Disclaimer: Just look at the other chapters, and you'll know I don't own it.

Chapter 11

Bombs

We all watched in horror as the factory exploded, fire and debris raining down everywhere. Screams filled the air as people ran for shelter, or cried out to their loved ones.

I felt strangely empty. There were hundreds of people in that factory. Hundreds. And now they were gone. All of those people that I saw, that talked to me. And Tina and Eddy. They were just gone.

Rory was next to me, his skin pale and his eyes wide. He let out a strangled sound, then stumbled forward.

"Rory! You have to stay here! There could be more!" I rushed over to grab his arm, and he leaned against me. Boggs was looking at the sky, but the others were just staring at the factory. I jumped as I heard Haymitch's voice. Then I remembered the communication device he had forced me to wear.

"Boggs! We can't land, there are more bombers coming. We have to leave to a safe distance; thirteen doesn't have enough hovercrafts to be able to spare this one in a fight that we can't win. Stay where you are, don't leave the cover of those trees. We don't believe the Capitol knows you are there. Just stay low, we'll get you when the bombing is over."

"Copy that."

"And Katniss. Listen to Boggs and follow orders. I know that's hard for you, but it's not just your life you'll save by staying safe." I was about to make a snide comeback, but thought better of it as I saw Rory's face.

We were all looking at the sky now. It was clear. No more planes.

"So, what do we do?" Asked Rory. I frowned.

"You heard Haymitch. We stay here."

"So we're not even going to help?"

"We can't."

"Yes we can! We can get people out of the rubble! Even one more pair of hands would do! Look! There aren't any more planes in the sky! Let's go help!"

I wrapped my arms around Rory, trying to hold him in. But boy, he's gotten strong!

Peeta came to rescue, gripping Rory's arms and forcing him to look at him.

"Rory. You can't help him, okay? He wouldn't want you to."

"How can you-"

"You saw what he was like. He was one of the kindest people you'll meet, I'm sure. He wouldn't want you to go back down there and hurt yourself for a lost cause!"

"Stop saying 'was'! Say 'is'! He might still be alive! He might be buried under the rubble, just let me go help him!"

"Rory, look at it!" I yelled, frustrated. "Look at the factory! It's gone! It's not even there anymore! He's dead, just accept it!"

Peeta glared at me, and Finnick came behind me, pulling me away from Rory while Peeta kept speaking.

"Rory, you have to stay safe. There are other people down there helping, but you have to stay safe!"

"Why? What makes me anymore important than those people down there! And don't say I'm too young! The Capitol sends children to the Hunger Games when they are younger than me!"

"Think of your Mother. She already has one child in the hands of the Capitol; how do you think she'll feel if she loses you, hmm? And what about your younger brother and sister? Do you want them to lose you? And what about Gale? He's probably wishing he was dead right now, but there'd be one thing helping him hold on. The thought of his family. You, your mother, Katniss, Posy, Vick. When we win this war, we'll get him back, but how do you think he'll feel when he comes out of there to go back to his family and find you dead?"

Rory was shaking with sobs now. I haven't seen him this upset since his father died. He was always strong, trying to help his family in whatever way he could, even though he was so young. I'd been teaching him how to use the bow before the Quell – Gale didn't have much time, working in the mines – he was so determined to do whatever he could.

But now he was clinging to Peeta, shaking horribly. I can't believe I said what I did before. I'd forgotten that Rory had made friends with Eddy this morning. He was like Prim. Even though he had only known the boy for a few hours, they had become fast friends.

Was it only this morning? It already feels like a month ago.

After a couple of minutes, Rory calmed down a bit, and Boggs decided that we should go further into the trees. It was only a thin band of trees, but it would still be safer further away from the town.

We had only walked a couple of meters when Peeta called out. The group of us immediately stopped, and I turned back to see what was happening.

Rory was running away from us, back towards the town.

"Rory! Come back!" I yelled. Suddenly, the air filled with the screeching of jet engines. The bombers were coming back. "Rory!"

