Axle tugged at my hands, instantly rising me. He plopped down beside me, "I've got it, Ash!"

I sighed, "Couldn't it wait until tonight?"

He shook his head vigorously, "Of course not-now, listen." He looked me in the eye, "We've just got to-"

He was cut off by my mother walking into the room. "Ashes, dinner's ready." She noticed Axle, "You too, Axle." She stepped out and I stood. My stomach grumbled. I was ridiculously hungry. I didn't know why, I'd had a hearty lunch of my father's cheese buns.

"Tell me after dinner."

He sighed. "Fine."

I walked out, with Axle's hand in my hand.

We sat down at the table. A huge meal was laid out. I sat next to Axle, my mother sat across from me, my father at her side. Haymitch sat at one end of the table and Fenstor sat at the other. Axle's hand rested under my shirt, softly rubbing his fingers over my skin. I set up my plate. Although we had money, our food was never this elegant. And the Hawthorne's weren't rich. The food to Axle would be like paradise.

We ate in silence until Fenstor finally broke it. "After supper, would Ashes and Axle like to watch the reapings?"

I looked over at Axle and sucked in a deep breath through my nose, "Sure."

After supper, we went to the television room of the train. I sat next to my mother and Axle, sitting on my hands, a nervous habit I'd had since I was six.

Fenstor put in the tape and I focused on the TV.

It showed a lively woman, wearing a black wig with white in the middle that stuck straight up. She wore ridiculous reindeer printed paints and a white blouse that was three sizes too small. "Hello! Welcome to the reaping of the 96th annual Hunger Games! I'm Olliss. Let's start with the ladies, shall we?" she stuck her hand into a glass bowl and pulled out a piece of paper. She put on a set of bifocals and read it, with a smile on her face. "Sender Eh." The camera turned swiftly to a small girl with a mischievous smile on her face. She looked ready to kill. She walked up onto stage. She was beautiful. She had black hair curled perfectly into ringlets and her dress fell to the floor. "Alright, gentlemen." She pulled out a piece of paper. "Fate Nohan."

District Two, looked as deadly as District One. The girl; Rice Amalie, was a beefy looking girl with her fists smacking into her palm. The boy; Ree Lou, was a tall, skinny boy, with scars all over him. People were shouting, "Killer!" as he walked onto the stage. I felt uneasy.

District Three, less deadly looking, but I wouldn't want to be locked up with them. Darla Henderson and Jake Zo.

District Four, the last of the deadly looking. Faith Hill and Ark Jakeobson.

The rest weren't as scary looking. We looked over at ours. I caught Axle's eyes fluttering directly to my stomach. Quickly, I looked up at my parents. They hadn't noticed, because they didn't say anything.

"Mom?" I asked.

She looked over at me, "Yes?"

"Can I go to my room?"

She looked over at my father and he shrugged, "I suppose."

I grinned, thankful to be out of the way of my parents.

Axle stood up. "I'm tired."

He followed me to my room and I locked the door behind me.

He sat down on the bed, "Finally, we can talk."

I nodded and yawned. I was extremely tired. I didn't know why, completely. I'd taken a reasonable sized nap earlier.

"The arena can't go on forever."

I rolled my eyes, "The gamemakers watch us like hawks. We'll have trackers in our skin, Axle. We can't just slip out of the arena."

Axle sighed, "Then we'll have to find some way to get both of us out, Ashes. I'm not coming out without you. If someone has to die, It'll be me. I'll protect you until the end. Then it'll be your turn to come home, and…have our baby. He placed a hand on my stomach, making me draw back.

"Don't get attached to the baby. Think of the baby as an alien. We're dying. You have sib-"

"So do you! And you're pregnant!" he shouted.

"Why don't you just scream it to the entire world, Axle?" I screamed back, my anger boiling over.

"Ash, if you die, I will never ever have anything to live for."

I rolled my eyes and turned away, "Fern Alexa."

"Fern?" he snorted.

"She's pretty."

"She's a liar. And she's not nearly as pretty as you. And she's not carrying my beautiful little baby. And she's not my best friend. And she's not…you."

I chuckled, "Uh huh. Yeah, right. You ditched me whenever Fern was your girlfriend. Now she's nothing?" I rolled my eyes. "You dated for nearly three years."

"Well, I've loved you for sixteen!" he snapped. He laid down on the bed, turning away from me, not talking and reached for the bedside lamp. With the touch of his finger the light dimmed. Another touch and the light was out and the room was filled with silent darkness.

A/N: So. Chapter Three. Thoughts? Complaints? Do you like Ashes and Axle? Hate her? Love to love her? Think she's strong like her mommy? Tell me? Thanks! Xoxo, Haley 3 loveu5missu6