Penelope's Web

by Zevoros

In silence, the first tick of the clock rings out. Dawn rises, but the Hunger Games steadily grind onward. The tributes stand in preparation for the journey ahead, and Seneca Crane stretches out his hand. The gears slip forward and Gadget knows that the first hour is here.

20. Polarized

.

~~(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)~~

---

Author's Notes:

Triage: Special thanks to Zevoros for not being a prat about how slow of a writer I can be.

Zevoros: Special thanks to Evie Rose! Additional thanks to CragmiteBlaster.

---

Penelope's Web

Chapter 20

Polarized

---

While Nero was nowhere near as terrifying or disconcerting as Mortimer, Gadget quickly learned that he made up for it with how exasperating he could be. His loud exclamations and hyperactive energy left the girl spinning, and a mild desire to test her flamethrower on him. His crew were bearable only by a fraction more than Nero, but at least the women seemed most sincere in their efforts to make her beautiful whilst Nero just assumed she'd love anything he made.

In an uncharacteristic moment, she'd grabbed the man by the arm and stared him in the eyes hard when she asked him to tone it down with the dress and no, she didn't like it.

Nero was taken aback…for about a second. Then he was right back to his usual enthusiasm and loudness. Taking their cue from him, the rest of the team imitated him. But they did redo her dress at least and allowed her to have some input.

She ended up with an elegant, slightly more simplistic and less obscenely colorful dress for the Victory Banquet. It was mostly black, with gold accents, with a pleated skirt that covered up to her ankles, a stiff folded collar that covered the sides and back of her neck, and a gunmetal grey corset that almost looked like armor adorned over her upper torso. The sleeves that covered her arms were loose, billowy and translucent, but still held a darker color with gold flakes. It was…bearable. Nero seemed to think it unjust and ill-fitting to her true beauty, but if Gadget was happy enough, then that would do.

All through the time she dressed and prepared for the banquet, she went over her conversation with Crispin. The man was infinitely unsettling, coupled with the fact that he had killed Mortimer in front of her without so much as a blink, she knew, the man held little value or concern about taking a life or lives. She found it hard to hear him over the pounding of her heart.

She put it aside to think about her sole friend in all of this mess.

Although Corduroy was indeed not a victor, as they had no idea what to do with him, and also, due to the publicity and popularity of his friendship with Gadget, he was to attend the banquet as her companion. He wore a simple plaid shirt under a red vest and dark grey pants. The shoes looked like they were made of cloth too.

"You…you look nice," Gadget said uncertainly.

"Thank you," Corduroy replied, "you look lovely. Though I am surprised that they did not put as much of an effort into the theme of your district, like before."

Gadget blushed.

"Because...I made them."

Corduroy nodded. "Being a victor has its perks."

Gadget lowered her head. The sight of Corduroy in that all-cloth get up only served to remind her they were from different districts. How much longer did they have before they would be forcefully separated and returned to their own homes? Homes that would no doubt hate them. Oh there was an absolute guarantee. People would cheer for Binary, but Gadget? And that was not even factoring how she worked against her own district partner from the get-go.

Corduroy...Corduroy would be lucky not to get stabbed the moment he walked into his district.

What if we ran?

Little though it may be. Gadget began to foster the thought of convincing Corduroy to run away with her, away from all the districts, live in the forests. Try as they might, everyone knew even the Capitol had limits to what they could control. They'd make history again. The two youngest tributes, one a victor, the other an unexpected survivor, to escape the clutches of the Capitol. Of Snow.

Yes, they could even leave Panem altogether. Nobody knew what was beyond their land anymore. For all they knew, the rest of the world was thriving, and at peace.

Anything was possible, and the allure of the mystery was tempting. If they stayed, Gadget more or less knew their fates.

"Gadget, stop," Corduroy said quietly, drawing closer to her.

"Wh-what?" Gadget raised her head to look at him.

"I have seen that face before. Often enough to know you are trying to plot a way, to survive, to escape, or to do something that would be to the benefit of others…" He reached out a hand to gently stroke a few loose strands of hair from her face. "...but seldom do you factor yourself and your well being, or ponder on whether the other would want you to sacrifice yourself like that."

"I-I don't…" she tried to protest, but at Corduroy's look, she sighed, "...okay, ye-yes, I'm m-m-more concerned…that you would…that you'd…" She wrung her hands lightly. "I don't want to lose you."

Corduroy's lips curled down slightly, and he proffered his elbow, towards her, turning to face the doors in front of them. They could hear the heavy footfalls of Peacekeepers approaching. Privacy would soon be denied them. They could not speak as liberally as they had been when in the car. Honestly, there was little chance anything could be spoken in private anywhere within a city in Panem.

"You will not," Corduroy said as she resignedly slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow.

They walked slowly down the steps, mindful of Corduroy's nerve-damaged leg, heading towards the lane where the car would arrive.

"You don't…know that," Gadget argued, her tone slightly intransigent, "you cannot guarantee it."

"Yes, I cannot," Corduroy nodded in agreement. "I also cannot guarantee that I will not lose my footing and fall down the steps, breaking my neck. I cannot guarantee I would not step onto the ground ahead at the wrong time and get run over by the transport vehicle."

Gadget's heart thumped.

He looked over at her, and added, "But you do not see me worrying over it, Gadget." He stopped them and placed his other hand over hers whilst still keeping their positions as he gazed at her. "There are as many ways one's life can end as there are stars. You would go mad trying to think them all up. When one concern is over, you should not seek to worry over the next crisis, but stop and appreciate what you have accomplished, and what you have right now."

The beat against her chest began to slow.

When she looked at him confusedly, he finally answered, "I am here. Standing with you, about to meet the most powerful man in Panem...against all expectations, including my own. You made it possible."

Gadget looked conflicted for a moment, before finally conceding his point, though she couldn't help adding, "A lot of luck helped…"

Corduroy chuckled.

"To the odds ever being in our favor?" Gadget asked as the long white vehicle arrived. White, like the President's name.

"Always," Corduroy answered.

He opened the door for her, and ushered her inside, before joining her, the Peacekeepers arriving just behind them, but they stood at attention as he closed the door. The car moved forward and a much more aggressive vehicle took its place to pick up the Peacekeeper pair.

He sat beside her in the long car they'd been put in, holding her hand as the seconds ticked by and the car took them to their location. It wasn't a quick journey, and it appeared they were taking the scenic route. The Capitolites were lined by the sidewalks of the streets, crowding, and shouting out their names enthusiastically.

It was a very scenic route.

"Look," Corduroy gazed out the window and pointed.

Gadget followed his gaze, and saw a magnificent arched building flanked by two tower-like buildings, only they looked over a hundred square meters around.

"The Peacekeeper headquarters," Corduroy said, "Basically the factory that churns them out."

Gadget let out a soft snort and smiled, despite herself.

They were slowly led through the Victory Drive as Gadget coined it in her head, and when she looked past the crowds of cheering onlookers, she got to see the Capitol's highlights. Even in the evening, the city was bright. All the buildings were colored like ivory and accented with gold and gold filigree. The roads were pearlescent in color and sheen, and it made Gadget wonder how the car tires were not skidding or losing traction all the time.

The colorful and garish attire and fashion of the Capitolites provided a nice contrast to all the whitewashed streets and buildings. There was a thin layer of mist around the city that almost gave an impression of paradise, the illusion President Snow loved to portray the city as. But the Peacekeepers lining the streets behind, around and in front of the Capitolites served as a stark reminder that violence could erupt at any second, and the white of the city would be dressed in red.

With that dark thought, Gadget's wondrous expression fell away, and she sank back against the seat of the elongated car. She idly considered its design. A lot of the parts that went into its making came from her district. If not the entire design, but no, there were quite a few design elements that the Capitol themselves built to complete the constructions. This way, no district had the complete blueprints and could not hope to build vehicles in secret. It was a preventative measure to ensure the districts did not have access or the opportunity to rebel ever again.

Not that many people still had any spirit left to fight anymore.

But President Snow would never be convinced there wasn't a chance for it happening again.

After passing through the Capitol Market, the Rainbow Bazaar, and the Victory Square, Corduroy turned to look at Gadget and leaned back, his hand gently clasping hers, drawing her attention fully on him. He smiled at her, prompting her to return a small smile. He then said, "I do not regret how things have turned out, and how things might be. Remember that. No matter what."

"B-but…" Gadget started to argue, but her mouth snapped shut when he shook his head.

"I am on borrowed time, and no, I will not have you putting yourself at risk any more than you already have. You have not done enough. You have done more than enough, and I am forever grateful."

He raised her hand to his lips and lightly kissed it, eliciting a bright red blush from the girl. Apparently onlookers saw that and cheered even more loudly. She tried not to grimace at the eager and cheering faces.

The people were ruining any moment she had and there was no end to their being paraded around by the Capitol.

Mere playthings for the Capitol's enjoyment, and nothing more.

In the distance, Gadget saw a brightly lit series of structures surrounding a massive wheel-like object. She knew something about this in history. But it's unique only to the Capitol. Due to the wars, and restrictions of technologies, even some recreational products were no longer available to the districts.

One more thing that President Snow liked to flaunt at the districts to remind them of their unending punishments for the actions of their ancestors.

He was magnanimous, but never would he forgive or forget.

And they were going to meet him.

Until now, she'd only seen him on the holoscreens, in books and pictures. Now she was going to meet a tyrant, a real monster, in person.

"I'm...I'm afraid," Gadget suddenly said.

Corduroy looked over at her. "What is it you are afraid of?"

"P-President…Snow."

He nodded. "Who would not be intimidated by him? But you are a victor, Gadget, his guest of honor."

"I know, b-but…" Gadget sighed, she didn't want to keep worrying about what he could decide to do with Corduroy, "...our lives are in his hands."

"And you hate it," Corduroy said knowingly.

"D-don't you?" Gadget asked plaintively.

Corduroy sighed, looking out thoughtfully. The crowds were thinning out, and there were now far more Peacekeepers lining the streets, facing the road and the passing car on either side. They were approaching the house of President Snow.

Corduroy lowered his head to look at his lap, then slowly turned back to Gadget, and he held her gaze. "Gadget, listen very carefully to this. It is a wisdom from District One, 'Be at peace with that which you can never change, have courage to change that which you can, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two.'"

Gadget kept her eyes on his, and she absorbed what he'd just told her, slowly nodding, finally accepting and understanding what he was saying. "O-okay."

It was not easy, but she would.

Large white pearlescent gates with gold filigree grew larger before them as the car approached the gates to the President's house. It took a full minute for the thirty-feet tall, three feet wide gates to fully open, before the car drove on in, heading up a white-tiled road on an upward slope. The wound through beautifully trimmed hedges, and fountains, before coming to an alcove that allowed visitors in luxury cars to disembark and head right into the guest wing of the house.

