Hello guys! I'm back with Chapter 4 of Catching Fire: Retold. I know, I know... it's been months since the last installment and I'm sorry for making you guys wait. Life's been a little crazy for me since Chemistry is just so goddamn hard for no reason. I'll try and update more frequently now that I'm less busy! (And also since it's summer.)

Don't forget to comment if you liked this fanfic. Enjoy! :)

Katniss POV:

"Let's do this? As in, let's do this right this second?" She was shocked, she hadn't meant for them to do it immediately. "I kind of wanted to wait until we got back home first..."

Peeta's eyes widened. "Oh no, that's not what I meant." He sputtered. "I meant like: "let's do this plan" or "we got this", y'know?" She must've looked at him strangely or something, because he just said: "Never mind."

"Okay..." She shrugged and picked at her fingernails. "We should probably tell Haymitch about the plan first."

"Yeah, okay." Peeta's face was flushed with embarrassment and Katniss couldn't help but laugh. "What? What's so funny?"

"You're just so..." She made a gesture with her hand towards his face. "...cute..." When his face flushed even more, Katniss hastily added on: "When you're embarrassed, obviously."

"Oh, right." Peeta's eyes drifted away from her and towards the window. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes before the train compartment's door opened and the two of them looked over to see who was there. It was Effie, followed by Haymitch and Cinna. Effie and Cinna stood there awkwardly; their eyes darting around the train compartment. Haymitch, looking as relaxed as ever, leaned against the wall while swirling a flask around in his hand. Katniss gulped, did she have to do things immediately?

"So, sweetheart... lover boy..." Haymitch started, taking a large swig from his flask. "Obviously, we now find ourselves in a predicament.."

Katniss snorted. "Obviously." She mumbled, which caused Haymitch to frown at her. She frowned back. "What? I mean, obviously Snow has put us in a situation where we basically have to go along with his plans! I'm pretty sure you'd consider that a predicament, would you not?!"

"Okay, okay sweetheart. We get it!" Haymitch sighed and put his face in the palm of his hand that wasn't holding his flask. "I was trying to say that we need a plan."

"Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?" Katniss knew she was arguing for no reason, but right now, it felt good to argue. Everyone else must've known that too, because nobody, not even Effie, try to calm her down or scolded her for it. "And, anyways, Peeta and I have already come up with a plan. So, you being here is really not necessary at all. But thanks, I guess!"

Now, Peeta did butt in. "Katniss..." She whipped her head around to look at him. He put his hand on her arm. "Y'know, we have to tell them the plan, right?" His voice was as gentle as ever.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. Why did Peeta have to be right all the time? "Yeah, yeah.. I know.." Her voice sounded weak and deflated now. Katniss hated it; she wished she could sound strong and confident all the time, even when she wasn't. She turned her head and looked back at Haymitch. Mumbling, she begrudgingly said: "Sorry, Haymitch..."

Haymitch grinned smugly at her. "That's alright, sweetheart.." God, she hated apologizing, especially to Haymitch. He always looked so smug and proud of himself when she did. Katniss wanted to smack him. (oh my god, please slap him Katniss, please.) "Why don't we start from the beginning? What happened at the Palace, lover boy?"

Katniss scoffed, she could've told him that just fine. Peeta squeezed her arm and looked at Haymitch. He said: "Well, President Snow gave us an ultimatum, just like we thought he would. In three weeks, he's going to send capitol doctors out to check on Katniss and the baby. If he doesn't find a baby in her womb, well then..." He paused and Katniss watched his Adam's apple bob up and down in his throat as he swallowed. "Well, um... he said our families would suffer because of us."

"That's not much of a surprise." Cinna said, causing Katniss to startle. She'd forgotten Cinna and Effie were in the room, too. They'd been so silent. "We'd expected President Snow to do that."

"Right." Peeta said. "And because of that, Katniss and I have decided to-"

Katniss cut him off. This she couldn't let Peeta say for her, she had to say it for herself. "We're going to give Snow what he wants." Effie gasped. Haymitch and Cinna just nodded their heads like they'd expected her to say that. Of course they did. She was as predictable as anybody, wasn't she?

