Several monitors blinked into life at once and the Capitol fanfare began to echo around the control room. Gale and Katniss looked up simultaneously from their respective positions, the former having been filling in paperwork whilst the latter had been discussing impending Rebellion broadcasts with Beetee.

Husband and wife spared each other glances fraught with concern and tension before turning back to the closest screen, upon which the face of President Mellark had blinked into being. The man had barely had the chance to open his mouth before Coin came careering around the doorway, looking out of breath and not at all her usual, put together self. She was spared the amused glances of her people, however, since all eyes were upon Peeta's sinister smile.

"Another one… so soon?" Beetee queried, shifting in his chair as though Peeta's appearance had brought him actual physical discomfort.

"This can't be good," muttered Gale under his breath. He rolled his eyes as he listened to Peeta begin his speech with the usual degrees of pomp and arrogant splendour.

Katniss noted with growing trepidation that the president's eyes appeared to be blazing with something that looked very much like rage. The new ruler of Panem was apparently struggling to keep his temper in check. The clenched jaw and tightly clasped hands he held behind his back indicated that this address was most certainly not a routine message.

"Somebody doesn't look happy." Beetee glanced back at the other inhabitants of the control room, his brow quirking as he noted how President Coin kept her face hidden. She stared down at the ground almost as if she knew already that trouble was brewing.

Peeta took a slow, deep breath before affixing a glare upon the camera lens, his nostrils flaring.

"My fellow citizens of Panem. I speak to you today with a heavy heart. I am about to tell you something that will no doubt cause many of you anger, disbelief and, I dare say, disappointment. You have been lied to, my friends. Deceived by the very symbol of the war you have so valiantly fought for almost a decade. The Mockingjay has been keeping a secret, it seems." Bringing his hands round to rest solemnly in front of him, Peeta continued, "Whilst you have been sending your husbands and lovers to war - to give their lives in a conflict she started with her reckless, thoughtless actions - Katniss has kept her loved ones close; her mother, her sister… her husband."

The breath was knocked out of Katniss so quickly that her gasp served to punctuate Peeta's monologue. She hurriedly sought out Gale's face with her gaze, her own features wild and panic stricken.

"How? How does he know?" She stood up and began to pace the room on legs that felt as if they were rapidly turning to jelly.

Gale's stare grew hard and cold, as he found himself no doubt transported back to that very moment so many years ago when Peeta had betrayed him, and nearly cost him his life.

"I guess the how doesn't really matter now," Gale ground out through clenched teeth. Every pair of eyes in the room was upon him; he could feel the weight of their stares – some sympathetic, some fearful, and perhaps a few even curious. Whilst Gale was renowned in the district for being one of the best soldiers, strategists, and commanders they had ever possessed, it was also known that his fierce temper was not one to be trifled with. With this new revelation regarding the President's knowledge of the private life that Gale worked so hard to protect, a few of his men couldn't help but wonder how he might react.

"In light of this disturbing revelation," Peeta was continuing on screen, staring directly at the populace with steely resolve, "I have decided that it would perhaps be prudent for this war to now come full circle, in a manner of speaking."

His proclamation drew Katniss closer to the screen, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed to hateful slits.

"Please… please don't know about Briar, please… please don't…" Katniss whispered frantically, releasing the breath she'd been holding when she felt Gale's hand land on her shoulder.

Glaring with unbridled hatred at her former friend, Katniss watched with ever increasing fear as Peeta almost salivated over his proceeding words.

"Which is why I have no choice but to reinstate the annual Hunger Games. Preparations have already begun. District Reapings have been set for ten days time. It pains me to do this, believe me, but I have no choice. Katniss has left me with no choice," he shrugged as though helpless, "unless… unless you fine people decide to do the right thing. If the Mockingjay is brought to me, the Games will be halted. I leave your lives and the lives of your loved ones in your hands. I hope and I pray that you will bring an end to this madness- to these lies. You have ten days."

The flickering of the screen and the anthem of the Capitol brought an end to the President's message, and a heavy silence descended upon the room. Katniss was still staring at the screen, her cheeks now dampened by tears even though her eyes blazed with a contrasting fury.

"Katniss," Gale said softly, frowning as she wheeled around and buried her head in his chest. "It'll be okay. It'll be okay, I promise."

