Can't Pretend: Peeta Mellark

COIN

Alaric sat in a chair, her eyes dull watching the little girl that laid on the bed sleeping. The Barlow girl hadn't taken her eyes off of the little girl since she found her. She didn't remember why she saved the girl, she didn't even remember saving the girl but she knew she had to keep her alive now.

Alaric was almost sure her life was ending, whenever it would get really quiet, and she tried to listen for the sound of her own heart beating but she couldn't even hear herself talking. She thought to herself "it's finally ending"

When she fought in the 70th hunger games fighting to exhaustion and anger, when Juni Allard and Finnick Odair died, she was hoping it would end. She always thought about it, ending it, stopping all the pain. She thought about ending, she thought one way or another she wouldn't make it but she did, and now she was begging anyone to end it.

Alaric's thoughts were interrupted when she heard the little girl groan, Alaric hurried to her feet walking over to the little girl. "You're okay." Alaric whispered, the little girl stared at Alaric in fear.

"Where am I?" The little girl asked sitting up, "you're okay, you're in the presidential palace." Alaric explained, "whats your name?"

The girl stared at Alaric almost as if she was afraid to tell her, her name. "Amaya." The girl replied, Alaric took a breath nodding her head slowly. "Is my mom here?" Amaya asked

The young girl had bangs and her hair was semi-long, she had a cut on her forehead along with a long cut on her cheek.

Alaric shook her head looking at the girl sympathetically. "I'm Alaric, How old are you Amaya?" Alaric asked

"Six." The girl whispered bring her knees to her chest hugging herself. "Do you have another other family?" Alaric questioned biting the inside of her cheek.

The young girl only shook her head burying her face in her knees. "My mom was all I had." Amaya mumbled squeezing her eyes shut when the door opened

"Coin is asking for us." Haymitch announced his eyes flickering from Alaric to the small girl. "I'll be back okay Amaya?" Alaric whispered, she wasn't entirely sure what to tell her, the girl had just lost her mother and now she was with a complete stranger. "I'll bring you some food when I come back."

Amaya only nodded slowly as the two adults walked out of the room. "What are you gonna do with her?" Haymitch asked as they walked together.

"I don't know." Alaric sighed opening the door to the main room. Alaric eyes went from Coin to Annie to Johana to Peeta and then to Coin again, the words that Snow told her running through her head.

Alaric looked over at Katniss before taking a seat next to Johana and Peeta. "I have invited you here all for several reasons, but first I have taken the burden and the honor of declaring myself interim President of Panem." Coin announced earning a scoff from Haymitch.

"Interim? Exactly how long is that interim?" Haymitch asked giving the woman a look. "We have no way of knowing for certain." Coin explained, "but it's clear that people are far too emotional right now to make a rational decision."

"We'll plan an election when the time is right. But I have called you here for a far more important vote. A symbolic vote."

"Nothing about this situation is symbolic Coin." Alaric remarked narrowing her eyes at the older woman. "This afternoon." Coin stated ignoring the girls statement. "We will execute snow, hundreds of his accomplices also await their deaths. Capital officials peacekeepers, torturer, game makers."

Coin glanced over at Alaric before speaking up, "But the danger is once we begin, the rebels will not stop calling for retribution. Thirst for blood is a difficult urge to satisfy. So I offer an alternative plan."