Hi guys! Sorry it took me so long to get another chapter out. I was out of the country. But I'm back and I'm still writing I promise! Enjoy :)

As promised, Peeta and I are at breakfast before the sun is even up. Effie pulls a long strip of white paper from her obnoxious yellow handbag and spreads it out on the table. "Here is today's schedule."

I look over at the endless lines of writing. "Effie, there's only twenty-four hours in a day," I remind her.

She shoots me a look. "And we'll be using every second. First things first, we're taking a tour of the city center. They're redecorating it and I thought wouldn't that be fun to see?"

I sigh. Redecorating was such a fluffy, shallow word to use for what was actually being done. Tyrus explained to us that they are rebuilding the center of the city. I hope it looks as different from what it used to as possible. The last time I saw Prim alive was in the town square, where the heart of the construction is taking place. I don't think I could face it if it still looked the same. At least now I might be able to pretend it's somewhere else.

Effie prattles on about meeting some important person or another and how so very delighted she is that we're here. "We've organized somewhat of a party tonight," she continues. "Well… as much of a party as we could make with what's left here. I cannot believe how difficult it was to find a decent musician here. Oh! And the nerve of…" Effie realizes she's babbling and redirects her thoughts. "Haymitch and I thought it would be lovely if you two could make a speech of some kind. To let the people here know you're alive and well. To give them hope. Of course, it won't be televised like before. So when we're finished in the Capitol, we'll be visiting each district separately to tell them about your… undying love." I think Effie actually chokes up.

I sigh. I know I signed up for hell when I agreed to be the Mockingjay, but I was hoping maybe Effie would use some discretion and take it slow. Instead, I find myself being made presentable by a man with a green comb over and blue-tinted teeth. Effie informs me that he's the last decent stylist left in the Capitol. I grit my teeth as he yanks a brush through my gnarly hair.

"This," he says pulling a chunk of my hair from his brush. "This will not do. Antonius does not work with such filth!" He covers his eyes dramatically. "Oh if only I still had my prep team. I would not be put into such horrible conditions." Then he drops his hand and looks at me. I raise my eyebrows. "Of course," he touches my cheek. "You have such a lovely complexion… Antonius will not be defeated by this mane!" He goes back to yanking the brush through the tangles.

This happens at least twice more. When Antonius reaches my fingernails he puts his fist to his mouth and makes an awful moaning sound, but alas, there's my lovely complexion and he goes back to filing my 'monstrous claws'. And when he gets around to removing body hair, Antonius actually has to leave the room before tackling the 'biggest challenge in his career' that is my leg hair.

While I'm being plucked and scrubbed, Cinna is on my mind. I miss the way his presence calmed me. He was the last face I saw before going into the Games. I could trust that whatever piece of clothing Cinna put me in would be stunning. I have Antonius pegged for someone who would go with the naked, covered in coal dust look that seemed popular at previous Games. I don't trust him.

When it comes time for me to get dressed, I'm surprised to see Antonius holding up a simple yellow sundress. It has a white ribbon that ties around the waist. There are no straps and Antonius pins it tight so it won't fall. He fluffs my freshly curled hair and positions it around my face. Then he steps back and clasps his hands together. "Yes. Yes, this is good."

I face myself in the mirror. I look like a stranger, all put together. The dirt that I thought had been tattooed into my pores has been scrubbed away. All my cuts and scars covered with a fine layer of makeup. I run my fingers through my smooth hair. I wish Cinna could see me. The only part I really enjoyed of being worked on was the look on his face when he saw the finished product. His eyes would shine like his gold eyeliner.

Antonius interrupts my thoughts with a pair of strappy sandals dangling in my face. I put them on. They're made of braided leather and are soft on my feet. Antonius does a final inspection, picking off invisible specks of lint from my dress, and then he opens the door and motions me out.

Peeta and Effie are waiting in the lobby. Peeta is dressed in a yellow v-neck t-shirt and white pants. I groan. So they're back to the matching outfits. He looks up when I walk in and the corners of his mouth lift. Effie claps excitedly. "How precious! How incredibly adorable." She totters over to me on four-inch heels and grabs my arms. "Are you ready to embrace the day, Katniss?"

It takes Haymitch another hour to stumble down to where we're waiting. Effie's face turns bright red underneath her white makeup. "We are on a very tight schedule, Haymitch." She spits his name.

He rolls his eyes and takes a swig from the bottle in his hand. "Shall we?"

