A/N: Thanks again for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it will be the beginning threads of a sci-fi ending to this story. I'm preparing you now, since I know some people don't quite like sci-fi. (Which if you are here after reading the Hunger Games then you must like it a little bit at least.)


I wake suddenly in the morning when I feel Gale shift and roll out of bed. I turn and peer at him with bleary eyes. The sky outside is still dark; the bedroom cold and crisp. He apologizes for waking me and whispers for me to go back to sleep. His voice is gentle and soothing in the moment. I briefly wonder if it is the voice he uses for Posy when she awakens. I shift into a ball and immediately drift back to sleep.

It feels like no time at all when I open my eyes once more, but I see that the sky has brightened outside our bedroom windows. I sit up and push the heavy blankets aside. I take a moment to stretch and yawn before I shimmy out of the bed. The hardwood floor feels cold on my bare feet. After making the bed and straightening the coverings I walk to the window and peer out. The day is fresh and bright, a good day for the recitation of vows.

My family will see me for the last time today. They'll watch my face appear on the mandatory viewing screen in the town square. The thought thrills me, but saddens me in the same moment. For though they will be able to watch my announcement and determine that I am alright; I won't see them.

I choose a nice dress from the closet and my only other pair of stockings to change into with some new undergarments. I quickly dress and then retrieve the pearl earrings from the box in my drawer. At some point Gale laid a small mirror on top of the dresser, so I take a peek at myself. I laugh at my unruly mane of hair and decide to comb it out before I tie it back. I fasten the little pearl earrings into my earlobes. My mother will see them and know that I am thinking of her. As a final touch, I clasp my sister's intricate hairpin on the right side of my head.

When I emerge from the bedroom, my nose is hit with an onslaught of delicious aromas. Gale is standing at the stove stirring something in the pan. He is wearing his trousers from yesterday and a blue button-down shirt with the sleeves folded up his forearms. I approach with a smile.

"Good morning Gale. Is there something I can do?" Be the ever dutiful wife, they had told us in school. He glances at me over his shoulder and nods a hello.

"No. I've got it. Almost done, wanna take a seat?" He nods toward the table and I see that he has already set out some dishes. I take the same place that I sat in last night and busy myself looking through my pamphlets.

"Sorry I woke you," Gale says as he stirs, "I'm an early riser."

"Oh no, I fell right back to sleep. It's fine, I'm sure I will get used to it," I assure him.

I've read these pamphlets about three times over since they were given to me back in District 9. I'm not really seeing the words on the page now; it's really just an excuse to keep my hands busy. Instead, I take the time to analyze Gale while he works on our food. He seems good natured so far, which is a good sign for future happiness. He doesn't push me or ask too much about my past. He listens aptly when I have something to say and doesn't mind when I'm silent. I hope that he isn't just acting the part.

With the pot in one hand and a large spoon in the other, Gale approaches the table. I set my pamphlet on the tabletop. Gale furrows his brow as he looks down at the title, Raising Children for a Better Future. I blush deeply as I realize what he's frowning at. I don't want him to get the wrong idea. I wasn't really reading it and I definitely am not focusing on children yet. In fact, I would rather put that off for as long as possible. I bow my head as Gale spoons a thick paste onto my plate that is filled with cut up peaches.

"Oatmeal!" I gasp and then blush at my outburst. Gale laughs as he serves his own bowl.

"Sorry, you'd think I didn't see enough of it back home," I say. I think I'm really just surprised that Gale would purchase an oats ration during this time of year when the prices are higher.

I proceed to educate him about oats and wheat. He listens aptly as I talk about the mandatory labor assignments I had back in District 9. I mostly kept to the wheat fields, but we did have other grains like oats and barley. Gale is patient and quiet, so similar to my papa that I begin to think about how much Papa would like this man. Or how much my mother and father would. I smile down at my plate and try to keep myself from spewing too much knowledge about wheat production.