I didn't give it a second thought. I just sprinted after him, screaming his name, trying to reach him in time. I could hear Peeta yelling and pounding after me, but he couldn't run as fast as me with his bad leg. I could also hear Haymitch yelling obscenities in my ear. Not slowing, I reached up and ripped the stupid device out of my ear. He wasn't helping much.

I'm a fast runner, that's true, but Rory had a head start. He was about fifty meters away when he ducked in between the buildings of the town. When I reached the corner, he was gone. Yelling in frustration, I started running in any direction, the only thought in my head determination to get Rory out alive.

Peeta came up behind me and grabbed my waist.

"Katniss, stop! We have to get out of here! The other soldiers are evacuating the town, they'll find him, don't worry! Come on, we have to leave!" I could hardly hear him. I struggled against his arms, still yelling for Rory. I had to get him back. Peeta was right; the Hawthorne family would be torn to shreds if Rory didn't come home.

Soon enough, Finnick caught up to us, and the two of them dragged me, kicking and screaming, up the hill and back to the band of trees. We just made it when the first bombs started to rain down.

As I saw the bombs raining down from the sky, I relaxed. A fog clouded my mind, and I realised what I needed to do.

The moment I relaxed, Peeta loosened his grip on me. I jumped out of his arms, and ran back to the edge of the trees. I stopped before I left the cover, though, and pulled an arrow from my quiver.

When he had given me my bow, Beetee had told me that the arrows were not normal arrows. Some of them were, but only one third. Another third would catch fire when released. And the last third would explode when they reached their target. It was one of these arrows that I drew.

I nocked my arrow, and took aim. My mind was calm, completely focused on the target. I let the arrow fly.

Everything seemed to slow down. Nothing happened. Cursing, I grabbed another arrow.

Then a deafening explosion ran through the air.

I looked back up to see a jet with a massive hole blasted in its wing soaring down to the earth, and crashing on the ground. Miraculously, it missed all the buildings.

I felt a murderous grin appear on my face, and aimed once more. I was barely aware of Peeta, Finnick and Boggs beside me, following my lead and shooting bullets up at the jets. This was what I wanted to be doing. This made me feel useful. I was actually doing something that could help bring down the Capitol.

Time seemed meaningless as we stood there, shooting up at the jets, I with my bow, the others with their guns. Soon, we were joined by a couple or other soldiers who had gotten out of the town. When the sound of gunfire stopped, I was momentarily stunned. What had happened? Had they all run out of ammo? However, when I looked up at the sky, I realised that that was not the case. The jets were all gone.

I shook my head, and stared out at the town, taking in the destruction. The bombs had done a lot of damage, but so had the jets that had crashed down. But there didn't seem to be as many jets on the ground as I remembered there being in the sky. I shrugged it off; they were from the Capitol, what could you expect?

Then, a thought registered in my mind. I dropped my bow, and raced back toward the smoking town, a name on my lips.

"Rory."

Peeta ran beside me, no longer trying to hold me back now that the danger was gone. We ran through the decimated streets, yelling at the top of our voices. The rest of the soldiers that had made it out of the town followed, and started pulling people out the rubble. Paylor, who I vaguely remembered being near me during the fight, was yelling out orders for all the wounded to be taken to the large field to the west. But I didn't hear any of this.

I ran to where to hospital had stood less than an hour ago, sure that was where Rory would have gone. When I got there, I gasped. All that was left was a crater.

I'm not sure what I had expected. I saw the bomb hit the factory; I saw it explode. I guess I expected to see a shell of a building, similar to what I saw in Twelve. But there was no evidence that factory had been there at all, other than a giant hole in the ground, filled with a bit of wood and concrete.

"Rory," I whispered. Then, I resumed my yelling. "Rory! Rory!"

I jumped down into the crater and started shifting through the splinters.

"Rory!"

"Katniss?" I spun, trying to find the source of the voice. At first I thought it was Peeta, immediately discarded the idea. The voice was completely different. It was younger, and hoarser. "Katniss? Are you alright?"

And then I saw him. Crouched in a pile of wood. I gasped and ran to him.

"Don't you dare do that to me again!"

