A/N: I'm back with this latest adventure! The premise of this story is based on the film Sweet Home Alabama. I'll warn Everlark fans now, you are probably not going to like this first chapter much but anyone familiar with the film will know how Peeta fits into this and no matter how the story starts out, it is very much an Everlark story. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of its characters.

Chapter 1

A chorus of different languages swirl round the warm spring breeze. Tourists from all over the world widen their eyes in awe as they take in the impressive sight of the Roman gladiatorial arena before they begin their excited chatter about actually being inside the Colosseum. I am also in awe of the sheer scale of the thing. I have been to big football games before but modern stadiums have nothing on the eighty feet high entrances and beautifully crafted columns. You could fit the entire population of my small home town in here ten times over. A shiver goes up my spine at the thought of sixty thousand blood thirsty spectators all hustling their way into here to catch the latest fight to the death.

To the left of me another American family stand at the edge of the top tier with excited smiles and cameras around their necks. Their son stands proudly wearing his Roman Empire souvenir t-shirt and has a wooden sword in his hand. His parents encourage him to smile and then look scary as they snap various pictures of their son set against the backdrop of the ancient structure.

I look at them with a frown, slightly disturbed by them encouraging their son to act in such a way in a place where so many people lost their lives.

"It's kind of creepy having all these people smiling and taking selfies in a place where people were literally asked to fight to the death," I say turning to my boyfriend who stands beside me.

Cato nods his head in agreement as his eyes sweep over the labyrinth of tunnels and prisons that lie below us. I can't even contemplate what it must have felt like to live in one of those cages, just waiting to be sent to slaughter.

"I think people forget how horrific these games were because it was so long ago. And it was all supposed to be in the name of entertainment. What happened here is really not much better than what happened in Auschwitz but that is fresher in everyone's minds. A reminder that humanity hasn't come that far since the Romans," he replies.

I look at his side profile as he speaks. I nod my head before sighing and turning back to look at that family. They have finished taking photos and their son is already darting off to find the next cool thing to see. It makes me feel a little sick to think of him running back to all his friends at school and declaring how awesome this place is.

"You just hope that it doesn't come to this again. I mean this was like the first form of reality TV. And today some people will do anything to get their fifteen minutes of fame. Who is to say that in the future we will not all be sitting down on a Monday night to watch the latest kids fighting for their lives?" I say.

Cato turns to me with a smile.

"Always so bleak, Katniss. Have a bit of faith in humanity and believe we have learned enough throughout history to not repeat this mistake," he replies.

I smile and shake my head at him before I gently nudge him in the ribs.

"Well, remember I have been to a rodeo and riding a bull is only a little less dangerous than fighting a lion. I am sure there are people from my hometown stupid enough to think that if they can handle a bull they can handle a lion," I reply.

Cato laughs.

"You make everyone in your hometown sound so primitive," he says.

"Panem is at least ten years behind everywhere else. It was big excitement when the town got Wi-Fi last year," I reply shaking my head.

Cato smiles again as we begin following the crowd round the top tier of the Colosseum.

"It really can't be as bad as you make it out to be," he says.

In the four years we have been dating I haven't taken him to Panem once. I am embarrassed by how much of a backwater town it is.

"You have always lived in New York. You can't even comprehend what it is like to not be able to hop out and pick up a coffee whenever you want or have to travel two hours just to get to a store that sells clothes. Believe me, it is worse than I make out," I reply.

Cato nods his head before he gets stopped by some Spanish tourists who ask us to take a picture of them. Cato politely obliges as he takes their camera off them and allows them time to get into position.

He has no idea how simple my life was back in Panem. I was born and raised in the small town in south Alabama. The total population of the town barely reaches six thousand and the majority of people earn their living through farming and running of local stores. Very few people leave the town and many have never traveled further than the two hours to the next larger town.

I hated it growing up. The suffocating nature of everyone knowing everyone's business. The complete lack of ambition to be anything other than a farmer. No curiosity at all to discover the other wonders the world can offer.

I managed to escape when I was nineteen. I got accepted into NYU to major in biology and took off without looking back. I have not been back in nearly nine years. And I haven't missed it for one moment.

