Madge and her team have been trying to reach the Capitol, she has just received a message about Rye...

I do not own the Hunger Games.

Second Day Late Night

In Command

"Madge, what's wrong?" Haymitch asked.

"We've got to get to the barrack!"

"Why?"

"Rye's dying," Madge whispered. "His lungs are too damaged from the smoke inhalation."

Haymitch took her by the hand. "I'm sorry Kid."

Madge slumped to the floor. "I never told him how I feel, never told him…"

Haymitch sat down with her and wrapped his arms around her in a fatherly embrace.

Outside, the wind still blew and the cold still reigned. The second day was coming to a close.

Everyone across the nation was elated as the third day dawned. It was on this day that the cold spell that had settled over the land would finally break.

In the barrack, Peeta sat next to his brother as the machine attempted to repair his lungs.

Peeta recalled how he stood by Cressida and her team. There were tears in his eyes. He knew how important it was to notify Madge about his brother. She cared about Rye and deserved to know. Madge had worked with his brother to recruit the Merchants to the war effort.

Rye had worked so hard for freedom. Peeta had fought hard as well.

Peeta closed his eyes and took a deep, fortifying breath.

Behind him in the other rooms, he could hear Hazelle and the staff working on the other patients.

This morning when the SKR1L docked with the supplies and badly needed medical equipment, it boosted the morale of the occupants of the barracks. Everyone celebrated when they received a message from the guard tower. Katniss was relieved when she learned her mother was safe. Peeta was surprised to see an image of his father smiling.

It was the image of the SJ6 that came back that made Katniss and Peeta laugh. They had sent Corky to the rescue.

Peeta chuckled and wondered if his father had caught on to who the SJ6 was supposed to resemble. He also wondered how Corky and his family were fairing.

Corky had been the catalyst that brought Katniss into his life. He was the one that led them to the Citizen's lair and ultimately discover that the Citizen was Mrs. Undersee.

Peeta fought hard not to let the tears fall as he heard another patient get clear to leave the makeshift infirmary.

The proper medical equipment, tools, and stronger medication had immediate results. Many injuries that were considered critical could easily be healed now. With fewer patients, it was easier for Hazelle and her team to attend to the worst.

Many recovered, but for some, it was too late.

"Please, Rye," Peeta murmured.

"Peeta?"

Peeta turned to see Hazelle standing by him.

He nodded.

"Why don't you go and find Katniss," Hazelle suggested.

"I don't…"

"Peeta, I understand. My boy is fighting the same battle. I don't know if he's alive or…"

"How do you do it?" Peeta asked Hazelle. "Katniss told me that when your husband died you just picked up and kept living. How do you keep going, not knowing?"

"When my husband died, we weren't in a good place. My husband fell in with the wrong crowd. He wasn't the same man I married. I was relieved that he was gone." Hazelle sat down next to him, her hands shook as she placed the clipboard on her lap. "Gale, however," she paused speaking, taking a deep breath, and wiped her face. She was crying silently, her voice sounded broken as she once more spoke, "He's my oldest, my pride and joy. When he met Delly and he began to see her and not the status of her birth, I was so proud. I wanted a future for him that was different from mine."

She smiled sadly.

"I wanted a future with Katniss, that's why I joined the rebellion."

"We all wanted the same thing…" She pursed her lips, "Your brother was special."

"How so?"

"He persuaded me to join," Hazelle said. "It must have been sometime after Christmas."

"How did he do that?"

Hazelle chuckled. "I was visiting with Lavender, complaining about the cold and having all of my youngins in the house, and wanting to knock some sense into Vic and Rory. Those two knuckleheads, well they're like cats and dogs. Your brother knocked on the door. At first, I thought it was the Peacekeepers, but Lavender said they don't knock, they beat on the door."

Peeta couldn't help but grin, remembering his brother's jaunty rap on the door.

"I thought it was someone coming to get Lavender for some healing. When I saw your brother standing outside, looking like a snowman, I wondered what in tarnation was he doing in the Seam, holding fresh pieces of bread."

"Your brother was happy to see both of us, said he could kill two birds with one stone."

"That sounds like something my brother would say."

