Author's Note: An answer to a review stating how Ariana would be feeling after hearing the news of what happened game side…XD

Thanks to my reviewers: JB, HL, EWD and Arrow (also if you guys want me to still alert you thru pm please let me know in the review area ok? Because what will probably happen is I will alert you at the end of the week when every three chapters are up, unless you specifically tell me to alert you after each update…cool? Onward!)

Chapter 43

Promises Broken

It's several hours before a hover plane comes into view, the mokingjays squawk an alarm and a lot of people run for cover screaming.

"Everyone calm down!" I call to them, "it's okay it's a friendly!"

"How do you know?!" calls the same elderly gentleman from earlier who had said to turn off my communicator.

"I called them while you were asleep" I reply as the plane goes further down to a bigger clearing to land.

Soldiers come out with bottles of water, I recognize Ken almost immediately and run to him.

Ken wraps me in his arms.

"Thank god" he says into my hair, "god we were all worried, you're okay? You're not hurt at all?"

I can feel myself get emotional and although my friend has seen me cry when Maverick almost killed himself and embarrassed at my first kiss…this level?

He hasn't seen. I am shivering in his arms and he holds me. He doesn't squeeze me to give security but he shushes me, "it's okay we'll take you back to thirteen, you should hear what's been going on, I think you've been out of the loop if I'm right"

I nod into his shoulder and he rubs my back.

"Its okay, look take some breaths, calm down you can tell Mav and I about it all over supper tonight, I even found some strawberries….they are still your favorite right?"

I laugh and wipe my eyes, "we have a lot of people" I tell him finally gaining some composure.

"Don't worry we can carry 'em all" Ken reassures.

The soldiers do their due diligence to help reassure and board everyone. I do a face count with Ken.

Gale is not accounted for.

"I'll get him" says Vick but I stop him

"I'll be faster on my bike" I look to Ken, "can you give me an hour?"

"We'll try, keep your comunicuff on" Ken warns, "we can't stay in the open much longer they are still sweeping the district for survivors…capitol soldiers not us"

I run out and find my bike, one of the soldiers cuts the dead electric wire and I race into the forest on it.

I finally get to a lake. Gale is sitting on the edge.

"Hey stranger" I say softly and he looks up, he looks back at the water, "can I sit?" he shrugs I take that as a yes and sit beside him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Gale, I should have, but…trust? Its kinda hard aspect to grasp when people say they will be okay and then die" I look at the calm lake, "I should trust you, you trust me"

He sighs, "I should be happy about this y'know? All my life since I started in the reaping I've hated it, and I've gone and fallen for a victor who not only faked their death to become a spy but worked it so there wouldn't be hunger games"

"But…" I add because this feel like there is much more

"But I'm worried about you" he looks at the water with me, "I don't know how to explain it better than that. I don't want to loose you"

"Nor I you" I say, "but I refuse to promise I will be okay Gale. You have to understand that, because I don't know what will happen. I can say I will try my best to be careful, to not take risks, but what I do want is you by my side. I want to show you what I have been doing for two years. I want someone I trust more than most to see what we can and will do…can you say the same?"

He sighs, "sounds like something I could agree to" he smirks, "forgiven for being a stubborn ass?"

"Only if you can forgive me not divulging everything" I reply and he kisses me.

We get on the bike and I let him drive us back, I have to tell him how to use the throttle but soon we motor in and head off.

Ken looks at the taller Gale with a calculating aire. "Ari?"

I take Gale's hand, "Ken Colins, Gale Hawthorne, soon to be soldier Hawthorne" I reply

Gale puts out his hand and gives a very strong looking and solid shake.

"She here?" I hear and smile. Boggs is piloting.

"Hey there stranger" I smile and go over leaving Gale and Ken to stare each other down

"Good to see you're in one piece kid, and I think Coin will be glad of the reinforcements"

"We'll have to see about that" I say as I look around, we're in the main part of the plane, meant for cargo, there is a meeting space upstairs, "are we the only passengers?" Boggs doesn't reply at first, "commander?"

