"Stop staring at her," Johanna nudged Taiya, who was lying down next to her.

"She's talking about us," Taiya mumbled as she glared at Katniss.

"Of course she is," Johanna agreed as she lay next to her. "Let her. She's outnumbered, it's not like she can just take off. We'd be able to stop her."

"Jo…"

"Are we going to talk about what happened at the Cornucopia?" Johanna interrupted. Taiya immediately averted her eyes. Only Johanna and Finnick knew what she'd tried to do to Katniss. What she still might do to Katniss.

Snow's offer was looming over her head. Two cannons. If she didn't eliminate Katniss, Snow would ensure that the survivor of the Cornucopia died. Cashmere or Gloss's life was on the line. If she killed Katniss, they'd get to live, and if Snow kept his word, Taiya and Finnick would win together.

If he kept his word.

She'd been replaying his promise to her in her head, trying to decipher some alternate meaning, she'd been fooled before. But she couldn't find one.

"There's nothing to talk about," Taiya denied.

"Tay…"

"I want to go home," Taiya answered quickly, cutting her friend off before she could lecture her. "And I really, really don't want to talk about it ok?"

"Ok," Johanna agreed as she looked up to the sky, it'd just started getting dark. "Fish stick might want to talk about it though. And you know he won't let it go."

"I know," Taiya agreed as she watched her fiancé come back to the beach with a basket full of fish.

"Here," Katniss stood up from beside Peeta and walked over, taking the basket from Finnick. "I'll clean them," she offered before walking down to the edge of the water.

"I'm going to get more water," Johanna declared.

"I'll come with," Finnick followed after her. They were definitely going to be talking about Taiya, but she didn't really care. If she was going to go off plan, there wouldn't be much they could do about it.

"Hey," Peeta greeted as he sat down by Taiya's side.

"Hi," she smiled as she sat up.

"I made this for you," he handed her a pirate hat he'd made out of vines. "It's not as good as the one you made earlier, but I know you like it and you lost it at the Cornucopia."

"Thank you," Taiya smiled at him as she took it and put it on her head. He was too kind. Too kind for the Hunger Games.

"Are you ok? After the birds?"

"I'll be fine."

"Who's voice did you hear?"

"Finnick's mainly. That hurt the most. I didn't know it was fake. I thought he'd been screaming for me," Taiya took a deep breath. "My friends from home as well. Tyler, Annie, Kenna, Buck. I even heard Todd a couple of times which was weird," Taiya chuckled to herself. Despite Todd's best efforts to be a lonely shut-in victor, he'd managed to sneak his way into her heart. "I heard my friend Romulus as well. It's ok. It was all fake," she said, mainly to herself. She still needed to convince herself that what she heard wasn't real.

"What's your happiest memory?"

"Hm?"

"Your happiest memory," Peeta repeated as she looked at her. "You replay that in your head. Over and over and over. Whenever you feel defeated, sad, or angry. Replay that memory. If it's strong enough it will cut through the negative emotions. It's what I do."

"What's your happiest memory?" Taiya asked quietly. "Aside from the pregnancy, marriage and engagement thing," Taiya added, giving him an opening to tell the truth.

Peeta looked over in the direction of Katniss who was making her way back over to Johanna and Finnick. "Honestly, one day my dad came took me outside, and told my mom we were going to try and sell the last of the day's bread to the peacekeepers, but instead he took me to the fence line and we watched the sun go down together. He knew I liked to decorate cakes, and that I enjoyed art. He wanted to show me all the colours of a sunset," he smiled at the memory. "And we sat there just watching. We didn't need to speak. We just sat. So when I'm sad I just think of that."

Before either could say anything else, the anthem began, and the faces of today's dead rolled across the sky.

Cashmere. Gloss.

Taiya sucked in a deep breath when their faces appeared and Peeta laid a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Food's ready," Katniss called the pair over as soon as the anthem stopped.

"You ok?" Peeta asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Taiya lied, standing up and making her way over to the group.