I wash our dishes, humming one of my mother's mountain tunes as I work. I hear Gale rummaging in the spare room for a while. We seem to be avoiding the topic of the day. The Recitation of Vows Ceremony is a flashy Capitol-driven event that is televised across all of Panem. This will be the last time my parents see my face, and the last time that I will see some of my friends and classmates. The formalities of the day truly don't hold any romanticism for me. They are just another way for the Capitol to categorize us in level of importance. Those of higher genetic standing will be respected more by other citizens. It's silly really. In 9 we really didn't follow that standard, but it is hard to say what the social practice is here in 12. I'm reminded again about what Sophie's mother had told her. That 12 has two social classes, the Seam and the Merchants. Gale emerges from the spare room and attempts a smile. I'm sure it is supposed to be reassuring in lieu of the day's events. It isn't though. What is he really thinking?


We prepare ourselves in silence. After we both wash our faces in the cold water of the basin sink we pull on our shoes. I slip my arms into my sweater and follow Gale out the door. We don't talk about the Ceremony as we begin walking toward the square. Gale watches the other people from the Seam as they meander up the road, talking quietly amongst themselves. I wonder if he is thinking about his friends or Katniss, but I halt those thoughts and try to focus on the road ahead of us.

The town square is bursting with life. Nearly the entire district is present. Those who can't be there physically are asked to watch from their homes. Of course, the presentation is mandatory, so if you aren't viewing you should expect trouble from Peacekeepers. Gale ushers me toward a roped-off section where contract couples are being herded. I don't really recognize anyone, but Gale nods his head in greeting toward a few people. This district seems to have more people and much less space. Coal production must be a higher priority to the Capitol than grains.

A blare of trumpets announces that the ceremony is about to begin. The crowd almost instantly loses its vitality as a hush falls on the group. A woman with bright pink hair and an obnoxious lavender suit shimmies her way across the stage. Her smile is too large and her make-up too thick. Gale smirks as she attempts to keep her skirt from riding up as she walks.

"She's a piece of work, newly appointed this year. You missed her speech before the train arrived. It was…enlightening to see how the Capitol is feeling these days about contracts," Gale whispers as the woman taps her hand on the microphone. A sharp buzz resounds through the mega-speakers and nearly everyone groans.

"Welcome, welcome to the 75th annual Recitation of Vows Ceremony. My name is Effie Trinket and I am honored to represent District 12 as Master of Ceremonies. This year we have a number of lovely couples to showcase and welcome into society." Effie's voice is shrill and bouncy, like her appearance. I try to keep my expression tolerant as she titters on.

It will be difficult to endure Effie's voice if this year's ceremony lasts for several hours. The length of the ceremony usually depends on the number of contract couples. When we are assigned to our partners, the Capitol attempts to pair every eighteen-year-old citizen in the entire country. If there is not an even number of males and females, which there never is, then some people have to wait in the rotation for the next year. Therefore, some people aren't contracted at the age of eighteen like Gale and I. This also means that some eighteen-year-olds can be contracted to a person who has lost a spouse. In my district there was one girl who was assigned to marry a widowed man who was three times her age. For the good of Panem, you do not get to voice your opinion about such strange things as that.

Each district will participate in the presentation of couples today. There is a rotation schedule, starting with the Capitol and working through each district. This design allows one pair to be showcased and allows the announcers to rest. Then the cycle repeats itself. This is how my family will see me. Each Master of Ceremonies prepares an excerpt about the couples as their footage appears on screen. For this reason, I dread listening to Effie. I'm sure she will add bits of flourish to each presentation. I've been so lost in thought that I startle when I hear a familiar line.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please recite your vows…I just love this part!" Effie Trinket trills excitedly from the stage.

She's nothing like the Capitol-appointed Master of Ceremonies that we have in District 9. This woman seems to have romanticized the act of being contracted. She was probably raised in the Capitol all her life. Gale has an air of annoyance in his expression as he grimaces at her. He turns toward me with a stony face and takes my hands in his. I stare down at his large calloused palms. They feel so foreign, wrapped around my own.

