A/N: I do have another account, TeenageConspiracy. This is my first Hunger Games fanfic. I'm hoping to get far with it. I'm writing it mostly during the College math class. I can't stand that teacher. If you want, let me know how you like the story or give me ideas for it. Enjoy.
"Why did you volunteer for me?" I look up to, from the train floor, see Katniss standing above me. Haymitch and Peeta stand behind her.
"After Snow announced the Quarter Quell, he showed up at my house, in the middle of the night. He wanted you in the Games. He wanted me to be anxious, fidgety, or anything that would get you to volunteer if my name was called. I can't let Snow have his way."
"Why? You're risking yourself for someone you barely know." Peeta questions me. They deserve to know. One of them is now a mentor and the other is going into the Games with me.
"The bastard had my parents killed. They were rebels. Snow always kept an eye on them. When my name was called, you can imagine how my parents reacted. He had Peacekeeper's kill them one night while I was in my Games. After I won, he showed me pictures." Haymitch sits beside me and places a hand on my shoulder. He understands losing your family to Snow.
"How did you win your Games?" I give a bitter laugh.
"Pure luck. I only killed one person. The Careers captured me the first night. They saw what I could do in training and saw my potential. They wanted to team up, but I declined. They tied me up and took me everywhere with them. I watched them kill just about everyone. In the end, it was just the Careers and myself. Their plan was to separate in the morning and leave me. The girl from District 1 went crazy. She started killing the others during the night.
"No one had a fighting chance against her. When it was just her and I she untied me. 'No fun if you can't fight back.' I tried to run but she tackled me. She was on top me holding up her knife. She didn't realize there was a knife near me. I was able to reach to it. I stabbed her in her side while she stabbed me in the stomach. It was just a matter of who bleed out first." Haymitch squeezed my shoulder.
Effie soon enters the room with a sad look on her face.
"It shouldn't be you. You know what Snow is going to do." She hugs me.
"What will Snow do?" Peeta asks looking at Effie.
"I won't be leaving the arena alive. I didn't listen to him."
"He can't do that."
"He can. I won't be surprised if I'm the first to die. A malfunction with my platform and it explodes maybe. Just because he isn't the Gamemaker don't mean he's not in charge."
"Oh dear, how is Finnick going to react when he finds out you are going into the Games?" Effie asks me as we sit back down.
"Isn't he from District 4?"
"He is."
"Why would he be upset?"
"We are really close friends."
"That is code for they are dating, for you children." Haymitch chimes in with a smile.
"How does that work, with you two being in different Districts." A small smile graces my face, as I turn to Katniss.
"During the Games we spend our free time together. We go out to dinner, hang out together in our room while our tributes are training. The rest of the year we are able to call each other. Sometimes we are even able to visit each other."
Once in the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta walk with heads held high. Haymitch and I walk behind them. I pay no attention to the glammed up crowd. We go straight to the Training Centre, not stopping to answer questions. Before we can enter the elevator, Mags taps me on the shoulder.
"Where's Finnick?" She shakes her head sadly.
"He doesn't want to see me?" She gives me a sad smile. We watched the other Reapings on the train. Thankfully neither Finnick nor Mags nor Annie was called. I don't blame Finnick for not wanting to be near me. Hell I don't want to be near me.
I give a smile to Mags and enter the elevator with the others. Haymitch, yet again, puts a hand on my shoulder. I'm glad he is here. He understands.
We reach our floor and standing in our doorway is Snow himself. He's smiling with false pleasantry.
"I'd like to speak to Ms. Belloc privately." I turn to the others and nod. Haymitch ushers the other two back into the elevator. Snow steps aside and I enter our roof top room.
"You know why I'm here."
"Yes, sir."
"You were supposed to let Katniss take the spot of Tribute. You were supposed to sit by if her name was called. Your were to-"
"I have a proposition for you."
"I'm listening."
"I won't try to win. I won't start fights. I'll only fight as self-defense. In return you let Finnick stop doing favors. As of today you let him retire. If some freak miracle happens and I survive, Finnick stays free." He looks at me. I see his hatred for me. He starts to smile.
"If it means you'll be gone. Fine. This moment forward Finnick Odair is a free man. I'll inform him later this evening." With that he leaves. I let go of the breath I was holding. I hate being around him.
I open a bottle of whiskey that is on the coffee table, and poor myself a glass. With my glass I head to my room.
Finnick's P.O.V-
Mags have been sitting next to me with a hand on my shoulder. How am I supposed to guide my tribute to kill the woman I love? How can I be useful when I want to lock myself in my room and never come out? I was relieved, when I watched the Reapings and Katniss was called. My world shattered when she volunteered.
A knock sounds on our door. I have no will power to get up. Mags stand and answer the door. No words are exchanged. The door shuts and Mags walks back to her seat net me. She holds out a piece of paper. Of course Snow would want me now. I take the note from her. 'Come to my office immediately.' With a sigh I stand and exit our place.
It doesn't take long to get to Snow's office, and even less time to be in the same room. He offers me a seat. He stares at some paper in front of him.
"What do you want me to do?" He hands the paper to me.
"Nothing. You're a free man now Odair. Thank your girlfriend." I stare in shock at the paper in my hands. It's the contract that I signed years ago, where I basically sold my soul. What did she do to give me freedom? I race out of his office.
I enter the Training Building elevator. I need to talk to her. The elevator stops on floor 11. Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss enter.
"Finnick?"
"Where's Lila?" Haymitch has a strange expression.
"Hopefully on our floor. When we arrived Snow was there. He wanted to talk to her alone." I can't breathe. Could he have hurt her?
The doors open on floor 12 and we walk in after Haymitch.
"Lila?" Peeta calls out to an empty room.
"Where is she?" Haymitch sighs picking up an open whiskey bottle.
"Try her room." I walk down the hall until I've reached her door.
"Lila?" I knock but get no response. I slowly open the door, fearing the worse. Thankfully she is asleep in bed with an empty glass on her stand. I force myself to cross the room to her.