Entering her home, Katniss was met by somber faces, another aid in Katniss worries. It was horrible for her to think, but she knew if Gale had passed away while she was out hunting, she would have been met by sobs, instead of tired and hungry faces.

"Oh, Katniss, good you're home!" Hazelle rushed beside Katniss giving her a warm smile. Katniss attempted to meet it, but failed.

"I'm sorry," Katniss mumbled, "I couldn't find anything."

"Don't worry dear," Hazelle assured, "They'll come out tomorrow after the storm passes."

How that woman could be so optimistic in a time like this, Katniss had no idea, but she was hopeful. Yet, Katniss knew it was hope, not fact, that guided Hazelle's response.

"How's Gale doing?" Katniss whispered and the two women walked into the kitchen. Hazelle faltered for a moment before answering.

"He's tougher than most, and he's young which is a benefit to him."

"Can I see him?"

Hazelle placed an arm around Katniss, "I'm sorry dear, but your mother doesn't want anyone around him who doesn't have to be around him. Prim hasn't been allowed to go there today."

"It's gotten worse…" Katniss mumbled feeling a heavy dread reach the pit of her stomach. Gale was going to die, their families were going to starve and there was nothing Katniss could do about it.

"I was hoping you would be able to go to the hob today and trade something for me." Hazelle began handing Katniss a simple ring with a purple gem in the middle – her wedding ring. Because women in the Seam couldn't afford many luxuries like jewelry, their wedding band was often the only piece of jewelry they wore. This ring, in particular, was hand crafted by Mr. Hawthrone when he proposed to Hazelle, one of the few reminders Hazelle had of her late husband.

"No." Katniss blurted immediately. Hazelle gave her an amused smile.

"You too, uh? Gale would always say 'we better all be two feet in the grave before we sell that'. It's a piece of jewelry, I will remember my husband in the same way whether I have it or not. But this ring will give us the money for the medicine to save Gale's life. I would go there myself, but I do not know who to barter with, like you do. Please." And suddenly, Hazelle was begging Katniss as if she was the only one that could save her son. Katniss took several more moments to decide before nodding, accepting the ring and tying it around her neck with a piece of hunting twine for safe keeping.

The cold and dark walk to the Hob, her mind flooding with ideas, weighed Katniss' feet every step. She couldn't sell the ring, she'd rather sell everything she owned before selling this ring, and she knew Gale thought the same. The word 'everything' caught in her mind, and before Katniss realized she had properly made the decision, she changed directions and was knocking loudly on the head Peacekeepers door.

Cray, an older man, his years of serving District 12 evident on his mind and body, opened the door at the persistent knocks. Upon seeing Katniss, he gave her a smile that shot fear down her body.

"Got a turkey for me?" Cray asked hopefully.

"No, sorry," Katniss mumbled, "I can't find anything out there recently."

"Then what do ya got girl?" Cray asked pointedly leaning against the door frame.

"I, er," Katniss suddenly refused to open to allow words out, "Gale's really sick, and we can't afford medicine and-"

"What do you have to trade?"

"Myself."

Cray's eyebrow shot into his hairline.

"That kid must be almost dead if he's allowing you to do this."

"He doesn't know I'm here, nobody does, actually. But he's going to die, and I- I-" Tears threatened to prickle at her eyes.

"Ok, come in." Cray opened the door wider and allowed Katniss through. The warmth of his house instantly flooded Katniss as if she was surrounded by small fires.

"How much do you want?" Cray asked moving over to a side room in the small house.

"Enough medicine to make him better."

"Are you a virgin?" The question hit Katniss in an unexplainable way, and after realizing she couldn't verbalize the answer she nodded.

"I can offer you a full bottle of medicine and I'll throw in two gold coins. I can't let my best supplier die on me." Cray pulled the bottle of medicine, the pills loudly rambling in the container, and two gold coins on the small table between them. "For all of this, I expect to be able to use you how I wish to reach an orgasm. When I finish, the medicine and coin is yours. Deal?"

Katniss, still unable to form words nodded. With a nod, Cray led her down another hallway to his bedroom. The bed was unmade, the blankets strewn partly on the floor and partly on the bed, parts of the Peacekeepers uniform were thrown casually over the room giving the entire room a sense of disarray. Cray took a seat lounging on his bed, sat facing Katniss with lust hanging heavy in his features.

"Undress." It was a simple command, and as fear prickled through Katniss, she began mentally reminding herself, this is for Gale, we're doing this to save his life. With shaky fingers, she began unzipping her hunting jacket allowing it to fall on the floor before unlacing her boots. When she reached her undershirt, Cray had apparently become impatient, came to stand in front of Katniss and wordlessly ripped the shirt over her head. The flimsily fabric caught slightly ripping a hole at the one armpit. Immediately, Cray began fondling her small tits, squishing the nipple between his fingers painfully. Holding back a yell of pain, Katniss responded with a hiss of pain.

"Are they sensitive?" Cray asked barely looking at Katniss as he continued to pinch and twist her nipples.

"Yes," Katniss barely whispered hoping he would pause his actions knowing she was in pain.

"Good," Was his response before he took her right nipple in his mouth and began twisting it between his teeth. A yelp of surprise and pain escaped Katniss lips and she clapped a hand over her mouth as if to control the cry of pain.

"Nobody can hear you, cry all you want." Cray whispered as he surfaced from her breasts. In a few movements, he had shoved Katniss onto the bed and began gruffly pulling her stiff jeans off. "You know my favorite part about virgins?" Cray asked in a voice that sent another surge of fear through Katniss.

"How tight they are." Cray's wicked grin was followed by three of his fingers stabbing into Katniss' vagina abruptly. A true scream of pain escaped Katniss' lips as her legs clamped down around Cray's arm in attempt to escape. Cray laughed, clearly enjoying the moment.
"Nobody has ever touched you before, have they?"

Katniss shook her head, tears now freely spilling over her cheeks.

"Has anyone ever kissed you?"

Again, Katniss shook her head.

"And you're giving it all to me…" It wasn't a question, Katniss realized as his mouth reached her lips and began sucking and nibbling at her mouth. His hand never released her, and began twisting around as if digging for a treasure, the sensation making her mouth open in surprise giving Cray invite to her mouth, which he took immediately. The stench of old cigar smoke, brandy and improper hygiene filled Katniss' mind completely as she barely held in a retch. Forcing herself to keep her composure, Katniss allowed Cray to attack her holes as he saw fit, quietly whimpering as pain coursed through her body. With every thrust, Hazelle's ring slammed against Katniss' breastbone, another reminder of why she was there, the mantra of for Gale pulsing through her mind. When he finished leaving her curled on the side of his bed with tears flowing down her cheeks and her body rippling in pain, Cray threw the medicine bottle, the two coins and a few extra at her naked form.

"Extra for the experience," Cray explained as Katniss quickly gathered the items shoving them deep into her jacket pocket and dressing as quickly as possible.

"Thank you," Katniss managed to murmur before dashing out of Cray's house.