Chapter Eight: News From Home

She was pacing the living room the next morning when he wandered out of the bedroom, rubbing his damp hair with a towel. "You okay?" he asked. He could still taste her lips on his from last night's passionate kisses.

"I'm okay," she said distractedly.

"Are you thinking about-?"

"What? Oh, no," she smiled. "I, um. Well, yes, but I was thinking about something else now."

"Like what?" he asked, slipping over to her with a hopeful glance and wrapping his arms around her.

"Like I need to be alone for a little while," she sighed. She furrowed her brow. "Do you mind? Can you find something to do?"

He pouted, hoping to make her smile.

"Please?"

"All right. For how long?"

"I don't know," she breathed. "Why don't you go practice your archery?"

"I don't think your instructor would call that practice," he laughed. "Disaster is a better word."

"Either way, go," she teased, pushing him away towards the door.

He practiced with the targets for nearly an hour before the instructor took the bow away from him with a flourish of disgust. He tried throwing knives and had to stop when he cut his hands. After the doctor had sealed the wounds with a handheld repair device, she told him he should avoid weapons for the rest of the day. He gladly agreed.

He wandered around the garden, wondering how long he should wait to return or if she would send an Avox for him when her stormy thoughts had cleared. He stumbled when he realized he wanted to be back at her side.

He sat heavily down on a stone bench. He stared at the roses around him. He thought of Leevy. What would she say? he thought. If she knew I was sleeping alongside the enemy's daughter? The man who sentenced her to die would be his father-in-law if Katniss truly wanted him to marry her. He shook his head. He couldn't say if it was being her husband or being Snow's son-in-law that bothered him, but he had an idea.

She's not one of them. She's tormented by them. Not the same way as the District citizens, but they want her under their control as well. She might as well be from Twelve, he thought. There were times he forgot she wasn't his District partner, sent to survive this cruel place together.

Then Snow and his wife would come back for a night and he'd sit through a fearful and awkward dinner watching her father glare at him.

His eyes focused on the flowers across from him. He finally saw what was smack in front of his eyes. He leapt to his feet. How long had he been in Snow's personal rose garden?

He turned to run back to the house and ran smack into the President.

"Sir! I'm sorry," he stammered. "I was just…Katniss wanted to be alone for a while. I didn't know you were back-"

Snow's eyes narrowed on him. "Alone? Why?"

Peeta swallowed and forced words out. "She said she wanted to think," he croaked.

Snow's eyes were slits. "To think."

He regretted his word choice. He prayed Snow didn't imagine the worst.

"Walk with me."

Peeta's legs were shaking as he dogged the President down a long row of blood red roses.

"Peeta," Snow sighed thoughtfully. "I don't like you. Not at all."

Peeta's stomach sank to his shoes and his hands turned to ice.

"You didn't kill one Tribute in your Games. Frankly, I thought you were a waste of time. I still think you were the most boring Tribute I've ever had to congratulate. And that's in 20 years of Games." He eyed up the boy standing at his side. "But you did protect my daughter. I have no doubt Silk intended to harm Katniss. Not publicly at her party, but certainly soon. One's Overseers have always been…impetuous."

Peeta nodded despite his confusion.

"I don't need to tell you that Silk and Luxor have both been dispatched. I was tired of them anyway."

Nausea gripped him.

"Despite my equal distaste for you, I am sparing you their fate for my daughter's sake. She genuinely likes you. I have no idea why. I assume it's a phase she's going through." Snow stopped the gentle pace of his stroll and squared off with Peeta. "However, should you harm her. Or fail to protect her from harm. Or do anything I would find….unsavory…" Peeta choked at his words "I will not hesitate to rid her of you. Am I clear?"

"Yes…yes, sir." It was barely a whisper.

"And stay out of my rose garden."

"Yes, sir."

Snow stared at him. "Go."

Peeta turned and ran back to the house.

He arrived back at her door panting and out of breath. He didn't care she hadn't summoned him yet, he had to get inside where he felt safe. Well, safer.

She was just hanging up the phone when he burst in. Her eyes were wide. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" he panicked. "I just...I wanted to come back."

"There's someone here for you," she breathed.

