Archive of Our Own

"Ladies first," Effie Trinket trilled, and Prim stopped breathing and wondered if she'd be able to hear the name over the blood pounding in her ears.

"Primrose Everdeen!"

Her breath started again in a painful contraction of her lungs. She couldn't make herself believe that this was real that she had been called, but her feet were already forcing her to move towards the stage. She lifted her head and clenched her hands, because if nothing else, she had her pride. Her breathing evened out, although it seemed much faster than normal.

Don't cry. Prim had seen enough footage of the Hunger Games to know that everyone would be seeing this. She didn't want to cry in front of the whole country. Some part of her whispered it wouldn't help anyway, so she blinked back the tears and focused on other things.

She could smell the bakery nearby, wafting warm scents of bread every now and then, when the wind changed enough that she didn't smell the coal mine. The bright banners fluttered in the breeze overhead, and there were cracks in the packed earth beneath her scuffed shoes. But most of all, she could hear the muttering of the crowd, that low, disapproving sound that happened when a twelve year old was chosen. People didn't like that. Prim didn't like any of it, and she supposed that neither did anyone else, but a twelve year old was somehow the worst of all.

Then, over everything else, she heard an anguished cry from the audience. Her head snapped up and she looked over to the audience. Katniss was straining against their mother's hold, trying to reach Prim. "I'll go," Prim heard her saying. "I'll go instead. I volunteer."

Their mother pulled Katniss back with a strength that Prim didn't often remember her mother had and whispered something into Katniss's ear, most likely a reminder that she was nineteen, and that if she continued to make a fuss, the Peacekeepers would have to take action. Prim wanted to run over and hug Katniss- to be honest she wanted to just hide there in her arms and never let go- but she couldn't. She finished making her way to the stage and climbed it slowly.

Effie Trinket was holding out a hand to her, her smile nailed into place. It didn't cover the disappointment in her eyes. The youngest Victor that Prim could remember hearing about had been fourteen; twelve-year-olds brought no glory to escorts. But as bad as Effie's expression was, Haymitch Abernathy was worse. He was slumped in a chair beside the mayor and looked up as Prim came onto the stage, then snorted in disgust and looked away. Prim had to blink very fast to keep from crying.

"Aren't you a pretty thing," Effie said as Prim stood by her and faced the crowd, trembling. "And such an honor! Are you excited?"

Prim stared up at her incredulously. Who could possibly be excited about being in the Hunger Games? But if she said no… you just didn't do that. "I'll miss my cat," was all Prim could think to say.

Effie trilled with laughter. "Oh, sweetie, of course you will." She patted Prim on the head and then delicately wiped her hand on her skirt. "And now for the boys." She reached into the reaping ball. "Our boy tribute will be… Peeta Mellark!"

Mellark. Prim looked over to the audience again, searching for the baker whom she often traded with. His face was glum; his wife's face was empty. It was easier to look at them than to risk seeing her own mother or Katniss.

Prim had seen Peeta around, although she didn't know him at all. He was eighteen, a year behind Katniss in school. As he mounted the stage, he seemed very tall to Prim, even though she knew he wasn't compared to most of the older boys at school. But Effie's smile as she greeted him was much more genuine and enthusiastic, and Haymitch even looked up with a little interest. Peeta didn't look at Prim- he just stared straight ahead.

"Wonderful," Effie said, clapping her hands together. "Now. Are there any volunteers?"

Prim wished she could believe that someone would volunteer, but no one ever had in District 12. Finally, the mayor got heavily to his feet and began to read the Treaty of Treason, and Prim's muscles relaxed a little. She snuck another peek at Peeta, and to her surprise, saw that he was looking at her from the corner of his eyes, too. He smiled a little at her- just a tiny bit- but it made Prim feel a little better.

That feeling dissolved immediately as she looked back over at Haymitch. He lurched to his feet, regardless of the fact the mayor was still speaking, and glared at the nearest camera. "This is what you give me? This is what I get?" He lurched drunkenly, then turned on Peeta and Prim. Prim took a step back, not quite certain Haymitch wasn't going to attack her here. "Cowards," Haymitch growled, then turned back to the camera. "Fucking cowards!" He gestured wildly, overbalanced, and fell off the stage.

Coward. Prim kept hearing the word as others attended to Haymitch. She didn't want to kill anyone and she certainly didn't want to die, but Prim realized she didn't want to be that girl that the Capitol called a coward. She made up her mind that, no matter what came at her, she was going to face it. She was going to be brave, like Katniss. Involuntarily, Prim looked toward the area where Katniss had been standing. To her surprise, her sister wasn't there. But before Prim could analyze that, she and Peeta were being taken into the Justice Building.

The Peacekeepers locked her in a room with smooth, painted walls, thick carpets, and velvet couches and chairs. Prim stood in the center, looking around as her whole body started to tremble. The shock was starting to wear off, and the reality was sinking in. She was going to the Hunger Games. And she was going to die. She stood there shaking until the door opened up, and her mother came in, followed by Katniss.

Somehow Prim ended up sitting on a couch, her mother's arms around her. But it wasn't until Katniss dropped Buttercup onto her lap and Prim touched his soft fur that she could calm herself back down. Buttercup purred as she pet him, and she looked up at Katniss. "Thank you."

Katniss nodded. "Listen, Prim," she said, kneeling down in front of her. Buttercup hissed softly at her, but Katniss ignored him. "In the Training, there's always survival stations. Don't even worry about learning to fight with a weapon, just go to the survival stations. Learn everything you can. You're good at plant life, but make sure you learn the ones they teach you, because there may be plants you've never seen. Learn to trap, to track, to build a fire, anything that can keep you alive. And then when you get into the Arena, grab what you can and run and hide. Hide as much as you can."

"It doesn’t matter," Prim said, her throat closing up horribly. "I can't win."

Katniss lurched forward, grabbing her arms. "Yes you can. Tributes have won by hiding before."

"But not twelve-year-olds! There's never been anybody so young who's won the Games!"

Her mother squeezed her tight. "There always has to be a first time," she said, her voice hoarse. She didn't sound like she believed it. Prim buried her face in her mother's shoulder for a moment and would have stayed there, but Katniss pulled her out again.

"Stay away from the Careers," Katniss continued, like Prim and their mother hadn't spoken. "Before the Arena, too. Don't do anything to attract attention. Be quiet and blend in. There won't be a lot of sponsors, but that's okay. If you can make them forget you're there, you've got a better chance."

"But-"

"You can do this, Prim. I can't believe anything else. You can come home."

Her face was so grim and set. Prim knew this side of Katniss, had seen it a lot. When she was younger, she thought that when Katniss went all stern and hollow like this that she didn't care, that Prim was a burden. Now she knew that this was Katniss's way of functioning when she was upset- she shifted into survival mode. If Prim wanted to live, or at least make it through to her death, she had to be like Katniss. She had to shut everything off. She straightened up, brushed her eyes, and tried to stop crying. "All right. I'll go to the survival stations."

"And eat," Katniss said, glancing at the door because their time was waning fast. "From the moment you get on the train to the moment you go into the Arena, eat and drink everything you can."

"I will. Katniss?"

"Yes?"

"Will you take care of Buttercup for me? Please? Don't let him starve."

Katniss froze for a moment, staring at the cat. Prim thought she might refuse, but then Katniss lunged forward, hugging Prim so tightly that her breath was almost cut off. "I'd have gone for you if I could," Katniss said into her ear.

Prim nodded, the tears threatening to well up again. "Well," she said, in a small voice that didn't sound like hers at all, "it would get you out of the mines."

All three of them started laughing, even though there was nothing funny about this or their lives in District 12. Prim wished desperately she could stay right here forever, but all too soon the Peacekeepers were coming, and Katniss, their mother, and Buttercup all had to leave.

"He shouldn't have been in here," one of the Peacekeepers told Katniss.

"Won't happen again," Katniss said sourly. She turned back to Prim, her face all sorrow, words frozen on her lips.

"I love you," Prim told them. "I love you both."

"We love you, too." It was their mother who said it, gently, with the tone of a benediction. Katniss just nodded, but that was all right. Prim knew she meant it, too- Katniss never needed to say it. Then they were gone, and the door closed behind them.

Prim had no idea who else would want to visit her in this time. She had friends, but she wasn't so sure her parents would let them come. Too risky, too sad, too… she didn't know. She sat frozen on the couch, waiting for someone to tell her what to do next. The door opened, and Gale Hawthorne came in. That surprised Prim- she knew he was Katniss's best friend, and she suspected he might have been her brother-in-law if she'd gotten to stay in the District, but she didn't expect him to come. "Hi," she said tentatively.

Gale cut straight to the chase as he sat down beside her. "I assume Katniss told you to go to the survival stations, right? And keep a low profile?" Prim nodded. Gale cleared his throat. "Listen, I think Katniss is right and it's your best chance. But if you find that you can't do it…" any trace of a smile slipped from his face. "Step off your plate at the Cornucopia."

That shocked Prim. "What?"

Gale shifted his weight uncomfortably and took Prim's hand. "I'm not saying it's what you should do," he said. "But if you look at the other Tributes or you freeze or something, just step off your plate before the gong. It'll be over quick that way."

She should pull her hands away and say how horrible that was, but Prim found herself nodding. Not because it was something she was considering, but because it was an option. And because of the calm, grown-up way Gale was talking to her. "Is that what you'd want Posy to do?" she asked.

"I don't know. I think it would depend on the others that year. But if she did, I'd be relieved it was over for her, and I wouldn't blame her. But see what the other tributes are like. Maybe you can outlast people by hiding. And you're good with healing. You could use that to form an alliance."

Prim nodded again. She hadn't even thought about an alliance. Of course, she hadn't really had time to think about anything.

"Here." Gale pressed something into her hand. It was a slender, silver ring with a rose on it. It was tarnished and the rose had coal dust deep within its petals. "It was my mom's, and it seems appropriate for you."

Prim's eyes teared up. "I can't take this."

"Yes you can. You need a token, right?"

Prim turned the ring over in her hand. She wondered why Gale had a ring in his possession, but when she looked up at him, his eyes told her not to ask. She swallowed around the lump in her throat and put it on. "They'll send it back," she whispered. "Will you give it to Katniss when they do?"

He nodded solemnly. "I'll take care of her."

Prim gave him a watery smile. Gale rose to his feet, smiling grimly at her. "Good luck, Prim. And remember what I said. You don't have to play it their way."

"I'll remember." She watched Gale leave, and then turned back to the couch, pulling her arms in as she sat, ramrod straight, waiting. Without anyone here, her nervousness began to grow again, until her stomach was a tight mass of butterflies and her mouth was dry.

Finally they came for her. Peacekeepers in white uniforms. One had red hair, and he had a frown, like he really didn't want to do this. Prim barely noticed- by now she was trembling so hard that the red-haired Peacekeeper had to help her stand. He nudged her and she walked outside between them, into the sunlight that blinded her after the cool darkness of the Justice Building.

She saw Peeta Mellark approaching with his own contingent. His eyes were red and puffy, and he gave her a weak and watery smile. Prim smiled back the best she could, understanding how he felt perfectly, then searched the faces of the crowd. Her mother was crying as she blew kisses to Prim, but Katniss stood still, her face angry. When Prim passed her, Katniss kissed her middle three fingers and raised them above her head in the District 12 salute that was a farewell to someone who was loved. Prim couldn't help it- a sob choked her and the tears finally began to fall, right as she got onto the train. She rushed to a window and climbed up on a couch so she could see her family, and watched them the entire time, until the train lurched into motion and they faded into specks on the platform, and then out of sight.

"Well, now." Effie came into the car, and Prim turned around, noticing for the first time that she wasn't alone. Peeta was standing in the center of the car helplessly and Haymitch Abernathy was slumped in a chair. But the cameras were gone, the train was moving, and the reality sunk in, and Prim suddenly began to cry. Really cry- big, noisy sobs that clogged her nose and made her chest hurt. Haymitch snorted and looked away.

"Oh, now really." Effie rolled her eyes as she handed Prim a handkerchief. "It is a great honor, you know, and you won't get any sponsors if you do that."

"There's no one here to see her," Peeta said. He sat down on the couch beside Prim and put an arm around her. Heedless of anything but warm comfort, Prim buried her face in his chest and sobbed until there was nothing left. Peeta hugged her, patting her back until Prim finally let go.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Primrose," Effie sang out, tapping her foot and extending the handkerchief. "Manners."

Peeta took the handkerchief from Effie and used it to wipe Prim's cheeks before handing it to her so she could blow her nose. "Nothing to be sorry about," he said. "I did the same thing myself, back in the Justice Building. Feel a little better?"

"Not really."

"Yeah. Me neither." Peeta gave her a crooked smile. "But at least we got it out, and now we can focus on what we have to do, all right?" He turned to Haymitch. "You're our mentor. What should we do?"

Haymitch, who was staring glumly out the window, didn't even look at them. He gave a short bark of dry laughter and said, "Stay alive."

Peeta rolled his eyes. "That's not very helpful."

"Yeah, well it's all the help I can give you." Haymitch lurched to his feet. "I'm going to go find a drink." He ignored Peeta's anger and Prim's confusion and stumbled out of the car.

Effie sighed heavily. "Well, then." She took a deep breath, clasped her hands together, and turned back to Prim and Peeta. "Let me show you to your rooms."

By the time Effie came to collect her for supper, Prim had wrinkles in her fingers from standing in the shower so long, but she was clean, wearing a pink dress she'd found in the drawer, and feeling much more composed. Still scared, but at least under control. Effie led her out to the table, where Peeta was waiting. Haymitch was nowhere to be seen.

"After we eat, we'll be able to watch the other Reapings," Effie told them. "You'll be able to see who you will be in the Arena with." She said something else, but someone had just placed a bowl of soup in front of Prim, so she didn't hear it. Her eyes were on the soup. It was a beautiful orange color, and when Prim tasted it, it was sweet and creamy. It was exactly what her stomach could handle for dinner tonight, and she found that she was very, very hungry. Katniss had told her to eat, probably so she'd gain a little weight before she went into the Arena. It wasn’t hard advice to follow, especially as they kept bringing out more and more food. By the time the chocolate cake was served, Prim was stuffed, but she wasn't going to not eat the cake, even if she could only manage a few bites without throwing up.

"Well," Effie said when everyone was done. "Shall we go watch the Reapings?"

Prim's nerves sharpened, and she began to wish she hadn't eaten so much at dinner. Her stomach was distinctly uncomfortable, but she stood up and followed Effie and Peeta into another compartment anyway, and settled on a soft couch.

The first few Tributes did not help the feeling in her stomach at all. They were big and fierce looking, and some of them even volunteered. But once they got out of the Career districts, the Tributes started looking less scary, more like normal kids. Most of them were bigger than her, and probably knew more than her, but a lot of them looked just as scared as she felt.

By the time the footage got to District 11, Prim's stomach was starting to feel better. It lurched again when she saw the girl from District 11 though. She was very pretty, with dark skin and curly hair and big dark eyes, and she was Prim's age. Watching her being Reaped, Prim knew how the rest of the District must have felt watching her own Reaping. "She's so young…." Prim said quietly.

Peeta glanced at her, one eyebrow raised in what looked like amusement. Prim turned her eyes back to the girl, whose name was Rue Springhaven, even while the boy tribute was selected. She looked… calm. She didn't look as scared as Prim felt, even though she had to be, didn't she?

Then the District 11 Tributes were gone and they focused on Prim and Peeta. Prim waited to see any reaction from Katniss, wanting more than anything to see her sister, but Katniss was never shown. Just Prim. She thought she looked scared and small, but Peeta patted her hand encouragingly. "You did good."

"I talked about my cat."

"It's something, at least. I didn't say anything." Peeta looked over his shoulder. "Isn't Haymitch going to come out here and give us some advice?"

"There will be plenty of time for that," Effie said, although she couldn't quite conceal her irritation at Haymitch's absence. "But for now, it's time for bed. It's been a big, big day, and tomorrow will be another one!"

Now that bed had been mentioned, Prim had to admit that she was tired. She wondered if she'd be able to sleep, especially without the warmth of her mother or Buttercup on her feet. But when she was tucked into her bed, the emotional exhaustion of the day and the rocking of the train lulled her right to sleep.

