This is my first attempt at a Hunger Games fic, so if you like it reviews are greatly appreciated! The more reviews the faster the story goes up. Nothing like encouragement to get the juices flowing. Hope you like the story! Enjoy!

As I stare at the girl in the mirror, I look at her unblinking. White dress. Wedding dress. Done by none other than Cinna's hands. I don't think he could make anything ugly, even if he was trying. There was just something about his talent that I'll never quite understand. But I admire it more than words can say. This dress is gorgeous and I can't imagine wanting to wear anything else. Sure it's got the Capital written all over it, but Cinna has also made it simple. Elegant? Yeah, elegant. I can't even think of another dress that would be more perfect. The veil in itself is something wonderful. Though, thankfully, is simple as well. The Capital may not like the veil as much, and nor would President Snow, but Cinna insisted.

I can't believe that I'm here, though. I'm getting married. Married to Peeta. While that sounded like a horrible disease – no, not a horrible disease, just I hadn't really thought about it when I suggested it. And looking back on it, I can see why Peeta would be upset. "He wanted it to be real." Haymitch had told me that much, but the more I've thought about it…well it's not entirely unreal…I'd just never really thought about it. Snow wants a show, and so we're giving him one, but part of me wonders why I'm so calm. What am I so calm?

"You look beautiful."

I don't even have to turn, I'd know that voice anywhere. Peeta. I don't know what it is about his voice but that is always something soothing about it. A sense of security I don't know how to explain. But I do turn to face him, and with as stern a voice as I can muster, "you're not supposed to be in here."

He smiles at me. "Madge made you something and she insisted that you must have it with you…I'd forgotten about it till right now." He holds out his hand and inside it lies a handkerchief. Mine and Peeta's initials on it. All capitalized letters but there's a smaller K on the left and a smaller P on the right. In the middle is an M. K for Katniss. P for Peeta. And M for Mellark. Mellark. The thought stops me. M-e-l-l-a-r-k. Peeta Mellark. Katniss Mellark. Katniss Everdeen Mellark. Mrs. Peeta Mellark. I'm going to be Katniss Mellark. The thought makes me tilt a little bit. "Are you okay?" Peeta is frantically grabbing my arm.

"Uh, yeah," I look up at him, "just need to sit down a minute."

"Can you even sit in that thing?" Peeta questions staring at the dress.

I hadn't really thought about the sitting down part. Something I'm definitely going to need to ask Cinna about. "I guess not." I'm more than a little frustrated. "Wait," I'm recalled back to the fact that Peeta is in my room. "Shouldn't you be somewhere else?"

"I'll go anywhere you want me to, Katniss," he beams at me. His smile is infectious and I don't know why, but I'm smiling too…I'm blushing. Oh why does he have to say things like this in such an offhand way? It's like he says them without even thinking about them. God, his honesty kills.

"Well," I say, "you should probably go get ready."

"Katniss," his head drops, "I'm wearing a suit. What more do I need to do?"

I have to laugh. He makes a good point. "What, Portia didn't give you a gorgeous gown that you can't sit down in too?" He smiles and I'm smiling. "Well, that's not fair. Now we won't match." I give a pouty lip, which sends Peeta into some frantic hysterical laugh. I try to calm him down but his laugher is infectious and I'm laughing too.

"Oh," Peeta says snapping out of his laughing. "I meant to give you this…" he watches my face as he pulls a box from his pocket, "this one is from me." I tentatively reach forward and grab the little box from his hand, as I open the box up I'm surprised – but then not surprised, because it's Peeta – to see a simple but elegant engagement ring. I look up to meet his eyes. "I figured, well, I thought…" he stammers. "Will you wear it?" I barely know what's happening, but I'm nodding. He takes the ring from the box, discarding the box onto the bed and gently slips the ring on my finger. Then when he looks up to meet my eyes this time, there's pain…some sort of agony in his face…

"Peeta?" I don't even know what to say. "What's wrong?" He shakes his head. "No, come on, tell me."

He inhales sharply and exhales loudly. "I didn't think you'd wear it."

"Why not?" I'm genuinely puzzled by this. Of course I would wear it…wouldn't I?

"I don't know," he shrugs, "because you haven't been to gung-ho on this whole, getting married to me thing." Before he can continue I place two fingers over his mouth silencing him. There is real pain here, pain I hadn't noticed before. "He wanted it to be real." Haymitch's words stick to my consciousness like a vice.

"Peeta—" I suddenly want to tell him that this was a choice and I've made it. I've chosen. I've chosen a life with him. This whole conversation takes another toll when I step forward and kiss him on the cheek. This feels so natural, so right. But it's also scary me. Is it possible that I love Peeta? He's always been there for me, and I don't question his love at all, it's all out in the open. Not just for the camera's. Peeta loves me unconditionally, and I merely chose to marry him because I'm afraid of Snow…but now I'm wondering if there were underlying feelings there this whole time. There was that one kiss in the cave…it made me want more…anytime I think about that kiss I want more. Is it possible that I've loved – cared – about Peeta all this time? Have I been to blind to notice? Too stubborn to listen to my heart? I'm about to say something else to Peeta when Effie bursts in the door and my hands drop to my sides and Peeta turns to face Effie.

