I'd like to dedicate this chapter to anyone who's currently procrastinating on something. I totally should be writing an essay on Plato right now, but instead...

The POV flips around a lot in this chapter, seriously I mean it, a lot of times. Fics that flip POVs this much usually irk me, but I think (hope) I made it work. I wasn't really sure how to make this chapter work without flipping so much.

"And Prim, give Gale the milk you'd like to sell at the Hob, I don't want you going down there by yourself." I shouldn't be having this conversation with my Mom and Prim. I should be crying and hugging and telling them how much I love them, not chastising them on every single little thing they're going to need to do without me around. I wish I could just hug my mother and sister and say nothing but 'I love you' and that would be enough, but they're helpless without me. If I don't tell them, all three of us will die.

"I would never go to the Hob. It's scary. And it smells kind of bad." I can't help but smile at this. I can always count on Prim to lighten up the mood.

"Stay sweet, Prim."

"Where's Peeta?" With the exception of him, my entire family is here. My parents, Brioche, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, even my crabby Grandpa Roarke came to see me. He called me a punk and hit me with his cane the last time we saw each other. I bet Mom dragged him here, he wouldn't have come otherwise.

"He said he wanted to talk to you alone." My dad says softly. Dad's obviously distressed at this entire situation. He likes to express his emotions through his work, rather than his words. District 12 is going to be having a lot of excess bread. I don't mind too much that Peeta isn't here yet. If I had to choose a family member to make a separate goodbye to, Peeta would be the one I'd pick.

"Farina, you can win this, I know you can. You're so strong, Fare. You have to win because I just can't imagine my life without you." My Mom is sobbing as she says this, literally bawling her eyes out. I've never seen her this emotional before, or at least not this sad. I've seen her extremely angry, usually at Peeta, but I've never seen her cry. I always thought I was her favorite, I guess this confirms it.

"I'll try my best." I know there's no way I'm gonna win this. I'll 'try my best' by not getting blown up in the first minute. Yeah, that seems easy enough. I can't tell my mom that, it would only upset her more.

"Farley-"

"It's Farnia, Grandpa."

"Yeah, whatever. Here, take this, I'll come in handy in the arena." He digs in his pocket and pulls out a cigarette lighter. Funny, I thought Grandpa quit smoking.

"Um, thanks Grandpa, but I can't use this."

"You ungrateful little punk!" He snatches back his lighter and mumbles something about the youth being corrupted.

"Grandpa, you do know there's a rule that say I can't bring weapons into the arena?"

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to help you out some. You need all the help you can get."

"Thank you Grandpa, I do appreciate it." I give him a somewhat awkward hug. When we break apart, I see tears in his eyes. I never knew Grandpa cared that much for me, or that he cared for me at all. "Grandpa, are you, crying?"

"No, I-I'm not crying. I just have something in my eye, that's all."

"Fare," Brioche starts, God I don't want to hear this, "I know you and I haven't ever gotten along, but I still want you to know that I'll be rooting for you. I'm sorry for everything I've ever done that got you angry or upset or-"

"Shut up, you're not sorry. You just want to apologize now because you'll probably never get the chance to again. I'm not going to listen to your fake apologies, Brioche."

"Fare, please. I really am sorry."

"Yeah, and I'm president of Panem. I won't pretend I like you just so you can clear your conscience."

"Fine then, Farina. Go and get yourself killed, I won't miss you. In fact, I'll laugh when you die."

"No you won't, you'll feel guilty that you never made up with me. I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life. I'll be the one laughing."

"I hate you!"

"I hate you more!"

"I hope-"

"Boys, please," Dad interjects. I only realize now the presence of everyone in the room. My entire family has been watching this argument between the two of us. It's never been a secret to them that we didn't get along, but I don't think they knew it was at this extent, "Do you really want your last words to each other to be 'I hate you'?"

I glare at Brioche and slowly draw out my answer, "Yes."

"Madge, it's beautiful, but I can't accept it." It's her pin, pure gold, probably worth more than everything I'm wearing right now, I'm sure it's some kind of family heirloom. And she wants me to have it? I don't understand, the pin must mean something to her, she wouldn't wear it if it didn't. Even people as rich as her don't give away pure gold pins to people they barely know. It'll probably get lost or destroyed if I take it. Will she even get it back if I die?

"Please, I want you to have it Katniss."

