Chapter 12

JPOV

The next morning came and It was the day where we show the Capital how good we were at our chosen skill. Everyone was seated in rows and talking to each other.

"So you had another nightmare last night?" Gale asked.

"Yeah.. it just kept coming back so… I'm sorry if I woke you." I said with my head down.

"It's okay. If you ever have a nightmare you can always come to me. I don't mind." He said as he put his hand on my knee. I looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you.." I said.

'District 3, Wiress. Please step forward for individual assessment.' the intercom said.

Wiress stood up and walked out the door. We then waited in silence as more and more names were called. As always I was last to get called because I'm from District 12.

'Journey Lavender. Please step forward for individual assessment.'

I stood up and walked to the they opened, it revealed a large room where on the balcony stood Plutarch, watching me. I looked to the ground to see words written in blue and gold paint.

"Rest In Peace Rue." Written in what looked like Gale's writing.

Seeing Rue's name made me want to breakdown and cry. But Something in me wouldn't let the tears escape my eyes.

"Ms. Lavender… you have ten minutes to show us your chosen skill." I heard Plutarch say. Anger boiled in me as I looked around for a 'skill'. I so desperately wanted to shoot another arrow at them, but I knew that they had a forcefield around them. So, instead I looked around for anything I could use as a body, so I picked up a dummy and brought it to a table. I then painted Rue's face. I wrote on her chest:

'The odds are NEVER in our favour!'

I then laid her down next to the writing, placed tit's hands on it's chest. Lastly I painted some flowers and took and arrow and plunged it into the dummy. When I was finished I saw the Capital people all look astonished, except for Plutarch. He just smiled as if it didn't effect him. I then, did a little bow and walked off hearing the mutters of the other people behind me. I then went upstairs and went to my room ignoring Effie, Haymitch, and Gale.

After the incident, I have been stuck in my room for most of the day. I really didn't want to speak to anybody and I didn't feel like eating. I just want to be in my room with the lights off where I can lay in complete darkness where I feel safe.

But then the door opened to reveal Gale.

"Hey…" He said in an awkward voice as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hey Gale. What do you want?" I didn't mean to sound rude, but it just slip out of my mouth.

"Look, I'm sorry I wrote that. It was just… I was just.. caught up in the moment and I was angry." Gale said coming closer to me.

"It's fine. It's not your fault. I felt that anger too and I.. snapped. I don't think they will even show my 'chosen skill' tonight." I said looking at him.

"Well damn. Now I really want to see what you did." Gale said smiling and plastered a smirk on his face as he came to sit next to me on the bed.

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't take a picture, I was too caught up in the moment. Maybe next time yeah?" I asked in a playful tone, lightening the mood more.

"Sure. Sounds good to me." He said laughing which was contagious because I started to laugh as well. But then his smile fell and then his eyes turned into slits as if he was contemplating something. "What do you think would have happened if we weren't Reaped?" He asked.

I thought about it for a second before answering.

"We'd probably be at our fake honeymoon sleeping in separate bedrooms." I said with a small laugh in the back of my throat.

"I mean would we even know each other if we weren't Reaped the first time?" He then looked to me and was waiting for an answer that I don't even know I can answer. Would we even know each other?

"I.. don't know. I mean we never really even spoken to each other before the first Reaping. Even if I was hanging around the Everdeens a lot, I never really saw you or spoken to you…" That was all I could give as an answer. Nothing else.

"You know.. after that day in the square, you kissed me-"

"Gale.. Please don't. I can't. I can't let my emotions get involved in this. It will only make it harder when I…"

"You're not going to die! So just stop saying you will!"

"Gale, Snow wants me dead, which means that it will happen. No matter what.. I won't walk away from this alive. So maybe.. maybe if I accept it now, It will make the thought of death less terrifying." I said looking away from him. I felt the bed rise as Gale then stood up and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"I'm sorry.." I whispered knowing very well he wouldn't hear it. Hell even if I screamed it I don't think he would hear it. So, I just laid down on the bed, curled up into a ball and fell asleep in complete darkness.

Today was the day for the interviews, and it was none other than Effie waking me up bright and early so that we could get an early start on my costume. I mindlessly let Effie drag me out of my room into the living room where Gale was nowhere to be seen. Or Haymitch for that matter. Where the hell are they?

"All right dear we are going to scrub you down and then we will start on your hair and work out way down." She said never breaking her smile. I nodded and Effie led me to the 'cleaning' room where I was scrubbed down with rosewater and lavender shampoo. It smelt really nice and it even made my body relax.