"They're really burning through us," Johanna mumbled.

"Chaff is still out there as well," Taiya pointed out. He was part of the rebellion plan. They should at least try to look for him.

A parachute then started to come down in the middle of the group. Johanna, Finnick, Taiya and Beetee all looked at each other anxiously as Peeta picked it up.

What if it was a message?

"These are from your district, right, Beetee?" Peeta asked.

"Bread?" Taiya leaned forward anxiously. It was a message. "From Three?"

"Yes, from District Three," Beetee nodded, playing his interest a lot cooler than Taiya and Finnick, who were both eagerly leaning forward. "How many are there?"

"There's a good amount," Peeta answered.

"Give it here," Taiya snatched the bag from him and handed it to Finnick who quickly began counting the rolls, turning each one over in his hand, searching for any hidden messages before he laid them out neatly on the mat.

"Twenty-four," Finnick finally confirmed.

"An even two dozen then?" Beetee asked.

Day 3. Midnight. Tomorrow.

"Twenty-four on the nose," Finnick nodded. "How should we divide them?"

"Let's each have three," Johanna put forward. "Whoever is still alive at breakfast can take a vote on the rest."

Katniss laughed quietly at the end of the group. Probably the first time she'd ever shown any positive emotions towards Johanna.

"District Three. Twenty-four," Taiya breathed. 24 more hours.

"Do you guys in Four really love bread or something?" Katniss asked as she took a bite. Finnick's and Taiya's interest in bread had caught her suspicion.

Finnick and Taiya just both nervously laughed and turned toward each other, avoiding her question.

"What's your favourite memory?" Taiya asked later that night. They were trying to get some sleep and she was resting her head on Finnick's chest.

"Huh?" he mumbled half asleep.

"Your favourite memory."

Finnick moved his hands to run his fingertips up and down the length of Taiya's upper arm.

"Easy. The day we got engaged. You?"

"I don't know. I'm trying to pick one. But I've got some options."

"Am I in them?"

"Out of my top five, you're in four."

"Well now I'm curious about the one I'm missing out on," he smiled. "You're in all of mine."

"Tell me yours first," she asked as she tightened her grip on his chest.

"Ok. Number 5. The day we met. You were so mad at me for bumping you into the water, but when I looked at you my heart skipped a beat.
Number 4, when I got back from my Games and saw you there waiting. I just… it was the first thing that actually made me feel better you know.
Number 3, the first time we kissed.
Number 2, the first time we…" he trailed off as Taiya looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Spent the night together," he winked, making her scoff. "But my favourite was when you agreed to marry me."

"I love you so much," Taiya leant up to kiss him. Even after 8 years together she still felt like a giddy school child when she kissed him.

"Tell me yours," he smiled as he brushed some hair behind her ear.

"Number 5," she laid her head back on his chest. "A picnic with my parents, it was one of the only days my mom was fully ok. It was when I was 12, we were down at the beach all day and we played volleyball, I was on a team with my mom and my dad absolutely let us win. But it was so beautiful.
Number 4, the morning I told you I love you.
Number 3, the night you planned for our 5-year anniversary, down on the beach with candles and wine.
I can't decide between 2 and 1. It's either the proposal or June 10 two years ago, on the pier."

"June 10," he chuckled. "You mean when we…"

"Yep," she nodded.

"And you got President Snow to give you a copy of the security footage of the pier?"

"The very same."

"I love you," he kissed the top of her head. "That was an excellent moment, I'd give it number 6."

"1 or 2 for me," Taiya yawned.

"Get some sleep, Tay," Finnick urged, he could feel her fighting against it.

But she didn't want to sleep. The plan was to escape at midnight tomorrow if they made it that far. And she wanted to spend her precious little time with him.

"Get up," Taiya gave Katniss a shove in the morning to wake her up.

Katniss immediately sprung up, looking around for an attack before her eyes rested on Taiya, looking for a reason as to why she was so rudely woken up.

