Chapter 1

One year. One year has gone by since the 74th Hunger Games and everything has gone back to normal for Journey and Gale. Well.. as normal as it can be for 2 kids who spent a week killing and seeing people get killed. Journey still had her nightmares and sometimes even have flashbacks of the games from time to time. And Gale.. well Gale also has nightmares of the games and takes out his frustration and anger of the Games by hunting.

Gale still goes hunting with Katniss. The money from the Capitol will never stop him from doing what he does best. Mostly the game he gets he gives to Katniss and her family. Journey offered to joined them and help in the winter season because it's getting hard to hunt when it's freezing. I guess you could say Gale and Journey have become friends in a way, but it is hard to be friends with someone who you've shared your first kiss with. Gale notices how uncomfortable and quiet she gets and tries to have her open up, but she shuts him out further.

Journey's birthday had passed in the fall. She is now 14 and she sees herself getting older physically. Her body is more curvy and her face more oval shaped. Her hair has also grown a lot, so now her curls meet at the middle of her back.

On a very cold, grey day at District 12, Journey waits silently in the forest for her hunting partners to arrive. She is curled up trying to keep warm in her black fur jacket that hugged her upper body. As she sits and wait she thinks about the games.

JPOV

I'm kneeling down on the frozen dirt looking up at the sunrise while . I always love looking at the orange, pink, and red colors swirled together in the morning sky. The cold air nipping at my skin making my cheeks and nose red, so I try and snuggle more into my leather/fur jacket. My knee gets soaked with crunched snow on the grown as I hold on tightly to my wooden bow as if my life depended on it. Only a year ago.. it did.

SNAP!

My instincts took over, and I turned abruptly with my bow up and arrow pointed straight out towards… Gale.

"Woah, woah easy there. It's just me." I breath in and out calming myself and see my breath in the cold air as I lower my bow. "Maybe I should wear a cat bell next time, so you won't kill me." He says in a joking matter. Too bad I don't find it funny.

"Sorry I didn't mean to... where's Katniss?" I noticed that she wasn't standing by Gale as she would every time we met in the woods.

"She couldn't make it today. Her mom forced her to stay home and help with something." I nodded my head in understanding. "So when does the tour leave?" He asks me. I had totally forgotten about the tour, then I remember the letter from Effie. "A couple of hours I think. I say. I see the his jaw clench and then relaxed a bit.

"How are you feeling about the tour?" He asks me. I didn't really know how I felt to be honest. I was trying my best to find something to look forward to, but I didn't want to go. "I guess I just want it to be over. It's not like we have a say in going or not" and that was true. We didn't have a say in what to do in our lives, but I guess you get used to that when you live a placed ruled by higher class society

"How are you feeling about the tour?" I asked back. "To be honest I really am not looking forward to it. I hate pretending to be somebody that I'm not." All I could do was nod, understanding what he was talking about.

It seemed to get a little too quiet for my liking. "You know, I saw a few turkeys on the way here. We should go and check it out." I perk up at the word turkey. We haven't seen anything other than birds for awhile.

"Okay. I wanna catch something extra today so I can traded for Haymitch's 'Gift' before it's time to get ready for the tour." With that, we went into the woods to check out the snares we left yesterday. As we were walking I could feel Gale's heat radiate off him and I walked closer to him. He noticed, but thankfully didn't say anything.

When we found our snare trappes, I found that I caught a rabbit while Gale caught a rabbit and a bird. I was getting even better at snares thanks to Gale. He walked over and handed me the bird. I looked up at him. "No it's fine. Give it to the Everdeens."

"Didn't you say you needed an extra game to trade?" He asked as he forwarded his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah but I can catch my own game Gale."

As we were passing the frozen river, I heard a few noises coming from across it and I slowed my walking. I hopped over a few rocks and saw turkeys in a large group. I grinned to myself and told Gale to get down. I crouch down beside him and slowly and carefully take out an arrow. I pull it back and find a good aim.

Breath in..

Breath out..

Breath in.. and shoot. I shot...a boyl! Oh my God I killed someone! I killed..Marvel! The Games. Rue. Spear. Screaming. Death… blood.

GPOV

"AH! AHHH! NO! RUE! NO!" I heard Journey yell. "Hey hey! Whoa whoa whoa it's alright." I stand up and try to calm her down but it was like she couldn't hear me. I tried touching her shoulder but she just started to panic even more and swatted my hand away.

"AHH! NO! NO DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Shh Journey. It's okay. It's okay you're out. You're safe! You're here with me. Shh" She seems to snap out of her episode and recollects herself as she looks around with realization on her face.

"Oh my… I-I'm so sorry I just...I" She says. I shake my head no and say that it's okay. But we both know it's not. It's not okay and it's the Capitol's fault that she's like this! " I-we should g-go" She picks up her bow and starts walking. I never actually seen her have an episode before today, but her mother told me that she has them a lot lately. It saddens me to know that she has these things. No one should go through that. The games definitely changed her for the worst and I hate it!

