PEETA MELLARK, AS IT TURNED
out, was the one person who stopped Aella from shattering entirely.

Somehow, under all the stress and fear and anxiety of Finnick fighting in the War, Aella managed to remember she had made a promise to the young man from District Twelve. It was the only thing she was capable of remembering those days.

It had only been a week since Finnick had left for the Capitol. The updates Heavensbee promised to deliver were very few and far between. The army of rebels that had reached the Nut in District Two had marched only three days ago. They had faced pushback from the Capitol before they had even had the chance to get to the borders which had halted them moving out. Finnick and his squadron—which Aella had learned consisted of some trained soldiers from District Thirteen, Katniss, Gale and Cressida and the film crew—were to stay two days behind the front lines at all times.

The squad—Heavensbee had told her—was a special sharpshooter unit formed to film propos only. He had stressed 'only' very, very, deeply but it still hadn't eased Aella's anxiety. Especially when she found out they were disarming pods for filming reasons. She'd almost lost it at that—enraged that they didn't seem to recognise the dangers of some of those pods that they would be disarming. The squad was led by Boggs she'd been told and they were under good command with a Holo devise that informed them of every pod on every street they walked down.

She still didn't like it.

They had only left the camp the day prior and were barely in the outskirts of the Capitol. Everything had been smooth sailing apparently and nothing amiss had been communicated or reported. They were all fine—he was fine.

Even so, whatever updates Heavensbee brought her didn't seem to be helping her. If anything they were making her worse with worry. She went to sleep dreaming about the simulations she'd been forced to live through in the Capitol and some of the pods they'd pitted her up against. The awakenings weren't as violent as those nightmares she had of Drew chasing her through her house or feeling like she was choking on air with that hood on her face but they were still nightmares.

The medication Dr. Vann and Dr. Steven had given her did everything but stop her nightmares. They practically turned her into a zombie—a walking, barely talking, zombie. Daniel and Clio had to remind her and bring her to her appointments, Johanna had to take her to the dining hall and reminded her to eat three times a day—she'd even had to push her into the shower the night before last.

No one could decide if it was the medication or the fact that Finnick was gone. It happened at the same time but she hadn't had another panic attack since that first night and her anxiety seemed to be settled. She was still docile as Johanna had very bluntly called her in front of her. Aella hadn't even flinched.

The only thing she remembered to do was visit Peeta. They couldn't make sense of it. That first morning after they'd discharged her from the hospital again she had silently gotten dressed, brushed her teeth, thrown her wild waves up into the worst bun Johanna had ever seen and left the apartment. Johanna had followed her—two steps behind at all times—until the route became familiar and she arrived at Peeta's hospital room. She'd been buzzed in without so much as a word to anyone and when she'd sat down at Peeta's bed the haze over her eyes had lifted and she had just cried to him.

She only seemed to be fully functional when she was with him. She worked through his memories with him, combing through what was real and what was not real and sometimes he helped her work through her own.

They had finished going through memories for the day, both sat on the soft floor of his room and doing nothing. Two paintings sat on the table to dry, one very evidently done by someone with skill the other just a blend of colours made by a troubled mind.

She had no idea how long she'd been with him. At some point Dr. Steven had joined them for Peeta's session and it had been the best session he'd had.

But they were both exhausted from hours of talking and re-training their memories. Aella was happy with the silence. She sat with her knees curled to her chest, back resting against the wall. Peeta was sat opposite her, still in his white gown and trousers. He looked well—much better than Aella had ever seen in a very long time, perhaps even before the Games.

"Can I ask you a question?" Peeta asked her, watching as she picked at her nails. He'd noticed the change in her since Finnick had left—was grateful to her that he had enough control over his own mind that he could realise things like that.

Aella lifted her eyes and glanced fleetingly at him, "Yeah." She said dull.

"You..." he hesitated, "you don't have to answer it if you don't want to. I'd understand."

"Ask it and we'll see." She replied.

He kept his eyes on her, steady and clear, "Why didn't you tell anyone what Drew had done to you before your Games? Like, why did you only tell Clio?"

