Author's Note: ok the chapter I was nervous about is outta the way onto a bit of District 5, don't worry reader when Ariana said she'd see peeta again it wasn't an empty promise…it's just right now she is home.

Thanks go to my reviewers: Pandora, ASMF, new reviewer seaotter99 (welcome!), and JB

Chapter 5

Knowing Who Your Friends Are

Ari POV

I wake up in a strange room and strange bed, it takes me a moment to remember what happened this morning because my brain is still fuzzy from just waking up. Tracer gave birth! Now I remember. I look at the bedside clock and it way past noon. I get up. It's obvious that Tracker tucked me in, he only removed my boots and left me in my street clothes.

"Trace I'm home! Whose motorbike is outside?" I hear; it's Jack he just got home from work. He doesn't know, "Tracer?"

"Hey Jack" I hear Tracker at the front door, "I have news for you" he sounds like there is a big grin on his face

Jack doesn't even wait for the news. "Trace!" he calls as he bolts the stairs and I hear him enter their bedroom. The baby wakes and wails, which wakes Tracer who I had shown haphazard how to breastfeed. I go to the doorway quietly as Tracker comes to meet me, he's about to say something but I stall him wanting to hear the couple's exchange.

"Trace when…how…where is the doctor?" Jack asks stunned

"Last night around eight o'clock my water broke" she says softly

"Are you okay? Is he?" he pauses, "is it a he?"

"We're alright Jack, and yes he's fine, perfectly healthy" she sounds tired, "I called Tracker, but someone else showed up with him"

"The doctor?" Jack asks

"No" Tracer says and points to the door that is ajar

Jack goes to the door where Tracker and I are standing.

Jack has grown up, he has a dusting of red stubble on his chin, and his skin has tanned dark. His eyes catch Tracker first then fall on me.

I can tell right away he doesn't know what to think, but whatever is flitting in his head isn't open and friendly.

"What are you doing here?" he says to me, "aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Don't believe everything you hear Marriot" I say, injecting as much confidence as I can muster, which isn't much. His eyes are cold to me; Jack and I never saw eye to eye growing up. Jack was Seneca's friend not mine.

"Where is Seneca?" he asks but I don't answer, "Ariana where is Sen?"

Tracer and Tracker are looking at me expectantly, but when Tracker sees how I am torn and hoping for an out he nods me forward. I take a deep breath balling my courage.

"Ariana!" Jack snaps at me

"He's dead Jack alright!" I snap at him, just saying it out loud causes tears to spring to my eyes, "he's dead happy!"

Tracer covers he mouth Tracker looks angry, but I know it's not at me.

"Why don't I take you to my place Ariana" Tracker says

"Wait what d'you mean dead?!" Jack grabs my arm and it's the worst thing to do to me when I'm upset, I grab his thumb and push back hard, we hear a snap and he is on the ground cradling his hand.

"Ari!" Tracer says she looks shocked and upset, but not angry, "please stay"

"We'll come over later" Tracker says, "I'll call the doc to check on Jack and you" he says as he ushers me out.

When we get to his place he points to the kitchen table and makes coffee after calling the doctor to explain what needs to be done at Tracer's, he puts the sugar bowl on the table and slides me a cup of coffee when its ready.

"When?" he asks we don't need many words I point outside and he nods, since I left all my gear at Tracers we have to speak in open air, we prep our drinks and go outside.

It takes me a good fifteen to twenty minutes to find my voice and even then its quiet, I don't want to talk about this.

"My best guess is right after Peeta and Katniss left for home" I reply, "I don't know how, don't even ask"

"Did you get to say goodbye?" he asks, just asking it makes me start to cry and Tracker doesn't know what to do with me when I start, so we sit until he awkwardly rubs my back, I rest my head on his side.

"I'm sorry" he says softly, "god Ari, it was stupid to say that. Trace is better at all this…touchy feely stuff"

I shake my head, "I told him to run! Why didn't he just…why couldn't he just have run away?"

"It's Seneca" we hear and Jack is there, the doctor must have raced there, his hand is casted, "he never did listen to reason, neither of your did really"

"Jack that's bull and you know it!" Tracker gets up

"Oh save it for someone else Kingsly" Jack snaps, "she probably put a target on your back just showing up" he glares at me, "Tracer got over loosing you, she was fine until this past game, she cried for a week after getting home! You should have stayed gone crane, you're giving my fiancée too much heartache."

"She delivered your son y'idiot!" Tracker snaps at him

"No he has a point" I wipe my eyes, "Track I shouldn't stay, it's too much of a risk"

"Don't you listen to him Ari" Tracker snarls glaring at Jack, "you're probably just bitter, probably blaming Ariana for everything that's gone bad right Jack? Despite she told Sen to stay here, she begged him, he left on his own. He redeemed himself saving Mellark and Everdeen, at least there is that" when I get up he guides me behind him, "you attack her you are attacking me, how will Trace take it when you alienate us, her family because you are being too stubborn to hear the facts Jack?"

I don't dare make eye contact, I even back up because as much as Tracker and Tracer would back me up. Unfortunately Jack has a point.

Coming home shouldn't have happened I let my heart take over and I could very well have put them all in danger.

"Letting Track fight your battles crane?" Jack looks behind Tracker

"Enough Jack she's as upset as Tracer is"

"I doubt that"

"Enough!" I snap at them both

"Finally the twerp speaks!" Jack replies sarcastically

"Oh shut it Marriot, you are blind as a baby desert mouse" I glare at him

"I think I see fine" he returns the glare, "because of your big mouth I lost my friend"

"I LOST MY BROTHER!" I bellow, "big deal you lost a friend, I lost a mentor and my brother and two friends in the span of a year jack, don't give me a sob story! I had to fake my damn death to make sure no one else got picked off! Think you could do that at sixteen?" I hiss the rest at him like an angry viper

He looks stunned.

"Well!" I force the issue he tries to look away so I bridge the gap and grab him by his jaw, he shoves me off. "answer me!"

"I don't have to" he snaps back turns and leaves

I can feel the tears well up again, I am so tired of thinking of everything. Tracker takes me and hugs me; I bury my face in his chest. I hold on for my life, certain if I leave now I will never come back. He leads me inside holding our cups steady with the other hand.

He gets me to sit and finish my coffee, we don't speak anymore.

We don't go back over, but late that evening Tracer comes over. She had just fed Samuel, they named him Samuel, his middle name is Seneca. She doesn't say anything but takes me in her arms and holds me. When we feel ready to start talking I set all my spy gear up to cause interference.

"Jack doesn't understand Ari, he doesn't see what we see because he never had to do what we did" she explains, "he had no right to treat you with so much hostility, I did cry when I got home, but he doesn't understand why. I was relieved you were alive, and plus I was pregnant…emotions are very unpredictable"

"I shouldn't stay Trace, it's not safe" I tell her

"Just stay until the cold season is over? You'll have a chance to do the day of the dead, and Yule" she says

I look uncertain.

"It's better than being on the road with snow all over the place" she adds, "I promise Jack will behave himself or I will break his other thumb"

I stay.