"I nearly fell off my seat when he told us about the rebellion. Then your brother said, 'Ma'am, we're going to have casualties. I might be one of those, and we need you to train others how to do the same. Men and women like yourself, Mrs. Hawthorne, who has great organizational skills.'" Hazelle shook her head, "He made me and Lavender blush like we were teenagers instead of grown women."

"My brother knew the cost," Peeta said brokenly.

"Rye understood better than anyone what was at stake. He wouldn't want you to squander your chance…" Hazelle put her hand on his shoulder. "He would want you to live a full life with Katniss."

Peeta nodded, he was too choked up to speak.

"Why don't you go find Katniss."

"But…"

"I'll find you if anything changes," Hazelle picked up her clipboard. "Now scoot, go find that huntress and spend some time with her."

Peeta nodded and stood. He walked out of the infirmary and found Katniss with Cressida and her team holding another message.

"What's going on?" Peeta whispered to Castor.

"We're trying to send a message to the Capitol," Castor said without looking up at Peeta. "It was Katniss' idea."

"She's right. If this message gets through, maybe they can use this method of communicating back if the airways are jammed," Cressida said.

Katniss stood as Pollux took a photo of her with the message. Her face conveyed the message written on the piece of paper she held.

"Just hold still," Cressida said.

Katniss rolled her eyes.

They had to use this method to speak to HQ, as the tablet that Corin put in the vehicle for them to use as communication was being used at the moment. There were a lot of people who were finally connecting. Hazelle gave each person a total of 15 minutes to talk, there was a line, just like the one for the shower.

"Just one more minute," Cressida said.

Peeta raked his hand through his hair.

"We've almost got the image," Castor said.

It turned out there were a lot of siblings, a few cousins, a handful of married couples, and an odd scattering of parents wanting to speak to their children. The ability to reconnect with loved ones and mutuals who trained together helped further boost the morale of those stuck in the barrack.

The insufficient food, the amount of injured, the medical equipment, and the shortages of medicine, combined with the fear based on the lack of information had been dragging down the spirits of everyone in the barrack. Sending that SOS to the tower had been a gamble. Thankfully it worked.

Peeta saw the hope in the eyes of everyone including Katniss.

The past few days had been tough, and Katniss had once more shown Peeta just how much she loved him. Katniss put not knowing if her mother was alive in the back of her mind to focus on his pain. Peeta thought of how amazing and humbling it was that she'd chosen him.

She'd stood by him, as he dealt with the news about his brother. And after all that he went through, he loved her more than ever. His eyes traveled over her remarkable face, her gray eyes that sparkled like twinkly stars in the dead of night, her pert nose, the way her dark hair cascaded down her back, and the way she looked at him as if he had hung up the moon.

"I love you," Peeta mouthed.

She blushed when she read his lips.

"Okay we're done," Cressida said.

"Do you think they will get it?" Katniss asked, putting the sign down.

"Hopefully, they will," Castor said. "It will have to travel farther."

Pollux signed something to Castor.

"My brother said it might take longer, there is a lot of interference because of the weather."

"Looks like it'll take a while," Cressida said. "You guys might as well go talk to your parents."

Peeta expelled a heavy breath he still had to tell his dad about Rye.

Katniss hugged him. They walked away and sat by the tables where people ate their MREs. With the added fresh fruits and vegetables, there was a promise of fresh greens tonight with the MREs. And fruit with breakfast, along with vitamins.

One of the women who had been listed as critical was being wheeled to the line. Her arm was in a cast. She looked remarkably better than she did yesterday.

"Cressida's right, why don't we head to the line," Peeta said.

Katniss glanced at him, looking indecisive.

"You haven't spoken to your mom," Peeta said.

Katniss opened and closed her mouth.

"You've been worried about whether she'd made it and kept it quiet because of me."

"But you were going through a lot," Katniss said.

"But you prioritized me, and I should have thought about you and your needs." Peeta took her hand. "What's stopping you from talking to your mom?"

Katniss looked away.

"Katniss," Peeta said gently.

"I just didn't want to think of her as gone." Katniss closed her eyes, stopping to collect herself. "Not when we just…she started to be…my mom again," Katniss said thickly.

Peeta understood. Katniss had told him at one time that her relationship with her mother had been strained. The day Katniss lost her father she also lost her mother. Katniss's mother had become what Katniss described as a vacant living doll. Katniss was forced to become an adult at the tender age of eleven.

