Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.

Author's Note: Well, this one has been in the works for a while. I got hooked into the Hunger Games movies at the start of the year and this idea came to me. Then I fell out of love with the idea for a while before recently going through my old files and finding a bit of that spark again. I feel it's a bit rushed and I wish I had more to put into it but the plot bunnies or whatever inspires me have done a runner and gone into hiding for this piece. I meant to post it weeks ago but the day after I finished it I came down with a cold, then as soon as I got over that I came down with the flu. All this while I was starting my final semester at university. So, I've been playing catch up and finally got everything organised and here it is: my first and possibly only Hunger Games story.

I've edited the mentioned problems, I've also worked on extending the Epilogue and it's now a chapter on its own. Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Repeat until the world made sense again. Inhale. Exhale. It wasn't working. The world had stopped making sense when she volunteered to take her sister's place in the Games.

When she changed the rules, and made sure there would either be two winners, or none.

When she'd caught the attention of President Snow.

When she'd inadvertently become a threat when all she wanted to do was protect her sister.

"Katniss?"

Peeta sounded worried. Katniss opened her eyes and looked up at her fiancé. No, he was her husband now. They'd had the wedding night to prove it. Married at seventeen.

And going off to war again.

"Was it real?" she asked, quiet and raspy.

Peeta looked angry and sad and so frustrated. She reached out and touched the worry lines on his forehead. He was too young for that. But then again, they were so old in other ways than age.

"Yes. Snow really is going to reap the year's tributes from the Victors." Peeta sounded as upset as he looked. But there was also resignation there too. Snow was a master manipulator, and this was just another move on his chessboard to keeping his reign secure.

Katniss nodded slowly and gulped down the building nausea. It was certain that she would be the female tribute. There was no other candidate. But there were two male tributes from Twelve. She looked up at her husband and he must have seen it in her eyes before she could speak.

"Don't even say it," Peeta said, almost scowling. "If my name gets picked, I have no doubt Haymitch will volunteer. I can't do anything about that. But if his name gets pulled, I'm going to volunteer in his place. And there's nothing you can do about that."

Katniss swallowed her protests. She knew that stubborn tilt of his chin, that firmed jaw. There was no arguing with him. She sighed in frustration and ran a hand through her hair. "Why can't they leave us alone?"

"If they could, the Hunger Games would have ended decades ago," Peeta murmured. He looped an arm around her and drew her in close to his chest. They settled back on the couch and stared at nothing in the silent room. Peeta played with her hair like he always did. Usually it brought a smile to her face, how much he loved her hair. But tonight, there was no joy, only weariness.

"Let's go to bed," she whispered after long minutes in silence.

Without a word, he took her hand and led her to their bedroom. They didn't make love, not this night when they were numb and lost, they just held each other, unsure what would happen tomorrow.

*** For Hope ***

Things got worse. New Peacekeepers moved in and with them came an increase in taxes, produce expectations, whippings and curfew. Snow was tightening the reins in retaliation for the rebellions in the Districts.

Then came the day of the Reaping. Katniss stood up on stage beside a large bowl with a single piece of paper in it. Effie smiled and put on a good show, but she was not her usual jovial self. When she read out the name, 'Katniss Everdeen', she spoke with none of her flair. She sounded deflated, almost sad. Then she read out the male tribute's name. 'Haymitch Abernathy'. Katniss' stomach dropped because she knew what would happen next.

"I volunteer as tribute." Peeta sounded so calm when he said those four simple words. Haymitch grabbed Peeta's arm and hissed something too low to be heard. Peeta firmed his jaw and stepped away.

There's nothing you can do about it.

Once again, Katniss and Peeta stood on the Tribute's stadium, Effie between them. Just as they had one year before. Instead of clapping, the rest of the civilians raised their hands in the hand sign that Katniss had become known for. Katniss and Peeta mirrored the show of defiance and the Peacekeepers moved in.

"Wait, I have to say goodbye!" Katniss could hear Prim shouting in the crowd.

"Too late. You're going to the train now," the head Peacekeeper growled in his gravel-thick voice as he dragged her away.

