First update of the new year! Sorry it took so long for me to write/upload this!

Thank you to annekebb4ever, Ellenka, ShortySC22, To be a rebel, ImaginationStation00, EyesOnFire1, rayleen14, gingerly moments, and Txcutee for leaving a review. It's great to hear from you! Hope you like this chapter! ;)


Chapter 15

We are doing it. We are going to escape to the woods…with both our families. It took some convincing on both our parts to have Mrs. Everdeen agree to our plan. After a few days of arguments, she finally realized that this was the only option for Katniss to have some sort of normal life.

Over the past week, I gathered a few odds and ends from the Hob to prepare for our trip. Each night Katniss brought me her family's belongings to store at my house until it is time. I have to get creative in storing it to make sure the younger ones won't find it. They don't know about our plan yet. It's better that way, ensuring that they won't tell one of their friends. No one can truly know what we are up to.

The Everdeens come by for dinner, just like we had planned. From there, we will escape into the woods. I sneak Katniss out of the house while our mothers prepare the food and the younger kids play. We walk through the tree-covered Seam until we reach the open field. We take cover by sitting under a tree in the middle of the meadow, our backs resting against its large trunk.

"I can't believe we're doing this." she says.

"You still want to?" I ask just to make sure.

"Yes, of course I do! You know I can't stay here. I can't be a victor."

"What does Peeta think of all of this?" I ask her.

"He doesn't know." she says. I can tell she is somewhat ashamed for keeping this from him.

"Probably for the better." I comment.

"He'll be devastated."

"But he'll also be safer this way." I add. He loves her after all. His reaction to the news will sell our lie.

"What about Snow?" she questions me.

"Last time I check, it was you that he had a problem with. Peeta just went along with the berries. With you gone, he'll no longer be a threat." She nods her head in agreement. "I can't wait to get out there." I sigh.

"Soon enough, you will be."

"I'll never have to step foot in those dark, dingy mines ever again." I say with a relief. "We'll all be free. And we'll never have to worry about the kids being selected for the Games. We'll finally get to live the way we please."

"That does sound nice…all of it." she says. She then mentions something about getting back so I help her up and we walk back to my house. We spend time with our siblings until dinner is ready. When the food is ready, we all join at the table with chairs crammed close together to fit everyone. Katniss is next to me again, our arms nestled next each other. It warms me to feel her presence and I can't help but smile.

"What?" she asks with curiosity, catching my rarely occurring grin.

"I'm glad you're here." I say taking her hand. I bring my mouth closer to her hear to whisper to her. "Last time was unbearable."

Her face contorts into a confused expression and I'm not sure what she could possibly be thinking. My heart starts to race as I fear that I've shown too much of my affection for her.

"You were reaped." I add, releasing her hand from mine and concentrating on the food in front of my plate, loading my fork with food and shoving it into my mouth to shut me up. I look over and find her eyes still on me, questioning for more.

"Eat up before it gets cold." I say to her before shoving another fork load of food in my mouth. I don't turn to her again. Instead, I aim my attention at the conversation happening at the table. I missed the gist of it but the children are laughing and my mother is scolding Rory.

"Oh come on, Mom. Gale used to do this kind of stuff all the time."

"What did I do?" I ask.

"Pulling pranks at school." he tells me.

"That doesn't mean you follow in his footsteps." my mother says.

"What did he do?"

"I put a frog in her drawer."

"I never did that." I cover myself.

"And it jumped right her! And she was wiggling all over the place." Rory says, standing from his seat and imitating his teacher. The children start laughing yet again.

"I don't know where he got that from." I tell my mother.

"Chalk in the erasers, water on the teacher's chair, among over things that I won't mention!"

"No more of that Rory." I say to him sternly. He nods his head in agreement. We spend the rest of the meal talking about our days and other happening in District 12. Dessert follows dinner with a cake undoubtedly made by Peeta. Posy makes a comments about how Katniss should have brought him here and that she hopes one day she can have a boyfriend like him. A string of questions about her and Peeta follows from my young sister and I can't take it anymore. I quietly excuse myself from the table and walk outside. I take a seat on the stairs and take slow breaths to calm myself. I few minutes pass and I hear the door open and close behind me.