Peeta had seen the family's quick decline, but he didn't know it was that bad until Katniss described how she had to feed and bathe her mother because of the fear of being discovered. If an official discovered that their mother wasn't taking care of them, they would have been taken to the Community Center.

It took years for her mother to slowly come back from her vegetative state.

Katniss, having had the rug pulled from underneath her, couldn't trust her mother anymore. The relationship they had was reversed as if her mother was a child for Katniss to deal with. When the Peacekeepers began their tyranny and the weather had gotten progressively worse, it forced both women to reconcile. Katniss was closer to her mother today than she was a year ago.

"Come on," Peeta said as they walked to the line.

The air was filled with excitement.

Katniss laid back against his chest; he welcomed her warmth.

"I have to tell my dad," Peeta said.

Katniss nodded.

Peeta cleared his throat as emotions overtook his sense of being. All of his memories with his brothers came to mind.

Like the one when they were kids and it was Peeta's first time in the bakery. Or the day he gave Katniss the loaves of bread. It was Rye who put a frozen bag of meat on his face to help with the swelling.

He recalled the endless games of picture charades where everything Rye drew looked like boobs.

Rye, who had the biggest heart that he'd made friends with Katniss's sister. He recalled the day of the Reaping and how Rye shared his large gloves with Primrose because her little hands were red and chapped from the cold. Rye invited them for cookies after the Reaping. Peeta wiped his face as another memory surfaced in his mind.

The plan for the Everdeen's to shelter at the bakery, and the Hawthorne's to stay with the Cartwrights had been struck because of Rye inviting Prim for cookies. Peeta had been so excited to have Katniss and her family stay with them that he could hardly sleep the night before.

In the pre-dawn hours, Eugene had made them a hearty breakfast. They had prepared the living space to accommodate their three guests. His dad found out about the oncoming storm. Peeta had headed out early with Rye and Gale, they moved quickly. Peeta was struck at how different the landscape looked. So much snow had fallen that there were walls of snow nearly seven feet high as they made their way through the meadow to get through to the Seam.

"You head to the Everdeen's home," Gale said as he walked off toward his house. "I'm going to get my family and meet you there."

"Okay, see you there," Peeta said.

"Hey Gale," Rye shouted.

Gale paused.

"Make sure you take care of your tall, handsome self. I don't know what I'll do if something happens to you," Rye joked.

"Shut up, Rye," Gale shouted back, shaking his head as he walked away.

Peeta laughed. They'd set out early in the morning, because of an oncoming storm they'd been warned about. Rye and Peeta continued down the path to the group of homes where Katniss and her family lived.

"I forgot this is where they lived. It's so small." Rye sounded amazed as they got closer to the small home.

"How did you know they lived here?"

"There's a funny story," Rye said, "But right now isn't the time to talk about it. I'm too cold to be standing outside," Rye sputtered.

"You know, most of the homes in the Seam are worse off than this one," Peeta pointed out a smaller home that looked like it might collapse if a strong wind hit it.

"No wonder Madge has been moving families."

Peeta cleared his throat, "So are you and Madge…"

"No."

"Rye, I know you." Peeta examined his brother closely, though he couldn't see much because of the scarf and fur-trimmed hat he wore to keep the cold out. He'd been noticing the looks between his brother and Madge.

There was a spark of interest there. He recognized that it was the same looks he and Katniss had been sharing at school all those years. Had he known Katniss had been climbing the tree outside of his window just to see him, Peeta would have spoken to her sooner.

He didn't want Rye to miss an opportunity to let Madge know how he felt.

"Ha!"

"I do."

"Prove it," Rye challenged.

"You like her more than Beulah River."

"Beulah?" Rye scoffed.

"Yeah," Peeta said grinning, recalling how his brother had at one point sworn that the buxom blonde would be his next girlfriend. "You remember, she was this tall with pale blonde hair."

"Oh, I forgot about her," Rye said.

"Because you like Madge," Peeta said.

"Peeta," Rye said.

"Come on, Rye, admit it you like Madge."

"Okay fine I like her." Rye huffed. "I like Madge, there I said it!"

"Good, now when are you going to ask her out?"

