Changing the Game

by AmeliaOdair

A HG rewrite...What if Katniss' dad didn't die in the explosion when she was younger? How would that change her? Would she be more open to friendships? To love? K & P enter the games together, but there is a conspiracy in the works. Who can they trust? Told in several POV's. Everlark/Gadge

16. Chapter 16 : Don't Close Your Eyes

Changing the Game

Chapter 16 : Don't Close Your Eyes

~ Peeta ~

There is no life for me without Katniss. She is my reason for breathing, why I play this game. I would rather someone smother me to death, I would rather be sent into ten arena's than live in a world in which she does not exist. In a matter of seconds, I felt what the pain of losing her would be like. She knew my fingers were slipping, so she let go. She let that twister thing devour her.

Why would she do something so foolish? She should have known that I would not be far behind her. I would follow her into the darkest pits of Tartarus to be with her. When the realization of her actions hit me, I loosen my grip, freeing my hands and go flying through the air, allowing the twister to suck me into it, consuming me; I welcome death. But when my eyes open, it is not death looking me in the eye, but her. It is Katniss.

So many emotions all at once consume me. Consternation, relief, bewilderment, exhilaration, anger, fear, and so many more.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME, KATNISS?!" I scream to her from inside of this capitol muttation version of a tornado. She shrugs her shoulders and points to her ear, telling me that she cannot hear me.

'I can't hear you!' She affirms.

'HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME, KATNISS? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?' I scream to her again, switching to our unspoken language. She at least has the decency to look contrite.

'I'm sorry Peeta, it was the only way to save you. Why did you follow me? Now we're both stuck in here!' She yells back at me. From the moment they called Prim's name, my goal has always been the same; get Katniss out alive. Not me, I am inconsequential.

The wind is blowing around hard and forcefully enough, in every which direction; keeping us afloat, almost as if we are levitating. There is some kind of box in the center of it, but it's constantly moving so it is difficult for me to make out what it is.

'We've gotta find a way out of here!' I tell her.

'Peeta, I think I see something on that box thing. I need you to hold my feet so I can get close enough to look at it.' I nod and grab on to her feet, tethering her to me as she swims in the air, trying to get close enough to look at it.

'Can you see anything?' I think to her, but she is too focused on something that she sees on it. She flips her body over and grabs onto my hand, pulling herself back up to me. 'What did you find?' I ask her.

'I have an idea...That box has a symbol of my mockingjay on it. I think I'm supposed to use it. Will you hold me steady again?' Katniss unzips my waist-backpack and pulls out the transformer.

'What are you—'

'Trust me.' She says with a conniving grin. I hook my legs around a branch that is stuck in the wall of this monstrosity to keep me in place and wrap my hands around her ankles, holding her steady.

She presses the button on the center of the transformer, and then proceeds to place the transformer inside of strange box thing, and we wait.

One-minute passes by…Two minutes…Five minutes…. Finally, when we have almost given up hope, the wind slows, finally coming to a complete halt, dropping us onto the ground.

Once again, we are surrounded in complete darkness…

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

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~ Madge ~

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Gale asks me. When we reached the meadow, my blanket is still spread out on the ground from the other night. Gale is stretched out on the blanket with one arm behind his head and the other arm is extended out, inviting me into his arms. I don't question him, I just go, needing the security of his arms. Why does being curled up into him feel so good? So right? Why does the warmth of his body have the ability to make me feel so safe?

"No. I just…Can we just lay here? Can you just hold me without talking? Please?" I beg him.

"Okay Madge." He obliges, having noticed the panicked look in my eyes. He pulls the band from my ponytail, freeing my hair and combs it over to one side. "Can I tell you something?" His voice reverberates against my ear, sending a chill up my spine.

I pause, thinking about his question. "As long as you are not asking me a question." He lets out a chortle, followed by a huge grin.

"Madge…I…I was being honest before. I…I really do like you. I care about you, more than I ever thought I would…or could. You're…You're…incredible, Madge Undersee. You are alluring and mesmerizing and captivating all in one. And for the life of me, I can't seem to figure you out, and…and I like that. And…and I do not like it when you are sad. So, if laying here under the stars and not talking is what will make you feel better, then that is what we will do. Because you are special Madge, and I want you to have everything you want. If silence is what you want, then silence is yours." His words get softer and softer until they are just above a whisper, and then he plants a kiss to my temple.

