Just Another Games....

Chapter Five

A/N Sorry, but I need your help to pick a song that you think fits this chappie well. I am open to all ideas, so please, speak up. Thanks! Enjoy!

"Please welcome, your tributes from District 12, Katniss Everdeen, Gale Hawthorne, and Peeta Mellark!" Effie practically shouted into the microphone. She turned and ushered us to the Justice Building where we would say our final goodbyes.

There were Peacekeepers surrounding us, and we walked into the musty building. Effie was chattering about something or other, and we walked down various hallway. We got to a hallway with 4 wooden doors, all the same. I remembered this from when I had come to say goodbye to Peeta last year.

I was sent into the closest one on the left, Gale across from me and Peeta next to me. I sat down and rubbed my hands against the velvet of the loveseat. It helped to calm me down.

Seconds later my mother and Prim walked in. I hugged Prim and said, "Prim, its okay. Don't take any tesserae from them. You will be okay with out it. Talk to Hazel, she will help you with food. You might need to start hunting Prim. Okay? I love you. Don't forget that. I will try my hardest okay?" I was trying my hardest not to cry. I wouldn't.

I gave Prim one last squeeze and stood up. I needed to look my mother in the face. "You will not leave again, do you understand me? You will not leave like when dad died. You will be strong and get over it." 

"I know, I have herbs I can use to help now, that I didn't have then." She smiled at me, and I hugged her as tight as could be.

"Its okay. I am okay. I won't cry. I will be fine."  We sat there hugging until our time was up. I repeated what I said again to my mother, and then the door closed with a satisfying click. I sat on the couch again and rubbed my hands against the cushion.

The door opened again and Peeta's dad came in. His eyes were red rimmed and I assumed he had just said goodbye to Peeta, again. He looked at me and said, "Katniss, when you and Peeta left the bakery a few days ago, well he told me that you were with him when he found out about going back in. I don't care what you were doing and you don't need to say anything, your business. But I just wanted to thank you for being there and I will use some of Peeta's money to help you."

"Thank you. It means a lot. I will try to help Peeta as best I can. If I leave him alone during the Games, please understand. And thank you again." He grunted and we stood there in silence.

Once the Peacekeepers came, he turned and said, "I will make sure the little one is eating."

"Thank you!" I called out to him. The door clicked shut again, and I sat there for a few minutes. Apparently no one else was going to come see me, though they were seeing either Peeta or Gale.

Effie then came and got me and we headed out to the train. According to Effie anyways. We stepped on and I look around in awe. It was very fancy. There was tables upon tables of food.  There was about 10 rooms with huge beds.

I came back into the "main" room and saw Gale looking around at everything in disgust. "We are going to the Capitol and Effie is in the other room. I would hide it better." I said to Gale. I went over to a table with little cookie-looking things with jam on to. (Not even the person writing this right now knows what half of the Capitol food will actually be so if it is actually a food...comment!).

I grabbed a plate with flowers on it and stocked up on cookie things. Effie walked in again. "Well, we will arrive at the Capitol sometime tomorrow and dinner will be at 6:30 so if you are hungry eat up! Don't get too full though, we are having some elegant food!" She then again walked off.

I sat down on one of the couches and pulled my feet up under me. I bit into one with pink jam on top and moaned. "You need to try these. They are really good." I wanted to try and put on as much weight as possible before the Games. Gale just shook his head.

Peeta came over and sat down in a fancy semi-circle chair that didn't look all that comfy. I wondered where Haymitch was. He was our mentor, but was a drunk. He had won the 50th Hunger Games and was our only other victor besides Peeta. I continued to eat, looking at all the food.

Gale came and sat down next to me. He tried to swipe one of my cookies but I moved the plate away. "Get your own! These are mine!" He held up his hands and looked away, annoyed. I felt bad but these things were so good.

After I finished my cookies, I shared with Gale don't worry, and got up to put my plate somewhere or find someone to take it. I walked down a hallway with bedrooms, and ended up setting it on a table with a pot of flowers on it.

I turned around and walked into one of the rooms. The doors slid open and shut when you walked towards them, yet you could still lock them with a dead bolt. I was confused. I sat down on the bed, and it was so soft and squishy it practically ate me. I laid back and thought about my mother and Prim. About how I could push these feelings away, but they are still there.

Hopelessness. There is no way I will be able to survive against 36 people. And 12 have already won once, and I doubt they are going to die again. I lay there for who knows how long, silently crying. After a while I went into the bathroom and washed my face. I looked at the clock and saw it was 5:00.

I walked back into my room and heard the door open. I turned to see who had come in and saw Peeta. "Oh sorry, is this your room? I didn't know. I was wandering and wanted to lay down and went into this room."

"You don't have to apologize. But I guess so, I've been chilling in here. What have you and Gale been up to?"

"Wandering the train mostly. Gale disappeared too. I was kind of worried you two were off..." He paused, realizing what he was saying. I smiled. He wouldn't think he's a moron. His cheeks were pink. "What?"

"Nothing." Still smiling I walked past Peeta and started to head for the door. He grabbed my arm and I turned to look at him. "Yes?"

He pulled me into a hug. "Thank you for being here."  He whispered. The door made a woosh sound and I looked up.

"Well now it makes more sense." It was Gale.