Taiya was locked in her cell. It was painfully white. White ceiling, white walls, white floor, white bed.

She was staring at the ceiling humming a song to herself when the Peacekeepers burst in.

"Please don't!" Taiya screamed. She fought them as they grabbed her. But she couldn't fight off six of them. They held her down as a nurse raced forward and injected her with a sedative before quickly darting away.

Taiya's struggles only lasted a few more seconds before she drifted off to sleep.

When she came to, she was greeted with her least favourite face. President Snow's.

"You know you could just say, 'Hey Taiya, mind if we catch up'," Taiya groggily mumbled as she tried to focus her eyes.

The President smiled at this. "Miss Ambersnow," he sighed. "Last time I tried that you knocked out two of your nurses. And actions have consequences."

"I thought I was your favourite victor?" Taiya laughed nervously. "Surely I can get a second chance?"

"I am fond of you Miss Ambersnow," Snow admitted. "But I can't be seen to play favourites. I wouldn't tolerate that behaviour from Mr Mellark or Miss Mason. In fact, I can assure you their punishment would have been more severe," he warned.

"How about if I pinky promise to not do it again?" Taiya asked and he merely chuckled in response. Taiya slumped in her seat. She knew he was telling the truth. She'd heard Johanna yelling abuse at her nurses the other day, then she'd heard her screams. As of yet, Taiya had not been hurt, merely left in isolation.

"I have a task for you," he slid a collection of papers across to her.

She reached forward and pulled them towards her and scanned them. "I'm not saying that," she denied immediately, pushing them back to him.

"Miss Ambersnow," he started.

"No," she cut him off. "It's not true. What if Finnick saw me say that? I'm not doing that to him."

"That's precisely my intention Miss Ambersnow."

Taiya glared at him. He wanted to tear Finnick's heart out, and he wanted her to do it for him.

Snow sighed as he studied her face. He couldn't convince her to do this without getting something in return.

"How about we have a compromise?" he relented. "You give this speech and interview to Caesar Flickerman, and I'll allow you to visit your friend."

"Which one?" Taiya's interest had been piqued.

"District 1," he smirked.

She thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Deal."

"Taiya Ambersnow!" Caesar greeted her when he saw her in her makeup chair.

"Caesar!" she greeted just as enthusiastically.

He bounded towards her in excitement only to freeze when he noticed the bruise left on her face by Kenna. The makeup team hadn't gotten to covering it up yet. He didn't know that bruise was delivered by her friend though. But it still make him pause before he continued greeting her.

"We've missed you on my show. It's been awfully dull since you went in the arena."

"Oh how you flatter me," Taiya waved her hand in dismissal.

Caesar leant down and picked up her hand, placing a quick kiss on her knuckles while she laughed.

"Are you ok dear?" he asked quietly, placing a hand on her good cheek. She just nodded. She was physically ok at least.

"Pumped to hang out with you, that's how I am!" Taiya beamed at him.

"And an exciting night it will be," he tapped the end of her nose. "Peeta will be on as well."

"Peeta?" Taiya sat up straight. She hadn't seen him since they moved her to her cell. She hadn't even seen him conscious since the arena, but she knew he was awake. They'd carry on conversations through the walls of their cells. "Is he here?"

"Oh, he should be here soon. He was getting ready in a separate area."

"Oh," Taiya slumped in her chair.

"You'll get to hear his speech first," Caesar reassured her. "He'll be speaking with me first and then we'll follow up with you. How does that sound?"

"Swell," Taiya nodded. They were being kept apart so they couldn't collude, and couldn't work out a way to sabotage the interviews.

"And you know what to say?" Caesar asked anxiously. His reputation with Snow was on the line as well. He had to get the right answers out of the two victors in order to try and quash the insurrection currently taking place in the Districts. It was a difficult job. "Ah, the man of the hour!" Caesar clapped.

Taiya spun around in her chair to see Peeta approaching.

"Caesar!" Peeta enthusiastically greeted with a hug. "Love the hair." Peeta always did know what he was doing when it came to Caesar. Taiya had seen all his interviews. The kid had charm.

"Peeta!" Caesar beamed, flashing his platinum-white teeth. "How are you my boy!" he held Peeta's shoulders.

