Chapter Summary: In which Katniss gains new supporters and gets trapped in the woods.

I had supporters. That was news to me. Not just people who found me interesting or loved the Star-Crossed Lovers but people who wanted to follow me. These women, Bonnie and Twill, had run away from District 8. They told an incredible story. They said they were running to District 13. The district that was blown off the face of the map 75 years ago. I was shocked they had made it as long as they had for District 8 was a barren landscape of industrial factories and tenements. Their tributes never made it very far except in the occasional games set in a ruined city.

I gave them food I had planned to send over to the Hawthrones and Greasy Sae. I knew these starving girls needed it. They told me their story as they ate. Apparently, in District 8 the discontent of the masses of people forced practically on top of each other bubbled up longer and longer. They began planning revolutions and hiding banned books and papers that they read in meetings and distributed to the people. They could talk to one another at work because the textile machines were so loud. They had a plan to take over on the day that Peeta and I came there on the Victory Tour. But the plans were set in motion on the night that Peeta purposed to me. I couldn't help but think that President Snow had made a major blunder. Far from being put off by the love story, they seemed to view it as part of the revolution. It had a practical purpose because it was mandatory viewing but it was also a rallying cry for all the desperate people.

At first, it seemed the uprising had succeeded. The Peacekeepers were unprepared for the hoards of angry rebels who took their weapons. But then the Capitol sent in hundreds of Peacekeepers and began bombing the rebel strongholds. The district was put on lockdown, the instigators hung, the literature was burned and people began starving. Bonnie and Twill only excaped because they were late for their shift and the rest of their families were killed. They took their uniforms, took what food they could from dead neighbors and fled. They explained to me that the reason they believed District 13 was still operational was based off a mockingjay wing constantly reappearing incating the Capitol was reusing footage. I didn't want to tell these women that they were chasing an illusion. That they wouldn't ever find District 13. I tried teaching Twill basic hunting and gave them food.

As I walked towards the fence I realized a couple of things. President Snow had been playing me. Nothing I could have done could have stopped the people of District 8 from rebelling. The imputus for their actions might have been a handful of berries but the fire had been a long time in coming. He only wanted me distracted and worried so I wouldn't do anything else. That was what the wedding was for.

I nearly electrocuted myself on the fence. I had been focusing so hard I hadn't heard the tell tale buzz of electricity. And then I did. It was then I realized how stupid I had been. President Snow potroled the woods. All the Capitol would have to do was tell Thread I was there and capture me red handed. They could say I put my hand on an electric fence and died. I had been caught behind the fence before with Gale but we always just waited until the fence was off. But today my family wouldn't dream of checking on me since I had taken steps to mislead them.

It didn't take me too long to figure out that the only way was over the top. I finally found a tree that looked promising but I began to realize half way up why Gale and I never tried this method. The drop was nearly 25ft though there was a snowbank that might cushion my fall. I fell on my butt and left heel and the pain indicated I had probably broken something. I needed to hide my whereabouts from Mom and Prim so I went to town and bought some white cloth for bandages and some peppermint drops for Prim. I could barely limp home and I began thinking up reasons why I was injured and what happened to the food.

As I walked into the kitchen I was in for another shock. There were two Peacekeepers waiting for me. Except they hadn't expected me to come. They had thought they could bring my family in for "questioning" once I didn't arrive home. My mother kept a cheerful tone but it sounded forced. I felt panic rise in me. I had to play this thing right.

"May we ask where you've been, Miss. Everdeen?" the woman asked.

"Easier to ask where I haven't been," I said as I tried to walk casually across the room. I then through my bag down on the kitchen table and turned to Prim. She looked like a terrified rabbit but she stayed calm. I turned and noticed Peeta and Haymitch playing chess. I wondered if the Peacekeepers had rounded them up or if they had come there by accident. What ever the reason I was glad to see them.

"So where haven't you been?" Haymitch asked in a bored tone.

"I haven't been talking to the Goat Man about getting the goat pregnant because someone gave me completely inaccurate information as to where he lives," I said to Prim accusingly.

"No, I didn't," said Prim. "I told you exactly."

"You said the west entrance."

"No, I told you the east entrance," Prim replied.

"You said it was next to the Slag Heap near the west entrance," I said in pretend indignation.

"The slag heap is next to the east entrance," said Prim patiently. I wondered how she knew that. She was way too young to know that sort of thing.

"No. When did you say that?" I asked.

"Last night." Haymitch chimed in. He had been drunk as a skunk the last night but he said it so convincingly. He was shaking his head and muttering about how I didn't know east from west.

"It was definitely the east," Peeta added. He looked over at Haymitch and they exchanged a laugh. I glared at Peeta who attepted to look contrite but added, "I'm sorry, but it's what I've been saying. You don't listen to people when they talk to you."

"Bet people told you he didn't live there and you didn't listen," said Haymitch.

"Shut up, Haymitch," I said sharply but it was clear he was right.

