chest when she said, "Banana nut and I need you." She could feel his lashes brush across her cheek as his eyes closed. "I love you," her attempt to be brave failed miserably as her voice cracked, "I love you so much, Peeta. So much. You have to stay with me, okay?" Katniss lifted her face from his and saw that he was unconscious. "Regina," she turned to her friend, but needed the doctor. "Save him."

"I will," she clutched Katniss hand and said, "He's not going to die on my table." Regina yelled out, "Move him! Go! Go!"

Katniss stayed back and watched as the group of medical professionals swarmed around Peeta's gurney, pushing him into surgery. "I'm going in with them," her mother's quiet voice spoke from behind Katniss. "Prim will be in an operating room with one of the other injured men, but I'm going in with Peeta. They won't allow me to help with the surgery, but I can watch and keep you up to date."

"Thanks mom," Katniss wiped at the tears that had begun to drip down her cheeks. Peeta's life was out of her hands. Katniss felt a helplessness deep inside of her that hadn't been there since she saw Peeta with the group of Careers.

"He's going to be fine, you know." Johanna said it like she knew something Katniss didn't. "He's too cocky to let someone kill him after making such a monumental speech."

An image of Peeta grinning from ear to ear the day they got stuck in the elevator flashed through Katniss mind.

"Aw come on, Katniss. You know you like me." Peeta said to her.

"No I don't." She walked to the opposite corner of the elevator from him.

"Sure you do." He moved in closer to her. "I'm charming." He gave her a smile to match.

"You're annoying." Her resolve was slowly melting and it frightened her.

"I'm funny."

"Cocky is more like it." She lifted her eyebrow.

"Sure of myself," he corrected.

"Sure of himself," Katniss said quietly.

"You say sure of himself, I say cocky," Johanna smirked. "Either way, the kid's too damn stubborn to let something as minor as a gunshot take him out."

"Yeah," Katniss let her mind wander. "I think you're right, Johanna."

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

"What the hell were you thinking?" Peeta could make Gale's features out leaning over him. "Geez. I might want you out of her life, but I don't want you dead. At least I don't think I do." Peeta let his eyes drift to the side noticing clouds filling the little window of the hovercraft and then the clouds began to fill his head.

"Haymitch, talk to Coin. Convince her that this is the wrong thing to do," Peeta pleaded with his mentor. "We can't trap those people down there for hours on end letting them suffocate to death."

"Kid, there's nothing more I can say. Plutarch and I both tried to talk some sense into her, but Gale's got her convinced that this is the best plan." Haymitch put a hand on Peeta's shoulder. "Sorry, kid."

"Then I'll talk to her," Peeta stood straight up. "Can someone get her on the phone for me?"

"Won't do you any good, boy. Coin's determined to follow through with Gale's plan."

"Well I have to try!" Peeta hated what they were about to do. "It's wrong Haymitch!"

"I'll try to get Plutarch to open up a line for you, but you're wasting your breath."

Peeta tried his best when he spoke with President Coin. He tried to convince her that trapping all of those people from Two inside of the Nut and letting them meet a slow death was more than cruel, it was unnecessary and barbaric, but Haymitch had been right. Peeta's words fell on Coin's deaf ears. He tried once more to reason with Gale, "Are you going to be able to live with yourself after doing this?"

Gale stood toe to toe with Peeta. "I was there when they dropped those firebombs on Twelve. I saw our neighbors die...burn to death at the hand of these people, so yeah...I'm gonna sleep just fine at night after blowing their asses to kingdom come."

"Will you?" Peeta was seeing a side of Gale he wished he never had. "Your father...Katniss' dad, were both killed in a mine explosion. I saw what happened to Katniss' mother after that. What Katniss went through. How can you put others through something like that after going through it yourself?" Peeta tried his best to reason with Gale's compassionate side.

"You have no clue what it's like to lose your parent in an explosion, Peeta, so don't try to..."

"Don't I?" His brows shot up. "I lost my mother and both my brothers to those firebombs, Gale."

"Don't try and compare your pathetic excuse for a mother to my father," Gale said harshly. "My dad was a great man. Your mom was..."

"She was a horrible parent," Peeta admitted, "but that doesn't mean she deserved to die the way she did." He glared at Gale. "Don't stand there and tell me your father deserved to live but my mother didn't. The woman may not have been mother of the year, but I loved her."

"Sure you did. That's why you call Effie mom, right?"

Peeta took a step back from Gale and asked, "What happened to you? I can understand hatred towards the Capitol, hell I can't stand Snow, but this..." Peeta gestured towards the Nut, "...this is coming from an inhumane place inside of you that I never knew existed."

"Considering you barely remember me, that's not saying much," Gale said in a low voice. "It doesn't matter what you or I think anymore. Coin agrees with my plan, and we're blowing up the Nut. If those people have a few hours to sit and think about their actions and why they're being put through a slow and painful death, good for them. I hope they rot in hell," Gale spat out.

"Kid," Haymitch put his hand on Peeta's shoulder, preventing him from going after Gale. "Plutarch's getting Katniss on the phone for you."

Peeta stared at Gale's back as it disappeared through the crowd of soldiers then headed for the phone.

"He's coming to," a voice called out. "Peeta, do you know what happened to you?"

'What happened?' He tried to piece together his last thoughts. 'You were trying to talk the people of Two into joining the rebellion. There was a man with a gun pointed at you. Did he shoot you? No. No. The shot came from somewhere in the crowd.' "I was shot," he said gravely.

"Yes. We're bringing you into surgery right now, but someone wants to see you first."

…...

…..

…..

…..

…..

"I am not posing for you," Katniss scowled at Peeta from under the oak tree.

