I woke up the next morning feeling better than I had in a while. It was late afternoon, showing how late I had slept. I began to put on some clothes and then started to open my door. But as soon as I opened it, my prep team rushed in.

"We're arriving in 11 today!" Venia cried.

"We have to hurry!" Octavia agreed, grabbing my arms and pushing me into a chair.

"Today?" I asked. I remembered how long the journey was to the Capitol. I thought that we would have a three-day journey, but I guess district 11 was closer to 12 than the Capitol was.

"We have to get you ready quickly! You're arriving there in a couple hours!" Flavius shouted. I was getting tired of my prep team; they had just waxed my legs yesterday, how much hair could've grown back so quickly?

Cinna walked in slowly. He wasn't in as much of a rush as the others.

"Honestly. We arrive there in five hours! Ivy hasn't even eaten anything yet," Cinna reasoned. He took my hand and pulled me away from the prep team. They looked ashamed of themselves, and I wanted to console them somehow. But I didn't know what to say. Cinna led me into the dining room in silence.

"I missed lunch," I murmured trying to initiate a conversation. He laughed.

"We waited. I was wondering where you were. Then I noticed they were also missing," Cinna said with a smile. I smiled. Cinna rescued me again.

We arrived in the dining room where everyone was indeed waiting for me. I brushed my hair behind my ear, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry I kept you all waiting," I muttered. I looked up to see Peeta's eyes. The empty seat was next to him. I slowly walked to my chair and sat down next to him cautiously.

"Apology accepted. Let's eat," Haymitch announced. He began to cut at a piece of meat. I grabbed a roll. Peeta slid a mug of a steamy liquid in front of me.

"I knew you would want it someday," he laughed. I tried not to look too happy as I dipped the roll in the hot chocolate; Peeta ate a small salad and a roll but not much else. I only ate the roll and drank the hot chocolate. So, we finished before everyone else. I folded my hands on my lap, being polite and staying at the table with everyone.

Peeta's hand reached over and grabbed mine. I looked over at him through the corner of my eye. He gave me a grin that sent my heart soaring.

How could I live with myself without Peeta in my life? How could I ignore him and refuse his friendship? I loved and needed Peeta.

I saw Effie give us a knowing smile before returning her gaze to her plate. Haymitch was too concentrated on his food to see us getting along.

"So, what's the plan once we get to district 11?" Peeta asked. Haymitch made a show of wiping off his mouth with a napkin daintily before answering Peeta.

"You're going to be taken to the Justice Building, you're going to read the speeches they prepared for you, and then you're going to wait in a room until dinner. You're going to enjoy that dinner. And I'm going to enjoy that dinner," Haymitch said, eating more meat and drinking more liquor.

"And then?" I asked. Effie smiled at me for taking interest in our schedule.

"Then, we continue to the other districts in descending order until we reach the Capitol!" she squealed waving her gloved hands around excitedly.

Peeta squeezed my hand, which caused me to steal a glance at him. He merely looked forward at the plates of food and smiled, looking like a schoolboy with a crush.

I smiled and looked forward too. Only my gaze met Haymitch's eyes. For a brief second, Haymitch looked angry. But then a mask of calm came over his face, and I thought I had imagined the anger there to begin with.

"Well. Ivy? Are you full?" Cinna asked, starting to get up from his chair. I stood up as well. Peeta dropped my hand. I tried not to stare down at my lone hand hanging at my side.

"Yes," I replied. I walked around to Cinna's side of the table. I put my head down, allowing my hair to cover my face. I peered through my hair at Peeta. He glanced up at me, giving me an innocent smile that made me blush a deep red.

Cinna set his arm behind my back and propelled me forward, now feeling rushed. We must have been in the dining car for longer than I thought.

"Peeta seemed happy today," Cinna said. I smiled up at him.

"I guess so," I admitted as blush continued to creep down my cheeks and onto my neck. Cinna had a small smile on his face, but said no more.

He took me back to my room, touched up my makeup by himself, and then dressed me in an orange dress. But it wasn't a bright orange. It was faded orange, like sunset. As I was getting dressed, I looked out the window to see long stretches of grain fields. District 11. We were almost there.

Then, I met back with Peeta. His eyes brightened when he saw the color of my dress. I suddenly remembered it was his favorite color. Peeta almost looked hesitant when he reached down to take my hand. I realized that despite my head telling me that I shouldn't trust him, my heart wanted me to be holding his hand, touching Peeta Mellark, for the rest of my existence.

"I almost forgot," Cinna said as he rushed up to me. He fastened my mockingjay pin to my dress. I smiled at him. He gave me a nod and let me walk out of the train with Peeta.

There were no screaming fans when we got off. Just about a dozen Peacekeepers who led us to a truck. We got shoved on and were driven to the Justice Building. Effie straightened her wig and mumbled angrily under her breath.

