Chapter Summary: SKR1L has safely landed and now with the technology all three groups can communicate. In Command Madge and her group are dealing with the information they've learned from the barracks and the guard tower.

I Do Not Own The Hunger Games

2nd Day Late at Night

In Command, Madge and Haymitch sat side by side. Around them, people slept in sleeping bags.

Madge hadn't been able to fall asleep. For the past few days, they had spent every waking hour trying to reach the Capitol. No message was coming back, and Madge and everyone were beginning to question if their messages were even being received.

Everyone was at their breaking point when the message from the barrack and guard towers came in. Hearing a signal coming in a sign that they should go on because they weren't out of the woods yet. They became obstinately steadfast to reach the Capitol. They were not the only ones with wounded and dead. They had begun to reach out to the other Districts to exchange information.

"What are you thinking about?" Haymitch asked.

"I was thinking about Katniss' speech to the Peacekeepers. It was some speech," Madge said.

However, what she was really thinking about was Rye. They'd gotten a message from the barracks and from the tower. Being able to communicate was wonderful, but it had its drawbacks. Hearing that they'd lost so many was a blow and Rye's life was still hanging in the balance caused Madge to worry.

He was one of the first people to sign up for the rebellion. In her mind, she could hear his voice, and could still hear the way he laughed. Thinking of Rye kept her other thoughts at bay. The ones that made her heart shrivel up to know her mother was a villain.

Her mother had been the spy known as the Citizen. Madge was still trying to wrap her mind around the idea that her alcoholic mother had it in her to destroy so many lives. That she'd even betrayed her own family.

Shaking her head, she focused on Haymitch.

"Everdeen is just like her father, Max." Haymitch grinned. "Her father had the ability to rouse people into action; he was a natural leader. Katniss has it in her too."

"Did I ever tell you Katniss was my inspiration for this war? Peeta wanted me to slide notes into Katniss' notebook without her knowledge."

"Notes," Haymitch chuckled. "Really?"

"Love notes, to be exact."

"How?"

"Peeta was desperately in love with Katniss. Katniss was in denial, though it was plain as the nose on my face she was in love with Peeta. On a predawn walk, I just happened to be walking by the bakery when I saw Katniss scaling down from Peeta's window."

"How in the frozen hell did Sweetheart escape the Witch's notice?"

"I wouldn't have known had I not caught her."

"Boudica must be slipping," Haymitch.

"Well, she certainly has because Katniss is going to be the next Mrs. Mellark."

"That still blows my mind, to know those two are engaged."

"Yup," Madge smiled. "Darius once told me that Katniss had been scaling that tree for as far back as he could remember. The old Peacekeeper crew kept it a secret amongst themselves. They all knew Katniss was climbing the tree to watch Peeta. Peeta, in turn, would watch Katniss whenever he thought no one was looking, at school, or whenever Katniss was walking about the town. Darius," Madge choked out and took a moment to mourn her friend.

"I miss him too," Haymitch said. "Darius and Purnia were good people. They cared about the district and wanted to make this world a better place."

Madge nodded tightly.

"When this is over I'm going to give his wife some of my coins from the Games. She'll need extra help. Though Greasy-Sae will move heaven and earth to take care of her daughter and granddaughter.

"Maybe we'll do something as a district to the fallen," Madge said, remembering the way Romeo and Juliet's friends reacted when they learned of their deaths. "I won't let them leave the Mayor's home for the time being."

"Darius was quite the character, he liked to antagonize Gale and Katniss."

"He knew they would never work." Madge grinned. "Darius said there was smoke between Katniss and Peeta. He was waiting for the day it turned into fire."

There was a pause between them as they acknowledged Darius and all he had done for the rebellion.

Haymitch cleared his throat. "Want to hear something funny?"

"Sure." Madge needed to hear something bright and happy.

"Her father predicted Katniss and Peeta would someday take the plunge." Haymitch chuckled, rubbing his face.

"Pardon?"

"Katniss's father told me that Katniss and Peeta would, you know, get hitched, end up together. He said that whenever he was going into town Katniss always knew when he was stopping by the bakery. He said she'd lift her little arms up and cry until he picked her up and brought her with him. Eugene said his boy knew when Katniss was near he'd be waiting at the door for them. He cried Nae-Nae when he saw her."

"He really called her Nae-Nae?" Madge could imagine Katniss as a toddler with two lopsided black pigtails and Peeta with a mop of curly blond hair and his droopy diaper waiting by the screened-in door for Katniss to come.

"Yeah, Peeta spoke before Katniss did. They were inseparable as toddlers. They had to stop when Katniss learned to climb. She climbed up onto the counter and fearlessly jumped toward Peeta while in Eugen's arms. Her father had to catch her mid-air."

"I'm speechless," Madge said, blowing hot air into her hands.

"Katniss didn't take the separation well, she cried for Peeta. Eugene had to give Max one of Peeta's baby pillows and Max gave Peeta one of Katniss's hand-carved toys."

"Wait, is it a little duck?"

"Yeah, why?"

Madge had to control her laughter as she spoke, "Peeta has this carved duck Delly told me about. She said he prizes it and keeps it tucked away in a safe spot."

"Yup that's her duck," Haymitch chuckled. "Lavender thought it was a baby crush. Max said it was more, told her that it was going to happen regardless how the future unfolded."

Madge chuckled. "To be honest, I never thought Katniss would be interested in anyone."

"What about Gale?"

"Pft," Madge snorted, rubbing her arms and wrapping the sleeping bag around her shoulders. "She and Gale are like oil and vinegar. They're only good together when used for a salad dressing."

Haymitch laughed.

Madge wiped her eyes as everything once more sat on her shoulders. The rebellion, the loss of friends, and her mother being a traitor. When this began she never expected her need for change would lead to this moment. They had won so many battles and now they had to deal with the losses. The personal loss was the hardest to overcome.