Beetee, the first to recover from his shock, nodded in agreement and maneuvered his chair closer to the couple.

"Yeah, I mean… the districts are our allies. Sure we may have a few dissidents here and there, but support for the Rebellion is unwavering. The Capitol only has troops on the ground in four, maybe five districts. There's no way he'll be able to…"

"He's going after their children!" Katniss spat, interrupting Beetee's well-meaning assurances, "so what if he can only reap kids from five districts, that's enough!"

"People will do anything to protect their kids," Gale muttered, his agreement leaving a bitter taste in his own mouth. Fear had begun to prickle at the back of his neck, like the feeling of being watched by some unseen presence. He was not afraid for himself, however, as he would gladly lay down his life for his wife, his child, or his people at any given moment. Perhaps guessing as much, Peeta had found a new and inventive way to hurt the Hawthornes and possibly even dismantle the Rebellion in one fell swoop. Without Katniss, the flames of unrest would doubtlessly dim once again to sparks, until the fire eventually went out altogether. Encouraging the people to become angry at her, to turn her over to her enemy, was a smart move; and one that would secure Peeta's victory in the war completely.

"Can we rely on…" a nearby soldier began, although he was suddenly cut off by Katniss stalking across the room to Coin. The woman had been uncharacteristically silent since her arrival in the command centre, which had not gone unnoticed by the Mockingjay.

"How did he know?" she demanded, her voice trembling with her fury as she jabbed a finger into Coin's chest. The older woman's eyes grew wide with surprise but Katniss intercepted the look of fleeting regret that crossed her features, and her anger was further cemented.

"Catnip!" Gale warned, taking measured strides forward and drawing to a halt at Katniss' side. "The enemy is not in this room."

Swallowing hard against the lump that had risen in her throat, President Coin admitted, "I found out about an hour ago. The prisoner escaped District 6. They tracked her as far as the border until she managed to remove her implant… we can't be sure, but, it looks like she was headed to the Capitol."

Katniss ran her hand through her hair, shaking her head in dismay, "She sold us out? To him? What did she… What, does she think she's gonna get? A reward?"

Gale raised a dark eyebrow, "I'm willing to bet she's already got it… one way or another."

His inference was not lost on Katniss, and she nodded with determination and rage. "Good."

Noting the mildly surprised expression that settled on his features, Katniss narrowed her eyes to convey just how furious she was with the way events had unfolded. If Mona had betrayed Gale, there was no reason to believe she wouldn't divulge details of their child.

"Come on, Gale, you really think she won't tell him about Briar? If he's mad now knowing you're alive, knowing we're together, what do you think he's going to do when he finds out we have a child?"

"I think," Gale began with obvious hesitance, a look of almost sheer agony appearing briefly on his features before he could school them into stoicism again, "if he knew about Briar, we'd all already be dead."

Katniss halted, her gaze drifting between Gale and Coin. The latter of whom regretfully nodded her head in agreement.

"We don't believe he knows, for one reason or another," she clarified, "at least, not that our intelligence from within the Capitol can determine."

"Katniss," Gale cajoled, "be smart here. You know Peeta. He throws tantrums, he's impulsive, borderline psychotic… if Mona told him about Briar he would have lashed out before he'd even filmed a propo. Nobody would have been able to stop him."

Taking a moment to try to clear her head and process her thoughts, Katniss finally, although unwillingly, nodded. Falling silent for a moment she turned away from her husband and planted her hands onto the console, leaning over the controls as she lost herself in thought.

"What do we do now?" Beetee asked, peering at Coin, Gale, and then the two intelligence officers who had joined them. "The fate of the Rebellion hangs on unity. If we fall apart now, the Capitol wins."

Coin worried her bottom lip with her teeth, shaking her head as she pondered the effects of Peeta's latest bombshell.

"So the Mockingjay kept her private life private, that's not the issue here."

"Madame President," the female intelligence officer with a portable console clutched to her chest suddenly spoke up, "we've already had messages from Districts 3, 6, 8, and 11 reassuring us of their support."

Turning quickly, Katniss responded to the woman just as Coin seemed poised to reply.