We were hurried into the Justice Building. I could smell the dinner they were making for us. As we were rushed from room to room, I looked at the building itself. Old and rotting. The people must not care as much about their Justice Building here. But whenever I tried to get a closer look, I was nudged in the back by a Peacekeeper, or their gun, to keep moving forward. Soon, the anthem was blaring in my ears. A microphone got clipped to my dress, and Peeta took my hand as we walked through giant open doors onto a giant balcony. I could hear the mayor of 11 was introducing us.

"Don't forget to smile! Chins up!" Effie hissed from behind us. I was blinded by the bright sunlight and felt sweat start to form on my hairline. I heard loud applause from all around me but not the kind of applause Peeta and I normally got. There was no cheering or whooping. There was only clapping.

Peeta squeezed my hand and led me to the edge of the balcony. We weren't very high above everyone else. Someone could touch my feet if they wanted to.

I looked to the side to see the special platform made for the families of the dead tributes, Thresh and Rue. I squinted through the sun at their families. I could tell exactly whose family was whose, but I wished I hadn't been able to. I saw each of Rue's sisters; tears were still fresh in their eyes. And Thresh's grandmother hunched over after years of hard work.

After the applause died down, Peeta and I began to speak. We only give the speeches that the Capitol gave us. But I felt like I needed to say more. I loved Rue. And Thresh spared Peeta. I owed them both.

The mayor was about to give a concluding speech, when Peeta stepped forward.

"Before we conclude, I just wanted to thank the tributes of 11. Thresh spared my life, and I will forever owe him. And Rue brought happiness and hope to Ivy and me during the Games," he said, taking a glance over at me. He turned forward again and spoke directly to the families. "It cannot replace in any way your losses in these past Games, but as a token of our thanks, we'd like to give one month of our winnings to the families of district 11's tributes for the duration of our lives."

Everyone gasped at Peeta's comment, even me. I wasn't sure if this was even legal, but one month of winnings from a victor would provide for a family for a year. Their families wouldn't starve for as long as Peeta and I would live. I walked up next to Peeta, linking our arms. I suddenly remembered something Haymitch had said to me when he found out I loved Peeta.

You are a little girl who wants to love someone. And Peeta. Well, let's just say you pick good.

Peeta had taken a risk, but I was proud of what he had done. I wish I knew how to thank the families. But words didn't come as easily to me as they seemed to come to Peeta.

The mayor stepped forward and awarded us with a plaque. The ceremony is almost over when I took a peek at Rue's family. One of Rue's sisters stared back at me with large eyes. She stood on her tiptoes, trying to see over the crowds. Her eyes were teary as she stared at me. I felt a lump in my throat; Peeta squeeze my hand. I looked at him, realizing there were tears in my eyes.

Anger started to fill me.

How could I not thank the families? What should I say? What could I possibly say?

The mayor was about to lead us off the stage when I cried out.

"Wait!"

The crowds stared at me. The words had come out harsher and more desperate than I had intended them too, and I felt my stomach start to turn itself over. Now what was I supposed to say? I should've planned this out better.

Rue's sister gazed at me, and I looked directly at her as I spoke my next words.

"I'm so sorry," I choked out. My gaze turned to Thresh's grandmother, "I didn't know Thresh very well, but I respect him. He played the Games how he wanted. He spared Peeta. He didn't have to. But he did. And for that, I am eternally grateful to him." I looked back to Rue's sister, "I loved Rue. From the moment I saw her in training I loved her. She was like my own sister. I wanted to protect her, because she was everything beautiful. She was in the sun that rose in the morning and the flowers in the meadow and the mockingjays in the trees," I rambled on. Rue's sister looked down at her shoes. I looked at both the families, "Thank you for your children."

I stood there, not knowing what else to do. I saw that I had pulled away from Peeta and was standing at the very edge of the balcony, almost leaning over to talk to the families. A tear slid down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it off. I took a couple steps backward, wondering if what I said wasn't enough. Just as I was back standing next to Peeta, I heard it.

A mockingjay whistling a four-note tune.

Peeta grabbed my hand, squeezing it very hard. Was he worried? Was he angry? I didn't dare look at him. I stayed looking out into the crowd.

I was being escorted back through the door.

"Wave one last time!" Effie instructed. As Peeta and I turned around to wave, I saw a sight that brought tears to my eyes. Starting with an old man in the front, everyone pressed their three middle fingers to their lips and raised them into the air.

It was the sign I have Rue as I left her. A goodbye. I started to bring my fingers to my lips to do the sign back when Peeta grabbed my hand. I looked at him, confused. He merely shook his head in a scared way at me, with wide eyes and a hardened jaw. A Peacekeeper grabbed my around the waist and pulled me back. The doors started to close slowly.

But not before I saw a bullet go through the old man's head.

* A/N Please review/PM me to tell me what you guys think. And to the special guest who reviewed and was worried about Ivy choosing the wrong boy... all I have to say is wait. ;) *