Ember Blaze

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games Trilogy. But I do own the books and DVD's.

Summary: The Capitol has taken Siobhan while the Rebels rescued Gale. The two are now living on different sides of Panem fighting for a cause. However their relationship would be tested and the secrets behind the Underwood shall be revealed?

Chapter 1

Siobhan's POV

I stared at the image on the photograph in my hand. I was emotionally compromised as I look at the 3D image of what is inside me. The doctors said congratulations saying it was about eight weeks. Eight weeks ago was the Second Quarter Quells. Eight Weeks ago Gale was taken away from me. Eight weeks ago…my home was destroyed. The past eight weeks I've became a pawn to the Capitol. Through those long eight weeks, President Snow kept people in the dark saying the attack of the Rebels in the arena caused serious trauma to me emotionally and physically that I needed to be isolated to stable myself. To be surrounded by familiar faces.

Ever since the incident the only people I could see were my prep team: Octavia, Venia, and Flavius. Then there was only two Avox's who were allow to work was Darius and the young Avox woman from before, Lavinia. Sometimes Enobaria would visit from her floor in the Training Center. Also Finnick…though Finnick can come and join me if I cooperate since he wasn't cooperating. Finnick is a rebel and Enobaria and I had nothing to do with the rebellion. Even now Enobaria visits her old clients.

But Effie isn't here. President Snow never told me her status other than she is alive and kept naïve in the situation. Yet my actions still affect her. Cinna on the other hand was gone. My best friend in the darkest place in the world is dead. After his stunt with the hybrid of the mockingjay/phoenix and beating at the shoot…they interrogated him to death. He wouldn't say anything other than "I'm expressing my opinion." In my hand was the medallion he wore. Last month I found a strip of papers that Cinna written, I'm still betting on.

I broke down in tears holding the medallion close. Cinna was gone. My best guy friend who understands me is gone. Dead in an unmark grave or cremated ashes in some trash furnace.

Octavia, Venia, and Flavius were working on me throughout the preparation of today's interview. Cinna was gone, Effie is nowhere to be found, and Portia has been missing these past several weeks. So the only support line I have here in the Capitol is my prep team and Finnick. Finnick was sitting on the bed watching practically security for me. However A peacekeeper stood by the door.

After the Peacekeepers took Finnick, Enobaria, and I to the hospital for remake. Finnick was sedated cuffed to a medical bed, Enobaria cooperating, while I was confused. In fact the doctors had to sedate me into the remake. When I woken up a few days later it was impossible to forget. On the end table was a vase filled with artificial white flowers. I sat up or try to with restraints holding me down. At the end of the bed on a chair was President Snow holding a remote.

"Evening Mrs. Hawthorne," President Snow said. "Or is it still Miss Underwood?"

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Well, you're not in the arena anymore." President Snow said. "And I have decided to give you a second chance."

"Why?" I asked with venom. "Why me?"

"Because you're a young, attractive white female, virtually have personal ties but no paper trail to the Capitol. Now, those do exist, but they're hard to come by. What really grabbed my attention was how you and your paternal family hid under the radar these many years."

"What are you talking about," I asked.

President Snow suddenly was in my face. His breath consumed in the stench of blood under the aroma of the white roses. "I think we'll make this whole situation a lot simpler by agreeing not to lie to one another. Also there is no one to save you now. Nor you're supposing husband, Gale Hawthorne who abandon you to join the rebels."

"No," I said in shock. My throat began to tighten. Face cringe in pain as tears started to fall.

"Ah, you didn't know," he murmured pulling back. "Your life is over, Siobhan. I'm here to offer you a new one, but you have to be willing to earn it. If not the lives of Finnick and Enobaria."

I took a few deep breaths considering the option when a holographic showed a district being bombed to the ground. It was no doubt one District that could burn an inferno just like that. From a bird's eye view perspective I saw District Twelve be burn to the ground. My home, my friends, my family…gone. There is nobody there other than ashes. If he could do that what else can he do?

"What do I gotta do?" I asked.

"Learn. Try not to sound like a teenager for starters." The president said as he got up and grabbed a file. "Learn your lines. Follow every instruction I give you. And learn how to serve your country, instead of just yourself. You are soon to be mother are you not?"

The file read positive of being pregnant.

So much weight on my shoulders from my unborn child down to the people. Also no word or information on Gale. The Peacekeepers keep taunting the fact he is a traitor working with the rebels. That he is a rebel. And deep down I know…Gale has chosen to be a rebel. Because that who he is.

