Mockingjay: Broken Wings

by Jamie Sommers

A/U Katniss and Peeta are married, expecting a baby. Peeta's unsure of Katniss after the things he's seen while being held prisoner. Is she still trustworthy? With a traitor in the rebellion who can Katniss turn to? Haymitch, after all the secrets he's kept? Gale, who's loyalty lies with President Coin? Or will Peeta open up his heart to her again? Sequel to CF: Rekindling

22. Pathways

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

By: Jamie Sommers

Chapter: Twenty-one: Pathways

Previously: Katniss and Peeta are now at the Capitol with plans to kill Snow, but Coin's ambition has become just as much of a threat to them as the man they're trying to remove from power. Effie made her way to the Capitol as well with a weapon that Beetee designed along with a hidden agenda and left the rebel's campsite with Justus and Lavinia without K/P's knowledge. The Star Squad was in the midst of filming a propos when Boggs stepped on a pod.

Sorry for the delay in posting. Again, life does tend to get bogged down at times, but I thank you for being so kind and patient. Much thanks for the reviews, the follows and for reading.

S and A, my darling betas! Thank you so much. I don't think some of you realize how difficult it is to tear apart someone's work. It is time consuming and a pain in the ass, but they never let me down. Even if one is busy the other is always there to help. As one of them said to me, "We're a team." Yes, we are. This story would be nothing without the two of you and I am forever in your debt. So cheers to you both!

I have been nominated for some Everlark Smut Awards. I want to thank those of you that took the time to do such a thing for me. I appreciate it. If you would like to vote for me please go to my tumblr page and follow the link I have posted there.

Anyone wondering what's going on in the land of...

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

Effie gave Peeta a hug and placed a kiss against his cheek. "You look so tired darling. Please get some rest."

"I will," Peeta gave her a squeeze then pulled far enough away to smile into her eyes. "I'm sort of glad you're here. Now I can keep both you and Katniss safe."

"No darling," Effie pursed her lips and said in a scolding tone, "it is a parent's job to protect her cub, and you my dear one are mine to protect. Now please allow me to take care of you." She stepped back and gave him a tiny smile, "Go to bed. Your wife is waiting for you."

"Yes, mother dear," he teased her and got a playful smack across the rump in return.

"Do not make me sit you in a corner young man," Effie chided him as he walked away.

"See you at breakfast," Peeta gave her a big toothy grin.

"Peeta!" Effie called out to him, stopping him before he was out of sight.

"Everything okay?"

She had no clue if she'd ever see him again. This beautiful boy that had entered her life less than two years earlier meant so much to her. "I just wanted to tell you..." she gave her shoulder a little shrug, "...oh, I'm just being silly. A mother's love and all," she waved it off.

"Hey mom," Peeta jogged up to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you too."

"Oh, quit being such a little," she let out a giggle when he placed his lips against her cheek, blew and caused a vibrating noise to come out. "Peeta Mellark you silly little fiend."

"Night mom." He stood there.

"Go to bed."

"I will right after you. Now go." He crossed his arms and waited for her to leave.

Effie had no choice but to walk off with the group waiting for her. Justus, Lavinia and Boggs stood in a little huddle by another tent. The four of them headed slowly away as Peeta ducked into his own tent and out of sight. "One moment please," Effie held up a hand and checked over her shoulder to make sure Peeta and Katniss didn't come back out. "All right. Do we have somewhere we can speak in private?"

"This way," Boggs led them towards the edge of camp, into the darkness. "Miss. Trinket, how good are you at sign language?"

"Not very, but that won't make much of a difference," Effie dug into a her backpack and pulled out two devices, slipped on her headband, put in her earpiece and turned to Boggs. "If you wouldn't mind turning your back to camp and blocking your hands so anyone that can read sign won't be able to see what it is you're saying, I would greatly appreciate it. Justus...Lavinia..." she handed them the two devices she pulled from her pack, "Beetee tells me you three have been using these for quite some time without anyone's knowledge." The duo nodded. "Shame. Shame," Effie gave them a spirited grin. "Shall we see if they work with my earpiece?"

Lavinia slipped it on and Effie gasped. "Yes."

"My word. Say that again."

"Yes," Lavinia said.

"Oh my," Effie's fingers flew to her throat. "You try Justus. Say something."

"Something," Justus spoke and didn't sign. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes," Effie swallowed the huge lump in her throat. "It's a miracle. Truly a miracle."

"Could one of you please explain what the hell is going on?" Boggs asked.

"Oh," Effie flustered a bit. "I do apologize for being so rude." Effie began to explain. "The devices you see attached to their throats are enabling me to hear what their tongues would normally allow them to say with this," she tapped at her earpiece.

"Holy shit," Boggs looked like his jaw was about to hit the ground. "Oh, sorry about my use of language Miss. Trinket."

"No need to apologize Commander. I believe I used a few expletives myself when Beetee told me what the intended purpose of the earpiece and the devices were as well."

"No one mentioned he was working on anything like this back in Thirteen," Boggs tilted his head a little to get a better look at Effie's earpiece.

"No one knew," Effie tightened her lips and placed her finger over them as if telling him to keep it a secret. "He had put in a request, but was denied. Apparently it was considered a waste of resources as was my wonderful weapon by the Capitol." Effie turned to show him her pack. "I tell you, that Beetee is a sneaky little rascal. Now, shall we get down to business?"

"Yes," Boggs still looked like he was in shock. "That's probably for the best."

"Wonderful," Effie gave her hands a little clap. "First, may I please have use of your Holo, Commander?" Boggs studied the panel on his arm that he never took off, knitted his brows together, and though Effie knew she would not be taking it from him on a permanent basis, she failed to tell him this as a means of testing whether or not she truly had earned his trust. When he unstrapped the device and handed it to her, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that Boggs was on their side. "Thank you. If you wouldn't mind holding it straight out, all I need to do is..." she flipped a switch on her headband and spoke, "Hagar."

"Good Evening, Effie," the male computer voice spoke to her and no one else.

"The Holo is within range now. Can you access it without projecting a map?" Effie noticed how the three people around her gave her strange looks but ignored them.

"Yes. One moment," the computer voice linked into her neuropathways spoke to her. "I have turned the unit on and am downloading all of the current updates. Updates are complete, Effie. Shall I stay on?"

"No thank you, Hagar. You may shut down until three in the morning when I must wake up."

"I shall wake you at three in the morning. Good night, Effie. Sleep well."

"Good night, Hagar." Effie gave Boggs a slight grin. "Thank you, Commander. I now have the current updates. Beetee was kind enough to provide me with all of the information your Holos have, but as you know, they automatically update whenever a new pod is set or one has been triggered."

"Miss. Trinket, who were you talking to?" Boggs gave her a strange look.

Effie tapped at her headband. "I couldn't exactly turn on my weapon by saying it's a big big big day, and why Katniss thought that would be humorous when Beetee asked her how to start up my weapon has left me quite curious, so I named it Hagar, Johanna's name for Steven Tanner, my Peacekeeper. Beetee said calling it Mr. Tanner was a little...formal, don't you think?" Effie asked.

"Oh...um, yeah. Hagar sounds good to me." Boggs looked at her headgear and pack again. "This whole thing listens to you? Talks to you?"

"I'm not sure how it works to be honest, but yes, it is all linked up with me and only me, and now it is linked up with the Holo thingamabob," her fingertips flitted towards his Holo as he reattached it to his arm. "Now...this is the plan," the woman, who was in no way a commander of any kind, began taking charge. "Justus...Lavinia, I am about to ask the two of you to volunteer for something you have every right to say no to. It seems that both presidents want not only my darling children dead, but me as well. There is but one difference, I fear I have more enemies than Katniss and Peeta do. Where there may be a handful of rebels out to kill my darling children, there could be hundreds out to kill me as well as hired guns. I do not have proof of this, but..."

"I can verify this from Coin's camp," Boggs added. "I know she wants you dead and she wouldn't have a problem hiring someone to do it just to guarantee the job gets done."

"Well, there you go," Effie gave her head a little pitiful shake. "That woman is a poor excuse for a president. Oh," she turned her attention towards Boggs, "pardon me. I shouldn't be speaking out of turn towards her in your company." Effie was still unsure of how far she could push her luck when speaking about Coin in the company of Boggs. "She is your president and I should refrain from..."

"Miss. Trinket," Boggs stopped Effie before she finished apologizing. "I'm all for calling a spade a spade."

"Wonderful, we're all on the same page then." Boggs gave her a nod of approval. Effie's entire demeanor changed. Her left eye narrowed as her right one widened, "That wretched woman thinks she can kill me and my children off? Well I've got news for her! Justus. Lavinia. If you two volunteer for this mission, there will be people crawling out of the woodwork trying to kill me, but I swear to you, this little beauty Beetee gave me will keep us safe. If you don't want to join me. I can do this alone. I have no problems heading into the tunnels myself."

"I'm going," Lavinia spoke and signed.

"Me too," Justus followed up. "When do we leave?"

"Before sunrise. Once we get close enough to Viggo Bette's former residency..."

"Bette's? That's the official you killed?" Boggs' brows shot up. "You really think that's safe?"

"We're at war." Effie faced Boggs. "Are any of us safe?"

"No. I guess not."

"Commander, there is something I must tell you," Effie lifted her chin. "Something I have not let anyone know other than Peeta's physicians which include Dr. Valero, his mother in law Evelyn Everdeen and his mentor Haymitch Abernathy. During Peeta's hijacking they did something to him during some of the sessions. They were trying to turn him against Katniss. Telling him that she was responsible for the firebombs of Twelve. Showing him altered recordings of her and Gale, and those seemed to be the ones that monopolized his memories not, the others."

"Others?"

"Steven Tanner," Effie sighed.

"The Peacekeeper," Boggs gave her a look of inquiry.

"The night before we took Peeta to Twelve we took the tunnels to the hovercrafts. He showed me how to manipulate their computers to drain the hovercrafts of power. We hid Peeta's medications on board. That was the night he taught me about guns, how to defend myself, how to fight back. During my long night of training he also told me that Peeta knew about the tunnels. That he was glad we were both leaving because they had taught Peeta about the underbelly of the Capitol." Effie shared with Boggs her fears and told him the extent to which Snow had tortured Peeta. "Dr. Valero later revealed to me that she told Beetee and Dr. Brown about Peeta's torture since they were such a vital part of his recovery, and now I fear that President Coin knows the truth. She knows exactly what..." Effie gulped.

"You think Peeta will hurt Katniss?" Boggs asked as he threw a cautious stare in the direction of their tent.

"If I thought that I would have never allowed him to leave Thirteen in the first place," Effie said as though offended at the mere suggestion. "That boy would die before he allowed something to happen to Katniss."

"Then what are you trying to ask me, Miss. Trinket?" Boggs faced Effie again.

"Perhaps you could let Peeta know, when he's away from the others, not Katniss of course, what Snow's done. Give him a little preparation so he can battle these flashbacks and not be taken by surprise. They will be difficult for him."

"I can do that. Plus, I'll be here to help," Boggs laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll watch out for your kids, Miss. Trinket. I promise."

"Thank you," Effie felt a little weight lifted from her shoulders knowing that someone like Boggs would be there for Katniss and Peeta. "Now, I think we should try and get what little rest we can." she gave her watch a peek. "Three hours of sleep is the minimum a person should have or it's really a bit senseless." She looked around. "Is there a tent I can use or must I sleep by a flaming can?"

Boggs let out a chuckle and the sound of laughter came through her earpiece from Justus and Lavinia both. "You three can use my tent," Boggs led the way.

At three in the morning a male computer voice began to speak, "Good morning, Effie. It's time to wake up." Effie's eyelids fluttered opened, and though no one else heard it, she could have sworn she heard the sound of the bells that hung over the library down the street from her childhood home signaling it was time for her to wake up as a schoolgirl. It was one of her favorite memories.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

"We need some sticks and rope," Katniss ordered Peeta to grab what he could find as Mitchell headed towards the large first aid kit they brought with them wherever they went. "You remember what I did in the arena to set the tourniquet Peeta?"

"Yeah." It was embedded in his mind forever. "I'll do the left leg. You do the right."

"Katniss," Boggs tried to reach for something.

"Just lay still." Katniss began ripping at the pant leg where his limbs had been blown off.

