Heres chapter three, which is dedicated to my first ever reader, AbbyMellark21 and as a thanks for helping me sort out some IT problems, to SapphireShelle91 aswell. I hope you enjoy and once again, let me know what you think...

Chapter Three

I wake up with a jump. I had been dreaming of the night thirteen years ago that I had lost my parents on. He had died on a boat after it sank. Mr Rif, his fellow Sailor, made it back alive, but not my father. Drowned. Mr Rif, being my mother's best friend, broke the news to her, but she had been ill, and the news almost killed her. Almost. The pills did the last bit for her. I had walked into her room that morning to find her pale, cold and lifeless. My grandmother took me away and I never saw either of them again.

I don't cry out. Just lie there quietly, shaking. Finnick doesn't seem much happier in sleep either. His face is set in a grim expression, his jaw clenched, his brow knitted into a frown. His arms are wrapped around me in their usual protective way and they're tightening, as if he's trying to keep me out of his dreams, or maybe he's trying to break out.

I shake myself out of my frozen state and roll over, or try to. I wake him up, whispering his name repeatedly. His eyes flicker open and he relaxes. "Morning," he whispers.

I smile, pretending we're at home in his bed, not in my bed on a train heading to the Capital. He ignores it too. Kissing my nose he decides to save his talk for later. That time will soon stove, so I keep quiet and bite my tongue, not trusting myself to speak.

As I predicted the bell for only an hour away sounds. I dress it the clothes that Finnick says are Capital standard, and stare at myself in the mirror. He comes to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around me. I manage a small smile. "You'll be fine," he assures me.

I pull myself away. Stepping outside my cabin I check that no-one is around. Only Chris, but he knows about us, so it's fine. "Safe," I hiss.

Finnick emerges from the room and pads down the corridor to his cabin to change. Chris tilts his head in my direction, but he's grinning. I laugh. "Come on."

He follows me the living space carriage, where once again the most delicious spread has been laid out for our breakfast. Grandma is deep in conversation with Stan when we walk in. When she sees us she walks over to us. "When you're in the arena you would be able to eat much. So go and eat as much as possible without throwing up. Okay?" she says. I turn to the food. Eating as much as possible won't be a problem, it's the keeping it down that will prove difficult. I take a plate, piling it high with eggs, bacon, toast, fried fish, and everything else set out. I look at Chris's plate. He looks at mine and raises an eyebrow. I smile guiltily. Then grinning he piles his higher than mine. Clearly he was trying to be polite.

At the table we dig in. The room is silent besides the low muttering between Stan and Grandma. They look at me, taking in every detail. I hear Grandma whisper "Such beautiful eyes," and Stan replies "And such fabulous hair." Then they see me glance at them out of the side of my eye and they turn their attention to Chris. Now they talk in lower voices.

The door swings open and Finnick stumbles in, wearing a sea blue shirt and black pants. Sitting down in a chair he rests him head in his hands. I say nothing, but Grandma is not so restrained. "It's sleeping beauty. How kind of you to grace us with your presence."

I see Stan purse his lips while Chris suppressing a smile. Finnick looks up at Grandma and I see for the first time bags under his eyes. "Didn't sleep well." Liar. He slept pretty well. And he didn't have scruffy hair or bags under his eyes when he left my room. Must have been his own little touch to make it seem as though we spent the night apart. Protecting me again.

"I bet you didn't," Grandma smirks, and I see Finnick shoot her a look. My cheeks burn red so I look at my food and hope we aren't being watched.

"So what's the plan?" Chris asks, trying to change the subject.

"Tonight as you know is the Chariots parade. When you reach the Capital you'll both be whizzed off the remake centre. Don't resist anything. Then your stylist will work with you and in the evening the parade will begin. It'll be a busy busy day, so you'll need as much energy as possible. Not that that seems to be a problem," he says, shooting a look at our plates.

Finnick suppressing a smile, and taking a plate fills his high too. When Stan glares at him he says innocently, "Gonna need my energy right?"

Grandma chuckles and goes back to talk to Stan. The carriage suddenly loses its natural light, and glancing at the windows I guess we're in the tunnel that leads to the Capital. Then we're in the station. "Walk side by side. You're a team remember. Annie, smile, and Chris, link your arm through hers. Do exactly what I say," Finnick demands.

I look at Grandma. "He knows what he's doing," she says.

So we do exactly as we're told, arm in arm, smiling at the people around us. Finnick leaves a different way. Capital women love him. He wants them to remember us, but if he walks with us, they'll only have eyes for him, so he takes a secret way.

He's right. As soon as we are off the train we're whizzes off to the remake centre.

I lie on a metal table as every hair on my body is ripped off me. My hair is washed, along with my body, with lotions that smell so strong I can hardly breathe, but love them all the same. I'm then oiled down and taken to a room and left there alone.

The door opens and closes. "I'm impressed," a voice says. A woman with blue hair highlighted with green, and the palest green skin possible. "You didn't turn down anything. Most people make a fuss."

I smile slightly. "Stand up. Let's have a look at you." I stand up. "Mmmm, yes. Aha, okay," she says as she walks around me. "Excellent. I have just the thing," she smiles as my prep team walks back in. "Natural, and I think we'll go with free," she instructs them then leave. They seem to understand. Applying little make-up they begin to do my nails and hair. "How pretty you looked at the reaping," one twitters.

"And the boy..." another says.

"Chris," I say.

"Yes. So handsome. You two will look great together," she says. They chatter on about nothing in particular until they're done. When my stylist re-enters she smiles and nods. They seem pleased, like children just praised by a hero. Then they leave. "Close your eyes," she says.

I do, letting her dress me. "I don't know your name," I say quietly.

