Chaos was breaking out all over the Capitol and in the arena as the sky of the arena started breaking and falling in pieces. Katniss's arrow had electrocuted the whole nation, I was sure.

"Aces, now!" Haymitch yelled, grabbing my hand. We were the last people in the mentor control room, as everyone else had run off to do their part or to run to safety. But glancing back at the screens that were cutting in and out, I knew that Katniss and Peeta were still in there. If we ran now... Everything would be for nothing. It would all be ruined.

So I ran behind Haymitch, just a few steps behind, and waited until he crossed the threshold.

And then I slammed the door shut behind him, locking it from the inside.

"Aces!" Haymitch yelled through the glass in the window. "What are you doing, let's go!"

I shook my head. "Someone has to make sure they make it out! Go!"

I watched him hesitate before he steeled his features, turned, and took off.

Now, to figure out how to get them out of there...

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?"

Fear swept over me as President Snow waltzed into the room where they had me handcuffed to an uncomfortable metal chair. The room had no windows, except for a small one in the door that had a sliding cover over it.

"Care to tell me who you were working with? Or for?"

I kept my mouth sealed shut, pulling out my best glare. A shock of pain went through me when it made me think of Gale. I'd likely never see him again, or Posy, or Gran, or Peeta...

"Listen, Aces," Snow sighed, taking a seat across the table from me. On the table was a rolled up black carrier of sorts. I could only imagine what must be in there. "This will go much easier for all of us if you talk. Tell us who all was in on it, and what the plan is, and we'll let you go home."

But I knew there would be no going home. Whether that was because he would kill me after I told him what he wanted anyways, or because there would be war in the districts and no home to go to, it was a toss up. "Well, buckle up, Mr. Snow, 'cause I ain't telling you shit." And I meant it, too. I'd sooner die than sell out my friends and the rebels; our only hope for the end of the Hunger Games and Snow's cruel rule.

Snow frowned and steepled his fingers. Then he laughed and shrugged. "Well, at least I'll get a show, then." He waved his hand to the man at the head of the table. The man stepped forward and unrolled the black holder. The light glinted brilliantly off the shiny, metal tools.

I swallowed and raised my eyes to Snow's cold gaze. "Let the games begin," he said.

Third person POV

some time later...

At first Gale had bigger problems than some rebels in the Capital. Like getting the hell out of Twelve before they bombed it to pieces. Or getting to Thirteen with his family in one piece. He didn't even care to stop and think about what would happen to Haymitch and Smith. Not until he was called for a meeting, and Haymitch explained what had happened. That Aces had tricked him into leaving first, and then locked herself inside to try and save the people in the arena. And Gale told himself he didn't care- not even after what Haymitch said. Oh well, he said to himself, her own fault. The only reason he still thought about Smith at all was because of Posy's crying, day and night. Aces this, and Aces that. He was sick of hearing about her. Sick of Posy revolving around that girl.

And then one day he made a snide comment to Posy about not wasting tears on the doomed.

"How can you be so callous?" She yelled. "She's still a person, even if you want to hate her! She was important to people, she mattered! She was sweet, and kind, and cared about us, and you couldnt see it! You were always so mean to her, because you couldnt accept that you're in love with her!"

Gale had reared back. What? Him, in love with Smith? No way. Posy was out of her mind. He stormed out of their apartment angrily. Gale walked around aimlessly until his anger dissipates and he wonders if she was right.

He thought about the times he had appreciated the color of her hair, or the shape of her curves before he caught up with his thoughts and shut it all down. Or how his heart raced when she smirked at him and openly defied him, just to rile him up. Or the fear he'd felt when he and posy came across her, bleeding with glass sticking out of her knees and hands. He remembered how he'd swooped in and caught her as she passed out without even thinking about it.

Maybe he did like her. Maybe that's why he couldn't stand Posy's moping, because it reminded him of what they had all lost.

After that he started to really feel her absence. And everytime Peeta showed up on tv, he worried for her more and more. What were they doing to her? Did she look as untouched as peeta? From what haymitch told him about her being actively involved in the rebellion, he doubted it. That thought as he sat watching the programing sent his stomach churning, and he ran from the room, hurling his guts in the hallway.

So when they took volunteers for the rescue mission, his name was the first on the list.