JPOV

I can't believe I just freaked out on Gale! I never wanted him to see me like that, and now he gives me that kicked puppy look. I don't need anymore pity! I already have it from my mother, Prim, and Katniss and I don't need it from Gale.

We hide our bows in our tree log, and we walk in silence to the fence. I step my foot over one of the wires, then I swing my body in between the two wires and was now back in District 12. People were just going about their daily lives that never change. Coal miners were walking to the mines with their usual gloomy expressions but I couldn't blame them. They were risking their lives every day for only a small amount of money that barely paise.

Gale and I walk to the Hub to trade some stuff.

I walk over to a woman making whisky. Since I didn't catch anything extra, I decided to use my plan B. My spoons to trade.

"Um hi, can I get two bottles please?" I ask. She smiles at me showing only one tooth. "Of course sweetie."

She then pours some in two small bottles and hands them to me. I trade it with three silver spoons from home… well the Victors Village. Then Gale made his trade which he yet told me about and then we walk back to the Victors Village.

"So are you sure you're feeling okay with doing the tour?" Gale asks me out of nowhere.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be…. Gale look I'm not going to have another episode if that's what you're worried about."

"I am worried! I'm worried about you! You could have one during the tour on camera or in front of Haymitch and Effie."

"Gale the tour is only for a few weeks…"

"Yeah well a lot could happen in a few weeks Journey." I ignore his comment and just walk the rest of the way up the hill in silence.

When we pass the entrance gate, me and Gale part ways as he goes to his house.

I see Midnight perched up on the frozen fountain and decided to give him a pet. He reaches for my hand and starts to pur. I mentally awe at his cuteness and kept on walking. I then walk up to Haymitch's house which is similar to mine and the rest. Big, grand, but dull.

I knock on the door several times, but no answer. So I took the liberty of letting myself in. When I did I could hear the glass bottles on the floor sway from opening the door and I know that he's been drinking. I walk to his dining room and saw him sitting down with his face smushed into the mahogany table snoring and a cup of what smells like moonshine. I walk over to him and shake him. Nothing seems to be working.

"Haymitch! Wake up, come on it's Tour day! HAYMITCH!" Damn it! I mentally curse. I hate drunks! I grab the cup of moonshine and I see a knife gently tucked under his right hand. I move away from his right side and move to his far left because I know that when I pour this on him, he's going to grab that knife. I dump the moonshine down on him and..

"AHHH!" He grabs the knife and starts swinging it around until he notices me.

"Are you out of your freaking mind!?" He gives me a death glare and points the knife at me.

"No but Effie will be if you're not ready soon. It's Tour day and the cameras will be here in an hour." He slams the knife down and then sits back in his chair with a groan.

"Did you really have to do that!?"

"HEY! If you want to be treated like a baby than you should've asked Peeta."

"Should've asked Peeta what?" I hear Peeta say as he walks in with what looks like coco bread. I wasn't really surprised to see him here. Ever since I told him how bad Haymitch was with his drinking, Peeta has made it his mission to try and get him to ease off it. Kind of like how he tried to help my mother when she used to be drunk. That was always Peeta. Caring about others, I guess I got some of my traits from him but they don't always show...

" Asked you to wake me without giving me an ammonia! You know Journey, you are a strangely dislikable little girl." I lift an eyebrow and then place the two bottles in front of him. "But you do have your virtues." He says now smiling as he happily takes one of the bottles. I roll my eyes at him.

"Do you want bread Journey?" He says. Things have been distant between us these past couple months. I haven't been to the bakery because I've been helping Gale and Katniss hunt, and when I'm not hunting he's hanging around Katniss. It's not that I don't like them together, I think they are perfect… it's just that we don't have any time to reconnect.

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"Your welcome."

"Uh oh. A bump on the friendship train I see." I hear Haymitch say. I turn to him and glare. "Butt out and drink your whisky Haymitch." He puts his hands up in surrender and then drinks more of the whisky.

"I've been meaning to talk to you Peeta, but.."

"It's fine. We can talk when you get back from Touring." He reassures me.

"Ok. Touring is in an HOUR Haymitch so please just… take a bath." I say as I crinkle my nose at the smell of strong whisky and moonshine all over him as it drips from his head.

"Yeah well thanks to you sweet cheeks, I already did." He states.

"I mean a bath that doesn't make you smell like you've been drinking all night." I say as I walk down the hall and out the door.

I walk home which was 2 houses down from Haymitch's and take off my fur and leather jacket in the living room. I was greeted by a warm hug from my little brother Flex. He's also an inch taller than he was a year ago. I looked to the living room to see Prim was here along with her mother sitting on the couch as they always visit. "Wait.. Gale said that Katniss was helping her mom with something." Why is her mom here and more importantly wheres Katniss? "Well she left early to talk with Peeta. I think they had a fight" Mrs. Everdeen tells me. Poor Peeta and Katniss.

