Author's Note: If you've reading my other story, I Volunteer, I will update that soon but I need to write the chapter first and I had this idea before so I wrote this instead. I will be updating this one whenever I get ideas for it.

If you're a bit unsure about who's alive now, I've provided a bit of a explanation in this chapter but, if you're still confused, let me know in a review or PM me.

Thanks for the review for the last one and I hope that people like this chapter too. So read, enjoy and review! :)

The Olympic Games

Chapter Three- The Opening Ceremony

(Katniss)

As I feel a warmth other than Peeta's arms around me, I open my eyes and look down at my outfit to see changed again. My top has grown longer into a white dress which gradually turns orange towards the bottom where it is covered in sown on flames; I see why Cinna didn't want me to wear running shoes now because they would have ruined the outfit. His outfits never fail to amaze me and I am left wondering how he made it work.

Then I look up and my grey eyes meet Peeta's amazing blue ones. I smile as I run my hand through his blonde hair and scan my eyes over his handsome face, which looks the happiest I have seen it in a long time. His strong body is dressed into a sunset orange suit with a dark red tie. How did I resist him when I was younger?

I quickly kiss his lips again as I wrap my arms around his neck and say, "Don't let me burn, Peeta."

"You're already dangerously hot already," he laughs at me, also looking over me and my outfit.

He runs his thumb over my lips before he picks me up and I put my legs around his waist so he can't drop me. He carries me down the steps and out of the view of all the crowds. He then puts me down but I keep my arms around him and my face buried in his chest.

He rubs my back for a few moments before he asks, "Do you want to wear the ring now?"

I look up and nod, smiling. I watch as he lifts the ring out of the box and slips it onto my finger. I look carefully at it and whisper, "It's beautiful."

The ring consists of a large green jewel in the centre which is surrounded by five smaller orange ones. I love green. He loves orange. He's loved me since he was five.

"Why did you propose again?" I finally question after a few minutes when I look back up to his face to him smiling down at me.

"The first time was fake," he answers. "We had no choice but to do it. And you didn't really want to marry me then but I hope you do now and you weren't just saying it to make me feel better-"

"Sssh," I cut him off as I push a finger to his lips, "of course I love you."

He looks relieved and sighs contentedly. "But, also, so much else has happened since then. There was the Quarter Quell. I went to the Capitol and got tortured. I was made to believe that you were evil and I hated you for everything. Despite my feelings, we both helped with the rebellion and won. They had the Capitol Hunger Games for some time but now we have the Olympic Games. But I'm still hurting you, Katniss. Don't try and hide it from me because I know it-"

I cut him off again when I push my lips to his and back him into a wall so he can't physically hurt me. I know that he's going to get a flashback soon and I'm going to try and be there to tell him it'll be okay. He puts his hands on my shoulders and grips them tightly as I know all the memories are hitting him hard.

After a few moments, he relaxes again and pulls me closer to him, muttering, "Thank you," before he kisses me once more.

"Public appearance, kids," mutters Haymitch from behind me.

I step away from Peeta and turn to face Haymitch before Peeta grabs my waist and pulls me back into his chest. I laugh at him and put my hands on his arms as he kisses the top of my head.

"What about public appearances?" asks Peeta, still pleased with me.

"I told Katniss earlier to save your affection for the crowds or at least for somewhere private," Haymitch explains.

"The crowds don't like the star crossed lovers," Peeta begins the same argument as my earlier one.

"Yeah, so I've heard," Haymitch agrees. "You obviously didn't hear them just now?"

"What happened?" Peeta presses as I stare at Haymitch.

"Well," he thinks, "they cheered when Peeta got down on one knee, they went mad when Katniss kissed him as her reply and they were all really disappointed when they both left. Hmmm, no, nothing that pointed to the crowds liking the star crossed lovers."

I sigh and run my hand along Peeta's arm. "I don't want this to be a repeat of the Capitol," I admit.

"I won't let it," Peeta tries to reassure me, no doubt thinking that he doesn't want to be tortured again.