"Peeta we're in the middle of a rebellion, and she doesn't have time for someone like me…" Rye spouted.

"So," Peeta said.

"So," Rye repeated. "So, what if she doesn't feel that way about me? Or what if there's someone else in her life?"

"Then you know," Peeta said, as they reached the house. "But you won't know until you speak to her."

"Okay, maybe, I'll talk to her when this is all over."

"Sounds like a plan," Peeta said before he knocked on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again more forcefully.

"Who is it?" Katniss shouted. She couldn't see them through the window because the shutters were closed to keep the cold air out.

"It's Peeta," he shouted as a gust of cold air whipped out.

The door opened and Katniss stood on the opposite side looking extremely beautiful in her knitted sweater and thick pants. She shooed them inside. "Come in, quickly."

Prim stood just behind Katniss, near the small pot belly stove. The warmth caressed their exposed skin as Katniss closed the door sealing in the precious heat.

"Hello from the outside!" Rye greeted as he entered the house.

"Rye!" Prim cried out as she bolted toward him.

"Hiya, Primrose!" Rye removed his mask and bent down to catch Prim and hug her. He spun her around and Prim giggled.

Mrs. Everdeen smiled.

"You came just like you promised!" Prim exclaimed.

Katniss shared a look with Peeta. Peeta smiled and winked back at her.

"What are you…" Mrs. Everdeen asked.

"My dad wanted to make sure you ladies arrived safely." Peeta smiled, then added, "It looks like the weather is going to get pretty bad. Gale went to go get his family. They'll be meeting us here shortly and we can all make the trek together."

Mrs. Everdeen rubbed her shoulders, then said, "I'll be right back. I'm going upstairs to get an extra sweater for Prim." As she walked by Rye who was kneeling on the ground with Prim she patted his head.

"Do you think they will make it?" Prim asked concern etched in her blue eyes as they shifted to the animals.

"I'm not entirely sure, Prim. We can leave them behind," Peeta began to say but Prim's face fell, her worry clearly written in her blue eyes.

Peeta and Rye looked at each other. Rye grinned mischievously at Peeta before turning to Prim. In a gentle voice he said, "Too bad they don't have coats."

Prim's eyes brightened before she gleefully clapped her hands. "Sweaters, we have…sweaters for them." She dragged Rye out of the room.

"Sweaters," Peeta mouthed to Katniss, curious as to what she meant.

"Prim was afraid they were cold, so my mom made sweaters for the cat, the goat, and the chickens. She even made them sock booties, though they won't wear them, and I think Lady ate hers." Katniss shook her head as her baby sister ran into the room with the tiny knit sweaters, with Rye in tow.

"Can you help me?" Prim put a sweater on an angry-looking Buttercup.

"My mom is going to be ecstatic when she sees chickens with sweaters," Rye said, sitting on the floor as he held a rooster, helping Prim dress their animals.

A short while later Mrs. Everdeen came in with arms ladened with extra sweaters and raised an eyebrow at seeing Rye's large frame sitting on the floor putting a knit sweater on one of the chickens.

Rye expertly knew how to handle the situation. He winked at Katniss's mother. "We're being cautious with the whole family, just in case something calamitous happens."

Peeta laughed and he saw Katniss's eyes sparkle with mirth. Only Rye could put a spin on such a thing.

Peeta smiled at the memory. These were the things that he loved about Rye. Peeta could never imagine his other brother Norton doing something like that. Norton was straight-laced and serious. The only person he smiled around was his wife.

"We're up next," Katniss whispered.

"You talk to your mom first, then I'll talk to my dad," Peeta suggested.

"Well, if it isn't my two favorite people," the Peacekeeper with the devil-may-care-smile and smooth voice said.

"Hello," Peeta greeted.

"I didn't introduce myself before, but my name is James Fleming," he said, smiling at Katniss.

Peeta wrapped his hands automatically around her middle.

"Hello, James," Katniss greeted shyly.

"Who are you talking to today?"

"I want to speak to my mother Lavender Everdeen," Katniss said quietly.

"Your mother was involved in the rebellion?"

"She's a healer..."

"Wait, she's the one who helped in getting all the stuff to us?" James asked, interrupting whatever Katniss was going to say.

"Yes."

