A/N: The Game Makers and The Interview: It made sense to throw them together. Don't worry, I promise this will slow down once we get in the arena. There's just so much that happens that I had to make cuts somewhere and writing flashbacks are surprisingly difficult for this.
%%%%%%%%%%%
They were standing in line waiting for their turn. It was time to impress the game makers and they each had to do it alone. Maggie would be the very last person in the show room. Nate had to go right before her. Those were the rules. The male tribute of each district would go first and show off their potential talent. Then the female tribute would follow until each district was finished. District One was first as always and District Twelve was last. They watched as Sophie Devereaux disappeared into the room.
"Do you think she'll do well?" Maggie questioned quietly. There was an odd twitch to her fingers and she looked like she was five seconds away from bouncing on her feet. She was nervous, the boy realized.
"I'm not too sure," Nate shrugged in response. It had been the question on his mind since he realized his greatest enemy was a girl. "I'm not too sure her strategy will benefit from a low score, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's her angle. Only one person was able to pull that off before."
Maggie shook her head at the thought and looked down at her feet. "I don't think that's what she's going to do," she said.
"I don't either," Nate agreed. James seemed to be doing most of the leg work in keeping her in the Careers alliance. He knew something the others didn't and he planned on using it. Sophie wouldn't benefit from going further under the radar. Everyone will expect a trap if she does.
"What are you going to do for your presentation?"
Nate looked towards his fellow tribute and shrugged again. He had no idea. "Probably just shoot some arrows and wave around like a banshee."
"Sounds like a plan," she laughed at that. The statement was meant to make her laugh and it did. Nate smiled at the tiny victory. The next tribute went in.
"I wish this line would hurry up," Maggie pouted. She was nervous and bored, a bad combination.
Nate bent down on his knee to stare her directly in the eyes. He smiled at the wide blue-grey eyes staring back at him. "Hey," he gently placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, "We can talk about anything you want to talk about until they get down to us. We have a while."
Maggie beamed at his reply and just started talking. She talked about the bakery and how she would spend hours decorating the cakes with extravagant frosting. Frosting wasn't exactly something people could afford in District Twelve so the frosted cakes were typically used for window displays and she loved it. Christmas was her favorite time of year because her mother allowed her to decorate the windows. She would paint little snow men and reindeer. She would paint trees and ice and any form of snow she could think of. She loved painting. It was her favorite hobby. Nate smiled at that. He enjoyed the way Maggie talked about painting. It was as if she was about to conquer the world.
"Nathan Ford," the announcer cried out through the wall. He said it as if there were tons of people in the room instead of just the two. He really didn't even seem to care about the nervousness of the District Twelve tributes. Nate sighed and stood up to go inside.
"Good luck," Maggie squeezed his hand and smiled.
Nate smiled back and said, "You too."
He marched into the show room and refused to look back. He held his head high and took everything in stride.
The show room was exactly like the training room only smaller. The different stations of plants, water, paints, and weapons were all there for disposal. The game makers were only somewhat paying attention. That was the problem with being last. Everybody was bored with the whole process by the time they got to you.
Nate took a deep breath and went straight for the arrows. They were different from the ones at home. They were heavier and a bit bulky towards the end of the shaft. The bow wasn't much better. Its weight was focused in the middle but the grip was chunky. The boy shot a few duds just to get a feel for the set. Then he aimed for a target and fired.
The arrow hit the heart immediately and Nate grinned at his success. He turned to look towards the game makers and was disheartened to see they weren't even paying attention. Nate huffed in disgust and decided to just have fun with it then. They weren't paying attention. He might as well use it as practice.
The young man jumped and dived around whatever object he wanted and fired off. His arrow hit the heart every time. He rolled around the arena and shot arrows from above and below. He laughed at his great skill as every arrow hit the heart. He was actually having fun for once, but the game makers weren't watching. That was ticking him off. How was he supposed to get a good score if they didn't even see him shoot? The boy had an idea and raised his arrow. He was going to get their attention and make them see what he had done.
"Your time is up," the announcer called off. Nate dropped the bow and arrow immediately. He glared at the game makers for their total lack of attention and strolled out. He couldn't help but think about the fact that his score needed to be higher than Sophie's. He didn't care about anything else. He just wanted to beat her.
