This is it. This is my favorite chapter. Title-wise, at least.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story for so long! We are getting to the homestretch now…yes I am sad about that.

Katniss

"So…what happens now?" Maris dares to ask, arms crossed over her chest belligerently. For such a small person, there is a lot of attitude packed inside of her. "It's great that you found us. I mean, it's okay, I guess. But it looks like you walked here too, so, are we really any better off?"

"We have a ride," I say, trying not to sound too smug. I pull Reprogrammed James out of my pocket and speak his code phrase. "Mockingjay, mockingjay, mockingjay."

The robotic lizard whirs to life, but this time instead of turning on a hidden camera, it plays a recorded message. "You've reached Turquoise Morningstar. I have your location! See you soon!"

"Your ride is Turquoise?" Prim asks, sounding mildly horrified. "The weird one?"

"She's not as weird as you might think," I try to reassure her. I had forgotten that she and the rest of them wouldn't know anywhere near the whole story, but it would make sense the Capitol wanted them kept in the dark as much as possible. "C'mere. I'll explain everything. We'll know when she gets here, trust me."

We all break off; I think it's reasonable to want some space. Peeta and Rye are talking in low voices. Storm produces a knife from somewhere on her person and offers to help carve her sister a spear. Jewel and Hiron are awkwardly a bit left out, but to be honest they're just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. Right now, all there is for me is my sister.

We sit down by the crackling fire. It's not that it's cold out; it just seems like a nice place to gather. I look around their camp- the nearby pond, the remains of fish and scattered berries. I would guess we interrupted lunchtime.

"So there's a war going on," Prim begins. I'm shocked by how much older she sounds. It's only been…a few weeks? A month? It's felt like so long since I last saw her that my actual sense of time is distorted. While I've been gone, she's been growing up.

In response to her question, I nod. "Yes. After we escaped the arena…"

I give Prim a brief rundown of what's happened since then. District Thirteen, the war, the complicated process of saving the word. She does the same for me, and her story is just as distressing. It almost brings me to tears again- I hate that; I never cry. But something about this day, this joyful reunion, has ensured I lose all control of my body.

At the end, Prim gives me a meaningful look. "So where's Gale in all of this?"

I can't help it. I wince. "We're, you know, done. Gale and I, uh. Haven't had much common ground since the Games started. His priority was the rebels. Mine was you."

"I bet he doesn't like that you're with Peeta, though."

She sounds so terribly sympathetic. A blush floods over my cheeks. "Well, that's…" I trail off, unconsciously seeking him out across the valley. He's still discussing things with Rye, fortunately blissfully ignorant to my conversation with Prim. "…that's a lot more complicated than you might think."

My sister raises an eyebrow. "It can't be that complicated. You like him and he likes you!"

I find that I don't want to tell her; I don't want her to know it was all a lie. So I do what I do best- I deflect. "You are right, though. Gale doesn't like it one bit."

She pats my arm gently. "It's alright, Katniss. I always knew you could do better."

I'm astounded, not just by her incredibly kindness, but by the fact that our lives and future are still very much up in the air and she manages to care about who I am or am not dating. I have barely managed to care about that lately.

Although…Unable to help myself, I sneak another glance at Peeta. Still talking to Rye, still blissfully unaware. We are getting closer and closer to the point where I'll have to deal with the choices I've made. And it may still happen that the lies we've told come with consequences.

"…and he's just so nice, you know?" Prim concludes. I realize I haven't been listening. "And you deserve somebody who's nice to you."

"Well, Gale was nice too."

Prim makes an ehh face. "You guys fought so much."

"Some things are worth fighting over."

"Some things."

She's taking me back to a place I don't really want to be in. "Regardless, it's over, right?"

"You tell me, Katniss!"

There's a little bit of giggle to her voice, and the reminder that Prim is here and laughing is enough to lighten my mood substantially. "Alright. It's over. There, I told you."

"I knew you'd come around!" Then she wraps her arms around and squeezes me tightly. Because the novelty of sisterhood, reunited has not yet worn off. "I just can't believe you didn't tell me sooner!"

"He snuck up on me," I inform her. I'm not sure it's entirely true, but I am certain it's not entirely a lie.

We hear the roar of an engine before we see anything. Instantly we're on high alert, all pausing in the middle of our conversations. Maris holds up her handcrafted wooden spear, while Storm looks all too happy to have an excuse to raise her machine gun. The rest of us watch and wait cautiously, giving the new arrival a chance to be friend instead of foe. Perhaps we're being too trusting- this could very easily be the end of us all.

Prim and I automatically drift closer to Peeta and Rye. District Twelve has to stick together, especially under these strangest of circumstances. Life might have changed course yet again, but we remain a team.

Hiron spots it first, a black craft low in the sky. He cries out then immediately thinks better of it, clapping a hand over his own mouth. I don't react; it doesn't matter. We're past the point of hiding regardless.

"It's alright, Hiron," says Prim, as always kinder than I am. "It's just Turquoise, here to rescue us."

