.The Trackjacker & The Mockingjay (Katniss Everdeen X F.OC).

-Capitol's Game-

Sneaking out of 13 was... Not as hard as Katniss had imagined.

With everyone storming the streets of the Capitol, the attention was not solely on her and with Johanna, who got... House arrested let's say, to help out, as for once she agreed with Katniss, it was easier. The one time they could have stopped her? It only took the other victor to do anything out of the norm for 13 to get their attention off Katniss.

Once on hovercraft, the people didn't even ask her if she should be there, they just assumed that it was indeed her spot to be at, even more with Peeta wordlessly joining in when he spotted her, and he was now a 13 soldier after all, since 13 decided so.

Even when she got off, they could have called back or been informed, but no, they all greeted her, showed her around their base camp to their armory, and the team she'd accompany.

"You're brave to show your face here."

"Out of us two, you're the one talking?" She hadn't seen him in a long time; it was like the moment his control evaporated that Gale moved on, even if the fury visible in his eyes never paled. "Do I need to remind you who you've hidden behind all this time? Be it me or anyone else."

A tick to the jaw as he reached out, but Peeta grabbed his forearm, an electric look passing between the boys.

Before, he would have had things his way, before everything went wrong, and now everyone is like this... It is so annoying.

Yanking the hand free with a sneer.

"You have been blinded."

"Or maybe I finally see clearly."

"Gale, leave."

Watching him stomp away, finally, Peeta was the first of them both to let out a sigh.

"Does he really need to be on the team?" Katniss asked, her sigh not far behind, how lovely what one little fuckup can cause right?

"Bomb specialist, promoted while you were knocked out. He's here for the ride, whether you want it or not, sadly."

"Why am I not surprised?" Katniss said. 

"Hey, don't worry, I'm here to keep him in check." Patting her back with a grin. "I have enough eyes remaining to be observant."

"Peeta."

"Ssh now." Waving it off. "Someone needs to look after you; there's someone waiting for you back home."

"Home..." She was silent for a while. "Hey Peeta? Thanks."

"Hmm?"

"For everything since the start. Being there when I mess up... Telling her."

"Oooh." He grinned, grinned like the boy before any of this had gone down, grinned like they were back in their district and back how it was back then. "That's what friends are for, don't worry."

------------"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 76th Hunger Games."------------

"I don't get it." Katniss was at a loss.

Everything was going perfectly.

The propo team filming shots, plans finalized with Peeta to help her sneak off to complete her secret mission she set for herself, not pissing of or making the other soldier's suspissious, Avoiding the ever vigilant anger of Gale, Finnick being there as another mediator and even being of trust with Boggs right away.

But this...

"Why is she here?"

"It's Coin's doing."

Boggs and Katniss were mere feet away from the dilapidated building they had set up, but the glass kept the rest from hearing them talk.

A transport van had rolled up with a group of soldiers delivering one person she sure didn't want to see here.

"But why? She knows Percy should not be in any high-stress situations, even I remember that." Looking over her shoulder, almost scared the mentioned girl would hear her, but she was just speaking with Peeta and Finnick off to the side of the room. "She's dangerous to all, herself included."

"Because she can't control you," Boggs replied, following her gaze. "Coin dislikes anything she can't control, and it was not you that she wanted out of the arena, but the girl raised with discipline in her veins like a second nature."

"She wants to get rid of me." Knowing an uncontrolled snap might lead to catastrophe, despite how Percy wants to rein in her instincts, when true push comes to true shove, a human mind can only do so much before giving in.

"I will not let that happen."

"Why?"

"Because, for once, an adult should protect you kids."

Looking back towards Percy once again, head having drifted away while talking.

She seemed so normal right now, but Katniss feared the one event too much, what it would do to them, to Percy.

But she can't let the presidents, whichever it might be, dictate her life and choices.