It's more than I ever dreamed; for Gale Hawthorne to notice me, to care about me. But I am so overwhelmed by everything going on that I am unable to enjoy it. Dammit, why is this happening?

"Thank you, Gale." I whisper, wiping the stray tear from my cheek. He was probably expecting more of a response than that, but it's all I can muster up at the moment. I want to tell him that I feel the same, that I have always thought he was beautiful and incredible, defiant and brave. That he is stubborn and hot-headed and argumentative, and those are the reasons I love and hate him at the same time. But I just don't have the energy to say it.

"I'm just…I'm ready for Katniss to come home. I miss her." I am half expecting him to say something like, 'Me too', but he doesn't.

"When did Mellark learn how to shoot a bow? Or set snares?" He asks me and I crane my neck up, meeting his eyes with a frown.

"That is a question, you promised, no questions." He smirks, finding me amusing.

For the next little while we lie here in silence, curled into each other under the stars, and I pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist.

x – x – x

"Marjorie Undersee, where on earth have you been all night?" Daddy yells at me once I close the door behind me.

"I went for a walk, I'm sorry daddy." He pulls me into his arms, squeezing me a bit too tightly.

"I was so worried, Marjorie! I was afraid something happened to you. Please Madge, please don't go off without telling someone where you are."

"Okay." I promise once he releases his grip on me. He pulls on my arm when I turn away.

"Madge, do you have a minute? I have some exciting news to share."

I follow him to the couch where we sit adjacent to each other. This is it; he is going to tell me about the phone call.

"The president called me just the other day to inform me that a team of doctors have been experimenting with a new drug, similar to morphling and it just got approved for trial runs. And, well…He heard of your mother's 'condition' and has offered to have her test it out. If it works, she will be cured of those wretched migraines. Isn't that wonderful, bug?" I watched him closely while he spoke, and he gave me no sign that anything was amiss. He totally just lied straight to my face.

I force a smile onto my lips, unable to meet his eyes and play with my fingers. "Is it going to work?" I ask, knowing that they will probably never make it to The Capitol.

"I hope, bug, I hope. It's all we can ask for, and it is certainly better than nothing."

He studies me for a moment, sensing my wariness. "What's wrong honey? Is something bothering you?"

"I'm just tired daddy, it's been a long day. I think I'm going to jump in the bath and go to bed." I wrap my arms around his neck and plant a kiss on his scruffy cheek before getting up and making my way to my room.

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~ Bing ~

"Hey son, I haven't seen you in a while. How is Holly?" I haven't seen or spoken to Graham since the night of Peeta's 'story', so I have no idea what his thoughts are about everything. Once everyone in our district realized Peeta wasn't telling Katniss some 'story' he concocted from his imagination, but an actual recall of past events, the majority of our district became furious with Esther for her actions, and with me for my lack thereof. They make snide comments when walking past her and refuse to shop at the bakery when she is in the store. I've even heard some whispers of a few shops refusing to sell to my wife. They tolerate me, but they hate her.

"We're fine dad." The hostility in Graham's demeanor takes me by surprise.

"Is something wrong, son?" He glares at me, rolling his eyes.

"Really dad? You have the nerve to ask me that?"

"Graham, I'm not sure why you are so angry, so why don't you tell me what is going on?"

"How could you let everyone think what Peeta said was true? Mom told me how everyone refuses to shop at the bakery, how they have all shunned her because of what Peeta said. And…Mom would never do something like that, so, yes, I'm 'upset'—" He says, using finger air quotes at the word 'upset'. "—and I'm mad at you for not taking up for her. I mean, I know you guys have your issues, but…how could…why would you do that to her, dad?" I am taken aback by the anger in his words and the indignant way his eyes bore into me. He can't possibly be this naive. Is he really this clueless? I take responsibility for my ignorance of Esther's abuse for so long, but once I heard Peeta's story, all the pieces came together, and I knew deep in my heart his words were true.

