Rosalie's hands shook as she lifted the teacup to her lips. The President's wife and daughter had invited her to tea, and she was scared stiff. She listened to the teenage girl gossip for hours and resisted from rolling her eyes. How could a young girl be so ignorant? In her district, girls Aurelia's age had already known deep fear five times, having their names in a Reaping bowl, and definitely knew starvation, despite if they were Merchant or Seam. Aurelia chattered happily about her clothes and her collection of pretty glass ornaments that Lavinia simply MUST see, and Rosalie shifted in her seat. This is who you are now, she told herself firmly.

You are a Capitol-bred woman. You don't know hunger. You don't know fear. You know only luxury and privilege, and your husband is a prominent Capitol citizen.

She set her teacup down and reached for a danish.

She had only tasted a danish once in her life. It had come from Mellark's Bakery and she was eight years old.

An entire tray of freshly-made danishes sat in front of her, taunting her. Her hand fell back to her lap.

"Oh have one, Lavinia," Mrs. Snow pushed the tray toward her. "You want to see a plump and healthy baby!"

"It's so exciting," Aurelia squealed. "General Mellark is soooooo handsome."

"He is, isn't he," Rosalie tried to giggle but it sounded more like a squeak.

"Tell us how you met! The last time he was here, wasn't he with-"

"Aurelia, don't be rude," Mrs. Snow scolded. She patted Rosalie's hand and shook her head. "Teenagers. Obsessed with love and yet they know nothing, isn't that right?" Aurelia's mother cupped her daughter's chin. "They grow up so fast though." Rosalie stared at her plate. Everyone in her district grew up much too fast. They had to. She had been on her own since she was 14. Her mother had died when she was a baby, and she had run away from her abusive father. She had been forced to go to the Head Peacekeeper, Cray, when she was just a child. She had become one of his favorites. He kept her clothed and fed and she warmed his bed at night, until another young woman would come along. He always took her in whenever she came by, though. And then she thought she had fallen in love. He had been good to her and promised to take care of her. His fists were as sharp as her father's had been, and when she found out she was expecting a child, she'd been terrified. He had beat her and left her for dead. The man who had found her had turned out to be the love of her life, and now he had left her too.

Rosalie was nothing more than an empty shell but an empty shell that was carrying life. She unconsciously rubbed her belly and Aurelia's eyes lit up.

"Can I feel the baby kick?"

"Um… Sure." She felt uncomfortable when the girl pressed her palm to her stomach. She hated this girl. These two women who had everything she'd ever wanted. Who were partly responsible for her husband's death. She jumped to her feet and Aurelia blinked up in surprise.

"I'm sorry. Where is your bathroom?"

"Down the hall, second on the left. Julius will show you," Mrs. Snow nodded toward the servant hiding in the corner. He stepped forward and gestured for Rosalie to follow him.

"Thank you," she said as he stopped in front of the door. He bowed low and swallowed thickly. Rosalie's eyes filled with tears as she realized the man was an Avox. Her husband had been turned into an Avox before they had come to the Capitol. She couldn't imagine anyone hurting Darius, he was always so good and kind. Yet someone had, and then they had killed him when they came here. She hated this place. She hated these people. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pushed the door open and she fell to her knees in front of the toilet.


"They're surrendering," the soldier to Peeta's left muttered. "Why are they surrendering?"

"A trick," another snarled. "Rebel scum! Let's just bomb the roof."

"This is President Snow's house," Peeta said, rolling his eyes. What an idiot. "What is the soldier saying?" He stood and moved closer to the house. One of the soldiers cupped his hands and was yelling something.

"We would like to speak with you, General. Alone."

"I don't think so, Soldier," he called back. "Do you surrender?"

"We just want to talk!"

"Do. You. Surrender?"

"No! And we can easily shoot your troops from here. Yet we haven't. Why do you think that is?" Peeta paused. The rebel soldier was right. The rebels were at an advantage, being above them. They could fire easily and yet Peeta would have to get a hovercraft in the air to fire on them. He stroked his chin.