***

"Rise and shine! It's another big, big day!" Someone was knocking on her door.

For one wonderful moment, Prim was only aware that she was warm and comfortable, just waking up. Then suddenly reality came crashing back down on her, and she sat up sharply, the covers falling to her waist. Effie Trinket was outside her door, she was on a train, and she was on her way to the Hunger Games. She clapped her hands over her mouth, letting out a muffled little cry.

"Primrose! Breakfast will be gone if you don't get up, lazy little girl!" The words were affectionate and teasing, but they succeeded in dragging Prim out of bed. She got dressed and made her way out to the table. To Prim's surprise, Peeta and Haymitch was there, and they were actually talking. Haymitch looked angry, and there was a wet, red stain on the carpet with a few shards of glass. Clearly they'd been up for a while.

"We're not worrying about the Arena right now," Haymitch was saying as Prim sat down. Peeta obligingly turned so Prim would be in the conversation, but Haymitch didn't so much as look at her. "First there's all the stuff that comes before it- the opening ceremony, the training, and the interviews."

"That's just to make it more of a show though, isn't it?" Peeta asked.

"Exactly. That's exactly what all that garbage is meant to do." Haymitch slapped his hand against the table. "And that's when you start getting sponsors."

Prim bit her lip, trying to screw up the courage to ask if she should be following that advice or Kantiss's advice of not getting noticed. But she couldn't catch Haymitch's eye. Peeta noticed her, though. He smiled and pushed a basket of warm, cinnamon-scented rolls towards her. "Try them with the hot chocolate," he said. "They're good." Prim took one hesitantly, dipped it into the cup, and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened at the taste and texture, and Peeta grinned. "See?" He turned back to Haymitch. "All right, so opening ceremonies. What do we do?"

"What you do is you don't argue with your stylists. When we pull in, your prep teams are going to show up, and they're going to do things to you. You aren't going to like what they do. But you shut up and you go along with it, because they know what they're doing."

"Will it hurt?" Prim asked.

Haymitch looked at her for the first time. Prim wished she could take a step back- Haymitch really scared her with his drunken leer, his unwashed hair and unshaven face, and the smell of drink around him. "It won't be that bad," he said. "Especially not for you. But just deal with it."

Prim pressed her lips together and nodded, and then ducked her head and tried to eat more of the rolls. Although they tasted wonderful, she wasn't really enjoying them, but she forced a few more down. Peeta was at the windows, waving out to the Capitol, a smile on his face. Prim knew she should join him, but couldn't bring herself to move.

The train finally lurched to a stop in a cavernous tunnel, and Effie herded them off. People were waiting for them on a platform, but no cameras. Prim had one second to be relieved about that before she was surrounded by some of the strangest looking people she'd ever seen.

Over the next few hours, Prim was subjected to all sorts of scrubbing, polishing, tweezing, detangling, conditioning, and filing. She was relieved when her stylist, a calm-looking man named Cinna, entered the room and shooed her prep team out. He was gentle and courteous- nothing like Prim expected at all- but she still couldn't relax. But Cinna obviously knew his job, and Prim found it easy enough to go along with what he said. At least her costume wasn’t too revealing or stupid. Instead, it was a tight black outfit with a headdress and cape that Cinna planned to set on fire. He'd explained the chemicals he'd used a bit to her as he'd helped her get dressed and did her makeup. Prim had only understood some of it, but Cinna's voice was very calming.

Peeta was waiting for her by their carriage, wearing an identical outfit. He smiled when Prim approached, and Prim smiled shyly back.

"Are you nervous?" Peeta asked Prim got up into their carriage.

"About the Games?"

"About the fire."

"Are you?"

"Of course." Peeta really did look nervous. "Do you think this will work?"

"If it doesn’t, we get out of the Games," Prim said, with an attempt at a smile.

Peeta laughed. "Good point."

Prim looked around at the other tributes. Like everyone in the districts she hated the Games with a passion, but a little part of her did like seeing the clothes before the Games. Some of the costumes were amazing, like the jeweled clothes for the District 1 tributes or the light floaty dress in graduated shades of blue and green the District 4 tribute was wearing.

The District 11 chariot pulled in front of them, and Prim got a warm shock as she saw their tributes. The girl, who was wearing overalls with a crown of flowers, was Rue, the girl who was Prim's age. She was looking around nervously, and her eyes met Prim's and widened. Prim found herself automatically smiling at Rue, and Rue smiled as well. Rue waved, and Prim waved back. The carriages were close enough that Prim even thought about saying something, but the trumpets sounded and Rue and directed her attention forward.

Peeta was watching the District 11 tributes, too, with a small frown on his face. He looked from Prim to Rue and back to Prim, and his frown increased. Prim wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but at that moment Cinna appeared again with a torch.

"Are you ready?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer before he set their capes on fire. Prim wondered if it would scare the horses, but the horses didn't seem to notice. "Good luck," Cinna said, and then the carriage began to move.

As soon as it did, Prim found herself nearly off balance and instinctively grabbed Peeta's hand. He smiled down at her and squeezed back. "If we hang on to each other, maybe neither of us will fall off," he said. Prim nodded. His whole costume was now blazing, and the effect was amazing.

"You should see yourself," she shouted to Peeta over the ever-growing noise of the crowd.

"I look that good, huh?" Peeta smiled down at her. "If I look have as good as you, I'm the second-best out there."

It was flattery, pure and simple, but Prim didn't mind. They pulled out into the sunlight and the crowds now, and the noise became deafening. Prim clung to Peeta's hand, and some instinct told her to wave to the crowds. Her instinct was right, and the crowds loved it. Still, she was relieved when the ceremony was over and they were at the Training Center and Cinna was dousing their flaming cloaks.

"You did great," Cinna said, helping Prim down and hugging her.

"Oh, it was lovely! Absolutely lovely!" Effie Trinket was standing nearby, clapping her hands. "Both of you looked so stunning, and the crowd just loved it! I'll be hearing about this for weeks!" she added cheerfully. "The talk of the Games. Now, let's get up to your rooms. There's still a lot to do today!" Effie started shooing them toward the elevator, and they got in line behind the District Eleven group.

Prim immediately spotted Rue, who waved again. Prim maneuvered a little closer to her. "I like your crown," she said.

"It's the best part," Rue admitted. "Was it scary, being on fire?"

"Not too bad. It's scarier being out in front of all those people."

"I know," Rue said. "I wish we didn't have to do the interviews."

"I wish we didn't have to do any of this," Prim sighed. Then it hit her. This girl standing next to her would be in the Arena with her in a few days. They'd be trying to kill each other. She stared at Rue in horror.

"Are you okay?" Rue asked.

Prim couldn't speak. Fortunately, the elevator opened and Rue's escort was herding her in. Rue said goodbye, but Prim barely heard her. She followed Effie in horrified silence.

Their quarters were another opulent, luxurious set of rooms, and Prim was very grateful when Effie showed her to the room that was going to be hers until the Games began. No, the opening ceremonies had also happened, which meant the Hunger Games had already started. Maybe not the part in the Arena, but the Games were definitely on, and Prim wasn't getting out of them. She needed to start thinking about what she was going to do, to make some sort of plan.

As she showered and changed, Prim began to sort through her options. The best thing to do, she decided, was to start learning everything she could about survival tonight. She didn't know if anyone would be allowed to teach her to fight, but she was pretty sure Haymitch could tell her things like how to find water or how to make a fire. She couldn't find any paper, so she started making a list of things in her head that she would need. Water. Food. A place to hide. Weapons? She didn't think she could use them, though. Maybe not weapons. But she needed to know what would be at the Cornucopia and what wouldn't.

When she went out to dinner, Haymitch was actually there, sitting with the others. He looked better than he had; he'd showered and shaved and his clothes were clean and of good quality. But he still terrified her, especially when she saw the expression in his eyes. Still, he was supposed to help her. Prim steeled her resolve and sat down, keeping her spine stiff as she took her napkin and opened it on to her lap.

"Mr. Abernathy? Sir? I have some questions."

"So do I. What the hell are you calling me Mr. Abernathy for?"

Prim was thrown. "That's what my mother taught me. She says it's respectful."

Haymitch snorted. "Respectful."

Prim swallowed and pulled her spine back up. "I want to know how to find water in the Arena. And food. And a place to hide."

"They'll cover all that at the Training tomorrow," Haymitch said. "We'll talk about it then."

"Why not now?" Someone put a bowls of soup down in front of them, but Prim kept her attention focused on Haymitch.

"Why now?" Haymitch asked with a shrug.

"Because you're actually talking to me for the first time. I don't know that you'll be talking to me again in the morning."

Silence descended over the table, and Prim wondered if she'd gone too far. Haymitch considered her for a long moment, and then let out a short, dry laugh. "Tell you what," he said, waving his fork at her. "You let it go for tonight, and tomorrow morning, I promise I'll talk to you, okay?"

It wasn't good enough, but Prim knew she had to accept it. She kept her head high as if it didn't matter. "All right."

She kept quiet for the rest of dinner, practicing disappearing. If Katniss was right, quiet was what she had to be the next few days, while the Games were gearing up. Don't let anyone know she was there. Stay silent. Make them forget she existed, so when the gong went off and she went running, no one would think to look for her until the end. Judging by the way the conversation flowed without her at dinner, it would be effective.

***

Prim was the first one up in the morning. She was sitting at the dining room table, trying to calm her stomach enough to eat when Haymitch staggered in. He came to a stop, looked at her, then grunted, "Good morning."

"Good morning." Prim poked at her eggs. At least he was actually talking to her, but she wasn't sure what else to say.

A few batter cakes flopped down onto her plate of eggs and fruit. "I want you to eat those, too," Haymitch ordered her. "You're going to have a big, big day." His mockery of Effie's words made Prim smile a little, but he was already turned back around to the buffet, loading up his own plate. As he did so, Peeta emerged from his room and joined them. He gathered a plate, but also picked up the pot of hot chocolate and brought it over to the table for them all to share.

No one spoke until Haymitch had eaten two full plates of stew. Then he sat back, looked from one to the other, and said, "So let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you'd like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now."

Prim looked at Peeta, who shrugged. "I'm fine being coached together."

"Me, too."

"All right then. Less work for me. So give me some idea of what you can do." The expression on Haymitch's face when he looked at Prim was very doubtful.

"Not much," Prim admitted. "My sister told me to do the survival stations and concentrate on hiding."

Haymitch grunted. "Your sister's smart. What about you?" He turned to Peeta. "What can you do?"

"Not much."

"Not with that attitude," Haymitch growled. "Come on. You've got to be good for something. You do anything at that school of yours?"

"I wrestle," Peeta said. "I came in second in the last tournament, but-"

"There. That's something then. Hand-to-hand combat. I want you to work on small weapons, like knives and the like. They're good because there's likely to be more of them in the Arena." Haymitch leaned forward, studying Peeta. "You strong?"

Peeta shrugged. "I guess. I get the flour from the market and it comes in one hundred pound sacks."

"Good. Now, listen. I don't want you showing off your strength or wrestling skills in front of the tributes. These next three days, you learn as much as you can. Try out some new things. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. We clear?"

Peeta nodded. Prim sat forward. "What about me?"

"You…" Haymitch looked her up and down. "You're planning to hide, right?"

"I think so."

"What other plan have you got?"

Prim wasn't sure what made her say it, but she looked him straight in the eye. "I could always step off my plate before the gong goes off."

Peeta's mouth fell open. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I'm not going to win these Games." Prim's voice was trembling, but she didn't look down. "At least if I just step off the plate, I die quick and nobody gets any entertainment out of it."

"That's…." Peeta couldn't finish. Prim knew he meant horrible.

"That's something else again." Haymitch sat back, considering Prim seriously. "That would be one way to play it. You really going to do it?"

"I… I don't know. I guess it depends on a lot of things. What I see the other tributes doing, what the Arena is like…." She trailed off.

Haymitch rubbed his chin. "Thing about that is, you do that and you have no chance whatsoever of getting home. I'll be honest, you don't have much of a chance now, but even a slim chance is more than no chance."

Prim nodded.

Haymitch sighed "Look. Get through the next few days, okay? You're right to go and do the survival stations, but I also want you to focus on knife skills and climbing. Climbing because you're small and it could help you a lot. Knife skills because if you get a knife you've got to be comfortable with it. One more thing. When you're in public, I want you two acting like friends, okay?"

Prim looked at Peeta and shrugged. Of all the orders, that one was easy. While she knew that Peeta would be looking out for himself in the Arena, the odds that he would be the one to kill her were very, very low, and she was sure he knew that, too. They both nodded.

"Good." Haymitch looked at his watch. "Meet Effie at ten for training."

He got to his feet and left, but Prim and Peeta stayed at the table. Prim returned to her breakfast, her stomach a little calmer now that Haymitch had given her clear instructions.

"Would you really do that?" Peeta asked Prim, still looking shaken. "Step off your plate, I mean?"

"That's what Gale said to do if I wanted it to be over quick."

"Gale. Your sister's friend." Peeta's voice sounded… different. Prim couldn't put a name to it, but it was flat and… disappointed, maybe? But she nodded all the same. "Would Katniss want you to do that?"

"No. And I probably won't," Prim admitted. "Unless the Arena is a desert or snow or something. Or if one of the Careers notices me and decides to make a game out of it."

Peeta didn't say anything for a long time, but Prim could see him thinking. "And you're twelve, right?" he said when he finally spoke again. Prim nodded. Peeta fell silent again, and didn't speak until Effie came into the dining room to hurry them up for training.

The training room was down the elevator and underground. It was a big room, and the Prim didn't want to look at the weapons laid out. She peered around, looking for the survival stations. To her relief, it seemed like there were quite a few.

As she was looking around, Rue caught her eye and waved. Prim smiled and waved back. It was funny, how when Rue was in front of her, it was hard to believe that they'd really be fighting each other. Thresh touched Rue's shoulder and pointed to the woman who was taking her place in front of them, drawing her attention back to the real reason they were here.

When they were released, Peeta looked around. "Well? Should we start together?"

"I guess." Prim noticed that Rue and Thresh were both heading to the knot tying station. "Let's start over there, tying knots."

"Sounds good to me." The Careers, Prim noticed, had gone straight for the weapons. She tried not to look- they were far too good with them, and made imagining dying all too easy to do.

Rue smiled when they joined them, Thresh did not. He looked from Prim to Peeta and back again, and stepped back slightly, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Prim scooted closer to Rue, paying attention as the instructor showed them how to tie a few basic knots.

It turned out that knot tying was easy. Both Prim and Rue could manipulate the rope quickly, and soon the instructor was showing them some more difficult knots. Peeta seemed to be having a slightly harder time of it, though, and Thresh was just watching. When Prim and Rue could each tie five new knots, they decided that it was time to move on.

"Where should we go next?" Prim asked Rue.

"How about we all go over to the fire starting station?" Peeta suggested. He turned to Thresh. "You going to join us?"

Thresh looked surprised, but he shrugged. "For a bit, I guess."

The four of them went from station to station together for the morning, until the lunch break was called. Thresh and Peeta disappeared immediately to get their lunches, but Prim and Rue lingered by the edible plants section.

"You sure know a lot of them," Prim said, watching Rue go over the new ones they'd learned again.

"Because I'm from District 11," Rue said. "But you know a lot of them, too. I didn't know half of what you know about herbs. How did you learn all that?"

"My mother. She does a lot of healing."

"Oh, she's a doctor?"

Prim shook her head. "Not really a doctor. She just knows a lot about it. She lets me help. And we have a garden in our yard. But plants aren't going to get me far in the Games."

"You never know," Rue said seriously. "I'll bet there's a lot of tributes who don't bother to learn about plants. It depends on the Arena."

"I guess." Prim studied Rue, who was only an inch or two taller than her. "I just wish there were other things I could learn easily. What else are you planning on doing?"

"I don't know." Rue bit her lip. "Do you know how to climb trees?" Prim shook her head. "I could show you after lunch, if you want."

"But don't you want to go to a station where you can learn something?"

Rue shrugged. "How about I show you how to climb trees and you show me how to do some first aid stuff? Then it's fair."

Prim thought about it, looking around at the maces and the swords and the staffs and bows and arrows. She didn't think any amount of time would ever get her to be able to raise on of those and use it on a person. "It's a deal," she said.