"Sponsor gift arrived," Taiya shrugged. "Figured you'd want to be involved," she said before walking to the rest of the group who were huddled under a tree for shade.

"Bread," Johanna held up the roll to show her.

"District 3," Taiya sighed as she took it from her friend. "How many?"

"Twenty-four," Beetee confirmed. That was official. It was happening today. It was happening at midnight.

"Here, I'll hand them out," Johanna reached forward to take away the two bags of rolls they'd accumulated.

"Uh huh," Taiya snatched them away from her friend. "No way. You are not in charge."

"Why not?" Johanna glared, hands on hips.

"Because I've seen you hand out bowls of chocolate on movie night. You don't play fair. I counted your bowl last time. You gave yourself 6 extra squares."

"That's different. Movie nights don't count."

"Yes, they do," Taiya shook her head. "I'll hand them out."

"Uhhh, no," Finnick took the bags from her.

"What the hell!"

"Well to follow your argument I counted the ice cream scoops last time Buck brought some around and you gave yourself 2 scoops more than anyone else."

"Ice cream scoop sizes can be different, it was fair in the end," Taiya defended herself, but Finnick just stared at her. "Ok fine. I gave myself extra. Who wouldn't? Buck makes kick-ass ice cream," she sulked as she flopped onto the ground.

"Well, I don't trust Finnick to do it. He'll just give Taiya extra if she smiles at him," Johanna whined.

"Why don't you just give the bag to me and I'll do it?" Peeta offered.

"Agreed," all three of them nodded, allowing Finnick to hand the bag to Peeta.

"Peeta the bread boy," Taiya smiled. "I loaf you Peeta."

"That was terrible," Finnick shook his head in disappointment at her pun.

"Hey Tay," Peeta smiled widely. "Wheat make great friends!"

"Yes!" Taiya cheered as she fist-pumped the air. She knew there was a reason she liked this kid. "Hey, you know Peeta, kind of sounds pita. And you're bread boy. You're pita bread!"

Peeta snorted in amusement. "Pita bread. Love it," he nodded as they began to eat their rolls.

After they were all finished, Katniss grabbed Peeta's hand. "Come on. I'll teach you how to swim," she muttered and pulled him along.

Taiya glared after them as they walked away.

"They're plotting to break away," she said to the remaining group.

"Definitely," Johanna agreed, keeping a close eye on them.

"Where are they going to go?" Finnick tried to reason. "We outnumber them. Besides, it won't be too much longer."

"How goes the plan for the Careers, Beetee?" Taiya asked.

"It's coming," he nodded as he studied his wire. "Give me another hour."

"Hey, Taiya! Finnick!" Katniss called out from the water. "Come on in, we figured out how to make you both pretty again."

"Is she calling us ugly?" Taiya smirked as she stood up and walked side by side with Finnick to the water.

"Here," Katniss took Taiya's arm and rubbed some sand along it. "It takes off the scabs from the fog."

"Cool," Taiya smiled as she looked down at her fresh, albeit, pink skin. "I'll do your face babe!" she jumped and spun around to smear sand over Finnick's face before standing back with pride.

"Come here you," Finnick smiled before he raced forward and tackled her, sending them both flying into the water with a splash.

After all four of them had rubbed off their remaining scabs, they applied some more medicine on it, to protect their skin.

Johanna then yelled out. "Oi! Beetee has a plan!"

Katniss and Peeta sat down on the ground, either side of Beetee, whereas Johanna, Finnick and Taiya elected to stand against either side of a big branch. Taiya leaned back into Finnick's body and he flung an arm over her shoulder.

"I think we'll all agree our next job is to kill Brutus and Enobaria," Beetee began. "I doubt they'll attack us openly again, now that they're so outnumbered," his eyes flickered up to Taiya, who tried to keep her face expressionless. "We could track them down, I suppose, but it's dangerous, exhausting work."

"Do you think they've figured out about the clock?" Katniss.

"There's a good chance," Taiya nodded. "I mean no Career's died from the jungle yet so that means they've managed to avoid active sectors."

