A/N Sorry for the long wait. I hope I can make it to you all with this somewhat fluffy and extra long chapter. I will try to update faster now that I'm in winter break, please R&R.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.


You know sometimes I think of how my life will turn out once I have the crown. My biggest fears come to life.

I told my father once, I never said anything again. I wrote things down and hid them under my mattress.

There is one that hit me the most. The fear of being used. When I get the crown, will they use me to get to the throne? If they act like they love me will I believe them, and if I do will I end up with a broken heart.

Does true love even exist?

My fear. I fear they will come alive, eat me up, if they do come to life, will anyone try to help me? Save me?

"Sweetheart it's time for you to wake up." I really did believe for a minute that I had been at home, still waiting for the day that they call my name at the reaping.

"Girl get up it's time for the reviews."

"Haymitch it has to be like five in the morning let me sleep."

"You've been asleep for an hour. It's not that long."

Honestly sometimes I feel like he plans these things out, juts to annoy me.

I know I have to open my eyes at some point. Now that open them I see Haymich staring down at me.

"What?"

"Reviews. Now."

I sit up and reach for my heels. I'm too lazy to go change out of this dress. And of course you can never kill the glamour.

I look toward Haymitch and raise an eyebrow.

"So, we going? Or not?" He stares down at me trying to look intimidating. Instead I stand up and stare right at him.

To someone who doesn't know anything about me or my life, it would look like was the over-protective father and I was the rebel daughter. He would be lecturing me.

Forget him, I'm going to go on my own. I start walking to the door but he ends up in front of me blocking my way. He grabs me from the arm and pulls me into the hallway, in the direction of another room. Basically he's dragging, pulling me. Worse I'm wearing heels. They, are, starting, to hurt.

I don't know where we're heading; maybe he wants to kill me before the games even begin. I want to pull free, but these heels would break before I even made it to the 'safe' room. Otherwise known as the room where Effie is in.

We finally reach a door that is plain white, nothing on it, completely opposite from looks to my door. It's five doors away from mine.

"Haymitch, where does that room lead to?"

"It's the boy's bedroom. We're going to go wake him up."

"Can't I just meet you at the living room?"

"No. Your coming with me, whether you like it or not."

I walk into his room looking at my feet. Haymitch makes me stop at the door I don't bother to look up. But, it seems like he's walking at a snails pace, never getting to his bed, his feet always in front of my vision.

I'm tired of waiting for Haymitch to wake him up. I raise my head, what I see is something I never thought possible.

Peeta.

He's sound asleep, his lips slightly parted and his cheeks…light pink. He looks so peaceful.

Suddenly I hear a little mumble coming form him as well as a small smile. I'm to far away to understand what he's trying to say. Haymitch on the other hand heard him and laughed silently to himself.

I don't want to disturb him, he looks at ease, as if his dreams are wild and forever enchanting. Like fairy tales before the truth comes out, like the ones my father used to tell me, the ones that came from the dark days.

He told me how it showed that bad could also win against the good in 'mankind', I loved hearing them. They made me feel so powerful.

"Haymitch can't we just leave him?"

"Why? You want to stare at him all night while he sleeps?"

"What? NO. I just- I just don't think it's fair, you woke one of us already. Why wake another?"

"Mhmm. Just wake him up sweetheart. I'll be at the door."

"But- but Haymitch-"

"I said. I'll BE AT the Door." He says and shuts the door behind himself.

Wait.

Since when is Haymitch so sober? He's been the town drunk since I could remember or at least since my memory actually worked.

I slowly walk toward Peeta's bed. Ever so slowly I sit on his bed and look at him. My hand moves to his shoulder. Softly I say "Peeta. Wake up."

He doesn't move at all. I decide I should wake him up a little more harshly.

I did say a little right?

Ever so slightly I move toward him and lean over him. My face inches away from his.

I breathe on him. I move toward his ear.

I breathe on him.

It's time for a little pay back.

I get up and go to his bathroom. Locating the towels, I grab them as well as a rubber duck.

Once more I walk toward him and sit down on the opposite side of him. I place the rubber duck in front of him since he's leaning on one of his sides. I put the towel over his face, except for his ear.

I put my lips on his ear. I can feel myself blush at the contact.

No one ever said payback was going to be easy.

