A/N: Just saw "Mockinjay Part 2" for the second time. THE FEELS!
So I thought it'd be necessary to post a second chapter to this. There will be more to come, just not on a definite date.
Read on!
Chapter Two
"So, Katniss, we need to talk."
I look up from the book in my lap to see Peeta looking at me.
"About what?" I ask, a feeling of slight foreboding creeping up in my stomach. Having been in the Hunger Games twice can make you uncertain about anything. I start to feel a bit sick.
"Names," Peeta replies. He plops down in the chair in front of me. A notebook a pencil are in his hands.
I hesitate. Then I say, "We only found out four days ago, Peeta. We don't even know if it's going to be a boy or a girl yet." A drop of fear enters me. What if something goes wrong? What if . . . what if I'm not ready yet?
"I don't care," says Peeta. "We should write down a list of names, anyways." He opens the notebook and puts the pencil to the paper.
There is a pause as I stare out the window past his shoulder. There is a mockinjay singing on a branch. I think of my father's song.
"So?" asks Peeta, raising his eyebrows pointedly.
"So what?" I ask.
"So have you got any names?" says Peeta.
"No," I say.
He rolls his eyes. "Come on, Katniss, you gotta think of something."
I sigh. "Fine. How about . . . Haymitch?" I say sarcastically.
Peeta gives me a look. "Come on, be serious here."
"Fine then. . . ." My mind darts around, searching for something for him to write down so that I can get back to my book. I really don't care for this right now. Suddenly, an idea comes to my mind, and I give a small and devious grin.
"What about 'Come'?" I say.
Peeta's eyebrows scrunch together. "That's a name?" he asks.
I shrug. "On. Be. Serious. Here."
Peeta gives me another look. "Do you really want to name your child 'on'?"
"No," I say.
"Then be serious!" exclaims Peeta.
"I am being serious!" I protest.
"No, you're not!" counters Peeta.
"Fine then, if you know everything, give some of your ideas!" I say.
Suddenly, we both burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay," hiccups Peeta after a minute or so, "fine. Let's think. . . ."
"Tag! You're it!"
Peeta and I look at each other.
"What was that?" I ask.
He shrugs.
"Now you're it, Bracken!"
I smile. "Sounds like Collin and Bracken are playing tag, huh?"
"Oh, you've got me!"
Peeta and I exchange baffled looks.
"And Haymitch," he says.
"Why don't you go out with them?" I say. "Have fun with the other boys."
"Oh, do be careful, Collin!"
Peeta grins evilly at me. "You'll be the only one left in a house if you don't come with me."
I sigh. "Fine," I say.
Peeta takes my hand in his and pulls me up. Then he smiles and plants a quick kiss on my lips before pulling me out of the house.
"Look! It's Auntie Katniss!" exclaims Collin, running over to me and almost bowling me over.
"Don't knock her down, Collin!" chides Effie, coming over to me. Jenny is in her arms.
"Sorry, Mama!" says Collin.
"You're it!" shouts a voice in my ear.
I yelp and turn around to see Haymitch, who has just bopped me right in the back, start running in the opposite direction.
"Haymitch!" I exclaim.
"Oh, no! The Girl on Fire is about to get me!" Haymitch calls in mock fear from the other side of Victors' Village.
"Oh, yes she is," I say under my breath, and start running after him.
Haymitch is fast. I am fast. He is slightly faster than I am — but he also runs out of energy faster, which gives me the advantage.
I start running after him, and he darts to the side. Adrenaline is pumping inside of me as I chase after him.
As it turns out, years of drinking and being a mentor in the Games have not taken as much toll as I thought — or maybe it's the fact that that is now over and he has Effie and his kids by his side, because Haymitch is now running faster than ever.
I am breathing very hard. The cold winter air is stinging against my face. The adrenaline is running out.
Haymitch seems to be leading me somewhere, but it's not until I pass by a familiar tree that I see that we are going to the Meadow. Why are we going there?
Suddenly, Haymitch collapses on the ground underneath a familiar willow tree. With the remaining ounce of strength I have, I chase after him and drop down beside him.
"Gotcha," I say, tapping his shoulder. He doesn't move, but continues staring out at the snow-covered grass.
"Hey," I continue. "Haymitch?"
After a long pause, Haymitch turns to me. "You got me, sweetheart," he says, grinning slightly.
"What's up?" I say.
He shakes his head slowly. "Just . . . thinking."
"About what?" Now I sound like Peeta. Or Haymitch himself.
"The Games."
I nod. "Yeah. I've thought about them a lot lately, too."
Haymitch turns to me. "You know, the Games are the worst and the best things that have happened to me."
"How?" I sigh.
"If it wasn't for the Games, Maysilee wouldn't have died. Heck, I wouldn't have gotten to know her if it wasn't for the Games. I'm glad I did, but. . . ." Haymitch shakes his head. "The ending to our friendship was too brutal."
I am silent. He turns to me.