"Get the Holo. Hurry," Boggs' breathing was choppy to say the least.

Katniss pulled it off of his wrist and handed it to him. "Here."

"Place your thumb here." Katniss followed his orders. "Now you Peeta."

"Why me?" Peeta wasn't sure he should be in charge of it.

"Just do it!" Boggs yelled. "Hurry, before Mitchell gets back."

Peeta pressed his thumb next to Katniss print. "Okay, now what?"

"Katniss, say your name."

"Katniss Mellark."

"Say it three times," Boggs ordered her.

"Katniss Mellark. Katniss Mellark. Katniss Mellark."

"Computer recognizes new first command as Katniss Mellark."

"Peeta, it's your turn. Say your name twice."

"Peeta Mellark. Peeta Mellark."

"Computer recognizes second in command as Peeta Mellark."

"Now strap this to Katniss' wrist." Boggs' handed it to Peeta. "Hurry."

Peeta worked quickly to get it on Katniss' arm. "Okay, it's secure. There's a safety feature on here that will only work if one of you says the word nightlock three times in a row. It works as a bomb. Release it from your wrist and it will explode, but only in case of emergency." Boggs began spitting up blood. "Listen to me, both of you. Do not trust any of these people. None of them. Effie, Justus and Lavinia are making their way through the tunnels to get a secure way to Snow. No one in the rebellion knows the layout of them but those two and possibly you Peeta. Effie said they showed them to you during your hijacking. They brainwashed you into trying to rescue Snow and killing Katniss."

Peeta's eyes flew open. "Then why…why didn't anyone tell me this?"

"Because you didn't remember it. You were getting better, but now that you're back here they think there might be some sort of trigger, but you kept fighting it, and directing it towards Snow. You two made a deal with Coin. You both said you wanted to kill Snow so...do it. Snow has no clue that Effie went through his secret files and knows the entire layout of the underground tunnels or where his hideout is. She knows his escape plan. His backup plans...all four of them." Boggs continued to cough up blood as Mitchell headed back. "Don't tell them that Peeta is second in command now."

"We have to get him medical attention. Now!" Katniss lifted her eyes towards the sludge heading their way, setting off each and every pod. "Peeta, the heat seeking net is coming this way. Your body temperature!" She could see the fury in his eyes and knew he was fighting off a flashback with every ounce of his strength.

"Don't worry about me. Let's get Boggs to safety," Peeta tightened the tourniquet and made to lift Boggs as Mitchell came from behind with the first aid kit and tripped Peeta intentionally. "What the hell?" Mitchell reached for his gun. "Star," Peeta screamed and watched as the blade shoot out of his gauntlet and sliced through the center of Mitchell's belly causing him to stagger backwards and land on a pod that had him flying upwards and cover the soldier in green goop that ate through his flesh within seconds. "I guess we know who it was that had the bullet with my name on it." The bullets Peeta had spoken of had narrowly missed him shooting into the earth instead. Peeta's star shaped blade had reached the man only a split second before Mitchell had taken his deadly shot. Peeta dragged Boggs as far away from the block as he possibly could with Katniss help but the heat seeking net continued to follow them.

"Leave me here," Boggs begged them. "Leave me! I'm going to die anyway," His grip on Katniss' arm was almost deadly. She knew it was true. There was only so much blood a person could lose before death was inevitable. "Just go. Let the net capture me. Run." Katniss and Peeta exchanged looks. The rest of their squad was long gone around the corner searching for shelter. "RUN!"

It was one of the hardest decisions he had ever had to make in his life and had it not been for the little girl lying in Thirteen or the woman standing next to him Peeta never would have made it. "Thank you, Boggs. We won't forget your sacrifice." Peeta had to ask, "Do you want me to end it for you now or do you want the net to do it?"

"Leave me to the net," Boggs choked out. "Now go do your jobs, and make sure you win this thing."

"We will," Katniss took out a flash and placed it between Boggs' fingers hoping the heat from it would attract the net, grabbed Peeta's hand and pulled him away in the direction the rest of the group went in as the net landed on Boggs. The woven ropes ate through his flesh like acid, killing him and leaving his body in bloodied bits only seconds before the black sludge covered him.

"Catnip!" Gale called to her from a house they had broken into. "Come on." Peeta and Katniss made it inside as Gale slammed the door closed behind them.

"Who's left?" Katniss asked.

"Everyone except... one of the nets got Cressida and I have no clue what happened to Finnick or Mitchell." Gale slunk down with his back against the door. "There's no way we can get back to safety now."

"Mitchell's dead. Tripped over a pod. What the hell happened out there?" Katniss covered for Peeta.

"How the hell did they even know we were there?" Peeta began ranting.

"Probably figured it out the second we set off the first pod," Messalla answered. "Most of these blocks are under surveillance"

"Yeah, but we were told this one was free from surveillance That Beetee had it disconnected," Peeta said with suspicion "Did someone here let one of their Capitol friends know?"

"Hey, the only Capitol friends that aren't here are Effie, Justus and Lavinia, so don't go blaming us!" Gale poked a finger in Peeta's chest.

"Back off Gale. I know for a fact you want my mother dead, so be very careful what you say about her, or you and me are going to have some serious problems."

"You told him?" Gale widened his eyes towards Katniss.

"Did you think I wouldn't? He's my husband? And she's my mother in law? Geez Gale! The woman saved my life! She saved Peeta's life!" Katniss threw her hands in the air, "She saved all of your lives! So yeah! YEAH! I told him! And I'm shocked as hell that you didn't the moment you were asked to do it!"

"Oh for Christ sake. Why they hell are you two even here?" Gale began pacing around the house.

"That's enough. We can't stay here." Jackson began. "Snow's men know where we are and we have to get out of here. Katniss give me that Holo so I can figure out where to go next."

"I can't. Boggs transferred the codes over to me."

"He what?" Jackson looked furious. "Well, just transfer them to me and we'll get going."

"Sorry. That's not going to happen." Katniss held onto the Holo protectively.

"I'm second in command!" Jackson shouted.

"I was there when he did it." Peeta stepped up. "Katniss, I think it's time we tell them." Katniss wasn't sure what Peeta was going to say, but if anyone ever doubted why her husband was dubbed the Jabberjay she could have pointed to this moment in time. The moment when the man they were all ready to kill only hours before convinced them that they should follow her into battle instead of the person President Coin put second in command. "You see," Peeta started, "the reason I was sent here was because there's a special mission that only she, Boggs, Effie, Justus, Lavinia and I knew about. That's why she's got the Holo now. The mission we had originally been briefed on was a hoax. Obviously you all figured that out when you got here and it had been completed days before by another squad. This mission is of the highest importance. Only certain soldiers were brought in on it. Truth be told...victors were the chosen ones. Now, I realize that Effie, Justus and Lavinia aren't victors, but they worked the Games, were exceptionally familiar with the ins and outs of them, so they were chosen for the mission." Peeta held up his hand to silence Jackson before she could ask anything. "Please don't ask for details as we're unable to divulge any at this stage. If we could then Katniss would be able to hand the Holo over to you."

"It's true," Finnick came from around the corner the sound of a toilet flushing could be heard in the far part of the apartment. "I was briefed on it last night."

Katniss and Peeta had never felt such relief when they saw Finnick Odair enter the room and throw in his support. "Katniss and Peeta are now in charge, so I say we follow our Mockingjay and our Jabberjay into victory. They haven't let any of us down before."

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

Bing, Evelyn, Haymitch and Prim sat around the large table in the Command Center having a good laugh at the lack of acting abilities of the men and women Plutarch had chosen to be in the Star Squad.

"At least they look good on camera," Prim tried to give him a little boost of confidence when his entire face turned beet red as one of the men couldn't get the line right and had to do the take over six different times.

"That's about all they've got going for them," Plutarch let out a little laugh for Prim's sake and the entire room let out a burst of laughter with the exception of President Coin.

"I'm sure you're all enjoying yourselves, but we are wasting valuable resources here. We need to get this recorded and on the air as soon as possible." She directed her attention towards Plutarch. "When are we shooting Katniss and Peeta? We need to get some experience on that screen."

"They're next President Coin. We've got the pod all set up for…" The loud explosion caused all of them to freeze. Sounds of people screaming from within the Command Center began overlapping when the feed was lost. "Fulvia, what happened? Did we lose the shot?" Plutarch lurched over the computer screen she was looking at.

"No, I pulled it from the large screen," Fulvia glanced towards Bing, Evelyn and Prim.

"We'll need you three to leave," Plutarch ordered.

"We're not going anywhere," Bing stood up. "Those are our children out there, now if you have it on camera, show it!"

The scene before them was utter chaos. Boggs was lying in a massive pool of blood with Katniss and Peeta attending to his wounds. His legs were missing, and both Katniss and Peeta were acting swiftly trying to stop the bleeding by securing tourniquets to the stumps left of his legs. The cameramen were racing away from view and all that could be seen were pods exploding one by one as a flood of sludge slowly made its way down the empty block.

"What's going on?" Prim screamed out. "What is that stuff?"

"Someone must have found out they were recording there and set up a trap for them. They've got to get out of there," Plutarch tapped on his earpiece. "Cressida, can you hear me? Cressida? Star Squad this is Command, come in." Plutarch's face drained of blood. "We've lost communications."

Pod after pod released their deadly attack. The heat seeking nets flew through the air landing on someone, but no one could make out who it was. Screams, and voices were talking over one another as the group ran deeper into the Capitol until finally no one was seen or heard from any longer.

"That's it," Coin stood tall. "I think it's safe to say, we have lost our Star Squad in the line of duty. Plutarch, we'll need to put together a propos showing their last acts of bravery and let the country know that our Mockingjay and Jabberjay have given their lives for the good of the nation."

"What!?" Prim yelled out in unison with her mother and Bing.

Bing placed a protective arm over Evelyn and Prim. "There is absolutely no proof that our children have died, and until you can prove without a shadow of a doubt that they are dead neither one of our families will approve of such a statement."

"I do not need your approval." Coin faced them. "You three are excused from this Command Center."

"We're not going anywhere," Bing stood firm.

"You can either turn and walk out of here freely and watch over their child or I can have the three of you escorted out of here in cuffs and take custody of that child myself. The choice is yours." Coin's nostrils flared as she stood with her feet firmly planted and her hands behind her back.

"Come on," Haymitch led them out. "I'll take care of this. Don't worry about it. You three go stay with Maysee."

"I'm glad there's going to be an election when this is all over," Prim said to Coin with all the fire of her sister. "With any luck we'll get a president that doesn't have a heart made of ice running this country. Throw me in jail if you want. I don't care."

"Come on Primrose," Bing led her out the door after Haymitch. Once in the hall he said, "You better find out if our kids are still alive Haymitch."

"I'm sure they are."

"That's what worries me," Evelyn said in her quiet tone. "If Coin announces that they're dead, anyone from either side of this war can kill them and no one will question it."

"Don't you worry about it. Those two have been through a lot worse than what we just saw," Haymitch led them to the staircase instead of the elevators. "Plutarch, Effie, Justus, Lavinia and I have already set something in motion out there. Those kids have allies all over the Capitol that will help to keep them safe, and we've got a way of contacting them that Coin doesn't know about. I'll get back to you later on, just make sure you keep this to yourself, and keep acting like you're pissed as hell and worried sick."

"Well that shouldn't be too difficult," Evelyn let out a worried sigh and fought to keep the tears back. "You better bring my kids home, Haymitch or I'll be on the next medical hovercraft to the Capitol and do it myself."

"I'm working on it, Evelyn. I'm working on it." Haymitch peeked out the doorway to make sure it was clear. "Take the elevator down to the hospital level and whatever you do, do not leave Adam or Maysee alone for one second. You tell Regina to keep those two babies side by side until this thing is all over, got me?"

"That shouldn't be a problem considering neither one of them have been sleeping properly unless they're next to each other," Prim said. "So," she gave Haymitch a little smirk, "think she'll throw me in jail?"

"I doubt it," Haymitch gave Prim a little head shake and forced himself not to grin at the girl. "Just quit stirrin' up trouble."

"I'm not making any promises," Prim said innocently. "Let us know if we can do anything else to help, okay?"