"Sorry," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. I stared at his face for a moment, then, with Peeta's help, pulled him out of the crater.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

"Fine Katniss." Again, his voice was empty. I frowned. Shouldn't he be scared? Or sad, maybe. Even happy at surviving? He must have hid in the crater, knowing that the jets wouldn't bomb the same place twice. But I suppose everyone reacts differently. I was about say that we should get back to the hovercraft, when Peeta started dragging us to the field, where the injured where being taken. I looked at him questioningly – we weren't injured enough to deserve the attention. He shrugged.

"I told Finnick and Boggs we'd meet them at the field when we found Rory." I nodded.

However, we were only about halfway to the field, when Boggs ran up to us.

"There are more jets coming, we have to get out of here!"

"More?" Rory asked, his voice now filled with emotion. Fear.

"Yes. It seems they were just waiting for us to come in and help before they come back. Now hurry! We have to get-" before he could finish, a jet flew overhead, dropping a bomb not far from where we were standing.

I gasped as the shock wave hit us, pushing us over with an intense burst of heat. My ears were throbbing, much like they were after I blew up the career supplies back in the arena. I ran my hand over my ear, wincing as it came into contact with wet, sticky blood. I tried to stand up, but my balance seemed affected.

Someone grabbed me and shook me.

He pulled me around so I was facing him, and I saw Finnick, his mouth moving as he yelled. But I couldn't hear him. He seemed to realise this, and he just stared pulling me away. I shook my head, and tried to pull away.

"No! We have to go back! Peeta and Rory are back there!" Finnick pointed in front of us, and I saw Peeta and Boggs supporting Rory between them, stumbling along.

The jets continued to drop bombs, and the streets were soon full of fire. Soon, I regained my balance, but I still couldn't hear a thing. Finnick and I just about crawled through the streets, being knocked over every time a bomb hit the ground. I was cursing myself for leaving my bow up in the trees, but I doubt I would've been able to shoot in that state anyway.

Eventually, we made it to the field. Peeta came over and wrapped his arms around me. He seemed to say something, then kissed me on the forehead, unwrapped his arms and started to pull me in another direction. I followed him until I realized that once again Rory was no-where to be seen.

I pulled away from Peeta and tried tell him to go back, but he shook his head and kept dragging me away.

Then the world erupted in flames.

~~0~~

"Will she be able to hear?"

"Yes, we have fixed her eardrums. She should be able to hear perfectly when she wakes up."

"And when will that be?"

"Any moment now."

"Oh, thank goodness. I was getting worried."

"Don't. She'll be fine."

"Can she hear us?"

"Possibly, but I wouldn't get your hopes up."

"Katniss, can you hear me? Your going to be fine."

I recognized that voice. Peeta. So, he survived then.

I felt a wave of relief fill my body. But there was still a small dark hole left behind. I still didn't know if everyone made it out alive.

"She might not be able to hear you, you know, Peeta. Just 'cause you love her doesn't give your voice magical powers, like some old fairy-story."

"I never thought it did." I can visualize Peeta's glare.

"My beautiful voice, on the other hand…" So, it sounds like Finnick made it too. I felt my mouth curve up in a smile.

"Hey, look! Katniss, are you okay?" I groaned.

"Peeta?"

"Aha! See, I told you! She woke up at the sound of my voice!" I opened my eyes to see Finnick grinning and Peeta victoriously, and Peeta rolling his eyes. There was a long gash from his right temple running down to his jaw. I shuddered.

"What happened?" Finnick immediately sobered up, and Peeta took my hand.

"They did a lot of damage. Almost the entire district was wiped out…"

I closed my eyes and shuddered. Yet another district wiped of the face of the country. Now, Panem is down to ten.

"… We just managed to get far away from the field when it was bombed. It seems that the first wave was just a taster, and that they were planning on coming back to bomb again as soon as the rescue teams moved in, causing more destruction than otherwise possible."

I looked up into Peeta's blue eyes.

"How many people got out?"