When they were done, they took me to a small room where there were shelves of makeup and hair tools. I was sat in a chair as A stylist did my hair and Effie did my makeup. There was no mirror sadly as I could not see what I look like.

"All in good time dear. You just need to have a little bit of patients. Trust me you will thank us later." She said proudly as if she were painting a masterpiece. I just stayed still and quiet.

When they were done with my makeup, they took me right to Cinna who looked a little excited and was holding a giant white bag and I couldn't help but smile at his happiness.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. I just think that I have made something that I think you.. and a lot of others are going to love tonight." He said as he unzipped the back to reveal..

Oh my God…

"Oh. My. God.."

3rd PersonPOV

Caesar Flickerman went up on stage as the music played, everyone clapping and cheering at their favorite Panem Host. His purple hair shining in the light, his pearly white teeth glowing under the stage lights.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you all for being here tonight on the eve of the 75th Hunger Games! We have never seen anything like this.. and we will never see anything like it again." The whole crowd goes silent.

"Because tonight, on this stage, 24 of Panem's brightest stars will have their final opportunity to express their thoughts, and our opportunity to express our love. And Heartbreakingly… to say goodbye to all but one…" The whole stage went into gasps and sad 'awws.'

"What a night.. Let's hear it! This is so exciting! HAHAHA!" The whole crowd swiftly changed from sad to happy as they all clap and cheer. Waiting for the tributes.

JPOV

"A wedding dress?"

"Yes well.. President Snow requested it. But I did make a few alterations just for my girl on fire." He said with a sneaky smirk. I smiled and hugged him as they started to put the dress on my. It was beautiful as the top was covered in jewels and the bottom had ruffle and a gold lace design on the bottom working it's way to the top side of the waist line. The vail was long and shimmery with golden flakes and it almost made me want to tear up. It was that beautiful.

As they were getting me into the dress, I was watching the tv as they were interviewing the Tributes. It was Gloss and Cashmere. Of course they were both wearing shimmery golden fabric. No surprise there.

"So the Capital has come to love you two beautiful siblings. I don't know how we're going to let you go." Caesar said with a pouted lip.

Cashmere then started to "cry". Gloss then leaned into the mic.

"We're not going by choice. You are our family. And we will always love you all." He said. Cashmere started to cry harder, so now Caesar's attention was on her.

"Are you alright dear?" He asked giving the mic to her.

"I'm so sorry. I just.. I just can't s-stop crying."

This made me roll my eyes. At least produce real tears if you're going to fake cry.

"God.. This is so cheesey. Does anybody actually believe this act?" I asked. Haymitch entered the room with grapes in hand.

"Yeah. Everybody does sweetheart." He then pointed to Effie and the other stylists who were crying as they looked at the t.v.

"Really Effie?"

"What? She is very good." She said whipping her tears.

"Look. These victors are angry Journey. They'll say anything tonight to stop the games from happening. I think you should do the same. Okay?"

"Yeah.. Okay." I looked back to the tv and watching these tributes try and put on an act. Wiress was up there now. Looking and acting indifferent.

"Now wiress, you have been apart of Panem and it's marvelous technology for so many years. I don't know who we will miss more. You or your brain." Everyone started laughing. I however found it very sickening. By the look on Wiress's face so did he.

"If the Quarter Quell was written in law by man. It can also be unwritten." I had to admit that was pretty clever, and I gave a small smile to the tv. Everyone else just looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yes… a very interesting concept.."

Then more tributes were interviewed, and the there was Finnick Odair.

"Finnick, I understand that there is a certain someone you've grown fond of?" All the girls in the audience were going crazy fawning over him as he smiled to the audience. He was so full of himself that it made me want to puke.

"Yes I have, but I know she doesn't feel the same way for me.. She's already taken." The crowd goes into aw's.

"That's such bad luck Finnick. Who is this girl?"

"Her name is.. Journey Lavender." WHAT!? WHAT DID HE SAY? Are the speakers on this tv messed up?

"Holy shit." Haymitch and Cinna said, taking the words out of my mouth before I could say it.

"LANGUAGE!" Effie scolded them. We all shooshed her as we wanted to hear what they were saying, our faces glued to the t.v.

"Finnick, that is very bad luck! I can't even imagine-!"

"I know and I hope she didn't see this because I know it'll only be harder for her. But all I can say is that I wish that she didn't have to suffer through the games again. I just..wish that there was a way… I'm sorry." Finnick then had one tear out of his and I had to keep myself calm.

