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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act three.

(chapter sixty-one, inevitable hatred that's not so inevitable)

the cells, 75 ADD.

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JOHANNA MASON HELD JUNIPER Hale's hand throughout the night, mainly because the latter would not let go. However, the woman from Seven didn't mind and neither did the one from Ten. She was too plagued with grief and despair to realise she was clutching Johanna Mason's hand like it was an anchor. But the twenty-one-year-old, who had a clearer head than her, allowed it. 

The tears had ceased, the sobbing had stopped, and the hiccups were disappearing, but the image was still clear. The handguns. The blood. The bodies dropping. The sound of the duo explosions. Nadine and Yara were dead. And they were shot right in-front of Juniper.

(Juniper furrowed her brows as she looked up to the stage, narrowing her eyes when she saw the escort, Nadine Groves)

(Some pictures were rather bizarre and so, Juniper wasn't surprised when she actually saw Yara)

And despite what Johanna had said, Juniper did blame herself. She should have warned the escort and stylist about the possibility of something going wrong. Or she should have begged Lucy to pick them up. Or she should have fought the Peacekeeper off and saved the two. But then, as Juniper thought this with tear stains on her cheeks, she wondered why she actually cared about Nadine Groves and Yara Give.

She had every reason to want them dead, to enjoy seeing them punished. Nadine Groves had picked her name during the Seventy-Second Reaping as well as Justice's. She then proceeded to choose Raymond Carmine, Jeremy Marinas, and Dakota Hood. And then she grabbed Juniper's name for the Quarter Quell. Juniper should have despised Nadine Groves for that and whilst she was sure she had, there was no spite or hatred coursing through her veins anymore.

And then Yara. The woman had been dressing up District Ten tributes for as long as Juniper could remember and had always embarrassed them with her atrocious outfits. It was only when Nadine told her to change her point of view that her costumes changed design. But Yara Give was styling them all up just to die. She prepped them for the Tribute Parade, for the interviews, and in the catacombs just for them to die. Juniper should have hated her too. 

("Take care of yourself in there.")

(Yara nodded her head as she looked towards Juniper, tears running down her face, "You're an idiot, I hope you know that. You should have stayed with Odair, then you wouldn't be here.")

("Don't," Yara warned. She was trying to take deep breaths. "Don't say anything, you'll make it more worse than it is.")

But despite all of the factors that pointed to inevitable hatred, it wasn't that inevitable because Juniper Hale did not despise Nadine Groves and Yara Give. She realised that now as she clung onto Johanna's hand tightly. She did not hate them. 

(Clampitt furrowed her brows at the bickering of the stylist and escort before focusing back on Juniper, saying, "I know why... you think they're some dumb, brainwashed animals. They didn't know what they were doing, right? They've grown up with this. They wouldn't know what's right and wrong.")

And it was true. Nadine Groves and Yara Give were brainwashed, dumb people. They didn't know what they were doing. They were infected with Snow's lies, his manipulation. They were just following instructions, just doing what they were grown up to do. And so, no. No hatred for Nadine Groves and Yara Give coursed through Juniper's veins. Instead, utter mourning, disbelief, and despair did. 

It had to be the next day, she realised. Hours must have passed and with that, they were closer to entering the sixth week of their captivity, creeping closer to forty-two days. And yet, no rescue mission. No attempt to have them back with the rebels. But then Juniper thought about what Johanna had said yesterday.

("Oh, he did." Johanna scoffed. "But the rebels... whatever the Capitol is doing, they're fighting back... I heard there was bombing in District Eight, ordered by Snow. Killed a hospital of injured people—")

("No, no it doesn't." Johanna tried to chuckle. "But they're making these propos. It's all rumours, obviously, but it seems like something Plutarch would do.")

If the Capitol were attacking the districts and the rebels were fighting back, what did that mean? If they've got Katniss doing these propos, what did that mean? Were they trying to get enough manpower, enough strength to even dare sneaking into the Capitol to get the four Victors'? That had to be it. They had to be waiting for the perfect moment to get Juniper, Peeta, Johanna, and Annie. 

But it was nearing six weeks. 

Shaking her head internally, Juniper then began to look around at the cells. Annie was sitting cross-legged as she stared into the distance and as Juniper studied her, she saw the numerous knots that were tangled into her dark hair. She noticed the abrasions on her wrists from the handcuffs were more red, but her skin was slowly starting to become free of bruises. Juniper, Peeta, and Johanna differed. 

Peeta had calmed down slightly and was now pacing around his cell. His walking was odd with the way his prosthetic leg clunked around, but there was a war in his mind and it looked like he was losing. There were clouds of anger within his face as he muttered mutt and rebels. Whatever they were doing to the boy, it was getting to him. 

And then Johanna. She was leaning against the bars that divided her and Juniper's cell, hand still through the gaps at an odd angle so the woman from Ten could hold it still. She was staring at the cells that were opposite. And as she did, Juniper inspected their interlocked hands. 

