The minute President Snow started talking Peeta blanked out. He had no time to waste, his death was waiting for him at the next stop, but he couldn't stop thinking about the only person he loved. Peeta was fuming with anger and jealousy. Thankfully the dark makeup Cinna applied on his face made the anger look natural. Seeing Katniss and Finnick Odair together was such a surprise. Peeta could imagine Katniss with anyone, although most men wouldn't live up as high as her. But never had he imagined her being with a man like him. Especially with the rumors surrounding Finnick, what do her parents think? They have to know, at least now, for it was all over television.

But the thing making Peeta dig his fingernails into his palm and bring blood to the surface is how happy Katniss looked with him. When Peeta jumped down from the chariot with Susan not far behind, Katniss was a ways away with Finnick's arm around her shoulders. They were both drinking, talking to Four's tributes and prep team. They didn't take long to split with a deep kiss which left some red lipstick on Finnick's lips. They laughed when Katniss tried wiping it away with her thumb. Finnick pulled out his handkerchief and wiped off the makeup. They laughed one last time as he pocketed the cloth and Katniss walked towards her district's group.

Peeta bit his cheek to stop himself from vomiting.

"I say it's time to go up and eat some dinner," Katniss said smoothly. The liquor seemed to have no effect on her. Haymitch seemed to be the same, having just started his second drink.

Effie excitingly dragged her gang to the elevators and they road up in a calm silence. Peeta was the only one who felt tense. Katniss could feel it but she kept a straight face.

The dinner consisted of a roasted turkey and sweet sides of pasta and casseroles. There was fruit lying around in glass bowls and rolls of bread kept warm in trays covered with a lid. Liquor, water and a fizzy drink were poured into the glasses covered in diamonds. Peeta thought the meal was exquisite but overall too much. Just the sides would have been enough to fill him.

Peeta tried hard to focus on all the flavors he tasted in every bite he took. His anger made the tips of his ears red and Katniss noticed. He could tell because she was very stiff. She never seemed to be stiff anymore, but at the moment, the vein in Katniss's neck was protruding against her tanned skin. That was a sign she was nervous or in pain or uncomfortable. She didn't take part in any other table's conversations, leaving the prep teams to talk about the Training Parade and the success of Cinna and Portia's costumes. Peeta didn't want to talk either, knowing he would snap at anyone who took a wrong turn on him. He bit his lip, hating his mother for giving him the ability to speak beautiful words and having a harsh, quick anger.

It was a relief when dinner was over. No one seemed to notice the tension between Peeta and Katniss besides Haymitch and, surprisingly, Susan.

Katniss up and left after dinner, saying she had some business to take care of and not to wait upon her. Susan quickly got to teasing Peeta once they sat down around the television to watch recaps of the Tribute Parade. She seemed to have gained back the confidence lost earlier. Everyone was in their own world, talking amongst themselves about what not, to notice Peeta's anger build and build while each tribute was shown in their dramatic costumes.

"I can't believe you like her. You are nothing compared to Finnick. No wonder she never noticed you. She likes them-"

"Shut up!"

Everyone went quiet. The only sound was Claudius and Caesar going on about Twelve's outfits.

Peeta was fuming. He had enough of Susan rubbing his love for Katniss against him. Peeta knew he couldn't help but show it and people knew what had happened. No one said anything about it, but they knew. They saw how it changed Peeta. Susan probably did too and she was using it to her advantage. She knew what buttons to push to get him on edge and it was working. Peeta kept his hands in fists, his knuckles turning white. He had an evil look in his eyes. Did she want another enemy in the Games?

"Okay, squirt. Let's not do anything stupid now. You don't need sweetheart to kill you before you even get into the arena," said Haymitch. He had been sitting lazily in a recliner across from Peeta and Susan, nursing his third drink of the night when Peeta had yelled. He had promised Katniss he wouldn't drink more than she did, but he knew tonight was different. He had planned on limiting himself while she was gone, having promised to take care of her tributes just this once. It was a good thing he did too.

"No! I'm tired of you talking, Susan! Just shut your mouth because you don't know me and you wouldn't understand!"

Peeta was on his feet now, pacing. His light brown eyebrows were burrowed together in anger. Susan sat smugly on the couch still, but Peeta saw the same fear from earlier in her eyes. She wasn't as strong as she played herself. He hated it, but Peeta could use that to his advantage. He didn't want anything to do with Susan's death.

Haymitch was getting worried. Peeta's rage bubbled greater by the minute and he prepared himself to stop the boy from doing anything stupid. Katniss didn't need another problem on her plate. Before Haymitch could say anything to calm Peeta down, the situation was settled.

