Author's Note: This story starts when Katniss and Gale are coming back from their meeting spot. I do not own these characters; they are the property of Suzanne Collins. This is a kind of "What if?" story. What if Katniss wasn't there to volunteer for Prim? What if Prim went in to the 74th Hunger Games? This question has been plaguing my mind, and here is what I think would have happened. Enjoy!

...

KATNISS EVERDEEN

Gale and I trudge back to the fence of District Twelve in silence. Ever since that awkward argument earlier, we haven't said much to each other.

The fence is in my view now. I sling my game bag off of my shoulder and prepare to crawl under the fence when Gale's hand stops me.

"Do you hear that?" He asks in a low voice. I close my eyes and listen. I hear the faintest buzzing noise, which means the fence is alive with electricity.

My breath starts coming quicker now. "What do we do?" I ask Gale, panicked. You can't miss the Reapings unless you are on death's door, which the Peacekeepers will check.

"Well, we can't go under it, and we can't stay here." He says. His eyes are thoughtful, calculating. I know what he's thinking.

"So we have to go over it." We say this together, at the exact same time. Gale and I could be twins. We sure look like we are. We both have that Seam look; black hair, gray eyes, olive skin. Coupled with the fact that we can practically read each other's mind, people often mistake us for siblings.

I look up. All of the trees here are either too far away to make it over safely or too low to jump from. We could take our chances, but it would be safer to find a better spot. "Let's go." I say, nodding my head toward the west.

Prim will know that I've gone to the woods, and she'll know that the fence must have been turned on, explaining my absence. On any other day, she would go to the meadow, see that the fence was, in fact, turned on, and it would appease her worries. Gale and I would go back to the woods, using the excuse to hunt more game, and we'd have a better haul.

But since today is the Reapings, she'll be extra worried. It's her first year, and she's been having nightmares lately. In fact, when I woke up this morning, Prim was sleeping with my Mother and her awful cat, Buttercup, like she always does when she's scared. I still say that cat would make a good meal.

I did not allow Prim to take tesserae, so her name's only in there once. Tesserae is the option of adding your name in the Reaping Ball more times in exchange for a one-month's supply of grain and oil for one person. Because of that, I have been entered twenty times. Gale is in forty two. Compared to us, Prim has nothing. I'm not even worried about her.

Gale points to a spot above his head. I look up, shielding my eyes. It's a nice tree, positioned close enough to the fence to ensure a safe landing, and with a branch that practically goes right over the fence. The walk was worth it. I can't afford to be fried on the fence, not only ensuring my death, but Prim and my Mother's as well. Going into the woods is a crime, and I could be shot on a daily basis for what I do. But my prime customers also happen to be the ones in charge- the only thing that saves me.

I nod, looping my game bag around my belt and tying it in a secure knot. I find some nice, sturdy branches and begin to pull myself up. I move quickly, almost like a squirrel. Gale follows me, not quite as gracefully, but at least he doesn't fall. My size helps me get higher in trees; Gale is a little bigger, so it is harder for him.

The tree sways under our combined weight. I look over the fence. We should be landing in grass; I don't see any rocks. I just pray no on sees us.

"You ready?" Gale asks. I nod, then crawl out as far as I can on the branch. I go a little farther than I should, because I want to be as close to the fence as possible when I jump. The branch starts dipping closer to the fence under my weight. I decide it's close enough. I don't want to push my luck.

I tuck my braid into my Father's hunting jacket so as not to get it caught in the fence, and grab my game bag with one hand I don't land on top of it, crushing our strawberries and fish. "Stalling?" Gale teases me. I don't even bother turning around. I can't lose my concentration now, on this precarious branch over an electrified fence.

I take one final breath and jump. I make it over the fence safely; not a limb even comes close to it.

But the landing is the problem. I slipped a little on the branch, and I am now hurtling face-first towards the ground. There may not be any rocks, but it will still knock me out.

These are the last thoughts I have before I crash into the ground, instantly knocking me unconscious.

...

PRIMROSE EVERDEEN

"Mommy? Where's Katniss?" I ask as my Mother pulls my hair into two braids.

"Don't worry. She must be running a little late. She'll be here." I look up at her. Despite what she said, I see the worry in her eyes. I know we're both thinking the same thing: What if the fence turned on?

"Do you want me to go check...?" I ask her. She nods, and I get up to go.

"Prim." I turn, and she's smiling at me. "Tuck your shirt in." I tuck my shirt into my skirt, then walk out the door.

"Hi Buttercup." I croon to my cat as he rubs against me. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to the meadow." At these words, he runs. He hates the meadow, because all of the flowers make him sneeze.

I go out and wander through the dandelions. For some reason, Katniss loves these yellow flowers. I like them better when they're white and fluffy. Then you can blow on them and make a wish.

The fence is very close to our house. There is a hole here that Katniss usually leaves and enters the woods through. I stand still and listen for the hum that indicates the fence is alive. Katniss always tells me to do that before touching the fence, because you never know when it could be on.

Sure enough, a sound like the buzzing of a bee reaches my ears, faint and deadly. I wait for a moment to see if she'll come out of the woods to see me, but she doesn't. I go back to our house.

"It's on." I tell Mother. She bites her lip.

"We have to get going." She leaves a pretty dress on Katniss's bed. It's a dress from her merchant days- blue and lovely.

