It hadn't been enough.

Months of selling her body to Capitol patrons and another few months of a marriage she hadn't wanted weren't enough. Snow still wasn't convinced. He wanted more. And it was a more Katniss wasn't willing to give. After all she had been through, all that was still to come, she refused to bring children into the world. She couldn't bear the thought of her own child's name one day being placed in the Reaping ball. The name Mellark would never again be drawn for the slaughter.

But there was nothing more they could do to appease the dictator who governed the country.

Do you think the house is bugged? she wrote on a small scrap of paper before sliding it across the table to her husband.

Peeta read it carefully, looked up, and nodded his head. "The Quarter Quell announcement is being made today," he said casually as he continued to eat his breakfast.

"I wonder what kind of twist it'll have this time," she added.

He drained the rest of his coffee and shrugged. "Who knows," he replied. "At least we'll be able to help Haymitch this time though. I can't imagine doing all that sponsor work alone."

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

"A bit," he conceded. "I'm not sure how to help someone survive the Arena when I was barely able to. We weren't both supposed to win anyhow."

Extending her arm across the table, she took hold of his hand and give it a comforting squeeze. "Yeah, but we did," she replied, finding the thought to be bittersweet. "Haymitch kept us alive, and now it's our turn to do that for someone else."

"Maybe I could just talk to sponsors. Leave the survival advice to you and Haymitch," he suggested. Letting go of her hand, he began to clear away the breakfast plates. "Will you be okay going back?"

"I don't know," she said honestly, joining him at the sink. "It was easier to forget about having to go until now."

Peeta kissed her forehead. "I won't leave your side," he vowed. "Not even for a minute. You won't be able to shake me until we get home."

Her arms wrapped around his torso. "Thank you."

"Where's the boy?" Haymitch asked when she arrived at his house.

"He's at the bakery," she replied, pushing aside some newspaper to claim her usual seat.

"I hear your mother-in-law has been making herself scarce there ever since the two of you came home," he stated, eyeing her to gauge her reaction.

But she had none to offer. Mrs. Mellark had had nothing to do with her son since he returned from the Arena. When he was presented with the key to his house in the Victor's Village, he had asked his parents and brothers to move in with him. It was she who said no for the entire lot. Then he had married Katniss, and his mother cut him off completely.

"He usually comes home if she's in the shop," she replied. "It's just easier to not be around her. She's an awful woman anyway. She still hits his older brothers, ya know. I'd never hit my kids."

An eyebrow rose. "Changing your mind, sweetheart?" Haymitch inquired. "The boy will be thrilled to hear that."

Katniss glared. "Stop calling him that," she muttered. "And no, I haven't changed my mind about having children. I just know that if we ever do, I'd never hit them. My parents never hit Prim or me, and I know Peeta would never do that to his own kids. I see the way he flinches sometimes when I raise my arm, even just to pat him on the shoulder. It's like he's always expecting it."

"So, why bother going there everyday?" Haymitch wondered, knocking back a bottle of white liquor. "If he's that afraid-"

"He'd never see his father if he didn't," she interrupted. "Because for as horrible as his mother is to him and as much as his brothers tease him, his father still loves him. He's the only piece of his family he wants to hold onto."

Rolling his eyes, Haymitch got to his feet and scoffed. "Family's overrated, sweetheart," he replied, his words beginning to slur. "You and I both know that. The only people we can depend on are ourselves. Everyone else can just - poof - disappear."

Shaking her head in disgust, Katniss got up to leave. But before she could reach the door, the television turned itself on and the anthem of Panem boomed in the silent house. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. This was it. The announcement would be made in only a few short seconds.

President Snow appeared on the screen, turning her blood cold. His lips, puffy from too many cosmetic enhancements, moved. But what was he saying? Hands gripped her shoulders, steadying her, leading her back to her chair. She caught only a few words here and there - "reminder", "rebellion", "twice as many tributes". Then a box was presented to him, and Snow pulled out an envelope Katniss was sure had once been white.

"-Reaped from their existing pool of victors," Snow finished.

Haymitch turned off the TV set and sat down on the sofa, head in hands. In a daze, she rose from the chair and walked toward the door. If Haymitch noticed her leaving, he said nothing. Or perhaps he had and she hadn't noticed. Once her feet hit the dirt road outside of his house, she took off running toward the town. The quicker she ran, the faster her tears fell. She was going back to the Capitol, but not as a mentor. She would be a Tribute again. It hadn't been enough.

The front door to the bakery was open as a woman corralled her two small children to leave. Katniss pushed past, knocking into the woman's shoulder, but unable to care about anything but the announcement. The mother frowned and muttered something about rudeness under her breath. Katniss didn't care. She ran past the front counter, ignoring her brother-in-law's greeting, and pushed open the kitchen door.

Peeta stared at the blank television screen with tears in his eyes. He turned when the door opened and Katniss launched herself at him. "I'm sorry," she murmured through her tears. "I'm so sorry."

Peeta sniffled. "For what?" he wondered, holding her as tightly as he could.

"It's my fault," she continued.

He pulled back, eyes wide, and his hands cupped her cheeks. "This, none of this, is your fault," he stated sternly.

"If I hadn't pulled out those berries, if I'd done a better job being your wife, none of this would have happened," she replied angrily. "I wouldn't be going back in. And it won't just be me. It'll be you or Haymitch. I don't want it to be either of you."

He sighed. "I don't believe that you're responsible for the Quell, and I don't want you thinking that way either," he said.

"Don't volunteer," she implored. "Please just don't volunteer if you're not picked."

"Katniss," he murmured.

"Just say you won't," she interrupted, hysteria rich in her voice. "Even if it's a lie, just tell me you won't do it."

Sighing, his pressed his lips to hers. "I won't volunteer."