"I'd like to see what your big mouth can do in the arena when you have me to worry about."

Peeta walked to his room, stomping louder than usual up the stairs and slamming the door. Everyone jumped at that and Effie went into a fit about manners.

Susan sat on the couch stiff, scared of Peeta being her enemy instead of an ally in the arena.

Katniss didn't return to her floor until four in the morning. The sun would be rising in an hour and a half, she could wait up till then. She didn't need sleep tonight, or any of these nights. But the alcohol in her system made her sleepy. Finnick had told her not to drink so much, she didn't listen. He later told her to drink water so she wouldn't have a bad morning, she didn't listen again. Katniss could barely stand with her heels on, let alone walk. She didn't even notice Peeta sitting on the couch in the living room.

Peeta heard the elevator before she even reached the floor. He hadn't been able to sleep so he roamed until he landed on the couch. He couldn't remember how long he'd been there, staring at the empty television in front of him with only the moonlight to guide his sleepy eyes.

Katniss's heels made sharp clinks in the dead of the night, Peeta couldn't help staring at her as she tried to climb the stairs, gripping the handle with all her might and struggling to move her legs up and down. He waited until she tumbled down a second time to go and help her. She giggled quietly as he picked her up. He tried not to gag at her breathe; he could tell she drank herself silly.

"Peeta," Katniss whispered seductively. She laughed this time, making the lovely sound echo in the empty room. Once Peeta grabbed her underneath her knees and pulled her up, tears appeared in her eyes. She sniffled and laid her head on his shoulder. With her face so close to his, Peeta saw how messy her makeup was and how red her eyes had become. "Peeta," she begged quietly.

He had laid her on her bed, quickly taking her shoes off and placing them on the floor. He sat beside her and took the pins out of her hair, throwing them on the side table. After a while, he had pulled probably twenty out and he slowly raked his fingers through her soft hair. He tried to hide the tears he hadn't released in a long time. Her own filled her bright, misty eyes. Peeta avoided those stormy eyes, knowing he would just break down if he took a good look at them. He already noticed her lip pouting and chin shaking. She was about to fall apart.

"Please, don't," Peeta begged. His fingers had stopped, roaming down to grab her small hand instead.

Katniss's breathing quickened. "I'm sorry, really. I am." This made Peeta turn away from her, making the tears spill. She sat up and instantly felt dizzy. "Can you help me change?" He nodded his head and she saw a tear fall from his nose in the moonlight. Peeta grabbed her hands and led her to the closet. Katniss pulled a big shirt out and allowed Peeta to unzip her dress. It fell to the ground in a silky pile. Her back was bare, not having worn a bra. Peeta turned away from her, not able to look at her olive skin without crying more.

Turning to him, she fought the urge to pull him into her arms.

"Are you done?" he asked. His voice cracked and she could see how red he neck was.

Katniss cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes."

Peeta made sure she didn't fall walking to the bed and quietly tucked her in. He turned to leave and expected her to call out to him. When he turned back as he was closing the door, he saw she was facing away from him with a tear rolling down her cheek.

Peeta hadn't heard those screams in so long he thought he was already in the arena and someone was dying a little ways away from him.

It was only what the person was screaming that made him realize where he was.

Katniss's screams pierced the night air. She yelled Peeta's name, probably ripping her vocal cords in the process. Peeta ran out of bed barefoot, going down the hall and to the left where Katniss's room was. Effie and Haymitch were already there, having closer rooms and not being stunned by the noise like Peeta. Katniss was in bed, thrashing around and still screaming. Effie tried to shake her awake but the girl didn't stop.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Peeta asked worryingly.

Haymitch sighed, sitting down on the chair in the corner of the room. "That's what happens when you drink too much. You get stuck." He was staring into a spot on the floor only he could see, tuning Katniss's screams out and imagining his own.

Peeta turned to Effie desperately. "You don't have anything to help her?"

She shook her head sadly. "Sometimes she doesn't sleep at all. She's tried sleeping pills, but those are worse than the alcohol. Those force you to sleep and face your demons." Effie looked at Katniss with pity. She all of a sudden didn't seem as useless as Peeta had assumed her. She actually cared about Katniss. "Don't worry, Peeta. She'll naturally pull herself out soon."

He didn't want to listen to her screaming for another minute, let alone however long 'naturally' was. Peeta marched over to the bed and kneeled down beside her. "Hey, Katniss? Wake up," he whispered. He grabbed her hand and stroked his thumb over her wrist. Her fingers naturally gripped his palm tightly, she heard him and she was asking for help. Peeta quickly sat on the bed and brought her into her arms. She continued to thrash, punching Peeta a few times on the shoulder and chin, but he didn't let go.

