I don't let go of Peeta's hand and squeeze it tight.

"We have to find them," I whisper to Peeta, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

"They can't do anything to mess with the Games," Peeta tries to reassure. "They're not going to do anything to either of them. They're going into the arena tomorrow, they're tributes which means they cannot be harmed. They've probably been escorted back to our floor."

The room is so packed with panicked people and angry Peacekeepers that I agree that this is probably our best bet. We've lost Haymitch and the others in the confusion so head back alone.

By the time we've reached the elevator, my breathing has become short and sharp.

"What have they done?" I groan, doubling over to calm myself.

"They might have started a revolution," Peeta replied quietly, I can hear the equal measure of awe and fear in his voice.

"They're not coming out of these Games alive," I say, trying to straighten up. "Are they?"

Peeta doesn't reply, his mouth opened like he wants to but can't find the words. He closes it and looks at me sadly.

"We'll do everything we can to try and keep them alive," he promises, he places his arms on my shoulders before pulling me into an embrace. These past few days I've been so distant from Peeta, but I don't have enough space in my mind of the guilt over that.

We stay locked together until our door opens onto our floor. We're the first to arrive back. I start to pace the living area in frustration and worry. Peeta stays out of my way, watching me and trying to feed calming words.

"They can't do anything to them Katniss," he repeats but I'm still not listening.

About an hour later, the elevator doors open and Haymitch, Gale and Savannah step out onto our floor escorted by a group of Peacekeepers.

Gale and Savannah scowl at the floor, looking a bit ruffled, but all together unharmed. Haymitch sees off the Peacekeepers with a few bitter and volatile comments, running a hand through his own hair.

"Where were you two?" he asks when they're gone.

"We lost everyone so we thought you'd head back here," Peeta says reasonably on our behalf. "It was dark and everyone was going crazy."

"Well don't thank me for sorting these two out," he grunts, sliding past to head towards the dining area, probably hoping to find a bottle of wine.

"Thank you Haymitch," I say as he sidles past but he ignores me.

The four of us are left looking at each other wordlessly. No one knows what to say. I'm still in awe and horror of what the pair of them have done.

"That was…" I start, struggling to find the emotions I want express.

"Dangerous? Reckless? Stupid?" Savannah offers, readjusting her dress uncomfortably.

"Brilliant," I say quietly but I look at Gale.

"I didn't..." he pauses. "I didn't think about back in Twelve. I didn't think about my family or yours or you two." I can hear the fear in his voice. I'm not sure what to tell him.

"They won't hurt your family," says Peeta to Gale. "They'll be too public during the Games. They'll only add fuel to the fire by killing off your families back in Twelve whilst they're so public to the Capitol."

"And after?" Savannah asks, her face turning pale under the make up.

Even Peeta doesn't have a response to that.

Savannah looks like she's going to be sick whilst Gale clenches his hands into fists. Savannah announces she's going to bed but I'm sure she's going to throw up.

"I thought that I'm going into this dead anyway," he mutters, looking at the both of us for reassurance. "What I said will fire back directly at me."

"You just assured that," I say and I'm surprised to find anger in my voice. "You promised you were going to try and win this."

"I was always going in dead," he retorts, a little louder than necessary. "I'm here because of-"

Me. He's here because of me and my actions. My rebellion. I feel like I've been punched in the gut.

He closes his mouth and I can see him trying to refigure the words in his head. My throat clenches and I can't find any of my own because he's right isn't he. I'm paying the price for my act with the berries.

"Don't bother," is all I can get out when he opens his mouth to apologize. "You're right. I'm sorry."

I walk from the room before anything else is said or done. I try to swallow my feelings and sit on my bed unsure of what to do or think. I can feel myself breaking. Any hope of Gale returning has vanished this evening. My spark has finally gone out. Snow is winning. I curl myself into a ball.

I ignored the first few knocks on the door. I don't want to speak to anyone. After an hour or so I hear more knocking and Peeta asking to come in. I finally allow it, propping myself up.

He steps into my room cautiously as if I'm about to snap at him too but I'm too tired. I've never seen such sympathy in his eyes and it makes me want to curl up again. I don't deserve any sympathy. I'm the problem here.

He sits on the end of my bed.

