Chapter 4: Here's Where the Fun Begins

Katniss tossed the bag into the rear compartment of her Jeep and slammed the door, giving it an extra bump with her hip to make sure it was securely closed. She slid behind the wheel, giving the blond in the passenger seat a reassuring grin. "Looks like we're going to get everything moved in one trip. Ready to go?" Prim nodded and tentatively returned her smile. "Honestly, I would hate to see how that brother of yours packs for a vacation. Are you sure he left you any clothes at home?"

Prim giggled, "That's just Peeta. He takes lists very seriously. I think he packed every allowable thing on the paper you gave him. If I didn't already own it, he probably went out and bought it. That's just how he is." She rolled her eyes. "He's very sweet, but sometimes I wish he would just ease off. He's worse than a mother hen. He has been ever since we lost Mom and Dad."

Katniss saw the slight grimace of pain cross Prim's features. She took one hand off the wheel to gently pat Prim's shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it? I'm always up for a story, you know."

Prim's blue eyes flashed gratitude and she twisted her fingers, wringing her hands. "I came along right after Peeta turned eleven. I don't think he ever forgave me for not being a boy. He was the perfect big brother, though. He always took time to play with me, didn't tease me, and would slip me an extra dessert. When I was seven, Mom and Dad left me at home with Peeta and went out to pick up dinner. A girl who was paying more attention to her radio than her driving blew through a red light and hit their car. Dad was killed instantly. Mom lasted another week, but she never woke up." A few tears ran down the girl's pale, porcelain cheeks. Katniss felt a burning in her eyes and squeezed Prim's shoulder. The girl's hand caught hers and held it tightly. Katniss almost suggested that the story could wait until later, but she sensed that Prim hadn't opened up for quite some time. The girl was begging for a release, even if it came in the form of a stranger. Prim swallowed noisily and then continued, "Peeta was going to start college that fall. He had a full scholarship thanks to his grades and baseball. He was ready to give that up to take care of me. Luckily, Sae was there to help us."

Katniss questioned, "The same Sae who guards his door at his office. That Sae?"

Prim grinned, "Yep, that Sae. Her real name is Sadie, but we all call her Sae. She was the owner of the restaurant that Peeta worked at part time in high school. She taught him to cook. After the funeral, she came to see us. She flatly refused to let Peeta give up his scholarship. She lived in a small apartment above her restaurant, but put it up for rent and moved in with us. She took care of the house and me while Peeta went to school. When he finished up and got the job at Coin & Crane Designs, he hired a permanent manager for the restaurant and Sae went to work for him. She doesn't live with us anymore, but she still acts like a maid and aunt. They keep a pretty close eye on me." This was said dourly, with a grimace narrowing the china blue gaze.

Now we get to the heart of it, Katniss thought. The girl had every opportunity, a good support system and a stable home. Despite that, she had been arrested four times in the last eight months. There had to be an explanation. She commented softly, careful not to sound judgmental, "Sounds like they did everything they could to give you a good home. What am I missing, Prim? You honestly don't fit the bill as a career troublemaker."

Prim's grimace turned to red-faced embarrassment. Her eyes focused firmly on the toes of her expensive shoes. Finally, she mumbled, "Peeta still treats me like I'm seven. I asked if I could get a part time job and he said no. I asked if I could go on Spring Break with some friends from school. It was only for a weekend with plenty of supervision, but Peeta said no. He absolutely refused to discuss it. That accounted for the first arrest; I got picked up for hitchhiking when I decided to go anyway. The second time was stupid. I got caught shoplifting. Peeta yelled at me for two days. I had to do community service down at the Mission. I served during the lunch shift for 2 months. The third time was for skipping class. The truant officer caught me, Rory, and Vick in the park. I barely avoided getting expelled. That time, I had to do towel duty for the basketball team and keep the water bottles filled at games. Either Peeta or Sae was there after every practice and game, so I had to go straight home. You already know about this last one."

Katniss did indeed know about this last one. Taking part in a robbery was infinitely more serious than those other offenses, but that still didn't explain why this girl habitually chose to make such poor decisions. "Do you get to spend a lot of time with your brother other than when he's acting as a warden? What do you do for fun?"

