A/N: Hi I don't really have a reason for this note other than my OCD needs me to have another line above the POV and the website won't let me without something above it :( If you've made it this far, leave a review! I'll have Peeta bake a cheese bun for every review left!

PEETA POV

The Victory Tour would start in District Eleven, where we would go on stage and give a speech to the people of the District, giving our appreciation and respect to the families of the tributes lost. The tributes had been Rue and Thresh. Personally, I didn't know either of them, but Katniss had allied herself with Rue and Thresh spared her life when she went to get the medicine for my leg. I gave a short speech mentioning just that, and I looked to Katniss, silently asking her if she wanted to give a speech, and she shook her head. We wrapped up, and I was led back inside by Peacekeepers, but Katniss was still standing beside the microphone, staring at little Rue's family. "I don't think we're done," I said to the Peacekeepers, and I went back out onto the stage and stood beside her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"I didn't know Thresh," she began. "He only saved my life, as Peeta said, and therefore in turn saved his because I was able to get his medicine... But I knew Rue. Rue and I were very close. I trusted her, and she trusted me. She reminded me of my little sister... I wanted to keep her safe and protect her, but I couldn't..." Tears started to form out of the corners of her eyes. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save her..."

Suddenly, as if planned, an older man in the crowd brought three fingers to his lips, then raised them in the traditional District Twelve sign of respect that we use at funerals, and he whistled the four notes that Katniss had taught me in the arena, and that Rue had taught her. Suddenly, many people all around him did the same, and the audience of District Eleven was a sea of hands in the air. My stomach dropped when I heard the sounds of the Peacekeepers extending their batons, and both Katniss and I were grabbed by Peacekeepers and forcibly dragged inside.

"Katniss!" I shouted, trying to reach for her after being ripped away from her, but I was dragged inside of the building until I couldn't see her anymore.

"No! No! Peeta!" I heard her shouting. The Peacekeepers had dragged the old man up on the stage as others dragged Katniss inside of the Justice Building. "What did I do? What did I do?" she screeched through tears, and just before the doors closed, we saw the Peacekeepers raise a gun to the old man's head and fire it, and the door was closed. I stood stunned and silent, everything around me going silent as I held my hands over my mouth in shock and watched as Katniss screamed and cried and shouted at the Peacekeepers to let her go, demanding to know what she did wrong, and I saw Haymitch grab her, but she shoved him away, and I was released from my shock. I quickly yanked myself free from the Peacekeepers and ran to her, taking her into my arms as she threw her arms around me, crying into my shoulder as she held onto me as if she'd die if I let her go. "What did I do... What did I do..."

"Shh, it's okay... It's gonna be okay..." was all I could say to her, but I knew it wasn't going to be. I knew that Panem was erupting into flames, and I knew that a rebellion had been simmering for quite some time and now was mere moments from boiling over. "Shhh... Katniss, shh..." I cooed into her ear as she continued to cry into my shoulder and cling to me.

"We need to get you two back on the train," said one of the Peacekeepers, trying to grab Katniss's arm, but I shoved his hand away.

"We can walk ourselves," I told him, and I loosened my grip on Katniss. "Katniss, we've got to go now..." I brushed a piece of hair out of her face as she nodded, wiping tears from her eyes with her sleeve, and together, with my arm tightly around her shoulders, we returned to the train.

The time had come. It was six in the morning, and we boarded a hovercraft destined for District Seven, on the outskirts of the Capitol. We were informed that a meal would be provided in flight and to make ourselves comfortable, as it was easily a four hour flight. Katniss was there, of course, and so was Gale. Calum and Cailean, Carolina, Finnick, Zeodary Sage who would serve as Second Medic behind Katniss, and Hadley Walker. Donnel and Graham Leper would be joining us from District Two, Cressida Dubrow and both Castor and Pollux Chatham would already be there when we arrived. I glanced up as I saw Gale embracing Johanna tightly, wishing and hoping that he would see her again. Finnick was embracing Annie and his two children, giving them their final hugs and kisses and telling all of them how much he loved them. Haymitch was tightly holding Carolina one final time.