They smiled at each other, and then went to join Peeta and Thresh at lunch. The boys were sitting together but weren't talking. Thresh was focused on his food, and Peeta had been watching Rue and Prim. Prim wondered why that was so interesting, and then wondered if maybe she shouldn't be talking to Rue. After all, they were enemies. But when she sat down with Peeta, he smiled at her, and Thresh even looked up from his plate and waved a fork in greeting. But any thoughts of Thresh thawing vanished when he glared around at all three of them and said, "After lunch, I'm going to the sword station. Alone."

"Have fun," Peeta said lightly, like Thresh had just told him he was going out shopping. "I'm going to take a look at the spears." He gave Prim a significant sort of look, and Prim realized that he knew he wasn't following Haymitch's instructions and was doing it for a reason. She looked around and saw one of the Careers watching their table. He leaned over and said something to the girl who was sitting next to him, who laughed.

"Are you okay?" Rue asked when they left the boys to go over to the climbing station. "You look worried."

"I think the boys went to different stations because we were looking too much like we were making an alliance," Prim said. "Should we be training together?"

Rue shrugged. "You think they're going to care about you and me? If they were worried, it was about the boys."

Prim looked over at the Careers and saw with relief that Rue was right- they were sizing up Thresh and Peeta. And when Peeta's spear flew way off the mark, they snickered. Prim wondered if he'd thrown it that way deliberately, or if it really was that hard.

"Come on," Rue said, interrupting Prim's thoughts. "Let's climb."

Climbing turned out to be something Prim was good at. She was small enough and light enough that she could navigate some of the higher rungs easily, and it turned out that being up high didn't bother her. But Rue amazed her, scurrying up the ladders and the climbing wall like it was nothing. But after Prim's third time up, Rue shook her head.

"We should stop so the others don't notice."

Prim nodded. "Let's go over to the healing station, then."

They spent the rest of the time there. Rue knew some first aid basics, but Prim showed her how to treat burns and how to splint a broken ankle. The instructor noticed them and came over and taught them a few things Prim hadn't learned yet about treating shock, and pointed out a few herbs that would numb skin.

"The whole idea is just to keep yourself limping," the instructor explained to them. "The Games only last a few weeks, at most. If you win, any injuries you have will be treated by the Capitol."

Rue and Prim exchanged glances. If you win sounded so casual, but it wasn't likely to happen. It also brought up a lot of thoughts that Prim didn't want to think about right now, like dying a very painful death. But he had a lot more that he could teach them, and they spent the rest of the afternoon there.

"How'd it go?" Haymitch asked when they returned to the privacy of their own rooms.

Peeta frowned thoughtfully. "Should we be considering an alliance?"

"An alliance?" The idea clearly took Haymitch by surprise. "With who?"

"District 11."

Prim caught her breath. "Wait, we? You mean all four of us?"

"That's what I'm thinking." He turned to Haymitch. "What do you think?"

Haymitch rubbed his chin. "You talk to them about this yet?"

"No. I thought I should talk to you first."

"Well, it doesn't matter for the girls." Haymitch turned to Prim. "No offense, sweetheart, but you could be covered in swords and fire and they wouldn't take you seriously as a threat. You and their boy, though…."

"What would be the problem?" Peeta asked. "He's tough."

"So are you," Prim said before Haymitch could answer. "Together you're noticeable and a threat. If you make an alliance and the Careers know it, they'll hunt you down."

Haymitch's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, look who's been paying attention. She's right, you know," he said, wagging his finger at Peeta. "Let me think about it for a few days, maybe even talk to Chaff. Feel the guy out, see what he's thinking." Haymitch's face turned grave. "And ask yourself, if it did come down to the two of you, could you kill him?"

"Yeah, but it won't, will it?" Peeta said anxiously.

"Odds aren't exactly in your favor, no, unless a few Careers get taken out before they catch up with you." He shrugged. "Did you train together at all?"

"We did in the morning," Peeta answered. "The afternoon we split up."

"Okay, good. Keep that up for the next few days, and we'll go from there. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get something to drink while you two clean up for dinner."

***

Rue was waiting when Prim and Peeta showed up for training the next day. "Where do you want to go first?" she asked Prim.

Prim glanced at Peeta, who shrugged. "How about camouflage?" Prim asked. Rue nodded and fell into step beside her as they headed over to the station. Peeta followed, a few steps behind, but Thresh was over working with an instructor with a mace.

"He's not joining us this morning?" Prim asked Rue.

"I don't think he's got much interest in hiding." Rue giggled. "He's so big, I'm not sure how well he'd hide anyway." Prim imagined Thresh trying to cram himself into the hollow of a tree and giggled as well.

It turned out that Peeta was the one who was really good at camouflage. Prim watched him paint himself with the materials provided, her eyes wide. "Are you going to try hiding for the Games, too?" she asked, suddenly realizing that she didn't know anything about Peeta's strategy.

"I'd like to, that's for sure. But I don't think they'll let me." His smile was sad. "You know that they send traps after tributes when it gets too quiet."

Prim froze. Traps. She'd only been thinking of the other tributes, not of the horrors that the Gamemakers could unleash. She looked at Rue, whose eyes were wide as she stared back.

"Maybe we should learn some weapons," Rue said quietly as Peeta went back to his painting.

Prim nodded, her mouth dry. She looked around at the stations. Almost all of them were occupied by older tributes. The Careers were showing off with their weapons of choice, not bothering to keep their proficiency a secret. She didn't want to go near any of them. Even the other tributes, the ones who weren't Careers- they were still better than Prim would ever be with the weapons.

"I don't even know where we should go," she told Rue.

Rue pressed her lips together and looked. "Let's try the staff," she said. "Nobody's over there right now, and it doesn't look heavy."

They spent the morning over at the staff station. After a few pointers, the instructors were having them fight. It was hard, and Prim wanted to duck and flinch away every time her instructor came at her. One particularly vicious attack even got her to shriek.

Someone laughed. Prim's cheeks flared red and she tried not to look around, but she did anyway. Two of the tributes, the ones from District One, were watching her and laughing.

"Oh my god, look at her. She's like a little mouse!" Glimmer said.

"Think there will be mousetraps in the arena?" Marvel laughed.

Prim's eyes stung. The insults were so stupid, but she'd done exactly what she didn't want to do. She'd gotten noticed. She looked away and Rue caught her eye, shaking her head and holding up her staff. Ignore them. Go back to her lesson. Prim took a deep breath and nodded, and with effort, she did so. But the two tributes from One kept watching her, laughing at any particularly intimidating blow.

"They're going to kill me," she told Rue when lunch was finally served. "They're going to find me in the arena and kill me."

"They won't," Rue said, squeezing Prim's arm. "They'll focus on the stronger tributes first." Her voice quavered, though.

Prim looked back over at the survival stations. She needed to forget the weapons. The only chance she had was making sure that the other tributes didn't find her first.

***

Prim sat outside the training room in tense silence with the other tributes, shaking. She had no idea what she should show the Gamemakers. "It's okay," Peeta said, taking her hand. "Remember? A low training score will keep the other tributes away from you." Prim nodded, but she found she was too nervous to speak. She glanced over at Rue, who was sitting hugging her knees and staring straight ahead. Rue looked composed and determined. Prim envied her.

As the room emptied, Prim got the feeling Peeta was waiting to say something. She was right. As soon as the door closed behind the girl from District 10, Peeta was off his seat.

"All right," he said quickly, looking around at Prim, Rue, and Thresh. "This is probably the only chance we've got to talk without the others listening, so I'm going to make it fast. I think we should make an alliance, the four of us."

Thresh looked at Prim and Rue and frowned. "I don't know."

"It would help us last longer," Peeta said. "There's no way all four of us can get home, but maybe if we all work together, one of us can. And if I'm going to die, this way at least it would be for something besides the Capitol's entertainment. I can't die just to amuse people, but I could die to protect one of you."

"But you don't even know us," Rue said.

"Do I have to?" Peeta looked disbelieving. "You're tributes, just like me. You didn't ask for this. None of us did."

"How would we decide who's going home?" Thresh said. "If it came down to it, you think you could break the alliance if we got far enough?"

"I don't think that's a decision we'll have to make." Peeta turned to Thresh. "Thresh? Are you in?"

Thresh looked thoughtful, but before he could say anything, the door opened and his name was called. He looked surprised at the short time, but went through the door without giving Peeta an answer.

"What about you, Rue?" Peeta asked.

Rue glanced at the door Thresh had gone through and frowned. "I wonder why Thresh didn't answer," she said slowly. "If he'd wanted to, he could have said yes before he went in."

Prim looked up at Peeta. "What if Thresh doesn't want to? Then you have me and Rue, and that doesn't seem fair."

"Nothing's fair in the Games."

Prim pressed her lips together. Peeta was right, but the idea of an alliance with him and Rue didn't really feel right to Prim. Rue didn't say anything either, and eventually the silence was broken by her name being called. She flashed a grim smile at Prim and disappeared through the door, leaving Prim sitting alone with Peeta.

"You still haven't answered." Peeta leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and threading his fingers together. "Are you still thinking about stepping off your plate?"

"I don't know." Prim bit her lip. "Would you?"

Peeta's short, dry bark of laughter was bitter. "I've thought about it. It's too bad we can't get everybody to agree to do it."

"The Careers never would," Prim said, shocked.

"Of course not. And if one person didn't do it, they'd be crowned Victor right then and there, and everyone knows it. But imagine if everyone would."

"It would be horrible," Prim said.

Peeta shrugged. "Like this is any better?" He stared moodily at his fingers. Prim waited for him to say more, but he didn't, and she sat quietly.

Finally, Peeta's name was called. He patted Prim on the knee reassuringly and then went in, his face grim and set, and Prim was alone. Now that she was sitting here in this echoing room, the trembling started again, and she pressed her hands together tightly. It didn't help.

After what felt like forever, they called her name. Prim swallowed hard and stood up, making her way into the Training Room. To her surprise, her legs supported her and her hands stopped shaking. She made her way to the center of the room and turned to face the Gamemakers. They were all sitting around a table, eating and talking as Prim walked in. A couple of them glanced at her, someone laughed, and then they looked away.

Hide. Prim had been intending to recite some healing lore, but the thought occurred to her abruptly. Disappear. That was her plan for the Games anyway. She stood for a long moment, frozen by indecision, but as she did, the Gamemakers lost interest, and that strengthened her resolve. She walked away quietly and found a crevice and squeezed in, silent.

The sounds of merriment continued from the table, and Prim sat on, hugging her knees to her. She had no idea how long she waited. She considered waiting until they were done, but as she sat on, it seemed like that was going to be a long time from now. Finally, she eased out of her hiding spot and made her way towards the table.

No one was paying attention to her. Instead, they were all eating from a huge spread. A spark of mischief lit inside her, and Prim slipped up and took a tart that was near the end. She found herself standing next to one of the Gamemakers, and looked up at him.

"We don't have anything this good back home."

The Gamesmaker drew back in shock. "You're still here?"

"I've been here this whole time. Hiding."

"Really."

"That's my skill. That's all I'm good at. Well, that and healing."

He smiled sourly. "That's not very impressive."

"Well, if you wanted impressive, you should have reaped somebody older." Prim drew herself up. "Have a good day."

She walked out, not daring to turn around to see if any of the other Gamemakers noticed. She was focused instead on what she had said. How could she have said that? The Gamemakers made traps in the Games to make things more interesting, and everyone knew they could control them to affect certain Tributes. Prim should have gone unnoticed not only by the tributes, but the Gamemakers themselves.

She had expected to be alone when she came out, but Rue was sitting beside the door, waiting. Off a ways away, she could see Peeta and Thresh, shaking hands. Thresh nodded and then disappeared, and Peeta followed him.

"Is the alliance on?" Prim asked Rue.

"I don't think so. Thresh said he didn't want to do it." Rue swung her legs, kicking her feet against the bottom of her bench. "He and Peeta were talking about something, but I couldn't hear."

"Oh." Prim wasn't really surprised. It was a nice idea in theory, but it really wouldn't work. "Why are you still down here?"

"I was waiting for you." Rue straightened her shoulders. "I was thinking… even though the boys don't want to do it, maybe you and I could do an alliance?"

"You want me as an ally?"

Rue shrugged. "Why not?"

"I'm not sure how much good I'd be."

"Probably better than alone." Rue smiled at Prim. "If nothing else, at least we'd have someone else to help."

She nodded and extended her hand to Rue. "I'd like that."

Rue smiled and pushed herself off the bench, taking Prim's hand. Prim's stomach lurched pleasantly at the contact, as well as Rue's smile. "I'd like it, too," Rue said. "We'll do what we can."

And when I die, maybe I won't have to be alone. Prim didn't say it, she just smiled back. But Rue's hand was warm in hers, and it was a small measure of comfort. That was something, at least.

***

Peeta got an eight as a training score, which was fairly high. Thresh got a ten and Rue managed a seven. That made Prim feel a little guilty about accepting an alliance when her four flashed on screen, but Haymitch grunted approval at the score.

"Well, if you want to hide, you're on your way," he told Prim. "Unless you're still going to blow yourself up." Prim shook her head. "Rats. I was kind of hoping for that." He saw Prim's horrified expression and patted her head. "Not like that," he said, and Prim knew that was as much of an apology as she was going to get. "I just wanted to see their faces. So, hiding."

Prim nodded. "And I have an alliance. With Rue."

Haymitch snorted again. "Well, no harm in that, I guess. At least you'll have someone to die with."

"I know," Prim said, a weird mixture of relief and anxiety flooding her now that those words had actually been spoken. "That's why I said yes."

Haymitch stared at her, and for a moment, his face was devoid of the mocking leer that Prim was used to seeing it in. It occurred to her that Haymitch had to do this every year- send two kids from District 12 to die. She wondered how that felt, and she found she was relieved that she would never have to know.

***

Prim's interview dress was made of red, orange, and yellow filmy fabric. It was a beautiful dress, and she did notice it made her look very young, although very pretty. Cinna did her hair himself, pinning jewels into it until it sparkled like fire. "I had something different in mind," Cinna said, "but it didn't suit you. It was too old. This is better."

Prim nodded like she understood, and spent the rest of the day trying to ignore the fact she was going to be in front of a live audience. Every time she thought of it, her stomach squirmed uncomfortably, almost as bad as when she thought about the Games themselves. Before she knew it, she was on stage, the lights in her eyes, the audience applauding.

She barely remembered her interview- just the bright lights and Caesar's smile and the feeling of making a fool of herself. There was more about her cat, about Katniss, and about her strategy in the arena, but for the most part Prim was aware that she'd succeeded in making herself completely unmemorable.

The last interview of the night was Peeta. Prim watched as he charmed the crowd with Caesar. He was so confident, and so at ease in front of the cameras, that she began to wonder if Peeta would actually have a chance of making it home. She hoped so. If Peeta won, then at least her mother and Katniss would have more food this year.

"And tell me, Peeta, do you have a girlfriend back home?" Peeta hesitated, then shook his head. Caesar didn't believe him, though. "Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?"

Peeta sighed. "Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping."

"Does she have another fellow?" Caesar asked sympathetically.

"I don't know, but a lot of boys like her," Peeta said. Prim couldn't help sifting through names in her head, trying to guess who Peeta might be talking about. But Caesar was obviously enjoying the topic.

"So, here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?"

"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning won't really help in my case." Peeta looked uncomfortable.

"Why ever not?" Caesar asked.

"Because her sister came here with me."

Prim's eyes flared open in shock. Katniss. He means Katniss. She looked at Peeta with new eyes. Was Peeta in love with Katniss? She'd had no idea.

But Caesar was looking back at Prim, an odd expression flitting over his face. He recovered quickly, though, turning back to Peeta. "Her sister. I assume you can only be talking about the adorable Primrose Everdeen. But Peeta, think of it, here's the chance to prove yourself the hero."

"How?" Peeta asked, a bitter smile on his face. "By saving her?"

"Exactly! You save your girl's beloved little sister, and that's like magic!"

"I save her twelve-year-old sister and I don't come home," Peeta said. "I don't save her and the girl will never speak to me again. You can see my dilemma."

