Hello readers and readresses, I'm not sure what happened in this chapter. We just squeezed a bunch of stuff into it but everything that happens during this chapter is important so pay close attention.

Gale was woken up by Haymitch's screams when he went to find booze. Gale got up and went to Ermela's room finding that the scream woke her up too, "There's our cue. We need to hurry."

"And run away?" She asked.

Gale was confused by this and corrected, "We still need to get to Haymitch's room."

"Oh right, let's go," She said now nervous.

They both hurried over to Haymitch's room locking the door and nearly throwing up, luckily they have to open a window to do with they need to do anyways. Gale reached the window open. "That is putrid," He said almost throwing up.

Ermela nodded trying not to throw up as she gathered some liquor. "Let's just get this done quickly so we can get out of here."

"Yeah," Gale nodded. They dumbed all the alcohol in that room out the window which was just as much if not more than the bar had… probably more. "Wow, so much alcohol," Gale said.

"Well what did you expect?" Ermela asked throwing more out. It's a good thing they locked the door as insistent pounding rang from the other side. Haymitch was unsurprisingly pissed.

"We may be doomed," Gale said.

Ermela gulped but continued to finish the job quickly knowing it can't make it any worse. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Maybe, but too late now," Gale said.

"Why you little…!" Haymitch started angrily.

"We are not opening this door yet," Gale said.

Ermela rolled her eyes throwing more alcohol out, "How about you help me before he breaks the door down."

"He does not have the strength right now for that," Gale smirked throwing more alcohol out.

"What makes you so sure?" She asked.

"He's tired in the morning," Gale said.

"Oh right, doesn't he refuse to sleep at night?" Ermela remembered.

"Yes, he does, but he needs a drink before," Gale said.

"Maybe that might be worse than him being drunk." Ermela said biting her lip. "We should have thought this through better."

"Like leaving this one bottle of white liquor?" Gale asked.

"Do you think we should?" Ermela asked.

"I planned to for a bribe of sorts," Gale said.

"Perfect." Ermela smirked.

"Ready?" He asked.

She gulped but nodded, "Ready."

Gale nodded unlocked the door and stepped back. Haymitch barged in ignoring them for the moment and digging frantically for any alcohol they missed.

"It's no use it's gone," Gale said. Gale was barely able to dodge that knife and might not have if Ermela hadn't pushed him. "Thanks Ermela," He said.

"You little brats!" Haymitch growled.

"We needed to get you to sober up since last time I checked it's our lives on the line here and you were serving little use to us always being drunk." Ermela snapped through narrowed eyes.

"You had no right!"

"We don't have very many rights at all. What's your point?" Ermela shrugged.

"What do you both want?"

"For you to act like an actual mentor and show Gale how to win so he can get back to his family. You won a Quarter Quell against 47 other tributes without a mentor so it's obvious that you know more about how to win than anyone else in Panem but you won't share it." Ermela explained seriously still not wanting to win.

"Fine, but this means we do it my way," He said.

"Which is?" Gale asked.

"The hard way since you're forcing me to be sober,"

"What's the hard way?" Ermela asked.

"You listen to everything I say no matter what it is,"

"Alright, I will." Gale promised.

"Good, now then I need to sleep so I will make this short, we will be there soon and you will be given to your stylists, you won't like what they do to you, but do not fight them,"

"I know." Gale sighed knowing they're in the worst district for that. Not really anything glamorous to do with coal.

"Good," Haymitch said.

"How long till we get to the Capitol?" Gale asked unsure of exactly where they are.

"About two hours,"

"Alright, and lie our asses off when we get there." Gale repeated remembering what he said.

"Now you're getting it," Haymitch said.

"Can I have that now?" He asked pointing to the bottle in Gale's hand

"You're getting close." Gale said handing the bottle to Ermela knowing he can't get it from her unless she wants him to because of her reaction time.

"What do you want from me?" He asked.

"An agreement," Gale said.

"To what?" Haymitch asked.

