Endgame

Disclaimer: I am not Suzanne Collins and I do not own the Hunger Games.

"President Snow, the Mellark boy has escaped us. President Snow?"

"You let him escape?"

"Sorry, sir, but the rebels-"

"No matter. We'll snatch up the handsome cousin instead."

"Pardon, sir?"

"We're going to take her cousin."

"Should I come down, Katniss?" Peeta's voice comes through the headset I'm wearing.

"No, I'm fine," I say into the microphone. I look up into the sky, trying to spot the near-invisible hovercrafts that District 13 sent with me for my 'safety'. The only sign that they might actually be there is a slight ripple in the perfect blueness as one of the crafts turns.

I stand in the midst of my home's remains. There are layers upon layers of ash over everything, the soot all perfectly settled. The dry summer offers no wind to blow it away or disturb the piles. The sun feels as though it's burning a hole through my scalp, but I try my best to ignore it and wander around my incinerated house.

Here's the room that I shared with Prim, I think to myself. And there's the hearth. It's nothing more than a pile of collapsed, charred bricks now.

"Only five more minutes," Peeta says, sounding genuinely sorry. "I tried to convince them to give you a little longer, but they said we have to get back right on time."

"It's fine, really. There's nothing much to do here, anyway."

I force myself to walk away from my house. I navigate the rest of the area that used to be the Seam, wanting to make one last visit. The path there is one that's embedded in my mind just as well as the directions to my own home. I find the house easily, even though the pile of ash that remains of it is even more pitiful than the remains of my own home.

Once I reach the site, I bend down in the ashes and sift through them, as if I can reconnect with the person who used to live here through the dust. I put my head in my now dirty hands, trying to recollect my thoughts before they run away from me.

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. I am from District 12. I was in the Hunger Games twice. I escaped both times. The Capitol hates me. Gale was taken prisoner. We don't know if he's dead. I hope he's not dead. Or maybe it's better if he's dead..

The District 13 officials tell me that Gale gathered as many people as he could during District 12's destruction and led them into the woods. They tell me that after that, he went back into the burning district to look for more survivors. They tell me that one of the Capitol hovercrafts recognized him as my 'cousin', and took him away. District 13's near invisible hovercrafts watched everything from the woods, they tell me, and they swooped in to rescue the survivors in the woods the next day.

It was the perfect cover, wasn't it? Pluck Gale from a burning district, and people will just think that he perished in the fire like so many others. No one would think that he was actually kidnapped by the Capitol, would they? I didn't believe the officials until they brought in some survivors who actually witnessed the event unfold to confirm the story. I apparently threw a fit after that and fell into a hallucination, although I don't remember it. They've had me on sedatives ever since, and I've only been allowed off them for a few days.

"Katniss?" Peeta says gently, once he realizes just exactly where I'm sitting.

"I'm okay," I say forcefully, trying not to let my voice shake. "I just need a few moments, and then you can pick me up."

I know all of this is my fault, even though everyone else half-heartedly tries to convince me otherwise. The bombing. The hostages. If I hadn't pulled that stupid berries stunt, District 12 would still be standing. If I hadn't pulled that berries stunt, Gale wouldn't have had to save all those people. If I hadn't pulled that berries stunt, Gale would still be here. Posy wouldn't have to pester her mother about Gale's whereabouts all the time, and Vick and Rory might actually smile. But if I hadn't pulled the berries stunt, Peeta would be dead.

I hold my head in my hands for a few moments, trying to stop myself from thinking about the messed-up situation too much. It must look like I'm having some sort of breakdown, though -sitting in the ashes of Gale's home, kneeling with my face in my palms- because Peeta's voice comes through my headpiece.

"They think you should come up now, Katniss," he says.

"One more minute," I reply, my voice on the verge of being pleading. But then I'm practically snarling as I add, "It's the least they can do for letting Gale be taken." I know there's District 13 officials monitoring mine and Peeta's conversation, so I'm not surprised when one of them comes on the line instead of Peeta.

"Please don't be unreasonable right now, Soldier Everdeen. It wasn't our place to interfere with the situation."

Soldier Everdeen. Everyone over the age of thirteen in District 13 is respectfully given the title of soldier. To call me a soldier seems like a mockery.

"You were fine with 'interfering' and taking the survivors to 13," I say angrily.

"They were in trouble and we helped them," the official responds impatiently.

Well, Gale could've used some of your help right then too, couldn't he?

"You can have this conversation with President Coin back in 13 if you like, but we have to leave now."

Alma Coin, the overseer of all of District 13's activities. Eyes the color of slush, gray hair that hangs in a strangely flawless curtain around her head. A conversation with her does not sound appealing.

"I won't be your Mockingjay."

"Soldier Everdeen-"

"I'm not bluffing. I have little to no reason to help you, and I won't if I don't feel like it."

The subject of the Mockingjay is a bit of a sore spot. They want me to be the face of the revolution. The leader. Although there's barely any thinking involved on my part, since everything is scripted for me and there's people to help me dress up, I'm still reluctant to say yes.

