Hi, all thank you for taking the time to read the story. A big thanks to Savvylark for the inspiration and lovely banner, and to my beta who gave me the confidence to continue. It's really hard typing with one hand, and when I use talk to text, well I feel like I'm reading gibberish...lol

Finnick has his hands full, he has to be Katniss guardian and somehow get rid of Rye...but how can he do this without striking him with a bolt of lightning ...

PS...I Do not own the Hunger Games


Rye Mellark watched his brother openly stare at Katniss Everdeen his future bride as she passed by on the street. Peeta's shoulders deflated when she was out of sight. Rye shook his head if he had been paired with any other girl he wouldn't have any issue in getting married; however, Katniss was the one girl in the entire district Rye didn't want to be tied down with. She belonged with Peeta.

She was his brother's crush, the only girl Peeta showed any interest from a young age. For as far back as Rye can remember Peeta always sung Katniss virtues. Marrying Katniss broke every single bro-code known to mankind.

His problem was Katniss needed to get hitched, she hadn't been able to provide for her family in weeks, due to the forest fire. If he married her she could come to live here at the bakery and help her sister and mother.

He glanced at his brother sadly and wished there was a way to help Peeta. There must be a way to someway he could pass his bride off to his brother.

The door chimed and in walked Belle Rogscoe. She had dirty blonde hair pale blue eyes and thin lips.

"Hello boys," Bell rasped hungrily staring at Peeta, it was no secret that fell had a thing for Peeta.

"Hi, um...if you excuse me, I have to go make a tray of wedding cakes. Yeah, I have to go make an um...wedding cake for one of the people I mean couples, who were Reaped, okay nice seeing you."Peeta mumbled as he rushed to the back.

Rye shook his head. He could understand why his brother left so quickly Peeta knew Bell had a thing for him and he didn't return her feelings, plus she was at times annoying.

Bell was very convinced that she was going to reaped with a Merchant. She was very inquisitive about all aspects of the businesses, she wanted details that didn't concern her and became very abrupt when you didn't give her the information she sought. Rye thought it was because her family didn't own a business, they worked in the Justice Building. Bell wanted to know something about everything so that when she got Reaped with one of the merchants she wouldn't have a problem fitting in, it was a smart thing to do but in his book it was also irritating.

"What can I do for you today?" Rye asked.

"Just a loaf of plain white bread."

"Is that all?" He quickly said about to get her white bread. Rye silently wished that she wouldn't ask him any questions. He handed her the package.

"Yes, thank you," she slid him money. Before she left she said, "Say goodbye to Peeta for me."

Rye smiled and nodded but he knew Peeta wouldn't care about her message. He took a rag and began to wipe down the counters. He sighed, the thought about doing this every day for the rest of his life made his stomach tighten.

The door opened and the bell chimed Rye smiled when he saw Delly walk into the bakery.

"Hey Dells", Rye greeted his longtime neighbor.

"Good morning Rye," Delly greeted back.

"What can I do for you today?" He couldn't help but stare at Delly's figure. While most men thought of her as fat, Rye so her as voluptuous. He'd stupidly missed the train on Dells because of a girl with bigger boobs.

"I need to set up the order for the last gathering, you must be excited because we are only 12 days away from Christmas and you'll be married."

Rye narrowed his eyes at Delly.

"Okay maybe you're not that excited but it all works out in the end, Rye."

"It didn't work out great for you." The moment the words came out of his mouth he regretted what he said. Delly's eyes grew wide and her lip trembled. Delly was one of the sweetest girls in all of District Twelve she would never hurt someone.

"I'm sorry Dells I didn't mean to make you feel bad it's just I feel like I'm stealing my brother's girl."

"Rye you should give marriage a try it's not that horrible. If I could I would get married again but nobody wants me I'm not exactly Katniss Everdeen."

At that moment the door chimed again and Gale Hawthorne came in being dragged by his little sister Posey. Rye observed Delly become quiet, her cheeks flushed and her lashes lowered.

"Come on Gale you promised me a cookie if I did good on my math test I got a hundred," Posey stood arms akimbo.

"All right let's get this over with," Gale grumbled, "pick your cookie."

Posey squealed as she examined the cookie trays. Rye noticed the way Delly kept sneaking looks at Gale, her cheeks were now bright red. Rye hid his grin, as he dealt with Posey.

Posey was carefully examining each cookie on display. Her little face showed a myriad of emotions from curiosity, mild interest, disgust, boredom, and finally utter delight at the sight of a pink frosted cookie with a Snowman.

"That one, I want that one." Posey pointed to the cookie.

"Great now we can get out of here," Gale said, "how much?"

"It's on me," Rye said knowing it bothered Gale when people did something nice. He wrapped the cookie in a special box and added a few chocolate chip cookies in another box. Gale's face was thunderous but he didn't say anything as by now Delly was openly staring at Gale. Gale's neck was flushed and his ear also turned red.

Rye knelt before Gale's little sister, handing the package to her. "I added a few cookies for you and your family so that you can celebrate your great accomplishment together. It isn't every day I see a kid get a hundred on a math test."

"Oh thank you so much!" Posey's smile and innocent wide-eyed look was enough payment for Rye.

Gale nodded curtly. He grabbed Posey by the hand and pulled her out of the store, saying, "Let's get out of here."

Delly stared at Gale as he left her mouth was wide open and her eyes look a little glazed. She cleared her throat and looked back to Rye.

Rye raised one eyebrow, "So you have a major crush on Gale Hawthorne?"

"Rye you can't tell anyone," Delly pleaded.

"You know you should follow your own advice, marriage can be a good thing for you, you should tell him. I mean you're a widow and he's phased out so you both can marry."