"I'll keep you up to date, but for now, I've got to go. Gotta find out what the hell happened with that propos and who spilled the beans about our people being there. That whole block was supposed to be disconnected from Capitol surveillance." Haymitch headed back towards the Command Center. "We'll meet up later for an update. In the meantime, stay under Coin's radar," he pointed at Prim, "Got me?"

"I told you, I'm not making any promises."

"She's going to behave herself," Evelyn gave her a motherly warning. "Don't make us wait too long."

"I'll do my best." Haymitch made his way back into the Command Center into the middle of a heated debate between Plutarch and Coin.

"...too soon. What if they find a way to fix communications with us?"

"And if they're dead?" Coin's tight lips were turning white. "The last thing we want is for Snow to be the one to announce their death and take credit for it. If he does that then he will make their sacrifice look like it meant nothing to the rebels efforts. No, we must take control of this situation. Prepare something now." The entire room was silent. "NOW!" Coin's loss of composure shocked even Haymitch and had Plutarch scrambling for his computer and towards the exit with only a nod in acquiescence.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

Messalla was more than useful since he had resided in an exact replica of the apartment they had found themselves inside of. The cupboards in the kitchen were bare upon searching for food, but Messalla and everyone from the Capitol had warned them that they'd find all the homes that way.

"Above the bed," Messalla pointed out. "You see those mirrors? They aren't really mirrors, they're storage spaces." Cans poured out, as well as packages of cookies and crackers, individual boxes of juices, flavored water and wine, all tumbled out onto the bed for consumption.

"This is sickening," Jackson said as though it were just as repulsive as watching a child be murdered in the arena. "All this hording. They should be shot on sight."

"Fortunately for us they were hoarders," Gale grabbed a few cans of soup and began lining them up on the counter, "or we'd be going to bed hungry tonight."

Peeta swiped a couple of cans off the bed. "The man's got a point."

"We should divide these up evenly based on each person's needs," Homes suggested as he began transferring the contents to the same counter Gale had used.

It seemed everyone from Thirteen agreed with him while everyone else rolled their eyes and took a can of soup and a box of something non alcoholic to drink.

"Why don't we just eat instead?" Finnick threw each of the soldiers from Thirteen a can and a box of juice. "We'll worry about diving it up a little later." Thoughts of tiny rolls being flown into the arena and Johanna's sarcastic reply as to who got what flashed through his mind. "Eat." He sat in a corner to himself and slowly drank the cold can of clam and corn chowder down, sipping at a box of sparkling strawberry and kiwi flavored water. An odd combination of flavors to say the least, but the lingering taste of clams on his tongue reminded him of home leaving him with feelings of emptiness and longing for Annie's arms to hold him close. He missed their late nights on the beach. Swimming beneath the dark surface of the ocean or skimming along the top of the sea allowing the moonlight to act as their only form of light.

"How you doing?" Gale's voice brought Finnick back to the Capitol from District Four.

"Fine. You?" He threw Gale a look then tossed one in Katniss' and Peeta's direction.

"I'd be better if those two weren't so damn close all the time. I don't know," Gale gave them a leery expression. "I think he's hiding something from her."

"You worry too much Hawthorne. He's not the one keeping anything from her." Finnick leaned back against the wall. "From the sounds of things earlier, you were the one that was keeping something from all of us, and to be honest, I'm not a big fan of anyone that promises to kill Effie Trinket."

"Another one to add to the list," Gale rolled his eyes. "What the hell is with all you victors? Did you guys forget that she worked for Snow?"

"What is it with you?" Finnick leaned forward. "Are you forgetting that you were never thrown into an arena? That you aren't the only person to have ever suffered? That you didn't live the worst life any one person ever lived in a district? As a matter of fact, I'm guessing, your life was pretty average by most standards when it came to district living. Let me guess," Finnick placed his finger against the corner of his lip as if in thought. "Your family spent their lives overworked and underpaid. You went to bed each night on the brink of starvation. You had to take out a tessarae to keep from starving and because of that you had your name called...oh wait, you weren't called into the arena, were you?"

"That doesn't mean I didn't face death," Gale glared at Finnick.

"Or maybe you would have preferred the soft life of Peeta Mellark? The boy from town. Eat a couple of times a day, if your family had enough, but your mother, you know the woman that's supposed to cry when you get reaped, beats you pretty much daily. Makes you wish you were dead before you're school age, uses wooden objects to do it, and then one day...one day Effie Trinket walks into your life. Pulls your name out of a glass ball and poof, you're in the Games and you know what he told me," Finnick practically spit out a burst of laughter. "He said to me, 'from that very first train ride Effie was trying to save my life. Haymitch had fallen over face first into a pile of his own vomit, and Effie was the one that made me see how devastating our situation was. She made me realize how much we needed Haymitch's experience. How much we needed everyone at the Capitol to be on our side. From the moment I met Effie Trinket she's been fighting to keep me and Katniss alive. Effie's always loved me.' Can you believe that? Funny thing is...I actually believe he's right. I actually think Effie Trinket has loved that kid since she first laid eyes on him." Finnick pushed his fingertips into Gale's chest. "So yeah, I've got a very big problem with anyone that wants to hurt Effie Trinket, including you Hawthorne. Got it?"

"Got it." Gale sat back. "That still doesn't make me feel better. I still think Peeta's keeping something from Katniss."

"If you want to find out what it is, go ask. As for me, I'm going to get some rest until someone else comes up with a different plan." Finnick leaned back and closed his eyes. "Let them work it out," he said when he felt Gale stand up. "If something is up between them, they'll need to work it out, and the only way they'll do that is if they can talk about it between themselves in private."

"How the hell are they supposed to do that with all of us standing around?" Gale gave Finnick a look like he was crazy. "There's no way in hell we're going to leave them alone..."

"Gale," Finnick shut him up with a blank stare. "They had the entire world watching them and no one knew what the hell they were saying. You really think they won't be able to communicate in here?" Finnick stared up at him until he finally caught on. "Have a seat. Looks like they're in the middle of it right now anyway," Finnick threw a quick glanced at Katniss and Peeta who were moving their lips and not making a bit of sound. "The way I figure, if it's a personal thing, we'll have a plan of action within the hour. If it's something that effects all of us, we'll have a plan of action within the hour. Either way...we won't be sitting still for too long."

"It better not be personal. We can't allow for things like that to affect our mission," Gale tightened his boot strings.

"You need to pull the stick out Hawthorne. You're way too uptight." Finnick leaned back and closed his eyes. "I'm going to get a little shut eye now. I'm planning on having some pretty hot dreams about my wife so if that's going to bother you and your ideas about what a man should be dreaming of during a war, you should probably go sit by someone else." Finnick shooed him away and brought thoughts of Annie and moonlit walks to the front of his mind as Katniss and Peeta had their silent disagreement a few yards away from him. As he dozed off Annie's green eyes and glistening skin were bobbing up and down in a sea of dark blue water. Sounds of the ocean lapping against the shore and the dinging of a buoy in the distance were easing him into slumber until the nation's anthem began playing and Finnick's eyes flew open to see the seal being shone brightly above the Capitol. Finnick crawled on his hands and knees towards the window for a closer look. His heart was racing uncontrollably as he felt the thick humidity of jungle air surrounding him from the Quell and the prickly sensation on the back of his neck that never went away in his first arena consume him as the faces of the dead were projected into the night sky for all to see.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

"Don't do it," Haymitch's low growl reverberated in his throat. "I swear to God Plutarch, you put on the air that those kids are dead you'll turn them into martyrs, not to mention you'll have Effie to deal with. She'll come back here and skin ya alive."

"Putting aside Effie Trinket's wrath, and I am hoping that she will take our years of friendship into consideration before releasing said wrath onto me, wouldn't you like to see the rebels of this country fighting their hardest?" Haymitch took a step back and studied Plutarch's conniving expression. "Here me out Haymitch. We haven't a clue if Katniss and Peeta are dead or alive, but if we say they're dead, then the rebels will fight that much harder for victory."

"I see what you're saying. It's risky, but hell...this whole thing's been risky." Haymitch let out a bit of a crazed laugh. "Son of a bitch if I don't need a drink," he gave Plutarch a rap on the back. "We've got to figure out a way for Beetee to conjure us up some booze in that lab of his down there."

"It's a computer lab, Haymitch."

"Who gives a shit. It's a lab." Haymitch started nodding. "Yeah...I like this idea. Tell the country they're dead. Really make a show out of it, but let me talk to Effie and their families first. I don't want them to be shocked. Though they're gonna have to put on a show too. Cry and shit. Should we tell Johanna? Damn. I'm not sure about that one. She's already lost too many people, and Annie..." Haymitch began talking to himself.

"Well, why don't I just sky write it over Thirteen that we have no clue and I'm only doing it to get a rise out of the rebels?"

"No, don't want to do that." Haymitch gave Plutarch a strange look. "You losing your edge as a Gamemaker or something?"

"Oh, yes. I'm the one losing my edge," Plutarch said ferociously. "Perhaps just the families?"

"Okay, then Johanna and Annie too," Haymitch said as if it were a foregone conclusion. "And Regina."

"I said, fam...i...leeees," Plutarch pointed to his mouth as he over enunciated the word.

"Yeah, I heard ya. What'd ya think I'm deaf or something?" Haymitch gave his head a shake. "I'll go tell them now while you work on the propos, or should you work on it first this way I can give them a little head's up on what's in store?" Haymitch quickly changed his tune when Plutarch shot his brows straight up in the air. "No. No. You're right. I should leave something to surprise so they can react with real tears and all. Good idea." Haymitch rested his hands on Plutarch's shoulders. "Okay, I'll go meet with them now and catch up with you later. You gonna do some sort of memorial? Memorium? Whatever the hell those things are called?" Haymitch held up his hand. "Know what? I don't want to know."

"Haymitch, aren't you forgetting something?" Plutarch stopped him from leaving.

"What?"

"Shouldn't you be contacting Effie and letting her know prior to leaving?"

Haymitch let out a burst of laughter. "You think I've got some sort of death wish? Hell no. You want to run this thing. You can call Effie and tell her. I'll get an earful after the fact even after I tell her I tried to talk you out of it, and for the record, I did try to talk you out of it. Granted, I agreed with you after about ten or fifteen seconds, but still..." he pointed at Plutarch, "...I tried."

"Yes. Yes. You tried." Plutarch glared. "If I agree, will you at least stay while I make the call? Otherwise who knows how the explanation may come out. Why it might slip out that the idea was all yours."

"You fat bastard. You wouldn't stoop that low?" Haymitch scowled at him.

"Fat?" Plutarch turned to the side and looked downward at his profile. "Why Fulvia said I've slimmed down. Even that wretched computer voice has said so." Plutarch arched a brow in Haymitch's direction. "Now I know for a fact that it was your idea to say Katniss and Peeta was killed during the filming of the propos."

"Fine you fat son of a bitch."

"Quit calling me fat."

"Quit sounding like a whiny little baby girl," Haymitch almost sounded exactly like that which he called Plutarch as he waited for Effie to answer her communication device.

"What's happened? We're not scheduled to speak for another hour," Effie chirped quietly and accusingly through Plutarch's computer.

"Lovely to hear your voice my dear. Am I to assume things are going swimmingly there?" Plutarch's attempt to smooth things over beforehand had Haymitch shaking his head back and forth as well as smirking.

"Oh yes, Plutarch. It's been a small slice of heaven. If you have something to say to me, then speak. I do not have time to waste," Effie said in a hushed, scolding tone. "Are my children all right? Maysilee?"

Plutarch immediately got down to business. "Maysilee is doing well. As far as Katniss and Peeta...we have lost communications with their squad and do not know how they are fairing."

"Are you trying to tell me that they are dead?" Effie said with a stiff voice.

"No. What I'm trying to tell you is that we do not know if they are dead or alive," Plutarch answered.

"Did you see them die?" Effie asked.

"Not exactly," Plutarch answered.

"Shit. You're butchering the hell out of this," Haymitch took over. "Listen Trinkie, this is the way of it. From what we could tell Boggs stepped on a pod."

"How do you know it was Boggs?" She asked.

"We had Beetee rip apart the sound. Everyone was talking over everyone else out there when it went down and we really didn't know what happened at the time, but afterward we were able to pull apart the recording and take apart the sound. If Katniss and Peeta had been wearing individual mics we'd know for certain but after that crap in the tent...doesn't matter anymore anyway."