When the car arrived, Corduroy was the first one to step out, and the first thing Gadget heard was the loud clamoring of voices. He offered her an encouraging smile and extended his elbow for her to grasp.

President Snow's mansion stood grandly before them. On the other side of a golden gate, where a red carpet led them right into it. On either side of them, Gadget tried to ignore the crowds of people shouting her and Corduroy's name. A wall of Peacekeepers were the only things keeping them separated from herself and Corduroy. Awkward as he was, Corduroy maintained as steady a gait as he could. Gadget supported him as much as she held on to him for strength and comfort.

"GADGET!" they called.

"CORDUROY!" others yelled.

They waved something around in front of her, and Gadget realized with a horrified realization that it was pictures of herself. Pictures of herself and Corduroy. Pictures of her burning Binary to death.

The reminders were never going to end.

It was an autograph. These people all wanted her and Corduroy's autographs. Gadget had almost forgotten that she wasn't just a victor now. In the eyes of the Capitol, she was a celebrity.

Gadget swallowed and stepped forward with Corduroy towards the smallgate. She spotted Crispin leaning against it, his eyes turned downwards towards a small handheld device that he was fiddling with.

She was in public for the first time since the Hunger Games ended and she felt anything but safe. She was outside of the arena and she felt so totally helpless.

Her hands felt sweaty, and there was a cold grip on her heart as she and Corduroy grew closer to Crispin. He was far from the first person she had been around outside the arena that killed people. But it was the casualness with which he'd done so that shook her to her core.

She tried to ignore the people calling her name. She focused on Corduroy's presence right beside her. He had no idea of the danger Crispin possessed. He had no idea what he'd done to Mortimer.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Crispin asked finally, looking up as Gadget and Corduroy neared. He put the thing he'd been messing with in his jacket pocket and his lips quirked up in a small smile.

"Ready," Gadget timidly said.

"Then onwards we go!" Crispin announced, turning around and walking through the gate. Gadget held her breath as he went, and then she and Corduroy followed. As they crossed through the threshold, she heard the gate start to close behind them.

Into the malware file.

Gadget was terrified. Beetee and Wiress had warned her about what the banquet would contain. Where she and Corduroy were going to be brought before the highest authorities in all of Panem.

She stared at Crispin's back with wide, scared eyes. What if he just turned around and shot Corduroy dead? Just like what he'd done to Mortimer. The suddenness of it flashed through her mind, and she wondered if Corduroy could feel her pulse through her hand.

Nothing about this was safe. As the sound of the crowds started to dwindle, Crispin led them up step after step. Gadget counted each one as they passed. She wanted to say something to Corduroy. Anything. She looked at him with worry and he looked back at her. But the words never came out.

How furious would they be? Gadget tried to prepare herself. Two people had never survived the Hunger Games before and…and she had no idea how President Snow was going to treat her.

She only knew it wouldn't be good.

The front doors of the mansion appeared before them much too soon. On either side of the ornate wooden doors were two Avoxes, dressed head-to-toe in pure white. They bowed as they approached, and the sight made Gadget feel queasy. The casualness of it. How did the Capitol not see the Avoxes as people, too? They were even less than the tributes they watched on their holoscreens and television. Crispin didn't bat an eye at them, and the Avoxes grabbed the door handles, pulling them open.

Not slowing in the slightest, Crispin strode right through the opening, and Gadget and Corduroy silently followed. Behind them, the doors shut and Gadget resisted the want to turn around.

"It will be okay," Corduroy whispered, comfortingly squeezing her hand. Gadget squeezed back.

Would it be? Okay? Her chest wound up in anxiety. The closer they got to this dinner…the worse it became. Beetee and Wiress. And even Grid and Qwerty. They were already here. Snow must have designed it that way. For the victor to be the last to arrive.

There were power plays and strategems within every action of the President. Gadget had to consciously remind herself that every breath, every slight action, right down to the shifting of her eyes, would be viewed as a calculated act to President Snow, regardless of whether it was or wasn't. The man could take insult from her delaying her words for a second too long.

She suddenly wished she could invent a time machine just to get out of this moment. It was quite possibly more hair-raising than the Hunger Games itself.

Gadget gazed around at the walls of the mansion. The wallpaper alone was probably worth more than Zeno's house. She and Corduroy followed Crispin as he led them down the halls. Every door was shut except for one. The one door Crispin led them through. Gadget supposed Snow wasn't taking precautions in case a victor tried to escape.

Or if she urged Corduroy to try if things started to go badly.

It was rather telling that victors would actually seek to escape what ostensibly was just a meet-and-greet with the bigwigs of Panem. It came down to controlling the scene. Or as Seneca Crane liked to put it; telling a story, a narrative. And it would fit whatever Coriolanus Snow wanted it to be.

Much like the wheat stalk maze, Crispin led the pair through singularly open doors, and the way was clear, without any chance of a mistake. Every corridor held paintings, holovids, and statues, depicting the various districts in states of destruction. But contrasting with that, were images of even the Capitol showing signs of damage in various sections, somehow trying to paint themselves as the victims of an atrocity by the districts.

History is written by the victors.

If that were true, why didn't Gadget feel like she held any control over the narrative of what was playing out here now?

Crispin led them to a set of double-doors, and he grabbed onto the doorknobs and pushed them open with a grandiose gesture.

And as it opened, Gadget saw them. A long dining table took up the center of the hall; golden plaques with names were set by each chair. At the head of the table was President Snow himself. Even seated, he gave an imposing presence.

"Ah," Snow said as Gadget and Corduroy stepped through, "our…guest of honor."

Guest, not guests, Gadget noted that carefully. Corduroy was less than nothing to him. She could not mess this up. Snow had all the leverage, and she had less than an inch of floor to stand on.

Gadget swallowed. Her throat went dry. Crispin circled them to shut the door, but Gadget couldn't take her eyes off of Snow. The most powerful man in all of Panem, and here he was. Right in front of her. In front of her and Corduroy.

She felt like days went by in those few seconds.

Snow stared coldly back at her. His eyes…they were like a snake's. This man…he was capable of so much cruelty on a whim. He was the one in charge of Panem. And…and Gadget lived with his influence looming over her head for her entire life.

"Have a seat, Ms. Trevelyan," Snow said, gesturing in front of him. It didn't escape her notice how he failed to invite Corduroy to do much the same.

Nevertheless, as she moved forward, she saw the Avoxes pulling out and holding two chairs. From the position of the Avoxes, they were allowed to maintain their connection with one another. She and Corduroy took hesitant steps forward, out of obedience but also an abundance of caution. She couldn't help but notice how Snow pointedly refused to take his eyes off of her. The cold steely gaze made her extremely uncomfortable, and she knew that she was already in a bad state with the man. He already disapproved of her.

Gadget finally tore her gaze from Snow to examine the other people in the room. Some of them she recognized. High government officials. The Minister of Defense, Antonius Lazarus. Minister of District Relations, Mella Butler. Minister of Peace, Cyrus Rikkin. But the rest, she did not recognize.

Beside President Snow wasn't any of those officials, however. It was Burgundy. Gadget's step faltered halfway before she righted herself. What was he doing here? He was dressed nicely in white with crimson accents, and a black coat with what looked like rather heavy buckles. The white outfit underneath stretched up to his neck, hugging it. Gadget couldn't imagine that it was comfortable. His blue eyes hadn't left her once since she realized he was here. How long had he been looking at her?

Having two powerful men watching her like a piece of dirt on their pristine table was not in any form comfortable or ideal, not when her fate and Corduroy's rested in their hands.

On Snow's other side was a young girl, around Gadget's age. She wore a white dress, and a smile adorned her face. For a Capitolite, her attire was shockingly plain and simple. If anything, she looked like how the girls of the districts dressed on reaping day. The only variation was her dress was a resplendent white that was the same color as President Snow's suit. The collars were down flat but a little bit wider at the ends than usual. A large silver bow cinched around her waist, and if Gadget had to guess, her socks or stockings and shoes were shiny white or silver too. There was a neatly wrapped box beside her on the table, and she looked like she was practically bouncing in her seat.

Gadget found her seat. The golden plaque read her name…directly opposite from President Snow. She glanced up, and found Snow's cold eyes still on her. Like he was waiting to see what her decision would be. As if she even really had a choice.

It's as if he wants me to give him an excuse to have me killed.

She was certain that there had been times when victors probably went crazy or tried to do something desperate. Which was probably why there were so many people between the victor and the President. One didn't become a despot and live as long as President Snow without being smart or anticipating trouble all the time.

Still it is an oddly calming thought.

She consciously reminded herself that for all his power, if you removed it, he was a man, and would just as easily perish with a blade to the chest. The real trick was getting away with it. Rather pointless if you died alongside.

It took her a split second to realize how cavalierly she was considering taking a life.

I am a killer…

She could thank the Capitol and President Snow for that.

She sat down, and Corduroy sat down in a chair to her left. To her immediate right was Beetee, and Wiress was in the next chair over. Grid sat beside Corduroy, and Qwerty beside him. Gadget didn't pay Crispin any attention as he found his seat. But as Gadget glanced up, she saw a somewhat satisfied look on Snow's face.

Tension. Gadget could feel it in the air. Beetee folded his hands neatly in front of him, and Gadget copied him. She felt like she was being tested. As if her worth was being judged by Snow and everyone else at the table. Everyone except for Corduroy and Beetee and Wiress.

One of the chairs was missing an occupant, Gadget noticed. The only chair that was. Everyone else was here, and Gadget greatly doubted that it was for no reason.

"Seneca will not be joining us this evening," Snow revealed, his voice commanding. Gadget looked away from the empty chair to the powerful man. Nobody else said a word. Gadget dropped her left hand beneath the table, out of view. From the corner of her eye, she saw Corduroy do the same.

His fingers wrapped around hers, and Gadget gripped his hand back. It was going to be the only comfort she could find here in this mansion.

From beside Wiress, Crispin looked as though he was about to laugh, before his expression smoothed out into something more plain.

"But tonight is not about our esteemed Head Gamemaker," Snow continued to say. "Tonight is about our victor and…survivor."

The distaste was heavy in his words. Corduroy's survival was a mistake in the eyes of Snow. It made her clutch Corduroy's hand more firmly, and he tightened around hers. She didn't doubt that he heard the same distaste in Snow's voice that she did.

"Ms. Trevelyan, why don't you begin our meal with a few enlightened words?" Snow asked and Gadget's heart froze. It wasn't a request, no matter how he phrased the question.

"Oh…" Gadget stammered, leaning back in her chair. She grabbed a napkin off the table and laid it upon her lap with her free hand as her mind worked for something to say. Whilst pondering that, she slowly stood up, as it seemed proper to do so.

