I'm very sorry for this chapter but it is mostly flashbacks that slow the story down and filler, but I found that I needed to have James' point of view with this group of events and to slightly reveal his intentions so it is a necessary evil.

Important Note: Something went wrong with my computer and somehow the names Ella, David and Mary have turned into James. I tried to catch them all, but I'm sorry if I missed one and caused confusion.

Warning: Snow swears in this chapter. A lot. Not the normal Once Upon A Time 'what the hell is this?' or my 'son of a witch' type swearing. Rather some naughty words involving female dogs and references to the world's oldest profession. I apologize in advance if it offends you.

Once Upon a Hunger Game

Chapter 6

James' POV

By the next morning I find that three things have happened. One, the swelling on my cheek from Snow's slap has gone down. Two, Graham has taken Emma's place as Snow's most trusted member of the prep team. And three, things are awkward between Geppetto and I as he readies me for my Skills Showcase.

"You've been working on me for half an hour and have yet to do that fatherly criticism thing where you scold me gently. What's wrong?" I ask the oddly silent Geppetto.

He has an angry frown, "I am very disappointed in your actions last night."

"Hey, you know why I did it. I have a plan."

"Did it ever occur to you that in order to enact out the plan, you might be using her?"

"A little, but she'll understand in the end."

"Will she?" he asks.

I sigh, I honestly don't know.

If I thought things were awkward between Snow and I when we're with our prep team, it's nothing compared to what happens when we are placed in the waiting room with the other Tributes as we wait to perform.

I sit alone, watching as Snow takes a confused Ella to a pair of seats across the room. Watching them, I notice Kathryn from the corner of my eye and she waves. I wave back, but catch the ugliest glare I've ever seen on Snow's face.

"What happened last night?" Thomas takes a seat next to me.

"What do you mean?" I play the fool.

"Well, the second Ella and I entered the room Snow grabbed Ella by the arm and dragged her away from me, muttering something that damn liar Nolan. What happened last night? I thought you planned on telling her your feelings."

"I did plan on telling her."

"You didn't tell her?"

"Worse. I lost her."

Thomas sighs, "Love's the worst. I wish there was a magic cure."

"If there was, I'd bottle it and sell it by the pint," I lay back against the wall.

The room is one large circle with two doors on opposite sides, one across from the other, one to enter, one to exit. Lined against the walls of the empty space are twelve chairs on each side leaving a total of twenty-four places. There's no assigned seating so we all sit wherever we want, but everyone is pretty much sitting with their allies.

Feeling anxious, I involuntarily perform what Snow had dubbed, my anxiety twitch, which was rubbing my chin. I smile as I feel the scar Snow had given me so many years ago on the day we met. It truly was amazing that we had only been twelve at the time and even more amazing to think that forgetting a simple coat would change my life forever.

Father's complaints echoed through my head as I approached the farm, it wasn't so much that I had needed the coat now, but it was supposed to get really cold later that night.

I reached the door and went for the handle when I noticed it. The window was ever so slightly open. I noticed it because I remembered Father saying if I didn't secure it before I left, a thief could break in. It was closing this window and then being rushed by father that made me forget my coat in the first place.

Pausing, I listened carefully. There was a faint rustling.

Someone was inside.

Taking care to not make a sound, I opened the door, slipped inside and checked the house. When I did find the intruder, I was in my parent's bedroom. Rustling through their nightstand, the hooded figure was holding a sack of what appeared to be items from our house, next to the window which was wide open. He pulled out my mother's emerald engagement ring from the drawer, which she had left at home to finish drying from the cleaning solution she had used that morning.

"Found something you like?" I asked the thief.

He started and turned to face me, I was about to grab him when he threw the bag at me, sending me tumbling back. When I righted myself, the thief jumped out the window, ring firmly grasped in his light fingers.

I clenched my teeth; he was not going to get away!

I leapt onto the windowsill, but instead of jumping onto the ground, I pulled myself onto the roof and bolted across. Reaching the other end, I waited until the thief was right below me; he was looking around wildly, trying to locate me.

Timing it perfectly, I leapt onto the thief and pinned him to the ground.

"Show your face, you coward!" I rolled him over. My eyes went wide in shock, "You're a… girl."

The thief smiled at me, "Woman."

She grabbed a rock and smashed it against my jaw. I recoiled clutching my wound and the girl took off still holding my mother's ring.

I didn't know it at the time but that wound would become my identifying scar and the one who gave it to me was a girl named Snow White who would become my best friend and one true love.

