"You have three minutes," you heard a voice bark at you.

You spun around, grateful to have heard it. Standing around in the small, quiet room, with nothing to do but drum your fingers nervously on the wooden windowsill, you couldn't help but for a moment feel that you were trapped. As if you were already a part of the deadly Hunger Games that would unfold in only a few weeks' time.

The Peacekeeper opened the door just a bit wider to reveal your mother, tears streaming down your cheeks as she ran in and pulled you in for a hug, which you accepted.

"Why did you do it?" your mother asked you, letting go to face you, crouching down to meet your eye like she did when you were younger.

You only smiled as you helped your mother wipe her tears. "Mom. I can't let her go in. She's too young. If there's someone with a greater chance of getting out of the arena alive--if it's not Katniss, it had to be me."

"Katniss has a better shot at this!" your mom scolded you.

"Yet it was I who reacted first," you retorted.

For a moment, you both stood silently, glaring at each other. Then your mom cleared her throat.

"Well...what can you do?" she asked you finally.

You shrugged. "I can run. I'm trained somewhat with knives and different blades," you finally said. "I'll manage, I promise."

Your mom nodded. "Just try to learn more things before you get in the arena," she told you finally. "Learn how to survive in the outdoors, make sure no one else gets to you. You're a smart, tough girl, (Y/N). Don't give up on yourself."

You laughed as you gave her one final hug. "I promise, mom. I'll do it." Then you pulled away. "I love you, mom."

Your mom smiled as she tucked your hair behind your ear in response.

"Time's up," the Peacekeeper barked.

"Stay safe!" your mom finally called out. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" you cried out. Then your mom was taken out of the room.

With the door shut once again, you couldn't help but feel even lonelier. The slight comfort you felt with your mom by your side disappeared, a heavier weight dropped into your stomach. Hesitantly, you went over to the door again and opened it a slight bit to see Peacekeepers talking with someone, and you closed the door again.

Just as you did, in came the baker. Of course, he would visit you. He probably just finished seeing his son, and knowing you were his best friend, he would want to see you too.

"(Y/N)," he said hoarsely. By the sound of it, he must have been crying when he was forced to say farewell to his son.

"Mr. Mellark," you said softly, stroking a hand over the baker's broad shoulder. "You okay?"

"I...I don't know how to cope with this," he finally said. "Two of you, best friends, out there to kill...what if it all came down to the both of you left trying to kill the other?"

You gave this some thought. Has this ever happened? "Mr. Mellark...I..."

"I just want to let you know," he interrupted. "You and Peeta, I'd say you make a fine couple."

To this, you blushed. "You...you knew?"

The baker chuckled. "Oh no, I didn't know of your crush on Peeta," he admitted. "But every time you came in with him, holding his hand...I knew."

You nodded, unsure of what to say as a tear slid down your cheek in gratitude.

"Of course, this can only be between you and me, okay?" the baker said with a cheeky wink, which made you laugh.

"Okay," you agreed.

The baker smiled as he pulled out a gift. "For you." He gingerly held out a package and you opened it to reveal freshly baked chocolate chip cookies--another one of your favourite baked treats. Memories flowed into your brain at the sight of the cookies, and it took all your will to hold back a sob.

"Thank you," you finally whispered, giving the baker a hug, just as he was called to go.

"Take care of yourself," he finally said. "Take care of Peeta." And with that, he left.

Another silent moment was passed before a third person came in--Delly Cartwright. She immediately launched herself into your arms, and you didn't hesitate to hug her back.

"(Y/N)...I'm so sorry," Delly whispered. "But why did you do it?"

"I can't let her go in there and die in the hands of some experienced ruthless killer!" you finally said, pulling away. "I mean, it's only fair that someone else who probably has a better shot could do this."

"Your mom is a blade carver, after all," Delly recalled. "Maybe you do have a chance."

"Yeah, but judging from what Peeta said, Katniss can hunt with a bow and arrow," you said weakly. "Maybe I was wrong to have came in here instead of Katniss. My mom came in earlier, and she was right. I don't stand a chance in the Capitol."