"Not many. There's us, obviously. Quite a few soldiers and a couple of civilians that managed to get away from the town. They didn't hit the district as hard as they hit Twelve, so a few managed to escape. They've all been airlifted here."

"What about… everyone from our group?"

Peeta looked at me sadly.

"We all made it." I felt the breath I didn't realise I'd been holding huff out of my chest. "Boggs is with Coin right now, and Cressida and Messalla are editing the material they got with Beetee." I had forgotten I was being filmed. That time in the hospital felt so long ago… "Finnick and I got a bit banged up, but we're fine now," continued Peeta, motioning from the gash on his face to Finnick's arm, which I realised was in a sling. "And your ear's were burst and your knees pretty bruised from the crawling, but other than that, you're fine too. They just had to keep you out for a bit so they could fix your ears." I nodded.

"And Rory?"

"He was closer to the field when they bombed it. Don't worry, he's going to be fine," he said quickly as my expression morphed into one of horror, "But he's going to have to stay in the hospital for a while. He got some pretty bad burns."

I nodded again.

"How's Hazelle?"

"She's fine. Well, she's definitely been better," winced Peeta, "But she's holding up. Far better than I expected."

"Yeah, she's strong."

"Their whole family is," whispered Peeta, looking into my eyes. I knew he meant Gale. He's trying to make feel better, like always. I smiled.

"That they are."

~~0~~

The next few days past in a haze. I was so worried about everything that I hardly noticed what I was doing. Rory stayed in the hospital. His entire left side had been burnt. Not severely enough for it to have long-lasting effects, but he couldn't leave his bed, and wouldn't be able to for a long time.

Although I felt horrible – his being in Eight in the first place was practically my fault – I was almost glad that Rory would have to stay in bed for a while. It meant that Coin could not send him out on more missions.

About three days after I woke up, Peeta and I were called to Control. I had no idea what it was about; surely they wouldn't send us out again so soon after the last mission.

"Maybe they want us to film more propos?"

"I doubt it. Remember what they said last time? I'm hopeless."

We walked into the room to find everybody clustered around a T.V.

"Peeta, Katniss." Coin nodded in greeting. "We were just about to watch the propos Cressida, Messalla, Beetee and Fulvia have put together from the material shot of you lot in Eight. Care to join us?"

"Do we have a choice?" muttered Peeta. But we both walked over to stand by the T.V.

Cressida and Messalla were quite proud of themselves. They had reason to be. Watching the footage, I realized that they must have been with me the entire time; while I was shooting down jets, while we were searching for Rory, while we were running through the fire. Even though most of that time, apart from when I was shooting the jets, I was terrified, the footage has been edited to make it seem like I was bravely fighting. They show me shoot an arrow, slow down the arrow's path, watch the jets explode, and then fall to earth, the capitol seal on the tail shining in the sun. They show me digging in the rubble, then acting he hero as I dragged Rory through the rubble and smoldering ash. They have made me look like a hero.

When the propo has finished, Cressida and Messalla, as well as Peeta and I, receive astounding applause. So, of course, Fulvia puts it on again.

About half way through the second showing, the screen flickers, and suddenly we are no longer looking at an image of Peeta, Finnick and I running through down a street as houses explode around us, but an image of Caesar Flickerman and Gale Hawthorne.

What Haymitch said on the hovercraft came back to me.

"Coin also wanted the boy to come, sort of as Gales representative. Even though he was never in the Games, the whole of Panem knows Gale, from the interviews, and now from the Capitol broadcasts. But-"

"Broadcasts? Broadcasts? As in, plural? There were more?"

"Well, er, anyway, the point was, Rory," Haymitch hurriedly changed the subject, glancing at a fuming Boggs. "You are right to be a little nervous, but tone it down, okay? Stop repeating the plan, or you'll make Finnick nervous, too. And believe me, you do not want to do that."

"Hey!"

Rory grinned at Finnick, and Finnick motioned for him to join in with his and Peeta's conversation.

I stayed and glared at Haymitch. He glanced at Boggs, and when he saw that he was watching Rory, Haymitch pulled me closer to him.

"I'll fill you in later, I promise." He whispered.

