A/N Hey hey hey! Jozette here with your latest episode (or chapter) of Mockingjay Reborn! Well many of you have been curious as to who was the late show at the meeting. Was it Gale? Was it Haymitch? Find out below! And happy summer!
"Now you can," says a male voice.
Haymitch strides in with absolute boredom on his face. Apparently being sober is not his area of expertise. He looks irritated, and his overgrown black hair, is in a ponytail. Not greasy at all. He is really clean, cleaner than I've seen him in years but he seems extremely uncomfortable in his new state. And then he takes a seat across from Peeta and I, next to Effie.
His eyes meet mine very briefly, and I feel no anger towards him not informing us about our situation as of late. I'm tired of anger. "Haymitch," says Peeta. Haymitch merely grunts, his eyes trained on the metal table in front of him. I give my old mentor a meekly smile, and he raises his eyebrows in response. I ignore him, no questions for now, and turn away, shying into Peeta's chest. He only holds me tighter.
Paylor clears her throat. "Well, now that all of us are here, I must bring something important to our attention. For our ears only." What is so important that she has requested my team's presence, audio, managing and styling groups alike?
Paylor directs a sympathetic smile in my direction. "Katniss, I would like for you to have a certain understanding. I will need no mockingjay." As soon as the words leave her mouth I release a breath I had not known I had been holding. "This war is not a matter of rescuing innocent civilians or casting speeches for the people of Panem to hear, but for all of the capitol spies to be destroyed permanently." Her nails click against her folder and the metal table creating an eerie sound. "No propos, no promos, no speeches, no costumes, no make up, no nothing." I take this moment to glance at Plutarch and see that despite his great efforts, he succumbs to the tears threatening to take over his face. I almost laugh. Almost.
"You are all here, once again, to be safe while our soldiers take care of the rest. You are to be safe until we make certain, and I mean certain that nothing like this will erupt, ever, again." She pauses for a moment, her eyes directed at Peeta and I. "And Katniss, Peeta, everyone. I apologize on my behalf. We should have taken that chance to completely destroy the capitol. So all that remained were dust and ashes. But here we are instead."
They should have. They should have destroyed it, I can see now. This would not have happened. I would not have a chance at meeting my fate or loosing my baby. My husband would not be bruised. My daughter would only cry at the smallest things. I would be home. Home. Tears threaten to take over my appearance, and if they do, it would not matter; no one would see, but Peeta would feel. But I don't. I suck them back up and they disappear into the tendrils of the deepest depth of my aching soul. Down to where images of my childhood with my father before his death and my sister's laugh lay. Patiently. Waiting until I can surface them again.
Paylor carries on. "I have no knowledge or understanding of what these past years have been like. Going through the hunger games, or living your lives in fear of being chosen. And rebuilding your lives after the war, thinking you were safe, only to be deceived time and time again. And there is simply no amount of apologies that can make up or even repair the physical and mental damage bestowed upon your beings, but I can promise you at this moment, we will and can all that is in our power to save this country from the coming destruction, again." She finishes strongly and the room is in silence.
Her words are meaningful. They ring through the air with a truth that stings. She is so different from Coin, as I have mentioned numerous times before. She speaks with such indifference, such kindness. And assists on the situation at hand significantly. But though they are of the meaning, they help none.
What's done, is done. And no amount of kind words can change it. I feel lips gentle against my ear. "I know," Peeta whispers. And I can't be more grateful to have him with me, always and forever.
"Now," Paylor announces suddenly, breaking the eerie silence that followed her little speech. "We need to discuss reflection time, schedules and district thirteen as of now. Katniss, Peeta, the very last time you were present in our facilities, you had no children and you were not expecting. Because of your current condition, you will not be treated as a standard citizen here. You will still be stamped, but the purple tattoo will not be like other schedules. Yours is specifically created for the convenience of the baby, your family and the war." She pauses and her attention is directed towards Peeta.
"Peeta, you will be assisting us in this war. As I promised, not with television show business as they call it, but under the radar sort, alongside Beetee and others."
I had not thought about Beetee since I returned to District 12. I wonder how he is, how the war affected him. He hasn't really lost anyone that I know about. Wiress's doom was inevitable, participating in her second hunger games as was everyone else. But he's never really exposed his back story. Peeta's voice, tense and stern bring me back from my thoughts.
"What about our daughter?" Peeta asks. Paylor answers swiftly. "Is she in school yet?" "No," Peeta responds. "Then," Paylor continues. "She will be by your side."
We both nod in agreement. As Paylor informs us of the rest of small details that will surely make a difference if not received. She tells us about the guards and soldiers that will be with us round the clock. It seems unnecessary to me because we are supposedly safe, but Paylor argues we need them just in case, which rubs me wrong. Is there something she knows that we do not? That she is not telling us? After the meeting is through, Paylor dismisses everyone and we make a move to leave but Haymitch stops us first.
Running his hands over his face repeatedly tells me something is on his mind. And that he really really is in need of a bottle. It is a full five minutes before he speaks. "You kids…" he stops and comes closer to us, so close in fact, we smell his breath, alcohol-free. "Stay alive." Then he leaves us.
A/N Okay I am soo sorry! I got too caught up in life…so sorry. But I love you all for all the reviews and favorites and PMs. You are amazing! And I am so blessed to have you sticking with me even after all this time. Thanx so much and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! Happy birthday America! We love you! :D
Jozette is out!