Beside Snow, the young girl smiled encouragingly at her. She even looked excited, seemingly anticipating something most interesting…from Gadget.

But what?

What was there she could say that would be enlightened, and not insulting nor smarmy? Why didn't anyone warn her about this?

Just speak from the heart, Gadget mentally told herself.

Clasping her hands before herself, she took a breath, then spoke, "Through the Games…I learnt, the value of strength, courage, fear...and the will…to live."

She locked eyes with President Snow, and for a moment, she saw something alight within his eyes, before it vanished again.

Then she looked at Corduroy and smiled. "The last of which is what saw me through to this moment, and I fully intend…to keep going."

When she uttered her last three words, it was as much a resolution to herself and a show of some backbone. Though the President showed no outward reaction to those words, he did not appear impressed or pleased. But he nodded nonetheless. In contrast, the girl next to him was positively beaming, and possibly vibrating with sheer excitement too. The rest of the people at the table seemed to murmur some form of agreement or approval.

For a moment, she was reminded of Lace.

A gesture from Snow reminded Gadget that she was still standing, and she quickly retook her seat, looking over at Beetee and Wiress, who were smiling proudly at her. On the other side, Grid was looking thoughtfully at her, whilst Qwerty continued to look anywhere but at Gadget.

"That was quite well put together, Gadget," Corduroy said, smiling at her.

"Th-thank you," Gadget replied, her sense of nervousness returning now.

The Avoxes from the kitchen began to arrive, carrying platters and trays laden with fresh-cooked food.

As the scent of cooked meat wafted over, even though herbs and spices were intermixed in its preparation, the smell of burnt flesh suddenly reminded Gadget of how much she smelt cooked meat, and how little the smell of it varied from what she now smelt. It turned her stomach, and she looked green enough for Corduroy, Beetee and Wiress to notice.

None asked why she was so, but all gave her a sympathetic look. Each of them had seen some kind of horror in some way.

Snow could surely perceive refusal to eat or even upchucking as an insult. Anything could be perceived as an insult, and she was going to have to play this Game for the remainder of her life.

It wasn't going to be a long one at this rate.

One of the Avoxes put a plate in front of her, and Gadget stared down at the meal. The smell wafted through her nostrils and Gadget tried to hold back just how queasy she really felt.

"Please, Ms. Trevelyan," Snow said from across the table. "Eat."

He knew exactly what he was doing. Another…another way of hurting, no matter how slight. She ignored the looks of concern that she was sure Corduroy, Beetee, and Wiress gave her, and stuck her fork in a small slab of meat. Nervously, almost unsurely, she brought it between her teeth and bit down, tearing it off.

The taste was rich. And it was nothing like the burnt flesh she envisioned in her mind. But that fact didn't help her any more. She wanted to spit it out. She couldn't get it out of her head. The idea that she was chewing on someone's skin.

Strictly speaking, I am...was the unhelpful thought.

Gadget swallowed, and tried hard to resist the urge to gag. She felt sick. She glanced up at Snow, but his expression was completely neutral as he slid a chunk of meat into his mouth.

Just…just get this over with, Gadget, she thought to herself, sticking her fork into another slice of meat. Had Snow made sure that the meat smelt this way just because of her? To punish her for…for saving Corduroy at the very last second? If she hadn't…the Gamemakers probably would have gotten away with finishing him off without anyone knowing.

The thought made her glance over at the empty chair that was supposed to be meant for Seneca Crane.

"Grandpa? Can I?" the girl beside Snow asked suddenly and Gadget looked towards them. Grandpa? Then…that meant that girl was…Snow's granddaughter.

Her meal was practically untouched, just as Gadget's was. She seemed the very definition of excited, and although she couldn't see it, she got the impression that the girl was kicking her feet under the table.

Snow's expression seemed to warm, if only slightly. Yet at the same time, he looked as though he was debating the pros and cons of something Gadget could not begin to understand.

Finally, he said, "Very well, my love."

The girl beamed. She pushed her chair back and picked up her wrapped box from the table. She got up and walked down the side of the table, a skip in her step. Gadget's heart started to beat as she approached, the girl's expression taking on something far more shy.

Was this…another sort of game? A test of some sort? Gadget tapped her finger on her knife unsurely as the girl approached. "Hi!" she said shyly. "I'm Mavis!"

"Uhm," Gadget said eloquently. "G-Gadget," she replied, though everyone probably knew that at this point, but…decorum and all that. She didn't want to look at Snow to see what he thought. She didn't want to face him, least of all now, when his granddaughter stood right in front of her. If she said something wrong…how would Snow retaliate.

Mavis smiled bashfully, and then thrust out the wrapped box. "This is for you!" she said.

Gadget looked at it, and slowly raised her hands to take the box from Mavis. "Thank you," she said softly. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

Mavis bounced eagerly from foot to foot. "Open it!" she insisted.

Gadget bit her lip. A present was the last thing she expected. And anything could be inside. Her words felt dry on her tongue and all she could do was stare between the box and Mavis.

"Okay," she said at last, grabbing the seam in the box as she did. She hesitated one last time, before she tore the wrapping paper off of the box. Everyone's eyes were on her, she knew. It didn't matter what was inside, not really. What mattered was that she showed appreciation, no matter what.

If she didn't…she feared what Snow would do to her or Corduroy.

The wrapped paper tore off relatively easily. In smooth motions that took Gadget by surprise for a moment. She took it off and laid the paper on her lap. The box itself was black, and the light reflected off the sleekness of it. The box alone looked more expensive than all of her belongings combined.

She could feel Corduroy holding his breath beside her. She wondered if he thought the same thing she did. But Gadget grabbed the edge of the box and flipped it open, and her jaw dropped in surprise.

"Do you like it?" Mavis asked meekly.

Gadget gently wrapped her fingers around the small statue of Corduroy and lifted it from the box. It looked…it looked so much like him. The details were incredible. Gadget glanced up across the table at Snow, and she didn't think he looked too pleased.

"Yes," Gadget said simply. Her eyes slid back to the statue and she rotated it in her hand. "Thank you," she said to Mavis, looking at the girl in question. A radiant smile took up her lips, and she stepped back.

"Looks quite a bit like me," Corduroy commented and Gadget nodded with a forced smile. She couldn't ignore what this meant. How the Capitol manufactured things like this for the enjoyment of the people. Used their likeness to…sell things.

They were toys to the Capitol. Playthings. Not real people.

"No," Mavis said suddenly, shaking her head, and Gadget looked at her. "It looks a lot like you!" she proclaimed, rushing the words out as if she was unsure of what she was saying. Then, before anyone knew it, she darted forward and put her arms around Corduroy in a hug.

The act caught the boy so off guard, he nearly reeled back, and it was only Gadget's own quick reflexes that held him upright for that moment, and the adrenaline rush that came with the belief they were once again under attack began to ebb as quickly as it came. It was just a hug. But this was how tense they were now.

She spotted Corduroy's hand on a dinner knife quickly retract.

It said a lot about how wired they were for violence. A cursory glance around showed many of the Peacekeepers tensed, one surreptitiously shifting his grip on his rifle to a less direct aim after Corduroy had ceased attempting to defend himself. Also, Gadget could see President Snow was visibly displeased, but his face gradually shifted to a more calculating one.

Mavis, for her part, was completely oblivious to the sheer amount of tension she'd just caused from a simple act.

And Gadget now felt guilty for how very nearly she had almost jeopardized her and Corduroy's safety.

Corduroy, however, was quick enough to reciprocate the girl's hug, and when she let go, she was smiling happily. "I couldn't get a Gadget replica for you, but I want you to know I'm a fan!"

Corduroy lowered his head for a moment, then when he looked back at her, he was matching her smile. "I thank you, Mavis, and I am glad I got to meet you."

The girl bounced on her feet, made a small pleased noise, and scampered back to the other end of the table and sat down, with President Snow placing a hand on her back gently.

Gadget carefully put the statue back in the box and closed it. She sent a forced smile towards Mavis one last time. Mavis…seemed to be kind enough. It was a better present than the ones Zeno had given her, or lack thereof.

But…it would also serve as a reminder. To remember Corduroy when they were going to inevitably be separated.

She didn't know what to think.

An Avox approached to take away the wrapping paper while Gadget put the box on the table beside her. She had to resume her meal. It pained her with each swallow, but she could do it.

The rest of the meal passed by in relative silence, with occasional murmurs of conversation between people. She could feel Beetee and Wiress' attention seemingly on her even when they were not looking. It was touching to know they still cared, or were looking out for her. Only when Gadget swallowed the last slice of meat on her plate did President Snow excuse them. The crowning ceremony would begin soon, and Snow told them to mingle while they could.

It was a chance to get Snow and Burgundy's eyes off her. At least directly.

She stood up, and watched as others filed out first, including Corduroy and the previous victors.

She had to wait until they were gone before she could leave too, and all the while, she could still feel at least three sets of eyes on herself, out of which only one was remotely friendly.

Gadget practically ran out of the room towards the only place she could go. She went down the steps into the courtyard, where voices became louder and louder. She didn't know where Beetee, Wiress, or Corduroy had gone and, for a moment, Gadget didn't care.

She felt ill.

She stepped up to one of the tables that held more food than Gadget had seen in one place in her entire life. But she planted her hand against it and leaned forward, and took a sharp, shallow breath.

This felt awful. She didn't want to be here. But there were worse places. Places Gadget wouldn't wish on anyone. Guilt encompassed her. She had left Corduroy behind with barely a second thought. What kind of friend was she?

"Enjoying the party?" someone asked, and Gadget turned around. It was a blond man, if slightly overweight. He looked distantly familiar to her, but she couldn't place why. Someone she had seen in a crowd once?

No, Gadget thought. "Yes," she said instead.

The man smiled. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, smiling lazily. He extended his hand. "Plutarch Heavensbee."

Gadget hesitated, then reached up to shake his hand. What did this man want? If he was here, at this banquet, then he was important in some way. His clothing was rather subdued, despite the fanciness of it. A deep shade of purple, and Gadget saw that he wore a watch on his wrist.

"You don't remember me," Plutarch stated flatly, though his smile never dimmed. Gadget felt herself flush. But alarm rang in her head.

"N-no," Gadget said, stepping back as she said it. Her dead eyes quickly scanned for an escape. If this man…if he was who she thought he was…

"I watched your private session," Plutarch said casually, and Gadget felt breath leave her lungs. "You did your best. My co-workers didn't quite agree."

Gamemaker, Gadget thought, swallowing hard. She knew it. This man was dangerous. Highly dangerous. Did…did he create any of the mutts that attacked her? Was he responsible for creating the Harbinger? The mutt that killed Peeta?

