Author's Note: Reaping time folks! What to do what to do! Well this is the prelude to the reaping not the actual reaping because unlike our heroine's district where they have to be there in the AM, D12 is PM reapings…so much more time to dwell poor kids.

Thanks go to me fabulous reviewers: E-W-Dragon, Otter, HL, Pandora and JB

Chapter 29

Goodbye and Good Luck

I wake early. Dawn breaks as I get to the meadow.

Gale is there.

I don't know if I should be angry at him or not. I mean he doesn't trust Buck, which I understand.

He likes me, Buck hurt me, and therefore he hates Buck. Simple math really.

Gale might think Peeta's brother is trying to pull a fast one.

But what would have been the harm in warning Katniss?

I get right up to him, without a single word.

He takes my hand in his.

"I'm stubborn" he says, "Peeta showed up at Katniss right before I did, I had finally decided to let her know" he looks at me, "next time just drag me there okay? I don't trust Buck like you do"

Ok not angry.

"Next time trust me okay?" I tell him, "I don't do things like this for the fun of it Gale"

He nods, "okay, I'll try and remember that for next time you ask me to do something"

We sit in the grass for a bit, I hate today. I hate reaping day, more than anything else and this year…

If Plutarch doesn't come thru.

"I might loose Peeta" I feel it burn saying that, "it's not fair Gale"

"Can I ask something?" he asks, I nod, "the Mellarks…"

"Kinda adoptive family, well except Mrs. Mellark" I answer

"Cuz when I was being carted off by you and Mrs. Everdeen, Mr. Mellark treated you like my mom treats Posy, y'know touching your face and gave you a hug and all" he adds

"Harry said he always wanted a daughter, and I was as close as he would get" I pull at the grass, "what if I fail Gale, what if things don't work out"

He doesn't answer and I feel even more upset.

We get up and walk to the bakery. He comforts me by wrapping me in his arms as we walk. Despite the heat of summer I appreciate him sticking close. I don't want to be alone right now.

Harry welcomes us in since he is the only one up early on a reaping day.

"Can I do anything?" I ask

"Can we" Gale says

Harry looks Gale up and down appreciatively, "we'll try you out, until my wife gets up" he says, "then I'll stash you until I can get her to the register"

Harry looks at me, "Ria you look like you are about to cry" he says, "you doubting yourself after two months of training them?"

"Yeah she is" Gale says dawning an apron, "I'm trying to get her to see sense Mr. Mellark but she's just not listening to me"

"Get stuck in Ria" he says passing me a bowl, "show your boy a recipe" he takes his handkerchief and dabs my eyes, "you did all you could do and then some, now it's in fate's hands okay?" he tucks the handkerchief into my apron pocket, "you keep that, you use it more than I do"

Mrs. Mellark gets up and instead of being shunted to the register she heads off to spend the morning at a friend's, we don't know what to make of it but at least Gale doesn't have to be silent.

That is until an hour and a half later.

"Pop!" Peeta calls from the front since Buck is manning the register, "come to help this morning"

Gale pokes his head out.

"Gale? What're you doing here?" Peeta sounds really confused.

"He's with her" Buck says, "dad's getting some flour from the storage, there is a roster if you feel up to it" he adds, "Peeta… 'bout y'know"

"It's okay Buck" Peeta says, "Ariana explained, I'm glad you warned us, Katniss is spending the morning with her mother and sister, she wanted to see Gale"

"Guess I should head off" Gale says, he kisses me as Peeta comes into the kitchen, "see you after the reaping?" he looks at me

"Yeah" I say softly

Before I say anything Peeta smirks, "I want you and I to do one thing before we go to the reaping" he tells me, "but I'll only ask later okay?"

We get stuck in.

Ryan comes downstairs and between us kids and Mr. Mellark we talk about this and that, what we want him to do, what he wants us to do. Not even noon we have finished the roster for the day and Peeta's family give him a hug and wish him luck, Peeta and I head to his place. I made sure he said goodbye to them, if Buck is right he won't get a shot after the reaping.

We're quiet. Too quiet.

When we get to his place he leads me to the kitchen. He has some cupcakes on a cooling rack, lightly iced in white with a single green leaf on each. And the apparatus for making the flowers.

"Peeta" I sigh

"Before I go I want us to do this" he says, "you never really finished one, and now you are gonna do a dozen with me" he pulls a second platform from the drawer.

I chuckle sadly, "god Peeta, you are something"

We actually manage doing them, it takes us the better part of an hour then we head for the seam to give them to the community home. He had already changed; he has a satchel with him for reason I don't understand.

Until we end up in the meadow.

We sit there quietly, much like before this whole training exercise took us.

"Do you think if you could you would have volunteered?" Peeta asks

I nod, "in a heartbeat" I say, "if I could I would take your place with Haymitch Peeta, I wish I could" I can feel my heart begin to break, "I really do"

"I'm glad you won't be able" he says, "I know you would probably protect us with your life, and I don't think I could handle loosing you a second time" he looks at the dried grass, "I don't think I can loose Katniss ever though"

"I don't want to loose you" I tell him, the pull is so strong to let him know hope isn't lost, but I can't if anything went wrong the best idea is for him and Katniss to be as oblivious as possible, it could be the only thing that saves their lives if this really goes south.

He takes the strap from his shoulder and passes the satchel to me.

Our journal, my letter and a second one, addressed to me.

"Open it when we leave okay?" he says, "your letter helped me when things went bad at the bakery I want to make sure you get a chance"

I don't say anything, I lean against him and he wraps an arm over my shoulder. My little brother, my dearest friend. God why does it have to be him?

We get up and we hug, we hug for the times we will need to remember what it's like having a confidant, a friend, a little brother and an older sister. Holding on for what feels like a year and a day. I know I am crying, I know I could very well loose him if Plutarch doesn't get them out. Peeta just holds me tighter.

"I should head off to get Katniss, and I know Haymitch wants to talk to you just before we go" Peeta says, he kisses my cheek, "if I don't see you Ariana"

"Don't say it" I look at him, "I hate that word so much Peeta"

"It's just a word" He wipes my eyes, "don't let it harm you"

I nod

"Goodbye Ariana" he hugs me one last time

"Goodbye Peeta" I say as my heart, that had finally become whole again with the help of his family and Gale, breaks in two.

I get to Haymitch's as he is spinning his empty flask on the table, he sees I am miserable, in half an hour it's reaping time and I don't want to face it.

"Wipe your eyes kiddo, you look like a drowned rat" he says in his surly way, I guess he has a pickled heart from all the booze he's consumed.

"Like you care" I mutter sitting across from him, I look at the flask longingly.

I know I said I would never drink again when I was fifteen, but right now…

"I wish I was numb" I sniff and wipe my eyes

"No you don't, trust me" he looks at me, "I'll do my best, and I'll keep my eyes out and try and give them the best chance okay?"

"You better" I look at him, "you get them out Haymitch"

"No promises" he says, "it's a gamble in any case, but I will do my best"

"No you promise me" I look at him my heart burning, "you promise me, because apathy won't help them, you do this and I promise you'll be able to live with yourself"

He tilts his head, "kid you don't take things lightly"

"Not when it comes to my family" I look at the flask, "I don't play around, how do you think Tracer got out? Not by chance"

He nods, "okay, okay I will definitely do my best, my absolute best" he looks at me, "for them and for you okay? Wish me luck though"

"You'll need it?" I actually find myself smirking and he chuckles and nudges me as we head for the door

"Kiddo I think I'll need more luck than you can give me"