She pursed her lips in thought. Peeta didn't think she was going to respond. Her silence seeped through the room for a long time until she said, "I didn't tell Clio."

Peeta's brows rose, "What?"

Aella shook her head, "She figured it out."

"How?"

Aella looked back to her fingers and straightened her legs out in front of her, "After it happened Drew had gone back to his room. I was crying, I don't know how loud but I woke Clio up. The first night in the Capitol I'd woken her up crying as well and she'd come into my room, climbed into bed with me and embraced me like a sister would.

"I was lying in bed crying and she came over to my bed asking what was wrong. I didn't say anything. She pulled the sheets back to get in probably thinking I was homesick but she stopped when she saw the blood on the sheets..." Aella swallowed thickly, a haunted gaze over her eyes that hurt to see.

Her throat bobbed as she continued, "She thought I'd started my menstrual cycle. I was only thirteen and one of the questions they ask you as a girl when you arrive to the Capitol is if you've started and if you have when in the month are you due so they know whether they need to give you anything to stop it. Clio was with me when I told them I hadn't yet started my cycle. Everything about me was underdeveloped for my age. I wasn't street-wise and my mother—god love her—she loved me but she didn't prepare me for anything."

"Why not?" Peeta asked curiously.

Aella shrugged, "My dad told me that she had to grow up at a very young age. Her mother died when she was only ten and she had to look after her because her father worked at the old dam from morning until night. I guess some part of my mom wanted me to have the childhood she never had so she kept me as sheltered and as innocent as she could...

"So when it came to the Games and when it came to my processing they asked me if I'd started my cycle I had no idea. Clio had to help me through it all so when she saw the blood on my sheets she just assumed I'd started." Aella explained, "She told me that it was okay and it was natural, told me to follow her into the bathroom and she'd explain it all to me but when I tried to get out of bed I...I couldn't...

"The pain was just horrific. I got out of bed only just to fall straight to my knees. I couldn't walk. Clio figured it out then. She carried me to the bathroom, put me in the shower and found me the baggiest clothes she could then took me to the only person she trusted."

"Who was that?" Peeta asked.

"Finnick's escort. She was called Odia and Clio told her what had happened. Clio had been suspecting for years apparently but had no evidence to ever prove it. She always hated Drew. His Games was Clio's first year as escort. She was only twenty. She told me that Drew was awful. He'd walk into her room while she was getting changed, make sexual comments about her...things like that. He had her cornered in her room one night and she screamed so loud Daniel heard her. He was Drew's mentor and when he'd seen Drew fighting to pin Clio against the wall, his hand slapped over her mouth he almost killed him...

"Clio told me that they told the Peacekeepers and the Gamemakers what had happened. They had to, really, because Daniel had beat him to within an inch of his life. They didn't care apparently, said he was going into the Hunger Games and likely wouldn't win so why bother doing anything about it."

Peeta's eyes were wide, "They said that?"

Aella nodded, "Clio and Odia started mentoring at the same time. They were best friends and they told each other everything so Odia knew what Drew was capable of, knew that Clio had been suspecting him for years. While she was telling her what had happened to me Finnick woke up having heard them talking and at that point they'd both begged him to help me, to teach me anything he could because Drew wouldn't. They just wanted to give me as much as a fighting chance as they could. The rest, I guess, is history."

Peeta was quiet as he processed her words, her story. He knew it was just a fraction of something much more complicated.

"If she hadn't of found out would you have told her?"

Aella shook her head and something unfamiliar flashed across her eyes, "No," she said honestly, "I wouldn't of...and I probably would've died in that bloodbath like everyone thought I would."

Perspective, Peeta realised. That was what was shining through her eyes. She had gone through something tragic in order to learn how to survive but if Clio hadn't of found her...she would've died. He couldn't figure out if she was attempting to make peace with that notion. He didn't realise he'd given her such a drastic thing to think about.

