Trigger warnings: Heights, Emotional manipulation, Threats

We stare at each other frozen. She lies languidly on my bed, her dark hair spread around her, twisting a small kitchen knife over in her hands. Her golden armour is gone, replaced with simple black and white top and bottoms. Her dark eyes are fixed on me, filled with animosity.

I swallow and then smile, "Clove! How lovely to see you! What are you doing here?"

"To talk," She growls.

She moves off the bed, quick and graceful like a cat, and stalks towards me, gesturing the knife at me. She's smaller than me, but I can already tell that she's faster. And armed.

"And do you normally talk to people whilst threatening them?" I say sweetly, "Or is this your way of flirting with me?"

"Yes," Then she flushes, "No. Shut up. Climb out of that window."

My eyes narrow, "You want me to run away? Do I scare you that much?"

I shift slightly to the side. If I can just grab her right wrist, I could twist that knife out of her grip...

"I'm not scared of anything!" She growls, stepping closer. The knife point is centimetres from me now, "But Cato wants to talk to you. And he can't climb as well as I can."

Can't he? How interesting.

"So we're going to him," She gestures to the window, "Climb."

I move over to the window, feeling the point of her knife at my back. The window's half open, admitting cold and drafty air, and I slide it further open with ease.

I frown and reach out. District One is on the bottom floor. If the window opens this easily, then what's to stop me...

"Don't." Clove says suddenly, and I jerk my hand back, "There's some kind of forcefield."

I peer at the air but don't see anything other than the empty Capitol street.

"How far away is it?" I ask.

"There's enough space for us to climb. My window's the one above."

I clamber onto the windowsill, and glance carefully upwards. Huh. I now see how Clove knew which room was mine. Plastered above certain windows are massive posters of our faces from the Reaping. I see Clove's above an open window, scowling. I feel the wall. Metal and completely smooth.

"This is stupid," I hiss, "Anyone could walk past and see us. What are people going to think when they see two people scaling the walls of the Tribute Centre?"

"No one saw me."

Of course they didn't. I stare at the metal wall. How did she climb down? The gap's too big for her to have easily dropped herself from one window to another.

"Hurry up!"

I press my hand to the metal surface and run it slowly up and down. It's not as smooth as it first seemed. Little grooves run along the side of the building. Taking another look at the Capitol street, I dig my fingers into the grooves and swing round, forcing myself to climb.

The wall is an unforgiving angle and there isn't much to hold onto. My fingers complain as I push them into tiny groove after tiny groove. It isn't far but I'm not a natural climber and though there isn't far to fall, I don't particularly want to be sizzled and scorched by an invisible forcefield.

I reach the window ledge and pull myself up, sliding over it and falling in an ungainly heap on the floor.

"So you can climb...somewhat." A voice sneers as I pick myself up from the carpet.

Cato stands in the corner of the room, half his face dramatically obscured by shadows. He's smirking but the blue eye that I can see is cold.

"And you can't," I reply.

There's a soft thud from behind me and Clove moves into my field of vision, knife still in hand. She joins Cato, standing with her back to the door. So, my only options are through the window or through them. Nicely done.

"You wanted to talk?" I'm not sure which one I should be focussing on.

Clove moves forward, making the decision for me. She's still in the way of the door. "We don't need you in our alliance," She says, "You're just a pampered brat from District One."

I raise an eyebrow, "So you summoned me here just to threaten me? Darling, we could have done that in my room."

"Shut up," Clove hisses, moving forward faster than I can blink, pressing her knife against my throat.

They can't kill me. Not here and not in this room. The penalty for murdering other tribute is death.

...However, they could just chuck my body out the window. They'd be anonymous then. But Clove could have done that quick and easy in my bedroom. Why bring me up here unless they want something? I have to stay calm.

I roll my eyes, "The threat's getting old, Darling. Make your point."

"Stay away from us," She hisses, "Don't get in the way of me and Cato, or I'll kill you."

Ah. I glance down at her fierce eyes. But within that anger all I can see is fear. I wonder what it was that made her this way. How many things she's lost that she's been unable to hold onto. She's fifteen, the same age as Sparkle. And I see in her Sparkle's fear and anger. But while Sparkle buries that hurt and takes it out on herself, this girl lashes out at the world.