"You're sober when we need you,"

"Alright, deal." Haymitch said.

Ermela handed him the bottle and said in almost a teasing voice, "Good mentor." He just growled and drank. "I'd say that went well." Ermela said smiling at Gale.

"I agree," Gale said heading to the dining car.

"By the way, don't think I didn't notice what you said you wanted." He pointed out.

Ermela sighed, "I told you, Gale. I have no plans on winning this."

"Well, I have no intent to let you just die," Gale said.

"There's only one victor, Gale." Ermela reminded harshly turning around to look him straight in the eye. "Why are you so set on it having to be me and not you? You deserve to live."

"Everyone deserves to live," Gale said.

"That's not an option." She reminded seriously. "This is the Hunger Games, twenty-three die, one lives, and there's nothing that could be done to change that."

"I know that," He said.

"Then why do you want that one person to be me. No one needs me to make it home alive. No one would cry if I die. I'm expendable."

"I care," Gale said.

"Why? My survival would mean your own death. How could you side step that?"

"I never said I could,"

"Then why do you care so much?" Ermela asked seriously.

"I just do," Gale said.

"I can't let you die, Gale."

"Why do you care?" He asked.

Ermela blushed deeply and looked down, "Because I love you, but I knew that you liked Katniss and barely even knew me so I never thought I stood a chance. Now there really isn't any."

Gale was speechless which was rare for him which Ermela took as a bad thing and ran to her room with tears in her eyes feeling like an idiot for bringing it up. "Hey wait," Gale said running after her.

She stopped in her tracks as she heard that but didn't turn around.

"I didn't know," Gale said catching up to her.

"I know you didn't." She said with her back still turned as a few tears hit the floor.

"I'm just not sure what to say," Gale said.

"Just, don't say anything; I shouldn't even have brought it up. One if not both of us is going to be dead in a few days." Gale had no idea how to respond to that knowing she was right.

Two hours later the train began to slow down. Ermela wiped herself clean and dry from any tears and forced a very convincing smile in spite of everything knowing that she has to.

"Ready?" Effie called.

"Ready!" Ermela called in a voice about as perky as Effie's was except Effie's was real as she came out of her room.

"Good!" She said as they stopped.

Ermela didn't look at Gale not sure if her heart could take it and stared forward with a huge smile ready to face the Capitol.

Effie led them out to the plat form. Gale tried his hardest to do as Haymitch had told but he was completely failing. Especially, compared to Ermela, it was hard to believe this was the same girl that was crying her eyes out two hours earlier until you realized that it isn't. She was working the crowd very well.

Luckily for Gale they were taken to the prep team fairly soon but Haymitch was right, he hated this. Though, since he was a boy, they decided to let him keep the hair so he was spared to hardest part. However he was stripped naked.

He closed his eyes trying to endure any 'treatment' that comes and of course he was thrown into several odd smelling baths.

After a while, he was finally left alone to wait for his stylist but he was still naked. 'Well this is great' He thought bitterly.

The door opened and a dark skinned man who looked fairly normal besides… what am I doing? Cinna came and tossed him a robe to put on. "That has to be the most incredible thing I've ever seen, the way you volunteered for your little brother like that."

"Thank you?" Gale said confused.

"My name's Cinna and I'm going to be your stylist." Cinna said as Gale put on his robe. "Now, as you know everyone's supposed to wear something that relates to the work their districts known for."

"Yeah," Gale said nervously.

"Exactly and for District 12 there hasn't been any creativity there. They've always just been coal miners, but I don't want to do that. I want to do something that will make you stand out even more than you already do." Gale was nervous he was about to be sent out naked and covered in coal dust. "I wanted to do something focusing on the coal itself, and what do you do with coal?"

"Burn it?" Gale asked.

"Exactly, even if people manage to forget Gale Hawthorne, the boy from 12 who volunteered to save his brother; they could never forget Gale Hawthorne, the boy who was on fire."

"That sounds painful," Gale said.

