First off, let me address my reviewers, because they each gave me a nice, long, meaty paragraph:
ReadBooksWriteThings, of course. Thank you so much!
And:
Guest (Ima respond to you here because I can't send you a PM): Ok. Wow. Long review, so first off, thanks for that. You have to remember that I originally published this fanfic when I was a lot younger. I'm just now going back through and making edits to make it a better story, but I'm keeping the basic plotline. That being said, I agree with you. It definitely was NOT fair of Peeta's dad. And I kind of tried to make it seem like Katniss had the same thought. Once she found out that he was her father, she became very cold towards him, and I'm going to touch on that a bit in this chapter. When I originally wrote this, the baker was actually trying to be nice to Katniss, but once I reread my original work, I had the same thought as you. I don't want to reveal anything major, but you're definitely onto me. As for the interviews, Peeta will still be Sweet Ol' Peeta Mellark™, but he had something cookin' up in the old noggin as well. And as for what you have to say about Finnick, I think you're underestimating just how attached to each other Finnick and Katniss are. I agree that it was definitely selfish of him, but being a Victor is being selfish. I'll get into Finnick's nightmares in the upcoming chapters, because I really think that Finnick is simply much more damaged than Katniss, and she understands that. Finnick has gone through a lot, and I haven't really talked too much about his life outside of Katniss and the Hunger Games, but I wanted to put a nightmare like this in here, before she went off to the games. And, no, it wasn't fair for Katniss to have to support him when it should've been the other way around, but, just sayin' from experience, it's kind of hard to control a panic attack, flashback, or episode of any sort. You don't exactly get to choose when they happen. As for Zahra's POV, it won't be happening again. It was just for that one chapter. That's why it was called an interlude. I'm not sure how much of that makes sense, but it will all be cleared up in upcoming chapters. Thanks for listening to my TED talk.
This chapter is not my finest, so I apologize in advance.
That will be the only announcement.
As soon as I said goodbye to my tribute, I booked it down the hall to the DIstrict 12 Female's room. I swung open the door, and there was Katniss, standing in boots, cargo pants, a grey t-shirt, and a matching waterproof windbreaker. Her hair was braided down her shoulder, and her district token, the Mockingjay pin, was pinned onto her jacket's pocket.
She looked up when she heard the door open. She set down the sandwich she was eating to give me a hug. I could feel her shaking.
"It's alright," I whispered. "This is what you've been training for. You're stronger than them."
"I can't kill again," Katniss whispered back. "I can't do it."
"No one said you have to," I said. "There have been victors who haven't killed. Seeder, for one."
She didn't respond.
Thirty seconds. A mechanical sounding voice announced. Katniss looked up at me, panic clear in her eyes. I tried not to think about twelve year old Katniss, standing in here with her stylist who she barely knew, all alone besides him. Desperately trying to hold back tears, afraid to appear weak.
"You're stronger than they are," I told her again. "You were Victor material at twelve years old. What does that make you now?"
"A murderer?" she offered.
"No, Katniss. It makes you powerful."
Fifteen seconds.
"Time to go, Girl on Fire," Cinna said. Katniss glanced at him and nodded, then back at me. I pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"You have to win," I muttered. She was shaking harder now, as I led her into the tube, watching as the glass closed around her. I gently pressed my hand against the glass, and she did, too. I pretended I could feel the heat, but the glass was an inch thick, to prevent tributes from breaking it. I watched her platform rise into the ceiling, and she crouched down to keep looking at Cinna and me.
…
Katniss looks around the arena from her pedestal. It's a beautiful plane, wide open with nowhere to hide. Not a single rock, tree, or hill was in sight. Grass, flowers, and bushes spread in every direction, as far as the eye could see. It was a well groomed garden.
"We saw something similar to this arena in the 50th Annual Hunger Games, starring Katniss's mentor, Haymitch Abernathy. This should be interesting." Claudius said, his voice cutting in over the live feed.
She looks up, and her eyes catch a bow directly in front of her, leaning up against the Cornucopia, taunting her, just as it had done in her last games.