Gadget sucked in a shaky breath, but she felt like she was locked in place. Where was Corduroy? What did Plutarch want from her?

"And next year," Plutarch said, just as casually as before, "I think you'll see me as the Head Gamemaker."

What? Gadget's mind rang in confusion. She took a sip of her water, downing the rest of the liquid as her mind worked for a response. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to talk to this man. But she didn't understand.

"Wh-where's Seneca Crane?" Gadget squeaked out, fidgeting with her empty cup. Her eyes darted everywhere but Plutarch's face. She had to be careful about what she said. Especially here of all places. They could do something truly terrible to…to Corduroy if she said something wrong.

"Oh, Seneca," Plutarch said with a sigh, but he didn't sound any different from the rest of their conversation. "He was…fired," he told her with lazy emphasis.

Oh. Gadget bit her lip in anxiety. She knew what Plutarch meant. Images of Seneca Crane passed through her mind. Of him being set alight just as she'd done to Binary. Images of Seneca Crane screaming flew through her, and Gadget had no doubt that Plutarch chose his words very carefully.

Somewhere in the Capitol, Seneca Crane was burnt to a crisp for what she had done. He was dead and…and Gadget didn't know what that meant. Someone was going to replace him as Head Gamemaker and…

She couldn't speak. She couldn't move. She tried to force herself to appear casual, but she felt anything but. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts and she wanted to run away so desperately, but she was stuck, paralyzed with fear as she looked at the man in front of her.

"I might get chosen for the job," Plutarch said, "reaped, like you were."

That was not a fair comparison. Did Plutarch even see her as a person? Or would he just be like Seneca Crane? How would he be any different from the stories that Seneca Crane tried to build? The gall he had to compare himself to a tribute in being reaped...then again, Seneca Crane wouldn't be the first Gamemaker to die for displeasing President Snow in some way, and it honestly didn't take much to displease the man. Maybe Plutarch had a point...

Gadget was afraid to find out. She was going to have to mentor someone next year and she was terrified to find out what exactly that would entail. How did anyone go through that year after year?

She could only nod at Plutarch as he spoke. His words didn't register, muffled by the fear that clutched her. If she left before he wanted her to, would he punish Corduroy? Or would he take it out on her…her…her tribute in the next Games?

Gadget had to resist the tears she felt prickling in her eyes. She was in so much trouble. So much danger. All the hope she'd felt that she would be wrong about what the aftermath of the Games would look like faded into nothing. She was never going to be free.

Why, why, why did things have to be this way!? This wasn't fair. Gadget ran her finger along the brim of her cup, nodding along to something else Plutarch said. Wasn't this…also an opportunity? If he was going to be the next Head Gamemaker then…then she should try to work that to her advantage.

Gadget swallowed again, and she meekly voiced, "What-what's going to happen to Corduroy?" She had to hope he would give her something. Not even Snow gave her anything to work with during dinner. It was like he was disgusted by Corduroy's survival.

Plutarch seemed to ponder her question. Gadget knew it was a gamble to ask. This was a risk, just voicing her question. But she had to know. And…if it led to herself being punished…she could take that, so long as Corduroy was safe.

"It isn't my decision," Plutarch said at last, "but it is my understanding that he is not a victor. Therefore, he will still have his name in the reaping."

Gadget's stomach dropped. No…

Certain death. The Capitol wasn't going to let this mistake stand. Gadget should have known from the beginning that they wouldn't. They…were going to 'correct' this mistake next year. Or the year after. Or the one after that. Gadget was certain. She had done nothing but put Corduroy on borrowed time.

"Oh…" she said aloud, even as horror soaked her down to the bone. What were the chances that every name in the boy's reaping bowl in District Eight had already been completely replaced with Corduroy's name?

Chills ran up and down her body, and she wanted to scream at Plutarch how that wasn't fair. They had both survived! They should both be safe!

"Any, uh, uhm…" Gadget trailed off. Her panic clung to her like a shadow. Her chest felt constricted, and that it was getting harder to breathe. Sweat lined her brow and temples…and Gadget knew she was about to have a panic attack.

"Gadget," she heard Corduroy say and she swiveled on her feet to see her friend. She wondered if he'd noticed the distress on her face as she saw him glance at Plutarch. He put his arm around her shoulder and gently pulled her in close. "Breathe slowly, Gadget. Okay?"

"Yes," Gadget squeaked. She sucked in harshly for breath, and blew it back out. I am okay, she told herself. It's going to be okay, she tried to tell herself.

"Now breathe slowly," Corduroy said. "In," he lifted his hand for emphasis, and Gadget did as he told her. Air filled her lungs. "Hold on to that for four seconds," Corduroy gently said, and Gadget followed his instructions. She held onto her breath, counting down from four as she felt a state of calm trickle into her. "Now release," Corduroy said. And Gadget did. The air passed back out through her lips, and her grateful eyes found his. "Better?"

"Yeah," Gadget replied. She did. She did feel better. Her hand grasped his and his thumb rubbed soothing circles on the back of her palm. She'd tried to reassure her thoughts that everything would be fine, but it wouldn't be. Gadget knew that it wouldn't be.

And she resolved herself to fight against that. Corduroy was alive, and she wasn't going to lose her best friend to anything. If maybe she played her hand right, President Snow would spare them both.

"I," Plutarch started; if he was perturbed by Gadget's near panic attack, he didn't show it, "must be going. Meetings to attend to." He angled his watch for Gadget to see, and for a brief moment she saw a bird flash across the watch screen. Far too quick for her to identify. But then Plutarch dropped his arm and walked off.

Gadget nervously bounced from foot to foot. That man could be the next Head Gamemaker. How many people was he already responsible for killing? And what would happen if he did become the next Head Gamemaker? What then? Another image of Seneca Crane's burnt body shot through her mind. Smoke coming off of him as he lay crumpled on the floor. Just as she had done to Binary.

"Here," she heard Corduroy say and her eyes focused on him as he took her empty cup out of her hand. She had forgotten she had even still been holding that. Corduroy deposited it on a nearby table.

"Thanks," Gadget said simply. She was so incredibly lucky. So lucky that he survived. Her fingers joined his, rubbing soothing circles into the back of his palm as his did to hers.

Corduroy shot her an enigmatic smile. There was a glint in his eyes that made Gadget's heart skip a beat. Gently, he took her other hand in his and he asked, "Would you like to dance with me?"

"Dance?" Gadget asked, her lip quirking. She could see the amusement in his gaze. "I-I don't kn-know how," she stammered awkwardly.

"I do not, either," Corduroy reassured. He gestured over to a circular dance floor where Gadget saw a few people dancing with each other. Up on a stage were musicians playing soft, pleasant music. Nothing like the ones Gadget had heard played between her arrival in the Capitol, and that recap with Caesar.

"Okay," she said meekly.

"Okay?" Corduroy asked, a grin pulling at the corner of his lips even higher.

"Okay," Gadget repeated, a shiver of excitement darting up her spine. With a wide grin, Corduroy gently pulled them towards the dance floor, and Gadget ignored the eyes that were on her. It was inevitable that people would watch her. But she kept her gaze on Corduroy and her immediate surroundings.

There were only a few people on the dance floor. Capitolites that danced with far more experience and expertise than Gadget would have been able to. The music didn't stop. Had it stopped at all Gadget had arrived in this place? It must have. The musicians needed breaks.

Corduroy stopped and his eyes met with hers. He raised his hand and Gadget took it, wrapping her fingers around his palm.

"Ready?" he asked. He pulled his other hand out of hers, reaching towards her face with slow, deliberate movements. Gadget gave a shallow nod as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

Corduroy joined his hand with hers again, taking a single step back as he did so. He looked so…at peace here. It made Gadget smile. The music sounded all around her, and Gadget tried to pay attention to it.

He softly pulled on her left hand, twisting her left shoulder forward towards him. Then, as she pulled back, he did the same to her right. Her body twisted left and right, to the flow of the music that came from the instruments.

Gadget started to grin. She pulled back harder, and this time it was Corduroy's turn to be forced into the same dance he'd put her through. She hopped a step to the right, and Corduroy stepped to the left, mimicking her action despite the limp in his leg.

How did something so simple feel so freeing!? Gadget laughed, almost silently. But Corduroy's face lit up and he swung their hands together. The music, rhythmic as it was, only encouraged her and Gadget felt her confidence build. So what if people were looking?

She felt bold. Gadget danced forward, closing the distance between herself and Corduroy just like that. She twisted her body awkwardly, pulling her arms over Corduroy's head, and throwing herself behind him, her chest to his back.

"I thought you could not dance," Corduroy teased, looking over his shoulder at her. Gadget smiled.

They rocked back and forth on their heels, Gadget's arms wrapped around Corduroy in a hug, while his own remained firmly in her grasp. She…she felt so happy. For a second, Gadget forgot all about the Hunger Games. She forgot all about the Victory Banquet. She forgot all about President Snow. She forgot all except for Corduroy and herself.

Corduroy flipped himself around suddenly, maneuvering her hands easily so he could face her again. He looked to be having as much fun as she was. Gadget lifted their hands, and Corduroy copied her, until their palms were flat against each other.

When was the last time she had had this much fun? It was so simple. So…inconsequential. And she loved it. Corduroy hopped backward, landing on his good leg, and dropping his other in front of it, tapping his heel to the rhythm.

Gadget's grin grew wider. She slid back on her feet, leaning forward at her waist and tapped her heel. Was music picking up speed? Or were she and Corduroy dancing faster? Gadget didn't care. Her breathing started to pick up and she and Corduroy disconnected their hands. It seemed that he thought the same thing she was.

Corduroy snapped his fingers to the music, his hand waving back and forth by his side. What could Gadget do but do something similar? She grabbed the hem of her skirt and moved it back and forth to Corduroy's snaps.

Her hair started to loosen from the intricate designs that Nero tied for her. But Gadget again couldn't bring herself to care. She was having too much fun to care.

Corduroy offered out his hand, and Gadget released her dress to grab it. Her actions were awkward, Gadget knew. But as she and Corduroy twisted into a small spin, it didn't matter to her if people watched. Corduroy didn't seem to mind either. His smile was as wide as Gadget knew her own to be. As they moved, the air slapped against her face, cooling it down from the heat that had built upon her.

They slid back and forth, their feet never ceasing to tap the floor. Did the music build upon it or did they build on the music? Gadget laughed, lighter than last time, and Corduroy looked so incredibly pleased.

So…so happy.

The music started to wind down, growing slower and slower. It seemed to guide Gadget as she slowed her tapping heel, and Corduroy did the same. Her cheeks were red from the heat and what they had done. She didn't look away from him and he didn't look away from her.