I have no reason to think Turquoise can pilot such a craft, but no reason to be surprised by the idea, either.

"Are you sure?" Maris asks doubtfully, squinting up at the craft. It's getting awfully close now, having definitely spotted us. "That looks like the Capitol seal to me."

I squint at it too, and my heart drops when I realize she's right. There it is in bold yellow-on-black, painted onto the underside of the craft. We should have run, or at least tried to hide. Now we're going to die here, with no one left to tell our story.

"Don't shoot!" Jewel barks, even though no one but Storm really needs to hear it. I know exactly how useless my bow is in this situation, thanks. "Don't waste your bullets on the ship. Wait 'til they bring out something that'll feel 'em."

Chilling, but correct. I draw an arrow back even though I know it won't be any help.

But they never come. No soldiers, nothing to feel Storm's bullets. Just a rope ladder and, when the ship gets low enough, a call from the driver's seat. "Get in, losers! The war won't wait for you!"

Relief washes over me instantly. Turquoise. She's come to save us after all, just like she promised. I replace my bow and head for the rope ladder, making sure Prim stays close behind me. We've gotten this far, against all odds. I couldn't bear to lose her now.

Maris is the first up the ladder. She clenches her sharpened stake in her teeth; the weight of it makes her swing back and forth like a bobblehead. Her sister is right behind her, machine gun slung over her back like she's some kind of guerilla. Close enough, I guess.

District Twelve goes last. I insist Prim is the first of us to climb; so much of my mental well-being is contingent on her safety. I just need her to be safe; I need her in the hovercraft and not on the ground should some freak accident occur or a predator show up in search of lunch.

Somewhat to my shock, neither of those things happens. We climb the rope ladder unmolested, although I will say climbing a swinging ladder attached to a dubious ship is one of the worst things I've ever encountered. Rye Mellark feels the same way- he keeps yelling down that he's afraid of heights.

Finally, we're all safely in the hovercraft, crammed in like sardines. It's meant for maybe a team of five, not a crew of nine people and one robotic lizard. Turquoise makes a face as the last person (Peeta) steps in and the door slides shut with a groan. "I think, uh, someone in here might need a shower."

"We ran multiple miles in our winter gear; I will not be told to take a shower," Maris snaps mercilessly. "What happens now?"

"Funny story." Turquoise taps a couple keys and the ship lurches forward. "There happens to be a war going on."

Storm's lip curls. "We figured as much. What does that mean for us?"

"Well, for starters, it means I can't take you all the way to District Thirteen. I'm needed on the front lines of the Capitol," Turquoise says, managing to sound incredibly modest about something that's realistically a very big deal.

"Fine with me," I declare. I, personally, could happily go the rest of my life without seeing District Thirteen again. Without being underground at all, actually.

"Tell us about the war, Turquoise," Peeta requests. Out of all of us, he looks the most concerned about the rest of the world. As for me, I've been living moment to moment ever since we got out of the arena. Now that I know Prim is safe, I guess I can finally start worrying about what happens to the rest of the world. It still seems inconsequential in comparison.

Turquoise takes a deep breath. "Oh boy. You should maybe sit down for this one."

I fully intend to take her advice, but I find there's no surface on which to sit down on. There's a pile of stuff in one corner, though. "Uh…what's that?"

She glances back to see what I'm talking about. Bad call- the craft lurches downward as soon as her eyes leave the sky, and my stomach lurches with it. Maybe Turquoise will be what kills us. "Oh. Those are bombs. I had more, but I used the rest of them to blow up the Capitol air force."

"You what?" we shriek in impressive unison.

Turquoise shrugs casually, once she's righted the hovercraft. Just when I think I know exactly what she's capable of, she finds a new way to surprise and/or horrify me. I guess I should be used to it by now. "Well, they weren't going to just let me have one of these ships. And I had to make sure they were slowed down while I was on this little detour- so I just snuck into the warehouse and detonated a bunch of those suckers."

Turquoise Morningstar: tribute, rebel, terrorist.

"Nolan helped," she adds at the last second, causing Storm to make a face that screams murder.

Fortunately, before anything can come of that, Hiron starts pressing Turquoise with questions about the bombs and how they work. She's all-too-happy to answer, and the two actually seem to be bonding until Peeta reminds Turquoise he had asked a question.

"Oh, right. The war." She smacks her forehead, as if she'd forgotten about a cake in the oven, not a major event that's shaping our country. "Well, the good news is that it's almost over. The bad news is…"

I'm shocked to hear how much the situation has changed since we left, only a few days before, realistically. This war is moving fast- almost too fast, Turquoise implies, with an eerie look in her eye. I ignore it; I've gotten used to Turquoise being eerie and I'm more concerned about the future of the nation. The fight's in the Capitol, now, she says. Most of the combat in the districts has ended, with the vast majority of citizens rising up to take back what's theirs. It's now just a matter of taking over the Capitol…in which lies the bad news. In the Capitol, there's no winning over the citizens and outnumbering the enemies. No one in the Capitol has any reason to turn against it, which shifts the balance away from the rebels.

