Note: I will be updating the story at least once a week from here on out. I realize I've been doing this but I thought I'd announce it to you guys. So every Sunday. Be on the edge of your seats!

As usual: enjoy and thanks for all the support (seriously, it means a lot)

Out of the Shallows and Into the Deep

A shrill whistle cut through her dreams.

It was icy. Pain traveled through her fingers and face as the song of frozen leaves in the breeze rustled all around her. The glass needles sounded like wind chimes before a storm.

It wasn't until she opened her eyes that Pandora remembered where she was. Snowflakes fell on her cheek as she furrowed her brow in grim confusion

At first her vision was blurry, but her sight quickly cleared. The veiny outline of frosted tree limbs were looming over her shivering body.

Her head tilted slightly as the shadows of a flock of birds suddenly flew overhead. Something had disturbed them.

She twitched her eyes towards the valley. A second whistle. This time it was identifiable.

"The train!"

A gasp shuddered her body as she jolted forward and dropped her eyes. It was the beginning of the Victory Tour. Pandora barely took in the sight of her clumsy clothing before climbing to her feet and dusting away dead leaves and snow. Down the slope, beyond the trees she could see the puffs of exhaust ballooning from the silver bullet, the train had just emerged from around the bend.

Her feet moved quickly. Before she knew it she was jumping over mossy logs and underbrush. Her breathing deepened with every step she took, her hands grabbed for passing trees as she flew through the woods.

The familiar noise of sawmills broke through the morning as she dashed past the last line of trees and into the knolls.

Her eyes narrowed. The train was pulling into the station and she was at a least a mile away.

"No—no, no!"

Despite the cold, Pandora could feel sweat at the back of her neck. Her feet smashing against the thick snow, her hair whipped around her shoulders and face.

Half a mile left.

The winter breeze stung her skin as she shuffled downhill, into the valley.

Only a few more paces and she would be in town.

Her yellow scarf flew around her face in a frenzy until she reached the edge of town and stopped. Every footstep was cautiously taken once Pandora started traveling the small roadways. It didn't take a genius to figure out that cameras would be waiting for her once she arrived in the Victor's Village. The thought of cameras and flashes caused her heartbeat to migrate to her throat. In years past she had watched each Victor travel to all the Districts for their tour. Some were arrogant, others were shell-shocked. Now she was going to be one of them, just another Victor of the Hunger Games, just another sad soul marked by the blood on their hands and the hole in their being.

At the corner of the Victor's Village her feet froze. Guards were patrolling the streets in increased numbers. Capitol citizens had definitely arrived.

Somehow she managed to slink past the soldiers, only stopping briefly to make sure she was walking through the snow unnoticed before continuing. When she reached her porch steps her eyes widened at the figures through the window. She could see a silhouette of a mohawk, instantly she knew who it belonged to.

"Pandora, is that you?!"

Her lips dryly parted as she pushed open the door. "Yes, mom—I just went out for an early walk!"

The blood was rushing back into her fingers when Pandora as she watched the door glide shut.

"A walk?"

A shocked escaped her. She spun around and pressed her back against the door. Her mother was holding a pot of tea.

"I couldn't sleep. I thought I'd get some fresh air before—well, before everything."

It was an obvious lie but her mother didn't challenge it.

"Some people are waiting for you in the living room. Your Capitol friends."

Pandora's expression darkened. They weren't her friends, acquaintances maybe, but never friends. She curled her lips, her mother's anxious demeanor worried her. It was too much, all of the cameras and people, judging by the look on her mother's face Pandora knew that it was the same for her. But without saying another word she shed her coat, scarf and gloves. A trail of snow followed close behind as she walked to the doorway and peered into the room.

The fireplace was blaze and freshly made cookies were resting on the coffee table. The room should have looked warm and inviting but it didn't.

"Pandora Sullivan—"

A Capitol accent, so clear and distinct, it had been a long time since she had heard it. Her eyes lifted to Caradoc. His mohawk and makeup were still emerald.

"—We thought you'd never show up."

"I was—"

"Walking?" Vibia peered past the steam from her cup and arched her jeweled eyebrows. Her cheekbones still looked unnaturally high, "We heard."

Pandora's mother was at her side suddenly, "Can I get you anything else?"

"This is fine," Caradoc's smile was strained, "Just some alone time with the Victor. We are on a schedule after all."

Pandora refused to look into her mother's eyes.

"Of—of course," her mother stammered.

If it had been anyone else, at any other time, Pandora knew her mother wouldn't have let anyone order her around that way. But these were Capitol officials.

Pandora quietly shifted her eyes to the faces of her stylist team. Lucius was perched near the window looking revolted by the tea her mother had brewed, Vibia was resting near the fireplace, and Caradoc was standing so still that Pandora would have mistook him for a statue under other circumstances.

