Heeeey!

So I'm being bad and updating this before 221b…to any of those readers here, SORRY! I am having a really bad block involving that story, and I didn't want to stop updating everything just because of it :/

I will try my best to work on it and get a chapter up soon, but for now I'm getting more BW up.

Be sure to let me know what you think!

Chapter Twenty-three: Training and more drama.

The elevator doors slide open, and Dash leads me across the training area and through a door. I blink at the brightness of the fluorescent lights and white interior.

"They're in the recovery room, this way." Dash points down the hall and about halfway down stops and knocks on a door.

"Is this where they took me when Ruby threw that knife at my head?"

He nods. "They made sure it wasn't too serious of an injury and then sent you up to our floor so you could recover."

He doesn't have time to say anything else as the door swings open and Tara raises her eyebrows at us. "What do you want?" She asks shortly.

"We came to check on your tributes."

She scoffs. "Hoping they'll die? Give your two brats a better chance at winning?" She snaps, her lips curling into a snarl.

Dash reaches back and touches my arm gently, knowing I was on the verge of strangling her. "We came to make sure they were alright."

Tara looks at us suspiciously. "What?"

I take a deep breath and force myself to calm down. "We're all just trying to do what's best for our tributes. We don't have to be enemies."

She frowns slightly, confused. "But…" She trails off and just opens the door for us, stepping aside so we can get in.

The room is set up like a sort of sterile lounge, a large glass window on one wall allowing a view into the adjoining room where I can see Vince and Trina lying in identical beds, IV's hooked up to their arms, and doctors hovering over them, monitoring their vital signs.

"What are they doing here?" Zane asks, standing up quickly as he spots us.

"They say they're here to…check on our tributes."

Zane narrows his eyes at us. "Check...on them?"

"We wanted to make sure they were okay." I say quickly.

He glances at Tara, who shrugs, and then looks back to me. "Why?"

"Cause they're just a couple of kids."

He looks at me, his face spiteful, but his eyes are pitying. "I forget sometimes that you're new. You don't get how this works." He shakes his head and turns back to look at Trina and Vance. "Trust me before this is all over you'll know why we hate each other."

Dash quickly cuts in before I can say anything. "So how are they doing?"

Tara crosses her arms casually. "Doctors say they'll pull through, although they'll have to miss the first day of training."

Zane shrugs. "It's not like they need it anyway."

Tara glances at Dash. "Have you told her yet? About what it's like once the games start?"

I turn to look at him, but he refuses to return my gaze, his jaw flexing as he grinds his teeth.

"Dash?"

Tara chuckles. "Well you are in for a surprise. Run along, your tributes can use all the training they can get."

Zane's face twists into a cruel smirk. "Poor little…Lisa, is it? She's going to be torn apart."

I growl and lunge at him, but Dash moves faster and soon has both arms wrapped tightly around my waist. "Let go!"

Tara waves mockingly as he drags me out of the room struggling. "Bye-bye now, enjoy what little time you have with your tributes left."

Dash doesn't release me until we're in the elevator and the doors have slid shut. I turn and slam my palms against his chest, shoving him away from me. "You need to stop doing that!"

He steadies himself and snaps back. "Not until you learn some self-control!"

I cross my arms and turn away from him, muttering. "Trust me, I'm using quite a bit of that right now." There's a moment of silence, then I turn to look at him. "What did Tara mean? …about how things are during the games?"

He doesn't answer, so I smack his shoulder. "Hey, answer me."

He shakes his head. "You don't want to know."

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Yeah, obviously I'm asking because I don't want to know."

He sighs and rubs his forehead. "It gets bad, Mags…the mentors, they act differently."

"Like…how different?"

He just shakes his head again. "You'll have to see for yourself. But right now we need to focus on our tributes."

The elevator comes to a stop, and the silent doors slide open. As we walk into the lounge, Ryder turns around and glances at us before turning back to the TV. "I was wondering where you two went."

"To check up on Vince and Trina." Dash informs him, standing behind the couch Ryder is seated on.

"Oh." Ryder's voice is flat. "And how are the careers?"

I plop onto the couch beside him and pull a pillow onto my lap. "They'll pull through, but they're going to miss the first day of training."

Ryder turns the volume up slightly and shrugs. "Not like they need it anyway."

Dash changes the subject by nodding toward the screen. "What are you watching?"

"Replays of the past games."

I inwardly gasp in surprise when I see a much younger Kaden on the screen, glancing down into a pitfall that one of the other tributes had just fallen into. He is holding a long spear and staring grimly down at the mangled body of the young girl who had fallen victim to his trap.

Dash glances at me. "To answer your question earlier more clearly, we tend to become the people we were in the games."

My eyes widen in horror and I look quickly away from the screen as Kaden puts the girl out of her misery.

Ryder's jaw is set grimly, and he flicks the television to another channel, now watching the fifth Games, the year Eliza won.