%
Maggie entered the dining cart with a frown on her features. She looked upset at what she had done. Whatever happened during her presentation, it was awful. Nate had never seen her look so sour. He wanted to cheer her up but he couldn't quite find the stomach for it. He understood why she was so upset. The bastard game makers that they were didn't pay attention. Nate understood Maggie's frustration perfectly. It was the same as his own.
"What happened?" Haymitch demanded simply. He didn't seem to catch the hint from their sour looks apparently. He actually looked interested.
"I threw weights around and some knives but they didn't notice so I threw a knife into the apple in the pig's mouth." Maggie said it so fast that Nate almost missed everything she said. When his brain finally figured it out, he just stared at her. He was completely impressed at her guts. She just attacked the game makers like he wanted to.
Haymitch didn't look quite as impressed. In fact, he didn't even seem to have an opinion. He just wore a blank expression and didn't even seem to register her words. Nate was worried. A silent Haymitch was never a good thing. At least, that's what Nate heard during one of his father's drunken rants. His information wasn't always reliable.
"What about you, Nate?"
Maggie changed the subject quite quickly. She lost some of Nate's respect at that move, especially when she stuck some soup into her mouth and looked at him expectantly. Nate's eyes narrowed towards her. He knew there was something wrong with her.
"I didn't fire on the game makers because I ran out of time," he said, "So, I spent the rest of my presentation just goofing off and firing arrows from whatever position I could invent. I got the target's heart every time I fired."
"So you didn't fire at the game makers because you ran out of time?" Haymitch raised his eyebrows high at the boy's statement. Nate couldn't tell what kind of reaction that was so he decided to stay quiet. It was probably the safest route.
"They're going to be airing our results soon," Maggie eased her way into the conversation with another smile. She kept doing that. Everything she said required a smile from her. It was cruel.
"Good idea," Nate jumped at the chance to get out of trouble. Haymitch distracted meant good things, a lot of good things. It meant they wouldn't get into trouble.
Nate sat down on the sofa and watched the capitol crest shimmer its way on the screen. Maggie plopped down right beside him and looked just as interested. Haymitch watched them with calculating eyes and sat down in his usual seat. His vision flicked from the television to them and back again. He was definitely deciding their punishment.
Nate turned up the volume and leant forward in his chair. He was going to pay attention to the scores. The pictures of each tribute and the district they represented flashed upon the screen and into a little corner until they were all surrounding the crest in some way. Then, James picture flashed and grew big enough to cover the whole screen. Numbers started to roll under his image in fast and vivid detail. The numbers began to slow between three and five. The flying numbers finally stopped on a nine. The nine grew red and fireworks burst on the screen. James Sterling had gotten himself a nine for his District which was a great position to be placed in. At least, that's what the commentators kept saying about the boy's score. A nine wasn't too weak and it wasn't too strong. It was a playable number and District One should feel proud to have somebody score a nine out of twelve.
At least that's what they said. Nate was pretty certain James was privately fuming somewhere because he didn't get a ten. The boy definitely had a strategy they needed to be aware of. He was just as smart as Sophie and that was dangerous in itself. Speaking of, the image of Sophie Devereaux burst onto the screen. The numbers began to roll and Nate watched them carefully. They slowed down at twelve then one. They stopped on eleven and grew red with fire. Nate stared at the screen completely perplexed. He had to get at least an eleven in order to be on her radar. Great, that wasn't going to be challenging under the circumstances.
"You were right, Nate!" Maggie slammed her shoulder into his as lightly as possible. "She is just trying to make everybody figure out what to do with her. She would have been safer if she had scored more towards the middle though."
"No, she's right where she needs to be."
That voice was Haymitch. He was staring at the screen in awe. His eyes were already calculating the damage Sophie could cause to their plans. Their mentor was aware of the threat now.
"Everybody is wondering what she's capable of," he continued, "They have been ever since the Reaping when nobody volunteered for her. They all thought it was because she was weak and frail. Sure she's beautiful but even you guys noticed that she didn't exactly seem interested in the weapons."
"But she's the one to beat," Nate pointed to the screen just to make his point understood. He knew what was coming next. He was sure of it.
"She is indeed," Haymitch agreed. "She just showed she's of value to the other tributes. Everybody is going to be interested in taking her on as an ally."
