Hello everybody!

So I am really sorry for not updating in a while, I was in a slump for a little while and I couldn't read or write (it was horrid!)

I'm trying my best to push through it, but it's been hard lately :/

I am going to be trying my best to get back into a routine and update regularly, although with school and things I'll probably only be able to update once a week.

Okay! So I'm not sure what's going to be happening in this chapter, but I guess we'll find out :)

Chapter Ten: Family Reunion.

I can't help casting multiple glances at Cedric, trying to let everything sink in. He walks calmly beside me, keeping his head down and sticking more to the shadowed side of the street.

"You know, it's considered rude to stare."

I look away quickly and chuckle embarrassed.

"Sorry, this is all feeling really surreal."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

There's a pause, and then I turn to him.

"Why did you kidnap me when I was little?"

Shame washes over his face, and he refuses to meet my eye.

"I...I thought you were my sister. My head wasn't right after she died and I almost drowned. I don't really remember much, I know I took you to my old house and we stayed there for a while."

He finally turns to me and adds quickly.

"I would have never done anything to hurt you. Even in my twisted mind I took care of you."

I nod.

"I know. Its water under the bridge now."

We continue walking in silence. Eventually I see the large fence that circles Victors Village, and I turn to Cedric.

"Listen, I have absolutely no idea how my father, or anyone else for that matter, is going to react to seeing you."

He nods, and sticks his hands in his pockets, glancing towards the gate as he replies.

"I know. Don't worry about me, I've had years to wallow in guilt, anything they say can't be worse than what I've already said to myself."

"Ready?"

He shrugs and I put a hand hesitantly on his arm.

"It's going to be okay. Promise."

He looks down at my hand, and then meets my gaze, giving me the smallest of smiles.

"Thank you, for being so kind. Any normal person wouldn't want anything to do with me."

"Well, when you've been through what I have, you learn that there's always more to people than what you think. Come on."

I lead him down the street, and, sooner than I would hope, we're standing on my front porch. I glance over my shoulder as I open the door, and see Cedric glancing around nervously.

"Do you want to wait out here while I explain things to my father?"

He hesitates, then nods slowly.

"That would probably be best."

I give him an encouraging smile and walk inside.

"Dad?"

I walk into the living room and glance around. I hear footsteps from the kitchen and Felix's voice follows.

"He's out getting things for tonight."

He appears in the doorway and flashes me a smile before walking over and giving me a kiss.

"How are you today darling?"

I return his smile and plant another quick kiss on his lips.

"Good, it's been a bit of an odd day."

He raises his eyebrows intrigued.

"Oh really? How so?"

I glance towards the door.

"Well...I met my uncle."

I swear I could hear a pin drop. For a long moment, Felix just stares at me. Then he raises his eyebrows.

"Uh, what? He's dead."

I shrug.

"Apparently not. He survived, and he got help. He's right in the head again."

Felix frowns.

"Mags, are you feeling alright?"

I push his hand away and scoff.

"I'm fine! And I'm telling the truth."

Felix shakes his head.

"How do you even know it's him? He could be an imposter."

I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, some weirdo is pretending to be my crazy dead uncle. For what reason? And no one even knows besides you and my family."

I grab his hand and pull him towards the door.

"Besides, he looks like Will. Well I guess Will looked like him, but there is a definite family resemblance."

I pull open the door and motion to Cedric.

"See?"

Felix immediately tenses, and slowly puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Cedric?"

My uncle glances at me before returning his attention back to Felix and nodding.

"This is my boyfriend Felix. Felix, this is my thought-to-be-dead uncle, Cedric."

Felix eyes him suspiciously.

"Look, I know how you must feel. You're anxious for Mags' safety, and I pose a threat, I did kidnap her when she was a child after all. But I can assure you, I received help, and I am mentally stable again."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

He shrugs.

"You don't. You'll just have to trust me."

"Like hell I will."

I grab his arm and turn him to face me.

"Felix! Watch it."

From the corner of my eye, I see Cedric raise his eyebrows at my commanding tone. Felix however, isn't intimidated. He's known me too long to be cowered by a harsh tone.

"Mags, don't make the same mistake your mother did by trusting him!"

"Do you trust me?"

He looks away and I tighten my grip on his arm, not affecting him at all, but bringing his gaze back to mine.

"Do you, trust me?"

He puts his hand on my cheek, and ducks his head so he's eye level with me.

"You know I do."

I give him a small smile and nod.

"Well I am willing to take a chance and trust him. And if you trust me, you'll do the same."

He sighs and turns to Cedric.

"If you do anything to hurt her, I swear I will hunt you down."

Cedric smiles and nods.

"Understood."

Then he turns to me.

"Thank you."

I nod and motion to the door.

"Let's go inside."

I can tell Felix is still on guard, but he's relaxed some, proving that he does trust me. I follow him into the kitchen, leaning against the bar as I survey the various ingredients and cooking supplies littered across the counter.

"Well, your father and I were making dinner, but we discovered something very important. We didn't have any pasta."

"So he went to get some?"

Felix nods.

"How are you going to explain Cedric to him?"

