A/N: This was something I wrote a while ago, but I've only just got round to transferring it from the laptop...

So, the aim of this is to have you sobbing. I have to admit, I was crying as I write it, because I just love Rue and cry every time some one mentions her death. I thought it would be interesting to hear what she thought of the song.. For Katniss it reminds her of her father and Prim, and of home. I always wondered why Rue loved music so much, and what memories it dredged up for the little girl. I hope you like it. Reviews are always appreciated, good or bad, and it only takes a few seconds :D

-PIAM xx

(DISCLAIMER! All belongs to Suzanne Collins, I don't own anything that you recognise, okay? And all the lines from the book obviously aren't mine:P)

Rue's Lullaby

And then, the spear entered my body.

"Are there more? Are there more?"

My body was locking down, thoughts leaving my head like the birds in the meadows, flying away, free, not tied to the ground like us.

"No…" I whisper so quietly Katniss didn't hear it straight away.

My stomach screamed in agony and I curled up in pain, trying desperately to find a position that didn't show the shaft of the spear. I was going to die – I wasn't stupid, I knew what was happening. The teachers at home always said I was bright.

Katniss cut me free from the net and I gazed into her steel grey eyes. She was the complete opposite of me, brave strong, fierce. I clutched at her hand, as if her warmth was holding me to this life. Before I died, I had to know if our plan worked, I had to, Katniss had to win.

"You blew up the food?"

"Every last bit," she said, her voice cracking and her face slipping in and out of focus as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"You have to win," I said, trying to sound brave, trying to sound collected.

"I'm going to. Going to win for both of us now."

I held her hand tighter as the cannon sounded for Marvel, "Don't go…"

"Course not, staying right here," she smiled softly. I rested my head in her lap and gazed a strand of her dark brown hair, "Sing," I say.

I could tell what she was thinking, sing? Why sing? Why not 'leave me', or 'help me'? But I needed to hear music. I was dying, and everyone had songs at funerals, right? I think they did. At my grandmother's funeral there was music. I wasn't there, I was working, but I could hear the mockingjays singing a sad song through the orchards. That sound has haunted me since.

Katniss took a deep breath and started, her voice pained but beautiful.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow,

A bed of grass, a soft sweet pillow,"

There was a willow tree back home… Me and Snow would sit there for hours, singing and relaxing in the small amount of time we had off...

"Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes,

And when again they open, the sun will rise,"

I was so sleepy… I just needed to close my eyes for a second…

"Here it's safe, here it's warm,

Here the daisies guard you from every harm,"

We would make daisy chains… We would run through the meadows before we were too young to work… The flowers would blow off but we would dance… Momma would laugh, Dad would sing along…

"Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true,

Here is the place where I love you…" she crooned.

I was loved… So loved… I would miss them, Snow, Anya, Momma, Dad, Katniss…

She finished singing as my breaths shallowed, each inhale burnt with the effort. One of her tears hit my cheek, and I hear my friends the mockingjays take up the song, the chorus of music echoing through my mind, the last thing I heard before the sound faded away and I heard nothing more.