Fire and Ash

by Hughbacca

The 69th Hunger Games are vastly approaching and in District Twelve life is about to get tougher for the Everdeen family as Ash Everdeen an eighteen year old boy from the Seam faces his last ever reaping, Will he make it through the turbulent times ahead. As a brave girl once said "Fire is catching" and for Ash he will walk into the smoke and come out completely changed. Rated K /T

2. Chapter 2

Fire and Ash:

A/N I have changed Katniss and Peeta's Age by one year making them both 17 by the 74th Games and Prim's age is reduced by one year making her 12 by the 74th games, also I do not own the songs they are owned by their respected owners and companies.

Chapter Two: Reaping

I knocked on the door to the Hawthorne's house and was let in by Hazelle who quickly ushered me inside seeing that I was upset, I sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands and just tried to calm myself down taking deep breaths and exhaling like a gust of wind in winter. After around five minutes of sitting I looked up to see Hazelle waiting in front of me.

"She spoke today for the first time today" I said whilst looking back down at the floorboards with a neutral expression despite remembering the shouting that I had done and how she decided that after nine months it was acceptable to assume a motherly role and to slide back as if nothing had happened, like she hadn't left us all to die.

"You should try supporting her you know Ash, it's been hard for you but now that she is coming back you should help her back into the role, the girls need her as well as you. You were given so much responsibility too quickly and now it's time to hand some of it back to her. I will also talk to her and try to help back to how she used to be as I can relate to what she went through how does that sound?" she said looking me in the eye and what she said made perfect sense, maybe handing over some of the responsibility back onto her wouldn't be a bad thing. She could prove herself to me that she was capable of looking after Prim and Katniss or atleast support them. I was still sceptical as I glanced back up to Hazel who no doubt could read the expression on my face.

"You have nothing to lose here if she returns to normal then you don't have as much on your shoulders and you get your Ma back and if she doesn't come back then you have lost nothing from what you started with. You need to be there for her so she can be there for Katniss and Prim, remember that it isn't all about you here and your opinion of her" Hazelle was wise beyond words and I knew deep down that I should give her a chance of reconciliation and in my heart part of the innocent child just desperately wanted his ma back, but my anger prevented me from lowering my suspicion.

"Thank you Hazelle I needed this, I better get back to Katniss and make sure she isn't having a panic attack" I said whilst heading for the door but she stopped me and reached up to my collar and straightened it causing me to chuckle.

"No problem Ash, we will see you in a few minutes to walk to the square together and remember give her a chance" she looked pointedly at me with a small smile on her face. I gave her a hug before leaving the house.

The walk back to the house felt like it was across the other side of the district as I was lost in my thoughts, was I really unfair to my Ma? Did I do enough to try and get her back from her state? I fed her myself but I didn't try and get her out of the room I just left her and tried to support Katniss and Prim. Maybe she wasn't the only one to blame perhaps I had been too harsh before and had taken out all of my grief on her which in hindsight was completely unfair.

I entered the house and saw that everyone was standing ready to go; I looked at Ma who was standing in the middle of Katniss and Prim in a group hug. I went over to her and gave her a hug from behind causing her to jump slightly which made chuckle a little.

"I'm sorry about before Ma" I whispered so only she could hear me. She broke the hug with the other two and turned around, reached up with her hand and stroked my face and then brought me into a death grip hug which surprised me at first, one with the strength she possessed and two how it felt like I was safe inside the embrace. Safer than I had ever felt for the past year and I melted into it wrapping my arms around her and squeezing just as tightly.

"I know what I did was wrong and I cannot say how sorry I am to you all but I... the shock of not seeing your father around me and the house just put me in a state of shock. One day you will know what it is like to love another that it almost kills you when you are apart" she said out loud to everyone in the house before looking back to me. I didn't want children, providing for four people was already challenging and providing for a child and a wife just seemed too much to bear, also the inevitability of the child going through the reaping and being powerless to stop the capitol from taking the child to fight in the hunger games. I was brought out of musing by Ma's voice.

"You look just like him you know? Same height, same eyes, same hair and even the same personality. I just wish that I had not been in a state of depression for such a long time not to support you, your father wouldn't have wanted this but I couldn't help it" she was crying by the end and both Katniss and Prim joined the hug with Katniss being the last to join probably slightly suspicious at her sudden change. I was at first but if she was well and truly coming back then she would able to help run the house again which was enough for me.