"Oh please," I smile, "Nothing can get in between you and Cato," She frowns, and her doubt presses me on, "That isn't my aim. But you lack imagination if you think a romance between two people will get you more sponsors than three."

Mercifully, the knife moves a couple of inches away from my throat.

"Explain." Clove demands.

I form a triangle with my hands, and wink. "The drama of a love triangle, Darling."

"Don't call me that!" She growls.

I spread my hands placatingly, "Fine. But you get the idea. There's no suspense if two people are already together. It's the will they, won't they that keeps people on their toes. Keeps them excited."

"But Cato and I will be together, we are together." That wild fear returns and so does the knife at my throat, "We can make a show for the Capitol ourselves. We don't need you. I could just kill you now and make it look an accident."

"With a stab wound from a knife?" I scoff, "I doubt it. They'll know it was you."

"Then you'll be the first person I'll kill in that arena!"

She will. There's no denying it. She has the skill and hatred for murder.

"Peacekeeper Kentwell," I murmur.

"What?" She jerks back, as if stung. Cato takes a step towards us, wary.

"Peacekeeper Kentwell." The words are bitter on my tongue. I want to take them back, but what else will keep me alive? "Such a caring, honourable man. Always wanted to do the right thing and loved his family. Arrested by Peacekeepers over a pack of cards. Such a sad affair. No one knows what happened to him..." I sigh, "No one...except me."

She stares, shocked. Her face, young and haunted. Then the wall of rage comes down again and she's racing forward, grabbing me by my dress and pressing me against the open window. I grip the sill as hard as I can.

"Tell me!" She snarls, spittle flying onto my face, "Tell me!"

"Keep me alive and play along," I say my voice low and even, "And I will."

She lets out a cry and throws her hand back, preparing to slam her knife down onto my throat. My free hand comes up, but another hand reaches for her wrist before the knife can hit.

"Clove!" Cato says urgently, gently taking the knife from her hand, "Don't."

They share a look, and it's from that one glance that I know what they are to each other. I've shared that look before. With Sparkle, and sometimes, Ma. In means that you're here for that person. That you're here, you understand them, and you'll stand by them no matter what.

I was right then when I thought that they were each other's weaknesses. In a sea of pain, they are the other's anchor, keeping each other grounded. Without the other, they would drift, unmoored and aimless. Lost.

Wordlessly, Clove shifts slightly to the side, allowing Cato to move to face me. "How do you know about her father?" He asks, his voice rough.

"Peacekeepers talk," I say softly, "And I'm a good listener."

Cato steers Clove to the door where they have a murmured conversation, casting glances at me. I unclench my hand from the windowsill and rub it, before moving slightly away and positioning myself into one of relaxed smugness.

Finally, Cato moves back, glaring at me, "Three days," He says, "We'll play along. For a few days. But when they're up you'll tell us everything you know about Clove's father."

"And if I don't?"

He smiles dangerously, "You will. You can be sure of that."

I nod, "So. Love triangle?"

He dips his head, resigned, "With you two fighting over me. But obviously," He glances at Clove, "This only ends with one way."

I should leave it there. But the guy is so arrogant, I can't help but push further.

"Why over you?" I tilt my head over to Clove, "Why not over her?"

She stares, startled, whilst his face turns thunderous, "Absolutely not."

"What?" I smirk, "Scared I might steal her away from you?"

He growls and I laugh nervously, backing towards the window, "Kidding. Nice chatting with you both. Have a good night. You know where to find me."

I dart out of the window and clamber down the wall as quickly as I dare, looking up to see if they follow. They don't. The moment I'm in my room I slam the window shut and search frantically for anything heavy to place in front of it. There's a chest of drawers but it starts making a strange beeping sound when I try and lift it. I grip it and try and tug it towards me. It doesn't move. I kick it angrily which just lets out another beep.

I sigh and just draw the thick grey curtains shut. It won't do anything, I know, but it'll at least help me feel a bit safer. I sit on my bed, clutching the fabric of my dress. Why did I have to go and insult them? Adrenaline maybe. But now they'll have no qualms with torturing me nice and slowly in front of the cameras for everyone to see at home.