"I'm well, I'm well," Peeta smiled, returning the gesture and holding one of Caesar's shoulders. He then glanced over at Taiya and looked her up and down. His eyes zeroed in on her bruise, but he wasn't free to say anything. "Taiya," he stepped away from Caesar and quickly kissed Taiya and her good cheek. "How are you?" he asked politely, but Taiya saw his eyes, his question was 100% genuine. Generic question, genuine intention.

"I'm doing well," Taiya gave him a small smile. There were too many ears to say much more. "And you?"

"Likewise," he nodded.

"Well, Peeta," Caesar interrupted. "How about we hop to it? Taiya, when you finish with makeup," he awkwardly gestured below his eye, referencing her bruise, "why don't you come to watch?"

Taiya nodded quickly at Caesar before she reached out and squeezed Peeta's hand in comfort before returning to her makeup chair. The quicker her bruise was covered, the quicker she could get to Peeta.

"Quickly," Taiya ordered her makeup artist. The woman didn't even reply, but the message was received and Taiya could feel her pick up the pace of her work.

As soon as the makeup was complete, Taiya leapt up to her feet and raced into the next room where Peeta was doing his interview, she was of course flanked by 4 Peacekeepers.

"I didn't want to," Peeta said in agitation as Taiya entered the room, his eyes only briefly flickering in her direction before he refocused on Caesar. "But I couldn't argue with Beetee without indicating we were about to break away from the alliance. When that wire was cut, everything just went insane. I can only remember bits and pieces. Trying to find her. Watching Brutus kill Chaff. Watching Brutus try to kill Taiya. Killing Brutus myself. I know she was calling my name. Then the lightning bolt hit the tree, and the force field around the arena… blew out."

"Katniss blew it out, Peeta," Caesar said. "You've seen the footage."

"She didn't know what she was doing. None of us could follow Beetee's plan. You can see her trying to figure out what to do with that wire," Peeta snapped. He was trying to save face for Katniss in the Capitol, ensure people thought she was a pawn, rather than a ringleader.

"All right, it just looks suspicious," Caesar surrendered. "As if she was part of the rebels' plan all along."

This set Peeta off. He was trying to keep Katniss safe, even still, and Caesar, working on Snow's orders, wasn't providing him an opportunity to do so. Peeta leapt to his feet and leant close to Caesar's face. "Really?" he yelled. "She didn't know, Caesar! Neither of us knew anything except that we were trying to keep each other alive!"

Taiya stepped, forward, hoping she could calm Peeta down slightly, only to have her arm tugged back by a Peacekeeper who did not want her to interfere.

"Okay, Peeta," Caesar placed his hands on the boy's chest in an attempt to get him to back down. "I believe you."

"Okay," Peeta withdrew, he ran his hands through his hair in an attempt to alleviate some stress before he slumped back down into his chair looking distraught.

"What about your mentor, Haymitch Abernathy?"

"I don't know what Haymitch knew."

"Could he have been part of the conspiracy?"

"He never mentioned it," Peeta replied. The boy definitely knew Haymitch played a role, and his bitterness didn't drive him to protect the man as it did for Katniss.

"What does your heart tell you?" Caesar pressed.

"That I shouldn't have trusted him. That's all."

"We can stop now if you want?" Caesar patted Peeta on the shoulder in comfort.

"Was there more to discuss?" Peeta smirked.

"I was going to ask your thoughts on the war, but if you're too upset…"

"Oh, I'm not too upset to answer that," Peeta took a deep breath before he looked down the barrel of the camera, this speech was what Snow really wanted from him. "I want everyone watching - whether you're on the Capitol or the rebel side - to stop for just a moment and think about what this war could mean. For human beings. We almost went extinct fighting one another before. Now our numbers are even fewer. Our conditions more tenuous. Is this really what we want to do? Kill ourselves off completely? In the hopes that - what? Some decent species will inherit the smoking remains of the earth?"

"I don't really… I'm not sure I'm following…" Caesar muttered in confusion.

"We can't fight one another," Peeta simplified. "There won't be enough of us left to keep going. If everybody doesn't lay down their weapons - and I mean, as in very soon - it's all over, anyway."

"So… you're calling for a cease-fire?" Caesar asked.

"Yes. I'm calling for a cease-fire," Peeta sighed. Taiya could tell his energy was gone, he was exhausted, both physically and mentally. "Why don't we ask the guards to take me back to my quarters so I can build another hundred card houses?"