"Why not?" He asked her in a voice that could melt the most frigid of hearts. "All you have to do is sit there and let me sketch you."

"Now I know why Moaning Lisa had that look on her face." Katniss grimaced as she sat with her back against the bark of the tree.

"It's Mona Lisa, not Moaning," Peeta chuckled.

"Moaning sounds more appropriate to me," she gave him a look made of stone.

"That's perfect. Don't move," Peeta pulled out a piece of paper and pencil and began sketching her.

"Aw come on," she complained but didn't move. "You're seriously going to sketch my bad mood?"

"Oh, Katniss," Peeta stopped for all of a second before explaining to her, "What you call a bad mood, I call pure Katniss. That hard shell you never let anyone penetrate is remarkable, yet somehow you've allowed me to see what's beneath it." He continued to sketch her. "I think your tough exterior makes you the fascinating girl that you are."

"I think you're full of it," she hadn't meant to grin, but she did.

"There," Peeta's eyes lit up. "That's what I mean." He got up on his knees and took her chin in his hand. "No one gets to see this girl," she instantly got lost in the large pools of blue staring at her. "Is she here for me? Did this sweet girl peek her head out from beneath the stones to melt my heart?" His gaze delved into her eyes as he spoke in a hushed tone, "My sweet girl." Katniss let out a soft sigh and immediately chastised herself for showing such vulnerability. "She's gone now," Peeta grinned at her again, sat down and picked up his pencil and paper. "She takes my breath away when she shows up," he held her inquisitive gaze. "But this girl...the one that's always on the defensive, she is just as intriguing to me. She's the one that kept me so interested all those years."

"Stop talking about me that way. It's weird," Katniss wanted to lean back, but held her pose for Peeta. "Why did you?"

"Why did I what?"

"Why'd you stay interested in me for so long? I mean...we didn't talk, barely looked at each other."

"Correction," he pointed the tip of his pencil at her, "I looked at you all the time, you just didn't catch me at it." His satisfied grin had her smiling.

"You're nothing like I thought you'd be."

"You thought about what I'd be like?" He stopped sketching and stared at her.

Katniss wasn't sure how to answer him. "No...well...yes, but not like..." she could feel the heat radiating off of her cheeks and knew she was blushing "I may have been curious about you, but no more than any other person in our class," she lied through her teeth.

"Like Kara Ellington?"

"Who?" She had no idea who that was.

"Or Bradley Stamp?" Peeta began naming off their classmates and Katniss had no idea who the majority of them were. "Reva Foxx? Polly Creighton? Wallace Frank?"

"Wallace Frank!" She exclaimed. "I know him...well I know his name. I always thought it was weird that he had a last name as a first name, and a first name as a last."

Peeta set his partially drawn sketch down on the ground and crawled across the hard earth towards her. "Katniss, you have never been curious about anyone in our class," his voice caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. "Yet you were curious about me." He whispered in her ear and let his lips linger there, "Why?"

Katniss let out the breath she had been holding, closed her eyes and lifted her hands to his shoulders. "Peeta Mellark. The boy with the bread," she said quietly. "That's how I thought of you."

He kissed her cheek and knelt in front of her. "Because I work at the bakery?"

She should have taken the opportunity to thank him for throwing her the bread in the rain when they were eleven right then, but Katniss still didn't know how to face that part of her life. She had no clue how to let him know all that he did for her by performing that simple gesture. "Yes," she cradled his cheek in her hand. "Because you work at the bakery."

"Katniss, I'm so glad you said yes to me in that elevator," he brushed a few loose hairs away from her eyes.

"Me too," she leaned her forehead against his.

"Sometimes I wonder why you said yes to me that day."

"It was that cocky smile of yours," she gave him a tiny grin. "It kind of does something to my insides."

He quirked a brow, "Oh really?" Then flashed her the same self assured smile. "I'll have to remember that Miss. Everdeen."

"Yes you will Mr. Mellark," her eyes flashed down to his lips then met his. She wanted terribly for him to finally take the first step and kiss her, instead he brushed the tip of his nose against hers and sighed out her name.

"Katniss. Katniss..."

"Katniss. Katniss. Hey, brainless," Johanna shook her by the upper arm. "Welcome back."

"Sorry," Katniss had no idea when she arrived in the hospital room or how long they had been there. "Did something happen?"

"Effie's packed her crap and took off with Haymitch back to his quarters." Johanna shuddered. "I could live the rest of my life without imagining their reunion."

"Effie was here?"

"So was Haymitch," Johanna answered. "They tried to get your attention, but you were somewhere lost in space," Johanna let her hand float upward to accentuate her statement. "Gone to a land far far away."

"I was just thinking about stuff," Katniss did a scan of the hospital room. "Any word yet?"

"Nope." Johanna hopped up on her bed then made a grunting noise.

"You should take it easy. You're not completely recovered you know."

"Gee thanks for the update on my medical status," one of Johanna's eyelids drooped closed and she smirked. "This whole time I thought they were keeping me here because they hadn't quite finished building my five story mansion, not because I wasn't completely recovered." She stuck her legs out in front of her and let out a groan. "What the hell's taking them so long anyway?"

"Don't know, but if anything serious was going on, my mom would have told us." At least Katniss hoped she would. "Seen my father in law at all?"

Johanna shook her head. "Not since we first came in here. He said he was going to keep an eye on Prim while she was in surgery." She pointed at Katniss. "Your sister's kind of strange."

"How so?" Katniss immediately went on the defensive.

"She's like a forty year old woman in a kid's body. The chick gets her rocks off by watching people be operated on." Johanna made a face, " Blech. I could go without seeing people cut open and playing with their organs like toys."