It wasn't until her mother left that Caradoc spoke once more.

"You're late."

"I was walking," she whispered, trying to hold back her bitterness.

He let out a crooned grunt as he stepped closer to her and reached his hand out. Instinctively she backed away, but he was persistent. When he drew his hand back she saw a withered leaf between his fingers, "A walk, you say?"

Her cheeks flushed, "Yes."

Slowly his smile stretched in amusement.

"We've been waiting here for several minutes," Lucius complained, "What happened to punctuality?"

"Relax, Lucius," Caradoc cooed, "Miss Sullivan had no way of knowing when we'd arrive today. It isn't the little dear's fault."

The sweetness of his voice made Pandora sick. She had forgotten how Caradoc managed to be intimidating and sweetly condescending at the same time.

"I hope it was a nice walk?"

Her fingers uncomfortably pulled at the collar of her sweater, "It was."

"Good, why don't you sit?"

She dropped her eyes before walking to the sofa. Caradoc had made it seem like he was asking her, when everyone in the room knew she didn't have a choice. As she took a seat, Pandora noticed that Vibia was judging her clothing in disgust.

"You know why we're here, don't you?"

She narrowed her eyes at Vibia before looking back at Caradoc. "The Victory Tour."

"Ah, yes! Precisely."

Pandora nervously drummed her fingers against her knees.

"Everyone is waiting for your debut—after nearly a year!"

"I can't wait," she sarcastically quipped, clenching her jaw.

"That's the spirit…" Lucius mumbled, stirring his tea as a dull smile appeared on his face.

She wanted to leap across the room and strangle him. Her fingertips rigidly pressed against her legs. The thought of traveling across Panem with them was terrible. Lucius must have noticed her hateful gaze because as he looked at her his posture suddenly cowered and his voice broke off. It gave Pandora some satisfaction to watch him squirm but not enough to make any of this easier.

"But enough talk," Caradoc suddenly interjected, "We need to get to work, I see we have quite a bit to get done before the cameras begin rolling."

They grabbed her arms and pushed her forward. She was escorted to her own bathroom, something that aggravated Pandora beyond belief. Her eyes widened in terror as she caught sight of the scolding bath that had already been drawn.

Almost immediately after entering the bathroom Lucius wasted no time in pouring tonics and powders into the bath water. By the time he was done the water looked pink. Her nose scrunched as the aroma of roses wafted towards her. Spread across the countertops were devices, tools, and paletes. Vibia was heating a jar of wax.

"I do always love the first day of the Victory Tour! All the anticipation!" Lucius exclaimed.

She furrowed her brow at him.

"Well don't just stand there! Take off your cloth, chop chop!" He annoyingly demanded, clapping his hands together as he beckoned her to the bathtub.

Pandora meekly began pulling on her clothing. She was just down to her underwear when Caradoc returned with a rack of clothing.

His cold eyes peered at her as he shut the door. "What are you waiting for? You're not taking a bath in those are you?"

Vibia giggled at his sly remark, but Lucius simply frowned.

Her eyes lowered to her bra and underwear for a brief moment of hesitation before she stripped them off. Vibia's cold hands pressed against her skin as she pulled her towards the steaming water.

"Into the bath you go!" Lucius sang, practically throwing her into the water.

She bared her teeth as she felt the water burn her skin. Whatever tonics Lucius had put into the tub were working fast. It was a horrible bath. Occasionally she would be dunked underwater, only to hear scoffs as she resurfaced. Her eyes would fuzzily open to see Lucius coming at her with lotions and gels, which he coated on her hair and face, always his hands would push her deeper into the water, as if she were a mangy animal. In exasperation she gasped for air, she had forgotten how painful this process was.

"This is just a nightmare—a year's worth of grime is coated all over her!" Lucius jeered, splashing her face.

Pandora glared at him through wet strands of hair. "I know how to bathe myself."

"Apparently not."

"Lucius…"

He rolled his eyes at Caradoc before sighing. "Fine, all done."

She gritted her teeth before climbing to her feet and stepping onto the stone floor. A warm robe was waiting nearby and as the fabric dried her skin, she could hear Vibia and Lucius clucking. In a few short hours she would be making the journey around Panem, to see places she had never seen and people she didn't know. It was a frightening thought. Suddenly she wished she had stayed in the frigid forest.

"Pandora?"

Her hands tightened around the fabric of the robe. Vibia was waiting for her. Her blue-dyed fingers were stirring the jar of hot wax. In realization Pandora widened her eyes, she knew exactly what that wax was for. She would have almost preferred the bath.