"I think it's best we leave for the reaping now, we wouldn't want the peacekeepers to come to the house and punish us" I said remembering what happened to a family who didn't attend the reaping, they were all publically whipped despite the laxness of the peacekeepers, they needed to show that skipping the reaping was still very much against the rules. You were only exempt from the reaping if you were on deaths door and they still sent peacekeepers to check if you were really ill.

We left the house together and met up with the Hawthorne's so we could all walk together, I stayed by Katniss' side with Ma on my right and Prim on the other side of her. I looked at Katniss who was starting to tremble; I took her hand in mine and made her look at me as we waited at the end of the street for the Hawthorne's.

"Kitty Kat, you are going to be fine. I will protect you and so will your mockingjay pin you have nothing to worry about. Now you need to look strong, we Everdeen's are a tough bunch and we don't show fear to anyone or anything you got that? I'll always be there for you, no matter what" I say looking her directly in the eyes and pulling her into a tight embrace. I could feel her nod her head so when I heard to the Hawthorne's approaching I let her out of the hug and saw that she had a determined look on her face, my little mockingjay I thought to myself.

"Hello Hazelle" I said as our two families merged into one, this was how I always hoped that our families would remain. We would help out each other like we were all related, despite not having any blood relations we all looked like one big family with our natural Seam look except Ma and Prim who looked like merchants but they were still as much my family as Katniss and Pa were.

"Hello Ash, Katniss, Prim and Eve. Good luck today" Hazelle said as we all headed off towards the justice building which is in the middle of the district, the square is usually filled with merchant children running around and playing but today it's more like a gigantic cattle pen with all of district in and around with two unlucky children about to be sent to their deaths. Since district twelve is the most impoverished districts we don't have people who are naturally prepared for the games or willing to go to their deaths as we have only had two victors in sixty eight years, one of whom is dead and the other. Haymitch Abernathy is known as the district drunk, he won the second quarter quell or the fiftieth games where twice as many people were reaped leaving forty seven dead children and one victor as usual. I was conceived in the year in which our district received food and supplies from the Capitol, so I guess I can owe my existence to him in a creepy sort of way.

Many people were already there most of the merchant children were lined up as they don't have their names in the reaping bowl as many times as most kids from the Seam, this is one of the reasons that the two communities don't get along with each other. Very rarely does a merchant get reaped as most Seam families need their children to take out tesserae to keep them from starvation. Not that the tesserae actually provides much for the families who take it, a pitiful amount of grain and some oil doesn't help keep a family fed for weeks on end.

After getting close to the square we had to split off from Ma, Hazelle, Posy, Prim, Rory and Vick as we were approaching the gates where the peacekeepers take a sample of your blood to make sure that you are here, I suppose it also allows the Capitol to keep a track of the population and the amount of males and females of different age groups. At seeing the people getting their blood taking Katniss got a little stiff at the sight.

"Don't worry Kitty-Kat it doesn't hurt, only a little" I say going first to show her, handing my hand over to the peacekeeper who zaps my finger and then presses it onto a piece of paper which has other information on it. She then scans the blood which reveals my name and age afterwards she tells me to move along.

"Stay close to Gale and I will find you after the reaping Kat" I say as I move towards the front of the stage where my own age group are corralled like cattle waiting for the abattoir that was the hunger games for the outline districts.

After a short wait for everyone to be registered in, a woman in a bright blue wig and dress with pale white make up on came to the stage and tapped the microphone that was set up on the stage otherwise known as the justice building entrance.

"Welcome, Welcome and Happy Hunger Games!" Effie Trinket, our district escort to the Capitol with such enthusiasm as if we all enjoyed the possibility of being sent into an arena and brutally murdered for sport and entertainment. She must have been expecting a response but typical of our district we all just stood there and did nothing, an eerie silence fell in the square to avoid anymore embarrassment to herself Effie introduced the playing of the history of how the games first were introduced and how the Dark Days, when the districts rebelled against the Capitol and ultimately lost and a district was destroyed the infamous thirteen. The film made it sound like we were the bad guys and that the capitol was simply ensuring that peace. I had heard this film six times and I could practically recount every word just as Effie was miming on the stage, the film finished and Effie took to the microphone again.

"The time has come to select a courageous young man and woman to compete in this year's Hunger Games, as usual ladies first" she said abandoning the microphone and heading over to the large reaping bowl to the right of the stage, this was where I was holding my breath. Don't let it be Katniss, don't let it be Katniss, don't let it be Katniss. The voice in my head kept repeating.

