My feelings for Rory were real. Not everything was for the Games...

We have a predawn breakfast upstairs. It's great to be out. The screen is running some Capitol footage when Beetee cuts in. Everything is going great. But I remember in my first Games, when things started getting better, they'd always get ten times worse.

The rebels' battle progress is displayed on the television set. They have taken unoccupied automobiles and sent them down streets, clearing the streets of whatever pods are left. They create three different lines to the mansion named A, B and C. If Johanna were here, she would have made a comment on how creative the names were.

"We all the know the plan won't work for long though. Once the Capitol realizes what they're doing, they'll deactivate the pods and make them work manually, killing off rebels when they approach," Katniss says. We all nod. It's true. Beetee hands the broadcast over to the Capitol and a grim news reporter tells civilians to evacuate. Meanwhile, I mark the areas the rebels have gone through on a paper map.

I look out the window through the shutters. Refugees pour down the streets to Snow's mansion. Children, elders, women and men alike. The sight reminds me of people dying in the bombing in Twelve. I leave the window, shuddering.

Tigris, who has been very kind to us, volunteers to go spy on what's happening since she's the only one who has no bounty over her head. She leaves and I start to wonder about Coin. Will she live up to her deal? Immunity for the victors...After seeing Rory sending Mitchell into a pod, I'm not so sure. We lounge around in the underground hole for the whole afternoon. A long time passes and I start worrying that Tigris has been killed or is turning us all in for the bounty. She returns soon after and I feel guilty about the thought.

"Yum..."

We all drool a little at the smell she carries in with her. She's brought us a pan of steaming hot, chopped potatoes and ham. We haven't had hot food in so long and dig in like savages as she tells us how she acquired the food. Apparently fur underwear is a popular trade item now as many refugees ran away without proper clothing despite the harsh weather.

After the delicious meal, we gather around at the back of the store to discuss the war. Tigris spills on how house guests are starting to be assigned. Peacekeepers come into houses, sometimes breaking in, and forcing people to take in refugees into their houses. Snow has requested they be kind and enthusiastic about sharing their homes during the crisis. Temperatures are dropping below freezing and shop keepers may have to open up as well. This brings us to the point that Tigris will have to start taking in people soon, whether she wants it or not. We have only one or two days until they come.

Rory and I volunteer to wash the dishes. After hearing him talk to Gale last night, I knew I would really need to talk to him.

"It wasn't for the games, the way I acted," I start. I scrub at a dish furiously as if it will give me a solution if I rub it hard enough. Rory's response is short and to the point.

"You don't need to lie to me, my feelings have already been hurt."

I sigh. He thinks I'm lying.

"You really think I like Noah, huh."

"Of course I do. That's why I saved him for you."

"What do you mean?" I ask, perplexed.

"I thought he would make you happy again. So I saved him for you."

"Rory...I was only unhappy because you seemed so upset at your brother's appearance on TV."

We scrub in silence for a moment, the suds taking over with their soft popping noises.

"Primrose...would you like to go out with me?"

"Yes Rory, that would make me very happy."

We leave early the next morning. Everyone's up but Rory who's supposedly my official boyfriend now. Gosh...thirteen...only thirteen... We decide that Cressida and Pollux will be extremely helpful with us being in their hometown, Gale and Katniss with their shooting, and me with my status as the Mockingjay. Rory...he's just too unpredictable.

"Maybe we can convince him to stay," Katniss suggests. "He just wants to help."

But before we can utter a single word, he announces that he's going too. He wants to help. He says he will cause a diversion for us if needed.

"What if you turn..." I don't finish but we all know the next word. Mutt. Gale hands Rory his nightlock pill and hugs him.

"What about you?" Katniss asks. Gale points as Katniss and then pretends to shoot himself and all is ready. We fall asleep for what may be the last time in our lives.

I wake up restless. I'm ready to fight. We eat everything from the packs from canned peaches to snails. We leave a can of salmon for Tigris, which touches her in an odd way. She decides to remake us. She is a stylist, after all.

[She redresses us so regular clothes hide our uniforms before we even don our coats and cloaks. Covers our military boots with some sort of furry slippers. Secures our wigs with pins. Cleans off the garish remains of the paint we so hastily applied to our faces and makes us up again. Drapes our outerwear to conceal our weapons. Then gives us handbags and bundles of knickknacks to carry. In the end, we look exactly like the refugees fleeing the rebels.] (page 337 lines 2 through 10)

We plan to head out onto the packed streets in three groups. Castor and Pollux will lead, Katniss and I are to follow, then Rory and Gale will tail, promising to create a disturbance if needed. We all put our hands together and I shout, "Squad Four-Five-One!"