Caesar cleared his throat. "It is a head-scratcher, but I'm sure you'll work it out." He patted Peeta on the leg. "Peeta Mellark, everyone!"

The audience applauded and Caesar started wrapping up the evening, but Prim's mind was still on Peeta's revelation. There had been something so deliberate about it, but she couldn't say what. What was Peeta's strategy? What about that interview would help him? If it had been Katniss herself here, Prim could see where there would make the Capitol go wild. But with Prim? It didn't make sense. All he had done was highlight how young she was and how likely it was that she would die.

The tributes began to file off stage. Prim followed, holding the filmy material of her dress. As she stepped into the wings, Rue grabbed her hand.

"I thought about it," Rue whispered urgently. "We'll need to find each other in the Arena. When the gong sounds, let's go the way the tail of the Cornucopia points."

Prim nodded. "The way the tail points. And if we can't go that way for some reason, the way the mouth points."

"Right." Rue squeezed her hand. "Be careful in the opening."

"You too." Prim looked at her. Rue looked very pretty in her light colored dress, with gossamer wings. "You did great tonight."

Rue smiled. "Thanks. You did, too. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Prim's throat closed. Rue smiled at her once more before her escort whisked her away, and Prim was left standing with the possibility of this being her last night alive ringing in her ears.

***

One last night before the Games began. Prim wished she could be home so badly that her chest physically ached. She wanted to be with her mother, with Katniss, with Buttercup. She wanted this to all be a bad dream, or at least happening to someone else. Which made her feel sick, because she was hardly the first District 12 kid to sit in this room and wish she could be home. Seventy-three girls had come before her, and who knew how many would follow. And even if she was still home, the other tributes would still be here. Rue would still be here.

There was a knock on her door, and Peeta opened it. "Prim? Prim, can I come in?"

Prim nodded. "Are they still watching the interviews?"

"No. They're over. Everyone's gone."

"Oh." Prim hesitated. "Did you need something?"

"I just didn't feel like being alone."

That was something prim understood. She patted the bed beside her, and Peeta sat down. "Was it true what you said about Katniss?" she asked when he didn't speak. "That you have a crush on her?"

Peeta blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. It's true."

"I don't understand, though. Why did you say it? And especially the part about me?"

Peeta sighed. "I don't think I can win these Games."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think I can kill people. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't want to be. If I have to die, I want to die as myself, you know? I don't want to be a piece in their Games."

Prim considered that. "I think that's what Gale was trying to say when he told me to step off my plate."

"I think so, too. That's kind of what gave me the idea." Peeta sighed. "I didn't want to drag you into it, but it's just… all this stuff before hand, all of this game. It's to make people forget what we are. And you're a twelve-year-old girl who has to go into that Arena and fight for her life. It's not right. I just wish I could make people see that."

"They won't," Prim said grimly. "There have been twelve-year-olds before."

"I know. But at least I tried." Peeta's smile was grim. "So, you see, I didn't really do it for you. I did it for me. I'm sorry."

Prim put a hand on Peeta's shoulder. "I don't mind. You didn't say anything that wasn't true." She decided that since he was being so honest, she'd ask the other question on her mind. "Did you get your alliance with Thresh?"

Peeta shook his head. "We have an agreement, but not an alliance. Just to stay away from each other. Which is good, I guess. I don't want to kill him." He didn't look at Prim, but stared at the floor. "I guess I'm on my own in the Arena, but maybe it's better that way. There can only be one survivor, right?"

"Right." Prim sighed. She hugged her knees to her. "I wish I'd had time to find out if you would have been my brother-in-law."

Peeta gave her a wry smile. "You think I would have had a chance?"

"No one would," Prim said with a little laugh. "But I would have liked it if you had."

"Can we die like that, then?" Peeta said. "Pretending we might have been brother and sister?"

Prim nodded and reached out. "I think that's best, don't you?"

Peeta put his hand over hers. "I do, too."

***

"Five, four, three, two, one." The gong sounded, and Prim lurched off her plate.

Get to the tail. The tail. Prim had already worked out the quickest route, and along the way she was able to grab two things- a bottle of water, and a small burlap sack. She stumbled to get them, but they were on the very edge of the ring of supplies and no one noticed her. She was a mouse, no threat to anyone.

She ran as hard as she could, the sounds of the bloodbath fading behind her. Her breath was hard in her ears and her lungs felt like they were going to explode, but she kept running. There was a sparse, piney woods in front of her. Once she reached the woods, she could stop. Once she reached the woods….

She finally made it, and as soon as she crossed onto the soft, pine needle strewn ground she collapsed, panting. She looked around, wondering where the best place to meet Rue would be. She opened her bottle of water and took a small drink, and then tried to get her breathing controlled. She would wait for a while for Rue and then-

Something above her rustled. Prim started, grabbing her pack to her, but Rue dropped down out of the branches of the tree next to her, grinning. "You made it!" She hugged Prim. "I was worried you wouldn't."

"I just took what was in my path," Prim said. "I don't think it's much."

"I didn't take much either. But let's get a little further into the woods before we look at it," Rue suggested.

Prim nodded realizing Rue was right and they weren't well hidden at all. The two of them set off into the woods. The sounds of the battle at the Cornucopia were impossible to hear now, and it was just their footfalls on dried leaves and pine needles. There were also birds twittering. "We ought to try to find water," Prim said, trying to relax. Rue nodded. "Do you have any idea where to look?"

"There was a lake out there in the field. I hope that wasn't it. But we might as well just keep going deeper into the woods. The Career pack will probably set up camp near the Cornucopia- they always do."

"That sounds good." It was almost nice in the woods, but Prim was on edge. Tributes could be hiding anywhere, ready to jump out and attack them, and she wasn't even sure if they had a single weapon between them. She was tired and sweaty from running, too, and looking around, it occurred to her that they were going to have to find a place to sleep tonight, too, after they found water.

They made their way cautiously, peering around corners and trying to stay out of sight. Within an hour, Prim had several scratches and scrapes from various branches and thorns, but she was starting to relax a little. "We've got to be a long way from the Careers, aren't we?"

"I hope so," Rue said. "I wonder if- hey! What's that?"

A brush ahead of them stirred, and Prim nearly choked as her throat closed up tightly. She stood still, fumbling unconsciously for Rue's hand. Rue grabbed hers as well and squeezed it tight, but before either of them could do anything a rabbit hopped out of the greenery. The girls relaxed, and Rue laughed.

"It's just a rabbit. I thought it would be a whole lot worse."

"Me, too." Prim watched it hop away, startled by their laughter. As she did, a thought occurred to her. "That's one thing my sister told me once, back when she used to try to take me into the woods. You'll see more small game around a stream."

"That must mean we're close, then," Rue said, beginning to pick her way through the woods again. Prim followed. "You had a woods in District 12?"

"Not in the District. Outside the fence. My sister used to hunt out there." Rue's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"How'd she get outside the fence?"

Prim shrugged. "It's not turned on all the time. Isn't it like that in District 11?"

Rue shook her head. "Not at all. It's always on."

Prim wondered if life was a little better in District 11 then, if they could afford to keep the fence on all the time. She was about to say something when Rue put an arm up. "Do you hear that?"

Prim listened hard, every sense sharpening as she waited on edge. But the sound, when it came, was not the sound of footsteps or someone breathing. It was running water. "We found it!"

The two of them made their way through the brush to find a stream, dancing crystal clear over the rocks. Prim knelt down and dipped her hands in, letting the cool water wash over her hot, dirty skin. It felt unbelievably good.

"We shouldn't drink it yet," Rue said, kneeling down next to Prim. "We should probably try to boil it or something."

For the first time, Prim remembered her sack. She rifled through it, spreading the meager contents out on the ground in front of her. A piece of tarp, a six foot long piece of rope, a small packet of dried beef, and a small metal pot. Rue's bag had even less- a pair of socks, a water skin, and three cans of food, each can holding only enough for a single meal.

"At least there are plants this year," Rue said after they'd stared at their meager supplies. "We'll be able to eat."

"And it seems like there might be places to hide," Prim said, following Rue's lead of looking for the bright side. Neither of them mentioned the fact they didn't have any weapons. Prim decided to focus on the water situation.

"They said we shouldn't make fires at night, because people will see us. Maybe we'd better make a fire now if we want to boil some water. Or do you think we can risk it?"

Rue frowned. "They talked a lot about not drinking the water without purifying it at the survival station. Maybe we should do the fire. But let's get the wood as we follow the stream. That way we can get further away."

"Okay." Prim put her things back in her bag and struggled to her feet. "I'm ready when you are."

They hiked for what felt like miles. Prim's feet were sore and she could feel that she was going to have blisters, but they were able to gather plenty wood to make a small fire. They also found plenty of rocks to try striking a spark, although that took considerably longer. But eventually, after a lot of effort, they were able to get a small blaze going and boil enough water to refill Prim's bottle and fill the empty skin that Rue had.

They split one of Rue's cans of food and a piece of dried beef, and then put the fire out before the darkness fell. As the light began to ebb, Prim found her nervousness returning. The forest seemed a lot safer in the light of day, but the Career pack would be replenished and rested and hunting tonight. "We should find a place to sleep," she told Rue.

"A tree's probably best. They won't be able to get us up there." Prim looked up. The branches were mostly high off the ground, and the idea of sleeping up there- or, more accurately, falling from up there- didn't really appeal to her. Rue saw her nervousness. "We can try to stay on the ground if you want. We should be pretty far away from the Careers, and they'll hunt other people before they'll hunt us."

Prim put her sack down and pulled out the tarp. "It's black, at least," she said. "We could wrap up in it and that would help."

"It would." Rue seemed greatly cheered by this idea as well. "Let's do it."

They ended up wrapped in the tarp together under a tree, a ways from the stream. Prim wondered if she would be able to sleep and lay on her back, staring up at the sky. At least Rue was warm beside her, and Prim was doubly grateful not to be sleeping in a tree.

"What are you thinking about?" Rue asked quietly.

"It's stupid," Prim said.

Rue opened her eyes. "Tell me," she begged.

"I was just thinking that of all the terrible things in the arena, the one I hate the most is not having a bathroom."

Rue giggled. "It's not that bad."

"What, not having a bathroom?" Rue nodded, and Prim was horrified. "You don't have bathrooms in District 11?"

"No, we do." Rue giggled again. "But out in the fields we don't, and there's no time to go back home. You learn to get used to it."

Prim was going to say she didn't really want to learn, but before she could, the Capitol Anthem began to play. Both girls looked up at the sky.

"Look," Rue said quietly, as the faces began to flash. "We're not up there. Bet lots of people thought we would be."

She was probably right. They'd probably been considered sure things to die in the opening blood bath. "Bet we lost a lot of people some money," Prim said.

Rue shuddered. "That sounds horrible."

Prim didn't answer. She watched the faces flash against the sky. When the faces ended and the music fell silent, she drew a deep breath. "Peeta and Thresh aren't up there, either."

"I'm glad," Rue said. "Although it would be terrible if we met them now that we're not allies."

"Do you think they could kill us?" Prim's stomach twisted at the idea.

Rue shrugged. "Maybe. The Games make people do crazy things, don't they?" She sighed. "But I don't think we'll have to worry about it anyway. Only one of the Careers was up there- the boy from District 4."

Right. The Careers. Prim closed her eyes, but sleep didn't come. She was cold, the sounds of the night forest were all around her, and she was scared. In fact, the only thing that kept her from going out of her mind was Rue beside her. Without thinking, Prim nudged a little closer. Rue did too, and fumbled for Prim's hand under the tarp. The warm support of Rue's cold fingers made her feel a little better, and eventually, Prim drifted off into a restless sleep.

***

And nothing happened.

For the next two days, Prim and Rue occupied themselves finding food, boiling water, and trying to figure out some sort of weapon to use. There were berries and roots and nuts, some of which Prim recognized, and some that she didn't but Rue swore were edible. Although it was nothing like the food they'd been eating since they came to the Capitol, both of them were used to going without, and it was more than Prim expected to find. Rue managed to sharpen a shard of rock into something like a knife and make a slingshot and Prim practiced tying snares, but otherwise, it was quiet.

In the afternoon of the third day, it came out of the blue. There was a snapping sound that didn't sound like an animal making its way through the woods.

Both Rue and Prim were immediately on their feet, and that fear that Prim was learning to dread clogged her throat again. This time it had to be it. A tribute had found them, and they were going to have to fight. Prim didn't even know what she could possibly do, maybe throw a rock or two…. But she couldn't even bring herself to bend down to grab a few rocks to throw. She backed up against a boulder as more sounds of someone moving came from the woods. Then she realized something- whoever (or whatever) it was was making no effort to be quiet. Before she could analyze it any further, Peeta stumbled out of the woods.

"The mines," he said, stumbling forward. "We have to warn them about the mines."

Prim and Rue exchanged glances. "The mines?" Rue asked. "Peeta…."

Peeta grabbed Prim by the arms. His hands were hot with fever, and up close she could see a huge welt on his collarbone, the size of an apple. She focused on that red, angry skin and felt reason returning to her through her panic. She pushed Peeta away and turned to Rue. "Have you seen any tracker jacker nests in the arena yet?"

Rue nodded. "There's one not too far from here. He's been stung?" She didn't wait for Prim's answer. "I found some of the leaves we used in District 11 on them. I'll be right back."

"Right." Prim barely watched her go. Instead, she focused on Peeta. "Peeta, you need to sit down. Come on." She took his hand in hers and put on her best, calmest voice. "Come on. Let's sit down and we can make it better."

Peeta continued babbling about the mines, but Prim was able to get him to sit down on a nearby rock. She wished she had a pair of tweezers. Peeta was carrying a bag; Prim gently worked it out of his hands and rifled through. At the bottom she found a small, sharp knife. She took a moment to at least wash it off, and then quickly and deftly used it to free the stinger. Peeta yelped in pain, but as the stinger worked free of his flesh he collapsed on himself, slumping as he sat on the rock.

"Here you go," Rue said, handing Prim a gooey green wad of mashed up leaf. Prim started in surprise- she hadn't heard Prim return- but she put the mess on Peeta's collar bone. "Do you think that's the only one?" Rue asked.

Prim watched relief flood Peeta's face. "Peeta? Do you know where you are?" He shook his head, as if hearing Prim's voice from a very great distance but not being able to clear his head of it. "Peeta? The mines?"

"They're going to explode. The gas…."

Prim turned back to Rue. "I don't think so. We're going to have to find the other stinger."

Rue nodded. "I got more leaves, just in case."

Peeta wasn't hearing Prim when she asked him about the stinger, so she found herself having to search beneath his clothes. It turned out there were three more- one between his shoulder blades, one on his forearm, and one on his thigh.

"I don't know how you do it," Rue said, clearly impressed as Prim pulled the stingers out. "I could never pull them out like that."

Prim found herself blushing under Rue's praise. "My mother taught me," she said, bowing her head to study the wounds better as well as to hide her flaming cheeks. She decided to change the subject slightly. "I know we probably shouldn't be healing him, but it's Peeta."

Rue nodded. "I know. I'd do it too if it was Thresh."

Her immediate and unquestioning acceptance made Prim feel better. She felt fairly comfortable Peeta wouldn't kill her- you didn't come home to a happy District if you did something like that. And now that the poison was leeching out of his wounds, he was calming down, his eyes closed, his breathing rapid and shallow. Soon his breathing began to slow as well.

"I think he's at least with us for the night," Prim said. "Should we see if he has a sleeping bag or something we can wrap him up in?"

Rue glanced up at the darkening sky. "Probably. We might also want to not sleep at the same time tonight. Someone might have followed him."

"He wouldn't-"

"Not on purpose. But he was loud."

She had a point. Prim nodded. "I'll stay up first. I should keep an eye on him anyway." She began rummaging through the pack Peeta had. He had a decent collection of things- much more than she or Rue had managed to grab. He did have a sleeping bag, a thin, black one that felt like it was probably warm. Prim laid it down and then practically manhandled Peeta into it.

"Is he asleep?" Rue asked, standing beside Prim as they looked down at Peeta.

Prim nodded. "He'll probably sleep for a few days."

"And then?"

"Then what?" Prim asked, confused.

"We may have another ally," Rue said with a grin. "Maybe we can do better than we thought."

Prim tried not to hope. "Maybe we can."

