Chapter 5: Room where it happened

"I wanna be in the room where it happens..."

~~~~~~~~

"Em you have to sing the song tonight!" Lucy Gray exclaimed handing her guitar to her.

"I-I'm not sure. I'm rusty and plus the crowd loves you!" Emme said.

"Coriolanus would love it. And plus it's always good to have a new face." She pushed giving her a knowing look. "I promise just this song."

Emme sighed knowing she wasn't going to let it go before taking the guitar hesitantly. Maude Ivory clapped her hands as she ran up on stage.

"We have a new face joining us tonight so please give it up for the amazingly talented Em!" Maude ivory announced as people cheered.

"Are you sure?" Emme looked back once more before Lucy gray and Maude ivory pushed her up on stage. She huffed before smiling.

"Well, I know I'm not the one you were hopin for but I have a very special song and I hope y'all like it." Emme said into the microphone as she started to strum the crowd cheered.

"♪ Everyone's born as clean as a whistleAs fresh as a daisyAnd not a bit crazy.."

  Coriolanus frozen in his seat as he looked up at the stage to see his girl singing. He became hypnotised by her as couples started dancing together.

"♪ Like walking through fireThis world, it's darkThis world, it's scary I've taken some hitsSo no wonder I'm wary.."

  Emme sang as she looked around the crowd to her eyes connecting with his sending him a smile cheeks slowly turning red. Keeping eye contact as she sang the next part.

"♪ It's why I need youYou're as pure as the drivenSnowOh.."

  Coriolanus smiled the biggest he probably has ever had staring at her with pure love and claim.

"♪ Cold and cleanSwirling over my skinYou clothe meYou soak right inThis world, it's cruel with troubles aplentyYou asked me two reasons I got three and twenty♪ For why I trust you..." Emme sang strumming the last few notes before smiling as the crowd cheered.

"Thank you. Now for the best and most beautiful Lucy Gray Baird!" Emme announced as Lucy Gray came up on stage with a big smile and the crowd cheered more. Lucy Gray patted her on the back giving her a 'I told you so' smile before taking the guitar.

Coriolanus got up from his seat making his way backstage where she would be. Emme had just gotten off stage going to the back grabbing a bottle of water that Tam amber gave her earlier and taking a sip. Turning around to see him there.

"Hi-" She stared before being pulled into a passionate kiss as he backed her up into a desk and having a full make out session until they had to part for breath.

"I'm going guess you like it.." Emme asked breathless. Coriolanus let out a breathless laugh.

"Just wait until later.." He whispered. Emme blushed a deep crimson red. He laughed as he took her back to his table where Sejanus was and watched a bit of the show.

A little while later, Coriolanus had to go speak to one of the other Peacekeepers then Sejanus left as well which made Emme worry as she looked over to see him talking to another looking stressed before following them into the back. She looked around not seeing Coriolanus before getting up and following Sejanus.

"Sejanus?" Emme asked, coming into the back room cautiously. Then all of a sudden she felt a hard smack and everything going black.

"Billy, what the hell are you doing? And who the hell is she?" Mayfair hissed at the floppy brown haired boy.

"You said that money was for supplies to get north.." Sejanus whispered shouted.

"These are supplies." Billy said, pointing at the stuff before looking over at Sejanus. "What, did you think this was a game?"

"You said that nobody was gonna get hurt." Sejanus snapped. "That isn't part of the deal."

"Hey." The two men stared clamouring as Coriolanus showed up. "Emme?" He whispered seeing her head bleeding as she laid knocked out in the floor. Coriolanus seethed with anger and irritation.

"Hey, stop!" He shouted looking around seeing guns.

"What are you doing? Guns, Sejanus?"

"I didn't know there was gonna be weapons, Coryo. They said they wouldn't hurt anybody...They lied to me." Sejanus defended

"You thought they'd be honest?" Coriolanus spat in disbelief.

"Are you crazy? There are Peacekeepers right out there." Spruce of the men said.

"There's another one in here now, too." Billy argued.

"Okay, wait." One of them tried to interrupt.

"And the mayor's daughter? And that random blondie over there." Spruce said nodding his head to Emme.

"Hey, it's okay, Spruce. He's with me. I told him to come in here. He's gonna help." Sejanus intervened.

"Hey, where'd..." Billy was about to say but Spruce interrupted him.

"What's going on?" Lucy Gray appeared into the room looking at the scene in shock as she saw Emme lying on the floor.

"Wait, wait, wait. You invite the whole town, Plinth?" Spruce said angrily.

"She's okay, Spruce. She's joining us too. She's with me." Billy said, gesturing to Lucy Gray.

"She what?" Mayfair said angrily through her teeth.

"Quiet down, Mayfair. I'll explain later." Billy spat trying to get her off his back.