"You miss that Rue girl, don't you?" he asks.
I nod. My eyes start to tear up a bit.
Haymitch turns back to the snow on the grass and the sun starting to set. "Yup. The Games are a blessing and a curse to the two of us. On the one hand, you met Peeta. I met Effie. On the other. . . ."
"Children are dead because of them," I say. I stare at the same spot that Haymitch is.
Haymitch nods. "Exactly. Children are dead. All because of Snow.
"But children were born, too."
I look at him.
"Some of them not quite yet." Haymitch grins slightly at me and looks down at my stomach.
I follow his gaze. "Yeah." I rub my belly absentmindedly.
There is a silence.
Then Haymitch sighs. "I'm glad my children don't have to experience that. I'm glad yours don't, either. I'm glad no other kids have to fight twenty-three others to the death."
"Me, too," I say.
Me, too.
Now that Haymitch is talking about it, I realize that I really am grateful that the Games have ended.
If they hadn't . . . I might not be here right now. Peeta might not be here right now.
And if somehow it had worked out, if we hadn't been in the Quarter Quell, if the Games had gone on as usual after we became Victors of a game that really doesn't have any. . . .
My child might have to experience that horror.
Bracken would have only one year before the nightmares began.
"Katniss! Haymitch!"
We both turn around to see Peeta, Effie, and the two little boys running after us.
"What happened?" asks Peeta, plopping down beside me.
"Yeah! Is the game over?" asks little Collin sadly.
Haymitch and I exchange brief looks.
"Yes, Collin, the game's over," he says to his son.
"But, Da-ad . . ." Collin pouts.
"'Da-ad' is tired. Go play with Mama," says Haymitch.
"Okay, then," says Collin. He turns to Effie. "Will you play tag with me and Bracken and Peeta and Katniss and Jenny?"
Effie chuckles good-naturedly. "Oh, Collin, darling, Jenny is too young to play tag! And I've got to take care of her. Why don't you ask Peeta and Katniss to play with you and Bracken, hmm?"
Collin considers the idea for a moment. Then he says, "Okay!" excitedly, and adds to Peeta and me, "Will you play with us?"
Peeta looks at me. "You up to it?" he asks.
I smile. "Sure," I say.
Peeta grins. "Perfect."
We play tag for a long time after that. Then, Collin decides to start building snowmen. Then we have a snowball fight. It's rather crazy, to be frank. Effie ends up joining in after my mother wanders over to us and holds Jenny so that Effie can play. The game ends uncertainly, as Collin (who is on a team with Effie and me) shouts out that he doesn't want to play with girls any more, which makes Effie and me pretend to be offended and Peeta and Haymitch laugh.
So the snowball fight ends without a winner — just like the Games.
There I go, thinking about them again.
Ehem.
I sigh and look out across the Meadow. If only . . . if only a few more people had been spared. . . .
I gulp back a sob and rub the building wetness from my eyes. Stupid baby hormones.
I look down at my belly and rub it. A trickle of mixed fear and excitement fills my stomach. Right now, I'm in charge of the life of a brand new life. I'm carrying a child. I have responsibility of this tiny thing that isn't showing yet.
And I feel overwhelmed.
"Better get dinner going," I hear Peeta say behind me. "It's getting dark."
I nod as the others agree rather more verbally. I turn around and walk beside Peeta as we all trudge up to the Victors' Village, sighing and leaning on him. He wraps an arm around me and turns to glance at me.
"Hey," he says.
"Hey," I reply.
"Tired?" he asks.
"Yeah," I say.
He breathes out a deep puff of air. "Me too," he says softly, almost a whisper.
We walk on in silence as the sun sinks below the horizon.
"I miss them," I say after several moments.
He stays silent. He knows who I am talking about.
"Me too, Katniss," he says at last.
As we step into Victors' Village and up to Peeta's and my house, I notice the garden he planted in front of it what seems a million years ago. I stop. I release myself gently from Peeta's arm and wander over to it, bending down to look at it.
The primroses he planted there are frosted over, sleeping. Dead, like Prim.
Tears run down my face, but then something comes to mind, something I wish hadn't and am so grateful it had.
I turn and look up at Peeta.
"Peeta," I say.
"Yeah?" he asks at the open front door to our house.
"I think I know a good name for a girl," I say.
"Yeah?" he repeats.
"Primrose," I say softly, turning back to the wilted, frozen-over plants. "Rose for short."
He pauses, and then comes over to me, shutting the door behind him. He wraps his arms around me, and I turn to look at him.
"I think that's a wonderful name," Peeta says after a moment.
I look at him. I look at the flowers.
"I miss her, Peeta," I say. It comes out as a sob.
"Me too, Katniss," he says. "But she's somewhere safe. You know, I bet that wherever she is, she's best friends with Rue. She's safe, Katniss. She's with your dad. She's safe."
I gulp. "I know. I just wish she was here."
"She'll always be here, Katniss."
I look up at Peeta. "You think?"
"Always."