Falling with eyes closed tight, she never hit the ground like she planned. Arms wrapped around her, the crowd gasping at the sigh of her falling figure. Many people knew better, she was certain that her dad knew better but with the cameras now focused so clearly on herself she knew that he wouldn't risk something so small when the people of her district were paying attention to her.

The arms around her lessened and Terra could feel herself being handed off to someone else- stronger arms held her, scooping her into their arms and carrying her away from the shouting. She lay limp in their arms, swaying as the person moved and the sun over head disappeared.

She felt cool as she was suddenly placed in the shade, the heat melting away as cool air conditioning met her skin. She was inside the Hall of Justice, the hum of chatter reaching her ears through the heavy doors.

Being placed on a comfortable surface, air brushed around her face, someone was fanning- a cool cloth being placed on her brow.

"Is she alright?" Terra could hear Peeta whisper to the person caring for her.

"She's fine, it was a reaction to the heat. We don't get out in the sun a that often anymore," Wilber lied easily and Terra needed to hold back the smirk that was fighting to get through.

Nearly every day in District 10 was spent in the sun, every citizen having no place to hide from the heat and learning to live with the way it feels. Other than the hurricane season that plagued them and the livestock yearly, it was always sunny with the exception of the occasional rain.

The lie was a good one though, the heat an easy excuse for her poorly executed plan to prevent a riot among the district.

"The silly girl should have had more to drink," Wilber muttered.

Water from the cloth on her forehead dripped down the side of her face, leaving a clear trail on her pale skin. Her face was not red, discrediting her story further. Deciding that this had been drawn on long enough, Terra began to move around, soft moans falling passed her lips and she fluttered her eyelashes before finally focusing on the people around her.

"Oh, hello," she greeted, her voice sweet and composure unfamiliar. This was the act she needed to put on, her role assigned by the President. "You must be Peeta and Katniss, you both had such lovely speeches."

The newest victors blinked at her in surprise, her big, tired eyes taking them by surprise. Terra smiled at them, gaze flickering to the escorts and the mayor of her district along with the peacekeepers that stood by.

Camera's had followed them into the room, watching as the seen played out. A beloved victor, the sweet and innocent little cowgirl had 'fainted' on live television and apparently, the Capitol wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Hello, Haymitch, how have you been since the last games. I never thought I'd see you so soon," Terra grinned at the man. She sat up in her seat, taking the cloth from her head and tossing it in his direction.

He caught it easily, shooting it back at her face with a smirk. "I wouldn't be seeing you if it wasn't for this horrible heat."

Laughing openly, she stood to her feet slowly for show - mindful of the fact that she had supposedly just fainted. Making her way to Haymitch, she looped her arms around his torso and gave a tight squeeze. He groaned at the strength she possessed, he reciprocated the hug as forceful as he could.

A hand wrapped around her elbow, pulling her back and towards the people from her own district. The Mayor beamed at her, offering her the opportunity to join them for lunch featuring the delicacies of their district.

With a twitch of her eyebrow, Terra reluctantly agreed under the pressure.

Lunch was quiet, the mayor being the only member of his family had decided to invite a few respected members of the district - one being her brother and his wife, along with the other victors.

Terra had found herself seated between Katniss and Marium, facing her brother. She couldn't bare to look at him. He was only a few years younger in age, but he was happily married and already had a young daughter of 3 years old. Henrik didn't meet her gaze, the married pair struggling with the etiquette that the seasoned victors possessed after years spent eating in the Capitol.

It was laughable how the few people around her, Katniss included, were having difficulties in not making a mess of themselves.

Being presented with barbecued ribs, Terra and the others easily ate without getting a hint of sauce on themselves. Across from her, Henrik had sauce smeared on his cheek from hastily eating the delicacy.

The Combe family were not poor by any means, but they could never afford such rich sauce - having to make their own that never compared.

Snorting in amusement, Terra reached across the table and handed him a napkin. The couple froze, the three locked in time while the others continued on without noticing the tension. She gestured to the corner of her mouth with her free hand, trying to hold back the years of things she desperately wanted to say to him.

"You've always been a messy eater, Henny, that much has clearly not changed," she mumbled, casting her eyes away from him and picking at her food. From the corner of her eye she saw him still, carefully taking the napkin from her and gazing at her longingly.

Turning away, she faced Marium with an emotionless smile, snatching a rib from her plate and eating it hastily. She made small talk, doing anything and everything to avoid having to interact with Henrik across the table form her.

There was a time when her family meant everything to her, a time when she was willing to do all it takes to prove them wrong but now all she could think was that she couldn't stand to e in the same space as them when they viewed her so negatively on the choices she made to survive.

Just that morning she would have given anything to speak to them, to have them hold her close though it all seemed different now that they were in such close proximity.

"I'm surprised that they sent Lux in this morning," the mayor spoke, drawing the attention of district 10's victors. "I would have thought that with the tour happening they would call for you Terra."

Startling, she swallowed the meat in her mouth and face the mayor with a kind smile. "I was there last time actually. I think the people of the capitol are starting to hate seeing me."

The laughter of the other victors was loud and abrupt - harsh in the quiet room. She felt a hand fall to her shoulder and shake it gently. Her fist clenched for a moment at the noise but she continued on anyways, eyes crinkling as she smiled.

"We don't chose who goes and when, we simply go when we are called or needed. Terra can only go so many times no matter how much the capitol loves her," Marium explained to those at the table that had no understanding of what they actually did.

"Seems so hard going and being pampered by the rich folk," a man spat in their direction and Terra scowled, eyes hard and deadly as she took him in. He would be slow, weak and she could easily reach for a knife at her side and lodge it in between tbe muscles and tendons of his hand.

"That's real cute, if only you knew how much more we bring over in resources with every trip. This fancy meal? You only get to sit here eating it out the generosity of us victors! You have no idea what lies under the surface so don't try to figure it out," Terra growled at the man, a snarl plastered on her face and hands shaking.

A hand made to touch her shoulder but she flinched away, pushing from her chair violently and standing at the table. She smoothed down her dress and kept her eyes downcast, muttering, "Excuse me."

Making her way from the room, she easily made her way through the halls and into a clean bathroom at the end of the hall. She angrily tugs at the bottom of her dress feeling restrained and forced with it clinging to her skin - suffocating her.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't get the image of dried blood staining her out of her head no matter how much water she scrubbed over her face. It haunted her, a reminder of something she has done and could never erase no matter how much she does.

It was similar to the many favours that she has granted to earn extra for her people, extra to her family when they had no idea. What she did was not much but it was enough to keep the peacekeepers at bay.

Breathing deeply, it took everything in her to keep from smashing the mirror in front of her. She instead stumbled out the door bumping into another figure.

Her anger flushed away as she faced the girl with the braided hair, finding the younger girl easy to be around when not in the spotlight.

"They're serving dessert, you've been gone a while," Katniss' voice was smoother, gentler now that she was speaking her own words.

"Of course," Terra's face flushed at the statement, though she was not upset by what the victors would think but by what could be running through the heads of the other people in the room. "You should be continuing on with the tour then, no?"

Upon receiving a nod from the other girl, Terra linked their arms and lead them back down the hall as she continued to speak, "Be careful, the love show that you are displaying is not working. Any person that has been in love can see that what you show is not real. Don't be so cold in front of an audience, they do not want to see you so distanced, especially not the Capitol."

She stopped just before the doorway to the luncheon room, turning Katniss so that she faced her. "I need you to deliver a message for me - tell Haymitch that I need him to tell a good friend of ours from district four something. He should know what it is and if he doesn't then tell him that he's an idiot."

♦♦♦

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