Any Other Wednesday

It started out like any other Wednesday.

Books and notebooks lay scattered all over the kitchen table while Katniss and Peeta worked on their homework. They had spent all day working on a research project for their biology class. As usual, he was in charge of drawing the graphs and diagrams, while she supplied the information that went with them. They worked quietly and diligently as they sat on opposite sides of the table where she had slowly come back to life.

Outside, the sun was setting. Soft golden light filtered through the window shades, warming everything in its path. A crisp spring breeze filled the room with the scent of fresh grass, flower blooms, and damp earth. Rebirth, hope, and possibility hung in the air.

Katniss closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to absorb the little bit of her woods that lingered around her. She smiled. She had spent the better part of her day stuck inside her house, reading and researching for her school project, but she didn't mind.

It had taken her awhile to understand why Dr. Aurelius had wanted her to enroll in the long-distance learning program. At first, she'd seen it as nothing more than a ploy to distract her from her grief. But, Dr. Aurelius had been nothing but good to her, so she'd decided to humor the man.

The first weeks had been difficult. Adjusting to regular timetables and spending so much time trapped indoors was hardly something she'd enjoyed. But, once the days had grown colder, and the glacial winter air had frozen everything in sight, she'd been grateful to have something to occupy her mind. As the anniversary of Prim's death drew closer, she'd realized that keeping on top of her schoolwork and going to class were the only things that stopped her from hiding under her covers and staying out of sight.

She had never expected the experience to fill her with such a sense of purpose and satisfaction, though.

Over the last few months, she had started to feel like almost anything was possible, like a new life and a new future were within her grasp. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt so motivated or inspired by something other than staying alive. She couldn't explain how she could find nourishment in something that wasn't food, or how everything she'd learned just made her hungry for more. She found she was famished for knowledge and parched for answers. She wanted to explore and question everything; not out of worry or distrust, but out of simple curiosity.

She yearned to understand the world around her, to make sense of the new country that was developing right in front of her eyes. Even if she hadn't meant to, she had played a big part in the events that had given birth to this "new Panem" everyone was always talking about. She needed to see what all those tragedies, which had left such a big void in her life, had bought.

She devoted her days to learning. During the morning she'd go to school, joining Peeta and hundreds of other teenagers from all over Panem, as they took part in the long-distance learning program. The program was designed to reach those communities which had lost their schools as a direct result of the war. Most of the classes were filmed in District Three and then transmitted via satellite to those communities that required them. Districts Eight, Five and Six had many students. District Twelve only had a handful.

After school, she always went for a walk in the forest. Sometimes she'd hunt. But there were days when she'd simply walk around and enjoy the peace and comfort only her woods could provide, before going back into the town and its busy life.

On most nights, after the schoolbooks and all remnants of dinner had been cleared away, she settled in front of the fireplace. A full kettle of freshly brewed tea, a stack of parchment sheets, a good pen, and Peeta's paintbox and brushes were always laid out on top of the coffee table. Ready to be used.