I slip past the door to the dining room as Haymitch and Katniss continue talking, and keep walking to the back carriage, where I sit down and look into the darkness outside, where the trees are thick and covered in vines. I watch a as owls swoop through them, and small forest creatures scuttle through the undergrowth.

"Couldn't sleep?" Says someone from the door. I turn my head to see Katniss leaning against the door. I shake my head. "Too quiet."

"Same." She replies, sitting down next to me. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure."

She looks out of the window with that lost gaze again. I knew how she felt. I knew what it was like to lose someone you really loved.

"What was she like?" I ask softly.

"Kind, loyal, selfless." She smiles. "Brave." Her smile changes to a sad frown. "She didn't deserve to die."

"No one does. But we all do." I shake my head

"I tried to save her. I tried so hard to keep her safe, sound and alive. But her will to help was too strong. And I... I couldn't." Her tears come then. I wrap a comforting arm around her as she sobs.

"My mum once said to me, look at the stars." I whisper. "That's where all the greats dwell. All the brave, selfless, kind people that pass. They are up there, looking over us."

Katniss looks out at the darkness, then up at the stars.

"They're beautiful." She says softly, and I nod and look up at them as well. "Your mum must have been wise."

"Very."

"They're up there." She looks at me through her silent tears. "Your mum, and Prim. They look over us. Now, and always."

I nod, and a tear slips down my own cheek.

I didn't have very many memories of my mum. They all seemed to slip away. But the ones I did have were all good. She must have been pretty amazing. A burning anger towards my grandfather suddenly fills my chest. He shouldn't have killed her.

"Mel?" Katniss whispers, her eyes looking back out the window, her gaze showing all the thoughts she was processing.

"Yeah?" I answer.

"I'm glad I stepped up in that court case. Don't ever think otherwise."

~~~

I wake the next day because of the sudden bolt as the train stops. It doesn't slow gradually like it did when we stopped in district 7 for more fuel. It just screeches to a stop suddenly, making me hit my head against the bed head and wake.

I sit up and look out my window, expecting to see the train station, but that's not what I see. We're still in the middle of no where. Then why have we stopped?

My door sings open and Katniss appears at the doorway.

"Oh thank god you're alright." She says, spotting me rubbing my head.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bump." I see Haymitch walk in showing no signs of a hangover from getting drunk last night. "Do you know what's happened?"

"Probably just a problem up front, a deer crossing the tracks or something. The driver will fix it, we'll start up again in a few minutes."

But we don't start moving again. We stay where we are, in the middle of the wilderness. Suddenly, we hear footsteps from down the hallway.

A man comes in, looks over us and smirks. He's wearing a peacekeeper uniform and holds a whip in his hand.

"Ahh, you're all together. Very convenient."

Katniss stands up in front of me, facing the man. Haymitch stands next to her, slightly in front.

"Who are you?" Katniss snaps.

"Why so rude, Katniss?" The man makes a tsk tsk sound. "Didn't your mother teach you to respect those higher than you?"

"I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate," she says sarcastically, "but you aren't higher than me."

The mans smirk disappears.

"Watch your mouth, can't-kiss"

I stand up in anger. "Don't speak to her like that!"

His smirk returns. "I'll speak to her how I want."

"No you won't."

He steps towards me, the smirk still on his face. "Who's stopping me?

My cheeks flush red as I look him in the eyes. "Me."

I don't have time to move before he lifts his whip. The next thing I know my face is stinging and i can feel the blood dribbling down my cheek.

"Melanie!" Katniss cries. My cheek throbs and I bite my lip to keep from groaning, blinking away the tears.

"I'm fine." I say, but my voice trembles, making the mans smirk grows wider.

I look up as Haymitch steps in front of the man.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but I get you're important. But so is she." He gestures to Katniss who is still crouching over me with a hand on my back, her arms held over me protectively. "So if you could just step back and let me get out so I can fix the train and get her back to her district, that would be appreciated."

The man laughs. "Her district? That pile of rubble that was once district 12?" He laughs again and looks at Haymitch.

"She ain't going back there anytime soon."

In two seconds Haymitch has the man in a deadlock, holding his hands behind his back sharply.

"Guards." The man calls and three men also dressed in peace keeper uniforms step into the room. Instead of whips they are holding something that makes my insides churn.

Guns.

One of the guards shoots at the window, breaking the glass and making it shatter everywhere. The bang wrings in my ears as I watch the guard reload and point it at Haymitch's head.

Haymitch, getting the picture, releases the man and steps back. The man smiles and straitens up his shirt.

"That was quite rude." He says to Haymitch. "Well, speaking of rude, I believe I haven't introduced myself. Zane Vandal the second." He bows

"The second? What are you? Some kind of prince?" I ask sarcastically.

He smiles sadly and nods. "I used to be something like that." he waves his hand, dismissing the thought.

"What do you mean, used to? When were you ever a prince?" Katniss laughs.

The man smiles at Katniss. "Well, to be a prince you have to be the son of the king and queen, or marry their daughter. I did the equivilant of the second option."

"What do you mean, 'the equivilant of the second option'." I ask, raising an eyebrow. He smiles at me and I look into his dark brown eyes. They looked just like my dark brown eyes. My dark brown eyes that looked nothing like my mothers glistening green eyes, or my grandfathers light blue eyes. I had always thought they must have come from my dad.

My dad.

Suddenly I feel weak.

I lean against Katniss for support, and look up at the man. He smirks.

"Melanie. Are you alright?" I hear Katniss ask, but I am to dazed to answer. I saw it now. He had the same eyes, the same hair, the same face shape. The genetics were all lined up. I just couldn't swallow it, couldn't believe it. But it was true.

"You're my dad." I croak.

My dad.

_______

How's that for a spin on things?

I know you guys will have questions on this factor of things, but I don't know exactly what they will be. How about you ask! If you ask a question in the comments I will answer it in the next chapter, or tell you whether the answer will be revealed shortly.

Xela732