"No!" Johanna cackled as Taiya slapped her hands.

"You suck at slaps," Taiya teased as she brought her hands down against Johanna's again. They were playing the hand game to pass the time while they waited for Haymitch to show up. There was a whole bunch of tributes and mentors gathered on the roof that night. They'd all had chairs set out and everyone appeared to have arrived except the man who called the meeting. The notable absentees were the careers from 1 and 2. They hadn't been invited. It was Districts 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 11. No 12, which was strange given Haymitch had called the meeting.

"You're cheating."

"I don't think you can cheat at slaps Jo. You're just too slow," Taiya laughed as she slapped Johanna's hands again.

"Swap," Johanna growled, moving her hands on top of Taiya's. She slapped hers down but Taiya was too quick and moved them out of the way.

"Haha! Sucker!" Taiya poked her tongue out.

"Alright," Haymitch called out as he burst onto the roof.

"What are we doing here Haymitch?" Tyler asked.

"Now I need you all to keep an open mind," he cautioned, raising his hands in the air. "But trust me, he's on our side."

Plutarch Heavensbee then stepped out onto the roof and the atmosphere on the roof changed. Everyone tensed up and the fun left the air.

Everyone started whispering amongst themselves. Some even stood up to leave. But Taiya was worried. Plutarch was aware of the offer Snow had made her. And now he was hanging out with Haymitch, which meant there was a chance Haymitch knew she had plans to target his tributes.

"Alright, everybody just relax. Calm down," Haymitch tried to settle them all down.

"I understand that you may not be my biggest fans right now," Plutarch diplomatically spoke. "But I'm here to offer you a deal that could work in your best interest. All of your best interests," he said, casting a quick glance at Taiya.

Plutarch had successfully commanded the attention of the tributes and the few mentors who had been invited, but Haymitch wanted to further entice them. "There's a way to end this with as little bloodshed as possible. We're only asking for a small amount of your time, and your discretion."

There were a few mumbles of agreement and everyone sat facing the unlikely pair, ready to hear their proposition.

"Thank you," Plutarch smiled. "Things have changed. I know everyone's felt it. The Capitol fears it. Rebellion. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have started something. People are finally rising up. I'm allowing you to join the right side of history."

"Seriously?" Taiya interjected. "Katniss and Peeta are the reason we're here right? The reason we were reaped again. Two new victors step out of line. Send a message, put all the victors back in the Games."

"President Snow is floundering," Plutarch reasoned. "You know that better than anyone. Katniss and Peeta are the faces of the most recent movement."

"Cut to the chase," Johanna spoke up. "What do you want?"

"It's simple," Haymitch stepped forward. "We need you all to keep Katniss and Peeta alive in the arena."

That's when everyone started yelling.

"Alright, alright," Haymitch tried to calm them down to no avail.

"Shut it!" Tyler yelled, overpowering everyone's voices. "You care to explain Haymitch?" he asked angrily.

"You want us to be cannon fodder for your kids?" Taiya snapped.

"Tay," Tyler warned. "Let's hear him out first."

"No," Taiya stood up in anger. "No, I'm not listening to this. Haymitch, there are 21 other people in that arena that I'd rather keep alive than them, ok. I don't care about them and I have no incentive to keep them alive," she turned her gaze to Plutarch, he knew exactly what she meant.

"What if there was an incentive?" he asked her.

"I think I'm ok," she smirked. "1 and 2 are going to be gunning for them. It's easier for me to either help them or stay out of their way. Interfering might not go my way. Sorry Haymitch, but no," she stormed away to stand on the other side of the roof, out of sound and earshot of the meeting.

After around 20 minutes she heard a throat clear from behind her and turned to see Plutarch.

"Not interested. You know I have a better offer."

"I know you think you do," he nodded as he came to stand next to her, watching over the Capitol skyline. "You know I watched you for years. Fulfilling your duties without complaint. You did a good job too. But your eyes were always a giveaway. Your eyes were never happy unless Finnick was in the room. It wasn't obvious, but I noticed."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know you'll do anything for him. And he'll do anything for you. He stayed for the rest of the meeting."

"I didn't tell him about my meeting," Taiya confirmed. "I didn't want to. Both of us don't need a guilty conscience."

"You know you'll never be free if you take Snow's offer. All victors are promised a free life. Have you ever been free, Taiya?" he asked as her eyes teared up. "From the very moment Finnick was reaped you've been trapped. Snow's betrayed you before."

"You're talking about Shark," Taiya stuttered. "He didn't betray me. He did exactly what he said he would. He ensured 4 would have a winner that year. He was careful with his wording. I was naive then. I didn't pay enough attention when he offered me that deal. But I listened to his wording this time. He promised we'd live and we would be free."

"There's always a catch."

"What could that be?" Taiya snarled.

"Children."

"What?" Taiya asked, turning to look at him.

"You'll be free and you and Finnick will lead the life you've wanted to. You'll pop out a family of your own. Do you think he won't entrap them in the same life you and Finnick are in? There's no winning when you align yourself with the Capitol. Trust me."

"You have everything you need. You're born in the Capitol. You're one of them. Why would you turn against them?"

"It's always disgusted me," he answered honestly. "I want a world that is democratic and just. Equality is what I want. For everyone. The news in the Capitol is filtered, but I know what happens out there, out in the districts. People are starving. You live in a wealthy district, you don't know the kind of suffering that happens in the outer districts."