But I did know one thing: I was going to see that girl again because I was going to get that ring back.

"You can't hide from me! Wherever you are, I will find you!"

And find her I did.

I hate doing this to Snow, but it's all part of my plan. The plan that Gold, Geppetto and Emma knew, the other one that Kathryn and Regina knew, and the third one that Thomas and Ella knew.

"Thomas?" I ask watching Snow and Ella.

"Yeah?" he answers.

"You're positive that both you and Ella know how to do it?"

"One hundred percent."

Yes I have a plan and the only one who knows the whole thing is me.

I remember what Gold had told me last night when I wanted to pull out from telling Snow that I wanted to be coached separately.

"Don't doubt yourself now, dearie. Love makes us sick. Haunts our dreams. Destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease."

It seemed almost like Gold had been speaking from personal experience.

But he was right, I have to stick to the plan, even if he doesn't know all of it.

I'm going to make sure that District Twelve is going to win the Games this year.

Even if it kills me.

"Thomas Herman."

When Thomas is called, there's no avoiding it anymore, I can't just sit there in silence when she's the only other one in the room.

"You nervous?" I ask.

She looks at me coldly, "No. Are you?"

"No," I lie; I'm terrified and not just of the Showcase.

She avoids my eye, "James?"

I look hopefully at her, "Yes?"

"This coaching separately thing, does that mean that the whole Underdog Alliance is over?"

I sigh, my plan has a very complicated answer to that question and if I told her yes it would be as devastating to my plan as saying no would be.

I choose not to answer her.

We sit in silence and I can't help but remember the last time Snow was this quiet. It had been after I tracked her down, caught her in a net and managed to drag her home to my family. To this day I'm not entirely certain how I got her back to the house. Kicking and screaming for sure, but one thing was clear, Father was furious.

"I'm getting the Peacekeepers!" Father headed for the door. "David, ready my horse!"

"David! George! Sit down!" Mother ordered.

Father glared at Mother, "Ruth, this girl has robbed us and assaulted our son. We can't just let her go!"

"Of course we can," Mother frowned.

"Well, yes we can, but we shouldn't!" Father corrected.

"Look at her George," Mother turned to the thief who sat silently on a chair surrounded by we four Nolans. "She's can't be much younger than the boys."

"What's that have anything to do with the Peacekeepers?" Father snapped.

"Think about it George, you think a girl this age would be breaking into houses if she didn't need help?" Mother asked.

"You think that she needs assistance?" Father frowned in annoyance, if she needed help, he would be obligated to give it to her.

Mother nodded.

"You! Girl!" Father barked. "What's your name?"

With a set jaw, the girl didn't meet any of our eyes, her glare fixed stubbornly on the floor.

"What's your name?" Father repeated.

The girl still said nothing.

"How old are you?" Father tried but to no avail. "Why did you rob us?"

I sighed, hadn't I already told them that the only thing I got out of her was that she has one hell of a right hook?

Looking over to David, I was surprised to see he had on an expression that looked like a mix of confusion and an idea occurring.

"What is it, David?" I asked altering Mother, Father, and the girl's attentions to him.

"Mother?" David was hesitant, "She reminds me of something. I don't know what, but it's something to do with you."

Mother frowned, stood up, walked over to the strange, yet violent, girl, knelt next to her and lifted her chin. The girl instantly put her head back down, but Mother continued to watch her. The girl frowned and her eyes glanced up to my Mother's. After a moment the girl sighed, lifted her head and looked at my mother full on.

The females stared at each other for a few minutes, both with expressions of recognition, yet unremembering of the connection that bound them.

Suddenly Mother gasped and ran into my parents' bedroom.

"Ruth?" Father frowned, watching after Mother as she disappeared into the room and emerged with a picture frame.

Mother knelt beside the girl once more and showed the picture to the girl, "Do you recognize this woman?"

I peered at the picture, it was one of my mother when she was in her mid-teens and standing next to her was a girl about the same age who looked remarkably like the girl who had scarred me.

The girl looked up with wide eyes, "Where did you get this?"

"It was given to me by my childhood best friend, the woman who is in the picture with me," Mother pointed to the strange woman. "At the time her name was Mary Margaret but she took her husband's name of White after marriage and became Mary White. Did you know her?"

"Mary White was my mother," the girl replied.

Mother smiled, "George, it's okay, I know the girl's family and where they live."

"This is Mary's daughter?" Father asked eyeing the girl suspiciously.

