DISCLAIMER: HG characters do not belong to me.

A/N:made a correction on Avery's age, she's 3 not 2. Thanks to the reviewers who caught my mistake!

Chapter 118-Ambush

Katniss taps her fingers nervously on the table while she stares at the large screen in the control room she was sitting in with Haymitch, Beetee, and Heavensbee. It was just the four of them, Paylor and her team at another location far away from the mansion.

The mansion was still heavily guarded, with most of Panem's military either in the Capitol Square or nearby. Lots of hovercrafts were circling overhead. Seeing circling hovercrafts was common in the Capitol, and the residents were not concerned by it though they had no idea the significance of why the hovercrafts were there today.

The teams of two were currently approaching their targeted man to pick up. Each team had been briefed and provided a photograph and information about where the person lived, their usual daily routine, etc. Gale and Vick were in a town called Forest Ridge, which was only the next village over from Silver Lake. Both dressed in their military attire, the residents of the village paid no attention to them, figuring they were there on official Capitol business. It amazed Katniss how conditioned the residents of 2 still were when it came to following orders and rules without question. While she knows some of the residents of 12 had been the same way, in 2 it appeared as if there was never a reason for anyone to be suspicious. In 12, whenever peacekeepers showed up, people talked, especially in the hob. In 2 no one talked.

Vick had a small camera strapped to his vest, it was how Katniss and the others could see what was happening as he and Gale walked toward the main street of the village. Like Silver Lake, Forest Ridge was a small village that only had a few businesses and restaurants. While in Silver Lake all the shops and restaurants were around the circle of the lake, in Forest Ridge all of the shops and restaurants were on a small main street. The man Vick and Gale were picking up owned a small convenience store that opened up at 11 am. The time was 10:30 am, knowing that the man would arrive soon, Gale and Vick planned to walk around the area close by until he showed.

The man comes walking toward the store at 10:40, coming a few minutes later than they had expected. Katniss hears Gale say in the microphone, "We are going in" and watches as Vick and Gale approach from behind, the man walking towards the store. She sees that the man looks to be in his 50's, the average age for most of the remaining Jay Killers. She sees that is handsome, and looked to be in good physical shape. His hair gray, but styled nicely. In a lot of ways the man reminded her of Geffen. She pushes the thought of Geffen from her mind as she watches as Vick walks right up to the man and says his name. When the man quizzically confirms that was his name and that they had the right person Gale immediately grabs the man's arms, and begins to tie him up from behind.

She notices that people around them begin to stare, some just staring as they walk by, some stopping and watching. Just as Vick was about to grab the man to pull him forward Katniss sees the man's foot cover the screen. The man kicking Vick a couple of times before Vick falls to the ground. Katniss sees that Gale was distracted by a resident who had attacked him just as the man kicked Vick, Katniss assuming that the person attacking Gale was protecting the man. She sees as Vick rises up from the ground and begins chasing after the man, who had begun running down the street trying to get away. She sees Vick begin to catch up to the man both of them now in a dead end alleyway. She hears Vick say, "If you surrender, no one else has to get hurt."

The man laughs as he pulls out a knife from behind his back, flipping the large blade open. "Too late for that boy" and Katniss sees the blade come within an inch of Vick's face.

She feels Haymitch's hand on her shoulder as she holds her breath, watching as Vick jumps back, not expecting the man to have a weapon on him. The man holds the knife in his hand, ready to strike. While she can't see it, she knows Vick is reaching in his pocket to pull out his gun and resists the urge to call out as she sees the man begin to move forward, but just as he does she sees a large black figure tackle the man to the ground. She knows it is Gale though he moved so fast she couldn't see his face. Just then Gale's body comes into view, his hands already bloodied, he begins punching the man in the face while Vick kicks the knife out of the man's hands. After a few moments, they finally are able to get the man tied up, his mouth taped shut. Vick and Gale escort the man to their hidden hovercraft nearby, taking a very long route in order to be away from the main street, not taking any chances with any other residents interfering. Once they reach the hovercraft and the man is tied up even more to his seat, Vick's camera turns off.

Katniss sighs in relief. Two captures successful so far. Before watching Gale with Vick, Katniss and the others had watched Johanna and a soldier named Cody Tilch capture a man from the Capitol. The man was a banker who worked in the Capitol square and Johanna and Cody had captured him around 8:30 that morning, since the bank opened at 9. He was much easier to capture than the man Gale and Vick had, for the banker did not put up a fight and easily surrendered. Johanna-who had been itching for something to happen, turned to the camera and had said that it was too easy in disgust. Katniss thinks perhaps Johanna should have been paired with Gale, but knows that most likely, Heavensbee chose to give her someone who they expected would be an easier target.