***

Another ally. Prim sat in the darkness, too cold and nervous to fall asleep, listening to the sounds of Rue and Peeta breathing. The problem was, only one of them could survive.

Prim had avoided thinking about that from the beginning. She supposed she figured that neither she nor Rue was getting home, and… and what? That this was just a better way to die? Yes. Those had been her exact words. And when I die, maybe I won't have to be alone.

Peeta changed their chances slightly. But was it enough? Prim thought about it. The only way allying with Peeta mattered was if one of them made it to the end. Prim was sure she couldn't. It was all hopeless, and she had to remember that. Allying with Peeta didn't change a thing for her. But maybe it could change the outcome for Peeta or Rue, and one of them could win and get home. Prim didn't think so, but maybe it was possible. But if it was, it would be worth it. Prim couldn't win, but maybe one of them could, and if she died helping them, then at least her death would be worth something. It wouldn't be pointless.

Prim settled back against the tree, a sense of peace piercing her soul. It was like when Gale told her to step off her plate. It was a small comfort and it didn't really change anything, but it gave her some control. Some purpose that she could believe in, that she could work towards.

And in the Hunger Games, that had to be enough.

***

When Prim woke up two mornings later, Peeta was sitting on the rock, bleary-eyed but calm, and Rue was nowhere to be seen. She sat up with a start, but Peeta smiled at her.

"It's okay. She just went to get some berries. I haven't killed her or anything."

"I didn't think you had," Prim said, although she hadn't been completely sure. She automatically put a hand to her hair. Some had escaped her braids, and it would be tangled for sure. If she had a knife, she was almost tempted to just cut it off. "How are you doing?"

"Better, after you and Rue found me." Peeta sighed. "Still in the Games."

Prim wasn't sure if he was saying that as a reassurance or a complaint. Either would be accurate. "Have you run into the Careers?"

"Run away from them is more accurate," Peeta said. He frowned. "I did have a run-in with Milo from District 10."

Prim had to think a moment. "The one with the bad foot?"

"Yeah, that's him. We came across each other and…" Peeta shook his head.

"Did he attack you?" Prim prompted.

"Well, that's the thing," Peeta said, sitting back. "We just stared at each other for a minute, because we had no idea what to do. I thought about running. I don't know why I didn't. Then he said, 'I guess we're supposed to fight', so we did."

Prim's mouth dropped open. "You killed him?"

Peeta laughed bitterly. "No. I have a dull machete and he had a spear, but we ended up wrestling instead. I got him pinned, but I just couldn't bring myself to kill him. Then he pushed me off and I fell back into a tree, and that's when I got the stings. I think he ran off." Peeta shrugged and leaned forward to pick up his bag. "I've got a little to add for breakfast, if you want." He pulled out a small packet of crackers and dried beef.

Before Prim could say anything, Rue reappeared. Her approach was so silent that neither Peeta nor Prim had had any idea she was coming. "I found these," Rue said, spreading two types of berries out on some leaves, and then laying the slingshot that she had made beside them. She turned to Peeta. "Have you seen the Careers?"

Peeta nodded. "Yeah. They're set up by the lake- it looks like they've got quite a camp."

Rue frowned. "What about Thresh?"

"Nope. But he's still alive, right?" Peeta said, patting Rue's arm reassuringly. "If you want the truth, I think the Careers are afraid to take him on."

They were talking like Thresh could continue to survive. Only one of the four of them could, and Prim wanted to clap her hands over her ears rather than listen to this anymore. But she grit her teeth and smiled as they sat down to eat the berries and beef.

The Games had been going for five days, and they were starting the sixth. Prim found herself thinking about Katniss often, wondering how her sister was faring at home. She was just wondering if Katniss and Buttercup were getting along when she heard a soft growling noise. She looked around frantically, and then saw it. A huge cat prowling through the trees, watching them. It was a large cat, about the size of a tiger that Prim had once seen in a book, with a thick ginger coat and its ears flattened against its head. It was getting ready to attack.

Prim had seen Buttercup hunt often enough to know not to make any sudden movements. She slowly and gently touched Rue's arm, gesturing to the cat. Rue's eyes widened, but she managed to stifle her exclamation. Peeta noticed and turned to look, and then lurched to his feet.

The cat sprang at them. Prim grabbed Peeta's arm and pulled him to the side, off-balance but out of the cat's way. The cat landed and turned in one smooth, fluid movement. Prim didn't even think- she grabbed Rue's slingshot and a rock and fired it at the cat. "Go away!" she shouted.

It wasn't as useless as it seemed. Prim had seen Buttercup attack, and she knew that he liked his prey easy. And the cat did pause, considering them. But this cat wasn’t Buttercup, and it had been tampered with or made by the Capitol. It shook its head and began to prowl around them, sizing them up and looking for an opening. The three of them stepped closer together, and Peeta picked up his machete.

"Oh no," Rue whispered. "I see another one."

"We're going to have to get out of here," Peeta said.

"How?" Prim asked. "We can't outrun them. And they'll be able to climb the trees." She wondered how much longer they had.

Peeta scuffed the forest floor with his foot, then looked around. "There's that rock face over there. Get up it," he ordered them. "Take the stuff with you."

Prim began backing away, pausing to get the burlap sack that she and Rue carried their few supplies in. Rue picked up Peeta's backpack. Prim found a few more rocks for the slingshot, too. Peeta quickly fumbled in his pocket, but Prim had to focus on getting up the rocks.

"Peeta! Look out!" Rue shouted, and Peeta looked up just inn time to see one of the big cats leap at him. He rolled to the side, swinging his machete and striking the cat. The cat roared in pain, swiping at Peeta with a huge paw. The paw hit and sent Peeta staggering, but he shook his head and still fumbled with whatever was in his hand. And in a moment, Prim saw exactly what it was, as Peeta dropped a lit match onto the ground.

The forest floor was covered with dried leaves, pine needles, and sticks, and the fire began to catch very quickly. The cat backed away, and Peeta, still clutching his machete and bleeding from the claw wounds on his face, ran toward the rocks. Prim finished scrambling to the higher ground, and then both she and Rue bent down to help Peeta get up them.

"Come on." Peeta gasped as he cleared the top. "We'd better run."

The cliff had led them to rocky ground, taking them away from water and to a part of the forest that Prim and Rue had not yet explored. Prim glanced back to see that the fire was growing in size. "We might still be in trouble," she gasped out.

Peeta shook his head. "We'll be okay. The cliff will stop the fire from coming this way. Either the Gamemakers will put it out, or maybe we'll get lucky and the Career pack will be caught in it."

The smoke was heavy in the air, making it hard but not impossible to breathe. Prim wondered if the Gamemakers would just the fire take out the entire forest. It wouldn't be the first time that several tributes were killed by the same disaster, although usually those sorts of bloodbaths were saved as a finale for the Games. As if reading her thoughts, a rain suddenly began out of a near cloudless sky. Peeta stopped running and looked up, letting the rain fall over him as he laughed.

"What's so funny?" Rue asked.

"They must have decided it wouldn't make a good show if we all died now," Peeta said. "Look." He pointed back in the direction they had come. Even from the distance they had traveled, they could tell that the flames were starting to die down. The smoke increased, thick black smoke that billowed up to the sky. "I think we're safe."

"Maybe from the cats. We're still in the Games," Rue muttered. Prim agreed with her, but as far as she could tell, it seemed like Peeta was right. One more horror of the Games unearthed, and one more horror of the Games survived.

At least, for now.

***

The sun was starting to set when they found a place to camp for the night. It wasn't even a glen- the place was thick with trees, with the stream about a hundred yards away. Prim settled next to Rue on the pine needles, her body tired and the smell of smoke still lingering in the forest air.

"If we're going to make a fire, we should do it soon," Rue said. "Do we have enough water boiled?"

Peeta checked the supplies. "Enough for tonight. Let's do it in the morning."

"Sounds good." Rue leaned against a tree. "I was thinking-" But before she could finish her sentence, an arrow thudded in the tree right beside Prim's head.

"Get down!" Peeta yelled, knocking Prim to the ground. "It's the Careers!"

This time it was. Prim's throat closed, but she found that, to her surprise, she was able to move. She stayed down on the ground as another arrow came in, narrowly missing Peeta, and scrambled for their bags. Peeta's went over her shoulder and she clutched the burlap sack that she and Rue used.

"Prim!" Rue called from halfway up a tree. "Come on!"

The Careers were new emerging from the forest at a full run. There were five of them, all well armed, all so much bigger. The District 2 girl grinned and without even pausing threw a knife straight at Prim. Prim managed to dodge it just in time.

"Pick it up and climb!" Rue called desperately from above her.

The knife wasn't far away. Prim ran faster than she'd run in her life and snatched it. Two tributes started running toward her and she ducked behind the trees, weaving towards the one Rue was climbing. "Peeta!" Prim shouted. "Hurry up!"

"Get up there!" Peeta yelled back, and Prim turned to see that Peeta had the rusty machete out and was fighting one of the tributes. He was holding his own quite well, so Prim grabbed the branches and began to climb. It was hard work, but the branches were strong enough to hold her and Prim was able to pull herself up. The sound of metal clanging on metal filled the forest and she tried not to look back.

A hand closed around her ankle, and Prim screamed. When she looked down, Marvel was grinning up at her. "Going somewhere, little mouse?"

"Let go!" Prim yelled, trying to kick him. She couldn't get a good shot in, and Marvel pulled. Prim clung to the tree, but she knew that it wasn't going to take much for him to get her down.

A nut struck Marvel in the face. "Let her go!" Rue shouted, slingshot in hand.

It worked. Marvel's grip on Prim's ankle loosened just long enough for her to break free and start scrambling higher. The branches were getting thinner, and below her, she heard Marvel swear as a branch cracked. Just a little higher and she might be safe….

A loud yell pulled her attention back to Peeta, and from her vantage point, Prim could see that another tribute was now fighting him, too. "Peeta!" she screamed, then looked down. But Marvel was down at the bottom of the tree, grinning, and there wasn't anything she could do to help Peeta anyway. She looked up frantically towards Rue, who was taking aim with her slingshot. There had to be a way all three of them could get out of here- there just had to be.

Marvel was trying to climb the tree again. Prim barely contained a shriek and began to work her way a few branches higher. Up here she could feel the motion of the tree, and she held on tighter as the tree swayed. But again, Marvel reached branches that could not support his weight, and climbed back down.

Prim was about to feel safe when Marvel shouted out, "Glimmer! They're up here!" Glimmer notched an arrow into her bow, and Prim saw her choose between the two girls and aim at Rue.

"No!" There was a pinecone nearby- the only weapon Prim could find- and she threw it right as Glimmer was ready to launch her arrow. The pinecone struck her on the temple- not very hard- but enough to maybe distract her. Prim couldn't tell where the arrow landed, but Rue didn't scream. However, the fury on Glimmer's face was unmistakable, and she aimed her next arrow at Prim. Prim clung to the tree, body tensed, and then right before Glimmer let the arrow fly she slid down to the branch below her. The arrow buried itself in the tree right where Prim would have been and the branch she landed on cracked alarmingly, but she was able to scramble to another one, and now she had one of Glimmer's arrows. It looked like Glimmer only had two left.

Marvel's attention was elsewhere, and he grabbed Glimmer's arm. "Leave em for now. If they come down, well get them then. Let's go." He jerked his chin over towards Peeta, and when Prim looked, it looked like Peeta was giving the Careers a hard time with his old, rusty machete. For one wild second she thought Peeta might make it, and then she realized… all five of them were going to be attacking Peeta. There was no way-

"Prim!" Rue hissed from nearby. Prim looked over, frantic. "Give me the knife!"

"What?"

"The knife!" Rue said, pointing to the weapon Prim had picked up when Clove had thrown it. "Give it here!"

Prim had no idea what Rue was going to do, but maybe she could at least do something. She began to climb again, pulling herself up into the tree. It was higher than she'd ever been and the branches were thin, but she had no choice. Rue crept back towards her. Prim noticed that her face was contorted like she was in pain, but it didn't really register.

"Get as high as you can," Rue whispered as Prim held out the knife. "And be careful."

"What are you going to-" Prim began, but Rue had already moved away. Prim caught a glimpse of her flitting from treetop to treetop, but then lost track.

There was a particularly loud shout and Prim turned back to the battle. Peeta was bleeding horribly, clutching his side, still clinging to his machete. The Careers were just toying with him, Prim realized, drawing it out, making a show. She should go down there, she should help… but she stayed frozen in her tree, unable to do anything.

Marvel and Cato grabbed Peeta's arms, and Clove laughed. Prim stuffed her hand in her mouth, crying. She couldn't watch, but she owed it to Peeta to at least… there had to be something she could try. Something.

"Peeta!" His name tore out of her as a sob, and his head snapped up. He twisted around, and the others looked up at her, too.

"You'd better watch good," Marvel yelled up to her, "because once we're done with him, you're gonna be next."

Peeta was still looking up, but he wasn't looking in Prim's direction. The Careers turned their attention back to him, and Clove was approaching him with a knife when Peeta yelled, "Do it!"

There was a second of confusion, and then something large and gray fell, and exploded against the ground. A swarm of insects rose in a terrible, buzzing cloud, and Prim's scream was lost in an outburst of yells from the others. The Careers fled, all except the District 4 girl, who the tracker jackers attacked without mercy- her and Peeta. In seconds they were on the ground, little more than bloated corpses. The tracker jackers followed the others or flew away, although Prim knew it would be a long time before it was safe to come down. She clung to the tree, tears streaming down her face. Peeta was dead.

She stayed in the tree for a long time, not wanting to move even if it was safe. Down below her she could see Peeta's corpse, although it didn't look like Peeta anymore. And his parents… she thought of Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, watching as Peeta died like this. She thought of Katniss. Katniss had seen this whole thing. And she thought of Peeta, who got up on stage and reminded the world that she was twelve, and that twelve-year-olds shouldn't have to fight for their lives.

Neither should eighteen-year-olds, Prim thought. Peeta's death was horrendous, and he deserved so much better.

Finally, the tracker jackers seemed to be gone, and Prim cautiously made her way down the tree, still sniffling. She landed lightly on the forest floor and looked around. "Rue?" she called softly. "Rue? Where are you?"

There was no answer. Prim bit her lip, worried. Could the Careers have gotten her somehow after all? Or could Rue have run into some other trouble? She looked back up into the trees, scanning carefully and slowly to try to spot Rue.

A rustling made Prim spin, clutching the bags to her. Rue stumbled out of the brush, less graceful than Prim had ever seen her. But the relief at seeing her was overwhelming, and Prim ran forward. "Rue! Are you okay?"

Rue opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed. Immediately, Prim felt a shift inside her. Careers she could not cope with, but a medical emergency she could.

There was a dark bloodstain on Rue's shirt, soaking her entire sleeve. Prim immediately rifled through Rue's pockets until she found the knife, and cut away the fabric ruthlessly. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the arrowhead and broken shaft were still lodged in Rue's shoulder. It looked like Rue had tried to pull it out, but fortunately, she'd failed.

"Glimmer must have missed the artery," Prim told Rue as she worked, even though Rue was unconscious. "Otherwise you would have bleed to death a while ago." She put her bloodstained fingers on Rue's neck- the pulse was weaker than it probably should be, but it was there. She looked back at their bags. "Well, let's take a better look at what Peeta had. It feels funny, but he's not going to use it and you need anything you can get."

With a terrible feeling of taking something that didn't belong to her, Prim began rifling through Peeta's bag. There was the small knife she'd found to take out his stingers and the dried beef and sleeping bag, but also matches, a water bottle, a pair of sunglasses, a small coil of water, and a bottle of iodine. Prim breathed a sigh of relief at the matches and iodine. She lit a match and ran it along the blade of the knife, poured some iodine on the cleanest cloth she could find, and set to work, grateful that Rue was passed out.

Ideally, she would be able to stitch the wound, but Prim knew she didn't have the materials to do it right. However, living in District 12, she'd seen her mother improvise. When she was done, the wound had been cauterized, sterilized and bandaged, and as long as infection didn't set in, Rue should be okay. But it didn't feel like enough.

