Tortured but Together (A Hunger Games Fanfiction) [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter Thirty-Two

A/N: Usual PSA that the Hunger Games characters belong to Suzanne Collins and not to me. That being said, I hope you enjoy!!

(Katniss POV)
We all stay where we are, not moving a muscle. Even the peacekeepers seem a bit on edge, and that definitely worries me.

After that night with all the fuzzy memories, I'm not sure what to believe, or what's real or not. Something tells me that everything from my interview with Caesar Flickerman up until now is though; it definitely feels real at least.

The idea that district 13 would take President Snow's granddaughter hostage is a step too far for me though. Not only did they not save everyone from district 12 like they could and should have, now they're kidnapping children. I would do just about anything to keep Prim safe, and I have the feeling that President Snow feels the same way about his granddaughter.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly.

President Snow lifts up his head, and quickly forces his facial features into their usual look of neutrality with a slight hint of disgust. "And why exactly are you sorry Miss Everdeen? This war, this fight, is all because of you. Not only do I have angry citizens from my districts trying to tear apart this Capitol and all that Panem has grown to stand for, I now have to worry that my granddaughter, the only family I have, might be in be in serious danger. All of that because you simply couldn't stick to the status quo and learn your place." By the time he finishes, he's scowling at me.

"If we talk about who started this whole mess we'll just keep going in circles, and I doubt that's something any of us need right now. The way I see it President Snow, is that you and I have something in common. We have family that we would be willing to do anything to keep safe. For me it's Prim and Peeta, and for you it's your granddaughter. What the rebels are doing, using our loved ones as bait, that's a line that it's simply not ok to cross," I finish.

"So you think the rebels are wrong, that Panem should stay the way it is."

"For the most part yes. There are some things that need fixing, but just because a house needs a few repairs is no reason to tear it down and start from the ground up. All a war would bring is pain and death, the likes of which most of us have never faced in our lives. Fighting creates more problems then it solves, and the rewards are almost never worth the cost."

He nods, looking deep in thought. It takes him a couple minutes to respond, and while I wait, I take a look around the room. The walls have a nice fleur de lis pattern on them, and the pattern adds a nice touch of light blue to the otherwise plain white walls. There's a tall bookshelf up against the wall with lots of fine, leather bound books. It looks extravagant, like most things in the Capitol, but, unlike most things in the Capitol, it doesn't look over the top.

"And what things would you say need fixing Miss Everdeen? Perhaps you would care to enlighten me."

It's not clear to me whether he's angry or not, but, regardless, I decide to respond. "The people in the districts need more food, back in district 12...when there still was a district 12, it wasn't uncommon for people to die of starvation. They would beg for food on street corners, growing thinner and thinner until they were just skin and bones, and then one day they wouldn't get up in the morning. I nearly died of starvation, so did Prim and my mother. If it wasn't for Peeta throwing me that bread in the rain, I might not be here today. Everyone deserves to have enough to eat, nobody should suffer through being hungry."

"So how would you suggest I solve that Miss Everdeen? And, since I'm sure you have several more suggestions, let me hear them all at once and then be done with it."

Unable to help a small sigh of frustration, I keep going. "You could send food aid to the districts, it doesn't have to be anything extravagant, just enough to make sure that everyone in Panem can get three healthy and filling meals a day." I pause for a moment before saying the second part of what I'm thinking, as I'm not sure of how well it'll be received. "And then the Hunger Games need to end."