"Everybody except us," Nate decided. He nodded his head and pushed himself to the back of the sofa. He crossed his arms over his chest and ignored Maggie's questioning look. His enemy just made herself an asset. There was only one way he was going to beat her and that was if he scored an eleven or higher. The only problem with scoring higher than an eleven would be that he would become a target. Nate snarled in sudden understanding. That was probably her plan all along. She knew he was the threat and he knew she was his as well. This was going to be interesting.
They watched the others and complained about the fact that they all seemed to be getting eights or nines. Everybody was lowballing it. Marcus Starke even managed to get a five. It was contradictory to his great bulk but it was some form of strategy they were sure. Soon Thresh's ten appeared on the screen and they were silent. Haymitch even concentrated on the screen with rapt attention the moment the District Eleven girl left the screen. It was time for Nate.
Nate watched the numbers rumble and roll on the screen. He saw tens and threes and twos and fours flickering in quick succession but no elevens. He wanted an eleven. No, he needed an eleven. He needed to defeat Sophie. That was all that mattered. The numbers began to slow on a nine then a one. Eleven glowed bright gold and burst into sparks. He did it. He got an eleven.
"Congratulations, Nate!" Maggie slapped him on the back and smiled wider in congratulations. Nate just stared at it confused.
"But they didn't even watch?"
"Apparently they were paying better attention than you though," Haymitch smirked at the shocked look. Nate just tried to return the smile but he failed miserably. There was one more name for the scores and then they would be done.
"Come on, Maggie," Nate cheered when the numbers started barreling down.
%
Nate growled at the costume Tara was forcing him to wear. He knew it would look fantastic on camera but it was binding in odd places. It was hot too.
"Quit fidgeting," Tara slapped his hand away from his collar for the millionth time. She took great care in shaping his curls and popping out his eyes more. She even smiled when he rebelliously fiddled with his collar right in front of her.
"You're going to be fine," she said. She patted him on the shoulder and did a quick flip of her hair. She moved her finger over his forehead again. "I hear you're going to be a wonder during your interview!"
Nate blinked at that. Haymitch had pretty much left the room muttering obscenities as he went. In fact, the mentor was dead certain that Nate was going to get himself killed just by speaking. The boy didn't exactly argue with him. It was Haymitch's fault that he mentioned his relationship with his father. Everybody in District Twelve knew that was a tricky one.
"Well," Tara smiled at his shocked expression. She politely closed his gaping mouth and looked him straight in the eyes. "At least you're going last."
"Yeah so I can be the last thing everybody laughs at before the games."
"Or," Tara lifted his head up to meet her gaze, "You could just pretend you're talking to me and have a friendly conversation."
"Haymitch and I tried that already," Nate scrunched up his nose at the idea. "He left the room screaming."
"You and Haymitch are a lot alike," Tara shrugged in understanding, "Everything you are is what Haymitch finds most annoying about himself. It's understandable that he can't stand to have a conversation with someone exactly like him."
"Excuse me?" Did she just insult him? Why did he even let her?
"Haymitch sees himself and probably even your father in you," Tara smiled gently at his obvious offense. "They both won the games. That is all you need to know."
Nate nodded in understanding. He did butt heads with the two champions almost constantly. It made sense that it would be because they were similar in thinking. And it did increase his chances of winning. Maybe he could do this interview thing.
"So," Tara interrupted his thoughts with a wider smile, "Talk to me and forget everybody else."
"You got it!"
%
The tributes arrived onto the stage in single file via district. Because the boys got to go first during their last training session presentations, the girls would be interviewed first. So, each district was led by the female tribute and the male calmly walked in their wake. Everybody went all out for the costumes this year. Each of the female tributes were wearing figure enhancing dresses while the males wore elegant tuxes. It looked like they were all going to a special ball instead of into an arena for slaughter. It was a haunting thought.
Caesar Flickerman came onto the stage in his usual electric blue hair with matching electric blue suit. He did his usual hello and greetings of the Hunger Games. He even showed off a few magic tricks by releasing doves into the air. The crowd laughed and cheered at the display and Nate was free to observe the other tributes. His eyes caught on Sophie Devereaux and his stomach clenched.