Graham was always Esther's 'favorite'; he was her first baby and even to this day she continues to baby him. Add that to the fact that he married a woman she approved of, made him the golden child. But was he completely oblivious to Esther's mistreatment of Peeta all these years? Just then, Holly walks into the room carrying a large sack of flour, setting it down on the counter.

"Hey dad. How is everything?" Her eyes are so kind when she smiles at me. She wraps her arms around my neck and plants a kiss on my cheek.

"Graham, everything Peeta said was true. Everything he said actually happened, and…and I don't know how you've never seen it, how you are so blind to it. Even Rye—" Standing behind Graham, Holly rolls her eyes and does her finger in a circular motion near her temple.

"I don't believe it, mom has never been anything but kind, loving and a wonderful mother to me. There is no way she would do that to Peeta. Peeta is just…he's just looking for attention, like always." His words anger me, and I feel my blood pressure rising. Not once has Peeta sought out attention, if anything, he tries his damnest to stay out of the limelight when it comes to his mother.

"Graham, first of all, I did not "DO" anything to your mother. Second, I don't owe you an explanation for my actions, or lack thereof, but if you want to continue living in a dream world where your mother is the image of perfection, you go right ahead. For the first time in my life, my eyes are wide open, and I will not let that woman lay another finger on your brother."

I turn around to leave, refusing to defend myself to him any longer. No one knows about my trip to the Justice Building and I plan to keep it that way for now. Rye knows I left to 'run some errands' but that is it.

The attendant informed me that I would need to live separately from Esther for a minimum of six months before a divorce could be finalized. Desperate to be away from her, I went ahead and applied for a single home while I wait for six months to pass. Judging Graham's reaction just now, I am certain that once the news spreads, it is quite possible that he may never speak to me again.

I cannot think about that now, Peeta is my main concern at the moment. He is fighting for his life in the arena. It's him and Katniss against that District Two boy, who seems to have a few screws loose anyway.

Soon, my boy will be home. Soon.

"Dad, hey dad wait up!" When I turn around, Holly is jogging to catch up with me. Once she reaches me, it takes her a moment to catch her breath.

"I…I'm sorry about that…in there, Holly. I…I don't—"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me. I know what that woman has been doing to Peeta ever since I was a little kid. It was the kind of thing that everyone knew but never talked about in school. When Peeta would show up with a black eye, a busted lip, or another cast on his wrist. You don't need to convince me that his words are true. But Graham…Esther is his blind spot. She has always treated him like a prince, and he worships the ground she walks on. He could probably watch her hurting Peeta with his own two eyes and still claim that she deserves 'Mother of the Year'. I've tried Bing, I've tried talking to him about her, but he refuses to hear anything negative about that woman."

"Wow…I uh…I didn't expect that. I didn't…I never knew. Esther…she's never loved Peeta, but she never raised a hand to him in front of me and when he…when Peeta would show up with his…injuries, he would tell me he got in a fight at school, or from working in the bakery. I should have seen it; I should have known. I just—"

Holly places her hand on my arm gently and then pats my back. "Don't blame yourself Dad. You didn't know. But now you do, so what are you going to do about it? That is what is important. And when Peeta comes home—"

"She won't touch him again. I have already informed her and Rye that when Peeta moves into Victor's Village that we will be staying at the bakery."

"I bet Esther loved that." Holly chortles.

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~ Katniss ~

With Peeta's hand gripped firmly in my own, we watch the twister spin away from us. I wonder what else the gamemaker's have in store for us, but then want to kick myself for having the thought. I spoke too soon. When the twister is about twenty yards from us, it gradually dissipates and just when I think it is going to completely vanish, it turns into this dog-like creature. The first one flies past me and heads straight for Cato, so I don't get a good look at its face. I am frozen in shock, stunned in place as they seem to multiply right before my eyes.

"Come on Katniss, RUN! Peeta screams, pulling me to run with him. The only place for us to run is the cornucopia, which is where Cato is. Cato ascends the cornucopia with that hellhound creature snapping its razor-like teeth at his heels until he is out of its reach.