"Tell me everything." The sound of Effie's breathing could be heard over Plutarch's computer. "Start from the beginning. I want to know who was where."

"Okay," Haymitch started. "Boggs was talking with Katniss and Peeta was talking with Cressida, getting ready to film their portion of the propos. Mitchell was somewhere in the background too because we could hear one of the cameramen call out his name. Cressida called out to one of the cameramen while another walked past Katniss and Boggs and was joining up with the rest of the squad. As he walked by we heard the click...well...Beetee heard it. He pulled it out of the recording, and then we could hear Katniss' saying something about counting and jumping and the next thing we know is the end of Katniss' braid is flying by the camera's lens and there's a loud boom. When the recordings were pulled apart we figured out that while Boggs pushed her off the pod, Peeta must have pulled her off. They both tried to save her. Most of the group ran off, including the cameramen, but we heard them afterward Effie. We heard their voices." Haymitch could hear Effie's sigh of relief. "Boggs took the brunt of it. Thing is we lost the feed and we don't have any proof that they're alive, but we believe they are. Beetee, Plutarch and I do anyway. Coin, she thinks they're dead. She thinks the entire Star Squad is dead, and Effie...that's why we've called. Plutarch is running a propos telling the country that the Mockingjay and the Jabberjay have died."

"I'm going to make it brilliant Effie. Really show the country all that they've done from the very beginning," Plutarch added.

"You must start with me reading out Prim and Peeta's name, and Katniss saying, 'I volunteer.'"

Haymitch agreed and added, "And when the kid volunteered for me."

"Yes. You must show this world that they have always had a united front, and Haymitch?"

"I'm here Trinkie," he answered.

"You find those documents and those sketches of me and Peeta for Plutarch," her voice caught in her throat. "I want the world to know how much he touched this Capitol escort. You tell the world that Peeta Mellark is my son."

"I will, Effie. I'll make sure they know," Haymitch was shocked she wasn't angry with what Plutarch was doing.

"You keep him out of that nursery. Do not go in there Plutarch!"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Effie. I would never use their child that way."

"You are a horrible liar," she sniffed out. "Well, now." She took a few seconds to compose herself. "If you two wanted to throw me off of my game then you certainly achieved it."

"That is in no way what we had planned, Effie," Plutarch sounded aghast.

"We just wanted you to know in case you caught it on television, Trinkie." Haymitch smirked in Plutarch's direction. "Plus Plutarch here was afraid of what you'd do to him once you found out what he was about to air on television without your permission first."

"I didn't say I needed her permission, Haymitch."

"You sounded like you needed her permission."

"Plutarch, it is a brilliant idea. The rebels across the country will certainly fight with even more gusto if they believe Katniss and Peeta are dead, but I am uncomfortable in misleading them this way," Effie sounded a bit disheartened.

"We're not exactly misleading them, Trinkie," Haymitch hated saying it. "The fact is, we don't really know how they are."

"I do. I know exactly how they are. They are alive and fighting, just like they always are. Now you go do what you must, and since we're communicating now, I shall take this opportunity to update you. Justus, Lavinia and I have run into a few stumbles along the way, but we are still moving forward. Plutarch, we were able to obtain disguises at the first location with no difficulties. The small band of rebels are still working without Snow's knowledge and Beetee shall have no problems accessing the regular broadcast channels, but they are still finding it difficult to penetrate the emergency network. We are on our way to the final destination right now and have been staying away from the more popular streets as you suggested though that is not difficult since most of the streets are being avoided. It is a very different Capitol we are in. We are considering hiding in plain sight to blend in. I'm afraid we may stick out like sore thumbs if we're the only three people walking down the block in the less populated areas. Especially me. Even with the wonderful disguises the rebels have provided us, I'm afraid, I may still look very much like...well, like myself."

"Geez, Effie. You need to get the hell off the streets and get below ground. How long till you're where you need to be?" Haymitch was suddenly petrified for her safety.

"I am unsure. Things are slow moving here now. Where once before I could walk a mile or two in less than an hour, now I'd be lucky to make it that far in less than eight hours. There are check points to avoid, Peacekeepers everywhere, pods... As I said, we are walking the streets of a different Capitol. I had no idea it would be like this."

"Yeah, ya did, Trinkie. Yeah, ya did." Haymitch hung his head in regret. He had knowingly sent her into the arena and hated himself for doing so.

"Yes, I suppose you are right." After a brief pause. "I must go. Haymitch, do not allow their families to think they are dead without confirmation."

"I know. I was gonna get everyone together. Ya know...Katniss' mom and sister...Peeta's dad...Regina...Johanna...Annie...the whole family."

"That's a good man."

Haymitch gave Plutarch a whack on the shoulder with the back of his hand. "D'ya hear that? I went from vile little man to a good man?"

"You're still vile, darling," Effie said with a bit of forced lightheartedness. "Gentlemen, I shall contact you at the next designated time. Until then we shall resume communication silence unless there is an emergency. Trinket out."

"Did you hear that?" Plutarch sat up straight. "You are still vile, and I am brilliant."

"Fat ass." Haymitch stood up to meet with the rest of the family and bring them up to date on what Plutarch was about to put on the air.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

Peeta slid his back down the wall away from the group of rebels and ran a shaky hand through his hair. His first instinct was to rip the gauntlet off, seeing Mitchell's blood seep from his stomach and watching the man stagger onto the pod continued to flash before his closed lids.

"You okay?" The sound of Katniss' voice had him briefly opening his eyes.

"Yeah. Fine," he said it, but he knew it was a lie. He was far from all right. There was something seriously wrong with him. "Why didn't you tell them I killed him?"

"What good would it have done?" Katniss bent down in front of him and placed her hands on his knees. "They just would have started asking more questions and we don't need that. Besides, you were only defending yourself."

"How do you know?" Peeta finally met her stare. "How do you know he was actually trying to kill me?"

"Peeta," Katniss had an almost defiant look on her face, "why else would he have been taking aim? Unless he was going to shoot me."

"I...I guess," Peeta sat back, his hands trembling as he held the cans of soup.

"Let me," Katniss placed both cans on the ground and tried to pull the gauntlets off. "They're stuck."

"They won't come off unless I shut them down." Peeta still wasn't sure if he should or not. They could be attacked at any given moment.

"Do you have a gun?"

"No. Doesn't matter anyway. I'm not much of a shot. I've got the one that's attached to this thing, but that pretty much aims itself. It requires no skill whatsoever."

"I doubt that." Katniss gave his weapon a little tug. "Shut them down, Peeta."

After a few seconds of consideration he said, "Man in the moon," and Katniss was able to slip them off with ease.

"Man in the moon?" Katniss handed them to him.

"I needed something unique so they wouldn't shut off on accident. I might say goodnight in conversation or something." Peeta leaned back and ran a very shaky hand through his hair again, allowing himself comfort from the feeling of the strands catching through his fingers. "It's the only somewhat pleasant memory I have of my mother. When Johanna would tell me stories, I remembered one from when I was a kid. I didn't remember who told it to me, but I remembered the story. I only heard it a couple of times, but it was about the man in the moon. I asked my dad about it when I got to Thirteen and he told me that my mom told it to me. When she felt guilty after..." he turned his face away from Katniss, "...after she'd hit me, sometimes...sometimes she felt bad and a couple of times when I was real little she told me a story about the man in the moon. Said he watched over kids and kept them safe." Peeta let out a burst of air. "Yeah, right."

"Then why'd you choose to use that phrase?"

Peeta stared out the window in the ceiling facing the sky. No one from the street could see inside, but it provided their group some form of moonlight which was better than nothing. "Because that's all I have left of her. Because as much as I love Effie, and I love her more than you can imagine, the fact remains that she did not give birth to me." Peeta faced Katniss. "The woman that did that made my life a living hell, and the only somewhat decent memory I have of her is a story about some man in the moon that was supposed to protect kids. Will I ever tell it to our kids? Hell no. Our kids will know that we'll keep them safe. Grandma and Grandpa will keep them safe, because that's what they're supposed to do, not some fictional character, but that's what I have left of my mother. That's the sliver of hope I have that my mother loved me, and," he gave his shoulder a little shrug, "I'm going to hold onto it in the hopes that one day I'll be able to let go of the rest of the pain and remember the good times, because we did have some. My family did laugh. I just can't seem to recall any of that, but one day...maybe. Until then..."

"Until then," Katniss looked towards the gauntlets Peeta clipped onto his uniform, "man in the moon."

"Man in the moon." Peeta looked up at the sky through the glass and stared for a few minutes. He could feel Katniss' eyes on him. "What do you want? I know you didn't come over here to listen to me tell you about my mother."

"I already told you. I wanted to know how you were doing," she answered.

"And I told you. I'm fine."

"You're lying." He could feel Katniss gripping his knees tighter.

"What do you want me to say?" Instead of his voice getting louder it went silent, but his eyes grew darker as they pierced through hers.

"I want the truth," her silent voice and stormy eyes met his. "And don't say it's Mitchell's death either because this started before that. Is it the Capitol? Being back here?"

"Yes..."

"I knew you shouldn't have stayed."

"No...I mean..." He pressed his fingers deep into his eye sockets. "I remember, okay? I remember what they did to me. I remembered the second I stepped off the hovercraft and saw those damn candy colored buildings."

"But you told Boggs you didn't know what Snow did to you," Katniss leaned closer to him with a worried expression.

"That's because I didn't want you to think I'd hurt you." Peeta could feel the blood draining from his entire face.

"You won't hurt me," Katniss raised her hand to his hair and began stroking the spot just above his ear over and over again. "I don't care what Snow did to you. I know you won't hurt me."

"You're sure of that, huh?" He lifted one of the cans up to her and pulled the top off.

Katniss looked down at it and bit the corner of her lip before reaching for it. "What? No apples and goat cheese?"

"Nope, but there's dried plums in it," Peeta opened up his can of lamb stew and they each took a bite. "Snow tried to brainwash me into thinking you were a Capitol mutt, but Effie...those shots she gave me after taking me back to my cell, and all those things she'd tell me, plus Annie and Johanna..."

"It didn't work, did it?" Katniss reached out and wiped a little bit of stew off of the corner of his mouth.

"You know I believed the whole Gale thing more than the Capitol mutt thing," Peeta nudged her shoulder with his. "No. It didn't work, but Snow doesn't know that, Katniss. He still thinks I'm going to kill you, and Coin...well, now you know why she sent me. She thinks I'm going to kill you too."

"But there's something else, isn't there?" Katniss sipped at one of the boxes of juice Peeta brought for them.

Peeta began to nod. "Thing is, I don't know what that something else is." He started shaking his head back and forth. "I wish I knew...I'd tell you, but there's something...it's nagging at me...in the back of my mind, but I can't seem to figure it out."

"We'll figure it out together. Don't worry." Katniss stretched her legs out in front of her. "You know the only problem with this lamb stew?"

"What?"

"The scenery sucks," she rested her head on his shoulder for a second before taking in another mouthful.

"Look over there, Katniss," Peeta pointed to the wall. All of a sudden the soft melodic tone of his voice she loved so much could be heard. "The dark stones, the various shapes of the rocks creating our little home." It may have been strange to some that he'd be bringing up the cave, but that small portion of time had meant so much to them. "Do you see the triangular shape of that one stone right there? The way the rain trickles down at the very corner? How the water changed the shade?" Peeta faced her. "Isn't it..."

Katniss held his gaze, "Exquisite." she finished for him.

The bright light of Panem's seal flashed above their heads through the window in the ceiling. Peeta's and Katniss' eye's grew wide with horror. The thought that he may have brought the arena alive for all of them entered Peeta's mind for a split second until he heard the sound of the national anthem playing. Finnick scrambled towards them on hands and knees to look up through the window, his breathing was almost as loud as the music and then the faces of the dead, that had become familiar largely due to the rebel's propos, began to shine. Cressida was first. Peeta and Katniss automatically reached for the other's hand to face the rest. Boggs. Messalla.

"What?" Messalla turned to them with a surprised expression.

Gale's face was next followed by a few of their own Capitol citizens. "Guess we got a few of their local people," Gale said proudly.

Katniss could feel Peeta's fingers dig into her hand just as the image of Effie was flashed dressed in all her Capitol finery. "She's fine," Katniss whispered to him. "She's fine."

Finnick. Peeta and finally Katniss were shown. "We're dead?" Peeta glanced over at her.