"Fine. Who is the leader of your troop?"

"I am, General," the dark man called down. "Colonel Boggs."

"Colonel Boggs," Peeta nodded. "You may have 2 soldiers with you, as will I."

"I asked to speak to you alone."

"I'm no fool, Colonel. You're taller and bigger than I am. Two soldiers. I don't negotiate." Boggs scowled and turned back to his team. Rye nodded and Gale's eyes narrowed.

"Fine. Two soldiers. Is there a place we can talk privately?"

"Follow the stairs down to the third floor hallway. There is a room we can use." Boggs nodded.

"Five minutes." Peeta jerked his head and he and two soldiers disappeared into the house.

"Soldiers Mellark and Odair, you come with me. Soldiers Hawthorne and Hawthorne, try to communicate with 13. Tell them we are trapped and see if Plutarch Heavensbee has any recommendations on how to get out." Gale nodded and started twisting knobs on his transmitter.

"Ryen, can you think of anything that will snap him out of this?" Rye miserably shook his head.

"If Katniss's name didn't jolt him, I don't know what will."

"What about her voice," Finnick suggested. "What if we try to contact 13 and let her speak to him?" Boggs's brow was furrowed in thought.

"It's worth a shot. On second thought, you both stay here and try to get through. Haymitch should have a separate channel, and he has direct access to Katniss. I'll talk to Peeta alone."

"Colonel… are you certain?"

"You're a good soldier, Mellark. But I can't have this mission compromised by family ties. Stay here by the door and I will yell if I need you." Rye looked doubtful but he nodded in understanding.

"Yes sir." Boggs shouldered his rifle and re-entered the house. Rye clicked on his transmitter.

"Mockingjay One, do you copy?"

"Make it quick, Ryen," was the reply.

"Haymitch, we need to get Katniss on a broadcast. Right now."


Boggs followed Peeta's instructions and saw the three soldiers standing in front of the door. Peeta frowned.

"Where is your back-up?"

"I told you, I just want to talk. I don't need back-up. They stayed on the roof." Peeta pushed the door open and jerked his head.

"You stay here," he told his soldiers.

"But General-"

"That's an order," he barked before slamming the door closed. Peeta turned to face the Colonel and his hands went behind his back.

"You asked for this meeting, Colonel Boggs. So talk."

"So is it Peeta or Peter?"

"It's General Mellark, Colonel."

"I see. Well, I'm Colonel Easton Boggs. It's a pleasure to meet you. I have heard much about you." Peeta lifted his chin.

"General Peter Mellark of District 2. Can I assume you are from District 13?"

"You know about 13?" Boggs sounded surprised. He wasn't sure what Snow had told him.

"Of course we know. You thought you would stay hidden forever? Your leader, Madame Coin, thinks she can win the war with her special weapon."

"And what special weapon would that be?"

"The Mockingjay." Boggs paled.

"So you know about our secret weapon."

"We do. And one woman is not going to win you a war, Colonel."

"Boggs, come in. Boggs." The Colonel scowled and turned to the side.

"What," he hissed.

"Sir, we have a problem. Katniss isn't in 13." Boggs frowned and turned his back to Peeta.

"What?"

"Haymitch says they are on their way to District 8 to shoot a propo."

"District 8? Why are they sending her to 8?"

"They didn't send her, Colonel, she asked to go."

"I'm waiting, Colonel," Peeta said, sounding bored.

"Get her on a broadcast," Boggs hissed into his transmitter. "My apologies, General. Where were we?"

"I believe you were about to tell me what is so special about this… Mockingjay."

"You should know, General." Peeta's eyes flashed.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Have you heard the name 'Katniss' before, General Mellark?" He could tell Peeta was taken aback.

"No."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Are you questioning my memory?"

"Well I was about to ask about that next. Do you remember your parents? Your brothers?"

"I'm an only child," he said dismissively. "And my parents are dead."

"They're not. They are alive and well, and in District 13."

"Why would they be-"

"Because their home, District 12, was bombed by the Capitol." Peeta's eyes narrowed.