I knock an arrow, sending it into the heart of one of those things and it seems to burst into some kind of mist before evaporating. I take out another and then another, until they are multiplying faster than I'm able to take them down.

When we reach the horn of the cornucopia, Peeta pushes me up in front of him to climb up. "No Peeta, Cato's up there." I tell him.

"I don't think we have a choice." Peeta is right, those creatures seemed to come out of nowhere, intentionally chasing us toward the cornucopia. I hesitate for another second before hiking my foot into a crevice of the horn to climb up.

The Gamemaker's did this, I know it. I figured out how to deactivate their tornado, so they sent in these monsters. They deliberately made their monsters chase us; the remaining tributes to the cornucopia. Either we face each other and die or die at the hands of their mutts.

'It's the finale, Katniss.' Peeta says, pushing me up to help me along. Once I reach the top of the cornucopia, I lean over the side, dangling my arms our to help Peeta up. I grab on to his hands to pull him up, and I can feel something tugging him back down.

The mutt and I are playing tug-o-war with Peeta, and I refuse to let it have him. It has its mouth clenched firmly around Peeta's foot.

"Grab onto my neck!" I tell Peeta, reaching over my shoulder and grab an arrow, plunging it into its eye. It whimpers in pain from the puncture wound, releasing its hold on Peeta and falling to the ground. Peeta crawls over me, making to the top, but I am still dangling off the edge, looking at the monsters. Something about them seems familiar.

'Katniss—'

When I get back on my feet and turn around, I look all around, searching for Peeta in the darkness, and my heart drops in my stomach at the sight before me. The gamemaker's have turned the darkness up, giving us just enough light to see about eight feet in front of us. Standing in front of me with a scary looking knife to his throat is my Peeta. Cato has his right arm locked around his neck, and in his left hand he holds the machete to Peeta's throat. I load an arrow, seething as I point it at Cato's heart.

"Go on Fire Girl, do it. Shoot me. But if you shoot me, then we both go down." I realize he's right and begin to slowly lower my arrow. If I shoot him and send him down to the mongrels below, he will take Peeta with him. I quickly recenter my aim, never taking my eyes off him. What do I do? I don't know what to do. I am out of options.

"IT'S WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED, RIGHT?" He screams out to…to who? Is he talking to the gamemaker's?

"I CAN STILL DO THIS, ONE MORE KILL." He bores his eyes into me, yelling out the words. But then his shoulders slump slightly, and his voice has a tremble in it.

"It's the only thing I know how to do." For the briefest of moments, I pity the born and bred career boy from District Two. One glance at Peeta, and the pity is gone.

'Katniss. Can you hear me Katniss?' Peeta's voice enters my head and I quickly meet his eyes before returning them back to Cato, letting Peeta know I can hear him.

'I don't know what to do...What do I do?'

'His hand. Shoot his hand and he'll release me and fall down to them.' I follow Peeta's instruction, knowing I have to do this quickly, so that he doesn't notice my change in target. Slowly, I pull my arrow back, exhale…and release.

Just as Peeta anticipated, when my arrow plunges into Cato's hand, it sends him howling out in pain, and instinctively, he retracts his hand, freeing Peeta. Startled by the pain and probably my accuracy, he stumbles back. Before he is able to regain his balance, Peeta sticks his leg out in front of Cato, causing him to trip, falling face first off the side of the cornucopia. The moment the dog-mutt-monster bites into Cato's bicep, something happens. The dog begins to shimmer in the darkness and then it explodes. But it doesn't evaporate like the ones from before, this one explodes into twelve ferocious, rabid looking, killer squirrels. Even from atop the cornucopia, I can see several rows of serrated, razor sharp teeth.

I stare at the creatures, once again feeling like something is familiar, just like the monsters from before. 'What is it Katniss?' I ask myself.

But Cato isn't dying and the squirrels are barely penetrating the armor Cato's body is encased in. I hear a moan coming from behind me and turn around to look at him, wrapping my arms around his body.