Around us the other contracted couples have begun reciting the vow in unison. Gale's deep baritone joins the din. His gaze on my face is quizzical and then I remember that I am supposed to be pledging my vow as well. My voice is softer than usual as I recite the words.

My eyes scan our interlocked palms as I speak, "On this day, I vow that I will honor my country, provide children for whom I will devote my life, support my district, and cherish the gifts that the Capitol has provided. I will do everything I can for the good of Panem."

As Gale recites the vow of the covenant I can see the tension in his jaw muscles. Though we have both officially signed our contract before this moment and are irrevocably bound to each other by law, the Capitol likes to make a show of contracted couples pledging their allegiance to Panem. The pledge is to honor our country and each other. His countenance is strange and I think he probably feels that the act of allegiance is foolish.

When the words have ceased Gale bends toward me with a strained expression on his face. I swallow thickly and close my eyes as his lips meet mine. The kiss is a formality of the ceremony. The Capitol enjoys the romanticism of the act. Our kiss is chaste and fairly quick. I have enough time to notice that Gale's lips are soft and quite plump. When he pulls away I try to fight off the slight heat of blush that spreads across my cheeks. Gale's eyes skim over my face quickly before he releases my hands.

I spread my now sweaty palms across my dress and sigh softly when Effie Trinket pronounces us officially contracted in the covenant of marriage. Each couple is ushered into a line alongside the stage. The presentation begins with the Capitol district. A flashy couple that have ridiculous names smile widely as they wave. Gale and I stand silently beside each other. Cato Bartholomew, one of my potential contract partners graces his district with a pompous expression. His wife is gorgeous and her name, Glimmer, screams Capitol-born citizen. I roll my eyes as they grin with wide false smiles. I'm glad I escaped a connection to someone so blatantly flashy.

The next few districts are exhibit couples with similar genetic importance. This is how ceremonies usually go. Organizing couples by importance to the country. I realize that Gale and I are the second couple in line. That's odd, maybe Gale has high genetic markers, I think as I scan the long line behind us. The couple ahead of us is talking softly. The man turns and nods addressing our presence. He seems to exchange a meaningful look with my husband, something that speaks more than an acquaintance's expression. The man turns after a beat and ushers his wife up the few steps to the platform.

"Is he a friend?" I murmur softly.

Gale nods, "Yeah, grew up together."

I watch the couple mount the stage and stand close together in the center. As they wait, District 11 is showcased behind them and on all the screens in the square. Thresh Jackson, also another potential partner of mine, stands beside a small woman with beautiful caramel skin. It hits me that I've already seen two of my contract potentials. Maybe I'm the reason for our being presented so early in the line-up. The screens shift again and focus on District 12. Gale's friend and his wife can now be seen throughout the entire country. Behind them the large screen displays their faces, dwarfing them on the vast stage. Across Panem everyone will see them.

The man that grew up with Gale has dark hair and tan skin that contrasts his wife's fair skin and hair. Effie announces them as their vocations flash across the screen for everyone to see. Special couples are presented more formally. For example, there are many people who have strong links to the original families that survived the Black Death. Those people are revered for their superior genetics and are bred specifically to maintain those markers that will lead to a genetically superior race who have antibodies against various types of plague.

"Thom and Delly Pulaski," Effie gushes as she sweeps her hand out to introduce them to Panem. They stand rigidly in the center. Thom's expression is blank, but Delly smiles cheerily toward the crowd. She even musters a small wave.

The screen displaying their faces splits to detail their genetic statistics. Delly has some important markers, but also has a strong familial predisposition for fraternal twins. Her tests results yielded a high frequency of multiple egg release during ovulation. As Effie notes this, I see Delly's smile falter slightly. Birthing multiples is difficult, and if you can provide for the Capitol in that way then they will likely want more than the required amount of children.

Thom carries many of the markers that are inherently important to the Capitol. His statistics are whispered about by several people in the audience. Thom resembles Gale in many ways. Their grey eyes and dark hair are very similar. Perhaps they are closely related, which means that Gale could have prime genetic markers too. I suspect that Gale is probably linked to an original strong bloodline like Thom. As I briefly ponder this, I take a moment to listen as Effie gushes about the vocations of the couple. Delly will be working as a schoolteacher, specializing in Biology, and Thom will be an apprentice to the Foreman at the mine.

