A/N: I'll let you all figure out what POV this chapter's from.

He seems to be getting impatient with me, but too bad. This jacket makes me feel safe. He says, holding his hand out, "Either you toss the jacket, or you toss your life!"

I know Peeta would rather me give up the jacket if it could save my life, so I reluctantly start to unzip the jacket to take it off. "Fine."

"Hurry up, Cato! They could get the bombs any second now to blow us to pieces!"

Knowing that what he's saying is true—they'll bomb the entire room to get us dead, if they get the bombs here in time—I rush to get the jacket off and give it to him, leaving myself in the generic rebel uniform. When he takes it away from me, I ask, "You think we can sneak out those windows behind us?"

"No," he replies, "they'll shoot at us through the window of that door over there. And you see those cameras up there? Even if we managed to get out, they'd see that we left."

"So we just wait here until they either break in or bomb the shit out of us?" Right now, both sound pleasant enough for me. If there's no way to get out, I'd rather just be blasted into a million pieces. As much as I wanted to get back home to Peeta, there's almost a zero percent chance we can get out of this. And now, I'm sorry for everything I ever had to be sorry for. I look at Vince, waiting for an answer, but he's busy putting my jacket and goggles on. "What are you doing?"

"I told you that I would die for this cause," he says, starting to stand up. "I'll distract them. Get out through the window when everyone's too busy paying attention to me, and go as far as you can away from here. You have business to take care of in Two that only you can finish."

"Are you seriously going to…?" I don't even get to finish my thought because he's running out to the center of the room. Then, the shots start firing directly at him. "Shit!" And to make matters worse, I hear a beeping sound in the hallway outside. That could only mean one thing.

I scramble to my feet, still crouching behind the counter, and then I make a run for the window. I'm sure the cameras and Peacekeepers are all concentrated on the guy dying in the middle of the room, so I jump out onto the ledge underneath the window on the outside of the Justice Building. I carefully start easing myself down the side of the building on gutters of some sort, a skill I remember from my childhood, but a rather small quake scares me so much that I let go of my support, sending me down the last twenty feet and into a small pool of water that surrounds the building. Thank you, District Four, for being all about fishing. Justice Buildings in other Districts aren't surrounded by water—the next best thing to land in probably would've been the flower beds of District Eleven.

My clothes are soaked through to my skin, but I don't waste any time with taking them off. I just sprint as fast as I possibly can until I find a somewhat dark, empty alley to hide in. From here, I can just see the large televisions that they keep in the square. What I'm watching is insane; there's fighting all over the place. But I know the Capitol. They wouldn't show this all to people unless they were going somewhere with it.

Sure enough, they skip to the cameras that were in our room. With all the chaos, they aren't able to catch us talking, but they do show Vince running out and getting gunned down. Even with a close-up, you can't see his face clearly because of the huge goggles, but I'm willing to bet anything that he was scared as hell. I'm still confused, though, until they keep repeating the death and the small explosion, and eventually announcing my death.

My death.

They're saying that right now. And it scares me because when they replay the footage, I actually trick myself into thinking I got blown up. But I didn't…it's the jacket. And his hair. And his build. With his face covered, it really does look like I just died.

That's what the Capitol thinks. The Capitol thinks they got me. The entirety of Panem and probably District Thirteen thinks I'm gone. Well, the joke's on them, because I can use this to my advantage now.

But I gotta go. If I stick around, someone could see me, and the whole thing would blow up in my face.

Speaking of things blowing up in my face, just as I'm about to run past the Justice Building, a much larger explosion shakes the ground, blasting a body out of a window higher up. The most disfigured thing I've seen in my life…missing head, part of a leg…most of the skin blown off or melted. And then of course, I see my jacket, in the worst condition it's ever been in. It's still together though, unlike his pants, which are charred all over the place. That jacket was built to withstand conditions like that, after all, which means his chest is probably the only part of him still intact.

So then, I run as fast as possible in the other direction. Soaked clothes. Wobbly feet. Everything on my mind. I'm going to puke if I ever get a chance to rest. I can already hear everybody behind me crowding around the scene, so I guess maybe the battle is over. Or it was temporarily paused to assess the huge blow to our team…which I really don't want to think about right now. I can freak out later.

Because as I'm running, thoughts of Peeta keep flooding into my mind. I hope he didn't see that. Oh my god, I hope he didn't see that.

Where do I go? Where do I go? Oh god, am I running in circles? Can I even feel my feet anymore? I don't know my way around District Four. Maybe I can ask Finnick.

Except I don't know where he is. Where?

