Author's Note: I'm putting this one up today because it's the Opening Ceremony today. I hope that it's as realistic as possible (I suppose I won't know for another two and a half hours) but, if it's not, let's just say it's because they wanted to change it. Sorry in advance if any of the characters are a bit OOC in this chapter.

Thanks for the reviews by the way :) they made my day.

Anyway... Read and review!

The Olympic Games

Chapter Two- The Torch

(Katniss)

I look out of the window at all the people who have already begun to line the streets, even though the sun has only just risen. They are being really supportive of the thing which is meant to only happen every four years. I suppose that it hasn't happened in such a long time so it makes sense.

I take one last glance outside and walk through to the shower.

For now, I'm on my own in our room at the hotel as Peeta had to go for a last minute training session for running with the torch. If I'm being honest, the thought of seeing Peeta running is already making me laugh.

I undress out of my night clothes and slip into the shower as the warm water begins to run. I wash myself, preparing myself without my prep team now for the busy day, before I grab a towel and wrap it around myself as I leave to go back into my room.

I walk over to the wardrobe and begin to look through it for the clothes I need for the beginning of today before I catch sight of someone. I spin around, suddenly conscious of how little of my body the towel hides.

"What's up, Finnick?" I ask, when I've finally recovered enough to speak.

Finnick laughs at me in an awkward situation as he leans against the wall, his muscular arms folded over his chest. "They need you down in the training room."

"Why?" I question quickly, looking worriedly towards him now.

"There's been a little accident," he answers, smiling as he watches my face drop.

"What's happened?" I say slowly, taking time to say each word.

"Come down to the training room and you'll find out," he replies, mocking the tone of my voice by speaking even slower.

I glare at him. "Go on then," I shoo. "I can't get ready to come down if you're standing there, watching me."

"There's no point getting ready," he argues. "Just throw on a t-shirt and some jeans."

"Either way, Finnick, I'm not getting dressed whilst you're in the room," I sigh.

"You may be standing in a towel for a long time then," he jokes.

I grab a pillow from beside me and throw it at his head.

He ducks and grins, muttering, "Okay, I'm going." When he reaches the door, he turns around and adds, "I'll wait for you outside so you don't get lost on the way down."

I poke my tongue out at his retreating back as he leaves then pick up a t-shirt and a pair of jeans out of the wardrobe as he suggested. I put them on quickly then run a brush through my hair. Then I walk out of the room, shutting the door behind me, to find Finnick waiting outside.

"Took your time, mockingjay," he laughs as we begin to walk to the training room.

"I decided to take my time as someone wouldn't tell me why I needed to hurry up," I answer. "Please, Finnick, just tell me."

He reaches the door to the room and starts to push it open. "You'll see now," he reasons.

I take a deep breath as I follow him in, gasping, "Peeta!" I run over to his side and take hold of his hand.

He attempts a smile as he tries to move around to look at me, flinching as he does so. "Hey, Katniss," he groans through gritted teeth.

"What happened, Peeta?" I ask as I stroke the back of his hand with my thumb.

"It's nothing really," he mutters.

"It obviously isn't nothing," I argue. "You're in a lot of pain."

He shrugs his shoulders. "I just came down here to practice running because I haven't really with my new leg."

I wait for him to carry on but, when he doesn't, I press on by saying, "And?"

"And there's a reason why I haven't run with my new leg," he finishes, laughing slightly. At my confused expression, he adds, "It collapsed under me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I say. "I know you really wanted to run with the torch."

He nods. "I thought my leg would be fine but the Capitol must have planned for it to hinder me."

I sigh and kiss the top of his head before whispering by his ear, "We may have overthrown them and apparently settled our differences, but I still think they're evil."

He laughs and agrees, "So do I."

Suddenly, two large men that I recognise as trainers appear beside me. Peeta goes to move but I grab his shoulders and push him back.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"I can't just sit around here all day," he starts to argue.

"But you can hardly move," I complain.

"The torch isn't going to run itself," he replies.

"I said that I'd run it with you," I interrupt, the words out of my mouth before I get the chance to stop them.

He smiles and quickly kisses my hand. "Good. I'm glad you didn't forget. But I still need to get out of this chair, whether or not you're running or hobbling with me."

I smile too and put his arm around my shoulders. "Come on then," I instruct, trying to pull him to his feet.

When seeing my struggles, Finnick appears on Peeta's other side, putting his other arm around his shoulders.

"Thanks," I murmur, flashing him a grateful smile.

"Anytime, mockingjay," he answers, beginning to walk out of the room.

Together, we manage to get Peeta out of the training room and back to our room on the top floor. We basically carry him into the remainder of the room before he sits on the bed.

"Sorry about that, Finnick," I say, watching Peeta closely.

"I've already said, Katniss, that I'll help you two out whenever you need it," he laughs.

"Well yeah but- thanks," I finish lamely.

He chuckles as he leaves the room, shutting the door behind himself.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I whisper after a few minutes, walking to Peeta as he lies on his side.

"Of course I am, sweet," he tries to reassure me. "I've been through much worse, don't worry."

I smile as I lay down to face him. "I know but I still don't like to see you in pain."

"Well as long as you're with me now, I know that I won't have to deal with heartbreak," he jokes.

"Hey!" I complain. I secretly love it when he says things like that even though I know that I have no decent response.

I go to move my arm to hit him playfully but he pins my arms down by my side and manoeuvres his leg around so he is sitting on my waist.

"Don't break me too because no one will be running with the torch then," I warn. Once again, I don't know why I'd say something like that because I don't want to remind people of my agreement.