"I feel pretty good for a corpse," Finnick started to slide back to his wall, but the sound of Snow's voice stopped them all from trying to make light of their situation.

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

"Effie, Mr. Hannibal said there's a mandatory broadcast being aired tonight an hour after dark," Lavinia signed to Justus as well as spoke to Effie through the earpiece. "He found out when he went to work today." Lavinia slipped Effie a computerized card. "You were right, he was ordered to leave shortly after arriving. As much as the Capitol wants to continue acting like everything is fine, they'd rather keep their people safe so life can go back to normal if they win this thing."

"What little people will be left after this war is over will have to work together to rebuild this nation, and I do not believe those from the Capitol will be exempt," Effie spoke softly so Mr. and Mrs. Hannibal couldn't hear her. "She whispered, Hagar I have the computer access card."

"Wonderful, Effie. Please look at the strip it encoded on the back?" Her eyepiece automatically moved in place and a tiny laser scanned the microscopic holes that were punched into the card. "I have checked to make sure there was no malicious software and am now entering all information into the system. System has been updated."

"Already?" Effie's brows arched. "My goodness you're a speedy little thing."

"That I am, Effie," Hagar answered.

Effie looked to both Justus and Lavinia. "We're in." Her partners in crime shared an evil smile with her. "May I suggest leaving right before darkness falls. Hagar, we'll need to know the Peacekeeper's positions for the evening."

"How will you know that?" Mr. Hannibal, one of Plutarch's rebel allies in the Capitol asked her.

"We'll have to take a look and see," Effie answered and realized that she was still wearing her eyepiece. "This gives me a longer range of view so I'll be able to plan it out. Plus you and your wife have been so hospitable. We do not want to take advantage of your kindness or put you in any further danger."

"No one even knows you're here," Mr. Hannibal spoke. "The people around us have all left and moved towards the inner part of the city. Everyone's under the impression that the closer to Snow's mansion they get, the safer they'll be. More Peacekeepers you know."

"Idiots," Justus said as well as signed to Effie.

"Morons," Lavinia responded in kind.

"Yes. Well..." Effie cleared her throat.

"What did they say?"

"They said," Effie spoke for them, "how fortunate for you two that they left. Drawing Snow's men away from you may not have been their intention, but it certainly didn't hurt." The Capitol residents turned rebels didn't question her drawn out explanation of the Avoxes one word comments.

"No it did not," Mrs. Hannibal agreed as she sipped at a cup of tea. "I wish we had more to offer you in the way of food and drink." Effie could sense the slight insincerity in the woman's tone and had to remind herself where she was. The fact that Plutarch had found people willing to join the rebellion within the Capitol came as a surprise to her. That they were still alive and in place left Effie in a state of shock.

"What you have given to us was plenty. Thank you," Effie had seen Justus and Lavinia eat more than they had even in Thirteen. "And the cans of food you gave to us are greatly appreciated. I do not feel comfortable taking them from you."

"We still have some stashed away. We've been planning for something like this since Katniss and Peeta won their first Games," Mr. Hannibal gave her a tiny, reflective smile. "You have a few hours yet. Would you like to get some sleep?"

"Perhaps you two should."

Effie turned to Justus and Lavinia who both gave a quick shake of their heads and said in unison, "No."

"I guess they're not sleeping," Effie said softly.

"You sleep," Lavinia put her hands on Effie's shoulders. "You're the one that needs the rest. Justus and I already got some sleep back at camp."

"I couldn't." Effie began, but she could just picture Peeta and Katniss arguing in the first arena with one another over this exact thing.

Effie had watched Katniss spend the night changing Peeta's compress over and over again, never allowing his fever to spike. Though the District Twelve team had agreed upon taking turns keeping an eye on the programing and it was her turn to sleep, she couldn't keep her eyes off of the television set in her quarters. She had wanted so desperately to reach through the television and rip them out of harm's way. To provide Peeta with the necessary medication he needed to heal the horrible gash that dreadful boy Cato gave to him after Katniss had dropped the tracker jacker nest onto the group of Careers. "What a wretched young man you are," she spoke into the pillow about Cato. "Just killing everyone in sight when they are of no use to you. Why your parents haven't taught you the least bit in the way of manners," she threw the covers off of herself and sat on the edge of the bed completely oblivious to what she was saying.

"You haven't slept," Peeta's voice spoke through the television.

"Well I know that," Effie said over her shoulder.

"I'm fine," Katniss had responded to Peeta and yawned.

"Oh," Effie gave herself a proper scolding. "You're losing your mind Effie Trinket. You must get some rest."

"Why don't you sleep now and I'll keep watch? I'll wake you if something happens." Peeta was still speaking to Katniss.

"I couldn't," Effie gave her lips a little purse.

Peeta continued to talk on screen, "Or you can stay up forever? I mean…if you think that'll work."

Effie hid the smile that had formed behind her hand and thought to herself, 'All right, my darling boy. I'll get some rest.' "Hagar, I'm going to sleep now," she spoke quietly. "I must wake up a half an hour before the sun sets."

"I shall keep an eye on the sky, Effie," the computer voice spoke to her.

"Lavinia, where will you and Justus be?" Effie asked as she removed everything but the portable charging unit for her weapon and her headgear which she had already grown accustomed to.

"One of us will remain at your door, the other will be patrolling the home. You'll be safe, Effie." Lavinia stood in the opened doorway and began slowly moving her head from side to side as Justus' footsteps were barely heard, but Effie knew he was walking from room to room making certain that no one entered the home they were currently taking shelter inside of. She had rid herself of the wig and clothing, wearing her uniform only, but removing the makeup she had applied only to put it back on again would be too much of a bother. The false lashes she had worn for years, that she had to apply in an attempt to disguise herself, were annoying the dickens out of her. Tiny birds in flight. Effie lifted the corner of her mouth in a slight grin. She had chosen those lashes in particular when choosing her disguise. They may not have been an exact replica of a mockingjay, or a jabberjay, but in Effie's mind they were. In her mind they were her way of still wearing her rebel's uniform for all to see. She began picturing herself standing in front of Snow all decked out in her Capitol attire, birds flying up and down at the tips of her lashes, one eye representing Katniss and the other for Peeta. Her darling boy. She pictured herself pulling a trigger like she had when she killed Viggo, but unlike the murder of Viggo Bettes, Effie didn't cringe whilst picturing Snow's death. She knew killing him should have been shameful. It should have been presented as terrifying or devastating. Should have. 'You'd be ashamed of me Mr. Tanner,' she thought to herself. 'I am almost as bad as one of those Careers that you went to school with. I am craving the blood of not just one, but two people.' For it wasn't only Coriolanus Snow Effie Trinket wanted dead. Achieving sleep had become a difficult chore for her until she allowed a small pleasantry to sneak into the recesses of her mind. Picturing the death of Alma Coin was a welcomed treat and only topped by Effie's dreams of carrying out the woman's death herself.

"Effie, it's time to rise." The sound of Hagar's voice surprised Effie. She could have sworn she had just closed her eyes. "The sun will be setting in twenty-nine minutes and thirty-six seconds."

"Thank you, Hagar," Effie sat up and straightened out her unwrinkled uniform. She hadn't moved a muscle during her rest. "How is everything within the home?" The eyepiece flipped down and a map of the house Effie was in could suddenly be seen by only her. Everything, down to the spoons in the drawer could be made out if Effie zoomed in on it. One walking red figure, one standing in place and two seated on separate chairs could be made out as Effie pulled on her full weaponry. "The perimeter?" The outside of the home was then shown as well as the street surrounding it. "We've got a pod," Effie arched her left brow. "Is that new?"

"No," Hagar answered. "Though it was not active until three seconds ago. One moment please. Effie, it seems we have six...seven...twelve... Pods are being activated around our vicinity in rapid succession. Evacuate. Peacekeepers have been dispersed."

Effie began calling out orders, "Lavinia, we've been compromised. Move! Move!" With her gun pointed towards both Mr. and Mrs. Hannibal she asked in no uncertain terms, "Which one of you was it? Vitals!"

"They're both reacting normally," Hagar answered her as Justus looked around the room. "Safest exit is the back window in the bedroom we were just in."

"The bedroom, Justus. Back window," Effie translated. "Did either one of you talk?"

"No!" Both man and wife answered.

"I believe them," Hagar spoke.

"Me too." Effie motioned with her gun towards the window. "The computer card you created today. Did you follow the instructions I gave you to the tee?"

"Yes." The man answered.

"Then one of you talked," Effie knew it, and so did Hagar.

"It was her, Effie. Her pulse just fluctuated," the computer voice spoke to her.

"So did her breathing." Effie stood back and shook her head. "Oh, Mrs. Hannibal. Why on earth would you put your husband is such danger?" She was about to lift her gun, but her fingers wouldn't stop trembling. The one thought she had to have in order to end the life of this woman could not be brought to mind. In the background she could hear Mrs. Hannibal screaming out something about eating their food, but that's not what snapped Effie out of her stupor.

"NOOO!" Mr. Hannibal jumped in front of his wife and protected her, taking the bullet from Lavinia's gun. The sound of Mrs. Hannibal's scream was silenced as Justus put a bullet into her head.

"Come on," Justus waved Effie through the window. "We need to move."

Effie nodded in stunned agreement. The woman that had craved blood before she had fallen asleep had just gotten a taste of real war. "Wait!" She called out to Justus who stopped right before stepping on a pod. "I need to go first," Effie guided them through the maze of pods and empty houses as the Peacekeepers made their way to the end of the block. Suddenly pod after pod began going off behind them starting with the closest one to the home they had escaped from. "Hurry," Effie saw the odd shaped wall of water growing near. "What is that?"

"I don't know," Lavinia's entire back was to her.

"We need to move." Justus faced Effie. "Is there a tunnel entrance closer than the one near Bettes?"

"Only the former ones they had the Avoxes work in. It only crosses paths with the President's escape route in one area that I am aware of," Effie answered.

"Than that's where we need to go," Justus flashed a look over his shoulder. "We're not going to make it out of here alive."

"Hagar, find us an escape route," Effie ordered.

"Already on it. Follow the path I've highlighted through the next three houses. You will have less than two minutes to make it there. The third house has occupants, but they are fleeing. You must run, Effie. I will direct you en route."

"Follow me. You must follow my exact path," Effie called to Justus and Lavinia as she made her way along the ground which now appeared to be highlighted thanks to the weapon Beetee created for her. Even the house she broke into seemed to have a lighted pathway. The third house still had one person left which Hagar warned her about. There was no hesitation when Effie lifted her weapon and shot the person between the eyes. She didn't even blink when she stepped over the body on her way out of the house. She hadn't even registered whether it had been a man or a woman, Peacekeeper or a civilian for that matter, when she killed the person, all she had thought was, between the eyes and her weapon fired. The panel in the ground required all three of them to lift it, they had barely gotten it back in place before the wave swept over it and the ground above them shook.

"You are safe for now, Effie," Hagar spoke to her.

"Thank you." There was no sigh of relief only a new plan formulating in her mind. "Map out a way for us to travel. We have to get back on track as quickly as possible." Effie placed the order before her feet hit the ground. "Well, you two," she gave Justus and Lavinia a quick once over. "I suppose I was wrong. There was no way on earth I could have done this alone." She lifted her hand and held four fingers to her bottom lip pulling them slowly away. It was one of the few signs Effie knew.

"You're welcome," Lavinia said for both of them.

With that behind them, Justus asked. "Should we move or wait for that thing to tell us where to go?"

"We should wait, but it shou..."

"I have your route, Effie."

"Well," Effie's tone grew even more serious, "here we go." The trio moved carefully through the dark tunnels for hours on end, stopping in a dark room below with large vats in it and giant pipes. "There's a small room through there," Effie pointed towards a panel in the wall. She quickly contacted Haymitch and gave him an update, letting him know that they had been compromised and that it would be best if they only spoke if necessary. She listened as Haymitch updated her and gave her a little bit of information for tonight's television broadcast then signed off. "It should be starting soon," she spoke quietly. "Hagar, emergency network access."