"Squad Four-Five-One!" Everyone echoes.

Tigris looks out the shutters and signals for Cressida and Pollux to leave.

"Take care, and thank you," Cressida tells her. She nods and leaves promptly.

Soon it's time for Katniss and I to leave. I undo Rory's cuffs before leaving, giving him the key. I tell him what Haymitch told me long ago. "Stay alive."

Katniss and I shuffle along the streets with the refugees. We blend in and for a moment I believe that I am one of them. It makes my act more real. There's gunfire not too far away and my heart skips a beat. Ahead of us I spot a girl in a yellow coat.

"Mother, where are we going?" she asks. Her blue eyes and blond hair remind me of someone. Myself.

"To the mansion," the mom replies. "President Snow will assign us a new home."

"Stay to your right!" A group of Peacekeepers shout. They are the ones that direct most of the traffic. Some refugees are safe inside shops, watching from the windows. Tigris will surely have guests by noon. There's gunfire somewhere near us and I watch in terror as the group in front of us falls to the ground. People scream and take cover as a second round starts.

Katniss and I take cover behind a display. The street is full of corpses now, and I watch as the girl in the yellow coat cries over her mother's dead body.

"Prim?"

"They're shooting from the roof," I tell Katniss, my attention snapping back to what's important. The rebels are trying to kill the Peacekeepers but their aim isn't that great.

"We have to get to Snow," I say firmly. Katniss nods and we break onto the street where everyone is shooting at each other. Everything unravels. Pods activate. People fall over and literally spill out their guts. They get rashes all over their bodies. Some choke on poisonous gas. Screaming people, bleeding people, and dead people are everywhere. I shoot without discretion at everything except for my sister.

"Prim, drop!" Katniss screams. We drop and act dead until people pass. Some kick our heads while others step on our hands as they pass. We get up and move once the coast is clear. The next block has less soldiers and more refugees. Suddenly, the ground splits and opens up in flaps. We have to run for the next intersection. Quick. Katniss and I run as fast as we can, the ground getting stepper with each and every step. I make it to the end just in time but Katniss slips and catches the ledge.

"Katniss!"

"Prim!"

I pull her up, gagging at the stench of corpses falling into the abyss down below. We run through some more streets until we come across a pod where blades come up at irregular times from the street.

"Be careful Prim," Katniss warns me.

"I will."

We go through carefully, and I'm almost to the next block when I see Rory at the other end, confused.

"Rory!"

I run back, dodging blades like the blade dodger I was born to be. Just as I get to him, a blade slices through my ankle and I let out a piercing scream.

"Primrose!" Katniss screams from the other end. I cry but know what I need to do. We need to go around and through the City Circle instead of going the direct way through the back. I can't go through the blade pod with the severed ankle.

"Katniss, I'll see you at the mansion. I love you!" I shout.

"I love you little duck!"

I wrap up my stub of an ankle and limp with Rory's help.

"Gale?" I ask. He answers with a shake of his head. I hug him before releasing him and looking into his eyes. "Stay right here. Promise me. I don't want you getting hurt. Your family needs you."

He nods and I give him a quick kiss on the forehead before heading for the City Circle. Across from it lays Snow's Mansion. Between it lies a barricade, full of people. No, full of children. They're all guarding Snow's mansion with their bodies. Peacekeepers force them to stay put. The children hold hands like we victors once did before our Quell.

"The rebels, the rebels!" someone cries. Hovercrafts with Capitol seals then appear above us, raining silver parachutes towards the children. They know what's inside. Food. Medicine. Help. They happily reach out and hold onto the precious gifts before they explode. The snow is now red with blood and small body parts here and there. Many kids die instantly but others lie in pain. Katniss runs towards one of the little kids...the one with the yellow coat. The one that looks like me.

"Prim!" she shouts to the girl. "Prim!"

"Katniss! Katniss, I'm here!" I scream. She turns back and realizes the real me is on the other side of the street.

"Prim!"

But it's too late. The bombs have already exploded.

~A/N~ KATNISS T-T I'm sorry guys...here are the tissues *hands the full box over to reader*

Dedicated to twistedskies who suggested Prim and Rory have a deep discussion, and Prim saving Rory or Finnick but getting injured and has to get a prosthetic leg or foot. It was a totally realistic war idea, props to you :)

3 more chapters to go...

-Monica