I slowly part my lips and chant his name like a girl trying to get his attention.

"Peeta. Peeta. Wake up."

"Mhmm."

"Oh come one Peeta don't be like that."

"Hmmm."

"Don't you want to kiss me?"

"Mmh, yes, yes I do."

"Come on then I'm right in front of you. All you have to do is lean in."

He begins to lean in and I watch as he starts to make out with rubber duck. I make my way to the door, open it get out and silently leave, chuckling at what I just witnessed.

"Where's Peeta?" I almost forgot Haymitch was waiting for us.

"Just a sec."

"What the-" I hear Peeta say. Must have taken off the towel.

"I was wondering why you tasted like plastic."

Maybe it's time to 'walk in' on him and the duck.

I open the door and walk in like nothing had ever happened.

"Peeta-" He quickly hides the duck behind his back.

"Oh, um, hello, Katniss."

"Haymitch said we have to watch the reviews."

"Alright." He gets up, puts on some shoes and exits his room with me, blushing at what he almost got caught doing.

We all, Haymitch, Peeta and I, walk in silence to the living room.

"Took you all long enough now sit, sit they're about to begin."

As usual the Career districts get high reviews for there appearances. While the rest got 'nice' reviews, in other words ordinary.

"Now let's talk about District Twelve shall we?" Caesar Flickerman's voice booms through the apartment, asking another man whom I did not recognize.

"On to District Twelve we shall now." That man said

"Haymitch who is that man talking to Caesar?" I guess Peeta couldn't wait to ask.
Though I am also VERY curious to find out who that man is. Somehow, I feel like he's special in some sort of way. Important to me, or my life maybe.

"That...THING Peeta, is Claudius Templesmith."

"Isn't he one of the gamemakers?" This time it was I, who couldn't keep their mouth shut.

"If you would let me explain sweetheart I would have told you that he is one of gamemakers." Well this is certainly awkward.

"Okay-moving on, let's just watch and quietly listen to the reviews. We do want to know if we made an impression don't we?" Peeta asks.

Silence.

Always the peacemaker isn't he? Or at least from the limited knowledge I have of him, and from what I had seen so far.

"Well it seems as though District Twelve finally decided to be noticed." Caesar said

"I know, with that beautiful red dress and divine red pumps, simply divine."

"Did you see the way the girl fit perfectly onto that young man's side?

"Yes! It seems as though they were meant for each other."

"And that boy wearing that simple black tux, with a red tie."

"I was tribute struck, that district went retro on us. I don't know if you know but that's what they used to wear during the dark days."

"Really?! Wait, did you know that sometimes those people would dress according to their moods?"

"My Snow! And what would those colors mean?"

"Well, from the limited knowledge that was passed down in my family, I know that red would stand for love. Blue was sadness, hot pink was VERY deep passion. Even accessories had moods wearing pearls meant you were pure."

"Do you think that's why they were wearing those colors?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"So folk's what do you say? Aren't the boy and girl something?"

"Well it certainly seems as though District Twelve has decided not to hide away in the mines anymore."

"Well, that's all for tonight folks tune in tomorrow night to hear the reviews of the parade, when we'll finally and officially find out the tributes names. Thanks for watching."

The television screen burst with a rainbow of colors, and suddenly turned off.

I'm utterly confused, did we just get good reviews or have we been trashed?

"Haymitch? Have we, I mean, did we just get trashed? Or did we get good reviews?" Once again Peeta has beaten me to the punch line.

"Yes, boy! You both just got praised. Now go to bed!"

Wow, wake us up why don't you. Ten minutes awake just to watch a five minute review from two stuck-up (ha-ha, no) capitol citizens. Or should I say Capitol celebrities, that wouldn't know how to survive in District Twelve.

And then have your 'mentor' send you back to your room, so that you go back to sleep! Gah, why must my life be so confusing?


Peeta.

Wait, what? I didn't, I didn't just think o-of him. Did I?

Wait, duh open your eyes!

I just had in internal gasp.

I just awoke, to open my eyes, and see my prep team standing over me. Venia, Octavia, and Flavius, otherwise known as blue, green, and normal…ish. Grins adorning their faces, creeping me out.

"Eeep we are so excited." Octavia squeals.

"We thought our work had gone to waste." Flavius exclaimed.