He blinked. "What?"

"The stationmaster just called. He said there was someone there asking for you. That's he'd be here shortly if it was permitted."

He stared. "He?"

"I think it's a friend of yours."

Peeta swallowed. It could be a trick. Someone coming to murder him and take Katniss prisoner. Someone to kidnap him and force Katniss to abdicate her inheritance. Although Peeta was sure Snow would let him die before he allowed Katniss to make any such agreement.

But if it wasn't...he only had one friend daring enough to make a trip to the Capital.

"Gale!" Peeta threw his arms around his friend.

"It's so good to see you," Gale laughed. He pulled back and smiled. "It's weird not to see you with extra padding," he joked, poking Peeta in his stomach.

Peeta rolled his eyes. "The food is too rich to eat a lot of it," he confessed. "The first night I got so sick, I had to make a deal with myself to keep it reasonable."

Gale was already looking over his shoulder. Peeta cleared his throat. "Gale, this is Katniss Snow."

She tiptoed over timidly. Gale's eyes were suspicious but curious as she extended her hand. "Hi," she murmured. "I've heard so many wonderful things about you."

"Really? Then they can't be true," he said warmly. She laughed.

"Come on in," she said, guiding them to the living room. "You've come a long way, would you like something to drink?"

"Oh. Um. Water?" he asked.

Peeta turned to Gale. "Do you want orange juice?"

Gale's eyes were wide. "Real orange juice?" Peeta nodded in amusement. He looked so much like Leevy in that moment. "Okay, orange juice."

Katniss bowed her head. "I'll go get it myself. You guys should catch up." Peeta saw the anxiety in her eyes as she hurried from the room. He turned back to his friend. Gale smiled again, but it wasn't happy. Peeta sighed and pulled him over to the sofa.

"She's...," Gale mumbled. "Thought she'd be...I don't know."

"Scary looking?" Peeta laughed.

"Yeah. She's pretty."

Peeta nodded. He leaned in and dropped his voice. "Is everything okay? Is your family okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah. They're fine."

"And you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

Peeta eyed him. "Why...? What are you doing here?" Peeta whispered. "She's nervous I want to go home, I don't want her to get jealous and panic. Her dad is-"

"It's your dad."

Peeta felt the blood in his veins turn to ice.

"He's…he's sick."

"Sick with what?"

Gale shrugged. "I can't pronounce what the healer said. But, um. Peet, it's not going to be too long."

Peeta felt his whole body start to shake. "But he was fine - We talked. No. No no no no no," he whispered and rocked.

"Here's the juice-Peeta?" The glasses on the tray rattled as Katniss rushed over and set it down too quickly on the floor. She knelt by his side. "Peeta, what's wrong?" she pleaded.

"His dad's not doing so great," Gale murmured. "He's not going to around much longer."

"Oh no," she breathed. She grabbed Peeta's hand. "Peeta," she breathed.

"Is there anything you want me to tell him? When I go back?" Gale asked softly. "I came here so I could tell you he loves you very much."

"What about Prim?" Peeta asked with a choking voice.

"Mom said we can take her. It'll be okay."

Peeta started to cry. "Is she okay?"

Gale tried to lie and say yes, but he couldn't. So he just didn't answer.

"My dad," he whispered. "Not my dad," he cried.

Katniss' voice was weak when she spoke. "You should go home."

His head snapped up. "What?"

She looked scared and sad. "You should go to him. You need to be with your family."

He stared at her purposefully. "Really, Katniss? Really?" he begged.

"Yes," she smiled.

"I'll come back," he insisted. "I'll be-"

"No you won't."

He frowned. "Yes I will."

"No you won't."

She smiled and it broke his heart.

"You have to take care of Prim now. She's going to be all alone. She needs her brother." He opened his mouth. "I'll keep her out of the Reaping, Peeta. I owe you that much."

"Katniss-"

"No, Peeta. I've kept you away from the people you love long enough. I owe you all the time I've stolen from you," she said. He heard the quiver starting in her voice. "I already took your last few months with your father," she said, wiping a stray tear. "You need to go home now."

