A/N: sorry about taking so long to get around to writing another chapter. I've been caught up in my novel (for which I could use some betas) along with cross-country and the TV Dollhouse (it's a shame it got cancelled). Otherwise, thank you GleeFangurl712 for continuing to review my story and to supsies and MissTalkitive for getting me back on the fanfic writing bandwagon.

And the ability to flame me continues on!

Chapter 14

The day Peeta and I have been worried about has arrived, and there's a somber feeling in our house. Most of the people of District 12 have been scared more for us than for their own kids; we have already faced the horrors of the arena and nobody wants to see us return. We don't speak during our cold breakfast, each of us coming up with some sort of strategy for any of the three possibilities: one of us goes in, we both do, or neither and we're mentoring innocent kids. I consume only a couple bites of my oatmeal when a Peacekeeper knocks on the door. We barely look at each other as we're taken out of the house that we've been living in within the Victor's Village and are marched out to District 12.

Hovering over the Seam is a giant cloud the color of coal when it comes out of the mountain. I watch it crawl in our direction, and I hope that it arrives soon. I've never heard of a reaping being canceled due to the weather, but if that cloud is toxic, it could postpone it. I finally look over at Peeta as we continue to near the Justice Building.

"What's going through your head, Peeta?" He looks at me, his face unreadable.

"I'm just trying to figure out what I'll do if you get reaped," he replies, staring down at the ground as he finishes his statement. At this, I start to wonder about what I'd do; most likely I'd have to sacrifice whatever girl gets reaped up so that I can get him out. Tears roll down my face as I think about the idea of consciously killing a tribute, especially a young girl who could be similar to Prim…or even Rue.

"Don't worry Katniss," Peeta begins. "I only have what, 15 votes?" I glare at him, not just because he didn't correctly guess my problem but also because of how many less he has. Due to the tesserae, I had 20 when I was reaped, thus I now have 60. That's probably a record, I tell myself. We soon reach the Justice Building and are funneled into the pack of 17 year olds. Many of them, being our old friends from school, hug us while crying. I try not to look at any of them; scared I'll break down just like them.

The rest of Panem is watching me, I'm sure of it. Effie, the Mayor, and Haymitch are all up on the stage, guarded by Thread's best Peacekeepers. The ceremony begins, and I watch in fear as she draws the out the name of the female tribute. I'm already mentally hoping it's not me; but now I fear for the poor girl whose about to be reaped. Effie's hand is leaving the container and she unfolds the small piece of paper dramatically. Now I really hate her.

"The female tribute for District 12 in the 3rd Quarter Quell, the 75th Annual Hunger Games, is Francine Jacobs!" I breathe out a large sigh of relief, even as a trembling 14 year old marches up the steps. Once up there, Effie continues.

"Any volunteers?" The square remains quiet; nobody is going to save her from her nearing death. I feel one of the cameras focus on me. Now I'm happy that Peeta isn't close to me, since we'd become a larger target to the bloodthirsty people of the Capitol. Eventually that topic drops and she places her hand into the container for the males. At this point I damn whoever decided to make females go first.

"The male tribute for District 12 in the 3rd Quarter Quell, the 75th Annual Hunger Games, is Peeta Mellark, co-victor of the 74th Hunger Games." Her words don't sink in until I feel his arms wrap around me on his way up to the stage. Some words come out of his mouth that I don't register, and as he starts to scale the steps, I panic.

"No! Not Peeta! Anybody other than him!" I then turn to the others nearby, hoping for some support. "Will somebody go volunteer for him?" Tears are beginning to streak down my face and I know that the Capitol is eating this all up. There may have once been a time when I pretended to be in love with Peeta, but now those feelings are truth. The call for volunteers goes out and I see nobody step up to take his place.

I bottle up my emotions as the ceremony concludes itself, and the new tributes are taken into the Justice Building. I follow in with the Peeta's family, and the family of the girl I know I will have to kill to get him back. My gaze remains on the floor as my husband's family goes inside first.

Trying to wait is something that I now realized I'm not good at. Right as they exit the room, Haymitch shows up. "You need to come with me; you'll have time to talk with him on the train." I glare daggers back and he just rolls his eyes. Two Peacekeepers come out from behind him and their arms wrap around mine.