"I was so scared Peeta! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Some…thing's…wrong…Kat…niss…I don't…feel—" Peeta's face is pale, his lips are dry and cracked and his voice is weak. He can barely get his words out, barely keep his eyes open. I help him to sit down before he collapses and then his eyes close.

"Peeta, don't close your eyes, don't…you can't go to sleep!" I yell to him, but he isn't listening. I scream out to him some more, but it isn't doing a bit of good, leaving me with only one option. I slap Peeta's cheek hard enough to have woken him up, but he doesn't budge.

"PEETA…PEETA…DON'T GO TO SLEEP…DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES…DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME HERE!"

"I…lo…love you…Katn…Katniss." Peeta sputters the words out and then his body goes limp in my arms. Peeta is dead.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0

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~ Haymitch ~

Gracie made me promise her that we would act as if we barely knew each other once we reached The Capitol. She insisted that revealing our relationship would put a target over our heads, making us seem weak and we would be the first ones the career's would take out. I suppose she is right to an extent. Knowing that two tributes are in love; exposes a weakness. So, we kept us a secret, even from our mentor, stylists, and escorts. It is what she wanted, and I would give her the world if I could.

Every time I see Grammy's pin attached to her; I have to wipe the grin from my face. It is how she communicates her love for me, even if she cannot show it.

For the next few days, all throughout training, coaching, private sessions, and interviews, Gracie and I remain aloof, coming off as indifferent toward the other. She manages a seven for her training score, and I pull off an eight. It isn't great, but considering we are from Twelve, we couldn't have hoped for more. Gracie excels at her interview with Caesar, coming off as feisty and beautiful. By the time she exits the stage, she has the audience curious to know more about the District Twelve female; which was her strategy all along.

When Caesar calls my name, I strut onto the stage with all of my swagger, leaning back in the chair more confidently than I feel. I come off as cocky, arrogant, and conceited; claiming to be smarter than the others, which isn't that difficult since those traits come naturally. When Caesar asks me how I feel about twice as many tributes, the audience gets a kick when I say that they're all stupid, so my odds are just the same.

It isn't until the night before the games when I'm tossing and turning in my bed that I crave her arms. Every time I close my eyes, I see that giant boy from Two with his hands wrapped around Gracie's throat, finally plunging his dagger into her heart.

Figuring that I need to release some of this pent-up anxiety before I make myself crazy, I make my way to the roof of The Tribute Center. When I open the door, she is standing by the ledge, her wavy blonde hair blowing free with the wind, looking over the banister. Faint sounds in the distance of the drunken Capitolites fill the air as they celebrate the start of the games.

"It's appalling, isn't it? How they're celebrating our impending deaths?" She turns to look at me, her eyes welled with tears.

"They don't know any better Mitch. It's what they were taught."

"So." She lets me hold her in my arms, and I soak up the warmth of her body, inhale the scent of her hair.

"Mitch, I'm scared." She whispers so softly, I almost miss it.

"I know Gracie, I know." I am too, although I won't admit it.

"I'm not scared of the games; I'm scared about what happens after." She turns around to look at me, and I see the insistency in her eyes. "I need you to promise me something Mitch."

"Anything for you, just name it." I tell her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"If you win and I die—"

"No. Stop. You are NOT dying."

"Haymitch." I know she is serious when she uses my full name, so I silence myself, giving her my full attention and nod my head.

"If you win and I die, you have to promise me you won't be angry with May. And promise me you'll look after her okay? She's not strong like me, she wouldn't have lasted an hour in the arena. If I die, she's going to need you."

Her words have paralyzed me into submission. How can I promise this? A life without her is not a life I want. Something takes over me and I whisper the words, "Okay."

"I love you Mitchie."

"I love you too, Gracie, so much." I tell her. We spend the night on the roof, embraced in each other's arms until the evidence of the sun appears in the sky. Throughout the night, I force myself to stay awake, trying to memorize everything about her from the shapes of her eyes to each freckle that dances across the bridge of her nose. I breathe her in, never wanting to forget the way she smells all the way to the sounds she makes when she's sleeping; that I once found so annoying. Now, I would give anything to hear these noises for the rest of my life.

