Hey guys! I'm back! Thank you all so much for the reivews, follows and favs! I'm so glad to see that I've kept some old readers and gained some new ones! This chapter is the Reaping! Yay!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.

XXXXXX

Effie's heels clicked across the stage at a rapid pace. She reached into the bowl containing the names of every girl in our district between the ages of twelve and eighteen. She hovered dramatically above the slips of paper for only a moment, before reaching out and snagging one, like a snake grabbing its victim. With the slip of paper in her hand, she clicked her way back over to the microphone. Then, with a huge smile plastered on her face, she read out in a clear voice, "Katniss Everdeen."

No.

My knees felt weak. Why her? Why did it have to be her? I watched as she made her way through the crowd and to the stage, her head held high. I owed this girl my life, and now I would never be able to repay her. I never even thanked her for saving my life.

I had meant to, I really had. The next day, at school, I had seen her across the school yard. I knew that that was my opportunity to tell her how grateful I was, but I chickened out. Instead, I decided to walk to her house and thank her there.

The route to her house went past a section of the fence that was very close to the edge of the woods. I was almost there when I saw it: a patch of strawberries. I froze in my steps. My stomach growled loudly just looking at them. I wanted nothing more than to just reach out and grab some. Strawberries were food, even if they were in the woods. That's when it hit me. Food grew in the woods. No one was around, and the fence was off, so I snuck under and grabbed as many strawberries as I could carry, popping a few in my mouth as well.

That night, we had toast and strawberry jam. Soon after that, I met Gale, who had lost his father to the same disease that killed my mother. His father had taught him how to hunt, and Gale taught me. After that, my family never went another night without food.

So I never thanked Katniss. She had saved my life twice, even if one of the times was inadvertent. And now, I would never get the chance to thank her. I would never forgive myself for being a coward and not thanking her when I had the chance.

Now she stood on the stage looking so strong. To the cameras and potential sponsors watching, she looked fierce. Tough. But anyone who looked closely enough could see how her hands shook, how her chest rose and fell rapidly under her blue dress.

I was so caught up in kicking myself for being the coward I was that I hadn't even noticed that Effie had already picked the slip with the male tribute's name on it. I didn't even have time to be afraid before she was reading the name. "Rye Mellark."

The world froze. I couldn't breathe. I think I may have started to fall, because someone next to me was clutching my arm, saying something that I couldn't hear. Rye. My sickly older brother was going into the Hunger Games. I remembered my words to him from just this morning. You wouldn't make it a day in the arena. I hadn't said that just to placate him. In my heart, I truly believed that he wouldn't make it out of the initial bloodbath.

I strained to see Rye through the crowd. He was walking with his head held high, trying to seem as healthy and strong as possible. He did looked strong, just like the older brother I remember wrestling with growing up. And then he let out a chocking cough.

The loud noise finally startled me out of my stupor, and I started violently shoving my way through the crowd of people to get to him. "Stop!" I choked out. "Rye!" He kept walking, trying his best to cover his cough. "Rye!" I cried. He finally turned around.

Peacekeepers were moving toward me, trying to restrain me. I shook them off and yelled out again. "I volunteer!" My hands were shaking, so I balled them into fists by my sides. "I volunteer as tribute!"

All color drained from Rye's face. He looked like someone had shot him. "Peeta, no."

I walked up to him. "Go find Dad."

He grabbed my arm. "You can't do this."

I yanked my arm away. "I have to." I left Rye behind and held my chin up as I walked up the steps to take my place beside Effie. Up close, the makeup plastered on her face made her look even more ghastly than she had appeared from afar.

"Well, what a twist!" she chirped. "What's your name, dear?"

I leaned down toward the microphone. "Peeta Mellark." I was pleasantly surprised with how strong my voice sounded.

Effie gave me what I think was supposed to be a sympathetic look, though it looked completely fake and wrong. "I'll bet my hat that was your brother."

I swallowed. "Yes, ma'am."

Effie turned back toward the crowd and clasped her hands together. "There we have it, folks! Never a dull moment here in District 12, am I right?" Silence. "Well, can we get a round of applause for this year's tributes!"

Instead of the begrudged applause our tributes were usually met with, something beautiful happened. At once, as if on cue, the citizens of District 12 took the three middle fingers of their left hand, brought them to their lips and held them out to us in a type of salute. It was an old tradition, typically used at funerals. It meant thank you. It meant goodbye.