"My sister is a healer." A skill Katniss never quite mastered.

"She's a lot like you. Does that whole stubborn stance and crosses her arms over her chest all the time," Johanna let out a little chuckle. "Finnick told me she's chewed Plutarch out a few times. Bet he loved that."

Katniss couldn't' hide her pleasure. "You should have seen her, Johanna. You would have loved it." Katniss gave her head a little tilt. "I actually think you would like my sister."

"I do like your sister." This didn't really come as a surprise to Katniss. Most people liked Prim. "The girl's got guts, brains...she's everything you're not."

"Yes she is," Katniss said with pride in her voice. "Prim is remarkable."

"She reminds me of Peeta too. Even looks like him in a way." Johanna narrowed her vision towards Katniss. "You sure she's your sister and not his?"

"Right? They both have merchant features."

"Merchant features? What the hell is that?"

Katniss explained the different sections of Twelve to Johanna and how people could recognize someone from Town and someone from the Seam. "That's why Gale and I look so much alike, and why my mom and Prim always stuck out like a sore thumb."

"Hmm..." Johanna rested her head against the pillow. "Your...cousin," she paused. "He killed Hagar."

"I know," Katniss said quietly. Apologizing for Gale's actions didn't seem appropriate to Katniss. "He thought you were all in danger."

"You don't have to explain why he did it. I'm not a complete idiot." She leaned up on her elbows and looked over the foot of the bed towards Katniss. "He might have pulled the trigger on the gun, but it was Snow that put us all in that position."

"So you're not mad at Gale?" Katniss found this hard to believe.

"I'm pissed as hell at him," Johanna clarified. "If I were healthier, I'd probably kill him myself, but..." she lay back down and threw her arm over her eyes, "...Hagar would get pretty pissed at me if I did something like that. He'd hate it if I murdered someone because he did his job."

"You...had feelings for him, didn't you?" Peeta had told her that Johanna shared something with the Peacekeeper.

"Ever meet someone and know you've found...a kindred spirit?"

Katniss instantly thought of Peeta. "Of course I have."

"He was a stiff, rigid ass of a Peacekeeper, but there was something...I don't know what, but he caused something in me to...to..." Johanna couldn't put it into words.

"He made you feel again."

Katniss had hit the nail on the head. "Yeah," Johanna admitted.

"Peeta did that for me. He brought out something inside of me I never knew existed."

"What would you have done if he died out there today?" Johanna asked then explained. "Not that I want buns to die or anything, but...how would you have dealt with it?"

Katniss ran a hand over her protruding stomach and said, "I wouldn't have. I wouldn't want to live if he died."

Johanna shook her head back and forth then sat up in bed. "Christ you two make me sick. It would be so easy to hate your guts. So damn easy. That whole...tacky romantic drama and your defender of the helpless act." She smirked. "Only it's not an act, which makes both of you even more unbearable." She turned to Katniss. "Please feel free to take this personally."

"Maybe you should have been the Mockingjay. Bet you'd be good at it."

"A hell of a lot better than you," Johanna declared. "No one would have had to feed me lines, and I sure as hell would have known better than to get knocked up," she pointed at Katniss' stomach. "You're such a dolt. What the hell are you going to do for this nation in that condition?"

Katniss ran her hand over her abdomen. With a forlorn expression she agreed with her former ally. "Not much, I guess."

"Not much is right!" Johanna got up and began walking back and forth in front of Katniss. "Did you even stop to think about this shit? And when you found out about it...why the hell didn't you put an end to the damn pregnancy?"

"I didn't find out until right before I went into the arena," Katniss said.

"Well, once you got out of the arena? Why didn't you end it then?" Johanna stood over her in an accusing stance. "What if we don't win this war, brainless? Then what? That kid is gonna be in the arena as soon as it can stand on its own two feet."

Katniss could feel herself panicking. Johanna was voicing Katniss' worst fears. "You think I don't know that? You think I wa..." she sucked in a breath and grabbed at her stomach. "My God," she breathed out when she felt it. Her eyes grew wide, her jaw dropped. "Johanna," she looked up at the woman with concern in her eyes.

"What's wrong? You need me to get the doc? Is the kid okay?" Suddenly Johanna was worried sick about Katniss and Peeta's baby. "What do you need me to do?"

"Give me your hand," Katniss reached for it.

"My hand?" Johanna stuck it out thinking Katniss had finally gone mad. "What the hell do you...holy shit." Johanna moved closer to Katniss and forgot to fight the look of pleasure spreading across her face. "Is that her?"

"She's kicking," Katniss said of the thumping inside of her womb, pounding away at the flat of Johanna's hand. "She's kicking."

"Holy shit," Johanna placed her other hand on Katniss stomach. "Well look at you," she spoke to the unborn child. "You're a fighter like your mom and dad, huh? Is this your way of telling me to shut the hell up?" Johanna lifted her eyes to Katniss, "Guess the kid didn't like what I was saying."

They were silent for a few minutes, both of them just letting their thoughts fixate on the life that was currently making its presence known to Johanna until Katniss asked, "Did I do the right thing...staying pregnant? What if they take her? What if we lose the war and Snow puts her in the arena?"

"Then you'll run," Johanna removed her hands and sat next to Katniss. "If we lose this war, you and Peeta...you'll run. Take that sister of yours and don't look back. Go build a house in the woods somewhere and raise your brats." Johanna turned her head to Katniss. "You've got to do that, okay?" She said with determination in her voice. "Promise me, if it looks like we're going to lose this war, you and Peeta will get the hell out of here. You'll leave everyone else behind. You won't be able to rescue everyone...you'll have to put your immediate family first, and go. You guys could survive out there."