"Goodbye!" Katniss shouted before the doors were slammed shut and the Tributes were dragged to the train.

*** For Hope ***

Their apartment in the Capitol was as grand and luxurious as it had been before. Katniss looked around in awe and dread. The perfection, masking such evil, made her feel sick.

No, wait…

She rushed from the bedroom and into the bathroom where she lost her breakfast and everything she'd eaten before it. When the violent heaving was over, she was panting and lightheaded. Peeta murmured softly, gently, as he held her hair back.

"I'm sorry," Katniss mumbled, feeling miserable. Peeta helped her up and into the shower. He helped her clean up and then into bed.

"We're going to have to tell someone soon," Peeta murmured as they lay in bed. Katniss, her eyes shut and head resting on his broad chest. Once again, he played with her dark locks.

"Why?" Katniss mumbled, voice hoarse from vomiting.

"Maybe it'll get you out of the Games, if they know you're pregnant," Peeta whispered, he rested a hand gently against Katniss' flat belly. No one at home knew, except for the midwife who had diagnosed the pregnancy. They had been planning how to tell everyone when the Quarter Quell Games was announced.

"You know Snow won't let that happen," Katniss whispered, "'Regardless of age and circumstance.' He wants me in these Games too much to give me a way out."

Peeta didn't say anything.

"What are you thinking?" Katniss asked suspiciously.

A sigh. "Nothing, just…nothing."

Silence for a long moment. They lay in the dark, holding one another, and eventually fell asleep, hoping the nightmares would stay away.

*** For Hope ***

Katniss wore a white wedding dress for the second time in her life. The first had been a plain design, crafted in secret by her mother and sister when it became clear that Katniss and Peeta would not get their perfect day in the spotlight. Snow would not let them have happiness. So, they married in secret, with only a few close friends as witnesses. The rest of the world still thought they were engaged.

Peeta had looked handsome in his suit and Katniss had been so glad she hadn't given in to her fear and denied all that had happened in the arena. She'd tried, stubborn creature that she was, but Peeta was equally as stubborn and hadn't let her hide. It had resulted in several nasty fights, broken objects, angry words and hurt feelings, but somehow Peeta had wormed his way past all her shields and was determined to stay. Oh, how she loved that man.

They had announced their engagement to the world, under threat of Snow, then tried to conjure some sort of happiness from their reality. Then came the Quarter Quell and the reason why Katniss was wearing another wedding dress as she waited for her turn to appear on stage.

"A wedding dress?" Johanna Mason, the female tribute from District Seven, scoffed at the fluffy white concoction Katniss wore. The bitter Victor looked Katniss up and down with a look of scorn.

"Snow made me wear it," Katniss defended, letting her own disgust at the situation colour her voice.

Johanna smirked, "Make him pay for it."

Katniss walked out on stage and smiled at the audience who clapped in awe of her dress.

"My, my, what a lovely dress. Your stylist really has outdone himself," Caesar Flickerman, sporting pink hair this time, cooed and beamed at Katniss' dress. "You would have made a lovely bride."

Katniss smiled at the host, "My husband certainly thought so."

Silence for a moment, from the audience and the host, before Caesar gathered himself. In a mock quiet voice, he said, "Am I to understand that you are indeed married?"

"Yes." Just that one word had whispers and questions swelling from the crowd.

"To Peeta Mellark?" Just to confirm for the thousands of viewers watching.

"Yes. I married Peeta in a private ceremony before the Hunger Games." It almost hurt her face to keep smiling as expected.

The audience roared, they stood and shouted, waving their hands and making a fuss. Clearly the announcement met with their approval.

"Well then, congratulations are in order," Caesar grinned with a lot of teeth and clapped his hands energetically, starting off another round of applause, "Now, I assume you could not wear this dress for your wedding, but is this the one you planned on wearing for the big occasion."

"Yes, it was," Katniss beamed again. Effie had started its production when the engagement became public and when they had married in private, the dress hadn't been done. It also would have caught too much attention if the dress had been requested.

"Can you give us a twirl?"

