The Hunger Games: Uprising!

Chapter 39

The dropship touches down and me, Peeta and the Rapiers make our way down the ramp to the green outside our house. I look around to see the difference a month makes. The trees full of leaves, tree blossum blowing through the air. We walk up the steps to our front door and Peeta unlocks it and pushes it open. I walk inside and take a deep breath, it feels good to be home. It's the first time we've been back to 12 since our wedding.
Buttercup jumps down from my arms and belts off upstairs, no doubt looking to sleep on our bed. Peeta makes us some tea and we both sit down at the table when we hear a knock at the door. Peeta gets up and answers it then gasps in shock at who it is. I get up and wander over to the door only to be confronted by a man with thick wavey purple hair and a matching purple suit, Caesar Flickerman.
For once Peeta seems speechless so I speak for both of us.

"Hello Caesar, its been a long time" I say extending my hand. He ignores it and steps forward to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"Katniss you look absolutely fabulous, I can't tell you how excited I was when I was told I was coming here today" he looks at Peeta then extends his hand. There's a definate awkwardness about them as if Peeta doesn't trust him, but Peeta shakes his hand all the same.
I direct him to the kitchen where I make Caesar some tea. We all sit around the table and sip our tea in silence. The atmosphere between Caesar and Peeta is too frosty, I can't think what the problem is. Then Caesar speaks...

"Peeta I need to talk to you. I need you to understand that what happened in the Capitol had nothing to do with me, that I was only following President Snow's orders" says Caesar

"What do you mean, what orders were you following?" I ask

"After you escaped the arena and fled to District 13 I was ordered to perform scripted interviews with Peeta as part of a propoganda campaign against you. These didn't always go to plan and Peeta was beaten by Snow's security guards if he didnt play ball"

I think back and remember the night Peeta defied Snow to tell us of the impending missile attack on 13. That night he saved many lives but I'll never forget watching TV, hearing his screams as they beat him off camera, Peeta's blood splattering on the camera lense. I look at Peeta, he's lost in thought, staring at his fidgeting hands.

"How did all this affect you Caesar, did you get beaten?" I ask.

"I was threatened yes, we all knew what happened to Seneca Crane so no one was safe from torture or death. I was under house arrest and unable to talk to anyone. I have two daughters and I was told in no uncertain terms that if I didn't follow Snow's instructions harm would come to them"

This brings Peeta out from his thoughts and looks Caesar straight in the eye. "You have two daughters, are they okay?" he asks

"They were imprisoned along with me and we weren't released until the rebels took the Capitol. Since then Plutarch moved us all to District 3 to help with the building and design of the media centre. The reason why you haven't seen me so far is that it was decided to leave me out of the limelight whilst the spectre of the games diminished. You see, my image is synonymous with the Hunger Games and that's an episode of Panem's history we'd all like to forget"

Peeta nods, gets up and walks upstairs. I watch him go but feel there might be something amiss with Peeta. He doesn't usually go off like this Unless...?
Caesar looks at me, concern in his eyes. "Will he be okay?"

"He'll be fine", I say dismissively with a wave of my hand. "Peeta likes to analyse everything in his own mind. What you've said today has changed his opinion of you. He just needs time to sort that out, its nothing to worry about. If you remember you two had a great relationship, I can't see why that won't continue. Even so I'll just go and check on him".