When I left I was so eager to see and experience the world. For too long I had been confined and restrained and I was itching to broaden my horizons. I spent all my student loans travelling and taking up research trips to make sure I got to see as much as the world as possible.

I have traveled all over; kayaked down The Amazon, sky dived in New Zealand, marvelled at architecture in St Petersburg and visited hot springs in Iceland. In every place I have learned something new and placed a part of it inside of me. Even now I have graduated and got a job working at a biology research lab, I still find time to travel. I love seeing places totally different from the last place I have visited.

Meeting Cato was meeting the perfect travelling companion. We met four years ago at a fundraising ball my research company was hosting. Cato comes from a wealthy family who own a large publishing company in New York and had been sent along to donate some money. We bumped into each other, hiding at the back of the ballroom and sneaking swigs of whiskey from hip flasks. We spent the whole night exchanging stories of our escapades abroad and laughing at each other's travelling mishaps.

Cato is as big a traveller as me. But unlike me he has been travelling since he was a child. His parents whisked him away on vacations to Cuba, Kenya and Copenhagen. As a kid he was captivated by all the different sounds and colours each new place brought with it. I can't believe I have met someone who shares my love and enthusiasm for exploring and immersing themselves in new places.

We have spent the last week and a half travelling Italy. We have enjoyed the panoramic views of Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo and relaxed on overpriced gondola rides in Venice. It is perhaps the most commercialised vacation we have been on. We tend to go to places slightly off the beaten track but Cato insisted that you have to see these things at least once. And the luscious food has made up for the fact we have to push our way through crowds of tourists.

"So now we have seen all the tourists honeypots I can take you to all the hidden gems Rome has to offer. We'll finally see the real Rome," Cato says with a cheeky smile after the Spanish tourists have moved on.

I grin as he slips his hand into mine and we continue our walk round the Colosseum. The promise of finding secret places is more exciting than finally seeing the structures we saw in our history textbooks.

We spend the next couple of days seeing the parts of Rome that are not on the front of all the tourist guides. Italian monks show us the extraordinary library at the San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. We eat gelato straight out the machine at this little place just past Piazza Navona and see three countries at once as we look through a key hole at Giardino degli Aranci. I enjoy exploring every nook and cranny that Rome has to offer.

On our last night in this beautiful and historic country, I sit on the large king's size bed pressing a small flower Cato had picked for me into an old notebook. I smile at the memory of Cato threading the flowers in my hair as we lounged in the park today. In that moment we didn't have to think about anything other than ourselves. I just felt content.

I put some weight on top of the notebook and leave it to rest on the dressing table. The room is a bit of a mess and I am surrounded by open suitcases and clothes lying everywhere.

"You must be the only person who still keeps a photo album," Cato says as he comes back through from the ensuite bathroom.

He is dressed for the night and looks very handsome in his beige corduroy pants and baby blue shirt that has been rolled up at the elbows. His short blond hair has just the hint of product in it. The outfit shows off his toned physique well and the colour of the shirt brings out the ice blue colour of his eyes. Many of my friends mutter their jealousies over the fact I have been able to snag such a good looking boyfriend. But it was never his looks that attracted me to him in the first place.

"It is not a photo album. It's a scrap book," I say as I get off the bed to put on my jewellery.

We are going to an expensive local restaurant tonight and Cato insisted we dress up. I am wearing a high necked, sleeveless white dress with parts cut away and held together with shiny pearls. The dress falls to just above the knee and fits me like a glove. It cost me half a month's wages and is more than I could have dreamed of owning back in Panem.

Cato gives me a cheeky grin as he makes his way behind me and places his hands on my waist.

"My apologies. You must be the only person alive who still keeps a scrap book," he says teasingly.

I turn round to give him a scowl and gently elbow him the ribs. He lets out a small sound of discomfort and he rubs the spot I just nudged as I turn back to look in the mirror. I have been keeping scrap books ever since I arrived in New York. They are a great reminder of how far I have come since I left my small home town.

"Seriously. Why don't you do it all on the computer? It'd be much easier," he says.

He pulls my back against his chest and rests his chin on top of my shoulder as he look at me through the mirror. My face softens as I turn back round to face him.