James smiled smoothly. "Are all of the women in your family remarkable? And would you happen to have a one that might date someone like me?"

Katniss turned red.

"They're all amazing, the only one available is her mother. She's single and about your age," Peeta stepped in.

"Peeta," Katniss said, outraged.

"What, your mom is a widow and she might want to have some companionship in the future."

James laughed at their interaction before saying, "Okay, and you Peeta who are you speaking with?"

"My dad, Eugene Mellark, and before you ask, there's nothing remarkable about us, we're just your friendly neighborhood bakers."

The Peacekeeper laughed then said, "I like you kid, okay miss let me set up the call and you'll be able to speak with your mom."

He whistled when he saw Katniss's mother on the screen. "Hello Mrs. Everdeen, can I personally thank you before you speak to your daughter?"

"Oh, of course," Lavender Everdeen stammered, her face flushed.

"Name's James if you need anything," he said. Before he turned serious," You have 15 minutes to speak."

"Thank you," both Katniss and Lavender said.

"You look well," Lavender said.

"Thank you, mom," Katniss said.

"I thought you might have died. Hazelle said that you were behind them."

"I got turned around," Lavender sighed. "I was lucky Corin spotted my heat source on her monitor and Rain came and got me."

"I'm sure Rain is going to want a medal or something." Katniss laughed.

"You're right."

They both chuckled.

"Katniss," her mother's tone of voice turned to that familiar one of a healer.

Katniss raised an eyebrow.

"Are you and Peeta being careful?"

"Mother!" Katniss exclaimed.

"What you're two consenting young adults facing extraordinary situations. Sometimes people look for comfort in the arms of a partner."

"No, we haven't…" Katniss blushed.

Peeta also felt his cheeks turn red. He and Katniss hadn't done anything more than chaste kisses since they became engaged. They had vowed to wait until marriage because without the Hob contraceptives were hard to come by.

Peeta cleared his throat as he watched Katniss struggle with her mother's clear indication for them doing more than just sleep. with everything going on,, they hadn't been together like that in a while.

"Good," Lavender said.

"You make sure you get enough rest Katniss," Lavender said to Katniss through the screen. "Take those vitamins Kristen and I packed. They are essential."

"Mom, I'm worried…" Katniss said.

"We all are," Lavender said.

"What if?"

"No, Katniss, don't do this to yourself. We had one chance at freedom and we took it, and I will go down fighting for you to be free of this regime."

Katniss nodded. "I love you, mom."

Lavender blinked and her face was suddenly filled with emotion at Katniss's words. "I love you too."

Peeta stepped forward and put his hands on Katniss' shoulders.

"Okay," the Peacekeeper cleared his throat. "Well, you finished early….I'll get the next call ready."

Katniss stood from the chair and turned into Peeta's embrace. James cleaned the spot and reset the timer.

They stood there simply holding each other.

"Okay your call to your dad is ready," James said. "Remember 15 minutes."

"Thank you," Peeta said,

"Tell him," Katniss said.

Peeta nodded before he sat down.

"Peeta! My boy!" Eugene said.

"Hi dad," Peeta said.

"Hello my son, how are you?"

"Good, Katniss is with me," Peeta said, pointing over his shoulder.

"I know, I heard her talk with her mother."

"Yeah," Peeta said. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," Eugene said.

Peeta glanced up at Katniss, he gave her a watery smile.

"Peeta," his dad's voice trembled. "Did Rye…is he…"

Peeta smiled back at his father, "Dad…Rye…" he was overcome with emotion.

Katniss put her hand on his shoulder, then she sat on his lap, and then turned to his dad, "Mr. Mellark…Rye's not doing so well."

"But the equipment?" Eugene questioned.

"The smoke damaged his lungs pretty badly," Katniss said quietly. Peeta wiped his tears from his face.

"We got something from the CAPITOL!" Cressida yelled.

Peeta looked at Katniss. "We'll talk later…"

"Go…" Eugene said sadly.

Katniss and Peeta ran to where Cressida and her team were located with the cardboard with the printed message from the Capitol.

"Katniss, if you could do the honors?" Cressida held the cardboard to Katniss.

Katniss quickly took up her position as Castor and Pollux began to send the message to Command.

It was past the witching hour as the transmission sped through to Command.