She stood up. "Mr. Hawthorne, please help him pack his things. Whatever he'd like to take. I'll call you a hovercraft."

She stumbled from the room. Peeta watched her go. The vase was broken, fully and irreparably. But the flower inside had finally been freed.

Gale helped Peeta from the sofa to his room. He blindly threw clothes in a bag, not looking if he remembered or forgot anything important. All he could think of what his father and the clock counting down.

He swept his eyes around the room that had been his home for a few months. He felt a tenderness he didn't expect at leaving it. He staggered to the door and Gale opened it.

"Wait!" Katniss ran from her room. He could see she'd been crying. She was gripping her bear.

"Do you think…do you think Prim would want Gus?" she asked. She choked back a sob. "He always makes me feel better."

Peeta took the bear. "Are you sure you don't want him?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"I had something much better," she whispered. "It won't be the same." She let a sob escape and threw her arms around Peeta. She pressed her lips to his ear. "I love you."

He squeezed her tight and kissed her temple. "Thank you, Katniss," he whispered.

She let him go and wiped her eyes. "Goodbye."

He nodded and ran for home.

Peeta fidgeted fearfully in the hovercraft. Gale was silent and stoic.

"Do we have time?" he asked in a panicked voice. "Can't you fly faster?" he called up to the pilot.

"We'll be there in three minutes," the pilot shouted back. "Calm down."

Peeta settled back and tore at the leather seat. "I've got to get there in time," he fretted. "I have to see Prim before…" he broke off. "Will I get there in time?" he asked Gale.

Gale nodded.

"Gale?"

The hovercraft began its descent.

"Gale?"

They started to lower in front of the Justice Building in Twelve.

"Gale?"

The landing gear touched down.

"Peeta?"

"Yes?"

"Get down."

Gale grabbed Peeta's head and shoved him as hard as he could to the floor just as the sound of gunfire rang out. Peeta heard the pilot shouting. A door was flung open; he guessed it was the pilot's side door. There was a scuffle. Gale held him firmly to the floor as he tried to look. There was a lot of shouting. A gunshot. A terrible scream.

Then it was quiet.

Gale uncovered Peeta's head and sat up. He called out the open door. "I got him!"

Peeta sat up. "What?"

The door flew open.

"Dad!" Peeta threw himself out of the hatchway and into his father's arm. "Dad! I thought-I thought-" he choked as his father held him.

"Shh, my boy. My sweet boy," his father cried, holding him. "I'm okay. You're here and I'm okay."

A squeal and his name being shouted by a little voice brought his eyes to the house on the far side of the square. "Prim!"

He ran to her. When they collided he lifted her up into the air. She was crying and calling his name. He held on to her tight and swung her legs back and forth.

"I missed you so much," she cried.

"I missed you too, baby bird," he sighed. "I thought I'd never get to hug you again."

He heard her gasp and he turned her around. They were pulling the body of the Capital pilot from the hovercraft. He covered her eyes. "Gale, what's going on?" he shouted.

Gale turned away from two men carrying heavy guns. "It's happening, Peeta. Come see."

He set Prim down and he and his father shielded her from the body as they hurried into the Justice Building. He was shocked at the crowd gathered inside by the one working television in the Chief Justice's office. He noticed that no officials were crowded into the gathering hall. There were only civilians. He was more surprised at how many were armed.

He stared at the television. He knew that garden. It looked familiar.

"Is that?" he whispered to Gale. "The rose garden?"

Gale nodded, but Peeta didn't need his affirmation. He could see that it was a patch to the live security camera in the garden. Snow was trimming the rose bushes. He saw someone approaching him. Katniss.

She had been crying, it was evident even on the silent and grainy camera. Her father turned to her and she ran into his arms. He held her and she sobbed. He stroked her hair. He pulled her back to kiss her forehead. She turned around. Peeta saw her mother calling from the back marble staircase. Katniss started to walk back to her mother.

She was about fifty feet away from her father when the parachute fell.

She must have heard him say something, or gasp in surprise, because she stopped and turned around. The little silver parachute with the little silver canister had dropped into his hands with sublime accuracy. He stared. She frowned.

It exploded.

