Author's note: And let the bombing raid begin!

Thanks to my reviewers: JB, EWD and DAK

Chapter 61

Into the Depths

I run to my quarters and grab the things I treasure, my satchel and my snakeskin coat. The bed and spy gear can withstand whatever hits them and if not Ziggy has told me my days of subterfuge are over, if they're lost they are lost.

I run like a mad person. I don't see Maverick or Ken, even when I get into the throngs of citizens going into 'the bunker'. A large underground residence, it can hold thousands if need be, beds carved into the rock face, electric lighting powered by a generator. It's safe, it's secure,….we'd be sitting ducks if the bombs hit this deep but if not we'll be safe.

We had had drills before, minor ones where Mav was exempt. It's hard getting down stairs in a wheelchair. I'm just glad Ken and one of his men offered to help.

Deeper and deeper we go, it gets cooler and I put on my coat to keep the minor chill from hitting me hard.

I get downstairs and am directed to my quarters, it has two beds carved in, I don't need both, I doubt I will sleep so deep underground. I pace my quarters until I finally see Ken, he arrives with Maverick between him and the other soldier. Mav thanks them both spots me and races over, then hugs me close.

"We didn't see you!" he says worried like I was for him, "where did you go?"

I show him my satchel and he almost looses it.

"What if the bombs had hit while you were up there?!" he glares at me, "Ari that was stupid!"

"They're the only things I have!" I tell him, and it's true anything else was district Thirteen issued stuff that I have little use for, I try and stay angry but Mav looks saddened that I risked my life over objects, add seeing Peeta like that and everything starts to pile up. I break down and he holds me, I don't cry but I'm shivering like a leaf.

"Okay I'm sorry" he whispers, "I'll stay with you, so you're not alone"

"Where's Gale?" I finally manage

"I didn't see him" Maverick answers, "you don't think he got lost?"

I rub my eyes and shake my head, "he knows the route by heart I showed it to him a few times" my brain starts to over think; he wouldn't have gone looking for me, or other people, being the hero?

"Oh no" I look at Katniss who has just realized too, we both make it to the door.

"Wait my sister isn't here!" Katniss cries

"And Commander Hawthorne hasn't checked in" I add as they are closing the blast door

"We have to close them" one soldier says

"No!" Katniss shoots a hand between the doors to stop them from closing as I am yelling at them to give just one more minute.

But its Katniss crying for her sister that really hits home for them, Prim comes thru the doors followed by a harried looking Gale.

Katniss grabs Prim who has that damned mangy stray in her arms. I grab Gale. I'm so pissed off that he scared me!

"Don't ever do that again!" I snap at him, I shove him and he looks shocked and annoyed.

He's about to rebuttal when the first bomb hits, it feels like the whole place shakes. My eyes grow wide as dust hits my hair and face. Gale brushes some off, tries to regain composure but I turn and leave sticking with Maverick.

It's three days of this; Coin is in a separate bunker for close faculty. She's keeping us informed.

Maverick sleeps in his chair he refuses the bunk and prefers to make sure I get some sleep. I fall asleep to him brushing my hair away from my face.

Katniss endears herself to the residents with that cat Buttercup. It's strange for someone that calloused and unsure of herself to play with the cat and sharpen its predatory instinct. The cat mews pitifully when the light she is using is out of its reach. It seems to spark something in her. I don't know until day two when it's Mav's bathroom break that she comes over to my cubicle.

"Hey" she says braiding and unbraiding the end of her hair.

I look up from my sketchbook, the only things making me sane right now, "hey kid" I return to my drawing. She comes in and sits with me, I'm drawing that outcropping with her and Gale underneath.

She looks shocked at my talent, "did you do this for your tour?" she asks

"I could draw as early as I can remember, but I'm better at portraits, Seneca was excellent at landscapes" I reply, "something him and I picked up from our dad"

She's quiet for a while.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did but questions are free" I reply

"Is it my fault Peeta is getting hurt?" her voice catches. I realize that people are watching us so I get her to sit deeper in my area so people can't hear us.

I sigh, "ok Katniss I have to tell you truthfully but I need you to keep it together" I grab her hands, "this is how the Capitol is trying to pull you in, it ain't pretty and it ain't nice but it's the truth, and you can't do your job without consequences" she looks like she is going to crack so I squeeze her hands, "you have to think what would Peeta, your Peeta would want you to do. And not the one on the television pleading for a cease fire, that's not the Peeta you know is it?"

She looks at me and thinks, she shakes her head gently finally, "he hates the Capitol"

"Exactly"

"But how can I do what I have to without him being hurt?" she asks

I let go, "I don't know" I look at my hands, "its unfair what they are doing, making you pick a side, knowing it might cost people dearly, we'll figure something out"

"What?" she looks hopeful but I'm drawing a blank, not because I was distracted but because the picture I was hiding was Peeta's broken body on a tiled floor. I'm no better than her but I'm hiding it better.

"You have to keep busy" I tell her, "make friends with the residents, if you can find a deck of cards maybe we can have poker tournaments or something, that cat game is entertaining to them"

She smirks, "not to you"

"It's a predatory exercise, you are teaching him to hunt" I reply, "its entertaining but when you know what it's all about it loose its appeal" I get her to stand, "I want you to get some rest, and focus on each day. When the bombs stop then we are back in action okay?"

She nods okay to me and heads off. It's then I see Gale glaring at me as Katniss looks in on Finnick.

Finally out of the bunker Boggs rounds up the propos crew and gets us to the new command. My room and Mav's were destroyed, no casualties thankfully, except for a chicken coop.

We're ordered outside so Katniss can show we are all okay. But I think being outside has a negative effect. Especially when we see among the destruction roses of pink and red are strewn about. The smell is intoxicating and not in a good way. Katniss looses all colour and she looks like she's going to loose it. Cressida is urging her on, they try her saying the line off camera and she can say it, but the camera is on her and she can't.

"Thirteen is alive and well and so am I" she can't say the last syllable, she can't say it!

Because despite everything we'd said in the bunker, in the morning air with rose stench and Snow threats…she isn't okay. It's VERY obvious to me and it's obvious to everyone else when she finally breaks down. When she goes into hysterics as she talks to Haymitch they finally sedate her.

"What was that about?!" Plutarch looks frantic

No one answers, we are in command, Coin isn't there but the whole propos crew is except for Finnick and Katniss.

I finally speak up; "she isn't fine" I look at Cressida, "she isn't because she knows they are punishing Peeta because of what she is doing"

"Who told her that?" Haymitch looks at me

"She already knew, what did you want me to do…lie?" I ask

"Yes!" Plutarch snaps, "now we can't even use her!"

"There is a solution" Haymitch says, "we get Peeta back"

"Preposterous" Fulvia says, "impossible"

Plutarch looks annoyed because he knows as well as all of us it is possible just incredibly risky.

"What did I tell you last year Plutarch" I say calmly, "it's worth taking a risk if it's the right thing to do"

He groans, "not that again?!"

"That again" I reply, "and this time it's not gonna be trumps if one gets out, everyone gets out this time" I see he doesn't look convinced, "I'll help you" I look at him

"You're gonna stay here" he says, "but strategy I wouldn't mind, we need volunteers though no one is gonna risk themselves by being drafted"

"I'll go!" Gale stands up almost immediately.