"You take care, kiddo, and you get back home, all right?" Haymitch said to his daughter, who nodded as she embraced him. "I love you, kiddo. Don't forget that."

"I love you, too, Dad," she said, then broke the embrace to board the hovercraft. Haymitch then approached both Katniss and me, wiping something from his eye.

"You too, both of you," he said. "Stay alive." We both smiled and nodded, and Katniss pulled our mentor into a tight embrace.

"You stay safe," she told him.

"Take care of the boy, sweetheart, and I'll see you soon," he said to her, and then they broke the embrace and Haymitch held out a hand to me. "And you, keep her safe. I know you will." I nodded as I took his hand, then pulled him into an equally tight embrace.

"I will," I said.

"Bring each other home," said Haymitch, and he waved us off as we, too, boarded the hovercraft. There was no turning back now. Katniss and I were both commanders, and we had a division to lead. We glanced at each other before the door closed, locking us in, and we felt the hovercraft take off.

"You should get some sleep," I told Katniss, who appeared a bit nauseous.

"I don't think I'd be able to," she told me. I took her hand in mine and brought it to my lips, then I took my thumb and pressed it into a pressure point in her wrist. My mother could be terribly nasty, but she did teach me about a pressure point in the wrist that could ward off morning sickness, motion sickness and nausea. She smiled at me, then closed her eyes to help herself ward off the nausea.

When we arrived in District Seven, it was a little unsettling, to say the least. Katniss and I were the last to step off, and when we did, we drew the attention of a crowd. At first, we simply stood there as people whispered and pointed at us, and then Katniss took my hand. "Come on, Commander Mellark," she told me with a smile, and I looked at her and returned it as we started towards all the tents.

"Well, if it isn't my baby brother!" I heard Donnel exclaim, and when I turned, he was walking towards me.

"Donnel!" I exclaimed, happy to see my brother for the first time since we were in District Eight. He pulled me into a tight hug and playfully ruffled my hair. "How's the war?"

"Hell," he said. "How's the senate?"

"Also hell," I said with a chuckle, and he turned to Katniss.

"And there's my lovely sister-in-law. How are you?" he asked her, and she smiled and embraced him.

"Doing wonderful! Your brother takes such good care of me," she replied.

"If only Mama could see us now," Donnel said to me with a smile. "Commander, Senate Representative... You'd have finally given her something to smile about."

"Mama didn't like the rebellion," I told him. "You know that. She wanted to stay behind in the firebombing." He nodded gently.

"Dad would have been proud," he replied. "Anyway, you should report to the Command Tent, Commander Lyme and Commander Paylor are waiting there." Katniss and I both said our goodbyes and headed for the Command Tent, where we were greeted by both Commander Lyme, a blonde middle-aged woman who once won the Hunger Games years ago, and Commander Paylor. Commander Paylor smiled when we entered the tent.

"Well, here we are, the day of the Siege of the Capitol," she said.

"The day of? I thought we were starting it tomorrow?" Katniss asked them.

"We thought it best to start as soon as possible. The sooner, the better," said Commander Lyme. "You said it yourself, according to Commander Paylor. The sooner we start, the less new Pods that are out there. You got your Holo?"

"Indeed we do," Katniss said, opening her satchel and pulling out the Holo.

"Excellent. If you run into trouble, say 'Nightlock' three times into it and it'll self-destruct. Who's your medic? They need to report to the Medic Tent to collect their supplies," said Lyme.

"That would be Katniss and Zeodary Sage," I told her, and she looked at us with surprise.

"Commander and medic?" Lyme asked.

"It'd be a waste of her skills in medicine to just keep her as a commander," I replied.

"Guess I'll pop off to the Medic Tent. Update me later," Katniss told me, and she touched my shoulder and left my side, and I watched her until she disappeared.

"So what's the plan?" I asked the two women before me.

"Start the invasion at noon," said Commander Lyme. Your unit is to start at the West Entrance, mine at the North, Commander Paylor at the South and Commander Jackson at the East Entrance."