"Yes," Mother nodded. "George, David, James, meet Snow White."

"Snow White."

I'm snapped out of the memory when they call Snow for her turn.

She sighs, stands up and takes a look at me.

"Good luck," I smile weakly.

"You too," she has a hint of a sad smile, and then she heads into the room.

I smile, maybe things weren't totally ruined between us. We had this way of saying so much while using so little words. Mother joked that we could read each other's minds and it was true that on occasion we finished each other's sentences, but it was more than that. We could just tell what the other was feeling, no explainations were needed. We would just figure it out. However it only worked if the other wasn't focused on something else at the time. I think that Snow must have been trying to figure something out during these past couple of days; otherwise she would have been able to tell that I had a plan.

It suddenly occurs to me that there's some sort of irritant in my shoe. I remove it and stare in wonder at the pebble that had somehow found its way in. There wasn't really any place that had gravel, so I'm at a loss as to where it came from.

I shake my head and toss it across the room and find that I'm reminded of yet another memory. Seriously, did Gold slip something into my breakfast this morning?

I stood on a riverbank, dressed all in black as I picked up another stone and skipped it across the water. No thought was going through my mind; I barely even registered my actions. I was just numb.

"Are you okay?" I turned to see Snow, also dressed in black, standing at the edge of the forest.

"What do you think?" I picked up another stone and glanced to my right where a tree stands that we had not too long ago eaten blackberries under and entertained the notion of running off into the forest together.

She came up beside me and grabbed a stone of her own.

"How's the party going?" I asked as she skipped her stone.

"You mean the wake?" Snow corrected. "Funny thing, being called a wake, maybe it has to do with the idea that the deceased is 'sleeping'."

I sighed as I watched our stones glide across the water, "How's Mother?"

"She needs you. It's bad enough that she had to bury her son, but now to bury her husband only a few months later-"

"Is that why she sent you after me?"

"I came after you myself."

"Why?"

She looked at me, "You know why."

We stared at each other and for a second I thought she might finally tell me what I so desperately wanted to hear, that she shares my feelings and wants to be more than friends.

But that moment doesn't come. It never has.

"I'm sorry about your father," She skips another stone.

"I'm not," I confess.

"I know."

The silence of nature goes plays around us for a long time, broken by the occasional stone against the water. We don't speak a word, the silence said everything.

"Remember skipping rocks when we were younger?" Snow asked.

"Sneaking off because Father said it was too dangerous because we might fall in-"

"And your mother telling him to loosen up,"

"You did fall in though," I pointed out.

"Only because you pushed me!"

"I still remember the sight of you thrashing in the stream, crying out I will have my revenge, though you never did."

Snow shrugged, "I still might."

"Sure you will," I rolled my eyes.

"Never say never."

"Oh please! When are you ever-"

I was taken completely off guard when she suddenly tackled me and shoved me into the riverbank.

"Oh, it's on!" I chased her across the riverbed as we laughed.

I caught her around the waist and we fell back into the river. We splashed and played in the water for quite some time, neither of us really wanted to go back to the wake. When we ran out of energy we collapsed on the rocky bank, lying side by side.

"Snow?" I looked over to her, we were both panting.

"Yeah?" she smiled.

"Promise me," I frowned solemnly, "promise me that you won't leave me like James and Father did."

She blinked as the seriousness of my request washed over her, "James, I promise that if I can help, I will never leave you."

I laid a hand over hers, "Nor I, you."

"James Nolan."

I look up.

It's my turn.

"You shot the Gamemakers?" I exclaim at Snow.

"Shot at," she corrects as they clear away the dinner plates. "I hit the apple in the roast pig's mouth instead."

"Well that explains some things about my showcase," I mutter. "I knew I should have been the one doing archery."

"We're done for," Graham groans.

"Not yet," Gold enters the room as he straightens out his sleeves; he's wearing a fancy outfit, including yellow tunic with puffy sleeves and a red vest. "The feistiness might work in your favour, besides they should have been paying attention, it's their job to."

Emma frowns at the Victor, "Are you going somewhere?"

"There's a little get-together the Capitol throws for the former Victors and their families every year on the night of the scoring. It's a little reunion, of sorts, for us," Gold explains. Suddenly he looks up at us. Except for Graham, we're all frowning, "What?"

"We just didn't picture you as a sociable type," Snow replies.

"Oh, he isn't," Graham responds, "he only goes there to see one person."

