A/N: So, I'm hoping to update this story every second day, but I can be distracted very easily, and I am about to start school again. I will try to update, I also have two stories going at the moment this will make it a third. Please leave a review, tell me what I need to work on. Constructive criticism is more than welcome but please try and keep the flames to a minimum.

I know this is a short chapter, but I promise that the next chapter should be longer. Each chapter I plan on putting what happened last time. As this is the first chapter it is only the summary.

Reaping Day

Chapter 1

Summary: What if Peta never made it out of the Arena, what if the Careers killed him- before he could lead them to Katniss. What if there was no rebellion and the games continued. Katniss and Gale are Mentors in the 76th hunger games.

-Katniss-

Rue's dead, Peta's dead who will be next. Is all Katniss can think as she lets her sorrows engulf her. It's the reaping for the 76th annual hunger games. The quarter quell was last year. And the special rule was that there was no mentor support and the tributes had to be either eleven or volunteered for. Due to that Katniss has never been a mentor at the games before. These will be her first. Last year the winner of the hunger games was none other than Gale Hawthorne.

The memories of the day Katniss had to see him go were torturous. Effie calling out the name of the female tribute and then calling the males. The female tribute for district twelve is…Callie Evans. Prim's best friend who was eleven. Prim got up shouting "I volunteer as tribute" over and over sobbing. Effie glanced across to Katniss whose face was contorted in rage, knowing she couldn't volunteer this time. The male tribute for district twelve is… Ryan Crates. Gale Hawthorne volunteered to protect Prim. And with that Katniss couldn't control her rage any longer. She started screaming and crying knowing that even if one was to win only one would make it out alive.

Just remembering that day made her heart ache for Prim and her eyes fill with tears, that was until she was snapped out of it by the person standing next to her. Gale shook her shoulder.

"Katniss, you in there. It's years like this I wish we could run away."

Katniss simply looked at Gale with a sorrowful expression.

"Rue's dead, Peta's dead and Prim is dead. I just wonder who's next."

Katniss felt arms wrap around her, they were strong and supportive. Gale's hug reminded her of her affection for him. As they walked to the reaping, the followed the sea of emotionless or crying faces. Katniss caught a glimpse of Prim's best friend her face covered in tears. Gale saw her concern and simply gave her another squeeze. His arm now slung across her shoulders. The peace keepers where dragging the smaller children into there lines. It made the blood of the new mentors' boil, the injustice their world faced. Knowing they could never do anything to stop it, they continue to walk.

After taking their place on the stage and catching up with Effie in a sense the video ended. Effie no longer mouthed the words to this as she had realised how foul the games truly were. The Tributes were called out.

"The female tribute is… Elizabeth Counsel." At this; Effie's words, a mother screams. The look on the young girl's face is broken at her mother's screams.

"The male tribute is… Ryan Crates the boy Gale volunteered for just one year ago. He kept looking at a boy standing closer to the back, obviously his brother as he walked up. Hoping that he would volunteer but he didn't budge. The peace keeper grabbed Ryan's arms and shoved him towards the stage.

"That's sick, his brothers 17 – he's in the year below me—and he's eleven wouldn't you volunteer."

Effie's commentary interrupted their conversation. "May the odds be ever in your favour. Katniss nudged him as Effie turned to them.

"This year's mentors are Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne." There was a polite round of applause and then the tributes and mentors alike were dragged to the train.

Haymitch bid them farewell at the station. His words to the tributes were short and simple. "Don't die."

Katniss sat close to Gale on the train so close there was no gap between the sides of their bodies. The tributes were silent as well. The only sound was Effie trying to brighten things up. As well as the sounds of sobbing coming from the male tribute. Whose name was Ryan Crates. He was reaped again but with no one to volunteer for him.

Ryan automatically idolised Gale, so that left Katniss to take care of the female tribute whose name was Elizabeth Counsel.

"Do you want to talk or me to talk. I can also stop talking if you want." Katniss approached the girl with a high degree of caution, remembering her time on the train.

"I just need to win. The games took my sister I can't let them take me to. Otherwise who would care for jimmy? Certainly not my parents who killed themselves after Margret died." Her response is full of emotion, no sarcasm. Her response was what put her on the verge of tears. But none came. Katniss looked into the eyes Elizabeth and saw Rue. She saw someone who was too young to go. Another tribute wrongfully forced into participating in the capitals twisted game. Gale saw it to in the face of Ryan. The gave each other a knowing look and decided that enough had been said today.

In the night Katniss still screams, for the dead, for the living and for her life. When she screams the attendants know not to come to her. So, this night as Katniss screamed in her bed, Gale – first off, went to the tributes and explained as quickly as humanly possible and then – ran to Katniss' room. He woke her.

"It was just a dream. I'm sorry"

"It's ok I get them to."

He pauses and before turning says, "Goodnight."

"Gale, will you stay with me?"

"Yeah." He walked towards her and settled himself on the bed. Slinging his arm around Katniss. "Always."

Katniss moved towards Gale leaning her head on his chest. Wishing this moment would last instead of what would come tomorrow.