"I'm fine, Mom." I look beside me and am surprised to find Katniss sitting next to me.

"You've been acting strange all evening." she tells me.

"Nerves I guess."

"What do you have to be nervous about?"

"Katniss, so many things could go wrong." I admit.

"I trust you." she says, taking my hand in hers. I want to tell her everything about how I feel about her and I hate hearing about her and Peeta. I know this isn't the time, not on the night we are fleeing. I could start all kinds of trouble. She coaxes me back inside where game night is about it start. We do this to pass the time until it is time to escape. I watch my siblings cheerful faces as they play and wonder what they will look like after they hear the news about leaving. Will they be excited to live somewhere new or will they hate me for it?

I wait until nighttime, when other families are turning in. My siblings and Prim are sitting on the couch as I take my place on a chair in front of them.

"We need to have a talk." I tell them. They look at me as if they are in trouble for something. "We are leaving tonight."

"Leaving where?" Vick asks.

"We are going to the woods…all of us are."

"For how long?" Posy asks.

"For good. We are going to live there now." I explain.

"But why? she asks, still confused.

"It's not safe here Posy."

"When was this decided?" Rory asks with anger.

"About a week ago."

"This is our home, Gale. Everything is here. Our house, our friends….everything. Why do we even have to leave?"

"I told you, it's not safe."

"Then why is everyone else staying here?"

"Tone it down, Rory." I warn him.

"Well maybe I don't want to go!" he says, standing up and storming down the hallway to our room. I quickly follow him. I get to him just as his is reaching our door. I grab the fabric of his shirt and pin him to the wall after he tries to put up a fight.

"They'll kill her if we don't go. Do you understand?" I say, my voice full of grit.

"Then why do we have to go?" he says.

"Because I have to go with her and I'm sure as hell not leaving you here." I fire at him. His face becomes sullen as the weight of my words finally reaches him.

"Ok." he says. I release my hold onto him and we walk back into the living room. I continue my talk by telling them about the plan. I answer questions and then tell my siblings to collect a few things they want to take with them. Posy comes out of her room holding just about everything she owns. It breaks my heart to tell her we can't take it all. All this lead to tears and I try my best to comfort her while we sift through the pile together. She settles on the book I read to her, a stuffed animal, and a small toy train that our father made. We use rope to turn our bedding into packs to wear on our backs. We'll need these items especially when it gets cold out. I send off our families with Katniss being their guide. She knows where the other stuff is hidden in the woods. I give each person a hug and tell them I'll see them on the other side of the fence.

When they are gone, I begin my work setting up the dynamite that will blow our house apart. I twist the coils into one single wire which I will ignite from outside. When everything is set up, I go to my room one last time to retrieve a compass that once belonged to my father. I then go outside my back door and light the coil, making sure it ignites before running away. I barely make it to the fence when I hear the explosions start. I duck under the fence and find my family safely waiting for me.

"No going back now." I mutter to Katniss.

"Fine with me." she says before walking away.

We distribute the bags between the adults, me opting to take the heaviest ones. We walk to the cabin by the lake where we will stay for the night. By the time we get there, the kids are exhausted. They all manage to squeeze on the small mattress inside the cabin, but the adults will have to sleep on the hard ground. Katniss and me venture outside to collect pine needles from the forest floor. We complete this task silently, both too tired to speak. When we each have a full bag, we return and scatter them on the ground before placing blankets over it. I lay down next to Katniss on the still uncomfortable ground. Katniss tosses and turns, trying to find a position that agrees with her.

"Not very comfortable, is it?" I comment. She shakes her head. "Come here." I whisper, patting my chest. She slowly moves closer to me and rests her head on my chest, hooking her arm around me for support.

"Better?" I ask.

"Yes. Thank you." she replies.

"Goodnight Katniss." I whisper with a smile, drifting off with the girl I love safe in my arms.


The Hawthornes and Everdeens have escaped but it's not smooth sailing from here! Let me know anything you'd like to see happen in future chapters in your review ;)