Chapter 10

My heart thumps as I sneak up the stairs. I turn and stare at Cinna's sleeping form. I'm sorry, Cinna. I think sadly. I have to go. Now. Cinna's going to bring us back tomorrow, whether we like it or not, but I can't leave without seeing Athena. I have too. I have to know. It's like a mosquito bite; irritating, and yet you keep scratching, even though you know it will make it worse. Finnick's awake too, and he's holding the door open, mouthing words at me in the black gloom. Feeling worse by the second, we leave, out into the black streets. It's freezing. I turn momentarily to go and fetch our coats, and turn back. I'll have to be cold. I edge closer to Finnick and grasp his hand. He looks behind us in panic, and mutters "Peacekeepers!" I hasten my speed to match his, and we turn a corner suddenly. There it is. The centre of Panem. The entrance to Snow Mansion. It's being patrolled by hordes of armed guards, and looks impossible to get through. We circle the perimeter, and find a tiny unpatrolled spot. Knowing we have little time before the next watch appears; we rush up to the fence, and wriggle through.

It'd hard to avoid detection inside, but we manage. It seems Snow thinks no one could possibly get this far. He forgets who's the Girl on Fire; and I'm ready for a fight. I feel the gun on my hip, pressing uncomfortably into my black trousers.

"Here! Katniss!" Finnick hisses, and pulls me through a narrow hatch. We dive through, and crawl along a dirty, musty tunnel. I flinch as a cobwebs brushes against my face. I shudder, and hit my head hard suddenly.

"Ow!"

"What –ow!" Finnick winces in the darkness. "I think we found the way in" he jokes. He turns the hatch, and suddenly we're in the basement of Snow Manor. There are many evil looking torture devices and machines, and we quickly walk out through a brass door. Finnick looks around, and walks one way. I walk the other. At the end of each corridor, we nod to each other softly. I feel my heart clench as he disappears. What if I've killed us both? I follow the winding corridors, further away from the hatches. From a glimmer of safety. I hear a noise behind me, and whirl around. A door, white, painfully white. I grasp the handle, and pull. I'm stupid.

It's all blue, calming blue, but with splashes of red and white. Attractive to the eye. On a four poster bed with red curtains, in the very middle of the room, she's sleeping. Yes. I tiptoe forward, and gaze down at her. My assassin. She looks so small, with her dark hair pulled back in a braid, like mine. Capitol's are still obsessed with the Mockingjay look. I creep closer, and frown. She's so familiar. Maybe I do know her from district 12.

"Who are you?" I wonder aloud. I curse silently as I speak, but it's all too late. Athena's eyes snap open, and for a second she holds her gaze, comically surprised, and confused. Then her gaze hardens. She punches me in the face, and I fly into the wall, she's strong. She seizes a long curved dagger from a selection of weapons, and walks toward me purposefully. She hits me again, but I don't retaliate. She holds the dagger to my throat, her grey eyes glinting.

"Trying to kill me in my sleep, Mockingjay?" she snarls. I freeze; as a bead of blood appear son my neck as the blade digs in.

"No…-No...I just-" I choke, and she tilts her head, her honeyed voice menacing.

"How did you get in here? How many of them are you? Tell me everything. Or I'm afraid I'll have to torture you. She smirks, and tosses her hair. I squirm.

"Please, I –I- just wanted to know… who are you-…" I gasp. My breath leaves me, and I wriggle painfully. She looks nonplussed, and pulls back the dagger ever so slightly. I take in a much needed breath, gasping as my head stops spinning. "Thank you" I mumble. She points the dagger at me again.

"What do you mean? Did you –"she raises her eyebrows, but sounds more confused than violent. "Did you come to see me?" I nod, still breathing heavily. Her eyebrows rise again, and she lowers the blade.

"Why?"

"I-…" I trail off, staring into the mirror behind her. It's ornate, perfectly made and full length. My eyes widen, and my hands shake uncontrollably. No. How. What. No. I can see her clearly now. Her soft dark hair, falling past her shoulders, with a beautiful braid, exactly like mine. Creamy skin, less, well, plastic than the capitol nuts. And her eyes. Hardened, but grey. Seam grey. And it's taken me the ornate mirror to realize it. I really am stupid.

She's a younger, mirror copy of me.

She looks frightened by me, and drops the blade. I sink to the ground, mouthing nonsense.

"How? You –"she hesitantly turns, and faces the mirror. We can both see our reflections. Almost identical. She screams, her hand flying to her mouth. She whips around in horror, and falls to the ground beside me.

"HELP! Who am I? Who are you?" she gabbles. I lock my eyes with hers. Her whole world is crashing about her ears. She's lost, alone, and panicked tears find their way down her cheeks. Slowly, subconsciously, I take her in my arms, and hug her tightly, crouching on the blue carpeted floor. She looks up at me, so young, so small, and full of pain.

Her voice is cracked and broken.

"Who am I?" she squeaks, tears falling onto the black uniform. I take her hands softly, and lean my head close to hers. Her hair is slightly wavy, reminding me of someone I know dearly. Peeta? I know who she is now. It's impossible, unbelievable.

"You're my daughter, Athena." I whisper.

Who saw it coming? :) And to avoid some confusion, reread the end of chapter four, so Athena being Katniss's daughter makes some sense.