"It won't be, you see, there has been created in artificial flame that's completely harmless but looks exactly like a real fire."

"You're sure?" Gale asked.

Cinna nodded and got the black jumpsuit and head piece that will go with it, "I'm positive."

"Well, I guess," Gale said.

"I talked with Ermela's stylist Portia and we agreed on the same design for you both." Cinna explained.

"Okay, then at least we'll look good," Gale said though still nervous about the fire.

"I promise you won't feel a thing." Cinna promised helping him into the suit.

"I really hope so," Gale said. "Then again, I guess I have other thinks to worry about then the fire or even the Games." Gale sighed thinking about Ermela.

"What do you mean?" Cinna asked.

"Back on the train, Ermela confessed to having a crush on me."

"Oh and that's bad?" Cinna asked.

"Well, there that one if not both of us will be dead in a few days, and also," He explained the situation worth Katniss.

"Oh, you are in a bad spot," He said.

"Yeah, do you happen to have any advice on that?" Gale asked.

"Well you could try talking to her,"

"I don't know what to say though. I don't want to end up just making it worse since I've apparently been breaking her heart for years and I know what that feels like." Gale sighed thinking about how he felt with Katniss before the reaping.

"Well I wish I could tell you what to do," He said.

"Maybe you could try something along the lines of, 'You have so much to live for. Don't waste your affection on me. I'm flattered, but I am not the person you want to like. Especially because of...well, all of this.'?" Cinna suggested after some thought.

"You thing that would work?" Gale asked.

Cinna nodded, "I haven't actually met her yet but I think so."

"Well I will give it a try," He said.

"So, you're certain this is going to be safe?" Ermela asked her stylist Portia in a different room still managing to stay perky on the outside while she's dying on the inside which she was freakishly good at. Then again, that's pretty much what she's been doing her whole life.

"Yes, I am sure," She said.

"Alright, I guess I can trust you then." Ermela said looked at the sleeve of her unlit jumpsuit.

"Good trust me," Portia said kindly.

"How long till the parade starts?" Ermela asked with a plastered smile.

"In an hour and a half what's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing," Ermela lied looking up at her.

"You're lying," She said.

Not wanting to look like an idiot, Ermela said the first thing that came to mind, "I'm a District 12 tribute. What do you expect?"

"This, but that does not seem to be your issue," She said. Ermela hesitated for a second then just broke out crying. "What's wrong?" Portia asked coming over to comfort her.

Ermela told her about Gale and what happened on the train still crying.

"Oh you poor girl," She said.

"It not like I ever stood a chance, eve before the Reaping. He was just so madly in love with Katniss. What was I even thinking telling him that in the first place?"

"You wanted to make your feelings clear, just in case," She said.

"Just in case what though? All I did is make it worse." Ermela said looking down at the floor.

"You don't know that," Portia said.

"It's not like there's any chance for there to be anything behind it, I'm going to be dead in a few days."

"Again you don't know that you may win," Portia said.

"I hope not. If I win then Gale dies and he has so much that he has to go back to." Ermela chuckled, "I have no plans on trying to win this. I just want to get Gale out.

"That's noble," She said.

"Besides, no one will care when I die."

"I would,"

"Really?" Ermela asked surprised at that. Not just because she thought her life mattered to anyone but also because Portia's a Capitolite and she's just a tribute from District 12.

"Yes really," He said.

"Why do you care?"

"I like you, you have fight and you're the first nice tribute I have had the others are usually rude," She said.

"I have fight?" Ermela asked confused. "Everyone keeps saying that but refusing to win isn't exactly fight. It's the exact opposite actually."

"You say that now, but we see the fight."

"Well, I still disagree." Ermela said firmly.

"We'll see," Portia said.

Ermela chuckled, "I guess I'll fight for Gale to win but that's about it. He won't need my help though; he's amazing all on his own."

"At least it's fight," She said.

"I guess so." Ermela shrugged. "According to Gale and Haymitch I have really good reflexes that will help in the arena."