"If they haven't, they'll figure it out soon enough," Beetee agreed. "Perhaps not as specifically as we have, but I agree with Taiya, they'll have some idea of the zones wired for attacks. Also, the fact that our last fight was cut off by Gamemaker intervention will not have gone unnoticed by them."

Johanna took this opportunity to reach over and step on Taiya's foot. The Gamemaker intervention occurred twice mainly to prevent Taiya from murdering Katniss.

"I think our best bet will be setting our own trap. Where do the Careers feel safest?" Beetee asked the group.

"In District 2," Taiya answered.

"He meant in the arena you idiot," Johanna scoffed.

"Shut up," Taiya hissed, reaching out to slap her friends arm.

"How did you win your Games? Jesus," Johanna laughed before Beetee cut the pair off.

"I'll rephrase; if you were Brutus and Enobaria, knowing what you do now about the jungle, where would you feel safest?"

"Where we are now," Peeta answered. "On the beach. It's the safest place."

"So why aren't they on the beach?"

"Because we're here," Johanna impatiently sighed as she rubbed her head. "We claimed it."

"Exactly. We're here, claiming the beach. Now where would you go?"

"I'd just hide at the edge of the jungle. So I could escape if an attack came. And so I could spy on us," Katniss gave her opinion.

"Also to eat," Finnick added. "The jungle's full of strange creatures and plants. But by watching us, I'd know the seafood's safe."

"Don't think we could pull off the night lock trick again do you Peeta?" Katniss smiled at her partner, referencing how they'd accidentally killed Foxface in their Games, before her face fell and she looked at Taiya. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok," Taiya nodded blankly. She really couldn't afford to be getting emotional at this stage of the Games. She did not need to be reminded of Seneca.

"Here's what I propose: a twelve o'clock strike. What happens exactly at noon and at midnight?" Beetee asked.

"The lightning bolt hits the tree," Katniss looked in the direction of the tree.

"Yes. So what I'm suggesting is that after the bolts hits at noon, but before it hits at midnight, we run my wire from that tree all the way down into the saltwater, which is, of course, highly conductive. When the bolt strikes, the electricity will travel down the wire and into not only the water but also the surrounding beach, which will still be soaked with water from the ten o'clock wave. Anyone in contact with those surfaces at that moment will be electrocuted. If we leave the beach, they'll come."

Midnight. Rescue time.

"Will that wire really be able to conduct that much power, Beetee? It looks so fragile, like it would just burn up," Peeta queried.

"Oh, it will. But not until the current has passed through it. It will act something like a fuse, in fact. Except the electricity will travel along it."

"How do you know?" Johanna asked sceptically.

"Because I invented it. It's not actually wire in the usual sense. Nor is the lightning natural lightning nor the tree a real tree. You know trees better than any of us, Johanna. It would be destroyed by now, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Johanna grumbled.

"It will work," Taiya agreed. "I watched him pitch this as a weapon a few years back to the Gamemakers. It will work."

"Where will we be when this all happens?" Finnick asked.

"Far enough in the jungle to be safe," he said firmly, staring at the three of them meaningfully. This was the escape plan. He wasn't going to lead the wire to the water, he was going to blow a hole in the arena to help them escape.

"All the seafood will be cooked," Peeta realised.

"Probably more than cooked," Beetee agreed. "We will most likely be eliminating that as a food source for good. But you found other edible things in the jungle, right, Katniss?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Nuts and rats. And we have sponsors," she glanced at Taiya. "Taiya has sponsors."

"Well then, I don't see the seafood to be a big problem. But as we are allies and this will require all our efforts, the decision of whether or not to attempt it is up to you five."

Taiya, Finnick and Johanna immediately turned to look at each other, the three of them having a silent conversation while the others waited.

"Well it's better than hunting them down," Johanna sighed.

"Yeah, why not?" Katniss quickly agreed. "If it fails, no harm done anyway right."

