Disclaimer: The Hunger Games Belong to Suzanne Collins and the movie belongs to Lionsgate. Katniss belongs to Jennifer Lawrence and Peeta belongs to Josh Hutcherson.

A/N: Sorry it's so late!

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Newlyweds

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Ch. 3: Everything's Changing

I had just left Haymitch' house, preparing to head home when I heard a shout of,

"Katniss, wait!"

It was Peeta. I turned around, regarding him warily. Hadn't we discussed everything already?

"Haymitch wanted me to remind you of something."

"Okay, let's have it."

"He said that if we don't convince the audience that we're in love then Snow would hurt our families."

I just stared at him. Did he think I was stupid?

"I know. Like he said, we did it once, we can do it again."

"Yeah, but this time we're an engaged couple. Haymitch wants us to practice kissing." He blushed, but held my gaze.

I push my initial annoyance at Haymitch away and say,

"He's right. It has to look flawless or else someone we love will suffer."

Surprise registers in his eyes. "Really? You're okay with it?"

"I'm in this all the way, Peeta. I'll think of it as sort of training exercise. Besides, you're not such a bad kisser." I give him a tentative smile, which he returns.

"Okay then. That went better than I expected. So when do you want to practice?"

"We might as well get comfortable with it sooner rather than later. How does tomorrow sound? I'd say let's do it today but I really need to clear my head."

"Tomorrow works for me." We continue to gaze at each other.

"Do you know how bizarre this conversation sounds?" Peeta says. We have a small laugh at that. That's Peeta, bringing levity to a situation that desperately needs it. Then he's looking at me like I'm all that matters to him in the entire world. He's certainly not going to have any trouble convincing the audience (and more importantly, Snow) that we're madly in love. Then I clear throat and announce that I'm leaving because if I let him continue to look at me like that, he might just convince me that this is real and then where would my sanity be? Gone. I can't have that. I watch him walk back towards the bakery, and hope against hope that we can pull this stupid TV show off.

Once inside the temporary sanctuary of my new home, I find Mom and Prim and spill the whole story. I hate telling my sister about Snow's threat, but what choice do I have? I'm sure they'll want to have Prim as a guest on the show, since the whole nation knows about her being the one I volunteered for. She'll have to be convincing, too. I really hope that she won't have to appear much. After all, the juicy story is Peeta and I and every little detail of our so called lives. Prim tells me that I could've done much worse than Peeta for a pretend husband, and after grinning at that, I realize she's right. At least Peeta and I know that we work well together under pressure.

Then I realize that there's one more person that I have to tell. Gale. He doesn't want to see me, but I owe it to him to be the one to tell him that it's all fake, that Peeta's not proposing for real.

After lunch, I set off for Gale's house in the Seam. As I walk through familiar territory, I think about how much has changed. I am not the same person that I was before the Games, and Gale isn't either. We used to be so happy together out in the woods, just him and me. That seems like lifetimes ago.

His mother answers the door and tells me that he's not there, but once I tell her it's a matter of life and death, (I may have exaggerated, though not by much) he emerges. We head for the woods, where we can be sure that no one will overhear us. I take a little pleasure in knowing I'm back in my usual hunting ground. Finally, we come to a clearing and Gale stops walking.

"What do you want, Katniss?" Gale's never sounded this cold. Also, he never calls me Katniss. That's a bad sign; it must have hurt him deeply to see me with Peeta during the Games.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I didn't know…" I trail off.

"Well, now you do." He swallows hard, and I can tell he's about to fall apart.

"How long have you been interested in me?" I press him. "You never said anything, never acted like there was anything between us but friendship."

"A couple months, forever, I don't know. It should have been me in the arena with you, not him. Do you love him, Katniss?"

"I don't know," I say honestly. "We made a good team in the arena. He loves me. I care for him."

"Well I hope you'll be very happy together," was his sarcastic remark.

"Funny you should say that, when we don't have a choice!" I hiss.

"Excuse me?"

I motion for us to sit down. Then I tell him everything about Snow's visit, including the news of the rebellion in Eleven. He perked up a little at that. Just as I expected, he is furious at Snow for forcing me into a televised arranged marriage and arranged life.

"It's not fair," he rages. "They shouldn't get to control your life after you survived the Games. You won! Wasn't that enough entertainment for them?"

"We won," I correct him. "That was never supposed to happen. You know it's not just about the entertainment factor. This is our punishment for blatantly defying the Capitol with the nightlock trick. We bested them at their own game and now Snow thinks we're dangerous."

"Because you may have stirred the need for rebellion in the districts," he says flatly. We are both silent for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. "Our lives are both about to change," he laments. "Tomorrow I start working in the mines full time."

