The lights are shining bright as the train doors open. Peeta tells me that we should pretend once more with such sadness in his eyes even when he smiles, half of me wishes it weren't pretend and the other half wishes it was. After Peeta looks into the crowd and gives a wave and a smile - like he normally does - I look up and get lost in the topography of Peeta.
I don’t realize that I've been staring at him for a long moment until the flash from the cameras hits my eyes and makes me squint. Before I can look away, Peeta looks at me with his smile and grabs my hand to reassure me that it’ll be okay. Even with his smile spread across his face, I take one look into his eyes and I know that his smile is nothing but an act. The longer this goes on, the more I wish it would last. I spot Gale looking right at me, release my grasp and cross my arms over Peeta’s right arm. Gale turns away and the last thing I see is sadness and hatred in Gale’s eyes.
Haymitch nudges me and I smile, knowing that it’s what he wants. We walk out of the train with silence from everyone except Effie and the Capitol cheering and clapping.
I’m looking through the crowd, trying to find Primrose and Mother, when I see the old man that survived from the coal mine accident saluting as Peeta and I walk out; the guards that are all dressed in white take him and he doesn’t restrain. They drag him away. From the alley, I hear a gunshot.
I let go of Peeta’s arm and scream. Before I can run down, Peeta grabs my hand and holds it. He gives me a reassuring smile once again. They ask us a few more questions and release us to rejoice with our families. 
As I run into a building that must look like a mansion to Prim and Mother compared to our old house, I see a red Mockingjay, just like the one Madge gave me, on the walls and alleyways. 
When I get into the house, Mother looks worn out and older; Primrose is starting to look more and more like me. We embrace and cry for a long time. Gale slowly walks into the room, and I run to embrace him. His strong arms caress me, as if I were a rose petal. Although his body is close, his mind and heart seem distant. We talk; I try to get him to talk about Peeta and I, but he avoids it at all costs. I can’t understand why he doesn’t want to talk about it, and I want to ask him, but I don’t.
“Katniss, while you were gone, Gale fed us with what he got in his traps and we didn’t take anything offered from anyone other than Gale.” Prim says.
Gale starts saying something, but before he can finish, Peeta comes in and says they want to see us again. Our mansions are about one yard apart. We step out, but before we can walk out all the way, Haymitch pulls all of us back into my home.
I run to look out the window because I hear gunshots and screaming. The family of the old man that got shot have the mockingjay symbol stamped on their faces and are saluting. They are getting shot at, and everyone else looks surprised; they back away. A guard without a helmet pulls out a gun and shoots it at the camera that’s rolling live.
I’m crying and Gale comes to hold me. I see Peeta looking at me with what looks like desperation to come and hold me. I keep a hold of Gale because there aren’t any cameras, so I assume it’s safe.
“When you and Peeta both went against the Capitol and got what you wanted for fighting, the districts found the courage and are now starting a rebellion. It’s safest to go to the Capitol for now. C’mon, lets go.” Haymitch says to Peeta and I.
Peeta goes back and says goodbye to his dad and I say goodbye, once again, to my family, Gale included. The second time wasn’t any easier than the first.
……
Me and Peeta never really spoke after that night we spent together, except for during the interviews or when we’re in public - which is never, unless we’re at a party that Effie forces us to go to. Peeta and I, we did things that now make it awkward that we share a room.
Peeta gets out of the shower and, like always, he says he’ll sleep on the couch. Just as I’m about to tell him to come on the bed, Haymitch and Effie come in and tell us of the plan. They say that we’ll be going back to District 12 and carry on with our lives the best we can.
I look at Peeta, who has no expression. “So haymitch, how do you expect us to live on after knowing we got people killed in place of us? You have no heart and soul for still living today, after knowing you’ve killed so many for your own sake! I can barely go through a day, but I do it for my dad.” Peeta says.
