A/N: Sorry that I didn't update on Tuesday. I had a lot of homework and I had gotten a lunch detention for not doing it on time, stupid school! Anyways, this chapter may not be as long as chapter two but I hope you still enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I still don't own the Hunger Games.


Chapter Three: Teardrops and Goodbyes


"But there was a special kind of gift that came with embracing the chaos, even if I cursed most of the way. I'm convinced that, when everything is wiped blank, it's life 's way of forcing you to become acquainted with and aware of who you are now, who you can become. What is the fulfillment of your soul?" -Jennifer DeLucy


My eyes widen and I breath in a sharp gasp. It's like the whole world around me is falling apart. This can not be happening. I hear Prim start to wail even louder. I find Gale in the crowd and see the smallest flick of shock come across his face. It comes off as fast as it went on. His face sets with determination, but I know that it's not for him. He wants me to come home, but I'm not letting that happen. Whether he likes it or not.

The eighteen-year-olds surrounding Gale shuffle out of his way as he treks to the stage. His boots make a clomping noise as he stomps up the wooden stairs. My eyes follow him the whole time.

"I like these two!" Haymitch, District 12's only living victor, shouts. He won the 50th games, which was a quell, and he's been a drunkard ever since. He stumbles over to us, bottle in hand, and puts an arm around each of our shoulders. "Lots of...spunk!" he slurs. "More than you!" he points directly in front of him. He lets go of our shoulders and points directly to a camera. "More than you!" I think he's addressing the Capitol but I'll probably never know because he falls off the stage, making himself unconscious. Peacekeepers come over to Haymitch with a stretcher and they take him away.

The mayor begins the Treaty of Treason, trying to act unfazed at what just happened. I zone the mayor out and look down at my shoes, hoping that if I think hard enough that this will all turn out to be a horrible nightmare. It doesn't work. The mayor finishes the Treason and I look up.

"Shake hands," Effie gestures us.

I take a deep breath and walk to the center of the stage at the same time as Gale. I hold out my shaky hand and Gale takes a strong grip on it. He pulls me to him and holds me tight. I recuperate by flinging my arms around his neck. I can feel everybody's eyes on us. I bury my face into Gale's chest, trying to hide myself.

"It's gonna be okay," Gale whispers into my hair.

I shake my head. How can it be okay? "No it's not," I say in a shaky voice. I let a few tears escape my eyes.

Effie clears her throat and we part from each other. "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the tribute for this year's games, Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne!" This is where the district is supposed to clap. Except, no one does. They all kiss their three middle fingers and raise them to the sky. It isn't a sign to take lightly. We use it in District 12, usually for funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love.

A sob gets stuck in the middle of my throat on it's voyage. Peacekeepers come to escort us into separate rooms to say goodbye to our loved ones. They shove Gale into the room on the right and me into the left room.

The room immediately sickens me. The walls and couch are crimson red-the color of blood. Preparing us for what we're going to see soon. I think darkly. The walls are also edged with golden patterns that sparkle. They could keep a bunch of Seam families fed for several months. Yet, kids are out there starving to death. Damn Capitol.

The door bursts open and my mother and Prim enter. She runs into my open arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shh," I sooth her. "Prim, listen to me. Do not take out tesserae. You can sell cheese and milk from Lady and help mom with the small apothecary business. You have to be strong." She nods her head and slowly loosens her grip on me. I turn to my mother.

"You can't zone out again. You have to be there for Prim when she needs it and help her. You have to be strong too," I say steadily.

"I will," she says in a trembling voice. "I promise."

"Katniss?" Prim calls.

"Yeah, Little Duck?" I question. She pulls a glimmering object out of her pocket that I instantly recognize as the locket that I found at the lake.

"Will you take this with you?" she asks. She holds the piece of jewelry out to me.

"Sure," I agree. "But where did you get it?"

"I grabbed it off your pillow before we left," she answers innocently. "I was using it for good luck, but you need it now." I nod and take it out of her hand. Peacekeepers then come in to take them away. I shout I love you to them once again before the door slams shut.

Madge comes in next. She is the mayor's daughter and she's the same age as me. We're usually partners is school when we need them but we don't talk much, which is fine for both of us. She hurriedly takes the golden pin that is on her dress off and shoves it in my hand.

"Take this with you," she says.

"But Prim, she gave me a necklace," I state. She bites her bottom lip and her eyebrows crease together in thought. She sighs in defeat.

"Just take them both with you," she utters. "Please." I nod and put both the pin and necklace in my pocket. She gives me a hug before she strides out the door.

My next visitor is unexpected: Peeta Mellark. He strikes a memory.

*Flashback*

It was after my dad had died and before I decided to hunt in the woods. I was trying to sell some of Prim's old baby clothes, but nobody was willing to trade. It started to pour outside so I made the decision to look through the baker's trash cans. I just couldn't go home empty-handed. I reluctantly opened the lid and peeked in.

