I'm in the arena. But... This can't be true. I won the games. Or was that just an illusion? I-I don't understand what's happening. Wasn't I already crowned Victor? What am I doing back here?

I am standing back in the quick-sand that has a death hold on me and I start to panic. I know what happens next. I look over my shoulder just in time to see Blake, the tribute from 5 draw his sword and plunge it all the way through Reese's stomach.

I look directly into his eyes as his death consumed body smacks into the ground. I smother my face as I cry out because I can't save him. He was my thirteen year old district partner. Before he was brutally murdered, we were down to four.

He could have made it out! I could have-should have, saved him. But I am too weak!

I struggle in the quick-sand and stop abruptly when I find that I am once again sinking. I need to kill Blake to avenge Reese.

I feel my eyes start to sting and know that I am about to cry. No I need to stop! I need to be strong! If I'm going toget anything done, I cannot cry because if I start, I surely won't stop for a long time.

How do I get out of the sand?! Blake has yet to notice me and starts walking away, to I assume find Cassia or me; the onlyother tributes left. Once he is out of my eye sight, I start to struggle again and find myself sinking once more. What do I do?! I want to yell out for my mom or dad to ask them what I should do.

I can almost hear them in my head telling me to stop struggling and look around for something that can hold my weight and pull me out. So I do exactly that.

I look around for what feels like hours and then I spot it. I spot a broken tree branch that looks to be jammed into the ground from the explosive earth quake.

But it is so far away. How am I to reach it? After minutes of stretching and reaching, my fingertips finally scrape it and I trap hold of the end before I sink back in.

Once I have a good grip, I pull and pull although my muscles are screaming. I am too weak! I slouch, still holding the branch. I am not strong enough! Why did I think I could survive this?

Seconds later, I hear a girl screaming and then abrupt silencefollowed by a cannon. I scramble up and start pulling myself once more, urging myself to get out of the sand.

I am trying so hard, but the sand doesn't want to release me. I am getting so tired. So so tired. I open my eyes, seeing what I think to be gaseous dog. Oh no.

I have to stay awake. I have to! I struggle again to get out and I start to hear the footsteps. I groan in frustration as more and more fog rolls in. I am feeling weak.

I know I need to stay awake, but my body doesn't want to as it forces my bones to stop cooperating. I fall slack right back into the deathly sand. I force my eyes open one last time before the darkness takes me and see Cassia standing over me with my trident about to strike.

I sit up and start to scream through the tears, begging for someone-anyone-to save me. Moments later, dad is bursting through the door of my suite at the training center. He islooking terrified and then relieved and saddened

to see that I am alright. I amjust crying from a memory haunting my dreams.

I want my mother, but she was forced to stay at home for my siblings even though her and father are supposed to mentor the tributes. Everyone says that mother shouldn't come here anyway because of her fragile mental state, but I think she is the

strongest of them all. Even though I want me mother, I guess I should be happy that at least father is here to protect me for once.

I am still shaking and balling my eyes out as my dad runs to me and squeezes me to his frame, running his hand over my golden blonde hair while murmuring things to me. "You're alright butterfly, you're alright. I'm here, I'm here."

I am still in shock that he is actually here because he never is. Even when I was little and I would cal out to him after a childish nightmare.

After a few seconds of shock, I finally recover and wrap my arms around him as tightly as possible so he can never leave me again.

"Daddy!" I whimper into his chest as I continue my crying and shaking. I normally would care that I called him that when I haven't since I was five or six, but right now I just need him to protect me.

"Please don't leave me! Please! I'll do anything, just don't leave me again!" I son again because I don't want him to leave.

He always leaves in the end to come here. It's been like this since before I was a little girl. He would leave for months at a time and stay in the Capital. When he would finally return, he would just be drained and he would keep his distance from
/everyone but mom. I can never understand why he doesn't want to spend time with us.

I am still mad and deeply hurt by that, but right now all of my emotions on things before the games seem childish at this very moment, for I have actually learned what pain is. All I know is that now that he is actually here, I'm not letting him

let me go.

He sighs shakily and holds me even tighter. "Oh sweetheart, I'm not going to leave you. I promise I won't." He says that now, my subconscious seethes, but for now I ignore it, welcoming the comfort of the most affection I have received from
/my father my entire sixteen years of life.

After a little while he starts to pull me away from him, but I refuse to be pushed away. I snuggle back into his chest and snake my arms even tighter around his waist. He sighs a long sigh. "Butterfly, I know you're scared, but you have to let

go of me so you can get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow with that interview."

I ignore him telling me to let go and hold on even tighter instead. "I don't want to! I just want to go home!" I start to sob again at the reminder of staying here longer.

"I know Piper, but you have to. After the interview you can go home. I promise." Dad says, accepting that I am not going to release him anytime soon.

Although I am afraid of the answer that I know I will receive, I still ask in the hope of the answer I want to hear. "You're c-c-coming h-home t-too r-right?"

He sucks in a breath. I have my answer. I shakily sigh and very reluctantly let go of him. I didn't think he would be, but it hurts so much more to know that he isn't going to be there to protect me on the train or at home. I'll only have myself.

"Pipe I am so sorry sweetheart, but I have to deal with some more things here before I come backhome. I should be heading back home in two weeks." Dad says apologetically. I just shake my head, tears still streaming. I ignore his apologies

and roll onto my side and hug myself.

Deep down I knew this was going to happen. So why does it hurt so bad? "Butterfly-"

"N-no need to e-explain. I u-understand that you have to do t-things more i-important here. It was s-stupid to think that you w-were actually c-coming h-home to be my d-dad." I stutter through my sobs.

"Piper Alexa Odair, I am and always will be your father. I just have many responsibilities that I must attend to here to assure you, your mom's, Nate's, and Marley's safety. Don't ever think that just because I am always forced to stay here for

long periods of time that I don't care and love you with all of my heart. Do you understand?" Dad asks sternly.

I just want to sleep nowbecause I am so tired of the things like seems to love throwing atme. "Yes." I say showing my exhaustion from my constant sobbing.

Dad sighs and hugs me again. "Never think that I won't come back to protect you. I know this I haven't been there for you, but things are much different now. Just remember butterfly, no matter how long I am forced to be away from home, I will always
/return." Dad says kissing my head. "Now get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

He gets up and walks towards the door, about to open it. "Wait!" I screech. Father stops again and turns toward me. Before he gets a word in, I continue. "Daddy please stay. At least until I'm asleep?" I beg him.

"Okay butterfly." He scoots my body to the middle of the bed, and sits on the bed, running his hands through my hair.

I don't know how long he sits there when I feel myself drifting away, but a couple seconds after that, I faintly feel a kiss on my head and hear the door closing.

Authors note:

Hello reader(s)! I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to read my first chapter! This is my first story published on this site, so I hope that you will enjoy and review my story!