Author's Note: Ah the games! I have missed writing these POV pieces y'know? There will be different POV's inside and outside of the games this time around. Like this one! Mr. Mellark POV-ness! Woot! Go me!

Thanks go to my chapter 34 reviewers: HL, Arrow, EWD and JB

Chapter 35

Allies

Harry's POV

I love my wife. I have to say that above everything else. Sometimes however she could try the patience of a saint, or doctor.

Today is one of those days. It's launch day and Ariana and Gale have invited us to watch it from Haymitch's house in Victor's Village. Ariana says so we could support each other, that's what family does. I have accepted and told my sons to bring some of our breads so we can be gracious guests.

"What are you doing with those breads…and cakes! They aren't stale yet!" Maris bellows at Ryen. The boy was just let out of the stocks yesterday and she is treating him as poorly as she did the day before his sentencing. "We can still sell them!" she adds.

We haven't had a proper customer since the mines closed up in the winter, we still do our usual roster but it's never sold, I end up stealing it away and doing a late run of the seam the following day. Only to have my wife snarl that we won't make money doing charitable acts.

"For god sakes Maris no one is purchasing anything! Even the peacekeepers keep to themselves nowadays!" I step into the storefront, "let Ryen be, and come with us!" I know it's a lost cause, ever since Haymitch outted Ria when she first arrived my wife has had nothing but contempt for my adoptive daughter. Yes I say 'my' I don't think Maris would ever accept Ariana as her own, despite what she has done for the town, and for us.

"I will not and neither will you!" she points at me, "Harry you can't expect to keep us afloat if we shut down the store!"

"No one is coming Maris" I say as calmly as I can, "see sense"

"You don't care about our livelihood, that's it, you care more about that sneak and her seam trash beau!" she spits.

"That's enough" I toss my bag to Buck who has come out with a box of cookies, "if you don't want to come fine, man the shop, I'm taking the boys for a day off. Ryen needs it, Buck deserves it and I wish it, and as long as it says 'Mellark's Bakery' outside I make the rules" I look solidly at my wife, "and one of the top ten is 'if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all', Ariana and Gale have done nothing to you, and they love each other" I look at her, "try and remember how that felt like, how my mother accepted you, and remember how your mother hated me. Then realize you are acting just like your mother right now and you had told me when we wed you'd never be like her"

"Get out" she says at me, not to me, at me, she's glaring and seething and I should know she never sees sense when this happens.

"Let's go boys" I say to my sons, "launch happens in a couple hours, might as well get a move on" we leave my fuming wife to cool off.

My sons and I walk in silence for a while, it's not far to victor's village from the market quarter but it's long enough that we start to talk.

"You know I think out of all of this Ria is gonna have the worst time" Ryen says

Buck looks at his brother, "I think it's Peet and Katniss we should be worried about"

"No doubt, but for our sister, being a victor and knowing you ain't there with your comrades? That can't sit well with her" Ryen points out

I look at Ryen, my eldest and appreciate his empathy, also accepting Ariana as family like I have, "she will need our support as much as your brother and his girl I think"

We knock on the door and Gale answers, and let's us in.

Ariana is pacing in front of the couch. She's like a caged animal right now, I am sure she has energy she needs to burn off.

"How is she holding up?" I ask Gale softly who shakes his head and shrugs, we go to the kitchen to get drinks.

"We did a run this morning early, we play wrestled downstairs and yet she is still on edge and no chance at calming down. I think she wished she was there with them" he looks worried, "I'm sure if a peacekeeper came in she'd start a fight with them just to do it!"

I chuckle, "well we don't know what it's like going in there Gale, have you asked her to talk about it?"

Gales shakes his head, "I tried but she just says she can't, like it's stuck in her, like a splinter or a porcupine quill or something as irritating"

"Well digging it out is painful but necessary or it will fester" I use his analogy, "make tea"

I walk back into the living room to Ryen pacing with my girl.