We head for the Town Square. My stomach is fluttering like there are a thousand butterflies in it. I don't want to be Reaped. I don't want to go to the Hunger Games.

I sign in. The Reapings are mandatory for everyone in the district, unless you are about to die. I've been to plenty, but I've never been entered in one before.

"Have you seen Katniss?" One of the Peacekeepers, I think his name is Darius, asks. I shake my head, and his forehead creases with worry. He buys rabbits from my sister sometimes.

I go over to my section. No one is talking. I crane my head and search for Katniss, but I don't see her.

Mayor Undersee steps up to the podium and starts telling us about why we have the Hunger Games. The Rebellion, which occurred seventy five years ago during the Dark Days, failed, and the Capitol blew up District Thirteen. As punishment, each of the remaining twelve districts must each offer up one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in the Hunger Games, an annual fight to the death with only one victor.

In the history of District Twelve, we've had two victors. One is Haymitch Abernathy, who won the Fiftieth Hunger Games, and the other one is now dead. No one talks about them.

At that moment, Haymitch stumbles to the stage, drunk. Our escort, a pink lady named Effie Trinket, looks at him in disgust. She walks up to the microphone in her high heels and talks about what an honor it is to be here.

"Welcome, welcome. The time has come to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District Twelve in the Seventy-Fourth annual Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor. Ladies first!" She goes over to the girl's Reaping Ball. I hope it's not Katniss. Her name is in there twenty times, on twenty slips of paper. My heart starts beating fast.

Effie clears her throat. "Primrose Everdeen."

My mouth falls open. Every girl in my section looks at me. They start backing up, until I have a wide circle around me. I swallow, hard.

"Come on, dear." Effie says, smiling down at me. I hear a few mutters in the crowd. They all know me- I'm Katniss's sister.

I walk up to the stage, slowly, pleadingly. Maybe someone will volunteer. Even as I think nit I know it's foolish- no one would volunteer for a death trap, even for a twelve-year-old girl. I look out at the audience, blinking back tears. I don't see Katniss in the audience. Where is she?

"And now for the boys." She picks a slip of paper from the other ball and comes over. "Peeta Mellark." A stunned, blond-haired boy from the sixteen-year old section comes up. People had backed away from him, too, just like they had for me. I feel the tears streaming down my face, hot and wet.

"Our District Twelve tributes, Peeta Mellark and Primrose Everdeen!"

...

KATNISS EVERDEEN

I wake up a few moments later. Or, at least, it feels like moments later. I look up at the sun. By it's position, I judge it's about two. The Reapings have already started.

"Gale!" I hiss, looking around frantically. Where is he? He wouldn't leave me here, would he?

That's when I spot him. He's lying a few yards away, not moving. I scramble over to him and put my ear by his heart. It's still beating, and his chest still moves, so at least he's alive and breathing. "Gale! Gale!" I shake him, even resorting to slapping him when he doesn't respond. I finally get him to come to when I dump some water from my canteen on his face.

"WHAT THE-" he sees me over him and clamps a hand over his mouth. After a moment, he whispers, "What the hell happened?"

"I jumped over the fence and was knocked out. You must have been too-" I break off when I see the branch I jumped off, lying on the other side of the fence. He must have tried to get out as far as me after I fell, but it collapsed under his weight, hurtling him onto this side of the fence, unconscious, like me.

"The Reapings!" He takes the words right out of my head. We bolt up and start sprinting towards our houses. Amazingly, my game bag made it with minimal damage. It bangs into my leg as I run, slowing me down. I untie it with swift hands and carry it over my shoulder.

We get to my house first. Gale keeps running, but I sprint into the kitchen and fling my bag onto the table. I'll take care of that later. I yank off my leather hunting boots and jacket, tossing them next to the bag. Buttercup hisses at the noise, but I just ignore him.

In our little bedroom, I see my Mother laid out a dress for me. It's nice- one of the only nice things she has. How kind of her to lend it to me. I pull it over my head, leaving my hair in it's braid. I splash some water on my face to remove the dirt, thankful that there's no blood from my fall. Only a bruise on my head, which is masked by my hair.

I run to the Square, clutching at the stitch in my side. I hope Gale's made it. There are no Peacekeepers out anymore; I'll have to tell them later that I was here. I run over to my section, pushing people out of my way. They look at me with knowing eyes. They all know me because of my father. The Everdeen family has a reputation for breaking the law.

I get to my section just in time to see the tributes shake hands. I can't tell who they are from here, but both have blond hair. Both merchant kids, which is rare. I search over the heads for my sister, wanting to find her so I can tell her I'm alright.

"Our District Twelve tributes, Peeta Mellark and Primrose Everdeen!" Our escort, Effie Trinket, gushes.

WHAT?

The breath is knocked out of me. I stare at the two tributes-the girl in particular. Her hair is in two long braids, and her un-tucked shirt forms a ducktail. The Peacekeepers escort them inside.

"NO!" I scream, pushing my way forward. "PRIM! I VOLUNTEER!" The Peacekeepers keep marching, but Prim turns around.

"KATNISS!" she shrieks. The Peacekeepers put restraining arms around her and pull her into the Justice Building.

"I'm sorry, dear. It's too late." Effie says, looking down at me with her freakish pink face.

I fall to the ground, sobbing. "NO!" I feel someone's strong arms pull me up. It's Gale.

"Come on Katniss." He pulls me away, but I continue to fight, to reach her.

My little sister is going into the Hunger Games.