Groans and yelps echoed through the bathroom as Vibia waxed her entire body. By the time she was done, Pandora was smoother than a riverbed rock and exhausted.

"You have started the newest trends!" Vibia gleefully chimed, "I don't think I've seen more green in my entire life. And it's all for you! Isn't that wonderful?"

Lucius started drying Pandora's hair as Vibia mixed colors on a small palette in her hands.

"They can't wait to see you again!"

"You're going to be show stopper!"

Comments like this continued as they remodeled her. It was maddening. For so long Pandora had repressed the memories of the Capitol crowds and now she was going to face them again.

"That's nice," she would reply from time to time, keeping her eyes on the ground as Vibia painted her face.

Soon Pandora's hair was straight and silky again. Ever so often she would look at the colors Vibia dabbed on her eyes and lips. Surprise filled her eyes when Vibia attacked Pandora's lips with crimson lipstick. Apparently Caradoc was taking a different approach from last year. The notion of this was daunting to Pandora.

After her hair and makeup was finished, Vibia and Lucius smiled at each other, quickly motioning for Caradoc to take a look.

He sternly approached as her eyes lifted expectantly. He grabbed her chin and tilted her head up, his green eyeliner glimmered. "Good—just what I wanted."

Without another word he picked Pandora up and pulled her towards the clothing.

"I've been working on concepts of how to present you to all of Panem after your year off…"

She watched as his fingers spryly moved through various clothing pieces.

"I think we're done with the girlish vibe, now we want more mature…more sexy. You understand?"

In shock, Pandora adjusted her robe. "I don't think I can pull that off."

"Nonsense, I saw it in your closing interviews," He began pulling items, "You can and you will."

"What about my talent?"

Caradoc's eyes slightly moved to Pandora, "Hmm?"

"My talent. All Victors are supposed to have one."

A strange silence enveloped the room. It took her off guard. What had she said that was so criminal? Her eyes darted to Vibia and Lucius who were trying to act as if they weren't eavesdropping.

"Caradoc?"

"You're talent won't be necessary until you return to the Capitol."

Alarms went off in Pandora's head. For some reason it seemed like Caradoc was talking about something more than simple talents. The mysterious answer scared her. What talent could they possibly have lined up for her that had to wait for the return to the Capitol?

"What if I'm asked about it?"

"Simply deviate the conversation—you're good at interviews, wing it."

The sound of doors opening and closing echoed throughout the house. Footsteps were pattering up and own the staircase. More of her entourage had arrived. Butterflies started to swirl in her stomach.

"Now, put these on before that hyena woman complains!"

Funny enough Pandora knew exactly who Caradoc was referring to. Catia Lawson was probably downstairs trying to run her mother's household as they spoke.

Lucius suddenly slipped out the door, just before it shut completely Pandora could hear the cameramen setting up downstairs.

Her hands struggled with the clothing as she wiggled into the outfit. Tight and thick pants hugged her skin as she fastened the button and pulled on her knee-high leather boots. The top Caradoc had chosen was white with a low cut neckline and a high collar that tickled the back of her neck.

With a thump the door flew open.

"You better hurry, that hag is getting heated!" Lucius shouted into the bathroom.

Caradoc practically growled as he tossed Pandora another piece of clothing, "Put this on!"

She studied the garment before slipping it over her shoulders. It was a black coat, which resembled a cape. It had fur trim around the collar that caressed her cheeks as she adjusted the single button. He grabbed her hands, slipping gloves onto her delicate fingers before pushing her forward.

"Just go downstairs!"

Pandora's eyes widened as Lucius moved out of the way and pointed to the stairs. She had to grab the banister to steady herself as she descended the steps, the heels of the boots were very high. Downstairs, Dash and August were doing interviews. Her mother was trying to keep and eyes on Pandora's little sister.

It made her heart hurt. She was leaving them, again.

Her boots had just reached the bottom step when Catia Lawson came into view. Far too close for Pandora's liking. "Pandora there you are! We're running late."

She winced as Catia grabbed her wrist.

"Let me look at you."

Catia's skin was now lavender, with gold lips and nails. Wisps of light green hair poke out from beyond a strange hat that was planted on top of her head. Seeing Catia reminded Pandora of the state she had been in when she was fresh out of the arena. She had tried to kill her Capitol representative in a moment of insanity. With the way she was talking to Pandora now, no one would have guessed what had happened. Apparently, Catia had recovered.

"Lovely—yes—now don't forget to smile!"

Pandora's head was spinning. Things were happening too fast.

"Pandora?! Did you hear me!?"

Her eyes squinted in pain. She had forgotten how shrill Catia's voice was.

"Yes—yes of course I heard you."