Aella would forever hate Drew and resent what had happened to her. No amount of therapy or counselling could ever help her overcome what he had done to her, she knew it and her loved ones knew it. There would forever be days where she would flinch away from Finnick's touch, where she couldn't stand to be in a locked room. But what Peeta had unknowingly brought her to realise...she had never sat back to think about what would've happened if Clio hadn't found her crying that night.

She knew with her whole heart that her thirteen year old self wouldn't of had the courage to tell Clio. She would've suffered through it in silence and then would've stumbled through her training until the Games started. Evan—her District partner—still would've died in the bloodbath and she wouldn't of lived to find Nyle. She would've been the first to die in that arena.

She would never of met Finnick, would never of experienced true love or known what it was like to have a best friend, a sister she never had. She would've never of met Daniel. Would never of known what it felt like to be cherished and loved by so many people who weren't just her family. And her actual family... her parents and her brother would probably still be alive but she wouldn't have been.

It was so much for her to think about.

She shocked herself, really. She didn't think not telling Clio would've been her answer. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to her life being so different.

She managed to clear her throat—to swipe away all those feelings and thoughts under the rug. Instead, she looked at Peeta, "I think that's enough of me for one day," she forced out before looking at him deeply and saying, "who's Katniss Everdeen?"

She only asked because she trusted him. She felt confident enough that Peeta had regained enough control of his memories and sense of self to answer without trying to kill her.

His face screwed up tightly as if he fought through those voices. Aella watched him silently. All he needed was patience and someone there to rely on when things became too hazy. She would be that person for as long as he needed.

"She..." He trailed off, squeezing his eyes shut as he tensed.

Aella folded her hands across her lap and said softly, "Relax. Stop thinking about it too much."

Peeta nodded and took a deep breath. The exhale was controlled and he repeated it again twice more before his shoulders loosened. When he opened his eyes he found Aella already watching him with a calm exterior.

"We won the Hunger Games together." He said as if he were recalling the memories, "We were allies."

Aella nodded, "Good." She said, "And you didn't try to kill me," she pushed herself up off the floor with a groan and straightened out, "I'd say thats progress, Peeta."

He frowned, standing alongside her, "Even if I can't figure out anything except ally?"

She nodded, "It's better than before." She said, not daring to mention how he thought she was a mutt—how he had been re-conditioned by the Capitol to believe so. Instead she placed a gentle hand on his arm and said, "The rest we can figure out later, yeah? These things can take time, Peeta. Trust me, I'm still trying myself."

His answering nod wasn't convincing but he didn't looked defeated about it either. They said their goodbyes and Aella left five hours after she'd gone in. Daniel was sitting there waiting for her and she halted in the corridor when she saw him. He rose to his feet, a small smile that didn't meet his eyes on his lips but what he didn't expect was for her to return it. Nor did he expect her to begin a conversation as she walked with him back to her apartment.

Slowly...she was slowly starting to find herself again without Finnick. It was enough for him.

•    •    •

Aella's day-to-day routine was mind-numbing. She really couldn't fathom how the citizens of District Thirteen coped. She didn't understand how they hadn't gone insane wearing the same clothes every day, doing the same job, eating the same food.

She missed the outside world. She missed looking up at the blue sky and feeling the warm kiss of the sun on her face. She missed breathing in the fresh air and smelling the different aromas of her District. She missed the taste of spices, missed Daniel's mediocre cooking and her own bed.

It was all part of what was slowly driving her to insanity. With each day that passed without Finnick, each day the War continued on she was loosing herself. She'd lost sight on what she was even staying sane for. She was exhausted. Mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. Daniel hadn't been able to offer her reprieve in their daily sparring sessions. The endorphins that released after her workouts weren't enough to lift her. Her mind was failing.

She couldn't ever remember her mind being so weak. After she had won her Games she had build her walls so thick and her resolve so high. She reinforced her mental shields over and over again. She thought she had more than whatever morsel she was trying to contend with. The Capitol had done a good job in shattering it to the ground. The constant feeling of helplessness... she couldn't shake it no matter how hard she tried.

