Chapter Thirteen- No Escape

(Willow)

The day after the wedding is the day that Peeta and Katniss meet with all of their family and friends again, before they leave to go to Four on their honeymoon for two weeks. The people at the train station with them include me, Gale and his family, Katniss' family, Peeta's family- his mother still recovering from the "illness" that kept her from her son's wedding- and, of course, reporters.

I stand next to Gale and, like most of the family and friends that are with us, we both look tired, although we're trying to hide it from the reporters with smiles. Peeta and Katniss just decided that, even though the attempt from the Capitol was nice, they wanted one of their own, out of the camera's view, and exactly how a District Twelve Toasting would usually be performed; so they had one, late at night.

For a few minutes, the cameras are focussed on the newly wed couple, their close embrace having hardly broken since it was made, and they have to talk about what it feels to be finally married. After that, they talk to family and friends for our reaction to yesterday and what happy omens we are expecting it to mean for the future, although none of us mention we hope that it will avoid a rebellion.

When the clock on the wall finally strikes the hour after we arrived here, the hour that signals the departure of Peeta and Katniss on their first holiday as a married couple, we all turn to look at them. After planting a quick kiss on his wife's cheek, Peeta and Katniss turn to wave at us and we all wave back, having no real need to say goodbye properly because we all bid them farewell and a good time yesterday.

They quickly board the train, ushered on by Effie- who will luckily only be transporting them there and back on the train, and who won't be staying with them for the whole of the holiday- and then rush to the window, once on board. When I see them there, I really smile because they look so truly happy to be with each other, and I wave with a new enthusiasm when the train pulls away.

I'm certain that Gale notices, but he decides to stay quiet, until the cameras are all gone and the rest of the people are beginning to filter away, too, before he asks quietly, "Did one of them do something to you that made you so happy to see them leave?"

I almost laugh, but I decide not to, when I turn to face him, his grey eyes meeting my blue ones. "No, I'm just so happy to see them happy," I correct.

He sighs, nodding when we start to leave. "What are you going to do whilst they're away, though? You can't exactly raid Peeta's house for food, whenever you fancy something exotic-"

"Hey!" I complain, elbowing him in the side. "The only time I ever raided his house for food was on a dare from him when we were about twelve."

Raising his hands in mock surrender, he argues, "You know what I was saying. He's your best friend and you spend all of your time with him, but you can't now."

I sigh, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my skirt as I look down at the street. "What have you been doing in terms of being with Katniss?" I reply.

"We've always stayed in separate houses," he answers. "We may have helped each other in supporting our families, but we've always been reasonably detached from each other."

I shrug my shoulders. "Well, in that case, I'll probably do the same. I won't necessarily need to support Pete and I won't accept what he offers me, but business has picked up since people have discovered my involvement in the wedding, so I'll be able to afford all that I need. You, on the other hand, should be making your living in the mines, but you're on land; what happened there?"

"The Capitol paid for me to have the day off today, as they basically wanted me to be with you when we waved off Katniss and Peeta," he admits.

"Me specifically?" I question, raising an eyebrow as I turn to see that he's now the one staring at the floor.

"No, not you specifically, I don't think. Although, saying that, it may have been entertaining for them to see the new couple's two best friends watching as they leave," he guesses. "It may have been nice of them to see our reactions."

"I suppose so," I agree.

A silence falls over us and I soon realise that he's either following me or he's escorting me home, continuing his chivalrous act that he put on yesterday, during the wedding. I can't help but smile if the latter is the answer, but I turn my face back to the ground, in case he looks at me and I, then, have to explain why I'm smiling again.

When we reach the front of my shop, I stand still with my hand on the door handle, turning to look at Gale. "Thank you for walking me home," I say, almost laughing when I see how uncomfortable he looks in Town with me. "You can head to your own home now, so you don't have to spend any more time here, if you don't want to."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" he accuses, looking back to me.

"Not at all," I answer. "I can just see how much you want to get out of Town."

He sighs. "I'm not actually going straight back home today."

"Oh?" I drop my hand from the door handle, to cross my arms over my chest.

