#fic-lit

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24 Hours Ago

They were in desperate need for children. The donor banks were empty. Katniss stood with a group of young women ages eighteen to twenty-five in the main hall waiting for their president to speak. Coin, a woman in her fifties with long silver hair, stood at the podium watching the different military division march in by rank and file, they lined up in neat rows around the non-military personnel. Her steel gaze touching the audience. She was presidential in her demeanor, but she stood proudly like the military leader she was. The giant military clock above President Coin’s head read 0400 hours.

The band began to play the presidential music as Coin stepped down from the podium to inspect the troops.  

“What do you think it will be like?” Madge whispered, standing next to her.

Katniss was surprised they weren’t lined in alphabetical order as they were the ones who were selected for the experiment.  Eleven out of the pool of fifty women who had never gone through the fertilization process.

100 years ago after the great fallout, there was a chasm between the sexes. Women, tired of the brutality of war demanded peace. Men did not listen. They passed laws to restrict women and their plight for a harmonious and fair society. Under the leadership of a man named Crane cruel tactics were employed. Women were unfairly treated, imprisoned for simply voicing their concerns.

Women rebelled; many were killed, their voices silenced. Those able to, ran for the mountains. Many made their way to District 13 where the revolution was founded.  Thirteen was bombed. Its cities incinerated. The men thought they had gotten rid of the problem, but they were mistaken. The surviving women, and the small group of men who supported them, hid in the underground military sylos. District Thirteen bombed the Capitol and all of the allied districts.  

The fighting continued until a pox broke out and nearly wiped out the existing population. The pox affected everyone, but in thirteen it affected the small population of men and the entire population of children. This forced a truce, as the realization that humans had become an endangered species. The fighting stopped, and for the past fifty years, women have been trying to come up with ways to keep their isolated population growing. Women wanted a strong race of females, so girls were highly prized. The government approved the usage of in vitro fertilization. Women selected to have female embryos over the male embryos.    

Katniss gave Madge a sideways glance. She shrugged in response.  

“I hope whoever I’m paired with is nice,” Delly whispered on her other side.

Behind them, one of the older girls, Johanna Mason, snickered. “Men are jerks.”

Someone in their group giggled. Katniss kept quiet. All of her life she’d been told bad things about men, but Katniss had a different perspective than the other girls.

Her mother was one of the few who’d experienced being with a man. Katniss and her sister were two of the few sired by a man instead of through in vitro fertilization. The IVF process was not as successful as many women suffered miscarriages, some died in childbirth, and others could not become pregnant.  They tried the physical way as a last resort, taking some of the donor’s samples, just in case the experiment didn’t work out.

Her mother was with the donor for years, then Coin began protesting that it wasn’t fair that some of the men were choosing to be with only one woman. The donors were once more property of the state. Some rebelled and were locked up and subsequently died while imprisoned. Those that didn’t gave up their personal freedom, wasting away as property instead of an individual.

A man hadn’t graced the halls of District Thirteen since Katniss was three years of age, nearly eighteen years ago.

Her mother was never the same since her donor was imprisoned and died shortly before Prim was born. Katniss vaguely remembered him, a tall gray-haired man who had her similar complexion and eyes. He seemed kind at least to her, but he did try to bring disorder to their world. Her donor rebelled and as per Coin, he needed to be punished.

Her mother and the others who’d been in similar situations were forced to sign confidentiality forms. They couldn’t speak about the time they spent with the men they were assigned to. Katniss and her sister, as well as the other women who were produced naturally, were often looked upon as different. Her mother took her own life, and Katniss and Primrose were placed into the care of a woman named Purnia, a soldier who chose never to have children. Purina had seen her sister suffer through one miscarriage after another, only to never have children.

“We are embarking on a new journey for survival,” President Coin announced. The crowd became silent. “The men have reached out to us, putting their misogynistic beliefs aside. We have come to an equitable agreement. Something that would ensure peace in this grand experiment. In order to preserve the species, we must put our best foot forward. We have chosen women with the very best genetic makeup to be mated with a selection of male specimens from within the districts. You are our chosen, our proudest soldiers, selected to be mated. Remember to keep your wits about you and never trust the enemy.”

The crowd gave a loud cheer, but Katniss lowered her head.  She wasn’t a Coin supporter, but the woman had come into power long before she’d been born.

“I can’t wait ‘til this is over,”  Joanna muttered, loud enough that it caused Delly to giggle.

Delly was hushed by another girl in the crowd.  

“Rue Astor.”      

They began to call the women assembled, giving them their individual assignment.  The packet contained an image of the man they would be interbred with. It contained some personal information: age, height, profession, and a short introductory letter from the government of Panem.

“Delly Cartwright.”

Delly squealed and ran up to get her packet.

“Marie Curie.”

Katniss watched a serious young woman go up bravely followed by another girl who didn’t smile, when a Gertrude Elion was called.

“Katniss Everdeen.”  

When her name was called she moved forward on wooden legs.  Katniss didn’t want to have children. She wanted to be a soldier, but that was not her fate, the odds were not in her favor.

She took the envelope and stood on the side waiting for them to be dismissed. Clove Garrison, Mary Jackson, and  Rita Levi-Montalcini were all called next.

“Johanna Mason.”

“I’m coming.” Johanna angrily stomped to receive her packet. Madge, was different; she quietly went up and smiled politely. Her fingers shook as she held the legal sized envelope.

When the last woman, Dorothy Vaughan, was called Coin took to the microphone. “Make us proud. All candidates will be departing in fifteen minutes.”

Coin left and the families rushed forward to congratulate the candidates. Katniss was met with a familiar pair of pale blue eyes and a gentle smile. “You’re going to be fine,” Prim said taking the envelope from her hand. “Come on, Purnia is waiting for us.”

Katniss nodded, as they took off for the tall woman, who whipped off her headgear. “Hi girls.”

“I hold in my hands our future,” Prim joked.

Katniss face soured, but then softened when she took the envelope away from her sister in a playful manner. There was no reason to be mean toward Prim.

Purnia was tough, but gentle at the same time. She taught Katniss how to use all sorts of weapons, how to defend herself, how to survive outside of the bunker if need be. Katniss was going to miss her.  Her eyes teared up, but she glanced down at her gray all terrain boots.  

“Now don’t get sappy on me Everdeen. You as well as I know that this is a great honor. If this works it’ll save our sorry asses.”

Katniss laughed, and nodded.

“I’ll take good care of her, I promise,” Prim said.

“Who’s going to remind you to tuck in your shirt little duck,” Katniss joked.

Prim groaned. “Help me with her. I’m seventeen and she’s still treating me like I’m a baby.”

Purnia laughed. “Katniss leave your sister alone, even if she still doesn’t tuck in her shirt.”

Katniss stuck her tongue out at Primrose, who made a funny face at her.  They walked back to their bunker and picked up her duffle bag. It was heavy, but it contained her foldable bow and a sheath of arrows. All three went down to the bay doors to where the hovercrafts were waiting. The girls were lined up in alphabetical order.

“I guess this is it?”

“Katniss, this is for you.” Purnia handed her an envelope. “It’s a picture of the family.”

Prim then gave her a small box. “It’s a first aid kit; it’s got a little bit of everything. I know how you like to hunt in the woods. Hopefully, where you’re going they’ll let you hunt.”

She was part of the second group, going to another part of the Capitol. She was with Rue, Clove, and Marie. Their pilots were Leeg 1 and Leeg 2, identical twin sisters.  Katniss boarded the hovercraft. She looked up at the clock and read 0530, before choosing a seat to sit down in.  She nodded to the other women and before strapping in the envelope, the letter, and the kit inside of her duffle bag.  

As the hovercraft took off she held onto her duffle bag.

She closed her eyes and began to remember her mother and the donor her mother escaped to the bowls of the sylo to fight beside. Katniss had faint recollections of those days. She remembered laughter, a man’s voice singing to her.  She remembered the songs, though she never sang them out loud. Katniss had to be a model citizen. She had to remain strong, against the bullying and the teasing, not just for her but her sister.  

Once the children saw how genuinely good and sweet Primrose was they left her alone. Katniss, however, had to prove her worth. Being chosen for this was an honor, and though she didn’t want to be part of it because she didn’t want children, she had to do this.

Opening her eyes she glanced at the girls who were on the hovercraft with her. Rue was young, eighteen. She reminded Katniss of her sister Primrose. She had that same sweetness about her.  Clove, on the other hand, was a bitch. She was mean, and the one girl in school who taunted her. Katniss couldn’t be bothered with her. Marie was too busy scribbling in her book to look up. She was the eldest in the group.

They’d been zipping through the air for an hour when they were allowed to stretch and use the restroom.

Rue and the other girls unhooked their safety harnesses. Katniss didn’t, she held onto her bag. Katniss shrugged at Rue.

Rue came to sit by her. “I’ve met your sister, she’s really nice. She took care of my baby sister last year in the infirmary.”

Rue’s baby sister was one of last few children hatched. “Your baby sister is ten?”

“Yeah, but at the time she was only nine. She was so scared, had to get her tonsils out.”

“My sister Prim didn’t smother your sister? She tends to do that with little kids.”

Rue laughed. “Nope, she gave my baby sister coloring books and crayons. She even read to her when she had to stay overnight.”

“That’s Prim for you,” Katniss said smiling, her sister was going to become a fine doctor one day.

“I’ve never seen a man before,” Rue confessed.

Katniss smiled at Rue. She was pretty, lovely dark skin, with beautiful dark curly hair. Katniss hoped the man Rue was paired with understood how precious she was. “You know about my donor right?”

“I heard about how your mother rushed to be with him. How you and your sister were not conceived the government approved way.” Rue looked down at her hands.