Haymitch has no expression and leaves the room. Effie, like always, claps and says, “Very well,” with her overly-cheerful voice, although I think she pretends. She leaves and before she shuts the door, says, “Be ready tomorrow morning; we’ll be taking the train back to District 12.” She shuts the door.
Peeta looks at me and he turns away from me before I can offer that he sleeps on the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch since he has been on it for the whole three months we have been here.
When I wake up, Peeta has already packed everything, including my belongings.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about him invading my privacy so I said, “Why do you think you can touch my stuff and invade my privacy without my permission? Did I ever say that you could
touch my stuff?” Peeta looks angry, which is new.
He is about to say something back but Effie comes in and Haymitch takes our luggage to the train and we step out into the public. Oddly enough, Peeta doesn’t grab my hand like usual, and makes me grab his hand. We smile and wave as we make our way to the train.
In the train, there is no communication. Peeta’s voice breaks the silence when he says, “Hey, Haymitch, about yesterday-”
“It’s only natural,” Haymitch says before he can finish.
We go back through the tunnel before we enter District 12 and I see the Mockingjay in red stamped on the walls of the long black tunnel. It is only for a split second, given the speed of the train, so I doubt myself. District 12 is exactly the same, except for everything.
The people are cautious, as if it’s the reaping again. Guards are everywhere and I spot the guard that shot the camera. This time when we’re stepping out of the train, no cameras, no crowd. No one gathers around, which is actually odd, but relieving. 
We go to our mansions which are very close. Peeta and I go separate ways. When I see my family, we embrace once again. This time, it’s only Prim and Mother. I ask many times where Gale is, but both of them just smile and say he is working or setting traps. I go out and try to hunt for my own food, because I refuse to eat what the Capitol provides. It’s all a wordless bribe to keep our mouths shut.
I’m walking into the forest and I see a glimpse of white. By now, all the guards are out of the city; at least I think. I haven’t seen them around and Haymitch says they left. I go on my way.
Gale and I used to hunt together, his traps and my arrows. I sense something following
me and I turn around and shoot thinking it’s a deer. I see Peeta there and barely dodging my arrow.
“We should go back. It’s getting late and it’s dinner time.” Peeta tells me.
I try and be thoughtful but I just yell at him how he almost made me kill him and - BANG! I dodge and hide behind the tree as I see Peeta on the ground; a bullet hit im in the stomach. I scream and run to grab him.
“Katniss… Katniss, behind you...” I turn around then...
……
My eyes are blurry, and I’m in an all white room, similar to the room Venia waxed me in before I met with Cinna. I panic and try to stand up but i’m strapped to a table.
  “Help!” I scream.
Haymitch comes in and says, “KATNISS! It’s alright, it’s just me.”
“But- but who is that.. and who took me.. and who is that?!” I ask.
“Very well, then. She’s awake and well; I see from her natural rudeness.” I rub my eyes and even without looking clearly, I can tell it’s Effie.
I swivel my head around and see no sign of Peeta. I panic and Haymitch calms me. I start asking about Gale, because I thought I heard Gale’s voice before I passed out.
Haymitch and Effie tell me, “Gale joined the Capitol. He is working with the bodyguard that killed that man your father use to work with.” “Gale knocked you out and the guy in the white, Will, shot Peeta. For all we know, Peeta is with the capitol.” “They took him. Our first priority was to get you out. You inspire the rebellion,” and things like that. As they say these things, they unstrap me.
  I get up and I look around and I see signs of a nuclear explosion. Haymitch tells me that
we’re in District 13, the district that “died off”. It turns out that not all of it died. They’ve been
forming a rebellion in the forest; the place where no one goes. They all come in and it turns out
that I’ve been in a coma for 4 months. Gale and Will injected poison into me that was intended to kill me, Haymitch and Effie have been trying to get me to wake up after they treated me.
I figure that Gale doesn’t like the fact that I am with Peeta.  They’re all set to go, so we put the Mockingjay symbols on our face and we go. Haymitch and Effie get all of District 13 and I on the Train; we don’t know how and they won’t tell.