"It will those can save your life," Portia said.

"They can save Gale's life, too." Ermela corrected, "Like back on the train Gale and I had REALLY pissed Haymitch off and he through a knife a Gale so I pushed him out of his path." She chuckled then panicked realizing that could get Haymitch in BIG trouble and leave them mentor-less.

"Is that so?" Portia asked.

"No." Ermela lied fearfully.

"You can tell me," She said.

"You won't tell anyone?" She asked but that gave it away.

"I promise," She said.

Ermela nodded, "We wanted him to sober up so he'd be a better mentor so we threw all the alcohol off the train but one bottle to use as a bribe and that made him extremely angry."

"That is great!" Portia said.

"It is?" Ermela asked confused.

"Yes!" She said laughing.

"You lost me somewhere." Ermela said still confused.

"Haymitch needed that," She said.

"Oh," Ermela realized finally getting it, "Yes, undoubtedly."

"See?" Portia said.

"Depends on what I'm supposed to be seeing." Ermela shrugged.

"That you have people who care," She said.

"Yeah, you and maybe Gale who would have to die for me to live."

"Haymitch cares too," She said.

"It doesn't seem like it. The first thing he did when I first saw him was swing a knife at me."

"To be fair he does that to most of us," she said

."Well, I guess that's understandable. His games probably made him very jumpy and paranoid. 47 people out to kill you or even just 23 isn't something you just get over like that."

"Yeah, but he won," She said.

"Yeah but it left him in that mindset, it will possibly always be that way." Ermela pointed out. "Maybe it's better to just lose unless you have people that really need you alive like Gale does."

"You do too, you don't know it though."

Ermela shrugged, "Sure, there's three people that would be a little sad if I died but Gale's family and even Katniss' could quite possibly starve to death if he dies."

"You make a good point,"

"So you see why I can't win this." Ermela sighed.

"Maybe," She said.

"I won't let myself win. Gale's going to be this year's victor even if I have to slit my own throat."

"He won't let you," She said.

"I have fast reflexes. He won't be able to stop me." Ermela said in a matter of factory tone.

"He will if he really wants to," She said.

Ermela just shook her head. "He can't."

"So you say, but what if someone else gets him then what?" Portia asked.

"No one could kill Gale, not even the mightiest career."

"The mightiest what?"

"Career," Ermela repeated not sure what she's confused on that.

"What's a career?" She asked.

"You don't know?" Ermela asked surprised by that. "They're the tributes from 1, 2, and 4 who have been training since they were really little to basically be ruthless killers and win the games. That's why the victor is almost always from one of those three districts."

"I never knew that," She said.

"You didn't?" Ermela asked finding that hard to believe. "Didn't you find all off these blood thirsty tributes who have killing down absolutely perfectly having always volunteered instead of being reaping always coming from the same three districts a little odd?"

"Yes, but I never thought that," Portia said.

"Well, as unfair as it is. It's the cold hard truth." Ermela sighed.

"Well someone should do something about it," She said.

"Yes they should, the question is, what?"

"I don't know, but something," She sighed.

"Well, it's been that way since the… 13th Annual Hunger Games, I think and no one ever successfully did anything about it so I doubt anyone suddenly could."

"Oh someone could," Portia said.

"Well, I would love it if you tried." Ermela said though she wasn't sure it would help.

"Well I will see what I can do," She said.

"Thank you, Portia. Though it obviously won't be able to do us any good yet even if you can somehow shut down the Training Centers."

"It might," She said.

"How?" Ermela asked confused.

"Well they have been breaking the rules for years now,"

"So, you might be able to get this year's careers out of the Games and arrested or even executed?" Ermela asked hopefully, that would raise Gale's already great chances by at least a thousandfold.

"Possibly, Snow does hate cheaters," She said.

"So they have actually been doing this behind your backs for all these years?" Ermela asked surprised having always assumed that they knew.

"Yes, they have at least to my knowledge," Portia said.