The conversation was drawing attention. Clove was smirking at her and Marie was giving her an annoyed look as she walked back to her seat.  Then everything changed. The hovercraft shook, Katniss looked through the door where the pilots were sitting, thinking it was turbulence. The pilots didn’t look confident. They were pulling back on the joystick and flipping levers quickly.

“Katniss,” Rue shouted as lights flashed as the pilots tried to regain control.

“BRACE FOR IMPACT!” One of the pilots shouted!

Things inside of the hovercraft began to shake loose as they experienced a sudden loss of pressure. They felt weightless for a nanosecond. Katniss held on to her duffle. The hovercraft groaned and it rocked. They were losing altitude quickly.  The screeching sound of metal scraping and screaming filled her ears, and finally silence.

She opened her eyes a while later, but everything was blurry. She coughed as thick acrid smoke filled her lungs. She could hear shouts and finally a bright light that made her squint. She groaned before she felt herself being lifted, her body enveloped in warmth. She heard the words “safe,” repeated over and over again before she descended into darkness again.

Her eyes opened once more and once again everything was blurry. She tried to sit up but her brain became too heavy and she slipped back down. “Ahhh,” she exclaimed.

“Hush, you’re safe,” a voice said.

Katniss frowned. She’d heard that timber once before when her donor was alive. Katniss questioned if she was with a man?

She tried speaking but her voice was cracked, and she coughed once more.

“Easy, don’t move,” the voice said.  A blurry creature appeared from her right. She felt her head being lifted gently and a cup placed at her lips. She willed her eyes to focus. Slowly everything became clearer.

It was a man. Scared and disoriented Katniss training kicked in. As he leaned over her she thought to kick him in the shins, but because she couldn’t see very well she kicked him between the legs.

“AGGGHHH,” the man shouted and fell backwards.

Katniss stood up on pure adrenaline, blindly looking for a way out. She could hear him groaning as she stumbled over him.

Her heart pounded as she searched for an escape, everything looked warped. She fumbled about the room until her hands gripped a doorknob. Twisting it, she opened the door. Feeling the cold air, she ran outdoors.

“Wait!”

Everything was dark and cold. She heard the man’s heavy footsteps behind her. She tripped on the steps and fell on the ground. Getting up, she continued to run but pain wracked her body.  She couldn’t tell which way she was going; everything looked funny, trees looked like looming monsters.

“STOP!” he cried behind her.

Katniss collided with something solid. Confused, she glanced up to see the contorted face of the man.

“Don’t touch me!” Katniss would rather die than be a man’s prisoner. She’d been taught about the cruelty women had suffered at the hands of men.

“You’re hurt,” he said. His voice was non-threatening; it sounded concerned.

“Let me go,” she struggled against him. Her fists might as well have been pillows, all she was doing was exhausting her strength.

“No.”

She took a step and cried out in pain. Her knees buckled, as she slipped into darkness.

The light filtered through into the room, dancing on her closed lids. She groaned; her muscles ached. She was hurting. Then she remembered she was trapped, in the custody of a man. She opened her eyes, alarmed. She made to get up but her head felt heavy and her vision blurred.

“Don’t try to move.”

A tear slipped from her eyes.

“Hush, you’re safe.”

“Don’t hurt me.” She was with the enemy. Her plea was a calculated risk, to appeal to his humanity, if he had one. She wasn’t safe with no way to escape, without causing herself further injury.  

“I’m not going to hurt you,” his voice was a blend of desperation, sincerity, and determination. “If I wanted to harm you, I would have let you die out there, or done something equally vile by now.”

What he said held a note of truth. He could have maimed her, treated her poorly or abused her, let her die. She was injured, her chances for survival were cut in half. His sincerity intrigued her. Curious, she stared at him.

She was going to say something, but he came closer to her. To her shock, he wasn’t unpleasant to behold. She half expected him to look gray and fading like the vague images of her donor. He was a blonde man with startling blue eyes. He had a cleft chin. He also had hair on his face. Intrigued, she lifted her hand to touch it. It was prickly under her fingers, like sandpaper, but softer. He smiled at her touch. It was a sweet smile, not what she was expecting. She quickly withdrew her hand. She asked herself why she was fraternizing with the enemy?

He pressed a cup of water to her lips again. “Drink. You must be thirsty?”

Katniss cautiously sipped. The cool water was a balm to her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed momentarily, then she recalled Rue. “The others?”

He stopped smiling, and she could see the sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry they didn’t make it. I was only able to get you out before it exploded.”

He pulled away and Katniss missed the warmth of his touch as the enormity of what he was saying to her fell on her shoulders. Rue, Clove, Marie, the two pilots Leeg 1 and Leeg 2, they all died. She had to get in contact with someone to let them know she was alive. “Is there any way I  can communicate with the Capitol?”

He became stiff. “The Capitol?”

“Yes, the Capitol.” Katniss glanced at him, her training kicked in to see if he was lying to her. He had to be part of Panem, the Capitol would know about the exchange.

“I don’t communicate with the Capitol. We’re not part of that regime of crazies. They live in the mountains hundreds of miles away from us. I haven’t seen them since I was a kid. There were rumors an explosion took their main power supply out.”

Nothing in his body language suggested lying. His eyes didn’t move to the left, or blink, he didn’t pause to think before he spoke. His hands, shoulders, and lips did not twitch. Katniss asked the same question, but in a different way. “Aren’t you part of Panem?”

“Panem hasn’t existed in years, miss.” He shook his head. “Panem was a dream once. It failed its citizens and as a result, war broke out. Our district was bombed, hollowed out for fighting in the resistance. We barely survived, only a few hundred of us live in these hills.”

“Okay, what about District 13? Can you communicate with it?” Katniss watched him carefully.

He frowned and shook his head. “District 13 doesn’t exist. Everyone knows it was bombed over seventy-five years ago.”

His answers left her open-mouthed. How could he think her district was dead? “Wait, we didn’t stop fighting. After we were hit, we bombed the Capitol and the supporting districts one and two after they attacked us. We kept up the fight for the next twenty-five years until the plague forced the entire population to a cease-fire.”

He was silent. She could see him working out the details in his mind. “You’re from Thirteen?”

“Thirteen is alive and well.” Katniss didn’t want to trust him. Men were bad; they were evil. They manipulate, they could cause bodily harm, and are excellent liars. Those were some of the reasons women rebelled.  

“And making nice with the Capitol,” he said bitterly.

Katniss knew he wasn’t to be trusted. “Did you at least see another hovercraft?”

She watched him walk away, and that’s when she noticed she was in a house made of wood. She’d seen such structures in instructional booklets and she’d seen a few deteriorating cabins on the extreme perimeters of district thirteen.  She was in a room with a large fireplace, not on a bed as she first thought but a sofa, her legs propped up on a pillow. Beyond that another room that was brighter.

He came back holding her duffle. “I’m guessing this is yours. You wouldn’t let it go when I tried to get you out.”

Katniss blushed, normally she was calm and in control.

He looked confused. “This is your’s right, K. Everdeen?”

Katniss nodded then she tried once more. “That was pretty brave rescuing me and my bag. How did you know how to open the hovercraft?”

“The bay door was partially opened from the impact. You had your safety harness on. It saved your life.”

“So was there another hovercraft flying around?”

“Aren’t you going to open it?”

He was evading the question. Doggedly she asked, “Are you’re saying you haven’t seen another hovercraft?”

He remained silent.

Katniss knew he was lying. “You have?”

He expelled a deep breath. “Your hovercraft was one of three that were flying in a westerly direction when they were attacked by two Capitol flyers that were cloaked.”

“Wait how do you know they were from the Capitol?”

“It had the old Panem seal, the inner circle has the bird with its wings extended and the arrows in its talons, the outer circle had the word Capitol written in bold letters.  The ones you were flying didn’t have any symbols.”

Katniss was puzzled by this. She recalled the seal on the envelope looked nothing like the old Panem emblem. She glanced up at Peeta. “What happened next?”

“Your hovercraft was hit first. The others managed to down the attacking Capitol flyers, but in the fight, one of the ones that was accompanying your flying craft was hit and badly damaged. They flew back in the northeastern direction they came from.”

Katniss thought about Delly and Madge; they were her friends. “I have to find them.” She started to stand up, but her knees buckled and pain shot up her leg. “Agghh.”

He swept her off her feet, gently depositing her back onto the sofa. “You’re in no condition to go anywhere.” He put her leg on top of a pillow. “Are you finished with your interrogation?”

She was in too much pain to respond.

“My name is Peeta by the way,” he said sitting down on the chair.

When the pain ebbed away she quietly tried to sit up, but couldn’t, not without hurting her foot. He stood up, “What are you doing K. Everdeen?”

Katniss was mortified that she couldn’t move. “In my bag, my sister made me a first aid kit. I can mend my own foot if you allow me.”

He lifted a blond eyebrow. Katniss noticed Peeta had long blond lashes that curiously didn’t tangle like Dellys did, and they were pale, as translucent as a spun web. It was a silly thing to notice but she was riveted by them. She cleared her throat, “Yes, ah, if you get it for me it’ll contain a balm that I can use for my ankle.”

Peeta deftly opened up the bag and produced the kit her sister made. “Here you go. I wrapped it tightly, but if you’d like I can unwrap it and rub the stuff on your ankle.”

Katniss scowled.

“You know you’re prettier when you’re asleep.”

“What?” Katniss was confused by his sparkling eyes and the tilt of his mouth, as if he had some secret joke she was not a part of.

“You don’t scowl when you’re asleep.” Peeta winked at her and she felt her cheeks becoming red.

Katniss questioned what was happening to her; she never blushed. She never stared at anyone’s eyes and got momentarily lost. She must have hit her head in the crash. She brusquely handed him the balm. He gave her a grin that uncovered a dimple and her mouth went dry. She shook her head and took deep steadying breaths.