The cannon goes off, breaking her from her thoughts. But she's ready. She was trained for this. She's experienced. She sprints forward, faster than anyone had expected from her, her hand wrapping around the grip on her bow while her other hand swings the quiver over her shoulder.
"And they're off!" Caesar's voice announces. "Let's take a brief moment to compare these games to the 66th! This year, Katniss seems to be the one to watch out for!"
"Right you are, Caesar. It's time we got another victor from an outlying District."
Katniss, much to the Victor's surprise, next begins to scale the Cornucopia, much like she had done in her last games. She loads her first arrow into the bow, testing it's draw, before aiming and releasing upon her first victim. She aims for the stronger tributes, knowing the weaker ones will be easily picked off by the Careers. Katniss manages to get three kills before someone climbs the Cornucopia behind her.
Hearing the noise, Katniss turns abruptly, arrow fully drawn, ready to release.
"Hey, Girl on Fire," the District 4 female, Freya, says, a light smirk on her face. "Any interest in joining the pack?"
"No thanks. I trust those Career District men just about as far as I can throw them. Maybe I'll catch you later. You know, when they meet their fortunate demise," Katniss responds, keeping her arrow trained on Freya the whole time, watching for any sudden movements.
"Make sure you do," Freya grins. Katniss jumps down from the Cornucopia, scooping up a knife when she hits the ground, and as she reaches the outskirts of the Bloodbath, she finds two backpacks as well.
The main camera stays on the Bloodbath, but the Victors continue to watch Katniss through the smaller Victor-only screens.
She keeps running until she finds a small stream, and follows it until it leads her to a pond. The first water source she's found. The cannon begins to go off. Katniss's lips move as she counts up the thirteen cannons.
The screen flashed to Caesar and Claudius, and they began commentating on the first hour of the games
"She's smarter than she looks," Chaff commented, not caring about what the two commentators have to say.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Finnick challenged.
"Why are you so obnoxiously protective of her all the time?" Gloss asked, rolling his eyes. He loved the District 12 girl. She was like another sister to him. But Finnick was a little overbearing about it sometimes.
"It's because Finny's in love," Cashmere mocked, flopping on the couch next to him dramatically.
"Yeah, okay, Cash. Whatever you say."
"Go ahead and deny it all you want, Odair," Haymitch said, a devious smile on his face. "But you forget that my bedroom is right next to Katniss's. I know you sleep with her."
"I do not sleep with her," I protested, a little hurt that they even thought I would. She was young, to begin with. Not only that, but I wasn't comfortable with that level of intimacy. Not since the Capitol ruined it for me. It made me sad to know that even Haymitch, who I had begun to rely on as a deranged uncle of sorts, couldn't see all the way through my facade. The Victors knew I was forced to keep up my womanizing Capitol image, but I wondered if they thought I secretly enjoyed it.
Haymitch rolled his eyes. "I meant non-sexually. Although, after last night, I'm beginning to wonder…"
Finnick's face flushed bright red.
"Ooh, what does he mean, Finnick?" Cashmere asked, sitting up. "Spill the tea."
"Last night there was some screaming, and then again this morning, Katniss came out blushing like crazy." Haymitch said.
"There were nightmares, that's all," Finnick said stiffly.
"That doesn't explain Katniss's face this morning."
"I-"
"Spit it out already!"
"I kissed her."
Zahra sprung up from the couch. "Yes!"
Everyone turned to look at her. She sat down, a blush painting her cheeks to rival Katniss's that morning. "I've been waiting for this moment for four long years."
Finnick frowned. "I had someone else back then."
"Well you don't now, do you?"
Finnick leaned back into the couch, keeping his face void of emotion as he had been trained to do. "Annie was killed by President Snow. And if we don't start paying attention, Katniss will end up the same way."