Once we are inside of the living nightmare that is the arena, with all of its nefarious beauty's, meant to seduce us to our death, I stay alive just to make sure that she lives. Every fiber of my being is urging me to run with her, but I fight my instincts and run the opposite way she does. I am thankful that she is smart enough to realize that this entire magnificent arena is poisonous. The only reason for the Gamemaker's to shove us into an arena this enchanting, this magnificently stunning is to tempt us. To lure us to our death.

'The arena has to end somewhere, right?' The words came to me in a dream, but when I woke up, it was all I could think about. So, I make it my goal to find the end until I'm almost killed. I am knocking on death's door, face to face with another tribute when she saves me. I am not surprised in the least because it has always been her who saves me. After killing my attacker with her dart gun, we decide to join forces; two heads are better than one. We eat better, sleep better, and can look out for danger more accurately with the two of us. That is; until finally, she gets fed up with my obsession to find the end.

She ends our alliance, saying she does not want it to come down to just the two of us. She turns her back to me, and I watch her walk away, taking a piece of my heart with her. Once she's out of sight something registers in me, and I'm afraid it is the last time I will see her. In an instant, I get this feeling in the pit of my gut that it's the wrong choice and in a flash, I take off in search of her.

I do not search for long before I hear her piercing shrieks stabbing my ears, like shards of glass grinding into my heartstrings. I know the moment I find her lying on the ground that I am too late. I run to her, scooping her in my arms as I watch those evil pink birds scampering away, and I hear the distinct sound of giggling as they disappear into the forest.

I hold her in my arms, rocking us back and forth as I run my fingers through her hair, the tears streaming down my face as I beg her not to go; she can't leave me. With her eyes full of tears, she looks right at me and reaches a hand up to stroke my cheek. With her other hand, she places something in my palm.

"To protect you, to keep you safe. All the way…to the end…I…Love…You…Mitchie…"

As soon as my name escaped her lips, I could feel her life drifting away, her body going limp in my arms.

"Haymitch, Haymitch, wake up. You are dreaming. Haymitch!" My eyes pop open and it's Portia staring back at me.

"What?" I say confused.

"You dozed off. You must have been having a bad dream."

I wanted to tell her that was no dream, but instead, I nod and focus my attention back to my kids.

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~ Ric Undersee ~

( Appx. 16 years ago )

"Haymitch, I know you're in there, come on…open up." I yell through the door, banging as hard as I can to get our districts only mentor's attention.

Haymitch opens the door, black bags under his eyes and reeking of alcohol and vomit. "What the hell do you want, Undersee?" Ignoring his hateful glare, I push my way past him, letting myself in. My stomach churns at the wretched smell emanating from the kitchen, but after a moment it seems to get used to it. I look at him and wonder when the last time he showered…or did ANYTHING other than drink himself into oblivion.

"It's time to lay our cards out on the table; no more lying, no more hiding, at least not between us."

Haymitch shoots daggers at me. "Not here." Is all he says and leads us into the forbidden woods of Twelve.

"Why are we out here?"

"This is the only place they can't hear us. Now, what is it that you want?" Anyone else would think he was paranoid from the excessive amounts of alcohol he consumes on a daily basis. However, I know differently.

"I'm not sure if you heard, but my wife just gave birth to our brand new baby girl. Her name is Marjorie Amaryllis—" Haymitch's eyes widen in shock, recognizing the name.

"Madge?" He sputters out and I nod, confirming his suspicions.

"Maysilee isn't good, Haymitch." If my newborn daughter's name came as a shock to him, this completely baffles the drunken mentor. I never refer to my wife with her given name but needed to in order to let Haymitch know that I KNOW. She will always be Grace to me.

"What did you say?" He says.

"You heard me. I know. And May, she feels so guilty. The guilt is eating her up. She blames herself for your unhappiness, for her sister. I think…I think you should stop by. Meet Madge. It might…it could help her." I'm worried if Grace doesn't speak with Haymitch soon that I could lose her forever. As her pregnancy progressed, she just kept falling deeper and deeper into herself, everyday losing just a bit more of her identity.

"Does she look like her?"