“My hands might be a little cold. I’m sorry if they are.”

But they weren’t cold, they were warm and gentle. Large hands, that instead of making her wince in pain, caused sharp currents of pleasure to zip through her body straight down to the juncture of her thighs. Her vagina became warm and wet and her clit became heavy and it pulsed.

Her mouth opened slightly as something within her coiled in her womb and she felt her nipples tighten. A part of her wanted him to touch her body. The sensations were becoming all too much. Scared, she jerked away from his touch.

“Woah,” Peeta said staring at her in shock. “Did I hurt you?”

She turned red. She’d nearly kicked him in the face in her plight to get away. Nothing like that had ever happened to her. Not that she was sexually active, she wasn’t. Katniss wasn’t really interested in sex. She didn’t like to be touched, but her body acted needy, voraciously desiring his touch.

“Are you okay?”

The concern in his voice was palpable.

“It was your cold hands,” Katniss muttered looking down. She wasn’t the greatest of liars.

“Sorry,” his hands touched her again and her body began reacting the same. He glanced up from his position and his voice sounded deeper. “How does it feel?”

Katniss stared at him, wondering if he was asking about her throbbing body or her hurt ankle.

He cleared his throat. “Does your ankle feel better?”

Katniss shook herself mentally. “My ankle feels better, thanks,” then she blurted, “My name is Katniss.”

“Like the water tubers.” He smiled. His hands were incredibly gentle, like her sister Primrose when she was tending a patient that was especially prickly.

“Yes,” Katniss nodded. It was odd to compare him to her sister. Primrose was good, it radiated from her. The more she spoke to him the more she saw this quality in him.

“It’s pretty.” His smile turned warm, and they just sat there gazing at the other, neither one blinking.

He looked away first and as he stood her eyes followed his body. He was broad shouldered and narrow at the hips, her mouth went dry.

“I’m going to wash my hands. You must be hungry. It’s nearly eleven in the morning. I was headed to work this morning when I saw the hovercrafts. I got curious and followed them for a bit when I saw the air fight.” He stood just beyond her sight. “I can make us some breakfast if you want. Lunch might take longer.”  

“Katniss keep it together,” she muttered under her breath, her heart beat erratically. Her palms were sweaty. She wanted to hold him, wanted to do all the forbidden things lovers did, things she’d sworn she wouldn’t do. Katniss chastised herself for being foolish, telling herself she shouldn’t have been friendly to him. He was a man. Peeta could her hurt her, like the way her donor had wounded her mother. She closed her eyes fighting to regain her posture.

“Did you say something?”

Katniss said with an unsteady voice, “Yeah, I’m hungry.”

“Don’t worry, the food will be done in no time,” he said from the kitchen.

Katniss nodded. She was expecting the same gruel she’d eaten all of her life. Nutritious, but lacking in flavor. It smelled funny too, but she was so used to it that she slurped it down. However, the scents that came out of his kitchen smelled heavenly.  She wasn’t even sure what it was, but by the time it was done she was ravenous.

Food was her one true weakness.

“Okay, come on. Let’s get you to the table.” He bent down to pick her up.

“You know you don’t have to pick me up. I can,” Katniss lost her train of thought as he lifted her up. “Oh!” She’d never been carried, and when her hands landed on his chest she couldn’t help but notice he was solid muscle underneath his clothing.  All sorts of traitorous scenarios trickled into her brain. All with one single purpose, to reveal just how different he looked underneath his shirt. The walls she erected were smashed by his gesture.

Katniss was curious. She wanted to know where the differences lie between men’s and women’s anatomy. Until she was chosen Katniss was not taught about men. She knew about women’s anatomy. It was important to understand her body, especially as a soldier to know its vulnerabilities. They had a dummy to spar with in the training room and that’s the extent of her knowledge about men’s bodies. But that dummy didn’t feel like a man, and it didn’t elicit the desire to have sex.

She blushed at the thought of sex, or as her instructor said, coitus.

Sure she knew that in order to have a child with her selected mate she had to copulate with him. Command had provided instructions on what copulating entailed. It was an odd class to take. Her instructors said procreation occurred when the appendage a man had between his legs was inserted into a woman’s body.

The idea sounded ludicrous. They didn’t have an anatomical picture of a man and no image of what the appendage looked like. However, command didn’t want the chosen women to suffer. They provided purple pills in case they were nervous or unable to withstand the touch of a man. Katniss was fully prepared to take one of the pills they gave her to help with that part. Being held by Peeta brought forth a primal and instinctive drive. Something within her was unleashed.

She smelled something that wasn’t what he cooked, but smelled just as good. In thirteen, people didn’t have scents; they smelled like gray. Peeta smelled like colors, warm spicy colors that wetted her appetite, not for food. She felt her traitorous body reacting to being so near him again.

Her musings were soon derailed by the sound of her stomachs complaint of its empty status.

Soon enough she was sitting at the table with a platter full of yellow fluffy things, and strips of meat that looked like jerky. “Om my, is that real bread.”  She snatched one and broke it open, and a fragrant puff wafted up to her nose and she groaned.  She enthusiastically stuffed it in her mouth and her fist pounded on the table, her pupils widened.

If the bread was fresh and tasted of sweet nectar, she couldn’t wait to taste the rest. Moments later she didn’t care what was on the table she put it on the plate.

Without preamble, she began eating. “Mmmm…,” she murmured out loud several times. “Ohhhhh,” she sighed when she tasted the strips of crispy fried meat. “What is this?”

Peeta chuckled. “It’s called bacon.”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

He pointed to her plate. “I’ve never seen anyone eat the way you do?”

Katniss swallowed, then drank some water. “We don’t have anything like this in District Thirteen. We don’t have this.” Katniss picked up the bacon, licked her lips and tasted it. “Ommm….soo good.”

“Are you serious? What do you eat?”

“We call it gruel; it’s mushy, often cold, unless you’re up at four when they make it. It doesn’t have much flavor, and it’s white. When we do have bread it’s hard and we only eat it on special occasions like on the day we are hatched.” Katniss spoke as she ate.

“Hatched, as in the day you’re born?”

“Yes,” Katniss affirmed she shoved some of the yellow fluffy things in her mouth. “Mmmm…” she wanted to hug them. “What do you call this?”

“Eggs,” Peeta smirked.

“This is good,” she stuffed her mouth with the eggs, “…and combined with the bacon it is even better!”

They ate quietly, Peeta kept on staring at her. He had that look from before as if he was putting a puzzle together. “Katniss, why are you hatched?”

“We don’t have men.” Katniss blushed, all of her inhibitions were down and it wasn’t all because of the food. Anyone that could make such wonderful things couldn’t be that awful. She paused to glance at him. He looked puzzled and curious.

“How do you,” he frowned, “have children if there aren’t any men?”

“We’re hatched.” He didn’t look as if he understood; his brow was folded. “It’s an in vitro fertilization process. The fetus is created in one of our labs then when ready its implanted inside of the mother’s womb. Very few women are able to give birth, so many of them carry the fetus as long as they possibly can. The baby is then put in incubators until we hatch.” Katniss finished eating. She sat back, her stomach distended over her gray suit.

“What happened to the men?”

Katniss carefully stated what she was taught, “There used to be men but they all died, so we saved their sperm in banks, but unfortunately we ran out. The fertilization process doesn’t work all the time and a lot of women have miscarriages.”

“Is that why you were on your way to the Capitol?”

“Yes, they are having similar problems; they do not have enough women. I was part of an experiment. A way to save humanity. You said there were more of you in these hills?”

“Yeah, we have survived these seventy-five years. It hasn’t been easy but we’ve done it,” Peeta said. “There aren’t many of us but we make do. We trade with eleven and eight, we trade coal, for food, grains, livestock, and other valuable things, money.”

“Money?” She didn’t know what this was. In thirteen people bartered, for a better pillow, blankets, or a better bunk.

“You know coins, they have value, a unit that has a worth.” He pulled out a coin. “See this one is worth one credit. One of these can buy you a roll, or three eggs. Three eggs can also buy you a roll.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.” Katniss wondered what other surprises she was going to encounter.

“Do you want some more bacon?”

She reached out to take it and their fingers brushed. The electrical currents were back and this time they went to her heart. She glanced up and her eyes met his and a soft smile spread on his face. She could feel her cheeks heat up. “Thank you.”

“Do you think anyone will look for you?”

“I don’t know if they will.”  She twirled the bacon in her hands. “But I have a sister. Her name is Primrose.” He reached out and touched her hand. His large warm hand covered hers and her heart fluttered.  She glanced up at him. “I miss her.”

“I see,” Peeta quietly said. “If you want to go back home I can take you. I saw the direction the Flyers were headed. I’d have to hitch up the team. I’ve got a wagon.”

She marveled that he would offer to help her in an antiquated mode of transportation. Her instinct was to look for the deception, but his face was open. He hid nothing from her. Was Peeta that nice?

Her eyes glanced out of the window in the kitchen.

It dawned on Katniss that they’d been in the air for an hour headed in a westerly direction. This was the middle of fall, soon the earth would fold up its leafy display like those folding tables and winter would transform the earth. The first snowfall was only weeks away back home. Thirteen was in the northern region, and winter would impede their journey.  The logistics of traveling on foot, finding a location hidden underneath the ground would take a long time, she estimated they’d flown a good 900 miles heading in a southwestern direction.  Even with all of her knowledge of the outdoors, there was a distinct possibility that they wouldn’t make it with her injured foot.

“Peeta, that’s very nice of you but we’d need to travel by an all-terrain vehicle to help lessen the distance. It could roughly take a month or more to walk by foot. Even with the wagon, that’s still far, not to mention winter is coming. If they want to search for me, they’ll come. If they don’t, I can always head out in the spring.” Katniss saw his smile.

