AN – I wished to read a story such as this and just couldn't find it so I instead wrote one myself. First Hunger Games fanfic so be gentle please. I own nothing and please support the official release.

Caesar was tired, every year this capital event known as the Hunger Games came out. Unknown to the districts he was as much as a pawn to Snow as anyone else. This was only because the games needed an icon and he was that icon. Never seeming to age was a secret project of Snow's for some time now and Caesar was the first subject to it so when he didn't seem to age it was because he couldn't, Snow stopped him. No matter how lavish of a Capitolite lifestyle he portrayed he couldn't die either. Drinking himself to death, eating enough for several heart attacks, when he thought that death was coming for him he'd just wake up in the sterile lab as he was now. There was his very own prep team making sure that he looked amazing this year, of the 74th games. He had been thirty and during the 51st Hunger Games when he was promoted to host and as he felt them prep him, along with dying his hair purple this year he looked to the other empty tables with the single thought that at least he was alone in this torture, for now.

The star crossed lovers from district twelve had been his favorite in all the years he had been host and he strove to help young Peeta Mellark spend as much time with the love of his life before his inevitable death. When the rule change was announced he was happy to finally see Katniss act like she loved him back but he knew there would be no rule change. Mutts attacked, mutations probably created in the same lab he was revived and it came down to three then two and of course the reversal of the rules. Unable to watch anymore Caesar tried to drink himself into oblivion for now.

"I can't," Katniss whispered dropping her weapons to the ground, "Don't make me live without you." Peeta smiled at her words but reached and removed the tourniquet to let himself die. She rushed to him and tried to prevent the blood flow and that was when he made his move. "Stop, don't kill yourself." Peeta gently lifted her chin and kissed her with all the love he had.

"No one needs me back home but your family needs you. Besides you made a promise that you'd win."

She reached for where the berries were only to discover they were gone. Whipping her head up she saw that Peeta had taken them from her. The tears were too much now as she whispered no one last time.

"Goodbye Katniss, I love you." With that Peeta ate the Nightlock and fell to the ground. Katniss was upon him trying to force the deadly berries out of his body. There was a cannon and the announcement of Katniss being the victor of the 74th Hunger Games but she didn't stop until Peacekeepers arrived hauling her off so the body could be removed. Still she kicked and fought as she was injected with a sedative. All over Panem people watched unable to believe what they witnessed. Haymitch stood in the Victor's Center along with several other former Victors seeing their hopeful symbol of hope and rebellion crumble with dismay. Originally the girl on fire would be their symbol but with Peeta's final act of love and sacrifice the future looked unsure.

"Finnick," he said looking over at the young man from district four, "She's crumbling like Annie, she'll need our support even more so before anything else can happen." The ones who remained to support Haymitch and his tributes understood. Before they could begin to stir up the embers of a rebellion Snow seemed to be one step ahead as always but they needed to push on. Haymitch knew she hadn't loved Peeta, not for real as it had been an act but she had witnessed her ally kill himself for her and maybe they could work with that.

Laying in her hospital bed Katniss was a mess without even knowing why. Her boy with the bread was dead but it was all for the fake show. There was no romance at least non that she thought of but she had let herself believe the rule change, that somehow President Snow would let both of them live. Then there were the berries, she was going to have them kill themselves. Surely two victories were better than none. It was a long shot that she wasn't even sure would work but she couldn't go back home alone, Peeta had been the lynchpin when it came to the story of love, Haymitch was right she had been as romantic as a brick. Without him she might have survived to the final eight, maybe even top three but he had grounded her brash actions. In order to help her get better faster she was put out several times and met other mentors aside from Haymitch because he had to deal with other things and she needed a vigil as it seemed.

The first time she woke up she heard Haymitch arguing with the doctor and didn't make out much except something about enhancements. Haymitch spoke about how they couldn't change how she looked because that wasn't the girl Peeta had loved and protected. Before she could react the drugs had her out again. The next time there was a much older woman sitting beside her bed.

"Who?" Katniss whispered drawing the woman's kind eyes towards her.

"Mags I'm from district four. Victor of the Eleventh Hunger Games." She smiled at the confusion in the newest victor's eyes. "Yes it was a long time ago but that's in the past. We're more focused on the now, keeping you alive. Luckily it seems the boy suffered the most and you should be ready for the crowning tomorrow."

"Boy," she muttered.

