Chapter 13: A Homecoming Of Sorts

Cato still held onto me when the inevitable bumps of the flight came, no doubt from the landing.

"You ready?" He asks.

"Not in a million years."

"Well, you've got about a minute to get ready."

Air hisses as the hovercraft doors open. I feel sick to my stomach at who I may or may not find outside of those doors. Turning back around, I think aloud, "I need to get my bow." There's no way I'm going into this District without a weapon I'm comfortable with.

"Good idea." He mumbles. Officers filing off of the hovercraft point us in the direction of our rooms. I push the girls' door open just in time to find Rue about to leave. She smiles, handing me my bow that is almost as tall as her. I almost laugh at the thought of her wobbling around, trying to hold the thing upright. A light scoff leaves Cato's lips and I think I like the sound of his laughter.

The three of us make our way to the exit where a line of people has started. "Hold my hand Rue, let's try not to get separated." She nods. She's so small I doubt I'd be able to find her if I lost her in the hoard of people coming and going.

Cato, Rue and I are basically the last ones in line. A couple of times I think I see a flash of red hair or the tall figure that can only be Thresh. Once, I swear I hear Effie give a horrified gasp which leads me to assume her and Haymitch are together.

Other than this I can't spot another familiar face. We get closer and closer to the front and the first thing I notice is the air. We're inside? I rack my brain, trying to remember everything the Rebellion Informant from One had said... Topaz's words remind me that District Thirteen is entirely underground.

"Cato! Fire Girl!" I glance to my right, noticing that Clove is standing near us. Behind her are all the others. We weave our way through the crowd until we reach them. It's then that I notice another woman standing with them. Her head is shaved and covered in green vine tattoos. My first thought? Capitol.

But the smile she gives me is surprisingly warm, if not laced with determination. "My name is Cressida. I was wondering if I could get some film of you ten getting off the hovercraft?"

"Why?" Cato asks, he sounds bored now. I don't blame him.

"Didn't you hear? Oh that's right... silly me. You guys are like, rebellion icons now!"

I'm surprised to hear this but not entirely displeased. But the way Cato, Clove, Marvel and Glimmer stiffen up tells me they're uncomfortable with it. Cressida doesn't seem to notice though.

"Just get off the hovercraft, I have a crew set up on the ground ready to film you guys... We're coordinating it into a Propo. A way of sticking it to the Capitol!"

"How would us getting off a hovercraft 'stick it' to the Capitol?" Marrisa leans forward, as though genuinely interested. Maybe I am to..

"You guys really have been in the wilderness for a month, huh?" It feels like a year, "We were all so surprised when we heard you didn't kill each other. I think everybody believed it turned into a bloodbath out there. By working together you showed the Capitol up. You're rebellion icons."

I want to question her, find out exactly what's going on out there. But she's soon shooing us off in the direction of the exit which, by now, is empty.

"Cameras start rolling when you get out there." She reminds. I feel sick. Cameras have been on me before, almost constantly since I volunteered. This should be nothing, right?

Peeta gives me a reassuring smile. I'm not blind to the fear in his own eyes. This is the moment of truth. Did our loved ones make it out?

"And….. go!" Cressida hisses. We go to the exit, and then I really feel the stage fright. There's got to be thousands of them. A long sea of grey that suddenly cheers when we step into the light.

Just like the chariot rides into the Training Center or our interviews with Caesar.

I almost wish Cinna had draped me in some creation of his. Maybe not though, then I would stand out far too much.

I see a few cameras in the distance and I do my best to ignore them and focus on not slipping on the ramp. Rue squeezes my hand which I squeeze back. The crowd makes a clear path for us that leads right into a long and wide hallway.

People cheer from either side as a tall man with incredible posture takes to leading us down various corridors. I hope were actually going somewhere and that this isn't some stupid parade.

"Katniss! Katniss!"

I whip my head around, trying to locate the voice. My eyes dart back and forth, its only when I see what must be District Thirteen's equivalent to a Peacekeeper trying to hold a boy back. A small child I've practically watched grow up.

"Rory?"

A smile breaks out over his face, "See! I told you I knew her!" The man lets him go and he comes crashing towards me.

I feel lightheaded. Rory's alive. Rory's alive! He made it! Did the others?

He comes crashing over to me, a perfect smile stretching ear to ear.

I'm completely baffled with no idea what to say. I drop to eye level with him.

