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When we step out into the Hangar, I can't help but look at all the aircraft that surrounds me. I feel a familiar bubble of anger that 13 had all of this and yet waited so long before helping the rest of us. But, as Haymitch has explained to me more than once, 13 wasn't in a position until recently to launch a counterattack. Yes, they had nuclear missiles, but if they started a nuclear war, the question remained if any human life would even be left. Fair point, but it didn't ease my feelings much.

"Over here," Boggs says, gesturing to a smaller hovercraft.

The insides of the craft are swamped with cameras and other television equipment, plus the operators of said equipment. Everyone is in their District 13 military jumpsuits, even Haymitch, and when he sees my smirk he scowls at me, the expression having more of a harsh quality about it than normal. Yeah, he's definitely mad at me.

Fulvia sees us and comes right up to me, studying my face that is lacking the dramatic makeup she'd desired, and frowns. "All that work, down the drain," she laments with a sigh. "I'm not blaming you, Katniss." No, of course you aren't, I think to myself. "It's just that very few people are born with camera-ready faces. Like him." She grabs Gale by the arm and spins him around, abruptly ending his conversation with Plutarch. "Isn't he handsome?"

The question, given mine and Gale's history, is incredibly awkward, but luckily Rye shows up to save the day. "Oh, I don't know 'bout him," he says with a bright grin. "But I think we can all agree I'm pretty smokin'."

"Well, don't expect us to be impressed," Boggs says dryly. "We just saw Finnick Odair in his underwear."

I decide to go ahead and trust Boggs.

When we all take our seats, Gale on one side of me and Rye on the other, Boggs introduces us to my camera crew. "Katniss, this is Cressida and her men. She's from the Capitol but escaped to help the rebels." She's a pale girl with green eyes that could stare holes into you and her head is shaved on one side with vines tattooed into her skalp. Leaving the other side of her head full of long, blonde hair. It almost reminds me of Prim's hair, or. . Peeta's.

"Hi," I whisper quietly and she smiles softly at me, something not many people do anymore.

"This is Castor and this is Pollux." She says pointing towards two men sitting next to her wrapped head to toe in camera equipment.

"Hi," I tell them and while Castor responds Pollux sinply smiles. Something I wouldn't think anything of if I hadn't seen him swallow, the way he struggles to do it. And then memories of Darious swallowing floods back, memories of finding out he was an avox because he tried to save my husband. My hands begin to shake and Rye takes my hand gently into his.

"You're an avox." I state and he nods his head. I look away not able to be reminded of the times that I watched Darious unable to speak, or the night Peeta and I lyed in bed talking about it. Peeta. Everything comes back to him.

"If I could get everyone's attention." Plutarch tells us from the middle of the hovercraft where he stands. "This little purple pill is called nightlock, and it's named in your honor." He says to me holding up a small purple pill. "We can't afford for anyone to be taken prisoner, so if you are captured just take this pill. It will be quick and painless."

They begin to pass them around and just when I take the pill in my hand I look on my outfit for some where to place the lethal pill, when Boggs taps my shoulder. A small pocket rests on my shoulder blade, and I know by the stiches that Cinna knew about these little pills. He really thought of everything. I gently place it inside the pocket and seal it shut.

It really doesn't matter though, because I have no intentions of ever using the little capsule of death.

"Here put this in your ear." Haymitch shoves a small, skin colored object in my direction.

"What is it?"

"It's a device that you can hear me on. And I swear you better listen to me." He says and I nod my head trying not to laugh at how much of a father he has become to me.

The hovercraft lands in district 8 and the minute everyone is off, it flys back into the air and disappears. I'm left with my bodyguards that consist of Boggs, Rye, Gale, and one other man, but I don't know his name. Then there's the camera crew that I was introduced to on the hovercraft, and of course Haymitch but he's only here inside of my ear.

We hardly linger for more than a few seconds before Boggs is ushering us off the main road to a section of warehouses. Boggs walks in front of me, while I'm flanked by Rye and Gale. As we're walking, a second hovercraft lands and a medical team emerges from the craft. I can tell because of their white uniforms. Crates of medical supplies are quickly unloaded by the six of them.

Boggs continues to lead us through a narrow alleyway between two warehouses. Dull and gray, the tight space simply seems dreary. Only the occasional access ladder interrupts the battered metal walls. However, when we finally emerge into the street, the sight that greets my eyes makes me want nothing more than to stick to the dull gray tunnel we'd passed through.