"The female tribute for district twelve is" I thought I was about to faint.

"Katrina Coulson" I must have sighed so loud because a few people standing around me turned and looked towards me with angry expressions matting their faces, I just did my best to ignore them Katniss was safe for another year but a wave of guilt him me as I saw how young she was, it was also her first reaping year twelve years old and her life was about to end so abruptly.

"and now for the male tribute..." she made her way over the stage in her ridiculous high heels, how did she even balance in them let alone walk across a stage. She reached in rummaging around and my heart quickened and time slowed down with each rotation that her hand made in the endless number of names and then finally she pulled one out and the whole square held its breath once more.

"The male tribute for district twelve is..." she said as she was trying to open the up the card with some unlucky person's name on it.

"Ash Everdeen" she proclaimed outwards causing everything to go quiet, all noise went from my senses and I could only hear the pounding of my heart and the evenness of my breathing. It suddenly hit me that I was probably never going to see my home district again as I made my way up to the stage trying to look as fierce as possible for the cameras and continued down the middle when I heard someone scream my name. I turned my head and saw Katniss.

"ASH!" she exclaimed trying to rush to me only to be stopped by two peacekeepers as they gripped her hard as she started to scream in pain whilst still trying to shake free twisting her body around trying to get loose like a fish out of water, that set me off running towards them in a fury that could match hell's fire. I pushed my way through the peacekeepers blocking my way backwards and threw them off and gripped her in a fierce hug.

"Come Kat, I'll see you soon remember you get to say goodbye in the justice building. Rather me than you my little mockingjay" I said standing up and pushing her towards where Ma was waiting, I was then grabbed and pulled towards the stage by four rather large peacekeepers who pushed me down the aisle and up towards the stage.

"Well that was quite the impression you made, was that your sister" Effie asked me looking at me expectantly

"Yes, it was" I said answering her question receiving a glare from her for some reason unbeknownst to me.

"Well come on tributes shake each other's hand" I moved over to the trembling girl from the Seam and pulled her into a hug.

"I'll keep you safe in the arena" I whispered to her and she relaxed a little, I let her go and shook her hand. When I looked out to the crowd of people I saw everyone there kiss their three fingers and raise them into the air. A sign of respect; and the mourning of a loved one, I looked to Katrina and also did the gesture followed closely by her.

"Happy Hunger Games and May the Odds be ever in your Favour!" Effie says cheerfully into the microphone. We were taken into the justice building to wait seeing our friends and family for a final goodbye, I was pushed into a room next to the one that Katrina was placed in and I took a few moments to grasp the situation. I had not only encouraged an act of defiance but I had also attacked peacekeepers on national television with the whole of Panem watching, I was as good as dead in that arena and maybe my family would be at risk. I would have to apologise the first moment I got in the Capitol.

My thoughts were interrupted when Katniss, Prim and Ma came bursting through the door all had tears on their faces. I looked towards Prim who looked distraught so I knelt down to her height and pulled her into a hug though I could still hear the heart wrenching sobs.

"sshhhh come on now little princess don't cry, you will ruin our clothes and your good looks. As long as you are safe. I would go through one hundred reapings to keep you from harm, remember to look after Katniss and Ma for me? Make sure they keep out of trouble and I'll be back before you know it" I said to her whilst squeezing the smallest Everdeen. I moved onto to Katniss this one was going to be the hardest, as she was perhaps the most mature twelve year old despite having the social skills of a dead squirrel. She was going to have to provide for the family until Ma found a job which might not happen anytime soon.

"Kitty Kat now you have to be strong, remember where the bows are in the woods and remember to trade with the butcher and baker for food and more money and the Hob for essentials. You're the head of the house till I return Kat so look after everyone and if it looks like I'm gonna die in the games remember to look away along with you Prim" She nodded her head with a determined look on her face, that's my girl Pa would be proud of her. I gave her a kiss on the forehead and a tight squeeze before going onto Ma.

"I've just got back to you and now you're being taken away from me, I am so sorry..." she managed to say before the peacekeeper came in shouting that their time was up and ushering them out. It would be the last I would see them I thought to myself, twenty two other kids who would be trying to kill me atleast four of them highly trained sociopaths who had no conscience when it came down to killing fellow innocent children.