"Because I can't put that bit of sea glass that closely matches the colour of your eyes or the smell of the packet of spices we tried in India in a computer. My scrap book is more that photos. It is memories. When I smell those spices or feel that sea glass I remember exactly how I felt when I first experienced them. I remember the joy and amazement and curiosity. I don't get that from a photo on a screen," I reply.

Cato looks down at me lovingly and bends down to rest his forehead against mine.

"I didn't know you were so sentimental," he says.

I smile and place a hand on his cheek so I can reach up and give him a quick kiss.

"I just want to remember those moments. Because it is a reminder of how I got out of that small town and actually lived my life. A reminder that I am free to experience all the world has to give and not be confined to what others expect of me," I reply.

Cato smiles again as he steps back slightly to get ready to leave.

"Well, I'm glad that you let me tag along for the ride," he says with a smile.

I smile broadly back at him as he turns to get his wallet and room key while I begin packing things into my purse. I am just glad that he has the ambition and adventure to explore the world with me.

The popular restaurant is beautifully set against the back drop of Rome. Most people eat in the open, surrounded by softly lit candles and the sounds of traditional Italian music played by a live band. The waiters are all smiling and energetic as they seem to dance round the tables. I laugh when I see one drop to his knees to serenade a woman whose birthday is today. Cato keeps me close to his side, with one hand gently placed on the small of my back, as he talks to the hostess.

Cato had an Italian nanny while he was growing up and has impressed me on many occasions on this trip as he has conversed fluently with the locals. The sound of him speaking Italian causes goosebumps to rise onto my skin. The soft velvety tones of his voice seep into my skin and seem to settle in my core. I have to shift on my feet as the effect leaves a dampness in my underwear.

Cato turns back round with a wide smile once the hostess has checked our reservation. He must see my slightly flushed look as he pulls me in close to him and the front of his pants lightly bumps against my core. His eyes darken slightly as he dips his head closer to mine.

"Is everything alright?" he asks with a glint in his eyes.

I put my hands on his chest to push him off me slightly and to try and get some more air to my flushed cheeks.

"I keep forgetting how sexy you sound when you speak Italian," I reply.

Cato's grin widens as he pulls me back to him once again and whispers in my ear.

"I'll remember that tonight while I am undressing you. I can tell you all the dirty things I am going to do to you in Italian," he whispers.

There is no stopping the wetness soaking my panties now. The bastard knows exactly how to get me worked up. Damn him for turning me on in the middle of a crowded restaurant.

He pulls back with a suggestive smirk as the hostess leads us to our table. I plot on how I am going to pay him back as we are shown to our seats.

The food is amazing. I gorge myself on all the different uncooked meats, mozzarella and olives to start with and then devour the humongous plate of the chef's pasta special. I am almost too full to squeeze in any dessert but Cato knows me well enough to know I will regret not ordering a sugary treat and encourages me to pick something.

We spend most of the meal reliving our favourite parts of our vacation and while we spend a lot of time laughing as we reminisce I sense that Cato is slightly distracted. His laugh sounds a little nervous. He keeps looking at his watch. On several occasions I catch him looking in the direction of our waiter. I frown at his strange behaviour.

He sits up straighter as he catches sight of our waiter bringing our desserts. He keeps his eyes on the waiter and clears his throat as he strokes his hair back. I am left utterly perplexed by it all until I see what the waiter is carrying. He puts down a plate in front of me but instead of my tiramisu there is a small black box.

I sit staring at the black box for a moment as I let it all sink in. I am aware the waiter is standing beside me with a huge smile on his face. More waiters appear with enormous bouquets of red roses and the traditional Italian band changes its song to begin playing the song that was playing when Cato and I first met. The chatter around us dies as everyone stops to listen in to what my boyfriend is about to say.

I hear Cato clear his throat again and I snap my head back up to look at him with wide eyes.

"Before you say anything, I know this is corny. The ring being with the dessert. Believe me. I have picked my brains trying to think of a way to do this without being corny because I know you hate all that stuff but I just couldn't think of anything that was good enough. So I decided, fuck it. I am going all out. This is going to be one big cornball proposal," he says with a grin.

My heart starts hammering in my chest. We have talked briefly about marriage and have been living together for the past two years but I didn't expect this now. He seemed in no rush to settle down.