I wish I could form a romance with Marvel. At least, it would be genuine then- on my side at least. But Cashmere was right about one thing- as much as they want me dead, I feel a lot safer with Cato and Clove watching my back than Marvel.

I sigh and get up and study my room. There's no point just sitting here and regretting. The room is large with a bed, a wardrobe, chest of drawers and hundreds of different buttons on each. There's a smaller room to the side. As I step towards it, the door opens by itself, revealing a toilet and what seems to be a massive shower. As I move closer, I see what I thought were multicoloured tiles are in fact buttons and cautiously, I press the largest one.

Hot water floods out the top, soaking me instantly. I gasp. The shower at home is usually a trickle and cold. I step carefully back into the downpour, allowing the hot water to flow over me. I tip my head back and close my eyes, imagining my worries washing away with it. I realise that I'm still clothed and I step out of Arion's sodden dress and fold it beside me on the floor.

I step out, naked, and as I do so, a wave of heat blasts from the floor, dying my skin instantly. I hug myself and head over to my wardrobe. A screen flickers to life on the wardrobe, and bold lettering tells me that I can order anything. I tap it and scroll through the options, before choosing the biggest and most comfortable jumpsuit I can find. There's a beep as the wardrobe doors fly open, and the jumpsuit is pushed out directly into my hands. I step into it and feel relieved as the fabric covers up my skin and gives me space to breathe.

I find another button which, when I press it, another screen emerges displaying a view of the Capitol. A thrill of excitement rushes inside of me. The screen zooms in as I touch it, and through trial and error, I am able to direct it through the streets of the Capitol until I find myself staring at the President's Mansion.

Just like I saw at the Tribute Parade, it is a massive white building with plenty of openings, but also plenty of guards. I try to zoom closer, hoping something will reveal itself if I look at it from another angle, but the screen won't let me. I run my hands through my knotted hair and sit back on my bed, dejected. Were it Moonshine, he probably would have found a way in by now.

I wonder what Ma and my aunt and grandmother are up to right now. My aunt will probably be finishing for the day but Ma would just starting up. There's an old screen that we use to display for the Hunger Games in The Rising Phoenix. They'll probably show the Tribute Parade later tonight. I wonder what they'll think of me.

And Sparkle- what will she be up to? I hope she's with my family and not alone with her mother. She's been through this time and time again, but this time I'm not here for her. And neither is Marvel. Will Sapphire watch the Tribute Parade too, or will she pretend that I don't exist like normal?

I rap sounds at my door, startling me.

"Glimmer, it's me." Cashmere's voice. "Time to eat."

I step out of my room to find her waiting for me, arms folded. Then she catches sight of what I'm wearing and her frown deepens.

"Tell me about Cato," She sighs.

I start, thinking at first she must mean Clove's little visit. But then I realise she's talking about the Tribute Parade.

"Cato fights with a sword, Clove prefers knives, and I didn't catch what the chosen weapons of the District Four tributes are."

She scoffs as she starts to lead me towards the Dining Area, "Well we made the right choice then. Knives are lame."

I wonder if she's ever had a knife held against her throat.

"Is Cato willing to play the romantic partner?" She asks.

"I don't know if 'willing' if the right word," I muse, as she looks at me sharply, "But he'll do it."

She raises an eyebrow but all she says is, "Good."

The Dining Area, just like everything else in the Training Centre, is massive, with a large, long rectangular table and far too many chairs placed around it. Cashmere guides me to a seat by the head, and Marvel and Gloss have just appeared to join us, when Gwen comes running in.

"Glimmer, dear," She says breathlessly, "There's a man here who wants to see you."

I raise an eyebrow, "Can't it wait?"

"Now now dear," She says impatiently, "That's not the attitude. This is very important."

As I get up for my chair, Gwen turns to Cashmere, "You might be needed too, dear."

We exchange bewildered glances but follow Gwen out of the Dining Area and into a hallway. A young man stands there, dressed in a dark suit with a Capitol logo emblazoned on gold onto it.

He scowls when he sees us coming towards him. "Miss Jewel, please follow me."

Hi all!

Hope you enjoyed! Not sure what I think of this chapter so would appreciate feedback! :-D