"Hum, oh Kyliea," she says. She adjusts this, and fixes that until she's entirely happy. Then she turns me round and steps back. "Open your eyes," she says. I do. She's standing by a mirror, smiling. I look in the mirror and gasp. I'm wearing a stunning dress. The top is green, with a deeper green belt. Then the skirt flows down to my ankles, but has a cape attached at the waist. Half my hair has been pulled back into ponytail while the rest is flowing down in curls. I'm even wearing a tiara. I look amazing.

"This is it?" I ask. I can't believe it. Usually the parade costumes are much more... ridiculous than this.

"Well, your mentor said to do you justice and when I saw your eyes I knew just the dress for you. I made it years ago but hadn't yet found the right person to wear it. It would be wasted on anyone else."

I smile. "You'll have to work hard to beat this for the Interview," I say.

She grins and says "I'm sure I'll be able to find something."

In the bottom floor of the remake centre the Chariots wait. Tributes, mentors, stylists, escorts, even games makers bustle about, making last minute changes and giving orders. White horses are strapped to our chariot. I give them pats. "Seriously Annie, you are about the worst person go be reaped."

I shoot Chris a look but I don't mind too much. To be honest I agree. I am about the worst person to be picked. I couldn't hurt a fly. I once saw a shark being gutted and cried for weeks. "Grandma pointed out that it had tried to kill Mr Rif, but I still cried.

Chris is wearing an open neck shirt the same colour of my dress. Then he wears black shorts and a cape. Unlike mine the cape is attached at the shoulders. He too is wearing a crown. We are Chris and Annie, king and queen of the ocean.

Helping me only the chariot behind District Three, Chris steps up next to me. "How do we play this?" I ask.

"Friendly I guess. Interact with the audience maybe. Most of all we've got to be a team," Chris says.

"How?"

"Link arms, hold hands, something like that," he says.

Then the anthem starts and district 1 is on, then 2, next 3. Suddenly the horses begin forward and we're out onto the streets, the Capital screaming and cheering so loudly I can barely hear myself think.

I catch sights of us on the screens. Our capes stream out behind us, my hair blowing back too, making us look like a river or the ocean. We're rulers of the sea, District royalty. I bet the crowd loves that.

They're mostly screaming for District Two, with some for District One, but some have seen us. I look at Chris. "Now?" he asks.

"Now," he smiles. Taking my hand he holds it up. I smile and wave as does he. I even venture to blowing kisses which makes the Capital fall over each other trying to catch them. Soon everyone is cheering not for District 1, 2 or even 4 but for Chris and Annie. I smile even more. It's worked.

We've come to the end of our ride and after a brief speech from President Snow, we ride to the training centre. Inside we are taken to the elevator. I've never ridden in an elevators before. Chris grins. He loves it. I'm not so keen. It makes me feel sick. Not soon enough, the ride comes to an end and we're on the fourth floor.

I'm not surprised at the sight. The room is huge, like the biggest compartment ever. It's all modernized, with chandeliers, and art I can't work out everywhere. At one point I ask Stan what a strange green thing is, and he laughs hysterically, as if I told his the funniest joke. Grandma later explains that it was a chair.

We each have massive rooms, mine and Chris's on the other side of the apartment to Grandma, Finnick and Stan's, though I doubt Finnick will spend much time in his.

We eat dinner almost immediately. We don't bother to change. I want to stay in this dress for as long as possible. A waitress comes over with a napkin to cover it with, so that I don't destroy it. I shoot her a grateful smile of thanks. She's an Avox, a criminal from the districts. They have their tongues cut out as punishment, and it's a crime itself to talk to them. She gives a small nod, so I know she saw it.

Eventually, when I've stuffed myself silly again, I leave to table for bed. Grandma has explained that apart from training, the next two most important things we can do is sleep and eat.

My room is massive too. The biggest bed, with a huge window looking out on the streets of the Capital and an on suite. I don't know where to start. I notice the little starfish sitting on the table besides my bed and pick it up. I wonder if Chris has a gift from Dekklan. I let the first lot of tears fall. I wish I could tell him Chris will be okay, but I can't.

Eventually I hear the door open and close so whipping away my tears I compose myself. It's Grandma, which takes me back.

She runs a bath for me, showing me which buttons to press. Then she sits by my side as I soak in the bath, covered in bubbles and more lovely smelling essentials.

"What's wrong?" she asks and I realize I'm frowning.

"Oh, it's nothing," I begin, but she smiles sadly, knowingly.

"Wondering how you can win without Chris dieing?"

I stare open mouthed at her. She read my mind. "You can't. I've been there. In my games I was against my sister's boyfriend. He was also my best friend. I wanted to win for my family, but how could I live with the death of my best friend and sister's boyfriend? Well I did. Now I have a granddaughter," she says.

"But you're not happy," I point out. "And you lost your sister and with her your mother and father. Was it really worth it?"

"I lost my sister because of Gret. If I had died he'd have lost her too. And my mother and father left because it wasn't safe for them anymore. If they pretended not to be close then the Capital would have nothing on me... unlike Finnick," she adds. "And anyway, I wouldn't have you if I hadn't have won. But sometimes I wish neither of us had lived. At least then our loved ones would be safe."

"If I win you and Finnick won't be safe will you," I say quietly.

"Honey we'll never be safe. As victors we never were. Neither were you and you never will be now. Its Chris who needs to worry," she sighs.

"My games will be similar to yours won't they?" I say miserably.

"Oh you can count on them being torturous anyway. The difference will be that I didn't have a Tribute fighting for my life instead of theirs," she says. Then she gets up and leaves.

I get ready and dry myself down. In bed I snuggle down and try to forget the whole conversation. Three hours of playing the conversation over and over again later, Finnick creeps in. He snuggles up, and finally I feel more relaxed. He kisses my forehead and then snuggles down too, ready to bare the night.