Disclaimer: The Hunger Games Trilogy is property of Suzanne Collins. This is a parody fanwork by fans for fans. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.

Spectator

By Fanfic Allergy

Chapter Ten

Gale's fist bangs on the door and my mother rushes to open it before he smashes it in. He stands in the doorway, breathing heavily. He obviously ran from his house all the way over here. I can guess why. Peeta's interview.

"Come in," my mother says politely. "Would you like some tea?"

Gale ignores her. "Katniss, we need to talk." His grey eyes are flinty.

"Come in and sit down, Gale," I say from my chair by the television. The tributes are all standing for the anthem of Panem which tells me that the show is now over. Goody. Just in time for the fireworks to begin.

He glances at my mother. "We need to talk privately," he growls and walks toward my chair as if he is going to forcibly pick me up and carry me outside so we can have the argument that I know is forthcoming.

My mother steps in front of him, blocking his way. "Whatever you need to discuss with Katniss, you can do so in front of me." Her protectiveness surprises me. It's so different from the woman I remember.

"I don't think this is a conversation that you need to be a part of," he says in a very hard voice.

"If it involves my underage daughter, it does," my mother says stubbornly.

I'm grateful to her but this is my fight. I stand up and turn off the screen before asking, "What do you want?" I know what he wants, but it's as good of an opening as any.

"What was that, Katniss?" he demands, gesticulating at the screen.

"The interviews?" I ask being deliberately obtuse. "They happen every year. I'd have thought you'd know that by now."

He narrows his eyes at me. "I do. I meant what that merchant kid, Mellark, said."

Great. Gale's class prejudices are coming out. He seems to forget that my mother was a merchant and my closest friend other than him is one too. "Which part? The part where he called my sister lovable or where he talked about the strange Capitol showers?" Again, I'm not going to say it. Gale's going to have to make the accusation.

And he does. "You know what part I mean. The part where you kissed him." He makes it sound like I went and slept with the Head Peacekeeper, Cray. Like I did something disgusting and desperate.

My temper flares at the insinuation. "I didn't kiss him! He kissed me! That's a whole world of difference!"

Gale crosses his arms like he's just won the argument. "But you're not denying that you said goodbye to him."

"Of course, I'm not. I told you I talked to him and he promised to save Prim."

"You didn't mention the hug or the kiss," he states flatly.

"That's because it wasn't any of your business," I shoot back. He's driving me crazy with this possessive protective thing he has going on.

He takes a step toward me. "Are you sleeping with him?" His voice is low, dangerous.

"What?" I'm honestly confused. Where did that question come from?

"Are you sleeping with him, Katniss?" he repeats in a more normal tone.

I stare at him, disbelieving. "I can't believe you'd even ask me that," I say. I'm hurt and angry and I want to cry. "But, no, I didn't sleep with him or anyone else."

A relieved smile crosses his face and his whole posture eases. "Good."

That just makes me angrier. "What makes you think you have the right to ask me that?"

He gives me a look like I should already know the answer. "You're carrying my child."

I see red. "Just because you knocked me up doesn't mean that you get to have any say about how I live my life. You're not my husband, Gale! And after tonight you're never going to be! Now get out!" I turn away so he can't see the tears that are threatening to fall. I'm not some prize to be fought over. I'm my own person and I can make my own decisions. I'm just so angry and hurt, I can't bear to face him. He has no right to be acting like this. None.

"Katniss..." he says from behind me.

"You heard my daughter, get out," my mother says in a hard voice.

I hear Gale leave and my mother shut the door behind him. She crosses the room to me and rubs my back and shoulders soothingly. I'm grateful that she was there, but it doesn't stop the hurt.

"It's never going to go back to the way it was, is it?" I say in a voice that's full of tears.

"I'm sorry, Katniss," my mother replies. She doesn't have to tell me that I'm right. I've already realized the truth. I've known it for a while but I haven't wanted to admit it.

My mother warms up some of Lady's milk and gives it to me. I wrinkle my nose at the warm white liquid but I take it anyway. It will soothe my nerves and help me sleep. Tomorrow the before the Games start at noon and I need to go to the Justice Building to make my payment then go to the Mayor's house.

Madge has invited me to watch the first day at her house and I even though I don't want to, I know I should probably not watch the first day alone. Most Games at least a third of the tributes die at the Cornucopia the only exception to that was the year that the Cornucopia only held spiked maces. That year all of the non-careers bolted for cover. Making the deaths at the Cornucopia a whopping two. Sadly both were from District Twelve, I guess they thought that there might be something further in, I don't know, all I know is that they died quickly and Haymitch was especially drunk that year, having to be supported by Chaff from District Eleven when he did the exit interviews.