Haymitch and Peeta laughed heartly and even Prim smiled. If the situation hadn't been so urgent I might have been offended. "Fine. Someone else can arrange to get the stupid goat knocked up." They all laughed except for my mother who looked alarmed over my language. But I knew that it was this poise and unflappable courage that had kept Haymitch and Peeta going. Nothing ever threw them.

I dumped the contents of the bag on the table when the woman asked. Peeta grabbed a peppermint and I tried to grab the bag from him before he tossed it to Haymitch and Prim. "None of you deserve candy!"

"What, because we're right?" Peeta asked wrapping an arm around me. The stabbing pain in my tailbone meant I couldn't suppress the yelp of pain. I tried to cover it but Peeta could tell I was hurt. "Okay, okay. Prim said west and I heard west. And we're all idiots. How's that?"

"Better," I said. I gave a show of accepting his kiss and then turn to the Peacekeepers as if remembering they were there. "You have a message for me?"

"From Head Peacekeeper Thread," said the woman. "He wanted you to know that the fence surrounding District 12 will be electrified twenty-four hours a day."

"Wasn't it always?" I asked too innocently.

"He thought you would want to tell your cousin." The woman replied.

"Thank you. I'll tell him. I'm sure we'll all sleep a little more soundly now that the lapse in security has been addressed." I had gone too far this time but the satification in seeing the woman's disgusted face nearly made it worth it. I slumped against Peeta the moment they left.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asked as he helped me over to the rocker and I sat down.

"I slipped and fell on some ice. I banged my left foot, heal and tailbone." I knew none of them were convinced about the ice but were smart enough to know it was too dangerous to talk openly.

My mother told me that my left heel was broken but my tailbone was just bruised. I was fed three bowls of stew and a lot of bread by the fire. Prim kept me company and we ate peppermint drops as she talked about school. I promised that I would try on the wedding dresses so she could see them. I didn't have the heart to show my lack of entusasim. My mother gave me cammomile tea with sleep syrup and almost immediately I felt my eyes close. Peeta helped me up the stairs but halfway up I couldn't manage and he just carried me like I was Posy. He even tucked me into bed like I was a child. Peeta leaned over and kissed me on the forhead and whispered, "Good Night." But I captured his hand to keep him from leaving. Sleep syrup was like white liquor and made people less inhibited. I knew I had to try to control my tongue. But I didn't want him to go. I wanted him to climb in there with me and hold me when the nightmares hit. But somehow I knew that wouldn't be fair even if my mother would be ok with it.

"Don't go yet. Not until I fall asleep," I asked him.

He sat on the edge of my bed and warmed my hand in both of his. The sensation of warmth settled in my bones relaxing each mucle. "I was worried they had taken you."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stay out so late." I murmered as I pulled his hand up and leaned my cheek against the back of it. The scent of dill and cinnamon assaulted me and it struck me as odd that I was smelling his hand but I was too far gone to think of it. I wanted to tell him about what I had learned but it was too dangerous and I was too sleepy. All I could manage was "Stay with me."

As the tendrils of sleep syrup pulled me down I could hear him whisper a word back but I couldn't quite catch it. And so I slept.

My mother lets me sleep in late as a consequence of the sleep syrup and injury. She put me on bed rest which normally would have sent me into a state. I wasn't the most patient sick person. But I was so tired and achy and so I let her feed me breakfast in bed and I spent the time worrying about Bonnie and Twill, Thread and those wedding dresses in the box. I knew that even if I wanted to there was no excaping. It made me jumpy but after a few days, I relaxed since nothing had happened.

Peeta came every day to bring me my favorite cheese buns and helped me with the plant book. It had been a long time since we had time to spend time together without a Victory Tour or rebellion planning. It reminded me why were friends apart from keeping each other alive. My father had added to my mother's book important edible plants and I had wanted to add my own knowledge I had picked up over the years of hunting with Gale and in the arena. But I had no artistic skill and the pictures needed to be accurate. Peeta was able to draw accurate pictures based off of what he knew, the samples we had and my own descriptions. It was hard work but it was satisfying and took my mind off of my worries. I carefully filled the pen Peeta had, a much nicer one that the scratchy school pens we were given in school, and wrote out in my best handwriting the descriptions.

I had the lisure to watch him as he worked. His hands were so beautiful as they created blooms of color and drew vivid black lines for each shape. His face took on a special look of concentration and his usual easy expression was replaced by something more intense and removed that suggests an entire world locked away inside of him. I had seen flashes of it before especially in the arena, the way he spoke to crowds and the time he shoved the Peacekeepers away from us in District 11. I didn't know what to make of it. It fasionated me to think of it and try to understand. I also became a little fixated on his eyelashes. I had barely noticed them before because they were so pale. But up close, in the sunlight slanting through the window, they were a light golden color and so long that I didn't see how they kept from getting tangled up when he blinked. I could only imagine what the Capitol people would do if they could put that heavy black stuff on his eyes like they did to me. It was even odder to think that it wouldn't be unattractive.

