Chapter 2

3 agonising weeks later, the Watson Children and the Holmes Children lined up for the reaping.

Each pressed their needle pricked finger under their names and each went to their designated age areas.

Mycroft and Harry to the 17s, John to the 16s and Sherlock to the 15s.

Maria Agald stepped up to the microphone. "Hello, District 12. What a pleasure it is for me to be here!" she lied to the kids in the audience "Let's roll the film, shall we?"

The Capitols Emblem crackled onto the screen above her. President Snow recorded voice boomed in the town centre, though no one really payed attention to it.

It ended and Maria continued. "Since this is a Quarter Quell, it's going to be a little different." as she said this, a large glass ball with three wheels on the bottom of it rolled onto the stage.

"The ballot ball had to be twice as big since there were to be all of District 12s children are in it."

She walked up to the ball, plunged her hand in and pulled out a note. She walked back to the microphone.

"The first tribute is..." she opened up the piece of paper "Sherlock Holmes!"

Mutters from the crowd and glances to the reaped boy who didn't seem care. He strolled up to the stage, entirely calm while John fidgeted in panic.

He looked up at Sherlock with worry. He was about to volunteer when Maria walk back to the ball.

"And the second tribute will be..." she pulled out another piece of paper and walked back to the podium."Leah Patterson!"

John had no idea who she was but volunteered anyway. When Leah heard John volunteer her face flooded with relief, then confusion. He was lead up to the podium. "What is your name?" Maria asked.

"J-John Watson."

"And was Leah a friend of yours or..."

"N-no. I volunteered so Sherlock w-wouldn't be alone..."

"Aah! What best friends! Volunteering to be with him in the games! Such loyalty!" Maria gushed over two boys. "Shake hands, please"

John shook Sherlock's hand, exchanging worried glances. "Thank you, Boys! And may the odds be ever in your favour."

John and Sherlock were lead to separate rooms in the town hall, allowing friends and family to say goodbye.

John had an earful from Harry, how just because Sherlock got picked it didn't mean he had to sacrifice his life. Leah came in, thanking him for volunteering even if it wasn't for her benefit. The last person who came in was Mycroft.

"Please look after him." he said "And don't worry about your family, I'll look after them. Your mother asked me to give you something since she had forgotten to give it to you before..."

He pulled a chain with a dog-tag on it from his pocket. "She told me it was you great Grandfathers. The one you were named after." he placed it in John's hand. "Good luck..."

John held it in his hands, felt the cool metal. He looked at one side of the tag. "Hamish Harry Watson" he flipped to the other side. It was a picture of a hound bearing its fangs.

He chained it around his neck, hoping it would give him luck for the worst moments in his life.