"You need to go with him, ma'am. This is just how it works and since you wouldn't know, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt. If we were others, it could be worse." Before I can attempt to struggle, we're already moving towards the back door that I don't remember. They push it open and the same train that has taken me away from my home is there, waiting. Haymitch and I board while the Peacekeepers turn back.

"How could this happen to us?" I ask to nobody in particular.

"It's just the luck, or in your case sweetheart, the un-luck of the draw." A glower covers my face as I turn back to him. He pulls out a bottle of dark liquor from one of the nearby cabinets and starts to down it.

"Or maybe the Capitol just set it up this way to add in more entertainment. When will they be done interfering in our lives?"

"At this rate, never." Haymitch finishes his comment just as Peeta and Francine get onto the train. I share a quick glance with Peeta before turning to Francine. She walks right up to me and barely looks up so that our eyes meet. I can already tell I'm not going to like what she has to say.

"I'm going to die, ain't I? You're going to kill me just so you can get him out. Alive." I try to hide both my shock and my disgust at what she just told me.

"I'll try to get you both out alive." It's really just a half-truth; I know I'm going to get Peeta out, but I'll try to keep her alive as long as possible. She deserves that, at least. Thankfully she doesn't question me.

Instead, she turns towards the dining cart. "I smell hot food. It's been so long since I've had some." Her train of thought drops off for a moment. "Ever since we got kicked out of our house in the nice part of town." I can tell from her last statement that the Peacekeepers had tossed her family out of their home and forced them into the Seam.

"Well, we might as well eat. It'll become a luxury you want to forget, once you're in the arena," Peeta comments as he follows her towards dinner. Sighing in defeat, I follow behind him. Even though I already vowed to myself to keep her alive for as long as possible, I now really want to fulfill her future for me.

It seems that every time that the food just gets a little bit worse. Looking over to Peeta, I make a quick comment. "The food doesn't seem as good as usual." He gives me a suspicious look.

"I think the food is better than anything you could make." All of us turn to Francine, surprised by her comment. My grip on the knife I have tightens, and starts to become clammy.

"And why do you say that?" I try my best not to reveal I'm almost on my last straw.

"Because why else would you complain about Capitol food, unless the rumors are true. The ones that the Hawthorn boys have been spreading." We all forget our food as our gazes zoom in on her.

"What sort of rumors?" Right as I'm thinking that, Peeta asks. He's usually better at these sorts of things than me.

"Rumors that say that you two are part of some conspiracy to overthrow the Capitol. Some of the crazier things that have been said are that District 13 is still alive, and that you two are in league with the rebels still there. Other ones about how you two are behind that rather nasty riot in District 11 during the Victory Tour. The love story are your cover for 13, and the whole berry thing from your Games was just a ploy to get spies into the Capitol." A long moment of silence follows her story before Effie starts laughing. Peeta soon joins in, and Haymitch and myself find ourselves dragged in.

"That's a good one, Francine. I've never heard anything that imaginative before from a tribute! Maybe you will have a good chance at survival." My jaw drops at what our escort says. I've always thought she disliked me. Not as intense as hatred, but still disgust, to say the least.

"How are you sure of that?" I ask. Effie turns to me, neither happy nor angry with me.

"The same way I was sure last year that you'd be able to get out of the arena. Alive. What surprised me was you getting Peeta out with you." A knowing smile comes to her face. "I still have high hopes you can conjure another miracle, Katniss."

Hiding my surprise is easier with the escort than with Francine. "You never know, Effie." We all turn back to our food and soon we're all done. Once finished, we head to the TV room to watch the other reapings. As it continues on, I start to feel my stomach drop. It seems that in every District at least one Victor is reaped, and most of them appear dangerous. The ones that worry me the most are Finnick Odair, from 4, and Johanna Mason, from 7. I remember them both being very cruel and uncaring in their Games, especially Mason.

"Well, I think it's time for all of you to go to bed," Haymitch began, stumbling a bit as he starts to stand up. "Tomorrow we arrive in the Capitol and you should be as rested up as possible." His gaze settles on Peeta and myself. "And no funny business tonight."

As we all headed to our rooms, I kept thinking about what I was going to do when Peeta and Francine were finally tossed into the arena. Would I break, or would I bring them out alive? At least I'll have Haymitch there to help me. He's been doing these things for a quarter of a century.

While drunk.

A/N: yeah, sorry about taking so long. Laziness and Dollhouse (the show mentioned above) got in the way. And Hetalia.