Hey guys! Were over halfway with the goodbyes! I am so thankful to you all. When I posted that last chapter the story got an insane amount of hits and visitors. 351 hits and 75 visitors to be exact! Also everybody keep your eyes open for my new one-shot fanfic coming soon. It will be titled Always and Forever. Hopefully you guys will like it as much as this one!

"I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming home. Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday. I know my kingdom awaits, and they've forgiven my mistakes. I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming…home" –Skylar Grey (from the song "Coming Home")

(Sloan Rowark POV)

"Son, listen to me." My Father and I sat face to face in the two redwood chairs. I can't believe that this was really happening. I've just been reaped. I was leaving home and headed to the unknown. The unknown tributes, the unknown arena, nothing familiar.

"Make sure to get an axe. We're lumberjacks; it'll be your best bet in the arena. Impress those capitol people. They've got the money."

"I will."

"Don't let those big tributes get to you."

"I won't."

The door opened. A peacekeeper walked in. "Sir, your time is up." My Father nodded and turned back to me quickly.

"Last thing. Whatever happens I'm…I'm proud of you son." He hugged me briefly before leaving. My Father is tough. I've never seen him shed a tear. This was really different.

My next visitor was my grandmother. She could hardly keep up a string of coherent words; she was crying so much. When the peacekeeper opened the door to usher her out she hugged me fiercely whispering, "You are a brave one. You'll come home."

Garen and Jace were lost for words; something that doesn't happen to the pair of them often. It would have been funny if it was under different circumstances.

"Hey, man, you can do this, you know." said Jace.

"Ok."

"Really, Sloan. You can. You're huge, and strong. Get water and an axe. You can hunt. Sit in a tree and pick them off."

"Alright."

Last to visit is my grandfather. The person I'll miss most. He looks older than ever with all the sadness in his eyes. I can't believe I'm going to leave him.

"Be smart in that arena, Sloan. It's nothing but a big chess game. The arena is the chess board. The other tributes are the white pieces. You are the black pieces. White always moves first in chess. Make sure your moves are to counteract theirs. Be smart and you'll make it."

"But what if I don't?" My biggest fear. Whispered so only my grandfather can hear.

"You will. I have faith in you."

Then the peacekeepers come in. Grandfather rises to go with him but turns and tosses me a small object that's extremely heavy. He walks out with a smile in my direction. Then Peacekeepers take me to the train. His words keep playing over and over in my head. People believe in me. I can do this. I can win. I look down at the object in my hand. The black king of our worn chess set.

I have faith in you.

(Olive Liveane POV)

Laurie Grace and Javie are the first to visit me. Laurie Grace simply climbs up on the couch next to me and hugs me. Javie's normal humor filled expression is gone. He already looks older than his 9 years from living on the streets but he could be twenty with the expression he has now.

He speaks first, "You're smart, Olive. Resourceful too. All it is outlasting the others."

"Yeah until some boy from 1 runs me through with a sword or something."

Javie just rolls his eyes at my sarcasm. "That's no way to be thinking." He glances at Laurie Grace, who is silently crying into my sleeve. "You have to come home. For her and for me."

I nodded. I held onto them both tightly until they were ripped from my grasp. I'm left in silence until the door opens and my parents come through. I turn and face the wall. I am in no mood for my excuse of a father today.

"Stupid girl. Why'd you go off and get reaped huh? Now we're going to lose one thing of tessare cause you're goin' off to get killed." I'm not shocked by his words but now I am furious. My mother stares at him like she's never seen him before. I can tell a fight is coming before the screaming and raging begin.

"Etienne! How dare you! The girl is going off to die and that's the last damn thing you can think of to say to her? You make me sick; I can't belie-"

"Woman I don't care what you think she had no business getting her effing name pulled out of that ball-"

"You're rude, selfish, and so damned conceited. I don't know why in the hell I decided to marry you. I hate you-"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF YOU LIKE ME OR NOT NO ONE SAID YOU HAD TO STAY IN MY HOUSE-"

"YOU'RE HOUSE? ARE YOU INSANE? YOU DO ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING ALL DAY AND YOU EXPECT FOR ME TO-"

"ENOGUH!" I yell with all my might. Both of my parents turn to me dumbstruck. "If all you guys are going to do is sit here and argue, get out. Just get the hell out!" With this I get up and storm to the door. I open it and address the Peacekeeper standing at attention outside.