"It's not enough," she said bluntly, "Peeta wants to make himself into a hero? So, we'll show the districts a real one. He wants to make people believe that I've been keeping the people I love out of danger, when Gale's run some of the riskiest operations of the entire Rebellion. He saved the people from our district. He almost died freeing hostages from the Capitol. Gale's a hero, and maybe it's about time people knew about that. "

Gale visibly blanched, "Wait, Katniss… I'm not really a talker. This whole showman thing? It's not who I am."

"It wasn't who I am either," she replied ruefully, "but I learnt a long time ago to fight fire with fire. It's the only way."

Climbing to her feet, Coin murmured her assent. "She's right. Get him on camera… tonight. Beetee, I'm going to need to send out messages to the district leaders explaining my part in this. Have the channels ready to transmit."

Beetee didn't even bother to nod his head, instead he simply set to work, his single minded focus on his task nothing other than admirable.

"Captain Hawthorne, I know this is going to be difficult," Coin started, pausing as she ran her eyes over the almost distraught expression on Gale's face, "but your wife will be right by your side. We can't afford to allow President Mellark's accusations to derail what we have all sacrificed so much for."

"I know," agreed Gale, although his voice was tight and strained. "I'll do whatever I have to do. Nobody wants this Rebellion to succeed more than me."

He directed a significant look at Katniss and she knew immediately that he was thinking of that cottage with the blue door, and all it represented to him. She reached out and captured his hand, her thin fingers interlacing with his strong ones.

Gale took a deep breath, squeezing Katniss' hand as he offered her a lop-sided yet clearly nervous smile. "You gonna stick around for my public humiliation in front of millions of people?"

Peering up at her husband, Katniss offered him a gentle smile as she thought back over the years, and how rapidly she and Gale had become a unit. Even as children they were inseparable, and throughout the Games it had been Gale she had yearned for beside her. Being anywhere but with him was impossible to imagine, no matter the circumstances.

"Well, we're better as a pair, remember?" she replied, eyelids fluttering closed as he leant down to press a kiss against her lips.

"Always," he said, although his affirmation was as much a vow as an agreement.

Trying to lighten the moment, he suddenly winced then glanced down suspiciously at his young wife. "Wait a second, they're not gonna make me wear makeup are they?" Gale had seen enough broadcasts in his time to recall the endless amounts of powder, lotions, and potions that the team insisted on dowsing on any poor soul unlucky enough to be in front of the camera. It wasn't a scenario he was thrilled about.

"I think you're pretty enough as you are," Katniss giggled, drawing in a breath as she pressed closer to his chest and embraced him. "And you're a thousand times the man Peeta ever was. I always knew that… even back then, when you thought I didn't."

Gale swallowed hard, reaching out and stroking the back of his hand down the apple of Katniss' cheek.

"You know," he began huskily, "if there's one good thing to come out of this, it's the fact that we don't have to hide in front of the other districts anymore. We can show them how happy we are… despite it all."

Katniss' smile was real but brief. It had never sat particularly well with her, having to hide her marriage from the masses – after all, she had had her fill of lies within the Games. However, she understood why it had to be done, and she couldn't help the stab of fear that pierced her heart at the idea that Peeta's revelation might have painted a target on Gale's back.

"As a precaution," Coin interjected, having the decency to look cowed at her interruption, "we should perhaps still attempt to keep Briar's parentage a secret. Just until we can be certain of loyalty from the other districts."

The couple nodded in agreement, hopeful that Peeta's apparent ignorance on the subject of Briar Hawthorne's existence might continue.

"You think I'd mention my daughter knowing Mellark's gonna be watching?" Gale arched an eyebrow and let out a soft puff of laughter. "If he hates me, I can't imagine how he'd feel about our kid. Nobody knows about her, that's the way it stays."

Coin smiled tightly, "Of course, I wasn't suggesting for a moment that you would. We all know that elements of Peeta's behaviour are born out of jealousy. I imagine he believed you dead and Katniss to be alone…"

Alma noted the way the young woman glanced up at her husband and she averted her gaze for a moment.

"Hearing you're alive must have been quite the unwelcome surprise. If he was to learn about your daughter too, I can only imagine the jealous rage that he would unleash upon the districts, and perhaps even against the child herself."

Gale's jaw set and he folded his arms across his chest as he considered the president's advice. He knew in his heart that Peeta would stop at nothing in his personal vendetta against Katniss, and what could give him greater pleasure than harming her child – especially given Briar's parentage.