"Gale is one of the best looking guys in the district. I seriously doubt that he wants to be with someone known as frumpy dumpy Delly."

Look, Delly, I found this book it had a bunch of quotes by this writer from the Dark Ages named Charles Dickens he wrote: "No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you have an opportunity and you shouldn't waste it," Rye said looking in her eyes.

Delly cast her eyes away from Rye and bit the bottom of her lips before she sighing, and her shoulders slumped. "He doesn't even know I'm alive. He only sees me, as...a..a merchant. I have no value to him or any man really." Dejectedly she handed him the list. "Here's the order for the next party, hope to see you there."

Delly left and once more Rye question how he could cheat the system.

Ryan look at the list it had cupcakes ahead and order for a wedding cake that said Katniss and his name on it and he grimaced, he hated the system and what it was doing to his brother.

The door jingled and a new patron stepped inside.

"Hello," the man said.

He looked familiar but yet he was not known to Rye. He assumed the man was here with the crew that came from the Capitol for the Marriage Reaping.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

"I came to buy some of your amazing cupcakes, I heard from everyone I have to try these before I leave today."

"Well, you're in luck my brother just finished making these." Rye immediately pulled out the tray.

"You were one of those chosen to get married?" The man said.

"Yes, but between you and me, I'm not ready for marriage, but my baby brother is, he's the one who should've been called. He would gladly change places with me."

"His sweetheart was the one picked for you?" The man's eyes practically glowed.

"Well, they are not dating or anything but yes that is the girl my brother is sweet on." Rye clarified he didn't want Peeta or Katniss to get in trouble. Rye quickly put the cupcakes in the box to get rid of the patron.

"You know there is a way to do that, you'd have to disappear or die, forcing your brother to marry your bride." The man paid for his cupcakes.

"Wait, what?"

The man paused at the door, "Just think about it."

Rye thought he heard wrong but that night as he lay in his bed things began to get clear. The only way to help his brother marry the girl of his dreams was to disappear.

Seven Days before Christmas

Rye was gone, hopped on a cargo train and left in the middle of the night. At least that's what people said, no one actually knew what happened. All she knew was that one week a go Rye and all his belongings were gone. The only thing he left behind was a hastily written note stating that he couldn't get married and run a bakery for the rest of his life. Katniss hadn't seen the supposed note, for all she knew the note was fake and his mother, that witch, got rid of him because she didn't want to taint the family.

The entire district was rife with gossip and no matter where Katniss went today everyone was whispering things behind her back. She was someone who hated gossip and hated being the center of attention. Katniss rubbed her face as we faced her future.

Snowflakes danced in the air over Main street, which was covered with Christmas cheer. The shop windows contained marvelous gifts or scenes of Christmas past. Katniss huddled into her coat, her icy hands were shoved in her pockets. She hated the cold, loathed the winter and everything that came with it, including Christmas. Nothing good ever happened during the holidays, except at first Rye's leaving wasn't such a bad thing.

Katniss had been relieved, she couldn't picture spending the rest of her life with Rye. They couldn't get along. His leaving was phenomenal news, but then reality set in she was going to be alone without any means of a sustainable income.

When it became clear Rye really ran away she became terrified of her future. The government wasn't going to like his abandonment and Katniss might end up paying for Rye's recklessness. Katniss shuddered at the thought, she could end up in prison or fined for not carrying out her part of the contract. If fined the opportunities for her to make money were limited. She would have to petition to work in the mines and if the PBFM denied her the only other alternative was to prostitute herself to Cray since a forest fire had depleted the ability for her to hunt and the way she supported her family.

Katniss walked by the bakery. The smells were enticing and her stomach protested it's empty contents. The cupboards were empty. Last year's dry winter and spring resulted in the forest having lots of flammable parched areas. It only took one bolt of lighting from a summer storm to start a fire in the forest. Neither she or Gale had been able to hunt, it was too dangerous as if caught they could be jailed or sentenced for death.

She paused when she saw a familiar face, Peeta Mellark was bringing out a tray of cookies. Her stomach grumbled once more and her mouth watered. Glancing down she had nothing to trade with, nothing except her virtue. Now that she was out of the Marriage Pool, there were very few options for her.

She stood outside of Cray's lodging for a long time contemplating whether or not she could take the final step. She knew hunger, but Primrose hadn't seen hunger since she was four and Katniss vowed it would never happen again. A small voice whispered in her ear that Prim would be disappointed, this voice compelled Katniss to turn around. Stubbornly she stood there because her family was hungry.

"Katniss." The voice startled her, spinning around she saw Peeta Mellark standing outside right behind her in a white t-shirt and his apron despite the cold. His muscled arms looked like they were bulging from the shirt, his forearms had a sprinkling of white flower. He looked wonderful.

She immediately masked her emotions. The last thing she wanted was pity or for him to see how he affected her.

"I'm sorry for what my brother did," Peeta began saying. "Rye shouldn't have left like that, not with his responsibility toward you and your family."

"I'm no one's responsibility." Katniss winced internally, she didn't mean to sound so brusk.

"I know, but your sister and mother depend on you and you depended on this marriage working out so that you can provide your family the stability they require."

What he said made sense and she gave him the barest of nods.

"Which brings me to my point you are a woman of honor and integrity. My brother leaving was wrong and you shouldn't have to pay for his stupidity. Whatever you're thinking please don't."

Katniss wasn't sure what to say to him, because he was right she was going to have to pay for Rye's decision. She glanced at Cray's door from her peripheral vision. "I have to go."

Katniss walked away, her hands cold and shaking. She stuffed them into her pocket and swore for just a moment she saw the shadow, not a dark one but a light. Shaking her head she headed for home it was cold outside, today was the first day of winter she was sure snow was in the air.