Tonight she was wearing a scarlet dress that detailed every single curve to her body. There was a slit to the right of the dress that revealed her leg all the way up to mid-thigh. Her hair was curled loosely and the right was pinned back by a vibrant flower of yellow and red. She looked like a scarlet goddess of fire. Her high-heeled red shoes made certain of it with the smokey effect hovering over her eyelids. Nate did his best to ignore the little nagging feeling he had in the back of his mind. There was something he was missing. It was very important and very unexpected. It involved the girl from District One. There was something about her that seemed off. Maggie noticed it too.
"She's sitting up in her chair properly, Nate. She didn't do that when she ate with us."
And she was right. Sophie didn't sit up straight in her chair. She did exactly what they did. She slouched down and dug into her food as if she wouldn't see any ever again. She ate with the exact same abandon they did. She even ate just as much which was more than her comrades. She was copying their strategy to a certain degree, and she did get an eleven during her private session.
"Dammit, I was right," Nate groaned at the cold fact. She was looking for weaknesses. That's why she was making nice with everyone and making it appear as if she wasn't a threat.
"Sophie Devereaux," Caesar announced and the crowd went wild as she seductively walked towards the interviewer. She bowed and waved graciously towards the audience. She even blew a kiss towards the cameras and laughed at the cheers from some of the men. Caesar just whistled and motioned her to spin around. She did and Nate coughed at the way the dress shimmered in the light. It was like it was on fire. The crowd applauded the handy work of the dress and Sophie giggled at the spinning she was doing. Nate silently fumed.
"Well, calm down my silly little dear," Caesar calmly flicked his finger on her nose and she smiled brightly at the contact. "Let's talk shop for a moment. First off an eleven, you scored and eleven during the training session. How does that make you feel?"
Sophie's smile grew wider at the question and Nate nearly sneered at the sparkle of achievement in her eyes. It was a sparkle of a plan going smoothly. "I'm surprised actually," she said, "I never expected to do well at the training session. An eleven is just an amazing turn of events for me."
"Now to the important part," Caesar's voice actually turned serious for a moment. Then his face flashed some pearly white teeth and he was laughing again. "What was it like to be the first tribute of District One to have been picked instead of volunteered?"
"It was sad really," Sophie frowned at the question. The entire crowd awed at the look of sadness on her features. Nate practically felt his veins pulse in indignation. She was playing the sympathy card and looked like a goddess. She was making everyone believe she was just a pretty face that got mixed up in the wrong bit of luck. She was prime pickings for sponsors. "My parents had always begged me to avoid volunteering. I guess they never expected me to actually get picked. I don't blame anyone for not volunteering. I never really fit in anywhere at home so I wasn't really surprised. Everybody was just curious to find out what I'm made of. I really hope I make them all proud."
Nate felt nauseous at the way the crowd was falling for her tricks. Couldn't they see the cunning in her eyes? She knew nobody was going to volunteer for her. The poor saps were just eating out of her hands. It wasn't fair. Now Nate was going to have to work twice as hard to beat her.
Sophie curtsied for the crowd again and then took her seat. James went up and started talking about his great muscles and his intelligence. Nate tuned him out instantly. He was too busy fuming over the fact that Sophie Devereaux was playing the innocent victim card. Oh, he was going to make her pay for that. She was no victim. She was far too smart for that. She was just doing everything in her power to make certain he ended up on the losing end. Well, she wasn't going to succeed. No, he was going to beat her at her own game. He was sure of it.
Nate blinked and it was Maggie's turn. She smiled brightly and squeezed his hand before she went towards center stage. Nate smiled as he watched her go. She was wearing an orange dress with flames too. Her flames were more vibrant and visible every time she walked. She grinned and waved at the crowd and extended her hand towards Caesar. The host took her hand and kissed it. Maggie giggled and her interview began.
"So Maggie," Caesar sighed, "How does it feel being a girl like you standing on a stage like this?"
"It so surreal," Maggie giggled at the question, "I feel like a princess right now but that's probably wrong considering tomorrow is the day the games begin."
"There's nothing wrong with feeling like a princess," Caesar chuckled dramatically, "and you look gorgeous."
"Thank you, my stylist Cinna made this for me. He told me it would make me look like a flickering candle and a sun setting on the water."
