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EVERY TELEVISION SCREEN ACROSS Panem broadcasted the event live. Twenty-four terrified tributes were lifted onto pedestals in the middle of the arena, two of which included Dove's siblings. She had rejoined the other mentors in the loading bay, as they awaited the flight back to the Capitol. Her hands found Andor's arm, fingernails digging into the skin and muscle so tightly that she drew blood. He said nothing and allowed it. Dove had just sentenced her siblings to death, so she had every right to cling to him.

The other mentors watched them silently. They were not judging, it was not embarrassment in their eyes -- it was sympathy. Each one of them understood and they mourned with her. But no one dared interrupt the two lovers. They left Andor and Dove alone, only watching with a pit in their stomachs at the gut-wrenching tears of an older sister who willingly put her siblings into the Hunger Games.

Back in the Capitol, Dove couldn't bring herself to eat the feast that had been prepared for the mentors' 'hard work'. She sat in between Andor and Sorrel, eyes locked on her lap, ignoring the voices around her. But eventually, slowly, the voices died down. No longer did the distraction of food capture the attention of the other mentors.

"Dove..." Andor's voice was soft in her ear. Painfully, she turned her neck to look at him. His warm eyes immediately calmed her, if only a little. "Do you wanna get out of here?"

In a hoarse voice, she answered. "Yes please."

With a curt nod, Andor grabbed her hand and yanked her out of her seat as he stood. Every eye in the room shot to them, but no one made a move to stop them, no one except for the Peacekeepers. As he pulled them towards the door, the white-clad Capitol soldier stepped in front of them. "No one leaves until noon."

Andor opened his mouth to argue but was cut off by the voice of another mentor. "Come on, Benson. That's Dove Mildfall. Her siblings are tributes. If she and Andor wanna leave, let them leave."

Turning their heads, they were both shocked to see that it was Julius from District 2. Brutus's mentor. He smiled at them and nodded, a silent 'you're welcome'. Peacemaker Benson huffed and moved aside. They passed silently, hands tightly interlocked as they both made their way out of the Training Centre.

There was something unspoken between the lovers as they both walked towards the Greenhouse. It was a sanctuary they both knew. The sun was beginning to set as they entered, giving the plants an earthly glow. 

As soon Dove had made it to the center, she collapsed. Andor was quick to catch her as the tears she had been holding in finally released. Her throat ran raw from her screams and her eyes were so painfully red she began clawing at them, as if to remove them from her head. Andor the held her wrists and began to rock her. She could hear that he too wad crying, and feel the drops of tears on her shoulder. 

By the time Dove's well of tears dried, it was dark, the only light was from the lanterns placed throughout the greenhouse. Slowly, she moved from Andor's arms and wiped softly at her tender cheeks. "What if they didn't make it? What if they were killed in the first slaughter?"

Andor rubbed her palm with his thumb. "You and Sorrell told them to avoid the Cornocopia, they'll have listened." 

Dove shook her head, beginning to feel queasy. She turned away from him and gagged, trying to hold in her meal. He rubbed her back as she eventually succumbed to her nausea. She vomited on the concrete floor until all that was left was spit and bile. 

Eyes heavy and hazy, she wiped her mouth, cringing at the sting in her throat. She stared at the bench they always sat on. It took her a moment to releize it was moved once again. Her eyes widened, and like a baby horse, she clumisly stood, rushing over to it.

"Woah, cowgirl!" Andor called after her as he followed.

"It's moved, Andor!" She yelled, voice hoarse. "Again!" Her eyes were wide and crazed as they darted back and forth between Andor and the bench.

He approached her slowly as if she were a cat about to run if he moved to fast. "Slow down, Dove. Deep breaths."

"It moved..." She said, this time quieter, her sudden burst of energy gone. She slummped down and rested her arms on the stone bench.

Andor sighed and made his way beside her, placing a loving hand on her shoulder while the other one rubbed her back. He was being strong for her, but as he stared at the bench, he too, saw that it was placed back in its original spot. Someone was there, again.

After a moment, Dove's head snapped up with a gleam in her eyes. "Andor...move it..."

He knitted his brows. "What-"

"Move. The. Bench." Dove locked eyes with him and for a moment, she scared him. The intensity she displayed was a side of her Andor had only seen once -- in the Games. 

With a curt nod, he stood. Dove moved aside for him. He pushed against the stone, the sound of it scraping against the floor made him cringe, but he pushed until it was completely out of the way. Wiping his hands, he returned to Dove's side. 

They stared at the ground, the discolouration obvious. The bench had remained in that spot most likely longer Dove and Andor had been alive and so the stone beneth it was a light grey, untouched by the moss and humity. 