Her fingers curled around Corduroy's, and his did the same. There was a softness in his expression that Gadget liked. It made her smile grow brighter. They swayed back and forth, even as the music came to a slow end. Gadget supposed that this was the break she had wondered about.

Gadget stepped closer to Corduroy and he did the same, closing the distance between them until there were inches of space.

"Thanks," Gadget said. "That was fun," she said, her voice unable to contain her enthusiasm. She sucked in a breath and wiped her forehead with her arm.

"It was," Corduroy replied with so much warmth Gadget thought her heart might burst. "There is no one else I would rather dance with."

Gadget blushed, and she thanked the heat in her face that hid it. She gazed at Corduroy with a large grin. With her free hand, she fiddled with his lapel. He looks…handsome, she realized with a startle, and blood rushed to her cheeks once more.

"Hi," a girl said, and the interruption brought Gadget back to reality. There were far more people on the dance floor than before. And beside them, Mavis nervously wrung her hands together. "Can I…?" she started to ask, then trailed off.

"Would you like to dance?" Corduroy asked kindly. Mavis nodded with a small smile.

Gadget pulled her hand from Corduroy. "Have fun," she told Corduroy, hoping beyond anything that her blushing had stopped.

"I will see you soon," Corduroy told her as Mavis stepped up.

Gadget stepped off the dance floor with a wide smile. It felt…freeing! She glanced back at Corduroy and Mavis, letting out a small chuckle as he awkwardly danced to Mavis' more experienced movement.

It was strange. Seeing the granddaughter of President Snow behave most unlike whatever Gadget had expected. She could practically feel Snow's stare on her from his balcony, and she didn't dare look. He loomed over them, but in this moment in time, Gadget felt happy.

She ambled aimlessly, trying to ignore the looks from the Capitolites as she went. That dance with Corduroy had been the only pleasant part of the evening, and Gadget latched onto it. Her smile had yet to dim. Even though her crowning ceremony was going to happen at any time, she felt herself floating from her dance.

Gadget turned to look back at the dance floor. Despite Mavis clearly being far more of an expert at dancing, Gadget could still see how shy she was, as she let Corduroy lead the two of them.

A plate of drinks came into view beside her, and Gadget saw the sleeve of an Avox in the corner of her eye. "Thanks," she muttered quietly, taking a glass of water from the plate. Sorrow for the Avox built in her chest, and part of her wondered what led them into getting to this point. What did they do to deserve this? They were alive, but they were slaves.

Was it worse than even being in the Hunger Games? Gadget didn't know. She didn't want to know.

Gadget tilted slightly to get a better look at the Avox that was serving her, and her heart stopped. The glass she'd picked up from the plate slipped out of her hands and shattered to the ground.

All of the pleasantness she'd felt disappeared in a whirlwind of emotion. No…NO!

The Avox…they'd changed his appearance. Cut his hair off, and stuck him in an white outfit that the rest of the Avoxes in this mansion wore. But his face was the same. Only now, there was a look of utter desolation in his eyes.

Septimius was an Avox.

No!

"No…" Gadget whimpered, her voice low enough so that only Septimius heard her. This couldn't be happening. Why!? Gadget looked at him, horrified. Her blood had run cold. Her heart began to hammer in her chest. And she felt sweat on the back of her neck.

Oh…oh no…

Sobs escaped her, and Gadget leaned over to catch herself on her knees, staring blankly at Septimius' shoes. She felt like she was going to throw up. Was everyone looking at her? She couldn't do this! This was…how was…

Gadget stumbled back with bleary eyes. She couldn't think straight beyond one fact. Septimius is an Avox!

Her shoes crunched against the broken glass, and she tried to look at Septimius again. The man who was so kind to her. Who had looked after her and protected her within the Capitol. He seemed so sad, and he subtly shook his head. There were tears in his eyes, too.

Devastation. It hit her like a knife through her heart. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and she twisted around on her heels. How many people stared at her? Gadget didn't care. She rushed away, sobbing as she went. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she felt the true opposite of the floating feeling she'd had when she and Corduroy had danced. She felt heavy. Like a thousand weights were pulling her down to the ground.

Septimius…she couldn't talk to him ever again. They turned him into a slave! And…and…

Gadget's cries redoubled, and she passed through towards a staircase, and out of the party's view. It would take her down into the lower area of the party, but Gadget didn't care. She grasped onto the stone railing and put her head over the edge.

This was…this was evil! Was this a punishment? Punishment for her bringing Corduroy back onto the hovercraft alive? Her tears dropped from her face to the ground far below.

She couldn't believe it. "Noo…" she cried softly. He didn't deserve this. He didn't!

Gadget put her palm over her mouth to muffle her cries and leaned away from the railing. She lowered herself onto the steps of the stairwell, and sat down.

It wasn't like she planned it with Corduroy. It was a happy accident! But Snow would never see it that way. The bastard.

Lace…Peeta…Septimius. Was the Capitol going to take everyone she cared about? She glanced fearfully at the entrance to the stairwell. There was no door, and Gadget could hear the party goers laughing and talking. She couldn't let them hurt Corduroy, too. If they did, then…then…she would have no one left. Not really.

Corduroy…she cared so much about him. Gadget didn't know she could care for someone so much. He…he made her feel safe when she was near him. He made her feel so, so happy.

"Gadget Trevelyan," a raspy voice said from behind her, and Gadget gasped in surprise and turned around to see the newcomer.

It was Burgundy. Gadget's nerves flared and she stood up on shaky feet, wiping her eyes with her arms. "I-I was go-going to find Corduroy," she stammered quietly, taking a step to go past the victor from District One.

But Burgundy raised his arm, blocking her way out. Nervously, she looked at him, meeting his merciless eyes with her own. Beetee, Wiress…Grid and Qwerty…they'd alluded to how dangerous Burgundy was. And she had helped Corduroy kill Marvel.

She gulped as she fearfully gazed at his feet. He didn't want her to leave. What would happen to her if she tried to?

"I've never made a mistake I've regretted so thoroughly," Burgundy said at last. His voice was so cold. "But my mistakes can be rectified. Yours cannot."

Gadget looked up, a whimper escaping her throat. His blue eyes bored into her. She knew he was talking about Corduroy. Was he going to tell her everything that Snow didn't?

"I tried to help a monster," Burgundy said, completely unmoving. Was he going to do to her as he did to Marvel? Wrap his hands around her throat? Gadget breathed heavily through her nose, putting her hand on the stone railing, if just to hold onto something.

"Please…please don't…" Gadget said softly, begging. Please don't hurt him.

"Where do you think your sponsors came from, Gadget Trevelyan?" Burgundy asked and Gadget blinked in shock.

How did…?

"You?" Gadget asked, her voice a whisper. She took a step back onto the stairwell, and Burgundy instantly began to follow. Where her foot once was, Burgundy claimed it with his own. He was mere inches away from her, invading her personal space.

"Who else would have enough wealth to spill on you?" Burgundy asked, his expression unchanging. He took a step forward, encroaching further into Gadget's space, and forcing her back another step.

Gadget frantically glanced down at her feet, careful about where she stood. "But…I don't…why?"

"My mistake," Burgundy replied plainly, "was giving you those sponsors in the first place. I didn't realize what you were going to become."

He took another step forward, practically nudging Gadget off the step as he forced her backward. "You…you bypassed B-Beetee and Wi-Wiress," she stuttered fearfully. Everything clicked into place all at once in her panicking mind.

Burgundy forced her back again with another step. His scarred face remained utterly neutral. Like she was nothing to him. But she could see the rage simmering behind his blue eyes.

"I…I…" Gadget didn't know what to say. She frantically scanned her surroundings, searching for an escape. But then Burgundy took another step forward, forcing her both backward and to redirect her attention to him again.

"I thought the skein was telling me that you were important," Burgundy said, his raspy voice sending chills down her spine. "Now I understand."

Gadget swallowed. Burgundy pushed forward, and Gadget felt her feet collide with the solid ground. He'd pushed her to the corner of the staircase. And there was no escape. She couldn't get out of here.

"Now I understand the threads weren't telling me how important you are," Burgundy told her, and as he took one more step forward, Gadget's back hit the wall. He had cornered her so easily. Fear paralyzed her, and she breathed heavily into the space between them.

Burgundy reached up, his eyes flickering up to something above Gadget's head. She followed his hand with her gaze, and she whimpered again.

His hand wrapped around something only he could see. "They were telling me how dangerous you are," Burgundy said, and for the first time, there was a shift in his tone. He sounded furious.

Gadget squeaked. She tried to push herself back, get herself as far away from Burgundy as possible. But it wasn't. All she had at her back was a wall, and no way that she could slip from out of his way.

"Please…please don't hurt me," she said fearfully. Burgundy's eyes trailed down, landing on what Gadget was sure were reddish eyes.

"Hurt you like you hurt President Snow?" he asked. The fury was gone, hidden beneath a veneer of sanity.

There would be no reasoning with him. She should have tried to run when she had the chance. At least he wouldn't have been able to hurt her in public.

What was he going to do to her!? Gadget's mind was a mess of panic. She…she was supposed to be safe after the Hunger Games ended! She was…she was…

"Everywhere you go, Gadget Trevelyan," Burgundy said, leaning his head close so that their faces were only inches apart, "I will have eyes on you. The skein's warning won't slip through my understanding again."

"Please," Gadget begged again, shaking her head frantically. "I won't do anything! I won't!"

"And you expect me to believe that?" Burgundy asked. "After what you've done to destroy the sanctity of the Games?"

Burgundy lowered his hand, grasping Gadget hard by the chin, pulling her face hard to look at him. His nails dug into her skin and she gasped in pain and surprise. It stung, and her only mercy was that he didn't grip her hard enough to break skin.

"No," he said.

Gadget stared fearfully at him. So much of it burned in her chest. She wanted this so much to all be over…but it never would be. President Snow…Burgundy…what were they going to do to her?

"Mortimer Cass was easy to dispose of," Burgundy told her a moment later.

Shock. It flooded her system like a bucket of ice cold water. "What?" she asked softly. Did…did he…

"Nero Amberhide was much more easy to influence. He was almost happy follow the threads," Burgundy revealed.

No…no no…

"It was you," Gadget said, the realization hitting her all at once. "You had M-Mortimer killed!" she stuttered. Which meant that… "You…you…turned Septimius into an A-A-Avox," she whimpered despairingly.

"He was in the way. Just as Mortimer was," Burgundy stated, just as if he was talking about the weather. Anger started to flare inside of Gadget. How? How could he have enough influence to do this? To destroy Septimius' life like that?

"Why…?" Gadget asked. Her anger and despair mixed together…and she felt so completely hopeless.

"Why?" Burgundy repeated, as though he couldn't comprehend her question. "Because the skein and the threads told me to."