"Maybe you do," Delly said, a smile growing on her face as she put an arm around your shoulder. "You've got smarts. You've got wits. You can go out there and punch anyone in the face if you can."

You grinned. "Maybe. Thanks, Delly."

The moment Delly was signaled to leave, she gave you one more hug and a kiss on the cheek, which surprised you. "Good luck, (Y/N)."

"Thanks," you smiled.

The door was opened for the final time to reveal the Everdeen family, which surprised you. The little girl with blond hair, Prim, immediately went over to you and gave you a hug.

"Thank you for volunteering for me," she said quietly.

You nodded. "It's the least I can do...Prim."

Prim smiled as she let go of the hug, and then it was Katniss's turn to say her farewells to you. Though you barely know each other, you saw each other at school before, talked a few times, even.

"(Y/N), right?" Katniss asked you, and you nodded.

"Okay." Katniss cleared her throat in uncertainty and you knew that she wasn't the best at giving last minute advice. "I...what you heard from other people, they're all true. I can hunt. I can shoot with a bow and arrow, and maybe you don't have that ability yet, but that's why the Hunger Games give you a chance to train, right? I mean, that's what I heard. Training scores are televised and everything..."

"I can throw a few knives and swords back in my day," you recalled with a grin. "I mean, my mom can fashion some serious knives."

"That's good then. Focus on that. But take the time to learn survival skills, or even better, something more on hand-to-hand combat," Katniss told you. "You'd never know what arena you'll land in, right?"

You nodded. "Yeah, that's true." Several arenas you've witnessed involved a frozen wasteland, a desert landscape, even a landscape with a volcano that exploded halfway into the Games.

"Just...try to stay alive," Katniss told you. "Don't let any false moves end you. And just be careful of everyone who want to kill you."

You nodded again. "Got it. Thank you, Katniss."

"Thanks again for volunteering for my sister," she finally said, giving you a hug, while her mom smiled from afar.

As they walked out of your room, you couldn't help but shake the feeling that maybe, maybe there is a slim chance that you can do this. You can come home and be an honoured victor of the Games this year. Of course, it took a few people out there to assure you that, but even so you knew you couldn't doubt yourself.

Soon, you were taken out of the room to the car, where you and Peeta were sent to the train station.

"You two are in for a treat," Effie said, seated right in between you as she started to talk about the luxuries on the train going to the Capitol. But you hardly paid attention. Your eyes flitted over to Peeta, who was sitting there, hunched over his knees, his eyes smarting with tears.

"Peeta," you whispered, trying to catch his attention. He turned to you as you held a hand out, and he grasped it, just like you always would whenever you needed to comfort each other. But even this handhold couldn't release all of the tension building inside you since you ran up to volunteer for Prim. The fear building in you was too much, yet you tried to remain calm, for your sake, for your family's sake, and for Peeta's.

The car finally made its stop at the train station, where there were more cameras out there waiting for more footage. You let go of Peeta as you headed out one side of the car, Peeta on the other side, and you both walked together, heads held high, towards the train. More citizens came to you and clapped for you, wishing you both luck, and you only nodded courteously at each one.

Effie then lead you both onto the train, and you immediately noticed just how fortunate and rich the Capitol must have been. Real tables made with polished mahogany and glass plates filled with delicacies stood on one side of the main car, and there were even plush seats with a coffee table in another corner, and several alcoholic drink with a pot of ice on another side. Your eyes widened in awe as you explored the area, even marveling at the crystal chandeliers that hung above the ceiling. Having anything like this in District 12 would be a rarity.

Just then, the train began to move away from the District, and you headed to the window to catch a final glimpse of the District you grew up in. It wasn't much, but it was home. You were so close to crying again, but you recalled your mom's final words, and it made you confident again.

"Two hundred miles, and you can hardly feel a thing," Effie said to the both of you as you got yourselves seated on the velvety plush seats. "And it is quite sad that even though you're here, and it's only just for a little while. But you get to enjoy all of this!" she added excitedly, which came about to you unsuccessfully as means of encouragement.

"I'm going to find Haymitch," Effie finally said, excusing herself from the tense situation you were both in. "He should probably be in the bar car," she added strutting all the way to the far end of the car and exiting it in hopes of finding this...guy.

