Hey, everyone! I'm not gonna lie to you. I did some research into my stories and realized I have changed a lot since I started writing this. For one, I am now an adult, legally, and I can see that some things my characters do are not consistent with how rational people should act. Some relationships in this story don't make sense. I am going to go back and do some edits, so there will be notes on chapters I redo. I thought it was important, though, to write a new chapter, seeing as there are people asking for new content. I've really missed these characters. Feel free to tell me what you think. I really do love hearing it.

Here we go... hopefully I haven't lost my touch.

Liz POV-

It seems like an eternity before Luke says anything, his every joint and muscle tensed against my body. I cannot tell if he is angry or relieved or happy. For a brief moment, my old instincts come back and I consider pushing him away from me. If he doesn't want to be a father, I can't make him. After all, he's been having sex with god knows how many people. I'm not naive. I know how all of this works.

I don't move, too frightened to even voice aloud my fears. He doesn't want me. He's had sex with me and he's remembered how much pain he is in being away from me, and now he doesn't want me.

"How long?" he asks. His voice is strained and I wonder if he is crying.

"What?" I ask. "What are you asking me?"

"How long have you known?" He amends. "I...I couldn't have been gone that long." Now his grip releases. He pushes me gently to arm's length, hands on my shoulders, looking me up and down like if he takes another look he'll see me slowly expand, see me become a mother-to-be before his eyes. He's seen me naked, but I don't think he has ever examined me like this before. No one has, since the Games.

"Not long," I say. "I...was having the symptoms, but I didn't think it was..." I take a moment, begging the tears to stop prickling in the corners of my eyes. "I don't want to be, if you aren't there."

Luke's eyes widen. "You... you're not going to-"

"No! God, no. Do you think I'd live long enough to even get to that?" I gasp. "What doctor is going to give me an abortion?"

"So you want one?"

"What? Why would you even suggest that? I would never kill our child, Luke. Never. Do you understand me?"

"But you said you-"

I lean forward, taking him in my arms and pressing one to the small of my back, one to my stomach.

"Look at me," I say. He doesn't want to meet my eyes, but one sharp exhale and he looks back up at me.

"I want this. I want you." I try to let my tone be level, calm. I don't want him to think I am anything but sincere. "But you and I both know I am not going to be able to do this on my own. I don't want to do this without my husband. And soon...everyone is going to know. I am not going to be able to keep it a secret when I am blowing up like a balloon."

He chuckles, and I cannot help but do the same.

"You're imagining me fat, aren't you?"

"I do not think that is possible," Luke replies. "But you're...oh, my god. You're going to be a mother."

I nod, biting my lip. Those damned tears are still trying to get out.

"Are you excited?" he asks.

"I think so. I just... I do not want to know how this is going to go, especially without you by my side."

"Maybe Snow will let me out of the trade now. I mean...you're pregnant, Liz. He can't honestly make me sleep with more people, can he?"

No words come, and I wonder what I am supposed to say here. What role am I supposed to play? The dutiful wife? The vicious Victor? I can't be angry at him for being an optimist, but we have both watched this game play out. How am I supposed to say what conclusion this game will have?

"I really do not know, Luke," I say. "I hope so, but... he put you in this trade to begin with, knowing you were a married man. Women are hot for it, I guess. Who's to say what me being pregnant will mean?"

"You have to go and tell people."

"Tell people? But I..." I stop myself. "If that's what you want."

He stares at me for a long while and lets go of me. "If... if that's what I want?" he asks. "Liz, come on. You've never done things just because it's what I want. You...where is the fire I fell in love with? Where's the fight?"

I put my hand over my stomach. "I think it is gone for a little while. I can't fight anyone like this. And more and more by the day...I don't think I can. Or should. I don't know. I just... I want to make a future I can be proud of. We're bringing a baby into a very messed up world, and we need to think about that. If you manage to get out of this trade, of course, that would be for the best. But if you can't... I am going to have to figure out how to do this on my own, aren't I?"

"Well, you won't be on your own. You'll have my parents and yours. Effie. Haymitch! You'll have a whole support system. You just have to get through what Snow throws at you for a bit longer." He's turning pale, trembling slightly. I've never seen him look so scared.

"Please, Liz. For me. You have to fight, for me."

There is a knock on the door and I don't even flinch. Luke does, though, and I hold him in my arms again. "You've got to be strong, too. Okay? I'll... I will figure this out. But I can't fight this if you're not here doing the same. Can you do that for me?"

He nods. "Yeah. I can do that. I'll-"

The door opens and in steps Michael. He lifts the visor on his helmet.

"Oh. My. God," he gushes, slamming the door behind him and looking through the peephole like he is worried already that someone will come for us. "What the..." He stops. "How...what the hell is wrong with you?" He stammers.

"Michael, I-" I start.

"No. No, no way. This... this can't be happening. Do you even realize what would happen if you got caught? If I got caught?"

Luke steps in front of me, likely because I am still in my underwear. I tentatively reach up to smooth the back of his hair while he talks.

"Michael," he insists. "You're not going to get caught unless you tell on us. And if you do... it's not going to end well for any of us."

Both of them seem to consider the words hanging in the air between them. If Michael told on us, there was no telling if Snow would blame him. But if he didn't... he'd be keeping our secrets.

He'd be admitting to being a part of our team.

Luke looks so dashing as I move around him, taking his hand and standing beside him. He's like a prince in a storybook my dad used to read me when I was little. He's acting more like me, which I haven't seen in a long time. It's a welcome sight.

"So what's it going to be?" Luke asks, keeping me a few paces behind him. "You going to rat me out? I know you don't like me. But Liz... we are a unit. Alright? You hurt me, you're gonna hurt her, too."

He sighs. "I won't tell. This time. But you better make this worth my while."

I narrow my eyes. "What do you want, Michael?"

"I want a job," he says. "A real one. You hear me? Not babysitting your husband and making sure lonely people leave on time. I don't want to be making condom runs at 3am and I DEFINITELY never want to see his dick ever again. You got me?"

"Right. Of course," Luke says. "We'll figure things out."

I smile as best as I know how. "You'll get a promotion."

He crosses his arms over my chest. "You bet I will. You have two weeks. You don't get things fixed, and I tell everything."