IMPORTANT: so guess who's going on vacation? Mee! Which means I can't update until next Friday:(. I'm gonna be in a car for eighteen hours round trip so who knows, maybe ill finish the story? But I should be able to update once or if you kids are lucky twice, so stay tuned…

A/N: Well, when I was writing the last chapter I didn't even think of Gale getting naked having any effect on sponsorship… but then someone decided to point it out, and not gonna lie, I laughed out loud… So maybe it'll come into play later?;)

The comments are great guys, I really enjoy your feedback!

Katniss Everdeen POV

After school I head over to the fence; I slide my leg under the fence but then I hear the humming and pull it out immediately. Duh, I think, it's during the Hunger Games, of course the fence is gonna be on almost all of the time. I think back to the other day when the fence was humming as well. I'm a bit surprised that it hasn't been on more when I go into the woods, but something tells me it will be now. It's another one of the reasons why I hate the Hunger Games; new peacekeepers swarming the area, the fence electrified, less food for me.

I grumble to myself as I walk towards the Hob. I'm in the mood to talk to Greasy Sae among other Hob people since I haven't talked to them in a while. I stroll into the abandoned coal warehouse, welcoming the heavy air that is mixed with coal dust remnants and the sounds of people bartering. Though I don't have many coins with me today, I still observe what the people are offering. The variety and quantity of the goods of the Hob changes rapidly, and I like to know what's happening.

I find Greasy Sae tending to her soup concoction and walk over to her. She looks up and hits me on the arm. "What's wrong with you girl? I've been meaning to talk to you," Sae's arms are now folded, and I know she's looking for a good excuse for me not talking to her.

"I've been busy," I say, and she scoffs at me.

"Well it's important that I talk to you. The people around the Hob and town have taken up something of a collection, and-" "Collection?" I interject. "Quiet up and listen to me! Yes, a collection for the boy and Madge. Now I thought you might want to know so you can spread word around home and get your friends involved."

Now I'm scoffing at her. "Friends? Alright Sae. The only friend I have left is Leevy. I'm not really miss popular," I pause to consider Peeta, but then I tell myself to shut up. "But it's a good idea. I'm in."

I walk back home and begin to mull over the idea of sending money for Gale and Madge. I hope most of the money goes to Gale, of course. It's sort of cold, in my opinion, to want your friend to die. But if Gale is to come home, then Madge cannot. It's just how it is. Like the sky is blue and the grass is green. If only I can convince myself it's that easy.

I stomp through the front door and inform my mother of the whole collection thing and tell her to mention it around. Prim's outside and is tending to Lady I assume. I complain to my mother about the fact that I can't access the woods, I can't sleep, I can't stand anyone at the moment. She smiles at me and tells me to go to sleep. I decide to listen to her. The only reason I told my mother those things is that its part of an ongoing project of mine to try to confide in my mother more often, let her help me more often. I think I'm doing a good job, and mull over my relationship with my mother as I drift off to sleep.

I suppose I should be relieved, because for whatever reason I have a nightmare not consisting of Gale or Madge or the Games but instead of my old favorite of my father. When I wake up on the couch, sweaty and panting, I almost smile. I've grown used to the terror that plagues me and it's almost like an old friend. It's nothing like the horrors that have awakened in my mind since Gale volunteered. That fear is new, it's raw, it's unpredictable. In those nightmares, Gale can die or be tortured in any way, shape or form, and I don't even know what will happen next. Whenever I wake to these nightmares, I'm unsettled. Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to figure out if I'm trapped in the mess of the thing or not.

I look out the window facing the Seam, it's old swirling glass morphing the scene. It's nighttime now and the clouds are still here. It appears to be getting heavier, and I discover I'm right. The rain falls in gentle patters and I sit wrapped in my blanket watching it for a while. The rain streams down the windowpanes, each droplet racing one the next.

I revel in this time where it's only me and my thoughts. I don't have to think about Gale, the Games, hunting, the collection, or anything. All I have to do is watch the rain fall. This solitude is so rare to find, especially when I'm trapped inside the fence. The kind of comfort the woods provide contrasts this comfort, and I don't know which is better, or even if there is a better.