I glance back towards the living room where Cedric is flipping through the channels on the television.

"Same way I explained to you I guess."

Felix shakes his head and chuckles slightly.

"This is going to be a strange dinner."

I see pain flicker through his eyes, and I know what he's thinking. I've been thinking the same thing all day. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head against his chest. He wraps his arms tightly around me and rests his cheek on the top of my head.

"Mags..."

I nod slightly, fighting the urge to cry.

"I know. I've been thinking about it to."

"I don't know how long it's going to be before I see you again."

I can hear the strain in his voice, and I tighten my arms around him. Not daring to say anything and give away how scared I am.

"I'm worried about you."

I nod again.

"I know...I- I'll be fine though."

He gently rubs my back and sighs.

"Oh Mags, I want so badly to protect you from this, but I can't. And that kills me."

He pulls back slightly so he can look me in the eye.

"Dash is going to look after you. And whenever things get tough, remember that I'm here, waiting for you to come home."

"I can't wait to be home already."

He chuckles and gives me a kiss.

"You're going to be fine Mags. Remember the reason the other tributes died, they wanted you to win."

I bite my lip and nod, blinking back tears at the memory of the final battle. Felix gives me another quick kiss and then motions to the living room.

"Go on and relax, this dinner is for you."

I'm about to protest, when he cuts it off with another kiss. I laugh and wrinkle my nose at him.

"Fine! Don't wreck my kitchen."

He laughs and whips a dish towel across my rear. I turn and attempt a scowl, but can't help smiling. He waves his hand dismissively.

"Shoo, or I'll smack you again."

I stand still, testing him. He lunges forward and I run out of the kitchen giggling. I walk into the living room and plop onto the couch beside Cedric.

"Whatcha watching?"

He shrugs and continues to flip through the channels.

"Just killing time."

I suddenly sit up as I hear the front door open and my father's voice calling.

"Sorry it took me so long Felix, got caught up with a boy who fell and sprained his wrist."

I glance at Cedric, whose face has taken a paler tone.

"I'll go talk to him."
I say quickly before jumping up and running into the kitchen.

"Magarida."
He says happily, a large smile on his face as he walks over and gives me a hug.

"Hey dad. Listen um...I have something to tell you."

He raises his eyebrows.

"Yes?"

I don't really remember all that much about the next ten minutes or so. What I do remember is finally standing in the living room, looking at my father and Cedric facing each other. Felix is at my side, holding my hand. The amount of tension in the room is suffocating.

Finally my father takes a deep breath, and offers Cedric his hand.

"If Mags is willing to forgive you, then so am I."

With a look of extreme relief, Cedric shakes my father's hand.

"Thank you Vern."

My father lets out a sigh and shakes his head, a small smile playing across his face.

"Well, this has been an eventful day. I guess it's fitting for you to be with us on Magarida's last night."

Cedric turns to me confused.

"The Victory Tour."

I state, wondering if they can hear the apprehension I'm feeling. Cedric nods and gives me a small smile.

"Well, I'm glad I get to be here."

I return his smile and laugh slightly, shaking my head.

"I never thought I would be, but I'm glad you're here too."

Cedric and my father disappear into the kitchen, talking about my mother and the days before I was born. I'm feeling anxious and a little stressed, the Victory Tour looming over me like a dark cloud. I need some air.

"Hey, I think I'm going to drop by Dash and Pixie's to tell them to come on over."

Felix studies my face for a moment and nods, giving my hand a slight squeeze.

"Okay, I'll see if your father and uncle need any help. Be safe."

I nod and give him a kiss before walking out the door. I pause on the porch, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. I know I'll be coming back, but I can't help feeling like I did before the games. I'm going to be going through hell again, reliving every nightmare, every heart ache of the games. And being glorified for it.

How am I supposed to face the other tributes families? How can I stand before Melinda's sisters as the victor, knowing that they were struggling to live with Melinda and Steel's help, and now they didn't have them. Suddenly an idea strikes me. What if I can help the other tribute's families in some way? Would the capitol allow that? Probably not. But maybe...just maybe, I could find some way to help support them. A scheme to slide around the Capitol's rules.

Slightly encouraged by this, I hop down the front steps and walk the short distance to Pixie's house. She answers the door the second time I knock, and gives me a bright smile.

"Hello Mags dear, how are you doing?"

She adds the last part gently, and I shrug, giving her a hug and a slight smile.

"Oh as well as can be expected. I just came by to let you know that you can head on over to the house, if you want."

She glances at her watch.

"Oh really? It's an hour early."

I laugh and shrug.

"Well people are either cooking or sitting around. I figured we'd might as well socialize while we're waiting."

She nods.

"Good point. I'll be over in a few, have to finish up a few things."
"Sounds good, I'll see you then."

I wave and walk back down the steps, and arrive at Dash's house in less than a minute. One of the advantages to living in the Victors Village I guess. I knock on the door and wait. Nothing. I knock louder. Still nothing. I try the door and find it unlocked, sticking my head inside, I frown at the dark interior.

"Dash?"

I call, taking a hesitant step inside. I'm growing more nervous as I take another step into the house, still not receiving an answer.

"Dash!"

