Hunger Games - From the Ashes

Chapter Sixteen - 'Star Squad'

"I don't think we can get across this minefield." Gale stated as I gave him some water. the three of us were stilling together talking, away from the others.

"Not without that holo. We're not gonna get it off of him while he's awake." I mutter.

"Let's make sure that at least two of us are on the same watch tonight then." Kat stated . We heard a truck approaching and it caught all of our attention.

"Is that peace keepers?" Holmes asked. Kat and I grabbed our bows when Jackson called it in.

"451 to base. We've got a truck coming in from the south. Over." I walked out with the others. "Stand down everyone. It's friendly." Jackson called . I jogged up the steps as it pulled in. A guard got out and opened the back. Seeing the tuff of blonde hair I realised it was Peeta. Kat did to and she drew a arrow at him. He was muttering to himself.

"OK stop." Peeta came to a halt at my brothers voice.

"Everyone relax." Finn held his hand out going over to a mutter Peeta.

"What are we doin'?" Kat wondered still holding a arrow ready to fire. Boggs turned round

"Jackson cuff him." Boggs went on the coms and I made Kat lower the arrow.

"Okay Soldier, this is just a precaution. Till we get everything sorted out. Yeah?" Peeta nodded holding his hands up. I went back inside while Boggs told us what the hell was going on.

"They want us to add him to the propo. Show that he's on our side now. We'll move forward a few blocks tomorrow and shoot new footage."

"He's not in control of himself." My brother states looking at his brother in law

" I say we schedule an around the clock watch on him. The Leegs til 1700, Holmes and Mitchel til 1900."

"Give me a watch." I say and Jackson looks at me

"And if it really came down to it, could you really shoot him?" she questioned me

"I wouldn't be shooting Peeta. I'd be killing the Capitol mutt." I retorted

"I'm not sure that kind of comment recommend you for the job either soldier."

"Put her in the rotaition." Boggs left for outside and I followed.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked "Even I'm not blind to the fact he's gonna try and kill me. Especially with all that's going on, it'll set him off."

"We'll keep him contained." he replied

"Why would Coin do this?" I questioned. He turned to face me.

"Here's all I know. It was Peeta she wanted rescued from that arena. She never liked you. She doesn't like anybody that she can't control." he explained and it all began to click into place, finally.

"So she would put my life in danger?"

"She'd deny it but..." he trailed off

"What?"

"One way or another this war is gonna come to a end. They promised a free election. Maybe she's starting to see you as a threat."

"Nobody would think me as a leader. Not even me." I rolled my eyes, I could barely keep my shit together as it was.

"But you'd throw your support to someone. Would it be her?" Ugh no chance she's shifty and creepy like someone else I know and that's never a good thing.

"If your immediate answer isn't yes then you're dangerous. She doesn't need you as a rallying cry anymore. These propos can be done without you. There is only one thing you can do now to add more fire to this rebellion." I sighed

"Die."

"That's not gonna happen under my watch Lily. I'm plannin' for you to have a long life." he vowed holding onto my arm.

"Why you don't owe me anything?"

"Because you've earned it." I looked at him for a moment.

"I love that boy to death in there. But they've twisted his mind so much that he nearly killed me. The whole reason I snuck out here was because I was sure he would be safe and get better in their care. I don't know how to be a mockingjay and a weary wife at the same time. I struggle with one. Please tell me how I can keep an eye on him and watch my unit's back at the same time."

"You share the burden." he told me

------

It was my rotation of the night. I rested my head on my hand looking at him sleeping. He looked so peaceful like nothing could touch him.

"We've been here before you know." Okay so he wasn't asleep.

"What?" I asked

"That look. I've seen that look, you're trying to decide whether or not you should kill me." he opened his eyes now looking at me, like right into my soul like he could.

"I never wanted to kill you. And that's not what I'm doing." he sat himself up and turned to face me.

"I saw it with my own eyes. In the first games."

"In the first games I thought you were trying to help the careers kill me. After that I saw you as a ally." He nodded

"Friend, lover, victor, fiancee, husband, enemy, target, mutt. And now ally? Yeah I'll add that to the list of words I use to try and figure you out." I heard moment and saw that Finn was woken up. "I'm sorry. I just can't tell what's real and what's made up anymore."

"Then ask. It's what Annie does." Finn voiced

"Ask who?" Others started to wake up.

"Us. We're your unit now." Jackson answered now awake and he looked back to me.

"Your favourite colour is midnight blue. Is that real?" He questioned

"Yes, that's real."

"You're's is Orange. Not like Effie's hair" I chuckled then went somber "Soft like the sunset."

"Thank you."

"You're a painter, a baker, You always sleep with the windows open even though it drives me crazy. You don't take sugar in your tea, You always double knot your shoelaces and back home you have over 80 drawings of me growing up." I stood, it was too much. "You're right I can't do this... not yet." I sat near Kat who rubbed my shoulder.

"I guess we're not leaving anymore." Gale muttered. I needed to end this before I could even think about being a wife.

"Not until we get that holo." I reply.