But he never did. I had wondered why. Why should they be holding this information from me? He's my best friend! It had seemed like Haymitch had wanted to tell me. What had made him change his mind?

Well, now I knew.

I stared at the screen, pushing through the crowd until I was right in front the T.V. Ignoring the protests from around the room, I placed my hand over the screen.

"Oh no," I whispered.

Gale was skinny. I know he'd never not been skinny – I mean, he lived in the Seam! But now, he's just skin and bones. His skin looks waxy, and his eyes are sunken in their sockets. His body is mostly covered by long clothing, and they've put makeup on him to try and pretty him up, but I can still see the waxy complexion and the dark rings under his eyes. But the worst part… There is a gash on his face, similar to Peeta's only on the other side of his face. Under the cuff of his shirt I can see dark bruises. And every happy doubt I might have had about him is washed away in an instant.

Gale has been tortured.

My knees felt weak, and I probably would have collapsed if Peeta had not come from behind and wrapped his arms around my waist, supporting my weight. I could hardly hear Caesar's questions, and Gales answers. I did, however, get the gist that he was continuously begging for a ceasefire. All I could do was stare at his haggard appearance. But I snap to attention when I hear my name mentioned.

"How do you feel about the rumors that Katniss Everdeen is shooting propaganda for the rebel forces?" asked Caesar.

"Angry. She doesn't understand what she's getting into. The rebels have probably sweet-talked her. Or maybe they're holding her sister Prim, as hostage. She loves Prim More than anything, and would do anything to save her. Everybody knows that." I glared at the screen, anger rushing through my veins. I wasn't angry at Gale. Oh no. I was in a rage against the Capitol. I know that they are the ones making Gale say those things.

Muttering was filling up the room, but I didn't care. I just stared at the screen, wishing that I could reach through and pluck Gale to safety.

Suddenly, Coin's voice rang out.

"Get her out of here." I froze. Was she talking about me? "Get her out now!"

I struggled and yelled as they dragged me from the room, chucking me on the ground. One of the soldiers muttered something that sounded like "It's for your own good," then they walked back in the room, locking the door.

I smashed against it with my fists, tears streaming down my face. After a few seconds, it opened, and I stood back in shock. However, only one person came out, then the door was shut again.

It was Peeta.

I wrapped my arms around him, and cried into his shoulder. Peeta seemed at loss of what to do. I hardly ever cried. He just stood there and held onto me, unsure of what to say. What could he say, really? That Gale was going to be okay? Because he clearly wasn't.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"What for?"

"For everything. I'm hurting you, all the time. I know that-"

"Shh. It's fine. Just calm down, alright? You're not yourself right now."

"No, Peeta, I-" I paused as a man came sprinting into the hall, panting as if he'd run over from the other side of the district.

"Is… President... Coin… in… there…?" he panted out. I nodded, and the man rushed to the door, banging on it as hard as he could. When he got no response, he yelled, "Code Three! Code Three! Bombers, incoming!"

The door burst open, and people started flooding out.

"Code Three?" Barked Coin, worry etched across her face.

"Yes… incoming… bombers… Capitol… ten minutes…" everybody froze, then erupted into chaos. Coin was yelling out orders as she sprinted down the hall, and rounded a corner. A couple of seconds later, her voice sounded on the loud speaker.

"I need every one's undivided attention. This is an emergency. Code Three has been initiated. Everyone is to report to their pre-assigned bunkers. This is not a drill. I repeat. This is not a drill."

I half expected to hear screams ring out along the corridor, but they did not. The people here in District Thirteen had been well trained for a crisis. People started hurrying through the corridors, without their belongings, just children and family members, rushing down toward the bunkers. Peeta and I followed the crowd, worry running through me. Peeta seemed to be able to sense it.

"Katniss, they'll be fine. Prim's a smart girl, she knows what to do." I nodded. He was right.

When we reached the thick doors to the bunkers, and found our allocated room, which would be shared between my mother, Prim, Peeta and I, Prim was already sitting on her bed. I rushed over to her and swept her up into a hug.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I sighed, running the day's events through my mind. It had all been too much. First Gale, now this. I clutched her tighter, and decided not to answer her question. Instead, I asked;

"Where's mother?"