“Alright, so I have a spare room,” he suggested. She watched the way his face became flushed, and she liked it.

She was shocked that he would open up his home to her. “You’d be willing to let me stay with you?”

“Where else do you have to go?” He ate a piece of his wonderful bread rolls. “I can’t toss you out in the cold. Town is a good three miles away.”

Katniss frowned, back home she had a job. She needed to do something here with him. “I need a function; without one I can’t stay here for free. I must contribute to the greater good.”

“Okay, what skills do you have,” Peeta drank some dark liquid, she noted he did not add honey to it.

“I can hunt,” Katniss said.

“Hunt?” Peeta looked skeptical.

Gingerly she stood from the table, the balm was already working. “The floor is cold,” she said as she hopped on one foot to the sofa. It was warmer in this room, but without Peeta, it seemed emptier. She took her bag and pulled out her bow and arrows.

Peeta whistled from the doorway. “I’ve never seen anything else like it?”

“It was a present from the woman who raised me. She taught me how to hunt, how to trap, how to survive in the woods. She’s a soldier. It’s what I was training for…what I wanted to be before I was selected.”

“What happened to your mother?”  His question was a loaded one. One that Katniss was not ready to answer.

Speaking about her mother would mean she’d have to speak about her donor, and it would make her think about the way Coin treated men and she didn’t want to face that reality. Not when she was still processing all that was going on with her. “I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about that yet.”

“Alright, I’ll respect your wishes. When you’re ready to go outside and hunt then you can do so.” He grinned, looking like a child seeking extra rations from the food ladies. “I like fresh game. Rabbit is my favorite, but if you can hunt down a turkey that would be great.”

Katniss wished she could go outside and show him her skills, but her ankle needed to rest. Her little stunt caused it to hurt. “Perhaps I can help you clean up.”

He shook his head, and braced his hands on his hips. “You stay off that foot and rest. I’ll clean up.”

Peeta left her alone in the living room. She noticed there was another door behind the sofa, and a large loft space with a ladder that when up toward it. There was also massive paintings that decorated the walls. A little while later she heard him singing off key and chuckled. He couldn’t carry a tune. He switched his song and it was one that her donor once sang to her.

She laid on the sofa listening to Peeta butcher the song, but she said nothing because it brought back such wonderful memories. Her mind began to open up and she remembered a tall man with her coloring and her eyes, embracing a woman that reminded her of Prim.

She recalled the way he held her mother, holding her hand tightly against his chest. The song evoked the happiness in her mother’s face and the joy Katniss felt for those few months. Katniss recalled the happiness and the sad times. Without her knowledge, her voice joined Peeta’s. Their voices blended until it was only just her voice singing. When she reached the end of the song she found Peeta standing at the doorway, a look of awe and wonder on his face.

“Please don’t stop singing,” he whispered.

She felt her whole body turn red out of pure embarrassment,  “I haven’t sung out loud in a long time.”

“Well you should do it more often,” Peeta said, then walked back to the kitchen. When he was done he came out. “I need to go into town for a little bit. Do you mind staying here alone?”

Katniss shook her head, but she didn’t really want to be left alone, or rather she didn’t want to leave his side no matter what was going on inside of her. Her face must have shown her disappointment because she saw his face change.

“Okay, stop doing that pouty thing. I just have to figure out a way to keep you off your feet in town.” He slipped on a coat and went outside.   

Katniss was sleepy but she couldn’t wait to go outside. She wanted to see where she might be living for the next few months if District 13 doesn’t send out a search party.  Living here would give her a good idea of the food she’d be able to live off of when she made her trek back home.

The door opened, “How often do you have to apply the balm?”

“If I do it every two hours I’ll be fine by tonight.” She couldn’t help the grin that spread on her face.

“I’ll be right back,” Peeta said, disappearing quickly into a room just off to the side of the fireplace. He came back out with a sweater and a coat, and boots. “These will be big on you, but they will keep you warm.”

She was going to protest that she had her own clothing but then Katniss noticed the color; the sweater was orange, and the coat was a lovely shade of brown. Everything in thirteen was gray, she’d never worn anything so cheerful or vibrant. She noted the size, she never realized just how small women were until she saw him hold up his things. They were massive, but when she slipped on his sweater she was in heaven. It was like being swallowed up by him.

He gently wrapped her foot and slipped on socks and slid his giant boots on. She couldn’t help but stare at him, the way his hair fell across his face. Her eyes traveled down to his cheeks, she liked the hair on his face, liked the way it felt under her fingertips. Her eyes landed on his lips and for the first time in her life, she imagined what it would be like to kiss and be kissed.

She swallowed. Her eyes shifted up and she saw that he too was staring at her; his eyes were darker. She shivered at his intense look. He got closer to her and she could smell the mint on his breath, as he helped her slip on the coat. She licked her lips and her heart pounded against her chest.

“There.” Peeta swallowed. He pulled away from her, but his voice was deeper and she liked the way it sounded.  

This time she was ready when he picked her up. She was ready to go outside. It was the one place where she felt the happiest. Once they were on their way, Katniss watched the way Peeta treated his horses. They were his property, but he didn’t treat them in a barbarous way.

“I was riding my horse through this road when I saw the hovercrafts flying. I veered to the west to follow them. When you’re ready, I’ll take you to the wreckage so you can pay your last respects.”

Katniss nodded. She wanted to say goodbye to those lives lost. They had families that deserved to know someone said goodbye for them. They were quiet the rest of the way into town, but the silence was nice. She wasn’t much of a talker, but as they headed the town the conversation about how they lived surged.

“So people live in a town, its a community…a collection of small homes, and the main street is a concentration of places of commerce.” Katniss was a little confused.  “Men and women live together? Men don’t hurt women?”

“No, they don’t. There are laws against people hurting people. Our President Paylor is just.”

“You defend him,” Katniss said rather suspiciously, she wasn’t convinced men and women could co-exist peacefully.

“Katniss, Paylor is a woman.”

Katniss examined his face carefully, looking for traces of annoyance or deceit, but all that she could find was kindness and patience. Once more she was reminded of her sister, of the inherent goodness that bloomed from her heart. “Paylor is a woman? You allow a woman to rule over you?”

Peeta chuckled. “Paylor is a woman.” He glanced at her briefly. “She was the best person for the job. It’s why I voted for her.” He turned to the road. “Katniss, don’t get me wrong. This world it’s not idyllic. We still have our problems, but we try. No world is perfect.”

His statement was true. Once more she was forced to think about her donor and her mother, and Coins demands, and how because of her, the men disappeared from their society.

“I guess this must be vastly different than your home?”

“We live underground in military sylos. None the things I’ve seen today exists, especially the bread you made. Is that part of your trade?”

“It’s my trade. It’s the way I make a living. I bake bread and other things people request for money or sometimes I’ll barter for things I need.”

“So what do you barter for?”

“I barter for all kinds of things, wood, scraps of metal. You wouldn’t believe what can come in handy. Last week I bartered a whole bunch of metal to the blacksmith so that he could fix my cooling rack.”

Bartering made sense. She liked the idea of a community, and the homes made out of wood and brick caused her imagination to flow as she wondered what each house looked like on the inside.

He parked his wagon in the back of one of the business. “Welcome to my bakery,” Peeta said while jumping down. He then walked around and carried her inside. “It’s a weekend, and one of the busiest days for me.”

“Hey, Peeta,” a younger man with dark brown hair greeted. He stopped short when he saw Katniss.

“Vick this is Katniss. She’s going to be staying with me for a while. How are things today?” He settled her on a stool.  He glanced into her eyes. “You okay?”

Katniss nodded.

Peeta put on his apron and turned to wash his hands.

Her eyes took in the massive wood-burning oven, the smaller electrical one just off to the side and the other assorted instruments he worked with. The boy looked amazed when he glanced at her. He loudly whispered, “He wasn’t lying, you really did fall from the sky?”

Katniss nodded.

The young boy blushed then said, “My name is Vicktor but I don’t like the hard sound it makes so I tell everyone to call me Vick.”

Katniss smiled at the tall lanky boy. He seemed sweet, eager to be liked. Prim went through a phase where she was insecure about herself, tried to call herself a number because she thought it sounded cooler. They heard a peal of feminine laughter and Vick’s face became sad.

Peeta finished washing his hands, “How is everything going?”

“They,” Vick’s voice cracked, he cleared it. “They are good. Jenny is running the front, and flirting with Widerman.”

Peeta chuckled. “Vickk remember what I told you. Jenny has a right to choose whoever she wants to be with. Even if you don’t like it, you have to respect her choices. That’s what we fought about; choices are the rights of human beings. We are all equal and it’s her choice even when the girl you like doesn’t like you back.”

“Yeah, but Peeta there aren’t a lot of girls here,” Vick bemoaned, “and that guy is a jerk.”

“Katniss, I’ll be right back. I’m going to see what my staff is up to in the front of the store.” Peeta blushed, but disappeared through the swinging doors.  

“So, you fell from the sky?” Vick repeated after Peeta left.

Katniss raised an eyebrow at the young boy. His attention was clearly focused in on the front part of the business. She liked what Peeta said to Vick, about equality. They were taught men didn’t believe women were equal.

“Can I ask you for some advice? I mean you’re a girl, right, so what’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t Jenny like me?”

“Don’t know, have you tried talking to her?”

“No,” his voice cracked. “I can’t, I don’t know how to.”

“I think that’s where your problem lies.” Katniss chuckled. These type of problems were universal. She grinned, then said, “Is it cooler in the front?”

He pushed the swing door open a little. “Oh yeah.”

“Can you help me to the front? It’s kinda hot here,” Katniss asked, and watched him tear his view from the door.  He helped her to the front and there she saw a petite girl standing in front of a guy who didn’t seem appealing at all. He had a unibrow like June Masle.