I drink my milk and go to bed. I need to be up early tomorrow.

oOo

The next morning is a little hectic. I get up, get breakfast and go down to the Justice Building and wait for it to open. The clerk comes out and I ask where the sponsorship office is. He gives me a sympathetic glance before he leads me to a very small office in the basement. The woman seated there looks like she would rather be anywhere else than in that office and I feel unsympathetic. She, at least, is paid to be here. I'm here for my sister.

She takes down all of my information and asks if I want to make a general funds donation or buy a specific item. When I tell her item, she looks at me in annoyance. "Those are supposed to be phoned into to the mentors and paid via bank funds transfer."

"I don't have a bank account," I protest.

"Not my problem."

"Isn't there another way?" I plead.

She snorts. "Not unless you can call Haymitch Abernathy and convince him to buy what you want."

"I'll do that. Just give me the form."

She looks at me like I'm crazy, but I've got to try. She hands me the form and I run to the Mayor's house. Madge opens the door and I gasp out, "I've got to call Haymitch!" He needs to

She sees the form crumpled around the jar of coins in my hand and nods. She takes the jar and the paper from my hands and leads me upstairs to her father's office. She knocks on the door and waits for him to answer.

When he does, she opens the door and lets me inside. The Mayor is seated at his desk, it's obviously been cleared off of any documents that I'm not allowed to see. That's fine with me, honestly, he's taking a big enough of a risk letting me use his phone.

I dial the number for Prim that was up on the television a few nights ago when they announced the scores. And almost immediately a gruff voice answers, "Yeah?"

"Is this the number to sponsor Primrose Everdeen?" I ask.

"It is, yeah."

"Can I talk with her mentor, Haymitch Abernathy?"

"Who do you think answered the phone, sweetheart."

My temper flares. "Well, how am I supposed to know what your voice sounds like? I've only ever heard you when you were throwing up."

"You want something?" I can hear the annoyance in his tone.

I calm myself down. "I want you to send Prim something very specific today after she gets away from the Cornucopia."

"Think she's going to survive, huh?" He sounds amused.

"I know she is. When she gets away, you need to send her item number," I pause to check the catalog to make sure, "three eight one two seven A. You think you can do that?"

"You want to send her string?" He asks after a few moments when he was obviously looking up the item.

"She's good with snares and making nets," I answer. "If she can keep herself fed, she's got a chance."

"Who are you?" he asks.

"Her sister."

"The one the boy's in love with?" There's no question who 'the boy' is.

I nod then realize he can't see me. "Yeah."

"Well, shit. Ain't this a damned predicament."

"It's not really. Just send her the string, I can't do the item sponsorship because I don't have a bank account. So I've got to do general. I've got the money for it. Please, Mr. Abernathy." I'm starting to get a little desperate and it's apparent in my voice.

"So you're going to owe me if I do this, huh? Okay I want you to do something for me."

"If I can," I answer.

"When they come to interview you, and they will, don't say anything bad about the boy."

"Peeta? Why would they interview me about Peeta?"

The silence on the other end of the phone is deafening and I blush. Of course they'll interview me if he reaches the final eight. They all think I'm his girlfriend.

"I get it now. I won't say anything bad about him."

"If you could play that you liked him that'd be better."

"I owe him. Will that work?"

He considers it for a few moments. "It'll do. Send the money, your sister will get the string." He hangs up without any kind of goodbye and that is fine with me.

I put the handset back into the cradle and look up at the Mayor and Madge. "He'll send it."

"Great! Now fill the form out and I'll go with you back to the Justice Building," Madge says.

"I'll go with you as well," the Mayor adds.

I nod at them gratefully and reach out for the piece of paper Madge is holding. I carefully fill out all of the fields with a blue fountain pen the Mayor hands me and when I'm done he looks the form over to make sure I'm not missing anything and signs the 'witness' field verifying that everything is accurate.

Things go much smoother at the Justice Building this time. The clerk is positively effusive at the Mayor and Madge. Granted, she still looks at me like I'm dirt on her shoe but so long as she doesn't screw me over, I don't really care. She counts my coin out with a displeased expression on her face. I know that in the Capitol they use paper money. But out here in the districts, metal is still used mostly because it lasts longer. Still, she doesn't short my count like I half feared and a half hour before the Games are set to start we're done.

I walk back to the Mayor's house wishing that I'd brought something to snack on. I pass the bakery and feel the few coins I didn't need for Prim's gift in my pocket. I could get something, but should I? The baker's been kind to me and maybe by buying something from his family I can assuage some of the guilt I feel about owing Peeta.

