"When she was just a girl/She expected the world

but it flew away from her reach/so she ran away in her sleep"

-Paradise, Coldplay

Less than a second after the peacemakers shoved her roughly into a room, Lucy burst through the door and flew into her arms, followed by the rest of Annie's siblings. "You promised!" Lucy cried weakly.

Annie bent down so they were at eye level. "Hey, Luc. I didn't break my promise."

Lucy looked up warily. "Yes, you did."

"I promised I wouldn't get picked. I never said what I wouldn't get picked for."

Lucy looked at her for a second, and then burst out laughing. She was pulled gently out of Annie's arms by Katie, and set on the floor. Annie looked out at her siblings, all with varying degrees of distress on their faces. Rose was confused, only knowing that Annie was going away. The rest all knew she was going into the games, but the twins and their blind faith thought that she would come home alive.

Katie spoke for all of them, her normally sarcastic voice quiet. "One thing. You will try your hardest to get out of the arena alive."

It wasn't a question. Annie nodded. "I will." She tried to smile, looking at Lucy. "I promise."

And just like that, an eternity was over in the blink of an eye, and the peacekeepers had arrived, and Annie's sisters were gone.

The first cannons boomed.

Her parents came in the room next. For a minute they didn't say anything, but then Annie collapsed in their arms, tired of being strong. Because for all it was worth, she was the victim, and all she wanted to do was cry a waterfall.

Her dad held her in front of him, staring for a long minute. "You will survive."

Strangely enough, Annie found her almost whining to him. "But Dad, I have Finnick Odair as a mentor. He killed Marianne!"

"No, sweetheart. The games killed Marianne."

And just like that, her parents were eaten by the Capitol too.

She didn't expect any more visitors, but Marianne and Westin's mother came anyways. "I don't expect you to protect my son," she said, her voice shaking. "But, at the very least…protect yourself."

"I can't promise that. Because I will do whatever it takes for you to not lose another child. I swear."

Mrs. Gordan looked at her for a long minute. "Thank you," she finally said, and for the first time in what felt like years, Annie felt like smiling.

All it took was the thought of her family's faces when they saw her coffin to send that tower of hope crashing down.

Westin and Annie were shoved in a stuffy carriage with Cincinnatus. The mentors were already on the train. Neither of them said anything, but Annie gripped Westin's hand tightly in support, a silent vow to get him out alive. With a deep breath, and their hands tightly linked, they made their way through the flashing Capitol lights and onto the train that would escort them to their doom. From everywhere, reporters tried to get a better look at the tributes, calling out questions until Annie felt like she was going to be sick. Cincinnatus saw the twin looks of horror on both of their faces and completely misinterpreted them. "Aren't you two so excited to be the ones to represent District 4?" he chirped excitedly.

Then his ever present smile faded a bit as he peered at them doubtfully. "You are a bit scrawny, though-"

Thankfully, they were spared from anymore as they reached the train-a safe haven, or a prison?

Annie went with the first option, until she said the person leaning against the side of the train. His very stance was cocky, and in her head, she rolled her eyes. Finnick Odair, worshiped by most of the general populace, stood right in front of her talking to the other mentor, Mags. Annie had to say, she was not impressed.

Finnick caught sight of them, and grinned, pushing himself off the wall with a smirk. Everything about him screamed of arrogance, and Annie could tell that she might actually welcome the games after two weeks in his presence.

"Finnick Odair," he said to her, holding out a hand.

"I wish I could tell you 'pleased to meet you', but honestly, I'm not," she retorted, blowing off his greeting.

"Last time I checked, this wasn't Lets Be Horrible People Day, but I might be wrong."

Annie ignored him. "Is their anyway I could switch mentors before the games, because I don't want to die before them, and I might just pass out from boredom right now," she said, addressing Cincinnatus.

"I believe you meant attractiveness instead of boredom."

"If I was talking to anyone else in the room, maybe."

Finnick was relaxed as if he could do this all day, but Annie was bright red from anger. Mags was smiling, but when Annie glared at her, she looked away quickly. Westin took Annie's hand.

"Come on Annie, be nice to Finnick. He might save your life," he said pleadingly. Annie's gaze softened as she looked down at the boy, tempted to mention her best friend, but not willing to hurt Westin.

"The boy's right princess," Finnick said lazily, and that was the last straw for Annie.

"First of all, my name is Annie. And sure, you are going to save my life, just like you saved Marianne's!" she all but screamed at him. For a second, she thought she saw him flinch, but dismissed it as her imagination.

For the first time, Annie had him riled up. Finnick leaned in so they breathed the same air. "You know nothing about me, or my life," he hissed, and for the first time, Annie could see the part of him that had killed eight people and won the hunger games.

She was tempted to back down, but she threw out won last slur. "Well, that's good, because trust me, I don't want to."

For a moment, Annie thought she might actually die before the games, but then Finnick relaxed, throwing out another one of his signature smirks. "Oh trust me, you definitely don't want to."