Katniss didn't know if Heavensbee had done that because he wanted to ensure Johanna's safety, or if it was because he didn't feel she was as good of a fighter as she once was. Now 37, Johanna was no longer the young, 21 year old Katniss met in the Capitol right before the quell. Though still in shape, Katniss knows Johanna does not work out nearly as much as she once did, though she still had some pretty sharp moves, especially if she had an axe handy.

Katniss knows Gale was on his way to the Capitol and would be heading straight for the mansion after the man was taken into custody. Feeling relieved that the people she was most concerned about were safe, she watched with the others as the screen showed the other jay killers being taken into custody. Some of them resisted, some of them didn't and two members got away. The only two men to escape, one had fled from his home and into the woods right before the soldiers arrived, the other had managed to run away after a couple of residents attacked the soldiers, just as Gale had been attacked. Unfortunately, the residents who attacked the soldiers had to be shot, but were expected to survive. Wanting to ensure that no one else got hurt, the soldiers did not pursue the man who had run away, instead focusing their attention on the residents who had been wounded.

Sixteen people total were captured, with two still on the run. Hovercrafts were sent to help patrol the area, though Katniss knows there's a good chance that if both men ran deep into the woods, they won't come back. If they had any survival skills they may be gone for a while. But with winter approaching in a few months, there's a chance they could return.

Gale arrived to the control room with Vick after Katniss, Heavensbee, Beetee, and Haymitch finished a brief video call with Paylor. Not caring who was still in the room Gale goes into Katniss's arms, hugging her tightly. They are interrupted by Heavensbee who says, "Commander Hawthorne, glad to see your injuries are minor."

Gale pulling back from Katniss but wrapping his bandaged hands around her shoulders pulling her close to him he says, "I didn't have to draw my weapon, I was able to knock my attacker out."

"Good. The less people getting shot the better. We are going to have to explain to Panem what happened today. Time to do damage control. Katniss we are going to need you to do an interview with Caesar."

Katniss nods her head and doesn't respond. Knowing that she has to keep up her end of the bargain with Caesar, she dreads seeing Caesar act his usual over the top self when he sees she is pregnant again, but knows having the influence she still does, she needs to do the interview so people don't lose their trust in Paylor.

The next day Gale watches from behind the curtain while Katniss approaches Caesar for her live interview with him. Gale mutters under his breath while he watches Caesar bend down and touch Katniss's stomach. Shocked that Katniss let Caesar touch her, he knows she is going along with all this because even though she doesn't want to be, she's still the mockingjay, and what she says can make a difference to people.

Gale watches as Caesar helps Katniss to her seat, sitting across from her. His hair now gold, he smiles brightly as he says, "Oh my goodness! Katniss you never cease to amaze me, I'm sure you are busy already and now another baby is on the way. How exciting! "

Katniss laughs as she says, "Having two children definitely keeps us on our toes."

"You oldest daughter is how old now?"

"She'll be five next month."

"Five wow! Seems like yesterday I saw her in your arms for the first time. And the younger daughter is…"

"She's three."

"Oh no longer in the terrible two's! How do you think she'll react to her new baby brother or sister?"

"She's a very lovable girl, I think she'll do well once she adjusts."

"So tell me, is it a boy or a girl?"

"Caesar you know we're keeping that to ourselves until you meet the little one next year" Katniss says smiling.

"Oh I can't wait! So you are due when?"

"December."

"A baby just in time for the new year! How wonderful. It's always nice to see the people I have interviewed so many years ago find happiness. Can you believe we've know each other seventeen years?"

Gale sees Katniss pause before saying, "It seems so long ago yet not."

"Panem has changed quite a bit since we first met, which brings me to why you are here" Caesar says sadly. Right on cue, he gets down to business.

Katniss briefly explains what happened yesterday in the Capitol and Districts 1 and 2. Paylor not wanting Panem News Network or Panem Daily to speculate, they use Katniss as the Capitol's voice, feeling it would go over better if it came from her.

"So these men that were captured, they are members of the group that you have spoken with me about before correct?"

"Yes. The group that is very dangerous and is not to be underestimated" Katniss says in response.

"Where are the men now?"

"The Capitol has them, I don't know what will happen to them." Katniss speaking the truth, for she didn't know what the plan was now that Paylor had these men in her possession.

"Do you think they will be hurt?"

"No. Our President is not Snow. They will probably be questioned, but if they refuse to talk they won't be punished. Our current government is better than that."

"Indeed they are. I hope as I'm sure all of Panem hopes, that this group can finally be stopped. Our nation has been through too much for these acts of violence to keep occurring."

Once the interview is over Katniss walks over to Gale with Caesar following her. Caesar has a big grin on his face as he says, "Mr. Hawthorne! So nice to see you here with Katniss."

