Author's Note: it's my first Hunger Games story, and I did my best! I hope it's at least a little bit enjoyable. -Alana Abernathy

We Remain

Chapter One: Finnick: In A Cold Night

I'm waiting with Beetee and Peeta next to the tree. We're all very tense. I agreed with Beetee when he said he needed protection, but I'm not totally comfortable with the idea of Johanna and Katniss alone. They're armed, but Enobaria and Brutus are still out there and I know very well that the two Careers are stronger than my allies. Most of all, they're sadistic and they want to kill. After all, I'm almost positive that it truly is a Game to them. I simply have to hope that Beetee's plan is going to work. If we manage to kill off the District 2 tributes, only Chaff will remain. My heart aches for a moment as I think about Chaff. In the past years, I have grown to like the man, and I now fully consider him a friend. I don't want him to die, but there can only be one Victor, and we are all well-aware – Chaff included – that it has to be Katniss. Without Katniss, the rebellion can't go on. The districts are still too weak, too wrapped up in their fear of the Games and of the Capitol, to actually rebel. But slowly, Katniss Everdeen can erase that fear and replace it with will, strength and determination. All we need to do is to make sure she gets out of the arena alive. It's as simple as that. We die, she lives. I'm sure Katniss and Peeta are going to break the alliance as soon as the Careers are down, but Johanna, Beetee and I will continue to watch over them, making sure they aren't killed by the twelve threats of this clock-like arena.

"Are you sure it's going to work?" I hear Peeta ask. I look up, pushing the schemes in the back of my mind. It's not the right time to review the plan. I need to be vigil.

"Yes," is Beetee's curt answer. He's almost done with the wire, which is good, because midnight is getting closer.

"It will work," I say, doing my best to sound reassuring. I don't know enough of this stuff to actually doubt Beetee's skills, but anything could go wrong. Anything.

A few minutes of complete silence follow, and we're more and more tense.

"Something's wrong."

"What? What's wrong?"

"The wire." Beetee says, slowly, in a frown. "Somebody cut it. It's not as tight as it should."

Peeta and I exchange a frantic look. We sprint forward, almost crashing into one another. I grab his arm as he loses balance, and we run. We go the same direction for a while, but we soon part. A cannon increases the panic that I started to feel when Beetee said something was wrong. I have no control over this situation, and I hate it. I don't know who died. I can only hope it's not Katniss. She needs to be alright. She needs to stay alive.

"Katniss! Johanna!"

Part of me knows I shouldn't be so loud, but the other part doesn't care. It's everyone against everyone now. Or at least, Katniss will think it is, and I need to find her before she does something stupid, like risking her life for Peeta. I know he'd do the exact same thing, but Katniss is too stubborn for her own good.

I call the two girls again. Katniss probably thinks it's a trap. But why doesn't Johanna answer? Did that cannon mean she is dead?

In the distance, I hear Peeta yell Katniss's name.

I keep running, and calling. It's all I can do until I find them.

"Finnick!"

Johanna's voice is full of fear, but also of rage. It comes from my right, it's close, but the jungle is thick here and it takes me a while to get there. "I'm coming, Johanna!"

When my eyes finally catch sight of her, I see her fighting against Brutus. She'd doing a great job with her axe, but Brutus is taller, stronger and better armed. In a matter of seconds, I'm by her side, blocking Brutus's attack with my trident. I push him back, away from Johanna, and I immediately charge again, time after time, trying to catch him by surprise.

A cannon fires, and another one shortly follows. It takes us all by surprise, but Brutus makes the mistake of glancing over his shoulder in direction of where the sound came from, and I take my chance. His cannon goes off immediately.

I waste no time, taking Johanna's hand and leading her away. "Is Katniss alive?"

"Yes," she breathes out, adding, "She was when I left."

We run in silence to where Katniss and Johanna were attacked. Katniss is still there, but she's not alone. She's on the ground, an Enobaria is towering over her. She doesn't notice us, not that it matters, she's still too fast. And we're not fast enough. Enobaria's modified teeth are on Katniss's throat, and it's over before I can even raise my weapon. Johanna makes me wince when she lets out a deafening shriek. She lunges at Enobaria, axe ready in her hand. She brings it down, and Enobaria doesn't have the time to register our presence. Johanna's axe sinks into her long neck, and that is it. It's over. It's down to two now. Me. And her.

