A/N Wow two chapters in two days!? Crazy :D Hope you enjoy this one. Apologies for the short last chapter, this one's much longer! Reviews always appreciated no matter how small! It keeps me writing! Again I do not own any of these wonderful characters or this world!

The next morning, Lily awoke with a start. She sat up abruptly as her brain processed where she was and why. Rubbing at her eyes in annoyance and frustration her ears finally picked up the noise that had awoken her so suddenly.

Someone was banging on her door.

She groaned, remembering that their arrival into the Capitol imminently approached and that the game was only just beginning. The knocking continued without abating until she managed to croak from her sleep worn voice, "Alright! I'm up I'm up!"

Rhyad's voice came shrilly through from the other side of the door.

"We'll be arriving at the Capitol in about an hour! So up up up! Get showered and dressed and come through for breakfast when you're ready!" she enthused, far too brightly, Lily felt for the hour it was, "It's going to be a very exciting day!"

With that final proclamation Lily heard her high heeled shoes clip clopping down the corridor. Lily collapsed again onto her bed. She touched her eyes tentatively, checking that there had been no damage done overnight. She didn't want her eyes to be puffy.

Severus had stayed with her for a while longer that night, the pair of them sitting in what used to be companionable silence but now felt awkward and empty. When he eventually told her he was going back to his compartment, Lily had curled up into the bed and turned off the light, finally allowing herself to release the tears that she'd held in all day long.

And boy did they come.

She allowed herself this one moment of weakness to shed tears for her, to be honest, short life, the family she was leaving behind, for the routine of her district that, whilst times had been difficult, had a sense of safety about it. She cried for the girl she'd used to be, for the life she lost, for the father she'd lost, for the boy who'd been her best friend that she would now have to fight to the death.

She had drifted off into a restless sleep, filled with dreams of what the arena could hold, of her making a fool out of herself at the interviews, of having to face James again. And now Rhyad had awoken her at this hour when the sun was only just rising through the clouds and she had to prepare herself to face the battle for her life.

Deciding to face the inevitable, she left the bed reluctantly and stumbled sleepily to the bathroom and the shower. Whilst having a quick hot shower she made a mental note to be less clumsy when she first woke up in the mornings.

That was something that could get her killed.

When she had a towel wrapped around her she looked in the mirror. There didn't seem to be any damage to her face, no splotchiness, no puffy eyes, no redness. She sighed in relief and found herself some clothes from the closet, deciding on a pair of dark trousers and a crimson tunic. She searched through the blankets quickly for the necklace she had fallen asleep holding and pulled it back over her hair, and after a steadying breath, strode out of her room confidently.

When she arrived at the dining carriage, both Severus and Rhyad were sat having breakfast. LIly grabbed herself a plate of sausages, eggs, bacon, muffins and waffles and sat down at the table. When Severus glanced over at her plate with an eyebrow raised she just shrugged her shoulder. Firstly she hadn't been able to appreciate the meal the night before and also, it wouldn't hurt for her to put on a few pounds in the days leading up to the games. She'd lose far too many in the arena as it was, she might as well give herself a few extra. Without another thought she tucked into the food and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

Rhyad coughed lightly after a few more minutes of silent eating. "So," she said, "Because you're one of the districts that have yet to have a victor I will oversee your training preparation to the best of my abilities" she said with a smile, "First off would you like to be trained separately or together?" she asked

Lily glanced at Severus who appeared to be studying his food very carefully. "I want to be trained separately" he said before Lily could say anything to the contrary. Lily looked at him in shock. She couldn't imagine why he wouldn't even consider being trained together but if that was what he wanted, then that was fine.

"Wonderful!" said Rhyad, "I'll discuss more with you how we're going to present you in the next couple of days, but for now I have some instructions for the both of you" she smiled widely, "You'll be going in to be remade once we arrive in the Capitol, so let your stylists do their thing! They're very skilled at their work and they know what they're doing! So just let them do what they're there for, ok?"

Lily nodded silently, imagining how they would remake her, how her stylist would dress her for the opening ceremony that night, hoping it wouldn't be too heinous.

Next to her, Severus merely shrugged

A barely audible screech of brakes broke through the silence as they ate and despite herself, Lily jumped out of her chair, desperate for a view of the Capitol. Looking out of the window at the pastel coloured glass and metal building reflecting the light from the morning sun Lily couldn't help but think that it was even more beautiful than the broadcasts had led them to believe. But of course, the things that are most beautiful tend to hide the most danger.

The train pulled into the station and Lily couldn't help but gawk at the fashion of some of the people waiting at the platform, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a tribute train. She saw women with surgically altered ears, eyes, noses and even one with impossibly long legs. She saw more colours than she could ever have imagined in the dreary streets of District 10. The people started clapping and cheering excitedly as they registered their arrival. Many waved and Lily, feeling that perhaps one of them might be rich and could sponsor them if they took a liking to them waved back cheerily, a forced but wide smile spread across her face.

She noticed Severus scowling at her from the table. She didn't understand how but somehow in their journey to the Capitol he had transformed from a friend into someone she hardly recognised. But then, it must be the stress of the games approaching, she thought to herself. However she was determined not to let the games change her. Yes, she was terrified for her life and with good reason, but there were different ways to fight than becoming closed off, and that never drew favours from the crowds.

"One of them could be a potential sponsor" she said in an attempt to explain her actions.

Severus joined her at her insistence and gazed sullenly out of the window.

"How do you like the views?" Rhyad asked and Lily didn't have to force a smile as much when she answered.

"They're more beautiful than I ever imagined!"

Rhyad beamed at her on hearing her response, "Of course it is!" she stood up, "Now you two had better grab anything you think you might need from your compartments, like any tokens you may have brought with you, we'll be disembarking very, very shortly and then you will be in the hands of your wonderfully skilled prep teams!" She clasped her hands together ecstatically and left them alone. Again.

"Lily..." Severus implored, but Lily put up a hand and stopped him.

"Sev will you please stop being so judgy. Someone out there might save our lives whilst we're in the arena" she brushed a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. "We might as well try and make a good impression to begin with"

"Lily, they're braying for our blood!"

"I know!" she snapped, "I haven't forgotten Severus, I'm just trying to be tactical here! We're not going to get any friends the way you're acting."

"How am I acting?" Severus asked irritably.

"You're sullen and impossible and snappy and…"

"Is it any surprise!?" he burst out.

Lily smiled sadly at him and reached for his hand, taking it in her own and giving him a gentle pulse. "No, it isn't" she said softly, "I wish more than anything it wasn't you with me here, but we're here now. We have to play their games"

"I think I'd prefer to play my own game" he muttered.

"Then do it your own way, just...I don't want you to die Sev, my heart might break in half" she said, swallowing the tears that threatened to come "Perhaps playing sullen will work in your favour, maybe it'll be something different and they'll be intrigued" she shrugged. "I just need to do something to try and help us out you know?"

Severus nodded. "Come on, we'd better get to the Remake Centre, they're going to have their work cut out with you" he teased with a quick quirk of his cheek.

Lily swatted him and gave a slightly strained laugh, "Shut up Sev"