She should have, really, shook Johanna off the moment she felt her grab her hand, but she didn't. She was slightly shocked that the Victor of the Seventy-First could even handle affection or care when it came to someone crying. But she did. She didn't look happy about it, but she let Juniper hold on. And now, with hours passed, she was acting as if nothing was happening, as if Juniper's skin wasn't burning her. And the Hale woman felt appreciative of Johanna's attempts to calm her down by offering her hand. But it was very unlike her.

Suddenly, the metal doors blew open and two burly Peacekeepers' came thudding into the area. And whilst Juniper thought they would take Johanna away since it had to be morning, they didn't even move past Peeta's cell. One of the soldiers dug out the golden, shiny key and slid it into the door, unlocking the cage. Then, with a rough grasp on the bicep, they yanked Peeta out. Both Juniper and Johanna watched with furrowed brows as the boy and the two Peacekeepers' disappeared as the metal doors slammed shut. 

"Well... that was odd," Johanna commented. 

"Very..." Juniper murmured. "They normally take you before, don't they?" 

Johanna let go of the woman's hand as she stood up, walking over to her cell door as she grasped the bars, saying, "Yeah, they do... they have to be doing another interview."

"How much is that now?" 

"This will be his third one," Johanna murmured. 

The Hale woman let out a sigh as she moved to lean against the wall of her cell. Her hand was clammy and she could still feel Johanna's hold on it, even as Juniper massaged her palm. As she did, she spotted the abrasions on her wrists. They were starting to hurt with the area becoming red and swollen. Juniper was certain that any more time with the tight handcuffs on her wrists, the abrasions would turn into lacerations and become infected.

But she tried to ignore the pain in her wrists as she, against her will, let her mind float to Nadine Groves. Clampitt had called her Mrs. She just always expected the woman to be single, to not even have a man. But Clampitt had called her Mrs. Groves and so, Nadine must have been married. And if so, where was he? Was he dead as well? Juniper felt herself become faint. 

And then she remembered Lucy. The woman wouldn't even know about Nadine and Yara. She would be with Haymitch in the rebel headquarters, wherever that may be. Lucy wouldn't even think about Nadine and Yara. Or had she expected it? She would know that by not getting the stylist or escort, they would die by the Capitol. They would become suspects. But Juniper hadn't thought about it. Instead, she just let them die. 

(But then, as she stared at the two corpses, trying to process what happened, it hit her. Nadine Groves and Yara Give were dead)

Nadine Groves and Yara Give were dead. It shouldn't have affected Juniper like it did, but it had and mainly because the stylist's warning was echoing around in her ears. Yara must have known she was going to die. Juniper, now, could see it in her eyes. The woman knew, but yet even in her last moments, she was warning the Victor to stay quiet. Even as she was about to die, she was still protecting Juniper.

("Don't," Yara warned. She was trying to take deep breaths. "Don't say anything, you'll make it more worse than it is.")

("Juniper, shut up!" Yara snapped. "Just be quiet... let them do it. Juniper, just let them—")

And then Nadine was just crying. The woman was too clueless to realise and Juniper didn't blame her. She had trusted the Capitol, she had done their bidding. For years, she was sending boys and girls to their deaths. It was just what Snow and the Gamemakers asked of her. Nadine Groves, or whatever her maiden name was, probably grew up aspiring to be one of the escorts seen on the TV. She would have been proud to represent the Capitol in the districts, not knowing what it meant. She was a clueless person who trusted her government, who trusted Snow. And look where that got her. She was dead and so was Yara. 

Hours passed and it had to be in the afternoon. Juniper was still sitting against the wall of the cell, Johanna had resigned to doing the same, and Annie had fallen into a restless sleep. As she did, the Hale woman stared at her. She couldn't save the others, but she still had the chance to protect Annie, even if the Capitol didn't think about touching her. She couldn't return to Finnick in pieces with a fractured, broken mind. She needed to be whole. She and Finnick needed to be happy. 

Finnick. 

The man had to be devastated, destroyed. Katniss, Beetee, and Finnick were the only Victors' with the rebels that had been in the Quell and he would have no-one there that he fully trusted. Mags was dead. Juniper, Annie, and Johanna were in the Capitol. He would have no-one that was his family. He had Lucy Stevens, of course, but the woman would be too focused on the rebellion and Haymitch. And then Juniper thought of Peeta's interviews. Had Finnick seen them? And if he had, did he think the rest of them were like that? Juniper felt her heart break, even more so when she continued looking at Annie. 

She had to be confused about what was happening. She wouldn't have known about the rebellion or the plan and she wouldn't know what had happened to Finnick. The last time she had seen him was during the final night of the Quell. She would have seen him with Katniss and then nothing. She could think Finnick was dead. She could be thinking anything with the way she twitched in her sleep. 

("... okay, look... I'm only going to tell you this because I trust you, but you can't tell anyone. If the Capitol finds out... well, I don't want them to abuse that.")

"Look, I know interviews take a long time, but it can't take that long," Juniper commented as she was sure more hours had passed. 

"I know..." Johanna murmured as she bit her lip. "When he did the second interview, it didn't take this long. They would bring him back and air it soon about two-or-three-hours after it was shot." 