"It's another big big big BIG day you two!" She's entering the room now, but then stops at the word two. "Peeta!" She gasps. "What are you doing in here?"

"He was—" my voice cracks. "Just giving me this." I hold my left hand up so Effie can see the engagement ring that Peeta gave me. She sighs before shaking her head and ushering Peeta out of the room, saying there will be plenty of time later for us to give each other things. We both know she's right, so Peeta leaves without argument, but not before placing a light kiss on my cheek and giving my right hand a squeeze and then he's gone from the room. Effie prattles on for an undiscernable amount of time before Haymitch enters the room.

"Shouldn't you ladies be heading out now, sweetheart?" He's a little wobbly, but at least he's present. Effie suddenly realizes we're behind schedule – two minutes, which for Effie is more like an hour – and she is rushing us out the door so fast I nearly fall face down on the floor. Thankfully Haymitch was able to catch me before I fell. "Effie driving you crazy?" he whispers. I barely get out an answer before Effie is pulling me into an elevator. "You ready for this, Katniss?" I nod but there are tears running down my face and then my nod turns into me shaking my head. Effie starts to complain about the makeup but Haymitch just wraps his arms around me. "It's gonna be okay sweetheart. You're gonna be okay."

After a few minutes I get ahold of myself and wipe my face off with Madge's handkerchief. Oh thank God for Madge. It's only then that Haymitch notices the ring on my finger. "Where'd this come from?" he asks picking up my hand and examining the ring.

"Peeta."

"Yes," Effie continues, "he was in her room when I got there." She continues to go on and on about how the grooms not supposed to see the bride before the wedding, and is nothing sacred, and endless, endless banter about wedding etiquette and how Peeta and I are not following it very well thus far. Not that we care. Effie ushers us out of the elevator, to a chariot. Yes, a chariot. Apparently no other mode of transportation is acceptable for the girl – and boy, I'm always having to add that part, no one seems to remember that Peeta was too – on fire, despite the fact that this dress makes it nearly impossible for Haymitch, Effie and I to ride in the same one all the way there, but we make do.

Just before we get to the doors of the Justice Building of the Capital, much nicer than in any of the districts, Haymitch stops me and pulls me so that I'm facing him. He looks nervous but I wait for him to talk, "now, this might be asking a lot. But as your mentor I feel personally responsible for—" I cut him off.

"I'd be honored," I smile at him. We are so much alike that he really doesn't need to finish his question, or request, of course I'll let him walk me down the aisle. With my father not being here, Haymitch is probably the person in my life closely resembling a father – though mine never drank like Haymitch does – and he did keep me alive in the Hunger Games. I'm pretty sure I can trust him with walking me over some carpet…and I might need his support. I just might fall over.

Just before the doors open I clench onto Haymitch, "please don't let me fall." I beg him.

"If you make sure I don't fall, and I make sure you don't fall, nothing can go wrong right?" He smiles and we both laugh. We are still laughing as the doors open, but we stop almost instantly. As we start up the rows of Capital people, I see many faces of people I don't know. I can already picture the faces of my prep team, because they'll notice whatever my crying did to my makeup. My mother, Prim, Gale, Hazelle and the rest of her kids will be somewhere near the front. Gale! I haven't talked to Gale. Not that I should. I'm marrying Peeta and all. No, anything that I may have felt for Gale needs to be pushed as far away as possible. Nowhere near me if I can help it. I want to just throw them out the window and never look back. I can't be married to Peeta and have feelings for Gale, that is wrong on so many levels. Just then I look down the long aisle and see Peeta. He's smiling. No one in their right mind would doubt that he loves me. Everything he's ever done is for me. He protected me in the Games, and he's never ratted me out, or called me out on anything…she's just been, unfailingly good. The boy with the bread is mine. He's mine. For some reason this causes my heart to flutter a little. And I realize I won't ever have to face my nightmares alone again. If anything good is coming out of this marriage, that would definitely be one of them.

We're nearing the front now and I unintentionally lock eyes with Gale. There is nothing but anger and hatred in his gaze. Nothing. He is not happy at all, and I doubt there's anything that I can do about that. I look away quickly and lock eyes with Peeta. Those wonderful blue eyes. He doesn't even need to say anything, his face says it all. And for once, I'm not worried about what this day might bring, because I've got Peeta. And just like we weathered the Victory Tour together, we'll weather life together too. As soon as I make this revelation I see Peeta's hand is outstretched to me, I take it and squeeze it, just to let him know that I'm here. Haymitch takes a seat and the wedding goes by so smoothly that I'm just waiting for something dramatic to happen, perhaps that's because of the Games. I see so many things differently now since then.

Before I know it the officiate has signaled for Peeta and I to kiss. I'd forgotten this part of the wedding, but as Peeta reaches for me, I reach for him. It's not a rough kiss, but it's not a peck either. It's just enough for the Capital people to "aww" and the districts to believe it was an actual kiss. What am I talking about? It was an actual kiss. Turning to the crowd we're introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Peeta Mellark. Mrs. Peeta Mellark. It's final now. I am Katniss Mellark. And my life will never be the same again.