“Thank you, for your help,” Katniss said, gripping his hand as she hobbled into the front of the store. All eyes were on her as she went by.

“Katniss,” Peeta put down the bread he had in his hands and rushed over to her and carried her. All the patrons focused on them, but to Katniss, they were the only ones in the shop.  He deposited her in one of the small booths. “You need to stay off your feet.”

Katniss glanced at the girl named Jenny who had a dreamy look on her face. She wanted to come into town to see this world, wanted to get a feel for the people. Katniss got a crash course There weren’t many women available for the men in town, as they stumbled in to see her.

Jenny came to sit down with her. “I thought you might like some tea.”

“Thank you,” Katniss said, watching her sit down.

“They say Peeta rescued you?”

“He did.” She took a sip of her tea. “He pulled me from the wreckage.”

“Are you really from District Thirteen?”

“Yes.” Katniss had so many questions for her.

“What’s it like?”

“We live in underground sylos. There aren’t any men, so this is quite strange for me.”

“Wow, no men.” Jenny sounded disturbed by this idea. She glanced up at Vick, and Katniss could see the way Jenny’s eyebrow lifted, almost like she was trying to figure out what to do about Vick.

“Do men treat you badly? Do they hurt you? Are the manipulative, deceptive creatures?”

“What, no, they aren’t. Why would you even ask that?”

Katniss took a sip of her hot beverage. “Well, you don’t like Vick. Is there a reason?”

“He’s not my type; he’s too nice. I’m sixteen now and he’s still only fifteen. I need someone with an edge.”

Katniss shook her head. Her eyes sought out Peeta, a gentle blush grew on her cheeks. “I like nice.”

“Peeta is the exception to the rule. He’s awfully nice to look at. He’s gone through so much.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I wasn’t old enough to remember everything, but growing up his family life wasn’t great.” 

Katniss wondered if he had siblings, a mother, a donor. “What of his family.”

“His mother hit him, broke his leg so severely everyone thought he was going to lose it. While in the care of the physician, the bakery burned down, taking the life of his mother and the eldest Mellark child.”

Katniss was horrified to hear his mother hit him so hard that she broke his leg. “What of his donor? Didn’t he interfere?”

“His what?” Jenny looked perplexed.

“The man who contributed in his birth?”

“Oh, you mean his father. His dad came home to find Peeta in a bad state. He took him to the doctor.  The only reason he and Norton, one of  Peeta’s other brothers survived was because they were by Peeta’s side. Between the three of them, they opened up the bakery again. Peeta worked hard to recuperate, to become a good baker. Last year Norton put himself in the classifieds.

“Classifieds?”

“It’s a sort of auction where women bid on a man.  He found a girl and moved to her district to be with her. His father is visiting him. They just had a baby.”

Katniss remained silent, she settled back to watch Peeta after Jenny left her. With every person that entered the bakery, he was always courteous, always kind, always patient. It was so different from Thirteen. There wasn’t that detached ambiance of obligation. In District Thirteen, everyone was focused on their task or job. No one was friendly; polite yes, but not the way Peeta was. He greeted everyone from the eldest member to the youngest, from the tall to the small, from the ugly to the pretty with the same warmth and generosity she’d only found in one other person, her sister Primrose.

Thoughtfully, she examined him without the pressures of having to be observed. He was strong. The muscles of his arms bulged when he picked something heavy with ease. Katniss found that as she observed him, her body began to feel warm. Something grew in the pit of her core being. It was like a warm gushy sentiment that spread all the way to the tips of her toes.

Katniss swallowed and turned her face away and stared at some inanimate object to help her get her bearings. She was starting to feel things, but she wasn’t sure how to label them. She questioned if it was love, but she canceled that thought, because the only person she knew she loved was her sister.

“Looks like you’re be wantin that man,” said an old woman who had sat down at the table next to Katniss. She looked to be in her eighties. She was dressed in overalls. Her white hair was piled into a messy bun at the top of her head. Katniss admired her face. It was lined with beautiful creases around her eyes and lips. Her infectious laughter put Katniss at ease. “He’s spoon licken good.”

Katniss blushed.

“I’ve seen that look before. I’ve given that look once’er twice in my life.” She crackled a laugh. “I’d be climbing that if I weere a wee younger. I was quite the looker too.”

Katniss wasn’t sure what the woman was speaking about, but she understood it had to do with Peeta.

“Sae’s the name. I heard you were from thirteen. Thought them peoples were long gone. Came into ta’see the spectacle myself.” She bit into her bread, and drank her tea. “Peeta’s a good one, and by the way he’s lookin’ at you, he likes ya and not just for a quick toss.”

“Sorry?”

“You are green aren’t ya,” the older lady laughed. “He wants to sleep with you.” Katniss face must have showed her perplexion by the language. “He wants ta’have sex with you.”

Heat crept up along her neck into her cheeks. The inside of her mouth stung like when she ate something sour.  Katniss eyes collided with Peeta’s. He grinned slowly; a reddish flush appeared on his face. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a ferocity. It triggered a fluttering in her stomach like she’d swallowed a whole jar of butterflies. Katniss wiggled in her seat, uncomfortable with rising the of emotions. Her heart thudded in her chest and her palms felt sweaty.

“You shouldn’t hold back,” Sae said, her face looked far away. “I had a man once, a good man but I was scared ta’love him. He was nice and sweet, kinda like Peeta.”

“What are the men like?” Katniss asked, curious. “In thirteen they don’t see men…favourably.”

Sae laughed. “Listen little girl. Thirteen isn’t lying to you. There are men in this world who are mean, ornery creatures who you can’t trust. They just break one heart after another.”

She was being frank. “How do you know about thirteen?”

“My mother told me about them women in thirteen. We called ya the Amazons. I know’d all about your ways. My ma was tempted to join the bunch, but she hadn’t met my pa yet. He made her see that not all men were bad. Ya see, what I’ve learned in my eighty-six years on this earth is that not everything is black n’white.” Her eyes turned to gaze at Peeta. “There are men who are like rays of sunshine on a bleak day, like that boy of yours.” She smiled fondly, touching a chain around her neck. “My Henry was that way and I was afraid ta’feel, afraid ta’give him my heart.  He died during the great sickness. I was twenty and beautiful then,” she laughed softly. “You just have’ta decided if this is what you want, just like my maw.” Sae took her walker and stood up. “I hope ta’see ya again soon.”

Katniss expelled a breath she held inside her chest. Sae’s advice made her examine her thoughts and reactions.  She watched Peeta sneak a small smile in her direction. Her heart beat erratically at the sight of his dimple and twinkling eyes.

Katniss dissected herself like she was taught to do, analytically peeling back the layers to reveal or discover the truth. Her earlier reaction to him coupled with the emotional responses had turned her world of calm, cool composure upside down. She recognized she was awakened somehow, emotionally and physically. Katniss had been prepared to simply let someone use her body for the greater good of humanity. She never expected to want to simply be around a man for the simple sake of feeling good. She questioned if she was mentally ready to do what her body and heart were clamoring for. Logically it went against everything she’d been taught.

All of the propaganda she was led to believe by her government was based upon things that happened many years ago. She glanced at Peeta in another light.

The door opened, and a small group of children ran in. Katniss sat up; she hadn’t seen these many children in a long time. She forgot how innocent and young they sounded. They rushed in to greet Peeta. She watched him with the children and a different heat grew within the depth of her chest and spread to some invisible point within her belly. He was born to be a donor, Katniss decided. She watched a small girl with dark braided hair give him a hug. The child could very well have been a blend of them both.

He wouldn’t want to be absent from parenting. Peeta would be in the life of the child, and Katniss began to picture herself here, living in this world with him. Life would not be easy. She needed to become acclimated, and of course, they wouldn’t agree on everything. They were from two different worlds, but she had experienced his goodness. He selfishly ran into a burning wreckage to save her, offered his home, without seeking anything in return.

Katniss smiled to herself as she continued to watch him until it was time to go. When they left, he picked her up, and she wrapped her hands around his neck as he brought her to sit on his wagon.

“Sorry, it took so long.” Peeta shook his head.

Katniss gave him a small smile, and her cheeks turned pink. “It’s okay. I think I’ve developed a taste for your baked goods.”

He chuckled warmly and it caused her body to hum in desire for him. “Is that so?”

“Yes.” She glanced up at him shyly, not wanting to show her true inner thoughts.

Her eyes drifted down to the fly of his pants and noticed there was a slight bulging there. She squirmed in her seat.

He mounted the wagon and they were on their way back to his cabin. Katniss didn’t know what to do with herself, didn’t know how to talk to him. In many ways, she understood poor Vick’s predicament.

“You’re quiet.”

Katniss blushed.

“Are you okay? Is your ankle bothering you?”

Katniss turned her head to speak to him as they hit a hole on the road. She was jostled. His arm grabbed her and pulled her to him. Somehow their lips met. The butterflies took off in her stomach, as his lips gently moved against hers. She should have pushed him away, but Katniss melted into his side.  

They separated as the horses came to a stop. He had a blush on his cheeks and hers were warm. He grinned at her and she couldn’t help smiling back.

He cleared his throat. His blue eyes looked like they contained all of the twinkling stars. “I like you Katniss. You don’t have to say anything. I know it’s crazy because we’ve only just met, but I just wanted you to know, I like you a lot.”

Katniss didn’t know what to say, as he took the reins and they began to move again. She touched her lips; they still tingled from his kiss. Kissing was indeed pleasurable and she wanted to do it again. She guessed she would have plenty of time to engage in kissing, but that thought brought her to think of the day that she would eventually leave.

As they got closer to the cabin she wondered how she was going to live with him without acting on her desires.  

She saw something that caught her attention as they passed a grove of trees. She looked up only to have a flash blind her.

