The time has come *Sigh* to do Haymitch's Games which will be next chapter and the next. Now, even though I revealed in a previous chapter why Serenity hates her mother (abuse) there also is another reason which will be explain3d. Oh and it's time for a new friendship between two gamemakers.

I recieved terrible news this morning. My mother died from a stroke somewhere late last night. Yeah, I didn't take it as terrible news. I actually had to restrain myself from doing anything disrespectful. And after that, even better news came to me.

My mother was my legal guardian and if something were to ever happen to her would belong to my dad then my grandparents but since both of them are dead the last resort was my aunt. She expressed no interest in taking care of a teenager so I was up for adoption.

Before I had the chance to react I immediately rapped on Melinda's door because she was closest to my room. "Melinda Anders! Open up!" I shouted.

Usually this early in the morning everyone is sleeping but since today is the elusive interview day everybody is as active as ever. Melinda opened the door wearing faded skinny jeans and a silk blouse, similar to me and other young female victors. "Yes?" He tinkly-soft nice voice rang through my ears.

I needed to act fast.

"My mother died yesterday." I said.

Melinda's hand delicately fluttered to her heart. "I'm so sorry."

I snorted. "I'm not. But I need you to adopt me."

She blinked. "What?"

"Everyone that could possibly take me is apparently uneligable, even my sister. She's too young. I need you to adopt me so no one else can. Melinda, I really don't want to move to a district like Nine just because some creeper adopted me." I looked at her pleadingly.

She combed through her hair nervously, taking in the information. "I dunno Serenity. I'm not sure if I want the responsibilty that comes with having a thirteen year old as my legal 'daughter'."

"Oh please, I can take care of myself, and fend for myself, it's what I do now. I know my sister will take me in but please adopt me before someone else does and I lose everything." I begged.

She gave me one last look and sighed. About an hour later, Melinda Dawn Anders was my legal guardian.

"Haymitch!" I snapped for about the millionth time. "I'm going to ask you one last time, do you have a girlfriend back home?"

He rolled his eyes. "That is no ones business but my own. Why do you care, anyways?" He raised his eye brow. "Do I detect jealousy?"

I scoffed. "Keep talking and your head will detect a slap." He chuckled. "Caesar is going to ask you the damn question and you cannot answer to him the way you answer to me, you big idiot."

He burst out laughing. I really hoped this was a way for him to calm nerves because I was fuming. "You big idiot? I thought the elusie Serenity Starr was more creative with her name calling."

I smiled sweetly, like maple syrup. "I could but that's verbal abuse to your tribute and punishable with fifteen years of jail."

"Serenity, I'll be fine." he assured. I didn't look convinced. "You'll see the Capitol will love me."

"No, they already love you, the struggle is keeping hold of that love." I protested. "Being yourself only works for some people, it didn't work for me, and it won't work for you."

He look agrivated. "I know you told Maysilee she can be herself. What's so wrong about me doing that?"

"Maysilee has a certain charm. Not many people possess it, like I said, I didn't and you don't. So if you want sponsors then I suggest you freaking better lie your ass off."

When the time came for the interviews the expected happened, naturally. Allison and Asher failed miserably. They just aren't that desirable. The Careers were natural Careers, not really a big shocker there. And then Maysilee. She was going as smooth as ice. Then Caesar asks this one question and it just throws everybody off.

"What would winning mean to you?"

Immediately tears form in her eyes. "Winning means coming home to my sister and my best friend. I love them both too much for words. Death. Death doesn't scare me, it isn't painful thnking that I'll be brought to it. But what scares me is leaving them, I don't know what I'd ever do without them."

The audience is silent then cheers erupt as Caesar speaks. "Well, that's all the time we have today for Miss Maysilee Donner. Next up, our last tribute of the Quarter Quell Haymitch Abernathy."

Caesar starts right away with the perfect question for Haymitch's personality. Especially if he refuses to lie.