Katniss caught Cinna's eye in the crowd. He nodded, and she moved forward to centre stage. She twirled as instructed and watched as her dress caught fire…and burned. She trusted Cinna, which was why she kept going rather than panic at the thought of being left naked on stage.

When she saw the last of the flames extinguish, she stopped twirling. There was a collective murmur of awe from the crowd as she stood in a dark dress that flowed down to her ankles. She moved her arms and found they were attached to something, not adorned by sleeves as she first thought. She extended both arms and heard gasps and sighs from the crowd.

Cinna had given her wings.

"It's like a bird. It has feathers. It looks like, uh, like a…" Caesar sputtered, clearly caught off guard.

"Like a mockingjay," Katniss murmured.

"Beautiful," Caesar breathed, "Big round of applause for our lovely, Miss Everdeen."

The crowd roared as Katniss turned away and made her way up to where the rest of the Victors were waiting. She caught a few eyes and saw a few nods.

Then it was Peeta's turn. He wore a handsome suit, probably the one custom-made for him for the big, public wedding that would have taken place. Katniss watched as he charmed the audience with his usual wit. She smiled, for him.

"So, Peeta, you're married now," Caesar said.

"Yes, we got married in private a few months ago," Peeta said, big grin on his face.

"Some would say you are too young to get married, what would you say to them?" Caesar asked.

Old enough to die and kill though. Katniss gritted her teeth and tried not to let it show.

"I cannot imagine loving Katniss tomorrow more than I do today," Peeta remarked and there were 'awws' from the crowd, "But I do wish we had waited."

Katniss tried not to frown. What was he doing?

"Why?" Caesar looked perplexed, "You just said you loved her enough to marry her before you entered the Hunger Games."

"Because now it's not just us." Peeta's face was grim now, none of the charm from before.

Oh no. Suddenly Katniss knew what he was going to say.

"Now there's the baby."

Caesar looked like someone had slapped him, jaw open and eyes wide. People in the audience cried out but not with cheer. Now they were angry.

"Stop the Games!" Someone dared to shout aloud. Katniss couldn't see who, but it started a chorus of similar shouts from the aggravated audience.

Peeta turned and made his way to stand beside Katniss. He grabbed her hand and Katniss clenched it tightly. They would have words later. For now…

People in the audience were standing, upset and calling for the Games to be cancelled. A pregnant tribute had never been in the Games before. Apparently, the people in the Capitol drew the line at sending expectant mothers to their deaths.

Caesar spluttered and tried to calm them. Katniss reached her other hand out to the tribute next to her and it carried on to the rest of the tributes. As one they all raised their joined hands. It started an even louder uproar and then the lights went out.

Time to go.

Back at their room, Katniss sat beside her husband on the couch as they waited for the result of their revelation tonight.

"I thought we weren't going to tell anyone," Katniss murmured. Not angry, but certainly not happy. This was a weakness that Snow would use. The President wouldn't allow this to change anything but the way he killed them.

"I told you I'd try to save you," Peeta said, unapologetic.

"It won't change anything. They won't cancel the Games, they can't," Katniss whispered. Peeta said nothing. They were still holding hands.

The doors opened, Haymitch and Effie strode in.

"Baby bomb was a clever idea but they're still going ahead with the Games. Some people aren't happy, so they won't let that come up again and I would suggest you not try that trick again," Haymitch declared.

"It wasn't a trick," Katniss said quietly.

Haymitch stared at her, face unreadable, maybe trying to see a lie. Effie looked close to tears and if it had been 'proper' she probably would already be crying.

"So, you really are pregnant?" Haymitch asked, "How far along?"

"Two months." Katniss replied.

Effie sniffled then seemed to compose herself. She started prattling on about getting something gold for them all, to match the mockingjay pin Katniss wore as a token.

"Because we're a team, aren't we?" Effie finished, smiling at them all. Her powdered and painted face looked perfect as ever, but her voice cracked a little.

"Yeah, we're a team."

"Thanks, Effie."

The Capitol woman dragged them all into a hug. Nothing was alright.