“KATNISS!” She heard a voice call out.

Her training kicked in.  She pushed Peeta from the wagon. They rolled off of on to the side of the grassy road, down the embankment.

“Peeta,” she called as they came to a stop.

“What’s happening?,” Peeta was in shock.

Katniss could hear the brush moving from above them; they were being hunted. “We need to move,” Katniss tried standing up. But she hurt her leg again and she grunted in pain.

He kneeled. “Katniss, get on my back.”

She hopped onto his back, and he took off.

He headed into the forest. But with her extra weight, she was sure he was getting tired. She could hear their pursuers running after them. Katniss could hear the distinctive crackle sound of a weapon as it was fired.  An arrow embedded itself in the tree.

“Peeta,” Katniss shouted. “Let me go; you’re getting tired.”

He hopped over a fallen tree to hide behind. Peeta folded himself around her. “No, I can’t.”

His eyes were desperate. Katniss hands touched his face, she understood. She didn’t want to let go either, but she couldn’t have something happen to him. “Peeta I’m hurt. I’m slowing you down.”

His eyes turned dark.

“Okay, together.”

They stood up and Peeta put his arms around her to pick her up.

“LET HER GO!!”

Katniss turned around to see Jo holding a weapon at Peeta’s chest. She jumped in front of him. “NO! JO! DON’T!”

“Everdeen, are you crazy?”

“Jo, put the weapon down.”

“He’s one of them,” Jo growled. “One of those filthy men.”

The click of the hammer reverberated in the still space as Jo took aim.

“Jo he saved, me, pulled me out of the wreckage,” Katniss spoke quickly. “Look, he’s got his hands in the air. If he wanted to do me harm I would’ve been dead by now.” Katniss saw Jo pull away from the scope of her gun to glance at Peeta. “Just look at his hands. He could have strangled me, snapped my neck, but I’m alive.”

“What about your leg?”

“Jo, I’m alive dammit. Don’t make me pull rank and take that gun away from you.”

“Put down the gun, Jo,” Madge said from above.

“Madge, you’re alive.”

Madge came close to Katniss. She glanced at Peeta suspiciously. “Yeah, Jo, me and Delly, we made it, but Delly was hurt.”

“Peeta,” Katniss glanced at him, he hadn’t put down his hands.  She pulled down his arms. “It’s okay, they are the survivors of the other hovercraft.”

Madge frowned, “You trust him?”

“With my life. I have a first aid kit at his cabin. I can see what I can do for Delly, but you have to trust us.”

Madge and Jo exchanged looks.

“Fine,” Jo said, “but he steps out of line and I’ll shoot him.”

Katniss nodded.

They headed back to the wagon. Peeta helped her as she hobbled. Her ankle was throbbing.  They found Delly by the side of the road; she was burned, and in pain. “Peeta will you pick her up and put her in the wagon?”

Peeta nodded, but he didn’t say anything.

Jo pulled Katniss by her shoulder.  “I’m watching you Everdeen. I’m not at all convinced you’re one of us right now.”

Katniss shook her head as she hobbled onto the back of the wagon to check on Delly’s vitals. She was the only one amongst them who had above the average first aid knowledge. Jo and Madge climbed on after her. Jo sat up front and kept her suspicious eyes on Peeta as he drove the wagon.

Madge worriedly bit her bottom lip, “Do you think she’ll live?”

“I think Prim put some burn cream and pills in the kit that will help with the fever. What about the others?”

“We crashed. The pilots were killed in the fight with the Capitol ships. Jo had to strap in and crash landed the best she could. Me and Jo pulled Delly out. We managed to get this far when we heard the wagon. We were desperate.”

Katniss nodded. “Peeta pulled me out of the wreckage. The other’s died on impact.” Katniss glanced around. “We’re here.”

Peeta came to a stop. He was careful as Jo kept her weapon pointed at him. “Get down,” Jo ordered.

He jumped down as Jo watched from the seat, aiming at him. Katniss hated the paranoia, the fear, and distrust written on Jo’s face and body.  

She watched him gently lift Delly. Katniss tried to get down without causing further damage to her leg and hobbled inside.

“Put her on the table in the kitchen,” Katniss said as she headed for the first aid kit. “Peeta show Madge where she can wash her hands?”  

Katniss hobbled into the kitchen. She stood by the sink washing her hands when Peeta said, “How’s your foot, are you okay?”

“Later,” Katniss said, glancing at Jo who stood glaring at them.

He nodded and took a chair and sat down, patiently watching her, as she and Madge carefully cut Delly’s clothing away. She washed Delly’s skin with the solution Prim had provided her. They carefully soaked the blisters with cotton swabs then afterwards applied the burn cream.  Delly’s skin began to respond immediately.  

Delly moaned.

“Madge, quick prop her head up. Help me get some water into her.”

Peeta brought Katniss some water. Katniss took a bottle that contained some antibiotic to pour into the water.

Jo grabbed her wrist. “What is that, Everdeen?”

Katniss showed her the bottle.

“I want him tied up. I don’t trust that he won’t harm us.” Jo pointed to Peeta.

“Jo.”

“It’s okay, Katniss.” Peeta offered his hands. Jo took out some cuffs and brought him to the other room. Katniss watched as Jo cuffed him to a metal railing near the fireplace.

“Katniss,” Delly whispered weakly.

“Yeah, it’s me Dells. Drink up, you’re safe,” Katniss said.

Delly drank the water without gagging. Katniss watched her for several hours, applying the cream when necessary. She was glad to see the burns begin to disappear.    

Katniss turned around and winced. She wanted to check on Peeta. She got to the doorway when Jo blocked her way.

“I don’t trust you. You’re not like the rest of us. You weren’t exactly hatched,” she spat at Katniss’ face. “How do I even know you didn’t set this up?”

Katniss narrowed her eyes.

Madge said from her chair. “Jo, do you think she would leave her sister behind?”

Jo opened her mouth and quickly shut it.

Madge pointed at Peeta. “Come on Jo, we’ve been here for hours now, and that man hasn’t done anything to us. He hasn’t even said anything to us and we’ve treated him like an animal.”

“He’s a good man, Jo. I know what we’ve been told and yeah it’s true there are men we shouldn’t trust, but Peeta isn’t one of them. Believe me, he’s kind and gentle,” Katniss pleaded.

Jo smirked. “You sound like your weak insane mother.”

Katniss pushed Jo down. Jo quickly stood up, her fist flying toward Katniss’ face. Katniss grabbed her fist and twisted it behind her back, and slammed her against the wall. “Look, Jo, I’ve had enough of your antics. I’m telling you the truth. If you want to, believe me, it’s up to you. I know you’re hardwired to believe whatever Coin brainwashed you with…but there’s more to the story.”

Jo struggled to get free. “Ha!”

“Coin’s the reason we’re in this predicament. The men only wanted to be free to be with whom they wanted. They wanted their freedom; something we fought hard for.”

“Lies.”

Katniss let go of Jo and backed away. “I was there. Coming here, seeing this place, meeting Peeta brought back the memories.”

Jo stared at her.

“Coin had them executed point blank. It’s why my mother took her life. She couldn’t live with seeing them die. It’s why I had nightmares, night after night. Coin knew the banks were low, she knew we would become extinct.”

Jo gave Katniss a hard look. “You’re soft on him because you weren’t hatched like the rest of us.”

“It doesn’t matter if I was hatched or conceived naturally, all that matters is that man is kind. If we treat him poorly, simply because of his sex, then what does that say about us?” Katniss was afraid that her words weren’t reaching Jo.

Jo’s stand wavered. Her shoulders slouched a little as she glanced at Peeta. She gave Katniss the keys. “I must be going soft.”

“Thanks, Jo,” Katniss said, taking the keys. She freed Peeta. “I’m sorry.”

He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. How’s your friend?”

Katniss wasn’t used to being touched but she welcomed his hug. “I think she’s going to make it.”

“I have a cot if you want?”

“That would be great.” Katniss wondered how she got to this point where she was craving to be wrapped in the arms of a man. “How are your wrists?”

“Sore, but I can honestly say that I was captured by three insanely hot women,” he winked.

Katniss punched him in the arm.

“Ow,” he exclaimed pouting.

She chuckled, but her stomach grumbled.

“Are you hungry?”

She nodded.

“Okay let your friends know I’m going to make something to eat for them, after I get the cot for Delly.”

Katniss stood and hobbled to where Madge and Jo were speaking. “Peeta is going to get a cot for Delly, and then he is going to make us something to eat. I know you must be hungry.”

Madge looked upset.

“What’s wrong?”

Madge asked, “I don’t understand why they would attack us?”

Katniss was taken aback.

“If they are in the same predicament as us, why would they want to attack us? I don’t understand why the other hovercraft didn’t come back. They saw us land, Jo. They didn’t circle back to check on us. I understand with Katniss craft. We saw the ball of fire from below. Ours didn’t explode; they could’ve come back to check.”

“They couldn’t. They were also hit, and were going to crash as well. We’re the only survivors.”

Madge said, “But it still doesn’t explain why the Capitol would attack us.”

“Because it wasn’t the Capitol.” Katniss turned to stare at Peeta coming down from the loft above with a cot, recalling the information.

“I  haven’t seen a Capitol hovercraft in this area since I was a kid, and it was a relic that crashed here. A family that had escaped, but the craft was a relic, nothing like what I saw flying around up there. Those looked new.”

Katniss squeezed his arm, “Plus the hovercrafts today-”

“Had the old Capitol seals on them, not the new ones,” Jo whispered. “It’s not their emblem.”

“Shit.” Jo slid to the floor and asked, “Why would Coin want us dead?”

“Not you, but me and anyone like me,” Katniss offered. “With the exception of you guys and Rue and Clove, we were all conceived through copulation. It just didn’t cross my mind until this moment.”

