When to Step Up

Kim POV

When the boys weren't looking, I pocketed a couple of the encoded papers. There's so much of this that makes absolutely no sense! I know Jack…and Gale, want to speak with Greasy Sae, and I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I just think it was all just a little too easy to get that information. Haymitch and the other members of whatever this is, went to so much trouble to make up their own code, I don't see why Effie would just come out and say Greasy Sae's name. What if it's, I don't know, a trap or something. She is from the Capitol, afterall. I don't know, maybe it's just me being paranoid, but one thing I do know, I'm going to crack this code.

I silently followed the boys out and back towards the Seam. There was so much going through my mind, I couldn't focus on anything. I need to get away; I need some time to myself, to sort through everything. Stopping in my tracks, I sighed looking around. We were in the middle of one of the alleys that separated the Seam from the Town folks. "I'll catch up with you guys later at the Hob," I said with a firm nod of my head as I made my decision.

Both boys turned to face me. "What?" Jack asked.

"I'll meet up with ya guys at the Hob tonight."

"Where do you think you'll be going?" Gale questioned, like he had a right to ask me that, like he was my father.

"I just need some air."

"There's lots of air between here and our home," Jack answered, walking towards to me.

I shook my head. "Real funny, Jack." I took a relaxing breath. "I just need to be alone for a little bit."

"It's dangerous right now. It isn't a time to be off on your own," Gale cut in.

"Dangerous?" I scuffed. "How is right now any more dangerous than yesterday? Or last week? Or last month?"

"He's right, Kim."

I couldn't believe that Jack would back Gale up! After all the times that I've had his back and took his lead, he's not even going to let me have some time to just let me be me?! "How Jack? No one knows anything about anything! We don't even know anything about the thing we think we should know! We are all in the dark! Today is not any more dangerous than yesterday, because we don't know anything!"

Gale stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Maybe she just isn't tough enough for this."

"HA! You're joking, right?! You're really questioning my ability?" I don't know what the hell he's thinking, but I've had it! "First off, you have no idea what I'm capable of. Second, last I checked, I wasn't the one ready to kill anything in sight because Peeta decided to join the Careers!"

"Stupid bitch!" Gale made to lunge at me but Jack blocked him off, sweeping Gale's legs out from beneath him, grabbing his arm and holding him down.

"Don't you ever attack her again! Now both of you calm down!" Jack looked at me with questioning eyes. "This isn't the time to see who's more righteous. We gotta stick together, for Katniss, for Peeta, for the plan."

I crossed my arms, shaking my head. "Katniss can take care of herself. Peeta can, quite obviously, take care of himself. And even if they couldn't, they aren't here to see if we are together or not. The only thing that we can do to help them is try to figure out this mystery on why Katniss was, not so surprisingly, chosen for the Games. And the plan, really Jack? What plan? Cause the only that is out there, we don't know anything about!"

Shaking my head, I looked Jack in the eyes. "I will say it one last time, and keep in mind, I'm not asking for permission, I'm telling you what I've already decided to do. I'm taking sometime to myself. You and you're new BFF here can go back to his place and I'll see you both later tonight." I shoulder checked Jack as I headed for my home.

There's a time to follow and there's a time lead. But there's also a time when you need to break off and do what you feel is right, and right now, I need to do this on my own.

~At Kim's Home in the Seam~

Storming in my home, I grabbed some rabbit jerky. If you had asked me a year ago to eat some rabbit jerky, I would have looked at you strange, but now, it's a staple in my diet. Not only that, but I kill, skin, clean, and make it all myself now! I've changed in a lot of ways since I mysteriously ended up here in District 12 of Panem. I have no idea how we ended up here or why. We believe it's to help free Panem from Snow and the Hunger Games, but still doesn't explain why it had to be us, we are barely teenagers ourselves.

Since being here, we've both grown up a lot, we had to. But there are day, like today, I really miss Seaford, the guys, and my family; where I'm waiting to wake up from this incredibly long and realistic dream. Especially since we are, in all reality, planning a rebellion, which will mean we will be fighting in a war.

Rubbing my eyes, I refocused on the papers I had smuggled out of Haymitch's house. Letters, numbers, symbols…none of it made any real sense to me. Every time I thought I was getting close to solving part of it, it stopped working! It was so frustrating! Jumping out of my chair as an idea hit me, I grabbed some ash from the oven in the kitchen. Returning to the papers, I flipped them over and rubbed the ash over the back of the paper.

"ARGH!" Nothing appeared! No secret message, no key, no nothing! "Stupid! There were no marks from it being done the first time! Of course it wouldn't work!" Slumping down into my chair, I laid my head on the table, releasing a long sigh. "Greasy Sae," I whispered. I didn't want to believe she could help, didn't want to believe it was that easy, that straight forward, but maybe it was. Glancing out the window, I could see I still have a couple hours before the boys were suppose to be at the Hob. With new determination, I picked up the papers and headed for Greasy Sae. I wanted answers and she shouldn't be busy. Now was the time.

