Disclaimer: All characters and things associated with The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate. This writing is for pure entertainment only.

Summary: Katniss finally thought everything was going to be alright and her children would grow up in a safer world then she and Peeta had, but something changes and a new set of games begins.

CHAPTER 9

EMBERLY POV:

The concept of training seems so foreign to me. Damir and I watch as the woman from the Gaming Staff moves about the Tributes, all of us lined up in a row.

"Now, this is where your training will take place. You will be here for approximately two weeks and try to learn as many survival skills as you think you will need. I strongly recommend you all work on those skills. Most of you will not die at the hands of one another but at the hands of the elements in the Arena. That being said, there is no fighting amongst yourselves while you are training. Save that for the real games. Feel free to begin where you feel comfortable," The woman says, motioning to the wide room behind her, full of stations and weapons.

Some of the other Tributes begin moving toward stations, but Damir and I stand still, glancing at each other.

"Do we go…to the same station?" Damir asks me.

I shrug. I am not sure if that will make us look weak or united and so I give him no answer. I will let him decide.

"Maybe start separate? Don't want to look like we are really in on something here…" Damir suggests.

I simple nod and move away from him. He is right; we don't want to look like we planned volunteering together. He moves to a station about edible food, and I move to a knife station.

I run my hands over the different knives. There are six in all, but only four would really be useful to kill anything with. I pick up one in my hand, one that would hardly kill a bird and flick it at the target a few yards in front of me.

Bull's eye.

I smirk to myself, grateful my aim, despite all the stress, is still good.

I pick up another knife and examine it, but quickly stop when I feel someone's eyes on me. I glance around and see the boy from District 2, Mason Hawthorne, is watching my intensely with his grey eyes. I feel myself blush and quickly put the knife down, angry with myself for my reaction to his looks.

I move to another station, one that has to do with building shelter. I try to concentrate, but notice that Mason is still staring at me. I wonder if he considers me a threat. Maybe he does; maybe that is why he is watching me. I glance around at the other Tributes, taking them all in as well. The boy from District one looks as though he is good at throwing spears. The girl from District 9 is falling off a fake tree branch. She seems weak.

When I finish glancing over the other Tributes I look back at Mason to see him still staring at me. This makes me uncomfortable. I want him to shift his attention elsewhere. Surely, I am not his biggest competition, yet he continues to stare, until finally I shoot him a deathly glare and his eyes drop to the floor.

KATNISS POV:

I feel like I have been sitting in the same position for hours, and maybe its because I have been. We are close to the Capitol now, I am certain of it, but it is hard to tell as the sun has set hours ago.

I glance at the window and see Peeta standing perfectly still, looking out of it, his hands behind his back. We haven't spoken to one another in over two hours, ever since Galen had fallen asleep in the seat next to me, his head resting in my lap. I like to think this is the reason Peeta and I aren't speaking much, that neither of us want to wake up Galen; he hardly has slept since the Reaping, but I can't be certain that's the reason.

I've never seen Peeta like this before. Even after the war, after I lost Prim, after he lost his family and parts of his memories, he had always been caring and wanted to talk. Now, he doesn't say a word, and it scares me. I've always been the one that shuts people out when they are hurting not Peeta. The idea that he is so torn up that he is keeping to himself just adds more pain to my already broken heart. I've already lost so many people; my mother, Prim, Gale, and now Emberly. I can't lose Peeta too.

"Almost there," Peeta says quietly, still looking out the window.

It's as if he knew the silence was getting to me and he selflessly speaks up.

"I figured," I whisper back just as soft.

Peeta turns to look at me. He looks tired, older then ever. He nods his head toward Galen. "We should wake him up soon."

"Let him sleep a little longer…he hardly has…" I say, running a hand through Galen's curls.

"Seems to be a pattern here…" Peeta sighs.

I look at him, my eyes narrowing and I know they look hurt, probably as hurt as he looks.

Peeta can see this and moves to sit across from me, taking my hand in his.

"We have to be united now. For Emberly…we can't seem weak while we are at the Capitol," Peeta says to me.

I am taken back by Peeta's words for a moment and then I realize this is why he was so silent. He was thinking the whole time, and now just about the fact that Emberly has been taken from us, but about every detail that would be important if we have any chance of getting Emberly back.

"We are united," I tell Peeta. I want him to know I am on his side, that even though I may have nearly shut down the night before, that I am present now.

"I know we are…but we need to show it. We need to act like we aren't angry…like we want Emberly to do great. We need to get her sponsors, and I think the main sponsors are people that want her dead. We need anyone involved in these Games on her side…" Peeta reasons.

I realize what Peeta is asking and I shake my head. I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if I can grovel and beg people who have taken so much from me already to help me.

"For Emberly," Peeta says, as if he is reading my mind again.