"I thank God every day that you were bored enough at that fundraiser to hide out at the back and sip whiskey with me. Since I have met you it has been one adventure after another. You have shown me that sharing your adventures with someone else is so much more fulfilling than doing it on your own. I didn't realise you were missing in my life until you entered it. I love you. And I can't imagine not experiencing all that is left to be discovered without you. So, Katniss Everdeen, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" he asks.

He reaches forward and picks up the black box as he drops to his knee. He opens the lid and a brilliant and large diamond ring stares back up at me. The ring has a round diamond in the centre with a ring of smaller diamonds round it. There are yet more small diamonds set in the platinum band. It really is breathtaking.

I look at the ring and then back at Cato. I can see the nervousness in his eyes and my heart melts at the sight. I am so caught off guard I am not sure I can respond properly.

Gingerly I reach out to take the ring out the box and examine it closely. The clarity and size of the centre diamond is great. I can't even begin to guess what this would have cost. The whole situation overwhelms me a little bit.

But then I look back at Cato and I see the hope and love he has for me in his eyes. This is the man I have been with for the last four years. A man I love and trust and who is willing to see the world with me. My answer could only ever be one thing.

"Yes," I reply as the smile spreads across my face. "Yes, I will marry you."

The joy in Cato's eyes is clear as his grin widens and he reaches across to gather me in his arms. I giggle as his lifts me in the air and plants a sloppy kiss on my lips. The whole restaurant is applauding and if I didn't love him so much I would be embarrassed by such a big public display.

Cato raises my newly ringed finger in the air and declares his delight in front of the busy restaurant.

"This beautiful woman has just agreed to be my wife! I am the luckiest man alive!" he shouts. "Free drinks for everyone to celebrate!"

I let out a nervous laugh as everyone continues to applaud us. It seems a little strange to share such a private moment with a room full of strangers.

Cato finally lets go of my hand and turns to the waiter to order prosecco for every table in the place. The initial euphoria of his proposal is already starting to fade and I smile at him as I go to retake me seat.

As I do so a flash of a very different set of blond hair and blue eyes crosses through my mind.

Back in the hotel I sit on the bed with my ipad as I wait for my parents to answer. Cato is out on the balcony calling his own parents but my parents still struggle to find the answer button even a year after I bought them an ipad so I could see them more regularly.

The screen continues to show the dialling tone and I stretch my left hand out in front of me, inspecting the new ring on my finger. My mind flickers back again to an early fall night almost eleven years ago. A night under the stars of Alabama with someone else's denim jacket round my shoulders and a much simpler engagement ring.

I haven't thought about him in a long time. I am trying to convince myself that it is only my awkward predicament that has got me thinking about him again today.

But I am jolted out of my thoughts by Mom's voice shouting down the speaker.

"Katniss? Darlin' can you hear me?" Mom shouts.

I roll my eyes as I pick up the ipad. She still hasn't got the hang of speaking through facetime. When I pick up the screen I see that she is peering into the box at the top right hand corner instead of looking down the camera lens.

"Mom, I can see you. Look at the image of me. I don't want to talk to you peering into the corner," I say.

Mom moves her eyes away from the box in the corner to finally look at me through the camera lens. Dad is sitting in the background quietly.

My parents are polar opposites to look at. My mom was very much a southern belle when she was younger with her delicate features, blonde hair, pale skin and bright blue eyes. I take after my dad who is a lot rougher round the edges. His dark hair now has threads of grey streaked through it and his olive skin has a few more wrinkles but his grey eyes still sparkle with youthfulness.

"Oh there you are! Katniss, honey, can you see us?" Mom shouts.

"Yes, Mom. And I can hear you fine. You don't need to shout," I reply.

Mom looks a little embarrassed but does settle back so she is not so close to the camera. Technology is about twenty years behind in Panem and my mom struggles to keep up. She still doesn't trust microwaves and doesn't see the point of telephones since she can walk to her friend's house if she ever needs to speak to someone. It was only after her only daughter left for New York that she realised she would need to get to grips with emails and skype if she wanted to speak to me.

"Are you back from Italy already? I thought your flight wasn't until tomorrow?" she asks.

I smile and my hand immediately goes to rub the shiny ring on my left hand.

"No, we are still here. Flight leaves mid-afternoon tomorrow," I reply.