Dash clears his throat. "Why are you watching these?"

Ryder shrugs. "Study the victor's strategies, and how the other tributes survived. I figure the mentors might teach their tributes similar tactics."

Dash raises his eyebrows slightly. "Smart. Good idea."

Ryder doesn't reply.

I stand up and drop the pillow onto the couch, saying quickly. "I'm going to go get some rest."

Dash glances at me worriedly, but I just brush past him and hurry to my room. Once there, I sink onto the edge of my bed and break down. Burying my face in my hands I let the tears stream through my fingers and soak the sleeves of my shirt.

After I get my tears under control somewhat, I lift my head and take a deep breath, wiping my face off as I look around the room to distract myself. My eyes land on something lying on the side table, and I frown.

As I pick it up, I realize it's a phone. Without even thinking, I dial my home number, and wait.

"Hello?"

I fight to keep the tears back as I hear Leroy's voice. "Leroy?"

"Mags?" He sounds surprised.

"It's me…how are you?"

"I-I'm good…I didn't realize you could call us."

I rub at my eye and take a deep breath. "I didn't either, I just found the phone in my room."

"That's great! How are you?"

I hesitate before forcing my voice to be light and cheerful. "I'm doing good! How are things at home?"

"Really well, dad says the District is doing excellent, less and less people are getting sick, and we just found out we get to keep a larger percentage of our food income every year."

I brighten up at this. "That's amazing! I wish I could be there."

"Yeah…well you'll be home before you know it."

I change the subject quickly to keep my mind from thinking about what it's going to be like after the games. "How's Becky?"

I can tell he's flustered as he answers. "She's doing well…we're going to a school dance together next week."

I smile. "Aw, that's amazing. You two are so adorable."

He coughs. "Um…yeah, changing the subject now-" His voice cuts off suddenly and I can hear him talking to someone for a moment, then he says. "Guess who just dropped by?"

Before I have time to answer, an all too familiar deep voice says. "Miss me yet?"

"Felix!" My heart twists with longing as I hear him chuckle.

"Hello, love, happy to hear from me?"

I close my eyes and let out a wistful sigh. "You have no idea."

"Well, for the record, it's absolutely heavenly to hear your voice."

I bite my lip, fighting the tears as they threaten to flow once again. "Oh Felix…I want to be home."

He doesn't answer for a minute, and when he does his voice is gentle and slightly worried. "You've been crying."

I laugh quietly and wipe the tears off my cheek as they leak from my eyelid. "I love how you can tell that just by my voice."

"What's wrong?" His voice is concerned now.

I sigh and shake my head. "Everything. I just…I don't know if I can do this."

"Hey, you can. I know you can."

I inhale shakily as more tears stream down my cheeks. "It's so much harder than I thought…she's so tiny Felix…and some of the other mentors, they…" My voice chokes and I put my hand over my face as my shoulders begin to shake.

Felix's voice is calm and gentle, but I can tell he's distressed, feeling helpless. "Oh, love…I'm so sorry I can't be there to help you through this."

I take a deep breath and get my crying under control again. "I'm sorry…I didn't want to make you feel bad, or to worry."

He scoffs. "Don't make this your fault. It's my job to worry about you."

I sniff and grab a tissue off the nightstand. "I'm fine…I'll be okay."

"Is Dash there?" He's being protective now, wondering why Dash isn't helping me.

"Yes, he's in the lounge with Ryder."

"Does he know how hard this is for you?"

"I haven't broken down in front of him if that's what you're asking…at least not since this morning."

Felix lets out a frustrated sigh. "Damn it…why couldn't they let me come with you?"

I smile slightly. "You're adorable when you get mad."

He chuckles slightly. "Glad I amuse you."

We sit in silence for a few moments, just listening to the sound of each other breathing. Finally he breaks the silence. "Listen, Mags, I've got to get back to the ship."

"Oh…okay." I can't hide the disappointment and apprehension in my voice.

"Before I go, I wanted to tell you that I'll have a surprise waiting for you once you get back."

This peaks my interest. "Oh? A Surprise?"

He chuckles. "You're not getting any more information than that. I just thought I'd tell you so you have something to look forward to."

I smile. "I can't wait. I love you."

"Love you more."

Before I can contradict this statement, he hangs up. I smile and set the phone back on the nightstand.

I wash my face with cold water from the bathroom sink, and change into a pair of comfortable white pants and a deep maroon, sleeveless blouse. As I'm tying my hair up into a ponytail, a knock sounds on the door.

"Come in." I call, walking out into the bedroom.

The door opens and Lisa pops her head in. "Dash told me to come get you, they're serving dinner."

I smile brightly and give her a hug as I exit the room. "Are they? Excellent, I'm starving, how about you?"

She smiles and takes my offered hand. "I'm so hungry I could eat a whale!"

I laugh and shake my head. "Well then, let's get you some food."