"Well Haymitch, yeah…I mean…they were identical twins. I want you to be around…to be a part of her life, Madge I mean. And May too, if you want. Haymitch, we don't have any family, so…will you…I mean if anything were to ever happen to Grace and I, would you…you know?"

He looks at me, perplexed. "You know what?"

"Would you look after her, keep an eye on her…I mean, I don't plan on anything happening, just...thinking ahead."

"Why would you want some broken, drunk, worthless piece of shit of a man looking after your most prized possession?"

"Haymitch, I…I…I can't tell you right now, not until I know more…but…but things are going to change, I don't know when, but…just think about it okay?" He nods and I turn my back to him to make my way back home. But then quickly turn back to face him again. "Oh, and Haymitch…you should…stop by sometime, I've got the best scotch in the district, if that helps." I leave him with that to ponder and go home to my family.

| 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 |

| 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 |

~ Prim ~

"Mrs Mellark! Mrs. Mellark, may we have a moment of your time?" As soon as I spotted the aliens, I ran imto the first bush I could get to, hiding from their stupid questions. I do not feel like giving then an interview today. But for once, they weren't on the prowl for me. With their microphone and camera in hand, they are hounding the famous Mrs. Mellark.

She has become quite the pariah in town since the night Peeta told Katniss the story of the bread. I can't believe Katniss never told me, but I remember that night perfectly. We hadn't had anything substantial to eat in days, other than some kind of 'soup' Katniss had concocted and them BAM, out of nowhere Katniss comes home with these loaves of bread. She came home with tears in her eyes and went straight to the kitchen and grabbed a knife and started scraping the burnt portions off. If I close my eyes I can still remember the way it smelled, and how delicious that first bite felt.

"No, I do not have time, why don't you go bother someone else?" Mrs. Mellark screams at Tangie and Olive, shielding her face as she tries to escape the reach of their cameras.

"Mrs. Mellark, was Peeta rehashing an old memory, or was he simply trying to entertain his district partner? Do you have a comment on his story?" Tangie trails Mrs. Mellark, hounding her even more persistently.

"I said go AWAY!" She screams at them, finally having entered the bakery and slams the door in their face. I cover my mouth with my hand, trying to stifle my giggles. Tangie turns to Olive who has had the camera on the entire time and plasters one of her fake smiles on.

"Well guys, I think we have our answer, what do you think? If that wasn't an admission of guilt, I don't know what is!"

I come out of the bushes, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. "She's not generally very friendly to much of anyone in the district." I tell them. "But A for effort."

"Oh, HELLO! It is the lovely Primrose Everdeen! What a pleasant surprise!" Tangie says enthusiastically.

"Yes, I suppose you are correct. I do recall that during her family interview she wasn't much of a talker. But oh my! That was so rude! Her mother must not have taught her any manners."

I smile, nodding my head before turning to walk away; setting them up. I am tired of being a silent participant, tired of Peeta being a silent victim. I have a voice and I want to use it.

"Prim, hey Prim. Would you have a moment to answer a few questions?" I turn to face them, looking surprised and honored for them to have asked me..

"Me? Really? You want to ask me…some…questions?" I place my hand over my heart, as if I am honored for their request.

"Why, of course! So, is that a yes?" Olive asks eagerly.

"Well, I suppose I have time to answer a few questions." I tell them, setting my backpack down.

Tangie fluffs my hair up and pinches my cheeks and then Olive does a hand signal to let Tangie know when to start.

"So, Prim, what are your thoughts on Peeta's story to Katniss?"

"Which one?" I ask.

"Well…Either one, I suppose. Let's start with the last story he told her. Can you confirm the authenticity of his words?"

"Well Tangie, I wasn't there so I can't say that his story was 100% true, but here is what I will tell you. You see, a few years back, my dad was one of very few men who survived the explosion in the mines. He was in a coma for a few weeks, and during that time, with very little income we were struggling to get food on the table. I remember my sister getting very creative with the food that we did have. And then one day; one cold, rainy day near the end of winter, Katniss came home soaking wet, carrying these burnt loaves of bread tucked in her shirt.