Katniss finds the garden wall. She tosses a small stone up, testing for a force field at the top, but finds none. She uses the rope to climb over the top, and uses her backpack to test for a forcefield at the bottom. Again, there is none. She uses the rope from her bag to climb down and sighs with relief when she spies a line of trees not too far from the wall. Trees are her thing, after all. Katniss climbs one and takes a moment to relax. After a solid five minutes of staring off into space, a single tear rolls down her cheek.
"I did it again," she whispers quietly, then furiously scrubs the tear off her skin, as if it were acid burning into her cheek. She opens her backpack, trying to distract herself from her grief, and begins to sort through her supplies. Two empty half gallon bottles, matches, dried fruit, beef jerky sticks, crackers, ("Great," Katniss mutters. "I can have a fully balanced meal."), a pair of gloves, twine, a sleeping bag, a pot of soup, ("They have time to make soup but not fill up two bottles of water?") and a coat. "That means it's going to get cold."
"The Girl on Fire is so cheeky!"
Katniss settles down in her sleeping bag, pulling on her coat and gloves, and buckling herself in with her belt.
The anthem begins to play.
District 3- Boy and Girl
District 4- Boy
District 5- Boy and Girl
District 6- Girl
District 7- Boy and Girl
District 8- Boy
District 9- Boy
District 10- Boy and Girl
District 11- Girl
She sighs deeply. "Peeta's still out there," She whispers.
"And that concludes day one! As always, the feed will remain on all night long, but it's time for you citizens to leave the square and head back home. If you want to continue watching, you can, but Caesar and I are going to sign off! We will return if anything major happens, but as for now, we bid you Adieu!"
"Well, Britt's out," Finnick said casually. Zahra's eyes went wide, and her skin, deathly pale. Britt glared at Finnick for a minute, and pulled Zahra into a tight hug.
"The first year is always the hardest," she told her. "It gets easier, I promise."
Cecelia, Zahra's mentor, walked over and touched her arm. "Come on, dear. Let's go to the private viewing room." Cecelia ordered a mug of hot chocolate to be brought over, and Cashmere, Britt, Mags and Seeder followed the two of them out.
Mags patted Finnick's arm. "Be more sensitive next time," She told him. Cashmere completely ignored him on her way out, but Britt went so far as to kick him in the shin.
The Careers manage to finally track down Katniss, though they are unaware.
"Where do you suppose Fire Kat went?" Samson from District 2 asks. The camera zooms in on Katniss's face. She stares directly into it.
"I don't know, moron," Alverra, Samson's district partner responds, rolling her eyes. "But you seriously have an unhealthy crush."
Diamond from 1 rolls her eyes right back. "I don't even get it," she says in her annoyingly high voice. "She's not even that pretty."
"And I'm back," Claudius said. "I didn't even make it into bed before I realized what was going on. This is juicy."
"Are you joking?" Diamond's male counterpart, Glass, says. "Fire girl lives up to her name. She is smoking."
"If you think that, then you're smoking," Diamond says. "Smoking crack."
An arrow flies out of the tree, hitting Samson, killing him instantly.
Boom.
"I'd advise you to back off me, Glass. I have a boyfriend and you don't want to mess with him."
"Oooh. Is the Girl on Fire dating someone behind her mother's back? Or is she simply calling Glass's bluff?" Claudius wondered.
Glass recovers from his initial shock and sneers. "Yeah? Well we killed your brother. And now we're gonna kill you."
"To confirm with all of you viewers out there, Peeta Mellark is, in fact, alive."
"How stupid do you think I am?" Katniss asks. "He wasn't in the sky tonight, and the only canon since has been your little friend, here. Better luck next time."
Glass frowns, realizing that he wasn't as smart as he thought he was, and watches as an arrow goes through his head.
"Five," Katniss whispers.
"It appears Katniss is counting her kills,"
Immediately after her district partner drops, Diamond throws a knife, aiming for Katniss, but hits the tree instead. Katniss sticks it in her pack.
"I'd advise you not to continue along this course of action. It won't end well for you. I'm a seasoned killer, and your friends will back me up."
Freya and Alverra nod.
