I promised an update and here it is! Hope you like it! The weather in Ireland is slowly deacreasing back to the usual - freezing - so I guess we've had all the summer we are going to get :( Typical!

Ok, so this chapter is a tad (well, maybe a bit more than a tad - Advanced warning!!) bit longer than usual but I just couldn't cut it down!! Sorry :D

BIG THANKS to all who reviewed the last chapter, it means a lot!

Thanks so much for reading and please review!!!

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Chapter Six - Katniss.

I looked up at the sky as I crept through the meadow. It was clogged with dark grey clouds that made me feel like the sky was slowly closing in on me like a cage, just as the reaping was creeping closer and closer.

I surveyed the area once, then twice, then again... Nobody could see where I was going. I grimaced...

Where we were going.

Plodding behind me, as if she were purposefully trying to attract attention, was the one person I swore I would never involve in this dangerous world ever again.

Prim.

I sighed and motioned for her to keep up with me. My mother had gotten called out on an emergency. Some man, living at the other side of the District, had gotten badly injured in the mines... too injured to travel to her for treatment. So she had to go to him. And she would be gone overnight, but she had promised to be back for the reaping. Knowing nothing about the activities that the youths of the District were partaking in, she didn't see any reason why she shouldnt leave Prim with me.

I could.

But I couldn't tell her that. We had decided, that anyone, absouloutly anyone outside of the rebels shouldn't know what was going on. Just in case. Gale had gone to extreme measures to make sure that the people who had decided to not join the rebellion were keeping their mouths shut also. The Capitol had eyes and ears everywhere and it wasn't a risk we could gamble.

I swiftly slid under the loose sheet of fencing that had become even more worn from its recent frequent use, then held it up at the other side so that Prim could follow. She hunkered down and half shuffled-half crawled under the fence, awkwardly of course. But for once, her petit size was in her favour and she didn't injure herself before we had even reached the clearing.

I knew that by the end of the night, I would be a nervous wreck.

We quickly made our way up, though I had to slow down, or double back every now and again so that Prim could keep up with my pace. She gritted her teeth, determination lighting up her face. After all, she had said, I am almost a teeanger. Its not long untill I am thirteen.

I shuddered at the thought of her considering herself anyway remotly mature or prepared for the world. She had no idea what it was really like out there. No idea what evils lurked in the shadow of the Capitol. No idea what it was like to look death in the eye... And I would make sure that she never would know.

Finally, we pushed through the thickets hiding the "fort" as Reed liked to call it and I head Prim gasp under her breath. The clearing was a flurry of activity, as it had been for the last few weeks leading up to the reaping. And tonight, to make sure everything was ready, some of the rebels had agreed to stay overnight.

We had hoisted several makeshift tents from old blankets and forestries. Some for supplies, some for sleeping, and then the main tent... for everything else. I eyed that tent cagily and sighed. "You remember what to do?" I asked Prim.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, mother. I go to my tent. No leaving the tent, no talking to the rebels, no nonsense, no fun, no breathing..." she trailed off with a grin and I ruffled her hair playfully as she groaned and laughed.

But I said seriously, "You will never stop breathing on my watch".

She smiled thinly, her eyes fading into thought, then nodded tersley. She waved and quickly headed off to her tent. But just before she did, I saw something in her eyes. Fear, yes the fear was always present like a shadow you know you can't run away from. But I also saw something else.

Knowledge. Knowledge that burdened her soul. And... excitement. A small glimmer of excitement, but it was there and I knew that she felt it. And that scared the crap out of me.

That is what told me she wasn't ready for this world. Excitement over the unknown, when it should have been catiousness or anger or just plain fear. I shook my head, watching her slim figure retreat into her tent, and then I entered the main tent, pushing her into a corner of my thoughts, ready for action.

The first thing I saw was Peeta. Typical. He looked up from a station to one side and waved. I nodded briefly and looked away. It was clear he had decided to forgive me, if only for a while. But I wasn't sure that he should have... wasn't sure that I wanted him too. I often caught him searching my eyes, looking for answers. But those answers were not there yet and I knew that frustrated him.

Madge sat with him, their blonde heads bobbing in unison. I didn't like the way that he talked with Madge. They were getting too friendly for my liking. She was looking down at some sheets and telling him something. And he smiled at her when he knew she wasnt looking.

