The phone rang for what felt like hours. Katniss was impatient, waiting for the dial tone to end and a voice to start. She couldn't stand the wait, biting her nails so short they bled. It shouldn't have been taking so long for them to answer; something was wrong.

After the fifth minute of ringing, it ended. Katniss waited a few more seconds before a small voice spoke up.

"Hello?" his small voice croaked as he picked up the phone. Katniss sighed in relief as she heard her son's voice, her heart finally slowing down.

"Hi Cinders its mommy," Katniss smiled as she spoke. She could just imagine her son's eyes widening, a smile spreading across his little face. Cinders didn't talk for a couple seconds and Katniss heard her mother's voice in the background. It sounded like she was talking to Rose, her daughter. Katniss felt stupid for over reacting before, they were probably just away from the phone.

"Hi mommy!" Cinders exclaimed in excitement. "We went picking berries." Katniss couldn't hold her smile in as she listened to her son talk. He was always so happy, and so much like his father.

"And how was that kiddo?" Katniss asked and laid back in the bed. Peeta was out, probably at a bar or someplace else to take away the stress. Katniss didn't drink; it always brought out her worst memories. Instead she escaped the present by talking to her innocent children.

"Good! Grammy is gonna make us pie! It won't be as good as dads," Cinders said as Katniss's mom whined jokingly in the background. The sound of her family's voices made Katniss feel at ease, as if the next day wasn't going to happen at all. As if everything was just a bad dream.

"Well your dad is a pretty good pie man," Katniss laughed and thought about Peeta. He was acting as if the Games didn't get to him, but Katniss could see the pain in his eyes. Each time they had to go to an important meeting, the pain would be there. Every time someone placed another bet on the Capitol boy or one of the Careers, the pain was there. Each show on the television showed the tributes faces, explaining their District and family. It was all so painful.

"Can I speak to your sister?" Katniss asked Cinders. She could just imagine him tripping over the toys that littered the floor to get to his sister. Rose wasn't even two and could only say a few words, but Katniss still wanted to hear her daughter.

"Hi Rosey, its mommy," Katniss cooed into the phone. Rose squealed on the other line. Katniss imagined her mouth forming a giant smile while her feet stamped in excitement. "Have you been a good girl for Grammy?"

Again Rose mumbled some made up words in a high squeal. Katniss laughed with her daughter, her heart soaring at the sound of her baby's laughter. She wished she could stay like that forever, in bliss with her family, but that was far from the truth.

…

Later that night Peeta came back to the room, his eyes worn out. Katniss was already in bed, not asleep, but laying in worry. She couldn't help stressing about the next day. The interviews were then. It was stressful thinking about the children they'd be talking to, one of them practically being their nephew. And some of the tributes had hard feelings against Katniss, which would be awkward. Katniss sat a little higher in the bed as Peeta entered the room.

"Where've you been?" Katniss asked and patted the spot beside her. Peeta flopped down, still dressed in his suit and tie. By the smell of his breath, Katniss knew he hadn't been drinking like she assumed.

"I was trying to get us out of the interviews, but Clare won't hear it. She's a little too into these Games," Peeta sighed and rested his head against Katniss's shoulder. He looked so exhausted and beaten up. His eyebrows were almost permanently mushed together in frustration lately. Katniss couldn't stand seeing him so tired looking.

"Don't stress too much about it Peeta. Once we get them over with, we're home free," Katniss whispered and massaged his forehead with her fingers. She couldn't help but feel a twist in her stomach as she spoke her words, knowing Clare had something else in mind for the victors. Peeta didn't believe Katniss's words either but agreed with her, hoping she was right.

…

Katniss and Peeta stayed up into the night, watching the specials about each tribute. It showed everything from their reaping until their private training score. This was also when their friends and families were interviewed. It was heartbreaking seeing the families of the kids on TV, the false hope in their eyes. Again Katniss watched for the ten tributes she had been keeping track of.

It was crazy seeing some of the families. Justice's parents who had cried for their daughter, wishing they could see her one last time. Cressida's adopted sister Eden, saying she knew her sister would be home to teach her how to cook fish like she had promised. And Electra, Luke's best friend who looked heartbroken as she held hands with Alvie, the boy Luke had volunteered for.

The most heart breaking was Annie, and how she avoided the camera after she told them that Finnick would save their son. Katniss couldn't help but cry for the tributes and their families, knowing that's exactly how her mother and Prim had felt all those years ago.

While Katniss was crying, Peeta took out his book where he wrote down as much about Katniss's ten tributes that he could catch. He knew she'd want him to do it. Katniss would especially want the tributes score, for those usually showed who would get sponsors and who wouldn't.

Cressida's was a little over average, coming up as a six out of ten.

Finn's, on the other hand, was a disappointing two. Peeta shook and he held in his tears as he wrote down the fateful number.

D gained a seven out of ten, as expected. D seemed like a fighter; tough and rough.

Helen didn't do too well, although not as bad as Finn. She came out with a three, causing Peeta to shake his head.

Justice's score was surprising, an eight. Peeta couldn't imagine the girl actually picking up a weapon, but she must've done something to win over the Gamemakers.

Luke's score was expected. He already had a lot of potential, with the entrance he had, so the eight he scored wasn't a surprise.

Jai gained a four, which was pretty good for a kid his size. Usually the younger and smaller ones would get a two or three.

Lilli also gained a four, the District 11 tributes so alike.

Doom's score was also surprising, but it actually made Peeta smile. He hated the boy so was quite glad that the brute only got a score of five.

Lastly was Nicholas, the scary District 13 boy. He ended up getting a nine, probably because the Gamemakers were too afraid to give him anything lower.

After the program ended and Katniss had cried herself to sleep, Peeta put his book away and draped a blanket over Katniss. As much as he loved Katniss, he couldn't help but blame her for getting him into the mess of the Games. And as much as he hated her for starting the Games, he crawled into the bed and snuggled close to her body.

…

WAS THIS UPDATE FAST OR WHAT? Sorry I am just proud of myself :D I don't really have much to say besides that I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter/s will be the interviews and then… BUMBUMBA, the Games will start! Who will die first? We'll just have to wait and see ;D

Points

Doom has 32, D has 21, Justice has 19, Lilli has 20, Luke has 29, Jai has 22, Cressida has 31, Finn has 25, Nicholas has 7, and Helen has 29.

Questions

What do you think of Katniss and Peeta's children's names? (BTW Rose is named after Prim while Cinders is named after Cinna)

Were all of the tributes scores expected?

What do you think the arena is going to be like?

Clues for the arena:

#1: It has to do with the number two

#2: Some of the alliances are going to have HUGE troubles with it. Not because of their skills, strengths or weaknesses but because of the actual alliances themselves.