"So, Haymitch, what do you think of the Games having one hundred percent more competitors then usual?" The tributes in the backroom and behind the stage suck in their breaths and look somewhat a cross between curious and eager. Like they think Haymitch would say their name during his interview.

"I don't see that it makes much of a difference. They'll still be one hundred percent as stupid as usual, so I figure my odds will be roughly the same." He shrugs.

I think Wave and I are the first ones to burst out laughing, followed by the whole audience, even a few Careers crack smiles which, let me tell you, is odd. Wave give me a high five and I keep my fingers crossed. Maysilee did amazing, all I need is Haymitch to be only half as good as she was.

"So Haymitch, everyone is talking about that nine you pulled off, tying for second place with Ashlyn Sloan from District One. That one more then District Twelves only victor Avery and one less than your mentor Serenity's scores. How does that make you feel?"

"It makes me feel like a huge target." Haymitch replied. "And a little hurt considering a thirteen year old half my size got a higher score."

I raised an eyebrow, leaning into Wave. "I can name five people from my games who felt the same way." I whispered and he chuckled.

"...a handsome guy like you, surely you have a girlfriend back home?" I caught the end of Caesar's question.

"Yes, I do." He replied. "Her name is Andromeda." And that was all he said on that.

"Well, that's all the time we have for today. I know I'm curious to see what Haymitch Abernathy will do in the arena." He said and tons of girls screamed.

Didn't he just say he had a girlfriend.

"That makes two of us, Caesar." Haymitch muttered, and walked behind the stage.

I was the first to reach him and my expression was proud and breathless. "You. Did. Amazing."

He didn't believe me. Raising an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Nope." I stuck out my tongue. "It's called acting, and maybe if you fucking listened to me, you'd understand." My sickly sweet attitude was keeping me from crying.

I was terrible at this.

It was twelve thirty in the morning. In six and a half hours the fiftieth Hunger Games will begin. I should be sleeping. i really should. But I can't. Once I started watching the news that evening I have been waiting for them to get to Haymitch.

I inhaled deeply. "...of course Abernathy is fabulous eyecandy, I bet he's delicious but his attitude for our beloved games..."

Oh, Haymitch, why couldn't you have listened to me?

I fiddeled around the book full of people in the building, looking for a certain someone's number. Someone I can trust, someone I know has helped me before. When I found the digits I picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello?" The voice was groggy, like tired but not woken up.

"Hey Seneca, it's me, Serenity." I tried to sound cheery.

He chuckled, I could hear his smirk through the phone. "Just saw, the news, huh?"

I moaned. "Seneca, it's terrible. He was my one shot of getting a District Twelve victors."

He laughed harder. "Avery's kids are hopeless but what about that Maylie chick or whatever? The audience and Capitol seem to love her. Not bad in my taste."

"And what exactly is your taste when it comes to helping a tribute? Small, blonde, and young?" I teased.

"Whoa... how did you know?"

I giggled into the reciever. "I have my people, and thanks a million. But back to my trbute crisis. Maysilee is too sweet and although she can fight there are people three times the size of her. Whereas Haymitch is more cunning, clever, stronger, and handier with a knife."

"Serenity..."

"I can dream, can't I?" I snapped. "What room are you in, I'm coming up."

"Imperial number four." He replied with no further protest. "See you soon."

When Seneca opened the door, he was shirtless. Usually in this situation, with few exceptions, I'd tell the person to put on a shirt but I guess he was an exception because I visibly checked him out and retorted, "Nice bod, work out?" And stepped into his room.

"Does it pay off?" He slid a hand down his toned chest.

I gave a half smile and shrugged. "It works." I nodded nonchalantly.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of the great Serenity Starr?"

"Boy, these Capitol people give me a huge rep." I muttered, shaking my head. "I need a big favor from you, Seneca."

He chuckled, patting the edge of his bed for me to sit. "What's bigger than saving your life?" He asked. His eyes widened, "You want me to help that little trbute of yours. Serenity, you can't be serious."