Cameramen shoved through the hallway, confusing Pandora further. Her eyes twitched to her family for a moment, stopping when she saw August. Suddenly the guilt of their fight felt unbearable.

"August—"

"Alright! Time to go!" Catia interrupted, pulling Pandora towards the door.

"Please, I just want to say something to my brother."

"No time, you can say what you need to before we get on the train. That will make for a splendid departure shot for the cameras!"

The doors blew open and flurries of snow came flying in.

"Wait—I just need to—"

"No time!" Catia repeated, "Now, smile!"

Pandora was literally pushed through the doorway, past the porch steps and onto the snow. She stumbled in place, trying to figure out how to navigate through the snow in her boots. Flashes blinded her instantly. It took her a heartbeat to remember the smile, but once she did the cameramen began cheering and egging her on. She lifted her hand in a wave, letting out a laugh before beginning the walk. Her crew followed.

A car was waiting just beyond the Victor's Village. As she climbed onto the leather seats a tense breath past her lips. Her family was being escorted into a second car. She tried to catch a glimpse of them through the tinted glass but it was hard to see. It was her family's first time in a car, Pandora was sure Dash would be amazed.

The ride to the train station was short lived and hectic. Catia was rambling on while another Capitol representative adjusted Pandora's hair and coat. It wasn't until they reached the edge of the platform that Pandora realized the meager amount of time she had left to say everything that needed to be said, to apologize.

A crowd surrounded the platform, a crowd she was sure the Capitol reps had bought over with the promise of full stomachs. They cheered as she scaled the steps and waved. Her family shyly followed her actions, simply smiling as cameras moved all around them.

Before Pandora had a chance to speak her mother pulled her into a hug. At first Pandora wanted to resist but then she felt Dash's arms around her, then August, and finally her sister. It was hard for her to hold back the tears.

The train's whistle pierced her ears.

"That's our cue!" Catia whispered, motioning for Pandora to follow.

Pandora's eyes narrowed as she noticed Lux Halstead managing to slip by all the cameras and board the train.

"Just wait!" She suddenly shouted, turning back to her family.

"August…"

His smile silenced her. "I love you, little sister."

The relief set into every bone in her body, mildly easing her anxiety. "I love you," Slowly her eyes peered to every face in her family, "I love you all."

"You still have the bracelet don't you?" Dash shouted.

A warm smile moved to her eyes as she lifted her wrist in the air and revealed the silver gleam, "Always. I'll never take it off."

"Pandora let's go! We need to make District 12 by tomorrow!"

She dropped her eyes and let go of her family. Her eyes shut as she turned away and heard her boots rap against the wooden platform. Just as she hopped on the train it started moving. Her heart pounded against her ribcage.

Though the wind lashed her face, she tilted her head out, feeling the wheels churn against the steel rails. Slowly her family turned into shadows, disappearing with the rest of District 7.

A feast waited for Pandora and the rest of the group on board the train. They laughed amongst themselves, telling jokes that she didn't understand. The only other person besides Pandora who was silent was Lux Halstead, probably because he felt the same way she did: completely lost.

After lunch the conversation quickly turned back to the Victory Tour.

"Since it's custom to end the tour in the Victor's home District we thought it would be more efficient to start backwards and then go from there. Tomorrow we'll arrive in District 12."

Pandora nodded, overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

"It's best to stick to carefree topics for these speeches. Make an impression but don't be too specific, after all you winning means that their Tributes lost."

By lost Catia meant that they had died. Her forehead creased in worry. The idea of facing a mob that probably hated her did not sit well with Pandora. It was terrifying. How was she supposed to be carefree in a situation like that? When she had, in some cases, killed the District's Tributes.

"Okay," she mildly responded, slipping a spoonful of food into her mouth.

"I don't think we need to go over the speeches, you're brilliant at talking up an audience. I swear when they play the footage of your interviews back, it still gives me chills!"

Vibia gaily agreed, clapping her hands like a nonsensical banshee.

Pandora arched her eyebrow. It was true. She had a talent for pretending and deception. Most would view it as a flaw, but not to these people. To these people it was a treasure.

Her lips tightened and her eyes turned to the windows. She wanted to block them out, to block it all out. If she was going to do this tour that was the only way she could survive.

Just a year ago she had been snatched from her District and thrown to the wolves for entertainment. Her eyes sadly took in the changing scenery beyond the glass. She was supposed to grow up in District 7, to marry someone and have children, to live her life where her ancestors had. That was what was supposed to happen, but fate had other plans for Pandora Sullivan.

In a nook of mountains, the Capitol was waiting. If she closed her eyes and concentrated hard enough, she could see the electric city, the lights, and the vanity. In despair her heart sunk.

Soon, she thought, soon.