To my surprise the door opened and the baker Mr Mellark came in, I hadn't traded with him for a long time so him making an appearance was definitely unexpected.

"Hello Ash, sorry about you being reaped in all, it was your last year if I remember correctly. I had all three of my boys in there today, I thought you would like something from home before going to compete in the games so I brought you a cupcake from the bakery" he said awkwardly before handing the food over, it looked tasty but I didn't really have the heart to eat with all these thoughts about the games and how my family was going to cope. Perhaps I could get Mr Mellark to help.

"Guess the odds weren't in my favour" I joked. "I need to ask you a huge favour, could you look out for my family whilst I'm not here. If Katniss you know picks up hunting and comes to trade with you could you help out? it's a lot to ask but I need some assurance that my family won't starve" I finished looking at him with a half dejected look on my face, it was really too much to ask for anyone in this district to help support another family as many were struggling themselves to keep afloat.

"I'll look out for Katniss and your family don't you worry son. Just try and get back here firstly and then they'll be safe from starvation and freezing in the winter" Mr Mellark finished, just as he did so a peacekeeper then came and told him that time was up.

The last person to come in was Gale though I couldn't say I wasn't completely shocked or expecting this. He looked tense and a look of anger displayed across his face, the way he marched over towards me was strangely intimidating despite him being five years my junior but he held this focussed look in his eye like he had prepared a message to tell me.

"You can win these games Ash, you've probably got more experience than over half of the other tributes and your great with a spear as well as with a bow and arrow. Just show them how good you are and they'll give you anything to make it more entertaining for them... its' all they want" he finished darkly with a look of disgust across his face.

"Listen Gale, I need you to help Katniss support Prim and my Ma. She won't accept charity and she won't know how trading works and how to do it so she can get the best deals. Just be there for her when I can't and if I don't make it back look after them all please" I finished begging towards end trying to avert the tears that were coming to my eyes, I was almost a man grown practically been one since Pa's death and I had never cried then and I would be damned to hell if I was going to now. Fighting back the tears I put my hand out and Gale grasped it in his giving it a firm shake which then turned into a hug.

"I'll see you again Gale and if not then I guess it's goodbye" I said with a smile on my face. As I finished pulling out of the hug the peacekeeper burst back inside saying it was time to leave for the station, nodding a final goodbye to Gale I was then led into an all black automobile at the back of the justice building with loads of photographers taking pictures of me as I was escorted into the car, as soon as the door was shut the car's engine came to life and immediately took off towards the train station throwing me into the back of the driver's seat un ceremonially causing Katrina to laugh a little but Effie to frown at me, all that woman ever did was frown at me.

I looked back across to Katrina and saw that her eyes were red and that she was shying away from Effie who looked like a maritime ghost with her bright white make up, I had to admit I was slightly off put and I was six years older than the little girl who was trying to remain calm. I leant over to whisper in her ear.

"I don't know what's scarier Effie's outfit or the games" I laughed when I got a stifled giggle from Katrina though it disappeared when the car stopped and you could hear the noise outside the station. To reassure her that I was there for her I gripped her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"One of us is getting back do you hear me, I'll make sure of that. Now I'm going to need you to put on your bravest face Katrina, we don't want to look weak for the other districts" I said firmly and to her credit she wiped her face and put a stern face on. I opened the door to my side and helped her out as we walked together towards the train with cameras clicking both sides of us. Eventually after what felt like an hour we made it to the train and we were directed to stand and face the audience on the train before we set off. A frenzy of flashes ensued and I thought I was going to go blind then we were guided into a carriage that looked stunning.

The place looked regal with platinum chandeliers with furniture that looked like it had been handmade by extremely skilled craftsmen, a closer look around the corner and there was a dining table that was piled with endless types of food. As a child growing up where food was scarce at times this seamed ridiculous as I could gather this food was just for us, Effie and Haymitch if he turned up. This could feed mine and Katrina's family for weeks and it was all mostly going to be wasted and thrown away, I could feel my hatred for the Capitol rise. Why some of this food couldn't be used to feed some of the poorest people in Panem was beyond me and I guess in the hands of our 'President' who despite his title was never elected by anyone from districts and held a firm grasp on all of the people in Panem.

I took a seat at the table and grabbed some of the food with my hands and quickly begin eating which again horrifies Effie who goes off complaining about how poor my table manners are. The exotic food was filling but was starting to make me feel sick, maybe I shouldn't have eaten so much so quickly a bitter afterthought and taste rising up my throat.