I nod quickly, my hands running through Galen's hair.

"I love you," Peeta said after a long moment.

I look up at him, tears brimming in my eyes. I don't want to be here again, I don't want to be in the Capitol. Its not just me anymore, and its not just Peeta. Our children are here now; our daughter is in danger.

"I love you too…" I whisper back to Peeta, and I mean every word. Maybe I don't say it enough, and maybe I need to start saying it more.

"We're going to get through this…as a family," Peeta gives my hand a small squeeze.

I nod, fighting back my own tears, but one escapes and plops right on Galen's face, startling him.

Galen sits up, wiping the sleep from his eyes and wiping my tear off his cheek.

"Where…are we there?" Galen seems confused and glancing around the cabin until his eyes land on me and concern fills his grey eyes.

"Almost there," Peeta responds.

"What's wrong?" Galen directs his question to me and my tears.

"Nothing," I say, wiping my tears up completely.

Galen says nothing but moves to throw his arms around my neck, hugging me fiercly.

I accept Galen's hug because I need it. I need to feel my child close to me.

And then the cabin lights up brightly and Galen releases me.

"We are here…" Peeta says, standing and moving to glance out the window at the Capitol.

Galen releases me and joins his father, a look of awe on his face. He has never seen the Capitol. I refused to bring my children here.

"This place is huge," Galen says, and despite all the pain I can hear a slight hint of admiration in his voice.

Peeta nods as the train slows down. I stand and join my son and husband at the window and am instantly taken back by the large crowd outside the train, obviously waiting for our arrival.

Its been years since Peeta and I have gathered that much attention, and for a second, I am overwhelmed, until I feel Galen back up into me and realize whatever I am feeling, it is worse for him. He has never seen a crowd like this; he has never seen people fawn over Peeta or myself, and he has no idea how interested people will be in him as well.

"What are they waiting for?" Galen asked.

"Us," Peeta said simply.

I glance over at my husband, ever the showman, and see the fake smile gracing his lips as he waves out to the crowd. I realize it is time for me to put my mask on as well, and so I raise my hand, waiving, and hearing the crowd cheer loudly, even through the train.

EMBERLY POV:

Training ended as soon as it had began and Damir and I are quickly rushed from the room by Effie. On my way out the door I pass the boy from District Two. The Hawthrone boy; he stares at me and so I flip him off. I don't know what it is about him but he gets under my skin.

"Be nice, Emberly…" Effie scolds my actions. "Making enemies is not something you want or need right now…"

"Why? He's going to just try and kill me in a few weeks anyway…" I mumble.

Effie shakes her head and remains silent until the three of us reach our penthouse, where she must consider it safe to speak openly. I know she wants to help us get sponsors and allies, but maybe I don't want either. Or worse, maybe no one wants to sponsor or ally with me. Both seem viable.

"The Parade is tonight…" Effie tells us.

Damir and I exchange a look and then nod slowly. We both knew this.

"We need to discuss your costumes," Effie says.

"What about them?" Damir asks.

"Well…how they used to be done…was paying some sort of tribute to what your District was known for," Effie explains.

"Our District was a heap of coal…still is. I'm not paying tribute to that," I say angrily, though I don't know why that bothers me so much. I should be proud of where I come from, and yet the idea of parading around in mining uniform seems stupid.

"Agreed," Damir says, though I am not sure if he actually feels the same or just wants to be on my side.

"Well…that is good, because we don't want to do that," Venia enters from my bedroom followed by Octavia and Flavius.

"Who are you?" Damir asks, confused.

"Your prep team…both of yours now," Venia explains.

"And we want to make this a memorable costume tonight," Octavia adds.

Damir seems taken back by the three and I wonder what the team that cleaned him off earlier looks like. Clearly, not as elaborate as the three standing in front of him now.

"What?" I ask.

"We want to pay tribute to your parents," Venia says.

"My parents?" I am confused now.

"You mean you want to light us on fire…" Damir says more as a statement then a question and he quickly grins.

I, on the other hand, furrow my eyebrow and blink twice. Light me on fire? That seems insane. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on, Emberly. They showed us images in school…your parents road in on a horse with crazy outfits that were on fire…that's how your mom got her nickname," Damir educates me.

I know what he is talking about now. I have seen images of my parents dressed like that, but up until now I hardly associate that with my mother's nickname: the girl on fire. In all honesty, I had never wondered where that name had come from.

"Exactly, and we want them to remember you the same," Venia says.

"No one ever forgot that outfit…and we want them to remember it all over again," Flavius added.

I glance at Effie and she is nodding feverishly and I wonder if this is part of her plan. To associate me and Damir with my parents; with their legacy, with their fight for freedom. Maybe she thinks those who responded to it once will response to it again. Maybe she thinks this is our best chance of getting out of the Arena alive, to remind people where I come from. Or maybe that's a giant risk.