I rubbed my temples. "He's not going to win, I know that." I said impatiently. "And neither is Maysilee but may you please give them both a quick, painless death. Preferably closer to the end."

"You sure ask a lot out of a man." He said, thinking about my request. "What do I get out of this, Starr?"

"Whatever you want." I said, then realizing it. "If you have a perverted mind then I'll rephrase that."

He rubbed his chin, mocking me obviously. "How about a...rebellion?"

I laughed. "A rebellion? Against what? You don't think this room isn't big enough? Even I'm jealous and I got a pretty nice suite."

"Maybe I'll check it out sometime." He wiggled his eyebrows making me slap him playfully. "No, I mean against the Capitol."

I gasped and Seneca looked like he made a huge discussion. "No." I said and left.

General POV

Seneca walked out of his room, crossing to the elevator. He typed in the five digit password into the hidden compartment. 7-8-2-7-7, which translated into STARR. The people in the victors room were all waiting for him.

"Well...?" Avery and Calypso nearly pounced on him.

"I think she can be the leader, only problem is she said no." Seneca sat down, before he she left Serenity shot him a nasty look. There was no way she'd ever agree to going against he precious Capitol.

"There is no way Serenity would say no." Calypso protested. "She hates the Capitol and the Games, you must have heard her wrong."

"She said no, Calypso." Seneca hissed. "I heard her perfectly fine, do I need to remind you I'm seventeen and your a month shy of fifty?"

"She has every reason to say no." Chaff said. "Why would she destroy everything that made her? Gave her a family, friends, money?"

"We freaking saved her to do this job." Avery said. "She wouldn't have any of that if we left her alone to fend for herself."

"Quiet!" Plutarch shouted. "First of all, Seneca and I saved her, not you lot. And it was only once. The girl probably would have won anyway and we all know that."

"Everyone is so nice to her because we need her one her side, if we took that away then she might give in." Carleson suggested, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder.

"She's too young for this kind of job." Wave said. "I love her to death, all of us District Fours do but you guys are trying to put pressure on a thirteen year old. A wise ass thirteen year old and quite honestly we all should have waited."

Seneca rubbed his temples. "She has a sway to everyone. We need that."

"So the girl is desirable. There probably will be others." Jette rolled her eyes.

"And who knows how long we will have to wait, we're only getting older." Calypso said. "Serenity is the girl and I know it."

"Think fast." Melinda chucked something to Seneca. "She was telling me the other day how much she loved Mockingjays. She actually told me she'd kill to me one. Give this to her. It will give her a little persuasion."

Seneca unwrapped his fist to see a gold mockingjay pin, ready for flight. "She's not ready." He protested. "You guys aren't thinking properly."

"She'll come to her senses." Avery snapped.

"Throw the games." Someone peeped. Beetee.

"What the hell does the Games have to do with getting Serenity on our side, Beetee?" Plutarch growled impatiently.

"If she has one of her tributes win she will see first hand how bad the Capitol and the Ganmes are. It doesn't help us that hers was the best thing that could ever happen to her. But if we can get one of them to join our side, then they can sway her indefinitely."

As much as Seneca hates to admit it, he was probably right. "I've had enough of this shit for one day." He yelled. "Until you lot can figure out what you're going to do, leave me out of this."

But that didn't stop Serenity in the morning to see the mockingjay attatched to a note that simply said, 'think about it.'

Serenity didn't need to think. She didn't want to think. The pin was beautiful but if she kept it then it meant she accepted. Still, a pin with such beauty couldn't be wasted. She decided to give it to someone who truly needed it because that person wasn't her.

There was a knock at Maysilee's door. She opened it but no one was there. Looking down she saw the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever seen. Sure she was kind of rich but she could never afford something like this.

I knew you needed a token. So be a mockingjay and conquer, fly.

-Serenity