I tell Madge and the Mayor that I'll meet them at their house in a few and walk into the shop. Mr. Mellark and his oldest son Bing are manning the counter. Good, I don't need to face Peeta's mother.

"Dad," Bing says nudging his father and nodding in my direction.

The baker's face lights up. "Katniss! I was hoping you'd stop by. I've got something for you."

I tilt my head questioningly at him

Flustered, he rummages around in the pockets of his apron. "I had it here, so I wouldn't lose it. I was going to bring it by later, after I closed the shop, for you," he explains, his hands pulling out various bits of detritus from his apron. "Ah here it is!"

He hands me an envelope with my name on it.

"What's this?" I ask.

"I don't know. I found it in Peeta's things when I was..." he trails off and swallows visibly a few times. "I thought he'd have wanted you to have it."

I nod and slip the envelope into the pocket of my coat. "I'll read it later," I tell him. "Do you think I might be able to buy some cheese buns?" I ask, changing the subject.

Bing laughs. "Of course you can!"

I smile at him. He's a good man, newly engaged to his school sweetheart, Iris. This was her last year of being eligible for being Reaped, so he proposed shortly before the Reaping in hope that her name wouldn't get called. We get married young in Twelve. Most of us don't live past fifty because of disease, the lack of food, the coal dust in the air, and Capitol cruelties. It means that we're less likely to dawdle once our names will no longer get drawn from that big glass bowl.

I hand him a coin and he pulls out fours cheese buns from the display, enough for me to share with Madge and her family. He puts them in the bag and hands the bag to his father who slips something else in the bag before taking my coin and ringing me up. He hands me back my change and I slip out of the door. I don't want to be late for the start of the Games.

I get to the Mayor's house and knock on the door. I could have just walked in, they are expecting me, but I don't feel comfortable barging in to someone else's home like that. The Mayor answers and says, "Madge is helping Rachel in the kitchen. I thought you'd like something a little more substantial than bread."

"Thank you, but you didn't have to go to any trouble."

"It's no trouble for a friend of Madge's," he replies.

I hold up the bag. "Then at least let me share what I got with you."

"What do you have in there?"

I smile. "Cheese buns."

"Sounds delicious. I'll be happy to accept the trade." And I know he understands I can't be beholden to him or to anyone.

I walk into the kitchen and give a smile to Madge, who is standing at the stove stirring something in a pot. "What are you making?" I ask. Whatever is in the pot smells heavenly and my stomach gives a growl in anticipation.

"Lamb stew," she replies. "It's not quite the same as they have in the Capitol but it's still pretty good."

"You've had Capitol food?" I ask, surprised.

She shrugs. "A few canned items that they send my father every New Year's for a job well done, or something like that."

"Ah. Prim mentioned the food in her interview. It's got to be better than here, right?"

Madge shrugs again. "Maybe. I'm pretty partial to some things here more."

I have an idea what she means. No matter how good another cuisine is, there's something about home cooked food. "I've got cheese buns to go with the stew."

"It's like you knew!" she says with a laugh.

"Or I was just craving warm cheesy goodness."

"The baby knew then. Watch out Katniss, your kid's going to be psychic."

"Must be." My stomach growls again. I open the bag to put the buns on the plate and find that the baker has also included a few more of the iced cookies: One for me and one for my mother. I look at the icing and note that the flowers aren't as delicate as last time but I can't fault the baker for having a shakier hand. I put them back in the bag and place the bag in my pocket so I won't forget it.

I pick up my tray with the stew and bun on it and a mug of warm tea with milk in it and head back out to the viewing room. When I'm seated, the Mayor turns on the television. Unlike Mandatory Viewing at seven every day, the screen doesn't come on automatically at the start of the Games.

It's a little before noon and the commentators are talking about their favorite moments from bloodbaths past. Enobaria winner of the Sixty Second Games bashing in the skulls of two tributes in one blow comes up a few times although there are a few other favorite moments. I don't normally watch the bloodbath, waiting for the recap during Mandatory Viewing. So I don't get the whole rehash of Games past then. I eat my stew, which is as good as it smelled, and try not to lose my appetite as they describe a particularly gruesome death.

At noon, Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith appear on the screen and announce, "Happy Hunger Games!"