I wake up in the morning and we’re somewhere, and it looks nothing like the Capitol. No lights, not tall buildings, no one. In fact, there’s trees. District 13, used their speciality in nuclear energy as a primary attack on the Capitol.
Haymitch says, “We also got 2 aircrafts from the Capitol, the one they use to grab the dead tributes from the games. It can hold only 350 people, and will be very uncomfortably when the time comes.The bomb will destroy all the way from the Capitol passing the districts. Merope, Cordo’s daughter, went to go get as much people as she can; yours and Peeta’s family are first priority. Also, the district citizens that want to come, but not the ones who don’t want to come. They won’t have enough time to report to the Capitol about what we’re doing. It’s a risk, but we’re for it.”
“What about Peeta? What if it hurts him? Where is he? And Gale…?” I ask.
“We’re working on it. We saw Gale, but not Peeta. He’s probably with President Snow, in his own personal home. It’s hard to get him, but we’ll send someone to sneak in and get him out. We’re doing the best we can here Katniss.” Effie tells me.
I look below, and so many people are marching toward the Capitol. Looks like almost
everyone from District 13. They’re going in with what looks like guns. Peeta is being reeled out
and the person sent to save him - Damien - got shot and is failing to. I run and grab a bow and
arrow, something Haymitch grabbed in case we were in trouble. I ran out before Haymitch or Cordo could grab me. Although Cordo was tall and muscular, I ran just fast enough so that neither one could catch me.
The first person I see is President Snow. I run away towards Peeta, but President snow can’t run after me; I mean, come on, he’s old. The Peacekeepers come and try to shoot me but I dodge and shoot, dodge and shoot.
I run and go after the aircraft that has Peeta on it. If they take him today, I’ll never see him again. I run and reach for the aircraft.
“GET HER” is all I hear before it feels as if I shot myself in the legs. I stumble and fall.
“Just too good to be true, huh, Katniss? I thought that we could be something, that we could run away like you said before Peeta came in the way and you became a whole new person. Don’t deny yourself, you killed-”
“Gale, I thought you were better than this,” I said before Gale could finish talking.
“Today, Katniss, you’re gone forever…” I panic and try to shoot, but I can’t find the courage to erase my feelings. I close my eyes and I see Peeta: Peeta’s smile when I fed him soup; his always-reassuring smile towards me; the way he looks at me when I’m afraid.
I hear a gunshot, and I open my eyes, seeing blood on myself and Gale in front of me. I realize that it is not my blood, but is indeed Gale’s. I see Haymitch running toward the aircraft with Peeta on it.
He yells, “Katniss, grab an explosive arrow and shoot at the aircraft!”
“What about Peeta?” I shout back.
“Trust me, sweetheart, and just shoot!” He points to the aircraft.
I pick up my bow from the ground, connect the arrow to the brace, pull back and aim. I
watch the door of the aircraft start to close, then launch my arrow. It barely slips through the door. I panic, looking at Haymitch; I see he is very near the aircraft. And that is all I see.
…...
I wake up on a hard table and see Peeta next to me. His hand is in mine. The doors to the room slide open and my eyes focus on a familiar face. I can’t make out the face of the person approaching, but whoever it is, it wakes Peeta up. He let’s go of my hand and rubs his eyes. I’m looking straight at him and I don’t know why, but I sit up straight and throw myself at him. I hug him and I cry.
Peeta pulls me off and looks at me. He does nothing but smile. Just smiles. Everything flashes before my eyes and I see Gale pointing a gun towards me. He accuses me of so much and everything’s all so confusing. I remember shooting an aircraft, and that’s the last thing I remember. Then I think of Prim and Mother and Gale and where they all are. Peeta’s hands caress my face and we look into eachothers eyes.
Haymitch approaches and says, “How ya doin’ sweetheart? Peeta’s been with you ever since he woke up.”
Peeta gradually makes his way out of the room. “So, any headaches or pain anywhere?”
“No, not much. but where-” Haymitch interrupts me before I can ask where everyone is, most importantly, where we are.