I glance away from the window and notice the television. Reality sets in again. I almost jump for the remote as I flip the TV on. There is a list of the remaining tributes on the screen and I observe. There are the Careers, Marvel, Glimmer, Cato and Clove, the boy from Three who reactivated the bomb things, Foxface, Rue, Thresh, Gale, and Madge. Ten tributes. I guess someone died recently whom I didn't see or notice.

Updates on the tributes are given, but nothing' changed with anyone. Madge and Rue are sleeping in one tree, and Gale's sleeping in one two trees away. His tree is right above the Careers, but I think he did this on purpose. The Careers are all sleeping, and Glimmer is standing guard, her head resting lazily on Cato's shoulder. I notice Clove is sleeping in his lap. Hmmm, I smirk. Maybe a little star crossed loving going on over there? I almost laugh when I think of the name the Capitol has donned for Gale and Madge. Star Crossed Lovers. As though fate could be the one thing keeping them apart. In Madge's defense, she seems to keep the act up well. But then I remember that for Madge it isn't an act. Gale's been pretty quiet about everything, but I suppose his greeting to Madge and Rue and how he helped Madge into a tree might work for him. I gag when I think of how far they might have to push the lover thing to stay alive As I watch the Games, I decide nothing exciting's gonna happen, at least not right now. I fall back asleep with the hum of the television fading in the background.

"Katniss! Katniss!" Prim's shaking my arm violently as she wakes me up. "Get up!" Her youthful twelve-year-old voice peeps at the end of her exclamation.

"Is it Gale? Is he okay?" I shoot up and stare at the TV.

"No, well I mean I don't think anything's up. I haven't looked to be honest. But I just finished making cheese and I want you to come give some to Hazelle with me," Prim explains. I breathe a sigh of relief. I run upstairs and change my shirt, and then dash downstairs to freshen up. Prim and I walk to Hazelle's and Prim goes on about this and that with some new technique of making goat cheese. I laugh as she verbally contemplates the benefits and drawbacks of the new method with herself. I tell her that it's alright, either method is fine. But she looks me in the eye and says that I just don't get it.

We walk inside and the whole family is gathered around the television. This sight has become the norm in the wake of the Games, but I can't help think that Gale should be next to me as the Games go on. Prim puts the large block of cheese wrapped in basil on the counter and we take a seat on the floor in front of the TV.

"What's happening?" I whisper to Rory.

"They found a tracker jacker nest in Gale's tree." My eyes widen and he rolls his eyes. "Leave it to Gale to find the stupidest way to get killed."

"Rory I know you're not talking about your brother like that," Hazelle's discerning gaze get's a quick "No ma'am" out of Gale. Rory I mean. I blink to myself and look at Rory, who really is almost a carbon copy of the Gale I met in the woods years ago. I scold myself and know it'll be bad, very bad, if I call Rory Gale out loud. "Now you kids head off to school. They'll update you later," Hazelle smiles softly as the boys and Prim head out the door. I stay back to talk to Hazelle about the collection. She says it's a great idea, and promises to spread the word and give me any money people throw her way.

I trudge into town on my way to school. I briefly consider skipping, but then decide that if Rory can go to school today, then so can I. I fall asleep during first period, get yelled at for staring at nothing in second, and almost get detention in third for not doing homework for the past week. I play the whole "My two best friends are in trouble and I have to look after two families now" card and the teacher gives in. Most of the faculty has been lenient to me since the Reaping, but nothing in my attitude towards school has changed. I wasn't the most dedicated student before and I'm certainly not one now. School just doesn't fit into my life routine, I have too much to worry about, and it's not like it can help you get a job in Twelve. You're either a miner, a housewife who does side jobs, a townsperson, or a Hob trader. There's not much opportunity to do anything worthwhile besides Mayor. But whatever, it's not important now.

Fourth period is History of Panem, which means Peeta gets to annoy me. He's not that bad really, but the way that he just pops up just so delighted to see me reminds me something of a lost puppy who's found it's owner. I slam into my desk and put my head on it. I keep thinking of Gale and the tracker jackers. We've come across a few nests of them in our time in the woods, but they're far from common in District Twelve. I don't know if it has to do with the climate or anything, but I'm grateful they're not common, because when we come across them, they're never happy to see us.

"Bad day, huh?" Peeta's voice rings in my right ear. His concern could be considered sweet I suppose, but it makes me… uncomfortable.

"I'm not in the mood to talk," I grumble, my mouth pressed against the wooden surface of the desk.