"I'm not here to give you a lecture," he says quietly and raises his hands gently. "But it's his last night before the Games tomorrow. Do you really want to end things on an argument?"

I glare at Peeta briefly for getting involved but my fire dies. I know he's right and I don't need to fall out with Peeta as well.

"I promise you Katniss, we'll do everything we can do to help them in the Games," he says firmly. "But give him something to fight for."

He takes my hand and squeezes it. I want to recoil. I don't know what my feelings are for Gale and it's none of Peeta's business but I know he's trying to be kind. I just nod at him and squeeze back. I'm not sure if I want to thank him or bite back so I just hold my tongue.

"I'm going to check on Savannah," he finally says, getting to his feet.

"You know her don't you?" I finally ask, getting the question that's been hanging over me for days.

"She's a neighbor," he replies. "Her family owns the butchers across the road from our bakery. We played together as kids. I'm surprised you didn't know her. Didn't you ever drop game at the butchers?"

"No." I cast my mind back to the family who own the butchers. I can't recall Savannah at all, but I've never spent much time there having caught all the meat for my family myself.

We go separate ways down the hall to the respective rooms. I knock, waiting patiently for Gale to respond but it takes a few more knocks for him to finally answer.

"Please," is all I say. He surveys me for a moment. The threat of our last night together wins out and he steps back to let me in.

Neither of us have any more we want to say. Anything could just lead to another dispute so I just wrap my arms around him quietly and he responds willingly.

The finality that this is my last few hours with Gale hits me and I can feel my pent up emotion building through me. My breathing becomes harder to control and my chest heavy. It takes all my willpower to keep my emotions in check. Tonight I need to be the one comforting Gale, not the other way around.

We spend the night curled up in bed, reminiscing of old hunting trips and details about District Twelve. This seems to be what he wants so I don't divert the conversation. At some point we become entwined and I know sleep is far from Gale's mind.

With a heavy heart, I allow myself to succumb to Gale's kisses. I let myself forget about the Games, of Savannah, of Peeta, of the Rebellion. Tonight, I finally let myself slip into something that can never be, if just for one night.

Gale manages a few hours of sleep in the early hours of the morning but I'm too overwhelmed to drift off. The closer dawn draws, the harder I'm finding it to hold it together. The more my mind runs over the situation, the darker my thoughts become, the heavier my heart.

He wakes as the sun comes up.

"Look after them," he says quietly, staring out of the window. I know he means his family.

"You'll look after them when you win," I say firmly, hugging my knees. He decides not to argue and just nods sadly at me.

Effie, Cinna and Portia, strangely escorted by a group of Peacekeepers, arrive and we're forced to say our goodbyes. It's awkward thanks to the presence of the Peacekeepers. I can feel the panic rising in me as I finally let go of Gale and let him follow Cinna and the others into the elevator. All the words I didn't say last night begin to rise in my chest but it's too late. I can feel myself regressing into a dark place as Gale gives me a rare tight smile. Peeta takes my hand when the door closes and I squeeze it tightly, trying to hold on to my surroundings. A group of Peacekeepers have remained behind to escort us to the control room for the mentors.

It's an uncomfortable trip and we're closely guarded. Snow isn't happy with our actions and he's demonstrating his control. Effie talks almost the entire way there but I have no idea what she's saying. I'm too lost in my thoughts of Gale to care. He must be in the hovercraft to the arena by now.

We're escorted to our new living areas. Each mentor gets their own room during the Games. Ours are engraved with a large twelve on each door. The rooms aren't too dissimilar to the ones in the training center; each is complete with bed, bathroom and a mouthpiece on the wall to order food. The only difference is the large screen almost the size of the wall. At the moment it's running the live build up to the Games.

I watch Caesar Flickerman talk excitedly, bringing up the training scores and talking about the odds of each tributes. I'm not going to be able to escape it for one second and I'm not sure if I'm pleased or sad about this.

"And down the hall is a common room area where all the mentors can relax and mingle." Effie points down the end of a corridor. Relax? How can any of the mentors relax or want to face each other whilst their tributes are killing each other?

Effie then escorts us to the main control room.