The work on me until the late afternoon. How they turn my skin a soft glowing satin. Venia does my hair putting the blond locks into a bun with a few strands loose in front of my face. The team covers my face in a fair amount of makeup, bronze eye shadow, lashes, and full pink lips. Although Flavius would like to add more touch of color, the look has to be modest. When it came to the dress…it was something Cinna would never put me in. An empire sweetheart ankle-length chiffon evening dress with ruffle beading. This was something Snow order to wear, along with lace spool heel peep toe sandal with white roses, pearls around my neck, pearl earrings, and pearl bracelets that feel like shackles. However my prosthetic leg was no longer a leg, instead it's a metal pole with a curve plate at the bottom. Though the bottom is replace with a metal foot for the shoes.

"You look like a snow flake," Finnick muttered.

"White is supposed to represent purity and innocence." I told him.

"I see a whole lot of powder to cover up the blood."

I look at Finnick giving him a small smile. He gave his signature smirk walking over to me then stood there. He places his hand on my shoulders giving a look. A moment later he took the pearls off, and the white rose out of my hair. He replaces the pearl earrings with diamonds.

"There. Perfect." He said then exaggerated by kissing his hand.

I chuckled at his performance. Before I could say anything, Finnick took the ultrasound and Cinna's medallion as the Peacekeeper grabbed my shoulder, escorting me to where Caesar Flickerman was hosting the interview.

.o0o.

"Today our guest has leaded an impact to all of us. From being a girl in a poor district in a tea shop, to a star-crossed lover and victor of the 74th Hunger Games. Now last year she was engage to her district partner Gale Hawthorne which both secretly got married, was selected in the recent Quarter Quell while pregnant and is here with us today. Ladies and gentlemen our Lady of Fire, Siobhan!"

I walked on stage composing a serious manner. Caesar smiled shaking hands noting the new look of this year with painted face, sparkling suit, and shiny white teeth. We settled down on our chairs as he gave a long look.

"So…Siobhan…welcome back." Caesar said.

"Why Caesar, I feel like you didn't expect me to be here." I said with a slight smile.

"I confess, I did," Caesar admitted. "The night before the Quarter Quell . . . well, who ever thought we'd see you again?"

"I couldn't say since fate had no say in the Quells." I said.

"I think it was clear to all of us what your plan was or the two options. One you sacrifice yourself in the arena so Gale Hawthorne could live with a family. Or you and your child could survive."

"The original plan was to survive," I said with a sighed, then darkly said. "But other people had plans as well."

Silence filled the audience. I knew that Haymitch Abernathy, the man who is friends with my uncle betrayed both Gale and I. How he pretended he had no interest in saving any of us. Even though I told him to save Gale, but Gale told him to save me. At least I know he lied to Gale . . . but couldn't tell me.

"Why don't you tell us about that last night in the arena?" Caesar suggested. "Help us sort a few things out."

I nodded but took my time to explain what happen through my perspective. "What I could tell you…the last night in the arena…was just full with deception, lies, betrayal, blood, and death… You know what…let me tell you how it felt. Imagine being in a sauna twenty-four seven, trapped like an animal in a cage with no source of water. All around you is a jungle; you see green everywhere and mutts everywhere, insects eating you alive, and constant tick tock. How the arena was a clock counting the hours you have left to live. That every hour is a subject of horror. In two days sixteen people died—some defending me. Though I wouldn't be surprise eight be dead by morning, except one. The victor. And you don't know if it's you or not."

My body breaks out into sweats as my tears water from the memories. Caesar saw this and handed me a tissues. I accepted the tissue, "Thank you. Once you're in the arena, the rest of world becomes very distant. All the people and things you loved or cared about just disappeared. Blood rain skies, lightning, monsters, quicksand, if not the tributes trying to kill you. As bad as you don't want to kill, you end up taking a life. Tell me; would you kill to save a life or just your own?"

Caesar sat straight adjusting his collar. "It cost your life."

"Nope, it cost more than your own life. To murder the innocent." I said. "The price is everything you are."

"Everything you are?" Caesar repeated quietly.

The room fell in silence if not all over Panem who were watching. How the nation would be leaning to any close of technology to hear my words. Because no one ever talked about what it is like personally to be in the arena.

I continue, "I wish the quells were different. When I was in the arena, I had no clue of the rebels . . . but what is happening now isn't right. All of this revolution has disrupted the balance as we speak. I regret listening to Beetee. I wish I had shot him so Gale and I could run away to a safer place. Now we are separated…"

"You were too caught up in Beetee's plan to electrify the salt lake," Caesar assured.

"I end up being too close to my allies to trust them. I should never let them separate us!" I hissed. "That is when I lost him."

"When you stayed at the lightning tree, and he and Johanna Mason took the coil down to the water," Caesar clarified.

