She came back to consciousness slowly; the fog enveloping her brain refused to be burnt off in the unforgiving morning light. She didn't know which was worse: her pounding head or her protesting stomach. Either way, it meant that today was going to be hell. Wishing she could just curl back up and hide until the sun came back up, Katniss hugged her pillow a little tighter and willed oblivion to return for just five more minutes.
She didn't know what had possessed them to drink until none were quite able to stand. What began as an ad-hoc girl's night out had quickly spun into something completely different. Johanna, with a little more courage thanks to a bottle of Jack Daniels, began asking questions that Katniss didn't want to answer. Johanna had finally exploded, "Katniss, you know I love you, but enough is enough. Gale can't take any more of this. He worries more about you than himself. He was sick when he saw you yesterday. He almost broke down. Katniss, I can't help you and I can't help him if you don't let me in. Now, what the hell is going on with you?"
The previous night:
Johanna burst out laughing at the mental image of Katniss and Finnick cruising some poor girl's neighborhood. "I would love to hear that story another time. That is not why I need your help. Gale has abandoned me for the evening and I refuse to go home alone. You must keep me entertained. It's your duty as my friend."
Katniss groaned. Just as she suspected. So much for a quiet evening at home. "Fine," She mumbled. "But I'm not going out. You can come home with me if you want. I don't know how exciting it will be for you but it's better than nothing."
Johanna cheerfully agreed and swung herself into the Jeep's passenger seat. Katniss had put the car in reverse when Johanna announced, "Annie is coming over, too. She was pretty upset when I ran into her earlier. I told her to meet us at your place in an hour. So if you don't have provisions, we need to stop for liquor and snacks."
Katniss didn't bother to voice any objection. She knew a losing battle when she saw it. "Fine," she groused. "Snacks and liquor it is. What has Annie upset?"
Johanna shrugged. "Some jerk called her uptight and offered to help her loosen up. She's furious. I'm surprised she didn't smack the guy. Annie's got something of a temper when you get her riled."
Katniss laughed. "Sounds like something Finnick would say. Guess it's a good thing he wasn't around or he would be the one offering. Heaven help us if that ever happens." Johanna chuckled, nodding her head in agreement. Those two together would be like gas with a match lit. Kaboom!
They stopped at the local liquor store and quickly perused the aisles. "Hello, my friend," Johanna cooed, scooping up a fifth of Jack Daniels. "Let's get the party started off right." Katniss shook her head, debating whether or not to remind Johanna that they had to work tomorrow. Giving it up as a useless endeavor, Katniss eyed the display and pulled out a bottle of Bacardi white rum. She already had the Cokes at home so it simplified the choice immensely. Annie, apparently a light drinker, met them at the register with a six pack of some beer that Katniss had never seen. Johanna rolled her eyes, "You've got to be kidding me, Annie. Why not run over to Walgreens and pick up some Nyquil for all the good that will do you." Annie shook her head, face flushing, and Johanna, resigned, picked up another Jack Daniels bottle. "Give me some time to work on you. I bet I can make you change your mind." Katniss couldn't help but grin at the slightly terrified looks Annie gave her as they paid for their purchases.
The stereo was up high enough that Katniss feared the landlord would be knocking any minute. Bottles littered her coffee table and several half-eaten pizzas lay abandoned. Katniss had cut up a few bowls of fruit that Johanna had promptly doused in the dregs of rum. She swore that it was an old recipe she learned at college, but no one seemed willing to try it. Johanna shrugged, "All the more for me then," and promptly wandered out on the deck with bowl and spoon in hand. Katniss examined the alarmingly low level of liquid in her glass and charged after her with another spoon. In fruit salad or in a glass mixed with Coke, it didn't matter. She wasn't quite finished yet.
Annie had finally been coaxed into splitting Johanna's Jack Daniels stash and was well on her way to an atrocious hangover come morning. The subject of the office was inevitably broached and Annie began muttering about "the pompous ass" and "too arrogant and conceited to be believed." Katniss and Johanna eyed her in a shocked fashion, having never heard the petite brunette curse.
