"Katniss, we leave in a little while, are your bags all packed?" Effie requests.

"Yeah, I packed last night," I answer as I step out of the bathroom.

Steam rolls out behind me, and then disappears into the cool air. I can't believe it's my last day in the Capitol. I can't even remember how long I've been here. Long enough to get close to someone, and then have them hurt me. I scoff off the thought of Cato quickly. All I want to think about is getting home to Prim. I know she's fine without me, but I miss her. I miss looking out for her, it's really the only purpose I have now. Since I don't have to hunt to feed the family, I feel pretty useless most of the time. And hunting on my own isn't nearly and fulfilling as hunting with Gale, which I am only able to do once a week. I wish he didn't have to work in the mines. Suddenly, the thought of going home is turning bleak. At least here I have a purpose. Here, in the Capitol, I have things to do that actually matter.

"Come on, sweetheart, one last meal before going back," Haymitch says drearily.

I know he hates the Capitol, but I think has the same feelings as I do. Then again, maybe he doesn't. Most of the time I think he only cares about drinking, but sometimes the way he looks at Effie tells me differently. Sometimes, I think he might like her more than he lets on. Out of nowhere I hear a ringing noise. The only reason I recognize it, is because our house in the Victor's Village comes with a telephone and Cinna called me on it one time. Effie gracefully gets up from the table and answers it. I look to Haymitch, but he only shrugs uninterestedly.

"Why, yes, we do leave today, in one hour precisely."

Then Effie looks at the phone questionably.

"Hello? Is anybody there?"

She huffs, and then takes her seat back at the table.

"I will never understand rude people."

"What happened, Eff?" I ask.

"The man on the phone hung up on me!"

She sounds applaud, and I should be more concerned but my mind goes to Cato. Would he call? If it was him on the phone, why wouldn't he ask for me? Why would he hang up? All these questions are just making me madder at him than I already am. I try and shake the thought of him, but it's not that easy this time. He is swarming around in my head like a hive of tracker jackers. I start getting dizzy and hold onto the table for support.

"You okay, sweetheart?"

Haymitch's voice brings me back.

"Yeah, fine."

I play it off coolly, and start eating again. It's going to be harder than I thought hiding this from everyone back home. Prim will probably know something is wrong right off the bat. Maybe I should tell her. She always seems to understand things that no one else would. I know she won't judge me; in fact she'll probably even like Cato. Especially if I tell her about what he did on the roof. So it's decided, I will tell Prim and only Prim.

"Alrighty! Get your bags and let's go, go, go!" Effie announces.

We make our way down to the train station. Secretly, I hope to see Cato but with all the photographers and the flashes going off around me, it's no hope. We board the train, and I get ready for a very long ride. After about an hour, I grow extremely uncomfortable in the clothes I am wearing. I only wore them for the photographers anyways so it's time to change. I rummage through my bag trying to find something to relax in, when I feel paper at the bottom of my bag. I open it and find the note Cato left me the morning he stayed over. I feel tears building behind my eyes, and since I'm alone I silently let them fall. I don't stay in the room crying for too long, I don't want anyone to get suspicious. So, I grab some stretchy pants, a loose shirt, and splash water on my face. The red slowly washes away and I look normal again. I rejoin Haymitch in the sitting area of the train.

"Disappointed to be leaving the boy from Two?"

This catches me off guard. Why would he even bring that up? I thought we had a silent understanding not to ever bring that up again. Maybe the understanding was to never bring it up in front of Effie, and now that she's not here he is pouncing on the opportunity.

"Not at all. It was a lapse in judgment to let him stay. I let my emotions get the best of me is all."

Mentally I give myself a pat on the back, because I think I answered that quite well. Haymitch, on the other hand, doesn't accept the retort.

"I know you better than that, sweetheart," he sits up, "you would never share a bed with a boy because of a lapse in judgment. Something was going on between you two, and you're not telling me," he smirks.

I vowed to myself to only tell Prim about us. I'm definitely not going to tell Haymitch.

"It was what I said it was." I say sternly.

Haymitch backs off. The only noise being made comes from the ice in his drink hitting the crystal glass.

"Cheer up, you two! You're almost home!" Effie pronounces.

I look to the clock and realize we've been sitting in silence for hours. The thought of almost being home does cheer me up. It cheers me up so much I forget about Haymitch bringing up Cato earlier.

"Come on, Haymitch, let's eat some more Capitol food before we get home."

He accepts, and stumbles over to the table.

"What are you going to do until we see you again, Effie?"

I only ask because I am genuinely curious.

"Meet with Cinna about new outfits for you and tell the media how you're doing, mostly."

I never realize that her life kind of revolves around my life. I know she loves it; she loves any kind of attention. Her life must have been boring before she had me as a victor. It's kind of like our lives switched. Her life got more interesting and mine got duller. Before I am able to feel sorry for myself, the train comes to a stop. My heart flutters, and I grab my things and quickly exit.

"Bye, Effie!" I shout as I start to run home.

It's not like coming home after the Games or the Victory Tour. No one is waiting for me this time. I sprint home and swing open the door.

"Katniss!" Prim yells.

Before I can say anything back she is around my waist hugging me tightly. My mother appears from the kitchen and greets me with a simple hello.

"How have you been, little duck?"

Prim sits me down and tells me all about what's been going on back home, which isn't much.

"Have you seen Gale yet?"

"Not yet. I ran straight home to you."

Talking to my sister makes everything else in the world go away.

"Well let's go! He's home from the mines by now."

She takes my hand and we walk to Gale's house together. I should be more excited to see him, but I'm just not. All of my excitement was invested in seeing Prim, so I'm a little relieved when Gale's mom informs us that he isn't home.

"He's probably at Madge's," Prim says.

This surprises me.

"Why would he be at Madge's?"

"They've been spending a lot of time together. We'll see him tomorrow!"

I wonder why he would be spending so much time with Madge. Before I left he didn't even like her. He thought she was stuck up because she's the mayor's daughter. Maybe I wasn't the only one who found someone to care about while I was away.

Okay, so I've included a couple of my other ships in this one. Also, I want it to be very clear that Gale and Katniss are just best friends. I know a lot of you wanted Cato to see Katniss before she left, but he's just as stubborn as Katniss. Don't worry, this isn't the end for them, he will definitely be back! Review and tell me what y'all think is going to happen, or what you want to happen or whatever! This chapter kind of set the way for other chapters, it's not a very feelsy one, so because of that I will probably write another one tomorrow or tonight. 3