"I will later, just not straight away," he tries to explain.

"Where are you going instead, then?" I ask.

He doesn't answer for a moment, as if trying to work out what to say, before I realise that he is doing that exactly.

"I think I know where you're thinking of," I admit.

"I'm glad you do," he replies. He falls silent again, but, just as I turn back around to put the key to the door in the lock, he almost mumbles, "But I was wondering if you wanted to go there with me?"

I stand still, his words slowly sinking in as I roll the key around in my fingers, not answering straight away. "Why would you want me to come?" I eventually ask, my words coming out slowly.

"Well, I'm going there, anyway, so I wondered if you wanted to keep me company," he begins, before he pauses, sighing. "Too, it might do you good to go there. I mean, it might prepare you for the Games, as we have no idea what's going to happen this year, especially with the Quarter Quell twist in place."

His words resonate through my mind as I keep my gaze focussed forward, away from him, the meaning of what he was hinting at slowly settling down. "You think that we're going to get reaped, don't you?" I whisper, dropping the key back into my pocket, whilst I keep my other hand tightly gripped around the cold metal of the door handle. "You think that they'll rig it to get us in the Arena together."

He sighs. "I don't know, Willow. "They'll do anything to hurt Katniss and Peeta, and we could be their best chance of doing something like that. If-"

"Is here the best place to talk about something like this?" I interrupt, finally spinning on my heel to face him.

"Pardon?" he questions.

"Is there someone more private in the District, so we can talk without the Capi- someone hearing what we're saying?" I try to ask, without giving away what I mean.

However, despite another sigh that passes his lips, he nods and his grey eyes begin to sparkle a little. "Do you fancy coming with me, then?"

I consider his offer for just a fraction of a second, before I nod and follow after him when he begins to walk. Once again, we walk in silence, but, this time, I wish Gale would talk, to reassure me that not only will we be fine for the Reaping in a few months, but also for where we're about to go. It's illegal, and he knows it, but at least he's practised in avoiding trouble; I certainly am not.

Within just a few moments, though, I find the two of us nearing the edge of the District, the covering of coal dust on the road clearing ever so slightly, along with the freshening of the air. I inhale deeply, the smell of fresh flowers meeting me, too, and glance back, towards the rickety houses of the Seam that we passed through, just a moment ago.

"Don't look back," mutters Gale, reaching back to take hold of my wrist. "When you look back, you look guilty. If you look forward, you could be mistaken for someone who got lost."

My focus suddenly snaps forward again, to where Gale is nearing the electric fence, so I can't help but argue, "You're not getting me through there, no matter what they're planning for the Quarter Quell. I don't fancy dying by electrocution, even before we've been reaped."

He glances over his shoulder at me and smirks. "You really are a Townie who's always had it all, aren't you?"

I snatch my hand away. "If you really think that badly of me and don't like actually having me around, I don't have to come with you, if you don't want me to-"

"Willow, they never put electricity in the fence," he explains, his words cutting mine off. "It would waste the little that we have because they don't really care if we go into the woods to hunt, especially when some of the peacekeepers trade with us."

I instantly feel myself blushing, my naivety of being a "Townie" in luxury compared to what people in the Seam have to suffer through coming out clear. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I probably could have guessed that."

"It's not your fault," he replies. "If it wasn't for the fact that your best friend had the things available to him to throw that bread to Katniss, neither she, nor me would still be here."

I sigh, not saying anything as I feel him reach back for my hand, wrapping his fingers around mine.

"Look, I'm sorry that I was kind of making fun of where you're from, but it's just a natural thing that everyone from where I live thinks." He looks up, from my hand and to my face. "I never thought that anyone like me would ever be able to fall in love with someone like you, least of all Katniss, who can hold grudges like no other, which is partly why it hurt so much to see her so in love with Peeta."

"I don't blame you," I slowly offer as a response. "I'd hate people like me, too, if I were in your situation. We don't have much, but we have a bit more than you. But that just makes you strong, where we're much more dependent. That's why people like you and Katniss win the Games, and why people like Peeta and I don't. He was just lucky to be there at the right time."

