A/N: These first chapters are a bit short. There are nine in all, the later ones tend to be longer.
"But you'll come back, right?" Michael asked, following me back and forth as I finished packing my bag.
I stopped packing, bending down and taking him by the shoulders. "Of course I'm coming back. You'll be just fine with your Aunt Delly."
"But I don't want to go to Aunt Delly's house. Her bread isn't as good as Dad's."
I try to hide my smile. "Then maybe you can take some with you to eat when you're there."
His eyes grow wide. "Oh, yeah! Then we'll all have good bread!" Then, he runs out of the room, shouting something about cheese rolls.
"Did I miss something?" Peeta asks as he walks in, eating a bowl of oatmeal. He had packed his bags last night, and the sight of the food makes me wish I'd listened to him when he told me it would take longer than I thought to pack.
"Your son says that he wants to take some bread to Delly's house. Apparently her bread is…inferior."
He snorts, trying not to choke on his oatmeal. Finally, he manages to swallow and reply, "Oh really?"
"You've ruined him. His poor wife will never be able to make him happy with her baking." I say haughtily, turning away to hide my grin.
"Perhaps she'll win him over with something else. Though he does seem to share your weakness for cheese rolls."
"Is that a fact, Peeta Mellark?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
"Well, just listen to him." He replies, smiling.
Indeed, it sounds as though Michael is jumping up and down on his bed while continuing to shout "Cheese rolls! Cheese rolls! We're going to have cheese rolls!"
I put the last dress into the bag, fastening it closed. "Fair enough. Now, you go make me a bowl of that oatmeal, I'll go quiet the bread monster."
An hour later we are standing at the train station. Delly has met us there to pick up Michael and Elizabeth.
"Now, you make sure your brother behaves." I say to Elizabeth.
She rolls her eyes. "I know, mom. I'll take care of the little boy."
"I am not a little boy. I am a little man." Michael replies crossly.
"Both of you, listen." I say. "We'll be back in a few days. I want you both to behave yourselves. Otherwise, we won't bring you anything from the Capitol."
"You'll bring me a dress, won't you?" Elizabeth asks.
"We'll see." I reply, turning to Delly. "Thank you so much for this."
"Of course!" she replies. "We'll be here when you get back."
Peeta holds out his hand to me, and we both walk over to the train steps, where a porter is already loading our bags.
"Train's been specially reserved for you and the other Survivors." he says, bowing slightly and gesturing for us to enter.
It is nice inside, though I notice gratefully that it isn't opulent like the trains were before. This seems more…utilitarian. Designed more for function than looks. At any rate, it doesn't remind me too much of those trips in the past.
Sure enough, Haymitch is already inside, though he isn't drinking.
"No booze." He replies, before I can ask.
"I thought you'd given it up anyway." Peeta replies.
"I still like to have a drink on occasion. And this occasion feels like it merits it. But, I guess the new Panem doesn't put alcohol on their train cars." He pauses to stick something in his mouth. "Pastries are still first-rate, however."
"And the tables are still mahogany." I reply, settling down on the sofa across from him.
"How is Effie these days?" Peeta asked.
"Oh she's fine, just fine. She retired a few years back, said that the latest fashions weren't her thing." Haymitch replied.
There was a slight hum as the train motors engaged, and then the train pulled out of the station.
"Hard to imagine Effie not being able to adapt to fashion." I say, pulling my eyes away from the window.
"It's different, the Capitol. Not like you both knew it. Things are more human now. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's still different from life in the districts, but as a whole I'd say things have improved there."
Haymitch had gone to the Capitol a few months prior to have some medical work done. This was the first time he'd talked about how things were, however.
"So, off to District Seven, then District Four, and then Two, and then the Capitol, right?" Peeta asks.
"Just Seven and Four." Haymitch replies. "Enobaria turned down the invitation, or so I heard."
"She's never been to any of them, has she?" I ask.
Haymitch shakes his head. "Can you blame her?"
No, I decide. I can't. Though I have to wonder if it's from bad memories or bitterness that "her side" had lost.
They serve a light lunch when the time comes around. Later, as we pass through District Eleven, I can't help but marvel at the changes that have come about. Where there were once huge sets of fences and guard towers, there are now homes, fields, children running. The three of us stand by the window, taking it in silently. Then, we plunge into a tunnel and the sight is cut off.
"I think I'm going to take a nap." Haymitch says, as he walks away slowly.
Peeta asks if I want to go lie down, but I shake my head, instead sitting back down on the couch. I knew things had changed, but seeing them in person makes the reality hit home.
What changes await us in the other parts of Panem, I wonder?