Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games

Rating: for mentions of death

A/n: To explain one point, as it will arise a few times in this fic: in my general THG universe, the boy from District 7 died in the bloodbath because Peeta was there to slow him down. Anyway, I will update when I have time. My work hours are unpredictable but rest assured the other four worlds are written so all it requires is for me to get home before about 9.30pm. Hope you enjoy!

Five Worlds in which Katniss Everdeen Did Not Become the Mockingjay

I. Annaliese Thyme

Primrose Everdeen is not called for the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. A girl from the Seam – a seventeen-year-old called Annaliese Thyme – is called instead. No one volunteers for her.

Peeta Mellark is called as the male tribute. No one volunteers for him either.

Annaliese is a soft-spoken girl with a shy smile and a sweet personality. Within hours, she and Peeta have become friends. It is Peeta who snaps at Haymitch that he should sober up but it is Annaliese's demeanour that gives Haymitch the idea. He speaks to the District 12 stylists who direct Peeta and Annaliese to hold hands at the Opening Ceremony.

Annaliese thinks about taking it further. She suggests to Peeta that they pretend to be in love. Peeta refuses. Not because of her but because he is in love with a girl in District 12, although she does not even know he is alive. Annaliese tells him that she is in love with a boy from the town who does not know she is alive. They hold each other's gazes for a few seconds more before they admit that if they won together and married each other, they would always think, what if.

(They kiss once, when the cameras are not looking at them. To let themselves pretend that Peeta is her boy from the town and Annaliese is his girl from the Seam. Because, deep down, they both know that they will never have anything more than pretend.)

Peeta gets an eight at training but Annaliese only gets a five. Peeta's star rises with his interview and his winning way with words. Annaliese captures a few hearts. Haymitch chooses Peeta over her although he, of course, does not tell either of them of his decision.

Annaliese dies on the second day when she and Peeta run into the boy from District 7. He is a strong fighter who was too quick for Cato to kill at the bloodbath. Peeta throws him off her a few seconds later but it is too late. He speaks to her as she dies and his words carry a spark that could, one day, inflame a country.

Nevertheless, he dies too. He runs from a forest fire into the Careers. The boy from District 2 beheads him. For the twenty-fourth time in a row, District 12 does not have its winner. Once again, the spark is extinguished because there is no one there to fan its flames.

Katniss Everdeen is affected by the death of the boy with the bread but she cannot explain why to anyone. She recovers relatively quickly although the feeling of owing and the dread that comes with it never leaves her. Marvel Hoffman wins the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. Life in Panem continues the way it did before.

(Incidentally, Primrose Everdeen is not safe. She is called for the Seventy-seventh Hunger Games, when Katniss is too old to volunteer, and dies four days in. The pain of losing her little sister never leaves Katniss but it is not a pain that inspires any form of rebellion. It is a pain that requires great strength of mind to work through. She makes it, but only because Gale Hawthorne is there to hold her together, every step of the way.)