"Aw, well I'll do the talking. That was pretty impressive what you did in Mining with getting out of detention. I wouldn't worry about Gale, he'll get away from the tracker jackers," I turn to the side so I'm facing Peeta. "And whatever ingenious thing he comes up with, they'll broadcast it in school. That will not only save him, but us from another torturous lesson!" Give it to Peeta to put a positive spin on everything. And give it to Peeta for it to work. I turn the corner of one mouth up in my attempt to show appreciation. "That's the first smile you've ever given me," Peeta observes. "It wasn't a very good one," he says, sighing in mock disapproval. I wrinkle my nose at him and shake my head as the lesson begins.

"Katniss," Peeta whispers halfway into a lecture about the technique the Capitol used to pick those pesky rebels off of the mountains surrounding the Capitol in the rebellion. I look up at him and drop my head back to it's comfortable position on my notepad. "Katniss."

"You're a puppy you know that?" I growl.

"What do you-" I cut him off. "You don't leave me alone!" I whisper yell. I expect him to look saddened or taken aback or something at this comment but he smiles. Smiles? What is so damn happy about that? It's supposed to be mean. M-e-a-n mean.

"I really don't think you're a mean person you know. You just need a friend," He says confidently.

"Like you?" I ask. "I have one ray of sickening sunshine in my life, and that's Prim. I don't need another," I look at him and he appears unfazed.

"Well you need more than one ray of sunshine to break through the clouds," Peeta says confidently. Damn. I don't have anything to say to that, which only makes his grin grow cheekier.

"Children, we have to interrupt class for an update of the Games," Our teacher says, sounding not the least bit disappointed. The room erupts into cheers, and I can't say I'm the least bit upset. She pulls down the screen and rolls the projector.

Gale appears on the screen, and he's talking to Rue and Madge. I can tell this is a recap of something that's already happened because of the way it's clipped. The trio are talking in hushed tones over the sleeping Careers. And Gale goes over to the branch with the tracker jacker nest on it. And he begins sawing. What the hell is he doing? Peeta puts his hand on my arm and tentatively squeezes it. His face tells me I said my thought out loud.

Gale continues to saw as one, two, three tracker jackers find their way to his arm. He bites his lip when the first one stings and lets out a noise at the second, but doesn't stop. The branch quickly falls down and lands right in the middle of the Careers. They all stand and scream and run. Glimmer is the first to fall victim to the beasts, and the rest of the swarm follows the last of the Careers. Gale slides down and observes Glimmer's limp body, her beauty unrecognizable due to the stings. The canon fires, signaling Glimmer's death. He then sees what I've just noticed: the bow and arrows are still in her clutch. He jumps on the dead body, nose wrinkling in distaste at what he must grapple with. He gets what he wants and backs away, waiting for the hovercraft to take her away. Rue and Madge slide down, and I notice Madge has one sting on her collarbone. The girls are about to hug Gale, but run right back up the tree. Gale looks at them questioningly, and then he sees Cato emerging from the bushes.

"Crap," I mutter. I glance at my arm and see Peeta's hand is still on my arm. I could tell him to get off of me, that I don't need his pity, but I don't. Instead I tell myself either way it doesn't matter, but as a secret to keep to myself, I think it's kind of nice.

Cato gets out a sword and staggers towards Gale. "Any last words Twelve?"

Gale laughs a bit but instead chooses to take out his sword and swings at the tribute. Both are a little off due to the tracker jacker venom, but Gale manages to slice into Cato's arm. This sends Cato into a rage and he manages to cut up a nice chunk of Gale's leg. Gale groans and pushes him to the ground and stabs Cato in the foot. The foot? Gale's about to go for his chest, but the other Careers have almost reached the scene, so he bails.

They fast forward to Madge and Rue dragging an unconscious Gale to some high hill. Rue chews up some leaves and puts them on Gale's and Madge's wounds, and the two fall asleep. Then the screen goes dark and we return to our lesson. I look back at Peeta's hand and see it's now resting on mine. I decide to leave it there for the rest of class.

And guess who's got a beta? Not me! Because I have two! Two, you say? Yup! Well one's more of a grammar cop while the other gives me more creative insight, so it's like the dream team.

Review? Don't do it for me, do it for the children! Together, we can help save them one review at a time.