As if the Capitol had heard her thoughts, there was a whirring noise above her. Prim looked up, seeing the hovercraft coming down for the bloated corpses of Peeta and the girl from District 4. She stared at the hovercraft for a long time. Inside were people, people who probably had access to better medicines and better skills than Prim had. People who could probably treat Rue in an instant. But there was no hesitation in the craft's motions, and it lifted out again, leaving Prim and Rue in the woods. And it occurred to her that the hovercraft brought attention back to this area, and the Careers knew exactly where they were.

There had to be a place to hide. Prim stood up and looked around. If they could at least find a place to hide for the night, Rue would probably be well enough that they could travel tomorrow. She looked around, trying to remember everything they'd said at the survival stations about finding shelter and camouflage.

Prim decided to risk leaving Rue, beginning her search in a small circle. She wasn't sure what she was looking for- a hollow tree, enough fallen branches to make a little lean-to, something. What she wasn't expecting was the crack between two boulders down by the stream. She thought about the big cats that had found them earlier, but the ground was soft here and Prim didn't see any pawprints. It seemed like a good gamble. She squirmed in the crevice to find it opened into a cave large enough for both her and Rue to lay down. Prim breathed a sigh of relief.

This was exactly what they needed, she thought as she went back to where she'd left Rue and picked up all the supplies and began trekking them to the cave. They could stay here for a few days, and maybe a few more tributes would die. Prim stopped, horrified that she'd thought that so matter-of-factly. But, it was a fact. She winced and pushed the thought away. Right now she had to think of how to get Rue to the safety of the cave.

She returned to the place where Rue was lying, bent down and shook Rue's good shoulder. "Rue? Rue. Can you wake up?"

Rue stirred, and Prim held her breath. Finally, Rue's eyes slitted open. "Prim?"

"It's me," Prim said, smiling down at Rue. "Come on. We have to go."

"I can't…" Rue began, but Prim took her hand and pulled it over her shoulder. It was hard, but she hauled Rue to her feet.

"Come on. It's not too far, and then you can sleep again, okay?"

Their progress through the forest was slow, and even though the cave was not far, it took a long time to get there. But when they finally did, Prim was able to lay Rue down on the sleeping bag that Peeta had had. At least she could keep her warm and safe. She felt Rue's forehead, but it did not feel exceptionally warm, and as she lay on the bag, her breathing evened out. Prim sighed in relief.

She sat down beside Rue, hugging her knees to her and trying to get her own emotions sorted. Now that the healing crisis was past, the implications of what had happened were dawning on Prim. Peeta was dead, and Rue had killed Glimmer. Prim wished she could remember how many were left. She wrote the District numbers in the dirt and began crossing out the ones she knew were gone, but with each X, she found her eyes filling with tears. Because each of those deaths were people, and each of them were horrible. The sobs were coming on again, and in the dark safety of the cave with Rue asleep and no threats right now, there was nothing to stop her. Prim cried, hugging her knees tightly.

Eventually she had to stop, and when she did, she regretted crying in the first place. Her nose was streaming and stuffy, and there wasn't much to blow it on. She crept out of the cave into the darkness long enough to get some leaves to blow her nose, and as she did, the Capitol Anthem played. Prim looked up into the sky, watching as the faces of the fallen tributes fell. When Peeta's picture appeared, she kissed her middle three fingers and held them up in farewell. There was nothing else she could do, nothing she could say. She watched until his picture faded from the sky, and then headed back inside.

***

Rue was still asleep in the morning, but there was no fever. Prim breathed a sigh of relief and began to look through their supplies for breakfast. There were a few roots, a handful of nuts, and three pieces of dried beef. That was it. Prim looked at the food and frowned. She could make a fire and boil down the roots with a piece of beef to make a soup that would be nourishing for them both, but they would need more food. And berries and roots wouldn't be enough- Rue would be better off with protein, and some iron. They needed game, and there was only one way to get it.

Prim rubbed her forehead, eyes closed. She knew what she was going to have to do, and it was time to steel herself and do it. It was just an animal, after all. She'd always been able to eat them when Katniss brought them home.

She retrieved the rope that she'd gotten and began tying a snare.

***

Prim had thought she would watch the snare, but she couldn't bear to. She left it lying under some leaves, ready and waiting, and headed back to make a fire. It was early in the day, and she was hoping that either the Careers would have moved on to bigger targets or were recovering from tracker jacker stings. There was a good chance it was safe.

She had put the pot of roots, water, and beef over the fire when Rue emerged from the cave, wincing at the pain in her shoulder, but walking and looking much better. "Hi."

Prim smiled at her. "Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," Rue admitted, sitting beside Prim. "But alive. I guess that's good. What are you making?"

"Soup. You shouldn't eat anything too hard on your stomach."

Rue nodded. "You really did a good job of healing me up. I might have died without you."

"Maybe. But you did a great job dropping that nest. How did you not get stung?"

"I got lucky," Rue said with a sigh. "The branch was really long, and the knife Clove through was a good one. I thought I was going to, though." She was quiet for a long moment. "Prim?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm sorry about Peeta."

"Thank you," Prim said. She stared at the fire, poking it unnecessarily. "I didn't know him that well."

"Was it true? That stuff about him and your sister?" It was the first time Rue had asked, but it sounded like maybe she'd been wanting to for a while.

"Yes. Well, about him. Katniss never said anything about him." Prim smiled despite herself. "I'm not sure she knew he was alive." Her smile leeched away at the unfortunate phrasing, and her eyes teared up. She batted at them until she got it under control again. "Anyway. We're running low on food. I set a snare. I should go check it." She stood up.

"Okay." Rue's hand went to her shoulder and she closed her eyes. "Guess I'll be here."

Prim managed a smile, but as soon as she turned and walked away the smile leeched off her face. It wasn't Rue's fault and Prim knew that, but she just wished there had been some other way. Of course, if Peeta hadn't been in the Games in the first place…. She shook her head. This was the Hunger Games. Prim didn't like them- no one liked them- but they were a fact of life in Panem.

As she approached the area where she had set her snare, she heard a rustling noise, followed by a terrible screaming sound that made her hair stand on end. She looked around and then began climbing a tree as fast as she could, until she remembered Rue. She hesitated a few branches up, and then heard the screaming sound again. It wasn't human.

Rabbits scream Katniss had told her once, and then regretted it because Prim's eyes had filled with tears as she imagined a rabbit caught helplessly in a trap. Katniss had tried to change the subject, but the imagined image had stayed with Prim for a very long time. And although she had never heard it before, Prim was sure of what she was hearing now. A rabbit was caught in her trap, and it was screaming. All she had to do was kill it.

Prim squeezed her eyes shut, clinging to the tree, her cheek against the rough bark. "You can do this," she whispered to herself. "Do this for Rue. Be like Katniss."

She took a deep breath and pulled herself away from the tree. Don't think. The mantra was in her head as she climbed down and pulled the knife out of her pocket. Don't think. Just be like Katniss. She gripped the knife in her hand and approached the snare. As she'd thought, there was a rabbit in there, upside down and struggling frantically. Don't think. Prim reached for the animal. It had a beautiful gray coat, and if she took it and put it in her arms she could stroke its fur and calm it and-

"No!" The word burst out of her, and Prim reached forward and grabbed the snare. Then there was fur under her hand and somehow there was hot, red blood on her arms and tears on her face, and the rabbit went still.

Her hand was shaking as she set the knife down on the ground and began to pick the knot out. She had no idea why she was doing that, but soon the rabbit and the rope came free and she slung it over her shoulder like she'd seen Katniss do. One rabbit wasn't that much game, but it was enough for today. She squared her shoulders and made her way back through the woods.

Rue was still sitting by the fire, and she looked up and smiled as Prim approached. Her eyes opened wide, and her smile got wider. "You did it!" she said, and that made Prim straighten up a little. "Prim, you got us food!"

"We still have to clean it," Prim said, ducking under the rope and laying the rabbit down gently. "I've seen Katniss do it."

"Do you need me to help?"

Prim bit her lip, looking down at the rabbit. She wanted to let Rue take over from here, to be done with this. But the thought returned to her that this was the Hunger Games, and it she set her shoulders and began.

She didn't do nearly as neat a job as Katniss could do, but in the end they were able to roast the rabbit over the fire. They saved the meat for later, but as Prim wrapped the pieces in leaves she couldn't ignore the feeling of pride in her. She'd done something that helped them both.

"You still look worried," Rue said when the rabbit was roasting over the fire.

"It's silly."

"What is?" Rue looked genuinely concerned.

Prim shifted uncomfortably. "Well, back home, I never would have killed a rabbit."

"Why not?"

"I don't like killing animals. I'll eat them, but I don't like killing them."

"Oh." Rue looked like she didn't know what to say.

"I know it's silly," Prim continued, tracing a pattern in the dirt and not looking at Rue. "But I just feel like I'm changing. Into something I don't want to be, I mean. Does that sound ridiculous?"

Rue shook her head. "Not at all. I think everyone who wins the Games has to change."

"Maybe I don't want to win, then."

"You never did. But I know what you mean," Rue said with a sigh. "I keep hoping… but some part of me knows it won't work, hiding like this forever. Something's going to change. And if I want to live, it has to be me."

Do you think you will? It was the logical question, but Prim wasn't sure she wanted the answer. "I think the rabbit will be done soon," she said. "We should wrap it up for tomorrow once it cools."

"Sounds good." Rue poked at the soup in the pot. "I think this should be done soon, too."

They moved the conversation on to food and to other things, both of them unwilling to think about the day when hiding might not work anymore. Prim hoped they wouldn't have to face it, but she had the feeling it would come.

***

The branches shook perilously under her, but Prim clung to the tree, trying to stay as still as possible. As far as she could tell there was no tracker jacker nest up here to save them this time. Two trees over, she could see Rue, motionless and only visible because Prim knew where to look.

"They've been here," Marvel said, kicking at the ground. "I know it."

"We knew that." Clove was scowling. "We're not too far off from where we found them last time."

"When I get my hands on those little twerps…" Marvel left the threat hanging. "Those stings still hurt."

"For all of us, so shut up, okay?" Cato said. He was looking around. "They're little, but they're smart. I don't think they'd stick too close to the area."

"What about Thresh?" Clove asked. "They were hanging around him and the twelve guy during Training. Think they went and found him?"

"Are you crazy?" Marvel asked. "Thresh'd kill them on sight. That guy's not messing around."

"The twelve guy didn't."

"Yeah, and he's dead," Cato said. "He was soft. Eleven's not." He frowned. "Maybe we should just skip the girls for now and figure out how to get rid of him. The girls won't be hard, but he will be."

"Yeah, and maybe he'll take one of us out for you, huh, Cato?" Marvel said, with a dangerous grin. He prowled around and sighed. "I hate letting those twerps go, though."

"Come on. It's not like you won't get your chance later," Clove said. She punched his arm and ran off. The other two followed.

It was a long time before either Rue or Prim felt safe enough to come down. Finally, Prim saw Rue moving, and she made her way down to the ground, too. "That was close."

"It was. I didn't realize they were really hunting us." Rue shivered. "I guess I should have, though."

"It sounds like they're not anymore. They're going to go after Thresh." Prim felt bad about saying that like it was a good thing.

Rue shook her head. "They suggested it. But they're scared of him."

"They should be. But maybe they'll leave us alone for a while."

"Or maybe they'll think again. If they try to take on Thresh, he'll kill at least one of them."

"But maybe that's why they'll do it now," Prim pointed out. "So he will kill one of them. They want to win, and if Thresh kills one, that's one less they have to kill."

Rue frowned. "You have a point. Either way though, I think we should be ready."

"What do you mean?"

"They aren't going to let us hide anymore. Not the Careers, and probably not the Gamemakers. There aren't that many of us left."

Prim nodded. "But we can't just go out there and take on the Careers. They'd kill us in an instant."

"No," Rue agreed, looking thoughtful, "but if they come to us, we could be more prepared."

"Like with traps?" Prim asked.

"Exactly." Rue's eyes sparkled. "We can set traps. And if they come back this way, it might give us an upper hand."

"Do you think?"

"I think it can't hurt to try. It's the best chance we've got."

They spent the next day laying traps. Prim was able to set several snares with her rope and the coil of wire, as well as with some vines they found. She was also able to weave a sort of crude net out of the vines, although she didn't see what good it would do. Rue set up some triplines and spent a while trying to work out a few other traps. They debated digging a pit, but with Rue's bad shoulder and no tools, they had to discard the idea.

"It would only work if they stepped in the right place anyway," Rue said. "What I really wish is that we could find more traps that the Gamemakers put in without triggering them. Turn them against the others."

Prim watched her in awe and admiration. "How do you get so brave?" she asked later that night as they huddled together in Peeta's sleeping bag in the cave. "You're not scared of anything."

"That's not true. I'm terrified." Rue shifted so she was on her back. "When they called my name at the Reaping, I wanted to cry so bad."

"Me, too. But still… you're here. You're ready to take on the Careers, at least a little. How do you do it?"

"Because I'm with you. I don't think I could be this brave alone."

A little smile tugged at Prim's lips, even though she didn't really feel like smiling. "Same here. Without you, I'd be dead by now." She bit her lip, then asked the other question that was bothering her. "Rue? What if it does come down to us?"

Rue was quiet for a long time. "It won't," she said finally. "There's just no way that all of the Careers will die and one of us won't. I don't want to think about it, though."

"Me, either." Prim stared up at the ceiling. "But at least we've made it this far. Showed them…." She trailed off.

"Showed them what?" Rue asked.

Prim shrugged. "Showed them something. Maybe that we're better than they thought." Although that wasn't the right words.

"We've always been better than they thought," Rue said. "Good night, Prim."

"Good night, Rue."

They lay together, awake and thinking until sleep finally claimed them both.

***

Waiting took on a whole new tone now, and Prim felt the tension throughout her body, like a bird poised for flight. No, not a bird. Some creature that fought back when attacked, not flew away. A badger, maybe. Or something. She was finding it hard to think.

A full day passed, and when the night came, Clove's picture was in the sky. Clove's, but not Thresh's. "I wonder if he killed her," Prim said.

"Probably. He looked really strong. I'll bet he scared the other two off." Rue sighed. "That means they'll come after us for sure tomorrow. They'll want to kill somebody, and we're easy targets to them."

Prim frowned. "How many of us are left now?"

"Not many." Rue counted on her fingers. "Marvel, Cato, the boy from District 3, the girl from District 5, Thresh… and us. That's it. Just seven."

"Seven." Prim's eyes opened wide, and she thought of Katniss and her mother watching back home. Seven left, out of twenty-four. There had to be a chance. Prim was never supposed to last this long. But now things were changing. Now the stakes were getting higher.

Rue was still mulling over the Tributes. "I don't know much about the boy from 3 or the girl from 5, but he didn't look like he was all that big or strong. I wonder how he's made it this long?"

Prim shrugged. Of the seven left, four still struck her as a threat- the two Careers and Thresh, of course, and the girl from 5, who had been older and kept to herself during Training. There might be seven left, but there were four of the strongest tributes. Prim hadn't realized how much her hopes of getting home had risen until she felt them deflate right then. And for her to get home, Rue still had to die, too. Prim sighed and shivered. It was colder in the Arena the past few nights.

"I almost want them to come tonight," Prim said, her voice catching. "The worst part is this horrible waiting, wondering how it's going to happen, and when."

"I know. We could lure them here, if you want. All we'd have to do is make a fire with some green wood or something, so it smokes. If there's only seven of us left, I don't know how much longer we can hide."

"Maybe." Prim was still hesitant about the idea. "Let me think about it."

Rue shrugged. "Okay. We've got the traps set anyway, and if we wait a few days, my shoulder should heal more." She moved it. "You did a really good job healing it, by the way."

"Thanks." Prim was aware that she was blushing, and was rather glad it was too dark for Rue to see her face. She suddenly felt awkward, sitting here, and stood up hastily. "I think I'm going to try to get some sleep."

Rue nodded. "I'll be there in a minute."

As she left Rue's side, Prim felt the exhaustion and hopelessness settle back in. She was hungry, she was tired, she was cold, and she was homesick. As miserable as conditions in District 12 were, they were better than here. She wanted to be back home, where she could sleep in a bed with a cover and her mother and Buttercup, where she could use a latrine or even a toilet, where she didn't have to worry as much about food or shelter or healing or…. She climbed into the sleeping bag, wondering if exhaustion or worry would win out.