One afternoon Peeta stopped working and looked up so suddenly that I started as if I had been caught spying on him which in a way I had been. Was it normal for friends to stare at their friends' eyelashes? Probably not but I had never been normal. He only remarked, "It's been a long time since we have done anything normal together."

"Yeah," I agreed. Our whole relationship had been tainted by the Games and the desperate struggle to keep afloat. Only rarely had we spent time just existing. "It's nice for a change."

Every afternoon he carried me downstairs for a change of scenry and much to everyone's surprise I started to turn on the telivison. I watched it faithfully, despite my diskike of the propaganda, to see if Bonnie and Twill were right. At first, I dismissed the presence of the mockingjay in the corner but a few days later they showed more footage of they said was of District 13's ruins. The mockingjay was in the same place. It was clear the reporter wasn't in District 13.

I was even more impatient to get out of bed after that. I stuffed myself with cheese buns and watched Peeta drawing. Normally I would have disliked being taken care of and carried around like a baby. But Peeta never made me feel like I was imposing. He was always patient even when I was cross over being stuck in bed. Haymitch stopped by sometimes with the news but it was always depressing. More and more people were dying of starvation or being punished by Peacekeepers. Peeta said his family was nearly out of food because of the Peacekeepers and had to shut their doors. He gave them food and money but it wasn't enough to keep the bakery open.

"Why did you go out without telling anyone?" he asked me as I getting better. I had been irratible all day with the forced inactivity and the realization that I would soon be married. It had taken a lot to sink in. But now that it had I felt like I had no choice. And it terrified me.

"I just needed to get away. With everything coming. That box from Effie, everything in 12. It was too much." I replied sharply.

"Katniss, do you know how stupid it was? Prim was crying about how she was sure you were … but I told her that you wouldn't be that stupid. I went over to your cousins and Rory was about to try to find you. Then the Peacekeepers came and I knew there was nothing Haymitch and I could do from your whole family being arrested if you didn't come back. I was worried that some animal had attacked you or they had kidnapped." I saw him shake his head and add, "It's not all about you anymore. That was selfish of you."

I felt anger flare up inside of me even though I knew he was right. I had been selfish. But I wanted to be angry at someone and he was in front of me. "I don't want to get married. I got those wedding dresses from the Capitol and I couldn't stand it. What are they going to do? Get us married and then kill us?"

"If you keep doing things like this there won't be a wedding. And maybe that's what you want. You are so desperate to avoid this wedding that you're willing to put yourself in danger." Peeta shook his head and stood up.

"At least you want to get married. I never wanted to. Not ever." I spit out the words feeling waves of anger pour out of me. Then guilt started to set in at the look on his face. I hadn't really wanted to hurt Peeta. I had been angry.

"Do you really think I wanted to be forced to marry someone who doesn't want to get married? Who'd prefer to put herself in danger then get married? You aren't the only one suffering. I know I was to blame for this Star-Crossed Lovers thing but you were the one who brought out those damn berries. You should have let me die." He turned and left the room. I called after him but he didn't stop.

I remembered how Haymitch had said that he wanted it to be real. I tried to put myself in his shoes. Being desperately in love with him but he kept brushing me off. Giving me little bits of affection but then being cold and selfish. Showering him with love and tenderness only to have it thrown back in my face. No wonder he was so upset. I seemed to have developed an amazing capacity for hurting people. No one should ever love me. I would just let them fall.

Author's Notes: Ah so we meet Bonnie and Twill. Poor girls. They never had a chance. I always wanted to know their story. I think we here soo that President Snow's plan to have Katniss and Peeta show a united front actually backfired. The rebels were more enthusiastic than ever. That conversation with the Peacekeepers always cracks me up. Prim was a good actress.

We have the "cheese buns" time after Katniss hurts her foot. I think this time was really important for Everlark to become actual friends in canon. They already are in my story but they have more time to hang out. Yes, they use fountain pens. Why might you ask? Because I think that Panem has no computers and few typewriters meaning people likely depend on pens and pencils. Ballpoint pens are convenient but they are also disposable. Fountain pens are not. I imagine they are really cheap and scratchy except that Peeta has a nice one because he's an artist. I have an obsession with pens. Don't mind me.

Katniss gets to ogle his eyelashes. Yes, Katniss, friends don't normally stare at their friends' eyelashes. She even thinks of him with makeup on and isn't creeped out. Go, girl, you know he'd look so pretty in drag. (That may or may not be a spoiler alert.) Peeta isn't afraid to tell her he thinks she was being selfish and reckless running into the woods. He's one of the few people who will actually stand up to her except for Haymitch who I think felt more understanding for her. But it could have led her family to be imprisoned or killed. Katniss, of course, is being a brat. Don't worry. She's growing up. It just takes time. You might catch the reference to the title of the last story. I thought that was a fun call back.