Prim shook her head, tears glazing her eyes again. "He works a lot. He doesn't usually get home until late. I go over to my friend's house sometimes to study and eat dinner when I know he's going to be really late. Sae comes over when she can and we'll eat and watch television. On the weekends, it's better. We catch a game, eat hotdogs, and sometimes go to the matinee if a good one is playing. Peeta will sometimes take a shift down at Sae's restaurant. He says it helps him to stay in practice. I go along to watch the show." The sudden grin flashed like sunlight through a cloud. "You should come with me sometime. I bet you would think it's as funny as I do."

"The show?" Katniss asked, enthralled by the wicked glee emanating from Prim's face. "You're not about to tell me some inappropriate story about your brother, are you? Somehow, I don't think he would find it quite so amusing."

Prim suppressed another giggle and retorted, "I know he wouldn't appreciate it, but it would be worth it to see his face. Every time Peeta takes a shift, one of the waitresses will switch so that she can work it, too. Madge Undersee is her name. I call her Malibu Barbie. She's such a fake that she should be plastic." Katniss felt an unwilling grin split her face. The mental picture was hilarious. She quickly suppressed it and shot Prim a stern glance. "You should see how red he gets when she pins him into a corner. I don't know whether that or the constant fake compliments are worse. 'Peeta, you're so smart. Peeta, you're such a good cook. Peeta, you must work out.' It's so sweet that it makes me gag." Prim rolled her eyes. "She tried to be friendly with me. but I just couldn't take it like Peeta does. What a joke!"

Katniss had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the picture the girl painted. "Prim, is she really that bad or do you just not want your brother to date? He does deserve a life outside of his job and you, don't you think?"

Prim shook her head. "No, Katniss, it's not like that at all. I want Peeta to find a girl and have a good life. He deserves it. I just think he deserves better than Malibu Barbie. She couldn't make him happy." A sly gleam flickered in the blue gaze. "He asked about you, you know. The night after you came to see me, he stopped by to make sure that I was okay. He wanted to be sure that I was actually willing to do the program. He said you had stopped by and seemed very interested in what I knew about you." Katniss felt the blush rush up to her hairline. "I told him about you doing archery. He thought I was making it up until I told him you had competed at college. Knowing Peeta, he went home and looked you up online. Even though he tried to hide it and play cool, I know my brother and I think he likes you." Prim looked over at her, pleading blue eyes meeting wide gray. "He told me that he brought you pastries. He's never done that for anyone before. Dad taught him how to bake. Our favorite story as kids was listening about how our parents met. Dad proposed to Mom by hiding the ring in a bag of pastries, some kind of chocolate and cream one. He would make them for Mom every year on their anniversary. Peeta said her face would light up like Christmas lights." She grasped Katniss' hand tightly. "If he ever does ask you out, I hope you'll go. I know it's probably against the rules to date an inmate's family, warden… but I won't be here forever. Keep that in mind."

Katniss was saved from responding by the GPS announcing that they had reached their destination. She exchanged an uncomfortable glance with Prim, then eased the Jeep into the closest parking space. Grabbing her backpack from the rear seat, she motioned for Prim to join her. "What's this place?" Prim asked as she gazed around. The building had an institutional feel with speckled paint, cramped windows, and close-clipped hedges hugging the grounds.

"We're here to pick up another girl. She's going to be part of our group for the next three months." Katniss glanced at her folder before smiling up at Prim. "She's fifteen, like you. I figured this would be a good opportunity for you two to get to know each other. You'll be living together for the foreseeable future. Her name is Ruth Ann Matisse."

The matron met them at the front desk and had both sign in. Katniss handed over the appropriate paperwork and then they were shown to a small room just off the ward station. Knocking quietly, Katniss and Prim heard a small voice acknowledge and call for them to enter.

The girl was small; almost bird like, with thin arms and legs, smooth brown hair and big doe eyes. She clutched a ragged teddy bear and eyed them warily. Her clothing was ill fitted, tattered and worn. Her bio listed her age as fifteen but much like Prim, she barely looked twelve. Katniss immediately felt her heart go out to the girl. Something about the big dark eyes prompted an almost forgotten memory.

