Author's Note: I probably won't be posting my next chapter until next week. It's getting harder and harder to write this story now! REVIEW! oh that's why! No one is reviewing! SO REVIEW NOW! R&R!

Chapter 3: The Victory Tour

I've been dreading this day. Today Katniss has to go on the Victory Tour. It's planned in between the annual Hunger Games so that the horror everyone in the Districts is fresh and new. Even though it's been a while since I kissed Katniss in the woods but I can still feel her lips pressed against mine. I barely notice the soot that comes off onto my clothes while I am pounding away. I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't even notice when the day is over. When I get home, I see my mother, Rory, and Posy sitting at the table waiting for me as always. I ask, "Where's Vick?" Suddenly Vick comes in from our room and says, "I'm here." I nod and I sit down. I ask my mother, "What are we having tonight?" She points towards the beaver stew. Katniss still gives my family the daily haul. I tried to protest but she insisted that she had nothing to do all day so she wanted to. I knew it was true that she probably didn't have anything to do all day and that she wanted to hunt because the woods were her favorite place like me. I gobble down the beaver meat and slurp the stew, then I go outside.

I plan on going to the woods today. I know it's Monday but I really need the fresh air right now. I can't stand watching Katniss and Peeta making kissing faces at each other right now so I head out. I walk to Katniss and my meeting spot. I sit there for a while and let the fresh air fill my lungs. I think I fall asleep because when I open my eyes, the sun is already down. I hop up and sprint to the fence. Then I slip under and run home. When I get home, I am completely out of breath. My mother and Rory are cleaning up the last dish when the TV starts blinking. We turn it on and I see the Justice Building in District 11. Katniss is wearing a nice dress and her arm is locked around Peeta's arm. They walk up and the mayor of District 11 says a long speech. Then Peeta says something about how he respected Thresh and how Rue really had a bond with Katniss. Peeta then hesitates and says that he was going to give Thresh and Rue's family each a month of Katniss and his' tribute winnings. What? I see everyone else is as astonished as I am. Katniss kisses him and then the mayor takes over. Was what Peeta did even legal? I hated him so much and everyone said that Peeta had helped Katniss in the arena but all he did was make her risk her life for him and get hurt. I refocus on the TV and see that Katniss is slightly troubled. I wonder what it is when she suddenly says that she wants to give a speech in honor of Rue and Thresh. She talks about how she barely knew Thresh but he had given her mercy on her life. She also talks about Rue. I remember watching Katniss cover Rue up in flowers and singing. Her voice was so beautiful, just like her father's. I had never heard Katniss sing before then.

Soon Katniss' speech is over and I see an old man whistle an oddly familiar tune. Then I remember. It was the one that Rue was supposed to use to signal that she was safe. Everyone in the Justice Building repeats the 4 note tune. It reminded me of the moment when Katniss had been on the stage and everyone was supposed to clap for her. Instead, everyone had given the District 12 goodbye. The one that signaled admiration and respect and love. Then I see everyone in District 11 press they're 3 middle fingers to their lips and then extend it. The District 12 goodbye. They show Katniss and Peeta walking away when I hear a gunshot. Then they cut it off and the TV screen is black. Katniss! Is she alright? I grip on the table hard and I pray that she isn't hurt. I go into Rory, Vick, and my room and I climb into the bed. I pray with all my heart that Katniss is alright. If she isn't, I will personally go to District 11 and kill all of the peacekeepers. I close my eyes and think of anything besides Katniss. I can't help it though. Her beautiful face and her beautiful voice keep appearing in my head. I smile and think of that day in the woods when she taught me how to swim and took me to the lake that was her and her father's private spot. It made me feel as if I was included in her personal world. That she could trust me even with her most private places. I fall asleep and I dream the most horrible dream in the world.

Katniss and Peeta are walking down the streets of District 11. Then a peacekeeper walks over and grabs Katniss. She is pulled by her hair and taken to the Capitol. There, they throw her back into the Games. This time though, the tributes were all peacekeepers. One of the peacekeepers hold Katniss down. Another uses a knife and traces the tip over her face. Then they stick it in her stomach. Katniss' body immediately goes limp. I scream and run towards her. I'm too late. Then I kiss her on her cheek.

