A/N: Well hello there, lovelies. I'm sure you weren't expecting to see this! I'm back! After a year ranging something like a year and some change, I have come back to this fic. And whilst I could fill you in on the nitty gritty of what's kept me away, I'll save us all the boredom and just say I'm back and in action! I have a schedule!

I only ask that if anyone seems not quite in character enough that you let me know. I am rereading the series since I've taken my step back so I can re-familiarize myself with everyone and write them correctly, but I did this one a bit blind, so let me know! Without further ado!

Disclaimer: Still the property of Suzanne Collins.

"A citizen army against the Capitol."

I turned Nadya's response over in my head again and once more after that, pulling the words apart for good measure. Being under constant surveillance had taught me to keep my reactions under lock and key, so remaining stoic was simple enough. I wondered if there were always going to be more questions than I would ever have hope if getting answers to. The way things stood currently, it certainly seemed that would be the way of it. A boulder of questions hanging precariously just above my head all barking hungrily for some sort of attention or resolution. I was inarguably in shock and absolute colossal terror was settling into my bones. A powerful, sickening sense of de javu scorched in the depths of my brain, nearly taking me off of my feet. I shuffled, re-anchoring my uneasy legs and reaffirming that the ground beneath my boots was not doing any shifting.

Was I going to have to relive the horrors I was already convinced I had survived?

No, I told myself firmly as the tremors began. I sucked in a deep, slow breath and focused on calming myself. That didn't happen, remember? Focus on the present.

Presently I wanted to run off like a scared child and cry. Instead I decided not to entertain the idea of events repeating. I would have an idea of what to expect.

It would be different, I assured my quaking limbs and racing heart.

"Katniss—" Peeta's voice made me realize that world had gone momentarily dark. "Katniss, are you okay?"

I hadn't fainted, that was my first observation and I was thankful for it. I had displayed too many weaknesses already. I really didn't need to add fainting to the growing list. Nadya stood in the same spot she had landed in, her face entirely unreadable. At best, she looked bored. Peeta was turned to me ever assessing my condition.

"I'm fine." I murmured, "Tired."

"We should get you back." He deduced, "Nadya, once she is a bit more recovered we'll call on you again."

Perhaps it was a trick of the light under the old tree, but I swore I caught a look in the huntress's eyes, it was a look I didn't like one bit. She nodded and turned vanishing into the trees as quickly as she had appeared from them.

"I'm sorry I drug you out here so early." Peeta apologized on the walk back to the shelter. I was walking slowly, my arms and legs still a little rubbery from the shock.

"No, I'm sorry, Peeta." I waved away his apology and replaced it with my own. Even had he not suggested the ceasefire as he had in my dream, he had always been the good one. "I should have eaten those berries so that you could have won and lived without all of this."

"It's –"

"Don't you dare tell me it's true!" He had stopped dead in his tracks, an arm had grabbed onto my own halting me as well. There was raw anger and passion in his voice. I flinched, remembering the previous night. "Don't you understand? This is about more than us. What you did gave people the courage to rise up. If you had just died in the arena… there's a chance we would continue to live in fear and misery. Without hope. Remember, you're a symbol now. People know that we can change things now. That's all they were ever waiting on. So don't apologize to me for making me part of something worthwhile."

Peeta and his words, the boy had so many talents and he was so blind to most of them. I felt weak next to him. He who had lost his whole family in the bombing of Twelve, an event I had hoped was only dreamed. He remained strong, regardless of his losses and marred psyche.

I managed a nod, but unable to speak around the lump in my throat.

He returned me to my compartment to find it vacant save the hideous ball of orange fur, who was seemingly immortal. He was fast asleep on the bunk in the exact spot Prim usually slept in. Peeta and I hadn't said much upon our return. He invited me to stay with him anytime the nightmares became too unbearable. A part of me wanted to jokingly suggest I move in if that was the case, but I only nodded in reply. I was proud of the strength he had found, though it scared me equally.

I sat on one of the chairs for a moment, but a feeling of unease rested heavily in the pit of my stomach. The idea of a citizen army was one that had put me on edge. Out of one war and dropped into another. The more the conflicting thoughts rampaged around inside of me, the less I wanted to be in my own head. Or alone.

Peeta had left me to get some sleep. And I wasn't about to call Buttercup's company comforting. I thought about going out and finding Gale, since it was becoming more and more evident that I would not be able to sleep with ill thoughts ricocheting around my skull; however, my feelings on Gale were still very unsure. I regularly told myself that he was not accountable for the things I thought he was, but even as I was getting better at leaving some of the false memories behind there were others that felt concreted into my soul.

A dull throb began somewhere in the back of my head. I was doing too much thinking, which was becoming a daily thing. I desperately needed to not think for a while. I needed a distraction, which would normally just be hunting, but in my current condition I didn't even want to know how poor my hunting abilities had gotten. The last thing I needed was something to frustrate myself beyond all belief.

That was when I thought of all the time I spent tying and untying knots with Finnick. It had been mindless and distracting and Finnick always had a way of understand me without making my mind feel like it was on fire. Once you got past the exterior he put up to protect himself, he was just as screwed up as the rest of us. If not worse. I hoped beyond hope that some part of our knot tying ritual had been true, and that if it turned out to be part of the dream, that he would teach me that knots and sit with me as we weaved the piece of rope deftly, and then pulled and twisted them back to a perfect straight strand.

Without allowing further thoughts to keep me in my compartment, I rocked myself onto my feet enjoying that more sturdy feeling of my legs underneath me and set off to find the Victor from District Four.

A/N: Please feel free to call me out on any inconsistencies, as there are bound to be some. If you are one of the ones reading this post-hiatus, thank you for coming back! I hope not to disappoint!