"And now we get to 'set you on fire' whatever that means." Oh, I've got some ideas.

"But technically it's not us, but Cinna who gets to set her 'on fire'."

"Guys, could we just get going?" I calmly ask.

The three of them fighting is not really something or should I say a way that I want to wake up too. It's like guinea pigs fighting with each other. Squeak, squeak, and squeak. At some point you too would find this annoying as I do.

"Katniss!"

"Hmmmm?" I guess I was zoning out, enough that I didn't notice they were walking out the door. Even worse they had told me to come with them but I had zoned out, I hadn't noticed.

Now there waiting for me.

"I have to go in my pajamas?" They look incredulously at me.

"You're kidding right?"

"Yeah, sorry, just you know my mind still half asleep."

I sit up and reach for the slippers the Capitol gave as a reward for either being picked or volunteering for these games. Soft and feathery, a little comfort for your inevitable death.

The Capitol almost always gives these do the tributes, like a mockery for getting reaped. But who's to say that they don't have spies and are looking at every kid that just turned eligible for reaping and pick the weakest.

I stand, reaching for the other slipper, but the prep team grabs my arms and pulls me with them saying "No time, we have to get you ready!" They yank me toward the prep room and when we finally get there they push me onto a chair and they begin the process.

Painting my nails black with red lines, that looks like fire. Then they start my hair, combing through all my hair, pulling the knots. Then curling it and somehow putting braids into it, to make it look like a crown on top of my head. Finally they declare me ready for Cinna to see.

"Moring Katniss. I'm guessing they dragged you out before you could get some breakfast." I guess he could tell from my growling stomach.

"Yes, they were very um excited."

"So, some breakfast?"

"I'd be delighted."


After some breakfast, Cinna took me back to the prep room, where he did the same thing he had done before.

Black smoky eye shadow, with light pink blush on my cheeks, unitard.

"Are you done Cinna?"

"Yes, now we shall go down to the chariots?"

"Wait, what? How long have you been working on me?"

"About eight hours. It's now late enough for the sun to hide and the moon to start the party."

Man, does time travel fast when you zone out. But how long have I actually been out? No matter, it's not like someone would actually come up to me and say 'What have you been up to during the prep time?' That would be ridiculous. Right?

"Katniss! Cinna! Are you ready for the parade?" Effie's over enthusiastic voice shrills behind the door.

"Yes Effie, Katniss is ready for the parade."

"May, I come in?"

"It's all right Effie, you may come in."

"Great" Effie says opening the door "I thought I was going to be stuck out there the whole time."

"Effie it's not like Cinna would have kicked you out."

"Never to sorry."

We head down the hallway, heading for the elevator. Silence is what you hear around us, ignoring the occasional buzz coming from the elevator that is rising. When we enter it looks like we're all from some secret agency. Effie and Cinna, each at either my right or left side. I, as you can tell, am in the middle.

The smack middle, that when the glass elevator doors close, the door would close in the middle of my nose.

We finally reach the 'garage' of the building, where all the horses are kept. I see that we are the final ones to get here. Peeta, even, is already next to our chariot, petting the charcoal black horses (that also, by the way, represent our very own district 12).

"Hey, Peeta."

"H-hey K-Kat-Katniss." I must be going nuts I thought I just heard Peeta stutter.

"Have they told you what they're going to do to us?"

"No, I've been wondering since yesterday. Something about fire?"

"Yeah, something about fire."

"All tributes to chariots. All tributes to chariots."

"I guess it's time."

"I guess so, come on Peeta." We get onto the chariots, they start calling down the chariots to place.

"District Ones Marvel Sparta and Glimmer Weaver." There chariots starts and presents itself. Applause is heard from all sides.

"District Two's Cato Endanger and Clove Equates!" Once more we are moved up one spot, and cheers are heard for District Two.

Other districts are being called; Our Stylists aren't even here to tell us what to do. Meanwhile Peeta and I try to steady our selves so we won't fall off.

"District Five's Max Powers and Katarina Depatre!" So that was her partner's name.

Where are our stylists?! Where is Cinna? I am afraid that he will not come, and let us make fools of ourselves. Now that the District Eleven chariot starts to move toward the entrance. We are next.

Afraid, is what I am.