I'm frozen, and unable to move. To think, even. I feel like I'm lost in a moment, and it takes me a while to realize said moment has already passed. Johanna laughs, and for a long second I'm comforted by that familiar sound. Her laughter has become well-known to me, and it warms me up from the inside, it spreads around my whole body, until it goes away again. Because I remember where I am. Where we both are. Only the two of us. It wasn't supposed to go like this. We were supposed to save Katniss. Yes, saving her meant we had to die, but I realize now that we never had a back-up plan. There was only plan A, and I don't know what's supposed to happen now. I've already lived this moment, ten years ago. But I was firm and calm and patient, and I did what I had to do to go home. That other kid wasn't my friend, though. Johanna is. How could I go home, and leave her here lifeless? Or how could she return victorious to her district, taking away my right to do the same? Now that Katniss is dead, things have changed. We don't have to sacrifice ourselves anymore. One of us can go home. But who?

"What now, Odair?" she snarls. Her face isn't exactly on focus, but when I concentrate enough to see her properly, I notice a smirk on her face. Why? "We stay in alliance and let the Gamemakers choose who they like the most? Or do we end it here and now by ourselves?"

For a while I can't do anything but remain in silent wonder. Has she really asked? Why? Does she really want to fight? Does she think I'm brave enough to kill her? I keep staring at her. She's different, there's something strange about her. After a while, it hits me. I've seen that look before, when she was killing the remaining tributes of her Games and was proclaimed Victor.

Johanna suddenly throws her axe on the ground. "Damn it!" she yells at the sky, shaking with angry sobs, falling down on her knees. When, a while later, she turns to face me again, that horrific look is gone. She stands up, picks up her axe, and walks past me. "Let's go, Finnick. The hovercraft won't come to pick up their bodies if we're here."

I follow her, speechless. What can I say? But apparently, Johanna has enough words to cover the lack of mine. She starts talking, explaining our new plan. "We're going to stick together. They want a Victor, and it's most likely going to be you. I'm sure they're going to create some sort of poll in the Capitol and have their citizens vote for the winner." she laughs, and all her rage and sadness get to me like a stab, because it's true, they would choose me. I'm their sex-symbol. Their toy. Their pawn. Johanna's only an angry lonely survivor. "But if they want you, they're going to need to come and get you, Finnick. We're not going to give them the satisfaction of turning against one another, right? So they'll set mutts against us and they'll play with our sanity with jabberjays – but we stick together. Until the very end."

She stops walking, and her eyes meet mine. There's the usual note of irony in them, but so much more as well. Sadness. Acceptance. Tenderness. Defeat. Pain. "Of course, if you feel like killing me with that trident of yours during the night, I won't hold it against you, I promise. After all, Annie's waiting for you back in 4, and I'm in between you and her now."

I shake my head, and pull her closer to me. This is the first time I've ever hugged her. "You're safe with me, Jo. We stick together."

"Right." she pulls back with a small laugh that doesn't fool me. "We need food. Let's go to the beach. I guess we can spend the night there."

We grab every walnut we see, on the way there, and I find some mint. Its smell reminds me of Annie, and I'm sure if it weren't for the cameras I'd cry. Annie is so sweet and innocent... she doesn't deserve to see me like this. I don't want her to watch me die. I know it will be the last straw for her, and if it weren't for Johanna, I wouldn't give it a second thought. I'd just kill the other tribute and go home to Annie. But I didn't prepare myself for this, and my love for Annie, as strong as it is, isn't enough to make me murder my friend.

"I can hear you thinking, Finnick."

I sigh at Johanna's words. "I can't help it."

"You sure can. You can help me get our breakfast."

We're at the beach, and I didn't even notice. It scares me. I should be keeping a constant vigilance to prevent any incoming threat, but I tuned everything out instead. Johanna's right, I need to do something. Now.

"Take care of the food. I'll make a fire and get water." she instructs me. I agree, but it's hard. I'm starting to feel the tiredness.

Johanna gets plenty of water from the trees, and gathers some wood. I find a lot of shellfish and I even look for more mint and edible plants. I could really go without eating for a while, but I know I have to, and it's going to be a nice breakfast. I sit beside Johanna on the sand, and we manage to share a smile. We eat in a comfortable silence, only exchanging a few words here and there. We're both worn-out, physically, yes, but above all psychologically. We lost more than one friend today, and the reality that surrounds us is too frightful for us to forget it.

"We should go back to the tree, after we've rested," I tell her, "To get the backpacks and the others' weapons. We might need them."

"That's what I was thinking. We should be safe sleeping here, but I'd feel better if we kept watch anyway..."

"I agree. I can be first." I offer.

"No," Johanna shakes her head, and I can see her swallow a wave of tears. "You go on and sleep, Finnick. You look tired. I'll be alright for a few more hours."

I can see she really wants to be alone, so I eagerly nod. After all, I need a break from by thoughts. It's absurd, but I haven't had a single nightmare here in the arena...maybe because I'm already into one.