A/N: I would like to say thank you to all who have beared with me through this while story so far. I love you guys! And there's plenty more to come ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or Suzanne Collins ideas.

Chapter Twenty five-No more secrets

As soon as Ungal leaves the room Zeb pulls the covers over his head.

"Zeb?" I ask. "Zeb? Talk to me."

"No," Zeb mumbles.

"Zeb, please talk to me. Is this chemo the sort of chemo I think it is?" I ask.

"Depends on what you think it is," Zeb replies through the sheets.

"Do you. . like. . .um. . ." I bite my lip, trying to think of a right way to put it.

"Have cancer?" He peers out through the top of the covers. "It's Ok to say it you know."

"Well, do you?" I ask.

"Yes."

Oh my god. "Wh-what type?"

"Lung," he replies. "Youngest recorded case in the last century."

"Oh. . .how long?" I ask.

"A good bit now. They wouldn't give me proper chemo before the games as, obviously, I'd lose my hair and apperance is everything to the Capitol."

"Your gonna lose your hair?" I ask.

"Yes, I will."

"Oh Zeb." I bring my drip round the side of the bed and go over to him. I pull the quilt down and give him a big hug. "Zeb, we really need to stop with the secrets, yeah?"

"I didn't think of a time to say it," Zeb shrugs. "It's not like I could go, 'Oh, I know I've got blood poisoning and, hey Primrose, did you know I have lung cancer?'"

"I guess so," I say back.

"It's nothing to worry about though," Zeb assures, sitting up right.

"What? Nothing to worry about? Your getting Chemo Zeb. It must be serious," I reply.

"Primrose, I'm fine. I've never let the cancer stop me. I could work fine with it, I can shoot fine with it, I'm fine, believe me," Zeb says.

"If-if you don't mind my asking, uh, how did you get it?" I ask.

"I used to have a group of friends back home. They were alright and all that but they used to smoke cigarettes. I didn't smoke at first but I started feeling a bit pressured into doing it. I thought they were thinking I was weird for not doing it too. But, you see, I kinda got addicted. I mean, I've obviously stopped now, like, I spent ages on nicotine patches but of course things aren't that easy are they? Nah, I later got diagnosed with lung cancer," Zeb explains.

"I'm sorry," I reply, patting his back.

"I-I sometimes wonder whether Kaliana would have loved me if I didn't have any hair. . .you know, if the Capitol had decided to give me the chemo before the games."

"Of course she would Zeb," I reply, giving him another hug. "Course she would."

I had never knew what cancer was until granny Everdeen died. I remember going to visit her grave on Feburary the 7th on her death anniversary. It was kidney cancer that took her in the end. They sent her body back home once she'd died. I had never met her in person. I had only ever spoken to her on the phone. I've heard a lot about her though. I know she was a good woman.

"Was Granny Everdeen a nice woman?" I ask mum as I gaze at the headstone for granny Everdeen.

"Her intentions were always in the right place when my sister and I were little. She always took her job seriously. And so did Prim. They were both brilliant healers," mum replies as she lays the bunch of flowers she bought onto the soil. "Your actually spitting image of her."

"I thought I looked like my father," I frown as I pull out the weeds that have grown by the marbel rim of the grave.

"All merchants pretty much look alike. Just like Seam kids do. People used to think that me and my friend Gale were cousins," mum answers.

"Really?" I ask.

"Oh yeah," Mum says.

"H-how did granny die?" I ask.

"She hadn't been stable for a while. Definetly mental wise. But it was Cancer that took her in the end."

"What's Cancer?" I frown.

"It's a very severe diease sweetheart. Sometimes it can be cured but sometimes it can't. Your granny's was too far on to be cured. She lived a wonderful life though." Mum holds a stone cherub in her hands and I hand her a cleaning cloth.

"Mum, how come dad never speaks of his family?" I ask.

"Because some things your father looks back on hurt him."

"Why though? It makes no sense. Families are supposed to be kind and caring and stuff. How can they hurt?"

"Some questions are better off unanswered."

"But-"

"No buts. It's the law."

"What law!?" I demand.

"The Katniss Everdeen imaginary law," Mum grins.

"Oh ha ha," I say sarcastically. "Hey mum, when did you figure out you loved dad?"

"Oh that's complicated question isn't it?"Mum laughs. "I guess I always knew deep down. Ever since I first met him."

"And when did you meet him?" I ask.

"We had never even spoke before we got selected for the Hunger Games. But one day, a few years before the games, my family and I were starving. I kept trying to sell some of Prim's old baby clothes and I ended up outside the bakery. I felt so weak and tired and scared. Your dad gave me some free bread."

"Just like that?" I frown, not buying that it was that easy.

"Yeah, just like that."

"Did Granny like dad?" I ask.

"Yeah. I thnk she was weary at first but he grew on her just like he did on everyone else," Mum smiles.

"Oh cool," I say. ". . .Can anyone get Cancer?" I ask, going back to the cancer topic.

"Anyone. Even children."

"Really?! Children?!" I ask in astonishment.

"Oh yes," Mum replies. "Now come on, let's say a prayer for granny Everdeen."

I never thought much about younger cases of Cancer. I never had a reason to.

Zeb and I both go back to sleep after deciding that it's the best thing too. Especially in Zeb's condition. I don't sleep too well if I'm honest. It's very restless. I've been worrying about what the Capitol are going to do to us both. All because of our family's history. All I've ever wanted for my family is that we could move on from the past and have a normal life like everyone else. I'm sure Zeb feels the same.
Somewhere though, deep down, I've always known that was never going to happen.

XXX

Zeb lost his first bit of hair this morning. I woke up before him and when I turned to check on him he seemed fine. It was only when he sat up and looked down at his pillow he saw the strands of hair sitting there. I spent half the morning comforting him. It'll only be a matter of time before he's bald. I'm worried in case he won't be able to cope with it. It's better than him dying of the cancer though. As long as I'm here he's going to be fine though.

A/N:There had been a lot of Primrose and Peeta moments so I decided to put in a Primrose and Katniss moment when died.
Reviewers, as always, get cyber hugs!