Rising Storm

Chapter 12

Peeta

"You look really beautiful tonight," I say as Katniss walks off her porch. She rolls her eyes as she walks up to me.

"You told me that last night," she says. "And the night before that. And the night before that. You do know by tomorrow I'll look just like I always do."

"That doesn't matter," I say. "You're always beautiful." She stands there looking down and brushing her dress smooth. It's a deep burnt orange color with intricate embroidery that resembles autumn leaves. Her hair lays in soft curls around her shoulders and her makeup is a lot softer than it was for most of the tour, just a sharp black line ringing her grey eyes and soft color on her eyelids.

"Well thank you," she says. "But honestly, I'm ready to stop these late nights and partying for a little while." I take her hand and we start walking towards the justice building for the final part of our tour, the harvest festival that's a yearly event in District 12. "I do think I might miss the dresses though. It's easier to forget about my leg when I don't see it under all the fabric." I look at her and shrug.

"I know it's a sensitive issue, but if you don't mind me saying," I say. "I don't think you should hide what they did to you. The games permanently crippled you. They should have to face that." She sighs.

"I don't want to provoke anything right now," she says softly. "We're in a lot of trouble right now, Peeta." I nod and decide to quickly change the conversation.

"How was the afternoon with your family?" I ask. She chuckles.

"My mother asked if I was pregnant," she says. "If that's any indication."

"What?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says. "I walk in the door and she flat out asks me if you asked me to marry you to cover up the fact that I was knocked up. Even speculated that maybe I had run around and the kid wasn't even yours."

"What'd you tell her?" I ask.

"That I wasn't and you surprised me last night to help with our image," she holds up her hand with two rings on it, one a diamond and one emerald. "She doesn't even know about the one that you meant to give me. I take her hand and look at the green ring, now cut more delicate and sized to her hand.

"You got it fixed?" I ask. She nods, smiling.

"I gave it to Cinna just before you came to get me last night," she says. "He got it fixed for me and gave it back when I was getting ready." I look it over a moment and then let her arm rest back in mine.

"I guess I didn't do too bad then, did I?" She shakes her head.

"I can't really wear it around too much because I have to wear the other one," she says. "But I can wear it when we're alone and around my neck like I was. Which is really sad because it's the one that actually means something to us." I pull her closer to me as we enter the great hall, decorated to the nines with Capital splendor. We are announced and led to a grand table. People bring food to us and we eat, very conscious about all the eyes on us. They start to play dancing music and Katniss glances at me.

"What?" I ask.

"I think they're waiting for us to dance," she says. I glance at the crowd and notice that while they are breaking off into couples, their eyes keep glancing towards our table.

"Do you want to?" I ask her. "I know your ankle was still bothering you a little."

"I'll be alright," she says. "I've got you to lean on, don't I?" I get up and offer her my hand. She takes it and stands beside me before leading me out onto the dance floor. I lay my hand on her hip and we start to sway to the music.

"Did you enjoy the time with your sister?" I ask. She smiles.

"It was alright," she says. "A little weird, considering I had to talk to her about the fact that we can't really be as close as we used to."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Peeta," she says. "I'm hoping you weren't expecting the three of us to have an open door policy after we get married."

"No but," I stammer, "I just didn't expect you to talk to her about that so soon." Katniss shrugs.

"She asked about things that would change when I married you," she says. "I don't lie to her," she looks down. "about most things."

"She doesn't know about the fact that we're getting married after the snow melts?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"We promised each other that that was our secret," she says. "And that's a promise I won't be breaking. Why? Did you tell someone?"

"No," I say. "But you should tell her. I don't want you to break the trust you two have." She glances at the side door.

"Let's talk about this somewhere else," she whispers. I nod and follow her out of the room towards the hall.

"What did you want to talk about?" I ask.

"I don't know," She says. "I'm just tired of being stared at."

"Then what do you want to do?" I ask.

"I don't know," she says. "I'd say we could go back to your house, but the night is still young and while I would very much like to relive last night with you, I can't do that for a while." I nod and she chuckles.

"What?" I ask.

"You're blushing," she says. "You are human and not just a figment of my horrible hallucinations." I playful shove her and she stubbles and falls.

"Classy," she says. "Hit the cripple who had two glasses of wine at dinner."

"Two?" I ask. "When the hell did you get another one?"

"I drank yours!" Katniss says laughing. I shake my head and help her up. "You should really watch your food."

"You need to watch your liquor," I say. "You're too small to drink that fast. Not to mention the fact that you're too young to drink that stuff like that."

"I'm not Haymitch," she says. "I'm just trying to calm my nerves. A lot of shit has happened over the last few days."

"I know," I say, "But this isn't how you handle when things start to get scary." She looks like she's about to respond when she looks to her left, down the halls that lead to the mayor's family's living quarters. She starts walking that way. "Katniss?" I follow her and as she turns a corner and see her looking in a doorway. "What are you?"

"Shh!" She whispers before turning back. "Something's happening in Eight."

"What?" I ask.

"I don't really know," she says. "But the peacekeepers are pushing them and -" I grab her as I hear footsteps.

"Someone's coming," I say and she turns and starts to walk with me back towards the party. We meet up with the mayor and Katniss waves.

"Hello you two," he says. "I figured you two would still be at the party."

"Katniss needed a little air so we went out for a little bit," I say.

"Yeah," she says. "And I wanted to be alone with my fiancé for a bit without all those prying eyes." The mayor chuckles and Katniss kisses my cheek.

"Well, I can't blame you two for that," the mayor says and the three of us share a laugh. There's a loud beeping sound from the room behind us. "Excuse me."

"Of course," I say and we step aside as he hurried to the room and shuts the door tightly. "Okay, that was not a coincidence. What was going on in Eight Katniss? What did you see?"

"They were fighting back," she says looking at me.

"The people?" I ask. She nods. "People don't do that. Are you sure?"

"Yes Peeta," she says. "Very sure. The citizens of Eight were fighting back."