"Prim!" Rue's scream shattered the night. "Prim! Help!"

Prim immediately struggled out of the sleeping bag, fumbling in the dark cave for the knife. She could hear a male voice swearing and Rue shouting something back, but nothing else. Her nerves were on fire and her stomach twisting, but Rue was in trouble and she had to help. This was Rue.

When she arrived, she found Rue uninjured, standing back and Marvel, upside down, his leg caught in Prim's snare, swinging a sword. Prim stopped suddenly, staring in shock.

"It worked," she said in awe.

Marvel let out a string of language, some of which Prim had only heard in the worst parts of the Hob and most of which she didn't know, but assumed was probably worse. Rue took a step back.

"Prim, we've got to get rid of him, before he can cut the snare. But I don't know how to get close to him without getting cut."

Prim looked around. "What about Cato?"

"He must have come alone, or Cato would have attacked by now."

Unless Cato was biding his time, watching to see if they could take out Marvel. Prim pushed that thought from her mind and focused instead on what they should do. "If he hangs long enough, he should pass out," she said.

"He'll cut the snare before that happens."

Prim was still stunned that her snare had worked so well. When she'd been tying them she never expected- "Wait! The net!"

"The net?"

"The vine net. If we can get his arms pinned to his sides, then he can't cut the snare-"

"-Or us. If we can get it around him."

Prim hurried over to the tree where they'd strung the net up to be dropped after someone set off the tripwire, climbed it, and pulled it down as quickly as she could. "All right," she said, holding the mess of vines out. "We'll have to do this quickly." She gave one edge to Rue. "Let's go."

Together they approached Marvel, who was still swinging his sword and swearing. When he saw them coming, he stopped, his face lighting up with a sadistic sort of grin. "You really think you're going to stop me? I'm gonna cut your stupid little trap, and then when I get down I'm gonna slit both your throats."

Prim and Rue ignored him. "Ready?" Rue asked, holding up her end. "One… two… three."

They ran at him together, each holding the very end. Marvel swung his sword wildly, and a sharp pain exploded in Prim's thigh. She ignored it and pressed on, running by Rue. The net tangled around Marvel.

"Pull!" Rue shouted at her. "Pull it as tight as you can!"

If the swears and struggles from Marvel were any indication, the net was working. Prim pulled hard, her leg on fire, her hands burning from the friction with the vines. But Marvel's arms ended up pinned to his sides, and Rue gestured for them to wrap the net again. It took a lot of effort, especially with Marvel still thrashing, but they were able to secure it.

"Now what?" Prim asked, gripping her leg. When she looked, her hands were wet with blood.

Rue noticed. "We've got to do something about that first, from the looks of it. Then we'll deal with him. How bad is it?"

"I don't know. I can't see without a light. And we can't light a fire. It'll show others where we are."

"They know where you are," Marvel said, spitting. "They're coming for you."

Rue ignored him. "He's loud enough. They've probably figured it out. We could at least make a small one. There aren't that many people out there, and Cato's not here."

"Yes he is," Marvel said."

Rue turned to him. "No he's not, or you would have asked him to help you by now."

"You think I need help?"

"You're tied up and hanging upside down from a tree, so I'd say yes, you do." The look on Marvel's face confirmed it whether he wanted it to or not. Prim wondered why he didn't shout louder, and then realized- Marvel might not consider himself in grave danger now, but shouting for help might bring another, more dangerous opponent like Thresh or the girl from District 5 down on them, and then he'd really be in trouble.

Rue was lighting a small fire with the matches from Peeta's pack. "Come on, Prim," she said. "Check it out quickly, at any rate."

Prim made her way over to the fire, and used a rag to blot the blood away. It welled up quickly, but it was long enough for her to see the damage. "It's shallow, I think," she said. "But it's long. It really needs to be stitched."

"How'd you take care of my shoulder?" Rue asked.

Prim shook her head. "That was a smaller wound, and I cauterized it a bit, too. This is too big for that." She sighed. "I can bandage it and hope, but I think that's it."

Rue turned back to Marvel, studying him. "He's got a backpack. He might have some first aid supplies."

"We're not going to be able to get to it."

"No… not until we kill him."

Prim swallowed hard around the lump that had suddenly sprung up in her throat. "Kill him."

"We have to, Prim. If we don't, he'll kill us."

The worst part was that Prim knew she was right. "I don't know if I can do it," she admitted. "Especially now. It's murder."

"I know, but…." Rue's eyes were shining in the light with unshed tears. "Prim, the longer we wait, the worse it will be."

"We could just… leave him?"

"If he got down, he'd come looking for us." Rue cringed. "And besides, doesn't it take a person a long time to die like that?"

She was right. Prim tried to imagine leaving Marvel there, watching him die slowly…. "You're right," she said, and her mouth tasted like blood and ashes. "But Rue-"

Rue knelt down in front of her, taking Prim's bloody hands in hers. "Prim. We can do this. We have to do this. You want to go home, don't you? This is the first time we have a chance."

"But-"

"We've got to do this, Prim. The only other choice is to die ourselves. Come on." She let go of one of Prim's hands, but with the other she led Prim over to Marvel. Prim could just barely see his face in the flickering light of the fire that Rue had lit- it was dark red now, his eyes bulging out in anger.

"You're going to pay for this. When I get down from here, I'm gonna make you cry. I'm gonna make your deaths hurt. I'm gonna…."

"Prim?" Rue held up the knife.

"I can't. Not like that." Prim looked at Marvel's neck. "I can't…."

Rue followed where she was looking and nodded. "All right. We'll do it together, okay?"

Prim took a deep breath. "Together."

"Come on. One…"

"Two…"

"Three." They both put their hands on Marvel's neck and began to squeeze.

His skin was sticky under Prim's bloody hands, sticky but smooth. She pressed as hard as she could, trying to ignore the sounds and closing her eyes. "Keep going." Rue's voice sounded so far away, and her fingers against Prim's felt cold. Marvel was making the most horrendous sounds and his body was thrashing desperately, but the vines held him tight.

Under Prim's fingers, something broke. Her fingers sunk deeper into Marvel's throat and a terrible noise escaped him, and then his body went still. "Rue?"

"Keep going." Rue's voice was torn up as well, and when Prim opened her eyes she saw the tears streaking Rue's cheeks, the pain on her face. "Keep going."

"Rue… I think we can stop."

"We can't stop." Rue was crying in earnest, too. "We have to kill him or we can't go home. We have to kill him or he'll kill us. We have to-"

"Rue. Rue." Prim let Marvel's neck go and caught Rue's wrists, pulling her away. "Rue. We did kill him."

Rue's eyes flew open and she looked at Marvel dangling from the tree, his body now limp and his face blue. "No. No, no, no…."

"We did it." Prim pulled Rue into her arms. Rue clung to her, crying, and Prim was crying to. "We did it. We killed him and we're safe and he's dead and oh, we should cut him down because it's so horrible that he's still hanging here and-"

They sank to the ground together, Rue still sobbing into Prim's shoulder and Prim feeling completely sick. Her leg was still hurting but that didn't matter because she'd just killed a boy, and what would Katniss say? Or her mother or her father? She'd killed…

Prim pushed Rue away, bent over, and vomited onto the ground.

When she was done she sat back, wiping her mouth on her forearm and trying to calm down. She had no idea what she should do next, until a glint of silver caught her eye.

"Rue? What's…" Prim crawled closer, and saw that it was a silver parachute. She'd seen them in the Games before at home, but never in the Arena. A silver parachute meant a gift and a gift meant a sponsor. It was probably meant for Marvel, but Prim opened it up anyway. Inside was a surgical needle and thread, much stronger and better than she'd ever used, and a small bottle of antiseptic.

"Prim?" Rue crept forward. "What's that?"

Prim held the package up wordlessly, and Rue's mouth dropped open. "I don't believe it."

"It's not medicine, but it's something." Prim turned her gaze back to her prize, still stunned. "I can…"

"You can sew yourself up." Both girls looked at each other and then winced. "Well," Rue said, "like you said, it's better than nothing."

The presence of the gift seemed to be helping Rue get herself back under control. "We should really see what Marvel's got in his backpack," she said. "The hovercraft will come for him soon and if he's got anything good…."

"I know." Prim managed to get to her feet to head over to their little fire, which was dying from the lack of being fed. She was about to poke it into flames again when it occurred to her that Marvel probably had a better light source. She waited as Rue scaled the tree and cut the snare down. Marvel fell with a thump that made Prim's stomach lurch again.

"Sorry," Rue whispered. "I couldn't think of another way." She began to cut the vines away, and then pulled the pack. She hesitated, and then arranged Marvel's limbs more neatly, so his hands were crossed over his chest. She looked at Prim anxiously, as if she had something to apologize for, but Prim didn't blame her in the least. Finally, Rue returned with the backpack.

"Let's see, several knives, two extra spearheads, a flashlight, a leather pouch…" Rue put each item on the ground as she pulled it out. "A first aid kit! There might be something in here you can use." She handed it to Prim, who opened it to find some basic supplies. There was a cream that would take away some pain, though, and some aspirin, and some more antiseptic. Rue was still rummaging through the backpack. "A water bottle and some dried fruit. That's it."

"What's in the pouch?" Prim asked as she took the flashlight and began to examine her wound more closely.

Rue opened it. "Berries. I wonder why… oh."

"Oh, what?"

"Have you ever seen these before?" Rue held one up, and Prim involuntarily shifted away.

"Those are nightlock berries, aren't they?"

"That's what I thought, too." Rue put the berry back in the bag. "I wonder why he's carrying those around?"

"They're incredibly poisonous. Although how you'd get someone to eat one…"

"They look a lot like blueberries, I suppose." Rue scooted over. "Do you need help?"

Prim nodded. "Can you hold the flashlight steady?"

Rue did. Even with the flashlight and the supplies, stitching up her own wound was slow, awkward, painful work. Prim winced every time she put the needle through her own skin. She'd only done stitches a few times before in her life and it would probably scar horribly, but it had to be better than leaving the wound open. And between the two bottles, she had enough antiseptic for her and for Rue's wound.

The sun was nearly coming up by the time they climbed back into the cave, both exhausted and filthy. "Do you think we're safe?" Prim asked Rue as they lay down on the sleeping bag.

"I don't know," Rue answered. "To be honest, I'm not sure I care anymore."

What scared Prim most was that she was starting to agree.

***

Prim and Rue weren't sure what to do next. They reset what snares they could, but there wasn't much else they could do, so they spent the day trying to gather food. Marvel's face appeared in the sky late that night, along with the girl from District 5. And the next night the boy from District 3. Prim had never expected to live this long.

When they woke up the next morning, the stream outside their cave was dry. "It's like someone turned a faucet off," Rue said wonderingly. "Why would they do that?"

"It's got to be getting close to the end. There are only four of us left."

"You, me, Thresh and Cato." Rue counted them on her fingers. "How much water do we have?"

Prim consulted their bottles. "Two and a half bottles. But no water for anything but drinking."

Rue frowned. "There's the lake in the meadow. I wonder if they turned that off."

"That's where Cato is."

"Which must be exactly what they want us to do. I'll bet they turned Thresh's water off, too."

"There's only four of us left. What do they expect?"

"That the four of us will battle it out, I guess." Rue sighed. "They aren't going to let us hide anymore."

Prim shook her head. "If we go to the lake, we'll die."

Rue looked around. "Want to bet if we don’t go, they'll find a way to drive us there? I'll bet those big cats come out again."

Prim shivered. "You're right. I guess…."

"We should go." Rue finished the sentence for her. "Come on."

It didn't take long to get their things together, but Prim knew it would be a long walk to the lake. Rue found a big stick for Prim to lean on, to take some of the weight off of her healing leg. The forest was quiet as they walked and the Gamemakers had turned up the heat, emphasizing the feeling of a death march. For the most part, Prim and Rue didn't talk much.

It was late afternoon when they made it to the edge of the forest. Their water bottles were nearly empty, and they were both tired, sweaty, and hot. Prim wanted to suggest finding a place to hide for the night and trying to tackle this in the morning, but some instinct told her that one way or another, this was going to be settled tonight. The Games were almost over, and so was…. Prim closed her eyes, not wanting to think about it.

The thought must have been on Rue's mind, too. When Prim looked at her she lifted her chin, the setting sun shining off the tears in her eyes. "It's going to be Thresh getting home. I just have to keep telling myself that. That at least if Thresh makes it, my mom and my brothers and sisters get more to eat."

"It could be you," Prim said desperately. "It could be."

Rue shook her head. "I've been thinking about it all day. The only way for that to happen is that one of them would have to kill the other and kill you, and then I'd have to kill either Thresh or Cato. It's not going to be me. I can't do that on my own."

That sinking hopelessness came back as Prim realized that Rue was right. They'd made it so far, but neither of them was going home. "Well, then," she said, trying to comfort Rue in any way she could. "We should make a pact. We'll do anything we can to help Thresh, so he can get home. If I can't go home and you can't go home, I'd rather help your family than Cato's."

Rue stared at her for a moment, and then seized Prim and pulled her into a tight hug. Prim hugged her back. "I wish things were different," Rue said in her ear.

"Me, too." Prim closed her eyes. "I wish…." But wishing was pointless, and they both knew it. They broke apart, smiling at each other sadly, and they began to walk. If the Capitol wanted them at the lake, they'd go to the lake. As they walked, Rue reached out and touched Prim's hand. Prim turned hers over, opening it, and Rue laced her fingers through it. Her touch was comfort and bravery, and Prim knew that at least if she had to die, she wasn't doing it alone.

They had made it to the meadow when Prim heard a sound. "Do you hear that?"

"That can't be good." Rue swallowed hard. "I'm not sure what we should do."

"We could run for the forest. Go up the trees."

"What if it's the cats again?" Rue asked, her hand tightening on Prim's. "They'll climb."

Prim was about to argue when the first mutt jumped out from behind one of the trees. It was far away but Prim could still see it was horrible- a cross between a wolf and a dog, with eyes that were so intelligent that they almost looked human. Both of them screamed and began to run towards the lake and the Cornucopia, the mutt gaining on them. When Prim looked back, she saw that there were two more. She tugged her hand free from Rue's and they both sped up, running as fast as they could go. A huge dark shape bounded out in front of them, and Prim and Rue both screamed again. So did the figure, and Prim realized it was Cato. But he didn't stop to confront them- he just turned and continued running.

The Cornucopia wasn't too far away, and even though Cato was running for it, Prim and Rue headed in that direction, too. Prim had the fleeting thought that she'd rather be killed by Cato's weapon than ripped apart by those mutts that were after them. Cato stumbled, sprawling in the dirt, and both Prim and Rue sped up, passing him.

Another dark shape was running as well, coming from a slightly different direction and looking no less panicked. Thresh. Prim ducked her head down and tried to run faster, although her legs were already moving as fast as they could and her lungs felt like they would burst.

Rue reached the Cornucopia a hair before anyone else. She tried to jump up, but it was a little too slippery and too high. Prim had her hands cupped into a step even before she arrived, and gave Rue a boost. Rue scrambled up and then turned around to reach down and pull Prim. Prim's hands and feet slipped, but to her relief, she reached the top. Rue caught her and they held on to each other, both gasping for breath.

Cato and Thresh had both reached the Cornucopia and were trying to climb, but at the same time trying to push each other down to the mutts. The mutts were only meters away. Thresh managed to push Cato away and scramble to the top, clinging on. Prim and Rue hurried forward and pulled him up.

We shouldn't have done that, Prim thought, but before she could regret it, Cato was on top of the Cornucopia as well, pulling himself up on the tail at the furthest end of the horn. Prim and Rue at one end, Cato at the other, and Thresh in between them. It couldn't be worse.

Cato knelt at the end, catching his breath. Thresh stood still, in the center looking from Cato to Rue and Prim. Prim's limbs were numb, frozen in place. Four left, and all four here. This was the final battle.

The mutts reached the Cornucopia. They gathered around the base, barking up, trying to leap up. Prim looked down and noticed that the mutts had collars around their necks, each collar bearing a number. The one nearest to her had a sleek golden coat and a number one around its neck. The mutt reminded her of Glimmer. As she took in the others, her mouth fell open.

