Quick note before the chapter!

I just wanted to explain to the guest (and anyone who would agree) who said they expected more of a reaction after Gale hit Katniss, and that her mother should have defended her, why I didn't have that scene escalate in such a way.

First- we all know Katniss is a badass with a certificate. She coulda landed Gale's ass outside if she wanted. Besides, she wouldn't have wanted a huge fight to break out, and she wouldn't have stood for it, either.

Second- Peeta stepped in immediately after (Therefore giving no one else time to react) and told Gale off like a Real Man TM, defending the honor of the woman he loves.

Thirdly- As it's portrayed in the books, Katniss's mother at this point in the story is a big sack of uselessness. She barely moves, let alone talks at all in the books before Katniss is shipped off to the games. She let her children starve nearly to death, and let her eleven year old daughter take over as head of house, and go into the dangerous forest every day just to put food on the table. She wouldn't have said anything.

And last but not least- All of this happened relatively quickly, and I also wrote that when Katniss ducks away after this that Prim and her mother are still shocked. No one there expected Gale to hit her, and everything was escalating quickly. By the time Prim or Mrs. Everdeen would have said something, Gale was already gone. He left very quickly after the whole incident.

Don't worry; Team Everlark had it covered. Besides, it's just a FanFic, it's not always going to be perfect society with perfect people, and no women were harmed in the making of chapter eleven.


Katniss reluctantly shuts off the shower, the warm water trickling out until the last drop falls. The mirrors in the large bathroom are fogged up with steam due to the intense heat she had used. She towels off slowly, staring blankly at nothing as if in a trance. It's... Been a long day. It feels as if that morning when she woke up to boxes everywhere had already been a week ago. Katniss could really use a nap right about now, but she doesn't have time for that.

A knock at the door snaps her out of her stupor. "Who is it?" She asks, voice rough.

"It's me," Prim's melodic voice floats through the door. "I've got your dress."

Katniss takes a deep, steadying breath, and then opens the door while holding her towel tight around herself.

Prim smiles knowingly at her as she slips inside and closes the door again. "It's ok, Katniss. It's normal to feel stressed on a day like this."

Katniss laughs half-heartedly. "Is that so, wise little duck?"

Prim wiggles her eyebrows at her sister and hands her the dress, turning around so she can slip it on. "It is. And it's been a really long day, too. How's your cheek?"

Katniss lifts her fingers gingerly to her cheek. "I- I honestly forgot all about that. It doesn't hurt anymore, though."

Prim nods. "Good."

Katniss slips her arms into the sleeves of her dress, before realizing what it is.

"Is this...?"

Prim peeks over her shoulders and, seeing Katniss decent, turns toward her sister to help her with the laces on the back. "Yup. Mom wanted you to wear it. Or, at least that's what I'm guessing, cause she's the one who handed it to me. I didn't think it'd be a good idea to wear your reaping dress for this, anyways, and you don't have any other dresses."

Katniss does her best to stand firm as Prim tugs and pulls at the laces, tightening the dress across her torso. She looks down and gently traces a finger over the white lace designs. "She gave me a little pep talk before my shower."

"Did she?" There's slight surprise in her sister's voice. "I was under the impression she wasn't too excited."

Katniss shrugs. "I don't care what she thinks. She can't just decide when she wants to play mother." She ignores her sister's frown as she turns to look in the cleared up window. Her mother must not be too put off, seeing as she gave her her old wedding dress. It had been her mother's before hers, and even though she had left the town for a coal miner, her mother had still wanted her to have it. How they kept it so clean in the Seam was a large miracle of it's own. She could make out the slight discoloration in it, but noticed it didn't seem to take away from the beautiful simplicity of it.

She twisted this way and that, examining the silky skirt that fell in pleats from her waist to her feet, and the long sleeves of the same material. The lace covered front stretched around into the lace up following her spine that Prim had expertly tied in a bow.

"It's so pretty," Prim says quietly, as if not wanting to shatter the moment. Katniss nods in agreement and smooths her palms down it one more time before turning back to her sister.

"Want to do my hair?" Prim nods happily and checks the hallway before tugging Katniss quickly across back to her room. There's boxes on the floor, and a few items of clothing strewn out on her bed from the process of looking for the dress. Katniss sits in the chair in front of the vanity she had overlooked earlier. It's very simple, perfect for her tastes, and practically blends in with the grandeur of the rest of the room. Prim comes up behind her with a comb, carefully running it through her drying hair.

Katniss studies herself in the mirror perfectly clear of coal dust. The incredibly fancy shower had done her wonders- her face looked smooth and clean for once, and her hair shone in the low lights of the lamps. A light flush even dusted her cheeks from the leftover heat. She watched Prim's nimble fingers work across her hair, twisting and braiding it into a crown across the top of her head, from ear to ear. She pulled out small pins with pearls on them that she had never seen before.

Prim caught her confused look in the mirror and smiled impishly. "Peeta got them for you," and with a wink she stuck the first one into the braid until only the pearl was seen.

"Oh." Prim deftly stuck the rest of the pins in before studying her work. She tugged a few strands out by her ears before declaring that she was done.

"You look gorgeous," Prim says, hands planted on her hips proudly. Katniss stands from the chair and wraps her little sister in a hug.

"Thanks to you, little duck."

They stand there in silence, just taking it all in and enjoying the sibling love of the moment until a knock pulls them apart. Prim goes and opens the door to reveal their mother. She looks at Katniss and Katniss can't tell if her eyes are welling up or if it's just a trick of the light. But then she blinks and it's gone.

"The district officiant is here."

Katniss nods and takes a deep breath before following her mother and Prim out into the hallway. Her mother walks down the stairs first, followed closely behind by Prim, and then Katniss brings up the end of the line.


Peeta stands next to the fireplace, a strand of winter greenery draped across it and Haymitch next to him as his witness. The man from the Justice Building stands directly in front of the fireplace, staggered closer to it than Peeta. He shakes his hands out at his sides, waiting for Katniss. Her mother had just went up to get her, so he knew it'd be any minute now.

Haymitch elbows him in the side, and when he meets his look, the older man raises an eyebrow at him.

"You're not gunna pass out, are you? I won't catch you."

Peeta huffs out a half-hearted laugh. "I wouldn't expect you to."

The sound of the stairs creaking catches Peeta's attention, snapping his head toward the sound. Mrs. Everdeen steps around the corner and into the living room, standing off to the side and quickly being joined by Prim.

Peeta sucks in another breath before Katniss rounds the corner and looks around, her eyes meeting his. He almost chokes on the breath he took at how beautiful she looks. He can't remember if he's ever seen her hair outside of braids, but the way it cascades around her shoulders now is... Breathtaking. The light catches on the pearls in her braid crown, and the butterflies in his stomach wake up happily. She walks over to him, looking a little freaked out, and he hopes she's not having second thoughts. Or, at the very least, if she is that she'll say something.

He never wants to force her into something she doesn't want. Never.

But the way she takes his hands and stands across from him in front of the official, he can tell that she's made up her mind.