A/N: Hey everyone. I will try to update once every 4 days? At least until school ends. I am going to be making these chapter A LOT longer. (: I do want to know what you guys are thinking, so review on what you like/dislike please, or else I don't know if I'm actually writing for anyone at all. AND thank you to my amazing reviewers: percyjackson987, Sk8ergirl, star4163, Laniebanie, & Shamrocks.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games, even though I wish did. All rights go to Suzanne Collins.

Rue POV

I trail behind Effie slowly down the hallway, looking around at the various objects and mysterious items along the way. I sing softly to myself:

Deep in the meadow, under the willow,

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow.

Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes,

And when again they open, the sun will rise.

I continue to walk, lost in thought, I don't take notice to the fact that Effie has stopped dead in her tracks. I ram into her back roughly, stumbling back at the impact.

"Oof!" I groan as I hit her by surprise.

She turns around and stares at me in disbelief. She mumbles something incoherently and I tilt my head to the side, trying to decipher what she said.

"Sorry. What was that? I didn't hear you." I say shyly, scared she's mad that I ran into her.

She shakes her head, then says softly in a slightly clearer voice, "You sound exactly like your mother, Rue." I barely make out what she says. "That… was very beautiful." I can make out the fact that they're tears in her eyes, clouding her vision. She then pulls me into a bone crushing hug, almost suffocating me.

"Oh, Rue!" She exclaims. "Please." She begs. "Don't die in that Arena, be smart. Like your mother and father."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at don't die in that Arena. Oh, I'll try not to. I bite my lip to keep myself from laughing out loud and I continue to hug back awkwardly. She finally let's go of me and shakes out her hands, trying to regain her composure. Now, I know for sure it's a wig. It's almost half way off her head before her hands roam up and set it straight. She turns and walks down the long hall to my room, acting as if our previous encounter never happened.

Katniss POV

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am now twenty-nine years old. My home is district 12. There used to be no more District 12. I am the Mocking jay. I brought down the Capitol. President Snow hates me. He killed my sister. Now I will kill him. And then the Hunger Games will be over. . . . My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead. It would be best for everyone if I were dead. . . .

I said those lines over and over again as I try to stay sane. I knew that those were the only things that kept me alive in the arena. I try to tell myself that all of this chaos is only just a dream, but somewhere deep down inside, I know that I'm only building up a wall of defense that the Capitol will tear down.

"It's okay." I hear Peeta's voice tell Finnick softly. I never really was one to comfort someone. It didn't come naturally. But, it did for Peeta. "Rue will be back soon." He whispers, but I hear his voice break at the mention of Rue's name. Finnick stops crying at Rue's name also. Rue is one of the only people I know, besides Peeta that can calm him when he is throwing a tantrum.

Peeta comes up behind me, and puts a protective arm around my waist as he holds Finnick with the other. "We have to go, Katniss." He says gently as though I could break. He bounces the toddler on his hip as I kiss Peeta's lips then Finnicks forehead.

"I know." Then we head back to our house in the Victors Village.

The TV turns on as we're eating dinner and I know the Capitol has an announcement to make. The Capitol seal appears on the screen and I turn my head to get a better kook, I stop eating and look at the screen with curiosity as Peeta sets his fork down. I stroke my fingers through Finnick's hair, trying to be affectionate and to keep him calm as we are in a tense mood. I anxiously wait for the Anthem to end.

A familiar face pops up onto the screen, but my anxiety only rises. It's President Kame.

"Hello!" He states as he gives the camera a fake, plastered smile. You can hear the audience murmur a quiet "Hello" in response.

"I would like to start off with by saying, I'm very excited for this year's Hunger Games!" He exclaims.

I almost gag. Excited? How could you possibly be excited? I glare at the screen as If I'm glaring at the man himself. Peeta puts a hand on my thigh from under the table trying to make me keep calm. I can't lose my temper. Not here. Not now.

"Well, there's a twist, you see in this year's Hunger Games. To show that even the youngest of us need to be held accountable for their reckless actions, there will be no cornucopia this year." The only thing I could do was stare at the screen with a mixture of shock and disbelief written on my face.

A/N: Oooooooh, CLIFFFYYY. What do you think about NO Cornucopia in this? Please review and tell me what I need to fix and such. Thank you! Love Love Love - Lauren