"Hey Prim." I say. Prim also grew a lot this year. She meets my height and her blond hair grew, so now she doesn't have her hair in braided pigtails anymore. Her voice is no longer as squeaky either. "Hey J.J." Yes I've grown to actually like that nickname. " I dropped off your food at the house." I say. They nod and looked a bit stiff. What's going on? I see my mother in the kitchen probably making dinner. "Did you have a lovely walk sweetie?" She asks walking out of the kitchen. I'm confused. I told her I was hunting today.

"Walk? Mom I told you I was.."

"We have visitors sweetie." She interrupts. Then 2 men dressed in black appeared beside my mother.

"Ms. Lavender. This way please." The man pointed towards the door that leads to the study. I was scared at this point because i thought that I was in trouble for hunting, but as I walked inside the study I saw something far worse.

"President Snow, what an honor to see you at my house." I say dryly, but I was trying to make it sound as sweet as possible. He sat at the desk, wearing a giant white fur coat and black gloves and a cup of tea in hand.

"My dear I think it would be best to not lie to each other don't you think?"

"Yes I think that would be best and would save time." I say as I walk over to the desk and sit in a chair facing him. This man scared me beyond belief and made me incredibly nervous but I wasn't going to let him see that. So I just had to keep a poker face.

"Hmm.. I have a problem Ms. Lavender. A very big problem that started when you revealed those Nightlock berries in the arena... If that idiotic gamemaker Seneca Crane had any brains at all, he would have blown you to bits and pieces then and there. But I can expect you to know where he is now. Am I right?"

I take in a deep breath and say "Yes I do." He is at least six feet under. Snow wouldn't have let him live after his mistake of letting both of us live.

"And after that I decided to let you live and act out your little game, which you were very good at. The forbidden romance with an older boy. I have to admit, it was truly impressive. You convinced EVERY single person in the Capitol… however not everyone in the Districts fell for it. In several Districts, they find that your little scene with the berries was an act of defiance." Defiance? How could they have thought that?! I just didn't want to kill anyone else. Well.. I guess part of it was defiances but didn't really think it that way at the time.

"They think that if a young girl from District 12 can defy the Capitol and walk away untouched, then they think they can do the same. They think that they can create… an uprising." There is no way that that can be possible! I look at him as if he was crazy.

"An uprising?" I whispered, still not believing it.

"Yes, an uprising. THat can possibly lead to… revolution. An if that were to happen, then in time the whole system could fall to pieces altogether." I couldn't believe what he was saying. A rebellion. A rebellion all because of me is just ridiculous!

"Well I think it is a fragile system if it can be brought down by a little girl and a few berries." I say. And it's true. I never heard of a revolution start with a girl trying to poison herself.

"Yes it is indeed. But not in the way you imagine it to be."

"Well how should I imagine it then?" I asked getting really agitated at what he was telling me now. The way he's telling me this information is almost like a threat. He glares at me.

"YOU should imagine thousands of your people DEAD! This town of yours up in smoke and ashes. Imagine District 12 GONE in rubble and rock as if it had never existed like District 13." As much as what he said terrified me, it took all of my might to not grab those pair of scissors on the desk and stab him with it. I don't take kindly to threats about my home and my family.

"You fought very hard and brave in the Hunger Games Ms. Lavender. But those were games. Would you like to be in a real war with real weapons, and killing more innocents?"

"No!" I say. I don't think I could kill anymore people. He smiles at me and then takes a bite out of one of the sugar cookies.

" Good. That was the answer I was hoping for. Mmm. These cookies are splendid. Did your mother make them Journey?"

"No. Peeta did."

"Oh yes. Such a lovely boy." It scares me that he knows everything about my family and friends because I just know that he can use it against me… if he wanted.

"Why don't you just kill me now? It would make your life a whole lot easier."

"Because I don't want to kill you. Really I don't. I have a little girl at home that, in a way, reminds me of you. I would like us to be friends, and if not friends then at least allies." I would never be your friend or ally!

I clench my jaw and speak through my teeth. "So what do you need me to do?"

" While you and Gale are on tour, I need you to smile. I need you to be grateful. But above all you need you to be prepared to end it all in love. Do you think you can do that?"

I think for a second. Can I do that?

"Yes… Yes I'll convince them."

"Oh no Ms. Lavender. I need you to convince me." He gets up and opens his jacket to take out a rose. A white rose that he no doubt picked from his own garden. It was beautiful, but in a frightening way.

"For you Ms. Lavender." He hands it to me and I take it in my hands looking at it. "Do convince me. For the sake of your loved ones." He turns on the screen to show videos of me with Prim, Peeta, Flex, mother, Katniss, and even Gale. My heart beats faster and my palms become sweaty. He's been watching me…

AN: YAY first chapter of my second book down! I hope you like it!