Peeta had not enjoyed a particularly harmonious relationship with his parents, and he had never been in the position where he was forced to help raise his brothers or sisters. Both Katniss and Gale had been a second parent to their own siblings, whilst Peeta had never known the responsibility or devotion that such entailed. He had never valued anybody more than himself, and never had to consider the wellbeing of others before his own.

In stark contrast that was all Gale had ever known, having been the father figure in his household despite being little more than a child himself. Years later, nothing on Earth had brought him greater happiness than holding his own daughter for the first time, whilst in contrast Peeta had so casually used the lie of impending fatherhood to try to bring the Quarter Quell to a halt.

Katniss' gaze was unflinching as she stared directly at the president. "Yeah, well we already know he's sick enough to hurt innocent children. But if he comes near my daughter, I'll burn the Capitol to the ground myself. Gale and I will be in our quarters. When the studio's set up, we'll be ready."

Alma offered the couple a brief smile of what she hoped was encouragement. Pausing at the door, her fingers curled over the handle, she turned to regard her Mockingjay almost hesitantly. Coin had known Katniss for what seemed like a lifetime. After almost a decade of fighting beside her, of watching her grow into a strong and determined leader, she took an almost maternal pride in Katniss' many triumphs. Not least of those was the joy she had watched the young woman find in motherhood. It was a happiness Alma so vividly remembered feeling herself, and one she bitterly mourned every day of her life.

"You know, Peeta's ignorance means he underestimates you, and that works in our favour. He thinks you're just the symbol of the Rebellion - a warrior, a leader, perhaps. But you're also a mother, fighting for her child, and there's no greater love than that… there's no greater strength than that. President Mellark with all his weapons, his propaganda, and the hired soldiers at his disposal… he has nothing to fight for except victory itself."

x-x-x

He had expected a response. He had almost been certain of it, in fact. What he had not expected was for one to follow so soon after his own announcement to the districts.

Peeta had rather hoped that he would have managed to throw a considerable wrench in the Rebellion's works. He had imagined that news of Katniss' secret happiness might send her advisors and counsellors into a kind of tailspin, as they attempted to quickly and efficiently excise damage control. It certainly would not have gone down well among the people that their beloved Mockingjay had been lying to them for the best part of a decade. Or so his own most trusted consorts had suggested to him.

Finding that his fingers were gripping the edges of the book he clutched with ferocity, Peeta leaned forwards on the couch he sat upon so that he could better make out the grainy picture filling the screen. He was both surprised and enraged to see not only the grim face of Katniss staring back at him, but also that of her husband; the man President Mellark had believed to be nothing more than a rotting corpse.

"Bastard…" Peeta found himself hissing into the silent and otherwise unoccupied lounge. He would have reached for a drink but the tumbler was empty and he was too afraid that he might miss something important if he were to summon a servant.

"People of Panem," Katniss began after clearing her throat, "I stand here before you tonight with a message of grave importance."

Peeta stared at the screen, eyes roving Katniss' body as he searched for even the slightest indications of fear or nervousness. When he found none, he was filled with bitter disappointment. He had been fantasising a great deal about the Mockingjay's reaction to his earlier declaration, and a number of his preferred dreams had ended with Katniss reduced to a quivering wreck at the knowledge that her perfect image had been sullied.

Leaning back in his seat, Peeta watched the screen with equal parts interest and revulsion, captivated by the woman who still wore the Mockingjay pin at her breast, whilst loathing the man who stood beside her.

The years had been kind to Gale Hawthorne, Peeta noted. They had been nothing more than teenagers the last time their paths had crossed. Now, a tall, broad shouldered soldier stood before the world, with a row of medals and combat honours that it would be foolish to believe he had not earned, pinned in a line on his chest.

Katniss clasped his hand in her own, and for a fleeting second the light caught the simple ring that adorned the finger of her left hand. Continuing with the transmission, the Mockingjay stood as composed and dignified as she had ever been.

"The president wants you to believe that I have lied to you; that I have kept my loved ones safe, hidden away from the dangers and brutality of this war. Nothing could be further from the truth. The man who stands beside me is a hero, and a decorated captain of our allied, rebel forces. Many of you have met Captain Hawthorne and fought shoulder to shoulder with him. You didn't know him as my husband, you knew him as one of you… a brave man. A good man. A man that President Snow threatened to have killed. And so I made…"

"We made…" Gale interrupted, reluctant to allow the blame for any of this to rest squarely on Katniss' shoulders. She shot him an unreadable look but the smile that preceded it was obviously grateful.