"Well, ok then. Thanks." I district token was the farthest thing from my mind. I guess it'll be nice to have something that reminds me of home.

"Fare, you remember the time when I totally kicked your ass in the ring?" None of my friends cry. They don't hug either. Since we don't get emotional, we play 'Hey, remember when?' a stupid game we came up with years ago, where we reminisce on some of our good (and bad) times.

"Eames, I was sick. It wasn't a fair fight."

"Oh come on, quit being a sore loser. You had a cold."

"It was the flu. I had a pounding headache and every bone in my body ached. I spent the next week home from school because of it. Remember that part?"

"Ok, maybe you were a bit sicker than a cold, but the main point is I totally kicked your ass."

"Yeah I guess you did, but hey, do you remember the time I kicked your ass in the ring, and then the other time I kicked your ass in the ring, and then the other time-"

"We get the point."

"Fare," Piccard starts "You better kick some serious ass in the arena, because this can't be the last time we reminisce."

"I'll try." I don't have the heart to tell them there's no way I'm coming back.

"Um… hi Peeta." I wonder what he's doing visiting me, shouldn't he be seeing Farina? Aside from the bread incident 5 years ago, we've never really talked to each other.

"Hi, Katniss. These are from my dad." He says quietly and hands me a package of cookies.

"Thanks."

"There's something else."

"What is it?"

"Um... I wanted to tell you something, uh, something important. Um.. before you go um.. I wanted to say that um.. I-I'm uh.. You should know that um.. I've been uh… need to tell you that I… I… I…" Does Peeta have a stammering problem? I don't think I can listen to this much longer.

"Actually there's something I want to tell you too."

"THERE IS? Err.. I mean there is?" Wow, I don't think I've ever met someone who's been so eager to hear what I have to say.

"Um, yeah. I wanted to say thanks, for the bread you gave me. Do you remember 5 years ago, you gave me bread? I never properly thanked you for it. So, thank you, for the bread."

"It was nothing." He says, then wraps his arms around me and begins to sob. It's probably one of the most, if not the most awkward things that's ever happen to me. I'm usually not comfortable with this kind of physical contact, especially with people I barely know, but I oddly enough, I don't want to push him away. The boy is probably shook up from everything that's happened today. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on, I'd be crying now if I didn't have to face a ton of cameras. I just wish he'd picked someone else's shoulder.

"This can't be happening." He says between sobs.

"It's ok." I say softly. I rub his back, just like I do when I comfort Prim, and watch the door for the peacekeepers. They better get here soon.

Who the hell is in charge of what people come to see me? I bet its Brioche, only he would do something so cruel as let Lise come see me.

"All right, what's this super important thing that you just had to tell me?"

"Farina, I wanted to tell you that, um. Well, I'm not sure how to say this, but uh.. I-"

"Goddamn it Lise, just tell me!"

"I'm pregnant!"

"Y-you're pregnant?" I manage to say before I burst out into uncontrollable laughter. The idea of Lise getting knocked up by that seam scum is hilarious. "Oh God, that's the funniest thing I've heard all day today."

"Um, I'm glad you're taking it so well."

"Yeah, what'd the seam scum do when you told him?"

"Oh," her expression darkens, "Fare, he's not the father. You are."

"What? No, no, there's absolutely no way. How can you be sure it's me?"

"Because I never had sex with my 'seam scum' boyfriend. I wanted to, God did I want to, but he wanted to wait."

"Liar! Get out! Get the fuck out Lise!"

"Farina, I'm telling the truth! I swear that you're the only person I've ever slept with and you're the only person who could be the father."

"Well Lise, maybe if you hadn't lied to me before I'd believe you. But since you're a cheater and a liar and a slut, I just want you to get the fuck out!"

"Thank you so much for everything Gale. I have no idea what my family would do without you."

"It's not a problem, you know I see your family as practically an extention my own. We agreed to do this for each other; I'm just keeping up my end of the bargain. Um… I do have one off topic question for you though."

"Sure, ask me anything."

"What did the Mellark kid want? I saw him leaving when I came in. He looked kind of shook up."

"To be honest, I have no idea what he wanted. He spent half the time stammering trying to tell me something and then- well, it was just really, really awkward."

"What did he do?"