I was tempted to assign her to a suicide mission...just for the fun of it.

I headed over to Gale, so he could brief me on what I had missed. He was huddled in the far corner of the chaotic tent, leaning over a wooden crate that he was using as a table. He was surrounded by two of the nineteen year old tributes and Reed sat at his heels.

"What are those?" I asked, motioning to the crusty, yellow sheets he was examining.

"Maps," he grinned "Maps of all the Disticts. And look..."

"The Capitol," I breathed, squinting at the old map "Where did you get these?"

"A family heirloom," grinned Caius, one of the older rebels. He had harsh features and dark hair that made his smile look sinister. He would be an asset to the rebellion.

I nodded "Good. Keep it up". I smiled briefly at Gale before turning to a different station to help out, before others noticed my slacking. A couple of times during the day, I noticed Gale and Peeta run into each other on their errands, consisting of a hostile stare down and a slow retreat to opposite sides of the tent.

It was going to be a long night.

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The day burnt out like the wick of a candle and soon night was upon us. We were taking up shifts so that we could work through the night and get everything done.

I looked up from the station I was working on in the middle of my shift to see Reed mucking about, pretend sword fighting with a jagged branch that he'd obviously just pulled from a nearby tree.

"Reed," I barked, my patience long gone "Stop messing around. Go and check on Prim for me". I hadn't looked in on her in a couple of hours and at least this would make him somewhat useful. He scowled and bounded off to her tent.

When he returned... It was too quickly.

"Reed?"

"Eh... she's.... eh.... not there," he stammered and I knew from his face that this was no joke.

"What!" I shrieked, dropping whatever I had in my hands and breaking into a run "Prim!".

Oh no. Oh no. OhnoOhnoOhno. It was all my fault. My fault.

A million horrible scenarios blurred through my mind and I couldn't force myself to be optimistic.

"Prim! Prim! Pr-" I was shrieking, when...

"Yeah?" came her sleep laden reply and I turned frantically to see her standing near the supplies tent in her bedclothes, with a bottle of water in her hand. Her hair was sticking out in every direction and she rubbed her eyes with her free hand.

I stood still for a moment, waiting for my heart to restart, wanting to laugh and cry all at once.

"Oh, Prim," I sighed "Nothing.... Just.... Nothing. Go back to bed"

" 'Kay," she yawned and plodded back to her tent. What was I going to do with her? I groaned inwardly.

Smiling weakly to myself, I returned to the main tent and sought out Gale to tell him what had happened. But nobody had seen him. I frowned, positive that he had overlooked the shifts, determined to stay up all night. I went back outside and looked in the other tents for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

Then I shook my head as I realised where he must be.

There, at the furthest end of the clearing, he sat perched on top of the boulder, looking out over the valley. I smiled.

"What are you doing?," I asked, settling down beside him.

I almost laughed when he jumped, startled, about a foot into the air. "Waiting for dawn to break," he sighed.

"To break over a new day," I added and he smiled with me.

I sat there and tried to imagine what it would be like to live in a free world. It was hard to even picture it.

"You know," I suggested "Maybe in fifty years time, you and I will be sitting right here in this spot, looking out over a changed world. And we'll know that we did that. We changed the world."

I felt, rather then saw, him smile, but when I looked up, his eyes projected a more solemn expression. "If we both survive, that is," he whispered.

I didn't know how to reply to that. I couldn't think about it, couldn't comprehend a world in which that was possible.

But it was possible. Especially in our world. And we both knew it. I had seen many horrible things in the short span of my life, and his experiences matched mine almost evenly. We both understood that ours was a now-or-never, live-or-die, luck-of-the-draw life and things didn't always end the way that you wanted them too.

But there was something else to his voice, to his features... a haunted look that I didn't associate him with before then. He had seen something, done something, experienced something terrible that I hadn't. And it was there in his face, everyday. It was tearing him up inside.

"Look, Katniss," he whispered urgently "I want you to know, that no matter what happens-"

I hushed him with a playful hit on the arm, "Don't talk like that. It's all going to be fine. The odds are in our favour" I finished in the high pitched drawl of Effie Trinket and laughed but the sound was hollow and he didnt join in. I sighed. I needed that. I needed to laugh. It was the better alternative to fear and that had always been our escape.

Mine and his.