Peeta watched helplessly as the blast flung her through the air. She hit a rosebush and rolled to the ground. She was still awake enough to see her father engulfed in flames before her eyes. He could hear her screams in his head.

She was crawling back to the pile of ash when her mother's arms caught her and enveloped her, covering her face from the horror.

Peeta saw the back door of the house kick outward. Heavily armed guards ran out, guns trained on the two sobbing woman.

"No!"

The civilians of Twelve turned back to his cries. He flung himself at Gale. "They can't kill them! She's a child!"

"They're not going to kill them right now," Gale said firmly. "Not now."

Peeta looked helplessly back to the screen.

A woman with a stern face and cheerless eyes was standing over Katniss. Her mother was being handcuffed. He imagined her screaming for her daughter's life. The stern-faced woman pulled Katniss to her feet by her hair. She slapped her hard before they cuffed her as well. Peeta could see the woman spit the work 'brat' at Katniss before she and her mother were dragged into their home.

"Gale!" Peeta shouted at him. "I've got to go back for her!"

Gale looked around at the shocked civilians gaping at Peeta. He grabbed his arm roughly and pulled him into the hallway.

"Peeta, what are you talking about?"

"They're going to kill her!"

"Why shouldn't they?" Gale looked genuinely confused.

"She's just a kid, Gale." Peeta fumbled in the duffle bag still slung over his shoulder. He yanked her stuffed bear from bag. "Does this look like she's dangerous?"

"She's Snow's daughter, Peeta."

"And he's ash." He angrily jammed the bear back in the bag.

"Peeta, you need to calm down," his father said, clutching his shoulder. "Nothing's going to happen to her tonight. I promise you. Come back to the house, we'll have a talk, okay?"

Peeta searched his face and found he was telling the truth. He nodded sadly. He saw Prim swinging her legs on a bench nervously, waiting for him. He gestured for her to come over and she ran to him.

He held her hand tight as his father walked them home.

Inside the bakery, Prim produced a cup of warm tea and led him to their worn kitchen table. He ran his hands over the smooth, aged wood. He could see how different his polished hands look compared to his father's calloused and cracked hands.

His father cleared his throat. "Prim, why don't you go pick some strawberries for dessert?"

Prim glanced longingly at her brother. "Okay," she agreed reluctantly. "You won't go anywhere without me?" she asked.

"Of course not, baby bird," he smiled.

She nearly cried at hearing her nickname again. She blinked away her tears and ran to the garden to find berries.

His father sat across from him. "I never thought I'd see you again," he exhaled with a piteous laugh. "I first...I knew you'd never kill anyone. You're so good," he choked. "And then...by accident..."

"It's okay, Dad," Peeta smiled weakly. "It's all over now. I'm home."

"Yeah. Just in time for this mess," his father sighed.

"What's happened?"

"The rebellion that we've been waiting for." His father took a breath. "Where to begin? I don't even know. You know things have been wrong for a long time."

Peeta nodded.

"There's always been an underground. Always talk that things need to change."

"I...I heard. From a friend in the Capital. But, Dad, why didn't you tell me?"

"It never went anywhere. I wasn't going to let you get caught up in anything that could get you hurt. Peacekeepers used to break up meetings, take people away. I couldn't let that happen to you."

"Twelve is rebelling?"

"We were. But the people in the Capital now. It's Thirteen."

"What?"

His father rubbed his eyes. "I don't even understand it myself. They were in hiding. All these years we thought they were dead. They were underground. They were just waiting for One and Two to fight amongst themselves; weaken themselves so Thirteen could swoop in. News got around that One's Overseer and that bimbo on his arm were gone and Mason's missing. Everything just went up overnight."

Peeta stared at the table. "What's going to happen?" he whispered.

"Thirteen's good people, I think. Met a woman named Paylor who came over last week before the strike. She's second in command or something. And," he smiled, "they've promised no more Hunger Games."

His father shook his head in amazement. "The districts are going to have control over their own land; citizens. We can travel between districts if we want."

"Travel." Peeta said it aloud. "Good. I need to get back to the Capital."

