GUYS I HAD NO IDEA I REPEATED CHAPTER 9. OOPS. Thank you springheeledjack for telling me :P okay. you guys can read now haha.

I'm really sorry that I took so long to update. I had a bunch of tests last week, and I was away the whole weekend for a youth retreat, and I'm about to go for a two week vacation with my parents for Songkran (it's this Thai holiday, lol). I'll try to update when I can, though. I might do some writing on the plane.

We all stare at her, waiting for her to go on. Even Haymitch looks more sober and attentive than I've ever seen him be before.

Paylor chooses her words carefully. "It's…similar to the rebellion we just had not long ago."

"And?" asks Peeta. He leans forward in his seat. I can hear his feet shifting back and forth on the carpet, trying to help him calm himself. "Another rebellion? Why would anyone want to lead another rebellion so soon? You're doing a great job. They haven't had enough time to get sick of you. No one would have any reason to overthrow you."

She grimaces, as if wishing what he said were true. "District 13," is all she says, and we understand immediately. We sit in overwhelmed silence until Paylor brings us back. "As you might imagine, they…aren't too happy about Coin's assassination. The rebellion was something they had been working on for many years. Coin was going to be the leader of all Panem. It was a fixed decision that no one wanted to change. When you came along…" she subconsciously picks up and pen and twirls it between her fingers. "They saw you as an adolescent who enjoyed the taste of victory a little too much. They think you became power hungry. They're positive that you devised a plan to get rid of Coin, and that all of us had some secret pact to get rid of her and so we could be the most important people in Panem."

I really am going to get everyone killed. District 13 specialized in nuclear power, nuclear plants, nuclear weaponry…

"And how do you know all this? Have they been contacting you?" Peeta looks distressed. The rest of us probably do, too.

"I was trying to log back into 13's network to see if there were any weapons that still needed to be disposed of." We all turn and notice Beetee for the first time. I had no idea he was here. "I found it…odd, that it was locked. The passcode had changed. I had a hunch…so I hacked it. And there are files of things that should not exist. 13's entire network and communication system is still completely active, and is still being used, which I found to be unusual. I looked around, and I found out that they're planning to make an attack next week. They've been making an excessive amount of weapons. There are detailed plans of everything they've made, everything they're going to make. They're even taking old designs we used on the Capitol, and improving them." He makes a nervous glance in my direction before continuing. "They have…special targets."

I'm still trying to process all of this when I feel Gale's arms tense in the seat next to mine. "You say they have files? Of all the weapons that were made and used?"

"Yes. Detailed drawings and even holograms of every gun, every bow, even the incomplete ideas that people had. All with the most precise information."

"Information like…who might have come up with the idea?" I'm hit by a wave of panic when I understand where he's going with this. I can see the wheels turning in his head. I can't let him be a part of this. He doesn't need to be. If he can get away safe, I am going to make sure he does. I almost let him die once. It's not going to happen again.

"Gale doesn't have anything to do with this, right?" It's more of a statement than a question. My eyes never leave Paylor's. "He does not have to be a part of this. They aren't after him. Are they?"

"Well, they think he might have something to do with it…" Beetee speaks up for Paylor. "They didn't buy the whole 'cousin' act for one second. Neither did I, to be honest." Both the boys next to me tense up.

"Gale doesn't have to come." I say firmly. "There is no need for him to be dragged into this. He has a mother and younger siblings to protect. He cannot be involved."

"I can't not be," Gale says directly to me. I swivel my chair around and glare at him. His jaw is set, eyes are hard, expression is determined. An exact mirror of how I must look. "We've looked out for each other for years, and this isn't where I stop."

"You don't need to prove anything to me." My eyes never waver for a second.

"Maybe it's not just for you."

"It's the past. I don't still hold you responsible for it."

"Deep inside, you know that's not true. But what about me? Maybe I need to know this, too?"

"Your dad's as dead as mine is. How would your mother feel about losing her eldest son as well?"

"Have you thought about Rory? Have you thought about how he was friends with Prim, and that maybe he cared about her more than he dared to show, and maybe I have something to prove to him too?"

"He's your brother. He understands. You risked your life at the Capitol before, and you're not doing it anywhere else again."

"I need to know this, Katniss. I can't live my life not knowing if it was mine or not. I need this. So do you."

I turn and groan into my hands. It would hurt me more if he were dead. But he isn't giving up. He keeps going.

"She was everything to you, Katniss. You devoted your entire life to feeding her, protecting her, trying to treat her with a few odd luxuries here and there. You volunteered to participate in the Hunger Games so that she wouldn't have to go. The only reason you fought to come back was for Prim. And all that, just to have her killed. By what could have been my bomb. I need to know if I deserve your forgiveness, Catnip." His voice cracks at the use of my nickname. "Not being able to be certain kills me just as much as it's killing you."

Hot tears well up in my eyes at the memories of Prim…lovely Prim, beautiful Prim, young, kind, loving Prim… Everybody loved my sister. No one couldn't love her. Such a young, innocent girl with a heart as pure as hers… She had more bravery than any girl her age could possibly have had. She was ready to go to the Games. She didn't want me to volunteer. She didn't expect me to volunteer. She was going to go as tribute. Then she volunteered to go out on the battlefield, knowing it could cost her life. Out in the open, out in the Capitol, saving lives, trying to save me, being set on fire…

"She's dead, Katniss," Gale whispers, his eyes softening. "She's dead, and it's my fault. As far as I know, it's my fault. If there's even the slightest chance that it isn't…I need to take that chance."

I can't handle this. "No!" I shout. I stand up and pound his chest. "It is not your fault! It's not your fault! She wanted to go out there! You didn't know she was going to die! Coin did!" I can't breathe anymore. I can't stop the sobs from coming. I can't stop thinking about my sister turning into a pillar of fire. My sister being the girl on fire instead of me. Suddenly, I despise the flaming cloak that Cinna made me wear before my first Games.

Gale has me in his arms, rubbing my back and apologizing into my hair. Before I know it, Peeta is standing beside me, hands on my back and shoulder, saying things to calm me down. I love them both for it, but it's Haymitch who gets me back on track.

"You're right, sweetheart. Coin killed Prim. You killed Coin. Coin's followers want to kill you. Panem is about to slide right back into hell." He's blunt, but he isn't mean about it. "Do you want a drink before we get going?"