"Is this about that jerk who called you uptight?" Johanna smirked.
Annie glared and tossed back another healthy swallow of her drink then spat, "Yeah, he's a jerk all right. I suppose that I should fall at his feet and worship him for noticing me, much less offering to help me out so politely. Arrogant ass. He parades around like he is the Patron saint of therapy and then has the gall to tell me that I'm stressed. I should have bashed his head in with those damned post-it notes. That definitely would have relieved some of my tension."
Katniss bit her lip to keep from bursting into laughter. The idea of Annie physically hitting someone was a little more than her inebriated brain could process at this moment. "Is it a state secret or are you going to fess up? Who pissed you off so badly? Strictly so I can get the workman's comp paperwork started. Someone's got to help Haymitch keep on top of these things, after all."
"Haymitch already knows. He stood there and watched the whole thing." Annie growled. "If you must know, it's bloody Finnick Odair. He can't be bothered to fill out a simple form or say, 'Hey, Annie, I switched session 7 and session 4. Just wanted you to know.' Oh no, that would be too difficult. He sticks a post-it to my computer monitor and thinks that everything is just peachy. I go in to my next one-on-one completely unaware and end up looking like an idiot. When I confronted him, he told me that I needed to loosen up and that he was at my service if I required any help. Moron. Like I would stoop so low."
Johanna cackled and Katniss had to hide a smile behind the rim of her glass. "I wouldn't take it personal, Annie. He probably did think he was just being helpful. You know how Finnick is. He's like the obnoxious brother that you wish you were never blessed with. He has a good heart. He just tries to hide it behind that 'devil may care' persona that he adopts. Maybe you should take him up on it?" Katniss hinted, sharing a smile with Johanna.
If they thought her cheeks were red before, it was nothing compared to the glowing inferno that was Annie Cresta's face. Bingo, Katniss thought. That should get her thinking. Not realizing the irony of the situation, Katniss quietly commented, "Most of it is an act. He's a lot more vulnerable than he lets on. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Just saying, Annie, but you could do a lot worse." Johanna eyed Katniss in disbelief. Could this possibly be the same girl who had broken down so completely just twenty four hours ago when faced with a similar situation?
Annie slowly regained control of her features and sipped her drink thoughtfully. Finally, she spoke, "Even if that were true, he considers me to be a rigid control freak. Not to mention that I yelled at him like a banshee. He's probably still trying to regain his hearing." She smiled ruefully. "I tend to get vocal when upset. I was definitely upset."
"You might be surprised," Johanna interjected. "If nothing else, maybe you should take his advice and loosen up. So the schedule got changed. You were still able to be flexible and work through it. Maybe that's what you need to do to get Finnick's mind off your little tantrum. Be flexible." Her obvious smirk pointed up that she meant the sentiment about more than just work processes. Annie's cheeks flamed again but the thoughtful expression gave her away. Katniss and Johanna shared a grin. It was definitely going to be entertaining around the office in the weeks to come.
Johanna, however, was not one to leave such an obvious stone unturned since the conversation gave her such a fantastic opening. "It's good that you can give Annie such fine relationship advice, Katniss. Maybe you should take notes because it's something that you also need to hear." Katniss' face lost all expression and her eyes seemed to haze over. "You have a perfectly fine specimen of manhood completely willing to be at your beck and call. And yet, you insist on throwing the opportunity away with both hands. A fine catch like Peeta Mellark doesn't wander in off the street every day. You should stake your claim before someone else does."
Katniss' eyes shot sparks and she grated, "Drop it, Jo. You don't know what you're talking about. Besides, Peeta Mellark is perfectly capable of finding his own companionship. He doesn't need you to recruit for him."
Johanna finally exploded, "Katniss, you know I love you, but enough is enough. Gale can't take any more of this. He worries more about you than himself. He was sick when he saw you yesterday. He almost broke down. Katniss, I can't help you and I can't help him if you don't let me in. Now, what the hell is going on with you?"