Katniss began nodding her head. "Yeah...we could, but how do I leave..."

"Don't argue, Katniss!" Johanna snapped. "The second you found out about this kid, you became a mother, and moms do what they have to for their kids, so yeah...you're going to leave your friends...your parents...everyone and raise your sister and this baby away from civilization if we lose this war."

"Okay," Katniss knew Johanna was right. "But they'll try to find us."

"Then we'll fake your deaths. We'll figure out something to make the Capitol believe you're all dead. I don't care if we have to find some dead bodies to burn to a crisp and tell people it's you. We'll do it." Johanna glanced down at Katniss stomach. "They can't have her. Don't let them get her."

"Thank you, Johanna," Katniss said in a barely audible whisper.

Johanna nodded her head once then stared at the clock. Five minutes passed. Ten. Twenty. "Keeping her was the brave thing to do." She stood up to leave the room. "That's why you're the Mockingjay and I'm not. You and Peeta look at this baby and see a hopeful future. Whereas, I'd look at my own pregnancy as a pain in the ass and an inconvenience." She took a few steps away from Katniss, "You did the right thing by keeping her," and then headed for the exit. "Oh...it's you," she said to Gale who was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah," he said warily.

"The murderer of Peacekeepers," Johanna said viciously. "Too bad I hate you. I could have had a great time playing with you," she captured Gale's chin in her hand and gave his face some scrutinizing. "Gotta give it to you Mockingjay, you sure get the gorgeous ones."

Katniss rolled her eyes at Johanna then clamped her lips shut when she watched the woman hold up her hands like a picture frame and stare at Gale's butt. "Not as good as Peeta's," Johanna mouthed to her then left.

"That woman is scary," Gale said with absolutely no fear in his voice. "So...heard anything yet?"

"Not yet," Katniss pulled her robe on and covered her stomach.

"You've grown," Gale glanced down at her.

"That has a tendency to happen when you're pregnant."

"She kick yet?"

"No," Katniss lied for some reason. Maybe she didn't want him to ask to feel it, but she wasn't ready to share this new bit of information. "Effie says she's waiting for Peeta."

"Smart baby." Gale stared straight ahead then said, "Look Catnip...Peeta's probably going to tell you some things, and I thought..." he turned to face her, "...I need you to hear my side of the story."

"About what happened to the Nut?" Katniss knew this was weighing heavily on Peeta's conscience.

"Yeah," Gale nodded. "We did what was necessary to win Two. The Nut had to come down."

"I saw the propos earlier." Katniss remembered thinking how grateful she was that Peeta and Gale hadn't gotten caught in the avalanche that started. "The avalanche was caused by bombs, right?"

Gale gave his head a bob. "It was the only thing I could think of to block all the entrances at once."

"Didn't it block the ventilation system too?" Katniss asked.

"Yeah," Gale answered. "It prevented our enemies from coming out and attacking us. Trapped them inside so..."

"You trapped those people intentionally?" Now Katniss understood why Peeta was so bothered by what they had done. "Gale, how many people were in there?"

"I don't know. It doesn't matter," he said harshly. "Five or five thousand...wouldn't make a damn bit of difference. They're our enemy."

"Because Snow said so!" Katniss could hear Peeta's speech to the people of Two in her head. She now understood why he said what he said, and set his weapons down. "Those people could have been forced to be in those mines! They could have been like our dads!"

"Don't!" Gale stood up and slammed his fist into the wall. "I don't need to hear this shit from you too! Figures you'd side with Peeta."

"I haven't even talked to Peeta about this, but yeah...I'm not too thrilled with killing a bunch of innocent people. They could have had families...children waiting for them to come home." Katniss could see herself racing towards Prim's classroom when the sirens sounded, telling their district that there was a mining accident. She remembered standing outside all night long with her mother and Prim waiting for the elevator doors to open up and her father to walk out, but it never happened. The pain she felt when the last elevator came up and her father wasn't on it was one of the worst feelings of her life, and she didn't wish that on anyone. "What did you do, Gale?" She reached out and touched his hand. "Why would you put those people through what we went through?"

Gale's hard face never cracked. "They deserved to die. Those people bombed Twelve. They needed to pay for that." Katniss let out a burst of air and wondered when Gale turned so hard. If he had always been this way, or if he was progressively getting worse the longer the war went on. "I suppose now you think I'm some sort of monster. That I'm heartless."

"I know you're not." Over the years he had shown her parts of himself he hid from other people. A softer, happier part of his personality. "I won't tell people your secret though." She attempted to lighten the mood that was growing out of control between them.

Katniss almost jumped back when Gale reached out his hand for her cheek and brushed it. "What difference is there between crushing our enemy in a mine or blowing them out of the sky with one of Beetee's arrows? The results are the same, Catnip."

She lifted her hand and removed his from her face. "We were under attack in Eight...the hospital was under attack."

"And those hoverplanes came from District Two," Gale said to her like she was an idiot. "By taking down the Nut and the people in it, we prevented further attacks."

"Gale, that kind of thinking is dangerous," and sickening as far as Katniss was concerned. "You could turn that into an argument for killing anyone at any time. Hell, you could even justify sending children into an arena to prevent the districts from getting out of line."

Gale gave his eyes a little roll. "I don't buy that for a second."

"I do." Katniss tried to make him understand. "Maybe it was the trips into the arena that makes me think that way, but Gale...there is no justifying the murder of all of those people. Johanna said we had undercover rebels in there. Did you even stop to think about them? That you'd be killing them."

"Who cares!?" Gale began pacing back and forth. "If it were me...if I were in there, I'd gladly lay down my life. It would be a small price to pay for winning."

