I am deffinatly not Susane Collins, so me no own the origional charaters.

Chapter 1: The Reaping

Gaura carefully washed her hair and then dried it. Mechanically she fit it into an elegant clip- her mother would have a fit if she did anything else with it. Ryan had always said that it had been her hair that had led him to her; thinking of him made her smile to herself. She loved him so much that sometimes it hurt, and she wondered if he would ever know what she would give for him. She careful y slid into her skirt and buttoned up the pink shirt, arranging it so that her stomach was as hidden as it could be. Her mother knew about the baby of course, as did Ryan. It had made him dread today even more. He was nineteen, with her just a year his junior, and had been terrified about the Reaping since he'd asked her out.

"Are you ready sweetie?" Her mother's voice came up the stairs. They still lived in the Victor's Village; they had since before Gaura had been born. Her mother and father had to be some of the most famous tributes in Panem's history. A minute later, Gaura came downstairs to see her mother-Katniss- her father-Peeta- and Ryan. T hey all smiled sadly at the sight of her, especially Ryan. He took her into his arms and kissed her lightly, "You'll be fine, don't worry, and then you'll come home to me and we'll raise our son together."

"And how do you know that it's a boy?"

"I just do," he rested a hand on her belly, but stepped away a moment later to let Peeta claim her. Her father opened his mouth to speak, but closed it and just held her close; her mother kissed her forehead and they left for the Reaping ground. If she had been more nervous, she could not recall it now. She bit her lip, and tried to quell the fear in her mind. It was a hundred to one that she be chosen, her name was only in the minimum amount of time it could be, and others had their names in ten times more. That was my mother once, she thought bitterly. That could have been me so easily. Would I really wish that on someone else? She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see her father.

"We'll be by the sage, and Ryan will be with us." She nodded. "It'll be just fine, you'll see."

The mayor introduced Effie Trinket, who was still District 12's escort. "Happy Hunger Games," her high heeled shoes stepped onto the podium holding the large glass bowls. "And may the odds be everin your favor!" Effie launched into a prepared and forcedly happy speech about what an honor it was to escort District 12. They all knew that it was a lie; their district hadn't had a decent tribute since her parents. Her hand dipped into the bowl that held the girls names, and Gaura sucked in her breath. "Gaura Mellark," her cheerful voice tore through her, leaving her feeling empty. She slowly approached the podium; each step took more determination than she had previously thought she possessed. "Let's give a round of applause for our newest tribute!" The crowd wavered for a moment, and then applauded quietly.

Gaura glanced at her parents and Ryan. Their faces were beyond horror, or terror, or any other form of fear. They possessed a single minded hatred, hatred directed straight toward the Capital and the Gamemakers. She possessed none of their hatred, no she was just terrified for her baby; not herself, no, but her child. If she died, at least she had lived, loved, smiled, ran, felt sunshine, the wind in her hair. The baby had never done any of those things, and never would. She stepped onto the stage, and forced a smile to her face. The feigned happiness could be seen right through, of that she was sure, for she started crying after a few moments.

Effie threw her half a concerned look then faced forward and then turned to draw the male tribute's name. Her voice quavered as she read off the name on the slip of paper. "Terrance Damon." She announced.

A frightened looking boy came forward and presented himself. He couldn't have been older than fourteen, but he seemed much younger at that moment. He looked over Gaura with pity. The whole of District 12 knew about her of course, and the last thing she wanted right now was pity. It would do her no good, and just made her angry.

The ceremony ended and she and the boy were herded into rooms in city hall to await the Tribute Train. The tears that had started on stage tumbled from her now, staining her shirt and the handkerchief she used to dry her eyes. She sat in a large stuffed chair and waited for the attendants to show people in so that she could say good bye; the room would have been cheery, if not for the Peace Keeper that she knew stood outside the door. Ryan was the first in; he looked much older than nineteen at that moment. He ran to her as soon as he entered and pressed his face into her hair. She heard tears in his voice as he spoke. "I love you," he whispered over and over in a mantra that didn't stop until she took his face in her hands.

"Ryan, listen to me. I will get him out. You have to let go of me, because only one of us can get out of that arena, and it will be our son. No matter what I have to do, Ryan, you will have your child," she wiped tears from his eyes.

"What will I do without you? I'm terrible with little kids, you know that." He was trying to be brave for her, but she could still tell how much this hurt him.

"Tell my son that I loved him very much, that's what you'll do. And someday you'll find some other girl that you love and you can give my son a mother and yourself a wife." She threw her arms around him and kissed him. "Now, I want you to go tell my parents to come in. I love you so much, but it can't be me that comes back."

Gaura shoved him out the door,and sank into the chair sobbing. Her mother and father came in. Peeta lifted her up and sat down, letting her lean her head on his chest. Katniss sat beside them and stroked her hair. They didn't say anything, just held her until the attendant made them leave. Her school friends visited, and Terrance's familyas well as her grandmother and her Aunt Prim, who came in and cried with her-they'd now had to walk into this room to say good bye to a family member twice.

At last the train arrived and she and Terrance were escorted onto it, and then District 12 was gone. She knew that her parents were on the train somewhere, but she didn't search them out. They had to come get her and take her to dinner. Every time Effie looked at her, her eyes filled with tears.

"Effie," Gaura growled halfway through dinner, "I'm not on my death bed, stop looking at me like that!"

"Of course dear, I apologize. Well," she hastily changed the subject, "you two will need t chose your mentors." Not much of a choice, just her mother and father. Haymitch had died a few years ago of liver failure-his drinking had finally caught up to him. "Terrance, who would you like?"

The frightened boy looked up. "Umm, Katniss, I guess, unless you wanted her, Gaura."

"No, Dad's fine." She had to plan, and planning was his specialty. He seemed to understand that from the look she gave him. He nodded.

Gaura didn't sleep that night. She lay under the covers remembering everyone she'd left behind, telling each of them good bye.

Sooo, thanks for reading, hope you liked it, please review, it puts me in the mood to update sooner!