A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! It's really nice to know that some people are actually enjoying this story. Disclaimer: Anything, anything, you recognize, I don't own. Please let me know what you guys think! I hope you're satisfied

It took Haymitch close to twenty minutes just to find the boy's room. After searching on his own to no avail, he went to Effie, hoping that she would be able to help him. He knocked on her door. Like Haymitch himself, Effie always had the same room on the train. The door opened a sliver, and Haymitch could see one eye peeking out.

"Effie, it's me. Do you know which room is Peeta's?" Haymitch asked the eye. Effie then slammed the door in his face.

"Effie! Effie, come on. Where's the boy's room?" Haymitch said through the door.

"I'm not talking to you," Effie sniffed on the other side. Haymitch hung his head. This wasn't the first time that Effie had gotten upset with him.

"Aw hell, Effie. At least let me in so that I can sit down while you don't talk to me," Haymitch pleaded through the door. He knew he had to straighten this out before seeking out the boy. A few seconds later, Haymitch heard the door's multiple locks unlock. Taking that as his invitation, he walked into the room. Effie was sitting on the small couch. With her feet propped up, Haymitch knew he wasn't welcome beside of her, so he grabbed one of the small chairs in the corner of the room and moved to sit directly in front of the pouting woman. Before making the first move, Haymitch took a moment to look at the woman. All of her makeup had been scrubbed off of her face, her hair was wet and tangled, and she was wearing a simple robe. Haymitch realized just how pretty Effie really was.

"So, Effie, what's the deal? Why're you sitting in here by yourself, pouting?"

"You heard what that ungrateful child said to me,"

"She's not a child—"

"Yeah, you would know,"

"Effie—"

"You were probably the one that took her childhood away from her,"

"Effie, I'm warning you—"

"I mean, I know men love to seduce young girls, but honestly, Haymitch, I never thought you of all people—"

Haymitch had had enough. It took half of a second for him to stand up from his chair. He stared down at Effie, who was looking wide-eyed up at him. He loomed over her.

"You listen to me, Effie. I've known you for several years, now. The fact that you would even think for a second that I—that I would 'seduce' her… is ridiculous and you know it."

"Haymitch, I—"

"No, you don't get to talk yet. Katniss is not a fling, she is not a conquest, and she is not another notch in my headboard, despite what you think. Now, I don't know what your problem is… it cannot simply be because of what she said earlier. Hell, I've called worse things thousands of times. So what is it? We've got to come to some sort of an understanding before we get to the Capitol, before the cameras start rolling. I'm already going to have to do some damage control because of my outburst, but I don't need people seeing the District 12 escort barely on speaking terms with half of the team!"

After a few moments of dead silence and of Haymitch still staring down at her, Effie finally spoke up, "Oh, am I allowed to speak?" she asked, feeling self-righteous.

"Effie, don't push me," Haymitch warned.

"Haymitch, I don't agree with it. She's too young for you, and you're too old for her, it's wrong."

"That's your opinion, Effie—"

"It's also the opinion of like half of your district, Haymitch. I talked to some people after what happened at the reaping."

"If you knew about it, then why did you act so surprised to see her in my room?"

"Because I thought that you would have the decency to act professional, and I thought that you would stop all of this foolishness because she's going into the Games."

"She's not just going in, Effie, she's coming out too."

Effie laughed, "Oh Haymitch, you and I both know that the chances of that happening are just as slim this year as they always are. You have seen the tributes from the other districts, yes? They're practically gladiators."

"Where's the boy's room?"

"What? You don't want to talk anymore?"

"Just tell me where he's at,"

"Why?"

"I need to talk to him and explain how the training is going to go, starting tomorrow." At this, Effie looked genuinely surprised.

"I thought you were just going to let him flounder. After all, it'd be one less tribute for Katniss to have to deal with."

"Effie, we'll talk about Peeta and about Katniss and I, tomorrow. Just tell me where his room is." Perhaps it was the change in Haymitch's tone that told Effie that she needed to just answer his question.

"He's two doors down on the left." With that, Haymitch was gone.

Haymitch quickly found the boy's room. He knocked on the door and waited. He heard nothing to the other side.

"Peeta?" He called through the door. Still nothing. "Peeta, come on, it's me, Haymitch. Open the door." He heard movement on the other side of the door, and then there was a loud thud against the door. "Peeta, as your mentor, I demand that you open this door. Now." He heard some shuffling from the other side and then heard the door unlock. It was the second time tonight that he had been begrudgingly let into a room. He wanted this to be over so that he could go back to Katniss' room. He knew there wouldn't be anything begrudging about being let into that room. Peeta was sitting on his bed, still fully dressed from dinner. The kid even had his shoes still on.