He laughs and rolls off, careful of his leg. We look at each for a second before we lean towards each other and press our lips together. He pulls my face closer to his and I wrap my arms around my waist.

"Sorry about the interruption, kids, but you need to get ready for the relay now," the voice of Haymitch sneers.

We both suddenly move away from each other, blushing slightly but also giggling at the humiliation. We slip our hands into the other's and then sit up.

"Peeta's staying here to get ready because he can't move far and Katniss will be going down to Cinna's room," Haymitch continues to explain.

I nod then turn back to Peeta. "See you in a bit then, I guess."

"Yeah," he agrees. I go to stand up but he squeezes my hand before I've let go. "Katniss, you look really beautiful already today."

I smile and quickly kiss his lips before I let go of his hands, walking past Haymitch to begin my walk to Cinna's room.

As I nearly reach there, I hear Haymitch advising, "Save the affection for the cameras or at least in private when I don't have to interrupt, sweetheart."

I raise an eyebrow as I turn around. "These people aren't the same as the ones in the Capitol. They're not still lapping up the story of the star crossed lovers from District Twelve. I highly doubt they even know who the star crossed lovers are. And, anyway," I add as I turn back around when I reach the room, "we never said you had to interrupt us."

He doesn't have time for a comeback before I walk into Cinna's room. I quickly jump onto the worktop and cross my legs in front of me, just as I did yesterday.

After a few minutes when he's finished his work, Cinna looks up and says, "I was just adding something to your outfit."

I groan. "Please say it's not fire."

"No, it's not fire," he promises. "You'll see later on."

I smile. "What am I meant to be doing now exactly?"

"Your team will be preparing you for the relay," he replies as if it's an obvious fact.

"Oh." I run my hand through my hair. "I thought that I'd be allowed to be like all the other runners and just look like an average athlete."

"No. It's the first Olympic Games in a long time and you're the last runner. The President wanted it to end with a bang." At the sight of my face, he adds, "There aren't explosives either. We don't want to blow up our best chance of a medal."

"That's a relief," I admit, allowing a brief sigh of relief to pass through my lips.

"But we do need to start soon because your team need their time," he points out.

"Okay, Cinna. I'm following you," I mutter, jumping off the worktop and then walking behind him to meet my team for the first time in a while.

When my team have finished, I understand why Cinna said my outfit wouldn't be on fire. I look like I'm on fire already.

My dark hair has been twisted around my head to make a crown. It has then been sprayed with gold, red and orange so it looks like fire however the light catches it. My grey eyes have been decorated by a smoky silver-black eye shadow with black eyeliner for added effect. The top and the leggings I wear are once again fire coloured.

"It looks amazing Cinna," I compliment his hard work. "Is Peeta's similar?"

"That's where the problem is," sighs Haymitch from the doorframe. My head turns around because I didn't notice him enter the room. "The doctors checked him over and they said that he can't run with the torch-"

"He can walk with it then, I don't care," I interrupt, scrunching the sides of my shirt in my clenched fists.

"The doctors said he needs to rest-" he tries to continue.

"I'll support him over there," I argue, cutting him off once again. I can see his face getting angrier as I carry on speaking but I don't stop. "He promised he wouldn't leave me to do this on my own and my agreement was that I'd carry the torch with him."

"Sweetheart," he attempts to say calmly, "we don't have a choice over the matter."

"You do. You're just trying to get me to run it alone!" I shout. "Well I won't!" I push past everyone in the room and out of the door, annoyed at how they are forcing me to do things.

I begin to run up the stairs to my room before I hear Finnick call, "He's not in there."

I spin around. "What?" I snap.

"Peeta's not in your room," he explains. "He's down in the hospital. But he wanted me to tell you that he's looking forward to see you run with it."

I groan and slide onto the floor, head in my hands. "I stormed out of the room, refusing to do it without him though."

He sits down next to me and puts an arm around me. "I know, I heard."

I laugh, "I suppose I probably was pretty loud."

He nods. "Yeah. Will you run it for him though, please?"

"I don't want to," I reply, not looking up.

"Do you know who the only other person eligible to run with it is?" he questions. I shake my head so he leans towards my ear. "Gale Hawthorne."

My head snaps up and I quickly stand. "I don't know why you said not to do it, Finnick. This is the best opportunity ever-"

As he stands, he pushes a finger to my lips. "Whatever, Katniss. Just go and show them what you need to."

I hold the final golden torch in my hands as I watch the runner before me on the screen. When they come near enough for me to see them with my own eyes, I take a deep breath preparing myself.

When my torch is finally burning, I run into the Olympic stadium, the cheers deafening me. As I run along, I look around and smile. Okay, it's not as humiliating as I originally thought.

I climb to the top of the steps to where the flame will be put as I voice announces, "The Games will start as soon as the flame has grown."

As I reach the cauldron, my smile grows even bigger before I put the torch in, the flames soon large enough to engulf me. I look down, expecting for my clothes to catch alight too.

Then I feel familiar hands against my shoulders as a voice whispers to me with the whole audience listening, "Careful, girl on fire, we don't want it to become reality."

I laugh as I turn around to face Peeta, standing perfectly fine without any assistance. "I knew the act was as fake as your leg."

He smiles as he lifts my chin and begins to brush down my outfit, keeping my eyes trained on him. "We never did it properly last time. Let's hope that it's second time lucky."

He lets go of my chin and I look down to see that my outfit has turned completely white.

When I look back to him, he's down on one knee with a box in his hands, asking the question, "Miss Everdeen, will you marry me?"

In answer, I push my lips to his and he spins me around, his arms around my back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Olympic Games have now begun. And may the odds be ever in your favour."