Caesar immediately clicked his finger, obviously drawing the camera to him, pulling it off Peeta. That way the audience didn't see the Peacekeepers march forward and clasp a hand over Peeta's mouth, keeping him silent as they dragged him out.

"All right. I think that wraps up our interview with Peeta Mellark. So, next up, we have another victor, and I know you'll love her, we certainly do here in the Capitol. It's Taiya Ambersnow!"

"Behave," a Peacekeeper warned in her ear before she was shoved forward.

A wide smile beamed across Taiya's face as she eagerly skipped forward and pulled Caesar in for a hug.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome! Please, sit," Caesar directed Taiya to take a seat. "It's lovely to have you back. I won't deny it, I really was hoping to see you back here."

"Oh come on now Caesar," Taiya waved her hand. "You can't be playing favourites like that!"

"Oh well I just can't help myself," Caesar laughed loudly as he tipped his head back. "How have you been doing since the abrupt end to the quarter quell?"

"As good as can be I suppose," Taiya sighed. "It's just a lot to come to terms with Caesar. The betrayal."

"Yes, let's speak more on that," Caesar urged. "I'd love to know your thoughts on what happened in those last few frantic moments."

Taiya merely let out a scoff. "Where to even begin!"

"Let's start with the alliance."

"The alliance… full of fake friends and frauds. I didn't want to be in that alliance. I was forced. I wanted to be with my actual friends, Cashmere and Gloss. But I was told if I joined the Careers they'd hunt us down. So I stuck with them, I thought I'd give Cashmere and Gloss the best possible chance of survival, maybe I could even help pick the alliance apart from within… it didn't work out."

"But you seemed quite chummy with them?" Caesar questioned. "You and Peeta seemed very close. You've been friends with Johanna Mason for years. Let alone the shocking relationship we saw develop between you and Finnick Odair. Who was it that threatened you?"

Taiya's eyes darkened as rage filled her face. "Finnick. He's a liar. He's nothing like the man you think he is. He's the one who threatened me. Who forced me into that alliance. 'Break free from these chains', he told me. What chains? I love it here, I always have. I'll be honest Caesar, I fell into the friendships of the alliance more than I expected to. You have to when you're in there. If they thought I wasn't fully in it, they could have turned on me. I just wanted to stay alive."

"But, if you don't mind me saying, the relationship between you and Mr Odair seemed romantic."

Taiya snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Well, then I'm a better actor than I thought Caesar."

"Are you telling me it was false?"

"I'll admit, perhaps I haven't conducted myself well around him in the past. I definitely haven't," Taiya sighed. "Psychotic, intolerable, desperate, narcissistic, that's how I'd describe Finnick Odair. I hate him. I know hate is a strong word, but it's how I feel. I wish him nothing but misery for the rest of his miserable useless life. I'm going to come clean Caesar," she ran a hand down her face. "I was engaged to him."

Caesar let out a loud gasp. "Engaged?"

"I regretted it the moment I said yes. I was mourning Seneca," tears instantly filled Taiya's eyes. "I just wanted comfort. I was vulnerable. I'd led Finnick on for years, the blind fool never knew. I just… I was stuck. My parents died. I had nowhere to go, he took me in. What was I meant to do? I had no options. I never saw our friendship as romantic, but he did. And he pushed and pushed, and I let him believe there was something between us. After I won my Games I moved out. I ignored him, I thought it was my opportunity to be free of him, but my mentor Tyler forced me to move back in with him. The men from home had all the power over my life. Seneca did his best to try and get me out, but I was scared."

"Wow," Caesar sighed mournfully. "Well, I promise you, none of us in the Capitol had an idea what it was like for you back in the Districts."

"The Capitol is my home. I love it with all my heart," Taiya lied.

"How would you have felt if the Games weren't ended early and Finnick happened to die?" Caesar asked.

Taiya had to clench her mouth shut to stop her bottom jaw from shaking. "Truly Caesar, I can't stand the man. He's an arrogant fool. I wouldn't have lost a moment's rest if that seaweed-brained narcissistic loser died. In fact, I'd rejoice. I hope he's in misery wherever he is now. Pure endless misery, that's what he deserves. I wish Katniss had let her arrow fly at him instead of the forcefield."

"Speaking of Katniss," Caesar segued. "Thoughts? Feelings? Is she a rebel or a naive girl?"