"At noon? We just got here, my team is exhausted from travelling," I explained.

"Not my problem, Mellark. Invasion starts at noon," Lyme replied firmly.

"And who decided that? Because I know the Senate sure didn't. Paylor and I are both on the Senate," I spat back.

"It was decided this morning between myself, Commander Paylor and Commander Jackson, before you arrived," said Lyme.

"The plan is for each team to start at the entrances and converge on the President's Mansion. When we've helped clear the way, bigger forces of rebels will follow behind. We reduce casualties that way," Paylor chimed in, and I nodded, not liking the plan but not having a choice.

"Very well, then. Guess you should both get to your entrances, then. T minus two hours," I said, with an equal amount of command and sass that Lyme had given me. Each woman was in her thirties at least, Lyme possibly even older, so to them, I was just some stupid kid who put on his big boy pants for the first time. Nodding to both, I headed towards the tent where my unit was currently waiting for instructions.

"There he is!" said Donnel as I approached. "Commander Mellark, my little brother."

"Change of plans," I said. "We don't attack tomorrow, we attack today at noon."

"At noon? But we just got here!" Gale exclaimed, frustrated with the sudden change of plan.

"I know. Not my decision," I replied. At that moment, Katniss ran over, attaching a medical bag to her belt.

"Hey... What I miss?" she asked.

"Nothing other than we attack at noon at the West Entrance," I replied.

"The West Entrance? At noon?" she repeated, and I nodded. "Blimey, that's soon!"

"I know," I replied, and then I addressed the unit. "I don't know what the Capitol is going to look like. I know there's Pods everywhere, and they're designed to kill. There won't be one that isn't. We stay close, and we stay behind whoever has the Holo, which will either be Katniss or myself. We are your first and second command, and Katniss is also your medic." I looked at her and found her staring at me, and she then turned her attention to the unit.

"Get shot in the ass and I'm your girl, but try not to," she chimed in.

"I'll do a roll call at half past eleven. Until then, hang tight," I told them, and Katniss and I stepped away to talk.

"I really like you in this commanding position," she told me flirtatiously, one of her hands finding its way to my upper arm and running down it. I looked into her eyes and saw that they were somewhat red and puffy, as if she'd been crying.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" I asked her, somewhat startling the smile off of her face.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she replied.

"Katniss, come on. I told you I know when you're lying to me. You're a terrible liar. Tell me the truth. What's wrong?" I asked her firmly, and she let out a sigh.

"I saw Prim," she replied sadly.

KATNISS POV

I left Peeta at the Command Tent to collect supplies from the Medical Tent, as I was not only a commander but also the First Medic. I'd wanted to kiss him or kiss his cheek before I left, but I didn't deem it appropriate in front of Commanders Paylor and Lyme. When I arrived at the Medical Tent, I was given my supplies, and as I was about to leave, I glanced up and saw something very familiar. A blonde braid, long, belonging to one of the medics. She was dressed in an all white jumpsuit with red crosses on each shoulder and on her chest - the uniform of a field medic, so that she may be identified easily. It was a dangerous job, being a field medic. You always had a target on you, and you stuck out like a sore thumb in that all-white jumpsuit. The familiar blue eyes met my grey ones, and I felt her name form at my lips. "Prim..."

It was Primrose, my cousin by blood but my sister by heart. When I had lost all of my siblings and my parents, I clung to her with hope, convincing myself that she was the reason I was still alive. She'd lost her mother, and my uncle wasn't the same when his first love was murdered. She didn't see Agnessa as an inconvenient stepmother like I did, she saw her like her true mother, even though she was old enough to remember when Agnessa came into our lives. She hated how cold I could be towards Agnessa sometimes, but she didn't understand because she was so young when her mother died. She had no memories of her mother, unlike how I did of mine.

I felt my feet carrying my body towards her, and she didn't move as I stopped in front of her, our eyes meeting for the first time in over two years. She was almost a young woman now, sixteen and beautiful, the same age I had been when she had been reaped and I volunteered in her place. In my eyes was the joy I felt in seeing her again, and in hers, the anger, from when I begged her not to follow her heart to be a field medic. "Prim," I muttered.