“We’ve got to stop her,” Jo said.

“How? She thinks we’re all dead.”

“We go back. Claim to be survivors of a brutal attack. Next, start a revolution. Open people’s eyes about Coin. I’m sure she’s pissed off a lot of people.”

Madge grinned. “Including my mother and aunt.”

“Do you think we can do it?”

Jo glanced at Katniss. “Yeah. We can try.”

Katniss nodded gratefully. “What about Delly? I don’t know if she’s going to be able to make it back to Thirteen.”

“We’ll see how she is in the morning. See if she can make it,” Jo said.

Katniss glanced at Jo. “You can’t take her, she needs to recuperate.”

“That’s what I said.” Madge gave Jo a pointed look.

“Fine,” Jo growled. “We’ll leave her behind with the blond.”

Katniss was glad, but this meant she was going to have to leave Peeta come morning. This didn’t sit well with her, but she remained silent. “Peeta has a spare room you both can share.”

Jo grimaced.

“I think you’re hangry,” Madge said. This caused them to laugh.

Soon they smelled the delicious food that Peeta was making.

He made a lamb stew, with rice, and fresh bread. They were gathered in the living area watching the news. Katniss watched Madge and Jo stuff themselves. It was comical to see the reactions etched on her friends’ faces.   

“This is so good,” Madge said she soaked her bread in the stew.

Jo grunted.

Katniss relished each delicious bite as if it was going to be her last. She wasn’t looking forward to to the morning. Peeta had agreed to let them have one of his horses and to take care of Delly. They would travel quicker without her.  

Katniss’ eyes kept on seeking Peeta during the evening. It was ridiculous that she felt this bond with him only after knowing him for less than a day. Yet they were present, the want and need to have him near. To speak to him, to hear his voice and to be his partner much the way they were in the woods. Katniss was conflicted. Her duty was to go back home, but her heart wanted her to stay with him.

Katniss looked down at her bowl, and the food lost its exotic flavor. It almost tasted like the gruel she was used to eating.

“There is a woman President,” Jo said, amazed.

Peeta said, “It’s not a perfect society, but we have laws in place to help with inequality.”

Madge and Jo shared a look.

Peeta was right. It wasn’t a perfect society, but she found it better by miles. By the time the evening was over Katniss’ mood had plummeted and her ankle throbbed. Everyone was in bed. Delly was still resting on the cot. She had no fever and her blisters were all but gone or dried up.  

Katniss sat on the sofa, her ankle was throbbing by now.  She elected to sleep in her boxers and Peeta’s orange sweater. It was ultra soft and comfortable, and it smelled like him.

“I thought you might need an extra blanket and pillow,” Peeta said, sitting by her side.

“Thanks.”

“How’s your ankle?”

She grimaced.

“Want me to put some balm on it?”

Katniss nodded, her eyes near tears. She hated this, hated knowing that in the morning she was going to leave him.  

“That stuff about your father?”

“My donor?” Katniss whispered.

“That doesn’t happen here. We raise children together. I think both of your parents would’ve been proud of you.” He took her hand in his.

She was going to miss him. Katniss shifted, but accidentally bumped her ankle and she grimaced in pain.

“Lie back, let’s get this balm on your ankle.”

Katniss carefully lay down on the sofa that was made into a makeshift bed.

Peeta gently removed her socks. Her ankle was sore and red. He took the balm and began to administer it. Her body sighed in relief as the medicinal properties of the balm began to act immediately. As his hands worked, her body began to relax and a little moan escaped her lips. Her eyes flew to his.

“Feels good?” Peeta didn’t look up.

Katniss glanced at him, a fierce blush on her face.  Her voice sounded weird “Yes.”

Peeta looked up. She watched his eyes travel down the length of her body. Her heart pounded in her ears; her mouth went dry.

His gaze could only be described as hot, because it made her feel hot all over. His eyes shifted down to stare at her lips. Katniss glanced at his.

One minute he was at her feet, the next he was on top of her, his lips crashing into hers. They both made noises as they kissed wildly. His hands found her breast and she arched her back into his touch. She opened her legs wider to accommodate his hips and was rewarded when he ground himself into her aching core.

“Ahem…”

Instantly, Peeta rolled off of her.

They were caught, red-faced by Madge. “I came to check up on Delly.”

The moment spoiled, Peeta stood awkwardly, jamming his hands through his messy hair. “I was just putting balm.” He stopped short, blushing then said, “Good night,” before escaping to his room.

Madge grinned. “So that’s how they apply balm here?”

Katniss groaned and threw herself back onto the sofa. “Shut up, Madge.”

“Seriously Katniss, I’ve never seen you like this with anyone. You’ve never had inclinations towards anybody. Hell, you don’t even like to be touched.”

Katniss remained quiet. Madge knew her better than anyone else.

“It’s okay if you want him and this. It’s okay to choose Peeta as your mate. He’s who you want. Don’t worry about Prim. I’ll look after her.”

Katniss didn’t say anything. She allowed her friend’s words sink in.

Katniss heard Madge go into check on Delly.

Madge came back and leaned over the side of the sofa. “Besides aren’t you curious about his appendage? I am. Actually, Jo’s curious as well.”

“Madge!”

“What! He’s nice to look at, better than the guy I got picked for. He has an overbite and his name is Philbert. Who names their kid Philbert?”

Katniss chuckled.

“Seriously, go after him!”

Katniss settled back down. She thought Madge was gone, but she shrieked when Madge’s head popped over the sofa.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Madge whispered.

“Shhh!”

“Shhh!”

They giggled.

“Okay Katniss, no matter what happens, be happy. My mom told me your mom was happiest when she was with your donor. When he was taken away, the light in her eyes died. I didn’t understand until I saw that light in your eyes.”

Madge sighed then disappeared from her sight.

Katniss sighed. What Madge said was like a ton of bricks. “Pft,” Katniss muttered under her breath.  She got into her makeshift bed, but couldn’t sleep. Her body was keyed up over the kiss and Madge’s words.

An hour later she was still awake. Madge’s words rang true. Katniss thought back to the happiness her mother held in her eyes when she was with the donor.  The way sadness and grief overwhelmed her mother after he died.

Katniss didn’t want to end up that way, but she did want Peeta.  The irrational side of her wanted to ‘climb him’ as Sae had so colorfully stated. She wondered if he would be offended by her desires. She was curious as to his anatomy more specifically his appendage.

Standing up, she impulsively peeled her boxers off. The feeling was decadent, she was glad for the cover of the darkness.

She snuck into his room.  He wasn’t asleep. He was sitting in his chair, his face in his hands. Her heart did a little wobbly dance at the sight of him.

She wanted him, wanted his lips on hers again. Wanted to feel the way his lips had tugged on hers once again.

“What are you still doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” She walked into the room, purposefully looking at him.  “I’m sorry about this, about disrupting your life here.”

“This is not your fault Katniss. Your friends are scared. They’ve been told half-truths about men based on former experiences. If I were in their shoes I might behave the same way.”

“I don’t think so, you’re kind and you would always error on the side of  kindness.”

“I suppose you’re going to leave with your friends?” He sounded sad, even though his face remained calm.

Daringly she sat on his lap, and wound her hands around his neck.  She searched his eyes and she saw his sadness and his resoluteness to accept her decision. “No, I’m not. I wanna stay here with you…I want you.”

His hands gripped her sides, a brilliant smile lightened his face. She leaned down and kissed him and electricity jumped between them. She heard Peeta moan. She pressed herself against him. Kissing was better than eating bacon and fresh bread. Her body hummed and she wanted to touch, explore, and taste. She wanted to see his appendage. She sat astride him, her body instinctively began to gyrate on top of the bulge between his legs.

Peet groaned and pulled away, his head leaning up against the back of the chair.  “Katniss,” he whispered as she ground herself on top of him. It felt good. She could feel her walls tightening up. Her nipples were hard and her body was straining to be filled by him.  She was wet and it left a stain on the fly of his pants.

His hands flexed on her sides. His lips crashed into hers once more as he lifted her up. He laid her gently on the bed. He remained standing, panting hard. “Katniss I want you, but I need to make sure you want this?”

Katniss nodded. “I want you. I want your appendage in me.”

He quirked an eyebrow. His slow grin caused her to wiggle on the bed. She sat up and removed his sweater. It was a bold move, but she wanted to show him what he did to her.  Her body was on fire.

He looked down between her legs and licked his lips. He began ripping his clothing off. His desperation caused her to chuckle. Though her laughter stopped when she saw his appendage.

She gasped. He was long, thick and his tip was weeping. Her eyes inspected his body. She saw the muscle in his arms and his well-defined chest. His eyes looked worried.  She smiled at him.

“I was worried that you didn’t like the way I looked.”

“Come closer.” She was curious about his body.  He sat on the bed. She saw the scars he had on his leg, the one his mother damaged. Impulsively she placed little kisses on his scars.

His breath became ragged when her hands ghosted over his body. The hair on his thighs was long and blond, soft unlike the hair on his face. His skin was soft but she could feel the muscle underneath. She brushed her fingers along his waist and she could see him flinch. “You’re ticklish?” She smiled with the discovery.

He grinned, but let her continue.

Her hands roamed his chest and she mapped out its wide breadth. She slowly circled his nipples. She leaned over and licked one and gently bit it.

“Katniss,” he groaned.

Katniss did it again, then blew on his skin. His head was thrown back and his face was contorted. It almost looked like he was in pain, but his hands drew her head back to his body. Katniss did it again and again.

Seeing him enjoying himself caused her wetness to seep out onto her thighs. She gathered enough courage to reach down and grip his appendage. He growled and his body trembled as she explored his length. His skin was soft, but it was hard underneath, and her hand was coated in his liquid.