Another large screen answers my question. He's with the other three rebels from our team. They all made it. Thank god. But they're in front of the Justice Building still. Did they win? There was a ceasefire. They're not fighting anymore, and they're not being taken away. Something had to have happened. But the last thing I allow myself to see before running off in another direction is Finnick taking the jacket back.

I don't want to run anymore. But I have to, otherwise I'll die for real, and never see Peeta again. Maybe I can make it back to District Thirteen from here. But how? There's no train. If I go back to find everyone, everyone will find me. And the Capitol will know. They'll know they haven't done me in yet. So as much as I want to go back, there's no way. I'd have to catch a train to the Capitol and then to Twelve, and then walk the entire way back to Thirteen. I am not risking my ass in the Capitol. I've had enough of their shit.

But I find the train tracks and realize which way is which, finally. I'm heading north now. And a little bit to the west. Because I won't try for Thirteen now. It's too far away from here. District Two, I'll go to.

That's suicide.

I know, Peeta.

You can't go there.

But I have unfinished business there, apparently. I have to go. There's no other way.

Please don't leave me.

I would never. I promised I'd get back. And I swear on your life and mine that I'll make it back to you.

So begins the hike to District Two.

I can't walk the entire way. That'll take at least two weeks. I mean, there's nothing in between District Two and District Four, just wilderness...but it'll still take forever. I don't have forever. I'm supposed to spend forever with Peeta. Not running all alone.

Peeta.

Peeta fucking Mellark.

I need to see him. If even on television. I just need confirmation that he's still alive, still sane. Even if he wasn't watching, someone had to have told him. It's all over fucking Panem. He can't not know by now. And I don't want to imagine what he must be like. I can't. I just want to see his face.

Think: How did Peeta get to District Two?

He said to me when he came back in November that he "hasn't had food since District Four." That means it couldn't have taken him too long. He mentioned hovercrafts, trains...and he didn't get caught once. Could I possibly do that?

No, because he looked different. I look like I haven't been touched. Except maybe it looks like I fell into a pool. Because I fucking did. And it's cold, because I'm fucking wet. And alone. With nowhere to go.

Go on a train. Go on a train.

There is no train for me to go on. I remember one leaving for the Capitol before we stormed the Justice Building. I really don't want to walk all the way to Two. But I'll have to.

So, I sneak all the way to the border of the District and look for some way through the fence. Ugh. Maybe I can swim in the ocean? No, I'd never make it that way.

But District Four is fishing. That means they have to have boats here. No-I saw a boat here on the Victory Tour! Maybe I can steal someone's boat. I don't know.

The more time I waste thinking of something to do, the faster they'll catch up to me.

So, I decided to go with the boat idea. Because I refuse to walk home. Home-Thirteen or Home-Two. Whichever. They're both far away.

I walk along the tall, electrified fence and look for the sea. I know it's close. I can smell it. And if this works, I can take up to ten days off my trip. That would be great. Finally, I can see the ocean in the distance. Peeta and I should definitely consider living here after the war.

Peeta...

Anyway, I find some houses that have clothes hanging out on lines. Really nice houses, actually. Identical houses...Victor's Village?

I break into a run and look closely at the houses, finally spotting one that says 'Odair' on the door. Yes! Sorry Finnick, but I'll be taking some of your dry clothes. And a boat, if you have one.

I managed to get into his house very easily. You know...after I shot the lock off with my gun. But I think it'll be okay, because I turned on the television when I got in. District Four fell. Most of the victors are probably on the rebel side now because they're close with Finnick, so maybe no one will pay attention to his house being robbed.

Okay, not really robbed...I'm sure he wouldn't mind. It's me. We're buddies.

I take some of the wet clothes out of my backpack and switch them with some of the clothes I found in one of his many closets. Mostly everything is blue or green, but that's okay. It's alright.

And I found a boat, too. It might be his...it might not be, but at this point I really didn't give a shit. So I hopped in and turned that bastard engine on and left.

Smooth sailing. Literally. But it's still cold since it's nighttime and I'm in the ocean now, so I take out one of the stolen jackets and slip it on. Oh god, it's so warm.

On the bad side of things, I have no fucking clue how to steer a boat or anything. They didn't teach this in training. Because who would need to know how to use a boat?

I mentally raise my hand. I need to know how to drive a boat.

So I eventually end up pushing a bunch of buttons that might do good things. One of them actually scares the shit out of me because it makes the boat go faster. Oh, faster is good. Very good. If this lasts forever, then yay.

Every once in a while, I look back at the coastline. The fence doesn't end at the shore. Of course not. That's too easy. It continues going along the land for as far as I can see, so I follow the fence so I don't lose my way, but I don't follow too close. I can't have anyone seeing someone manning a fishing boat alone in the middle of the night in February.

