A/N: I've had a few ask the pen name of who I'm working on this with, but I'm sorry to say she doesn't have one. Lily, the one I'm doing this with, and I are actually roleplaying this out on AIM messenger. She plays the roles of characters such as Katniss, Madge, and Haymitch. I roleplay as Gale, Peeta, Effie, Prim, Cinna and most the characters directly connected to them like Gale's family and the stylists [though she took Octavia]. We go back and forth posting each line, which makes me happy that our writing style blends so much that it seems like only one person has written the entire thing as opposed to us going back and forth every sentence.

Chapter 6. Surprise

Effie at this point had completely taken over their dining room table with pages of papers detailing interviews, scheduled appointments with their stylists, television appearances, and a booklet with the word "talent" in bold letters. Katniss sat at the table, face unamused, and periodically sending glares toward Peeta. Haymitch had joined them as well, at least half-paying attention so as to not get in trouble with Effie.

"And finally, the two of you will be having a televised appearance here from your home showcasing what talent you'd like to get started in three weeks. They expect you to give a small demo of whatever talent you choose, so Haymitch and I will be coming over to help you brainstorm talent ideas."

"... I don't have a talent." Katniss stared at Effie.

Haymitch just snorted. "That much is obvious, sweetheart."

"Neither of you have yet," she sighed before handing them each a booklet with the bold letters on it. "Here is a compiled list of hobbies every past Tribute has taken since they started requiring them around the time of the 43rd Games."

Katniss groaned and flipped idly through the book, pouting. Then she paused, setting the booklet down. "Effie, when were you going to mention President Snow coming to visit us?"

"Today," she sighed before sitting in her chair for the first time today. "I figured it would be best to tell you in person as opposed to on the phone while you were already upset with me this morning."

Katniss fiddled nervously with the edges of the booklet. "Do you have an inkling of what he wants to talk to us about?"

"He said it was private and would not tell me any of the details."

"Of course he did."

She leaned her head back against the top her chair. Peeta sensed the worry behind her words. Slowly, he reached over and put a hand over hers to try and comfort her. Unlike when they were in a public setting or for the camera, which was mostly to show off, this was purely genuine concern. Katniss lifted her head and looked at him cautiously for a moment, unsure because this was a private moment, before smiling worriedly. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

He simply nodded in response before looking down at the booklet in his hands. "You should do singing."

She blinked before leaning back, considering. "Singing? I don't know. That's kind of... private. What are you going to do?"

"I have a few ideas I'm thinking about. I don't want to do the obvious, which would be baking..."

She looked at him blankly. "You have so many talents that you can't choose one?"

"I didn't say that. I just mean I have a few that I'd like to try and see if I am good at," he laughed.

She scowled. "Still. I wish I could do hunting, but that would probably raise questions."

"Too many, especially from Thread," Effie pointed out as she pulled out two more booklets. She handed one over to Haymitch before skimming through a little. As she flipped, she suggested a few passing pages like "Oh! Perhaps you have a hand for pottery?" or "girls always love make-up, you can try that" along with other unexciting, feminine activities. Katniss just sat there, looking at Effie, and not exactly responding to any of her suggestions. She flipped slowly through the book while Haymitch ended up just fanning his face with his.

After about thirty more failed suggestions, Effie just sighed and put the book down in defeat. "Maybe when your stylists come tomorrow they'll have an idea of what to do with you."

Katniss just nodded slightly, not enthused in the slightest. "Maybe you guys can choose something for me and I'll pretend to be interested in it."

"That's not the point. You need to pick something you like doing!" Effie explained, trying to at least get her excited over the idea a little more.

Katniss sighed and just shut the talent booklet. "It's fine. I can do singing like Peeta suggested. It's probably the only thing I'm decent at, anyway."

Effie smiled a little, relieved that Katniss managed to pick something. "Good. Then we'll just have to help Peeta try out a few things and we'll be set. They'll expect you to probably sing a little portion of a song in your interview in a few days, so think of something that will win everybody's hearts over."

Katniss paused and then nodded, fiddling with her hands. She already had the perfect song in mind. She questioned her choice for one brief moment before decisively deciding it was perfect and crossing her arms.

"Well, with that then, that's all I needed to discuss with the two of you together. As I said, the stylists will be here tomorrow to fix you two up and we'll be all ready for the cameras to roll. Katniss, you're free to go off, I need to have a few words with Peeta in private."