"You shouldn't be doing that, squirt." Peeta glanced at Haymitch who was now up and walking towards him.

"What? Are you going to call her boyfriend on me? Where is he while she's like this?"

Haymitch scowled but quickly wiped his face of emotion sighed. He turned to Effie still on the bed. She looked worried, her hands clasped on her lap and teeth grinding against each other. Haymitch raised his eyebrow at her and shrugged sadly. Peeta had never seen them so quiet and normal, secretly talking to each other in gestures. They seemed to have a good relationship, but to the rest of Twelve, they were each other's worst nightmare. Peeta only ever saw Effie's disgusted looks and Haymitch's eye rolls. This was the work of a team.

The room finally went quiet. Katniss calmed in Peeta's arms, lightly snoring against his chest.

"I'll see you in a few hours for training, squirt."

Haymitch walked out of the room angrily. Peeta could hear him talking to a sleepy Susan who awoke just minutes before. He yelled at her to go to bed and mind her business. She grumbled off and her door shut. Effie sighed and quietly left the room, glancing back at the couple before closing the door behind her.

Peeta woke up to a few hours later to Katniss running to the bathroom. He heard the alcohol come back up and decided to leave before she came back. Once he quietly closed the door, he heard the shower begin to run. He ran to his room and showered himself. On his bed, Cinna left a matching set of a black and red shirt and pants. The number 12 was marked on the back. Black boots were left on the floor along with socks. Peeta quickly changed into the outfit and found Susan in the same outfit at the dining table.

Breakfast was laid out on silver bowls. Oatmeal and orange juice were never-ending. Milk was served with dry cereal while cut up fruit was served on sticks. Peeta and Susan didn't mind digging in without the rest of the team awake.

Haymitch arrived after they served themselves, mumbling something about not killing each other until they got into the arena. Effie came later, dressed up in a blue ensemble. No one spoke, the rest of the prep teams didn't join them for breakfast; Katniss never emerged.

"Sweetheart would be telling you this but she's a bit occupied," Haymitch said breaking the tense silence. "When you get to training, hide your talents for the Gamemakers. This will give you a leverage against the other tributes and will surprise the judges. You've already made it known that you both have full mouths when you're angry, so don't let the others poke at you. I'm warning you now, they'll come at you from every angle to get you to tumble. Don't let them."

He stood up to leave, grabbing a glass full of liquor from an Avox on his way out. Effie began to pester the tributes to head along before they were late.

The elevator ride was dull. Every time Susan glanced at Peeta, he gave her a deep scowl. She pretended not to notice but she couldn't stop wringing out her fingers.

The tributes weren't late at all, they actually had to wait a good twenty minutes before everyone showed. Atala, the head trainer, explains what is at each station and tells the tributes how survival skills are more important than any weapon.

"In two weeks, 23 of you will be dead. One of you will survive. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention these next three days. Don't ignore the survival skills, you have plenty of time to fight in the arena. Now is the time to learn. Everyone wants to grab a sword but most will die of natural causes. 20% of dehydration, 10% by infection. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife."

With that, Peeta got to work learning something new every few hours. By lunch, he had learned how to tie some snares, throw a knife a little straighter and he had just begun a lesson in poisonous plants.

The Careers lined up almost all of the tables and sat together, patronizing anyone who wasn't in their group with glares. Once Peeta got his food, he turned to the tables and wondered who he would sit with. He had stayed a loner throughout his training but did notice the Careers eyeing him. Whispers began after he went through the knife station.

"Hey, Twelve!"

Peeta turned to the blond boy from Two. He was waving Peeta over to an empty seat across from a brunette. He didn't know what district she was from but her smirk told him it didn't matter. The girl stared at him until he sat down. He didn't hear her talk much but she continued to stare at him all through lunch.

"So, we saw how good you are with knives. How about joining the Careers?" the blond said. Peeta heard someone call him Cato. His eyes were a piercing green.

Peeta shoved some chicken into his mouth, enjoying the sweet sauce coating it. "Yeah, sure."

Some of the other Careers clapped his back and nodded. Peeta didn't question why they had asked him to join their group. He knew Katniss had made an impression last year on the other and trained districts. She showed everyone how a small girl from a poor district can become a Career in the blink of an eye. Peeta's strength and quick learning were paying off.

The three days of training went by very quickly.

