CHAPTER 44
THE REAL MOCKINGJAY

BEX didn't even get to say hello to Finnick when she arrived back at Thirteen. She was thrown into the hospital, her cheeks still bleeding from the glass shards puncturing her skin. She had to get stitches. It felt so tedious to watch the doctor's needle move in and out of her skin from the corner of her ear. She could've been knocked out for it – and now realizing it, that would've been a smarter option – but Bex laid there wide awake just to feel something. After everything she saw on that trip Seven, she wanted to feel the needle piercing her skin, sewing her wounds closed, just to remind herself that everything happened was real.

Everyone was truly gone from Seven, besides the ones that were able to escape to Thirteen. There were no survivors from the hospital explosion. All those innocent people ... burned to nothing but ash.

Bex found her teeth clenching absentmindedly and clutching the collar of her shirt. Tears began to gather in her eyes again. She brushed her thumb over the emerald on her mother's ring as the doctor urged her to calm down. "I cannot do my job correctly if you don't relax," he cooed, but Bex wanted to bark that it was easier said than done.

Thankfully, her wounds weren't that bad. After her stitches, she was free to go back to her room and change, but Bex took the sliver of opportunity to visit Finnick and feel his arms around her waist. She took in his scent and relaxed her muscles. It all reminded her of home – her new home, Thirteen, not her old home. Seven was long gone, and she'd have to embrace that she was going to be in Thirteen for a long while. And that's where Finnick was. He reminded her of home.

She whispered to him all that she saw today, and he simply listened, taking it all in. She wondered if he even understood the magnitude of the Capitol's actions, but he'd see soon enough. The propo was going to be shown later today, Cressida said as they landed. Bex was just glad to have someone listen to her, to allow her to cry on their shoulder and stain their shirt. Finnick would always be that for her. He was kind like that.

The propo team, indeed, got their video edited in time. Bex managed to get a quick shower in and changed into a new set of clothes before Coin called everyone in for an announcement. The Victors were asked to find her first at the podium. Bex took the elevator to the tenth floor, where she found Coin, Plutarch, and the others waiting patiently by the President's metal platform, watching the citizens of Thirteen congregate down below.

Plutarch instructed each of them on where to stand. They all had to be on the right of Coin, backs pressed against the wall, and they must be in a specific order. Katniss was first, then Beetee, Annie, Finnick – whose back when stiff as he got close to the younger redhead – and finally, Bex and Johanna. "Why are we standing up here?" Bex asked Plutarch as he situated her shoulder.

"To show unity," he whispered. "Presentation is everything, Miss Nassar."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Even when they were so far away from the Capitol, they were incorporating their principles almost all the time.

"Welcome," Coin said once the crowd went silent. "After a harrowing journey into the ruins of District Seven, Katniss Everdeen and crew have provided us with our soon-to-be most talked about propo to date. I wanted to show you all first. Enjoy."

Coin stepped back as a video began to play on the large screens surrounding the center. Cressida and her team had certainly done their job, and Katniss looked scary good. The flames encircling her did wonders for her Girl on Fire image, but Bex couldn't get by the fact that was her District burning to the ground. The destruction of her home was being used in means of propaganda. She knew this footage would do wonders for the rebel's cause, but she couldn't stop her insides from twisting together.

"We know who they are and what they do," Katniss said viciously into the camera, accompanied by a rich score. "This is what they do! And we must fight back!" The video shifted to Katniss speaking with the wounded at the hospital, when they held up the three-finger salute for her, and then went back to her in front of the sparks licking at her hair. "You can torture us, and bomb us, and burn our Districts to the ground. But do you see that? Fire is catching. And if we burn, you burn with us."

The propo ended on a high note: it was a shot of Katniss sending her arrow towards one of the last Capitol hovercrafts, when it had exploded into the air and crashed to the rubble below. Then, there was an animation of Katniss' mockingjay pin, spreading its wings as flames burst from the edges of gold. The words, JOIN THE FIGHT, JOIN THE MOCKINGJAY, shined against the dark background. It was certainly going to get people talking.

The citizens of Thirteen were ecstatic. They jumped to their feet and applauded so loudly that Bex almost thought she was at an interview with Caesar Flickerman again. She looked down at the people below. If they were all dressed in wild fashion, she could easily mistake them for Capitol citizens. Their expressions were that enraptured.

Finnick looked over at Bex, who was chewing on her lip anxiously, not paying attention. "Bex," he breathed, "I didn't realize truly how bad it was –"

"I know," she exhaled, "and how could you. I could only describe the things I saw when my eyes weren't closed. Those shots were chosen because they were pretty. It was ..." She licked at the corners of her lips. "... So much worse."

He grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together. Bex looked down at their entwined grips and lifted her eyes to his. She felt the urge to kiss him then, even in front of everyone. She watched his lips purse with clear attentiveness. It was hard not to look away.

"Just think of it this way," he whispered over the cheers, "the more people on our side, the closer we are to Keaton, even Peeta."

Bex quickly smiled at him, but his words did not make her feel any better. She just didn't want to disappoint him.

Coin approached the podium, pulling on Katniss' hand to join her. The young Mockingjay looked surprised to be so front and center. She stood there, frozen, as Coin's grip on her hand went tight. The President smiled towards the crowd.

"There is no progress without compromise," Coin said eloquently into the mic. "No victory is without sacrifice. But I stand here with the Mockingjay to announce that our moment has arrived!"

The President lifted their joined hands in the air. Katniss' steely eyes scanned the enthusiastic crowd, and slowly, a small smile formed on her mouth.

Coin nodded in Katniss' direction as she continued to wave at the crowd. The teenager bowed her head and then went to join the rest of the Victors again. As soon as her back hit the wall, her smile dropped, and she released a breath of relief. Bex wondered how long she'd been holding that in.

"Beetee has increased our use of the airwaves tenfold," the President went on. "We will broadcast this message to all the Districts tonight. The Mockingjay's words inspiring everyone to join the rebellion. Together, we will become an alliance to be reckoned with."

She lifted her fist in the air as the crowd began to shout, "HOORAH! HOORAH!" The chant was continuous and it made Bex shiver, for reasons unknown to her. She felt Finnick squeeze her hand again, and she couldn't help but place her head on his shoulder for all to see.

That chant haunted her dreams throughout the night.

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Bex was slowly getting tired of attending meetings with President Coin.

It seemed like they were happening every day now. And while she should get used to it, being a Victor and all, forgive her if she wanted to sleep in after not being able to do so for years on end. Every morning, she'd stamp her schedule onto the underside of her arm, and low and behold, the words, Meeting in Coin's boardroom, was listed at the very top. She longed for the days that she'd sleep in until almost noon, and then go down to her shift in the kitchens. She used to think she had started getting lucky back then. Her luck was slowly running out.

She arrived in the boardroom with tired, desolate eyes and hair hardly brushed, but she was aware enough to notice that the normal crowd wasn't seated at the table. Coin and Plutarch were in their usual spots, but Johanna, strangely enough, was leaning back with her legs crossed in Katniss' seat. Beetee was next to her in his wheelchair, and then Finnick was seated on his right, leaving a free space for Bex. She pulled out the chair and sat down, noticing Annie sitting on the other side of the table, knees bent towards her chest and biting her nails.

To say Bex was surprised would be an understatement. Annie was a Victor, but nobody ever made an effort to invite her to these meetings, due to her very evident trauma. Bex was shocked Annie herself even came. Her opinion must've been critical, or Coin wanted her for something personal. Bex wasn't sure if she liked either option.

"Good morning. Thank you all for coming," Plutarch spoke gravely as Coin looked at him with arms crossed over her chest. His expression made Bex's brow shoot up. "I'm sure you're all aware of the interviews that have been broadcasting on Capitol TV between Caesar Flickerman and Peeta Mellark, using him as a puppet to order ceasefires. We recently intercepted a new interview just after our propo aired last night. We got it before it could be broadcasted to our airwaves, so no one in Thirteen has seen it. Just us." Pressing down on a small remote in his hand, the room went dark and a video began to play on the whiteboard in front of them.

The footage consisted of blurred lines until it settled on Caesar Flickerman. "Now Katniss," he began abruptly, "was arguably our favorite tribute."

The camera cut to Peeta. He was wearing a tailored, black suit with a white collar. A pristine, white rose was clasped in his hands. His face was thinning out, and the circles under his eyes were a deep mauve. Bex put a hand to her mouth. The Capitol wasn't even covering it up. They wanted the public to see how fragile Peeta was.

"And I think, that's what we all find most astonishing," Caesar went on. "It's that this girl was adored in the Capitol. And I think, for you, Peeta, it must be particularly painful."

Slowly, the shot zoomed in on Peeta, panning down to the rose in his hands. Peeta was looking at it with regret. His knuckles were scabbed and bruised as the rose was played between his hands. "Wish I could give this rose to you, Katniss," he whispered.

"A sweet gesture," Caesar exhaled, "for a girl who has inspired such violence. You must love her very much to be able to forgive her. I don't think that I could. Unless ... of course ... Peeta, you think that perhaps she's being forced into saying things she doesn't even understand."

