Author's Note: You'd be surprised what a card carrying member of the capitol can do ;) , love the reviews people keep 'em coming!

Thanks go to my reviewers: E-W-Dragon, Pandora, Sea Otter, ASMF, JB, Quinn (WELCOME BACK!), HL and Catlover11 (for chapter 20)

Chapter 22

Rally

The bread isn't done and we have to head for the meadow to meet up with Haymitch, Katniss and perhaps Gale. I can feel my heart quicken when I think of last night him and I holding hands. That soft kiss to my right cheek. Just sitting on the porch talking, it just seems like we had done it for ages, but it was only once.

Past lives perhaps.

We are going out the back door when Harry hollers for us to wait. Then Ryen and Buck run down the stairs in jogging pants and t-shirts. Peeta's face breaks into a huge grin.

He has supporters now.

All four of us head for the meadow and as we are going Ryen and Buck head for certain doors and out come people their age or Peeta's. A pudgy blond girl with twin braids smiles sweetly at Peeta. Some kids I remember vaguely from my tour. I think her family is Cartwright.

We get to the meadow and it's about twenty strong. Gale sees the gang and gawks. Katniss looks unnerved and Haymitch I can't read. Maybe he is still waking up.

Ryen comes over and whispers to me, "right coach what's first?"

I look shocked, to lead this group in calisthenics? Really?

We do jumping jacks and push ups, I show the modified ones for the girls who are having trouble, but I end up facing off with Gale and Buck in seeing who can do the most. I do them as always on my knuckles. Gale tries but realizes my hands are stronger. Buck manages a few.

Once everyone is warmed up I go over the route. I warn that the last one has to do fifty push ups.

On 'go' everyone heads off. Peeta's circle of friends pacing with him. Haymitch gets jeered by Ryen, Buck and some of their friends.

I lag to keep an eye on them all, but I'm not the only one straggling.

Katniss hasn't started. I stop realizing I don't see her telltale braid flapping. I turn and she looks uncomfortable. I double back.

"Hey kiddo" I say, I hear someone coming back with me, I turn and Gale looks confused.

"What's the hold-up?" he asks panting a bit, "we'll be last at this point"

"Come on Everdeen I'll pace with you" I tell her with a smile, "maybe we will beat Gale to the tree"

She looks at me guarded still but I pull a face and jog off, "c'mon then!" I look back at her.

She nods to herself and starts off with me. I'm no pansy, as soon as she catches up I slowly speed us up.

"Thought we were pacing?" She says

"Yes but who's pace?" I smirk, finally I see it, a small ghost of a smile edge her mouth. Then I say something that makes it warm further, "who should we beat?"

Her answer makes me laugh…

"Everyone!" she says

I nod, "okay kiddo time to book it" I count us back from three and on 'one' we dash. I hear Gale behind us cursing and starting off as well.

"Move!" I urge her, "dig! Dig! Dig!" as we hit the gravel of the seam we see Haymitch's crew. "Go!" I say and we are sprinting past them.

I blush as Ryen and Buck gawk at us, it is not missed on Everdeen who blinks and shrugs. As we catch up to Peeta's tribe.

"I am so beating them!" Katniss says, I look at her she's is damned determined.

"Off you go then!" I say and she looks at me curiously, "what you deserve to win once go on I'll catch up"

She nods and heads off, I keep at my pace. I end up being second in our small group and do my mandatory ten push-ups.

Harry has come from the back with glasses of water for everyone. Haymitch finally gets there with his group…

But Gale hasn't reached the tree.

"I'll get him" Katniss says, "he's probably winded" she makes to go

"S'ok I'll get him" I say, "you guys rest, I think Harry has a treat for y'all"

I down a glass of water, buy a bottled water for Gale and run back the route.

Sure enough I get halfway and he's winded, he looks exhausted.

"You okay?" I ask, he coughs and nods, I hand him the bottle of water

"Guess I'm not in peek shape yet" he says and coughs

"Guess not" I smirk as he downs the bottle of water, "come on the rest are waiting"

He groans, "that means fifty push ups"

I laugh and grab his hand as we start to jog, "I'll do them with you"

He smiles as we pace each other and even speed up a bit.

The rest cheer our arrival as we tag the tree.

Gale drops as do I to do our mandatory penalty. Buck actually drops as well as some other kids our age. It's weird going from a place where I was the youngest, to being surrounded by people my own age. I kinda feel out of place, however brief my military training was it has given me a disdain for idle chatter.

Thankfully most are talking about the same thing.

Hard times at home, struggling for money to buy food.

Buck gives me quick glances letting me know in his own way he wants me to pay attention.

To know that my idea will help more than the seam families.