Not to mention, they're fighting on unfamiliar territory, and the city holds the Capitol's most elite defenses, and the rebels have already taken substantial losses…

"What about Gale?" I ask when she's caught us up on most everything else. Prim shoots me a look that's either knowing or disappointed; I can't quite tell. Those two emotions are close together, right?

Turquoise shrugs, looking somewhat uncomfortable. That's a red flag if I ever saw one- I know it takes quite a bit to make the rebels' shining star uncomfortable. "I guess I haven't seen much of him. They've been keeping me really busy, though…"

So that means Gale hasn't been involved in the war. I can only imagine how much that pisses him off, and I'm glad I won't be the one to pick up the pieces this time. To Turquoise, I say, "I'm surprised they even let you come here."

She laughs. "You think I asked?"

"Well…"

"I faked my own death and got out of there as fast as I could. When I return, having miraculously survived, the resulting boost of morale should be enough to end the war in our favor."

Storm grins wolfishly. "See? That's why she's the Mockingjay."

She gives me this smug look, as if it's still this huge victory over me that my ex-boyfriend was fired for Turquoise to take his place. I roll my eyes at this childish behavior. First of all, Gale's termination was completely justified. Second of all, I do not care.

"What's the Mockingjay?" Prim pipes up. I guess I hadn't explained it to her, not in so many words.

Turquoise is happy to oblige. "It's basically a fancy code word for "national inspiration". Or "rebel scapegoat", depending on who you ask. Basically I make commercials for the rebel cause, but like, it's an honor."

"Oh, well. That doesn't sound like very much fun."

"It has its moments," Turquoise assures her. "You'll get to see it for yourself."

I can see the city now; we're approaching quite rapidly. I actually shudder a little, even in the close quarters and summer heat. The Capitol. Another place I'd hoped to never set foot in ever again. I'm realizing, now more than ever, we don't always get what we want.

With the destruction of the air force, we're the only ship in the sky. I don't like how conspicuous that makes us, but Turquoise doesn't seem concerned. "I'll drop you off in an alley in a quiet part of town. That way you'll be safe until I get back."

All of us recoil at that, albeit for different reasons. Not surprisingly, Maris is the most vocal. "You can't expect us to just stay with the ship! I want to fight!"

"We need to get these kids somewhere safe," I emphasize. "Not a back alley in the middle of a war zone!"

Turquoise shrugs helplessly. She's working to land the ship; I think that takes most of her concentration. "What do you suggest? I don't have the time or the fuel to take you back to District Thirteen, and that's the only truly safe place I can think of."

"Let! Us! Fight!" Maris chants, banging the butt of her spear against the ground with every word.

Turquoise gives her a stern glare right as the hovercraft touches down. "There will be no fourteen-year-olds in combat. That's an order. For all of you," she clarifies, scanning the room for anyone who might defy her. The main concern being Storm.

"We'll keep them out of battle," Rye agrees, earning him a glare from Maris that promises a long and painful death. "But as for the rest of us…Katniss is right; we're sitting ducks here. We can't just hunker down and hope no one finds us."

"What about our families?" Peeta asks suddenly. "Our brother Nicky, everyone's parents. Turquoise, do you know where they're being held?"

"…I do," she replies after a moment. Her normally bright-blue eyes have gone broody all of a sudden. "…and the prison isn't in an active combat zone. So it's both safer and more interesting than staying with the ship. Ah, the art of the compromise."

She takes on that dramatic tone I typically associate with The Old Turquoise. I guess The New Turquoise is weird too. She rolls her sleeve up to her elbow and unstraps this brace thing with a lot of buttons from around her wrist. "Here. I want you to take this."

She starts to strap it on my wrist. I pull my arm away, not sure what I'm agreeing to here. "Uh…what is that?"

"It's a Comunicuff," she says, which does not clear it up at all for me. I think I vaguely remember Gale wearing something of the sort, but I'm not sure. "Us rebels use it to send and receive messages between the lot of us. This way you'll sort of know what's going on in the fight?"

"Won't you need it?" I ask as she straps it around my wrist.

"They already think I'm dead. Going in blind isn't any worse." She steps back and assesses her work. "I'd feel better keeping you guys informed anyway."

"We'll take whatever advantage we can get," says Jewel. I still don't know what to make of her, Thunder's little sister. She carries herself more like a general than a girl, but I know she's just my age. "Well, in that case…" Turquoise pulls the key from the ignition and tosses it to Jewel. "Take that, too. If you have to drive it, be careful. Wide turns."

Storm rolls her eyes. She's hovering by the door. "Yeah, yeah, we'll be careful, whatever. Let's just go already."

"One more thing." Again, Turquoise turns serious without any warning. That's the way she's always been- everything's a joke until it's not. "I know you're expecting this joyful reunion when you get there, but remember, you don't know what these people have been through since the Capitol took them. You need to prepare yourself, because there's a very real possibility you won't like what you find."

Turquoise is my fave. Up next: the Careers go to prison and also we meet Johanna