"You could win the Games," he disagrees.

"Why?" I ask, already highly doubting anything that he will say.

"Because I'm going to teach you." And, with that, he begins walking forward to a hole in the fence and climbs through. Once on the other side, he looks at me and whispers, "Now's your last chance to have a chance at winning the Hunger Games. Are you going to take it?"

Slowly, I nod, before I feel him leading me through the hole in the fence, and then running away from it, as soon as I have put both feet on the other side. However, despite the speed we're running at, I can't help but laugh, the freedom here like nothing that I've ever experienced before.

It's only when Gale's stopped moving so fast, though, that he steps in time with me and laughs, too, a soft smile covering his lips. "I've never seen someone so happy to be in the woods for the first time," he admits. "Usually, they're terrified."

"I never said that I wasn't terrified," I reason. "But I'm thinking that at least I'm here with a pro, like you. And, as well, I've seen the benefits that Katniss had from being in here."

"You do realise that you have about six years of survival skills to learn in less than six months, don't you?" he asks.

I shrug. "Even if I can get a little bit more experience, it will probably help me in the Games. Unless it's an Arena that's built of something that is nothing like here, which I wouldn't be surprised if they did, just because they know how many times that-"

"Willow," he interrupts, "at least you'll be able to use a bow and arrow and be able to make some snares."

"What about Prim, Gale?" I hear myself wondering.

"I think Katniss is waiting to see what the twist is, before she starts to train her," he answers. "I don't think she wants to scare either of them before it is necessary that she does, anyway." He sighs, and then looks up to meet his eyes with mine. "But, honestly, do you really think you'd be able to stay back and let her be reaped?"

Like him, I sigh, before shaking my head, too. "I'd have to do what Katniss did. I think most people that know Katniss would have to volunteer. In fact, I think anyone who saw Prim would be unable to let her fight for her death."

He looks down again and squeezes my hand ever so slightly. "I don't blame Katniss and Peeta- and I never could- but it really makes you wonder how much of an effect on the Capitol that their Games had, especially if they now have to resort to reaping people that are close to them."

"I think it probably happens all of the time, but we've just never seen it happen in one single Games before." I pause. "But, you never know, we may have got it completely wrong. We might not even be eligible for the Reaping this year. You really might be free for the rest of your life."

"Are you going to take that risk, though?" he asks, stopping our walk suddenly.

"I don't think I possibly can," I admit, letting his hand slide through mine when he crouches down, watching him from a distance, until he beckons me down to be able to watch him closer.

"There's no chance that you'll be able to learn from up there," he decides, smiling at me, so that I smile back.

In the hour following that comment, he teaches me the basics of how to make a snare and I make a mental note of them, until he tests me at the site of where he will set up the next one. Of course, it's hardly anywhere near to perfect, like his original one that he showed me was, but he tries to convince me that it's a decent attempt for a first try.

Later, he shows me where he keeps his bow and arrows and a few small knives, before he gives me an idea of how they should be used. Similarly to my first attempt of building a snare, my first attempt of trying to use a weapon does not go entirely to plan. In fact, after trying for a few hours, after which I just try to follow Gale quietly, so he can hunt properly for his family, I give up for the day.

However, when he laughs at the frown on my face, the concentration apparently extremely obvious, the concentration disappears and I begin to smile, soon giggling, too. No doubt, I scare away some game that Gale would have been able to get, if he were on his own, but he does not actually complain. He just tells me that we can practise again tomorrow, after he's finished at the mines, as he'll have to hunt for his family again, whilst Katniss is away, anyway.

I agree to his suggested plans and make arrangements for what time we'll be meeting in the evening, before he escorts me home again.

We repeat our routine for every day during the two weeks that Peeta and Katniss are away in District Four for: we will both work during the day, Gale will come to meet me as soon as he has finished in the mines, and then we will both head into the woods, so that he can hunt and so that I can learn to do what he can do already; on Sundays, we will do it for the whole day.

Peeta and Katniss return late on a Saturday night, the night before the Quarter Quell twist announcement, so no one disturbs them. For Gale and I, we still go to the woods on Sunday, before we'll head into the Square later, to meet with most of the District for the President to tell us what we will be forced through this year, on the huge screen, which is better for us all to watch from.