I looked and saw Haymitch stagger in from what I supposed was the liquor storage carriage on this damned train. He took a seat across from us and took a swig from a flask and then belched quite loudly laughing to himself, I looked across to Katrina and she looked scared of him.

"Will you stop scaring her?" I asked looking pointedly towards him.

"If she is scared of me then she has no chance in the arena with trained killers looking for sport" He says back slurring a few words, his response had made Katrina feel worse and she looked a ghostly pale white that's when I had enough.

I got up and grabbed the liquor of him and poured it onto the floor, whilst staring directly at him waiting for him to do something. He threw a lousy punch which would have hit my jaw, but I was expecting it and caught his wrist mid swing, using the momentum from his punch I spun him around and pushed him back into the chair.

"When do we start training, one of us is getting back this year and you have done it before so you are going to help us as it is your job" I said sternly looking him straight in the eye, it was at that moment that I saw something behind those eyes as if he was more than just a sad old drunk more like a flame that had been extinguished for years had been coerced back to life.

"Such a rush normally most of you aren't so eager" he paused as if contemplating a great philosophical thesis before continuing slowly but clearer than before "I'll tell you what. If you allow me to work with you do exactly what I say, I'll promise to stay sober enough to help you through the games, is that a deal?" he asked holding his head as if it were pounding like it probably was, I had drunk some of Ripper's alcohol and woke up the next day with a thundering headache. He was getting up out of his seat and I knew that I needed to act quickly to keep him to his proposed deal.

"Deal" I said for the both us.

"I'll see you in the morning and we can begin 'training'" Haymitch said making quotation marks with his fingers before stumbling back to his room. I looked back towards Katrina who looked a little bit more relieved at hearing Haymitch's proclamation.

"Best get some sleep little one, it's a big day tomorrow" I said looking outside to the already darkening horizon indicating that night would soon be upon us. I led the way to where our designated rooms were. I was slightly irritated at the fact above the doors it said 'district 12 male and female' like they couldn't even be bothered to put our names above the doors. I sighed wished Katrina a good night and then moved into my room.

I walked towards the window that was alongside my bed and looked up at the night sky with all the stars shining across the horizon and I wondered if Katniss, Prim and Ma were looking up to this very constellation of stars. We learnt some useless information regarding them in school along with the usual rubbish about coal and the dark days.

After looking outside for an hour I was ready to go to bed when I heard a knock at my door, wondering who it might be, I opened the door looking down to find Katrina standing in pyjamas that looked a little too big for her staring up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I can't sleep I keep getting nightmares could you sing a song for me, everyone says that your family have good singing voices" I was a little shocked at the comment but knew it was partially due to Pa, he used to sing in the woods and when he did the birds stopped to listen I suppose me and Katniss inherited the ability from him. Prim didn't really know any songs and she seemed a lot more like Ma than me or Katniss.

"Ok, but I'm not going to carry you if you fall asleep in here so back to your room" I said following her as she walked down the hallway to her room as if she was in a rush. She suddenly turned into a room where the door was still open that I almost missed.

"Will you sing to me now?" she said after jumping under the covers excitedly.

"Sure thing Kat" I said out of habit.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when you awake, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray,
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you" I sang softly.

Katrina had drifted off part way through the song but that didn't stop me from completing it, she looked at peace now which would hopefully get her though the night. It felt nice to sing the song as it reminded me of home. I tucked in the covers so they cover her completely and readjusted her pillows so she would sleep easier, looking back at the little girl I knew I couldn't kill her, she didn't deserve this no twelve year old did. How the capitol could get enjoyment from watching little children dying on their own with no one that cares for them often not in harsh conditions were beyond me.

I went back to my room for some sleep; as soon as I got into my bed I was out and soon plunged into the abyss of unconsciousness waiting for tomorrow when our training would begin if Haymitch remembered.

Chapter complete. Whatcha think?

Good? Bad? Meh?

See you next time when Ash and Katrina get their first glimpse of the Capitol and hear some survival advice from the Victor of 12 Haymitch. (I love how Woody portrayed him in the movies, one of my favourite characters in the show) :P

I have a plan to write a sequel to this story but I'm extremely busy with my job giving me little time to actually work on the story :/ plus I managed to badly sprain both my wrist playing football/soccer...