"This has to be a trick. It sounds like he's also trying to get the games cancelled." Haymitch said as he saw the murderous look on my face. He just made me look like a slut and he thought it would help?! I'm going to kill him!

It was now Johanna's turn to be interviewed and she looked pissed off.

"We've seen a lot of tears tonight. But there are no tears in Johanna's eye. Johanna, you are angry-"

"Hell yes I am angry! I'm getting totally screwed over here. The deal of the Hunger Games was that if I won, I would live my life in peace. But NOW you want to kill me again. Well you know what F*** THIS! AND F*** EVERYONE WHO HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

"Holy shit.." I said, my mouth opening wide. I was surprised, but also proud of her and I gained a whole new respect for basically said everything us tributes have been scared to say.

"Okay.. that was one woman's opinion…" Caesar said as he felt awkward as Johanna was escorted off stage to cool off.

"Alright I'm finished...You are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen." Cinna said as he spun me around to face the mirror. My mouth opened in aw. So this is what I would look like as a bride. My hair was pinned back as spirals of my hair were loose in back. I had a blue/black smokey eye with deep red lipstick.

Wow was all I could say in that moment.

"Will there be fire tonight?" I asked him. He smiled at me and said "Just save that for the end. And when it's finished, I want you to raise your hands to the sides." I nodded a quick yes as I heard the doors open.

"One minute until show- HUH! Oh Journey…" Effie said as she walked over towards me.

"What?" I looked down at myself as if I didn't look good or if something was wrong.

"Nothing. It's just.. You would have been the most beautiful bride anyone could ever see." I could see that she was starting to get teary eyed as she hugged me.

"Thank you Effie." I said.

"NOW. Let's go show them what real beauty looks like." She then started to drag me to backstage as I saw Johanna struggle with her dress that looked really uncomfortable. When she saw me, she looked skeptical.

"You've got to be kidding me. A wedding dress?" She asked eyeing my dress.

"It wasn't my idea. Snow wanted me to wear it, so I couldn't say no."

"Well then.. you better make him pay for it." She said with a smile. I smiled back and nodded as the doors opened up, signaling me to come on stage.

" You all know her as the Girl On Fire. Ladies and gentlemen I now present to you the beautiful Ms. Journey Lavender!"

The whole crowd went nuts and I was almost deaf from the screaming as I walked on the stage. Caesar offered me his hand to help me on the steps which I was grateful because I was scared of walking in these high heels. But I did put a huge smile on my face and looked happy.

"My, my, you look magnificent my dear! Doesn't she?" Everyone cheered and said yes. Then a few more moments of cheering, everyone sat down.

"Now Journey, this has been a very big.. and emotional night.. for all of us. Wouldn't you say?"

"Caesar you're not going to start crying right?" Everyone laughed along with Caesar.

"You know me, I just can't make any promises!"

"Well you know I wouldn't believe you even if you did." I said smiling even bigger.

"HAHAHA! I love it! The girl on fire is so cheeky I love it! But on a more serious note.. I think we all here are a little sad..and disappointed that a certain wedding didn't take place. Aren't we folks? Tell me, how does it feel to soon be known as Journey Hawthorne?" The whole crowd looked sad and said there 'aw's' as I was thinking of something to say.

"It feels different, but in a good way. Like.. I was meant to carry that name. And I would never do anything to change that." I said looking to the ground.

"Aw that's so sweet! BUT! Am I correct that this was the gown that you would have worn for your wedding?"

"Yes. President Snow thought that it would be best for everyone to see it. Before the games and all..."

"Well President Snow as always was right! Isn't he folks? HAHAHA I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!"

"Do you want to see the final touch?" I asked. "And don't worry Caesar, it will be safe." I said jokingly remembering last year as he asked me if it was safe.

"Oh yes please! Please!" He said as he stepped back. I then started to spin around as I heard the flames form. I then saw the red flames spark up and the crowd went nuts. But something was different. I felt the dress get tighter around my legs and the fabric started to change. Then I wasn't seeing white frill, I was seeing a dark blue fabric. After a few moments, I stopped spinning and I looked down to see the dress changed into a dark blue dress that was fitted from the top to the knee and had a loose flowy fabric on the bottom. The top had a feather design to it, covered in diamonds . I then spread my arms out as black feathered wings popped out to meet my arms.

The crowd was frantic with cheers, they even stood up to get a better look.