We scraped the burnt part off and made a feast with the bread. I was really little at the time, I think I was seven or eight years old, so I wasn't really paying much attention.

But if you are asking my opinion, then my answer is yes, I believe that Peeta was telling Katniss the story the way he remembered it."

Tangie has tears in her eyes, and a hand over heart as if she is touched by my story. She looks into the camera, wiping a fake tear from her eye. "Now, that is what I call unconditional love. A young boy, no older than eleven years old who braves the wrath of his angry mother to feed his girl. What a touching love story!" She turns to look at me, shoving the microphone near my face.

"Now Prim, do you know…Does she do that…often?" My eyes go wide in shock.

"Do what?"

"Hit him?" She nearly whispers.

"I uh…I don't know, but…no, nevermind."

"Oh, come on…what is it? Pleeeeease!" She whines.

Hesitantly, I begin, hoping I will not get in trouble for this.

"Well, like I said before, I can't confirm anything, but you see, my mother is a healer. Those of us who can't afford the district doctor will usually go to my mother, and Peeta, well, he and Katniss have been friends for so long, so naturally, well, naturally my mother takes care of his injuries. I uh…I don't think I should say anymore, I'm sorry." I tell her, glancing toward the bakery and then to my feet. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.

Tangie looks confused. "Why not?"

I begin looking around, hoping that someone, anyone will walk by and see me, and…and save me from these questions.

"Um…it's not my story to tell. If you want facts, then you'll have to wait for my sister and Peeta to get back home and then you can ask them for yourself."

"Prim! Oh my gosh Prim, I have been looking everywhere for you! Where have you been? I have been worried sick. There is an emergency, and you need to come right away!" Madge runs up to me, grabs my arm and yanks me away from the aliens.

I fall in line with Madge, turning my head as we speed walk, "I'm sorry guys!" I tell them, waving goodbye.

"What's the emergency?" I ask Madge while she pulls us into a jog. She doesn't speak until we're far enough from the aliens, and then bursts into a hysterical fit of giggles.

Which causes me to start laughing, as if it is contagious. Madge leans forward, hugging her stomach, trying to subdue the hysteria. I end up doing the same.

"What…is…so…funny?" I manage to get out in between laughing and trying to breathe. I don't even know what is so funny. Neither of us can control it, and end up falling to the ground, still clutching on to our stomach's.

Finally, we are both lying flat on the ground, looking insane to those passing us by, but we manage to quiet the laughter after a round or two of deep breathing.

"There is no emergency." Madge finally tells me. "That felt really good, thanks Prim." I turn my head, giving her a befuddled stare.

"I didn't do anything. You're the one who went all crazy with the emergency, and then you are the one who started the laughing."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" She says, pulling herself up to a standing position. She extends her hand out to me and I take it, pulling myself up.

"Why are you guys laying on the ground?" A voice from afar yells out to us. I recognize it as Gale's. I turn around and see him and Rory jogging over to us.

"I had to rescue Prim." Madge tells Gale. Gale walks up to Madge and wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her into a half hug and plants a kiss on the top of her head. Whoa, when did this happen? I think to myself, smiling.

Madge's face turns crimson and she refuses to meet anyone's eyes.

"Hey Prim, what's up?" Rory says, standing next to me.

"Um, hey Rory, nothing much. Just saw Mrs. Mellark go off on the aliens.

"I was just going to walk Prim to her house." Madge announces.

"Mind if we join you?" Gale asks.

Rory and I lead the way, walking side by side awkwardly, while Madge and Gale trail behind us, rather closely.

It's not that I am not enjoying having some time with Rory, it's just that I was hoping to ask Madge about that conversation we overheard the other day. Oh well, I guess it will have to wait.

A/N: ))Hangs head down in shame(( I know, I know...another cliffhanger. I know you are hating me right now, but Chapter 17 is already ready, I just have to read over it once more to check spelling/grammar/editing kind of thing, so hopefully I will have it posted either much later today, but tomorrow at the latest!

From Chapter 17, Gale:

"Why would she do that? She made a promise to Prim, how could she—she's not Katniss anymore. My Catnip would never kill herself over a boy!"