Gold gives the escort the dirtiest look I've ever seen, "I'll mind you not to interfere in my personal life."

"Oh please, this is the only time of the year that you have a personal life," Graham rolls his eyes.

Gold doesn't respond to Graham's comment, "I'll just watch the scoring with you and then I'll be off. Though I must warn you, one of you must have gotten a better score than the District Two boy or tonight won't be very enjoyable for me."

We all settle in to watch the scoring and I notice that Snow seems to have relaxed her hatred of me. It seems like our simple exchange before her test had changed things. They aren't perfect, but they've changed.

There's a brief recap of the reapings, particularly the notable people and some feedback from Doc, Raul and Paul but eventually they get on this the scoring in the order of District and boys first then girls. The headshot of the Tribute is shown with their name, District and their score underneath.

The first name comes up as Doctrine "Doctor" Whale.

"Looks like they decided to go with the nickname," Emma rose a brow.

"It's easier than fighting it," Graham replies.

"Would you two shut up?" Gold seems to be a little on edge tonight, especially towards Graham. I wonder what's got him so wound up.

The score appears on the screen.

Doctrine "Doctor" Whale

District One

8 Points

"Typical Career score," Gold smirks, he seems giddy, like it's a failure on the part of District One's Male Mentor.

Next is Kathryn's score, she seemed to do so badly throughout the training, I can't help but wonder what she'll get.

Kathryn Abigail

District One

9 Points

"NINE POINTS?" Snow exclaims. "HOW IN THE HELL DID THAT SPOILED LITTLE WHORING BITCH GET NINE POINTS? WHAT'D SHE DO? FLASH THEM?"

Snow was right; I have no clue how Kathryn could possibly be that good. Now I'm not sure who's more likely to kill me when they discover my plan, Snow or Kathryn.

"NO, I WILL NOT SIT DOWN, YOU CHILD SETTING ON FIRE, SIGN WRECKING, ALMOST SHERIFF!"

I'm going to have to go with Snow.

"You were almost a Sheriff?" Graham asks Emma.

"Yeah," Emma yanks Snow back down to her seat. "But I didn't take the job."

Graham frowns, "Why not?"

Emma shifts uncomfortably, "I don't want to talk about it."

"You!" Gold snaps. "Zip it, I need to hear the District Two boy's score. I'm not about to let that egocentric barge flaunt his Tribute over mine again this year!"

Archard Bannen

District Two

8 Points

Gold looks over at Snow and I, his eyes run over us as if sizing us up and then begins muttering some calculations.

"I think… Yes." Gold nods. "At least one of you should have beaten that score."

"Otherwise goodbye sponsors," Graham whispers to Snow and she laughs.

A flash of heat courses through my body. It's jealousy. Not the kind that had Snow standing on her chair screaming profanities at Emma, type jealousy, but the fact that now Graham and Emma seem to be taking my place as Snow's best friends. Snow and I seem to be the furthest from best friends right now, and she's made so many new friends.

I wonder if I'm even in the top ten anymore.

Mother was right, the Arena changes people, it had changed us, and we hadn't even entered it yet.

I blankly watch the names appear only taking interest in a few, like Regina's, which surprises no one.

Regina Mills

District Two

10 Points

"He might have you on that one Gold," Graham points out.

Gold shakes his head, "That boar had nothing to do with the girl's training."

Jiminy Cricket

District Three

5 Points

Leroy Grumps

District Four

7 Points

Astrid Nova

District Four

7 Points

Billy Woodsman

District Five

3 Points

"Probably made a fire," Snow mutters.

Ruby Riding

District Five

7 Points

"I'd keep my eye on that one," Gold advises.

Sleepy Shuteye

District Nine

5 Points

Sneezy Dwarfson

District Ten

8 Points

Then a name that I'm actually interested in appears on the screen.

Thomas Herman

I gulp, last year Alexandra got a four, it was quite literally entirely my brother's doing that Alexandra got third place. Thomas seems to be quite skilled, but how skilled?

Thomas Herman

District Eleven

8 Points

Eight? Suddenly I'm worried about what would happen if it got down to the two of us.

Next it's Ella's turn and I fully expect that she'll be another Alexandra. My guess would be that she got a four, maybe, just maybe, a five.

Ella Boyd

District Eleven

7 Points

Seven? Now I'm really worried.

"Here we go, James is next," Emma says.

Geppetto clasps me on the back, "You'll do wonderfully."

James Nolan

District Twelve

9 Points

Nine points? Nine? Well I always knew that my fencing was rather good, but a nine? I'm better than I thought.