"I think you'll wear a trench in the floor Ariana" I say solidly, "what's gotten your temper?"

She sighs and waves her hands before covering her face and growling into them, okay she really is stuck isn't she.

"What is the first word in your head right now" I ask, I played this game with Buck when he was being bullied and he was so angry words were failing him.

Ariana pauses her pacing and looks at me tilting her head, "fear"

"Their fear or yours?" I ask as she has just looks at the screen.

"Both, neither…I just want this to work out" she says, "I want this to work so badly right now"

"It will" Gale comes thru with a tray, "you can't control this Ari, you just have to let go"

"I can't!" she flails her hands in frustration, "I want to be there now taking their place!"

"That would accomplish nothing" Buck says, "they would be in the Capitol anyway as mentors"

I look at Buck appreciatively, it's a solid argument.

Ariana finally slumps to the couch, Gale take one side I the other.

"You just have to have faith in them okay?" I say gently, "it's the only thing we can do"

"Has she calmed down?" Prim pokes her head in from the front door, Sophie comes in and put some groceries in the kitchen.

"She looks to be" Sophie says as she comes into the living room, "Maris didn't want to come?"

I shake my head and she nods.

The screen comes to life and Caesar does his spiel letting us in on the games, going thru the names of each. Their ages and their scores before it goes to a live feed of the arena.

I think all of us feel the bottom of our stomachs hit the floor.

Water, all around them water.

Ariana groans, she didn't teach them swimming, how could she there is no pool of water big enough for them.

Gale reassures us it will be okay as the countdown starts.

The gong sounds and Finnick and Katniss dive in. They are paddling or swimming to the center where the cornucopia is.

"Wait what's going on near Peeta?" Ryen says as they focus on my son.

"Who's talking to him?" I asks, I don't remember every victor, I have seen them but faces and names don't catch me unless it's important

"That's Tracker" Ariana says confused, "I can't read lips"

"He said 'a little birdie said we're allies'" Gale says offhandedly and we all look at him, "what Katniss and I can read lips, it helps when hunting and you don't want to scare off the game"

Tracker's sister jumps in and kicks furiously to make it to the cornucopia with Tracker. Finnick is about to skewer him with a trident when he holds up his hands and says.

"Whoa not the enemy Finn" he goes and dives for a crossbow and fires a warning shot at Gloss who dodges him but he fails in dodging Katniss' arrow in his shin.

Tracer gets to the beach and runs up to the three, "Katniss check for supplies, we have your back" she takes point as her brother keeps an eyes for anyone trying to attack our girl. Finnick has gone to retrieve Peeta and Mags has started to paddle to shore.

When Finnick returns with my son on his back Tracker and Tracer say they are going on the hunt and Finnick has to stick with our two. They head off in one direction and Finnick with Peeta, Katniss and Mags head off in another direction just as the rest arrive. Johanna takes care of a couple but spares the pair from three…they follow her with her partner into a section of the jungle just as it starts to rain blood.

"Ugh!" Buck scrunches his nose at it. I'm queezy around blood myself. And the look of it reminds me of not very pleasant memories.

"Y'know if its pig's blood it will be a great way to nourish them" Ariana says clinically, "full of iron"

Sophie nods, "I doubt its human blood" she says

"UGH! Y'mean drink it?!" Buck looks disgusted, I would have to concur but I feel I have gone green from the thought.

"What do you think black pudding is?" Ryen says, a special treat my mother used to make them, it also was to help them physically, it's full of nutrients, they would drown it in ketchup.

"UGH!" Buck retorts and we all chuckle.

"What did Tracker mean a little birdie" Gale looks at Ariana

"Capitol still thinks I'm dead, its code for me" she shrugs, "they are protecting Peeta and Katniss by hunting the careers…if they can last"

"They will, they're victors!" Prim says

"And they are allies" Sophie points out, "how did that happen?"

"They volunteered" Ariana replies, "said so as soon as I called them, didn't want to hear arguments against it either"