That wasn't an answer, not really.

Gadget resisted the urge to cry. It was Burgundy all along. Burgundy who had Mortimer killed. Burgundy who sent her supplies for her things. And it was Burgundy who had Septimius turned into an Avox. How could someone be so cruel? Septimius hadn't done anything. He didn't! He didn't deserve this!

"I had to keep an eye on you when you won," Burgundy stated. His nails started to dig into her skin ever harder. His gaze began to narrow on her. The pain made her whimper once more.

Hopelessness. That was the next thing she felt. This wasn't fair. Septimius didn't deserve this. Neither did Lace or Peeta. And Corduroy…he didn't deserve to lose his friends. Why…why did they inflict so much suffering on them?

"Leave them alone…please," Gadget cried softly.

But Burgundy didn't answer her. He reached into his coat pocket and produced something Gadget thought…had hoped she would never see again. It was the knife Binary had stolen off of Corduroy. Its blade still held the red sheen of nightlock.

"They'll think it was a heart attack," Burgundy stated impassively.

Gadget shook her head with feverish agitation. She couldn't escape. There was no way out! "No, don't!"

Burgundy lowered the knife so that it was pointed directly at her. No amount of begging would get him to stop. Gadget could only stare at the blade in fear. For what else could she do? He didn't have to press it hard into her. Nor deep. All it would take was a small cut from it, and she would be dead.

Footsteps echoed off the stone walls, and Gadget quickly looked over Burgundy's shoulder, a cry for help already on her lips. Burgundy lowered the knife down to his side, and turned sideways to see the newcomer.

Grid walked down the steps, his hand on the railing. He looked between the two of them and Gadget could see the suspicion clouding his features. "Volke," he said.

"Grid Croil," Burgundy replied. Grid's eyes slid to the knife in Burgundy's grip, and his gaze flashed with recognition. But Burgundy simply slipped it back into his coat pocket.

"Grid," Gadget whimpered, and Grid's eyes darted back up to her. He'd seen the knife. Recognized it. He knew exactly what it was.

"I'll be taking Ms. Trevelyan," Grid said. It wasn't a request.

Relief. It wrapped around Gadget in a comfortable embrace. She didn't think she would ever be so happy to see Grid before.

"No. You won't," Burgundy said flatly and Gadget fearfully looked at him. "Now leave us, please."

Grid's eyes narrowed. He reached the last step of the staircase, removing his hand off the railing as he made it to the bottom. "Gadget," he said, and she startled at the use of her first name, "is a victor in the Hunger Games. This is her night. Leave her be."

Burgundy slowly turned towards Grid. He seemed annoyed, but Gadget couldn't tell. She slid against the wall silently, minutely moving away from Burgundy and in Grid's direction.

Grid stepped closer and, without an answer from Burgundy, he extended his hand out for Gadget without looking at her. His eyes never left Burgundy. She grabbed his hand and pulled away from the wall quickly, in a hurry to escape from the other man.

"We'll be going now, Volke," Grid said. Gadget already had one foot on the step, climbing the stairs as Grid began to back up.

Gadget didn't need to see her reflection to know that her face was twisted in panic. Burgundy's revelations thundered in her head. Grid remained at her back as she reached the top step, and the old man kept his eyes firmly on the victor from District One.

"I was wrong about you," Grid said at last, the words sending a shock of surprise through Gadget's core. He backed up onto the top step, and finally turned away from Burgundy where he stood. "You were stronger than I made you out to be," he complimented.

"Oh…" Gadget said, flushing. Was he only being nice to her because she won? Or did he mean it? She sped up her pace, quickly to get away from the stairwell she'd gone down. The loudness of the party that returned so abruptly almost made senses become overstimulated.

Grid kept up with her. He didn't bother to look back the way they'd come, and Gadget fought the urge to glance, to see if Burgundy would follow them.

"You did well for yourself," Grid said. "Better than I expected." That barely felt like a compliment. Almost like a slap. "But you proved me wrong about friends in the Hunger Games."

Gadget stopped, and so did Grid. There were so many things she wished to say. But she said nothing. The only thing she could thank him for was getting her away from Burgundy.

"Why did you…why did you help Binary?" she finally asked. "After everything?"

This time it was Grid's turn to stay silent. Gadget looked at him out of the corner of her eye, expectantly waiting for an answer. Then, he said, "He was from District Three as much as you."

"Wh-what about Qwerty?" Gadget asked. She turned her head to get a better look at Grid.

"She'll get over it eventually," Grid said simply. There was a look on his face that suggested that there was more he wanted to say, before deciding against it. "Enjoy your party, Ms. Trevelyan. This all happened because of you."

Grid walked off and Gadget watched him go. Those last words ominously rang through her mind. It was as though he said so much in just a short, quick sentence. What else would happen because of her? What…what punishments would President Snow set upon her?

Gadget looked around. She really almost couldn't wait until this party was over. There were too many people. Too many dangers. There was a gathering of people by one of the tables, shoving as much food into their mouths as they could. Food that could have gone to her home in District Three, and helped to stave off her starvation.

She started to turn, but stopped still when she saw Crispin. He had one small, round table all to himself, his feet planted casually on one of the chairs. How long has he been watching me? Gadget wondered. His gaze was on her, and when he saw her look back at him, he brought his hand up to wave his fingers at her.

How many other people did Burgundy have watching her? When was the last time she truly had any privacy? How many eyes did he have on her? How many people did he kill or hurt to get people to watch her?

Gadget almost spun, her eyes searching desperately for those people that she was certain existed. Crispin and Nero…they were the only ones she knew about. How much influence did Burgundy wield? He was a victor, just like she was.

Where was Septimius? Gadget tried to see, but she couldn't find him. Had he been turned into one of Snow's Avoxes just to mess with her? She wanted to scream in despair. Where are you!? she wanted to yell out.

But she couldn't.

If they caught her trying to communicate with an Avox beyond simple commands, then…they would both be punished. And Gadget didn't want to see what they would do to Septimius. So many eyes on her. And how many of those eyes told Burgundy everything they saw?

Gadget twisted, she tried to find anyone else who might have been watching her as Crispin did. She had no doubt that he was the only one here to watch her. There were others and…and what did that mean for when she returned to District Three? Burgundy…did he have people there, too? At home? It didn't make any sense to her. He wasn't from the Capitol. No victor should have enough influence to do something like that.

"Gadget," Crispin said and she spun around to face him. He'd started to approach her, standing a mere feet away. His posture was so incredibly relaxed. At ease. "The crowning ceremony is about to begin, my dear," he said.

Gadget swallowed, her eyes darting up to the balcony. "Okay," she murmured.

Crispin spun around and Gadget followed him as he led her back up towards the mansion. She stared distastefully at his back. It shouldn't be him that she was following. It should have been Septimius. He'd been with her every step of the way, but…but now he was an Avox.

It wasn't fair. He had done nothing wrong. He'd done nothing but help her. And he was punished for something that she had done.

It shouldn't be this way. But it was.

Crispin led her up the stairs into Snow's mansion. But Gadget didn't bother to look at the walls. Only the floor as she looked down at her feet. It felt like an eternity that she followed him.

No. It shouldn't be him. He had no right to do this. Septimius was there for her, not this…this man. This man that was supposed to spy on her? Burgundy's threat hung in the depths of her mind. One wrong move and…and Corduroy would pay the price. Gadget couldn't afford to lose him. She couldn't!

The Games never stopped…she realized, I have to keep playing if I want to keep myself and everyone I care about alive.

The mansion was beautiful, Gadget recognized. Even as she passed through it, she recognized that it was. Did it used to belong to President Ravinstill? Gadget looked up at last. Every part of the house looked specifically designed to President Snow's tastes. Her eyes slid along the wall. There were so many paintings, each one with a name on the bottom engraved into them. "Crassus Snow," she read aloud as they neared the end of the hallway.

Crispin steered them to the right and Gadget looked forward. One final door and she would be in front of Panem yet again. Two Avoxes stood beside it, and they each grabbed a handle, twisted, and pulled the door open for them as they approached.

President Snow's back was to them as he addressed the roaring crowd. Gadget felt like they would cheer for whatever he said. But this was her chance. The only time she would be close enough to Snow in a relatively closed environment.

She glanced at Crispin at that thought as he stopped suddenly and he turned towards her. "Sit on the throne," he said simply.

Gadget nodded, and stepped out onto the balcony. On either side of it was a Peacekeeper, but that didn't surprise Gadget. What did was that Mavis was there, a few steps to the left of the throne. Gadget's eyes focused on the throne, and she approached it with shaky steps.

One, two, three, Gadget counted as she stepped up onto the throne's steps. And as she sat down, she saw screens flicker to life down by where the crowd was. Screens that showed a live feed of her reactions.

Gadget held herself as still as possible. Snow spoke out to the crowd, but his words didn't register in her mind. To the side stood Mavis, holding a cushion with a crown placed upon it.

The throne didn't feel like she belonged on it. She wondered who Snow thought would join him up here, because there was nothing in her mind that told her that he expected her to win.

Snow turned towards Mavis, who raised the cushion to meet him. He grabbed the crown gently and Mavis stepped back. This time, he stepped towards her and Gadget stood up off the throne, bowing her head.

The cool metal touched her brow, and the crowd roared into cheers. It didn't feel like it belonged on her. Not at all. Gadget looked up, meeting Snow's cold eyes. There was so much malice hidden beneath them, and he didn't say a word to her.

"Please," Gadget muttered as quietly as she could. He was the only person that could hear her soft plea. The crowd cheered and cheered as Snow looked into her eyes with his own snake-like ones. "Please let Corduroy live," she begged.

Snow seemed to raise an eyebrow, almost imperceptibly. "You have given me quite some grief, Ms. Trevelyan," Snow said. His tone was cordial, but Gadget knew that he meant anything but. "Seneca created the most viewed Hunger Games in our history. Certainly it had an outcome I would not have foreseen."

Gadget's throat bobbed. "I'm sorry…"

"Oh?" Snow asked. "For what? This is your victory. Congratulations, Ms. Trevelyan. I am happy for you." His lack of an expression showed just how much he meant by his words.

Gadget's throat went completely dry. That was as much of a dismissal as anything. But this was her only chance. She glanced at Mavis, who looked at her and her grandfather curiously, but otherwise did nothing.

"I'll do whatever you want," Gadget said pleadingly, fighting back the urge to raise her voice. "I just want to make amends." Snow looked back at her, suddenly slightly more intrigued. Gadget felt hope in her chest. "Just…just please…let Corduroy live…"

Snow bent his head, and he leaned closer than before. His voice dropped even lower. "Do you want a war, Ms. Trevelyan?" he asked. A chill passed through Gadget, and she smelt something revolting. The smell of blood on Snow's lips. She fought back a gag. "No, of course you don't," Snow said. "A war means death, and you don't want anyone to die. Are you aware of what your actions have caused?"