"Both. Katniss Everdeen… she has rebellious thoughts. I don't think she's an active rebel though, although it won't be long until the radicals she is surrounded by brainwash her into becoming one. But she is only 17, she's definitely naive. Haymitch, her mentor, he's always hated the Capitol, he'll do everything in his power to pull her to his side. We should just be glad the Capitol was able to rescue Peeta, save him from the brainwashing of these radicals," Taiya spat out with fury. "I hate Katniss Everdeen. I hate her obliviousness, I don't think she fully knew what she was doing when she set off that arrow, but she wasn't clueless. She should be brought to justice and charged just like the rest of them. Plutarch, Haymitch, Tyler, Buck, Katniss and Finnick. They should all face the consequences of their actions, here in the Capitol, where there can be fair judgement. We should learn from history Caesar, last time there was a rebellion it resulted in the extinction of District 13, these rebels are just wanting a war. And war means a lot of death. Only psychopaths would want that."

"You've given us a lot to think about my dear," Caesar hummed in contemplation. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here. I know it wasn't easy coming here to speak your truth, but thank you."

"Anything for you Caesar," Taiya smiled widely. "I'm just finally glad to get the truth out there."

"Alright then!" Caesar beamed at the camera, pulling it off Taiya. As soon as the camera was off her, a Peacekeeper marched forward and ripped Taiya off her chair by yanking her arm. She knew better than to complain. If she let out a yelp and the camera heard it, she'd be punished.

She'd been waiting in her cell all day. She'd been yelling out for Peacekeepers but no one came.

"HELLO!" she yelled again.

"Shut up," Johanna groaned. "They're not going to come."

"Snow promised me he'd take me to see…" she trailed off, not knowing whether it was Gloss or Cashmere who survived. "He promised me he'd take me to see a friend."

"God Taiya," Johanna growled. "Stop believing him!"

"He doesn't lie! He said directly he'd let me visit them. He doesn't lie."

"Of course, he lies!" Johanna yelled through the wall.

"He doesn't lie, he omits, it's very different," Taiya defended.

"Would you both please stop it?" Peeta groaned. He'd been dragged off after his interview, his punishment had been quick, over before Taiya got back, but Johanna had heard the yells.

"Sorry," Taiya and Johanna muttered. Peeta had been the peacemaker between the two of them since they'd been in the cells. They couldn't see each other through the walls, but they could hear everything. Including Johanna's loud breathing that Taiya always snapped at. Johanna similarly got mad at Taiya tapping her fingernails against the floor. Frankly, Peeta was a godsend.

As soon as Taiya slumped onto her bed, her door burst open.

"Taiya?" Peeta's voice called out urgently.

"It's ok!" she yelled back. The Peacekeepers were waiting in the doorway. 8 of them. There was a lot to help control her if she kicked off, but Snow knew she wouldn't get violent if she was taken to see her friend, there was no need to sedate her this time.

She immediately jumped up and walked towards the Peacekeepers, allowing one to grab her arm as they began marching her down the hall. She didn't even resist.

She was walked through the hospital and to a segregated area with Peacekeepers stationed outside. The Peacekeepers exchanged nods and the door was opened and she stepped inside.

There were machines everywhere. Monitoring heart rate, injecting drugs to help with pain and keep him asleep.

Gloss was lying there looking vulnerable and broken. His chest was covered in bandages. But the heartbeat monitor rang out, he was alive. Taiya raced forward to his bedside and grasped his hand. He didn't even flinch, he was on a lot of medication. Taiya let out a loud sob as she looked down at him. He was in this position because of Katniss. He was alive thanks to Snow.

Taiya brushed the hair off of his hair. He looked so peaceful asleep.

"Can I stay?" Taiya asked the Peacekeepers.

"Of course," Snow's voice answered her. She hadn't even noticed him sitting near the doorway of Gloss' room. "We had a deal Miss Ambersnow," he stood up. "You did your interview perfectly and now you can visit your friend. I keep my word," he said as he came to stand on the other side of Gloss.

"He's going to be ok?"

"He will be. So long as you continue to act in both yours and his best interest."

"I have no problem with that," Taiya agreed.

"Well, then I have a question I'd like an answer to," Snow looked over at her. "Where are the rebels hiding?"

"I don't know," Taiya answered honestly.

"Miss Ambersnow," Snow sighed in disappointment. "I really expected more from you."

"I'm telling the truth," her voice shook nervously.

He didn't believe her, he just sighed in disappointment before he nodded his head at the Peacekeepers.