Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! You guys make my day! I'll try to make the chapters longer but length has never been my forte.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.

Chapter 4

Katniss POV

Haymitch isn't at his house. We scour every room looking for him, but only find empty bottles on the floor and the smell of whiskey in the air, making us gag.

"Maybe he went to your house when he heard the announcement?" Gale suggests.

We walk, hand in hand, to my house, but the only thing we find is Prim and my mother huddled together, whispering comforting words to each other, probably waiting for Gale and I.

"We're looking for Haymitch, have you seen him?" I ask.

"I think I saw him walk to Peeta's house," Prim says. She doesn't look like she's shed a tear. What happened to the girl whose name, less than a year ago, got drawn at the reaping? My little sister has grown up, and is stronger than I have ever been at a mere thirteen years old.

But that's not all. Haymitch went to Peeta's house. Peeta. I haven't thought about him at all in the commotion of things. I wonder what he thinks about all of this. He would never tell me, he's too nice. But I'm sure he hates it. Hates the attention it will give Gale. Still, he will be my fellow mentor in these games. I will need him. Maybe that's what Haymitch went over there to talk to him about.

"Come on," I tell Gale, tugging his arm as I go out the door and into the night. It's only a couple of feet, and I don't bother knocking. Most likely, Haymitch and Peeta are sitting together in front of the fire. Still, I barge in, Gale right behind me, calling for Haymitch.

"I'm right here sweetheart," he says, his words slightly slurred. They are exactly as I thought they would be, together in front of the fire. "Come to try and work out how we're going to save this cousin of yours life, are we?"

"Haymitch, President Snow–" I hesitate, knowing all of these houses were bugged. But what did it matter what I say? Gale was going into the arena no matter what. "President Snow is punishing me–us–for everything. This is his revenge. Put my best friend into the arena for all to see."

"A little more than best friends, aren't you," Haymitch muttered. Haymitch has never actually told me what he thinks about all my boy drama, as he calls it, but I know he likes Peeta more. Of course he does. Peeta is nicer, easier to manage, but Gale knows me. And that accounts for a lot more than people think.

"Haymitch you're not helping," I begin, but then I pause. How can Haymitch really help me? He is just as powerless as any of us. All my first Hunger Games I built Haymitch up to be someone with answers, someone who can solve problems. But can he really solve this problem? He can help Gale, train him up, make him the best tribute he can be. But how much does that really matter in an arena where people have had their lives to train? People who thought their chance at Hunger Games glory was lost before they had a chance? People who now are hungrier to win, people who want revenge? I feel myself deflate.

"Hey," Haymitch says, "It's not hopeless. You won the Hunger Games, didn't you? Why can't your best friend?"

"And," Peeta says, talking for the first time, "Everyone already knows him as your cousin. If we play that up, the audience is sure to love him."

Gale doesn't look pleased at the idea of having to play the part of the cousin. I'll have to talk to him about that later. The show is the most important part of the games, and the sooner he realizes it the more chance he has of being a victor.

"What about the girl tribute?" Peeta asks. "We can't leave her. That's not fair."

"Is the Hunger Games fair, Peeta?" I ask. I can't look him in the eye. It's weird, to be here with both Gale and Peeta, weighing the odds of Gale's survival, discussing strategy. I'm not sure I like it.

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean we have to make it more unfair. If you were the girl tribute, wouldn't you want to know someone was watching over you, making sure you were alive too? Didn't you want Haymitch to watch over you last year? You don't know what it's like to feel abandoned in the arena, Katniss. To feel like nobody would really care if you died," Peeta is speaking from experience. The experience of having Haymitch choose me over him in the games last year. I feel guilty.

"You take care of the girl, then. You make her your responsibility," I say hotly. Then I turn to Gale. "I'm going to bed, but in the morning we start training. Okay?"

He looks between Peeta, Haymitch, and I, then just nods. "Alright, Catnip."