"OH MY GOD! THIS IS FANTASTIC! It looks like some kind of bird a um.. um.."

"Like a mockingjay?" I finished for him. I looked to Cinna who was smiling at me and I the same. How he could even think up such a dress was beyond me, but he really needed more credit than other people give.

"Your stylist has outdone himself hasn't he!? EVERYONE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR CINNA!"

Everyone turned to Cinna as he bowed and waved to the crowd. I then clapped for him as well. Even Haymitch looked impressed.

"Thank you so much my dear for sharing this with us!" Caesar said as it was a little dismissal for me to go on the stage steps. So, I then walked up on the left side of the stage where the other tributes were.

"And now the final tribute. The handsome, the brave, the heroic..Gale Hawthorne!" Gale then walked on stage with a smirk and waved to the crowd. The smirk was because he detested these people so much he couldn't pull off a full smile. I could hear all the girls scream over him in the distance. He was dressed in a blueish black suit and his hair slicked back with jell.

"It's so nice to see you again Gale. Especially because your back, not as a boy, but as an engaged man. Tell me how does that feel?"

"It feels amazing. I don't think I can even say in words how happy I am." The crowd was in aw, gushing over his words.

"Yes yes, but Gale..The wedding? The marriage.. never to be?"

"Actually we got married in secret." He said. The crowd gasped at the news. What the hell is he doing? I mentally thought.

"A secret wedding? Oh please do tell."

"Journey and I we didn't want to waste any time we had.. We wanted our love to be eternal. Journey and I.. have been luckier than most people. We wouldn't have regretted anything if it weren't for.."

For what?

"For what?" Caesar asked.

"If it weren't for the baby." BABY!? WHAT BABY?

The crowd went nuts and it wasn't with cheers. It was with anger. I could hear people screaming in anger.

"Stop the games!"

"Cancel the games!"

"THIS ISN'T RIGHT!"

"A-all right! Calm down this is news to all of us. Calm down."

It took me a minute to understand why he did and when he did, and I couldn't help the smirk on my face. Holy shit that was genius. It looked like this was a crowd Caesar couldn't control as he looked a little panicked trying to calm them down. But no one was having that. Gale then walked up on the steps next to me and hugged me. We then joined hands with everyone and raised them up. As the music played.

By now Caesar looked pissed as he signaled for the lights to cut off, and then the cameras were down. We all were rushed off stage by Peacekeepers and we were escorted backstage. Gale was walking next to me, but I then saw him curve to the right. I then looked to see that he was marching up to Finnick. Oh no…

Gale grabbed Finnick by his color and pushed him towards the wall. The Peacekeepers just stood and watched along with the tributes.

"What the hell was that stunt you pulled back there! Do you realize that you made us look like fools? That you made Journey look like a slut!" Gale was practically growling in his face and Finnick just smiled.

"Oh what's the matter Gale? You afraid of competition?" It was my turn to jump in.

"Hey! Gale stop let go of him! There is no competition! So what the hell were you thinking!?"

"Alright look, I just said what I said to try and.. stop the games some how. I know it was very foolish of me to do so.. but… When you see something sweet…" He didn't finish, but the smile on his face and the laugh that came after just proved that he found the whole thing very funny.

"Gale.." I put my hands on his shoulders to calm him down and I felt him loosen his grip on Finnick and then pushed him into the wall once more before walking away.

I just took one glance at Finnick and then walked off after Gale. But he was nowhere to be found down here. While I was walking, I walked into Effie, who wanted to speak to me.

"I'm sorry Effie, but I really can't speak right now." I said walking past her. My feet started to cramp as I was speed walking down the halls.

"Damned heels!" I then took them off, threw them to the side and kept on walking. I then knew that Gale wasn't anywhere around here, so I then just decided to go upstairs.

When I got off the elevator I saw Gale leaning against the wall, in thought.

"Gale.. that was.."

"Yeah I know... It was stupid, I shouldn't have done it and I messed up. I'm sorry." He then grabbed me in a bear hug that I gratefully accepted. He was warm and comforting which was what I like about being around him. Even if sometimes he can be a little scary.

We were still in a hug as we heard the elevator doors open up to reveal Haymitch and Effie.

Hello guys! I hope you love this chapter! I want to let you guys know that you can see my designs for this story's clothing and costumes at my polyvore account named JourneyTaylor. Trust me when I say you would love them! REMEMBER TO LIKE, REVIEW! New chapter in works!

THANK YOU! xoxo