"I didn't want him to go. I didn't want him to go with Johanna. I wanted it to be me who went. So when we set the coil in place we go to a dry location. But we couldn't indicate to the others that the alliance was over. I don't know how the wire was cut, but when Beetee started talking nonsense I got scared. I can remember every detail: watching Brutus killing Chaff. I'd killing Brutus. My prosthetic leg giving away and drowning slowly in quicksand. Finnick desperately trying to get me out. The lightning had strike the tree, the force field destroyed…" And here I had I too under President Snow's orders. "And the Capitol sparing me and those they save under this difficult situation.

"And The Capitol is please in saving you, my dear." He said happily. "But Gale blew it out, Siobhan. You've seen the footage."

"Gale doesn't do well under constant pressure. You saw how stressed he was to keep me alive. He thought he was following Beetee's plan. To electrocute the careers and nothing more."

"All right. It just looked suspicious," Caesar said. "As if he was part of the rebel's plan all along."

I snapped and stood up standing in front of Caesar. I stood practically like a mother ready to scold their child by the looks on Caesar face while he shrunk in his chair. "Was it part of the plan for Johanna attempted to kill him? For the electric shock wave to paralyze him? Was it he who known about the rebels waiting outside the dome? He didn't know, Caesar! Neither of knew anything but being in a arena filled with twenty-two victors who know the game better than us…what we're planning is to stay alive. Not be in some rebellion. To have a chance to have his arms around me-protecting in the harsh world we live in."

Caesar placed a hand on my shoulder in gestured to calm down, "Okay, Siobhan, I believe you."

I nodded withdrawing myself from Caesar. I sat down and sighed resting my head on my hands while elbows on my knees.

"What about your mentor, Haymitch Abernathy? "He asked.

My face hardens as I looked at him, "What about him?"

"Could he have been part of the conspiracy?" Caesar asked.

"Don't know, he never mentioned it." I said.

"What does your heart tell you?" Caesar pressed on.

"That the man I consider an uncle wasn't trust worthy." Was my answer.

The last time I saw Haymitch was the night before the Games. How he gave us the final advice to Stay Alive, and To Remember Who Your Enemy Is. I bet he is going through torture of sobriety and detox. Trying to find any intoxicating beverage or medical liquid of alcohol to ease the addiction. Fat chance Haymitch. I hope he's watching Capitol broadcast so he can see the anger I held towards him on not trusting me.

Caesar patted my shoulder. "We can stop now if you want."

"What else is there to talk about?" I said wryly.

"I was going to ask your thoughts about the war and your pregnancy, but if you're too upset . . ." Caesar began.

"Oh…yeah…" my hand unconsciously went over my stomach. The Capitol had no clue of my status of the pregnancy. All has been hush, hush. Even the doctors were sign under oath to not speak about the pregnancy or face consciences. The action of my hand caught Caesars attention with his eyes widens along with a huge smile.

"Congratulation, I hope you have a happy child." Caesar said. Instantly the audience gasped and awe at the information given. Cheers and applauses that rattled the stage.

"I hope so too…" I said. "Only the father wouldn't be here to help through it."

The audience tears up taking in the sorrows. Caesar took a tissue and dabbed under his eyes ti wipe the tears away. "And what would you say about the war?"

I took a deep breath and looked at the camera. "Anyone who is watching—Capitol or rebel or the one who hasn't picked a side…take a moment and think of the consequences war would lead. A few centuries ago nature had desecrated our civilization. During the Dark Days those numbers decrease. Now our numbers are one a border line from surviving even at the condition each district makes. Is it the right thing to do? To kill ones brother off? Have we not learned from history the results of death, blood, and despair? If war is the answer then we sentence ourselves to death, to extinction."

"I don't really . . . I'm not sure I'm following . . ." Caesar said.

"I saying we shouldn't fight, Caesar," I explained. "War means death, which means there won't be enough of us. That there won't be people of Panem. If we don't put down our weapons—it's over."

"So . . . you're calling for a cease-fire?" Caesar asked.

"Hell yes I am, cease fire!" I said with much volume. Then I took a deep breath, "Sorry…if you'll excuse me, I would like the guards to escort me to my room so I can draw."

Caesar faced the camera, "All right. I think that wraps it up. So back to our regularly scheduled programming."

Music plays us out. Once the cameras turned off, the audience applauses me off the stage. A guard stood at the end of the stage escorting me to my floor where I can wallow in being a prisoner to the Capitol.

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Hey guys, so many asked me to write a sequel and final book for this fanfiction series. I hope this story goes well for you all and enjoy the changes. Ideas are appreciated and such.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review.

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