"Yes General. Your home was District 12 too."

"You speak as if you know me. And that is impossible, despite what you may have heard. Did you really ask to speak to me in private to question me about my personal life?"

"Doesn't it seem suspicious, General, that President Snow had to tell you who you were when you woke up? Who you were married to? Where you were from? Did you even remember where your house was?"

"Your Mockingjay attacked me and left me for dead," Peeta snarled. "I can't remember much because of the trauma to my head. So I actually have you to thank for all of this."

"I'd love to take the credit but Katniss was with me in District 13, so she can't have been responsible for your trauma. She has been...out of sorts for some time now. Which means it was Capitol soldiers who attacked you. Poisoned you too. Tell me, what is your wife's name?"

"Not that it's any of your business but her name is Lavinia."

"Boggs, we have Katniss connected." Boggs held the transmitter out towards Peeta.

"There is someone who would like to speak with you."

"What kind of trick is this?"

"No trick, General. Katniss, he's here."

"Peeta?" Peeta's eyes flew to the transmitter. "Peeta, are you there?"

"You can speak to her, General." Peeta took a step backwards and shook his head. Boggs grunted in frustration.

"Katniss, say something!"

"Can he hear me?"

"He can hear you!" Peeta stared at the transmitter as if it was a snake.

"Are you, are you, coming to the tree, where I told you to run, so we'd both be free," the reception wasn't great but Boggs could tell her voice was doing something to Peeta. "Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight in the hanging tree. Are you, are you, coming to the tree, where a dead man called out, for his love to flee." Most people would have questioned why Katniss was singing such a morbid song but he could see the changes in the young peacekeeper. Peeta inhaled sharply and his eyes seemed to glaze over.

"It's working. Keep going, Katniss."

"Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met at midnight in the hanging tree. Are you, are you, coming to the tree, wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me, strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met at midnight in the hanging tree." Boggs walked toward Peeta, holding the transmitter out and Peeta continued to back up until he was flat against the door. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Who is that?"

"That's your wife. Katniss."

"Peeta," Katniss's voice was gentle. "Remember what I said. Remember, they can't take you from me again. Remember my voice, pulling you back together and back to me. Remember." Peeta blinked and reached a shaky hand toward the transmitter.

"Come home to me, Peeta. Come home."

"Home," Peeta repeated softly.

"Haymitch! What is that?" Peeta and Boggs both blinked at the transmitter in confusion. There was a scream and a loud bang.

"They're shooting at us," they heard her cry. Katniss's voice disappeared and Haymitch's returned.

"Haymitch, give me a status update."

"-shooting at us. We can't land. Kat-s get away- window-." The static continued until it disconnected the broadcast. Boggs shook the transmitter angrily.

"Haymitch! Katniss! Can anyone hear me?" The transmitter went dead and Boggs punched the wall. "Dammit!" He turned back to Peeta, who was blinking in confusion.

"Do you remember anything now, Peeta?" The general straightened up and lifted his chin.

"Peter. And I don't know what you are trying to accomplish here, Colonel, but it won't work. I won't fall for your rebel tricks."

"Then I have no choice but to leave you behind," Boggs said sadly. Before Peeta could speak or move, Boggs's leg swung out and knocked Peeta to the ground. The Colonel punched the guards standing outside the door, then took off up the stairs. He slammed the door behind him and the men gaped at him.

"Please tell me Plutarch has a plan."

"He does, sir. Hovercraft estimated to land in ten seconds." Rory was right; the hovercraft sailed in and a rope ladder dropped while it hovered several feet off the ground. The soldiers fired from the ground but the pilot had them in the air and out of the city in no time. Peeta glared at the retreating hovercraft from the window, his neatly styled hair blowing in the wind. It was comforting, in a way. It felt like the loving caress of someone familiar. A mother, perhaps? No, he knew that couldn't be right. He didn't remember much about his mother but he didn't imagine her for loving caresses. And he couldn't really connect it with Lavinia. His time with her since he had woken up was awkward and quiet. She preferred to be alone, and he heard her crying every night. He straightened up and closed the window, his mind returning to the voice he had heard on the transmitter. For some strange reason, his heart was still racing. Frowning, he marched past his soldiers, ignoring their questions. He made his way downstairs, to the cells. He nodded to the peacekeeper in charge, who bowed his head and lead Peeta to the back.