"I'll be interested to see that plan when all the interviews begin, talking to you two about your wedding and kids," Haymitch reasons.

I groan as Peeta says, "They've never shown interest in us before."

"That's because they've never had reason to show interest," Haymitch tells us. "But they have treated you better than most. Just take the time since the announcement for these Games for example. You straight away got the best place in the best hotel. You've had archery training rooms and bakeries built especially for you. You've been in every meeting concerning this. You got the torch. They love the pair of you whether or not you believe it."

I close my eyes and rest my head back against Peeta's chest. He rests his chin on my forehead as he argues, "That doesn't mean that they love us, just maybe that they treat us well."

"If you wish to believe that then do but don't come running to me if it changes," Haymitch warns.

I hear him walk away before I open my eyes and look up to Peeta. "Do you think he's right?"

"I don't know, Katniss, but I'll keep you safe whatever happens so don't worry," he replies. "For now though, do you want to see some more of the ceremony?"

I nod before Peeta takes hold of my hand and we slowly make our way around to the area where many others that we know are seated to watch.

When we reach there, I whisper to Peeta, "Can we stay at the back so few people notice our presence?"

This time, Peeta nods silently as he sits down. I reposition myself onto his lap as he wraps his arms around me so I can lean against him.

For a few minutes, we manage to stay in silence until Finnick jokes, "I assume that the new couple are enjoying each other in private."

"Well actually, the last I saw of them was that they were enjoying each other quite openly," Haymitch answers.

They both laugh and I stare open-mouthed at them. I feel Peeta tense up and I spin around, clamping my hand over his mouth. He struggles for a moment until I see the panic in his eyes die down and feel him relax. I move my hand and he sighs.

I turn back to lean against his chest again before he calls, "Really, Finnick?"

I groan and cover my face with my hands as Finnick and Haymitch turn around to face me on Peeta's lap.

"Finally decided to join us, lovebirds?" laughs Finnick, leaning back in his chair.

I move my hands away and look towards him. "Don't feel too privileged though," I reply, "because I only came here to see the ceremony."

"Of course," he agrees. "Or was it just that you weren't allowed to be together alone?"

I glare at him but push Peeta down beneath me, not allowing him to try and fight. Finnick smirks and gradually turns back around to face forward.

Peeta leans toward my ear as he holds onto my hand. "Are you sure you want to be here still?"

"If you feel awkward, Peeta, we can go," I reassure him.

He nods slowly and we silently stand up, walking out of the area. He holds my hand tightly as we walk towards a box we both know will be free.

As he shuts the door behind us, he wraps his arms around my waist and apologises, "I'm sorry, Katniss. I just hate it when they laugh at us."

"Don't worry about it," I say, stroking the side of his face. "I'm just surprised that you sometimes feel awkward after we've all been through."

"Yeah," he sighs.

We sit down together and watch as the different honours for the ceremony perform. Dancing, singing and acting. It's so much better than I was expecting. My eyes stray back over to the huge flame in the back of the stadium.

"Everything's beautiful today, Katniss," whispers Peeta.

When I turn around to see him looking at me, I know he's saying it about me and not just the ceremony in front of us. I smile and he leans towards me because I know he wants to kiss me.

I don't stop him until a voice booms, "And the new couple, the star crossed lovers are giving us their own performance."

My eyes open wide as I see an image of the two of us next to each other projected onto a screen. My cheeks turn as red as the flames on my dress and I look to Peeta. He also looks shocked and confused, his eyes scared. He's debating whether or not to play the crowds like Haymitch said they wanted. He finally decides not to and slips his hand into mine, laughing because he knows that it's not what the crowds wanted.

A sigh of disappointment greets his decision but I smile in relief instead.

When the attention turns away from us, I quickly kiss his cheek. "I love you, Peeta."

He smiles at the comment. "And you know just what I think of you." A few minutes later he adds, "Are you ready for the parade?"

"There's a parade?" I groan.

"You didn't know?" he asks.

"No," I reply. "I thought it wasn't going to be like the Hunger Games."