"The information was sent within minutes of my download. We'd like to watch the broadcast. Beetee says that's possible. Is it?" Without further ado her eyepiece flipped over and began projecting a small image onto the ground. "Your earpieces. You won't be able to hear Hagar, but you can hear the broadcast." The three of them watched in disgust as Snow showed the deaths of those they had considered friends as well as the couple whose home they had been in earlier that day. They shared menacing grins when they showed Effie's image and though she didn't believe it for one moment, Effie lifted her chin with pride when she saw Katniss and Peeta's image. The eulogy was more than heartfelt, it was all that Plutarch said it would be and then some, however she was going to give him a what for when she returned for not listening to her. By the end of the program all three of them were ready to move on, but Effie knew her counterparts hadn't gotten any sleep. "Hagar, how long do we have in here before the next shift arrives?"

"The next shift will not arrive until six am, however, pods will start being activated in the center tunnels at midnight."

Effie let out a sigh. "Can you two make it past the center tunnels? Once we get through there I'm sure we'll be able to find a spot to rest for the evening."

"I already have a spot picked out," Hagar notified her.

"What do you say?" Effie asked.

"Let's go," Justus stood up. "I'd rather move at night anyway. Too many people during the day."

The smell of the tunnels never once entered Effie's mind. The scratching noises from the claws of the creatures crawling in the bowels of the Capitol, didn't faze her one bit. The only thing Effie continued to see were the faces of dead tributes being flashed into the night's sky, and not just the faces that Snow projected earlier in the night, but all of the tributes she had seen over the years. A lifetime of children murdered. 'And how many of them did you cheer on?' Her silent question only enraged her all the more. When Hagar suggested they stop for a few hours, she asked Justus and Lavinia, but they too seemed to have a new found energy and the trio pushed forward, not stopping until they were just outside of the transfer area. They only had one shot at this, and they couldn't make their attempt until the train came at half past five.

"We need shelter, Hagar."

"Already found," he led them to it.

There was no arguing as far as Effie was concerned. Tonight she was on guard. Her eyepiece allowed her to see everything around her while she stood in place. The earpiece that enabled her to hear Justus and Lavinia could also accentuate her hearing, but she found it to be distracting at times. Still it was how she was able to detect the interruption in Mrs. Hannibal's breathing earlier so she kept volume raised as the duo slept. There was no need to look at her watch, and no need to speak any longer now that Hagar was on silent mode. All Effie had to do was think and he'd respond to her. 'Time,' she thought.

"Four-fifty in the morning." Less than ten seconds went by before he spoke to her again. "Effie, there's a disturbance up ahead," Hagar's warning to her wasn't needed.

'I hear it,' Effie's heart began to race as she listened intently to the sound of heavy breathing growing louder in her earpiece.

"It's saying something, Effie," Hagar spoke to her.

'My God,' Effie's fingertips flew to her throat. She could make it out as plain as day. "Peeta!"

…..

…..

…..

…..

…..

Snow's voice had the three former victors ire up. Katniss gripped her bow and loaded an arrow, Peeta pulled his gauntlets on within seconds and issued the command turning them on and Finnick who had left his trident on the ground a few feet away automatically pushed the button on his bracelet, holding his hand out for it to return to him.

"My dear Capitol citizens," Snow's voice echoed through the streets, but he was seated behind his desk at the Capitol with a flag draped behind him. Dressed in a deep blood red suit with a crisp white shirt, matching tie and gloves and a bright white rose attached with a silver clip to his lapel, Snow's composure never faltered.

"His lips look even puffier," Finnick commented through angrily slitted lids.

Jackson turned on the television so they could get better sound, but kept it on low. "As you can see we have suffered some losses, but not as many as our rebels. With these latest events, my officials have predicted that the war efforts have already begun to turn in our favor. Why already we have seen rebels laying down their weapons in defeat, and begging for their lives to be spared."

Leeg 1 looked at Homes and gave her rifle a pat, "I'm not putting this thing down. How about you?"

"Nope."

"...take this time to congratulate the Peacekeepers on their triumphant success at ridding this country of the pesky pair these rebels refereed to as the Jabberjay and the Mockingjay." Snow paused while applause sounded in the background to which they all questioned with their expressions.

"Sound effects," Peeta said absently.

"And who were these two really? Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen?"

"MELLARK!" Katniss and Peeta yelled in unison at the television set.

"Two children playing grown up," Snow dabbed at his swollen lips and let out a small cough into his handkerchief. "Is it a wonder that these districts are in such chaos? Following a poor, unstable girl with a modicum of talent with a bow and arrow and a pathetic love sick boy chasing after her. They were merely chosen by the luck of the draw during an event so important to our nation's survival," Snow nodded slowly and spread his hands as if showing the country the war that surrounded all of them, "so very, very crucial to this country's existence, but because of their antics within the arena...because of their mentor's ploy to pull the wool over your eyes with their made up romance and her false pregnancy," Snow lifted a finger to the camera. "Yes. That is right. It was just that." Katniss and Peeta met each other's glances and turned back to the television. "Haven't any of you been asking yourselves how is it that Katniss Everdeen has delivered a baby and returned to the Capitol to fight in such tip top physical condition prior to her death today?" A shot of Katniss leaning over Gale, stroking the hair out of his eyes as he sat against the side of a building was shown. "My doesn't she look awfully chummy with that young man?"

"Got to hand it to him, he's still trying to get under my skin, unless he's got some kind of misconception that you should actually be with Gale, in which case, I guess I can respect his opinion, but I definitely don't agree with it." Peeta gave Katniss' hand a squeeze and followed up with a little smile. He turned to face Gale. "They can really manipulate that footage to their benefit, can't they?" The guy was sitting there with a shocked expression on his face. "It's okay, Gale. I know that was me and not you with her today."

"Geez," Gale gave his head a little shake. "I...I wasn't sure for a second there. I mean...I know that didn't happen, but...geez. They sure make it look real."

"You're telling me?"

"...neither one exactly the scholarly type." They all focused on Snow once again. "And these rebels so desperate for a leader, clinging to their only hope, a couple of children from the outer districts, because there was not one...not one proven leader amongst them."

The sound of static broke through the television and they were no longer looking at the puffy lips and overly made up face of President Snow, but at the sleek more salt than peppered hair, distinguished face of President Coin. The rebels from Thirteen along with Gale shared quiet fist pumps of accomplishment at Beetee's success in breaking through the Capitol's emergency broadcast while Katniss and Peeta exchanged silent words.

"I'm sure she's in mourning," Katniss mouthed.

"Oh, yeah. She looks heartbroken," Peeta mouthed back.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Alma Coin and I have been acting as the president of District thirteen and I have been the leader of the rebellion thus far."

"And there you have it," Finnick whispered to Katniss and Peeta. "Staking her claim in her very first public appearance. She's a natural."

"Peeta and Katniss Mellark, I say Katniss Mellark because that is who she was," the sadness on Coin's face made Katniss and Peeta want to puke. "Only very few of us here in Thirteen knew the truth. Katniss and Peeta were legally married while in my care. Though we could have made a truly remarkable propaganda spot from their private event, even we here in Thirteen knew that there were some things between the two of them that were meant to be left off camera."

"Funny, I don't remember marrying you in Thirteen," Peeta gave his head a shake.

"Yeah, well we didn't die either," Katniss deadpanned.

"And how come my wedding was fair game?" Finnick smirked and moved closer to the duo.

"Another aspect of their lives I would never dream of intruding on was the birth of their child. Even now, as their infant lay in her crib, I can promise you that I will not allow a camera to invade that area and record her for any reason, but Katniss and Peeta's family has allowed me this photo to share with the country." Coin held up the picture that Peeta had in his locket. There was no denying whose child it was regardless of how old the infant was. The bright blue eyes staring up into the camera's lens, the cherub cheeks, the cap of chestnut curls and her mother's full lips.

Katniss' clawed her way across the floor towards the television screen reaching out for Maysilee, but the image faded away before she got there. "No. No."

"Come on," Peeta's hands rested against her shoulders. "Come on," he sat behind her and vowed to tear Plutarch a new one the second he laid eyes on him for giving that picture to Coin.

"A beautiful child. One that I will make certain knows of her parent's sacrifice as she is raised surrounded by those of us who love her." Coin's words caused Katniss and Peeta both to grit their teeth. "We have prepared a short eulogy in honor of our Jabberjay and our Mockingjay."

A short recording began to play starting with Effie pulling out Prim's name and reading it, quickly going to Katniss screaming out, "I volunteer."

It then moved onto Caesar Flickerman saying to Katniss, "I think we were…all of us…touched, when you volunteered for her during the reaping. Did she come to see you before you left?"

"Yes," Katniss answered in a hushed tone.

"And what did you say to her?"

"I told her I would try to win."

The next shot was that of Katniss in the Gamemakers' private training session shooting an apple out of a roasted pig's mouth and the eleven she got in exchange for it.

Peeta's eyes picked up as everyone in the room stared at her. "So that's what it looked like," he gave her a squeeze. "Wonder how Plutarch got his hands on that?"

"I think we've got Seneca Crane to thank for that one," Finnick said from behind them while blowing out a breath. "Impressive, Katniss."

A few quick scenes from the arena were shown, some from the Quell and then it was Peeta's turn.

His started off with Effie calling out his name followed up with her calling out Haymitch's name the following year and Peeta volunteering for his mentor. It then moved into his first interview with Caesar and his declaration of love for Katniss. Where Katniss' concentrated on her physical abilities, Peeta's didn't waste any time in the arena, but showed him on the Victory Tour instead, speaking words of sorrow to the parents in Eleven. It then moved to the private training session before the Quell with the Gamemakers and Peeta saw himself standing next to a picture of Rue surrounded by the flowers Katniss had buried her in. His hands and uniform were stained with dyes as he held his chin up proudly.

"Oh, Peeta," Katniss pressed her head back against his chest. "So that's what that looked like."

Peeta's training score of twelve quickly flashed over Rue's fading image.

"Can I have this dance," Peeta held his hand out to Effie on Finnick's wedding day, "mom?"

"Oh my word," Effie blushed and took Peeta's hand allowing him to spin her in a circle. The recording faded into a white document where a portion was highlighted clearly stating that Effie Trinket had adopted Peeta Mellark with his father's approval and would be forever known as his mother.

The recordings quickly progressed and now moved onto the them as a pair focusing on the end of Peeta's proposal when he asked Katniss to marry him and she jumped into his arms saying yes. The next of Katniss in her wedding dress when she turned into a the Mockingjay and Peeta as he turned into the Jabberjay. The announcement that he and Katniss were going to have a baby to the entire world. The photo of Maysilee and finally ending with a picture of Katniss and Peeta standing under the oak tree in Thirteen during one of their picnics, staring into each other's eyes as if no one in the world existed. Peeta had his hand on her stomach and she was stroking the hair away from his eyes. All in all the entire thing took about five minutes from start to finish.

"Peeta and Katniss Mellark will forever be the faces of this rebellion," Coin's expression turned mournful once again. "If you ever waiver in your ability to go on with the rebellion's efforts, I offer you this. Turn to Katniss and Peeta Mellark. In them we will all find the determination...the strength to rid this nation of it's oppressors." One final photo of them was shown. They were both staring into the distance with the rebellion's flaming symbol behind them.

"I had no clue she cared so much about us," Katniss rolled her eyes.

"Remind me to send her a thank you card," Peeta gave his shoulder a little shrug. "My mom would get really pissed at me for not minding my manners."

"Oh shut up," Katniss gave him a sad smile that never quite reached her eyes as Beetee released the emergency broadcasting channel back to the Capitol.

It didn't surprise any of them in the least that Snow looked and sounded completely unaffected by the rebel's little show, "Tomorrow morning when we pull the bodies of Katniss and Peeta Mellark from the rubble we shall see exactly who they were and how they were unable to save themselves, least of all the blind rebels that followed them into battle." The seal of Panem flashed and the screen went black.

"On the bright side, he called you Mellark, Catnip," Gale gave her and Peeta an impish grin.

"That's true," Peeta said.

"Someone is going to pay for that broadcast," Katniss spoke quietly to Peeta.

"Yeah. I know," the casualties on both sides were piling up around them. It no longer mattered who was on who's side. People were taking out their own men and women and it made Peeta ill. He reached down for his locket and pressed it against Katniss' pin to open it up, held it in the palm of his hand for both of them to stare at, remembering why he had started this to begin with. 'Love,' Peeta said to himself. He pressed a kiss against Katniss' temple. There was something about the way her body moved, a slight shift of her back against his chest, the way her fingertips dug a little tighter into his hand, the way the corner of her eye squinted just a little more and her nostril flared. Peeta could sense the change coming. "My girl's on fire again."