I guess there's no harm in telling Gale about our awkward hug. I don't think he'd care either way; we're not in a relationship beyond friends. I've never thought of him in a romantic way, until now. No, I'm not thinking of him like that, he's just a close friend, nothing more. "He just cried and hugged me and it-"

"He hugged you?"

"Yeah."

"He hugged you!"

"Yes."

"He-"

"Gale I think we already covered that he hugged me. Why do you care?" A strange thought crosses my mind. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"Actually, I kinda am." What? He's not supposed to say that. We're friends, just friends. Absolutely nothing more than friends. "It took me two years to get a hug out of you, and all he has to do is stammer and he gets one." I'm relieved by this, somewhat.

"Well, I didn't plan on hugging him, he just kinda threw himself on me." I hope he believes me. Wait no, I don't care if he believes me because we're just friends.

"Listen Katniss," He's leaning in closer, why is he leaning in closer? "I don't think I have much more time until the peacekeepers come. I just want to remember."

"Remember what?" I think I know what he's going to say, I really hope I'm wrong. He gives me a soft kiss on the lips. I kiss him back, mostly out of shock rather than passion. I knew where this conversation was going, but the kiss still caught me completely off guard.

"I love you." He whispers. I'm glad the peacekeepers come in to escort him out, because I have no idea how to respond.

"Peeta, I was wondering if you were ever coming to say goodbye."

"Sorry, there was something else I needed to do first."

"You went to see Katniss, didn't you?"

"Yeah," There's a short pause, then he continues "I'm an idiot Fare, a complete idiot. You're my brother, you should mean more to me than her, but, God, she's all I've been thinking about. And now I realize that I've been obsessing over her and I have a brother in the same boat. Why'd you do it, Fare? I could've handled myself."

"You sure about that?" I tease, "I mean, you can't even take me down in a simple wrestling match."

"Fare," He says, trying to suppress a laugh, "Seriously, why'd you do it?"

"Do you remember when you had those bullies that would tease you every single day? You tried to deal with it on your own for months, and it didn't work. Then one day I saw them teasing you and I told them if they didn't leave you alone, they'd have to answer to me? It's like that Peeta, you're my little brother, and it's just my instinct to protect you."

"Yeah, but Fare, I was nine when that happened. I've grown up since then."

"It doesn't matter if you're 9 and I'm 11 or you're 16 and I'm 18, I still want to keep you safe."

"Fare, will you promise me something?"

"Depends, if you want me to sacrifice myself for the girl, you're barking up the wrong tree."

"No I wouldn't ask you to do that. All I ask is that you don't hurt her."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about me hurting her. I'll probably die before I even get the chance."

"Fare, you might not think so, but you really could make it home. You're strong-"

"Yeah, and so are all the other careers."

"Let me finish. You're strong, but you're also smart. Not book smart like Brioche, that wouldn't help you anyway. You're clever and good at thinking on your feet. You're a strategist, you could probably come up with some big mastermind plot take everyone down. Those careers are strong, but they're hardly ever smart. They don't think before they act, like you do. Your wit is your biggest strength."

"Aww... Peeta, you're making me blush." I say sarcastically.

"I'm serious Fare, you really can win this."

"I bet you told Katniss the same thing, or were you to busy confessing your undying love to her?"

He sighs, "You're right about the undying love thing. I wanted to tell her, but I just stammered like an idiot and probably completely freaked her out, hence the 'I'm an idiot' thing earlier. But Fare, even if it might not seem like it, really I do want you to come home more than her. Blood is thicker than water right?"

"You know Peeta, it's probably a good thing you and Katniss never got together. Cuz if you did, she'd probably break your heart cheat on with you with that seam scum friend of hers, and then three months later come crying to you saying that you're her baby daddy when everyone knows it's not you."

"What is that supposed to mean? Cheat on me and- wait. Fare, is Lise pregnant? She was hysterical when I saw her leaving."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Fare, I don't know what Lise did or said to you, but whatever it was, just forget about it, the only thing that matters now is getting home. Please come home Fare."

"I'll try." This time, I sincerely mean it.

I'm finding I like to write these chapters when I have something else I should be doing, like essays. Fortunately for you (and unfortunately for me :/ ) I have several more essays to write in the future, so expect somewhat frequent updates. I hope you like reading this as much as I like writing it.

Oh and btw, Grandpa Roarke is Mrs. Mellark's father (now you know where the bitter came from, it's genetic!)