"I think I'm done listening to your explanations. She's not going anywhere. And neither are you." Mayfair spat in Billy's face.

"My pa's gonna string y'all up for this. Including Blondie over there!" Mayfair said pointing her head towards Emme.

"You really think I forgot about her Lucy Gray.." She spat. Lucy Gray glared at Mayfair.

  Sejanus moved over to Lucy Gray going in front of her protectively as she clung onto his arm.

"Stop!" Coriolanus shouted. Going in front of his two 'friends' protectively while keeping one eye on Emme.

"She'll tell everyone, you idiot." Spruce spat at Billy. "She'll get us all hung."

"He's right." Mayfair taunted.

"No, she won't, Spruce. She's all talk, no action." Billy said trying to reassure Spruce.

"What do you think, Lucy Gray?" Mayfair said snarky raising her eyebrows towards

"Am I all talk, no action?" She asked smugly staring down Lucy Gray. "Hey, how'd you enjoy the Capitol, by the way?"

Mayfair turned around leaving. "See y'all at the Hanging Tree."

"No, no!" Billy started shouting trying to take the gun from spruces hands.

  While Lucy Gray started to panic as well as Sejanus who at the same time trying to calm down Lucy Gray. Coriolanus panicked not thinking much before picking up the gun.

"Wait." Billy Grunted still trying to get the gun away from Spruce as he groaned. Then a shot went off with a loud bang that was covered from the roaring crowd right outside.

"Mayfair!" Billy shouted as she laid dead. Lucy Gray gasped looking Coriolanus.

"Coriolanus, what did you just do?" She asked terrified.

"Well, you just shot the mayor's daughter, son." Spruce taunted, Coriolanus paled at what he just done. Looking at Emme.

"What did you just do?" Lucy Gray said through tears.

"If you weren't a rebel before, you are now." Spruce said looking at Coriolanus with a smug expression.

"You killed her." Billy said pointing his finger at Coriolanus.

"Quiet, Billy Taupe." Spruce spat.

"You're all right." Coriolanus said to Lucy Gray and Sejanus. Trying to reassure them "You and me, we're gonna be all right. No one is gonna think this was us."

"You reckon you're just gonna walk out of here free? Dump this on me, maybe?" Billy questioned Coriolanus.

"I said, pipe down." Spruce spat at Billy.

"You got a surprise coming, Capitol boy. Maybe I'll just kill her as well." Billy said pointing his gun at Emme. Coriolanus froze eyes going dark with anger.

"But Hey! If I'm gonna swing for this, you swing with me." Billy growled as he was about to lunge at Coriolanus but Spruce was faster shooting Billy Taupe. Lucy Gray shrieks gripping onto both Sejanus and Coriolanus.  Coriolanus froze looking at Spruce in shock.

"I didn't trust him anyway." Spruce said, holding the gun that was just shot off.

"Billy Taupe!" Lucy Gray sobs. Sejanus let go of her freaking out.

"Look at me. Look at me. Look at me. Look at me." Coriolanus said holding Lucy Gray's face.

"You're gonna go back out on that stage and you're gonna sing. You're gonna sing like nothing is wrong. And I'm gonna find us a way out of this, okay?" Coriolanus sternly said to her.

"Okay. Okay." She rapidly nodded.

"Okay? I swear. I swear." Coriolanus promised to Lucy Gray.

"Go. Go!" Coriolanus said pushing Lucy Gray to go.

"Get rid of these guns. Go." He instructed Spruce. Spruce looked at him hesitantly. "Go, Spruce, go!"

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Sejanus sobbed. "Nobody was supposed to get hurt."

"For once, shut up." Coriolanus snapped at him.

"It's all my fault!" Sejanus cried putting his hands on his head.

"All of this is your fault. It's only gonna get worse if you don't pull yourself together." Coriolanus snapped going up to Sejanus.

"If you breathe a word now, both of us, we're finished. So we go back out there and we act like nothing is wrong." Coriolanus said trying to reassure Sejanus.

"I don't know..." Sejanus sobbed out.

"Hey." Coriolanus said putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Hey, look at me. You have to pull yourself together. You have to pull it together. You came here for me, right? We're brothers?" Coriolanus said to a shaking Sejanus. Whether if it was to get him to shut up and stop crying or comfort him in a way.

"Brothers." Coriolanus asked, Sejanus nods.

"So whatever you've done, I swear I will keep you safe. Those guns were the only loose end besides the four of us. So we're gonna be okay. Okay? Not a word." Coriolanus said sternly.

"Okay." Sejanus whispered nodding.

"Okay?" Coriolanus nodded. Before letting Sejanus calm down. Moving quickly towards Emme.

"Emme.." Coriolanus said, lifting her head up, noticing the huge cash on her head from when she got knocked out.

"Em." He said shaking her lightly. Emme woke up with a gasp panic in her eyes.

"Hey! sh... sh.. your okay." Coriolanus said as he held her moving a few stray hairs.

Emme looked at him as she keeps going in and out of consciousness. He quickly picks her up carrying her out the back and taking her home.