Peeta spent most of the training alone or quiet while the Careers surrounded him. He wanted to focus and learn as much as he could; he wouldn't let the Careers shenanigans get in the way of that. They mostly respected that, staying off his back while he trained, occasionally joking with him. The Careers were more relieved to have him on their side rather than their enemy.

Peeta sat with the Careers during lunch as well and they didn't mind his quietness then either. They had enough to say anyway.

But Susan was different.

She had made zero allies and anyone who tried to talk to her ended up running for their life. Some of them were afraid of her because of her harsh and fast remarks or her evil eyes, but Peeta knew deep down she was a scared, little girl who has no idea what she's doing. He had seen the true Susan and the Susan she played herself as.

Peeta promised himself he would have nothing to do with her death.

The last day of training was a relief, the two tributes were very sore. But every second lay closer to the Games and that brought on more anxiety as the seconds passed. Peeta was getting more restless as his safe days were deteriorating, at the thought of his horrified moments becoming his last.

Peeta sat at dinner the night before the private sessions in silence. His mind was racing at the thought of what he'd show the Gamemakers. He did manage to notice Katniss's absence from the table when everyone began to eat.

Not much later, when Effie was in the midst of talking about preparations for the interviews, Katniss walked in from the elevator.

She walked slowly and had no emotion in her face. Peeta followed her as she took the steps to the leveled dining area. She wore a thick, long-sleeved cocktail dress in a sequenced black. It hugged her body to her waist where it blew out and cut at her mid-thigh. Her simple black heels made little clinks as she walked. An Avox pulled out her chair and Katniss smiled tightly at the young girl. Her motions were slow and robotic, much like the Avox who pushed in the chair with Katniss in it and quietly walked away. At the harsh movement, Katniss grimaced. No one bothered to notice the grimace but did acknowledge her presence.

Katniss didn't reply to Effie when she asked her how her meeting went. She continued to stare at table in front of her. Peeta sat directly across from Katniss and saw how hard she clenched her jaw and the veins sticking out of her neck.

Haymitch saw these things too and quickly got up for a drink. He poured himself one and drank it whole. The rest of the bottle he brought back with a glass to Katniss. He poured her a cup and she slowly took it, finishing just like Haymitch. The rest of the group were gossiping about God knows what while Peeta focused on the situation at his end of the table with Katniss. Haymitch sat at his place at the head of the table, across from Effie, and leaned over to Katniss.

"You need to eat something," he whispered harshly. She gave a stiff shake of her head. "How bad is it?" Katniss didn't respond in any way. "Worse than last time?" She closed her eyes.

That sent Haymitch flying back to his chair and acting as if nothing had just occurred between him and his victor. Peeta was utterly confused but his other emotions were washing over that. He could worry about Katniss if he survived, but now he wanted to listen to Effie about how the training for the interviews would go.

"- Peeta, you'll be with Katniss and Haymitch for the first part of the day. They will go over with you possible questions Caesar may ask during the interview. As for you Susan, you'll be with me and Portia. We will teach you how to properly walk in heels and sit like a lady. That will start after breakfast and end before lunch, then you will switch. Peeta, don't you worry about working with Cinna and me, we won't make you walk around in heels. Although, that would be a sight to see-"

At that moment, Katniss fell over in her seat and onto the floor. Peeta was horrified as he saw her eyes roll to the back of her head and her face go pale right before she fell. He was at her side before Haymitch could even get out of the chair.

When Peeta reached her, he could see pools of blood starting to form where her back met the floor. He tentatively touched her back and he felt the warm blood soak through the fabric of her dress and onto his fingers.

Peeta turned to Haymitch in anger. "Why is she bleeding like this? What happened to her?"

Haymitch was standing above the two, waiting for Peeta to move. "That is none of your business, squirt." He bent down to pick Katniss up and struggled a bit with the alcohol in his system.

Damn, Katniss for limiting him and himself for getting used to it.

Peeta shoved Haymitch away from Katniss and picked her up himself. His white button-up was instantly covered in blood from wounds he did not know of. What was going on?

"Take sweetheart up to her room. Lay her down on her stomach and take her dress off. We'll be up in a bit."

Haymitch quickly went into a room on the side of the dining area with Effie and Cinna in tow. Portia took Susan to the balcony to talk to her about anything else but Katniss.

Peeta stood terrified for a second before he jogged all the way to her bedroom. He followed Haymitch's instructions of laying her on her stomach and removing her dress along with her shoes and the intricate braid her prep team had done. Underneath, she only wore panties but the rest was really a sight to see.