The chariot where Rue and Thresh are in, moves toward the entrance and disappears in the darkness.

Finally I see Cinna and Portia barge through the gigantic door. I might be exaggerating about the size of the doors. But have you ever seen the doors on a factory? Yes, no? Well they would look like that. Except theses are deep metallic red.

"Sorry we're late, minor problems."

"What! Does that mean we aren't going to look like you wanted us to?"

"On the contrary, I fixed it so it works more than perfectly."

"Thank you Cinna."

Cinna pulls out a 'wand' as he calls it. He turns a little knob at the bottom and it begins to glow an ember color. He touches the suits with the wand and we begin to glow. It feels warn and tingly.

Both Peeta and I turn completely facing the horses. The audience. Our chariot begins to move forward and I turn once more to look at Cinna. He mouths something to me, but I don't know what.

Peeta turns as well to see what he is saying. But I think I figured out what he said first.

I grab Peeta's hand and turn to him. "He wants us to hold hands." He only nods at me.

The chariot exits to the audience, where no one pays attention to us. I turn to look at Peeta, he looks stunning. He turns to me and smiles.

Suddenly the crowd starts cheering our names, and Peeta raises his free arm. The crowd goes wild. I do the same.

Now the crowd explodes with excitement and someone throws a white rose. It falls into the chariot and I pick up. I bring up to my nose then raise it once more toward the sky.

Our chariot comes to a stop in front of President Snow's balcony, where he stands. He begins to give us the speech of the dark days. Meanwhile I roam with my eyes at the rest of the tributes. Tall, short, chubby, skinny, light, tan, there are all types this year. It looks like this year has the most interesting looking tributes. President Snow's voice suddenly grows larger and I turn to look at him. He's glaring at me, if look could kill I'd be dead.

I guess he's not that happy that Peeta and I stole the show away from the careers. Soon enough we're heading back and we enter the garage again. I see Haymitch heading our way.

"Good job kids."

"Thanks Haymitch but it's Cinna who designed this."

"Alright, now let's talk" I zone out looking around once more at all the tributes. I see the boy from District Two and he sees me. He smirks, and I send a glare. I guess Peeta saw because he pulls me behind him and turns to Haymitch.

"Maybe we should continue this up stairs, someone is looking this way." Haymitch uses his peripheral vision to see what he's talking about.

"Boy's just looking for trouble, upstairs we go." He pulls us along and we ride the elevator up.


"It's time for the reviews, everyone inside."

We all sit down in the dining room, turning the table so we can all watch the reviews.

The avox's come in and serve us food.

"I've never done this before." Cinna says while Portia nods her head.

"What? Eat with tributes?"

"Yes but no. I meant eat while watching television. This is all so new to me."

"Really?! We do this all the time in District Twelve." I say while Peeta and Haymitch nod their heads.

"Welcome back folks, and thank you for watching Capitol TV."

"Alright everyone quiet reviews are starting." Haymitch commands.


Reviews go by in a blur. Of course the Career districts got wonderful reviews (Note the sarcasm in my voice).

Soon enough it's District Twelve's turn.

"Well it seems as though this district decided to keep our attention." Caesar says.

"This time with a fiery suit that made them look like they were on fire."

They switch to a view where they show Peeta and me. I notice that I never did let go of his hands. A blush stars to spread across my face as I continue to watch, must be the heat of the room.

"As you see they never do let go of each other's hands, as well as flaunting them in front of us."

"Is something going on that we don't know of? We shall find out. Now let's give a round of applause for the stylists transforming Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark into The girl on fire and the boy on fire, Cinna and Portia."

"That's all for tonight folks! Join us in three days to watch the training scores, Good night and May the odds be ever in your favor."

"Good job kids, whose idea was it to hold hands?"

"It was Cinna's." I say.

"Thank you Cinna, you presented them as a team with the perfect touch of rebellion."

"Rebellion? What rebellion?" I say trying to keep my mask on, but even I can see the fear lurking in Cinna's and Effie's faces.

"Oh, nothing just thought it would be good to present you as a team."

Nobody is convinced. Something, doesn't feel right and it's not all this food.


A/N Okay so if we remember what did we learn in the last chapter? Who are they?

I don't know if you can see but this story if going to have a lot of twists and turns. I hope you all like what's going on.

Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!

-The Music Girl