"She's helping the other medics bring the patients down. They should be nearly done; when they tested it, they found that they could do it in seven minutes." Almost as soon as she finished her sentence, mother walked in.

"Got them all down here," She said with a smile.

"Rory?" Asked Prim. Mother nodded, and Prim sighed with relief. I would have passed this off as worry for a friend, but then her cheeks turned slightly pink. I smirked at Peeta, and he winked. Prim flushed deeper.

"So, everybody's down here then?" asked Peeta.

"Most people. They're just running around to see if there is anybody left. Prim's face turned from pink to white in a second. In the next second she was out of the door.

"Prim!" I screamed.

I ran after her, but when I got to the gate, the guards wouldn't let me through.

"But my sister!" I yelled.

"I'm sorry! She'll have to make it on her own. There are people out there rounding them up, she won't get far."

I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that she'd run back fast. I tried to think of why she might have gone back. Then I swore.

That cat! That stupid cat! She'd gone back for Buttercup!

I felt the Blood rush out of my face as I heard Coins voice through the loud speaker.

"The jets will be here in one minute. Anybody who is not in the bunker by then will have to face their chances. I repeat. The door to the bunker will be locked in one minute. It will not be reopened until twenty four hours after the last bomb has fell. There will be no exceptions."

"Prim!" I screeched, running at the door again. Finnick grabbed me and held onto me. "Prim!"

"I'll get her Katniss," said Peeta, staring at me, a horrified look on his face. Peeta loves Prim too. He took a step forward, toward the door.

I felt my stomach drop through my feet. I can't lose Peeta.

"No." I said, grabbing his arm.

"Katniss-"

"No! You promised you wouldn't leave me!" Peeta looked at me, and sighed. "Please!" There were tears in my eyes now, for the second time that day. "Stay with me."

Peeta nodded as Coins voice rang out once more.

"Thirty seconds until the doors close! Get to the bunker immediately!"

"Prim! I screamed once more. "Prim!" My mother was hurrying to me now, her face sheet white. "Prim, Hurry!"

I jumped out of Finnick's arms to head once more for the door. Peeta scooped me up and pulled me to face him.

"Don't leave me Katniss." I looked into his eyes, and saw that they too were full of tears. I nodded at him then turned to face the door once more. The guards were preparing to close it.

"Please," I whispered. They looked up at me. "Please, wait." They looked at me sadly, and one of them shook their head. "Do you have a younger sister?" They both shook their heads again. "Do you have a daughter?" They paused.

"Yes," whispered one.

"Do you love her?"

"More than anything."

"What would you do if she was out there?"

"Honestly? I would be doing what you're doing right now."

I nodded, and ripped my gaze from the door, pressing my face against Peeta's chest.

"Maybe… we could hold it for a little." I looked back up to see the guard's eyes full of tears, just like the rest of us. "I'll take full responsibility when Coin finds out." He paused, "But you have to understand, that the moment the fist bomb hits, we have to close the doors." I nodded.

"Of course. Thank you so much." I tried to fight the sobs that were threatening to escape.

"I met your sister once," continued the guard. "When I went to the hospital. She's the sweetest little thing."

"That she is." Said Peeta, rubbing my back.

So the six of us stood there, the two guards, Peeta, Finnick, mother and I, our eyes filled with tears as we waited for Prim to come. Every moment I expected Coin to come around the corner, ordering us to shut the doors that should have closed twenty seconds ago. I expected Prim to come racing around the corner, Buttercup in her arms, panting as she tried to get to the bunker on time.

But neither of them came.

For just forty seconds later, there was a deafening boom as the first bomb hit.

And the doors slammed shut.

*Runs away*

Sorry, sorry, sorry. Please don't kill me! I'm trying to stick to what might have happened... and think about it, if Peeta hadn't warned thirteen about the bombs, this would have happened. I was so sad writing this... Prim is one of the best characters ever.