"Actually, we want you to lead the Career pack," Alverra says. "The position is vacant, with Samson down."
Katniss leaps from the tree. Diamond stares at the remaining careers like they're lost their minds. "You've got yourself a leader," Katniss tells them.
"What a turn of events! Katniss Everdeen has forced her way to the head of the Career Pack! If we didn't know she was a force to be reckoned with before, we certainly do now!"
The camera pans over the Career females, all fast asleep, except one, Diamond, keeping watch. She raises her knife and slowly creeps over to where Katniss lays.
"No," Finnick whispered, blood draining from his face. "Katniss wake up!" he yelled at the scream. "Katniss go! Get out of there, go!"
Claudius spoke up once again. "Everyone, this might be it for one of our favorite victors, Katniss Everdeen the Girl on Fire. Cover your children's eyes. My heart goes out to the Everdeen family. Your daughter- Oh! My, my what a turn of events!"
Alverra, who previously had been presumed asleep, latches onto Diamond's ankle, pulling her to the ground. They roll around on the ground briefly, and during the skirmish, both Katniss and Freya wake up. Alverra lands on top, and taking her sword, she slices into Diamond's neck, severing the head from the torso. Blood splatters into her face, which she wipes off with her sleeve.
Boom.
"She was coming after you with a knife," Alverra explains. "I chose you over her."
"Well, that's it, folks! Final eight already!" Claudius announced. "And on the first night too!"
…
The interviews began shortly after that. Haymitch, Finnick, and the other mentors who still had tributes gathered to watch Caesar interview Alverra's family first. Then they pulled Enobaria to ask her a few questions, mainly, who she was backing. Katniss or Alverra? Enobaria skillfully evaded the question, telling him that she would be thrilled either way.
Freya's friends was next to be interviewed back in District 4. There was only one person interviewed, and it was a tall blond boy who was identified as her brother. Then it was Finnick's turn.
"Finnick Odair! District 4 has been doing amazing since you've taken over responsibilities as mentor." Caesar began.
Finnick flashed his signature Capitol smirk. "Thanks, Caesar. But you know it's not just me. It's our stylists and escort, and my partners in mentoring."
"So humble, Mr. Odair," Caesar laughed. "Now, Finnick, I have a rather serious question for you. Everyone knows you're extremely close with Katniss Everdeen or District 12. When it comes down to it, will you choose her over your own tribute?"
The crowd was silenced almost immediately. The people loved his friendship with Katniss, and they were aching to know what he had to say about it.
Finnick kept his Capitol mask firmly in place and flashed another grin. "Normally I would be stumped on how to answer that question," he admitted. "But before she left, Freya told me that she wanted me to choose Katniss over her. She would try her hardest, but she told me that Katniss had much more to return home for than she did. And that definitely makes things much easier."
"And why would that be, Finnick?" Caesar asked, leaning forward.
"Because I won't have to choose between my responsibilities and my lover."
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Finnick felt a surge of fear. He had only thought about the sponsors their relationship would bring in, but now that word was out, Snow would not be happy. Finnick wasn't allowed to have a girlfriend. Katniss would just become another Annie, and he didn't think he could handle that.
As soon as he exited stage left, he had Haymitch pushing him against the wall.
"What were you thinking?" He hissed. "Snow will not be pleased with you. The Capitol's two favorite Victors, Snow's biggest money makers, in a relationship. Not very many people want to sleep with someone who's taken."
"I know, Haymitch. I made a mistake. I was just thinking about Katniss." Haymitch's words caught up with Finnick, and he did a double-take. "How long has Snow been selling her?"
"She only just finished training. She had one appointment back in District 12 and two more scheduled for the Capitol when she was reaped."
Finnick roughly pushed Haymitch off of him and ran to the elevator, loosening his tie as he ran. Katniss. Some man in District 12 had raped her. Some man who she had probably known her whole life had betrayed her trust and bought her company for the night.
Finnick had promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect her from the same fate he suffered.