"So... what if he isn't doing an interview?" Juniper asked. 

"What do you mean?"

"What if he's... you know..."

"Oh, death has really infected your brain, Hale." Johanna snapped. Hale. Not Juniper. "Clampitt has really gotten to you."

Juniper remained silent. She knew whatever conversation she would have with Johanna about Clampitt would end in an argument and she didn't have the energy to participate in one. But silently, in her head, Juniper knew Johanna was wrong. 

The only lie that Hale woman was sure Clampitt had told was about her being the only person within the Capitol. But everything else was true. The doctor only told facts and statements whenever it came to the clips, whenever she showed her something or let her listen to recordings. Juniper did kill Gloss and Cashmere Nicholo saw. Her hand did slip from Blight's, causing him to hit the force field. She killed Wing and Hermes. She could have easily saved the girl from Three in the Seventy-Second. She killed Rayon and Dallas. She killed Cedar and Ash. She cursed all of her tributes. She should have done it. And then Peeta and Annie being in the Capitol. 

Clampitt did not lie in that everything was Juniper's fault because it was. She should have tried harder, done things differently, or just end things entirely during her Games. It would have saved a lot of lives and a lot of pain. And everything was her fault. Every death, whether accidental or on purpose, every drop of pain caused, was her fault. 

("Juniper, stop it!" Johanna snapped. "That's not your fault so stop thinking it is. Those two didn't die because of you, aye? Clampitt gave the order, not you. She killed them, not you. Stop thinking everything is your fault.")

And she killed Nadine Groves and Yara Give. There were multiple things she could have done differently to save them. But they were dead. The stylist and escort were dead and Yara's last moments were spent protecting Juniper, warning her to stay quiet. Why? Why would Yara do that if it was the Hale woman's fault for her being in there?

(But then, as she stared at the two corpses, trying to process what happened, it hit her. Nadine Groves and Yara Give were dead. They were dead. Nadine was dead. Yara was dead. They were shot by the orders of Clampitt. And it was right in-front of Juniper)

The Hale woman tried to dispel any thoughts about her failure as she closed her eyes. Her ribs were in agony. Her head was thudding. Her stomach was growling. Her flesh was painted with old and new bruises. There were some cuts on her. Blood was splattered on her, belonging to her and others. And her hair was slightly longer than what it was when she went into the arena. It was resting upon her shoulders now, rather than hanging above, and it was tangled with knots. She was a mess.

But so was Annie and so was Johanna. 

More hours passed and yet, Peeta was not back and even the woman from Seven was becoming anxious. It was nearing evening and Juniper was soon to be collected by Peacekeepers', but Peeta had not returned and Johanna was never grabbed by soldiers'. Were they not going to be taken? And if so, what happened to Peeta?

"Oh, he's dead, he has to be." Johanna sighed. 

"Well, that's optimistic." Juniper sneered, but she didn't have the energy to actually do so. 

"He hasn't come back, has he?" Johanna pointed out. "And there's been no screams." 

"There haven't been any guns going off, either." 

Once Juniper had finished her sentence, Johanna knew she was right, but the anxiety had filled both of them up. The twenty-one-year-old resigned to pacing around her cell as she kept an eye on the metal doors. Annie was still asleep. Juniper was leaning against the wall of her cell as she tried to calm her thoughts. 

If Peeta Mellark was dead, what would she do? 

When she had tried to apologise to the boy, he was too out of it to even realise what she was saying. She realised that now. And so, if he died and she never got to say sorry to him, Juniper wasn't sure what she would do. She couldn't believe that she had planned to kill him. He didn't ask to survive, he didn't ask to do anything. He was chosen, he was most likely told by Haymitch to do the star-crossed lovers. And Juniper had wished him death. 

What did that say about her?

("Difficult?" Juniper chuckled. "Yeah, you know how hard it is to not go over to Twelve and kill those two bastards myself?")

She should have cherished the boy's kindness whilst it was still around. She should have thanked him for muttering a District Ten prayer with her for Cashmere Nicholo. She should have thanked him a hundred times over. But yet, she didn't. She wished him a painful murder all because of what? The boy survived the Hunger Games? Because she was too consumed in her own grief? 

More hours passed and it had to have been evening, but yet, no-one came, just like no-one came for Johanna. Had something happened? Did something catastrophic happen within the war that was raging outside of their cells? The rebels must have done something that rattled the Capitol, that made Snow fearful. Or had something happened where the Capitol was currently slaughtering the rebels? No-one knew, at least not anyone in the cells. The only information they had gathered was what Johanna had overheard from the Peacekeepers'.

Whatever it was, it was enough to keep Peeta the entire day. They had either forgotten or decided to not poke around with Juniper Hale or Johanna Mason. Instead, they wanted Peeta Mellark. Why would they want Peeta? Had he said something in an interview he wasn't supposed to have? 

Johanna and Juniper did not know, but the only thing they did know was that Peeta did not come back. 

⇢ ˗ˏˋ matz 🎧 !

— filler chapter, sorry, but the next one is a wilddd ride so buckle up