Outside, the wind blew and the snow stopped falling. The clouds parted and blue broke through. The moonlight was breaking through clouds and shone down onto the sparkling snow hinting at warmer days to come.

In Command, Madge was still on the floor next to Haymitch. Her tears over the news of Rye were still fresh and she felt raw. It was past three in the morning and Haymitch let her cry until she didn't have any more tears left to shed.

"We are getting another transmission," Haymitch said.

"Can you?"

Haymitch stood looking at the console as another message was coming in from the barrack. Her stomach plunged. Madge closed her eyes and she didn't want to hear the inevitable news. She didn't want to admit that he was dead.

"We got a message from the Barrack," Haymitch said looking down at the console table.

"What is it saying?" Madge asked.

"It's still coming in."

Madge began to pace.

"I'm going to have it printed," Haymitch said.

Madge listened as the computer began to print the page. After it was printed Haymitch became quiet as he held the paper.

Madge frowned. "Haymitch?" she called, questioning if she really wanted more bad news.

"We did it…" Haymitch whispered. He laughed, thrusting the paper into her hands.

Madge looked down at the paper and began to laugh. There was an image of Finnick Odair with his feet propped up on Snow's presidential desk with a sign. Madge read it out loud and said, "We're Free."

Turning to Haymitch she gave him a fierce hug before smiling and turning to the room.

"Look alive people, let's get up!" Madge shouted.

The people who were asleep began to get up. They looked at her and Haymitch with bleary, yet hopeful glances.

"We're free…" Madge whispered.

Madge's knees threatened to buckle as tears gushed out of her eyes as the chaos exploded in command.

Madge couldn't believe of all people, Finnick Odair from District Four was sitting in Snow's chair.

"Guys get this message to district three and broadcast this to the entire nation!"

Immediately everyone began sitting down at their stations and began to transmit the signal to Beettee in district three and the rest of the nation.

Haymitch blew his nose. He smiled at Madge. "I never thought I'd smell freedom."

Madge opened her book and read, "And yet I wish but for the thing I have; My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite…."

"What the heck does that mean?" Haymitch frowned.

"It means Juliet is free to love the man of her dreams, the same way Katniss and Peeta are free to love who they want. The entire nation is free to pursue their happiness." Madge said, as she watched the message being sent out to District 3, and then to the other districts. "I've got to tell Rye…"

"We'll get on that."

She sat down, the hardest part of the war was yet to come for her.

In the Tower, the message caused shouts and celebrations. Corin kissed Rain who looked loopy afterward.

In the barracks, after they received the message, Katniss jumped into Peeta's arms and kissed him.

Peeta looked a little flushed as he grinned.

"We're free!" Katniss looked at him happily.

"We are," Peeta said, staring at her with all of the love he had within him.

Katniss then quietly squeezed his hand. "Let's go spend time with your brother."

All around them people were celebrating until he recalled the price that freedom had paid. "Okay."

Katniss gently led him to the infirmary. They sat in the chairs next to his bed.

The machine that his brother was hooked up to beeped, measuring Rye's breathing and heartbeat. It looked as if his brother's breathing was extremely labored.

"Guys, I have Madge on the Tablet; she wants to speak to Rye…" Hazelle said.

On the screen, Madge teared up as she saw Rye's state.

"It's okay, he's listening," Peeta said.

"Rye," Madge whispered. "I wanted you to know that I…love you…" She blinked.

The beeping on the machine increased.

"We did, we're free…" she sniffled. "The Capitol has fallen. Snow is dead. We've won and the Nation of Panem is now free. Free from the crucible of the Games, Free from the Reapings, and we are now truly one nation."

As Madge finished speaking the beeping on the machine became one continuous note. And as the nation celebrated the birth of a free Panem, Katniss, Peeta, and Madge said goodbye to a loved one.

First off I cried hard when I went in and rewrote this chapter. But as Buttercupbadass pointed out I needed to keep the story moving forward. Killing Rye was the hardest thing I ever had to do because I loved his character so much but I knew he was the sacrificial lamb that needed to save the rebellion.

I wanted to thank everyone who has been rooting for this small er...story. Also to Norbertsmom who gave me the courage I needed to tear this chapter apart. Next week we learn about Gale's fate...just don't hate me too hard though...