Thom laces his fingers with Delly's as he ushers her off the stage a moment later. The screen continues to show couples across the country, alternating between districts. I smirk when I see Poppy Warren's face shift into view. She and her contract partner look positively ridiculous next to each other. He's two feet shorter than her and very plain, though he seems to have a familial predisposition for outliving degenerative diseases. Poppy was so certain that she would marry a wealthy soldier. She's so concerned with looks and presentation, she's probably fuming.

The bubbly feeling in my stomach is replaced by horror when I see Sophie and her husband appear on the gigantic screens soon after.

"Oh no," I whisper before I press my fist against my lips to cover my sob.

Sophie has a large bruise on her right cheek that rims the edge of her eye. The large screens magnify her face, displaying the painful truth. This isn't the first time that abuse has been displayed so visibly at the ceremony. It is common, more common than most people would care to admit. Be the ever mindful wife; do as your husband desires; provide for your partner's mind, body, and soul. All those rules were drilled into us from an early point in our education. To put Panem's needs before your own, you must follow such rules.

Fearful thoughts spread through my mind as I imagine what must have occurred once my friend met her husband. They had spent the night traveling together on the train and afterward would have slept in the same bed again upon arriving in their assigned district. I can only assume that he had forced her into a compromising position, or that he felt her cooking or skills were not adequate. Regardless, he punished her with his fists. I feel like I might vomit from the thought of it.

Sophie is kind and lovely, but she is not one to allow someone to take advantage of her. The evidence of my fears is spread clearly across her features though. Sophie looks frightened, her eyes are trained downwards. Her husband is a bulky man with bronze skin. I remember her describing him to me before, but I hadn't looked too intently at his picture. Her family is seeing her for the last time today, her face magnified everywhere. They must be heartbroken.

Tears well up immediately in my eyes and I shake my head trying to rid the bitter reality. Gale clears his throat and tentatively presses his palm over my shoulder. The steady squeeze of his palm startles me.

"Your friend?" He questions in a whisper.

All I can do is nod grimly and continue to assess my beautiful friend's bruised face. After a moment the screen switches to the next district. Immediately I turn toward my husband, the only source of comfort I currently have. Gale's face swims in my vision as the tears finally begin to drip down my cheeks. I feel his fingers pressing against my tears to wipe them away.

The ceremonies are continuing faintly in the background. I try to focus on Gale's concerned grey eyes. He wipes my cheeks with his thumbs and then grasps my hand to pull me onto the stage. I try to appear happy, so my family won't be concerned when they see us broadcasted on the screen; especially after what they have seen with Sophie. Effie smiles at us warmly as we stop in the middle of the vast empty space. We are alone up here, each other's only support as we face our statistical future. Gale doesn't release my hand when we are announced and I wonder if he is hoping it will keep my tears at bay.

"Gale and Arwen Hawthorne," Effie trills happily, "This lovely couple have superb genetic markers and will undoubtedly provide beautiful children. Mr. Hawthorne is of direct lineage with the Hawthornes of the Dark Ages who remained valiant survivors in the chaos of District 12. Mrs. Hawthorne can be linked to the original Brooks family lineage of District 4. We salute the precious value of their union." She explains our vocations and excites herself over our future contribution to the nation. My eyes focus on a screen at the back of the square as she chatters on about our genetic markers. I look so small beside Gale's vast height. My hair looks like fire in the bright sunlight; my skin is creamy and paler than usual. In contrast, Gale's skin and hair seem darker than in person. He attempts a small smile, but it is forced. Seeing us united like this we really do seem to match somehow.

Effie explains that we were supposed to be the first couple to be presented. That there was some sort of mix-up. She announces that Gale and I not only share direct lineage to people who had a genetic aversion to the Black Death, but we may have the correct combination of markers that the Capitol has been looking for. My ears feel completely clogged as she drones on. I'm faint and confused.