“Stop, Katniss, stop.” Peeta panted harshly, removing her hand from his appendage.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Peeta shook his head. “Believe me, it was good, but if you keep it up I’ll cum all over you.”

She wasn’t sure what he meant by cum, but she was sure that it would be pleasurable.

“Lay down,” Peeta instructed.

She did as he said and clenched her legs, rubbing them together. The friction felt good. It eased some of the tension she felt. His hand landed on her knee and it ghosted up her leg, stopping just before her thatch of curls.

“Can I touch you here?” His fingers skimmed over the top.

She’d taken liberties over his body and he let her, but he was seeking permission. It endeared him further to her. Katniss nodded, and she hissed when his fingers delved gently, slipping between her folds. She hissed out a breath and her legs opened for him.

“You’re so wet.” Peeta’s deep voice caused the throbbing in between her legs to increase. She bit back a scream when he found her clit. She didn’t want to wake the others.

She was wound up tight and she trembled as her inner walls fluttered. Katniss looked down at Peeta who hadn’t moved from between her legs. When he dipped his head and she felt his tongue swipe at her she grasped the sheets as pleasure exploded in her body. His mouth was relentless and then he inserted his fingers inside of her tight channel and Katniss lost all train of thought.

He brought her to another high with his mouth and this time she seeped into his bed. When he rose his head up and smiled at her, his mouth and nose glistened with her juices.

Katniss felt him surge up her body, but instead of kissing her, he began to suckle her breast. Her fingers found purchase in his hair. The coil that had burst twice was back. Katniss pulled him back to her. His mouth making a feast of her trembling body. She felt him at the entrance of her core and the instructions she learned about copulation clicked, as she was overwhelmed by the need to filled by him. “Peeta inside me please,” she begged.

He propped himself up. She could feel his tip at the entrance of her channel. He shifted and moved slowly, entering her in stages, allowing her body to adapt to his girth. She felt stretched and full, and the ache soon vanished. The need to be filled by him was replaced by another, she wanted him to move.

She moved her hips.

The dance began. Peeta patiently showed her how to meet each one of his thrusts. As he moved in and out of her she began to feel pleasure, something so deep and binding it caused tears to slip out of her eyes. His eyes were trained on hers as he slipped in and out of her. His hands reached down and found her clit. She moaned.

She was climbing again, but this summit extended into the sky where the stars lived and she wanted to get there quicker.

“Faster, Peeta,” she exclaimed.

Peeta moved faster, his fingers continued to play with her clit. The coil within Katniss’ belly tightened as she moved to the tip of the summit. She gasped as his mouth feasted on her neck, sucking on her pulse point. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders and she screamed his name. The act caused the tension to explode and Katniss jumped off the summit shooting into the stars.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard Peeta cry out as well. As she came down she felt his cum rush inside of her. Her walls fluttered around him greedily drinking his essence.

“Katniss?” Peeta raised himself up, glancing down at her.

She smiled back sleepily, nothing she learned about sex explained the euphoria that came afterward.

“Stay?”

“Always,” Katniss whispered.

***

Nine Months Later

The morning came and she groaned.  She sniffed bacon, and heard laughter coming from some part of the house.  Peeta had made stairs that went up to the loft and made it a bedroom for them. They converting the spare room into a nursery, and Delly was staying in the old master.

Shortly after she’d settled in, Katniss had made a trek up to the loft. Katniss hadn’t realized how large and spacious the loft was until she climbed the stairs to clean. It had cathedral ceilings, a large stone fireplace and there was a massive window that faced the back side of the house. It had a spectacular view of the mountains.

Peeta found her there, glancing out through the window and decided to make this their master bedroom. It took him four months with the help of every man and woman and child from town.  He built a master bath, an entryway from the stairs with a door for privacy, added a window seat so that she could read or glance outside. He moved a huge bed up there, and a closet that was the envy of everyone in town, even though Katniss didn’t have much clothing.

The suite was made with her comfort in mind.

She wanted to stay in bed, but her hunger won out.

She shuffled into the bathroom. Her belly was huge, the baby pressed on her bladder.  She was seven months today. She glanced at her at image in the bathroom mirror. She placed her hand on her belly and the baby kicked.

For a while there she thought something was wrong with the baby because it didn’t move as much. Katniss had been around enough women who miscarried to fear losing the babe. Peeta and the town doctor told her everything was normal. They did ultrasounds of the baby, and sonograms to help ease her fears.

Their little girl was fine and she was growing steadily.

Katniss dried herself and put on a fresh pair of Peeta’s pants. They were the only thing that fit her, that and his shirts.  Presently her daughter was hungry and she needed to be fed.  The taste of the minty toothpaste still revolted her, but at least now she didn’t throw up.  

Stepping out of the bathroom she found Peeta. His eyes lit up when he saw her. She eyed the tray of food and licked her lips.

He sighed, “I remember a time when you used to look at me that way?”

“Wrap yourself in bacon.” The truth is she was constantly hungry for both food and Peeta. There were times that the sight of him was enough to have her going.  

Peeta laughed.

Katniss sighed when she was settled back in bed.

“Bacon, some oatmeal, fresh fruit, cheese buns and apple juice.” Peeta set the tray on the bed.

Grabbing one of the cheese buns, she broke it in half, sniffed and moaned, before she took a giant bite of it.

“I don’t know where you put it all, you’re still too thin.”

Katniss swallowed and looked down at her belly. “Peeta I’m huge.”

He laughed. “No you’re not. The doctor said you’re underweight.”

She stuck out her tongue at him and he did that small smile that reminded her of Prim. Katniss sniffed as she became emotional as she thought of district thirteen, Purina, Prim, Jo, and Madge.

“Katniss, sweetheart,” Peeta said when he saw her crestfallen face. He jumped in the bed with her and his arms went around her frame.

It didn’t feel like nine months had passed. Katniss remembered how she stood outside and informed Jo that she couldn’t leave Peeta behind. Jo hadn’t looked surprised. She grinned and made a crass remark about how she’d never heard a woman make such sex noises.

Jo winked at Peeta before she and Madge took off. Peeta had provided them with all sorts of supplies.

The first few weeks she concentrated on helping out Delly. Both were new to this world, but Delly’s infectious optimism helped her acclimate quicker than Katniss.  She had two beaus, Thom Riverton and Vick’s older brother Gale Hawthorne.  

It was funny to see both men make utter fools for Delly. Katniss had a tougher time navigating the many social intricacies. It didn’t help that for the most of it she was moody, nauseous, and utterly hormonal. Many wrote it off as part of the pregnancy. Katniss was sure it was because she was awkwardly inept to make small talk.

“We haven’t heard anything from them?”

Peeta pushed the hair away from her face. “Katniss don’t get upset. I told you after you give birth and the baby is old enough we’ll all go to district thirteen. A whole group of us, to find out what happened.”

Katniss nodded, but she was worried about them, worried about Coin, and what she would do to Prim. Currently, Katniss couldn’t do anything because she was pregnant.

Delly ran into the room. She panting hard. “Katniss, Peeta… come quick. ”

“What’s wrong Delly?

“Vick!” Delly gasped and bent over. Delly had not kept up with her training. She was out of breath, but her urgency wasn’t lost on them. “Quick,” she cried then sprang out of the room.

Peeta sprang from the bed, and helped her put on some slippers.

“Peeta, the bakery?”

“I know, Katniss,” Peeta muttered as he led her down the stairs slowly.

Katniss hoped it wasn’t something as catastrophic as what Peeta and his father went through.

“Holly crap Everdeen you swallowed the bread factory!”

Katniss eyes flew to the sassy brunette, “Jo!”

“Katniss, you’re pregnant?”

Hearing Prim’s voice nearly did her in; her knees wobbled. Peeta easily lifted her, bringing her the rest of the way downstairs. Katniss hugged her sister. “You’re alive,” she wept. He hormones were having a feast with her emotions.

“Pay up, Undersee,” Jo said. “Everdeen lost it over her sister.

“Doesn’t count,” Madge said. “She’s pregnant, that’s an automatic disqualification.”

Katniss pulled away from Prim, “How?”

“It took us longer than we thought. Wrong way Undersee has no sense of direction.”

“It took us three months. to get there. Also, we were up against the snow. If not for Peeta’s supplies we wouldn’t have made it.”

“When they arrived the whole of thirteen was divided,” Prim elaborated.

“My mother and my aunt found out about Coin. It turns out the men we were paired with were old pictures and records from a bygone era.  There was never any talks with Panem.” Madge slipped her hand in her pockets. “It was all an elaborate ploy.”

“That purple pill that they gave you was poison, an assurance policy should you survive and take it as a sedative.” Prim’s face turned stormy.

“My mom was so happy I was alive. Coin wanted to have us court-martialed. Jo and I were the living proof of the conspiracy to get rid of the children that weren’t hatched.”  

Prim interjected, “Jo started the rebellion.”

“But Prim and your mom Purina led the rebels,” Jo said. “We had casualties, women who were on Coins side, but in the end, we won.  It took us some time to fairly bring Coin and her followers to justice. After that, we reached out to your President Paylor. Seeing a woman President from the outside world convinced all of the doubters and naysayers. We agreed to a charter to bring thirteen into the districts. There is a delegation on its way to meet President Paylor.”

Prim put her hand on Katniss stomach. “The baby kicked.”

Katniss asked, afraid she was going to hear bad news, “What about Purina, is she still alive?”

“Yeah, she’s one of the delegates who is going to meet with President Paylor.”

Katniss smiled brilliantly. Her family was complete now, and there was peace. That night she sat with Peeta, watching Prim flirt with Vick. Katniss was amused at how jealous Jenny was. Jo and Madge sat dumbfounded as they watched their innocent wide-eyed Delly as she openly flirted with two men.

“I think we are going to need a bigger house,” Peeta whispered into her ear.