When she was called up to Command almost two weeks after Finnick had left she had to drag herself there. She knew it would be Heavensbee with an update regarding Squad 451–Finnick's squad—and their progress or just a check in of where they were and what they were doing. She wanted to know if he was okay, what he had been up to but she was so tired.

She didn't even look at the man who held the door open for her. She walked in with her hands deep in her pockets and heavy eyes as Plutarch sat by himself at an empty table in one of the conference rooms. He noticed the change in her immediately, saw the heaviness to her body. He looked at the paleness of her skin, at the fading scratch marks on her face from all those nights ago. The deepest cut—the one closest to her eye—would scar Dr. Vann had said. Another scar on her pale face.

He offered her a smile as she collapsed in the seat opposite him, "Hello, Aella."

She nodded in greeting, "Heavensbee."

He pressed his lips together, "How've you been? How is Peeta?"

She knew he knew. Knew he liked to keep a close eye on them both and so said with a frown, "You already know, just tell me how Finnick is."

He hesitated. The silence was enough to make her back straighten. Those unfocused eyes turned sharp as she examined him. He didn't miss it.

"Heavensbee." She said—voice a totally different tone. There was something threatening to it. A wildness she had always possessed that made him look to her to help lead the rebellion in the first place.

Aella might've been losing herself but if Finnick was in some kind of danger—if something had happened to him—she'd go to the Captiol herself to find him.

"Finnick is fine, Aella, I assure you." He said and watched as she released an almighty sigh of relief.

"Then why did you hesitate?" She asked, scrutinising eyes on his person.

"We've been looking at the footage they've been shooting," He said slowly before he paused, "President Coin thinks it would be beneficial for the rebels to see Peeta join the squad," he said very carefully, "to let them see he is healing and is on our side."

Aella didn't miss the calculation of his tone. She saw how he chose his words, how he put great emphasis on who's decision this was. It still made her see red, "You want to send Peeta to the Capitol and put him in the middle of a War?" She asked rhetorically before saying, "Are you fucking crazy?"

"It reminds the troops that we're a united front."

Icy rage licked in her blue irises when she braced her arms on the table and said, "You send him out there and he will die. You know how I know that? Because being in the Capitol will trigger everything we've worked so hard to overcome and he will lose it and the second he poses a threat to anyone they won't hesitate to kill him."

Heavensbee's face remained calm, placid, as he said, "President Coin thinks it's a good idea."

He was talking in code, Aella realised as she regarded him. She sat back in her seat casually and made obvious work of shaking her head while scoffing bitterly though she scanned the ceiling quickly. Like she expected, a surveillance camera sat in the corner of the room.

Heavensbee couldn't say anything out of turn but he could speak in a way she was accustomed to in the Capitol. He wanted her to know that this was all President Coin's idea. That he had absolutely nothing to do with it. He wanted her to know that Coin expected Peeta to lose it, that she knew there was a slim chance of him surviving.

He couldn't speak out of turn but she could and she was going to push as much as she could. Heavensbee was sat with his back to the camera. It couldn't see his face only hear his words.

"And what if he kills Katniss?" She asked, "What then?"

Heavensbee shook his head, "He won't try to kill her." He said, "The hospital are confident that he'll have enough control."

But she saw it in his eyes...that small sparkle that confirmed everything she needed to know. President Coin didn't care if Peeta killed Katniss. In fact, Aella was willing to bet that Coin was only sending Peeta out to lose control and attempt to kill her.

"You may as well just shoot him now." She said, glaring at him, "I don't think you understand how traumatic this is. What makes you think he's going to be able to help himself sort through his memories while he's out there?"

He prepared himself for the uproar as he said calmly as ever, "Well, that's why you'll be going with him...to help him."

If the table wasn't so heavy she'd of flipped it. The rage that smacked her square in the face took her breath away for a few short moments. Red bled into her vision, those icy blue flames lit up her irises. Heavensbee had no doubt that if she had any kind of weapon on her she'd of leapt over the table and killed him.

She had gone utterly still. A killing calmness oozed through her. It was intimidating, threatening.