"Katniss," she replied somewhat coldly in her mixed Hebridean and Panem accent. I let out a cry and pulled her into my arms, squeezing her tightly, but she didn't embrace me back. When I broke my embrace, I put my hands on her shoulders.

"I can't believe this... You're so grown up now," I said with a smile, but she didn't return it. "It seems like yesterday, you were just a girl..."

"How did following your dreams go?" she asked me harshly, stepping away from me.

"Prim..." I said sadly.

"You tried to tell me not to follow mine, but you went and followed yours."

"A field medic is a dangerous job, Prim."

"So was commanding a unit to ignite the rebellion." I paused for a moment, knowing that she was indeed right, and I let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry... I should have never stopped you. You were so young, and I just wanted to protect you, but I should have known that I couldn't protect you forever..."

"Why do you even care? You've got two of your brothers back. Your real brothers. We're only cousins."

"We were raised as sisters, and I've always seen you as a sister."

"You don't need me anymore, not when you have them."

"Prim, there's room in my heart for all of you. Just because I have two of my brothers back does not mean we stopped being sisters." She looked down at the ground, then back up at me.

"Do you miss her? Mum?"

"How could I not? I didn't even know about the bombing until weeks after it happened... When we lost communication with Thirteen, I thought it was a connection failure. I had no idea that that meant that Thirteen was gone." I let out another sigh. "Agnessa and I would butt heads a lot, but she was still the only mother figure I had. Perhaps we were too similar. I was devastated when I learned about the bombing, but I didn't have time to mourn. We'd lost our home base, and we were constantly on the run. I didn't have time to mourn anyone, to miss Peeta, to even think about anything but keeping the people that I was with alive."

"Are you and Peeta together again?" I smiled and nodded.

"We are," I said. "He's been so wonderful. I missed him so much when we were apart... You always knew my feelings for him long before I did." I paused for a moment. "Prim... I'm pregnant..." Her eyes widened and she glanced at my abdomen and then back up at me.

"You are?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Not very far along, but I am pregnant. We want to call it Lark if it's a girl, or Donald if it's a boy."

"Lark Mellark?" Prim said with confusion, and I let out a laugh.

"Yes, that's what Peeta wants... It'll grow on me, I believe, with time." It was her turn to smile gently, and then she looked back at the other medics who were still setting up the hundreds of cots.

"I'd better get back to setting up... It was good to see you, Katniss... I missed you," she said. I thought she might hug me, but she didn't, instead only standing there awkwardly. "I'll see you when this is all over?" I smiled warmly at her.

"See you when it's over," I said, and I left her to her duties. As I left the Medical Tent wiping tears from my eyes, I started towards the Command Tent, but then I saw Peeta standing in front of our unit talking to them. Attaching the medic pack to my belt, I walked over to him.

"I know. Not my decision," he was saying as I approached.

"Hey... What I miss?" I asked, jumping into the middle of the conversation.

"Nothing other than we attack at noon at the West Entrance," he told me..

"The West Entrance? At noon?" I repeated, baffled at the sudden change, and he nodded. "Blimey, that's soon!"

"I know," he replied, and then he turned to address the unit. "I don't know what the Capitol is going to look like. I know there's Pods everywhere, and they're designed to kill. There won't be one that isn't. We stay close, and we stay behind whoever has the Holo, which will either be Katniss or myself." I was smiling as I looked up at him, admiring how strong and manly he looked and sounded. He had a little bit of stubble on his face, having forgotten to shave before we left Fourteen, and it only added to the masculine aura he gave off. "We are your first and second command, and Katniss is also your medic." I came back to reality at the mention of my name.

"Get shot in the ass and I'm your girl, but try not to," I said.

"I'll do a roll call at half past eleven. Until then, hang tight," Peeta told the unit, and he and I stepped away to talk.

"I really like you in this commanding position," I told him flirtatiously, one of my hands finding its way to his upper arm and running down it. He didn't smile, but instead, met my eyes.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" he asked me. Damn him, he could read me like an open book. The smile from my face faded.

