A/N:

This has been rated M as it will contain some sexual content – You have been warned!

The inspiration for this comes from, obviously, the Hunger Games, and also The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I own neither of these.

Pleeease, don't forget to review. It really does mean a lot to me, and I will respond to all of you.

One important point: Peeta is not mad. For the sake of this fiction, Peeta was rescued at the same time as Katniss, and did not undergo torture from the Capitol. The rest of the events are a continuation from Catching Fire, except the Rebellion has not been successful, and Katniss must now adapt to the strange ways of District 13.

Anyway, there's the warning, disclaimer and beg for reviews done, I guess all that's left is to ask you to enjoy!

District 13: Unlucky for some

Chapter One: The Allocation

It was the Reaping all over again. Except this time it wasn't called the Reaping, it was called the Allocation. It was equally horrific.

Katniss hands shook as she held her fork, trying, unsuccessfully, to chew and swallow, chew and swallow, until her carefully measured scrambled eggs and bacon vanished. Always just enough to sustain her, but on this day it seemed like an unconquerable mountain.

It took a couple of months, but Katniss had gotten used to life in District 13. Besides, once it had become clear that the Rebellion would never come to fruition, there was suddenly one Mockingjay too many hiding beneath pipes in the cellars.

Her friends had already learned so much about life in District 13.

"It is a good job you're trying to catch-up." Prim chastised, when Katniss had first returned to reality, her tail tucked between her legs. "You old ones only have a month until your Allocation."

Prim had to explain what the Allocation was. In her little girl's accepting, innocent voice, the whole process sounded almost reasonable. District 13 had problems with fertility, probably due to their constant proximity to nuclear chemicals. Add to this the danger of inbreeding due to having such an enclosed community, and you have created a society that, without order, will run itself aground. Hence, the Allocation.

The Allocation usually occurred on your 16th birthday, but with the new arrivals, all allocations had been moved to the same day, three months after their arrival, in order to give them a chance to learn a little about the district first. On this day, today, you would find out who your Partner would be. The Partner who you would then share a bed with, and have children with, until the end of your fertile life.

Katniss had been horrified, but it was just the beginning of her ordeal. Procreation classes occurred at least once a day. Some lessons were bearable, how to deliver a baby or how to know when you are going into labour, some were less so, on female genital anatomy or sexual positions. It made Katniss, stuck between Peeta and Gale, cringe in her seat.

Peeta and Gale. Katniss' breath caught in her throat, almost making her choke on the eggs. In some ways, she was glad she had not seen them all morning. Whatever happened, this afternoon she would be saying goodbye to one of them, possibly forever. At first she had been upbeat about it. She had always dreaded making this decision, but now her genes would decide for her. Whoever she was most compatible with, she would Partner. Yet, as time passed, she realised she couldn't survive without either of them.

Katniss pushed her plate aside. She had to find them.

Gale was the easiest. It was simply matter of finding him in the District Defence headquarters. She discovered him leaning over some form of device. She ran her fingers across the large expanse of his back.

He sighed, his eyes not leaving his plans. "I was trying to avoid you today."

Katniss frowned. "Why?"

Gale turned to face her, casually leaning back on the table. His face flitted through emotions, hurt, pain and confusion. "What if it isn't me?"

Katniss opened her mouth to try and reassure him, but there was nothing she could say. Not even that she hoped it was him, because she didn't know herself. "Nothing will change." she muttered instead.

"You can't believe that?" Gale snorted, but then he saw the fragile, haunted look in Katniss' eye. He pulled her towards him, so that she stood between his legs. Katniss lay her head on his chest. She imagined he smelt of pine and damp leaves, the smells of the woods, but all he smelt of was regulation District 13 soap. "I already know what it feels like to lose you. First, when your name got called. Again when I first saw you kiss Peeta. Then when the Capitol made you get married. I can't lie to you Katniss, it hurts. It hurts more than you could believe. But life goes on." Gale kissed her on the top of the head.

Katniss raised her head to look him in the eye. "Promise me we can carry on hunting."

Gale sighed. "I'm not sure Coin will let us any more. We'll both have... other duties to attend to."

Katniss nodded, not trusting her own voice as the tears flooded her eyes. "It could be us two."

Gale smiled, wiping away a tear that had escaped from Katniss' eye. "It could be. But just incase, can I do something? Once, just so I can say that I did." He tucked his fingers into Katniss' hair, and their lips met. It felt so natural, as their lips touched. Katniss' heart swelled in her chest. It was always supposed to have been Gale. If none of this would have happened, there would still have been him. Gale ran his hands over her body, sending a trail of tingles after them. It was like he was trying to touch every part of her, memorising her every feature.

Gale pulled away, smiling sadly. "Perfect. Shame it might be our last."

Katniss shook her head. "Or perhaps it's just the first of many."