Effie walked over to her, her heels clacking loudly on the train's floor. She knelt down beside her. "Are you sure, Katniss? This is a big decision. Perhaps we shouldn't be making it so quickly." Katniss hated how concerned Effie looked for her. Katniss knew that wasn't fair though, showing concern for others was just a part of Effie's nature; like how her archery skills were a part of her own nature. "I mean, we are talking about you having a baby, after all-"

"Yes, Effie. I'm sure." Katniss was getting sick of Effie trying to change her mind. Just once, she wanted everybody to stand by her decisions immediately. "I won't let Prim, Gale, or anyone else suffer because of my actions, even if it means I have to give up my freedom. Peeta agrees with me." Peeta nodded his head and smiled at her. Her heart contracted, reminding her that there was one person who would always stand by her: Peeta.

Effie sighed and offered her a sincere smile. "Alright then Katniss. I won't try and stop you; this is your decision." She stood and clapped her hands. "Now, everyone! We have a few hours before the train arrives in District Twelve and we all need plenty of rest!" Nobody, not even Haymitch, argued with her. They all just got up and went back to their rooms.

Katniss tried to get some sleep, she really did. However, sleep just wouldn't come to her. It was like it was purposely evading her; and then laughing at her behind her back when she got frustrated. She switched positions for what seemed like the 1,000th time since she had laid down. She tried shutting her eyes again, letting her mind go blank and forcibly trying to get her body to relax. It didn't work, though. There were too many thoughts swirling around her head, keeping her awake and not even allowing her to shut her eyes for more than a few seconds. She wished Peeta was lying in bed with her.

Peeta POV:

Peeta stared up at his bedroom ceiling. He couldn't sleep either. All he could think about was Katniss, but that wasn't a surprise. Not really. He was always thinking about Katniss, every second of the day. Part of him resented himself for loving a girl who would probably never love him back. Part of him hoped beyond hope that one day Katniss would look at him and say I love you too. All of him hated Snow for putting them in this position, for making Katniss have a baby she didn't even want, and for making them get married just to please the Capitol. He wanted to marry her for love. But when did people like him, like Katniss, ever get what they wanted?

He knew that they had to do this. He knew Katniss would never recover if something happened to Prim, Gale, or anybody that she loved. If giving up his freedom to the Capitol meant that they were safe and Katniss was happy, he would do it a thousand times over. He would do anything if it meant that Katniss was happy. He would give his own life to ensure Katniss' happiness.

Somebody knocked on his bedroom door. Were they back in District Twelve already? No, they couldn't have been - the train was still going at top speed. They hadn't stopped moving or slowed down. Who was it, then? "Come in." He said. The door opened; it was Katniss who was standing in the doorway. Of course it was. "Katniss? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No, not really.." Katniss flushed, like she always did when she was embarrassed. "I just couldn't sleep... and I thought you wouldn't mind if I came in here with you."

"Oh, of course. I couldn't really sleep either." Peeta slid over and pressed himself against the wall. Katniss walked over and slid into bed next to him. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "You can always come to me when you can't sleep, Katniss. Always." He felt Katniss sigh against his arm. She mumbled something, but her voice was too quiet and he couldn't discern what she was saying. He was about to ask her what she had said when he felt her breaths go even; she was already asleep.

He smiled to himself and closed his eyes. Maybe, if he pretended for long enough, he could trick himself into believing that she did love him. That every night could be like this. That they were getting married because they loved each other and that their soon-to-be baby was a product of that love. But, alas, it just wasn't in the cards for people like them.

Soon enough, Peeta was asleep too.

I was going to end the chapter with Katniss not being able to sleep, but then I went and reread the other chapters. And I realized that we didn't have a chance to read any of Peeta's super angst-y thoughts and we all know that Peeta's angst is a literal requirement for Everlark fanfics. So I decided to add that too. Maybe that made this chapter a bit all over the place, but come onnnnn, it's PEETA'S ANGST for crying out louddd!

Anyways, I'm going to work on the third installment to my True Happiness series. I might even release two fanfics in one day! (Dammnnn, way to go me!) Bye guys. ;)