Thirteen years earlier

The November day was cold and brisk. The gray limbs reached up toward the leaden sky like bent fingers. Their steps made a quiet rustling in the dead leaves. She tried in vain to hush her steps and match them to her father's. He moved through the woods like a ghost, his velvet tread hardly stirring the leaves. He stopped suddenly and motioned for Katniss to do the same. His gray eyes, so like hers, flicked back to meet hers and then he nodded his head to the left. Katniss followed his gaze and gasped quietly as she saw the tiny doe. The deer was frozen at the edge of a small copse of trees. Had she the guile and cunning of an older animal, she could have melted into the forest like a shadow. Instead, she regarded the two strange beings with large liquid eyes. Katniss, her hand shaking, nocked an arrow and lifted the bow, already drawing back. Her father's hand on her arm, however, stayed the motion. The doe, startled, quickly darted away and disappeared.

"Why did you stop me?" she questioned.

"Because, Katniss," he answered, "That one hadn't learned to live yet. If she had, we never would have come up on her quite so easily. It's best to let them go in that case. Everything deserves a chance at a life. Never forget that."

Katniss came back to the present, the memory of that doe's eyes overlapping the wide brown gaze currently looking at her. She dimly heard her father's voice again, Everything deserves a chance at a life. She held out her hand and quietly introduced herself, "Hello, Ruth Ann. My name is Katniss. I'm a friend of Annie's, the lady that you met yesterday. She sent Prim and I to pick you up. Are you ready to go?"

The girl's eyes flicked from Katniss to Prim and she nodded slowly. She stood up, pulling the oversized jacket up onto her shoulders. The teddy bear stayed firmly in her grasp. Katniss noted that there were two paper bags sitting next to her feet. "Is this everything?" Another silent nod answered her. Prim's eyes widened and Katniss shook her head briefly at her. The girl's belongings would easily fit into Prim's bag with room to spare. Prim couldn't help but notice and compare the difference in attire, luggage, and overall appearance. Where Prim's clothing was tasteful and carried designer labels, Ruth Ann's was bedraggled, torn in spots, and hung on her small frame like a sheet. Prim's stylish shoes gleamed in the low light. Ruth Ann's foam rubber clogs were dingy and worn down in the heels. The two girls couldn't have been more different if they tried.

Katniss motioned for Prim to help carry the bags and the three made their way out to the Jeep. The girl's eyes hadn't lost their glazed and staring expression. She climbed into the back seat without a word and huddled quietly, teddy bear clutched tightly in her small hands. Prim climbed into the front and half-turned, chattering to Ruth Ann about a variety of topics. She asked, in the space of minutes, about favorite bands, favorite color, family, and the teddy bear's name. Katniss grinned as she navigated the lights back to the main thoroughfare. Haymitch had once again proven why he was the director and Katniss the counselor. Prim would eventually break down those walls that Ruth Ann had surrounded herself with. Ruth Ann, on the other hand, would provide a reference point for Prim, a reminder that others had rough lives, but still managed to keep going.

The girl continued to talk, alternately flipping stations on the radio and soliciting an opinion on every topic that popped into her head. The most she got for this great effort was a couple of head shakes and a small smile. It was, Katniss noted, a very good start. "I hope that you two are enjoying each other's company because you will be roommates when we get there." She was pleased to see the excited grin on Prim's face. Ruth Ann's expression remained impassive, but Katniss noticed that her teddy bear wasn't being clutched quite so tightly. "Let me do the honors. Ruth Ann, this is Primrose Mellark. As you've seen, she is quite the conversationalist. She likes to be called Prim."

They were almost to the compound when a tiny voice came from the rear, "Rue."

Katniss and Prim exchanged a glance, and Prim turned around half-leaning over the seat, "What did you say?"

The girl's eyes flicked from one to the other and she spoke in a slightly more normal tone. "Rue. That's what everybody calls me. You can call me Rue."

Katniss smiled widely. She saw a matching one reflected on Prim's face. Both replied, "It's very nice to meet you, Rue."

"So everyone is present and accounted for. All the room assignments seem to be working out. Any questions or problems regarding the current assignments?" Haymitch flipped through the stack of papers in front of him. His gaze scanned the six faces around the table. No one raised any issues, so he continued. "Let's run them down to familiarize ourselves with this crop, shall we?"