The area is bustling with life and yet reeks of death and illness. Patients are being carried on whatever is available. Some have made homemade stretchers, but most vessels that carry the casualties are whatever is around and capable of the task. Wheelbarrows. Carts. Slung over a strong shoulder. Clenched tight in arms. It's a horror scene from my mother's kitchen times a hundred. Broken, bleeding, limbless forms surround me, and I begin to panic.

Why send me here? I can't do this. Didn't they see how hard it was for me to take care of Peeta when he was hurt in our first Games? I don't do well with other's pain.

"This won't work," I choke as I try not to listen to the pained moans that seem to multiply just to spite me. "I won't be good here."

Boggs must see my panic because he places his hands on my shoulders. "You will. Just let them see you. That will do more for them than any doctor in the world could."

A woman directing the injured notices us and quickly walks in our direction. She has dark skin, much like Rue's skin was, and her hair is tied back in bun that's all it apart. There's a bandage wrapped around her neck that looks like it should have been changed days ago, and she has a gun slung over her shoulder. "I'm commander Paylor." She says and shakes Boggs hand.

I move forward and extend my hand towards her and she examines it for a split second before grasping it. "I'm Katniss-"

"Everdeen." She finishes for me, though that's not the last name I was going to use. "I know who you are."

"It's Mellark actually." I say standing up for my husband. And out of the corner of my eye I can see Rye smile at my ambitious answer.

"We all thought you had died, it's good to see you're alive." She says and I have to resist the urge to scowl.

"I've been recovering, the arena was pretty rough on me." I say defending myself, because the last thing I want is for her to think I've simply been hiding out in thirteen.

"Yeah I remember." Her eyes dart down to my round stomach that is quite noticeable even though I'm in all black. Which is supposedly a slimming color, but obviously it's not working. "You sure you want to be here, Mockingjay?"

I stare her in the eyes and nod my head. I'm tried of people questioning my ability to do things. Even though there is a small voice in the back of my head (that sounds oddly like Peeta) telling me to get the heck out of there. "I'm sure. I came to see your wounded."

"Well we've got plenty of them, come on in." She says and motions for us to follow her.

As we walk, Gale bends slightly to whisper to me, "It's not a good idea," he says. "Assembling the wounded like this."

He's right. Any sort of contagious disease would spread like wildfire. But before I can respond, Rye beats me to it. "I think it's slightly better than leaving them to die. Besides, I don't think they have many other options."

Gale falls into silence, apparently having accepted Rye's answer, or simply having chosen not to comment. Not that there's time. We enter the hospital and I'm almost immediately overwhelmed by the stench of death, disease, and decay. I'm not allowed to stay in here too long, for fear of picking up some virus that could possibly harm the babies, so I know we'll have to be quick without seeming rushed. And the feeling of cramps returning isn't helping. Always a tricky practice.

A thick, heavy curtain runs the length of the substantial warehouse, creating a wide corridor. Corpses with white sheets drawn over them line the hall, the line of dead seeming endless. "We've got a mass grave started a few blocks west of here, but I can't spare the manpower to move them yet," Paylor explains before finding a slit in the curtain and pulling it back.

Impulsively, I clutch Gale and Rye's wrists. "Do not leave my side," I plead under my breath.

"I'm right here," Gale assures me.

"Got your back, Rosy Posy," Rye adds.

When we step through the curtain, I'm assaulted with the smell of burnt flesh and other body fluids. If I thought the smell of dead bodies was bad, I obviously was wrong. I watch as flies land on the open wounds of people lying helpless on the ground. I shake my head and look down. I can't do this, I need Peeta for this.

You have a strength I'll never know for myself, you're a strong person, Katniss. And that's just one thing I love about you.

The whispers fill my head and I close my eyes taking in his words. I release Gale's and Rye's hands and walk towards a young woman that has a leg wound and a bandage wrapped around her head.

"Katniss Eveedeen? Is that you, is it really you?" She asks and I nod my head, while pulling a blanket up on her.

"It's really me." I tell her softly and smile.

At the sound of my voice, her face brightens to reflect pure joy, completely erasing the pain on her face for just a moment. "You're alive! We didn't know. People said you were, but we didn't know!"

"I got pretty banged up," I explain. Everyone will think I mean physically, and I won't dissuade them differently. My emotional state is what ails me, but they don't need to know that. "But I got better, just as you will."

"I've got to tell my brother!" The woman struggles to sit up slightly so she can call to someone a few beds down. "Eddy! Eddy! She's here! It's Katniss Everdeen!"