"And who is winning!?" Katniss got up and stood in his path. "Who won out there when you blew up that mountain? Who won when Twelve was hit with firebombs? I'll tell you who. Snow! Snow is the only one winning every single time we kill someone from another district."

"Christ, you're even sounding like Peeta now," Gale said disgustingly.

"Good!" It was probably one of the most complimentary things anyone had ever said to her regardless of whether or not Gale meant it as an insult. "That's because he's right. Peeta was right, Gale," her voice got softer. "We can't keep killing each other or there won't be anyone left to fight for."

"We don't have to worry about that anymore," Gale sat back down. "We won Two. After Peeta got shot the people that did escape from the Nut killed Snow's men." Gale grinned and a chill shot down Katniss' spine. "We just stood back and watched. Didn't have to lift a finger to help them."

"More deaths," she could almost smell the stench of blood.

He let out a little chuckle which caused goosebumps to spread across her skin. "The whole country just sat by and watched as Two was brought to its knees."

"Well, that's what they do best." Katniss took a seat. "Sit back and watch."

"So you hate me now or what?" Gale reached out and took her limp hand in his.

"No." She understood why he came up with the plan to take down the Nut. "I just disagree with your choices."

"Fine. We know how to disagree," Gale gave her hand a squeeze.

"We've always known how to do that," Katniss stared at their joined hands. "Gale," she had a hint of warning in her voice.

"I missed you, Catnip." He lifted her hand to his face and rubbed it against the stubble that had grown in. "I kept wondering if you were thinking of me. Did you?" He stared longingly into her eyes. "Did you think about me while I was gone?"

"Don't do this," Katniss pulled her hand from his grip but he wouldn't let go. "Gale, I thought we moved past this."

"Being so close to death makes a man take stock of his life. I realized while I was in Two how much I cared about you, and that it wasn't going to go away. I want you in my life Katniss, and not as a friend."

"Gale," Katniss yanked at her hand and got him to release her. "Look at me," she gestured towards her body. "I'm pregnant with Peeta's baby. I'm married to him."

"I don't care. Say the word and I'll raise that baby like it was my own."

"Stop it," Katniss held her hands up in front of herself.

"You can't tell me that you don't have feelings for me," he knelt down in front of her and put his hands on her knees. "I know you do. I know you love me."

"As a friend, which I'm seriously reconsidering at the moment."

"No you're not," he gave her a boyish grin. "You're probably wondering what it would feel like if I kissed you right now."

"No. I'm wondering how I'm going to get it through your thick skull that I don't want anything more than friendship with you."

"You love me, Catnip. I know you do," Gale said softly.

Katniss squinted at him and gave it some thought. Did she love him? Did she have some sort of feelings for him that even she wasn't aware of? She thought of their time spent together and the few kisses they had shared. "Oh Gale," she said tenderly. "I do love you, but not in the way you want me to."

"Why can't you just try and give us a chance? I know you say you're married, but no one's seen those papers you two said you signed. Even Peeta doesn't remember what he did with them. Plus you have no clue about other guys, Katniss. You've only been with Peeta. You should really have someone to compare him to, and I'm volunteering," he said flirtatiously. "I think you're staying with Peeta out of obligation. You're having his kid, he got captured in the arena and tortured by Snow, the whole country thinks you two are madly in love..."

"That's because we are," Katniss finally found the courage to do what was needed. "Gale, I'm going to say this one more time, and after that I don't ever want to discuss it again." She lifted his hands off of her knees and captured his face in her hands so he could look into her eyes. "My name is Katniss Mellark. I am the wife of Peeta Mellark. I am having Peeta's baby, and I am in love...head over heels, flop your stomach around, take your breath away love, with my husband. I do not need to compare him to anyone, because there is no comparison, and I will no longer blow off your attempts at furthering our relationship. If you can't accept that we're only friends, then I won't be your friend anymore. I will put an end to this once and for all. So you tell me right now, are you going to continually ignore what's right in front of your eyes and try to hit on me, or are you going to accept the fact that I'm happily married and have given myself to Peeta?"

"Didn't you even think of me while I was gone?" He asked pathetically.

"I wondered how my friend was doing, but other than that..." she let her sentence trail off not wanting to further hurt his feelings.

"I kept thinking while I was gone, what if I had made a move before Peeta had? What if I was the one that asked you out first?" He glanced at her and she knew it was to see her reaction. "Have you ever thought about that? What you would have said if I asked you out?"

"No," she shook her head. "It would be pointless so why bother?"

"But it's not pointless, Catnip. Don't you see? You could be with me right now. That could be my kid. Actually," he let out a little guffaw, "I would have known better than to get you pregnant."

"Don't do that," Katniss glared at him. "Don't wish this baby away, Gale. Peeta and I love her, and even knowing what I do now, I wouldn't change a thing."

"Okay, so it would be my kid you were carrying," he played their verbal sparring off. "Think about it, Catnip. You know you and I would be perfect together." She did think about it for all of a second. Would she and Gale have made a good pairing? Or would they constantly be at each other's throats? "I'm not telling you to leave Peeta. I'm asking you to consider your options, and really think about this. We're talking about the rest of your life here, and maybe you and Peeta share something right now, going through the Games and all, but before that what did you have in common with him? Nothing, that's what. What will be left when the Games are just a bad memory?"

Katniss stared at the clock, watched the minutes tick by one by one, avoiding Gale's startling revelation. "I'm married," she said with no signs of emotion in her voice. "We're having a baby."

"Think about who you want to raise that baby with, Katniss," Gale said it like it was a warning. "Really think about it, and if your answer is Peeta, then I'll walk away, no questions asked, but if there's even an inkling of something between you and me...I think we deserve a chance."