He thought she was going to tear the world to shreds. Little did he know she was trying desperately to keep her head afloat in a raging sea of water that she was downing in.

The Capitol....the sea of all her nightmares. She had ran down those narrow streets, she'd passed block after block of those tall flats desperately trying doors to get to higher ground while being chased by waves of poisonous black oil. She'd taken calculated step after step so to not set off a bomb. She'd fought for her life against human-like mutts trained to kill her all in the streets of the Capitol.

None of it had been real but it had all felt real. She hadn't really talked about it much. What she'd gone through on those streets was still fresh and raw. She could still see the people she'd been forced to leave behind, people she couldn't save, behind closed eyes—people both dead and alive.

She couldn't even bring herself to feel some kind of relief that she would be seeing Finnick again. All she could focus on was the Capitol, the notion that she'd be mere blocks away from the Tribute Centre, the Presidential Palace. She'd be toeing with her safety. One wrong move out there and she could end up back in the hands of the Peacekeepers—back underground in those cells. Or they would just kill her where she stood?

No, she thought, President Snow would want her execution to be public or at least televised. He'd probably want all their executions televised.

She was going to die—that's all she could really think about. She wouldn't be able to keep herself together on those streets never mind Peeta. Perhaps that was Coin's intention...for Peeta to rage and try kill them all and for her to have such a breakdown she'd somehow end up being killed by a pod or something.

"Two weeks ago I was too unpredictable." She finally said aloud. Heavensbee saw the fear clouding in her eyes, "Now you want to send me? I don't get it."

"Peeta needs someone who knows what to do." He replied, "He trusts you probably more than anyone in the world right now. You're going simply to keep him from falling apart."

"Who's going to stop me from falling apart?" She whispered, "Who's going to tell me it'll be okay when I take one look at those streets and panic so much I forget how to breathe?"

"Finnick will be there."

She shook her head, "You've already caused enough damage forcing us apart in the first place," she said, "you really think you can rely on someone as medicated as me out there to keep Peeta sane?"

Heavensbee sat forward in his seat and looked at her deeply, "Aella." He said, "I'm sorry but I know you can do this. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for." His words were genuine. She could see the apology in his eyes. His hands were tied.

She had no energy left to fight. Had nothing inside of her to even take his words into consideration. She wasn't strong—not at all.

"When?" She whispered.

He grimaced, "You leave at midnight. Hangar two."

She didn't have it in her to rage about how little time she had. All she could do was stand from her chair with a silent nod before looking at Heavensbee and saying, "She's a coward for not telling me herself...for getting you to do her dirty work," but he didn't say anything in response and she took a deep breath before saying, "I don't regret what I said about her being like him. Perhaps this is her way of punishing me for it."

She looked to the camera in the corner of the room fleetingly as if saying it directly to her. She pursed her lips before looking back at Heavensbee, "I know she wants us dead. We've become nothing more than demanding thorns in her side she can no longer control. I know she didn't want to rescue us from the Capitol in the first place but to keep up face she did." The man didn't dare acknowledge her words but Aella knew he felt some truth to them, knew he agreed in some aspect.

She tapped her finger on the table once feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time curl in her stomach. 'You're stronger than what you give yourself credit for...'

'You're the strongest person I know...'

'You're a driving force in this rebellion...'

'I don't think you know how much you spur these people on...'

'You inspired them to join this war...'

Determination seeped through her body. She was all of those things and somehow she'd forgotten it all. She'd allowed herself to believe that she was nothing. She would fight to the death for the people she loved...fight to give them this better world she and millions of others had dreamed about. But the world they were heading towards if they won this war would not be better.

She couldn't give up, not yet, not ever. She would do whatever she could to win this war and then she would tackle that next fight. She still had a few tricks up her sleeve, still knew a few cards she could play.

The Huntress looked back at Plutarch Heavensbee, the Goddess of War ready to strike. He hated to admit that those ice blue eyes set his soul on fire in satisfaction. He'd enjoyed watching the Goddess wreck havoc in the Capitol before the Games. He had a feeling he was going to enjoy whatever cards she was going to play. He didn't ever think he would face her again.