"It's not. The parade is just to see the athletes," he begins.

"Just as the parade in the Capitol is to the tributes," I finish.

"No, that parade was merely for entertainment purposes," he corrects.

"Peeta, it seems as if our love is only for entertainment still," I complain.

"Yeah, but you don't love me only to buy support anymore, do you?" he questions.

In answer, I move his hand to the ring he gave me. He looks at it but I lift his chin and kiss his lips before we leave the view of everyone. He chuckles slightly as we walk down to where all the athletes are, our hands still clasped together.

When we enter the waiting room, I recognise most people from fleeting meets in the past. From Peeta's face, I know he recognises them too. After a pause when I study his face, I lead him back out of the room and press his back against a wall.

I drop his hand and hold onto the sides of his face, instructing him, "Breathe. Slow breaths." I watch him as his eyes nearly become black and he grips tightly onto my wrists. "It's okay, Peeta. What you're seeing isn't real. Just try and remember what you know actually happened."

"But- Katniss," he stammers, the grip on my wrists still tight.

"Sssh," I whisper, "it's alright, sweet. Nothing's going to happen to us." I rest my forehead against his and close my eyes. "I promise to look after you."

His grip loosens and I feel him move towards my shoulders. I don't open my eyes but I push his hands away and hold onto them, knowing he wants to kill me.

"Just relax," I hear myself pleading. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

The tension in his body lessens but I still don't move. This is bad and he needs time.

"You've left us again, girl on fire," laughs Finnick from the doorway as he watches me. "Trying to spend time together, are you?"

I curse his interruption. "Please go away. He doesn't need this now."

I know that Peeta's tensing up again so I put my hands on his cheeks and open my eyes to see him staring at Finnick.

"Finnick, leave," I beg, keeping my eyes on Peeta. I try to get him to face me but he refuses to move.

"You've hurt people, Finnick," Peeta begins to say. "You nearly killed Katniss. I know I often hate her but you tried to kill her for no reason."

"Peeta," I complain, the panic creeping into my voice.

I attempt to move in front of his line of sight so he can't see the man anymore but he pushes me away, muttering, "I won't let him hurt you again. Not when you're in the state you are in."

Finnick sniggers, "Yeah, you're in a right state."

"Leave her be, Finnick," Peeta growls. "She is like this because she's pregnant."

At this, I slam Peeta against the wall, my arm pinning him back. "I am not pregnant, Peeta Mellark!" I shout at him, despite the fact that I know it's not really him talking.

"You could be after the amount of time you spend together," laughs Haymitch, my outburst having attracted a crowd.

I ignore him as I drag Peeta down the corridor to where it's quiet. "Shut your eyes," I whisper gently, stroking his face. "Forget everything you're thinking of and just listen to me," I instruct.

He does as I say and I smile in relief as I watch his breath slow down when he begins to calm down and overlook his thoughts.

"All those people are there for the Olympic Games, the Games which have replaced the Hunger Games after we won the rebellion," I begin to explain. "Some bring back bad memories from the past because they did bad things. Some bring back bad memories because you've had false images planted in your head. There are many there who died in the rebellion or the Games because the President found a Capitol potion which could bring the dead back to life. Some hated this idea but others thought it sounded great. Many who objected were the ones who were dead. Tonight is the night when the first Olympic Games in many years will start and you're going to be standing through by side throughout the awful parade." I finish and wait in silence for him to finally come back to the normal boy that I thought I knew so well.

After what feels like forever, his eyes open to reveal the pure sky blue eyes that I have come to love. He nods. "Yes, Katniss. I remember now."

He puts his arms around me and I sigh in relief. "I'm so glad because, for a while, I thought I'd really lost you there."

He shakes his head. "Now then, are we going to that parade or not?"

"Yes we are," I agree, lifting my head from his shoulder.

We lock our hands together as we back to the waiting room for a final time and I can't help but pray that he doesn't forget it all again.

Merely out of interest, did you guys watch the actual ceremony last night? I did and it was so much better than I expected it to be! ;)