"Really?" Caesar indulged the girl with a smile. Then he twirled his finger and begged her to spin. Maggie obliged without complaint. She giggled as she turned and her golden locks streamed behind her with orange. Her dress looked like a sunset too. In fact, there was a tiny sun slowly setting as she spun around. The faster she spun the quicker the sun would set. Cinna was very good at making people look good. He even managed to make Sophie's dress look like a simple patch work job. Nate smiled at the tiny victory his fellow tribute got.
"My, my that is beautiful." Caesar clapped his hands together in praise. He then looked towards the audience and beckoning them to do the same. The crowd erupted into applause and whistles for Maggie. They seemed to be just as easily captivated by Maggie's good nature as the rest of District Twelve. That was good. "Tell me, dear, is there someone special you're fighting to get home too?"
Maggie gasped at the question. She looked completely thrown by it. She giggled shyly and thought over how to answer. "Well," she said, "I haven't really meant anybody special yet. I was hoping I would sometime soon but I'm just not sure now."
"Well if you win you'll definitely be getting the men back home to plop themselves at your feet," Caesar joked. The crowd applauded and laughed as expected.
"I don't know if I'll win," Maggie shrugged sadly, "I'm not the one who has everything to fight for."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," Maggie smiled innocently towards the audience, "Back home I have two parents who love me and work hard to get me everything I need. I'm the baker's daughter so I don't really want for much because I don't really have to. Sure we sometimes have tough times but it's not as bad for us as it is for most of District Twelve. Nate's the one who has something to win for. He has his father's honor to bring back and his little friend Parker needs him to take care of her."
Nate stared at the female tribute in shock. The girl just told everybody exactly why he was there. She just told everybody what he was fighting for. Maggie just gave him a whole slew of sponsors. She really was the greatest person on the planet and now everybody knew it. The entire Capitol was going to mourn her if she died. Maggie Collins just made herself a necessary ally. Oh, Sophie Devereaux was probably fuming at the loss of attention. Nate was only too glad to help finish her off.
He and Maggie high fived as they switched places. Nate smiled wide and waved to the crowd the moment he was in center stage. He shook Caesar's hand and even felt himself laugh at the way the girls of the Capitol were screaming his name. His nervousness disappeared completely the moment he found Tara.
"So, Nate, you got an eleven as your training score and a family back home to fight for," Caesar began with a laugh, "Is there anything you can't do?"
"Talk to people," Nate joked. Tara snorted and Nate laughed. The audience seemed to find that funny too. He was off to a good start.
"Describe Parker to us. Is she someone special hoping you get home real soon?"
Nate laughed at the idea and Tara nodded her head encouragingly. "No, it's nothing like that," he said, "We're friends. I think of her as my little sister. She's a little spitfire and we do everything we can together. I keep her out of trouble and she gives me a good laugh." Tara smiled at that. Nate felt his chest tighten at the thought of his friend. "I really miss her right now."
"Well hopefully you'll be the one to go home and see her again," Caesar smiled, "So, I have to ask. Who do you think is going to be your greatest competitor throughout this competition?"
And there it was. That was the question Nate was prepared for. The boy turned his face away from Tara and made a show of looking through his opponents. His eyes connected with a pair of charcoal eyes and he saw the rage flicker in them. He smiled and turned towards the audience.
"Honestly," Nate took a deep breath, "I think Marcus is the one to beat. Sure Sophie scored the same in training as I did but she's an easy target. Her plan is pretty simple once you figure it out. You see, she's trying to get people to keep her around just to see what she can do. She's going to be the one who stabs everybody in the back and clears the way for Marcus. After all, we all know he's got her wrapped around his little finger."
The crowd laughed and Nate smiled. It was a blatant lie. Marcus didn't have Sophie wrapped around her finger and now he put the idea in the District Four tributes head. He would be so focused on trying to get Sophie that Nate would be free to pluck off the remains. Everybody could tell by the way James' hand clasped onto the girl's that he liked her. Nate smirked when the buzzer went off. His plan was now underway. Sophie was now the center of a love triangle and would have a tougher time controlling the situation. That gave him plenty of time to establish his alliance with Maggie and gain other members. He was winning.
Take that Devereaux, he thought.
The interviews ended with the tributes slowly returning to their chambers. A dispute between Marcus and James looked like it was about to start already. Nate smiled and grabbed Maggie's hand. He was going to get her out of there before the peacekeepers came. With any luck, the two would injure some of the others in their struggle and make the battle a bit easier. This was turning into the perfect plan. Then Sophie Devereaux popped up in front of them.