Aella knew her eyes were a blazing fire as she looked at him. Heavensbee was right. She was a Phoenix rising from the ashes. The was the Goddess of War and when she embodied her she became the Huntress...the Deliver of Death.

She looked at the camera carefully and lifted her chin, "Game on President Coin," She mused, "game on."

•    •    •

Aella would not let this goodbye be sad. She couldn't let it be permanent. She had returned to her apartment, body still and mind focused. For the first time in a very long time she felt as if she had some kind of purpose. She had something to live and fight for and she was going to do everything in order to see it through.

She told Daniel, Clio and Johanna with absolute calmness on her face despite their reaction to her news. They were furious but seeing that purpose in her eyes, the way she told them about everything she knew... It might've been startling to hear that President Coin was looking for an easy way to get the Victors out of her hair but they couldn't say they weren't expecting it. Aella had called it after mere days in District Thirteen and they had told her she was wrong but in the months that had passed, the events that had transpired... it was very obvious what Coin was trying to do.

Aella was going to do whatever she could to stop it while trying to assassinate President Snow. She'd already worked through a plan in her head and there was nothing her three friends could do except beg her to be careful.

They gathered up in hangar two where Heavensbee had told her to be and Peeta arrived from the hospital shortly after. He was dressed in District Thirteen uniform—the rest of their gear they'd receive on the flight—and Aella saw the uncertainty in his eyes, the fear of what he was going into. She knew she'd have her work cut out for her. Having a conversation about Katniss was one thing, Peeta seeing her for every hour of every day was a whole different thing but Aella wouldn't see him suffer. She'd juggle it all.

Annie Cresta had arrived at the hangar to say goodbye with Sal, Sam and Natalia—who had cried in sheer worry over her. Aella had tried to convince Sal she'd be fine but the woman didn't buy it for one second. Sam was boiling with barely contained anger.

They were reading themselves to leave when Beetee and Haymitch arrived with Heavensbee. Aella was shocked to say the least when she saw the three men. Beetee had a long yet thin black box resting across his knee that Aella eyed curiously.

Peeta's presence by her side diverted her attention as he leaned closer to her and whispered, "Real or not real."

"Very real, Peeta." She replied before glancing at him fleetingly and offering him her best attempt at a supportive smile, "But we're going to be okay."

He barely nodded as the three men stopped opposite them. Aella's family stood around she and Peeta. Johanna was there with her arms folded tightly across her chest, Annie stood by Sal, looking at Heavensbee with distaste for what he was forcing her two friends in to.

But it was Aella who squared her shoulders and regarded them with an expression she'd of delivered them all those months back before the Quell, "What are you three doing here?"

"We came to see you off." Haymitch said and Aella noted his words carefully—see you off, not say goodbye. She examined him, rising her brow and she watched as he dipped his chin once and it was everything she needed to know. A secret alliance within what once started out as a secret alliance.

So he knew then, of what Coin's ulterior motive was. A quick glance at Heavensbee and she found that twinkle in his eyes, the one that usually meant he was scheming.

"Yes," Beetee nodded and he fixed his eyes on Aella, "that, and we wanted to give these back to you. I've made a few minor modifications, of course, but nothing major."

Aella didn't know what to say as she took the box from Beetee wordlessly. She opened it up and looked at the assortment of daggers that lay inside. Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked briefly at Beetee and said, "Minor?"

The man chuckled and said, "I couldn't help myself."

Two long hunting daggers with a curved tip accompanied four blades. She'd always only had blades. When Beetee had first shown her the original set it had only been blades. She didn't even have a hunting dagger in the Quell. In fact, she hadn't used a hunting dagger since—

"I know you haven't had hunting daggers since your original Games but I thought they'd be a nice addition to the set."

She nodded, utterly speechless, as she traced her finger over the hilt of the blade. All six knives were sleek matte black with an intricate gold design running down the base of the hilt—fine art she knew only one person to be capable of. Wordlessly she turned her head to Peeta who stood beside her, looking at the designs.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Beetee asked for my help." He said, "I couldn't say no."

