What If

Chapter Twenty-One:

Katniss

Everyday I slowly recovered piece by piece. My voice was now clear and as good as it was before the attack. My bruises slowly fade away, but any sharp movement nearly causes me to double over.

The baby is good, I'm told. I'm also told that the birth is scheduled for around a month from now, which only brings me anxiety and unwanted feelings.

Everyday I also get unwanted updates on Peeta. Plutarch has taken over the role of that once again, leaving me wondering where Haymitch was. I hadn't seen him since that day I saw Peeta.

One morning during my daily Peeta announcements (today he was allowed to feed himself without restraints) Plutarch invited me on a walk outside of the stuffy underground of Thirteen. I was quick to accept as I was sick of being locked inside the hospital.

Spring is in the air. We walk along the ruins of District Thirteen as Plutarch explains the upcoming propaganda ideas he has while I try my best not to look bored, which is a lost cause. I stop listening until he says something that catches my attention.

"—and everybody loves a wedding."

I instantly stopped walking, my heart pounding against my chest. A wedding? Had he just suggested a wedding? I knew he was still a game maker at heart, but this was just cruel. Me and Peeta getting married with the states he's in? They'd have to restrain him at the altar and force me down the aisle.

Besides, I wasn't interested in Peeta that way anymore. Sure, we were having a baby in a short month, but the Peeta I had been in love with was gone, replaced by a capitol version that despised me.

I had made my choice back in District Two. Once this whole war was over, I was going to choose Gale. We were finally going to have the life we wanted, the one we deserved. What would happen to Peeta after the war wasn't my responsibility anymore. It didn't bother me whether or not he stayed chained to that bed his entire life as thinking about it caused me too much pain.

"No, not your wedding!" Plutarch exclaimed, noticing my dismay. I sighed with relief. "Finnick and Annie's. All you have to do is show up and pretend to be happy for them."

"Plutartch, that's one thing I don't have to pretend."

Wedding prep is crazy. I volunteer my time to help with whatever I can as one, I want Finnick to have the wedding he deserves and two, it takes my mind off of things. I started with volunteering to take Annie to my old house in Victor's Village to pick out her wedding dress, which would have to be one of my old ones from the Victory Tour.

On the aircraft ride I studied Annie as I'd never truly been alone with her before. I've heard the rumors that she was mad, and she went mad during her games. I decided to ignore them as I'd heard them from people who had never gone through a game of their own.

During the flight I noticed a few strange things about Annie. She'd often appear as if she was in her old world, often having to be snapped back to reality. She'd also occasionally cover her ears as if there was a loud noise, which there never was. I guess she's a bit odd, more unstable of you ask me. But if Finnick loves her, that's enough for me.

Once we arrived I helped Annie to my old house in Victor's Village where I led her to a cellar in which Cinna had left my old dresses, some worn some unworn.