A/N - So sorry! Had this sitting, waiting for me to finish it in one of my folders. Can't be helped, when the writing bug hits you for something else, it hits hard!

CPOV

I have to look at Katniss as she's looking at this kid, this copy of three others. She's calm but something tells me she's quite angry. I am as well of course.

The kid, this poor, seemingly innocent kid, is just looking at Katniss with wide eyes. In a stern voice, it's my turn, "She asked you a question, boy. Why are there so many of you? And what did your mother tell you about us?"

He looks around, blue eyes full of fear. Of me or something else, I have no clue. His voice is shaky as he bends down, acting as if he's showing us something on the menu. "There's a few of us and she sent us pictures of both of you, wanted to make sure we kept an eye on you."

"But why? And why would you all do it? Just because she's your mother and she said so?" Katniss asks, her grey eyes fuming. I hope for Elena's sake, although very little at this point, that she never actually meets Katniss because I don't think she'll come out unscathed. Then again, it's Elena and she deserves whatever she gets.

The young man looks around again, "She's not really our mom, well, she didn't raise us, but let's just say that she gave us a lot of money to do this and who questions money?"

He walks away before he remembers something. "Did you two want to order something?"

I look at Katniss and she shrugs, "Might as well eat here. I don't think we'll have any better luck anywhere else around here."

I nod and take another look at the menu. "We'll start with a spring salad. Then get the Mahi Mahi with the rice pilaf and whatever vegetable you have for tonight. And we'll have the Sauvignon Blanc."

"Thank you sir." He walks away, looking around him as though he's being watched as well. I'm beginning to wonder if Elena doesn't trust her offspring to do their job.

"She didn't raise them but is paying them? What the hell, Christian? I thought this woman was pretty much out of your life except for the occasional lunch." Katniss is mad and she has every right to be, but now it's being directed at me and I don't know that I like that much.

"I don't know Katniss. She hasn't interfered with my personal life in years. I don't know what it is about being with you that makes her want us followed. When we get back to the room, I need to make a call to Taylor, see what he's found out. But I think we should go back to the Capitol tomorrow instead of anywhere else." She gives me a dirty look and pouts. "Katniss, we need to find out what's going on, I can't do that traveling."

She glowers for a moment. Putting her hands up on the table, she unfolds her napkin and puts it in her lap gently smoothing it out. "Fine, but maybe I should just go home while you figure all this out. I don't know that you need me around as a distraction while you're questioning your ex."

I reach out to her one hand that she has put back on the table. "You know she's probably planning on us fighting about this. I don't think you should go home, not yet."

Another waiter comes back to our table with two glasses of wine, a bread basket, and our salads. As soon as he sets them down, Katniss looks at me, "Fine, I'll stay; besides, you may be in need of my hunting skills."

The corner of her mouth is curved up in an almost vicious smile and I know that she can play this game just as well as Elena given the chance. So I agree, "Alright. We'll go back to the Capitol tomorrow, see what we find, and then hopefully all this will be over in the next few days and we can enjoy ourselves again."

"Well, I have been enjoying myself, despite the weird kids. I think that maybe I need to meet this Elena." Katniss comments as though it's no big deal. She begins to eat her salad while I watch her, dumbfounded. "What, you don't think I should?"

"No, I don't. Why would you want to meet her? What would the purpose be?" I ask her, pushing aside my plate. I hate the thought of it going to waste, but I'm just not in the mood to eat.

"I think that I need to meet her, see her for myself, maybe I'll figure her out quicker than you think. I can just make an appointment with Flavius, but I'll go in to see him, scope her out instead of her scoping me out." She takes another bite of her salad. Luckily she hasn't lost her appetite. "You know, she wouldn't expect it, she'd wonder why I actually came in to see Flavius instead of him coming to the apartment."

"It could be dangerous." I tell her and she laughs, covering her mouth as she has food in it.

Once she's swallowed her mouthful, she continues, "Christian, please. Did you see me in the Games at all? I've killed people. This woman, whoever she thinks she is, is no real threat to me. In fact, I think I'll call Flavius once we get back."

"You're going to make an appointment? What if she's not there? She has five shops just in the Capitol." I tell her, not liking this plan too much. I'm well aware that she can take care of herself; she has proved that in two of the most challenging events of anyone's life.

"Christian, when she finds out I made an appointment I can almost guarantee she'll be sure to be there. It'll be her opportunity to see me in the flesh." She says just as she finishes her salad.

I shake my head but can't completely hold back the smile from the corner of my lips. "I'm coming with you then."

"Fine, it'll be a day of pampering." She concedes just as a waiter comes to take her empty plate. I eat mine quickly, not liking to waste any kind of food. I notice Katniss looking at her nails, which I've also noticed she tends to chew on. "I think a manicure is in order."

I almost snort out my food at that statement just as another waiter comes to our table with our entrees. He takes my empty plate and asks, "More wine?"

Katniss shakes her head and asks for water while I opt for another. Of course being here where it's caught fresh on a daily basis, the fish is delicious. We don't chit chat so much as we eat and quite frankly, it's not at all uncomfortable. I realize that Elena's son never did come back and wonder idly if he even really works here or just snuck in to make it seem like he did.

I settle the tab as Katniss walks slowly outside. I watch her from a few feet away and she drops her head back, though her eyes are closed. She takes a deep breath, inhaling what I'm sure is the salty ocean breeze, something that she probably has only smelled once or twice before. I come up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"It's a beautiful, clear night. You can actually see the stars out here." I admit as she opens her eyes and looks up into the sky. The black night is speckled with the glittering orbs, a beauty that the Capitol doesn't take in.

Katniss turns herself in my arms, wrapping hers around my torso, hugging me. "Can we just go back to the hotel and sleep in front of the window? It's so pretty here and I at least want to enjoy that part of it."

"Of course. We'll just move some pillows to the floor, make it more comfortable." I agree as we start walking side by side to the hotel. No one bothers us the few minutes it takes to get back and luckily there is a man on duty at the front desk. No silly women to fawn over me. It's actually pretty irritating; though seeing Katniss get jealous over it is interesting.

We somehow manage to make it into the elevator with no kissing, just holding each other close. This is different, as is everything with her.