~The Hob~

I headed straight for Greasy Sae. There wasn't anyone around her, the miner's haven't been brought up yet so there wasn't anyone for her to feed. Taking a seat at one of the stools, we just looked at each other for a minute.

"Well, what can I get for ya, child?"

"Information."

Greasy Sae chuckled. "I'm an old woman who knows a lot of things. You'll need to be a bit more specific for me girl."

Stealing a quick glance over my shoulder, I leaned forward a little. "What can you tell me about the Mockingjay?"

"The mockingjay?" Greasy Sae laughed. "Why, it's a bird! Repeats everything it hears, everyone knows that!"

Shaking my head, I pressed on. "How is the Mockingjay suppose to spread the flames across Panem?"

I knew I was onto something by the very serious look on Greasy Sae's face. "You make no sense. I told you, the mockingjay is a bird."

"And I say the Mockingjay is Katniss." Pulling the coded papers out of my pocket, I slid them across to her. "And I say you know what this means."

Greasy Sae took a sharp intake of breath, her eyes scanning the entire Hob before snapping back to me. "Where did you find these?"

"Doesn't matter. What's it mean?"

"Don't go messing in things you know nothing about."

I shook my head. "You were here when we rallied everyone. You know we want the same thing!"

Greasy Sae leaned in close to me. "You three worked off their emotions. You got them to say they wanted to rise against the Capitol. But how many of them do you truly think are willing to go through with it?"

She may have a point there. "Even so," I had to get this information! "She's my girl and you are –"

"She is not your girl," Greasy Sae interrupted. "She most likely isn't even your friend. She may put up with you, help you, but do not mistake that for trust or friendship. Even if she does see you as a friend, she will most likely never trust you. It's not her way."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Let me tell it to ya straight. Jack and I, we don't belong here! Like this time, era, whatever, we are from the past. We are from a place called Seaford, California in the United States. A year ago, there was an earthquake in Seaford, and Jack and I found ourselves here in this God forsaken place called District 12 of Panem!

"Katniss and Gale saved us that day. They brought us here, taught us how to survive. I am alive today because of her…and Gale, but I owe it to her to her back to 12 alive. And even if that isn't enough for you, Jack and I, we don't even know why we were taken away from our world, our time, our family, our friends!" I couldn't help the emotion that was spilling out with word, the familiar sting of tears coming to my eyes. "We were brought here for a reason. I mean we had to be, right? This kind of thing wouldn't happen if there wasn't a reason for it! We finally believe that reason is to free Panem from Snow and the Hunger Games.

"We finally have a sense of purpose. And if we can pull it off, maybe, just maybe, we can go back home." I couldn't stop the tears from slipping down my cheeks. "I'm begging you, please do not take our sense of purpose away, especially sense we just got it back."

It remained quiet for a while. With a sigh and shake of my head, I wiped my eyes and turned ready to leave. "Meet me outback," I turned to face Greasy Sae, "tonight at midnight. Bring Jack and Gale. No Gale, no information. And I'll be holding on to these. Now be gone, I got a stew to finish making. Remember, no Gale no nothing."

With a nod, I stuffed my hands into my pockets and headed for the Hawthorn's.

~With the Boys~

Stopping in front of Gale's door, I slowly raised my hand to knock.

"Come to apologize?" Gale's voice called from behind me.

"For what?" I snorted. "Telling the truth, Mr. Bi-Polar?"

"That's enough," came Jack's voice as they approached me. "You've been crying."

I hung my head. "I had a talk with Greasy Sae," I said softly, no point in beating around the bush.

"You went without us?" Jack questioned.

"So, are you like in charge of this whole entire thing now?" Gale asked, annoyed.

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't like that, ok. I just…I just needed to make something very clear to her. I just needed to do it on my own, alright?"

"No. We're supposed to be working together, aren't we?"

"That's not what's important," Jack cut in. "Right now anyways." He gave me that look; this wasn't over, not by a long shot. "What did she have to say?"

"We are meeting her behind the Hob at midnight. We should bring the box too, just to be safe."

"Fine," Gale said. "Let's go to Haymitch's. We can stay there until it's time to head to the Hob. Maybe we can work on team building." He replied sarcastically, shooting me a glare as he headed towards Victor Village.

"Hey Kim," Jack said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yea Jack?"

"I don't know what's happened, but you've been really distant since the woods." He paused. "He is right ya know. We're supposed to help one another. You need to go back to being a team player." He dropped his hand and caught up to Gale.

Team player? How the hell did he expect us to be a team when everyone on the supposed team has different goals?

I want to go home. To go home, we must free Panem, even if Katniss and Peeta die, we must accomplish our purpose. No one and nothing will get in my way. I will make sure this rebellion happens at all costs.

It feels good to finally have control!