My mind swims over the knowledge that my genetics are actually of an original family lineage. My parents never told me. We may have a perfect combination of alleles; the combination that the Capitol is looking for. This fact, changes everything. Gale and I, we're beyond a high level of compatibility percentages. As a pair we will combine extremely coveted genes. I furrow my brow slightly over the thought. As far as the breeding of our citizens goes, I've just become an elevated priority.

The government will keep a watchful eye on us and our quota. The quota of four children will be expected to be exceeded in order to provide more of our genetic combination to the districts. My throat tenses to the point of near closure, blocking the necessary amount of air. I'm hazing over, as all my senses become fuzzy.

A wave of murmuring sweeps through the sea of people before us. My eyes skim the crowd before being drawn to a familiar set of faces. Only three rows in, I spot Gale's family, our family. Posy is perched on Rory's shoulders, waving excitedly at us. Hazelle has one arm draped over Vick's slim shoulders. Her expression is balanced under a thin veil of happiness, but I can see the look of concern in her eyes.

The Capitol will want us to be working toward our quota as soon as possible. More than other contracted couples. More of our children will be sent directly to the Capitol someday to keep the genetics balanced for the future rulers.

Gale presses me forward when our contract announcement is completed. My legs quake as we descend the stairs on the opposite side of the stage. Gale still hasn't released my palm. He glances at me with concern, though it is veiled by the stern look he is presenting the surrounding crowd. I try to smile reassuringly at him, but even that simple act is difficult. The constriction in my chest and throat makes it hard to breath. Gale leads me toward a standing section where we both silently watch the rest of the proceedings.

Delly Pulaski, the new wife of Gale's childhood friend, keeps glancing over her shoulder at me. She bites her nail nervously as her eyes shift from the proceedings and then wander back toward me. I stare at her blankly as she appraises me again. Thom finally notices her nervous behavior and gives her a strange look. She wilts under his gaze and focuses on the proceedings. He shoots Gale a quizzical stare that is returned with a shrug. For another hour we stand, watching couples cross the stage or flit across the screen. When everything is finished, the president's face graces the screen. He gives a speech about our duty to our country, district, and family. Something about him makes my stomach churn violently.

Thom approaches when the screen finally goes black and the crowd of contractees and onlookers starts to disperse. He sidles up and presses a large palm into Gale's, shaking it firmly, "Well, I guess we'll be heading into the dark abyss tomorrow. You ready to spend your life in the mines?" He doesn't seem enthused; I wonder what working in the mines is like and if the children here have free mandatory labor assignments there.

"You know I'll never be ready," Gale says back. He sighs and shifts heavily onto one foot as he scans the crowd.

"I wonder how much time that will leave me for my other activities," I can't catch the meaning that Gale slants onto the end of his sentence. Thom seems to understand though. He nods glumly in some sort of agreement.

My eyes slide toward Delly. Her bright blue eyes are piercing me with some sort of concerned look. Thom and Gale watch confusedly as Delly reaches a hand forward and grips mine. Her palm is moist and cold. I furrow my brow and gaze down at her clammy grip as she pulls me closer slightly and glances around her.

"I need to talk to you right now," she says firmly.

"I'm Delly by the way, but you must know that already what with this whole charade of names and vocations." She glances around once more, eyeing the whereabouts of the nearest peacekeeper.

Her grip tightens as she pulls me closer. Gale steps forward, suddenly seeming apprehensive about this strange girl and her weird behavior. Her eyes plead with mine as she whispers to me.

"You can't risk coupling tonight. You understand that? No sleeping together," she says forcefully as she addresses both me and Gale. I blush deeply and my mouth falls open slightly as I inhale a sharp breath.