Gadget shook her head, her eyes falling down Snow's shirt, landing on the white rose in his lapel. She was treading dangerous ground. She had to be…needed to be careful of what she said. Everything felt like it had faded away.

"No, sir," Gadget whimpered.

"No. You were acting on instinct," Snow said coldly. "But that isn't the message the districts will receive. So I ask again, Ms. Trevelyan…do you want a war?"

"No, sir," Gadget responded with a squeak.

Snow tilted his head. "I'll be candid with you, Ms. Trevelyan. I will leave Mr. Ellsworth unharmed so long as you do what I ask of you. We will have a…working relationship."

It was a lifeline. A flimsy one that Gadget had no idea what would contain. But it was still a lifeline nonetheless. She grasped it with both hands.

"Y-yes, sir," Gadget said. The hope in her chest started to build.

"I'll admit, I am impressed by your accomplishments despite your upbringing and age." He looked back at her, but Gadget didn't dare to look up. "You show promise, and I approve. But so long as you use those skills satisfactorily."

"I-I understand," Gadget stated readily. She started to turn her head upwards to look at Snow.

"Your friend's life hangs by your balance," Snow told her, and the threat felt like a shot through the heart. "So, Ms. Trevelyan, balance it."

Gadget understood. How had she entered such a deadly game in less than ten minutes? And Snow didn't say another word. He'd already stated anything worth sharing, Gadget supposed.

Snow looked into her eyes for a moment longer, before he finally turned away, and left Gadget to the eyes of the…adoring public. She raised her hand in a meek wave, and they boomed into louder cheers.

She waved, scanning over the crowd and the figures that she didn't recognize. There were so many people. How many of them had actually rooted for her? Gadget didn't know. There was no real way for her to tell.

Her eyes slid further, until they finally met Corduroy's. He gazed up at her with a smile and Gadget weakly smiled back. He was going to be okay.

She would guarantee it.

---

The silver sleek trains were just as imposing as they were the first time. They loomed over Gadget and she could only stare in apprehension at the one that would take her back to District Three. On the other end of the platform was another train. One that would take Corduroy to District Eight.

She wasn't ready to go.

The station was relatively empty. The only presence was herself, Corduroy, and the mentors. She could still hear the crowd of people on the outside of the station, and there were plenty of Peacekeepers that stood a distance away. If Gadget tried to join Corduroy on the District Eight train, she wouldn't get far.

Her hand clutched around Corduroy's, squeezing it as he squeezed back. This was the end. The last time they would see each other.

"I'm not ready to go," Gadget admitted. She looked at the District Eight train longingly, where Cecelia and two elderly victors waited patiently. She wondered with despair which of them mentored Lace.

"Neither am I," Corduroy replied. She saw him look with longing at the District Three train. "I…I am not ready to leave you." There was pain in his voice.

Gadget wished there was an option she had. To go to District Three or to stay with Corduroy in District Eight. She had nothing in Three, after all. No one. And…everything that mattered to her would be in Eight.

"What did, uhm…" Gadget trailed off and Corduroy looked at her. She bit her lip, then continued, "What did Cecelia want yesterday?" she asked.

"Oh," Corduroy said. "Nothing I did not already know." He swiveled on his heels, bringing Gadget around to face him directly. It reminded her so much of their dance, and her heart skipped. "District Eight is quite polarized about me," he revealed. "Cecelia told me that they will love how they have a survivor," he said with a small smile. Gadget smiled back. She didn't regret her last minutes within the arena in the slightest. "However, she does not think they will be fond of my story about how the Games came into fruition."

Gadget's smile disappeared. Her second hand joined his, clasping their fingers together. But it wasn't enough. Her lip wobbled, and she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around Corduroy. She didn't want to let go of him.

Her only friend…

"Be careful," Gadget said, her voice a whisper in his ear. She didn't know what she would do if something happened to him. Her hands dropped from his shoulders and went around his waist.

The deal she struck with President Snow played on her mind, but how much protection, if any, would the man accord the first ever survivor of the Hunger Games?

"I will," Corduroy said back with so much earnestness Gadget thought her heart might break. "I promise."

She didn't want to let go. But she had no choice.

"Two," Corduroy stated suddenly and Gadget looked at him through her lashes. "The number two. Do you know what is interesting about the number two?" he asked.

Gadget sniffled. "No," she said softly. She gently retracted herself from their hug, but their hands remained together. His palms…they felt so soft on hers.

"Some think that the number two is associated with teamwork," Corduroy said kindly. "Friendship. Partnership. Love." He ran his thumb over the back of her palm, and Gadget shot him a watery smile.

"What…do you think?" Gadget stammered.

Corduroy's lips curled upwards. "There was a victor once, a long time ago. A brave young man, with a friend that hurt him to leave behind."

The non-sequitur didn't surprise Gadget this time. She held on tight to Corduroy's hands, nervously awaiting what he would next say.

"His friend…his lady of the light. She meant the world to him. Protected him when he could not fight alone." Corduroy let out a breath. "However, he was reaped, and she stayed behind. And she hoped that he would come back."

"Lady of the light?" Gadget asked unsurely. Her face twisted in apprehension.

"Yes. For when the darkness came for him, she was there to dispel it. Unfortunately, when the arena took him, he had lost his lady of the light. But he was going to do everything in his power to get back to her.

"The darkness did everything it could to take the boy away from his friend. It wanted him. And as his Hunger Games started, the lady of the light truly did fear that the darkness would take him away."

Gadget ran her thumb along the skin of Corduroy's hand. So quickly she had become enraptured by Corduroy's tale. Faster than his last few stories. "Did it?" she asked nervously.

Corduroy smiled. "No. For the boy ran far, far away. The darkness could not catch him. He was determined not to fall to the dark. He wanted to see his friend again, and so he did everything in his power so that he would." He gently pulled on her hands, almost playfully pulling her closer.

Her heart started to pitter-patter in her chest. These two people Corduroy told her of…they had to have ended up alright. Ended up happy.

"The lady of the light watched and watched as her best friend evaded the darkness," Corduroy told her. "She hoped that he would win to come back to her. But he had proven himself adept against the dark.

"A hunter in the dark."

A tremble traveled up Gadget's back, all the way to the base of her neck. The way Corduroy spoke left a jumble of emotions twirling through her head. Where was the story going?

"The boy became better. He learned how to beat the dark at its own game. Pushed it back until the arena held only a fraction of the tributes that had gone in." Corduroy's smile started to dim, and a tinge of sorrow adorned his features.

Concern formed in Gadget's chest. He suddenly looked so…sad.

"However, by the end, it was just the boy and his district partner left. And the darkness had managed to consume her. Twisted her until she was no longer the girl that the boy had entered the Games with."

And then Gadget understood. But she remained silently, curious and aching for more of Corduroy's story.

"And in the end, the boy won. He would go home, with the darkness defeated…or so he thought…," Corduroy started to trail off. "He came home and reunited with the lady of the light." A smile reappeared on his lips. "Neither of them wanted to leave the side of the other again. And they would not. Not until death."

"Wh-what happened?" Gadget asked, stuttering over her sentence in worry.

"Oh, they fought off the darkness together," Corduroy said with a smile. "They lived together into their old age. If one were to look for one, they would find the other."

A shaky smile made its way onto Gadget's face. It was…the nicest story Corduroy had yet told her so far. It left her feeling…hopeful. Hopeful for her future. For their future.

"I might be unable to stay by your side as they did," Corduroy told her softly, and Gadget heard the vulnerability in his tone, "but I will find you again one day."

Gadget smiled, tears in her eyes. "I-I won't let this be goodbye," she said, her voice wrought with sadness.

"Then do not say it like it is goodbye," Corduroy said tenderly, and Gadget let out a small laugh through her tears.

She wasn't going to. "See you later," she said. Someone shouted out their impatience, probably the escort for District Eight, Rhox.

"See you later," Corduroy repeated with a smile. He stepped back, reluctantly pulling away from Gadget.

"Don't forget about me?" Gadget meekly asked. Her hand found her arm and she started to rub it in her anxiousness. She stepped back, towards the train that would take her home.

Corduroy smiled at her as if she'd seen the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. "You are the most remarkable person I have ever met, Gadget." His voice became more emotional. "I will never forget you."

Gadget smiled back at him, and she wiped at the tears in her eyes with her elbow. Corduroy stepped through the door onto the train and, with one final look back at her, was sealed inside. The convoy of trains began to hover slightly, the electricity and magnetism lifting it. Nearly silent, it began to swiftly gain momentum and was soon speeding away through the forested hills leading to District Eight. Taking the boy further and further away from her by the second.

She could only watch as it went, retreating towards her own train as she did. She wasn't ready to let him go. But she didn't have any other option. Gadget spun on her heel and marched towards the District Three train, the doors sliding open as she approached, and she felt as though she were in a daze. People spoke, but she couldn't hear the words.

She made her way through the train, catching herself on a wall as it took off from the Capitol, and sped along to District Three. Her temporary room was just the same as it was on her way to it. Was this the same train? Gadget wouldn't be surprised.

On the bedside table was the small statue of Corduroy that Mavis gave her. Beside it was the box it had come in.

Gadget slunked over to the bed and laid down on it. All she could do was wait to arrive in District Three. She shut her eyes and rolled over to face away from the door. She didn't want anyone to see her cry into the pillow.

Time seemed to blur together. There were footsteps that walked to and fro outside her room, but Gadget didn't care. As long as they left her alone, she didn't care. She was all alone. Without her friends. Without people that cared about her.

Corduroy, Septimius…Lace, Peeta…they were all gone. The only ones she had left were Beetee and Wiress and Gadget had no idea how much longer that would last. Would their care for her cease now that she had returned to District Three?

They had no reason to care for her now that she had survived, after all.

The journey was as arduous and long as when she came to the Capitol, only now without the distraction of Binary, or the condescension of Grid and Qwerty to distract her. The train's luxuries and amenities held little interest to her. Not even the access to media entertainment that were not related to the Hunger Games could hold her interest. She spent most of it wallowing or trying to sleep.

The next day, the train started to slow to a stop as they approached their destination, and there was a knocking at her door. "We're here," Wiress said through it.

"Okay," Gadget mumbled. She got up from her bed and smoothed out her clothes, and checked her pockets for her token. She sighed in relief when she felt it. With a glance at the bedside table, Gadget scooped up the statue and put it in the box, closing it neatly before she walked out the door.

It was time. Time to face District Three. There was no stopping the worry that consumed her. What did they think of her? How would they treat her?