Heavy lashes across her back oozed a dark blood. The lashes went from her shoulders down to her lower back. Some long and thick, open to white muscle and pink tissue while others were small and thin. The thicker ones were the ones bleeding so much. The smaller ones had already started to dry and fill with blood from other lashes. The skin untouched by the leather was a harsh pink, either irritated by the wounds or tinted by dried blood.

Peeta gagged, less at the sight and more at the pain she must be in. The thought of Katniss Everdeen being tortured made his head spin, but the actual sight of the aftermath was worse – much worse.

He couldn't wrap his head around why this could have happened or how she could have stayed upright while getting to Twelve's floor.

Haymitch, Effie, and Cinna ran into the room with medical supplies before Peeta could faint from confusion. They instantly were working on Katniss: Effie soaked up the blood with a wet towel, ignoring the fact that the bedding underneath Katniss was already covered in the crimson liquid; Cinna organized supplies on the nightstand, needles, and string that Peeta thought were for sewing but quickly understood were for stitching wounds; Haymitch, on the other hand, was fussing and pushing Peeta out the door.

"Now's not the time to disobey me, squirt. Get out."

Peeta pushed back. "No! You have to let me stay! Why- why did this happen to her? Who did this?"

Sighing, Haymitch went to open the door and push Peeta out but the boy kept fighting him. Peeta slammed the door in frustration and was instantly against it. Haymitch kept him pinned by the arms, trapping him between the door and Katniss.

"This is really sweetheart's business to worry about. I'm going to need you to leave, squirt."

"Haymitch, let me go!"

"As long as you get out! This concerns you in no way!"

Peeta pushed Haymitch back with all his force and he stumbled away. Dashing around the old man, Peeta fell to his knees beside Katniss and once more was shocked at the sight. Alone from the blood, the lashes looked worse.

Suddenly, Peeta was pulled back by Haymitch's hand and was soon trapped in his tight grip. You would think after a few drinks, Haymitch's strength would be weaker but it really wasn't.

"Please, stop fighting and let him stay. She won't get any worse by it and he can help."

Cinna's calm voice filled the quiet room. His eyes lingered on the boys before they returned to the supplies he was cleaning with his gloved hands and a cloth. Haymitch shoved Peeta onto the floor, angry he would have another thing in the way tonight. He quickly went a drawer of Katniss's and began rummaging for something. Peeta turned to Katniss who was still being worked on. Effie was cleaning her back with the now third cloth. The other two were hastily thrown on the flood, every thread soaked to the core.

Once Effie managed as much as she could, Cinna took her spot next to Katniss and began sewing closed the largest lashes he could, ignoring the smaller and thinner ones. Peeta once more gagged.

Peeta turned away, still on his knees beside the bed, and covered his face with his hands. Hot tears met his palm, he suddenly felt the stinging in his eyes. How could he have any more tears for her?

It was a long while until someone spoke.

"Peeta," Haymitch called. "We could use your help now."

He never noticed Portia had arrived but he listened when she said she had lied to Susan about what happened.

"She didn't really look like she believed Katniss got drunk and hurt herself getting here, but I didn't have much else. I only convinced her when I said she had done it before."

Peeta looked over at the woman in a pointy blonde wig with a purple stripe down the side. "Did she really do that?"

Portia sighed and looked into the boy's eyes. "Yes. It was a long time ago."

He nodded stiffly and went to Haymitch for instructions. "I need you to set her up on the edge of the bed and hold her up while Cinna and Portia wrap the gauze around her torso. Think you can handle that?"

Peeta nodded, grimly. It didn't go unnoticed that Katniss was naked beside her underwear, but Peeta could care less at this moment. Right now was about helping Katniss, not about himself.

He slowly picked her up and sat her down back on the bed. She lay limp against him; her head lay on his shoulder and her shallow, warm breath made him shiver. Peeta kept his hands on her arms to steady her while Portia and Cinna passed a roll of gauze around her torso. Cinna worked slowly on her back and after a while, Peeta couldn't feel most of his body.

A long while later, they were finished. Peeta laid Katniss back onto her bed and stared at her in confusion. He still didn't know what was going on.

Peeta jumped when Haymitch patted his shoulder. "Good job, squirt. You have a big day tomorrow, get to bed."

Cinna and Portia walked Peeta out. Before the door closed, he heard Katniss moan what he thought was his name.

Upon returning from the Training Parade, Katniss and Damon did not speak a word to each other. The rest of their prep team filled the silence with excited chatter about how well the outfits were taken. They didn't seem to notice the tributes' silence until after dinner. Yes, they had smiled and answered when they were questioned but besides that, they didn't say much.