Lucky I filled up on food when I rummaged through his fridge. Because if all I can ever eat is fish, I'll just fucking end it. I hate the smell of fish. The sea is okay, though. Just...not fish.

As I follow along, I wonder what I could have to possibly be doing in Two.

Everything.

My mom. Seeing home again. Bringing down the whole District. Taking all my things back.

Killing my father.

The boat ride is so incredibly boring. So I start humming a tune to a song that Peeta and I came up with one day when we had nothing to do. Something about always being in love. I can't remember any of the words, though-they weren't memorable at all. They kinda sucked, too, but they told how we felt at the moment. Happy.

And I'm happy that I'm alive. And I'm on a boat. And I'll be seeing Peeta soon.

"I'll see you soon," I say in a sing-song voice. Oh my god. I was so confused, and then freaked out, and worried, and now I'm just incredibly happy. And kinda bored, still, but it's a little better thinking about him.

About him. Not his condition right now. That's something I don't ever want to imagine.

I can't wait to see his ridiculous smile again. The biggest one I'll ever see on him, when I get back. He'll be so beyond happy that he'll probably drop to the ground and cry happy tears. As he always does.

"Peeta, Peeta, Peeta." I grin. "I love him."

Then, the boat makes a weird noise and stops.

Goddamn it, you stupid boat, move! Move, move...fuck. It's not going anywhere. Well, it's going wherever the water drifts it. Could be bad, could be good. Not that it matters anymore, because I see a huge brick wall extending into the water. Everything is closed in District Four. Even the water.

Sighing, I take one of the long paddles from the side of the boat and start rowing myself to shore. The fence is still up, so I have to find a way past the electricity. I can climb the fence if the electricity just goes away.

Hmm.

I anchor the boat and dig through my backpack for something. Anything. I find my sword in my pack, and I consider using it to cut through the fence at the corner that meets with the brick wall. Just as I'm about to make the first cut with the sharp blade, a voice in my head stops me. That sword is metal, stupid! Do you want to be electrocuted?!

Ugh. Stupid Capitol and their stupid damned fences!

So I just stand here for the longest time staring out into the wilderness. I need to get out by sunrise. I'm just lucky the rebels captured Four. Otherwise, Peacekeepers would've caught me forever ago.

Then, I take off my boots and remove the rubber soles.

Rubber doesn't conduct electricity, right? Good, because I contort the soles around the hilt of the sword and take a deep breath. I steady my left hand on the wall, holding one of the bricks, and reach over to the fence and start cutting. I can feel the surge of electricity, but it doesn't hurt me. And it's actually cutting through. Thank god.

After cutting for about a half an hour, I finally cut a hole large enough for me to crawl through. And the sun is coming up. Okay, okay, go. Go.

I stable myself on the edge of the boat and climb onto the land and underneath the fence. I'm do close to it because I can hear the humming of it.

I made it pretty far, though. Maybe halfway. Hopefully. So now, I run.

The first thing I do after walking out of eyeshot of the fence is sitting down to eat. I had made sandwiches from whatever good meat Finnick had left in his fridge and freezer, which wasn't very much considering he's been in District Thirteen for a while, but it was still enough. There was also canned food and desserts; I took as much of it as possible.

To congratulate myself on making it this far, I treat myself to a large piece of cake. It isn't as good as Peeta's-then again, nothing ever will be-but it's still good, nonetheless. And it reminds me of him. How he said he's still making the cake even if I don't come back. But I am coming back. So I'll be expecting the best birthday cake ever. And the best birthday ever.

Then, I get on moving again, trying to retain my sense of direction. The only thing that tells me I'm going the right way is the fact that the sun rises in the east, and I'm going northwest. Okay. I can do this.

It's just a bunch of trees. Forever and ever and ever. And I'm looking up at the sky, looking for a hovercraft-hopefully not the Capitol, because they'd kill me or worse-but one from Thirteen. Someone to take me back to Peeta so that I can stop walking. I never want to walk again.

But no one's here to save me. So I keep walking. Running, sometimes. I must've pissed about five times since I left District Thirteen because I only had a few fluids. And I made sure to take water with me before I left Finnick's house because in training many years ago in District Two, they told us never to drink salt water. It just makes you thirstier. So I have lots and lots of bottled water with me, some from the tap, some already bottled. Every ten minutes, I take one sip. I don't know how long these bottles will have to last me for.

But I'll get as far as I can today because I know if I continue into the night, I'll lose my way and end up going in circles. So I need to get as far as possible during the day.

To keep myself occupied, I start singing to myself again. "I'll see you soon."

I need Peeta.

A/N: WELL HOW ABOUT THEM APPLES. xx