"The numbers," she said, grabbing Rue's hand. "They're all the districts. The mutts… they're the tributes!"

"No. They can't be." Rue took her eyes off Cato and Thresh long enough to look down. "That's not possible. Not even for the Capitol!"

But Prim spotted the one with the number 12, with Peeta's eyes and the color of Peeta's hair. She stared at the snarling brute, her stomach twisting with anger and fear.

"Prim!" Rue shouted, and Prim snapped her attention back to the top. Cato had regained his breath and was advancing. Rue had out her slingshot, and Prim fumbled for the knife she wore at her waist. But she didn't think there was anything they could do.

Thresh looked back over his shoulder at the two of them, and something in his face changed. He nodded at them, and then with a mighty roar, he tackled Cato. Prim only had a glimpse of Cato's eyes widening in surprise, and then the two of them went over the edge. Rue screamed, leaning forward, but Prim caught her.

"Don't look. Please, don't look," she begged, holding Rue close. "Don't look." Tears were streaking down her face as she heard the mutts growling, and the screams from Thresh and Cato. Rue clung to Prim, crying into her shoulder.

"He deserved better," Rue sobbed. "That's just…."

"It's sick," Prim agreed. She squeezed her eyes shut and rocked Rue back and forth, just like Katniss used to rock her after she'd had nightmares. There was nothing else to say.

Eventually, the screams ended, and the mutts grew silent. Prim thought they might have left, but she didn't want to look down. She stayed right where she was, holding onto Rue, with Rue's head on her shoulder. Her limbs grew heavy and the dark and the growing silence lulled her, and her tears had exhausted her. Despite the nightmares around them, she drifted off to sleep.

***

The sun woke her up. "How long were we asleep?" Prim asked, sitting up.

"I don't know." Rue looked around. "It's getting bright awfully fast. I think they want good light or something."

"Good light." That brought the current status of the Games right back to Prim. Thresh and Cato were dead, which meant… "They want us to fight."

"What?" Rue turned around.

"You and me," Prim realized, her horror growing. "Rue, we're it. It's down to you and me."

Rue's eyes widened as she realized the truth. "No. It can't be."

"It is."

"No. It wasn't supposed to be like this." Rue shook her head. "I can't fight you."

"I can't fight you, either." Prim looked down at the ground. "I can't. You're my friend."

She should. One knife, right in Rue's stomach, and it would be all over. But Prim would never be able to live with herself. She knew that.

She should offer to let Rue kill her. But her mouth was dry, and she couldn't bring herself to do that, either. And even if she did, Rue wouldn't be able to do it, would she? And if she could, could she live with herself afterwards?

Step off your plate Gale had told her. Kill yourself. Those hadn't been his words then, but they were the words in Prim's head now. She could do it herself, save Rue from having to do it. But she was so close… as much as she loved Rue and wanted her to live, she didn't want to die, either. She just wanted to go home.

Rue looked up, tears streaking her face. "So what do we do?" she finally asked. "What happens if we won't fight each other?"

"They'll send things after us," Prim realized dully. "Like those mutts. Or the cats. Or fire or… or… who knows what else. Some horrible way until one of us dies."

"What if…" Rue began slowly. She stopped, and Prim raised her eyebrows questioningly. Rue's eyes got that spark, the same one Prim had seen when she suggested trapping the Careers. "What if we didn't let them? What if both of us died?"

"Both of us?" Prim asked in confusion.

Rue grabbed the bag that Prim had set down after the boys had fallen and rifled through until she came up with the nightlock berries. "We eat them. At least that way we die quick and painless. And then they don't have a Victor."

"Both of us?"

"Both of us." Rue's eyes sparkled with a little spark of mischief that the Capitol hadn't managed to completely kill. It made Prim's heart leap into her throat to see it. "Let's do it, Prim. Let's eat them and leave the Capitol to deal with it."

She could be lying. Prim knew that she and Rue were friends, that they cared about each other deeply, but she could be lying. She could pretend, and wait until Prim had eaten the berries, and then she'd be able to go home. Prim looked at Rue, who'd fought by her side through this whole nightmare, who'd been there through the best and the worst, and decided that she didn't care. If Rue went home, that was good enough for her.

"All right," Prim said, holding out her hands. Rue put half the berries into them. "On the count of three. One…"

"Two…" Rue said, lifting the berries.

"Three."

Prim was just about to put the berries in her mouth when a frantic voice interrupted. "Stop! Stop!" Prim and Rue both stopped, staring at each other with wide eyes. The voice belonged to Claudius Templesmith. It was the first time they'd heard it in these Games.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice said, "I give you the victors of the seventy fourth Hunger Games. Rue Springhaven and Primrose Everdeen!" Trumpets blared, and the sun seemed to brighten as Prim and Rue stood up, standing on the Cornucopia.

Prim couldn't believe her ears. Never, in the entire history of the Games, had there been co-winners. Rue looked just as incredulous. It had to be some sort of trick. There was no way the Capitol would let both of them live.

But a hovercraft was coming down, and two ladders dropped down. When she looked up, Prim could see people beckoning to them. Victors. Together. Prim and Rue looked at each other, both still skeptical, and both of them took a ladder. The current froze them into place and they were lifted up, out of the Arena.

***

In her wildest dreams, Prim had never imagined herself as a Victor of the Hunger Games. Her worst nightmares had her dying horribly in them, but this… this was something she had never even considered.

She and Rue were separated on the hovercraft, immediately whisked into separate rooms. Prim wanted to protest and she saw it in Rue's face, too, but someone just patted her hand and said, "You'll see her soon enough."

The only thing Prim remembered about the ride in the hovercraft was the orange juice that someone gave her. She took the glass and could smell the juice, sweet and acidic, but could not manage to bring it to her lips. She sat in a chair for the duration of the ride, clutching the glass in her hands.

They took her to another room, and plugged an IV into her vein. Prim sat quietly, still holding her orange juice, letting whoever they were do what they wanted to do. Someone took her glass and someone helped her into a bed, and then Prim lay back and the medicine in the IV began to work, and she fell asleep.

***

When she woke up, the IV was gone. There was a tray of food- simple chicken soup, a small piece of bread, and a little bowl of pudding- and a Games outfit laid out for her. Prim sat up and took the tray, and as she did she noticed that her leg didn't hurt. She put the tray down and pushed up the hospital gown to find her leg completely healed and the skin smooth. She prodded the area where the cut had been with her fingers, but there was no residual pain. It was as if the cut had never happened. She was surprised to find that irritated her.

When she had eaten and changed into the outfit, she sat for a long moment, waiting for instruction. Nothing came, so she decided to explore. Maybe she could at least find Rue. She left her room and found herself in a wide hallway, and when she came to the foyer, she found Haymitch, Cinna, and Effie.

"You can knock me over with a feather," he said when he spotted Prim. "This is the last thing I expected, that's for sure. Congratulations, sweetheart."

"Thank you," Prim said uncertainly, not sure if he was serious or not. But to her surprise, Haymitch walked over and swept her into a hug. He smelled of stale liquor and expensive soap, and Prim was relieved when he let go of her. He didn't smile, either. "Go with Cinna," he said, brushing Effie off of Prim. "Get ready."

"Where's Rue?" Prim asked.

"She's with her team. Go."

Slightly stung but not understanding why, Prim retreated. "Come on," Cinna said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "It's going to be a long day."

By the evening, Prim was ready. Her prep team had spent the day buffing, painting, and tweezing, and Cinna had dressed her in a beautiful deep yellow dress. But there was little of the elation or relief Prim would have expected.

"What's wrong?" Prim asked Haymitch as they stood in a holding area beneath the stage, waiting for the ceremony.

Haymitch glanced down at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone's acting funny."

"It's the Capitol," Haymitch said with a scowl. "Everybody acts funny here."

Maybe, but Prim still couldn't shake it. Her worry, however, was thrown off when she spotted Rue's team heading around a corner. She couldn't see Rue, but she would, soon enough, and the thought calmed her considerably.

"Is there something specific I should say?" she asked Haymitch. "You didn't coach me at all for this."

Haymitch scowled. "Just be yourself," he said, in a voice that sounded like he might be mocking Effie. "Don't think too hard about the answers. Just say what you'd normally say." To Prim's surprise, he hugged her tight again. "And whatever you do, don't talk about the damn berries, got it?" he said in her ear. Prim stiffened in surprise, but Haymitch was pulling away. "Good luck." And with that he disappeared, heading to wherever he was supposed to go.

Prim nodded, her stomach filling with butterflies again. Now that she was alone, she could think of all of those people out there, waiting for her. And don't talk about the berries? What was that about?

Above her, she could hear the ceremony starting. The anthem and Caesar Flickerman greeting the crowd. Applause for the prep teams, for the escorts, for the stylists. Thunderous applause for the mentors. And then… now… the plate Prim was standing on began to move.

The lights nearly blinded her, and the applause was deafening. Prim desperately wanted to pull back and run. The applause hadn't been like this when she was up here last time- it had been polite and minimal. Now it was a thunderous roar, and Prim could only stare.

"Prim!" Rue was running to her. Automatically, Prim held out her hands and Rue took them. The contact of Rue's skin against hers made Prim feel more like herself, and she hugged Rue fiercely. There was an awww from the audience, and then Caesar was inviting them both to sit. Rue, Prim noticed, was wearing a dress almost exactly like hers, but in blue. Her hair was done in a similar manner, and they looked something like a matched set. A matched set of dolls, ready for the Capitol to play with and discard at any moment.

"So. Prim and Rue." Caesar ushered them to a bench together. "Our youngest Victors in history! Or are you our oldest, since together you're twenty four?" The audience laughed. "What a night, for both of you. How are you feeling?"

Prim and Rue looked at each other. "Good," Prim said, as Rue said the same thing at the same time. The laughter from the audience was warm and affectionate.

"You've been quite a team," Caesar said, "and one that our audience has fallen in love with. It's not often you get a set like this in the Games."

Prim nodded, but she noticed it already. A set. A team. Something was going on. It was as if the Capitol was trying to present her and Rue as one entity, one being.

When they watched the highlights, Prim knew her suspicions were correct. Everything that was shown of her and Rue was them acting together. But Prim hadn't realized just how horrible watching the highlights would be. Three hours of watching the Capitol show once again how horribly the children of the Districts could be made to suffer and die. Her hand found Rue's and they held on to each other, watching in stunned silence.

Some things did become clear as they watched. The male tribute from District 4 had taken aim at Rue early on in the bloodbath, but Thresh had killed him then, giving Rue the chance to escape. Thresh had then staked out a wheat field that the girls had barely seen, defending that as his own territory. Clove had died when the three Careers had attempted to take Thresh on, and Marvel and Cato had split up afterwards to attack different targets. Cato had killed the District 3 boy, who had been helping the Careers by defending their food, and later had killed the District 5 girl after hunting her down. Peeta had tried to defend them as well, although it wasn't called that, and every second of Prim and Rue killing Marvel was played.

Prim and Rue, Prim and Rue… their names were constantly said together, one was never shown without the other, and their similarities in age and stature were highlighted until Prim almost felt like she couldn't tell them apart. When the highlights ended (with the two of them on top of the Cornucopia after Thresh had pushed himself and Cato into the mutts), the lights came up to applause.

It was a blur of noise and light, with President Snow bringing out the identical crowns and the audience cheering. Prim had no idea that they'd been so popular, especially since Haymitch had only sent her one gift in the Arena. None of this made sense, but Prim stood on the stage holding Rue's hand and trying to smile. She just had to make it through this, and then she'd be going home. They both would be. Prim squeezed Rue's hand and they smiled at each other.

***

It was a whirl of banquets, food, cheering and interviews. Dresses and prep procedures, and people, people, and more people. After the days of solitude in the Arena when it was just her and Rue, the people were overwhelming. And always, over her head, some unspoken threat that Prim didn't understand.

It was a whirlwind, and Prim and Rue were only given moments to say goodbye to each other, the camera on them the entire time. Prim ignored them, hugging Rue tightly, wanting to remember the way she felt against her and the warmth of Rue's cheek against hers. Rue was comfort and safety almost as much as District 12 was, and Prim was dreading losing it.

"Don't worry," Rue said, touching Prim's cheek as they pulled apart. "There's the Victory Tour."

Prim's heart jumped a bit. "That's right. We'll see each other then. Take care, Rue."

"You too, Prim. I can't believe we both made it home." Rue's face was alight with happiness, and Prim couldn't help but smile. Rue was right- this was the outcome that was never supposed to happen.

And that, Prim soon found out, was exactly the problem.

Haymitch barely spoke until the train had gone halfway across the country and stopped for fuel. Then he turned to Prim and said, "We're getting some air," and practically dragged her off the train.

"What did you do that for?" Prim demanded as Haymitch hustled her down the walk. "What are we-"

"Shut up and listen, because we don't have much time. There's a problem," Haymitch told her.

"A problem. With me?"

"Yeah, with you and Rue. You weren't both supposed to live."

"Well, they could have just let us eat the berries, or sent some mutts after us."

Haymitch grinned. It was a humorless, ugly smile, and it gave Prim chills to see it. "Yeah, you'd think that, wouldn't you? But the Capitol panicked when you two pulled out those berries. You two ended up getting kind of popular during the Games, and they thought they were going to have to deal with two dead twelve-year-olds."

"So? If we'd died, they wouldn't be panicking, would they?" Prim said sourly.

"Not likely. But they did, and that's the problem."

Now that she thought about it, Haymitch had a point. "Because it makes them look soft."

"Nah. Well, it does, but if that was the only problem they could drag one of you in front of the camera and shoot you. Course, they still might, but I don't think so. Not yet. Like I said, you two got popular with the idiots in the Capitol, and killing one of you would piss them off. But not killing you…." Haymitch smiled again. "Well, that did something the Capitol didn't want to do."

"What?" Prim asked, thoroughly confused.

"It made them show their hand. You know they didn't kill you because they feel guilty about killing twelve-year-olds. You just said it yourself- they wouldn't have blinked an eye if you two had died at any other time in the Games. But not having a Victor… oh, they'd do anything to keep that from happening, even letting two of you live."

Prim shook her head. "I still don't understand."

"They don't want a Victor because of the Capitol or all the parties. They want a Victor because it keeps the Districts in line. Gives them hope. But when they panicked and let two of you live, well, that tells us that the Capitol doesn't think the Districts would take not having a Victor too well. That them murdering two little girls like that would get a reaction. And they're scared."

"What are they scared of?"

"Well, now, that's the question, isn't it?" Haymitch almost seemed triumphant. "They're scared of us." Prim stared at him in confusion, but Haymitch patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. All you need to do is keep up the best friends thing with Rue when you're on tour. The Capitol is trying to gloss over it by making people forget you're two different people. Let them play their game."

"But I-"

"Listen. I have no idea what's going to happen next, okay? But you need to keep an eye out. Because you might be out of the Arena, but the Games aren't over. They're never over, okay? And even if this all blows over, well… well. We'll talk about that later, when you're older. Come on. We'd better get back to the train."

Prim let him grab her arm and pull her along, feeling like she had more questions than she'd had ten minutes ago, and a lot fewer answers. All she knew for sure was that this terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach wasn't going away any time soon.

***

Prim stood, watching out the window as the train wound through the mountains, her head full of Haymitch's warnings. She had no idea what was expected of her, what stood in front of her, and nobody that she could really ask. The only thing she knew for certain was that the person she was most comfortable facing all this with was miles away, returning to District 11. She hoped she'd be able to see Rue again, although Haymitch had sounded positive that that would happen.

Then the train was slowing, and the square of District 12 was coming into view. And there, on the platform, was her mother, waving, and Katniss, holding Buttercup. Prim's eyes filled with tears of happiness, and she could barely wait until the train stopped to launch herself out the door and into their waiting arms.

"Oh, Prim," her mother sobbed, holding her close. "Oh, Prim, you're home. You're safe."

Although her mother's arms were warm and Prim was overwhelmed, the words you're safe sent a cold chill through her. She wasn't safe, and she never would be again. But then Katniss was hugging her too, and Buttercup was mewling loudly, and Gale was coming over, a smile splitting his face from ear to ear, and Prim decided that she'd worry about safety later. Right now, she was home.