Neither of their heads could stop racing. Training began tomorrow and neither knew what to do about the other. Was it safe to work alone, side by side, best friend to best friend? Would they salvage anything from having an ally? Could they learn to trust another kid from a district miles away who didn't know what to do with themselves either? Could they trust themselves?

No one made a move to ask whether Katniss and Damon were fine while they watched the parade after dinner. Haymitch glared at anyone who even tried, so everyone left them alone. After the parade was over for the second time, Effie bid everyone goodnight and suggested they went to sleep early as well.

"Tomorrow's a big, big, big day!" she said eagerly. Her attempt at lifting the tributes mood failed. She sighed and went to bed. The rest of them followed behind her.

Katniss had already changed into soft pajama pants and a long sleeve when someone knocked on her door. Her hair was still damp and hanging down her back when she opened the door.

"Can I come in?"

"Yes."

Damon walked in barefoot, his own hair damp from a shower and sticking to his forehead.

"We need to talk."

"I know."

"I know a place we could go and hide from it all. It's really beautiful."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Come with me?"

"Alright."

They whispered as if they were hiding from Prim while they played hide and seek. Damon took her hand and dragged her out the door. He couldn't help but keep looking back at her. He loved her hair down; she wore it in a braid every day and he wished she didn't. She looked so beautiful with her hair framing her face. Damon was so drawn he didn't realize where he was going and almost ran into a wall. Katniss managed to pull him back into her chest before he made a bigger fool out of himself. She couldn't help but laugh at him, it broke the silence and the tone from before. Damon chuckled, blushing under his light skin.

"Not funny," he said while dragging her up a flight of stairs.

"Very funny."

Damon laughed again.

The door opened to the roof of the building, twelve stories up. Katniss gasped. They were able to see all the lights of the Capitol, they could even see people walking the streets and driving in their cars. Even better than the view, the roof was covered in gardens of flowers and trees, bringing a sweet scent to the air. Most of the flowers were bloomed and resting nicely until the sun came up and they could eat.

"It is beautiful."

"I know. Haymitch told me we could talk up here and not to stay up too late. He also said some inappropriate jokes that I will not repeat."

"Thanks."

They spoke now in their normal voices. The pressure from before gone. There were no cameras here to listen to they speak or watch them scheme. Something was lifted off their shoulders and they relaxed in the emptiness.

"So…"

Katniss looked at Damon and smiled. "So?"

"Are we working together?"

She nodded. "Why wouldn't we? I don't trust anyone else with my life."

"Me too. I-I don't know why I questioned it. I've been so nervous."

"I can tell. You're tense."

Damon laughed. "I wish I wasn't so easy to read to you."

"You rarely are. Only when you're stressed."

"Oh, but you're a different story. You can't help but show your emotions, especially your anger."

Katniss scoffed and shoved him. She couldn't help laugh when he did. Her cheeks burnt up with embarrassment and she tried to keep calm. They stood by the edge of the building, looking out at the lights of the city. It was so bright, the sky looking empty and blue. No stars were visible, no way to find home.

"I'm scared."

Damon brought her to his chest and wrapped her in his warmth. It wasn't very cold in the Capitol at the time, but being so far up the wind got chilly. He could feel her shaking and not from the wind.

"We'll be okay. You'll go home."

"But-"

"Please, don't. We both have a goal here and you know who's going to win."

Katniss bit the inside of her cheek hard, something she did when she was nervous.

"Katniss, stop that. You'll be fine."

"Do you like me?"

Damon sighed and looked down at the girl in his arms. Her grey eyes were shining up at him and her small frame was pressed up against him in a more romantic way than normal friends. Of course, he liked her, how could he deny it? If he told her the truth, what would happen to them when she won and went home without him? Would it affect their alliance? Would it get her killed?

"Yes." He looked away into the night. The wind had dried his hair and it flew around his forehead. He looked very handsome at that moment, more so than usual. The Capitol lights made his pale skin glow and dark hair stand sharply against his features.

Looking out, Damon asked, "Do you like me back?"

"Yeah."

"That makes what we have to do harder than before."

"It was already going to be as hard."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, we only ever found out right now. If we had a romantic relationship, it would've been worse, but we didn't. Which is good and bad."

"Yeah, I get you."

They were whispering again.

"What are we going to do?"

"Live."

"For how long?"

"For however long we can. And when whoever makes it out alive has to continue. They can't give up just because the other is physically gone. We won't ever really leave each other."

