First a disclaimer!: This chapter has the song "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables" from Les Miserables, I did not come up with it but its poignant so don't go saying I wrote that song m'kay? Don't like it? Skip it okay!

Author's Note: this is a bit corney, but I always thought that Mokingjays might react to different singers differently, so they might fall silent to Katniss, but maybe with other voices they do something different…I know its corney and mary sue-ish so don't crucify me I'm already doing this to myself XP

Thanks to my reviewers: JB, EWD and Randomrambles

Randomrambles' question: How does Ari pass through district 8 when going from district 4 to district 5?

Answer: In my head the districts aren't layed out in order, I actually went online to check where people assigned different districts and I don't quite agree with them. To me:

District 4 (fishing) is coastal just not southern coastal I saw it more along the lines of Maine

District 8 (textiles) could be around Illinoise. (therefore Ariana hits a diagonal from 4 to 5 going thru 8)

Mind you I also imagine a lot of North America to be gone so everything is kinda squished together some. But I don't think all the district are in order on a map, District 1 could be beside the Capitol, or it could be waaaay off. The only thing I have cemented in my head is district 5 (power) somewhere around Arizona and New Mexico. Hope it answers your question Ramble, also hope to see more reviews from you! And maybe get an account so I don't have to answer questions in an author's note ;)

Chapter 62

For Him

As much as I plan with Beetee and Plutarch that moment Gale stood up made me proud and terrified at the same time.

'What if I loose him?' I think terrified every night leading up to him leaving, I don't go to seek comfort from him, he has enough on his mind I guess.

I get to their apartment the day he and the team consisting of him, Ken, Boggs and several others are scheduled to go. He's not in the main room when Hazelle opens the door.

"Come to escort him?" she asks coolly, I guess she doesn't like him leaving either.

I shake my head, "no, just walking with him to the launch room" I reply

"It's okay Ma" Gale comes out from the washroom

She steps aside and he walks out, he even has his weapons with him just the ammo is missing but we keep quivers of arrows and bullets on the airships.

"You sure about this?" I look at him as we wait for the elevator, he doesn't answer, "Gale please don't be angry…I was scared, I didn't want to loose you"

We stay quiet until we reach the launch room which was spared. We stop just outside the ship and he turns to me to kiss me deeply. Then he says something that shocks me.

"I love you" he says, "you don't have to say anything but just know that I do love you and if I had died without saying that three days ago I would have regretted it" he wipes a tear that escaped me. "we'll bring Peeta back"

"Bring yourself back" I say, "please Gale"

He doesn't answer but heads to board. I don't move until an alarms goes off for me to leave the launch area as the ship takes off.

I meet up with Haymitch. I feel stunned and he looks miserable.

"You look like a ghost" he says, "what happened?"

"Gale….said he loved me" I look at Haymitch

"What did you say?" he asks and I feel like a fish gasping for breath

"I told him to bring himself back" I finally reply

"Well its close enough considering the circumstances." He says, "I'm about to talk to Katniss wanna come?" I shake my head, I don't want to see her right now.

Unfortunately when she realizes she can't go on the rescue mission she begs for a way to help.

That's why we are outside. People are looking at each other, we have to make a diversion. So Katniss speaks her mind saying how she met Peeta and how it's hard knowing he is trapped and she can't do anything. Finnick tells how he was used and abused as a victor, how he gathered secrets on every dirty deal and dark seedy piece in the capitol, including how President Snow enjoys poisoning competition. We are over an hour of listening when he falls silent. He can't say anymore.

"We need something else" Plutarch says, "something to open with, it can't be the mokingjay logo it has to catch Snows attention for a moment or two, just long enough for the rest to work" everyone is looking at everyone else, until Masalla's eyes fall on me.

"I know how" he looks at me

"No" I tell him, "no camera on me"

"What is it Mass?" Cressida looks at me

"She can sing, not like Everdeen, but that song, it was so...sad...but poignant"

"It's from a video I watched, about a French revolution" I try and divert

"Wait wait wait" Plutarch says, "what are you talking about?"

It takes some cajoling from Plutarch but I agree when I can wear sunglasses to hide my eyes and tie my hair in a way that isn't my normal style. Fulvia says I look sophisticated. I just hope it doesn't make me recognizable. They shoot from far off as I walk the fence line singing the song.

'There is a grief that can't be spoken

There's a pain goes on and on

Empty chairs and empty tables

Now my friends are dead and gone

Here they talked of revolution

Here it was they lit the flame

Here they sang about tomorrow

And tomorrow

Never came

From the table in the corner

They would see a world reborn

And they rose with voices ringing

And I can hear them now

The very words they had sung

Became their last communion

On the lonely barricade

At dawn

Oh my friend my friends forgive me

That I live and you are gone

There's a grief that can't be spoken

There's a pain goes on and on

Phantom faces at the window

Phantom shadows on the floor

Empty chairs and empty table

Now my friends will meet no more

Oh my friends my friends don't ask me

What your sacrifice was for

Empty chair and empty table

Where my friends

Will meet

No more'

As the last line is sung I disappear behind a pillar of the old justice building, I don't bother coming out of hiding, because I feel tears running down my face.

"That's a wrap" Cressida says, her voice cracks a slight bit

Everyone heads back inside

Everyone but Katniss and Finnick who come around the pillar. They sit down with me, Finnick offers his rope that I refuse.

"They were echoing y'know?" Katniss finally says, when I look at her she elaborates, "the mokingjays, they say if they like a person's voice they will go quiet and be more attentive. I don't know what echoing means"

"Maybe they thought Ari needed back-up singers?" Finnick tries to joke, but I just shrug.

"We don't have them back home in Five" I tell them, "we have sparrows in droves though"

"You sounded so sad" Finnick says, "what happened?"

"Gale said he loves me" I look at Katniss, who I was sure would be angry since what happened in Twelve but now she grasps my hand.

She smirks, "I understand"

We head inside and instead of having my whole video they have the audio underscore Katniss and Finnick. It's haunting…at least my voice without my face will not draw attention to me. But it's enough when they have the flames start and my voice coming softly like some spirit from the grave.

I'm restless and they say we won't know until maybe the afternoon if it succeeded.

I can tell Finnick and Katniss are restless too…we pace so much, soon we are looking at weapons, I do rounds in the hospital and they follow. Finnick shows me how to tie sailor knots, Katniss teaches me the bow. I attempt to teach them how to use my favored weapon to dismal if comical effect. We even do a war game with the remainder of Ken's group. We are tired, spent but still on edge.

Beetee tells us to hang in the humming bird enclosure because it's where he relaxes, Maverick comes to hang with us by then. He holds me close and he thanks Finnick and Katniss for being there for me when he was busy. Like any good big brother.