Chapter 4

If Training and the Private Sessions were bad, the Interviews were the downright worst part of the whole debacle. Getting up in front of the entire nation on live TV was not Katniss's cup of tea. Nor Thresh's, for that matter.

Thankfully, Rue was the first one to go out of the three of them towards the end. And she did not seem to mind a bit talking to Caesar Flickerman. When asked to name a favorite tribute besides herself, she almost brought everyone to tears when she said Katniss, for saving her little sister. She played the crowd even after her turn expired when she broke protocol and snuggled into Katniss's lap as Thresh went to the stage.

The District 11 boy knew what angle to play, restricting his replies to only one or two words. His only complete sentence was when he vowed to protect Rue until the day he died.

Katniss passed Rue to Thresh before she went up, and Thresh had to admit he liked the way her stunning red dress swished as she sashayed towards Caesar. She blew everyone away when the dress unexpectedly caught fire as she twirled. Then, Caesar asked his final question:

"What did you tell your sister, when you said goodbye to her at the Reaping?"

Katniss took her time in answering; she seemed, at least from Thresh's standpoint, to be fighting back tears.

"I told her that I would try to win. That I would try to win for her." She composed herself. "It should be bearable, though. I'll have two…. friends in there with me who I now care for as much as her." She smiled back at Rue and Thresh.

The gong sounded, and Katniss rejoined her friends. It was now Peeta's turn. Katniss and Thresh had wondered to each other just what he would say; apparently, their mentor had coached the District 12 tributes separately. The interview was hilarious from the start, filled with witty banter, before Caesar turned to a more serious question:

"Now, Peeta, tell me: is there a special girl back home?" Peeta gave a boyish grin and danced around the question, playing to the crowd. Slick, Katniss thought. But Caesar wouldn't let up. So Peeta finally admitted to a crush, but he was pretty sure she hadn't even known she was alive until the Reaping…. and maybe not even after. Caesar encouraged him to win, so that "when you get home, she'll have to go out with you." The crowd screamed agreement. Peeta just shook his head.

"Thanks, but winning won't help in my case."

"Why ever not?"

Then came the boom. "Because… because… she came here with me."

Katniss was quite later than usual meeting her allies in the Rooftop Garden that night. Thresh knew damn well why. He could hear her screaming at Peeta all the way from the open stairwell leading downstairs. By the time she joined them, Rue was already asleep. Katniss silently rocked her in her lap, as had become routine – almost as if they were a little family.

There was a long silence before Thresh finally threw out the question that had been plaguing him most of the night.

"Do you love him?"

Katniss stared at him; like with Caesar, it was a bit of time before she answered.

"No. Peeta showed kindness to me and my family once long ago – more than that, his kindness saved our lives. But I didn't think I would be expected to repay that kindness with my love." Her eyes found Thresh's again, from where she had been watching herself absentmindedly play with Rue's hair. "Besides, I'm in the Hunger Games. I don't have time to fall in love. I decided long ago to never have kids and have to watch them possibly get picked in Reapings and sent to die. And that certainly meant writing off marriage."

Thresh said nothing, only listening carefully. He knew Katniss had told him more than once that he was a good listener. Well, that came with his style – and years of self-awareness. Still….

"You could have married and just had children, you know," he pointed out. "A lot of people do that."

"I know. But… the one guy I might have even possibly considered marrying would have wanted them."

Wait a minute…. what does she mean by that? A horrible thought struck him. She couldn't mean the Mellark boy? But she just said she didn't love him! Katniss wouldn't lie to me like that…. would she? Thresh's musings went high and low and all around – but the one place he refused to go was the burning anger he felt, mixed with just a hint of…. possessiveness….

No. He was not jealous. Not him.

He decided to change subjects. "Let's just review what happens in the morning: Tomorrow, I'm going to need you to get Rue and I want you both to run. No matter what. Even if…." Tears threatened to invade and he had to swallow to compose himself. "…. if it turns out I can't follow you."

"What about supplies?" Katniss fired back in hushed tones.

"You let me worry about getting that. Just find water and climb a tree you think is safe. You know enough about the woods; I trust your judgment more than mine in that department. And remember those hunting marks you showed me in training?"

"Yes, we talked about this…"

"I should be able to track them fine and come back for you both."

The moon was getting high; they didn't have much time left to discuss.

"Thresh!" Katniss said suddenly. He looked at her. "…. I don't know, but maybe…. maybe we could take Peeta with us."

Thresh ignored the anger that threatened to rise up. He refuted the idea gently, yet emphatically.

"Katniss, even if we wanted to bring him along, it's too late now. We should have offered an alliance sooner. He no doubt has plans by now, and we can't take such a major chance. I wish Peeta Godspeed; based on what I've seen, he should survive the Bloodbath. After that, it's anyone's guess."

Katniss sighed and nodded. "You're right." She stood and stretched before kissing Rue on the forehead and offering her to her ally. "Take her, will you?"

Thresh nodded. Before Katniss could turn to go, he suddenly stepped forward and bravely kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight," he said quickly. Then, he hustled down the stairs with his dependent.