Katniss Everdeen was late for work. Blame her alarm clock. Blame traffic. Blame the fact that it was 78 degrees and without a cloud in the sky. Either way, she was late again. The boss was definitely not going to be happy. Her phone had been beeping constantly for ten minutes. The decision was to waste precious seconds locating the phone, answering, and coming up with a plausible explanation of why she was late again or just ignore it. She chose to ignore it and silently begged the traffic gods to please give her green lights the rest of the way in.

Five minutes later, she strolled through the front door; her backpack slung casually over one shoulder and flicked a little wave toward the supervisor's office when she saw a hand waving in the general direction of the clock. Plopping down at her desk, she kicked the backpack further underneath as she rifled through the stack of phone messages and case updates.

"Everdeen, you sure are a piece of work," Gale Hawthorne yelled across the room, flipping a wadded ball of paper in the vicinity of her head.

Smiling lazily, she propped her booted feet up on the desk and retorted, "That's a little like the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it, Gale?"

He rolled his eyes at her tone and said, "Funny, but will you notice who was here on time and ready to work? And it wasn't you." He elbowed her booted feet. "You can tell me. You had a hot date and still haven't recovered. I want details!" Propping his elbows up on her desk, Gale gave her a big-eyed look of feigned interest and Katniss couldn't stop herself from laughing.

If it had been anyone other than Gale, the reaction would have been quite different. They had been best friends since age five. They had attended the same elementary school and were practically inseparable in high school, being named Homecoming King and Queen. No one really believed either of them when they protested that they were just friends. The talk and speculation only increased when they both applied to and were accepted to the same university. One brief stint at a relationship had convinced them that they were never meant to be romantically involved. They severed that tie while the friendship was still in-tact and vowed to always be there for each other no matter what. The irony that they had vastly different degrees and yet still ended up working for the same company wasn't lost on them either.

Soon after starting at Better Way as a counselor and behavior expert, Katniss had recommended Gale for the position of guide and instructor for one of the pilot programs the agency ran to facilitate troubled youth. He came in and quickly established himself as an innovator and creative thinker. In other words, he was a perfect fit. The two of them made it perfectly clear that they were just friends, opening the door for Gale to start dating Johanna Mason, another counselor and instructor. They seemed happy and Katniss wished that they would hurry up and tie the knot already. She wanted her best friend settled and happy.

Katniss, despite the punctuality problem, was one of the most respected behavior analysts with the group. She was often given the most troubled or disturbed to work with. She seemed to have a way of getting inside a kid's head, figuring out what made them tick, and finding a key to unlock the bars that had been built up. She spent hours designing, refining, and perfecting a treatment plan for every case that came her way. Her success rate was astounding. That's why the few minutes she ran late everyday were generally overlooked.

It was to the amazement of her friends and co-workers that Katniss rarely socialized. She was most often found at home with her scraggly cat named Buttercup. Her Friday night companions were a stack of files, her iPod, and chocolate. She could be coaxed out for some special occasions or, after a heavy round of guilt tripping, a friends' night out. Even then, she was usually the first one to call it quits and head home. It wasn't for a lack of invitations, as she had plenty. She just wasn't interested. She was forever reading what books were popular with the young adult set, listening to the latest music, playing the latest game or downloading the most popular apps. She said that you couldn't get a kid to listen if you didn't speak their language. She focused on that ability with a terrifying single mindedness and let those parts of her life not necessary to her job languish.

"All right, kids. Now that we're all present and accounted for, can we please get the morning meeting up and running?" Haymitch Abernathy groused from the open conference room door. "I would like to get to lunch on time. Besides, you know how she is when the schedule is disrupted." A wave of laughter swept through the room at Haymitch's long suffering tone. His assistant, Effie Trinket, was the soul of the organization. She had every minute accounted for and could become quite shrill if her careful planning was disrupted in any way. Haymitch found it best to keep her happy and she kept everything else running smoothly. The arrangement suited everyone and kept Haymitch from resorting to the flask that he kept stashed in his desk for just such an occasion.

Once they had filed in and taken their seats, he slid packets across the table and flipped on the overhead to reflect the details they now had before them. "We have the new group almost ready to go. I want Gale, Johanna, Annie, and Finnick to double check the details. Make sure all documents are signed, all the court orders are in place, and all the accommodations are in order. The Princess made most of these arrangements, so I don't expect there to be issues there. Just make sure that all the "i's" are dotted and the "t's" are crossed." He toyed around with another file before sliding it over to Katniss. "The roster for this group is almost full. This one was added this morning. The rest of you familiarize yourself with the names and histories of the eleven that are already finalized. Katniss, I'm sending you down to Central to get this one taken care of. Judge Paylor sent this one to me this morning." He rolled his eyes. "This one is hot, so make this your top priority."