"I've been there once before," Taiya said quietly. "Have you?"

"No," he admitted.

"It's miserable," she whispered.

"Look, no one is being forced to participate in this plan ok? I just… I need you to hear me out before you make a decision. You listened to Snow's proposition. Now listen to mine," he pleaded.

Taiya looked into his eyes before she nodded.

He smiled at her. "I sent certain districts away at different stages tonight, so no one knows the full plan. That way if something happens, something goes wrong and the Capitol gets its hands on you, no one knows the full plan."

"Smart," she hummed.

"District 4 is one of the districts most informed. You and Finnick, you're the strongest team out there. We need you for this to work. You're stronger than you were when you won your first games, and you're younger than some of the others. And you're good in the water," he smirked, revealing a part of the arena to her. Her head whipped around to look at him. He really wanted her on board with this plan. "You and Finnick need to keep Katniss and Peeta alive."

"Against 1 and 2, Plutarch. Come on."

"If you're with Katniss and Peeta, there's a chance at least that District 1 would hesitate."

"If I ally against Cashmere and Gloss, they won't hesitate. They're career-minded, they've been trained to block out emotion in the arena," she denied.

"If you stay around them in training it might at least give them some pause."

"Just tell me the plan, Plutarch."

"We're breaking you out of the arena," he said and she moved her body to face him. "The primary goal is to get Katniss and Peeta out, and after that, we can get the rest of you. There's a safe haven…"

"Where?" she interrupted.

"I can't say," he smiled softly.

"So why should I trust you?"

"If you're captured, I'm sorry, but the information is too sensitive. It's safe though, you can trust me on that."

"How?"

"Beetee knows the plan."

"And I guess that's need to know?" Taiya scowled and he nodded.

"We can't have anyone be suspicious. Johanna and Blight are in charge of protecting Beetee and Wiress."

Taiya snorted. "You want Jo in charge of nuts and volts?" Plutarch merely nodded and Taiya laughed. "Good luck getting them there alive. She'll crack."

"Johanna knows they're integral to the plan," he cautioned. "She won't let us down. You and Finnick will partner with 12 and 7 partners with 3 to survive the bloodbath. After that, you will all need to reconnect and join together. It'll increase the chance of surviving."

"So, in the Hunger Games, you want an alliance of 8 people to stick together. 6 of whom know there's a plan. 12 will never go along with it."

"You'll need to find a way to keep them there," he said unhelpfully.

"And how will we know when you're going to break us out? It'll be hard to keep together with no end in sight."

"We're going to send a coded message by bread," he answered. He'd thought of everything. "Finnick knows it. We'll send bread, the district it's from will signify the day of the breakout the amount will tell you what time."

"How the hell are we meant to know the time in the arena!" Taiya almost yelled. It's not like they were allowed watches.

"You'll know," he smiled. "If you're all together at that time. We can get you all out," he said seriously, "We can get you to safety. We can get you to freedom. Just consider it ok. You don't have to give me a straight answer. I'll know in the arena. But Taiya. Everyone at the meeting agreed. All your friends agreed," he muttered before turning away.

"Not all my friends," she denied.

"I think once you get in the arena you'll find some friendships don't last forever," he said bluntly. "The elevator cameras are covered for the next hour. Make sure you get down to your room by then."

"Oh thank god," Finnick sighed, jumping off the couch as soon as she walked through the door.

"You had us worried, kid," Buck sipped his drink.

"Plutarch talked to me for a bit. Then I had to think."

"And what do you think?" Tyler asked as she came to sit next to Finnick.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

Finnick leant over to look at Buck and Tyler. "Can we have some space?" he asked quietly. Tyler nodded and he and Buck stood to leave.

"We'll see you tomorrow, kids," Buck muttered.

Finnick knelt down in front of her and grabbed her hands. "Look. When I proposed I promised, it'd be you and me. Us. I will follow you through anything I swear that to you. But right now I need you to tell me what you're thinking. Please."

Taiya let some tears fall as she looked down at him. "I'm not crazy. I'm so scared Finnick."

"I know. I know. I know you're not crazy," he brushed her hair away from her face. "But I need you to listen to me. Please." Taiya let out a sniffle as she looked away from him. "Hey, hey," he pulled her face gently back to look at him. "Look at me. You are my whole world. You have been for as long as I can remember. The love I feel for you, it's bigger than my fear of here. It's stronger than my fear of the arena. It's bigger than all of this. The only feeling I have stronger than my love for you is my need to get us both to safety. So we can live the life we deserve, so we can grow old and happy together. So we can have the family that we've always wanted. I want this for you. For us. But I can't do it here. Not when we're both scared. I know you want it to. I believe in you, I love you. If we don't do this, we'll never get that. We'll go into the arena and we won't come out together. The only way for that to happen is if we follow through on the plan."

Taiya looked away. He didn't know there was another option, but she knew he'd shut it down the moment he heard Snow's name.

"Hey," he pulled her back before resting his forehead against hers. "I don't want to live this life anymore," he confessed. "I can't stand by and watch the world continue this way, I just can't. We have the opportunity to make a difference. To improve the world for our children. We have to take it. Please. We need to do this," he whispered. "After the rebellion wins we can do anything we want as long as we're together. We can create our own lives. Our own little world. It'll be you and me. We'll be free, we'll be ok. We'll be together. Please, please, please," he begged.

Taiya let out a sob as she slid off the couch and into his hold.

"Ok."