"Now, let's get our first look at this year's Arena," Caesar states and I lean in. This is what could spell life or death for Prim. The screen flickers and I let out a sigh of relief when I see that it's wooded hills with a small clearing where the Cornucopia is. On the east side of the clearing is a large lake, obviously the main water source for the Arena, although I hope there are others for Prim's sake. To the west lies a large field of some kind of grain. There is a small cliff leading down to it so it isn't visible from the main clearing as easily. The rest of the clearing is surrounded by woods and wooded hills. Perfect for Prim's survival skills, I hope that there are plants there that she can eat and I note that there are reeds, willow, and cattails growing along the lake.

I take this in quickly because my eyes are drawn to the opening of the twenty four pedestals equally spaced in a circle around the Cornucopia. My eyes flick from tribute to tribute until I locate Prim. She's in between the girl from Six and the boy from Three. Good, neither are Careers. That is good for Prim.

Peeta is about four tributes to the left of her facing into the Cornucopia opening. The platforms lock into place and the countdown starts. For one agonizing minute, a full sixty seconds, the tributes have to stand there or be blown to bits by the mines surrounding the pedestals.

Prim looks around frantically, calming visibly when she spots Peeta. She gives him a little nod and starts looking at the array of supplies scattered around her. Directly in front of her is a loaf of bread and just a little beyond that a pair of socks. In front of the girl from Six, I spot a fishing kit and a piece of plastic. Useful items, but not all that useful. The closest backpack is closer to the head of the Cornucopia.

The camera circles around the clearing, focusing in on each of the tributes in turn. When the count reaches twenty, the screen splits to show a wide view of the four cardinal directions. The tributes take their marks and wait for the gong to sound signaling the start of the Games.

Ten seconds.

I find Prim on the screen.

Nine seconds.

I feel Madge take the tray of food away from me.

Eight seconds.

A slight headshake from Peeta draws my eyes to him.

Seven seconds.

He motions to the woods to one side of the clearing.

Six seconds.

Prim nods.

Five seconds.

I realize that they must have some kind of plan to meet up.

Four seconds.

I see Prim clench her fists.

Three seconds.

Peeta's eyes focus on the opening of the Cornucopia.

Two seconds.

The baby moves within me as if it is sensing my anxiousness.

One second.

I draw deep breath.

The gong sounds and chaos erupts on the screen. Tributes are running every which way, some to the Cornucopia some away. The girl from Five is the first to make it to the trees and the relative safety therein.

I struggle to find Prim on the split screen cacophony. I find her and try not to take my eyes off of her. As I expected, she's making a beeline for the woods, but taking enough time to try to pick up a few random items here and there. So far I see she's gotten the bread and the socks when my attention is drawn away from her by the cries of the announcers.

The first battle at the Cornucopia is taking place between Reef and Thresh. Reef has managed to get his hands on a hunting knife and is lashing out at the much larger boy. It must rankle knowing that a non-Career scored higher than he did. Now, he's got something to prove. He swipes his knife across the dark skinned boy's bicep and smiles when he sees he's drawn blood. He takes a step back to gloat and that is his undoing. Thresh swats the knife out of his hand and picks the smaller boy up into a crushing bear hug. With a calculated jerk, he breaks Reef's back. The body falls limply to the ground and Thresh goes about picking up whatever supplies he wants before taking off for the cliff edge and the grain field beyond.

The Careers who saw Reef go down are in shock and it gives some of the other tributes time to grab a few supplies and go. Little Rue's managed to score a bright orange backpack thanks to the distraction while Prim's grabbed the items from in front of Grata's pedestal. The poor girl from Six is still on the raised circle, just crying softly to herself. Prim gives her a sympathetic glance but keeps moving.

This is smart because by this time the rest of the Careers have reached the opening of the Cornucopia, as has Peeta. I see that Peeta is grabbing several packs of supplies while the Careers bypass him to grab weapons then start in on the weaker tributes who haven't managed to clear out from the Cornucopia mouth.

Coil goes down with a knife in the head courtesy of Clove. I can see that her skill with those knives must be why she got a ten in training. The boy from Seven, Elm, grabs an axe and wheels around to find someone to attack with it only to find an arrow shaft protruding from his belly, He touches the fletching and looks up to see Glimmer standing in the opening of the Cornucopia with a bow and arrows. He keels over curling around the shaft and Glimmer smirks. I was right, beautiful and deadly.

Cato grabs a short sword and looks around for a target. The girl from Three, Radi, is struggling with a pack that's partially weighed down by Elm's body. The Career from Two sprints towards her and before she can manage to scream, runs her through the chest. He looks up from his kill and finds Clove's eyes and gives her a quick smile.