"Do you drink to forget?"

"Yeah," Haymitch said. "I took so many lives in the Games and I let so many others die…"

Haymitch's candidness and non-judgment were what Madge needed.

Haymitch turned to her. "I loved someone so fiercely once and the Capitol took them away. I always knew there was a spy in District Twelve, providing our private information. Your mother was the person who provided Snow with the tools to hurt me-"

"Haymitch," Madge whispered brokenly, interrupting him. Unaware that he had lost loved ones at the hand of her mother. "I'm sorry."

"No, Kid, don't put the blame for what happened on your shoulders."

"But…"

"Listen, Kid, I told you before, I don't blame your mother."

"Really?"

"Yep, I've seen too much to know that your mother was brainwashed. Hell, that's how Snow does it, you know. Katniss's mother, Lavender, pointed it out to me. Snow keeps the district divided by separating the Seam from the Merchants, making each one distrust the other. We're all just a piece in Snow's Games."

"In school, I sat with Katniss during lunchtime. She was from the Seam and I was a Merchant. We sat together because we were the oddballs, at least that's what I thought. I didn't start to see the divide until I saw Katniss and Peeta struggle to maintain their relationship secret for fear of what others would say. I was appalled that if they went public, Peeta would be shunned, and his mother would've thrown him out. And Katniss even in the Seam…"

Haymitch huffed.

"Yeah," Madge nodded. "Katniss and I didn't fit -" Madge shrugged. "We both straddle two worlds, mine is the responsibility my father has between the Capitol and the District and Katniss straddles a world between the Seam and Merchant. We really don't fit in either world."

"It's what the president intended. Divided we are weaker. He tore our District apart and he did it to other Districts as well. I blame Snow," Haymitch said.

"I can see why," Madge said. "It's easier to control an entire nation when they're too busy fighting amongst themselves or too tired to fight."

"Madge," Haymitch moved around a bit to make himself comfortable. "Can I be frank, about your mother?"

"Haymitch, you're always very truthful. Brutally, even when I don't want to hear it," Madge said sarcastically.

"I've met hundreds of people just like your mother in the Capitol, they don't know better. They've been taught we're not like them, that we're barbarians."

Madge frowned, not understanding, she wasn't a barbarian.

"Not even the citizens of the Capitol are safe from his manipulations. They believe that Snow is right in everything he does. They're indoctrinated from birth just like your mother was by someone in her family. It's why the Hunger Games exist, why they think it's okay. And if there is any dissension, they disappear or they become an Avox, like Pollux."

Madge widened her eyes. She'd wondered how the man had lost his tongue."I just thought he was mute?" The idea of Pollux being subjected to such a monstrous policy, caused a shiver to run up her spine.

"Snow makes them slaves until they pay their debt to society. The man is driven by two things: his lust for power and his hatred and distrust of the districts. He lived through the first war, and he, like those of his generation, blamed the districts for the hardships they faced. The only thing more powerful than hope is hatred. Hate destroys while hope blooms. People like Snow used hate of the districts to create and mold the Games to what they are today."

"Poor Pollux," Madge whispered.

They were quiet for a moment. Haymitch stood. As he moved to the station that was set up for coffee and tea he asked, "I need something to warm my insides. Do you want a cup of tea?"

"Yes, that would be nice." Madge stood up and looked out of the window. She rubbed her shoulders, glad that the snow had finally stopped falling. Outside the snow looked like a deadly frozen wonderland. The wind whistled as it whipped around the building.

"Madge, you do know what happens next," Haymitch said.

"We have to dig out," Madge said.

"No, when we win this," Haymitch said.

Madge sighed. She looked about the room. "Do you think we did it? Do you think we're free?"

"Sweetheart's message helped swing the pendulum to our side in the Capitol. When this is over there will be a new dawn for Panem."

Madge sighed, glad to have this conversation with Haymitch about her mother and her worries. He was wise. "Maybe in this new world, Katniss can stop stalking Peeta."

Haymitch chuckled. He stood and stood beside Madge offering her a cup of hot tea. "That will never happen."

Madge nodded smiling into her warm cup.

Haymitch cleared his throat before speaking, "Kid when this is over there will be a need for a new government. People will look to you for inspiration."

Madge had never thought about what happens after defeating the government. She sipped her tea. "I think we should form some sort of board that will govern temporarily."

"That would be smart, who's going to be on this board?"

"The board should be composed of representatives from each district and of course one from the Capitol. Possibly even the rebellion leaders and one extra person."

"There will be a boatload of decisions to be made and we have to get the people fed."

The things Haymitch mentioned made her mind spin. They were valid points. People needed to be fed, no doubt there would be people injured, they also needed to dig out. There were many things they needed to address, she took a sip of tea and mused out loud, "I wonder if we can use the Tessera being stored within the compound. Perhaps the Mellarks can create some sort of bread from it that we can distribute along with rationing out the food."

"That sounds like a great idea," Haymitch agreed.

"I'm going to have to make a list of the immediate problems and come up with solutions while the government can take flight."

As they sat there, the computer began to beep, signaling a notification was coming in. It had to be serious to warrant such a late message.

Madge stood up and looked at the screen, "It's from the barracks," Madge whispered.

"Well?" Haymitch said, struggling to sit up.

"It's…it's…" Madge's words stumbled.

Haymitch stood. "What is it?"

"It's Rye," Madge whispered with watery tears.

A/N: DON'T HATE ME!

So I didn't receive hate mail so that's good but I might after this chapter. I wrote it and thanks to Buttercupbadass knew I needed to move the story forward so I went back to the drawing board and pushed this story...and to my beta norbertsmom who edited a very different chapter lol.

Next up we go back to the barrack...