"It will be okay," I said solemnly. I wished I could believe my own words.

"No, but I need to tell you-"

I placed my fingers on his lips and silenced him, "Gale, stop worrying. We are both-"

But I never got to finish my argument.

Beacause suddenly, Gales head was blotting out my view as it moved closer to mine.

And then his lips were on mine and it was like being on fire all over again

His eyes were still open at first, so I was positive that he saw the flash of surprise that streaked through my eyes, before they drifted shut, unwilling to stay open. I felt his eyelashes flutter against mine as he closed his eyes too.

His lips were rough and ice cold, but somehow they ignited an intense heat, deep within me, that I didn't know I possesed. It wasn't like anything I had ever experienced.

My arms found the back of his neck of their own accord.

Our lips crashed together and his arms moulded my body to his, finally proving to me the strenght that he carried. I knew that in a fight, a real fight, he would easily overpower me. I felt him leaning against me, pushing me backward with him to the hard surface of the boulder, so that he was lying on top of me, his chest pressing against mine, our legs tangled together.

My breathing was hitched and just like when I had first seen him on the day I returned from the Capitol, everything was Gale, Gale, Gale. He was everywhere in the haze that had consumed my better judgement and I couldn't stop, couldn't think, couldn't... just, couldn't anything but him. I was drifting in the haze. Slowly losing myself to him, then...

Snap!

I heard a nearby twig breaking and it broke the spell. I gasped, my eyes flying open in alarm and jerked away from Gale. I scrambled away from him and stood quickly, my head whipping left and right, my gaze probing the area.

"It was probably just an animal," Gale said standing up and moving towards me. I noticed his voice was unsteady, his breathing heavy.

I took a quick step back. "I.... I.... I have to go," I stuttered.

"Katniss, we need to talk about this," Gale moved towards me again but I jumped back, out of his grasp.

"I need to... be somewhere," I said again. "Katniss..." he said frustratedly.

To my complete horror, I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes and I swiftly spun around and leaped off the boulder in one stride.

"Wait," he called after me but I started walking away quickly.

"There's something I have to tell you!" he cried.

"I have to go," I answered curtly, still moving.

"No, Katniss, wait!" he was yelling "It's not about this. It's about tomorrow..."

"Tell one of the other rebels," I choked out.

"Katniss, wait!" I heard him start after me, but by that time I was already running.

I ran faster than I ever had in the arena. Death I could face. But not this... not this. I reached the edge of the clearing, opposite the boulder, and leaped into the forest, still running. I ran and ran and ran... until I finally had to stop.

I collapsed onto the group, panting heavily and flushed, but not from the run. I lay there, listening to my heart beating in my ears and my blood gushing through my veins at hyper speed.

It wasn't until I had calmed down that I realised I could hear something else.

The murmer of voices.

I froze in position, my blood turning to ice in my veins, my limbs locking into place.

We had been caught. We must have been. Who else would be out here? Prim. Oh dear, sweet Prim. I am sorry I put you in danger.

Keep her safe, I pleaded silently, if all else is lost, keep her safe!

I held my breath, but silently I was preparing. I wouldn't go down without a fight. Then I noticed the dim outline of two people sitting on the ground not too far in front of me. I breathed in relief, they were young looking, probably rebels looking for somewhere to have a quiet break. I stood up.

I was just about to go over to them to tell them to head back to camp, it wasn't safe, when... they kissed.

I froze again, stunned. I could just make out the girls hands on the boys face and his arms were on her waist. I sighed and rubbed my eyes wearily. Things weren't getting any easier with all this romance in the air. Stupid, stupid romance that I always seemed to get wrong, that always seemed to mess up my life. As if I didnt have enough problems.

Then I saw something else that froze the blood in my veins, unwillingly, for the third time in the last three minutes. A flash of blonde hair. Two heads of blonde hair. An image of Prim was the first thing that crossed my mind... And then I see...

A sickening jolt electrified my body. They weren't just any boy and girl.

It was Peeta and Madge...

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Ok, so thanks again for reading and I hope you liked it enough to review!!

I'm already working on the next chapter - The Reaping! - and there are some suprises in store and secrets to be revealed! Dun dun dun..! (Cue creepy music)

Anyone catch the preview of New Moon yet? What do you think??? (I also can't wait for HP6!!)