Katniss gave the picture of Maysilee one last look, flipped the cover of Peeta's locket closed and said, "And my boy with the bread looks like he could burn this whole place down."

"I probably could," Peeta tucked the piece of jewelery into it's designated slot. "We need a plan."

Katniss eyed up the room. There was one thing Snow had right, she and Peeta were no military leaders. They were great on the field of battle because they had to be. It was kill or be killed, but who wouldn't fight for their own lives when put in that situation? If they wanted to get out of there alive and kill Snow they had to rely on these people that surrounded them. Though she didn't trust the vast majority of them, for now, she had no choice but to use them. Katniss stood and retrieved the bow and arrow she had dropped when she moved towards the television after seeing the image of the baby. Something Finnick was saying perked up her hearing. "What was that?"

"I said," Finnick turned to her, "Snow's not going to find your bodies. He's not going to find any of us."

"Jackson, got a minute?" Katniss walked by Peeta and said, "I'm going to get a quick tutorial on how this Holo works. Want to come with me?"

"Yeah. Sure," Peeta followed her and Jackson into another room and watched unassumingly as Katniss got the basics down. The second Jackson stepped out of the room he walked over to Katniss and leaned over the Holo, "What button did she tell you to push before entering in the map's coordinates?" He mouthed to Katniss so no one could hear.

"This one," Katniss did a swift demonstration for Peeta who confirmed he understood with a nod while walking away from her when Homes entered.

"Jackson sent me in," Homes just stood there and stared at Katniss.

"I'm just practicing with this thing." She lifted the wrist the Holo was on. "I'm guessing we're getting farther away from our campsite considering the amount of pods that are around here." Homes' only response was a jut of his chin and a slight grunt. 'Okay then,' Katniss thought to herself as she followed Peeta out of the room only a second or two later to find him sitting on a full green sofa. If he had been lying down she wouldn't have cared in the least who was in the room with them. She would have crawled right up into his arms and rested her head against his chest and let his heart lull her to sleep. Her eyelids felt like they weighed a ton. Instead she took the seat next to him when he patted at the cushion. "Any ideas?" She asked to everyone in the room.

"I say we rule out places," Finnick answered. "We know we can't walk along the street, so that's out."

"Rooftops are just as bad," Leeg 1 added.

"We still might have a chance to go back the way we came, but that would mean a failed mission," the tone in Homes voice when he said it actually made Katniss wonder if he had ever failed at anything in his life.

"You and the rest of the soldiers from Thirteen, including you Gale...even you Finnick, you can all turnaround," Peeta said with sincerity. "None of you need to be on this mission with Katniss and I. We were the only ones that were meant to be here."

"Peeta's right," Katniss added. "Unfortunately you all got stuck with us."

"Kind of a moot point, Catnip," Gale rubbed at the side of his head.

Jackson picked it up without skipping a beat. "We can't go back. We can't stay put. We can't use the rooftops or the street. So that leaves us one option."

"Underground," Gale said.

"Underground," Jackson confirmed.

Peeta was hesitant about going into the tunnels beneath the Capitol, the moment he got down there his skin began to prickle, but the reaction Pollux had was even worse. They found out the man had spent five years in the complete darkness of the tunnels until his family could buy his way out. None of them knew what to say. None of them but Peeta. "You've become our most valuable asset then, haven't you Pollux?" He placed a comforting hand on the Avox and shared a smile with him. A second later when Leeg 1 made a slight gagging noise due to the stench of human waste surrounding them Peeta said, "I was just thinking how much more preferable this smell is to Snow's roses, don't you think, Katniss?"

"Couldn't agree more."

"Should we go?" Peeta made motion for Pollux to go ahead, and he was much better than any Holo could have ever been. As they made their way swiftly through the tunnels, Peeta fought the chilling sensations that progressively got worse throughout the day. When they'd take a short break for twenty or thirty seconds, he'd have to fight to keep his eyes closed because if he opened them and Katniss saw what was inside he knew she'd see it. She see the panic. The gnawing fear of pending doom, and though Peeta had no clue what was lurking around the bend, he knew there was something worse than Peacekeepers waiting for them. Was Snow planning on forcing them beneath the city to destroy them or maybe Coin had a plant within their group that was going to put a bullet into Katniss when she wasn't looking. This fear alone had Peeta keeping his position right up against Katniss' back. More than once Jackson and Gale had commented on him being too close to her and that he should fall back, but Peeta ignored them.

It wasn't until Finnick had said something that they had finally stopped their pestering, "We used to walk in a line like this during the Quell. Peeta took the front and walked into one of the force fields. After that Katniss did it because she could spot them and throw those nuts into it. If someone jumped out at us, we stood a pretty good chance at survival. We outnumbered the majority of alliances out there." Finnick took a breather. "Seems Katniss is leading us again only she doesn't have any nuts to toss, and we sure as hell don't outnumber anybody out here."

The larger of the tunnels they had gone through, the ones the trucks used for deliveries, were the easiest to get through. During the day they were free from pods but at night they were a death trap. Loaded with pods and some sort of laser alarm system that could disintegrate rats the size of beavers within the span of seconds. Katniss hadn't realized at the time how accurate Peeta had been in his prediction of Pollux being their greatest asset in the tunnels. The entire day she could sense Peeta's closeness, feel his tension slowly building up. The few times they stopped she thought about talking to him, trying to gauge what was going on inside of his head, but breaking down the wall he had built to keep Snow's demons at bay was the last thing any of them needed, least of all Peeta. When their bodies could no longer go on and they stopped for the night, Pollux found them a small room full of pipes and machinery. Even then Katniss didn't speak to him. Jackson quickly worked out a schedule so each person could get at least two hours of sleep and Peeta stretched face first onto the cold floor facing away from Katniss. For a moment she thought maybe she had done something to anger him until he whispered something, tugged his gauntlet off, blindly reached out for her and sighed when she took his hand between hers. Within a few seconds he pulled his hand from her grip, tucked it back into his weapon, whispered to it and closed his eyes. Katniss was tempted to make him lay on his back so she could rest her head against his heart, but it was obvious he didn't want her to do that or he wouldn't have been laying with his stomach against the ground. He needed his space.

It was strange to her being on that side of the relationship again. Snow had done that to them. Since he had captured Peeta from the Quell he had forced Katniss into being the aggressor. 'You've been forcing me into that position my entire life, haven't you Snow?' She asked herself. 'Forced me into supporting my family when I was just a child...into being a parent for my sister...into the arena...and now you've forced me into making Peeta love me again. Well, I didn't starve to death, I didn't die in the arena, and I sure as hell won't give up on Peeta.' Katniss let her eyes drift to the side then back to Peeta again. 'I just wish you could remember, Peeta.'

Most people looked at the road that led in and out of the Seam and into the Town Square as a pain, but not Katniss. To her it was an educational tool. Much more helpful than school. It was how she had first learned to hunt. Tracking people's footprints to and from town had been exceptionally difficult at first, but she eventually got the hang of it. More importantly, that's where she had learned how to walk without leaving a trace of herself behind. Oh, she couldn't track everyone, but some stuck out like a sore thumb. The goat man was easy. He was the one that had the stick mark dug into the ground and the hoof marks next to him. Another man had a slight limp when he walked. There was one man whose walk always changed. Sometimes he walked, most of the time he stumbled, and he was never dressed like anybody from the Seam. Katniss heard her father talk about him as she got older and went to the Hob with him. At first she thought his name was Victor and then she recognized him as a victor and heard someone call him Haymitch. Katniss had tried not to stare at him when she realized it was District Twelve's one and only living victor. There were the other kids, those she would track all the way to school. They were quite erratic except for a handful of them. The older ones that would just sludge home everyday in the same manner. They were old enough to know life's harsh realities, but still too young to truly understand. Then there were the merchant's children that followed the same paths each day. She didn't bother with those. She knew where they went. They all led to a life much better than hers and her family's, but there was one set of footprints. One set that had confused her for years.

By the age of eleven she and her father had a daily routine. Each morning before school they'd wake up and make their way into the dark forest. She loved it in there. It was the one place everything seemed happy.

"Why can't we make mommy come out here, daddy?" Katniss knew better than to speak too loudly, and now that they were done hunting and foraging she didn't have to worry about scaring any game away. "We could all come out here and live in the woods. There's plenty to eat, and you wouldn't have to go into the mines anymore."

"Katniss we've talked about this," her father had that voice again. The one that said, 'if you keep on with this I'm not going to take you into the woods with me tomorrow.' "Your mom and Primrose aren't made for the woods, so leave it be." Katniss gave her eyes a roll. She could understand Prim not being able to go into the woods, she was just a little kid, but her mom was a grown up. "Get that scowl off of your face, Katniss or it'll stay there for the rest of your life." Katniss scowled up at her father who only chuckled at her. "No boy is ever going to want to marry you if you don't know how to smile."

"Good," Katniss lifted the corner of her nose, stuck her tongue out and hoped she made an appropriate enough noise to let her father know she was completely grossed out. "I don't need boys."

"You say that now, but one day."

Katniss gave her head a quick shake. The long braid she had just started to wear down the side of her head at the beginning of the school year felt heavy when it slapped against her cheek. "I'm going to say that every day. I am never going to need a boy."

"Don't you like boys, Katniss?" Her dad took the tiny bow from her.

"I like my bow more," Katniss looked at it with a smile. "Thanks for making that dad." She hadn't shot a thing with it, but it was fun trying to use it.

"I'm glad you like it, but that doesn't answer my question. Don't you like boys?" He tucked his bow and arrows into their prospective hiding spots.

"No."

Her dad gave his chin a little scratch and asked, "Do you like girls?"

"They're all kind of...prissy." It was one of the main reasons she didn't really have friends. With the exception of the Mayor's daughter, who Katniss didn't really talk to, they just shared the same lunch table, she pretty much stayed away from all the girls in school.

"I mean, do you..." he spread his hands open and finished asking, "...like girls?"

"Like girls? Liiiike? Like...like?" Her father gave her a confirmation nod. It took a moment for it to register with Katniss. "Ewww. No. Gosh daddy, why are you asking me this stuff?" She did an all over shudder.

"No reason," her father started humming to himself as they headed for the fence then went quiet when they got closer to it. There was no reason for him to tell her to be quiet. She knew. The routine was the same. Check for Peacekeepers. She slid out first, then him, and then he'd pull the game bag through. They made their usual rounds only today when they headed towards the bakery her father started making conversation again, and Katniss hated the topic. "You sure you don't want to find yourself a nice young man when you grow up, settle down, have a family?" Her father knocked on the backdoor of the bakery.

"Positive," Katniss wanted nothing to do with it. Why should she? She may not have been twelve yet, but she knew what it meant to be twelve. She had seen the Games. She had seen the kids names get picked out of the reaping ball and brought onto the stage, never to come home again. It was required for everyone to go to town to watch, and her father had always made sure she never had a clear view of who got pulled up on stage or the giant screens that lined the streets. He'd somehow hold his hand over her eyes or hold her close to his pant leg which is why she never quite recognized Haymitch Abernathy, until Prim came along. That's when Katniss realized that her father's hands weren't big enough to shield her from the world for the rest of her life. When the food stopped being stretched as far, and the soap didn't last as long, or the thread or even the bands she used to hold her hair in her braids, none of it ever seemed to be enough. That's one of the reasons she stopped wearing two braids, plus she was tired of looking like a little girl. She was eleven. She wasn't some little baby anymore. No. Katniss wasn't going to be like those other women in the Seam with their swollen stomachs for a few months then a crying baby soon after. She wasn't going to try and protect her kids from being in the reaping. It was bad enough thinking about facing that herself pretty soon or Prim having to face it in a few years time. Katniss straightened her shoulders. "No daddy. I'm never going to fall in lo..." she gulped as the baker's son opened up the door for them.

"Hello, Mr. Ever...sir...I mean...sir Everdee..." Peeta wiped his hands on the edge of his apron then stuck it out and shook her father's hand. "Would you like to wait inside while I get my father...sir?"

"No thank you, Peeta. We'll wait out here. Do you know my daught..." Katniss elbowed her father in the thigh for him to shut up and heard him let out a stifled grunt. "We'll just wait right here," he said tightly.

