Beacon of Hope

Chapter Six <3 District 11

" Big smiles!" Effie says, shoving us out the door.

This. This is the time to show them everything. To convince them that I really am in love with Peeta. I don't know how to work kiss in, but I'll figure something out.

There are loud applause, stern faces staring up at us. We walk, our feet moving from habit, till we are standing at the top of a set of long, marble stairs. It's packed with people, almost squashing each other, but not even a fraction of the real population.

There are two platforms at the front of the stage, for the families of the dead tributes. On Threshes side, there is only an elderly woman and a tall muscular girl I suspect is his sister. And then Rues. . . Two parents, grief apparent across their faces and five younger siblings, three or four of them crying, tears dripping down their dark faces.

After a while, I realise the Mayor has said his speech and a cute little girl is trying to hand me a bunch of flowers. Without thinking, I put my hand to my belly. I have one of those growing inside me. But then I realise that this is on t.v and Haymitch didn't tell me anything about telling anyone. I take my hand away gingerly and bend my knees. " Thank you," I whisper to the little girl and take my flowers from her grip softly. When I feel she's wobbling I put my hands on her shoulders and kiss her head. Then I stand back up and she runs away with the little girl that had given Peeta his flowers. Peeta wraps his arm back round my waist and, as if not thinking just like me, he rubs my belly tenderly.

Peeta reads out his card, and I finish it. Peeta didn't need his card to read out his personal speech. He talks about how Rue and Thresh kept me alive, and how that in turn meant they kept him alive, and about how this will never makeup for the fact that they are gone. Then, he says something that wasn't written on his card, since, most likely, Effie would've made him remove it. " As a thank you to the brave tributes from District 11, we would like to give both of the families from this District a month of our winnings each years for the duration of our lives."

" Oh, shit," Haymitch mutters from behind me.

The crowd responds with gasps and murmurs of disbelief. I know that what Peeta has just done is- well, there's no way it's legal.

" Is he allowed to do that?" Effie hisses.

" No. But he did." Haymitch growls.

The two families stare at us in shock, their mouths gaping open. There lives have been changed in a whole different way than when Thresh and Rue died. Tributes receive a kindly amount of money each month, that could provide for a family - heck, the entirety of District 12 - for a year. They will not grow hungry, for as long as we are alive.

I look at Peeta. He smiles sadly at me. All I can see right now is Peeta, a kind, brave man, and I am lucky enough to have his heart. I am over come with love and I stand on my tip toes and kiss him. He kisses me back and I whisper, 'thank you' against his lips. 'No problem' is what he says back.

The mayor steps forward and presents us with a huge plaque, and I juggle with it and my flowers. I don't want to put my flowers down, because I don't want to forget how happy I felt when I kissed that little girls head. I don't want to forget what I believe it feels like to be a mother, which I will be soon. A little girl, Rues little sister, catches my eye. She looks exactly like Rue, everything. She looks upset. It's because I didn't save her big sister, isn't it?

No, I think, it's because I haven't told her my thanks.

I feel a wave of shame rush over me. How can I do this? Just stand here. " Wait," I stumble forward, like a blind mole. " Wait, please, wait! I want to express my gratitude to the tributes of District 11." I turn to the woman on Threshes side. " I only ever met Thresh once. I always respected Thresh. For many things but especially for his refusal to join the career pack.

" But, and I'm sure you'll disagree since I only knew her for a matter of days, I feel as if I do know Rue. I miss her so much and I want you to know, if there's anything I could do, even if it meant give my life, I would've saved her. Thank you for your amazing, strong children. And thank you, District 11, for the bread." I finish, because the lump in my throat is threatening to dissolve into tears.

Everything goes silent, but then someone whistles out Rues four-note-mockingjay-tune. By the time he has finished I have found the whistler. A wise looking old man with a red t shirt and white overalls on. His eyes catch on mine.

What happens now is not an act of spontaneous, not a random event. Because, in perfect synchronization, everybody in the crowd presses their three middle fingers to their lips and holds them out to me. The last goodbye. The sign of deep respect, rarely used in districts but 12.

But President Snow told us to calm the districts. What will he do about this act of defiance against the Capitol? I share a worried glance with Peeta, and he kisses my cheek. And we have done this. Not on purpose. But we have done this. We have given all these people the death penalty, decided their fate against their will.

I try shouting something to calm them down, but it comes out unintelligible, because my microphone has been turned off. A tear rolls down my cheek and Peeta wipes it away with his thumb. Peeta takes my hand and leads me back to the doors, while the crowd clap slowly, in respect rather than excitement.

I feel dizzy and my belly hurts. I clutch my slightly bloated belly and stop. Peeta looks at me with concern and says, " what's wrong?" He's been extra protective since we found out I was carrying his baby. I'd really rather I wasn't pregnant, because I don't want a child, but Peeta wants to keep it and I want to make Peeta happy.

" Just a little sick, I'm alright," I see his bouquet of flowers. " Forgot my flowers," I whisper.

He puts his arm in front of me. " I'll get them,"

I smirk. " I can,"

We'd besnuggled in the warmth of the marble Justice Building if it wasn't for the flowers. But, instead, we see the entire thing.

A pair of Peacekeepers. They're dragging the old man onto the stage. The shove him onto his knees and put their guns to his head.

" No! No, please don't hurt him! Please!" I scream. They ignore me and put a bullet through the wise old whistlers head. I scream and fall to my knees, clutching my belly and crying out for them to stop. But they just shoot another one through the mans dead body.

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Hey guys!

Drama! Ok, so I do admit the first part is very similar to the real book, especially this chapter. But it'll be different soon! And you guys are going to hate me for what happens in the next three or so chapters! Sorry I'm not sorry!

HG_Everdeen_Katniss/Jamie :) <3