Authors Note: Please dont hate me * hides behind a wall* life has been really hectic and i had a really bad case of writters block. This month will be really hectic for me so i don't know when i can update again my sister is getting married on Saturday and shes coming down tomorrow with her four kids that i have to watch for the whole week and i'm currently in the process of moving so dont hate me if my updates stop for a little while. xoxo Sumyrraine and pretty pretty please with a cherry on top review. This chapter is dedicated to sugarxxcubes who inspired me to keep on writting.

Chapter 8 The Capital

Morning light creeps into my bedroom and i roll away from it burying my head into my pillow. I reach my left hand out and feel around for Gale. My hand only encounters the cold sheets on the other side of the bed. I throw off the covers in confusion where the hell am i . I don't recognize the room all of the events from yesterday come slamming back into me like a freight train.

"Oh no." i say out loud and caress my swollen stomach.

"What are we going to do." I say to the child inside of me. I'm going to die me and my baby will die theres no way i will be able to make it past the bloodbath. Gale my heart breaks to think about him he will die to. He may be strong but the careers the kids from the wealthy districts have trained their whole lives for this even though technically training is illegal. But no one puts a stop to it. Most of the victors are from districts one through four. But every few years we get a victor from one of the other districts. In district twelve we only have two victors out of seventy-two years of the games. One is dead and the other a drunk Haymitch Abernathy who will be our mentor no wonder we don't have more victors.

"Up,up,up." Calls Effie Trinket's from the hallway. She keeps banging on my door.

"Ok i'm coming."

I go through the many drawers and find a number of ridiculous outfits that you could not pay me enough to wear. i pull out a seemingly normal green shirt and i root around and find a pair of black pants. The shirt doesn't quite fit but it will have to do.I slip my hair up into a braid and take a deep breath. I'm not ready to face the world but i fear that Effie will come back. So i suck it up and walk down the hallway. Across from my room must be the room that was meant for Gale. Gale's not in there when i open the door. The smell of food wofts down the hallway sitting at a round table is Haymitch, Effie and Gale.

Upon seeing Gale a wave of anger washes over me he broke a deal we made years ago. We promised that if one of us was reaped the other would take care of both families. He went back on it by volunteering. Didn't he stop and think about what would happen to both of our families if they survive the course of the games. They won't survive after when we both are sent back in a coffin. Who would hunt and trade at the hob?

The only open chair is next to Gale so i walk over and sit down. He opens his mouth to say something but a glare from me cuts him off. I pile food on my plate and try to ignore the person sitting next to me.

"Catnip." He starts and caresses my cheek.

"Dont touch me." I hiss.

Haymitch laughs and takes another drag out of his cup. "lovers quarrel." He says.

I glare at him. "Your supposed to give us advice how the hell are you supposed to do that if your drunk out of your mind." I tell him leaning back from the table pushing my plate away from me.

"You won't some advice sweetheart stay alive."

"Thats not funny and i think you've had enough of that." I say swiping my hand across the table knocking over his glass red liquid pours out of it and onto the floor. He grabs my wrist pulling me closer. Gale leaps out of his chair knocking it over and punches him in the eye. He lets go of my wrist and i walk across the room to get far away from him.

He laughs and grabs an ice cube and places it against his eye before grabbing the bottle and taking a long swig out of it. I pick up a knife from the tray next to me and l throw it at him it hits the glass and it shatters spraying liquid and shards of glass everywhere.

"Did i actually get a decent pair of tributes this year." He motions for both of us to come around the table and looks us up and down his eyes lingering longer than necessary on my baby bump. Gale lots out a warning growl and pushes me behind him.

"You'll get plenty of sponsors and attractive pair like you both. What a tragic story a pregnant teen and her lover volunteerring to protect her tragic and tragic sells here. I'll help you all as best as i can i see potential and i know you two can hunt and use weapons. Your not completely useless just don't interfere with my drinking and i will help you two. But you guys have to realize that only one if either of you will walk out alive. No matter off you guys go and don't fight with the stylist listen to whatever they say."

I think it over his words i nodd my agreement and look over at Gale and he nodds as well. Gale grabs my hand and drags me back to our room.

"What the hell is your problem." He yells.

"My problem is that you ruined everything why would you volunteer what about our families what are they going to do when we come home in a coffin. Did you even think it through?" Tears fall down my cheeks sobs rack my body.

He opens his arms and i fall into him within two weeks one or both of us could be dead. Murdered on tv while people root on our killers.

"Shh Catnip everythings going to be ok you are going to make it home and take care of both of our families and take care of the baby and move on with your life and fall in love with someone else and have another kid or two. I will make sure that you will make it home alive."

I jerk away from him. "How can you be sure we both could die and what if we make it to the final two what happens then what happens. Do you really expect me to kill you?"

He shakes his head no. "I'm going to get you to the final two and then when the time comes i will die by my own hand and you will go home."

"Do you really think i will ever be able to love anyone else and be able to live with myself knowing that you killed yourself so that i could live."

"Not just for you its not just about you, you have another life to think about its not just your life your fighting for your fighting for this baby inside of you needs you to surive and make it home so you can tell him or her stories about how much his dad loves him and died to protect him."

I claim his lips in a rough kiss and push him down onto the bed i don't want to think about what would happen in the upcoming weeks all i wanted to think about was how much i want and need him right now.