She had known him for years, shared her secrets with him, and up until Peeta came along, Gale was the only person she ever trusted. She lifted her eyes to his and felt something shoot through her. Pain? Regret? Love? Katniss lifted her hand to Gale's cheek and caressed it, "You were always there for me."

"I can still be here for you," he turned to her. "Let me be here for you, Katniss. Choose me."

She lifted the corner of her lips in a small smile and said, "I love you, Gale. I can't deny that, but I'm in love with Peeta, and that's the difference." She dropped her hands to her sides. "Find someone else Gale. You deserve to find someone to love you the way I love Peeta..the way he loves me." Katniss ran her hand over the child in her belly. "One day you'll understand why I'm telling you this, and you'll see it was never a choice between you and him. Peeta and I were supposed to be."

"So that's it, huh?" Gale looked down at his feet like a lost little boy.

"That's it," Katniss confirmed. "I understand if you can't be my friend anymore."

"I think Peeta would like that," Gale grinned at her. "But as for me...not so much."

"I'm sorry, Gale." It would be the last time she'd ever apologize for putting him through this.

"Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying," he shrugged it off. "Give Peeta my best. You'll understand if I don't come around to check on him." Katniss nodded. "Well...see ya around, Catnip." he lifted a hand and waved at her as he stepped from the room.

"See ya, Gale," Katniss said to an empty room. As she watched Gale's back get smaller and smaller the further he walked down the hall, she knew no matter how hard they tried, one day very soon, she'd be saying goodbye to Gale for good.

…..

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…..

…..

…..

"We're bringing you into surgery right now, but someone wants to see you first." Dr. Valero said to him.

Peeta began blinking rapidly when he saw Katniss standing over him. "You better not die, Mellark." She was putting on a brave face, but Peeta could tell she had been crying. "I mean it. If you die, I'll kill you myself," she whispered against his cheek before she placed a kiss there. "I need you Peeta." He closed his eyes and let her words sink in. "Banana nut and I need you." He felt the warmth of her lips press against his and a feeling of security washed through him. He would be okay now. Katniss and Maysilee were waiting for him, so he had to pull through. "I love you," he heard her voice crack. "I lov..." Sleep enveloped him before she could even finish her sentence.

"Have they told you about it?" Peeta asked Katniss about his upcoming mission as they spoke on the phone.

"Only that Gale came up with a way to defeat the Nut," she answered. He wanted to tell her what Gale's plan entailed, even thought maybe she could convince him it was the wrong thing to do, but then she said, "I'm sure whatever it is you have to do out there is for the best. The sooner this war is over, the sooner we can all get on with our lives."

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Suppose so."

"Peeta? Are you okay?"

He forced himself to sound more upbeat. "Yeah. Sure I am. Just missing you two, that's all."

"Go complete your mission and come home to us," he could hear her trying to sound encouraging. "I just want you to come home. Actually, I want to be there with you. I hate that you left me behind."

"It's not like you could go out into battle carrying banana nut, Katniss."

"Why not?" She sounded like she was pouting. "That uniform would protect me."

"Are you seriously telling me you'd be willing to put our baby in danger? That you'd trust a uniform to keep her safe?"

"No," Katniss answered quickly. "I'd trust you to keep us safe."

Peeta grinned. "Can't argue with that one."

"Didn't think you could."

Peeta's heart felt like it was about to crumble into little bits. Not only because he missed Katniss and the baby, but because of what he was about to do on this mission. "Katniss, tell me something happy."

"Mmmm," she paused then said, "Wrap your arms around yourself." He did what she asked. "Now squeeze. We're holding you, Peeta."

"I wish you were. I bet you could warm me up."

"Are you cold?"

"I've been chilled to the bone since our hovercraft landed in Two," Peeta gave himself a shiver.

"When you come back I'll warm you up."

"Promise?" He asked.

"Promise," she answered.

"How?" The chills had become a permanent part of his life as of late. Even when the people that volunteered their homes at night to keep him safe, lit a fire for him, Peeta couldn't get rid of the icy feeling in his bones.

"I'll curl up with you in front of a fire and wrap one of our down quilts around us."

He let his head sink down, "I don't think that will work." He didn't think anything could possibly bring heat back to his limbs.

"Then I'll use body heat." Katniss let out a sigh. "There's nothing like body heat to combat the chills."

"Body heat, huh?" He imagined her curling up under the blankets with him using her flesh as a source of heat. "I like the idea of that."

"Me too," she said softly. "All you have to do is finish your mission and come home to us Peeta."

His mission... "I will, Katniss." He closed his eyes tightly. "Are you squeezing yourself?"

"I am now," she answered.

"I love you, Katniss. Both of you so much."

"We love you too, Peeta. We'll be waiting for you."

Something was tapping on his hip. Peeta opened up his eyes and took his surroundings in. A dark hospital room, a curtain pulled around one side of his bed. There was an IV of something hanging up next to him, but the tube went under the curtain, not into him. The light tapping started again and Peeta looked downward. "Katniss," he whispered when he saw her sleeping next to him. She was laying on her side with her arms and legs wrapped around him and she wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. The only thing covering him was a small bandage and some boxers. "Body heat," Peeta smiled to himself and let his hand trail down her bare back. 'What is that?' He asked himself when he felt the thumping again, thinking Katniss' hand was jerking in her sleep. Peeta lifted the covers and looked beneath. Katniss' belly was pressing up against him. He placed his hand on her stomach and less than a minute later, like a guest knocking on a front door, Maysilee rapped at her father's hand. "Maysee," he whispered to his daughter.

"Welcome home," he felt Katniss place a kiss against his right shoulder.

"She's kicking," his voice was quiet yet filled with excitement.