I look at him in alarm. "Was there no other way? Come on, I'm a victor, if you need food or money, all you have to do is ask."

"No, Katniss. I don't need your help." I know that whatever I say will never change his mind. Gale's always been a prideful sort. I just wish he didn't have to take such a dangerous job, one that got his father and mine killed in an explosion.

"Gale, you have to promise me, when the TV crew comes, if they find out you are my friend and ask you on the show that you go along with it."

"I don't want to be any part in their entertainment." I know Gale has gone off about the government before, but this is different. This time it's personal.

"I know you don't, but if you don't cooperate, there will be consequences. Please promise," I plead.

"Fine," he says dully. "So when's the wedding?"

"I don't know yet. Probably soon."

He runs his fingers through his hair. "Damn, this is really happening… I'm sorry, Katniss. You must be feeling all torn up inside and I'm just being selfish."

"I'm alright," I lie. "I survived the Games, I'll survive this."

"There was never any hope for us, was there?"

I have to be blunt, to be cruel to be kind. "No."

He nods mutely.

"I'm still your friend. I'll always be your friend." I look up at him, trying to convince him with my eyes that he'll be okay. It's useless.

"I don't think we should hunt together anymore."

"If that's what you want," I agree, but inside I am horrified. He's already pulling away from me. My best friend! I'm going to lose him. "But if you ever change your mind, you'll know where to find me."

We walk back home only a few feet away from each other but the distance between us couldn't have been greater. I try to tell myself it was for the best, that I would've found out about his true feelings eventually, the Games just sped things along. But we could've had more time together…

I arrive home, and with one look at my face, my mother knows it went badly. She holds me while I cry it out. It kills me that I hurt Gale like that. But I can't make myself love someone who I only think of as a brother. Prim tries to reassure me that he'll want to talk to me in time. That may be, but things will never go back to the way they were.

The rest of the day drags on and I spend it watching clouds go by my bedroom window. I try to process everything that has happened to me since this morning – Snow's sentence, the promise of kissing practice with Peeta, Gale's rejection of our friendship. It's too much, and I try to think of something else, but it's impossible. By dinner, I resign myself to my new fate – Katniss, wife and TV star extraordinaire.

Just when I think nothing can cheer me up, I get a phone call from Cinna, of all people. I'm thrilled to hear his voice, and even more thrilled when he tells me the news that he's going to be my stylist for the TV show. Apparently, there were rumors in the Capitol about the show's concept, and when he asked to be a part of it, Snow agreed.

"Do you know when you and everyone will come to District 12?" I ask him.

"This Tuesday," he says. "That's when we're going to film the proposal and reactions of your friends and family. That ought to be enough footage for the first episode." Tuesday… that's only three days away!

"So soon?" I ask, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice and failing miserably.

"I wish we could wait a little longer, give you more time to rest up from the Games, but we got a mandate from Snow. You know how that is." I do.

"I'm just glad you're coming," I tell him. "It will make what I have to do a little more bearable."

Cinna pauses for a moment. "Listen, Katniss, I wanted to tell you that I know your show director personally. He's a friend of mine, and he's very easy to work with. He will try to give you and Peeta as much time off as he can and still shoot enough material for weekly shows."

"That's a relief," I sigh. Maybe this won't be so bad.

"You know, Katniss, it could be a lot worse," says Cinna. "I know victors who had no choice but to be whores in the Capitol, sold to the highest bidder."

"I didn't know that," I whisper. Shock courses through my body. He's right, it could be much worse.

"I didn't tell you that to scare you, I just wanted you to know what Snow's capable of. Why he's picked this scenario for you, I don't know, but it sure beats selling your body."

"I guess you could say I got off easy," I try to joke, but it falls flat. "Do you have any advice on how I'm supposed to live through this fake marriage with my sanity intact?"

"Just be yourself and be glad that Peeta's got your back." He sounded completely serious. "That boy would do anything for you, Katniss. I hope you know that."

"Yeah," I choke out. "Well, I guess I'll see you on Tuesday."

"Until then," he promises, and then we hang up.

I update Mom and Prim about my proposal date, and tell them I'm going to bed early. I go through my nighttime routine, and fall into bed. I think about what could've happened if Snow decided to whore me out and shudder. I've never done it with anyone, and never really wanted to. I didn't want children (although there were ways around that) and I certainly didn't trust any boy enough to share myself with them. Then I realize everyone's going to think that Peeta and I have done it after we're married. The thought makes me cringe, not because it would be so bad with Peeta, but because it would be a lie. But then everything about our marriage would be a lie, why should that matter so much? But it does.

I eventually fall asleep, emotionally exhausted from the events of the day.

End Ch. 3

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Sorry the chapter's kind of a downer, it will get better!