~~~~~

Emme woke up on a rough but soft surface. She moved to get up but felt arms around her as she got dizzy.

"Hey take it easy." Emme looked over to see Coriolanus his expression unreadable. Holding a wet cloth on her head.

"W-what happened.." Emme asked holding the cloth to her head as she sat up.

Coriolanus looking at her hesitantly but she gave a knowing look that she did want to know. He sighed explaining as best as he could. Her expression turning into a horror one.

"W-what will happen now? What will happen to you?" "Im not concerned about me. I'm concerned about you."

"I think it's time for you to go back child." A voice said. They looked over at the doorway to reveal Emme's grandmother.

"She's right Em. You have to leave it's be safer for you back at the capital... away from here.." Coriolanus said sternly his eyes looking into hers.

"B-but what about you a-and-" "Hey look at me." He said grabbing her from her panicking state.

"I'm going to be fine and I'll make it back to you.. and Sejanus." He said both hands on her cheeks wiping away her tears. "I promise.."

"I need to go.." Coriolanus said. "I need to get back sweet girl but I promise I will come back to you. You're mine right?"

  Emme sniffled slightly nodding before he gave her a final longing kiss putting his forehead against hers. "I love you."

"I love you too.." She whispered back. Kissing him one more time before he left.

~~~~~~

"I should've told you the truth years ago.." Emme's grandmother said. "Maybe it would have helped you understand more.."

"What do you mean Grams?" Emme looked at her Grandmother confused. Her Grandmother sighed.

"Your name- last name is not Reinswood." She repeated taking out a photo handing it to her. Emme took it looking at the back of it.

" Caroline Winslow + Alec Mellark"

  The photo said on the back. Emme looked at it her eyebrows stitched together.

"That man in the photo is your birth father.." Her grandmother pointed out.

"W-what?" Emme asked in disbelief. Her grandmother sighed.

"One day your mother had came back to District 12 to get away from your 'father'. She reunited with an old friend. Which is..." "The man in the photo." Emme asked. Her grandmother nodded.

"W-why has nobody told me about this? It explains so much..." Emme asked confused a million questions running through her mind. "What happened with him? Why did she go back?"

"Your mother decided that it was best to go back to him at the time. Probably because of your sister and a more stable environment. And when she found out she was pregnant it was already too late.. he had got caught up with the rebels trying to stop the war." Emme's Grandmother explained. Emme looked down at the picture in her hand with a sad smile.

"Theirs one more thing you should know." She said handing Emme a piece of paper that was a birth certificate.. her birth certificate..

Full Name: Emery Hazel Mellark-ReinswoodDOF: April. 16  1:45pmMother: Caroline May WinslowFather: Alec Peeta Mellark- Mark Richie Reinswood

"I know you're confused and angry child. But your mother did what she had to do. And she's never been one for conflict or getting in the middle." Her grandmother said trying to ease her mind.

"You're right. If it wasn't for her going back I would've never met the Snows, Plinths, Ashe, or Clemmie.." Emme said. Her grandmother nodded giving her a wary look. "I can't be upset at a man I've never met... and who is gone now or my mother.. she's just wanted the best."

"He does have two brothers but I understand what you're saying." Her grandmother commented.

"It'd be best if you'd keep secret about this. You are a Reinswood maybe not fully by blood but." "I know Grams." Emme said giving her a small smile.

"You should get ready and packed. Theirs one last train and I was able to get in touch using Millard telephone to get in contact with Mrs.Figgs she'll be picking you up." She answered. Emme felt sick to her stomach thinking about going back and everything that had happened that evening.

"You'll be alright child." She said placing a hand on her granddaughters shoulder. Emme nodded before getting her bag and started packing.

  As soon as she was finished her mother walked her to the station with Millard.

"Be careful my dear and stay safe." Emme's grandmother said pulling her into a hug.

"I promise, I will come visit you soon.." Emme whispered before grabbing her suitcase and entering the train to go back to Panem.

  She sat next to the window tears in her eyes as the train pulled out of the station with a million thoughts running through her mind. Soon her heavily exhausted body gave out and put her into a sleep giving her some peace from the outside world and her mind.

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Word Count: 2688

(A/n: Surprise! Yes she's related to Peeta I wanted to make her last more interesting and I also made her birthday today (April.16) let me know what y'all think!! 2 more chapters until Act 3! I can't even believe it myself but I've been on a kick lately and don't plan to stop anytime soon! As always feel free to comment and vote:like! I really want y'all's opinions!)