Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the Hunger Games.

This is a Twilight/Hunger Games challenge entry for the 5, 10, 20, 50, 70, 100 Fandoms Challenge (HPFC).

Rating: T for Teen.

Being Victorious

Her breathing was shallow, shoulders hunched over in fatigue. Smoke floated around her, burning her lungs with every breath she took. The smell of death filled the surrounding area, it was quiet – still. The chick from District seven and the guy from District one had hacked each other to bits. The scene was a bloody one, something she wouldn't forgot in the years to come but now; she needed to move. The brunette slowly crouched down to pick up the bloodied axe from the ground. Her eyes darting around, watching in case someone tried another sneak attack.

She backed away from the small clearing, disappearing behind a tree quietly. Then Bella heard it, the crunch of dried leaves from behind her. Her instincts told her to duck and she did, throwing her body forward and rolling away to distance herself from her attacker.

Just as she made it back on to her feet her attacker fell upon her, a fist sinking into her side. She grunted and her kidney screamed, eyes tearing up and briefly closing in pain. The brunette's arm came up, body turning slightly and brought down her elbow – connecting with the person's temple. A cry of pain, the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the muted thuds of bodies slamming into tree trunks sounded in the darkness.

Light flashed on the two from some unknown source, making it easier for the two to see one another. Bella's eyes widened the subtle sound of something cutting the air – a knife perhaps, caught her attention and she shifted her weight. Allowing her body to fall back into open air to avoid a kill strike, it was the girl from District four – Heidi.

Heidi came after her again, holding her knife in a reverse grip ready to no doubt cut open Bella's throat and win the games. Bella waited until the last second, lashing out with her foot and catching Heidi's wrist. The knife fell from the stunned blonde's hand and Bella didn't waste the opening, sweeping her leg under Heidi's. She dropped and the brunette was on her, wrapping dirt and blood caked hands around Heidi's throat.

Bella grunted to stay onto the older girl; she was trying to buck Bella off of her. Heidi's leg swung up, her knee knocking into Bella's shoulder. "Shit!" The brunette swore, taking a hand off Heidi's neck and punching her in the solar plexus with all her strength. Immediately she was rewarded with a loud wheezing sound of pain.

Not satisfied she did it again, Heidi jolted beneath her – the sound that came from her mouth brought a smirk to Bella's lips. She pulled something from her pocket, leaning forward and covered Heidi's mouth and nose. Bella watched the panic in Heidi's eyes; she was close enough that their noses bumped every time Heidi moved. She felt empowered by the blonde's fear of her imminent death.

In a motion too quick for the gloating teen to catch Heidi had Bella on her back, her vision swimming. The brunette quickly deduced that she'd been hit with a blunt object. She was right if the rock Heidi was clutching tightly in her left hand was a sign. Weight settled on top of her hand then her head flew back – light exploding behind her closed lids. Her nose, she knew instantly was broken – Heidi didn't stop there, the blows kept coming.

Bella blocked most of the hits, using her forearms as something to shield her face. She bucked upward, digging her heels into the ground to gain leverage and throw Heidi off her and the rock was knocked away. "Not so tough now are you, Bella?" Heidi sneered with her highly nasally voice; her breathing labored. She wiggled her hand through Bella's arms and gripping her throat.

The female tribute of district eight, gasped – scratching and tugging at Heidi's hands in a panicked fashion. Somehow the blonde now had both hands around her throat. Bella was starting to panic; she was so tired from her earlier fights and now this one with Heidi. Whatever sudden burst of adrenaline she had when Heidi first attacked her was all gone now. Something glinted off to her right, it was a wonder she saw it because inky black tendrils of unconsciousness were snaking into her vision. It was a dagger, it wasn't hers. Yet it was laid out tauntingly just to the right of the wrestling young women.

Bella whimpered, parting her chapped lips to take in quick sips of air. Heidi's hands gripped the vulnerable skin of her throat even tighter. Every time Bella took a swing at the other girl she'd just lean back, but never fully enough to loosen her hold of Bella's throat. "Just fucking die already," Heidi growled nastily, once again leaning away from Bella's clawing hands.

The brunette let her arms fall limply back to the ground, her lungs burning horribly for air but her strength was not there. With a small burst of energy she slammed her hands over Heidi's mouth, clawing at the girl's face. Bella's eyes were glassy with oncoming tears, she'd come so far only to die like this. There was a shuffling to her left and Bella's now closed eyes opened in time to see a booted foot slam into Heidi's chin, sending her flying of her body.

"Not tapping out already are you, Eight?" A moderately deep voice chuckled taunt of the male tribute from District Eleven. His name was Laurent and he had creamy brown skin and dark dreadlocks ran down his back. It often made Bella think of a lion's mane or something. Right now his hair was pulled back tightly and the base of his neck.

"Come on, up you go." He grunted grabbing the front of her shirt and pulling her off the ground to stand upright. When Bella had last seen Laurent it had been after the massacre at the cornucopia. She was a bit relieved to see that he was still alive.

Laurent tossed Bella's arm over his shoulder and the two began to hobble away. "We should keep – Ahh!" The scream that sounded from his throat was startling to Bella; they tumbled to the ground immediately after. "Fucking bitch!" He continued to swear while Bella remained confused as to what happened. She swiveled her head to the left and saw Heidi on the ground, clutching the knife from earlier like a lifeline. Blood shone on the blade and Bella somehow deduced that Heidi must have slashed Laurent in his achilles tendon.

"Still awake, Blondie?" The brunette couldn't help but taunt climbing back to her feet. She was entirely focused on the girl in front of her – drowning out Laurent's angry pain filled swears.