"I know what happens to the contract pairs who have strong genetic lineage like the two of you and it isn't pretty. They won't like that you are contracted to this district. They'll find some way to bring you to the Capitol. They'll test you seven ways to Sunday. And you can kiss any kid of yours goodbye from the moment it's born. It'll be subject to genetic testing. They're looking for the cure and they want it bad enough to murder you or keep you as a lab rat so that they have an everlasting supply of your DNA." Her voice is quaking slightly as she hurriedly explains herself.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Gale whispers angrily back at her.

I grimace at his choice of language, but a tight biting fear is slithering through my entire body. Does this girl really know what she is talking about or is she crazy?

"You don't believe me? The three of us grew up in this district Gale; don't you ever look at Annie Odair? She's the way she is for a reason." Gale's whole body stiffens ever so slightly. I shoot him a questioning look. I remember that Hazelle said the furniture store was owned by the Odair family.

Gale doesn't say anything. He just stares off toward the citizens meandering through the shops at our left. It appears that Delly, Thom, and Gale all went to school together, though Delly's fair skin and hair are in stark contrast to the two dark men. Two halves to this district, Delly must be a Merchant's daughter. How strange it must be for Thom and Delly to have known each other previously and be contracted to each other now, I wonder. Gale's parents had the same fate too and it turned out rather well.

Delly's warning shivers through me once more as Gale fixes me with his silver shaded gaze. Who is Annie Odair and what happened to her that has Gale's whole body tight like a live wire?

"Delly, let's discuss this later. Not here." Thom says angrily as he forces her hand to loosen its grasp on me.

I try to keep my eyes from going wide at the implications this girl has just given me of a danger I hadn't dared to think existed. It seems true though, it seems like something the Capitol would do. Delly frowns deeply as Thom forcefully shoves her arm down. He immediately apologizes for possibly hurting her. She meets his eyes with a watery gaze and then swallows thickly. Thom is gripping her hands tightly. In the past, would they ever have touched each other like this? Thom's expression exhibits a level of care that is more intimate than Gale's had been when easing my pain.

"You can't imagine the things that they will do to Gale and Arwen," Delly whispers shakily through an onslaught of tears.

The fear in my body twangs sharply when she begins to cry. She is scaring the wits out of me. Gale presses his large palm against my back again as Thom places his hands on Delly's face, trying to calm her. His fingers ghost over her features.

"I need you to calm down, Delly. Put a strong face on until we get home. We'll talk later, okay?" He says hurriedly as he glances around looking for onlookers. Delly sniffs sharply and tries to calm herself with big deep breaths. She nods at him and attempts to give me an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry for scaring you. It's just…" Her voice trails off as she looks down at her feet. I nod and swallow the thick bile in my throat. Gale clears his throat roughly behind me.

"Maybe we should get home too," he says to me. He and Thom shake hands and exchange a look that I can't read. Their level of friendship must be rather deep.

"Gale, before we go to the house, I thought we could stop at a few of the shops. I have some coin that we could use for supplies. We need some more things for cooking and such," I say softly. Gale nods and leads me toward a general store that is located on the far end of the square. When we are nearly there, a large man stops Gale to ask if he is "dealing". The word confuses me. Gale tells the man he isn't and we continue walking toward the shop. I debate about asking him to explain himself, but the words eventually slip out without my consent anyway.

"What did that man want?" I ask timidly.

Gale heaves a sigh and doesn't look at me, as he tells me it was 'nothing'. I feel a little flame of anger flare up inside me. This man is already hiding something from me, something that he alluded to with Thom only moments ago. We've just been told that we could be subject to torture at the hands of the Capitol, and he doesn't seem to think that unites us enough for divulging secrets.

The general store has a bell on its door that clanks loudly when we enter. Gale and I examine several versions of utensils and cooking ware. He doesn't use words, but rather holds up something with raised eyebrows whenever he wonders if I like an item as well. We choose several items and decide to share the cost. I peek at a few shelves as Gale pays at the register. I need to purchase a gift for him soon; my duty once more. That's what my life will be from now on, fulfilling duties.

Nothing seems to catch my eye and Gale is done quickly, so I follow him out. As we meander through the village, people wave at Gale once in a while. It seems that our social status has already taken effect. He wasn't nearly this popular on our way into town at the beginning of the day. Another man clasps Gale's hand as we enter the Seam, pulling him away from me for a moment.

