.Forest Fire (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Meeting-

Paige had to do her best to remind herself that this woman was Katniss, an ally, the mockingjay but her hand itched to put an axe through the mutt's skull.

It was a constant fight, her grip on the handle so hard, it turned her knuckles white.

Despite some good long time having past, there was still the fainted bruising on 12's throat from Peeta.

So she concentrated on that, reminding herself that Peeta was made to believe she was a mutt and that she was to be killed, using him to kill the real Katniss so this must be the real Katniss.

"You know what they did to us in there." She simply said even if it should have been a question. Sliding down to sit on the ground.

"Trackerjacker, fear conditioning." Katniss said.

"Not only that." She scoffed with a dry chuckle, bringing her legs up and resting her elbows on her knees. "That was just the dessert." She looked up at Katniss, her heart gripped with fear that felt paralyzing. "We became quite acquainted with each other's screams you know."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't change shit to this." There was a weak snap to her voice. "There have done everything they can to destroy us, horrible, horrible things, things that make it hard to tell reality from the dream..." She grabbed her head with her free hand. "And now they want me to protect you again, stand with you at the head of the trail I built and you set on fire.... Are you just aware how this all feels? No, of course wouldn't, no one knows how this feels."

Katniss didn't know what to say so she said nothing.

"They want me to once again die for you.... Is it even worth it anymore? They want me to die again. They are trying to kill me again. All I ever wanted to protect was my family, my brother was meant to win dammit!" She gripped her head with her second hand, without dropping the axe.

"I never asked them to make you do this, I'm sorry."

"Marcus was meant to leave, Marcus was meant to live, Marcus, he was to win."

Paige hit her fist on her head, smacking herself with the handle of the weapon.

Katniss stood, wanting to stop her but knowing that that axe would put a definitive end to her stopped her as to her relief, the hateful woman opened the door.

"What you do Everdeen?" Johanna's voice was dry and accusing as she instantly assessed the situation, kneeling near Paige, yanking the weapon she was hitting against herself out of her hands and dropping it it.

"I did nothing, she was just talking and the only one talking, then she started talking about Marcus needing to live."

Johanna sat down on the ground too, arm looped around Paige and pulling her in a hug.

"If it wasn't for Plutarch, I would have never even let you see her." Johanna said, hearing Paige mutter variations of 'Marcus should have come home' against her.

"I know.... She told me she was to die for me."

"I don't think Coin or anyone is stupid enough to tell her that, that I am sure." She put a hand on the back of Paige's head. "But it is clear, they want her to fight with you and we all know too that they expect her to lay her life down for you."

"I never asked for this, I don't want to hurt her."

"Then you'd stay as far as you can be from danger."

"You know that's impossible."

"I know." She groaned angrily, Katniss was a trouble magnet if she did something or not and there was no saying what was to come with her. "I can't have her hurt again." She admitted to 12.

"I'll make sure Snow pays for what he did." Katniss promised.

"Don't try to make me like you Everdeen." Johanna grinned at her despite the situation. "Hurting Snow will not be enough to ever pay back what he has done, not even in death so all I can hope for is that she won't be hurt more."

"I'll make them all pay."

"I expect nothing else Everdeen.... Now, this little meeting has been nice but I think Paper is at her limit of seeing your face." She had been for a while. "You'll see each other enough as it is."

Katniss nodded.

"Alright, it was nice to see you Paige, you too Johanna." She said with a friendly wave, leaving the room, despite how it turned out, she was happy she got to see the victor again.

"There." Johanna looked away from the closing door and pulled the girl more in her arms, tighter. Johanna always was worried about hurting her from squeezing too hard the harder it was the better it seemed for Paige. "She's gone dear, she'd gone, they are all gone." She kissed her hair as she whispered as the same volume Paige was rambling on at. "You'll be fine, they are all gone, I'll make sure they are all gone, I'm here to keep you safe, always."