KATNISS POV:

As soon as we get off the train, the three of us are immediately directed by Capitol workers through the crowd. Some people try to reach out and grab us; Peeta and I are used to this, but Galen seems unnerved by it. I wrap my arm around his shoulder in a feeble attempt to protect him, though I don't know why I think I can. I have already failed Emberly.

"This way Mr. Mellark…" The one Capitol guard motions Peeta through a door first. Galen and I quickly follow.

A second later, Peeta, Galen, and I find ourselves in the middle of a large room with no windows and huge red couches lining the walls. There is a table of food in the middle but none of us move to it.

"Where are we?" Galen asks quietly.

"Somewhere in the Capitol," I reply. I know it is an awful answer but it's the only truthful one I have. I've never seen a room like this before.

"There you are!" Effie's voice fills the otherwise silent room.

Instantly, Peeta, Galen, and I turn to see Effie walking in from a door opposite the one we walked in from.

"And to answer your question…you are in a holding room…we keep all the important spectators here before allowing them to get their seats for the Parade. Please…feel free to eat," Effie motions to the table of food.

"Where's Emberly?" Peeta asks before I can even fully wrap my head around what Effie is telling us. Clearly, Peeta is thinking far more clearly then I am.

"She's getting ready for the Parade…" Effie's fake smile faded now and I realized she was acting just as much as we were now.

"Is she okay?" I ask.

"Fine. She did well in training. She's been…very willing to listen so far…" Effie says.

I know that is a direct dig at me. I was hardly willing to listen during the first Games. Maybe, in this instance, Emberly took after Peeta. Maybe she understood this was a game, and she needed to play in it to the best of her abilities.

"We need to get her sponsors," Peeta continues. He sounds like Haymitch, looking at this as a Game rather then our daughter's life. At first this bothers me, but maybe he is on to something. Maybe that's the only way to get through this.

"I am working on it. It will really matter how she presents herself in the interview of course…" Effie says.

"And Allies…" Peeta adds.

"I am hoping Haymitch can do that. He always did manage…" Effie said.

"Haymitch is going to be worrying about his own son," I say automatically. It sounds like I am putting Haymitch down, but I am not. I understand if his priorities are Damir. Mine are Emberly.

"I wouldn't say that. He arrived a bit earlier then you all did. He said he's famous for getting two Victors out at once and he wants to do it again," Effie said.

Instantly my cheeks went red with embarrassment for distrusting Haymitch. He had always been good to Peeta and I and I was ready to throw him under the train. Suddenly, I felt ashamed. I know deep down that my first thoughts were never about saving Damir and Emberly, but just Emberly.

"Well…that's good. Are we going to see him?" Peeta asks.

Effie nods. "You will be being housed in the same room. Its on the top floor, in the building across from the penthouse Emberly and Damir are in. Enobaria decided she wanted all the families of the Tributes to stay within the Capitol. To watch the Games together."

"Why? So we can fight each other when someone's kid kills another's?" I scoff, but by the serious look on Effie's face I realize that is exactly what Enobaria wants. She doesn't want friendship or alliance among the families; she wants chaos. She wants everyone to be angry and full of hate, and she is setting it up for that perfectly.

A loud bell rang above us and instantly my head turned to the ceiling.

"That is the signal to get you up to the Stadium for the Parade. I have left you all some clothes…please change, and then exit through that door. You will be escorted to your seats," Effie says.

Once Effie is gone, I notice the three outfits left on the couch, clearly for Peeta, myself, and Galen. They are beautiful, nothing that the Capitol would make, and they eerily remind me of Cinna's work.

"Lets get changed," Peeta says.

"I don't want to wear that…" Galen points to the red suit that was studded with silver jewels around the collar and down the sleeves.

"We have to play our part," Peeta reminds Galen as he slips on his own clothing. Peeta's outfit is white, very similar to the one he wore in the Interviews for the Quarter Quell Games, with a white sweater and a white jacket. I wonder if whoever chose our outfits did this intentionally.

Mine is red; a beautiful long red dress, almost identical to the one I wore in my interview for the First Hunger Games. The one that made me the Girl on Fire. I move to the far side and slip my dress on, moving quickly back to my son and husband when I am finished.

I am about to speak when Galen stops me, his eyes wide.

"Mom…you're on fire…" Galen says.

I glance down and notice a faint glow of flames around the bottom of my dress and it takes me back. No one but my style team, led by Cinna, knew how to create this look. I wonder who really made this dress one.

"Girl on Fire…let's go," Peeta said, managing a small smile though he looks so tired and old now. My heart breaks a bit as he takes me by the hand and leads be out to the stadium, Galen only a step behind us.