ONCE BOTH KATNISS AND PRIM WERE READY, THE FAMILY OF FOUR SAW THEMSELVES TO THE HALL OF JUSTICE. Sage walked on the opposite side of his mother once they reached the square. Katniss took Prim by the hand, spared both their mother and Sage one more glance before leading their younger sister to the check-in tables. Sage felt like he was about to be violently ill, there was something that seemed so eerie and wrong about the two of them going to get checked in. Suddenly Sages' feet felt like they were nailed to the ground, he was supposed to part ways with his mother now and claim his chair on the stage. Two of which, by the looks of it, were already claimed by Mayor Undersee, who over the years had grown thinner. Beside him was Effie Trinket, followed by two chairs that were reserved for both Haymitch and Sage.

"Is everything alright, Sage?" Rose questioned, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder as other citizens of twelve moved around them. Some join the crowds there to watch, some there to get checked in themselves.

Sage nodded, "Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine." he replied before turning and hugging his mother. "I'll see you in a few weeks." he told her, causing her grip to tighten around him.

"If it's one of-"

"It won't be." Sage stated quickly, not allowing her to finish her sentence.

"But if it is, you have to promise me..." she continued anyway, stepping back from Sage but keeping Sage only at an arm's length.

Sage wasn't sure that if by some tragic coincidence that Prim or Katniss were chosen, winning would be good for them. He couldn't imagine someone like Prim making it out mentally in one piece, and Katniss would undoubtedly be no better than he was the months following his return from his Victory Tour.

"I promise." the words didn't hold too much meaning to him. In the last six years that Sage had been called a Victor, President Snow had kept his word. With each request; special supplies that Sage requested including the tablets of morphling that usually weren't sent out monthly, getting a heads up from the Justice Hall about any extra tessera that Katniss took out, along with the promise that there wouldn't be the correct amount of pieces of paper in the bowl. So this year was no different, both of his sister's would be walking back home with their mother as soon as two other unlucky kids were chosen.

His mother gave him a poor excuse of a nod, barely even trying to convince him that she believed him. She gave him one more hug before they parted ways and they said their goodbyes for this year's games.

Sage made his way through the growing crowd, keeping his eye's either straight ahead or towards the screen to the right of the stage. But all the way through the sea of onlookers, he felt the eyes of families and kids too old or too young to be reaped. Some of the younger kids looked at him with amazement, the older ones had looks of pity for him. Those were the looks he avoided by staying in his own house throughout the year, so on reaping day he got a year's worth of side eyes. Then he had to walk through the middle of the corralled children waiting to find out who would be leaving. All of them gave them the same looks the onlookers did, but many of them tried to look unbothered by him too. As if he would remember who gave him pity or who gave him some sort of mutual respect once he had his tribute he'd have to mentor.

"Sage!"

As soon as Sage had both of his feet on the stage, Effie rose from her seat to greet him. "Effie," Sage replied, trying to sound at least a bit enthusiastic about seeing her again.

Effie was sporting a pink dress paired with heels that made her as tall as Sage. Her hair was big, and curly as usual. But it was a powdery pink shade with a small hat the same color of her hat on top. Her face was decorated with bright pink lips, and her long lashes had small pink specks scattered on her lashes.

"Where's Haymitch?" she questioned him quietly when she briefly hugged him.

"Hopefully on his way." Sage replied before the two of them let go of one another and they took a seat. Leaving one between them for Haymitch.

Despite Haymitch's irritable opinion of her, Sage actually liked Effie quite a bit. Of course he found her blind amusement by the reapings, parades, and interviews awful. But when it came down to the evening before the games; Sage remembered how she had treated Deedee and him. There wasn't quite pity, but almost sorrow. Unlike some of the other escorts, Effie seemed to really enjoy showing the tributes the finer things in the Capitol. And she was always sad to see them go once it came time for the games.

"Making a habit out of being late I see..." Effie muttered towards Sage, "did you see him-"

"I made his breakfast, Effie." Sage whispered back, "I'm sure he's on his way."

