I groaned as I woke up, feeling as if I had been just harshly all over the head. My legs felt like heavy glass, as if when I tried to stand on them they would shatter and I would crumple to the floor.

"How are you feeling?" The voice was light and smooth.

"Grandma?" I groaned, turning my head to look at her.

She pushed my damp hair away from my forehead.

"You kept having nightmares."

"I'm better now." I said, sitting up. "But everything hurts. What happened?"

"You were walking with Peeta and a kid kicked a ball into a shop window. The breaking glass must have thrown you into a flashback or something, because you kind of lost it after that."

"Oh no." I groaned. "I probably looked like a psycho."

Her hand rested on my cheek, the calluses familiar and comforting. "Don't worry dear. They understand. It's hard coming back from soemthing like that. I'm so proud."

"Thanks Gran..." There was a knock on the door downstairs, and she shifted on her spot next to me on the bed to look down the hall.

"Who is it?"

She shrugged. "Probably the little Hawthorne girl. She came over a bit earlier to check on you."

"Oh." I said. Posy was too sweet.

Gran got up and left the room to go get the door, and I fell back onto the bed.

As I lay there and stared at the ceiling, I traced the crack that ran up one wall and up onto the ceiling over my head. It looked almost like a tiny river, as if I were looking at it from very far away.

There was the sound of footsteps and I turned to see Posy running in.

"Aces! You're awake!"

"Awake, alive, and aching." I said as she stood next to my bed. There was a little blonde girl behind her. Primrose.

"We brought you flowers." Primrose said.

I smiled brightly at her. "Thank you." Gran came in then and said,

"Here. I'll go put them in some water." Primrose handed the flowers to her and I watched as she left again.

"Does it hurt a lot?" Posy asked.

"Does what hurt?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Anything."

I shook my head. "No, not really. Just sore. I'll be fine in a few hours." I said.

"My mom told me to say she was sorry about the medicine." Primrose said. Her cheeks were red and her smile was even brighter than her golden hair.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, you don't remember?" Posy asked.

"She accidentally gave you too much, she does that sometimes when she can't guess a patient's weight exactly. It kind of made you..." She trailed off, looking for the word.

"Loopy?" Posy offered, giggling.

"Oh no." I groaned. "What did I say?"

"Well, at one point you tried to convince Peeta to hit Gale for you." Primrose said, still grinning as if it was a very humorous subject.

I covered my face with my hands. "I'm mortified."

"Don't be. It was funny. I think we all needed a dose of laughter."

"Well, it came at great expense." I said, looking at the two girls.

"Shouldn't You two be in school?" I asked.

"It's already three, Aces." Posy said, giggling again.

"Oh. Gosh, I slept all day. I haven't done that since-" I stopped, not even bothering to try and force the words out.

The air seemed thick and solemn now, and I wished to take my words back.

"So, Primrose, what else did I say?" I asked, changing the subject smoothly.

"Oh, just call me Prim. Everyone does."

I smiled. "Ok. I s'pose this would be when I would say, 'and you can just call me this,' but I don't have any possible nicknames. My name is already short." I joked.

"I like your name. It's so pretty." Posy said almost wistfully. I laughed.

"It's an odd name, I'll give you that. But I think you guys have way prettier names than me. Pretty names fornpretty flowers and for pretty girls." I said.

Gran always said I would make a great mom or teacher one day, and it was little comments like that that made me see why.

Prim grinned at me. "Now you sound like Katniss."

"Gosh, that must be a world record. Do I get a prize?" I asked. Posy laughed.

"Do you three want some lunch?" Gran asked, poking her head in my room.

I groaned. "Yes, please."

She nodded and left again. She's always moving, always doing something.

I got up and motioned for the girls to follow me as I left the room.

I could smell the beef that Grandma was cooking before I even started going down the stairs.

"So, hows school been?" I asked.

"Well, the same as it always has been." Prim said.

"Yeah. We learn about coal. We learn about rebellion. We learn about Hunger Games. It's boring now. Not that it was ever fun before, but..." Posy said, shrugging.

"Gosh, you'd think they'd mix it up a little bit, but they never do. Gran always says I should become a teacher- that I've got the patience for it and the schooling already." I joked.

Prim smiled. "You'd make a great teacher."

"Thanks, kiddo." I turned into the kitchen after stepping off the stairs and sat down at the table.

"We should probably get home-" Posy started, but I waved my hand.

"Eat first. We have too much here to eat on our own. And then I can walk you two home." I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." I said, motioning for them to sit down as Gran came over with bowls of stew. "I need a walk anyways."

"That's not what I meant-" Posy started, but I pulled her towards the table.

"Thank you, it's very kind of you." Prim said as she sat down too.

We ate quickly so that there would still be plenty of light to walk by. The whole while we ate we talked and laughed, for once having a stress-free night. It was nice not to be alone. This was already my least part of day even before the Games, and now it was even worse.

Gran still wouldn't let me work, and she worked all day. So did Peeta. I would help him in the bakery when I could, but sometimes it was hard to even get down the stairs.

"Be careful!" Gran yelled after us as we walked out the door. I sling my scarf tightly around my neck and shoulders and shouted back an Okay.

The air was crisp and fresh-with the tinge of coal as always- as we walked out of the victor's village and towards the Seam.

"What are you doing for your talent for the Victory Tour?" Prim asked.

"Oh." I said. "Crap. I forgot to find a talent..."

Post laughed. "You say that like you have to buy one."

"I practically do. I mean, all I've ever done is go to school and cut up animals. I never needed a talent." I said.

"Maybe Katniss could teach you to sing!" Prim said. "Well..."

"I don't think she likes anyone outside of you and Gale that much, Prim." I said with a smile. "And I would ask Peeta to teach me to draw, but we've tried that before."

"What happened?" Posy asked.

"I managed to set the paint on fire."

The girls stopped and looked at me, each expression more confused than the other's.

"Yeah. Peeta says it's my only talent. To set things on fire. I don't think the Capitol would be very amused." I said, and we starated walking again. I could see the Seam by now, and the snow was becoming greyer as we continued.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find soemthing." Prim said.

"Thanks, Prim."