"You bastard!" Sophie slammed herself into the boy from District Twelve as hard as she could. Nate was surprised that he actually moved. In fact, the girl's push actually forced him to back into a nearby vase and knock it off the mount with his elbow. His plan was backfiring fast.
"Hey!" Maggie plunged herself in between them before something bad could happen. Her eyes were wide and her fingers were twitching nervously. "It's illegal to fight with other tributes before the games."
"You son of a bitch!" Sophie pointed a finger towards the man and looked about ready to kill him. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"I just took care of an enemy," Nate said as quietly as possible. He wanted to make certain that Maggie and Sophie knew exactly who he was talking to. He wanted to make certain Sophie knew who she was dealing with. He wanted the chess match to be out on the field.
"You're going to regret this," Sophie promised with pursed lips. She didn't even raise a question or protest to his words. He was right and they both knew it. The girl from District One stomped away from her opponents in a mad fit. Nate smiled. Hopefully she would spend the night coming up with the perfect revenge instead of sleeping. It would only work in his favor if she did.
"Come on," Maggie growled at him. He frowned at that. He just gave them an advantage. Why was she upset?
Maggie led him away from the loud hallway and into his bedroom. She closed the door behind her and turned around. She crossed her hands over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him.
"What?" Nate felt obligated to ask what he did wrong. He was helping.
"You just alienated somebody who would have made a better ally than an enemy," Maggie explained bitterly. She was practically fuming now. Wait, what?
"You wanted Sophie as an ally?"
"You know it would have been a smart play."
"But she's a Career!" Maggie had to know that. Nate knew it the moment he saw her at their introduction thingy. She had to know they couldn't be trusted. They were required to watch the games all the way through after all.
"And she was interested in us!" Maggie hissed at him. Nate stepped back at that. Maggie had never gotten angry before. He had never seen her lose her temper in school, not once. There was something else going on.
"What is this really about?"
"You just made us one of the strongest players' targets," Maggie scowled at him. She was starting to calm though. It was weird how quickly she could switch off her anger. It was one of the first things Nate learned about her over the few weeks they spent training for the games.
"You're worried about me," Nate laughed at the idea of it. Nobody ever worried about him, except Parker. He wasn't really worth being worried about. There had been this one time when he came home late because he got in a fight with one of the boys at school. The kid was bullying Parker so Nate had to put a stop to it. The kid lost but Nate had a split lip and a black eye.
He had been avoiding coming home because he didn't want to answer all the questions. Adrianne always asked questions when he was in a fight. So, he climbed through his bedroom window and started taking care of himself. The next thing he knew Adrianne was slamming into his room in a hot mess of a temper and ordering him to explain everything. She had been so worried that she almost started beating him up for the trouble he caused. Jimmy had been passed out drunk and Adrianne's temper faded the moment she saw his bruises. Maggie sort of reminded him of Adrianne, especially now because her hands were on her hips and she was debating what to do next.
"I'll be fine, Maggie," Nate kept his voice as soft as possible. "I was just letting her know that I was onto her game and ready to go. I'm sorry. I should have consulted you first but I was mad at the strategy she pulled. Plus, you did knock the rug out from under her when you explained you didn't want to win."
"I don't."
Maggie's voice was so small. She bowed her head and sighed in frustration. Nate stared at her in confusion because he just didn't get it. Why didn't she want to win? She had a family that loved her and a whole town backing her also.
"Why?"
Maggie looked up at him with glassy eyes. She looked a bit embarrassed by what she was about to reveal. Nate was nervous about that. He sort of felt guilty for causing her discomfort.
"I don't want to kill people," she said, "It's not right. Fighting to slaughter people for the sake of sport and entertainment, it's just… not right."
"I won't let you kill anybody," Nate promised immediately. He meant it too. He wasn't going to let Maggie sacrifice anything she didn't want to. Besides, that was what he was there for. He was supposed to make certain she didn't have to do anything difficult. "I promise, Maggie."
Maggie slammed herself into him and gave him a big hug. Nate awkwardly patted her on the head. The boy then enclosed his arms around her and did his best to comfort her. His thoughts about home and the ones he had to fight tomorrow were so dense that he almost missed his fellow tribute's next words.
"Thank you," she said.