"Then what's wrong? Are you alright? Are you sick?" Mom asks, getting a bit panicked.

I smile again and clench my fist with the ring on it.

"No, Mom. I am perfectly fine. In fact I am more than fine," I say pausing a moment for dramatic affect. "Cato proposed to me."

The smile reaches right across my face as Mom makes a high pitched shrieking noise and almost falls off her chair. I can see Dad smiling warmly in the background.

"Oh goodness, Katniss! You have just made me one very happy Momma! Do you know I am the only one of my friends that doesn't have her daughter married? I am desperate for some grandbabies!" she screams.

I flinch a little at the mention of grandchildren. I fight away the image of lying in Doctor Fleetwood's small doctor's room with Madge holding my hand.

"I think grandchildren are a couple of years away yet," I reply trying to subdue Mom's reaction.

"Well don't make me wait too long. Madge Hawthorne has just announced her second pregnancy and Delly Andrews already has three little ones!" she exclaims.

I roll my eyes and Dad gives me a sympathetic smile from behind her. Nearly every girl I went to school with, including my best friend Madge, are already married and have at least one kid. There is just not much else to do in Panem. They all get knocked up early to give them some purpose in life.

"Leave her be, Lily. Let's just enjoy the moment. Katniss is happy. You are happy about this, aren't you?" he asks.

I smile at him. I was close to my dad when I lived in Panem. I know he took me leaving hard and that he constantly worries about me living in New York. He always needs to know I am doing okay.

"I'm very happy, Dad," I say with a smile.

He beams back at me and I take a deep breath as I prepare myself to say the next thing. Something I promised I would never do again when I left nine years ago.

"In fact, I am so happy that I want to come and see you when I get back," I add.

The look of complete shock on both my mom and dad's face would almost be comical if I wasn't so nervous about going. I even manage to render Mom speechless for a few seconds.

"You are coming back to Panem?" Mom asks, too scared to hope.

I smile and nod my head. Now that I am engaged to Cato it is vital that I get back to Panem. There is one thing I need to sort out before I can marry him.

Mom squeals and claps her hands together. I haven't been back to Panem since I left nine years ago. Mom and Dad come out to New York once a year but apart from that I have cut all ties from the town. I haven't even spoken to Madge or Gale since I missed their wedding six years ago. I only know what is happening in people's lives from the titbits I get from Mom. There are just too many bad memories.

"Oh! Everyone will be so excited to see you! They all ask about how you are doing in New York all the time! We'll have to have a big party to celebrate when you get back!" she exclaims.

"No party, Mom. I want to fly in under the radar. I don't want people acting like I am some long lost prodigal daughter who is finally returning," I reply.

Mom huffs a little as she sits back in her chair. She loves a chance to show me off.

"You never let me make a fuss over you," she pouts.

I roll my eyes again and Dad leans forward to put a soothing hand on Mom's shoulder.

"We'll be delighted to have you back. Just let us know dates and I will try to keep your mother from calling an announcement over the town speaker," he says with a smile.

Mom looks even more annoyed but I say a thank you to my dad in return. I know it will be difficult for him to keep Mom under control until I get there. She is probably off to tell the Cartwrights now. The whole town will know by the end of the evening.

I show them the ring and retell the story of Cato's proposal before we say our goodbyes. I hang up trying not to feel too apprehensive about going back to a town I swore I would never return to.

Cato pads through from the balcony soon after and collapses on the bed next to me.

"Well my parents are suitably pleased with our engagement. How did your parents take the news?" he asks.

"They're delighted. I think I almost gave my Mom a heart attack because she got so excited," I reply.

Cato smiles.

"That's good. I'm glad they are happy for us," he says as he reaches over to pull me close to him.

I smile and nod my head.

"Yeah. I think I am going back to Panem for a bit when we get back. I think it will be nice to be with family," I say averting my eyes to try and hide my lie.

Cato looks a bit surprise but he just shrugs his shoulders before leaning across to place a kiss on my head.

"If that's what you want," he says before he gets up to go to the bathroom.

I nod my head as I watch him get up and leave. I hope he doesn't question me more about my reasons for going. I can't expect him to understand.

Because I need to go back to see one specific person.

I need to see Peeta Mellark.

And I need to ask him for a divorce.