She choked on whatever words lodged in her throat and looked between the two men, "Thank you, both."

Beetee only nodded and opened a second box for her that remained on his knee. Inside sat another set of identical short throwing knives, "These are new," he said before he took one out and flipped a cap on the bottom of the hilt to reveal a small red button, "I've built a small explosive inside the hilt of each knife. The explosion will only be small but I figured they'd look good on the propaganda. Simply press the button before you throw. The explosive will trigger on impact."

She grinned broadly, "I will be testing them out as soon as I land." She said.

Beetee smiled at her and looked at Haymitch, "One last thing."

"Oh, yes." Haymitch said and it was only then did Aella see the black sheath hanging over the man's shoulder. He handed it to her wordlessly and Daniel took the box of daggers from her hands with a small smile on his face.

Aella already knew what it was that Haymitch was handing her but she couldn't help herself. Her fingers found home on the hilt and she unsheathed the machete with a clean swoosh, admiring the blade. Like all her other ones, this had the same intricate gold detailing.

"Amazing." She mumbled.

"At least you'll look good out there." Clio said though Aella could hear the tightness of his voice.

She sheathed the machete again and Daniel took it out her hands, passing it over to the man ready and waiting to take them on board. She turned to Clio and saw her tear-filled eyes and all Aella could do was pull her into an embrace. Neither of them knew if she'd stay out there until the War was won, however long it would take, or if she'd return soon. Neither woman wanted to think about it, nor Aella's grand plan.

"Take care of yourself, Aella." Clio warned.

Aella rubbed her back and nodded before pulling away, "Of course I will."

Daniel looped his arm around Clio's shoulder, concern lighting up his eyes, "Are you going to be okay?"

That raw determination set on her face again and she nodded, "I'll be fine."

"Aella—"

She didn't let Clio finish as she looked at Clio's swollen belly. She'd only just begun to show but the tight fit of the District Thirteen uniform saw to it that Clio couldn't hide her pregnancy.

Aella pressed her hands lightly against her stomach, bent down to a crouch, and said, "Hey, little monkey, your aunt Aella will be back soon, okay? But, listen, your mom will kill me if I'm not here whenever you decide to enter this world..." she frowned at Clio and Daniel as they looked at her with bright smiles, "which is when exactly?"

"Six months." Clio replied.

"Six months," Aella scoffed, "I should be back long before that, but, if I'm not just know that I love you... and not just because your mom and dad kept me from falling apart, but because they're my family which makes you my family, too." She pressed her lips together briefly, "But, if for whatever reason we don't get to meet you should know that your uncle Finnick is almost just as cool as me and your dad can't cook no matter how much he thinks he can—"

"Hey!" Daniel said in offence.

Aella smiled at him cheekily before she looked back down to the small bump, "And I hope that one day your mom and dad will tell you all about your amazing aunt Aella and how she fought for a better world for those like you. If we don't ever get to meet I hope I helped make that real for you. I hope you get to grow up in a world where you're living in that better world we've all dreamed of."

Clio choked on a sob as she looked at her, "Aella."

Aella stood up straight and met her gaze with small hope in her eyes and said, "Will you?"

It was Daniel who nodded and pulled her into a tight embrace, "Of course we will."

It wasn't goodbye, she had told herself, but she still found herself closing her eyes and savouring it as if it was. She had no intention of dying out there, of letting President Snow and President Coin win but she'd be damned if she wasn't prepared. So she embraced everyone like it would be the last time and she didn't let herself think anymore on the matter as she boarded that aircraft with Peeta by her side.

She schooled her face into cool indifference and let her old friend return, welcoming the Huntress with open arms.

•    •    •

A/N; With every chapter I'm noticing more and more how bad my dyslexia is getting so if there's any misplaced letters or if sentences don't make sense I'm really sorry about that.

BUT... Aella is off to war with Peeta. I bet you guys thought I'd leave her in Thirteen for the rest of the book, hmm?Noooooo! Next update will be Friday after I spent all day tomorrow writing.