A boy looks up at the sound of his name. Bandages obscure half of his face, as his mouth opens as if to shout an exclamation. I move to him, easing down onto my haunches so we're almost face to face. I run a gentle hand through his brown curls, murmuring a greeting. He doesn't answer, but he stares at me with his good eye with such intensity that it's as though he's trying to memorize every detail of my face.

Slowly, my name begins to ripple throughout the room. "It's Katniss! Katniss! Katniss Everdeen!" The despair in the air begins to lift, replaced with a renewed hope. I walk through the aisles, grasping extended hands, murmuring hello, how are you, and good to meet you. Nothing of great consequence, but that doesn't matter. Boggs was right. Just seeing me is enough.

Despite his treasonous interview, many ask about Peeta. They assure me that they know he was speaking under duress. It's the sincerity in their wishes for Peeta and I to be reunited that causes tears to well in my eyes. Snow hadn't needed us to convince the people of mine and Peeta's love. It's obvious that they are not blind to the love Peeta and I share.

Rye gets many interesting looks since he and Peeta resemble each other so uncannily. Initially, some people actually thought he was Peeta, and then he had to disappoint them with the truth. I wonder how he feels about all this. Does he feel resentment? Because the people want his brother and not him? Is he angry for the same reason? No. That's not Rye. Knowing Rye, he's just as disappointed as the patients that Peeta isn't here to shake their hand. Because, at least if Peeta were here with us, we'd know that he was okay.

Many people also inquire about the baby. One woman is in tears due to her relief. Being a mother of six, she was constantly worrying about the dangers I faced in the arena. The time I went without water. Our many battles. The fog. Everything that could possibly cause a miscarriage and yet I still managed to save my children. I tell her that I couldn't have done it without Peeta and the rest of our allies, and the woman nods. "He'll make a wonderful father," she says, grasping my hand in both of hers. "Take care of yourself, Katniss. He's waiting for you."

He's waiting for you. The words strike me, but I push them into the back of my mind. I can't focus on them right now. Patients. I have to comfort the patients. Be the Mockingjay.

It's only now that I realize the journey Peeta and I felt we were making alone, we've shared with thousands. They've been behind us the entire time in our ongoing struggle against the Capitol. And even though Peeta is currently captive in the Capitol, I realize that we've been the Mockingjays long before I accepted the title and despite the fact that Peeta probably doesn't have a clue he's a 'Mockingjay' in the first place. Or maybe he's the jabber jay, the other part of the duo.

When we finally leave the hospital, I breathe in the fresh air and sit down against the wall. If I don't have time to lye down I at least need to rest, because the pain still hasn't gone away.

"You did good." Cressida tells me and I realize she means the footage she took.

"I forgot you were videoing me." I admit and she laughs.

"Your mom would have been proud of you." Gale says as he sits down next to me.

I kick my boot in the sand and shake my head. "No, she'd be more caught up in looking at all of the injuries than watching me."

"You're probably right." He says and I shrug my shoulders.

"Get to the airstrip," Boggs announces authoritatively. "Immediately!" He lifts me to my feet with one hand. "There's a problem."

I hear Peeta's voice in my head, spewing a stream of his rare cursing.

"What kind of problem?" Gale asks warily.

"Incoming bombers," Boggs replies as he yanks my helmet over my head. "Let's move!"

Immediately, Rye and Gale are on either side of me, Boggs leading the way once again as we begin a sprint along the front of one of the warehouses, heading for the ally that leads to the airstrip. I look all around me, but I don't see any sign of an impending attack. Just a blue, summer sky, exactly the color of Peeta's eyes.

Suddenly, sirens begin to wail. My eyes return to the sky and I see low-flying Capitol hovercraft in a V formation. I have just enough time to listen to more of Peeta screaming in my mind before the world falls extremely silent. . .

"I'm sorry, Peeta. I'm sorry." I begin to cry as we run. The world is silent and I can hear him in my head yelling at me for going to a place like this, for endangering our babies.

"Katniss, you could have been killed, our child could have been killed!"

But then it's not silent anymore, and suddenly I can't hear Peeta yelling at me. The bombs begin to fall and I feel a hand try to grasp mine as I'm blown off my feet. . . but I can't hold on.

A.N. Hey guys! So hopefully you liked this chapter and if you did make sure to give it a ⭐️ and comment! Also some really exciting news, I got my learners permit!!! Yay! See ya next week.