Heidi was hideous now, her left eye was closing as they spoke and blood was flowing from her nose still. There was a dried blood caked cut over her left eyebrow and sweat caused the dirt to cling to her face. Her lips were bust and swollen, a dark color of what could be blood and mud covered the bottom half of her face. Bella was sure she looked just about the same; she was sure how she found the strength to continue standing.

She watched Heidi sway on her feet and stumble to the side, shaking her head as if to clear it or her vision. Without warning Heidi fell to her knees, slumping forward onto the ground. Bella's eyes widened marginally staring at Heidi before looking to Laurent who was crawling toward the blonde with a determined look on his face. She knew what he was planning on doing and didn't dare stop him and take the vengeance he sought after.

Bella turned her head just as Laurent grabbed the knife from the unconscious female's hand. There was a wet gurgling noise that came from Heidi no doubt as the blade sank into her throat. She never saw the red liquid spill from the blonde throat and drain into the ground. Bella just couldn't get over the fact that they were expected to kill; Bella had only killed someone on accident. It had been against a district four boy buy the name of Alec, it was a pure fluke. She had smashed a hand full of dirt and kicked him down the steep incline the she herself had fallen down earlier in the games. Bella had felt a small quiver of pleasure as he tumbled down the hill and gasped when he knocked into a tree containing a large tracker jacker hive.

The hive hadn't fallen but it had swung about violently causing the deadly wasps to swarm about and attack Alec almost immediately. Almost against her will Bella grabbed her pack along with his and began running. Alec's cries of pain were horrifying and she felt guilt churn in her belly but squashed it down. It was kill or be killed here and she didn't have to mourn someone who was all too happy to end her life.

"Bella! We have to move." The brunette was shaken from her thoughts by Laurent's loud, demanding voice along with the loud cannon sound that was played when someone died. He was standing again and leaning heavily on a tree, he'd taken off his jacket and tossed it somewhere for more freedom to move. Bella absently wondered why he had never chosen to take it off before but dismissed the thought as quickly as it came.

"Do you want some help?" She asked awkwardly, not wanting to imply that he needed her help to get around – no matter how true it was.

"That would be appreciated, thanks." Laurent replied sheepishly, looking down and his wounded ankle. "I want to thank you for not coming after me – you know because I'm injured now and all." He continued, moving his arm over Bella's offered shoulder when she came close enough. She easily took on some of his weight and the two began to slowly make their way toward the cornucopia.

"Well you helped me so why wouldn't I help you?" Bella smiled, tightening her hold around Laurent's waist. "This isn't the first time you helped me… last time it was me and… Zafrina." She visibly deflated at the mention of her first friend in the competition. Zafrina had been the other district eleven tribute and had been killed in a scuffle with the district six boy, Afton. She had been one of the older tributes in the competition and had saved Bella during her own run in with tracker jackers.

"Don't worry about it Bella, it was my pleasure to help after you protected my partner." Laurent said dismissively, looking away from her with watery eyes. The pair continued out through the flora and a somewhat slow pace. "Speaking of partners, what happened to your partner, Edward?" He asked after a moment.

Bella ducked her head, "We were attacked by a group of those who were brought up for these games." She spat, her face set in a horrible sneer. "They took him; he was injured a bit and had no hope of fighting back."

Laurent frowned, turning to give Bella a hard look. "Did they kill him?"

"I'm not sure." She confessed in a low hesitant voice, her eyes down cast and welling up with tears.

Just then the cannon went off, the two tributes looked to the sky and then around them unsurely. "We have to keep moving, if we go to the cornucopia we could get supplies… maybe even medicine." Bella continued to pull Laurent in the direction of where she wanted to go. That is until the taller boy dug in his heel and forced her to stop short.

"We could also die, Bella." He stressed with an incredulous look on his face. "That place is a trap; the group that you fear will swoop in and kill us if their traps don't get us first."

Bella shook her head with a frustrated sigh, "First of all, I don't give a fuck about that group who seem to be too scared to even go out into the dark alone themselves. Second, I am going to the cornucopia to find Edward and get supplies whether you like it or not." Her voice was hard and cold. Bella was done playing nice, now was the time to show who she really was.

"You cannot be serious, Bella." He muttered with wide eyes and shaking his head in disbelief.

She stared at him long and hard, "I never took you as a coward, Laurent."

Laurent looked affronted, sizing Bella up with his light brown eyes. There was nothing sexual about it; he was actually seeing her for what she was. A fighter, that's what she was not some dainty damsel in distress but a genuine born fighter.

"You are planning something." His words weren't framed as a question. He already knew the answer from the look Bella gave him.

"Their leader… he killed Zafrina and took Edward." Bella told him, watching the other tribute's expression. She'd already made up her mind on what she was going to do.

Laurent's face blank, "What are you going to do?"

Bella turned away looking into the darkness of the night. "What I'm supposed to do." She looked at him over her shoulder, eyes focusing directly on a camera above the two. "Give these people the show that they want to see."

The dread headed boy moved forward, seizing Bella by her shoulders and spun her around. Her back connected with the nearest tree trunk. "What are you trying to prove?" Laurent demanded loudly, his face was a mask of anger and – to her shock – chagrin. Whether it was at her or her choice to fight and entertain those who watched the games she wasn't sure. "You don't owe these people anymore." His heated words shook her, drawing a shuddering breath from her frame. For a moment Bella considered what Bella was saying before shaking her head.

The brunette gave a cold, dry barking laugh and pushed Laurent away. "It's not like I have much more to give, they've taken everything from me." She bit out. "In this game you either win or you die, which do you choose?"

Laurent frowned, feeling a bit speechless at her cynicism. He had initially pegged her as the faultless optimistic kind but he was obviously wrong. How interesting.

So sorry but this is where I must end the first chapter of the two-shot. Please tell me what you think in the lovely review box at the bottom of this fic.

This is Romi signing off, see you kiddies later!