Woot! Update time! Don't you feel special? I know I do. I'm stoked to write about the games. I wanted to write about them from a different perspective. I always wanted to see what it was like for the people in Panem to watch the games. So anyway, I'm not going to tell you if he dies or not. But I will say that I'm not Suzanne Collins. I'm not a sick heartless person who delights in the pain of my readers. That's all I'm saying. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Book Peeta: Get back here! Give me back my prosthetic leg! Hey!

Me: Josh! Josh, now would be a great time to show up!

*motorcycle pulls up along the curb*

Josh: Get on, quick!

Me: Thank God you're here! *gets on motorcycle* Drive!

*motorcycle speeds away into the night*

Book Peeta: I swear I'll get you if it's the last thing I do! You don't own the Hunger Games, and you don't own my leg!

*hops back inside his house*

Chapter 12

"What do you want, Gale? I really don't have time for this," I say in a huff.

"Catnip, please. I just need to talk to you."

"Okay, I told you I'd give you five minutes, so start talking."

He sighs heavily and nods. I'm seriously reconsidering allowing him to talk to me when he finally speaks. "Katniss, I miss you-" I start to interrupt him, but he holds up a finger to silence me. "I miss you, and I want to be your friend. You know I love you, but I'm willing to be your friend for now."

"For now? What happens later when you decide you want more than that again? I can't love you, Gale. I love Peeta. I need Peeta. I can't lead you on anymore."

"Oh, come on, Catnip! You have to admit there are things I can give you that he can't! He doesn't live in the seam, he doesn't understand you the way I can!"

I take a step towards him and jab my finger in his face. "Don't you dare act like you're above him. You may be from the seam like me, but you will never understand what it's like to be in the Games. He is the only one who can feel what I feel and understand why I feel it." He grabs my hand and pulls it away from his face, pinning it at my side. I struggle to break free from his grasp, but he's too strong. He pins my other arm at my right and holds me still. I start to yell in protest for him to let me go, but I don't get the chance.

He crushes his lips to mine, despite the unhappy grunt that escapes my throat. I squirm and push against his grip, but he doesn't let up. He continues to kiss me, his lips moving forcefully against my unresponsive ones. I bite down on his bottom lip, hard, in order to hurt him and make him release me, but he doesn't take it the way I'd hoped he would. However he makes the mistake of bringing his hands up to grab my face, and I beat against his chest with my fists. He breaks away, finally, and I gasp for air. Once I can properly breathe again, I pull my fist back and punch him square in the eye.

"Oh my God, why would you do that?" he growls, clutching at his face.

"Why would I do that? You're the one who tried to take advantage of me! How dare you do that to me!"

"I had to do that. Just once."

"I'm sorry, but that's not the first time you've kissed me, so I'm afraid you've already used up that 'just once.'" He scowls in response. I'm angry now. "Don't look at me like that. I told you no, and you had the nerve to attack me!"

"I didn't attack you, I kissed you."

"I sure felt pretty attacked." He mumbles something under his breath, and I almost catch it, but what I hear is unbelievable. My jaw is set when I ask him, "What did you just say?"

"I said, I bet he doesn't kiss you like that."

And as if one punch wasn't enough, I walk up to him, keeping my composure, and sock him in the jaw. Whirling around, I storm off towards mine and Peeta's tree. I hear Gale following me, so I decide to do something drastic. I kneel down in front of Peeta and nudge him awake, making sure Prim is fast asleep. His eyes open groggily. "Katniss, what-" I cut him off, grabbing his shirt and kissing him with all the strength I can muster. His eyes open wide with surprise, and I note how beautifully blue they look in the dawn sunlight before he closes them, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer. Finally I break away and gasp for air. In the distance I hear the shaking of leaves that I take to mean Gale has just punched a tree.

"What was that for?" Peeta asks, breathless, a grin spreading across his face.

"Oh, nothing. I just really hate Gale. And I really love you." I smirk.

"Do me a favor and get mad at Gale more often, okay?" He says, and I laugh with him. Prim stirs and rolls over to face us. Her eyes widen a little when she sees the way I'm wrapped around Peeta, and we quickly distance ourselves from each other. But Peeta reaches for my hand and entwines our fingers together. Prim giggles. "Sorry to interrupt." My face flushes red, and I look at the ground.