"That's fine, Mr. Everdeen...sir." Peeta gave Katniss a tiny nod, closed the door and went back inside.

"Would you mind explaining why on earth you just..."

Katniss walked a few feet away, rested her back against the wall of the bakery and placed her hands over her face. "Oh my God. That was so embarassing."

"Do you know Peeta?" Her father took a step closer to her.

"No," she shook her head. She blew out a breath. "No."

"But you're embarrassed for him?"

"For him?" She gave her father an eye roll, her newest habit.

"Okay," her father gave her a questionable look. "Please explain what this is all about."

"What's what all about?"

"This?" Her father pointed up and down at her.

"Leave me alone daddy," she said very stiffly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I will do no such thing. Not until you explain to me why you..." he straightened up. "Katniss Everdeen you hit your own father."

She clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh daddy, I'm sorry, but..." It was him. The footprints that had been following her since the first day of school. The only thing she remembered about the first day of school for that other than the blue eyes that stared at her and the toothpaste stained shirt. It was the pair of eyes that she'd catch looking at her down the hall or over a book...through some tree branches, yet she never said anything, and neither did he. At first Katniss thought he was going to tease her because she was from the Seam and he was from Town, but he just kept on watching her. She knew who he was, but he never showed his face when they went to the bakery to make their trades. She always hoped he would, but he never did. The one time she decided to stare back at him he turned his head around and when he thought she wasn't looking he started staring again. That's when she realized that he had no clue she knew he was watching her. "I don't know what to do," she whispered to her father.

"About what?" He asked.

Her hands shot straight to the back of her neck where she felt the twigs poking her. "Can you get these out?" She patted at the sticks feverishly.

"Stay still," her father's fingers were working swiftly. "Don't move. I'll fix it." Katniss could feel herself blushing. She had just spent the entire walk from the woods to Town Square listing off all the reasons why she never wanted to get married only to have them all washed away in a matter of seconds.

'I hate myself,' she thought to herself as her father pulled the small pieces of branch out of her braid and flattened out her hair. 'This is why. This is the exact reason why you hate boys.'

"There ya go." Katniss turned around, but he stopped her. "Let's tuck in this tail, little duck." He gave the edge of her shirt a little flap, and Katniss quickly tucked it in, shaking her head from side to side, bathed in embarrassment when she heard the bakery door opening up. Her father gave his head a little nudge silently saying, "go ahead, Katniss."

She flattened her palms and back against the bakery wall, disappearing into the siding, holding her breath, wanting nothing more than the entire event to pass by without another word ever to be mentioned.

"Clay?" The sound of the baker came out of the backdoor as well as the top of his head.

"Morning," her father gave Katniss one last look of "I told you so" disappointment, and headed towards the baker. She watched from her position as her father and the baker spoke in hushed tones. Within minutes they completed a trade and shared a small chuckle.

'Probably laughing at you and how stupid you look right now standing up against this wall, Katniss,' she was absolutely furious with herself. Katniss grit her teeth, stomped her boots, tightened her fists and marched to her father's side. "Hey Mr. Mellark."

"Hello Katniss," he looked down at her and smiled. "We'll talk with you tomorrow, Clay." The baker shook her father's hand.

Katniss whipped herself around in a tizzy, once again smacking herself in the cheek with her braid. "Dang it," she gave her thigh a punch.

"Watch your mouth young lady," her father scolded her. "You have some manners."

She didn't want to have manners. She wanted to go home and hit something. Better yet, she wanted to go back into the woods and use her bow. She'd probably shoot something now that she was mad.

"Think you can explain it to me now?"

Katniss looked at the bakery which was only a few yards away and stopped her father from speaking. "Not here!"

"Fine," he started walking away from Town. "Are you coming?"

"We've got more trades to do," she protested.

"Then lets make the trades and we can talk on our way back home." Katniss knew she'd dread the rest of her morning if she let it drag out, but it was best to get them done right away. On their way home she stopped just outside of the Town Square and before they hit the road for the Seam. "Here?" Her father asked. Katniss nodded. "Okay," her father turned so he was standing with his back to the bakery and she couldn't be seen. "I take it you know Peeta?"

"I already told you I didn't."

"Then who was that girl and what was she doing back there?"

"That was...me," Katniss tried to play it off, but her father stood there staring her down with a look that said he knew exactly what was going through Katniss' mind when Peeta walked back into the bakery. "I'm wearing boots covered in dirt from the woods and my braid was frazzled, plus I could feel the twigs in it because they were scratching at my neck, I'm not wearing my school clothes, and I didn't even brush my teeth yet. What would people think?" She added lamely at the end.

"You mean, what would Peeta Mellark think?" Katniss glared up at him. "Oh, no. Don't you dare give me a dirty look. I'm not the one that turned into a girl all of a sudden."

"I've always been a girl daddy," Katniss gave him an eye roll.

"I hate it when you do that." She did it again just to get under his skin, then gave him a little smile. "I know, you'd rather climb a tree than play with dolls, and I'm fine with that. I know your mother forces you into those dresses you wear to school each day, and I'm okay with that too. Maybe next year we'll convince her that it's okay for you to wear pants to school, but this," he pointed towards the wall she was leaning up against earlier, "that's not something I ever want to see again."

"Thought you wanted me to be interested in boys," she said accusingly.

"I would love it if you fell in love one day and got married...had a family, but not like that." he gave his head a shake. "Never like that."

"Like what?"

"Like," he started pretending he was a girl, fixing his hair, pretending to put lipstick on until he made Katniss giggle. "And I shouldn't have helped you back there. I'm sorry I did." He knelt down on one knee in front of her. "Why would you do that, Katniss?"

She wasn't sure what to tell him at first, but then the truth spilled out about Peeta and her suspicions. "I honestly don't know why he does it. I don't know why he stares at me, or even if he does follow me. Sometimes I think I'm crazy and making it all up in my mind." She noticed the way her father was smiling. "Why are you grinning?"

"If you do decide to like a boy someday, I want you to be who you are, not some phony girl who wears dresses and has perfect hair." His hand shot out and messed up her braid, then tugged out her shirt from one side of her pants. "There we go. I know her. I like this girl." Katniss gave him a big smile just as a loud crashing sound came from the direction of the bakery. Peeta and his father were standing next to the large dumpster with a lid swinging open. While his father was tossing in the flattened cardboard, Peeta was standing there staring in Katniss' direction. "Something tells me he likes her too," Katniss' father said, but Katniss only looked to the side and dropped her smile, giving her father a small punch in the shoulder. "As a matter of fact, I think he can see the true beauty that lies within this girl."

"Too bad I'm never getting married," Katniss started walking towards their house in the Seam.

"Never, huh?"

"Nope. Never." She kicked at a large pebble and watched it roll.

"Katniss?"

"Don't try and talk me into it daddy, it isn't going to work," Katniss giggled as she ran after the rock.

"I've got years to wear you down. Marriage is a wonderful thing," he caught up to her and joined in on her laughter then began singing. Before he could sing the first three notes Katniss had joined him. Their melody silenced the birds on their path all the way to their house.

"Daddy," a tiny Prim smiled up at him from her spot at the table.

"Another one of my ducklings," Clayton gave Prim a kiss on top of her head as he walked past her.

"Where have you two been? I was getting worried." Evelyn was washing Prim's breakfast bowl up in the sink and accepted Clayton's kiss.

"We were just running a little behind schedule today," Clayton said. "You know how it can be in the shops at times."

"Go on and get cleaned up. You two don't have long before you have to leave," she called out to them as they were making their way up the stairs.

"Katniss," he stopped her before she could brush by him. "I know most of the boys you'll meet in your life aren't worth the time of day, but there will be one. One boy that won't see a girl from the Seam. All he'll see is Katniss. That boy will see everything you are. Everything you can't see in yourself. Promise me you won't push that boy away, Katniss."

"Daddy I already told you..."

"I'm not playing," Her father's voice suddenly got very serious, and he had an expression on his face like what he had to tell her simply couldn't wait another minute. "I want you to promise me that you'll give that boy a chance, Katniss. That you'll give him more than a chance, and that you'll give yourself a chance too."

"Daddy, are you talking about Peeta Mellark?" She took a step closer to her father and lowered down her voice. "Because...he's a merchant's son."

"It won't matter, Katniss."

"But I don't want to get married or have kids. The Capitol only takes that away." Katniss said it really quietly, but she was still afraid that somehow they'd hear her.

"They don't take that away from everybody, Katniss, and if you can't enjoy the little things in life, what's the point in living?" Her father took her hands in his. "I don't want you to go out and find a boy tomorrow, as a matter of fact, I'd prefer it if you'd stay away from them for a few years, but I'd rather you not cut them out of your life completely."

"Mmmm...I don't know..." Katniss gave him a cautionary head shake. "Can I think about it?"

"That's all I ask," he tugged the end of her braid. "Now go fix yourself up. Who dressed you? You're a wreck."

"I thought you said you liked me this way."

"I do, but no boy will ever have you and how am I going to get rid of you if you look like that?" Her father laughed.

"So that's why?" Katniss crinkled her nose at him. "I knew it! I knew you just wanted to get rid of me!" She teased him back as she headed into her and Prim's room pausing just as she entered. "Daddy?" She turned. "Is it him?" She glanced back over her shoulder with almost a wistful expression on her face, "Is it Peeta I shouldn't give up on?"

"I don't know."

"Then How will I know who it is?"

Her father rested his palm against the door frame of his bedroom and said, "He's the one worth fighting for. The one that would fight for you."

Katniss was jostled awake only seconds after she closed her eyes by Jackson. "Your turn to keep watch."

"What time is it?"

"Six," Jackson looked like she hadn't slept in days as she handed Katniss a can of soup and a box of something to drink.

Katniss nodded her thanks, quickly taking up her watch position next to Pollux who refused to sleep, or was unable to after spending five years of being tortured, for what else could you call being forced into slavery down here? She ate her can of soup, grateful it wasn't lamb stew, thinking she'd never be able to eat it again, and felt Peeta's eyes staring up at her. "Have you slept at all?"

"Some," he mouthed to her, not wanting to wake the others.

"Have you eaten?" She mouthed back.

"No," his lips formed the shape of the word.

She pulled the lid off of a can of chicken and rice soup and handed it to him. As his eyes met hers she felt a shot of electricity shoot through her. They were so different than the ones that used to watch her when he thought she wasn't looking. She studied him carefully as he swallowed it down and began lightly stroking his hair over and over again, wishing he could remember the one thing that continually alluded his memory. "Something's bothering you," she spoke quietly to him in order to gauge his voice.

"You knew about these tunnels before we got here, real or not real?" he asked her with a mixture of terror and fury in his eyes.

"Me?" She shook her head. "Not real. I knew about the ones Effie escaped from, but not these."

"I knew about them," He closed his eyes and was afraid to ask, but did anyway, "real or not real?"

She contemplated it for a moment then said, "Not real. We've never been here, Peeta."

"You're trying to protect me again, aren't you?" He ran his hand over hers and knitted their fingers together.

Katniss found this statement to be so odd. "What would I have to protect you from?" She slid closer to him.

Peeta could feel it, the tingling sensation crawling up his spine. He could sense it before any of them. "From Snow," he shot to his feet. The can in his hand was thrown to the side waking all of their group.

"What the hell?" They all started to take aim on various parts of the room, but none of them knew where to point their weapons.

"Peeta," Katniss reached her hand out to him.

"Don't you hear it?" His head whipped from side to side as his eyes began to focus on one spot of the room. His feet moved slowly across the floor as he waved the others behind him, all of them now pointing their weapons in the direction of where Peeta was heading. The blood inside of his body felt as if it was boiling, his skin felt like he had tiny insects crawling all over him, he should have been calling for a weapon, a blade of sorts, but his instincts told him not to. The sound he thought he had been imagining for hours was now loud enough for the rest of the group to hear. Their eyes stayed glued to the wall with the pipes, waiting to kill whatever was behind it. Pulses began to race, the stench of sweat filled the room as the first mutt shot up through the ground and let out an explosive, "PEEEETAAAAAAAH!"

Join me on tumblr, my name is jamiesommers23, and if you want to vote for my stories on the Everlark Smut Awards tumblr page, that's groovy baby! If not, that's good too. MWAH!