"Well, hopefully you're right and Snow possessing that knowledge will actually help fix things." Ermela said.

"We can only hope so," She said.

"I just always assumed you guys knew. Hopefully that's still the case with the more powerful Capitol Citizens."

"I think it will,"

"Thank you, Portia." Ermela smiled. "That really does mean a lot."

"It's no trouble," She said.

"Let's just hope this really works." Ermela said longingly. "Then there really won't be any way Gale could lose."

"Or you," She said.

"I am not going to win this!" Ermela repeated stubbornly.

"Maybe," Portia smirked.

Ermela shook her head, "I won't, there still only one winner, especially since if this actually works there will only be eighteen tributes, zero of which are trained."

"Then this may not work, you need to remember that," Portia said.

"I know," Ermela nodded, "but I want to try and think positive.

"Alright," Portia said.

A half hour Later Gale was standing by the chariot feeling nervous. "Gale." Ermela said walking over to him speaking to him for the first time since the issue on the train. "I have some good but potentially dangerous news that for now you can't tell anyone about."

"What is it?" He asked.

Ermela took a deep breath and explained softly the whole thing with Portia and the Careers.

"Oh, that could be great!" Gale said

"Keep it down please." Ermela whispered desperately looking around to check the other tributes. "Do you realize what could happen if the Careers find out I was the one who sold them out?"

"Right sorry," He said

"Now we can just act natural and hope this actually works." Ermela whispered with a sigh.

"I hope it does," Gale said. "There's also something I need to talk to you about though." He added carefully.

"Oh, what?" She asked.

"It's about back on the train." Gale said so he gave her a chance to stop him there.

"Oh uh okay," She said now nervous.

Not able to find his own words, Gale borrowed Cinna's verbatim, "You have so much to live for. Don't waste your affection on me. I'm flattered, but I am not the person you want to like. Especially because of...well, all of this."

Ermela did not know what to say. Luckily she didn't have to as Cinna came over to light them up since Portia was a little busy and you really only need one for them both. "You guys ready?"

"Sure," Gale said nervously.

"It'll be okay, Gale." Cinna said getting the torch, to ease their nerves; he put his own hand into the flame. "See, it's not real fire, perfectly safe."

"Okay," They said together.

He used the torch to light them both in the fake flame, "Incredible!" Gale said.

"Extremely," Ermela agreed looking at the flames in awe.

"They will also keep you warm when nigh comes," Cinna said.

"You guys are both amazing." Ermela gushed also knowing, or at least hoping she knows where her own stylist is.

The chariots began to move. Ermela wasn't sure why after that talk she did it but before she knew it his hand was in hers.

She was nervous, but he did not pull away. Before they were out, she turned to Gale and used the free hand to point to her lips with a smile nonverbally telling him to do the same.

He put on a smile as they emerged. The whole crowd awed and gushed and cheered and whistled louder than ever before. "You have fans," Gale whispered.

Ermela nodded and whispered, "So do you, though. So, potentially, we have sponsors."

"No, look at them they love you," He said.

"They love you, too, Gale." Ermela whispered waving at the crowd. "Even if they don't, it's the same account for the both of us. If it wasn't then I would not be trying."

"I guess you have a point," He said.

"Please don't get mad at me, but I have an idea so please just go along with it." Ermela whispered then kissed him right there. Hey, even if he gets mad then not only would she have still kissed him but he might let her die in the arena. Plus, sponsors will eat it up.

Gale froze in his place for a second and then held her there. Whatever reaction the crowd had to that kiss, Ermela had no idea as she was just lost in a state of bliss.

Meanwhile, everyone's favorite archer had just gotten back from the woods and when she saw this televised in the town square and actually dropped her game bag in the pure shock of it all. "No," She muttered, "It can't be."

"Katniss, are you okay?" Prim asked. Katniss didn't say anything and just pointed to the screen. "Oh!" Prim gasped.

Without another word, Katniss just picked her game bag back up and ran back to the woods needed to clear her head in the one place that usually always works. The place so special she never even showed Gale.