The man looked up and managed a weak smile.

"Back again, General Mellark?"

"What name do you keep calling me?" Duartyr's brow furrowed. "Each time I come to you, you call me by another name. What is it?"

"Peeta," he said gently.

"That sounds like a type of bread. Why is everyone calling me that?"

"You didn't like my answers yesterday, General. Why do you continue to ask?"

"Because I'm still trying to sort things out. It's been two and a half weeks, Duartyr. Why can't I remember anything? Why is everything still so… fuzzy?"

"You were poisoned, and I don't know how much damage it's done. You may never fully remember your old life." Peeta looked troubled and Duartyr cocked his head.

"Something's happened. You look quite anxious."

"I heard… a girl's voice."

"A girl?" He nodded. "You mean your wife?"

"No, not Lavinia. She was upstairs having tea with the President's wife and daughter. Someone else. She… she sang to me." Comprehension crossed over Duartyr's face.

"What did you feel when you heard it?"

"I can't explain it. My heart, it… it's racing."

"Like it should when you're around Lavinia?" Peeta glanced up at the prisoner and bit his lip.

"Do you remember when you married her?"

"No. It's all so fuzzy. I can't remember meeting her, or when we married."

"Perhaps you should ask her about it."

"I've tried! She looks terrified and falls silent every time. I tried to feel the baby kick yesterday and she shied away from me. I don't even know if the child is mine! I don't remember anything about my parents or my school or my wedding day… those are things one should never forget!"

"You're right," Duartyr said, nodding in sympathy. Peeta huffed and ran his hands through his hair.

"Duartyr, you've been calling me Peeta. You mentioned a girl named Katniss. Why don't I know these names?"

"I'm a traitor to the Capitol, Mellark. Why would you trust me?" Peeta frowned. It was a fair question and one he had been asking himself for a week. He had been coming to see the prisoner every day, trying to gain information about the rebellion. But he found he actually liked the former general. He was stubborn but clever. He had wit and a certain charm. And he told him things about his own past that he started to question. He told Peeta that he liked to draw and that he had a brother who was also a peacekeeper.

"I don't know," Peeta finally answered. "Just tell me."

"You're the son of a baker," Duartyr said gently. "The youngest. They named you Peeta. You fell in love when you were five years old. When you heard her sing, you told me. Katniss was her name."

"That's impossible," Peeta whispered. "How can I not… why don't I remember?"

"Peeta, the Capitol has been injecting you with tracker-jacker venom for over a month now. Highjacking, it's called. They want to turn you against her. To kill her."

"The Mockingjay," Peeta whispered in horror.

"It's a name that the rebellion gave to her father, before he died. Now she is taking his place. Her voice will awaken Panem and stir them into action. Her real name, however, is Katniss Everdeen Mellark." Peeta turned away, covering his face with his hands.

"I can't remember what she looks like. She sounded so familiar but I can't remember what she looks like!" He saw a pair of silver eyes flash in the front of his mind.

"Dark hair," Duartyr said. "And smaller stature, not very big. And lovely grey eyes."

"Silver," Peeta whispered. "Shining pools of starlight."

"Yes," Duartyr said in approval. "You love her. Your wife, your real wife, is waiting for you." He opened his mouth to respond but heard his name being called.

"General Mellark!"

"Yes, I'll be right there!" He turned back to Duartyr and nodded. "I'll be right back. I have more questions."

"I'll be here," Duartyr nodded. Peeta shouldered his gun and hurried out of the cell. He moved so quickly, he didn't see Minister Antonius move into Duartyr's cell, a shining blade by his side.


I'm leaving for vacation and wanted to post beforehand! Enjoy, and I'll see yall when I get back! XOXOXO