"I say we try it," Peeta confirmed.

"So what can we do to help?" Finnick offered Beetee.

"Keep me alive for the next six hours," he joked. "That would be extremely helpful. I'd like to inspect the tree as well. If we go now we'll be back down to the beach before noon."

"Fair enough, let's go," Taiya immediately walked off. If this worked they'd be free, but currently, there was pure terror pumping through her veins. Terror was putting it mildly.

Beetee was still too weak to hike the slope on his own, so Finnick and Peeta had to take turns carrying him.

Taiya and Johanna took the lead, leaving Katniss at the back.

"It's going to work you know," Johanna tried to reassure Taiya. "The plan," but she wasn't meaning Beetee's.

"I like your confidence. I don't share it, but I like it."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"We won't all make it through tonight," Taiya sighed. "That's what I think."

"Pessimistic. Usually, I'd share your viewpoint but I feel good about this Tay. This will work."

"Hey, you two," Finnick called out to them. "We're getting closer, let Katniss take the lead."

"Good point," Taiya agreed, making room for the girl to come through.

"Um, what the hell?" Johanna frowned.

"Katniss can hear the force field," Finnick explained to Johanna and Beetee.

"Hear it?" Beetee frowned.

"Only with the ear the Capitol reconstructed," Katniss continued her lie.

"Then, by all means, let Katniss go first," Beetee smirked. He didn't believe her about her hearing either. "Force fields are nothing to play around with."

"Just ask Peeta," Taiya winked at the boy.

"Alright," Finnick laughed as he came towards her and hugged her. He leant down low to whisper in her ear. "Beetee spoke to me on the way up. We're going to split off into two groups later. Girls and boys. You and Johanna need to get her tracker out and then get yours out, both of you. Then we regather at the tree, Beetee will blow it and we'll have a couple of minutes for them to find us," he said quickly. "Tell Jo," he said before releasing her. That was the plan. Simple, and highly unlikely to go smoothly.

"I'm going to get water," Johanna declared as she went to tap a tree.

"I'll come with you," Taiya ran after her.

"You're obsessed with me today," Johanna smirked.

"It's because I love you," Taiya pulled her in for a hug.

"What the hell," Johanna complained, immediately going to shove her away.

"Don't," Taiya warned quickly and the girl froze. "Plan is to split in two, us and Katniss and leave the boys at the tree. We need to get her tracker out away from Peeta so neither one can attack. Then we take our own trackers out, re-meet the boys at the tree and we'll have a couple of minutes for the rescue team to find us," Taiya pulled away.

"You're a freak," Johanna said while subtly nodding. She was on board.

"Come on," Finnick came to get them. "We're moving to the next section, the lightning will go off soon."

They made it to the blood rain section when Beetee stopped them and made Katniss climb a tree, to deliver a report back on the lightning. 'Big, dazzling, hot blue-white and the air crackled' was the scientific report she delivered back.

But it seemed enough to satisfy Beetee who nodded, pleased at the information.

Beetee gave them the rest of the afternoon off. Taiya and Finnick had time for a quick nap before they reentered the water and started racing. They didn't want to spend these last terrifying hours asleep. They wanted to be awake. Wanted to be together.

"I win again," Taiya cheered as she reached the spoke before him.

"Only because I like watching your behind," he laughed.

"You're terrible," Taiya smiled as she flung herself at him, allowing him to hold her out of the water as they kissed.

She let out a cackle of laughter as Finnick touched the one spot under her arm that he knew always set her off.

She pulled away to look at him before she wrapped her arms tighter around him, leaving just his legs wading in the water to hold them afloat.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered.

"You'll be with me don't worry."

"Not if we do boys and girls," she shook her head.

"It's the only way to make them trust us. They won't trust us if you and I stick together while they're split," Finnick reasoned.

"I don't want to be apart from you. I feel like if we're apart it's all going to go wrong," she said shakily.

"Hey," he pulled back. "Do you trust me?"

"With all my heart. Always."