Mayor Undersee looked at Sage and then gave one long sigh of irritation at their first victor's tardiness before he rose to his feet. He stepped up to the mic that stood between two tables, each of which holding a glass bowl filled to the top nearly with pieces of paper. On the girls side, the bowl was a little less full. He felt a bit relieved to know that Katniss' name was only entered the required amount. The tessera that would have gotten her up to twenty wasn't there. Of course she didn't know that, she wouldn't ever know that. If Sage ever told her, he'd be accused of just trying to make up for what he put them through when he first came home. But the one paper that made his heart sink was the one that had Prims' name on it...

"Remember to breathe," Haymitch nudged Sage slightly as everyone's attention was turned towards the film that played to the right of the stage.

Sage hadn't gotten any sleep that night, and he knew it was obvious if you were to look at him. And he didn't smell much better than Haymitch, he knew that was true too because Effie told him as soon as he stepped on stage.

"Right..."

Sage took a deep breath and had to tear his eyes from the glass bowl. One folded piece of paper in there read Katniss Everdeen. Regardless of Snow's deal, regardless of his promise...regardless of Sages' victory the year before. One name in that bowl was Katniss. And he could barely stomach the thought of Effie's fingers even brushing against that parchment.

Sage was snapped out of his thoughts by Haymitch stomping up onto the stage. He looked disheveled and as if he had been rushed there. He had plenty of time to get there, and look presentable. But that clearly hadn't happened. Sage hoped that he had simply fallen back to sleep. But he knew that in reality, he probably had a few more drinks too.

"-I just love that!" Effie's voice snapped Sage back to the square as the film ended, and Haymitch plopped down into the seat beside Sage.

"How nice of you to join us."

"Shut it, kid."

"Now, the time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman for the honour of representing District Twelve in the seventy-fourth Annual Hunger Games." Effie explained simply to a very unamused crowd. Sage felt his finger nails digging into his palms. "Ladies first." Effie reached her gloved hand into the bowl and let her fingers dance around the paper before she snatched one into her hand.

Effie cleared her throat as she held the paper up for the crowd to see before she unfolded it, a small gasp escaping her lips. "Oh," she chuckled a bit, but not one of amusement. But nervousness, or fear even. She cleared her throat again, "Primrose Everdeen–"

"No." Sage shook his head violently, but before he could rise out of his seat and reach for the paper in Effie's hand and to tell her to pick a new one, Haymitch firmly gripped his wrist.

"Remember the camera's." Haymitch reminded him quietly as Effie spoke into the mic, encouraging Prim to step forward.

Sage felt like everything was muffled and slow. He yanked his wrist out of Haymitch's grip, and frantically looked back out to the crowd of citizens of District Twelve. Just in time to see Prim inching her way out of the closest group of girls, her already fair face looked like she had a virus that left her looking like a ghost. And Sage hated what came next– he immediately thought of Mrs. Allen's advice; chin up, and stand up straight. Something he had grown accustomed to telling his tributes each year before the parade. Something to make them look better for the camera's. That shouldn't have been one of his first thoughts as he saw Prim. It should have been jumping off the stage and telling her to run. Farther than Katniss ever convinced her to go beyond the fence, farther than their father could have ever brought them.

"Prim!"

Just as Prim finally bright her face up, bringing her eyes to his, she spun on her heels.

"Prim! No! No!"

Sage followed her eyes as everyone turned their attention towards the older girls.

There, being forced back into the group of sixteen year olds by two peacekeepers, struggling to get out of their grip was Katniss. "I volunteer-" as soon as the words left her mouth, Sage felt like he couldn't breathe. "-I volunteer as tribute." she repeated loudly into the silent air, causing the two peacekeepers to release her.

Sage slunk forward, against his own knees. He felt like he couldn't get any air into his chest, he could feel small beads of sweat forming on the back of his neck. He wrung his fingers together so tightly that each of his knuckles were white. He had to focus on that and not the reaping, he had to. President Snow had never broken his word. Not once. In the six years that Sage had been forced to know him, he had kept his promises. And the one promise Sage asked him to keep every year when he was attending a presidential party in the mansion was will you help me keep my sisters out of the games, and every year, after Snow received what Sage owed him, he agreed. Had Sage been gathering information for him for no reason? All for Snow to never intend to keep his promise?

"Well," Effie said a bit breathlessly, "it seems like we have a volunteer!" she exclaimed.