"You can't go!" Prim was at the back door. "Peeta, you just got back! You can't go again!" She dropped the colander of berries and they popped out of the bowl and rolled everywhere.

He turned around in his chair. "Prim, they'll kill Katniss."

"What's going on, Peeta?" his father asked softly. "Why?"

"She's not what everyone thinks, Dad," Peeta begged. "She's just a kid. She has no idea what things are like. She's so shy and really good underneath. We're...friends. I can't let them hurt her."

He looked over at his ashen sister. He looked up to his bewildered father. "I know I can't let them kill her. No more than you'd let anyone sacrifice Prim for a wrong you'd done."

Mr. Mellark stilled and glanced at his daughter, barefoot in a pile of berries. "No, I wouldn't let anyone do that."

"I have to go back."

Prim whimpered and moved to hold Peeta's arm. He stroked her hair.

"I don't know how to get you back," his father said. "The hovercraft pilot..."

"We need someone who can fly it. Repair it. Is there a liaison from Thirteen here? How did you get the information about the rebellion?"

"We got a patch from a technician who smuggled himself here from Three on a Capital supply train."

"Can I meet him?"

"Sure. His name's Beetee."

Beetee pushed his glasses up his nose and squinted at Peeta. "You want to get to the Capital? But it's a mess there. There's pocket fighting in the streets."

"I don't need to get to the streets; I need to get to the Presidential Palace."

"Um. That doesn't sound like a good idea," Beetee frowned and thought carefully. "Yes, that's a bad idea."

"I have to get Katniss Snow. She's just a kid."

Beetee blinked at him. "You are Pax Peeta, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Pax. Peeta. You're the one they got out?"

"I...yes? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Pax. Peeta. You're the one who wouldn't kill another Tribute in the Arena."

Peeta swallowed. "I thought everyone called me 'Peeta the Weak'."

"Not in the underground. You're code name was Pax in the rebellion," Beetee said, fiddling with a set of wires behind a bank of twelve computer screens. "You were the impetus of this all."

"What?" Peeta fell over a wire to lean in. "What?"

"You didn't kill anyone," Beetee shrugged, as though it was just that simple. "Everyone finally realized it could stop. If we wanted it to stop, we could make it stop. You showed us that. You're Pax Peeta."

Peeta stared at him. "What does Pax mean?"

"It's a very ancient word. It means Peace."

Peeta stared. The screens popped on. "There we are," Beetee smiled at his work.

Peeta looked up. Every other District Square in Panem looked back at him. People were cheering, dancing. Children were running carefree for the first time.

"This is what you showed us," Beetee smiled. "We can live without fear. We can live without killing." He looked at Peeta. "Thank you for this."

Peeta gasped as the camera ran over District Four. The waters were teeming with laughing, splashing children. Three's parents were setting off sparklers; Seven was roasting chestnuts over bonfires; Ten was releasing doves into the sky. It was life without fear. It was beautiful.

"Beetee. I have to go back," Peeta shook his head. "There is a girl living in terror right now. She doesn't have this peace. We need to help her."

The bespectacled man chewed his lip. "I guess we need to find you a car."

"A car?"

It was a run-down version of what had escorted him and Leevy to the train station, but it worked and Beetee said it was take less than a day to get him to the Capital. It wasn't as fast as the hovercraft, but the fuel tank had been damaged and it wasn't safe to fly. Besides, there were two people in Twelve who knew how to drive and one had volunteered to take Peeta back.

He staggered home after the day of hearing all about the plans that had been made and finding the driver, and figuring out where she'd be held and collapsed into a chair in the front parlor of the bakery as the sun was fading.

"Peeta?"

"In here, Dad."

His father's form was a silhouette in the fading light. "Did you find a way back?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Beetee said there's a guy who knows how to drive that old car they have stored at the Justice Building."

"Who?"

"I don't know," Peeta rubbed his face. "I guess I'll find out tomorrow."

His father was quiet.

"Dad-"

"Go say goodnight to your sister," he interrupted. "She's missed you all day, I think it would be nice if you tucked her in."

Peeta nodded. "All right."

He made a stop in his room to search the duffel bag as he made his way to Prim's room.

She was awake, he could see her eyes open.