Katniss didn't even trust him enough to tell him what was going on. He tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. She had been distraught about the Hunger Games. But he thought she would at least give him a phone call when it happened.
It made Finnick wonder what other secrets they kept from each other. He had his fair share, he knew. He never told Katniss about the rebellion, or the morphling addiction, or the time he cut thirty-two little slits up and down his arms and legs. Or even that one Christmas the year Annie died.
Everyone else was opening up their presents while he opened up his wrists. Caspian found him, leaking blood all over the bathtub. He lost a liter and a half before he was rushed to the District 4 hospital, and eventually shipped to the Capitol so they could save their precious victor. They kept it on the downlow, to save face.
It came to his attention that they needed to clear the air in order to have a functional relationship. Unless, of course, he already messed it all up.
On day three, there are two cannons.
"Bets on who that was?" Freya asks the other two girls sitting around the fire. They aren't worried about attracting other tributes. They're the career pack. No one is coming after them.
"Peeta and that District 6 boy," Alverra guesses.
Katniss shakes her head. "Don't underestimate Peeta. He's might be weak mentally, but he's strong physically. My bet's on that girl from DIstrict 9 and the DIstrict 6 boy."
"I second Katniss," Freya agreed.
They sit in comfortable silence for a few moments, before Alverra speaks again. "You haven't known Peeta that long, have you?" She asks Katniss.
"I've known him my whole life. I didn't know we were twins until his father told me at the reaping. I could've killed him when I found out. He tried to play it off as wanting me to know before my inevitable death or something, but I didn't believe it for a second. He was probably trying to protect Peeta. Maybe he thought I would alliance with him or something, if I knew we were siblings. So I did the exact opposite. I've exchanged probably four words with Peeta Mellark during this whole experience. I don't want to get close to him, in case I have to kill him, you know?"
Freya stares at her across the fire. "If you have been told under different circumstances, would you get to know him?"
Katniss nods wordlessly.
"So what Peeta said during his interview was a lie?"
"I don't love Peeta. I barely know him. I wish I had more time, though. I really want to get to know him, but I can't risk it. I can't risk getting attached."
"Wow," Caesar commented. "Our hearts go out to the Girl on Fire and the Baker's boy. Two estranged siblings who are scared to get to know each other. We all wish we could do something to help them bond, don't we Claudius?"
Freya doesn't ask anymore questions for a long while. Just as Katniss is thinking about turning in, Alverra speaks up.
"First kiss?" Freya and Katniss both look at her. Neither of them speak, until Freya finally decides to enlighten her.
"About two years ago, my sister's girlfriend kissed me. She thought I was my sister. Granted, I look a lot like Meryl, but I didn't think it was that much."
Katniss laughs at that. "Your turn, Alverra."
Alverra sighs. "It was Samsom. Right after the Reaping. It was completely unwanted, and I made sure to give him a black eye for it."
Katniss nods, then stands up. "I'm going to grab some fire wood real fast," she announces.
"Sit down, Katniss, the fire is fine," Alverra says, sounding tired. Katniss sits down, and the fire does a pretty good job of hiding her blush. "It's your turn."
"Finnick Odair. My first real kiss was Finnick Odair."
The mentor's lounge erupted in cheers. Finnick plastered a fake smile onto his face, but inside he was dying. Katniss didn't understand the danger they were in. He exchanged an uneasy glance with Haymitch.
"Attention, tributes, attention. There has been a slight change in the rules. Two tributes may now be crowned, if they originate from the same district. That will be the only announcement."
Katniss looks up.
"Katniss, that's you! You and Peeta can make it out together!" Alverra cheers.
Katniss smiles a little. She opens her mouth, her lips forming her brother's name, but no sound escaping her lips. She tries a second time, this time, her voice works. "Peeta!" She yells.
She waits a few minutes before trying again. This time, a faint response can be heard.
"Katniss?" There are a few loud footsteps, then Peeta comes crashing into view. He immediately throws his arm around his twin sister, who pulls away. "We can go home," he says. "We can see Prim and mom and dad and our brothers," there was a huge grin on his face.