Katniss closed her eyes, fists clenched as she fought the black chasm in her chest that threatened to consume her once again. Johanna's words cut her more than she wanted to admit. Gale was her best friend. He had been beside her through the most difficult times in her life. She couldn't face the fact that her misery was causing him pain. He deserved all the happiness in the world. He deserved to enjoy time with the woman he loved instead of worrying about her. She owed him that much. She owed Johanna the truth. So, haltingly and quietly, the whole story came out. Ryder and her father. The engagement and clandestine wedding that never occurred because he was lost. And without him, she was lost. Her anchor had been swept away and the tide of grief took her under. It was only because Gale had stood behind her and supported her that she was able to breach the surface and get back on her feet. By the time she finished, all three faces were soaked in tears. The two pulled her into their embrace, whispering that she wasn't alone. That they were there. That it was okay.
Katniss felt something let go. She felt lighter and more at ease. The act of releasing all the pent up emotions soothed her and left an uneasy peace in their place. It wasn't completely gone, but it was smaller. More manageable. She didn't feel like a black hole was sucking up everything good and bright in her life anymore. She felt free.
Peeta. She needed to talk to him, see him smile, hear his laugh. Johanna had been more right than she knew. "Katniss, it's not about what you've lost or what you will lose. You can't exist in a vacuum. To be happy, you have to need. Wanting is good. It's healthy. It shows that you're still a functioning human being. But there are some things that you need. Those are what you should look for. And when you find them, you grab on and don't ever let go." Johanna smoothed her hair back, smiling softly. "You're a smart girl. You don't need me to tell you what you already know. So grab happiness while you can and fight like hell to keep it. That's the only life worth living." Her eyes flitted from Katniss to Annie. "Now I'm done being serious. Where's my drink?"
Katniss rolled out of bed, her stomach still protesting with every step that this was not a good idea. She staggered into the bathroom, washed her face, and downed some ibuprofen. Feeling a little more human, she pulled on a clean shirt and jeans and headed for the office. Afterward, she would go see Peeta. She hoped that the three month deal was still on the table. She hoped. Katniss smiled at the irony. Who would have thought salvation lay at the bottom of a rum bottle? Finnick, she thought, would appreciate that humor.
"Are you really sure that this is the best plan we could come up with?" Finnick huffed as he maneuvered the cabinet into place. "If we're doing all this work for nothing, then this is just a stupid waste of time."
Gale scowled at the redhead on the opposite end of the cabinet. "You didn't think this was such a mistake last night. As the matter of fact, you said I was a genius."
Finnick gave the filing cabinet a final shove and straightened, twisting from side-to-side to stretch the aching muscles in his back. He winced as the dull ache in his temples reminded him of their festivities from the night before. "I was drunk last night, Gale. Plastered. Shit faced, I believe it is still called in some areas. I could have been convinced of anything, even the fact that you are a genius." Gale shot him a sour look and gave the cabinet a final kick for good measure.
"Don't blame me. You're the one who picked a whack job control freak with OCD issues. Trust me. This is the best way to gain her trust. You're the one who suggested it. Beguile her, you said. Give her a result that will gratify her more than her old habits, you said." Gale slammed a fist on the cabinet top. "This way, she thinks she won. You're doing things her way. You are willing to compromise. She won't be able to resist. Then, you can do what you do best and agitate the hell out of her. It's golden."
Finnick's expression shifted from annoyed to thoughtful. "You might be on to something there, Gale. This could actually work. I'm glad that I thought of it." He grinned suddenly. "It will once again prove that my brilliance is unmatched when it comes to the psyche of the more fair sex." Gale snorted and Finnick grinned. "If nothing else, the sheer shock value alone will be worth all the trouble this has been."
Gale shot him a vexed glare. "Tell that to my aching head. I had no intentions of getting wasted and then rising at the crack of dawn to move furniture and color code files."
Finnick clasped him on the back. "You are a man among men, good sir. You are suffering for the greater good and Fate will reward you."
Gale rolled his eyes, "Right now, I would settle for a Tylenol and a cup of coffee."