The room consists of booth areas in a large circle facing each other. Each booth has a multitude of screens and two chairs facing them. On the far wall is a large screen which is showing the same broadcast as in our rooms. On another wall hangs the list of tributes and their current betting scores. Gale and Savannah's odds appear to be good. I'm not sure what to think of this. On the other side is a balcony with a podium and microphone, presumably for announcements.

Effie leads us over to our booth with a 12 marked over it. We're situated between 1 and 11 but the walls of the booth extend enough to give us privacy from the other mentors. In front of us are large screens on a desk. There are note pads, pens and two phones.

"This is where you'll be able to watch your tributes from every camera, you can also buy gifts for your tributes on here." She touches a screen which lights up at her touch and a list of items appear. At the top of it reads the current balance, which is at 0, no sponsors can donate until the Games start. "Okay you two, I'll leave you to it and go and find Haymitch. He was supposed to be talking up the sponsors again. Call me if you need us, oh and don't forget to have fun."

"Fun," I repeat darkly, staring at the array of tech sitting in front of us. "Effie really is deluded."

We spend a few moments in silence trying to take in the screens, the room and the mentors.

The mentors reflect the victors. The Career Districts are either sat in front of their screens or are with the other career Districts talking tactics. The woman from 1 is leaning between her booth and 2 to talk. The Districts with known morphlings for mentors haven't arrived. The rest seem to be relaxed and chatting. No one seems to be taking this very seriously.

Peeta and I keep to ourselves, keeping our heads low and close to the screens to keep our privacy. I don't want to show anyone the panic attack I feel like I'm about it have. The worst part is Snow is putting his life in my hands. Gale's survival not only lies in his own skills and chances, but mine and Peeta's mentoring in the Control room. Snow is actively reminding me of what I have done. My stunt has caused this action, this death of a loved one.

An announcement echoes through the room for all Mentors to take their seats. Plutarch Heavensbee appears on the balcony from another room.

"I think that's the control room," Peeta whispers to me, indicating through the glass door he just walked through.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 75th Hunger Games. I would like to remind you that conferring is allowed amongst the mentors in the event your tributes become allies but sabotage will not be tolerated."

I glance at the Peacekeepers which have stationed themselves around the room. Even Victors aren't free from the control of the Capitol.

"You will be removed immediately and not allowed to return. Credits from Sponsors will be allowed as soon as the Games start. I would like to direct you all now to the quick summary on your screens to lead those of you who are new to the systems through the controls. Good luck."

He seems to look at Peeta and I. He then quickly reaches into his pocket and pulls out the pocket watch he wore at the victory tour. The screens flash to light and my attention is diverted. The Capitol seal appears followed by quick introductory video about how to navigate through the system. I try to pay attention but my mind is racing.

Being reliable, Peeta takes notes as he watches the video. It explains how credits and purchasing works. When it finishes, the screen is replaced with the feed from Caesar counting down to the Games. Two screens on our right cut to feeds of Gale and Savannah waiting underneath the arena. We've never seen these feeds before, they aren't broadcast out to the Districts, they must be there for the mentors to keep and eye on their tributes from the start. There's a silence in the room, the only voice is Caesar refreshing through list of tributes.

"Why is Cinna with Gale?" Peeta whispers to me quickly, pointing to the screen on the top right. "He should be with Savannah."

Peeta's right. Gale silently moves into the chamber that will lift him into the arena.

My stomach lurches. This is no accident. I look up and as soon as I see him on the balcony I almost know what's coming.

Snow raises his fingers to his lips. On the screen Peacekeepers storm Gale's room. Cinna is grabbed and restrained by the Peacekeeper. One starts to beat him bloody and the scream rises in my throat. A booming voice counting down drowns out my strangle cry as his body goes limp but I know heads are turning to face us. Gale is hammering his fists against the chamber as he cries out as Cinna is dragged from the room. One or two people get to their feet to see what happened as I start to claw at the screen where he was. Peacekeepers force their way forwards, forcing people back into their seats.

The other screens go black and the main screen switches to the live stream to a point of view as a tribute is lifted up into the arena. I stare in horror at the blank screen. I'm trembling as I glance up at Snow. He stares at me and my entire body runs cold. I know he's dead. Snow has murdered Cinna.

Thank you to all who replied to my question about the control room, and thank you to all that have commented and favourited so far, it means a lot!