Dove's eyes darted over it, search for signs that she was right. Why would the bench be moved if not to cover something up. She crouched down and ran her hand over the smooth stone, then knocked. The sound echoed. She was right. "Andor, help me lift it." 

He did, no questions asked. Together they slipped their fingers underneath the cracks and lifted, tossing the heavy stone aside. Below them was a hole with a ladder leading downwards. "Shit..." Andor mumbled, running a hand through his sweaty hair. 

"Someone is using this to get in and out of the Capitol, they have to be," Dove said, adrenaline pumping. "We have to go down it."

"But what about the G-"

"Do you really think I want to stay here and watch my siblings be butchered?" Dove snapped.

Andor frowned and after a moment, spoke. "I'll go first." 

Dove's heart clenched watching as he began the descent down the ladder for her. She soon followed, reaching for the uncovered stone as she did so, pulling as hard as she could so it covered the opening within the ground. Only a sliver of sunlight lit the tunnel. 

"Doing okay up there?" Andor asked after a few minutes of silence. 

"Yeah, you?" Dove replied. 

"Never better."

A a few more minutes passed before she heard the thump of Andor's boots on solid ground and she soon she reached him. She jumped on the last few steps and his hands were waiting to catch her waist. She grabbed his hand as they began to walk. 

The tunnel beneath the Capitol was dimly lit with light fixtures that looked older than Dove's parents. The lights lined a severely cracked wall that stretched farther than she or Andor could see. 

Andor looked down at her. "What now?" 

The answer seemed simple to Dove. There was no turning back from wherever they were headed. "We keep going." 

  THERE WAS NO TELLING how far they had walked, but judging by how Dove's feet had only just began to ache, it was a sizable distance. Working on her feet all day made them hard and calloused. And Andor had managed to sing '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall' seven times.

Nothing in the tunnel had changed, not even the cracks along the wall. The lights flickered and dimmed every so often before returning to their brightest. Finally, doubt began to plant its seed in Dove's mind. 

"How long do you think it's been?" Andor thought aloud.

Dove rubbed a dusty hand down her face. "I can't even begin to guess." 

"Should we turn back? Can we turn back?" Andor sighed, pausing to look back at where they came from. 

Dove finally stopped walking. She rested her back against the stone wall. "For all we know we could be under a District. How long would it take to get back to the Capitol? Would they be looking for us?" 

Andor came up beside her, taking her hand in his as he, too, leaned against the wall. "Would that be so bad? Maybe this is the universe telling us to finally leave that dreaded place." 

Dove sighed, turning her head to look at him. "If we go missing, it's our families. You know that." 

Andor dropped his head. "Yeah..." 

Using her free hand, Dove moved her fingers under his chin, making him look her in the eye. "I love you." 

For a moment, his sadness faltered and he smiled. "I love you too." 

They kissed, tender and soft, but there was a hint of bitterness behind it. Not for each other, but for the Capitol. They were forced to return, as if by a curse. Pulling away, Andor placed a kiss on the top of Dove's head. "Let's go. Sorrel is probably worried."

"Yeah. Okay..." Dove nodded in agreement, disheartened. 

They turned, ready to head back from where they came, but then a voice called out. 

"Don't move another inch." The unmistakable sound of a gun cocking followed.

The lovers froze. The false security they had of being alone was now shattered. Andor's hand shot to Dove's with a grip so hard only a bomb could separate them. 

"Turn around. Slowly." 

They did as commanded, turning slowly, inch by inch. Soon, they were face to face with an unfamiliar woman, clad in black, a clear burn scar across her face. She glared. "You've been following me for hours. Why?" 

"We didn't even know you were here," Dove answered honestly.

"Bullshit. Are you Snow's spies?" The woman slowly began to raise her rifle. 

At the mention of President Snow, Andor spit. "I would rather die than be a slave to that man."  

"Who are you, then? Why follow me down here?" 

Dove rolled her eyes slightly. "Like I said. We didn't know you were hear. We noticed the bench had been moved and as far as we knew, we were the only ones who knew about the Greenhouse. We're...victors, mentors in this year's Games." Calling themselves victors put a bad taste in Dove's mouth.

That made the woman pause. "So...you're against the Capitol."

"Obviously." Andor scoffed.

A lightbulb seemed to go off in her head. "You've made it this far. You might as well come with me." 

"To where?" Dove asked.

The woman swung her rifle over her shoulder. "The rebellion."

AUTHORS NOTE

OK SO HI I know it's been a while (cough cough a year). But I've had like most of this chapter written for a while and got the sudden burst to finish it. I'm sososososo sorry it's taken me this long to update please don't hate me. Thank you for sticking with me and this fic. Enjoy!