"You can call me Gale you know" Gale says not returning Caesar's smile.

"Right. Gale. I'm just so used to addressing people formally it comes naturally to me."

"You never had any trouble calling Katniss by her first name" Gale says.

"Oh it was different with my tributes and victors. Katniss was and still is the girl on fire to me" Caesar says proudly, missing his time as the Master of Ceremonies.

"Well we better go. I'll see you sometime after the new year. Take care Caesar" Katniss says, pulling on Gale's sleeve to signal she was ready to go.

"You take care as well. I can't wait to see that new baby!" Caesar says as he shakes Katniss and Gale's hands before they leave.

"I hope that was good enough damage control for them" Katniss says as they sit on the train back to District 2.

"You did a good job of explaining what happened without going into the details."

"Do you know if Crystal is at the mansion?" Katniss asks.

"I heard she declined going there, saying she would take her chances and stay in 1. She said it would look suspicious if she was gone."

"What will happen to her Father?"

"He will be under constant surveillance. If he doesn't suspect anything now it will only be a matter of time before he does. It's why the President hoped Crystal would have taken up the offer for protection. Hopefully, he doesn't suspect that it was his daughter who's responsible."

"The only reason he didn't get captured along with the rest of them was because of her" Katniss says, agreeing with Paylor's decision to honor Crystal's request and spare her Father if she helped the Capitol.

"I doubt he will care about that if he finds out what she did" Gale says, hoping that it doesn't come to that.


November 11

Sienna awakens from sleep with the urge to go to the bathroom. She climbs out of her bed and walks down the hall. Once finished, she knows she should return to her room but instead, wants to fall asleep with her Mom and Dad. She approaches her parent's door and sees it is slightly open. She hears strange noises coming from inside. She pushes the door open and sees Harper sleeping on the floor by the large bed. She looks up and sees that the strange noises were coming from her Mom. She sees her Mom laying on her side, part of her body under the covers though Sienna could see her Mother's large belly sticking out, her Mom's face almost hidden in the pillows. She sees her Father behind her, grabbing her Mom's hip and squeezing it hard while his other hand grabs her shoulder. He too making a strange sound but not as loud, Sienna yells out, "Mommy!" not wanting to see her Mom in pain anymore.

Sienna sees her Mom's head emerge, looking down in alarm as she sees Sienna standing there.

"Sienna go back to your room now!" Katniss says looking down to make sure that her body is covered while Gale covers himself as well.

"But Mom-"

"Don't make me count to three" Gale says firmly.

Sienna quickly runs out of their room. Harper now awake, whimpers in response at seeing Sienna run off. "I guess that was bound to happen eventually" Katniss says while she lays down on her back.

"I don't think she saw too much, it is pretty dark in here" Gale says.

"Well, you better go in there and talk to her."

"Me? But Catnip-"

"I think she thought you were hurting me Gale. You need to explain to her that I'm fine."

Sighing loudly, Gale gets up and pulls his boxers on and pets Harper before going into Sienna's room. He knocks on the door softly before peaking his head in.

"Hey-you alright sweet pea?" Sweet pea being Gale's nickname for his oldest daughter.

"Is Mommy mad at me?" Sienna asks sadly while laying down in her bed.

"No, of course not. We just-weren't expecting you to come in. You've been so good at sleeping in your own bed these last few months."

"Avie gets to come in when she can't sleep." Avie being Sienna's nickname for her little sister.

"You are older than Avery."

"I like it in your room."

"I know you do, but you are a big girl now. You're five. You will be starting school next year."

"Why were you hurting Mommy?"

"I wasn't hurting her, I was….showing your Mom how much I love her."

Sienna makes a weird face at Gale and says, "Then why was she crying?"

"She wasn't crying. Sometimes grown-ups make that sound when they are with the person they love."

"Sounds weird" Sienna says.

Gale smiles lovingly at his daughter as he bends down and kisses her forehead. "Do you want to come in our room for a little bit?"

Sienna nods her head and gets up and takes Gale's hand as they walk back into the bedroom. Katniss now dressed, sees Sienna and says, "Hey sweetie" as Gale picks her up and places Sienna in between the two of them on the bed.

Katniss and Gale snuggle with Sienna until she is fast asleep. They sit with her in silence for a few more moments until Gale picks her up and takes her back to her room, Sienna out the entire time Gale carries her. Once she is safely back in her bed and the door to her room is closed he goes back to their room and this time, closes the door behind him.

"So was it so bad?" Katniss teases as she watches him strip off his boxers. Katniss lying naked on the bed waiting for him to come to her.

"I guess I better get used to it" he says before engulfing her in a long, deep kiss.