Katniss opened the folder and questioned, "What's the hurry. They don't usually come to us quite this quickly."

Haymitch nodded, "This is true. One point for you, Everdeen. But like I said, this one is a special case. Her brother is connected with Governor Snow. He called the governor after she was picked up. Once Judge Paylor got the call requesting an alternative, the girl was red-lined over to us. So go check her out, explain the program, and get her consent to cooperate. You will have to have the brother sign all the forms as well."

Katniss rolled her eyes and flipped open the packet again. "Primrose Mellark. Okay, boss, I'm leaving now. Please give Central a heads up that I'm inbound. We wouldn't want this to take any longer than it has to," she commented with mock sweetness and headed for the door. The rest of the group burst into laughter and Haymitch shot her a disgruntled glare as she swept out the door. Grabbing her bag and keys, Katniss punched the button to summon the elevator and began reading as soon as the doors closed behind her.

She stood outside the interview room and carefully watched the young girl inside. She noted the long, ash-blond hair and china blue eyes. The delicate girl didn't look to be much more than twelve, despite the fact that her age was listed at fifteen in the bio section of the file Katniss had been given earlier. She leafed through the folder and pulled out the arrest report from yesterday morning. The girl and two others had been caught coming out of a gas station with several cartons of beer, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. The cashier had cooperated with the threesome, but hit the silent alarm while they were distracted. The police busted them less than a mile from the store with the goods arrayed on both seats of the car they were driving. The other two, both above the age of eighteen, had been booked into the County lockup to await arraignment. At age fifteen, Primrose had been brought to Central and held in the juvenile block before being fast-tracked into court. Katniss noted with some interest that this was the girl's fourth offense in 8 months; she was well on the road to things getting serious.

Katniss pushed open the door and smiled gently as the big blue eyes darted warily up to check the identity of her visitor. The eyes narrowed in confusion and an uncertain frown marred the porcelain perfect brow. Katniss sat down easily, placed her bag at her feet, and opened the folder to the desired sheet. She then waited quietly for Primrose's curiosity to get the better of her. Finally, the girl softly questioned, "Who are you? I was expecting someone else."

Katniss pulled out a card, slid it across the table, and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Mellark. My name is Katniss Everdeen. I represent a group called Better Way. We've been asked by Judge Paylor to speak with you and offer you some options that you might not be aware of."

Primrose's eyes narrowed again but she did shake Katniss' hand and gingerly took the card. "Options?" she questioned warily. "I thought I was going home. My brother or Ms. Cartwright are supposed to pick me up." She eyed the card and repeated, "I thought I was going home."

Katniss sighed and pulled out a pen along with a notepad. "I don't know what you were told. Judge Paylor sent your file to my boss this morning. What you allegedly did carries some serious consequences. Especially for you, since this isn't the first time you've been picked up. I was asked to come speak with you regarding our program. It gives young people a way to get things back on track without having a permanent record following them for the rest of their lives."

Primrose eyed her with contemptible amusement. "I don't need any diversionary program. My brother will take care of me. He always does." She flung the card back into Katniss' lap. "Thank you for coming, but I don't think that I'll need your options today." She curled her hand underneath her chin and stared at a spot directly over Katniss' head, thoroughly dismissing her presence from the room. Katniss felt her lip twitch. The girl had spunk, no doubt about it. Apparently, a good dose of cold hard facts would be necessary in order to get through to her.

"Your brother has taken care of you, Miss Mellark. That's why I'm here. Governor Snow called Judge Paylor at your brother's behest. They are trying to avoid any further unpleasantness from you. It's your choice, of course, whether or not you choose to listen. But I seriously doubt that the Governor, the Judge, or your brother will be happy to my report if I leave right now. It's up to you whether I stay or not." She closed the folder and gathered her belongings, slowly making her way toward the door. Her hand was on the knob when she heard a shaky sigh followed by, "Wait. Please." Katniss looked over her shoulder and met pleading blue eyes. "I'll listen to what you have to say. Just please, don't leave."