"Pri-Prim? My mom? Gale?"

He smiles and laughs, "There here somewhere... I sort of ditched them to try to meet you."

The man with good posture is trying to get us to move again, the others watching me curiously.

We begin to walk slowly but I bend down quickly and ask, "Peeta's family?"

He gives a fake shudder, "His mom is here, pissed that she isn't top dog anymore. One of his brothers hurt himself pretty bad but I heard he's going to be okay."

I try to catch Peeta's eye and when he finally notices I give him a small smile. The relief in his eyes helps me breathe easier.

"Oh, Rue…. this is Rory. Rory, this is Rue." They exchange shy smiles and give each other a quick 'Hi'.

Finally we reach the end of the procession, going into a room that appears to be an office. It's been cleared out for the day but we are met with one stern older woman whose small eyes linger on each of us for a minute.

"Time to assign rooms." Is all she says, unfolding her hands and clicking away on a computer.

"Get a roommate." She waves us off.

I already know I want to find my mom and Prim. But Rue beside me looks uncertainly at the others. I offer a smile, "You'll stay with me."

Her eyes dart to me, "Really?"

I nod as she bites her lips, "I don't want to be a burden."

"You won't be."

A smile breaks onto her face, "Thank you."

There's no way I'm leaving her alone in this place, just like I wouldn't want to be left alone. The woman behind the desks glances up at me.

"Everdeen?"

"Yes."

Her eyes drift down to Rue beside me. "And you want to take her with you- to stay with your mother as well?"

"Of course."

She grumbles and begins to type away. "We'll have to move an extra bed into the room."

I really don't care about any of this, I'm becoming anxious to see my family.

She goes in the back and returns with two keys, handing one to me and one to Rue. I'm balancing on my toes, ready to shoot out in a second.

"Wait." A voice says before I can leave. I huff and watch the others get assigned rooms. Peeta's going with his family of course. Marrisa and Azora are going off together. Clove and Glimmer are assigned a room (Clove looks ready to kill something) and Cato, Thresh and Marvel get a room together which just spells 'disaster' to me.

The man with good posture I now realize is Boggs, the same man from when we first got onto the hovercraft. "Come back here tomorrow, exactly nine o'clock for a meeting. Take tonight to rest and heal up."

He steps away from the door as we head out.

"What did everybody get?" Azora asks.

I push out mine for her to read. The number on my key is 2109. She shows me hers as 384. Peeta has 1487. Glimmer and Clove share 779 and all the boys in 1187.

"Yeah Katniss, we're right next door to each other!" Rory calls, he's been waiting for me to come back out it would seem.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." I call back as we begin to separate. I follow Rory through the twists and turns of the hallway. There's no way I could have gotten through all of this on my own, I wonder how the others are managing in finding their rooms?

I watch the numbers slowly grow just waiting to get to the two thousands.

2106… 2107…2108…2109.. Does this ever end?

We arrive just as two men leave, dropping off what I assume is the extra bed.

My heart is pounding so hard that I feel lightheaded. This isn't home, but it's close enough.

The door is slightly open and Rory shoots me a goofball smile before pushing it open.

Everybody in the room stops what they're doing, looking at me standing in the doorway.

Prim erupts into all smiles. My beautiful little sister…. Alive.

My mom begins to cry, a smile gleaning onto her face.

Hazelle joins her, sighing and telling everybody 'she knew it.' Whatever that means?

Posy jumps from her seat.

Vic tries to ask Rory something.

And Gale watches me with a look I've never seen before. Almost longing sedated by fear….

In seconds they're all around me. All reaching out and pulling me in, hugs and tears are exchanged. I pull Rue up with me, not wanting to leave her behind but also wanting to have my loved ones with me.

"Hey Catnip." Gale whispers into my hair.

"Hey Gale." I reply.

Prim smiles at Rue before pulling her into a hug, "I saw you in the Hunger Games. You were incredible!"

Relief filled with love washes over me…. Maybe things really will work out.

Sorry this took longer than usual (School's kicking my butt) But now that their all relatively safe I can finally get going on some... stuff.

Just saw in interview with Jennifer Lawrence , Alexander Ludwig , Amandla Stenberg, it was so cool to see all my favorites together.

I should probably mention that them getting off the hovercraft was inspired by LOST, when the Oceanic 6 land home...

Anyway thanks guys, I'll try to be faster next time.

Also big thanks for MsCassity who edited this.