"Sir, can you please escort my parents out please?"

He nodded to me and came inside. He motions for my parents to rise and exit before him but they're too busy staring at me.

"Let's go!" orders the man. He has at least 5 inches on both of my parents. Without looking at me again my father gets up and storms from the room. My mother rises as well but walks backwards keeping my in her view until the door is shut.

Soon my last visitor is let in. It's Karnen. He is as amazingly handsome as always. Tall, dark-haired, those astonishingly blue-green eyes…

I always feel a pang in my chest when I see him knowing that I love him and he only sees me as a friend. And now I was headed off to the Hunger Games. I may never see him again. No I will see him again. I am coming home. I hitch a smile on my face so he won't see any leftover anger from my disastrous goodbye to my parents.

"Hey Olive." He hugs me tightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah yeah I'm fine."

"You're going to win. I know it. There's nothing you can't do."

I laugh at that one. I have to. He makes me sound invincible. Which, of course I'm anything but. Too soon he is being escorted out. Then he is gone. Everyone is gone; I'm on my own now.

(Sloan Rowark POV)

I silently observe the different train cars as I walk up and down the train. Everything is more immaculate than anything I'd seen in my 17 years. Soon I run into Hawkins. In his bubbly, excited way he tells me it's time to eat.

I'm the first one there. Hawkins rushes off to get Olive, her mentor Niale, and my mentor Skover. As they file in one by one I nod to each of them. Olive seems to have cleaned up since the reaping. She is no longer dresses in her boyish clothes and there is no trace of dirt on her skin. She smiles at me and I nod to her with a small smile back.

The meal is the best I've had in my life. Hawkins is giddy to the point of incoherency while explaining to Olive and I what all the dishes are. Mashed potatoes, beef stew, vegetable and fruit salad, baked chicken, spiraled glazed ham, some sort of cinnamon pie. Olive is eating like she's never seen food before. I know I'm not much better. I stop myself in the middle of my fourth plate. I feel as if my insides will be making an appearance. I only wish my grandfather was here to enjoy the food with me.

Now that neither of us are shoveling food down at alarming speeds, our mentors start to give us a prep talk about what to expect, once we've reached the Capitol.

"Do either of you have any skills that'll help us help you stay alive?" asks Niale.

"I'm good with pocket knives and I'm agile. I can fist fight well enough." Replies Olive.

"Good. Good. And you?" she says as she turns to me.

"I'm good with axes and slingshots." My voice is quiet. I'm beyond nervous with everyone in the room focused on me.

"Are you already working as a lumberjack Sloan?" questions Skover.

"Yes sir."

"That's good. Really, really good. We can work with that!" pipes Hawkins. "Let's go see the reaping recap!"

We all go to the huge viewing car where a massive television is waiting. The anthem plays as the coverage goes straight to the reaping of District 1. The boy and girl are good looking. "They'll be rolling in sponsors." Mutters Olive. I can't help but agree. All the careers will, that's simple knowledge. The pair from 3 is boyfriend and girlfriend. I know their ending will be bad. The Games is no place for love. Both tributes from 5 just seem mentally off. District 6 has two volunteers, which is shocking. I see Olive and myself being reaped and I am beyond thankful that not one ounce of emotion shows on my face. Olive is the same till she smirks at everyone in front of her. I turned and looked at the real Olive sitting next to me. I'm no good at talking to girls so I stumble over my words a little as I ask her: "You're not scared at all are you?"

She turned and looked at me, "Sort of. My whole life has been a challenge. This is just another challenge that's coming my way. I'm just going to try and do my best to win."

I nodded. "That's what I'm thinking. Just do the best I can to win."

(Olive Liveane POV)

I walk to my room that night thinking of my conversation with Sloan. He was really a nice guy. Not the big, scary giant some thought he was. He's just a gentle giant. I smile thinking of how easy it is to talk to him. Sort of like Karnen. I realize that maybe Sloan and I would be better off working together in the games. Were both skilled and having someone his size watching my back will be a blessing in the arena. I smile as I drift off, listening to the rain outside, knowing that maybe, just maybe things would be okay after all.

Maybe I would be coming home.

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