"Hey baby bird."

"Hi Peeta." She sat up smiling, reaching over and turning on the bedside lamp. "Can you convince Dad to move my bedtime back? It's barely dark out! I'm almost fourteen."

He laughed. "You are almost a lady, aren't you? We're going to have to have a big party for you. Invite all your friends. And Rory Hawthorne?" he teased.

She scowled with a smile. "Maybe." She dropped the cheerful tone. "Don't go back. Please."

"Prim, she needs me."

Her eyes fell.

"I have something to keep you company while I'm gone, though." He pulled Gus from behind his back. She looked up in surprise.

"What's this?"

"It's a bear. A...friend gave it to me. For you. To give you comfort."

She took the bear and smiled at it sadly. "It's hers, isn't it?"

He bit his lips and nodded.

"She'll be missing him tonight," Prim mourned.

"I think she will," he murmured. He wondered where she was that night, huddled with her mother or alone. Frightened or numb. Or already dead. He shook it from his mind.

"Can I go with you?" she asked.

"What?"

"Tomorrow."

"Prim, that's not safe."

"It's not safe for you either."

"True, but..." he tried to think of a good argument.

"I want to give her the bear back. She needs him more than me."

"Tell you what? I'll take the bear for you. I'll tell her you thank her very much, but you want him to help her now."

Prim looked thoughtful. "Okay."

"Good night, baby bird."

The bear was waiting with a morning cinnamon roll when he went downstairs the next morning.

"Hey Dad?" he called softly to let Prim sleep.

His father appeared in the doorway.

"Where are all my clothes?" he asked with a frown. "A lot of my stuff is missing."

"Oh!" His father looked worried. "I totally forgot! They set up your house. In the Victor's Village. We were waiting for you there, when…"

Peeta realized they wouldn't have known until Haymitch came back without him. Until they were ready and waiting for him with open arms. But he didn't return.

"Dad," he breathed. "I'm so sorry. She promised she'd keep Prim out the Reaping if I stayed."

"I know, I know," his father hushed him. "We got your letter." He smiled. "It didn't make us miss you any less. Prim was…pretty upset."

"It wasn't her fault," Peeta said. "I'm sure she blamed herself."

"She just wanted you back, Peeta. We all did."

Peeta looked at the Capital clothes he'd had to put back on. He looked over to his father's work apron. "I'm still me, Dad. That hasn't changed."

His father smiled. "You're not my sweet little boy anymore, Peeta. You're a man I'm proud to call my son."

Peeta swallowed. "Thank you, Dad."

He nodded. "Is she…do you have to?"

"Dad, she's just…she's…" Peeta gave up. "I have to."

"Okay," he conceded wearily. "I'll tell our rebellion liaison you're going."

"Who's that?"

His father gave him a worried grimace. "Gale Hawthorne."

Peeta's shoulders slumped. "He's going to kill me, isn't he?"

"No. Well, maybe. He missed you as much as the rest of us, you know. You're like another brother to him. You have no idea the effect you can have."

"Well, I am the arm candy of the most eligible girl in Panem," Peeta teased.

His father laughed and sighed. "She really does love you?" He clarified, "It isn't just…?"

Peeta blushed furiously and started to stammer. "She was pretty innocent. Is. Not was. Not that we - I'm not!" he rushed in, making his father laugh harder. "She just wanted a friend," he said weakly. "We…" he struggled.

"Peeta, you're seventeen. I think you're old enough to make that sort of decision. Responsibly," he added.

"Dad, her father is the President. I couldn't be more careful."

"Was."

The word caught him off guard. Katniss had watched her father burn yesterday. Hours ago.

"I have to get back to her." Peeta moved to the door, swiping the roll and shoving it in his mouth while he shouldered the bag with Gus tucked inside.

"What are you going to do when you find her?" his father realized.

"I was going to..." Peeta blinked. "I was going to bring her here. Back home. She's really good with a bow, actually. I can probably get her a job working supply for the butcher."

"Here?" his father's eyebrows raised.

"She's not bad, Dad," Peeta pleaded. "You'd like her, I swear. She's shy and funny and naive and sweet-"

"No, no, I just meant," his father coughed politely. "We don't have a guest room...so she'd be...in your room."