"She knows her daddy is home," Katniss let out a sigh of relief. "You're home," it came out like a prayer that had been answered.

Peeta lifted his left arm to put it around her and let out a little grunt wishing he had something for the pain. "Damn, how bad was that gunshot?"

"It didn't get through the uniform." Katniss curled closer to him when his body shuddered and she began rubbing her hands and legs up and down his skin. "The force of the gunshot did something to your spleen and caused some internal bleeding. The doctors in Two have limited resources and were unable to detect it. " She ran her fingers through his hair, grateful that the damage hadn't been worse or he never would have made it back to Thirteen alive. Regina had explained to Katniss that it was a slow bleed, but the loss of blood, the impact of the gunshot, and the sheer exhaustion Peeta had been going through made it difficult for him to stay conscious. "You've got some badly bruised ribs and they had to remove your spleen, but Regina said you don't need one so don't worry about that."

Peeta let his eyes close and his head sink into his pillow with the feel of Katniss bringing warmth back to his flesh. "You're naked," he rolled his face towards hers.

"You've been gone for weeks, the baby just kicked you, I told you that you had internal bleeding and your spleen removed and all you can say is, 'You're naked?'"

"Well you are," Peeta gave her a mischievous grin. "It's kind of hard not to notice that."

Katniss scowled at him and said, "I can put my clothes back on if it's that much of a distraction, but you won't be nearly as warm."

"Oh no," a playful gleam glinted in his eyes, "don't get dressed on my account. In fact, I think we should become nudists. We'll just live life with no clothes on." Katniss arched a brow and smirked at him. "Of course, we'd have to spend every minute behind closed doors because I never want anyone looking at you."

She let out a little burst of laughter and asked, "How will I hunt nude?"

"Okay...we'll be nudists when we're home, but normal people when we have to leave the house," he suggested.

"What if we have company over?"

"Okay," Peeta quickly changed the rules of their lifestyle once again, "nudists when it's just you and me at home...normal the rest of the time."

"What about when Maysilee gets here," Katniss nuzzled her nose into his neck and placed a soft kiss against his throat.

"You're not making this very easy," he lifted his arm and ignored the sharp pain just below his ribs, cupping her face in his hand. "I need something to look forward to during my recuperation."

"I can give you something to look forward to," she let her eyes close when he placed his lips against hers. "Mmmm," she had been waiting for his kiss for far too long. "I love you," she said quietly into it.

"I love you too," he whisperer back and reveled in the feel of her lips moving freely over his, her hands running up and down his torso, staying clear of the area where there was a small gauze bandage, and her leg that kept running up and down his. Peeta let his hand trail down Katniss' cheek, over her neck, down her shoulder and over her bulging torso. The feel of her hard stomach pressing into his hip, her chest flattened against the side of his body and her tongue playing with his between their opened mouths caused his insides to flame, warming him from the inside out. "Katniss," he said softly, "my sweet girl. I've missed you so much."

"I love it when you call me that," she smiled tenderly into their nonstop kiss. "Don't leave me anymore."

"I won't," he couldn't bear the thought of ever being without her again. "God," he pressed his lips against hers in a hard stamp, "I'm going to have to." He hated that he remembered what was next. "I have to go to the Capitol."

"I'm going with you."

Peeta pulled himself away from her and stared into her eyes, "No. You are not putting our baby in that kind of danger, Katniss."

"The fighting has stopped, Peeta. Now that we have control over all the districts Coin called for the rebels to stop fighting. I guess she wants the people in the Capitol to go through their resources or something like that, and the districts need to gather their supplies...tend to their wounded... According to Effie, it'll be a little while before we attack the Capitol, so I might have given birth to banana nut by then."

"And if you haven't?" Peeta asked accusingly.

Katniss grit her teeth and said what she felt in her heart, "Then Beetee makes some adjustments on my uniform and I go anyway."

"How can you do that? Even think that way, Katniss?"

"It's better than us losing the war and her getting thrown into the arena," Katniss snapped at him. "That can happen you know. They could put her in the arena as soon as she turns twelve."

"No," Peeta's whole face turned to sorrow. "She'll never see the inside of the arena."

"You think we'll win the war?" Katniss asked hoping he'd say yes.

"I don't know, Katniss, but I do know Snow won't put her in the arena." Peeta faced her and said, "He'd take her from us and raise her as his own. He told me that's what he was going to do with her when he held me captive. Guess he figures it'll cause us more pain to watch her live under his roof, calling him father than dying in the arena."

"No," Katniss gasped.

Peeta pressed a hard kiss against her forehead. "I know. I know," he choked out. "Don't worry. We won't let him have her."

"Johanna says if it looks like we're going to lose the war that you and I should take the baby and Prim and run. That we should hide in the woods and raise them away from civilization."

"Would you do that?"

"Yes," she answered. "I'd hide in the deepest part of the woods, away from everyone and I'd never think about the people we had to leave behind, because I know they'd want us to stay alive...to keep our baby safe."

"Then we'll do it," Peeta agreed. "We'll run."

There was another option. "Peeta what happens if we do win the war? Do you think Coin is going to want us to hang around here?"

"We'll go home. We'll live a quiet life, promise her we won't bother anyone or anything. She'd let us," he tried to say the last part convincingly but it came out riddled with fear.

"I think she wants us dead."

"Maybe we should just run no matter what the outcome of the war is," Peeta suggested sadly.

"No. Maybe we could convince Coin to let us live in Twelve, out of the public eye."

"I hope so," he gripped her back with the arm that had been tucked under her. "That's all I wanted the entire time I was gone...was to be home with you. The thing is...I didn't even remember what home looked like. All I knew was that it felt cozy...warm. I know I baked there and cooked. I remember washing clothes and the front door." Peeta held Katniss gaze, "I remember pressing you up against the front door and kissing you. You were wet from a storm I think."

