Sequoia felt his heart stop as the seconds drew on between him asking for an alliance and Willow’s reply. The more time that passed, the more his mind began racing with “what if” questions. [i]What if she says no? What if she doesn’t want to be in an alliance? What if she doesn’t even like you anymore? What if she tells you right now that she’d just as soon see you as little as possible?[/i] What if, what if, what if. Just when he thought his mind was going to have a meltdown, Willow gave him a smile, saying [i][b] “Us in an alliance? You know it!”[/b][/i] Sequoia let out a sigh of relief, the worry melting away. For the first time in years, he felt he had his friend back. It would be almost like old times, them being together….except during old times, they didn’t have to kill 23 other tributes. In old times, they weren’t fighting for their lives in the same sense that they were now.

Still, to have her by his side...He held her gaze for several moments, thinking about what it would be like...in the arena. And those thoughts turned to who might be victor. Say it came down to him or her, being victor. Could he actually let her die? Could he actually stand by and let some other tribute kill her...really? He already knew the answer to that, in his heart. Just as he already knew he could never be the one to take her life in a million years. [i]And what if you are the last two?[/i] The thought invaded Sequoia’s mind like the beetles that often chewed their way into the trunks of the trees, rendering the wood all but useless. IF she stood with him at the end, the final two...then what? He gazed into those eyes of hers, and felt pain then...like a stab through the heart. One way or another, one of them was going to be dead by the time this was all said and done. The best they could hope is that the other was living life as a Victor. 

When it came right down to it, Sequoia knew in his heart that she deserved to go home. She had a family, she had loved ones to return to. What did he have? A fucking orphanage, that’s what. An orphanage he didn’t even damn like, and nobody he got along with. Nobody to miss him when he was gone. If he died, he’d just be another tribute dead, with no real repercussions beyond his own loss of life. If Willow died….what would become of her family? How much pain would her death cause? How much heartache? Maybe even more deaths, as she’d not be there to support her family anymore. [i]But I’d be there. And I would…[/i] the thought entered into his mind. Yes. If anything happened to Willow, he would make sure her family was well taken care of, if he managed to survive. But he had a choice to make. Himself, or her? His own life, a life that had less meaning if lost, but was his own...or Willow’s, whose death would hurt people, possibly cause even more death? 

Sequoia sighed, finally breaking his gaze away from Willow, and facing Birch. He had a choice to make, but that would come later. For now, he had to focus. To make sure that ONE of them made it home. Because when the smoke cleared, and the dust settled, at the end of these games he knew that he wanted a District victor, be it him or her. And he needed to work to that goal, to keep one of them alive. Which one, could be decided later. For now, he had to focus on a District victory. As Willow asked Birch what they should study for survival, and if they should each pick different skills, Sequoia turned to their mentor, a hard look in his eyes, while he awaited the man's answer.