Gold is beaming as he claps me on the back, "Congratulations boy! You just made my evening. I can gloat all night to that District Two brute about how much better my tribute is."

I look over at Snow, she looks so nervous.

"They'll give me a one. A big fat one to ensure I don't get any sponsors at all," Snow frowns.

"I'm sure they'll give you at least a three," Graham says.

"I'm doomed," Snow groans.

Emma places a hand over Snow's, the raven headed girl looks up and meets her eyes. After a while Snow weakly smiles and Emma nods.

"Here we go," Emma says.

Snow White

District Twelve

11 Points

Our jaws hit the floor.

"Eleven!" I'm not sure who exclaims, I think it was Emma and Graham, but might have been all of us.

Suddenly, I see a sight that is so strange and absurd, that I never could even have conceived it.

Gold is hugging Snow.

"You did it! You did it!" He lifts her off the ground. "They always say that District Twelve is a throwaway! But this year! This is Rumple's year!"

He sets Snow down, and she looks horrified, "I don't know if I should feel honored or violated."

Rumplestiltskin then takes turns entrapping us in hugs. All of us. Me. Emma. Graham. Geppetto. Even some poor attendant who came to clear the last few dishes away.

Releasing Graham, Rumplestiltskin has a skip in his step as he makes his way to the lift.

"Finally! For once, something is going right!" He laughs. "Just keeps to your Kathryn plan, James, and we'll be just fine!"

Gold pauses at vase of red roses, he grins, plucks one from the jar, winks at Graham and disappears in the lift.

I frown, "Happy Rumplestiltskin scares me."

"He scares us all," Graham has the same horrified look as I do.

"What Kathryn plan?"

I turn to face the speaker. Snow does not look happy.

"Snow," I frown.

"What Kathryn plan?" She seethes.

I look at Graham and the stylists, "You see, Kathryn offered me a spot on the Career team and I-"

"I knew it," She advances on me. "I knew it!"

"Now, Snow," I walk backwards, away from Snow's steps, "calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down!" She screams. "How can I calm down? You betrayed me! You've betrayed all of us! Thomas! Ella! Your mother-"

"Hey! I have done nothing of the sort!"

"Oh, don't give me that! I've seen the two of you! She's all over you, and you take it like you have no pride!"

"Snow, you have to listen to me-"

"No! I'm done listening to you!" Snow shoves me. "You only ever make things worse! You messed up my deal with the trolls! You worried Henry, instead of looking out for him-"

That makes me snap, "Oh, well, I'm sorry if I couldn't meet your standards of looking after Henry! I mean, it's not like I volunteered his spot in the Hunger Games or anything!"

"Oh, don't throw that!"

"Then don't throw the trolls in!"

"Oh, I'll damn well throw anything in!"

"You're being ridiculous! I thought that after five years of friendship you'd be honest with me!"

"And you've always been honest about everything?" She counters.

I frown, what was that supposed to mean? Wait a second.

"Oh, Gods," I whisper, she's finally figured it out. Why now of all times? This could ruin everything.

"You know what?" Snow's voice is cold and threatening like the edge of a knife, "You and Kathryn deserve each other! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds not be ever in your favor! David!"

With that last cutting remark, she storms out of the room. Graham follows shortly, no doubt to comfort her, comfort her like I used to once upon a time.

"She knows," I turn to look at Geppetto and Emma.

Emma sighs, "I think she knows how she feels, but not how you do."

I ran a hand through my hair, "What do I do?"

"Continue with your plan, whatever that may be," Emma replies.

I sigh and look at Geppetto, "Should I?"

He has a sad slight smile, "She'll understand."

"Will she?" I ask.

"James, I can't tell you if she'll understand or forgive you, but I do know one thing." Emma crosses her arms over her stomach, "If it's meant to be, somehow, someway, one day, it will happen. But if it's not meant to be, no matter how many tears you cry or hard you try, that love will go anyway, and you'll never get it back. Love is precious, especially the love of one person for another, and if you lose them, a part of you will never be whole again. Trust me, I know."

I feel like there's something behind Emma's words, and in any other situation I would push to hear the story.

But all I can do is look at the door where Snow and Graham left, and think how the only end to this tragic love story was at least one of us returning home in a pine box.

But if I could help it, it wouldn't be Snow in that box.

"Alright, for Snow."

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Next Chapter: Roses, a plan gone wrong, and Belle's dirty little secret.