Peeta's eyes finally lifted from the rose. "Yes, that's exactly what I think. They're using her to whip up the rebels. I doubt she knows what's happening or what's really at stake."

The host nodded. "Now, Peeta, I doubt that the rebels will ever let her see this. But if they do, what would you say to her? Katniss Everdeen, the one, sweet Katniss Everdeen. What would you say?"

Peeta stared into the camera lens. His lips pursed as he debated what to say. "I would ... I would ... tell her to think for herself. Don't be a fool, Katniss. I know you never wanted the rebellion. The things you did in the Games ... were never intended to start all of this." Tears gathered in his murky blue eyes. "The rebels have made you into something that you're not, something that can destroy all of us. So if you have any power or any say in what they do or how they use you ... please, urge them to stop this war before it's too late. And ask yourself, can you trust the people you're working with? Do you know what they really want?"

"Thank you, Peeta Mellark, for these ..." Caesar paused briefly. "... Revelations about the real Mockingjay."

The footage cut out and the lights in the room flashed on once again. The Victors turned to look at each other, but no one said a word. Annie was sniffling at the other end of the table, wiping a handful of tears from her eyes. To everyone's surprise, Johanna got up from her seat and took the spot beside Annie, throwing a supportive arm around her shoulders. The redhead laid her head on Johanna's chest.

Bex thought over Peeta's words, and she had to admit ... Despite Peeta being outrageously brainwashed by the Capitol, she was beginning to wonder if there was any truth to his words. Her eyes shifted to Coin, studying her blank expression. Did they really know the people they were working with?

Plutarch cleared his throat. "As you can see, this is ... not good."

"Has Katniss seen this?" Bex asked the Gamemaker.

He shook his head firmly. "No, Katniss can never see this. Once she sees how Peeta looks, hears what he says ... it'll bring her down to a new low."

"And we're at such a high right now," Coin finally said, leaning forward in her chair. "We need to keep it and stay motivated. The rebellion's fire cannot be extinguished by a mere interview."

"So why are we here?" Finnick asked, agitation in his tone.

"I was getting to that," Plutarch said with narrowed eyes. "I'm opening the floor up for you lot. Do you have any ideas for ways of distraction until it's safe enough to film another propo with Katniss?"

The Victors were silent for a moment, until Beetee murmured, "We could have a celebration of some sort." Plutarch tapped his pen against the table and wrote it down in a notebook.

"Not just a celebration," Johanna added, squeezing Annie's shoulders. "I think we should have a wedding. Annie here is engaged to Kai Seaton."

Annie immediately slid out of Johanna's hold and gave her a look of pure distress.

Finnick, on the other hand, had his brow furrowed at this new information. Bex had never told him once she found out, perplexed on how he would handle it. He seemed to be just fine; he wasn't questioning the suggestion. But she did notice the way his hand balled into a fist for a short second.

Coin sighed, "We don't have celebrations in Thirteen."

"Well, maybe you should start," Johanna quipped. "We don't know what the future holds right now and you need a distraction to keep people in high spirits. This is perfect."

Coin turned to Plutarch. He shrugged in the President's direction and said, "We could also use it as an opportunity to film a propo. Show that District Thirteen's population is safe and happy."

Bex scoffed, "Is anyone going to ask Annie what she thinks of this?"

Everyone at the table immediately spun to the fearful redhead. Annie was chewing on her bottom lip, shaking from the decision that was now weighing down on her back. The room was engulfed in a long minute of silence until she muttered, "Well ... I think ..." She looked to Johanna, who gave her a kind, encouraging smile. That was new for Johanna. Annie matched her expression, mouth curling into a grin. "Yes, that sounds like a great idea." She faced the rest of the table. "Why not!"

Finnick's hand went into a fist again. Bex quickly grabbed it, relaxing his grip. His gaze was mellow and thankful when he looked to her.

Coin heaved a sigh, causing everyone to turn back to her. "I guess we're having a wedding then."

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A/N: sooooo we're getting into a tiny bit of au territory here! even tho annie and finnick aren't getting married in this story, the wedding scene was always my favorite part of MOCKINGJAY. it was overall a fun scene to read and watch, and I really loved seeing the traditional district 4 ceremony. so of course, I had to include a wedding in this story, but it'll be a little different! unlike annie and finnick's wedding that occurs later on in MOCKINGJAY, this one doesn't and katniss will not be escaping 13 to join squad 451. (we're not near that part yet.) this is just a traditional district 4 wedding for annie and kai that will be used for plutarch's propose and might finally help a certain couple break down their walls 😉 it's coming up next chapter and I'm so excited to post it! definitely one of my fave chapters to write 🥰