I HAVE RETURNED. Sorry it's taken me so long to update this, but my dog ate my laptop charger, ha. But now I have a new charger, and I actually feel like writing, so here we go!
Thank you for being patient, and for reading, it warms me 'eart, it does.
I hope you've all seen THG by now as well! I've watched it multiple times, and cried like a little bitch baby, multiple times.
ANYWAY, happy reading!

After spending most of the day watching Katniss wander through the forest, and talking to the slimy rich people that live in the Capitol, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was curl up in my bed and sleep forever, but we had business to attend to.

Usually, we're supposed to stay inside the training center for the duration of the games, but the Capitol peacekeepers turn a blind eye when we leave murmuring things about decent alcohol and wanting to see the night life.

During the games, the Capitol is buzzing with activity, no matter the time of day, so it's easy to slip through the crowds without being noticed, as long as we're alone.

The year after I'd won, Sue and I had made the mistake of leaving together, resulting in us being swamped for the better part of an hour, and we quickly learned from it, and from that point, we left alone, 10 minutes apart to make sure we weren't in the same place at the same time.

I slip through the crowded streets until I come to an old bar, where I push the door open and slide through the gap. The barman, an ex-gamemaker who hates the Capitol almost as much as I do, nods to me as I slink up to the bar. He pours me my usual drink, then motions over his shoulder to a bookcase. I already know the drill of course, and step around the bar, pushing the bookcase open enough to slip though, and hear it bang back into place.

I'm the last person to arrive, Sue is sitting next to Finnick, who is wearing as little as possible, as usual. The only free seat is next to Quinn, and I slump down into it, feeling as awkward as possible.

Quinn clears her throat once I'm comfortable. "Well, we all know why we're here, so let's just get on with it." She turns and looks at a man towards the back of the room. "Plutarch, I believe you've got some news for us?"

The man stands and walks into the lighter part of the room. "Well, as you know, with the help of Wiress and Beetee, we've been working underground to find out the fate of District 13, which we all know was 'destroyed' (he actually makes quote marks in the air) in The Dark Days." He pauses, and looks around. Definitely a Capitol man. "Last night, Beetee managed to make contact with them. He spoke to the president there, a woman named Coin, and they're very much alive and kicking. And willing to join our cause. They know of the games, of what happens every year, and they want to help. "

"Even though they've all but abandoned us?" I mumble, looking into my drink.

"It's not that simple, Miss Lopez, they were given an ultimatum, and they took it, trying to preserve their own lives. I think most of the other Districts would've done the same at the time. However, now they're in a position to help us, and we'd be stupid not to accept their help."

I know he's right, but I can't help but feel betrayed.

"What can they even offer us?" This is from Finnick, he looks as pissed off as I feel. "Weren't they just a mining district? Like 12?"

"That's what the Capitol want you to believe." Plutarch tells him, eyes wide. "But you've seen the pictures of 13 before The Dark Days, seen how large it was. Larger than 8. How could a mining district support that much people, 12 is tiny, and it's people still starve." He looks pointedly in my direction before he continues. "Weapons. And not the ones like 2 makes. Real weapons. Nuclear, and far more than the Capitol have. That's why they bargained in The Dark Days. Think about it, if they would've attacked the Capitol, the Capitol would've struck back, and half of Panem would be lost. So they waited, bided their time, and now they're strong. Strong enough to help us."

The words sink in around the room, and we realise what Plutarch is saying. For the first time since our cause has started, we actually had some hope of real change.