To Effie's credit, she only let this frazzle her for a moment, then she regained her composure. "Wasn't that something? Now you two, shake hands."

I turned to Katniss and clasped her small hand in mine. I looked into the terrified gray eyes of the girl to whom I owed my life. Her hand in mine was damp with sweat. I knew in that moment what I had to do. If it was a life I owed her, then it was a life I would repay her. I would do everything in my power to make sure that if I wasn't coming out of these games alive, Katniss Everdeen sure as hell was.

As if sensing my thoughts, Katniss gave my hand a small squeeze before letting it fall.

The moment we released our grip on each other's hands, two peacekeepers came out and ushered us into the Justice Building like cattle being led to slaughter. I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder to catch one last glimpse at Katniss before we were led into two different rooms. The last thing I saw before the large wooden doors closed in front of me, was Katniss's signature braid swinging behind her.

The doors closed with a resounding boom, and I immediately sank to my knees, the tears I had been holding back finally being released. What had I done? I knew I had to save Rye, but could I kill the girl who had saved my life in order to come home to my family? I couldn't do it. I knew in my heart that I couldn't. But what if it came down to the two of us? Could I do it then? I didn't know.

I wanted to run, flee to the woods where I felt safe and at home. I grasped at the pendant hanging from my neck, a last minute thing I had remembered just before I left. I was glad I had it now, for I would need this reminder of home if I was going to make it through the weeks to come.

After allowing myself a minute to drown in my tears, I composed myself as much as I could and walked across the room to sit on the plush, velvet couch. I took deep breaths, trying to steady myself. I wouldn't let my family see me cry. I wanted them to remember me strong.

Not a minute later, the doors opened and my father burst in, Chibs helping Rye behind him. "Dad," I choked out.

My dad wrapped his arms around me, so tightly I could hardly breathe, but I didn't care. "I am so proud of you," he whispered to me. "You are so brave. Thank you, Peeta. Thank you."

I squeezed him tighter before pulling back to look him in the eye. "I'm coming home," I promised. "This is not goodbye."

My dad gave me a sad smile, clapped me on the shoulder, and stepped aside for Chibs to have his turn. Chibs and I had never been incredibly close. He abandoned our family the moment he was old enough to be done with the Reaping and work in the mines. I knew that it was only because he took Mom's death the hardest, but the memory of the starving boy I was couldn't help but be bitter.

That was why I was incredibly surprised when I saw his eyes shining with unshed tears. He hugged me nearly as tightly as my father had. "You come home, Peeta. You're smart, and strong. You're a survivor. You're going to come home," he commanded.

I pulled back to look him firmly in the eyes. "Dad can't do it alone," I hissed. "He needs you. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "I'll take care of him." He gave me an equally firm look. "You just take care of you."

I gave a weak smile. "Hey, if drunk-ass Haymitch can win the Hunger Games, why can't I?"

Chibs shook his head and stepped aside to let Rye come forward. I'm not sure what I expected from Rye, but it sure wasn't the anger I received. "How could you," he spat. "How could you do that to me?!"

"Rye," I tried to reason with him.

"No!" Rye, who covered his emotions with sarcasm, bottled everything deep inside, and always joked that a man who cried was no man at all, had tears pouring down his flushed cheeks. "I'm your big brother! I'm supposed to take care of you, not the other way around! If you don't come home, it's all my fault! I can't handle that. I can't have your death on my hands."

"I couldn't let you die," I whispered.

"I'm already dying, Peeta! I'm going to die whether or not I go into the games. You had your whole life ahead of you to meet a pretty girl, fall in love, and have a family! You're throwing that all away!"

I pulled Rye to me and let him sob into my shoulder. I held back my tears, trying to be strong. "I'm going to come home, Rye," I promised. "Then I'll be so rich, I can afford the medicine you need. We're both going to live. I promise."

The doors opened and a peacekeeper walked in. "Time's up."

Rye squeezed me tighter before letting go, Chibs grabbing his arm to help him walk. The crying wasn't good for his lungs, and his breaths were already getting dangerously shallow. "I love you guys!" I called after them.

Their responses were cut off by the clicking of the latch on the door.

I sank down on the couch and let my head fall into my hands. I had no idea if I could keep my promise to Rye, not if it came down to Katniss and me. But I wouldn't worry about that now. All I could do was focus on surviving one day at a time.