"Got anything for me, Hawthorne?" The man asks with an eager expression.

I furrow my eyebrows together and try hard to eavesdrop on the conversation without looking too obvious. I dig the toe of my shoe in the dirt absentmindedly. Gale eyes me warily as he turns the man down. When we part ways with him, I immediately demand an answer from my husband, duties be damned, I can ignore the responsibility of obedience for a moment.

"It doesn't sound like nothing, whatever it is you do," I huff. Gale glares at me as he shakes his head and starts stalking toward our house. I bite my lip at his anger and quicken my pace to follow him.

"You don't need to meddle in my affairs," he barks as we reach our house.

"Whatever it is that you are doing, it must be bad because it's a secret," I grind out as he pulls his boots off in the doorway. His expression is still heated and his body posture is rigid.

I press on, "I'm part of this family now, and I should know what I'm associated with."

I drop our purchases on the kitchen table as Gale begins pacing the room. He runs his hands through his thick hair and releases a long breath of air. Whatever he does…it must be illegal; otherwise he wouldn't be acting this way. He finally swivels towards me. His gaze is piercingly sharp. I cross my arms over my chest involuntarily, as if they will protect me from his words.

"I'm a poacher," he says. The word sounds dirty and I don't really know what it means. My expression must relay my confusion.

"I hunt illegally in the woods," he says. I inhale sharply. I wasn't expecting this. He ventures past the fence and kills animals. I can't decide which part of the truth is more frightening, the killing or the illegal trespassing.

"What if you are caught? What then? Will we both be punished?"

Gale's eyes blaze even more at my questions, "There are worse things than going hungry," I state. My voice is firm and smooth, even though my heart is beating sporadically. I grip the back of the nearest chair as Gale begins to explain himself.

"I do it so that people don't starve to death, because that's how things really are here," he makes a large sweeping gesture with his arms. The venom in his voice tells me he thinks I've come from a higher life than him. It tells me that all the food we've had so far isn't the norm. This won't be an extravagant life with him. This will be like my old life. Living paycheck to paycheck with lovely things now and then, times that are few and far between.

"I do it because it's the right thing to do. I won't sit by and watch people starve so that the Capitol can have more things they don't need." He grinds out his words, punctuating them with a fist against the table.

"Gale," I whisper, "I didn't come from a life of luxury. The money I brought with me was a gift from my family. They saved for months. I just want to understand you and what drove you into this." It's crazy really, to have sought out such a treasonous career.

"Becoming a man before my time, that's what drove me to it," he shouts, startling me. He slams his fist even harder on the table this time.

"I've been the man of my family for a long time. I did what I had to for them to survive. So did Katniss, she's my hunting partner. She understands why this is necessary." I close my eyes for a brief moment and try to understand the necessity of it all. The dangers and impracticalities almost outweigh the kindness behind it. He will be killed for treason if he is ever caught.

"You can't talk about this with anyone," Gale says as he steps closer. His words are forceful. I know he can read every thinly concealed thought in my terrified eyes. A new thought slides forward, is this angry man the true Gale? Has everything thus far been a lie?

"I'll be obedient and do as my husband desires, because that's what a 'good wife' does," I say spitefully. I shift on my feet before I continue, "And when they kill you in front of our family I'll try not to be bitter." Gale's nostrils flare as he steps back and shakes his head.

"You'll already be bitter anyway; you'll have been forced to bear an endless number of my children for the good of Panem. We both know that we can't escape that now."

With those last angry words he storms off, forcing his boots back onto his feet and slamming the door as he leaves. My knuckles are white from gripping the chair, and when I step away from it I register that my entire body is quaking. Slowly, I fall to my knees on the hard wooden floor. His treason could kill me too, or it could kill his innocent family. And if treason doesn't ruin us, then the expectations to provide children will.

Either way, I hate the outcome. Either way, I'll be torn apart.