Katniss had tears in her eyes. She knew he was telling her this so she wouldn't be upset when she won. She knew she had a good chance, she knew he would sacrifice himself for her. She knew this was going to be hard, but his words hurt more than they should have. Big, wet tears rolled down her cheeks and Damon's thumb wiped them away. Katniss turned her head away from him, facing the lights of the city. Her skin glowed in the light, her raven hair looking gold from the yellow lights. Damon grabbed her chin lightly and turned her to face him. He took a deep breath and kissed her. Katniss didn't gasp or jump. They both felt a hunger unknown to them, stronger than starvation in twelve. Neither knew what it was but they fell deeper into the hunger every second they were wrapped around each other. She relaxed against his lips, easily falling into him despite her fear. His hands wandered, not really knowing where to go. He was as unpracticed as she was. When she hiccupped from the tears, he licked her lips and entered her mouth. They caved into the hunger becoming savages and taking what they were addicted to. She removed her arms from his waist and put them around his neck; her fingernails scratched his scalp, sending shivers down his spine. His hands gripped her hips greedily. Both were lost in the moment, stuck in a dream they wished they could actually live him.

Katniss found her way back to reality first. She became stiff in Damon's arms and pulled back, leaving him alone in the dream. Her tears reappeared but with anger this time as if he betrayed her. She stepped away from him. Her warmth was gone.

"We-we can't do this."

"I'm sorry. I had to do that. At least once."

"If we're going to be allies, we have to keep it that way. No romance, no friendship."

"Kat, please!"

"No!" Katniss's voice broke multiple times. "If I'm going to lose you, we have to let go now. If you want me to survive in there, I can't be attached to you in that way."

"Then we say our goodbyes now."

She nodded stiffly.

"Goodbye, Katniss."

"Goodbye, Damon."

"I love you."

A sob racked her body.

"Shh, it's okay," Damon whispered to her. He brought her into his arms again, her tears staining his nightshirt. He rubbed her back while she sobbed. "We'll be okay."

The next morning wasn't like the night before. Now that their emotions were set, the tributes became static. They answered when asked, they ate their food quietly and they listened to Haymitch's advice.

Effie seemed concerned letting them go to training like that. Haymitch patted her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Don't worry. They're fighters."

Damon and Katniss wish they seemed like it down at the training center.

Most of the tributes were much larger than even Damon. Even the girls had more on then Katniss ever had. Atala's speech wasn't very helpful either. She seemed nice and all but nice wouldn't cut it in the arena. They eyed each other worryingly, wondering how they would defeat all of them on their own.

"Do you think we should recruit anyone?"

Katniss scoffed. "Why would anyone work with us?"

"Because we have a chance."

Katniss didn't listen to him. She threw her knives in anger. Most of them hit the targets she was aiming at, some didn't. It brought the attention of the Careers either way. Damon stayed away from the knives, practicing some knots he learned at the knotting station. He was always better with knives and Katniss was resenting that at the moment. She threw her knife sloppily and the hilt hit the dummy, bounding off and landing on the floor in a shattering noise.

"Hey! Twelve! That coal dust getting to you yet?"

A raven-haired boy was laughing with his group of friends as they watched Katniss and Damon.

"Ignore them. Don't let them get to you," Damon said under his breath. Katniss had trouble following his orders.

Her next few targets were perfect. The Careers walked away slightly impressed, but not enough to completely ignore them the rest of the day. At lunch, Damon and Katniss stuck together and ate in silence. Their goodbyes were harder on them than they thought. The Careers didn't seem to mind when they jumped into their booth.

"So, Twelve. You guys play well out there, why don't you join us as allies? Hmm?"

Katniss didn't look up from her food to the raven-haired boy. "No."

He scoffed. "You dare say no to a Career?"

She looked at him with bored eyes then down at her food. It was some sort of meat with a sweet sauce and vegetables on the side.

"You know," the raven-haired boy said as he sat down beside Katniss. His group surrounded them on their feet. "Saying no to me means I'll have your blood on my hands."

"Not if yours are on mine first."

The Careers laughed at her comment. Everyone else in the lunch room was quiet, listening in on the conversation and thanking the Lord it wasn't them being attacked yet. The raven-haired boy wasn't laughing but quiet like everyone else. He was destined to kill Katniss for his victory.

"You better watch out for me, twelve."

"Or what? Your ego will shrink without the attention?"

The boy's face turned a bright red in anger and embarrassment. Everyone in the lunchroom laughed, even the rest of the Careers. The boy stomped out of the lunch room, throwing a chair at a wall in the process. There no longer was laughter filling the air and the Careers moved away from twelve.

"That was a good one, Kat."

She smirked. "Thanks."

The rest of the training days went by quickly. Katniss wished they hadn't. Every day was a day closer to Damon's death and her being alone. She didn't know which one she was ready for least.