"We made the decision to keep our marriage private. To allow the Capitol to believe that Gale had died on a rescue mission that did indeed almost cost him his life. We didn't lie to you to deceive you, we just didn't want what we have to be exploited."

Gale appeared uncomfortable to say the least in front of the camera, but he maintained his position at Katniss' side, not once wavering in his stance. When he spoke up, Peeta found his eyes drawn to the man; that was just the kind of presence Gale held – one that demanded people's attention. Screwing his nose up as though he had caught wind of some unpleasant stench, Peeta flung his paperback across the room. It hit the mantle then dropped to the floor, shedding some of its yellowed pages.

"President Mellark has already aptly displayed that he is not above using our marriage against not only us but the entire Rebellion," Gale spoke up, his chin tilted upwards almost defiantly at the camera as if he was imagining that he was staring down Peeta himself.

"We feared as a district and not just as a couple that those in power in the Capitol would have painted a target on Captain Hawthorne's back that would have put the lives of all he served alongside at unnecessary risk," continued Katniss, her hands coming to rest clasped in front of her body. "This half-truth did not come easily to us or without guilt, but it was the only way we at 13 could see to prevent from further igniting the wrath of the President… especially given the personal nature of some of his vendettas."

"I, that is, we hope…" Gale began again, his eyes narrowed in earnest. However, his composure finally wavered and his mouth fell open when the sound of a door being flung open rang out on camera. Less than a second later, something small and energetic careered into Gale's arms, which were ready to catch the bundle without fail.

Peeta leant forward in his seat, his attention well and truly captured by what appeared to be a small child interrupting the telecast. However, before he had a chance to examine the screen further, the Mockingjay symbol flickered across the screen and the propo. was brought to a sudden stop.

Climbing to his feet, Peeta began to pace the floor in front of the couch, his mind reeling with possibilities. Perhaps it was merely an unscheduled interruption from a tiny citizen of District 13 or perhaps, in addition to keeping her husband hidden from the country, Katniss had also somehow managed to guard another, far bigger secret.

Peeta ran his hand through his hair irritably, picking up the empty crystal decanter and watching in irritation as his hand shook – as it had since his second foray into the Games. Disgusted and irritated by the lack of alcohol, he replaced the decanter and ventured across the lounge to retrieve his book.

To his knowledge, Katniss had never taken leave of her duties as Mockingjay. She had appeared in regular newscasts and broadcasts for the last eight years with no periods of absence of note. She'd never looked pregnant, and so maybe the child Peeta had seen was simply an unwanted interruption to the adult world around her.

Peeta knew that Gale had several siblings, some considerably younger. Possibly the girl was a member of the Hawthorne clan, simply desperate for her big brother's attention. For now, President Mellark would assume that was the case. The other prospect seemed unlikely the more he dwelled upon it. Certainly Mona had said nothing of any offspring produced by the loathed Everdeen-Hawthorne union, although she was no longer around for Peeta to have her interrogated further on the matter.

Sitting back down, Peeta picked up the control for the large television screen and replayed the final few frames of the broadcast. He examined in great detail the exact moment the tiny child – perhaps only a toddler – had appeared, and the expression of surprise upon Gale's face. But it wasn't until he turned his attention to Katniss, and replayed the same three second scene over and over again, that Peeta finally saw it; fear.

In all the years he had known her, Katniss Everdeen had not once let her enemy see her afraid and yet there in that few seconds of film Peeta saw her terror clear as day.

Testing the weight of the remote in his hand, Peeta let out an enraged shriek and curled his arm back, hurling the object full force against the door of the presidential lounge. The remote shattered the pane in the centre, sending a shower of broken glass over the roses planted outside the French doors.

Peeta marched over towards the screen, ignoring the desperate and panicked knocking of his guards as they demanded to know if he required their assistance. His finger trailed over the face of his former love, until his fingernails were clawing at the screen, scraping across the frozen image of the man who had taken her from him.

It was true, Peeta realised, breathlessly, frantically, madly; Katniss Everdeen had a child.

Finally, the Mockingjay's weakness had been revealed to the world.