“Don’t worry, hun. You just saw Peeta. Prim and your mom are eating. Effie and the rest of the crew are arranging the next Hunger Games and everything else has been working out fine.”
Noticing he forgot to mention someone, I ask, “But what about Gale? Where’s Gale and President Snow and the rest of the Capitol? And, what do you mean arranging the next Hunger Games?!”
“Gale tried to KILL you, sweetheart. After all that you still worry about him? You have to eliminate threats before they eliminate you. You should’ve learned that during the Hunger Games. Everyone from the Capitol, they’ve hopefully been killed by the nuclear bombs District 13 set off. The Hunger Games is a term that means everyone gathers up and shares their thoughts, to get rid of stress; it no longer is the game where people are entertained by killing.”
“ Wait, if the Capitol is dead, then why are we in an aircraft? And where are we, exactly?”
“Due to the nuclear explosion along with radiation, we all had to go somewhere it wouldn’t reach us, like space. The radiation will last for about 20 years according to Cordo and-”
“HOLD ON,” I cut him off, “ Does that mean we’ll run out of food? And how are we breathing...?”
“Relax” Haymitch says, “We take nutrition pills for the first and second meal of the day. For dinner, we get to eat small portions of food and take a smaller nutrition pill. Well, it was originally like that but now, all the sweethearts, like you, can choose which meal of the day they wanna eat the portions of meat and bread. It’s not good, but it’s the best we could do.”
“How long have I been out?” I ask.
“Not too long. Only about 2 months. The poison Gale injected into you was still in your body and when you moved so much, your stubborn personality wanting to be the hero and save Peeta, it spread more and the bullets were also coated in poison. It was hard getting our hands on Morphling, but we made it happen and injected it into you. After it was injected, it was up to you whether you wanted to live; the Morphling was just to help. Peeta got better about a week ago and has been looking over you since. I think I already mentioned that.”
I try getting up but my leg keeps hurting. My head is spinning and it is like I had three sets of eyes and seven injections of a drug. I can’t help but fall back down.
“Woah, careful there numbnuts.” Haymitch says as he comes towards me like as if i’m pregnant. “We don’t want you falling on that precious stomach of yours.” He says.
“What do you mean?!” I scream back
“Just kidding, sweetie. You’re not two lives. Only one, for now.”
“Seriously.” I say “So, can I go and see my family now?”
“Yeah, just let me give you your nutrition pill - which is tasteless, by the way - and then we’ll head on out.” Haymitch gives me my pill which really is tasteless. Water has more taste than the pill.
We go through the sliding doors in the Aircraft and we reach a set of doors. Haymitch looks and me and I look right back.
“Ready?” he says.
“Ready.” I reply and, I think for the first time, I smile at him. Not one of those heartless crooked grins, a real smile of happiness that the Hunger Games are over and I get to spend a normal life with the people I treasure.
The slightly rusted doors slide open and I see everyone. Prim and Mother are reading to each other. Mother actually looks happy; ever since my dad passed, I haven’t seen her smile like that.
Prim looks so grown up now. They’re both with Kron, which Haymitch says he’s from District 8. Kron is teaching them how he makes shirts and pillow cases. I see Magde and Mayor Undersee laughing, most likely telling jokes.  Cinna and Venia are giving others makeovers.
I see Peeta and he’s walking towards me. He grabs my hands. “Let’s pretend again, Katniss. Us, hand in hand. We’re the saviors of Panem.” He says as he smiles warmly towards me.
I look up at him and get lost in the topography of him. Someone from District 3 takes a picture and the flash of the camera causes me to squint. It’s all like the beginning. Except no one is getting killed.
No Peacekeepers in white. Just us. The people I love. And nothing can make me feel happier than I am right this moment. Although Gale and I we’re so close, and I could only relax when I was around him. How Gale made me feel like the world was alright even during the Hunger Games. How Gale cared for me and my family...
Some things are meant to end for others to begin.