Dressed in a dark blue floor length dress along with a silver shawl, Wiress took Beetee's hand as they walked down a hallway in the Presidential Mansion. She smiled at him dressed in his black tuxedo. Plutarch wore a red tux and smoothed his coat as an Avox opened the doors to President Snow's office.
"You may enter." President Snow said from his dark brown desk. The seal of Panem was woven in the carpet in front of his desk. "Head Gamemaker Heavensbee, Victors Tesla."
"Yes, Mr. President." The three replied in hushed voices as the avox closed the door behind them.
"The girl failed to convince me." He said as he sipped champange. Setting down the glass, the liquid mixed with blood swirled. "She failed to convince the country."
"No, sir." Wiress said quietly but resolutely. "A country can't celebrate the couple while its children -" She paused. "While its children are killed." Beetee's mouth went dry at his wife's announcement.
"I see, Mrs. Tesla. Words of a mother in mourning." President Snow said calmly without meeting her gaze. "Very rebellious words of a girl who survived the arena at age twelve. Who was offered a life of luxury within the Capitol at age thirteen. Who was allowed to invent even while she and her husband rebelled - I know both you and your husband are behind the current uprising in District Three." President Snow looked away from large eyes that were holding his gaze. The fierceness and determination in Wiress' large eyes was enough to make President Snow inwardly squirm. "I called you in to tell you this: What I have planned for the Quarter Quell will end any hopes of rebellion for the nation. And it will end you and your husband's personal rebellion once and for all."
"Thank you for your warning, sir." Beetee responded evenly as Wiress squeezed his hand.
"Teslas, you are dismissed. Heavensbee, I need to speak with you -" Wiress nodded to the avox who opened the doors leading back to the hallway.
"Is Papa in there?" A ten year old girl with a dark braid on one side asked. She bounced eagerly in her green dress with a poufy skirt that fell in layers. Wiress's fears dissipated as her maternal instincts took over.
"Sweetie, he's still meeting." Wiress said kneeling down to the girl's height. "You look beautiful." Wiress' heart twisted thinking about Estelle getting ready for her first Engineering Academy dance so many years ago. "Is he taking you to the party tonight?"
"Yes, it's almost time to go!" President Snow's granddaughter replied with a hint of impatience.
"Can you ask his secretary when he will be finished with his appointment?" Beetee suggested figuring President Snow wouldn't welcome anyone walking in on his appointment, even if that person was his granddaughter. The girl nodded before skipping over to the avox near the door.
"I want to see Papa." She announced before the Avox rapped on the door. President Snow came to the door after a pause. "Papa, the party is soon!"
"I know. Perhaps Victor Tesla and his wife will walk you down. You will still meet Miss Trinket by ten-thirty."
"Yay!" Beetee chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm. She took Wiress' outstretched hand.
"Victor Tesla, I'm Ariana."
"Very beautiful name." Wiress remarked. "This is a late party, dear." She couldn't help remarking recalling tucking her children in by ten-thirty or eleven at the latest on a weekend. When her children were younger, their bickering while playing with an erector set or some other construction set alerted Wiress to their pending bedtime.
"Yeah, but I slept in the afternoon." Ariana gasped as they opened the doors to the Presidential Mansion banquet room. "Oh!" Already, guests were mingling even though Katniss and Peeta hadn't arrived. Wiress and Beetee stood with Ariana on a balcony overlooking the room. Even so, Ariana had to stand on her tiptoes to peer over the railing.
"Hey, squirt, do you want a presidential view of the party?" He asked. Ariana nodded eagerly. "Hop on up!"
"Beetee -" Wiress began as her forty some odd husband bent down so the ten year old girl could sit on his shoulders.
"Relax, hon. I did this with the kids lots of times!" However, his back protested a bit as he lifted the girl into the air. "Now, you have the best view in the house." The girl giggled.
"I see Miss Trinket!" She gasped as the outside doors opened for the District Twelve victors to make their grand entrance.
"Let's go meet her, shall we?" Beetee asked bending down so the wiggling energy ball in a green dress could slide off his shoulders. "Stick with us, ok? There's a lot of people here." Instinctively, he took her hand while Wiress took the other. Beetee blinked back tears as he felt another child's hand in his own. Was it three years ago that Noah was this child's age?
"Oh - Mr. and Mrs. Tesla! I didn't expect you here!" Effie Trinket gasped. "Well, my charges are at the buffet."
"We heard a rumor that you were going to escort a very special little someone tonight." Beetee announced looking at Ariana who smiled up at Effie.
"Of course! Her first presidential banquet!"
"Pleased to see you, Miss Trinket." Ariana said as she curtseyed.
"You have fun, princess." Wiress laughed before turning to Effie. "Now, will President Snow come for her when she needs to be in bed?"
"Her avox will come at the time requested." Effie replied. Seeing a worried look on her young charge, she smiled as she addressed her. "Of course, that's not for a while, dear. Let's try the soups, shall we?"
"That sounds lovely." Ariana replied as she walked next to the escort.
"You were a stickler for bed-times for our children." Beetee chuckled as he slipped his hand in Wiress' elbow.
"Yes." Wiress sighed. "I wish - we were -"
"We were at home in District Three. All of us were." Beetee said quietly. "I know, sweetie." They smiled watching Katniss and Peeta sampling the food and mingling with the guests.
Soon the Teslas' usual sponsors saw them and beckoned them over to a couch or table to chat. The Teslas were there to give the sponsors the impression that they were done being rebellious. They would talk to Katniss and Peeta if the two young victors approached them, otherwise, the Teslas were content to fade into the background.
"Lovely time. Lovely." Plutarch sighed two hours later as he sipped on some white wine while enjoying a plate of cheese and crackers. Plopping himself on the couch next to the Teslas, he followed their gaze to some musicians on a floating cloud.
"I always enjoyed Mozart." He said humming along to a tune.
"Yes, of course." Wiress replied offhandedly.
"How on earth do the generators keep the stage fog so condensed?" Beetee asked before Wiress laughed.
"The chemicals themselves vaporize once -" Wiress explained.
"Oh - once they reach a certain distance away from the generator." Beetee paused. "You invented it ah -" Blushing as his wife gave him a teasing smile, Beetee cleared his throat. "Three years ago."
"Two and a half -" Wiress began smiling. "How long will you stay, Plutarch?"
"Long enough to sing to a certain Mockingjay - aha, the pastry chefs are mobbing the boy, I'll show her my watch."
"His watch?" Beetee asked before Wiress sighed. "Oh, the watch that flashes a design over the face if you swipe it with your finger - don't answer me -" Beetee paused as Wiress suppressed a giggle. "One year ago."
"Eight months." Wiress answered as Beetee groaned. "Beetee, only six out of ten -"
"Well, my dear, when you're married to the most prominent inventor in Panem, you forget when she invented what!" Beetee yelped. "Ok, ok. What do I have to do?" Smirking, Wiress placed her wine on the table next to the couch.
"Kiss me." Wiress whispered as Beetee gently kissed her. "Mmm - my dear - do you promise - whatever I say next -"
"Yes, my darling." Beetee whispered.
"Promise to clean the bathroom every week and take your plates from the shed when you eat and work -"
"Mmm - Wiress!" Beetee groaned before he stared into sappy large eyes.
"Beetee - you said - whatever I say -" Wiress playfully pouted as she nuzzled her face against Beetee's neck as they lay on the couch.
"Yes, dear." Beetee replied. And I'll go through your patent log so I will never loose another bet with you again! They left the party shortly thereafter to return to Plutarch's house. They were eager to return to District Three and lose themselves in their inventions once more before returning to the Capitol for the Quarter Quell.