Haymitch...Haymitch...wasn't he the same guy who won the Hunger Games 24 years ago? Of course, he was. He's a mentor now, for crying out loud! And to think that he'd have to help another set of tributes till they die in the arena...how sick of the job is he by this point?

"Have you met him?" you heard Peeta ask you. "Haymitch?"

You shook your head as you turned to him. "Not really. But I heard he's our mentor. Yet I don't know how into the job he is by this point now."

"He's our only chance of survival now," Peeta said softly. "He matters now, to us."

You nodded. "Peeta..."

"Things could have been worse, can it?" Peeta asked lightly, in an effort to cheer you up. "Okay, imagine it wasn't us. It was...let's say, Katniss and Gale. In the prospect that one of them dies."

"Peeta, it's not helping," you scolded him. "You know, only one of us have to die. Or both of us die. And even if one of us becomes victor...I would never feel okay ever again."

This made Peeta raise his eyebrows. "You're thinking about what my father said to you, aren't you?"

"How do you know?" you asked.

Peeta only chuckled. "He said the same things to me too. That you and me, he was rooting for us all the time. The only thing is, though...do you believe him? As in...do you like me?"

Your heart only pounded hard in your chest as Peeta's question rolled around in your head. Did you like him? Yes, you did. Do you want to admit it now? No. It still doesn't sound right to confess right then and there. Just before you could open your mouth to deliver your denial, the car door opened again to reveal a middle-aged man, with long pale blond hair framing his face in stringy strands. A large bottle of wine was dangling in between his fingers, and in his other hand he held a glass goblet which twinkled in the sun.

"Congratulations," he drawled out at the both of you upon focusing his sights on you.

You couldn't help but stare at this man in complete disgust and loathing. This, this is all he had to say?

The man--Haymitch, you assumed--walked over to the ice tray, opened it, and peered into it. "Where's the ice?" he asked.

You and Peeta shrugged. "No idea," Peeta said.

Haymitch only nodded as he slammed the lid down on the tray, crossed over and took a seat across from Peeta. Tense silence ensued for 10 seconds before Peeta had the nerve to speak up.

"So? Where do we start?" he asked.

This suddenly took Haymitch by surprise, and he stirred. "What?"

Peeta looked at Haymitch incredulously. "You're our mentor, right? You're supposed to help us with everything in the Games! Like sponsors, survival tips--"

"Whoa whoa...no need to be so eager," Haymitch dragged out, his words slurring just a little bit as you managed to get a whiff of the wine in his breath. You fought the urge to wince now as he took another swig from his bottle. "No need to be in such a hurry."

"But you're supposed to give us at least some advice!" Peeta finally protested.

"Oh. Okay." Haymitch started to think. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Embrace the probability of your imminent death. And know in your heart that there is nothing I can do to save you."

This made you gape. "So why are you here?" you asked him in complete disbelief.

Haymitch shrugged. "The refreshments," he simply answered you.

Peeta clearly had enough with Haymitch's ignorance. "Oh really?" He lunged for Haymitch's goblet, only to be stopped by the latter's foot on his own chest.

"You spilt my drink on my brand new pants," Haymitch said softly, shaking his head in disapproval. Then he grunted as he sat up. "I'll go finish this in my room," he finally said, getting up and leaving the car, but not before he took a delicacy from the counter right beside him. The car door opened, then closed, as Haymitch left the both of you sitting there, clueless.

"That--that--oh my god!" you cried in frustration. "This is the best advice he can give?! No wonder District 12 doesn't stand a chance!"

Peeta nodded and got up. "He's going to come round."

"What the--but there's no use!" you called out. "He's just going to ignore us."

"I'll go talk to him," he assured you, leaving the car in the same direction Haymitch did, this time leaving you alone in the car, puzzled.

You took a deep breath as you took a look down at your chest, glancing at the pendant your mom gave you. Things have already changed so much since you left District 12...especially with your relationship with Peeta. With his head possibly firm around heading home and leaving you for dead in the arena...would he see you differently once you landed in the Capitol?

Shaking your head, you quickly left the car and made your way to your room.