Katniss frowned at Peeta before standing up. "Alright...," She smiled a little at Peeta and stepped out the front door.

Up bright and early, Effie stood at Katniss's door, knocking loudly for the girl to wake up. She had already managed to roll Peeta out at this ungodly hour and somehow, through possible miracle, Haymitch, whom she directed to wait in the living room. Katniss was the last on her list. "Katniss! We are meeting the stylists in only 20 minutes, you must get up now!"

Katniss slowly got up and opened the door, staring at Effie with one eye half closed, bits of hair falling out of her braid. "Why do you all choose to do these things ridiculously early?"

"If you want to be on time, this is actually the latest you could wake up, Katniss. Now hurry on downstairs, Peeta and Haymitch are already waiting."

Katniss mumbled under her breath and, without even bothering to fix her hair, trampled down the stairs to the living room. Effie followed behind her quickly behind her. Also down the stairs, Katniss's mother was serving breakfast to Peeta and Haymitch. Peeta smiled up at her through tired eyes and thanked Mrs. Everdeen before slowly starting to eat his biscuit, hands a little shaky.

Katniss moseyed in and sat between Haymitch and Peeta, grabbing a biscuit. She looked at Peeta and touched his shoulder gently. "Are you okay, Peeta?"

Startled, like she had just appeared out of no where, he dropped his biscuit onto his lap and looked at her. "Oh, sorry Katniss... just tired."

She frowned, but nodded and didn't push the issue. However, she kept her hand on his arm reassuringly and began to chew quietly on her biscuit.

Peeta picked up the biscuit again, slowly nibbling on it, holding it securely with two hands. As a another 20 minutes passed, there was a light knocking at the door. "There they are!" Effie smiled before running off, leaving the three of them alone.

Slowly, Peeta looked up as Effie left and turned his gaze on Katniss. "Sorry about that..."

She smiled at him a little. "It's okay. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah... how have you been sleeping?"

She shrugged slightly, averting her eyes. "Probably not as good as before. Why? Are you having trouble?"

He didn't answer but instead took another bite of the biscuit. Before the conversation could continue, the familiar flood of stylists followed quickly behind Effie. Upon entering the door, Cinna smiled slightly towards Katniss. "Hello again, Girl on Fire."

Katniss furrowed her eyebrows but then turned to Cinna and burst out into a smile. "Cinna."

Effie looked back to the rest of the stylists, smiling at them all. "Do your best with them for the interviews this week! I'll leave them in your hands."

One trip upstairs later, Cinna was bringing in bags of clothing and hanging them on the wall for after the team of stylists finished with her makeup and hair. However, Venia, Flavius, and Octavia were currently helping Portia with Peeta first, leaving Cinna and Katniss alone.

After he finished hanging the clothing, Cinna turned back to her. "So, how's the life of a Victor been treating you this past week?"

Katniss sat in her indicated chair and crossed her ankles, looking back at Cinna. She smiled slightly and shrugged. "Much more stressful than I imagined it to be. I guess I'll get used to it, though."

"You will," he reassured her. "I assumed it would be right after you got back."

"Thanks, Cinna." She paused for a quick moment and looked him in the eye. "How's the Capitol?" She was clearly fishing for information on the upcoming President Snow visit and figured, if he knew anything, Cinna was the only one who could divulge it discreetly.

"Well, you caused quite a bit of unrest there," Cinna began. "You and Peeta have both become the most talked about Victors I've ever heard while there. You'd find it hard to not find your image somewhere in Capitol stores. Well, more so your trademark then your actual picture."

"My trademark?"

"Your pin. There's quite a large demand for mockingjay apparel these days, can't imagine what brought that on though."

She smiled a little, wondrously, at the effect a little, unassuming pin could have. "Huh. No idea."

Cinna cracked a small smile back towards her before a knock on the door interrupted them. Cinna looked over his shoulder towards it before looking down at Katniss. "They must be finished with Peeta. I'll be back in when they finish. You have a lot of interviews this week leading to your meeting with the President, so we can talk more later if you want."

Katniss nodded. "Okay. I'd like that, Cinna." She smiled at him slightly once more before glancing back at the door.

With a last smile, he walked over towards the door and opened it. His smile quickly faded and was replaced with a genuine look of shock though. Standing at the doorway before him wasn't his three bubbly, air headed assistants but instead the thin, white haired President of Panem. Snow only looked to Cinna for a second before his dark, snake eyes darted towards Katniss.