I try shouting, and quickly begin searching the closest rooms. I hurry towards the kitchen, my mind racing for a reasonable explanation why he would be missing. All reasonable thought leaves my mind as I burst into the kitchen and freeze in the doorway. Two things register in my mind.

Knife.

Blood.

I try to call out again, but my throat chokes on his name. I walk slowly forward, dreading looking around the island. The blood pool is partially hidden behind the island, a large knife resting in the middle of the crimson stain.

I frown as I finally peek behind the island, and see...nothing. There's nothing there. The blood pool is smeared slightly, but there's no body.

I freeze as I hear the front door open, I drop to my knees and grab the knife, ignoring the sticky blood on my hands as I turn and face the doorway. The footsteps come closer, and I try to slow my breathing, willing myself to calm down. I feel adrenaline and arena instincts kicking in, and my hand steadies.

The kitchen door swings open, to reveal Dash standing there, a confused expression on his face.

"Mags?"

I sob in relief and the adrenaline leaves my body in a rush, causing me to sway and almost fall. Dash is at my side in an instant, holding my shoulders to steady me.

"Are you alright?"

My breathing is coming in short shallow gasps, and I suddenly realize that my hands are covered in blood. I hold them in front of me and stare at them in horror. Dash gently takes the knife away from me and sets it on top of the island. He lifts me as if I weigh nothing and sets me on the counter, wetting a cloth, he begins to clean the blood off my hands.

"What...what happened?"

I manage to gasp. He holds up his arm which is bandaged.

"I was sharpening the knife and wasn't being careful, it slipped and cut my arm. Bled a lot more than I thought it would. I wrapped it in a towel and went to the hospital."

I nod, my movements jerky and stiff like a robot.

"Oh."

He throws the bloody dishcloth into the sink and puts his hands on my upper arms, looking me in the eye with a concerned expression. Sitting on the counter, I'm just about eye level with him.

"Are you okay?"

I nod, my movements slowing as I continue to look into his piercing silver gaze, finally I break down and shake my head, tears flooding my eyes as I sob. I cover my face with my hands and drop my head, curling my shoulders and hunching slightly. I feel his hand brush over my hair and rest on my shaking shoulder. His fingers gently curling around my wrist.

"Hey, it's going to be alright."
He says softly, pulling me against him and wrapping his arms around me. I sob into his shirt and curl up tighter, my knees coming up to rest against my chest. He slides his arm underneath my legs and carries me into the living room. Sitting down on the couch and setting me on his lap, resting his head against my hair.

"It's going to be okay."

He repeats, rubbing my back comfortingly.

"I hate...feeling weak."

I choke out, I feel his arms tighten around me and he shakes his head.

"You are not weak Mags. This is perfectly normal. I tried to run away and hide when my victory tour came up. They found me of course, and dragged me along anyway."

I sniff and lift my head.

"Really?"

He nods and wipes the tears off my cheeks.

"Really. It's going to be okay Mags. I promise."

I shake my head.

"You can't promise that."

"Yes, I can. Do you know why?"

I shake my head again.

"Because I'll be there with you. You won't be alone."

I feel a little of the pressure leave my chest, and I let out a sigh. Resting my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you."

He smiles slightly and kisses the tope of my head.

"Remember my promise? I'll always be here for you. Come on, we should be heading back to your house."

The rest of the evening is all a blur. I vaguely remember sitting at the table with everyone, listening to their conversation. Leroy was wary of Cedric at first, but with Felix, dad and me all trusting him, he soon relaxed. Pixie tried to bring up the tour at one point, mentioning how they never really last as long as you think, but Dash shoots her a warning look, glancing at me to communicate that it's a touchy subject. She trailed off and quickly changed the subject. Everyone left around ten o'clock, except for Felix. My dad agreed that he could spend the night here, giving Felix a half-hearted warning about behaving honorably, even though he trusts both of us.

I lay in Felix's arms, my head resting against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as I grow sleepier.

"I'll be counting down the days till you get back."

I sigh and snuggle slightly closer to him.

"So will I."

He gently rubs his hand up and down my arm, his other arm wrapped loosely around my waist.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I love you more."

I laugh quietly.

"That's debatable."

We fall silent again, and I get the feeling he has something on his mind.

"Is something bothering you?"

He shakes his head.

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Us."

I smile slightly.

"Okay."

He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh.

"Go to sleep now Mags, you need your rest."

"I don't want to waste any time with you."

He chuckles and kisses the top of my head.

"This isn't wasting time. Go on and sleep, I know you're tired."

I try to protest, but am cut off with a yawn, only confirming what he said.

"Fine, I'll go to sleep. See you in the morning."

He pulls the blanket up over my shoulder and relaxes.

"Goodnight Mags."

Authors Note: Once again I am soooooo sorry for not updating in forever. I worked on this chapter for the past week or so, it was really hard for me to push through the writers block. I've never had it this bad before :/

But it's finally finished! Ha! *does victory dance* Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, and I do apologize profusely for the long wait.

*Sigh* now I have to go work on updating two other stories and working on rewriting my fantasy novel...yay... :P

Laters Hamiltons!