She returns it then her focus is back on the chaos around her. Noticing a few of the outlying tributes, Clove moves to try to get a good shot. I suck in my breath when her eyes alight on Prim. She smirks and draws out a knife and aims it. As the knife leaves her hand, Prim bends down to grab a small pouch and the knife sails over her head and into the grass beyond. I swear I can hear Clove gnashing her teeth in frustration. She pulls out another knife when a shout from the girl from Four distracts her.

Thankfully, Prim seems to think that she's accrued enough supplies and takes off for the woods. I notice that the tributes around the Cornucopia have thinned considerably. Other than Uranium, Thresh and Prim, I can see that Clint from Ten, both tributes from Nine, and the female Taylor from Eight have also cleared out. Rue's been hanging out on the edges of the clearing and when Prim enters the woods she follows her. My heart sinks.

But the cameras won't move from the Cornucopia, I'll have to wait until either something spectacular happens with Rue and Prim or the bloodbath ends to find out how my sister is doing.

My attention is now focused on Peeta. He's grabbed lots of supplies and stuffed them into one large back frame. Unfortunately, with the smaller pool of tributes the Careers can no longer ignore him. Coral and Clove corner him against the Cornucopia. Clove flings a knife which he moves his pack up to deflect the flying weapon.

Coral rushes in at him, a knife aimed low at his gut. Peeta steps to one side and grabs her arm. Then in a move I saw him perform in a wrestling match, he turns Coral's arm back in on itself. The knife enters her belly and she lets out a cry. Peeta finishes her off with a chop to the back of her neck, forcing Coral onto the hard ground and the knife further into her stomach.

Clove's eyes widen and she rushes Peeta, hoping to take him out while he's winded from his fight with Coral. Luckily, he sees her coming and grabs her arm and spins, flinging her into the side of the Cornucopia. Clove is clearly dazed and slumps to the ground unconscious or dead, I'm not sure which. We won't know who survived until the end of the bloodbath and the commentators give us a list in order of who died. Meanwhile, Peeta takes the opportunity to grab the bundle of knives out of her other hand then he hoists his pack onto his back. Making sure that no one else is going to attack him, he sprints off to the woods a little to the left of where Prim entered.

On the other side of the Cornucopia, Marvel is toying with the male Taylor from District Eight. He's jabbing the poor boy with a spear. Nothing fatal. Just painful. With each jab, Marvel laughs and cracks some crude joke. I feel the lamb stew considering making a reappearance. I turn away from the screen and take a careful sip of my tea. I hate the Careers. Now that I'm no longer so focused on the action on the television, I can actually hear the announcers' comments.

They are going on and on over the fact that two Careers have fallen so early. Caesar even comments that no one from Districts One, Two, or Four have fallen first in over forty five years. I'm sure that back in District Four the families of those two tributes are feeling embarrassed and ashamed, but here in Twelve I just feel relief. That's two less threats for Prim to take on.

My stomach settles enough for me to turn back to the screen. Only a few tributes remain at the Cornucopia. Ford, the boy from Six, falls with an axe to the back courtesy of Tacoma. He'd been trying to pull his district partner, Grata, from her pedestal where she'd been frozen crying the whole time. She's finally killed by Cato who calmly walks up to her and skewers her through the heart.

Tacoma readies another throwing axe to try to take out Cato but notices Marvel charging at her. She makes a rude gesture at the handsome boy from One and sprints off into the woods.

And with the departure of Tacoma, the bloodbath is over.

AN:

Written as part of NaNoWriMo in November of 2012

Revised 7/13/13

Beta Read by RoseFyre

I don't think Gale would handle the revelation that the person he considers his girl kissed another man. Never mind that Peeta kissed her and didn't really give her a vote. He's a lot more possessive here and Katniss doesn't handle that well. Their relationship was already strained before the start of this fic but I think that this pretty much doomed it. He isn't going away entirely, but he's going to feature a lot less in this fic. He'll be back later.

Now for something new that you will see for the duration of the Games. Tributes killed in this chapter and how they died.

1. Reef, District Four, Killed by Thresh, Broken Back
2. Coil, District Five, Killed by Clove, Knife to the Head
3. Elm, District Seven, Killed by Glimmer, Arrow to the Gut
4. Radi, District Three, Killed by Cato, Sword to the Chest
5. Coral, District Four, Killed by Peeta, Knife to the Gut
6. Taylor (male), District Eight, Killed by Marvel, Spear to the Back
7. Ford, District Six, Killed by Tacoma, Axe to the Back
8. Grata, District Six, Killed by Cato, Sword to the Chest

This will help you and me keep track of who all is left. As for Clove, we'll find out her fate in the next chapter. She's not dead, yet. But she's not quite up for going for a walk.

Up Next: The Aftermath of the Bloodbath

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