She approached the door where Beetee and Wiress waited alongside Grid and Qwerty. It was almost eerily silent on the other side. No voices. Nothing.

"Ready?" Beetee asked kindly. She could see the sympathy behind his spectacles.

"No," Gadget answered honestly. She didn't think she ever would be. She felt so empty.

Grid stepped in front of them. "Let's get this out of the way," he muttered, and the door slid open. The quiet sound of clapping reached Gadget's ears, and she looked down at her feet as Grid walked through the doorway and onto the station platform. Qwerty was soon to follow, without a word and without a look back at Gadget.

Gadget let out a deep breath…and she walked onto the platform as well. The clapping became louder, if only just barely. But the crowd…they barely looked enthused. About only half of them actually seemed pleased, and Gadget's stomach dropped.

"Come on," Beetee whispered so that only she could hear.

One, two, three, four, Gadget began to count. These people…there were so many who looked like they hated her. Despised her. What happened while she was gone? Did they really hate her so much? Would…would they really have preferred Binary to be a victor rather than her?

She held tightly onto the box. Her only comfort. It almost was as if Corduroy was still here with her. But Gadget knew better than that. She hoped his welcome back into District Eight was more popular than hers was.

It wasn't just Corduroy that was polarizing. These people…they found her just as polarizing. Did they hate that she helped Corduroy survive rather than a boy from her own district?

Twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.

The clapping slowly faded to a stop until there was none left. All there was was the sound of her footsteps, and Beetee and Wiress just a few feet behind her. She didn't dare look back, and she didn't dare look left or right.

"Almost there," Wiress whispered.

Almost to the car that would take her to the Victors' Village. Away from this station and away from these people who despised her. It felt like a lifetime ago she had been here. Everything felt so different. Nobody used to pay her any attention…and now she had everyone's eyes on her.

Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three.

The car came into view, but she couldn't see either Grid or Qwerty. Had they left already? In another car? Gadget wouldn't blame them if they did. She hated this, being the center of everyone's attention. Was the Capitol recording this? Were they going to play it back for them to see?

"Ignore them," Beetee whispered this time. "We're almost there."

Almost. Almost. Almost.

But not quite.

The silence that had become so loud was broken by a shriek and Gadget twisted her head in the direction it had come from. A distraught howl hit her ears like a booming cannon. It didn't take her long to find the source, in the middle of the crowd. It was Mrs. Nemec. Binary's mom. There was a look of true distraughtness and horror etched onto her features that Gadget would never forget.

"She killed my boy!" Mrs. Nemec cried.

For a moment, Gadget felt an ounce of guilt. She had murdered Binary and this was the consequence of that. Mrs. Nemec had begged for her to help him, and if there was at least one person that Binary cared for, it was his mother.

But then the guilt was gone. Binary had tortured her. Made her life a nightmare. He had done so many horrible things to her that Gadget couldn't keep track of them all. But he had hurt her so much. How could they blame her for doing what she did? It was him or her and…Binary probably would have corrected his mistake killing Corduroy if he had won.

Gadget gazed around, and she could practically feel as the crowd started to become more hostile. Did they really hate her so much? Was there anyone who was truly on her side? People started to jeer, and Gadget winced. No. Nothing really changed. Only that she had become more unpopular than ever.

She tried to say something, anything to defend herself. But nothing came out. What was the point? She couldn't change anyone's minds. Were they going to try to hurt her? They wouldn't, right? With the Peacekeepers on standby?

Gadget glanced at Mrs. Nemec one more time, and she spotted Stattick beside her. But then he'd faded into the crowd before she could make out his expression.

She didn't belong in District Three. She never did.

Beetee gently grabbed her arm and guided her forward. The crowd started to grow louder. If she had any support, it had long been drowned out by the jeers and yells. Mrs. Nemec faded into the background as she shouted at her again.

"She killed my boy!" she shouted again, more distraught than ever.

Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four.

They got closer to the car, and Gadget made out Mayor Archeron beside the door. He had his hands folded and a look of minute nervousness on his face. He seemed to be just as eager to get out of here as she was.

"You!" a very familiar voice shouted, and Gadget stopped abruptly as Zeno came out of the crowd. Just behind him were her brothers. The twins and Syncis.

"D-d-dad," Gadget stuttered, and the crowd awkwardly came to a stop. Corduroy's words fled her in that second. That this man was not her dad. That he didn't deserve to be called it.

"So," Zeno started, eyeing her up and down with disapproval, "you won."

Gadget didn't know what to say. This was inevitable, but she didn't know how to respond. She had hoped she would when the time came, but she never did. Zeno might have been shorter than her, but he loomed over her with a sneer.

"Do you have any idea how much money you've cost us?" Zeno asked, his body shook with barely concealed hate. "First you took my wife, then you took our money. Are you happy with yourself!?"

Gadget swallowed, curling her hands once, then twice. What was she meant to say? Apologize for not dying?

Zeno seemed to calm himself, putting his hand against his chest and he cleared his throat. "No matter. You can make it up to me and my boys," he said and Gadget closed her eyes.

She had known this was coming long before she even won the Games. Had thought about it when there had been no doubt in her mind that she would lose. But here was the reality. Creeping up on her just as she knew…just as she thought it would.

Zeno stepped forward threateningly, and Gadget saw the Peacekeepers prepare should they need to step in. Zeno jutted his finger out hard into Gadget's chest. "That mansion is mine now. If you want to be a family again, you will let us have it." His eyes stared down at her, unblinking. "You want us to be a family? You need to work for it."

Gadget looked at him, then glanced behind him at Micra and Flux to gauge their reactions. They looked expectantly back at her with smiles. And Syncis…she saw him shake his head and guiltily look at the ground.

Corduroy's words came back to her. His kind smiles. The way he made sure she was okay. He was worth more to her than Zeno was. He had shown her kindness before they had even become friends. Septimius had been more like a dad to her than Zeno had been, in the limited amount of time they had together. Micra and Flux's false smiles were nothing like the ones Lace and Peeta gave her. The smiles and friendship they gave her when Gadget didn't know if she really deserved it.

"You…you…" Gadget started to say, then stopped and shook her head. "You abandoned me," she stated firmly at last. "You kicked me out in the cold to fend for myself." She looked into Zeno's eyes and forced herself not to flinch. "You made me put my name in the reaping more for food I didn't get to eat." Zeno's face twisted in fury. "You bet on me dying in the Bloodbath so you could make money!" she said, her voice growing louder. "The only one of you that showed me any kindness was Syncis!" Gadget stepped forward, and Zeno took a surprised step back. "None of you except for him is allowed near my home," she said with emphasis. "I don't want you in my life, Zeno. Fuck. You."

Euphoria coiled around Gadget and satisfaction boomed in her mind like a shower of sparks. She had meant every word. Zeno's face turned red, and he looked as though he was about to explode.

But before he could lash out at her like Gadget knew he would, two Peacekeepers grabbed him by the arms and began to lead him away. He screamed, cursed, and shouted at Gadget, but it didn't matter. He was going to have no place in the rest of her life. Her eyes turned towards Micra and Flux, but neither of them said anything. They glared at her and then, almost as one, moved off to join their dad.

Before Syncis could follow, Gadget quickly asked, almost meekly, "Would you like to live with me?"

Syncis stopped and looked at her. There was so much guilt in his expression. He opened and closed his mouth, then glanced in the direction of Zeno, Micra, and Flux. "Maybe when I'm a deserving brother," he said at last, and then disappeared into the crowd.

Gadget frowned. Beetee and Wiress said something, but she didn't catch it. They led her to the car and she slid inside and shut the door without glancing back. Beetee and Wiress got in on the other side, while Mayor Archeron sat beside the driver.

"Congratulations, Trevelyan," Archeron said. He turned around in his seat and offered her a key. "That's for you."

It was an ornate thing. Made out of what looked to be gold. The District Three seal was imprinted onto it, and Gadget took it. "Thank you," she said quietly, and gazed out at the district as it passed.

All too soon did they come to a stop in front of a mansion, and Gadget got out. She looked up at it in awe.

A gilded metallic red archway with gold titanium gates served as a guarded entrance to the newest District Three victor's home. A sunset red brick road led the way through a stately garden park decorated with trimmed waist-high hedge plants that had yellow leaves instead of green, gaudy gunmetal grey statues depicting scenes of previous victors in their final battle before they won...and to Gadget's horror, there was a pair of statues, featuring her, and a grey metallic torrent erasing most of Binary's face.

Past the garden was a staircase that led to a shallow pool and a lighted fountain that shot streams of water into the air in a multitude of hues, with the streams matching the pattern of District Three's icon, interspersed with the Capitol's icon. She supposed that at night it would make for a beautiful view, if only it didn't help illuminate the statues beyond. Though now that she looked again, Gadget saw the statues all had platforms with spotlights and luminous flooring.

Finally, there was the mansion itself. Like everything else so far, it was far more lavish than anything she'd ever seen in District Three. She'd seen glimpses of the Victors' Street, but the Capitol always liked to make a big show of customizing the victor's dwelling, and Gadget's home was no exception.

It was a three-story building and a mostly rectangular front, the windows jutted out a bit, adding a bit more dimension and shape to the overall structure. The door was very straight and had an awning over it. It looked almost metallic in entirety and had a blue sheen to the wall color. The window sills were a deep red shade with overhanging greenery, even the ones upstairs.

When she entered, she saw that it had a lounge room with a large holoscreen, plush cushions, large speakers, and a piano in the corner.

Across from it was an empty room, but presumably it was an audience hall for events and parties...as if Gadget planned to have any. There was an even larger kitchen, where a male Avox stood, face down, hands clasped in front of him. It was fully bedecked with all facilities and equipment if she were inclined to run a restaurant from her own home.

There was some sort of work room in the back, a bathroom and a room to wash her clothing.

This was just on the ground floor!

When she went upstairs, she saw there were a fair few bedrooms, presumably because she was supposed to have her entire family with her. Instead she had a lot of spare bedrooms. There was also a library filled with books. The shelves and the room's interior had a classical feel to it and contrasted a bit with the rest of the place, but she supposed it fit the theme of a library. At the top was the most spacious, most auspicious bedroom she'd ever seen, even and especially when compared to the bedroom she had in the Capitol.

Aside from the massive bed that could easily fit ten people comfortably in a square pattern, there was an open air alcove that had a jacuzzi, a pool, tables and chairs, and a balcony with a gorgeous garden, though the flowers, plants and grass all had unnatural colors of red, blue and gold. The overall design was opulent and plentiful. From the balcony, she could oversee most of Victors' Street, and even the district itself, since it was set on a hilltop.

A magnificent and beautiful cage for the Capitol to watch her. She had no doubt that the Games were only just beginning.

And the fight was far from over.