Katniss moved back to her chair and opened the file back to the appropriate page. She slid a pamphlet in front of Primrose, along with the now wrinkled card. "Thank you for reconsidering," she said warmly. "Let's get to it. The material I've just given you outlines what our program is all about. In a nutshell, we offer thirty, sixty, and ninety day rotations. The participants are set up with living quarters. They take part in various activities designed to facilitate both therapeutic and occupational decision making. We offer several courses, which you can choose from according to your interests. The therapy sessions for both group and individual are mandatory. The whole group consists of twelve at a time. We break those twelve down into four sub-groups who actually live together. There is a counselor assigned to each sub-group. Your counselor is responsible for directing you as you navigate through the program. They will write up status reports and have regular meetings with family members, as well as the case worker assigned by the court."

Primrose flipped through the pamphlet and smirked slightly at the logo imprinted on the back. She didn't comment on what amused her, so Katniss didn't ask. She perused the class section and questioned, "I would get to choose which of these classes I take. Can I choose who my counselor is, too?"

Katniss hesitated. "Yes about the classes and other activities. Not so much about the counselor. The director, who happens to be my boss, usually assigns counselors and participants. It avoids favoritism and promotes unity in the group."

Primrose eyed her thoughtfully. "How are you able to offer so many things? There's everything from archery to creative writing. That's quite an array."

Katniss grinned. "We work within the community. A lot of our staff are volunteers who donate their time. Others, like me, feel like the more areas there are to explore, the better the outcome. So if anyone has a particular talent, we try to integrate it into the program."

Primrose flipped through the catalog again. "Which ones are yours?" she asked curiously.

Katniss quirked an eyebrow but answered honestly, "I cover the psychology/behavior class for those interested in what I do for a living. I split the nature/survival classes with a friend of mine. I also do the archery class. That is my favorite."

Primrose's eyebrows rose into her hairline. "You do archery? Seriously?"

Katniss laughed at her disbelieving tone. "Yes, I do archery. I was an only child. My father always wanted a son. But he got stuck with me, so he taught me everything he knew. I am a fair shot with just about any gun you want to put in my hands. I can hunt and know what to make a meal out of in the woods. I have also been shooting a bow since I was seven years old. I also competed at University."

The girl looked thoughtfully at the pamphlet again and hesitantly asked, "If I do this, how long do I have to stay?"

Katniss reviewed the paperwork and answered honestly, "Judge Paylor has recommended the ninety day program for you. We usually comply with the Judge in this matter."

Primrose's eyes clouded and tears flooded their blue depths. "Is my brother allowed to visit me? I've never been away from home that long before."

Katniss smiled sympathetically. "We do allow visits after the first two weeks once you are settled. The next visit is scheduled after the forty-five day mark. You are allowed to write as often as you wish. You can call home once per week for about ten minutes." The girl's expression looked so woebegone that Katniss added, "Your counselor meets with your family and case worker at least once a week. I'm sure that messages can be given." Primose's lip trembled and Katniss reached for her hand, giving a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be okay. You can do this."

The return grasp almost cut off the circulation to her fingers as the girl held onto her hand like a lifeline. "Will you be my counselor if I do go? I think I can do this if you're there. You don't lie. You don't treat me like I'm too young or stupid to understand." She gripped Katniss' hand tighter. "I'll come if I can be in your group. Please say yes."

Katniss met her eyes and silently cursed. She couldn't make promises, but Primrose's eyes touched off a protective instinct that Katniss didn't even realize she had. She blew out a breath and stated, "If you want to do this, I'll make the arrangements for you to be with me. I promise. I'll help you in any way that I can, okay?" The answering smile she received was nova bright in its intensity. She handed Primrose the documents to sign and recorded her own signature in the correct area.

"Thank you, Ms. Everdeen," Primrose said quietly. "I appreciate you coming to see me."

Katniss grinned at her. "You're welcome. But please, call me Katniss. If you keep saying Ms. Everdeen, I'm going to start looking for my mother." She grasped the small hand and stated, "I'll see you soon."

She was almost to the door when she heard, "Katniss, are you going to see my brother?" Katniss nodded and she continued, "Tell him I'm sorry for this. I really didn't mean for this to happen." Katniss inclined her head and opened the door. "Also, you can call me Prim if you like," the girl whispered. "That's what everyone else does."

Katniss gave her one more smile and stated, "Thank you, Prim. I'll be back tomorrow, okay? Do you want me to bring you anything?" Prim shook her head and Katniss let the door swing closed behind her. Now she had to convince Haymitch to help her keep her promise. He was going to have her head, no doubt about it.