"Stop biting you nails,"Haymitch snaps. I glare at him."How about you stop drinking."

He glares, but slowly puts the glass aside."Now take your fingers out of your mouth, girl."

Waiting for Effie to bring Katniss and Madge onto the train is absolute agony. At the same time, I want them to never arrive; just keep them safe and sound in Twelve. But that's never going to happen...

"Stop fidgeting,"Haymitch says irritably, getting me to look up at him."I'm not -"

I break off as I notice the slip of paper he pushed towards me across the table."I'm nervous, is all,"I say for the bugs, looking down at the piece of paper as he snorts,"You don't say, kiddo."

We're not letting them tear the victors apart.

I stare at the words for a few seconds. This can really only mean one thing. Someone, somehow, somewhere is planning to stop the Games, planning to stop Katniss and Madge and everyone else from dying. So that inter-district unity won't go down the drain and the rebellion will still have a leg to stand on. All that registers in my mind is that Katniss and Madge will both be okay. I only nod, tearing the note into tiny pieces and dropping it into my half-empty tea cup. Like it never even existed.

Shortly after, Katniss stomps onto the train, followed by Madge and an exasperated Effie. I groan."Please tell me she didn't make that face for the cameras."

"She was okay,"Madge says, not all too convinced. Effie raises her eyebrows."Well, Madge dear, I'm not sure who you were looking at, but Katniss's attitude needs improving."

"I'm right here, you know,"my sister says loudly."And I don't want to improve my attitude for those people. They can all go fu-"

"Language!"Effie and I exclaim as one, just about stopping Katniss from openly antagonising the Captiol. Snow wants her dead as it is.

Haymitch buries his face in his hands dramatically."I thought you winning was supposed to give me a fellow mentor, not another escort."

I opt to ignore him, turning to Katniss instead."We talked about this. You can't go around all sulky. You need sponsors."

"I'm dead meat anyways,"she replies. I frown; we've had this discussion before and I don't want to hear her talking like that. She keeps promising she'll do her best to win, but the next second she'll say something like this. Snow wants her dead, I know that. But I have to trust that Haymitch and whoever else have a plan."They can only rig things that much,"is what I say instead."And if the citizens love you, they'll have to make it very believeable. You might win."

All I accomplish is her changing tracks."What about Madge, then?"

"Let's figure that out later,"Madge replies."At the final two or so."

It's not the best attempt at a joke, but it gets a snort from Katniss, which is all that matters.

I shoo them off to get cleaned up before dinner before the mood can change for the worse again.

I go to collect Katniss for dinner later while Effie goes to get Madge. I find my sister on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, toying with some small object she's holding.

"What do you have there?"I ask, walking over to sit down next to her. She hands it to me and I look down at it curiously. It's an old and somewhat battered pocket watch. I flip it open to see it has a picture of my mum, my dad, toddler Katniss and baby me tucked into it. Photographs are something very rare in the Seam, but Dad had the whole thing arranged for my mum. It's one of her favourite things, I think."Dad's pocket watch."

Katniss nods."Mum gave it to me. As a token, you know."

"You'll be okay,"I whisper, laying down on the bed next to her. She wraps an arm around me."I guess I have to be, little duck."

"I mean it,"I say, moving closer and hiding my face against her hair, my lips close to her ear."I don't know what's going on, but there's some kind of plan. You and Madge just act like all is normal, okay? Be regular tributes until whatever they're planning happens."

It's not much of anything, I know that. But Katniss draws me closer and kisses my forehead."I'd do anything for you, you know that."

I can't keep mumbling into her ear like this, they might start suspecting something. So instead I pull back slightly and grin at her."Even smile for the cameras?"

Her eyes widen in mock shock."Now that's asking a bit much, don't you think?"

I giggle and wrap my arms around her."So, dinner?"

)o(

ugh finally internet yes thank the gods

short chappie but stuff is happening