"Hello!" Effie said. Ivy walked out first and smiled at Effie. "There she is. One of my greatest triumphs!" She hugged her. Then she saw Peeta. "Oh! And there's the other one." She hugged him as well and he laughed

"Our little superstars," Flavius said hugging Ivy then Peeta. "We've missed you."

Portia hugged the two after and stepped back as Effie talked.

"What a cute little house. So quaint, isn't it?" She walked a circle around Ivy before letting her eyes. "Of course, you've heard about Cinna?"

"What happened to Cinna?" Ivy asked mildly concerned.

"Oh, dear, he's a fashion star." Effie gushed. "You're his muse. Everyone in The Capitol's wearing him. Everyone. Everyone." She boasted.

"Almost everyone," Cinna said as he walked in.

"Cinna!" Ivy smiled and hugged the man.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. As okay as I can be having to face all those people."

"I can imagine. But you ready to work?"

"Not looking forward to it but yeah."

"All right. Good." Cinna looked at the others and smiled. "Let's get started people!"

••

Flavius worked on Peeta and Ivy before releasing them to Cinna and Portia for the rest of their clothes and hair.

"Welcome. Welcome. Last year, the 74th Hunger Games brought us the greatest love story of our time. Two brave young people, against all odds chose to die rather than to lose each other. As a nation, we shared their agony. But we had so little time to revel in their joy."

Effie gasped watching Caesar begin the show. "It's time!" She clapped excitedly. "She's done, she's lovely. We must feed the monster." Cinna gave her a warm fuzzy coat and Effie rushed her and Peeta out the door. "All right now."

"Let's go to District 12 and find our star-crossed lovers!"

"You're excited. You're in love. Big smiles for the camera in three, two, one." Effie opened the door and let them walk to the front steps as she closed the door.

"There they are! Ivy Aurora and Peeta Mellark! The boy and girl on fire!"

The two smiled as they joined hands and walked in the middle so both cameras could catch them. They slipped on ice but Peeta caught her before she hit the ground.

"Uh-oh. Whoa, oh. Trouble in paradise." Caesar chuckled. "I hope they're all right."

Ivy smiled and kissed Peeta for saving her.

"Um..." he cleared his throat. "Ahem. Anyone at home?"

Ivy smiled into the kiss before looking up at the cameras.

"Should we come back later?"

"Sorry, Caesar." She apologized as she got up and helped Peeta up. He wiped her off and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Oh, please. It's all right. It's your day. It's your day. So how's it going?"

"We're good." Peeta looked at Ivy, an adoring smile on his face. "Real good."

"That's it? That's all we get? 'We're good'?
So taciturn all of a sudden. Peeta, give me some details!" The camera zoomed in on him. "You got your long time crush! Come on now."

"Yeah, things are, uh... Things are great here in 12."

"Thanks to the generosity of the Capitol, we've never been closer." Ivy laughed.

"We've been able to enjoy a lot together and I'm continually grateful we were allowed to win the games together." He looked at her, sparkling eyes and all. "I never thought I'd be lucky enough like this.  To have the love of my life and have the resources to keep us afloat."

Ivy blushed looking into his hazel eyes.

"Fantastic! We'll be checking in with both of you throughout the Victory Tour. Thank you so much, Ivy Aurora and Peeta Mellark!"

The two waved until the camera lights turned off and powered down.

Effie clapped a large smile on her face. "Wonderful! Everybody in motion. We are out of here in 10."

"I hate feeling like a fake." Ivy grumbled. "I just wanna love you in peace."

Peeta kissed her head and held her face so she could see into his eyes. "I know Iv. I do too. But it won't be everyday at least."

"Come along, children, we are on a schedule. The train awaits!" Effie beckoned them back to the home.

••

"Fabulous food, fabulous wine, the massages, spa treatments. I told them nothing but the best for my two Victors. It all needs to be, uh..."

"Fabulous?" Haymitch asked.

"Exactly. Now, the schedule is a bit of a bear. 12 days, 12 districts. But it's mostly parties, celebrations, adoring fans to greet you at every stop along the way, and then we wrap it up in The Capitol. All you need to do is give a few speeches, wave to the crowds, and enjoy your time in the spotlight," she said as she sat down at the table to join them for lunch. "You've earned it."

"Doesn't feel like it." She mumbled.

"Ivy." Peeta whispered grabbing her hand.

"You worked hard Ivy. You deserve this luxury."

"Yeah by killing people." She argued back. "It feels a little wrong when you say stuff like that. That's all." Ivy took some strawberries and walked away to the back cart of the train.

She sat there for a minute eating her strawberries when she heard the door open.

"I'll apologize to Effie later." Was all Ivy said staring out the window.

"You don't have to," Peeta said.

Ivy turned around and scooted over for Peeta. "I thought you were Haymitch."

"You don't have to apologize to anybody Ivy." He sat down and stole a strawberry. "Effie forgets sometimes that we aren't from her world and don't see things the same."

"I've realized." She ate another strawberry. "Cinna asked me your favorite color for my dress for when we get to the capitol. Is it still orange?"

Peeta nodded. "Yeah. Like the sunset." She smiled. "And is yours still-"

"Hazel like your eyes?" Ivy smiled as she finished for him. "I've never seen such pretty eyes before I saw yours."

"Now you're making me blush." Peeta smiled as he lowered his head.

Ivy laughed and offered him another strawberry. He accepted and she watched as he ate it.

She looked outside before standing up and looking in a nearby mirror.

"Do I look a little bloated?" She asked as she turned sideways to examine herself.

"This is the most we've ever eaten in our lives. It's healthy to have meat on your bones." Peeta told her.

She kept looking at herself though and mumbled a, "Makes sense."

After the games Peeta and Ivy had been sedated once picked up by a hoverecraft. It was dreadful and she didn't understand why they were. She even had asked Peeta if he remembered anything but he haad no clue either. The next best thing was asking Haymitch since he was there to greet them but he had no answer for them.

Haymitch did not want to tell Ivy what the Capitol had wanted to do to them, especially her. They had a list of adjustments for the girl but Haymitch raised hell to keep the kids safe. He even brought up the fact their love stories was adored by thousands and that to try and adjust their bodies to sell them would not be in their best interest.

She walked to the window as they got closer to district 11. They entered a tunnel and lights flashed as they went by some graffiti paintings of fire in the entrance to the tunnel.

"Did you see that?" Ivy asked.

"No. What was it?" He asked turning around as they exited the tunnel. Together they saw the many peackeepers vehicles along the gate with patrols out. "Whoa."

"Why is there so many?" She asked rhetorically.

"I don't know..."