Katniss grinned at the memory. "We were both wet from the storm."

"That happened?"

"Real," she placed a soft kiss against his lips and held his face in her hands. "That was very real."

"You tasted hot, but your skin was puckered from the cold rainwater."

"Do you remember everything that happened?"

"No," he searched his mind for it. "I just keep seeing you with water dripping from your braid and your eyes..." he looked into them, "they were as stormy as the clouds in the sky."

"Do you want me to tell you what happened that night?"

He remembered that they had argued prior to the kiss. "Do I want to know?" He furrowed his brow slightly.

"Katniss took his hand and ran it over her stomach. "That happened."

"Oh," Peeta let his hand rest against the baby and said again this time with more of a shocked tone in his voice, "Oh."

Katniss let out a little giggle, "Maybe I should keep that memory to myself," she gave her brows a little wag. "I'd hate to influence your way of thinking when it comes to that part of our life."

"No," Peeta said with his brows raised into his hairline, "Feel free to tell me all about it. Don't leave out any details either."

Katniss let out a laugh and whispered into his ear, "Or we could just relive it."

"Wow," Peeta said with a hint of teasing in his voice, "I did ask for something to look forward to after my recovery."

"And I told you I'd give you something to look forward to." She leaned her lips to his ear and whispered something then placed a long lingering kiss against his lips.

"Oh for Christ sake!" Johanna bellowed from behind the curtain she threw open. "Speak up! I can't hear what you're saying to him!"

"Johanna?" Peeta looked over his left shoulder while Katniss hid her face in his chest. "What the hell are you doing over there?" He noticed his tube was hooked into her IV. "And why do you have my morphling drip?"

"Weren't you going back to your old room?" Katniss growled at her.

"They put that kid with the bullet in his shoulder in there so I came back here. He kept groaning in his sleep. It was very annoying." She lifted her chin to Peeta, "Hey there buns. Nice to see you alive and kicking...or should I say kissing. Christ, you two are like freaking rabbits. The guy just got out of surgery and you're already dry humping him."

"Dear God," Katniss turned her face from Johanna's line of sight.

"Be nice, Johanna," Peeta scolded her.

"Nice isn't my thing. That's your thing," she pointed at Peeta. "So...what did she say to you? I couldn't hear."

"If she wanted you to hear she would have said it louder, now quit being so rude and give me back my morphling." The pain was beginning to take his breath away.

Johanna lifted up the hand Peeta's drip was hooked up to. "I think they're giving the rest of us patients the crap drugs and you the good stuff. This morphling seems to have a kick to it," she rested one arm behind her head. "Good stuff."

Peeta and Katniss shared a knowing look. "You're siphoning the medication they use to counteract my hijacking, Johanna," Peeta said with a grin. "It's got proteins in it based on what they found in Katniss' bloodstream."

"I call it my pregnancy proteins," Katniss bit her bottom lip then let out a laugh.

"Jeeesus," Johanna looked down at her hand and said, "I'm not gonna start crying like a wussy now, am I? Oh God, is it going to turn me into a horn dog like the two of you?" She shrugged, "Eh...nothing new."

"Johanna!" Peeta gave his head a shake. "Why do you have to be so disgusting?"

"Comes naturally, buns." She gave her head a jerk then suggested to him, "Tell me what she said to you and I'll give you back your knocked up wonder drug."

Peeta glared at her and said, "She said she'd give me something to look forward to."

"I heard that part, brainless."

If he hadn't been in so much pain he wouldn't have said a thing. "Sex. Hot sex, now give me my morphling."

"Peeta!" Katniss gasped in embarrassment.

"It's not like people don't know." He took the tube from Johanna and handed it to Katniss. "Can you put this back in, please?"

"I cannot believe you told her," Katniss sat upward and grabbed the blanket to cover herself.

"Yeah because that giant lump on your stomach is the result of eating watermelon seeds," Johanna closed the curtain between them and yelled out. "Keep your moans and groans down. I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh my God," Katniss hid her face in Peeta's chest. "I didn't know she was there," she said quietly.

"Sorry. I hurt." Peeta was quickly feeling the effects of his morphling drip.

"I know," she leaned over him and brushed the hair back from his forehead. "Go to sleep. Regina said they're going to make you get up in the morning and walk around, but for now you need to rest."

"Rest," it sounded like a really good idea. "I love you, Katniss." Katniss placed her lips against his and felt his arm encircle her waste, pressing the baby between them who began pounding away at Peeta. "I love you too, banana nut."

"I think she's happy you're back," Katniss rested her head against his shoulder. "I love you Peeta." It was the last happy thought she had that night. Her sleep was plagued with nightmares of the baby being taken from her and Peeta. Clove, pinning her down in the arena, trying to decide where to start cutting Katniss apart and choosing her stomach only this time Thresh hadn't been there to pull the girl off. Katniss could feel the knife slicing into her womb and hear the baby's cries from within as Clove pulled the blood covered infant out of her and handed the child off to Snow. Another dream had Katniss pushing the child out and the second the infant was flopping around in Regina's hands, Coin swooped in and took the baby. Every time the baby pounded at her stomach, Katniss quivered with fear. She was certain that she'd never hold the growing life within her. That the child would die, or be put to death. That Snow or Coin would take their baby away. With each day that passed, Katniss' fears grew stronger and stronger. One of the only things that appeased her were the daily walks she and Peeta took through the woods, the escape plans they had begun to make in secret in case they lost the war and the trip they made to Twelve the day before Finnick and Annie's wedding.