"Hey, kid. How's it going?" Haymitch leaned against the doorframe. Peeta said nothing in response and just glared at him. Haymitch dropped his head and sighed in defeat. He walked over and sat himself beside Peeta on the bed. "Listen… you were absolutely right about what you said at dinner. I'm not going to try and defend myself, but I am going to explain myself, and I'm just hoping that maybe you'll understand, at least a little, where I was coming from."

"Peeta, I've loved her for the better part of two years. She… she saved me. You're not too young to remember how I used to be. Permanently drunk, the district laughingstock, the shepherd of dozens of children to their deaths… you know? And then, one day in the bakery, your father's bakery, I saw this girl being pummeled by your mother with a broom. The girl had been trying to steal a loaf of bread and had gotten caught. When I realized who the girl was, Katniss, I stepped in to pay for the bread. I had heard rumors that this girl actually left the district to hunt. So, I… well basically I blackmailed her into taking me hunting with her." Haymitch laughed. "I remember how awed I was by her… personality. She told me she wanted me to be ready and sober the next morning. So demanding, it was great."

"I—" Peeta started to say something, but clamped his mouth shut.

"You remember that day, don't you? I remember you being there."

"Yeah, I remember that day, and my mother had been 'pummeling' her for a while before you got there. It was bad, but Katniss never said a word. Never cried. Never asked her to stop. I tried to make my mom stop, but she wouldn't listen to me. Kids had been stealing our bread all week—not Katniss, other kids—and when my mom caught her trying to steal that loaf, she kind of lost it. I was just glad you stepped in… please finish your story."

"Well, after our first hunting trip, she continued to invite me out, and I continued to accept. I was just so nice to get out of the district for a little while, even if it was just to go to the woods. It was nice to be with someone who didn't pressure me into making idle chit-chat. I mean, don't get me wrong, we talked… we just talked about things that mattered. Peeta, she wasn't supposed to ever be here on this train. She wasn't supposed to be reaped… and she wouldn't have been if Prim's name hadn't gotten picked. She would have been free after this reaping. It was her last one. We had so many plans; plans that might not ever happen now."

"Like what?"

"What?"

"What plans did you have?"

"She was going to move in with me in the Village. We were going to… further… our relationship. We were… we were going to be happy. But now, that plan has gone straight to hell. I've got to find a way to prepare her for a situation that she is woefully unprepared for. I've got to figure out a way for to win." Peeta nodded his understanding. "But, Peeta, I'm not going to abandon you. I'm going to prepare you just like Katniss. I'm going to train you with Katniss. Neither of you will get an advantage. I swear, Peeta, you will be ready for the Games, and Katniss will be ready for the Games. I like you, kid. I hate that you're stuck in this situation too. I wish you could both win. I genuinely do, but I need you to know that if it comes down to you and Katniss… it'll be Katniss, every time."

"Haymitch… I understand… it's all right. I promise. Thank you for agreeing to train me, though. I just want a fighting chance. I know that I'm not going to win, but thanks for giving me a chance. So when do we start?" Peeta asked, sniffing away the unshed tears sitting heavily behind his eyes.

"We start tomorrow. See you at breakfast?"

"I'll be there." Peeta agreed. Haymitch patted him on the back and stood up. He walked toward the door. Before walking out, he turned back,

"Maybe we can all get through a meal without any of us running out,"

"I wouldn't count on it. Effie is pretty pissed at you," Peeta laughed. Haymitch smiled.

"Effie's always pissed at me, kid." With that, Haymitch walked down the hall back towards Katniss' room. When he reached the door, he knocked. Katniss opened the door and pulled him inside.

"Whoa, easy on the goods, sweetheart." Haymitch chuckled.

"What took you so long?" Katniss asked as she got back into bed.

"I had to talk to Effie first. We… got some stuff out into the open. Then I went and talked to the boy, like you wanted me to. The two of us also got some stuff out into the open, and we've reached an understanding. We start everyone's training tomorrow at breakfast."

Haymitch got into bed beside of Katniss, and she snuggled her way into his chest.

"Thank you, Haymitch." She whispered before kissing him. She then rested her head on his chest and quickly fell asleep.

"Just remember, sweetheart. It's all for you," he whispered to her unconscious ears. It was a long time before Haymitch fell asleep that night.