Today, Gale took me to the lake for the first time and, as we lie on our backs in the grass to soak up the sunshine, I can't help but ask, "Are you scared about the announcement today?"

He sighs and squeezes my hand. "I'm trying not to be, but it's pretty difficult to not be when you suggest an idea of what the twist could be every day."

I laugh softly and apologise, before adding, "It might not even be something that affects us."

"You've suggested that before, Willow," he reasons. "And then followed it with another terrible idea of how the Capitol will try to kill us."

"You're no better," I argue, rolling over onto my side to watch him.

He smiles and glances towards me, before rolling his eyes. "We're going to be absolutely fine. There's a reason why I've begun to train you and it's 'just in case'."

"I do hope it's not just so that you can get me in trouble," I admit. "Because you've been in here many more times that I have, so, if I'm going down, you're coming down with me-"

"I'm not trying to get you in trouble," he interrupts, rolling on his side, too, to press a finger to my lips. "But, just to be safe, maybe we should head back now. We don't want anyone to notice us missing the announcement."

"We've got a few hours," I complain, moving his hand away from my lips.

"And it takes a few hours to get home," he reminds me.

I sigh. "Fine."

He grins and gets to his feet, before offering his second hand to me, to help me up.

Pretending to frown, I pull myself into a sitting position, but don't go any further as I stare out, over the lake instead. "Why can't the whole District be like this, Gale?" I whisper.

He sighs, sitting down with me. "Because, if it was, living there wouldn't be such a hardship."

"But what about District Four?" I suggest. "It must be nice there if Peeta and Katniss made the decision to go there, over anywhere else."

He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. I guess it's just the location. Can you swim?"

"When have I ever been given the chance to learn to swim?" I reply.

He shrugs again, before lifting one of his hands away from mine. "I didn't know if Townies had private swimming pools."

"Hey!" I moan, shoving him with my shoulder.

He answers to that by pushing me in the lake, but, much to his idiocy, he forgets that he's still holding my hand, so is pulled in with me. However, he reacts to the cold water much faster than I do and jumps out of it, back onto the bank, before running in the direction of the District, even without a thought sent back to where I still am.

Suddenly, I realise that, if he goes, I have no chance of getting out of the woods, without getting in trouble, so I drag myself out and begin running after him, my waterlogged clothes slowing me down a little. Just like my first time in the woods, though, I can't help but laugh when I run, the cold wind against my wet face sending shivers through my whole body.

Gale glances back at what I'm laughing at and I swear I see him smile, but I know that I certainly see him slow his run down a little, so that I have caught up with him, not too much later. When I've finally reached immediately behind him, I grab his shoulders and tackle him to the ground, grinning from above him when he asks, "What happened to you?"

"Someone attacked me," I answer, to which he smirks, leading to me leaving him on the floor, walking off without him.

"You're so cruel!" he complains, after he scrambles to his feet and returns to my side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Leaving me on my own-"

"You're one to talk!" I reply, wiggling out of his grip, so that there's a bit of distance between us.

"You should get used to it, seeing as you seem convinced that you're going into the Arena, so you'll have to get used to cruel people," he decides, throwing an amused look in my direction.

"You probably should, too," I agree, pulling a face back at him. "I've already told you that you won't be getting out of the Reaping yet."

"You are honestly convinced that we will both be getting reaped, aren't you?" he sighs.

"I never said we'd get reaped," I reason. "Actually, I am pretty sure that I said we'd only both be in the Reaping."

"Well, you won't be letting Prim into the Arena, but, on top of that, who else is there that's female that matters to either Katniss or Peeta? On the other hand, I won't be letting any of my brothers into the Arena and I doubt that either of Peeta's brothers will be helping me, when they didn't help Peeta last year," he explains. "I believe, therefore, that my point has been proven."

"Alright, Mister," I mutter. "I'm sorry that I didn't believe your know-it-all abilities."