Suddenly, I wake up. It's almost dawn. Rory is smiling in his sleep. At least he had sweet dreams tonight. He starts mumbling uncomprehend able words. I slowly get up and get dressed. Today it isn't mandatory to go to the mines. Everyone must watch the second day of the Victory Tour. We won't have to go to the mines for a week. It is optional but no one would want to go to the mines if we weren't forced to. The Victory Tour comes on in another 3 hours so I decide to stop by the woods. I grab my jacket which is made out of deerskin and run outside. When I almost reach the fence, I catch the eye of someone I really don't want to talk to. The only problem is that she won't get my hint and go on and on about how amazing she is. It was Gloxinia.

I try to avoid her and not look at her but she still manages to squeeze past the people in between us. She smiles at me like we're best friends and slips one of her arms into mine so that they're interlocking. I free myself from her grip and look her straight in the eye. "What do you want?" I snap. She replies, unaware of the hostility in my voice, "Oh nothing much. I just wanted to see if you were alright with Katniss in love with Peeta and all." Then she flashes me an innocent smile. I despise her so much. She used to be just an annoying girl who wouldn't leave me alone, but now she was a girl who reminded me more of why I was in so much pain. Because Katniss loves Peeta and not me. I say, "Oh it's alright because Katniss and I are just best friends after all." I regret saying it the instance those words leave my mouth. Gloxinia smiles brightly and says, "Oh that's great then! Well I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to the bakery to buy a cake for my mother's birthday." Oh that was right, Gloxinia's family was one of the richer families in District 12. I study her face and this is when I first notice that her hair is a very light brown and she has blue eyes. I say, "No thanks." Gloxinia says quickly, "Oh but it'll only be a few minutes." I say angrily, "No. I already said no. Why can't you just accept that?" Gloxinia is completely oblivious to the animosity in my voice and puts her hand on my arm, "Oh Gale," she sighs exasperatedly and continues, "Why can't you see that we are meant to be?" I respond flatly, "No we are not." Then I jerk my arm away from her hand. "Go away." I say sharply. Gloxinia frowns and says, "Fine. But you'll see that being alone isn't much fun." Then she struts along in a confident manner.

I slip under the fence and run towards the lake that Katniss showed me so many years ago. When I arrive, I'm completely out of breath. I go in and swim around with easy strokes. I remember that it took Katniss the whole day to teach me how to swim but she wouldn't give up. I use my toes to pull at some plant on the bottom of the lake. I pick it up with my hand and examine it. It's a… katniss. Is this a sign? I swim down to the bottom and gather lots of katniss. Then I resurface and I remember how Katniss told me that the plant katniss is edible. I decide that I'll just give my mother lots of katniss for dinner tonight.

I'm heading back towards my house. My hair is still wet from the lake. I make it home just as the TV turns on. Posy's eyes are already glued to the television. She starts laughing when Katniss' face comes on. She giggles and says, "Katniss! Katniss!" I smile when I see Katniss. She's not harmed. I am filled with relief. Just her face can cheer me up. Katniss seems disturbed though. She suddenly pales a lot. What's wrong? I hear the mayor ask her what the matter is. She smiles weakly and says she ate too much. I laugh because for a second I thought the Capitol or Peacekeepers had hurt her.

I watch as the mayor of District 10 gives Katniss and Peeta a medal and a few bony children hand them a bouquet of flowers. I notice Katniss pat one of them on the head and shakes all of their hands. You would have to be watching as intently as I was to notice Katniss slip a golden coin into each of the children's hands. I smile. That's the Katniss that I love; along with her fiery, stubborn self. I'm so focused on the TV that I don't notice the door open. I faintly hear my mother say, "Oh hello." Then I hear an oddly familiar voice.

I walk towards the door to see who it is and I freeze when I see it's Madge. It isn't Madge that makes my heart skip a beat. It's what she's holding.

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