They could always use Peeta, because he is much more sane than me at the moment and better at getting his message across, but they say that they want either both of us to do it together, or only me. After all, I am the one who pulled out those berries. I am the one who volunteered for my sister and shot an arrow into that chink in the forcefield.

Besides, their only other choices are an old victor, Beetee, who's very willing to help but not exactly what they picture as the face of the rebel movement. The second alternative is Finnick Odair, who has the looks for the part, but not the willingness or sanity. He can barely stay conscious for more than five minutes, let alone lead a revolution. They say his sluggish recovery is due to an electric shock he got in the arena, but I know better. He can't help worrying about Annie (also taken by the Capitol) and he probably thinks it's better to sleep through the whole thing instead of having to think all the time. That's a choice I don't have. I've already scarred Prim enough with my nightmares and throwing things at officials, so I'm making an effort to appear normal, if only for her sake.

There's a bit of shuffling and murmuring before the official says bitterly, "You have been granted three more minutes."

To be honest, I mainly only argued for more time to irritate the officials, because I've already almost all there is to see of the remains of District 12. But I intend to use up my full three minutes, if only to annoy the officials even further.

I linger a few more moments by Gale's house, and eventually turn to leave. I stop, though, when I spot a little fleck of silver in the ash. I walk towards the spot, wondering what it could possibly be. In my experience, ash is never silver and does not catch or reflect light. I approach the bit of silver and brush away ash from it to reveal a slightly deformed and dented ring.

My heart beating just a little bit faster with my discovery, I pick up the ring and clean off all of the soot as best as I can. I stare at it for a few moments, and then slip it onto my index finger, but it almost slides off of it and into the ash. I then put it on my thumb, where it fits snugly. I'll give it to Hazelle when we get back to District 13.

Having no where else to go, and with two more minutes to waste, I walk towards my home in the Victor's Village, where I had been living for the past year. The Victor's Village is the only place that remained untouched throughout the bombing, and I can't help but feel a chill as I walk through the door. I silently meander through the first floor of the house, picking up small things along the way until I have a small heap. A picture of my parents. A ribbon of Prim's. Our book of herbs and plants. I stuff them all into my game bag, which I find lying around in the kitchen.

A faint hiss startles me and I turn around, not knowing what to expect. I take in the small creature in front of me, staring at his mangled coat and ugly eyes. Buttercup.

"So you survived the bombing somehow, huh?" I ask him, taking a step forward. The cat retreats.

"Come, on. I have to take you along for Prim," I say snappily, and he perks up at her name. I take advantage of his moment of weakness and scoop him up and into my bag. He hisses again, but I make a harsh shushing sound and he becomes quiet for the moment.

I sprint up the stairs, the game bag reminding me of one last thing I need to take with me.

My headset crackles. "Katniss, you really have to come now. They're getting angry," Peeta says, his voice the slightest bit uneasy.

"One last thing, I promise. I'll be right out in a second," I say hurriedly, navigating the hallway.

I open the door to my bedroom and make a beeline for the closet. Flinging open the doors, I find my father's hunting jacket on a hanger. I breath a sigh of relief and remove it from the hanger, putting my bag down. I slip the jacket on and the soft leather fills me with a sense of familiarity, remembering all of those hours wrapped up in it. The jacket has also come to connect itself with Gale in my mind, though, and my heart aches as I remember all of the time we spent together in the woods. Before I lose my mind, I take the jacket off and shove it into my overflowing bag, making sure not to suffocate Buttercup.

Buttercup hisses in protest. "Shut up, you worthless cat," I say to the bag, although I can't blame him for crying out. My old, overcrowded bag isn't the most ideal way to travel.

I'm about to exit the room when I notice the faint smell of rose floating in the air. My palms grow sweaty as I turn around to find the source of the wicked fragrance. My eyes scanning the room, I spot a perfectly white, snow-colored rose on the dresser, looking as if it were carelessly tossed there. I know better. Ignoring Buttercup's crescendoing wails, I inch towards it cautiously, as if it could bite me.

"You need get out right now, Katniss."

I jump at the sound of Peeta's voice.

"I-I'm coming," I stammer, and then repeat in what I hope is a stronger voice, "I'm coming right now."

Not looking back at the rose, I dash out of the room and run down the stairs, suddenly paranoid. I imagine some sort of twisted monster with blood-tainted breath is chasing me and I run faster, cursing Buttercup under my breath as he thrashes about in the bag.

I hope the officials and Peeta can't see how hard I'm breathing as I emerge from the house. I force myself to slow down and breath slowly through my nose until my heart rate steadies. There's a slight hum as a hovercraft comes lower to the ground and drops a ladder for me. I grab onto it and a current keeps me frozen to the rungs. Once I'm pulled up, Peeta is the first to see me and asks me if I'm okay.

I manage a smile and say, "I'm fine."

We leave for District 13 with no more questions asked.

(A/N)

So what did you think of that? Any feedback is appreciated :D It seems a bit far-fetched, but the idea's been nagging at me for a while and I just had to try it out.