Authors Note: Wow, thanks everyone for the good reviews and for putting this fic on your alert list! I was completely shocked when I saw all the emails in my inbox. That's why I wrote this next chapter so quickly. I'm sorry it's quite short, but it will get more interesting/long once they arrive at the Capitol.

Just letting everyone know, I'm not going to stick to the book for all my information while writing this, so things may not be exactly to the books. As zebra-scarf said, normally someone wouldn't move from one district to another, but it ties into a later chapter so that's why I put it in. But I appreciate all the reviews, thank you so much! Enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter Two

Spens' POV

I sat in that room guarded by Peacekeepers for an hour and not one person came. Not one. I tried to pretend that I didn't care that I had no friends because I spent all my time training. I tried to pretend that I didn't care my parents refused to visit me because they thought coming to see me would make me seem weak. I sat on the bench with my hands clenched in my lap for the entire hour as I gritted my teeth against the laughter and chatting coming from the room next to mine.

Grey her name was. There must have been at least half a dozen people in there at any one time, all moaning and crying and saying how she has to win for them, because they were going to have a "conjoined 18th birthday party, remember?" I decided then and there that there would be no alliance this year between the tributes of District 4; I wouldn't side with some popular chick. She could die in the bloodbath for all I care, I bet she couldn't even handle a knife.

Grey's POV

My friends saying goodbye had made me late even with the Peacekeepers hurrying us along, and I barely made it onto the train before the doors shut. I wondered what would happen if I missed the train altogether, surely they wouldn't leave without one of the tributes? That seems to me like one of the more important things to remember.

I manage to navigate my way down the train carriages as doors open and close automatically for me. Some doors stay shut, and I suspect that they are private rooms belonging to our escort; I found out after the reaping that her name is Domitia, or our mentors. I go through at least three doors before I come into what must be used as a dining room. I am pleasantly surprised at the level of food spread out over the table, even a wealthy District 4 family would struggle to produce this much, and I wondered what the tributes from lower districts would think of it all.

I catch a glimpse of Spens reclining on a couch in the corner and I head over to him, taking a muffin off a nearby platter. I pass Domitia who is sitting at the table with a napkin perfectly positioned on her lap, and she stares daggers into my muffin until I quickly grab a napkin for myself. I grin sheepishly at her and she smiles.

"Are you going to sit down or what?" Spens hisses at me. I step back a little, shocked by his hostility, before staring him down and sitting beside him. It's silent for a couple of seconds and I strain to hear any sound giving away the fact that we're on a moving train, but apart from the clinking of a teacup against a plate there's nothing. I'm shaken back to where I am when I hear a door slide open, and Spens gives me a weird look as I try and refocus my thoughts. An old woman and young man, I can only assume they're our mentors Mags and Finnick, enter the carriage and stride towards us. Mags walks a lot slower than Finnick and I try to place what year she won the games.

"The careers are gunna love you, sweetheart." Finnick purrs at me. Ugh, he's as bad as Spens.

"Whatever. Who says I'm going to join the careers anyway?" I reply, taking a bite out of my muffin. I see Mags gesture to Spens that she wants to discuss the games privately with him, and Finnick takes the vacated spot next to me when they leave. He brings his knees up to his chest and for a second it's almost like I'm sitting with Titus. The thought comforts me.

"Do you know how hard it truly is in the arena? You need the career alliance to keep you alive, even if it's just for a few days." His green eyes flash at me with passion, and for a second I actually feel like he cares whether I live or die instead of just doing his job. With a glance at me to make sure I'm still following, he continues.

"I've seen the reapings from some of the other districts, and trust me," he says, gesturing at me, "you'll get their attention." I raise an eyebrow at him.

"A little derogatory don't you think?" I ask.

"Careers only want the strongest, fastest, smartest people in their alliance. They can't afford to have a tribute that will slow them down. If you can hold their attention, you're more likely to be let in. I'm just trying to give you options, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," I agree, "I just don't want to come across as someone that I'm not, and I'm not like that."

"Neither was I." Finnick replies, and he gets up and walks out of the carriage. I'm dismissed. I sneak a look at Domitia, wondering if I've offended him, but she gives me a shrug and tells me to go to my room and get some sleep, directing me to the third door on the left in the adjoining carriage.