Then, I heard a shout. "Get out of here, you Seam rat!" The shout belonged to the baker's wife. I let go of the lid and it closed with a loud bang. I walked by their pig pen and leaned against an apple tree.

I had nothing to come home with. I was going to die in the rain. I was sure of it. Then, I heard a loud noise in the bakery. Peeta had two burnt loaves of bread in his large hands and a swollen eye. I assume from his mother.

"Feed it to the pigs!" she yelled at him. He ripped off a piece and threw it at the pigs. His eyes met mine and he looked back into the bakery, I suppose to see if his mother was watching him. He threw the rest of it to me and went back inside.

I never got to thank him for it - for saving me and my family. I was going to the next day, but decided against it. That day after he gave me the bread, I found a dandelion and it struck an idea - I was going to hunt to survive.

*End Flashback*

"What-what are you doing here?" I ask, dumbfounded. Now that I say it, it sounds rude. Oh well, I think. I'm being shipped off to my death anyways.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'll take care of your family and Gale's," he answers. Could he get any kinder?

"Okay," I nod my head. "Thanks."

"No problem," he rubs that back of his neck as if he's nervous. "Uh, Katniss?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"Okay, you might get mad about this, but I have to let you know. I-I've had a crush on you since we were five years-old. When you sang in front of the class and all the birds outside stopped signing to listen to you."

I'm dumbstruck. "I-I can't. I ju-just don't feel that way about you," I stutter.

"It's fine," Peeta says disappointedly. "I was expecting that." He smiles sadly and exits the room.

I sigh in frustration and plop down on the exquisite couch. Why does all of this have to happen to me? Why couldn't Effie's claws pick out different, damn slips!? Why did Peeta have to say that he likes me!? My head shouts.

Peacekeepers come in and take me to the car that will transfer me to the train station. It takes a short amount of time and I step out of the vehicle just to be bombarded with flashing lights. I look over to the left, trying to find Gale. I find him exiting his car, eyes immediately searching for me.

I walk over to him and latch his hand to mine. He offers me a weak smile that I return and we fight our way through the photographers. We arrive at the train's doors and walk in with a rush.

The train takes off and I stumble at the beginning. No surprise though. Going 250 miles per hour on a Capitol train is going to make you stumble a bit. When my feet are planted on the ground, I take in how fancy the train is. Beautiful furniture, shining, glass cups, superb (by the looks of it) food. Everything is remarkable-except that the Capitol owns it.

"This way to your rooms," Effie says. She sashays down the hall while Gale and I follow her.

She tops in front of a door that has a sign that says: DISTRICT TWELVE MALE TRIBUTE. She twists the golden knob and the door opens. We all walk in. The room is extraordinary. The bed could fit my mother, Prim, and me. It could even fit Gale's entire family.

Effie tells Gale that everything is at his disposal and to be at dinner in an hour. She and I leave the room and walk a few feet to a door. The sign plastered on it says: DISTRICT TWELVE FEMALE TRIBUTE. We walk in and my eyes scatter around the whole room. It's basically the same as Gale's but different clothes and such. Effie tells me the same things she told Gale and leaves me to clean up.

I decide to take a hot shower. I've never had a shower before and I've never had hot water in my bath, unless I boil it. I take off my mother's old dress and take the locket necklace and pin out of my pocket. I set them down by the sink and fold my mother's dress. I put it down on the other side of the sink.

I step into the shower to be greeted with a bunch of confusing buttons. I press one that I think turns the water on. Fortunately, it does turn it on. I press another button out of curiosity and soap squirts onto my head. I massage it into my hair and then rinse it out. I clean myself up thoroughly and step out. Thankfully, the water turns off by itself. Air blows out of the walls, drying me and untangling my hair.

I put a robe on and go over to the closet. Most of the clothes in it are bright and neon. I dig through until I come across a muted green shirt and pants. I take off the robe and dress myself.

I'm about to go to dinner when I remember the pin and necklace. I retrieve them and put the necklace in my pocket once again. I study the pin since I didn't have time to before. It's a mockingjay with an arrow and a ring around the bird.

During the first rebellion, the Capitol had created muttations or mutts for short. Jabberjays were one of them. They could mimic human speech, including a whole conversation and they were only male. They were supposed to help the Capitol, but the rebels fed them whole-hearted lies. When the Capitol found out they tried to eliminate all the jabberjays, but they failed. Jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds and then mockingjays were born.

I pin it onto my shirt, it's like my own little act of rebellion. I walk out the door and see Gale walking down the hallway.

"Gale!" I call. He turns his head my way and gives me a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. He stops walking.

"Hey, Catnip," he says when I catch up to him.

"Hi," I intertwine his fingers with mine and we head to dinner together, hopefully getting advice from Haymitch-if he's even conscious.