Return of the Mockingjay

Chapter 3

The next morning we fly back to 13 on the presidential hovercraft. I'm impatient to talk to Plutarch and see what he thinks of Wolfe's latest news. I keep thinking back to what I saw in the woods back at District 3. The struggle between Wolfe and Haymitch with them wrestling over the gun, the gunshots with Haymitch collapsing to the ground dead. Was he dead? I was so sure at the time but I could of been wrong.
I look around the overcrowded cabin, what with Peeta, me, Rue and all her things plus the Rapiers and Gibbs squad, were all crammed in pretty tight.
It's a relief when we finally touch down on the landing pad at 13. But as usual we have to wait for our security to take their positions around the drop ship first. We unstrap Rue's baby carriage and make our way down the drop ramp. Outside flanking the path to the elevator are two lines of rebel soldiers forming a guard of honour for Peeta and I. It all seems a bit much to me but then I see Pollux up above us on a guard tower filming the occasion. Peeta wanders down the right flank speaking with the soldiers as he goes. I make an effort to talk to some of the soldiers on the left. Mostly I get just one word answers, or some stammer slightly when I talk to them. I guess some of these young soldiers are still a little nervous around us although I feel like a young mother, wearing a simple dress, a long coat and scarf to keep me from the cold. My days as the Mockingjay seem a distant memory, and I certainly don't feel like a symbol of the rebellion.
We make our way down in the elevator to the accommodation level and walk along the corridor to our quarters. I pause outside Haymitch's door for a second and sigh to myself. Peeta takes my hand and goes to lead me on when the door opens and I see a young girl walk out from from what was Haymitch's room. She smiles at me nervously, bows, closes the door behind her, and hurries past awkwardly. I shake my head and follow Peeta to our door. I feel upset that someone has taken Haymitch's quarters, I mean, I know that space in 13 is becoming tight because of all the refugees but I feel that Haymitch's place has been abused in some way. No, abused is the wrong word. I can't really explain how I feel, it just seems wrong I guess. Peeta walks on past our quarters to another door which he opens with a key card.
"Where are we going?"

"Don't worry Kat, don't forget, as president I get to stay in better quarters than what we had before. Anyway, our old place wouldn't of been big enough"

"Oh, yes of course" I reply smiling.

Peeta opens the door to a lavish apartment that's at least twice the size of our old quarters. As I walk in the door I take in the size and decor of the place. Off to the left is a large kitchen with a table set in the centre. Kitchen units adorn the walls on three sides with counters extending below these. As usual a food console is set into one wall with a simple sink set into one of the counters. The lounge area has a large corner couch set off into one corner facing a fireplace in the centre of the room with a large TV mounted against the wall. Everything is painted a soft red colour giving off a cosy atmosphere and there's a skylight in the ceiling that's already half open. I take Rue from her baby carriage and Peeta leads me by the hand into a hallway leading off the lounge. Three doors lead off the hallway and Peeta takes me in through the second door and I gasp in amazement at what I see. A nursery for Rue! The walls have all been painted a soft pink colour with a white wooden cot in one corner. Shelves extend along one wall with toys placed neatly in woven baskets and when I look above I see tiny stars set into the ceiling which twinkle when the lights are switched off. Teddy bears and dolls lay in the cot waiting for their new owner.

"Peeta, it's amazing, it's exactly how I'd of wanted our nursery to look like" I say smiling.
"Plutarch wanted the whole place re done after Paylor died so I lived in our old place until last week"
I explore the rest of the apartment with Rue in my arms. Our bedroom is big for district 13, easily matching the size of our bedroom back in 12. The bathroom is also similar to ours in 12, but it's still far better than the standard issue quarters you'd normally get in 13.
There's a knock at the door and Peeta answers it to see Megan standing in the doorway with buttercup in her arms.
"Hello Megan, come in" says Peeta.
Megan walks in and immediately locks her eyes on Rue. I realise that although it's only been a few days she's really missed her.