In between training, Katniss and Damon learned as much as they could about the Careers in order to know what they were up against.

"The group consists of five tributes from four different districts."

"Which ones?"

"The boy from lunch, the one with the black hair, he's from One. Name's Suede. Sounds dumb right?"

"Yeah. I don't know what his parents were thinking."

Haymitch interrupted the couple as they say on the couch discussing. He stood in the doorway to the dining room with a glass of liquor in his hands.

"Suede is a clothing fabric. Made from leather, extremely soft and delicate to water."

Katniss scoffed at him. "How do you know about fabric?"

"Being stuck with Effie's nonsense for so many years, sometimes you listen to something and don't forget it."

Damon laughed at his mentor. "Anyway, the girl from One is named Marina. The girl from Two is Semira, boy from Four: Silas, and boy from Six: Kane."

"I call Suede."

"Not if I get him first. The way he talked to you, I could've killed him then."

"What after? Get yourself arrested and sentenced to become an Avox?"

"Good thing I didn't then."

"Mhmm."

Damon chuckled at her pride. They re-watched everything they could with the Careers filmed in. The Reaping, the Tribute Parade, they even watched them during training to learn how they move. The Careers mostly stuck to lazing around and pulling jokes on each other. When they had to do training directed by Atala, they showed off their skills. They waited for Katniss or Damon to react in fear, but they stayed unimpressed. It made the Careers angry, especially Suede.

Katniss and Damon worked hard at each station, learning new traits every day. They each long for their personal weapons of choice, but Haymitch bit them about it when he saw how miserable they were.

"Keep them secret! It'll help you in the long run and it'll be a surprise to the Careers. It'll throw them off guard, as long as you keep them hidden."

He always spoke with a bottle of liquor in his hands. They questioned his trust, but in the end, realized he was right. Their best power should be hidden until need be. If they wanted to survive, they needed to be one step ahead of the game.

Katniss and Damon knew the weaknesses and powers of each Career by the end of the three days of training.

Suede was good with a sword and hand to hand combat, but bad with a bow and knives. He was impatient when it came to fighting and wanted to release his anger quickly. His hits on the dummies were sloppy and deep, leaving the dolls dead by the third blow. His aim was always off because he didn't take the time, even a second, to check what he was aiming at. He only pulled an arrow back and released, same with his knife. Marina, on the other hand, was okay with a bow and good with hand to hand combat as well; her skills in knives was impressive, being able to spin knives between her fingers as if it were a pen. Her bad quality was her weakness and small amount of energy. She was small, smaller than Prim and she was a child. Marina was Katniss's age but looked twelve and stood that way too. Her brown hair was cut short and childlike but her eyes glowed with evil. She couldn't stand ten minutes in a fight without losing most of her energy. Kane was a tall boy with dirty blond hair that stood straight up. He, like the rest of the Careers, was good with physical fighting and that was about it. Nothing stood out from him and that made Katniss wonder why they recruited him. Silas, being from Four, was good with a trident. Not as good as Finnick Odair, but pretty good. Semira liked her ax a lot, having the muscle to swing it once and kill her opponent instantly. Her only weakness was herself. Damon noticed she pinched herself whenever she messed up.

"You both have a good analysis of your enemies. Now, are you ready to take them down when the time comes?"

Katniss and Damon looked at each other worried. Their comfortable place on the couch now felt intruded by Haymitch's interrogation.

"Come on. You can tell me the truth."

"No."

Haymitch was surprised Katniss was the first to admit she wasn't ready. He knew she was strong, a fighter, but he saw the lost girl inside begging to be saved. He turned to Damon who looked more gone than Katniss.

"But we'll do it either way. What choice do we have?"

Haymitch sighed and downed his drink.

"None."

(8,116)

A/N:

Sorry, this was a few weeks late. I wanted to publish a new chapter every week but damn these have been very, very eventful weeks. And these chapters take a long time to write (I swear, one day I'll hit 10,000 words in one chapter. That'll be the day I die).

*Most of Atala's speech was taken from the book, I just shortened it. I really enjoyed her character and how she wanted to help every tribute, even if they had little chance.

*Also, Damon's line "I'm sorry. I had to do that. At least once." Is from Catching Fire, chapter two, when Gale kisses Katniss in the woods. I thought it fit well for that moment, especially since we won't see much of Gale until later if at all. I'm still working those details out.

I can't wait to get over with the training scores and interviews and get on with the games. Katniss's past section will get bigger as we enter her games (I have a lot of stuff for that ) I'm sort of just pulling the past stuff out of a hat right now and making up stuff as I go.

~Jez xo

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