Sage couldn't bring himself to look up. He didn't want to. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hide the anger that he was barely able to keep down. He wanted to yell directly at everyone that this wasn't a fair reaping. This was all Snow's doing. Just like his own reaping had been. However he was able to look up briefly as Katniss walked up the stairs in front of where he and Haymitch sat. For the brief second Sage saw her face, he could see the absolute fear and panic in her eyes before Effie placed an arm around her shoulders and moved her into the center.

"What's your name dear?"

Katniss was silent for a moment. "Katniss Everdeen."

"Well, I would bet my hat that was your sister." Effie said into the microphone, "And it would be your brother sitting right behind us?" she questioned, almost as if she just wanted it to be confirmed for everyone watching.

"Yes."

"Let's have a very big had for our very first volunteer, Katniss Everdeen-" Effie carried her voice in a way as if she was trying to carry a one-man show before she rapidly began to clap her hands together. Probably expecting others to join her.

However, nobody did. Instead, it was just the hum of the speakers, and the sound of the still air of District Twelve. Sage had to bite his tongue, literally almost to the point of drawing blood to keep himself from saying anything. But he didn't have to, whatever he said would have only meant trouble for Katniss in the arena. Or his family still in Twelve. Instead, one by one, from the onlookers, all the way up to the twelve year olds...they all kissed three of their fingers and held them up towards Katniss. A salute that meant everything from thank you to I'm sorry.

Effie dropped her hands quickly, "And now for the boys." her voice wasn't as airy now, Sage wasn't sure why. He wasn't sure of anything anymore, he thought he knew President Snow when it came to him keeping his word. He thought he knew Effie enough to know that she wasn't happy about the newest tribute for Twelve. But for all he knew he was wrong about that too, and she just wasn't happy that she didn't lead a roaring applause for Katniss.

As Effie moved to the opposite bowl, Katniss stole a glance over her shoulder at Sage. But as soon as their eyes locked, Sage gave her a sharp nod as if to tell her to turn around. A habit from the last few tributes that looked at him for help once they were on stage.

"Peeta Mellark," Effie read off the name, and instantly the boys began to shift before the youngest Mellark boy stepped in to view.

Usually Sage would have a sinking feeling for both tributes. But as he moved towards the stage, he couldn't help but already resent Peeta. Peeta would be one of the tributes standing between Katniss and leaving the arena.

"Your tributes from District Twelve–" Effie announced as Peeta, Sage's tribute, stepped onto the stage and reached for Katniss' hand once he made it to the center. "–Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." Effie smiled at the crowd but quickly turned her back and quickly led the tributes towards the Justice Hall. Haymitch and Sage quickly moved to their feet, Haymitch quickly stepped in front of Sage as if to slow him down.

Until they stepped through the Justice Hall doors, Sage had contained himself. But as soon as the doors shut, he quit letting Haymitch slow him down.

"Katniss, Kat,"

"Sage, you can't talk to her, not yet." Haymitch snapped quickly, again moving himself between Sage and the peacekeepers that were escorting Katniss and Peeta to their proper rooms where they would be able to say goodbye to their families.

"Piss off, Haymitch-" Sage said roughly brushing past the disheveled looking Victor. "-Katniss!"

"It'll have to wait for the train-" the peacekeeper that stood between them turned and held a hand out as if to stop Sage. But Sage didn't stop for him. "-Mr. Everdeen-"

Sage rolled his eyes, "What the hell are you going to do? Shoot me? One of the Districts mentors on reaping day? I'm sure they'd award you for that." he added sarcastically before he turned around.

Finally coming face to face with Katniss, shock was still the only expression on her face.

"Sage, I...I,"

"It's gonna be okay, Kat, I swear." Sage assured her, putting his hands on her shoulders, bending down just enough to look her in the eye. "I promise."

"But..."

"You'll have to continue this on the train." This time the peacekeeper took a hold of Sages' arm and yanked him back away from Katniss. Sage had spent the last six years doing dirty work for President Snow both in the Capitol and in the Districts. All to make sure this very thing would never happen. But it had all been for nothing, because here they were– in the middle of exactly what Sage had feared most for the last six years.

AUTHORS NOTE;
Im gonna be ATTEMPTING to follow a update schedule with those book but ehh we shall see how that goes lol

Anyway, thank you for reading! Be sure to comment and follow me for updates!

Stay classy!

*unedited*