"Nothing, I'm fine," I lied.

"Katniss, come on. I told you I know when you're lying to me. You're a terrible liar. Tell me the truth. What's wrong?" he asked me firmly, and I let out a sigh.

"I saw Prim," I replied sadly. "She's a field medic, and she's setting up the medical tents, probably for when the casualties start pouring in..."

"Is she still angry with you?" Peeta asked me, and I shrugged.

"Don't know. We were talking, and she smiled just a little at me, but she didn't seem to want to touch me. She was upset thinking I didn't need or want her around anymore because I have my brothers," I told him. "I told her she's going to be an aunt." At that, Peeta smiled.

"I'm sure she liked to hear that," he said.

"I hope so." I let out a sigh. "How much time do we have?"

"About an hour, maybe. We should get some food in you, you'll need your energy." I let him drag me to the Mess Tent, where they were serving some kind of stew. We each got a bowl and sat down together at a table under the larger tent to eat.

"I still can't believe we're doing this," I said, taking his hand in mine. "We've been talking about it for what feels like years and now... now we're finally putting the rebellion to rest."

"And after that, we go home, raise little Lark or Donald... maybe give them a little brother or sister..." I smiled as his hand went to my stomach.

"We've got to deal with the Senate first," I reminded him. "I don't like politics. Once this is over, I don't want to be on the Senate anymore."

"Honey, we gotta stick with it at least for a bit... it's up to us to rebuild the country," Peeta replied, scooting his seat closer to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"We have to take it back and then rebuild it? Panem expects so much from us," I said, leaning into his embrace, and he brought his lips to my forehead to kiss it.

"I know... One step at a time, all right? First, we've gotta take out the Capitol and Snow, and then we can worry about that." I smiled and nodded, taking a spoonful of soup.

"Are you ready to create a new world?"

"Yeah, I am... A new world where we can be together by choice rather than by force, and a new world where we don't have to fear our kids being sent to the arena. Are you?"

"I'm ready for a free future," I replied.

Before we knew it, it was time to prepare to invade the Capitol. Our divisions each stood at their assigned entrances and Peeta took a headcount. "Carolina, Castor, Pollux, Cressida, Cailean, Calum - I didn't realise how many C's we had here - Gale, Graham, Donnel, Katniss, Peet- I'm obviously present - Finnick, Zeodary and Hadley. Everyone good and present?" There was an affirmative hum from the group. "Excellent, then we wait for orders."

I was standing away from the group, closer to the entrance of the Capitol. The West Entrance was open, with a short tunnel that cut through the wall that kept the Capitol safe. The tunnel was originally for train tracks, but those had been destroyed. There were no Peacekeepers, as most of them were within the innermost part of the city protecting the citizens. All we had before us was Pods, but I had the Holo to help with that. Suddenly, I heard footsteps approach me, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and met Peeta's gorgeous blue eyes and I smiled. "This is it," I told him.

"It is," he replied. "We can do this, Katniss. We will do this." He pulled me into a tight embrace. "Katniss, if anything happens to me-"

"Don't start with that, Peeta," I told him, not wanting to hear him try to predict his death, and he sighed.

"Fine... You'll read it all in the letter that Haymitch promised to give you in case I don't get out of this," he replied, and I pulled back from the embrace.

"Peeta!"

"I had to prepare for any scenario, Katniss. We don't know what's going to happen in there. We don't know if there's new Pods and we hardly even know what the damn things will do. Okay?" It was my turn to let out a sigh and I hugged him close to me again.

"Let's not argue right now..." I felt his lips in my hair.

"No matter what happens, Katniss, I love you so much," he muttered to me.

"I love you, too, Peeta," I replied, and I pulled back from our embrace to take his face into my hands and kiss his lips. Suddenly, both of our communicuffs beeped and we glanced down at them, reading the message loud and clear. We exchanged a glance, and then looked back at our team.

"It's time," Peeta told them, and we began our march on the Capitol.