He smiles, reaching his hand back for mine. "I suppose I'll have to forgive you this time. I mean, you were probably distracted by my genius."

"Or your abnormally large head," I correct, taking his hand.

As he laughs, he pulls me back towards him, so that I can rest my head on his damp shoulder, for the remainder of the walk back to the District. Generally, we're silent, the silence only occasionally interrupted by teasing against one of us, from the other. In this way, we pass the time back to the electric fence, before Gale climbs through and leads me through after him.

"Shall I meet you at the Square in about half an hour?" he suggests. "For some reason, I thought it would be appropriate to get changed into a different outfit."

I smile. "You could always come to mine to do that." He frowns, so I add, "I run a clothes shop, Gale. I never run out of clothes for anyone."

"I'd love to get some new clothes from you, but I'd have to pay you back in some way and I'll never have any money," he admits with a sigh.

I look down at the street and sigh, too. "You shouldn't have to pay me back, if you were to get some new clothes from me today. You've done me loads over the past couple of weeks and what you've taught me will be much more use than clothes could ever be."

"I know," he agrees. "Counting is such a basic necessity that I wonder how you got through life before."

I pretend to gasp, before poking my tongue out at him. "And, for that, I'm going to make you come with me," I decide, beginning to walk. "You'll have to wear one of my dresses instead, though."

He laughs, slipping an arm around my waist as he says, "Thank you ever so much, Willow. I never get given gifts."

"Oh, stop playing the guilt trick and just accept it," I complain, to which he just laughs again, falling silent afterwards on the journey towards my house.

When we reach there, I slip the key out of my pocket and into the door, unlocking it and leading Gale in behind myself. After that, I lead him around the back to where I keep all of the clothes that don't fit in the front- it's a recent addition after many pieces of Capitol clothing have taken up the front- and push him into the room on his own, dropping my hand from his as he goes in.

"Find something that fits you, and then get changed in there," I wave my hand at the small room that can be used as a changing room, "just whilst I get changed upstairs, myself."

"I'll see you in a minute, then," he agrees, not turning to face me as I leave.

I head upstairs as quickly as I can and into my room, grabbing one of the simplest dresses that Peeta bought me after he returned. After that, I take off the damp clothes that began to dry on the way here, before replacing them with the new dress, but I also brush my hair to be a little more manageable and a bit more respectable. I return back downstairs as soon as I'm done.

When I'm standing in the doorway to the room that Gale is in, having changed already, he glances up and smiles. "You look nice," he says, which I've learnt to be a compliment from him.

"Thank you, Gale," I reply, smiling back. "You don't look too bad either."

He walks towards me after I've finished speaking and takes my hand back, before we leave my house again, heading towards the Square.

However, we have obviously timed it just right- or probably a little bit late- because, just as we slip into the crowds at the back of the Square, we see the President opening the golden envelope, marked 'The Seventy Fifth Hunger Games: The Third Quarter Quell'. Seeing this, the beginning of the moment that we've been dreading for weeks, I move in a little closer to Gale's side as he squeezes my hand.

The President smiles, before he speaks. "To remind the Districts that even the strongest cannot be saved and that everyone cannot always be safe, a tribute will be reaped from the District's existing pool of Victors. That Victor will, then, decide who they want to be their District partner, but they must be someone who means something to the Victor." His smile grows. "Good luck to the Victors, their friends and their families. Happy Hunger Games to you all and may the odds be ever in your favour."

Author's Note: I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter as not much happened, before the last paragraph, when the Quarter Quell twist announcement was made. And it's not the one that was in the book! Therefore, due to that, I'd really like to know who you think will be reaped, but I also wonder if you think that I should keep the Arena the same or change it; if that's the case, do you have any ideas?

OJsmybestfriend: I'm glad you liked the wedding, especially when it wasn't great!

RadMalfoyCookie: Yay- my two reviewers both liked the wedding! I didn't realise that this would, really, be an entire chapter of Willow and Gale, apart from the little bits at the beginning and the end!

Next chapter: A timeskip to the night before the Reaping, before the actual Reaping itself.

Please give me ideas for what to do for the Arena in a review! Thanks!