"Your brothers," She corrects. "Your dad. My mom. My Prim."
"Katniss?" he asks, looking dejected.
"Your father tried to manipulate me. Your brother picked on Prim in school. Your family doesn't want me."
"You don't think I'm angry about that, too? You think I just let my dad pull something like that? All my interview was me getting revenge on him for what he did to you, Katniss. Do you think District 12 will look at him the same after what I said? He left you, his daughter, and your family, to die when your dad died. Do you think that's forgivable?"
Katniss looks at him. "We can go home, Peeta." she says, changing the subject.
"They better watch out," Caesar commented. "I wonder if they see Shamus Gregg from DIstrict 6 hiding in those rose bushes?"
"Freya!" Alverra screams. The boy from 6 falls to the ground, a knife protruding from between his eyes.
Boom.
Boom.
Alverra looks up from her fallen friend's body. "It's down to the three of us," She says, her voice shaking. She takes three knives from Freya's body, and hands one to each of the twins. She drops her weapons.
Katniss drops her bow and prepares to fight, but is taken by surprise when the girl from District 2 turns the knife on herself, pushing it into her own chest.
Years of training told her right where to aim. She's dead before Katniss can react.
Peeta grabs her wrist lightly.
"Where are the trumpets?" She whispers.
"What?"
"When a victor is crowned, there are trumpets." she said louder
"Attention, tributes, attention. There has been a slight change in the rules."
"No," Katniss mutters.
"The former adaptation, allowing two victors to be crowned, has been revoked. Only one may win. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
"They just made that rule, what, an hour ago?" Peeta protested. "But we knew it was only a matter of time. They would never let us both win."
"No," Finnick muttered.
Katniss points to a nearby bush filled with dark berries. She pulls off a handful, handing some to Peeta. "Nightlock," she explains. "Poisonous berries. We do it at the same time."
That's the only explanation Peeta needs. "Three," he said, holding them close to his mouth. "Two,"
"One," they say at the same time.
"Wait! Stop!" the head gamemaker's voice said over the speaker system. "May I present the Victors of the 70th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellak!"
…
"Finnick?" I called. "Haymitch?"
The door slid open to reveal Finnick, a large grin on his face.
I sat up in bed, but Finnick gently pushed me right back down. "Rest, Katniss."
I hated looking weak, but I desperately reached out for him, my hand finding the back of his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. He kissed me back at first, but stopped suddenly. He pulled his lips off mine, but instead rested his forehead on mine.
"We can't," he said sadly.
"Finnick? What are you talking about?"
He pulled away completely and stood up. "We can't do this, Katniss."
"Finnick, please." My heartbeat was picking up.
"I'll get Haymitch." He began to walk away, ignoring my pleas.
I felt tears pricking at my eyes. "Finnick!"
He spared me one last glance. "I'm sorry."
"I don't understand. Where are you going?"
He didn't answer me, but just opened the door and walked away.
I let my tears fall, now that he was gone. Did he break up with me? Were we ever really even together?
Haymitch entered the room, finding me in my broken state. "He did what was best, Katniss," He told me.
I wiped tears away with the tissue he handed me. "What?"
"You're in trouble, Katniss. A lot of trouble. You, Finnick, and Peeta, and if you don't play this just right, you could end up dead."
"Please just tell me what's going on."
"To begin with, Snow isn't happy now that you and Finnick made your relationship public. He had to break it off before someone died. Not only that, but then you and Mellark pulled the berry trick. That's rebellious. Too rebellious. Snow will be on your back for the next few years, at least. So I need you to play this off just right."
I nodded, heartbreak and fear sharing my thoughts. "What about Finnick?"
"Tell them that you were never in a relationship. It was just a mistake. You hooked up one night, or something." Haymitch said.
"No, I mean what about our relationship? Why did he just leave?" I asked.
"For now, it's best if you stay away from each other, until you can get your hormones in control enough to just be friends."
I closed my eyes, wishing I wasn't so pathetic.