We all pile into a glossy black car. Effie whines about all the trouble she had to go to get it. "They just don't have standards here anymore." She sighs.

I look at Peeta. He rolls his eyes. We're sitting in the back seat together. Poor Haymitch is stuck with Effie in the front seat. Poor Effie is stuck with Haymitch. The poor driver is stuck with both of them shouting different directions at him.

Peeta reaches over and adjusts my dress over my knees. "You look beautiful," he whispers. It's not like he hasn't told me that before, but this time it causes a rush of heat to my cheeks. I take his hand and slide my fingers in between his. Holding Peeta's hand is like having a lifeline to my past. He's the only person aside from Haymitch who was there before everything changed and who stuck around after. But talking to Haymitch is like talking to a wall most days, so I'm left to rely on Peeta. And I'm okay with that.

The brightly colored buildings of the Capitol slowly turn into charred rubble. I watch as the pinks and the yellows become black and brown. Walls that survived the rebellion stand out like paint splatters against a dark canvas. I squeeze Peeta's hand tighter. "I thought they were rebuilding," I say. "Why does it look the same?"

"I guess they haven't gotten to these parts yet." His eyes are glued to the window just as mine are.

The scenery outside remains the same for a long time. It looks like we're driving through the inside of a giant furnace. Everyone is silent. Even Effie has stopped her mindless chatter. We all watch as the destroyed world around us rolls past. Then little by little, workers appear on the side of the road, hauling rubble into carts. When we reach our destination, the streets are crowded with people shouting orders and bustling around. I'm surprised to see people in Capitol clothing helping out the workers. I thought the remaining citizens would have holed up somewhere and waited for someone else to do the work.

I cling to Peeta's arm as we approach the town square. I don't recognize that that's where we are until Effie tells us. The street has been swept clean and the buildings on either side of us look brand new. "Where do they get the supplies to rebuild?" I ask Effie.

"They use what's left over here. But instead of keeping all the fun colors, they paint over them. Such a shame."

I look closely at the buildings. They look like ragdolls, parts of them not quite fitting together. But each one is covered in a thick coat of white paint; masking any sign of the vibrant Capitol colors. The street is made of a black material that Effie calls 'asphalt'. We approach a large, one story building. It looks like the top of it was broken off because there are parts of the roof that jut out at odd angles. As we cross through a fence that runs the perimeter of the building, my chest clenches. Something about this lawn is familiar. Grass grows in tufts and patches, but the charred ground in between is bare.

"Hopefully President Paylor is home," Effie mutters as she dodges uneven patches of ground.

"President Paylor?" Peeta asks.

"Yes," Effie says. "This is the Presidents Mansion after all."

I stop midstride. "President Snow's old mansion?" I choke out.

Effie nods. "They took off the top part. Paylor said it was too showy. Too fancy for her taste. Of course, I disagree."

I can't find it in myself to take another step. Peeta tugs on my hand. "Come on, Katniss."

I shake my head. President Snow's lawn was where they let all the children in. It was where they dropped the silver parachutes. This is where Prim died.

Peeta seems to make the realization at the same time I do. "Maybe Katniss and I can wait out here. Help the workers while you guys go ahead."

Haymitch eyes me and nods. "That might be best."

Effie clicks her tongue. "No, no, no. President Paylor wants to see Katniss and Peeta face to face. You forget she is your leader now."

"Then she can come to us," Peeta says defiantly. He puts his arm around me and we walk away.

Once we reach the street, the knot in my chest loosens. I keep my back to the mansion and take a seat on a piece of rubble. Peeta sits next to me. He runs a hand down my hair, smoothing it. "Are—"

"Don't ask me if I'm okay. That's a stupid question," I say, cutting him off.

Peeta takes his hand away. "I know. Sorry."

I sigh and lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Sometimes I forget," I say.

"Forget what?"

"That I'm not very good at this." I look up at him.

Peeta frowns. "Good at what?"

I point to him then I point to me. "This." Then I gesture around us. "And this." I'm not sure what I'm trying to say. Peeta shakes his head. "There's no right way to do it. To handle everything." He pauses. "To be together." He looks at me and then smiles a little. "We're already pretty messed up. I think anything you or I do from this point on is a step in the right direction as long as we have good intentions."

I nod. That's why I have Peeta. Because he's good with words and I'm not. Because he's kind and I'm not. Because he understands that the way the world works is the way it works and that's that and I'm still selfish enough to think it should go my way sometimes.