"no, we have some others upstairs from the games" he says as he stares forward, I race upstairs ignoring his cry for me to hold. Gale races up with me, Ken means to but I am sure Boggs tells him to wait.

I get up to the second floor where I see Haymitch nursing a scratched face. With Finnick nursing him a bit with Ken's mom.

"Hey there" I say and Finnick looks up.

He gets up and walks to me, then reaches out and touches me in the chest. When I am indeed solid to his reckoning he wraps me in his arms and lifts me up, swinging me around.

"You're alive live wire!" he chuckles, "god, I mean Tracer said you were but I thought she meant y'know metaphorically, not physically!"

I chuckle, dear Finn. "Sorry I had to disappear"

"You're brother will be glad to know that" he doesn't know

"Finn…Seneca was killed, by Snow, just after Katniss and Peeta won" I say softly

His face drops, "oh kiddo…I'm so sorry"

"Speaking of, where are they?" I segue to avoid the thoughts of my dead brother.

"Tracer is still recovering, the explosions knocked her out and I think it blew out an eardrum or something she said she heard ringing, they have her knocked out again during transport" he says

"And Katniss? Peeta? Beetee? Tracker?Jo?" I offer up as Gale comes beside me

"Katniss attacked Haymitch, hence the scratch marks" Finnick explains, "Beetee is still out cold, he's pretty beaten up"

"And Tracker? Peeta? Jo? Where are they Finnick?" I urge, he doesn't say anything, "Finnick answer me"

Haymitch groans, and stands up.

"Haymitch what's going on? Where are they?!" I look ready to cry or pounce I am sure and Haymitch is trying to gauge his words

"I'm sorry Ariana" he finally says, "we couldn't get them…the Capi-"

But that's all he gets because I have launched myself on him and have just broken his nose.

Finnick lifts me off him.

"You promised me you miserable drunk! You promised me!" I snarl, "lemme at him! Let go!"

"Calm down!" Finnick's stern words are the only thing calming my fists from breaking Haymitch's face, "we couldn't wait any longer Plutarch forbid it and we have Katniss!"

Plutarch, the name sticks in my throat, he ordered it.

"Where is he Finnick" I say coldly, "where is the pompous piece of work"

Finnick points to a door. Gale means to follow but Finnick stops him by asking who he is until Haymitch asks about district Twelve.

I don't wait for Gale, he wouldn't get this yet, I would have a lot more to explain later and I will.

Plutarch is on a call when I enter and I think I see the color drain briefly from his face. When he hangs up he is about to say something but he doesn't know what to say.

"Tell me it wasn't your decision to leave Peeta, Jo and Tracker there Plutarch" I say very calmly which to Ken and Maverick means I am ready to break more noses, "tell me you were following Coin's direction…tell me some reason why I shouldn't be breaking that pretty face of yours"

"You think I'm pretty?"

"You're something pretty but you really don't want me to tell you pretty what right now" I glare at him, "was that Coin on the phone?"

"Yes"

"And?"

"She's promoted me to propos manager"

"To what?"

"Propos manager, Katniss is going to sway this war for us"

I inwardly groan, they had no intention of rescuing them all, "you just wanted Katniss didn't you"

He looks found out, finally he says, "yes"

"So you lied to me when you said Coin agreed to get them all out?" I look at him, "you killed Mags, so you really don't care"

"We still need your help" he says coming from around the desk to touch my shoulder I shrug him off, "Ariana you aren't as unruly as Katniss, you need to mentor her"

"What I need to do I stop listening to my conscience and knock you out" I snap back, "you have any idea what you just did?! Peeta Mellark has more silver in his tongue than you in your whole body, they will bend him, break him, let's not forget Tracker knew the plan. You have pretty much signed their death warrants Plutarch!"

"They won't kill them" he says offhandedly I scoff and turn, "excuse me I haven't dismissed you"

"Get stuffed" I march out.

Haymitch says something but I punch him in the jaw and march downstairs to the remnants of district Twelve. I can't be in the same place as people who have put the last bit of my family in the hands of my enemy.