We're suddenly interrupted by a loud noise. It's the alert to come to the viewing of the games, if desired. I look at Peeta and he smiles grimly, rising with me and pausing to help Prim up. We walk over to the viewing screen together and have a seat by Annie. She doesn't acknowledge that we've arrived. She stares at her hand and twists her engagement ring around. Seeing the ring makes my eyes glisten with tears. It's a simple design. An emerald in a silver setting. On the inside something is inscribed, but I don't ask what it says. That would be too personal, especially now. Beside it rests her gold wedding band that she got only a few weeks earlier. I reach out and grab her hand, expecting her not to respond. To my surprise, she squeezes my hand and looks at me, smiling. This is the most alive she's seemed since Finnick was taken, and I wonder for a brief moment if she remembers me staying with her.

The screen turns on, startling me when the interviews music plays. Caesar Flickerman steps onto the stage, smiling an almost too wide smile. He chatters about the tributes' training scores. Finnick got a 10, and the girl paired with him got an 11. The rest of the tributes received scores within the 5-8 range. Except for the scared-looking boy I saw when they initially announced the tributes and their crimes. He miraculously earned a 9.

The interviews begin, and they fly by unexpectedly fast. Mostly because I'm not paying attention to the others. I just want to see Finnick. They're doing things backwards this year. The tributes with the highest levels of treason are going last. That means Finnick will be the last person to speak. The tributes who go before him are stoic and almost unresponsive. You can tell how much hatred and bitter feelings they harbor towards the Capitol and the Games. It's different from my Games. Then, everyone had something to prove. They had families to return to, lives to live, unaffected by rebellion as these people are. These people have fought to liberate the nation of Panem from the iron grip of the Capitol, with the exception of only a few who were hand-picked to torture some of the other tributes. Their scars and permanent frowns speak louder than any words can.

None of the interviews stick in my head until Ari. She is the last person to speak before Finnick. Caesar addresses her past crimes, but she refuses to speak about them. In fact, she refuses to speak at all. No matter how much Caesar prompts, she remains silent, a blank expression on her face. Finally, the audience is restless, and four Peacekeepers step out from behind the stage to take her away. She stands up, offering no resistance to them whatsoever.

All of the viewers in our camp are quiet as this happens. I hear one woman begin to sob. Perhaps she knows the girl. But I doubt that. This woman most likely cries because she admires this girl, her strength and determination to remain who she is. In a roundabout way, she reminds me of Peeta. Once she is gone, Finnick is escorted onto the stage. Caesar stands and greets him as if they were old friends, which they probably are. Finnick shakes his hand, but does not smile. He and Caesar have a seat, and they begin.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, how wonderful is it to once again welcome to the stage, the Great Finnick Odair?" He raises his arms dramatically, and the crowd roars in response, hooting and calling Finnick's name.

"Thank you Caesar, but I'm not exactly being welcomed here in the Capitol." Finnick forces a smile.

"Of course, but we aren't any less excited to be seeing you here for the third time." Once again the crowd goes wild.

"I'm not excited to be here, honestly," Finnick says flatly. Caesar clears his throat. "Oh?" he says. "And why is that?"

"Because I want to go home. I don't want to be here."

"But, Finnick the Capitol is your home."

"Once, yes. But the rebels-" and the screen goes black for a moment. The program returns, but we have no idea what Finnick has just said. We can only guess that whatever it was, he'll pay for it in the arena. Caesar continues, "Well I'm sorry to hear that. And I'm afraid our time is almost up. First, our leaders would like to allow you a few moments to say goodbye to your loved ones who may be watching you right now. So go ahead." Caesar nods toward him, and Finnick takes a deep breath.

"I want to say something to my wife." There is a wave of sighing and complaining over Finnick's newly revealed unavailable status, but he ignores it. "Annie, I don't know if you're watching me right now. But if you are, know that I love you. I love our baby. If I'm not back before he's born, I want you to know that. And before I go, I want you to know that they can't take you. They can never take you again. You're safe. You're free. They can't take you, Annie. Katniss will-" And the screen goes blank. At the mention of my name, they cut off his goodbye to the love of his life. I turn to Annie.

"It's okay, Katniss. It wasn't your fault. I'm gonna be okay. He'll come home."

"How do you know?" I ask, though I realize I shouldn't have.

"Because he knew. I didn't tell him, but he knew. Our baby is a boy."