Disclaimer:I do not own the Hunger Games. All characters are the property of Suzanne Collins. The original plot is my own and used for entertainment only. No profit is made from my writing.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I work a lot and can only write in the evenings so I can't promis I will always update in a timely fashion!

Peeta and I reach the victors village just as Effie and my prep team enter my house. I roll my eyes and take his hand. He squeezes my hand and opens the door. Octavia embraces me so tightly that I can barely breathe. She talks a mile a minute about how our wedding is the talk of the capitol and how honored she is to be a small part of it. By the time she's finished she's in tears. I can't help but smile. They are in complete ignorance about everything. They somehow make this whole thing bearable. As they go to work, plucking, waxing and brushing my hair until it is smooth and shiny. As Venia picks up my hands she sighs.

"Couldn't you have left me something to work with?" she scolds and she goes to work on my rough edged nails. I shrug my shoulders and think back to the woods earlier today. Everything was perfect. It was just everything I needed to remind myself that the Capitol does not own me. They can have their big fancy wedding, but I did it my way. I must show the jot on my face because my prep team stops what they are doing and stare in disbelief at my grin.

"You're smiling!" Flavius exclaims.

"I have to say this is much more appealing than the scowl. What brings this on? You usually sigh and roll your eyes the entire time. " Venia chimes in. I look up to them then catch Peeta peering through the doorway and he shakes his head. We can't tell them. We have to make sure this stays our secret. I know technically we aren't married but we feel it. I know he wants to hold on to it for just a little while longer. I don't blame him. I look back up to Venia, whose waiting for my reply.

"Oh, well I was just thinking about how the garden is looking. Prim has done a wonderful job with it." I say. I am a terrible liar, I know it but the answer seems to be enough for them and they go back to work. Finally they are finished and I'm put into the first of my wedding dresses. It's beyond gorgeous and no doubt designed by Cinna himself. The camera crew takes in every detail, from the expression on my face when I look into the mirror, to my hands tracing the intricate designs in the lace. I'm in utter awe of the dress. I hear Octavia sniffle in a corner and grin. Too bad Peeta has been ushered away. He would love to see this. They say it's bad luck or something for him to see me before the wedding. After a few shots of me twirling and sticking my nose into a bouquet of red and orange roses, which makes me want to gag right there, I'm put into another dress and the sequence starts again. There are a total of four dresses, each one more beautiful than the next. How could I ever decide?

"I don't know which to pick!" I say, overwhelmed.

"Oh you didn't know? President Snow has made the public part of the wedding and has put a poll up on which dress you will wear. You won't know until the wedding." Octavia tells me as she unbuttons the gazillion buttons on the final dress. I turn around to her, anger filling me from head to toe.

"What? I don't even get to choose my own dress? It's my wedding!" I say, stamping my foot like the child I am.

"It's to make the people feel part of your special day, sweetheart." Haymitch says from the front door. I catch the look in his eye telling me to cool it. Fine I'll let Snow have his little wedding. Octavia stand a few feet from me. I've scared her.

"I'm sorry, Octavia. I just thought that it was unfair for me to not choose my own dress. I mean how many times does a girl get married?" I say with a shrug. Her green skins brightens and she comes back to help me out of the dress.

"It's okay. I understand why you would get upset, but think you get to have the wedding of the century!" she squeals. I force a smile and look to Haymitch, who nods in approval.

After getting my final comments on each of the dresses, my team bids me goodbye and leave for the capitol. I finally collapse onto the couch and just stare up at the bare ceiling of my house. I release a huge breath that I feel like I've been holding for the past 3 hours.

"You did good, sweetheart. Let's hope those giddy girl moments convince Snow that you are into this." Haymitch says, taking a seat next to me. He reeks. I purposely move further from him to avoid the smell.

"Thanks for compliment." I say, rolling my eyes. I fold my arms across my chest and sigh.

"Where's lover boy?" he asks.

"They made him leave. It's bad luck or something." I say with a shrug and close my eyes.

"Ah, Stupid capitol traditions." He says and then gets up to leave.

"Hey Haymitch!" I call after him. He turns around to face me.

"Take a shower." I say and grin. I hear him grumble something and then the door shut behind him. I get up and leave the house through my back window. I really don't want to run into Haymtch. Peeta is just where I thought he would be. He's just at the edge of the square, under a willow tree. He is drawing again. This tree always seems to calm him and he paints his most beautiful portraits. He sees me before I can even make a move to him. He gently places the drawing pad on the soft grass and meets me halfway. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him softly. As the kiss ends, he picks me up in his strong arms and twirls me around.

"Peeta, put me down!" I say. He immediately puts me down but I can't help smile.

"It was so hard not to just yell to them that I married you." He says and crosses behind me. He places his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Me too. I don't even want the wedding."

"I know." He replies. We go back to his tree and he shows me the recent painting. I gasp. It's me in the first dress. I'm tracing the lace with my fingers and my face shows complete adoration.

"I should have known you were watching!" I say, shoving him slightly.

"You know me well. I couldn't help myself. When I saw you in this dress I couldn't bring myself to even look at the other dresses. That was it. Your face when you saw yourself was enough for me. I know that whatever dress is chosen, I'll be seeing you in this one." He explains.

"It was by far my favorite, so simple but so elegant. If I could choose, this would be it." I tell him. He nods and goes back to finishing the drawing. I tuck my feet up under my legs, like I did for our victor interviews after the games and lean into him as he draws. I don't know how much time goes but the air turns cold and the sunlight fade.

"Katniss! Come home! They are showing the dresses!" I hear Prim yell. I get up and kiss Peeta softly.

"I'll see you after?" I ask.

"Always." He touches the end of my braid, as he did in the games and then turns to go to his house.

I enter the house just at the Capitol seal comes on the screen. We all watch as I spin and twirl in the dresses. Prim is so excited and comments on each of the dresses. How my hair looks with the first or the way she doesn't like the way a dress hangs off my shoulder with the third. Just as the show ends, the anthem plays signaling a message from Snow himself. I think it's just the announcement to remind the citizens of Panem to vote on their favorite dress but I'm mistaken.

"Citizens of Panem. As you all know this year will bring the 75th Annual Hunger Games, making it a Quarter Quell. The rules for each district to send one boy and one girl to serve as tributes are slightly changed. This year the reaping of the tributes will be from the pool of existing victors in each district. Thank you and as always, May the odds be ever in your favor!"

The seal shows one more time and the screen goes blank. The thought registers for only one second before I hear Prim cry out. Existing victors, one male, one female. I'm going back. The thought barely registers and I cry out.

"Peeta!"