Another minute passed before the doors swung open again. Gale walked in and sat beside me on the couch. Our earlier fight was obviously forgotten. He was one of the least sentimental people I knew, so unsurprisingly he got right down to business. "You're good enough with a bow that you can probably kill with one shot. Show them how good you are and they'll be sure to put one at the cornucopia. You know plants and snares, so you won't go hungry. You're strong, too. You'll win any hand to hand combat, most likely."

With my family, I had to be strong, but with Gale, I could allow a little weakness to show through. "I don't know if I can do this, Gale."

He scoffed. "Sure you can. You're a survivor."

I shook my head. "That's not what I meant. These are people, Gale. How am I supposed to kill them?"

"You kill animals every day."

I gave him a hard look. "Animals. Not people, with emotions and families, praying that when their child comes home it won't be in a box."

Gale only shook his head. "Forget about all that. Just survive. That's all that matters."

I couldn't talk about this anymore. If I could make it through the games without killing a soul, I would. But if it were to come down to me or someone else . . . "Don't let my family starve. Please."

"You know I won't."

A peacekeeper stepped through the door. "Time's up."

"Thank you, for everything over the years."

Gale's lips quirked up in a small smile. "Just come home, Peeta." With that, he clapped my shoulder and followed the peacekeeper out the door.

I didn't expect to have any visitors after that, considering I didn't really know anyone else very well. In school, I had mostly stuck with Rye and Gale. However, a few moments later the doors opened again, and Mrs. Everdeen walked in.

She took a moment to quietly observe my room before muttering, "Interesting."

I could only stare at her. "Excuse me?"

Her lips were turned up slightly at the corners, though the smile came nowhere near reaching her eyes. "Your room, I mean. It's identical to the one Katniss is in."

I wasn't sure how to respond, so I stayed quiet.

Mrs. Everdeen walked over to the couch and took the spot that Gale had vacated only moments before. "I'm not sure how much time we have, so I'll just get to the point. I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal?" I questioned.

She nodded. "I know that if it weren't for your hunting, then your family would have to nearly starve in order to afford Rye's medicine, so if you agree to not kill my daughter, then I will give Rye his medicine for free."

Free? I was stunned, and it took me a minute to remember how to speak. "I appreciate your offer, ma'am, don't get me wrong, but why would you want to do that? I've never done anything for you. Besides, I'm not sure I could kill my district partner."

Mrs. Everdeen smiled again. "My reasoning is my own business, and currently irrelevant. Though I'm glad to hear that you don't want to kill my daughter, I'd still like to give you some motivation to preserve that thought. So, do we have a deal?"

How could I refuse? "Of course. Thank you."

Mrs. Everdeen stood and began to leave, even though we still had more time. Half way across the room, she turned back to me. "One more thing. If you don't make it out of the arena, I'll do my best to charge your family as little as possible. I can't promise free, but I'll do what I can."

Now not only do I owe Katniss, but I owe her family as well. "Thank you."

At the door Mrs. Everdeen turned around again. "I want you to know that if Katniss can't win, I would want it to be you." With that, she walked out the door and I was alone with my thoughts.

I was terrified to go into these games. I knew in my heart that I couldn't kill Katniss, not only because of my deal with her mother, but because I couldn't live with myself if I did. It wasn't in me to kill anyone. Sure, I could handle killing an animal in order to put food on the table for my family, but people? People, who cried, and laughed, and had their own families to protect. How could I kill them, these twenty-three children I would be facing?

The answer came to me immediately: I couldn't. It just wasn't who I was. If I didn't have Rye to come home to, I knew I would be fine dying in that arena, because I would gladly die myself before changing who I was in order to survive.

There were so many emotions swelling within me as I came to this conclusion. Fear. Sadness. More fear. But more than anything, I was angry. Angry that the Capitol forced children to go through the emotional turmoil that was the games. Angry that in order to simply come home to my family, I would be asked to murder. Angry that the Capitol had this power over me, the power to change who I was. But I wouldn't let them. If I was coming out of these games, I would still be the person that I was when I went in. I was not a pawn for the Capitol to play with and use as entertainment. I was a human being, and I would show them that I was not just a piece in their games.

XXXXXXX

Thank you for reading everyone! I know this chapter may have been a tad predicatable, with the two of them being reaped, but hopefully I kept it interesting enough! Please let me know what you thought in the reviews! Next update should be next weekend :)

Love always,

YesIWriteForFun