"I knew that I liked you for a reason. It's easy to figure out why when you make sensible suggestions like that one," Finnick affirmed. "Do you think Peeta can handle his part without our help?"
Gale shrugged, "He doesn't need a wingman. His is strictly a solo mission. God help him though. I would rather move furniture than take that one on." Finnick agreed with him whole-heartedly.
Annie Cresta's head hurt. Her eyes and mouth both felt like they had been coated in cotton. She silently cursed Johanna Mason and her damned whiskey. Her brain was still wrapped in an alcohol-induced haze and she just knew that she should have just stayed in bed. If she had done what she wished, she still could have been cuddled up to her pillow and not here.
She wouldn't be looking at the unfamiliar confines of her cubicle listening to Effie Trinket's droning explanation of why her area was not how she had left it. It was immaculate. The desk top shined. A snowy appointment calendar held court in the center of the shining surface. Small notations showed where her schedule had been meticulously copied. A brand new filing cabinet sat magnificently in the corner with drawers labeled and all of the files carefully arranged within. A shelf conveniently situated just above head height held all of her binders and texts. There was even a desk organizer with multiple compartments which held her pens, clips, and bands. Annie was dumbfounded.
"The new folder on your desktop will be updated automatically with the group working notes. Since it updates when Mr. Odair types his written notes into the database, it will always be current. There is also a notification which will prompt you whenever there is any deviation from the regular schedule. If you are unsure how the workbook functions, I can arrange for an IT person to meet with you," Effie trilled.
"That won't be necessary, Effie. Thank you." Annie breathed, running a finger over the immaculate surface. "Who did this? Haymitch didn't mention it to me. I didn't even requisition anything."
Effie smiled as if she knew a secret. "It wasn't Haymitch, dear. He did approve the requisition and the software changes though. I am not privy to who did make the changes for you, but I was assured that it would make your day-to-day activities more manageable. I must say that I do approve. The more organized the better, I always say."
Spotting a yellow corner sticking out from below the keyboard, Annie gave Effie another vague thank you and then swiftly extricated the yellow slip. She flipped it over and couldn't help but smile.
"Forgive me yet?" was written on a yellow post-it in a haphazard masculine scrawl.
Well, well. Maybe Johanna and Katniss were on to something. It appeared there really was more to Finnick Odair than met the eye.
Sae gave Katniss a welcoming smile when she entered the office. "How are you today, honey?" she questioned. "I was wondering when I would see your pretty face again."
Katniss' lips edged up. "I'm happy to see you again. It was very nice of you to treat us to dinner the other night. You must allow me to return the favor some time."
Sae shook her head, "No need for that now. I've fed that boy and his friends for most of his life. See no reason to change that now. You need to see him, honey?"
Katniss nodded and held up a manila folder. "I was told to drop this off for him today. If he's busy, I can come back later."
"Nonsense. He's got somebody in with him right now but they should be just about finished. Why don't you just go on in?" Sae gestured toward the closed door.
"You sure it's okay? I wouldn't want to interrupt anything," Katniss demurred. At Sae's reassuring nod, she knocked softly before entering. And came to an abrupt halt with her jaw half open.
Peeta looked up as the door opened a slight frown of annoyance on his face. When his gaze met hers, he smiled slightly and gestured for her to enter. She stood frozen, eyes on the other occupant of the office and Peeta frowned as he made quick introductions. "Come on in. We were just about finished. Katniss Everdeen, this is a colleague of mine, Cinna Flickerman. She's helping me with our new account. Cinna, this is Katniss. She is involved in the program that Prim is taking part in. She's been quite helpful."
Katniss nodded politely, feeling completely out of place. Cinna regarded her with some amusement and made a non-committal noise which she supposed was a greeting of some sorts, then turned her attention back to Peeta. "Shall I come back later to get this finished up or does your friend mind waiting?" Katniss gestured for them to continue and took a seat in the small lounge area situated across the room from the desk and drafting table. She flipped through an out of date magazine and watched the two out of the corner of her eye.