"Oh. Oh!"

"Unless."

"I took my Victor's Village house." Peeta swallowed hard. He hadn't thought of leaving home.

"Let's not talk about this now," his father insisted, clearly just as upset. "Let's get her here and then we'll talk it through."

"Okay." Peeta nodded at nothing. "Okay."

"Peeta?"

"Yes?"

"People aren't going to understand about her. Gale isn't, I don't think. But you do. And that's all that matters. I love you. Prim loves you. And nothing that happens is ever, ever going to change that."

It took Peeta a moment before he was able to throw down the bag and embrace his father. "I'm so sorry, I know it's going to make things harder having her here-"

"No, it's not. Because you'll be here too. You'll be home and happy and that's all I want."

Peeta sniffed back his tears. "I have to go."

"I know."

"You're going to love her, I promise."

"I know," he smiled. "Because you do."

Peeta cried as he finally understood.

"Well then, son. Go get her."

When Peeta saw his driver he nearly fell over in shock and then joyful laughter. "Should I trust you to drive?" he asked as he embraced Haymitch.

"Hey, I've been sober for nearly twenty four hours," he joked, squeezing Peeta's shoulders. "Should I trust you to know what you're doing, taking me into that mess?"

"Not at all. But I have to do it."

"You've always been foolhardy, that's for sure." Haymitch grinned as his charge. "All right, get in the damn car. We gotta go get you a princess."

Peeta climbed into the passenger seat and tossed his bags over his shoulder into the back. For a moment he imagined Effie in the backseat, chattering to Leevy about all the pretty dresses she's get to wear. He sighed.

"I still miss her," he confessed as Haymitch started the car.

He nodded. "I still miss Maysilee," he said quietly. He glanced over. "But the world is changing, Mellark. You won't have to miss anyone in that way again."

"Unless we don't get to Katniss first." The fear gripped him tighter.

Haymitch gunned the engine and they tore out of District Twelve.

"Is that the guidepost?" Peeta squinted about an hour outside of Twelve. "Slow down, I can't read this map." He shoved the paper into the backseat. "The Capital should be that way," he said, seeing the presidential seal on the old metal signpost on the disused road. "Right?" He glanced over.

"Haymitch? Is that right?"

"Shh."

Peeta sat silently and watched Haymitch concentrate. "What?" he whispered.

"Shh."

He waited.

"What?"

"There's something rattling in the trunk."

"I didn't put anything in the trunk."

"Exactly."

Haymitch slowed to a stop on the empty and decaying road. Peeta opened the door and stepped out, wondering how long it had been since cars were plentiful and used this thing called a 'highway' for daily travel. He saw Haymitch pull a pistol from his jacket pocket.

"What?" he jumped. "What do you think is in there?" he hissed.

"I have no idea," Haymitch said quietly and carefully. "But I think if they'd been welcome they would have sat inside."

He reached the latch. "Unlock it," he whispered to Peeta, handing him the keys silently. "I'll keep the guard."

Peeta's hand was shaking as he slid the key in. He twisted it. The trunk popped open.

"Don't move!" Haymitch shouted.

"Don't shoot!"

"Prim?" Peeta stared. He quickly shoved Haymitch's gun away from his sister, curled in the trunk with her hands raised.

"I'm sorry!" she cried. "I just didn't want to miss you anymore!"

"Does Dad know you're gone?" he yelled, relieved and overwhelmed.

"I left him a note on my pillow," she admitted, her face downcast. "Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, I'm scared for you," he said, reached over to take her in his arms. He pulled her from the trunk. "You shouldn't be coming."

"How did you get in the trunk?" Haymitch asked.

"When you went to go to the bathroom before Peeta got there. I found the button by the seat and climbed inside." She looked over to Peeta. "I heard you get up and I climbed down the tree outside your bedroom window."

"Dad's going to be mad."

"I can go without dessert for a week as long as you're around," she pouted.

He shook his head and smiled. "All right, fine. Get in the back. And put on your seatbelt."

He climbed back into the passenger seat as Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"This is going to be a hell of a rescue mission."