Clementine stood at the back of the war room, the din of voices, plans, and strategies swirling around her. It was a constant hum of battle preparation, the air thick with tension and anticipation. They were close—so close to the final push into the Capitol. Soldiers, medics, engineers, everyone was gearing up for the fight. And yet, Clementine wasn't.

She wasn't with them. She hadn't been issued a weapon or a command. Instead, she had asked to stay behind, a decision that had sparked whispers and side glances from those around her. Some believed she had no right to stay back while others marched into the heart of the battle. Her own heart twisted at the thought, but the moment she looked over at Effie, standing quietly beside her, she knew she had made the right choice.

Effie wasn't a soldier. She wasn't equipped to handle the horrors of war, and Clementine couldn't bring herself to leave her behind in the chaos. Not when she had already lost so much. And the thought of being without her—of something happening to her while Clementine was away—it was a feeling she couldn't bear.

Some had tried to convince her otherwise. "It's your duty," they had said. "You're strong. You should be out there with the others."

But Plutarch Heavensbee, ever the strategist, had a different perspective. He had stood at the edge of the room, watching the conversation unfold, his eyes flicking between Clementine and Effie with a calculating gleam.

"This could work in our favour," Plutarch had said, stepping forward. His voice carried the weight of someone who saw beyond the present, always considering the future. "You two. Your relationship. It could be useful. A symbol."

"A symbol?" Clementine had asked, confused.

Plutarch nodded, his eyes sharp with thought. "If this war ends the way we hope, we'll need ways to promote peace between the Capitol and the Districts. What better way than to have a relationship like yours in the public eye? It could be used to unite the people. Show them that even in the darkest times, love can bloom between those from such different worlds."

Clementine's chest tightened. She knew what he meant. If they allowed her to stay behind, there would be expectations. Effie and her couldn't ever break up—not publicly, at least. They would be pushed into the spotlight, their relationship used as propaganda to unite the Capitol and the Districts. A love story for the masses, packaged and displayed as a symbol of unity.

Clementine looked over at Effie, who stood tall, her hands clasped in front of her as she listened. The thought of being used as a political tool didn't sit right with Clementine, but at the same time, she didn't care. She had never felt this way before about anyone, and she doubted anyone else could ever take her attention away from the radiant woman at her side. Effie had become her anchor, the one person who brought light into her dark, war-torn world.

But this wasn't just about her. She worried about Effie. About how she felt about all of this. Would she be okay with their relationship being used in such a way? Would it put even more pressure on her? The war had already taken so much from her—was it right to ask her to take on this burden, too?

Clementine turned toward her, grasping Effie's hands in her own, her voice soft and filled with uncertainty. "Are you sure about this? We don't have to. You could still... you could still leave me. Find someone better suited to you, someone who—"

Effie squeezed her hands tightly, cutting off Clementine's words. Her eyes, usually so bright with confidence, were now filled with determination. "No," she said firmly, her voice unwavering. "We'll do it." She turned to Plutarch and Coin, her chin held high. "We'll do whatever it takes."

Clementine's heart swelled with emotion. Effie was always composed, always in control, but in that moment, she saw the strength beneath the surface. She wasn't just agreeing to be a symbol. She was choosing to stand by Clementine, no matter what the future held.

As the Capitol descended into chaos, the screens in District 13's war room flickered to life. The city had been transformed into a battleground, its streets turned into an arena for what was being called the 76th Hunger Games. Except this time, the tributes were not chosen at random. Every single person who entered the Capitol was now a target.

Clementine and Effie sat together, watching in horror as the carnage unfolded on the massive screens. Soldiers, citizens, and even Capitol elites were caught in the crossfire, their lives torn apart by the relentless violence. The horrors they witnessed were far worse than anything Clementine had ever seen. Bombs fell indiscriminately, buildings crumbled, and fires raged through the streets.

But it wasn't just the District people who were dying. No. Effie's people—the Capitol citizens she had grown up with—were being slaughtered as well. Men, women, and children ran for their lives, but there was nowhere to hide. The traps, the terror, the destruction—it was endless.

Clementine glanced at Effie, whose face had gone pale. Her normally poised demeanour had cracked, her hands trembling in her lap. Her blue eyes, usually full of life and sparkle, were now wide with terror and disbelief. The Capitol, her home, was being torn apart in front of her eyes.

"I can't do this," Effie whispered, her voice barely audible. She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor, and walked out of the room, her steps shaky. Clementine followed her without hesitation, her heart aching at the sight of Effie's distress.

Out in the corridor, Effie stopped, leaning against the cold, sterile wall. Her body trembled as she tried to hold herself together, but Clementine could see how much it was all affecting her.

Without a word, Clementine stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Effie's waist, pulling her close. Effie leaned into her touch, her body shaking with the effort of holding back her tears. Clementine gently guided Effie back to her room, away from the chaos and the screams on the screens.

The moment they were alone, Effie crumbled. The woman who was always so composed, so in control of herself, finally let go. She collapsed onto the bed, her face buried in her hands as sobs wracked her body. Clementine sat beside her, gently stroking her back, her heart breaking for the woman she loved.

"I'm so sorry," Clementine whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry you have to see this."

Effie shook her head, her sobs quieting as she leaned into Clementine's embrace. "They're my people," she whispered, her voice trembling. "And I can't do anything to help them."

Clementine held her tighter, pressing her lips to Effie's temple. "You're helping more than you know. We're going to get through this. Together."

For the first time in what felt like hours, Effie lifted her head and met Clementine's gaze. Her eyes, though filled with pain, held a glimmer of hope. And in that moment, Clementine knew that no matter what happened, she would never leave Effie's side. They would face whatever came next together.