Gale started, "My four are settled in and they seem to be getting along. The oldest is Marvel Fenig, age 17. This is the last opportunity before he gets sent to County. If he doesn't finish, he's a goner. The next is Enobaria Agnaste, age 16. Minor drug charges. Her bags were checked before we came in. Possible gang affiliation. Third, Richard Bettins, aka Beetee, age 15. Gifted in computers. Caught in a hacking break-in. Last but not least, Wiress Upton, age 16. Chronic rule breaker and another last chance."

The rest of the meeting ran in a similar fashion. Johanna, Annie, Finnick, and Chaff quickly ran through their rosters and personal observations. Finally, Haymitch looked at Katniss and nodded for her to continue. She flipped open her notebook and began, "Diana Glimmer, age 15. Shoplifting, breaking and entering, and other assorted misdemeanors. No known gang affiliation but some tattoos do suggest that she has been exposed to The Gamesmakers. Clove Jewelton, age 15. Every arrest was in the company of Diana Glimmer. Same tattoos. Same exposure. We will have to watch these two. Ruth Ann Matisse, age 15. No arrests. Found by local PD digging burnt bread out of a dumpster. Investigation followed up and discovered her and three other children living in an abandoned house down by the Seam. When questioned, it was found that her guardian, an aunt, was out dealing. The kids had been left to fend for themselves. Ruth Ann, who prefers Rue by the way, was smart enough to ask for help. The other three kids have been placed with one of the most stable foster homes available. The family is ready to take Rue once she completes the program. She's not our usual type, but I think we can do a lot of good here. The last is Primrose Mellark, who prefers Prim. Caught in a robbery. Priors include misdemeanors and miscellaneous petty crimes. Has a good support system, just needs direction." Katniss jerked her head up at several snickers. Her gaze swept the table, auguring into each one of them. Gale grinned openly and made no attempt to hide his amusement. Johanna mirrored him exactly. Finnick quirked an ironic brow and grinned unrepentantly, tossing back his usual snack of sugar cubes. Katniss felt her cheeks flush and looked pleadingly to Haymitch to change the subject. She should have known better.

"Speaking of Lover Boy, I received a phone call from Mr. Mellark today," Haymitch said drolly. "He had some questions regarding the process of signing up to volunteer. He seems to have skill sets which would mesh nicely with what we're trying to accomplish here." He eyed Katniss' pink cheeks. "I've told him that since his sister is participating in this cycle, he isn't eligible to begin in the class rotation until next time. He seems to be something of a whiz when it comes to financials and software. Right now, he's doing a couple of hours a week checking over our books and getting on Effie's nerves. He will be worth his weight in gold if he can get those books into some sort of order. That woman is the soul of organization, but she is completely hopeless when it comes to simple math." Laughter met that statement. Katniss winced in sympathy for poor Peeta. Being stuck in a room with Effie Trinket for any period of time was the equivalent of capital punishment.

Haymitch continued, "Looks like everything is proceeding according to plan. We will let them have dinner and get a good night's sleep. The fun begins tomorrow, ladies and gentlemen. I hope that you will be ready and come with your game faces on. Until then, go have fun. Eat, drink, and be merry or whatever." The group climbed to their feet, grabbing files and stacks of paper. Katniss swept her belongings into her backpack in one practiced motion. She was almost to the door when Haymitch's voice stopped her cold. "By the way, Sweetheart, tell your boyfriend that he's welcome to bring those baked goods by any time. I hear they were a hit… even made you crack a smile. If he can do that, he must be a miracle worker. Hell, I might even date him." Laughter erupted again along with some muffled cheering, which sounded suspiciously like Gale and Finnick.

Katniss felt her face go up in flames yet again. She clutched her bag tightly and practically ran to the elevator. Even though she had only seen him this morning, Peeta Mellark haunted each step she made, his presence like a hand poised on the back of her neck. The thought of blue eyes and a wide grin ignited butterflies in her belly. Him and his pastries. Next time she saw him, she was either going to kiss him or kill him. She wished that she knew which one. Her life had just gotten infinitely more complicated.

End Part 4