"Yes, he's already taken care of. The killed tributes are always well looked after, even upon death they are made to look peaceful."

"Can I see him?"

"No, not until you get home. As a victor there is much for you to do and you will be too busy to visit him."

"I need to see him, I wasn't supposed to come home without him beside me."

"That's not true," came the gruff voice of Haymitch from behind. "It was always you from the beginning. All the plans, the declaration of love, sponsor gifts. Peeta never wanted any of it. His plan to join the careers was to keep them away from you. He went up against Cato to let you go free. He died to let you go home. We cannot waste his sacrifice. You need to be brave now for him so that he didn't die in vain. There will be a final interview where you will be forced to watch the games, forced to watch him kill himself for you and you must get through it with a strong face. After Snow crowns you and asks for your last words you must tell Panem that even though a large part of you died in that arena you will fight to live in his honor."

Before the final interview Caesar found himself back in the white room, maybe he drank himself to death and they were detoxing him. Even in his stupor he'd heard how Peeta killed himself for Katniss to win. It was so noble and beautiful that he almost didn't hear the steady beep of a heart monitor. Turning his head he saw a new figure wheeled in and placed on the table near him. As the men started to leave the sheet got tangled in the wheels pulling the sheet off enough to reveal the person next to him. Somehow there was a breathing Peeta Mellark laying next to him. If they revived him of all people it was for nefarious things he didn't want to think about. Praying for them not to torture the boy he felt tired and soon was out.

Later that night he sat on the plush chair across from the girl on fire, whose flames were dosed by Peeta's final act. Smiling that false smile of his he knew that he could be the one to spark that fire again. Just tell her that Peeta was still alive, being held prisoner by Snow for some reason. However there was a reason he wouldn't just give up, why he was still working with Snow and the Hunger Games. Caesar Flickerman was a coward so he just smiled and went by the script. When Katniss spoke her final words to Panem something happened within him and he knew who he had to speak with, if only he had her courage. Gripping the chair he watched Snow smile confidently as his newest victor sank back into the chair. It wasn't until now that he allowed the final clip to be shown, Peeta. Love in his eyes, swiftness in his hands as he stole the pouch from her. Determination that she was going home. "I love you," he had spoken popping the berries into his mouth before collapsing. Despite the stone face she had held throughout her speech Katniss Everdeen began to cry.

Mags and Haymitch had been correct, Katniss could barely get real rest while being paraded around like the prized hen at a fair. Luckily Haymitch was always at her side and when he wasn't last year's victor, Johanna Mason and the Capitol's Darling, Fennick Odiar was there as well. Due to being so close in age and recent victors they were the ones that were best able to aid her. From them she learned of Snow's side business for some victors. Fennick was prostituted and when Johanna refused everyone she loved was killed. At first Katniss was horrified, she couldn't do that but having her family killed but the pair told her of another departing gift from Peeta. No one would have the guts to touch the devastated half of the star crossed lovers. Katniss started to cry again, once again he was protecting her, even after death.

After accepting their phone numbers, surprised that she'd have the ability to use something to speak with them districts apart Katniss settled in for home. The first person she saw was Prim as she drove herself into her sister's arms. Then there was her mother and Gale, seeing Gale brought a pain in her chest that she couldn't describe. Then she noticed a long box being brought out of the train to the side and the pain doubled. The Mellark family were in tears, even Peeta's hateful mother was crying but Katniss decided it was just for show as his brothers and father were really sobbing over the box that contained their son. Katniss tried to go to them, to apologize but was swept away to the mayor's house. It would be there that she would be granted a key to a house in the Victor Village and help to move her family in with her as well.

The next morning she stood in front of his Bakery, tears leaking out of her eyes wanting to go in but being so afraid of his family blaming her for Peeta's death and it really was her fault. A different tribute didn't kill him and she worked so hard to keep him alive only for himself to take his own life protecting her. About to turn away she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Looking up she saw it was Peeta's father, Leon Mellark. Instead of scolding her he allowed her into his arms as she cried into him.

"He always loved you. The way he died, it was as himself and I wouldn't want it any other way." Katniss cried harder at his words remembering what Peeta had said to her the night before the games. "Let me take you to him, so you can talk to him and feel close just like I do when I need him back." Taking her hand in his the elder Mellark led her towards the Tribute Memorial Graveyard.

Just another pawn in the games, just another pawn. Thousands of miles away in a bleak but white room Peeta's eyes opened.

Just a pawn.