Author's Note: Sorry if it's terribly inaccurate, but I usually don't get things very good the first time around and I just finished reading Catching Fire yesterday. Also sorry if it's too short, because it was supposed to be a one-shot and I decided it needed to be split up.

Disclaimer: If I wrote/owned the Hunger Games, I would know why I kept Katniss and Gale apart for so long, and I just don't.

"This is not happening to me,"Paine says fiercely to me as we sit side by side in the Justice Building. I have only come because I know he has no one else - that wants to come anyway. Otherwise I would be sitting at home, probably in a safe corner where I could grieve the loss of my best friend.

I nod blankly and both of us are silent again as we stare straight ahead into the wall across from us - one that still gives off a new paint smell, still reminds us of the bloodshed, of the tears, of the horror. I let my mind wander, but keep the reaping locked up safely in the back of my head.

It's been a few minutes, and I tear my eyes away from the bloodred wall to look at Paine again.

"This is the last time we're going to be seeing each other in person. We should at least say something,"I nearly growl at him, my anger stirring at the sight of his serene face.

"No, it's not,"he disagrees."Look what the rebels did four years ago. They fought back. They even got the Capitol so angry that they had to blow up District Thirteen to show their power and satisfy their huge egos."

I gasp. I know what those bugs everyone talks about are, and they could be everywhere around us.

He continues, ignoring me.

"They obviously got angry about it because they were scared, that we might be better than them."His voice rises in excitement."Did you see the reporters? They were so angry! They can't have recovered from a full-scale rebellion like this so quickly. They're scared, Bri. We have a chance. I bet if there's another rebellion, it'll be us winning this time."

He stares at me eagerly, the excitement evident on his face. I shake my head and bury my face in my hands. I rub my eyes vigorously before looking up again.

"No, no, no, Paine!"I yell."It's never going to work. This is all wrong! You're going to die, you're going to die! The Capitol will find out about this, I swear to God or whatever the hell they worship now, they will!"

"No,"he says, his face now closed off to me."We'll win. We'll do something. Other, other nations, they'll help us."

"No, Paine, they won't,"I say quietly, hoping for reason. The five stages of depression. Paine knocks a vase off the table. I hear him utter a curse at the cut on his wrist and then:

"YOU HEAR ME, CAPITOL? WE'RE GOING TO BEAT YOU! WE'VE GOT YOU ALL FIGURED OUT! YOU BETTER WATCH OUT, YOU HEAR ME?"

The door bursts open and a Peacemaker comes in, looking harried.

"Time's up,"he mutters, even though we've barely gotten comfortable. He seizes Paine's arm and seems to wonder if he'll need backup, but that's unnecessary. Paine walks along with him, smiling back at me.

The last thing I remember before pulling the covers over my head and trying to keep the sobs to a minimum was the hope that the Capitol would pass him off as mentally unstable and grant him a quick death.