Back at the parade Gale and Ermela pulled away from each other. Neither said anything as Ermela just blushed deeply and turned forward, despite what the reaction was during the kiss she was nervous as to what will happen once they get to relative privacy.

Snow called for their attention from the balcony. "Before the traditional speeches, I have some pressing news regarding this year's games that has just been brought to my attention."

Gale and Ermela waited hoping this was what they hoped for. "As it turns out, we have some cheaters in our mix." Snow explained earning horrified gasps from the crowd. "This however has not only been from a few people but for years three entire districts have been illegally training their children for the games from a very young age. Because of this I need this year's tributes from districts 1, 2, and 4 to step down from your chariots immediately."

They all stepped down looking absolutely terrified.

"Arrest them." Snow instructed which a group of peacekeepers immediately obliged. Once they were gone, Snow continued, "Further actions will be decided later but for now the training centers in these three districts will be shut down, anyone having been working to train them will be executed, and until further notice the annual reapings will only be help in District 3 and 5-12."

In every District other than the Career ones there were loud cheers.

"It actually worked." Ermela breathed in disbelief as the regular speech went on as if nothing happened.

Soon they were being wheeled into the training center. "Alright," Rue said hoping down from her chariot. I can't help but know. Did anyone here have anything to do with this?"

Ermela raised her hand proudly. "I told my stylist about it and she spilled the beans to President Snow."

"You evened the playing field," Rue said.

"I know that." Ermela smiled. "It's hard to believe it actually worked though."

"Yes, but it did," Gale said.

"Eighteen tributes, none of which are trained," Ermela said loud enough for the remaining tributes to hear. "May the best tribute win." They all smiled slightly. "Aren't we supposed to head back to our own floors now though?" Ermela asked anyone who might know.

"Yes you are," Haymitch's voice rang out.

"Okay then, let's go." Gale said taking Ermela's hand and heading over to the elevator.

"So," Gale said when they got in the elevator.

"Are you mad?" Ermela asked looking down.

"I'm surprised," Gale said.

"I thought it might help get sponsors." Ermela said.

"Well it would have been nice to know in advice," He said.

"You would have but I didn't really know an advance either, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing."

"Really?" He asked.

"That doesn't mean I didn't like it though." Ermela said longingly.

"I...well..." Gale stammered.

"It's okay." Ermela sighed watching the numbers go up and almost wishing they didn't have to wait all the way to the twelfth floor.

"I just don't know what to say," Gale said.

"I know it's hard to in this kind of situation."

"Yeah it," Gale said.

"I noticed that you didn't pull away," She probed carefully.

Gale seemed to hesitate on that, "Well… I…"

"Did you...like kissing me?" She asked.

'THIS IS WRONG!' His mind practically screamed at him but his words said, "Yes."

"Really?" She asked hopefully.

He almost said yes again but his mind caught up to him, "This is wrong. I have a girlfriend."

"Do officially?" She asked.

"As of the five-minute goodbyes, now I can only hope that she was in the woods and didn't see that."

"Oh, I'm sorry but, I mean..." She stammered.

"What?" Gale asked.

"It's just...well...never mind," She said as they arrived at the right floor.

The elevator door slid open but once just Ermela was left, she quickly hit the button for the second floor knowing it would be empty. Gale turned around just as the door closed he watched her go down.

She stared blankly at the descending numbers till the door finally open on the second floor and she ran out crying heavily. 'How could I have been so stupid? No District 12 citizen could be that happy as a tribute right after the reaping. Of course he and Katniss got together. I don't stand any chance with him. I NEVER stood a chance.' She thought hopelessly falling to her knees.

She heard footsteps though. "Oh, is something wrong?" Asked an unfamiliar voice that did not even sound the slightest bit sincere more… mocking.

Cliff hanger! See, I told you a lot of important stuff happens in this chapter. Review! Maybe you could guess what this unfamiliar voice is about. Flames are always welcome.