Cinna was striking. Tall with dark eyes and chocolate tresses perfectly styled, she sported a burgundy tailored suit that accentuated her considerable assets. Katniss felt positively dowdy in her pullover and jeans. She toyed with the tail end of her braid and tried to avoid looking at the pair bent over a sheath of indecipherable drawings. The other woman's face was perfectly made up; her eyes beautifully accented with a bronze-gold liner that made them appear huge in her heart-shaped face. Cursing both the hangover which caused her to neglect attempts at a face this morning and her sudden inclination to come see him, Katniss shifted on her seat and tried unsuccessfully to focus on the magazine she was clutching so tightly.
They stood, heads practically touching as their fingers traced the lines on the paper in front of them. One delicately painted hand rested comfortably on Peeta's shoulder and a tinkling laugh greeted some remark that he made. Finally, the two straightened and the reams of paper were gathered up. "So, it's still on for tonight then," Cinna purred, her fingers catching his sleeve and tugging playfully.
"Absolutely. All the arrangements have been made. I'll be no later than seven," Peeta replied.
Cinna smiled brilliantly and reached up to place a peck on his cheek. "Excellent. I'll be ready by then." With a last flick of his collar, she sauntered to the door and tossed back, "It was nice to meet you, Denise. See you later, Peeta."
Katniss' eyes shot gray flames as the brunette slithered out of the office. She hastily unclenched her hands from the magazine and grabbed the folder. "Effie Trinket sent over the last of the spreadsheets that you requested. I told her that I would drop them by." She waved the file in his general direction and jumped when he grabbed it rather than be struck in the face. "Prim told me to remind you that her first call will be later tonight. Probably around eight, so don't miss it."
She dusted her hands off on her jeans as if cleaning them and nodded hastily as she headed for the door. "Wait," Peeta called. "Is that the only reason you stopped by?"
She hovered in the doorway for a second, her expression uncertain. "No, it wasn't. But the other reason is not important. Sorry to have barged in on you." Her gaze flickered to the door again. "You have plans, so I'll be going."
"Plans? What are you talking about?" he protested but she had already opened the door and practically sprinted across the outer office. "Katniss, wait!" he shouted but she had already cleared the other door and was out of sight. Shaking his head in confusion, Peeta stepped back into his office and eyed Sae as she watched the whole scene, laughing quietly. "What was that all about?" she questioned.
"I don't know," he grated. "She acted strangely from the moment she came in. She practically threw that file at me and then ran out. I don't understand it."
Sae rolled her eyes and grinned knowingly, "Did you get the chance to invite her to our picnic? Cinna said that both she and Darius will be attending. I'm glad they're taking time out from their wedding plans to be sociable. Cinna could definitely use a break. That girl works too hard."
Peeta shook his head. "I never got the chance to mention the picnic to her. Like I said, she threw the file at me and ran." He paused, "You don't suppose that Katniss thinks there's something going on between me and Cinna, do you?"
Sae nodded, her eyes twinkling. "Boy, that girl didn't run out of here because she suddenly felt like exercising. You need to go after her and clear this up."
Peeta threw the file onto her desk and grabbed his keys and phone. "I'll be back as soon as I can. The revised numbers are on my desk. Make sure that they get to accounting before you leave today." He paused in the doorway and met her eyes, his expression suddenly vulnerable. "How can I fix this? Why won't she trust me?"
Sae sighed and patted his shoulder. "That one's been hurt, Peeta. You can see it if you look closely. She wants to trust you, but she don't trust herself yet. My guess is she feels like she don't deserve you. You'll have to convince her that she does. It won't be easy."
He smiled sadly, "No, it won't." His eyes took on a faraway gleam as memories of a moonlit rooftop swept over him. "But it will be worth it. More than worth it," he said again for emphasis and strolled out the door.
Sae smiled and nodded her head. Those two were in for a long hard road. But if Sae was a betting woman, her money would be on Peeta. Once he put his mind to something, he didn't stop until the goal was reached. This was no different. He would go above and beyond for those he loved. She had seen it before. The girl would put up a fight. But Peeta would prevail in the end. He always did. Always.
End Part 9