Note I do not own the Hunger Games or a portion of these characters.

District 4 Reaping

POV of District 4 Male Mentor Stephan Odiar

I open my window to let in the soft, salty ocean breeze. Today is the day of the reaping. It starts to bring back memories of last year.

*Flashback Begins*

"Please don't. Don't kill me." The 13 year old girl from 8 sobs as I stand over her with a trident in one hand and a short sword in the other. My vision begins to blur as my eyes start filling with tears. I don't want to hurt her. I really don't. But in order for me to go back home to my parents I have to. I have no other way. She lets out a scream as I trust my sword into her chest.

"I'm sorry." I whisper to her as I watch the life slip from her and her body grow still. "I really am sorry." Tears drop onto her face as I kneel down next to her. I close her eyes, kiss her forehead and walk away.

*End of Flashback*

I shake my head trying to erase the memories from my mind. It's bad enough I can barely sleep at night. Dad said it will get better with time, but I know that's not true. Mom never got better, not completely. She still has night terrors, she still has flashbacks, and dad still needs to hold her close and whisper in her ear until she snaps back into reality.

I showered last night so I don't really want to shower now. All I want to do is crawl back into bed and skip over this day, the next few months, the rest of the games. But I know I can't. I'm the lifeline to, two very unlucky teens.

I wonder over to my closet and throw on an undershirt and a new pair of boxers when I my front door open.

"Stephan, are you up?" Finnick yelled up the stairs. I think about what it must have been like last year. Watching his only son, be thrown into the games that turned his love into the mess she is now and turned him into a murderer.

"Yeah Dad, I'm up here. Just trying to pick out the right monkey suit to show off on national television, as we pick two teens to send to their death." I hear him chuckle at my open discontent of the games. But I'm not the typical career. I hate the game, always have. No one really blames me, after all I am the son of the most damaged victor of all and the Capitol's personal sex toy. The only reason I'm not like him is because I turned 16 right after I won, which makes me under aged. Not to mention my "Aunts and Uncles" a.k.a. the other victors. There was a rule change before I was born allowing the public figures known to the nation as the victors to travel to the other districts. It's another ploy to prove the mercy of our, oh so loving government. Allowing the victors to visit graves, family members and businesses of the people they killed. Well that also includes them visiting other victors.

I found out (through ease dropping) that my father is not the only victor exploited for capitol profit and enjoyment. My aunts Katniss and Johanna are pimped out much like my father is. Haymitch's "stage accidents" are played over and over as if he was some sort of clown. Beetee and Wiress are used to create Mutts, traps and gadgets to torture and kill future tributes. The more I learn about the Capitol the more I hate them, the more I hate that I let them turn me into a piece in their games. As I turn around I see my father standing in the door.

"Your first year as a mentor." He paused, looked down to the floor and then back at me. "It's going to be tough, but you're not alone." He walks across the room, grabs a pair of dress slacks and a matching coat. "Put these on. Your mother loves this color."

I start to get dressed. "Dad, how did you do it? How did you watch as people you knew, people you trained die? And not just die, they were brutally murdered. The ones that survived only did so by killing others. I hated being a part of the games and now I have to be around a bunch of Capitol people cheering at murder." I put on my jacket and look in the mirror.

"I know how you feel. I was the same way." He pats me on the shoulder. "You look nice." With that we walk down the stairs and out the door.

POV of Finn Black

As I lay in the room I share with my sisters and mother I watch Felicity (my youngest sister) sleep peacefully. She's still too young to really understand what the Hunger Games really are, and thankfully she's too young to be reaped. Unfortunately Angel is. Last year was her first reaping and she was terrified. I made her last year to never, under any circumstance sign up for the tesserae. I have been since I was 12, and now at 16 I don't try to remember how many times my name is in there. It makes me more nervous, and something I've noticed is the people that worry about it get reaped.

I'm not scared for myself, never have been, because I know that I would win. I would do whatever it takes to come home and take care of my mom and sisters. What I'm scared of is Angel or Felicity getting reaped or me getting reaped and dying, and no one being around to care for them anymore. Either way if Angel gets reaped (I'll be too old when Felicity is old enough) I will volunteer to protect her. I will sacrifice myself to bring her home. I'm pretty close with one of the Stephan Odiar (last year's victor) so if that ever happens, he'll watch over them.

I hear mom walk in. "Oh you're up." She paused. "You need to get dressed, people are already running past our house."She walks out with her head hung low. I know she's thinking about how many times my name is in. It bothers her, but we need the food. We do okay with meat since I fish in some of the back streams, where the peacekeepers can't see me. If I ever got caught I could be killed for "stealing" from the Capitol, but I gladly risk my life to bring my family something to eat. I trade some of my fish for poached meat and other goods whenever I can. It's dangerous though, because you never know who's gotten caught, and is going to rat you out for a lesser punishment.

I get up walk over to the small trunk I use for my cloths and grab my reaping cloths. When I put on my pants I realize that these aren't going to fit me next year. I guess I've grown more than I thought I had. I walk out of the room when my mom sighs and walks over to me.

"That's not going to do, we may not have much, but you need to look nice." She looks through her coin purse. "Oh wait the shops are closed until after the reaping." She scratches her head for a moment and walks back into our room. She comes out with one of my Dad's old suits. She hands it to me and I try to push it back to her. "I'm your mother and I want you to take it. I will not have you looking a mess in from to the district. What would people say?" She stares me down and I see she's not about to take a no for an answer. So I reluctantly take it and return to the room the change. When I finally come out she smiles. "You look so much like your father." She sniffles. I walk over to her and hug her.

"It's all going to be fine mom. I promise." It's been tough on her since Dad died. It took her a while to return to herself, but once she did she became as determined as I am to bring the girls up right. I hear the scamper of small feet and release mom. I turn around to see Felicity standing there smiling. She's so darn cute. If I get reaped, this moment right here is what will help me get home.

POV of Stephan Odiar

As I sit on the stage with the rest of the victors instead of chatting, I watched the entrance to the square. I remember waiting in those lines, wondering if I was going to have to fight for my life. Well last year my worse fear became reality.

*Flashback Begins*

"I hate this. The wait is the worse part." I complained to my friend Leon.

"I know how you feel dude. But at least you don't have to worry about increasing your odds. Your family is set for food since both your parents are victors. Because of the tessera I have my name in there more times than I care to remember. All I know is the odds are not in my favor." He replied with a shaky voice. I placed my hand on his shoulder. I can feel him trembling.

"You'll be fine. You have older brothers. They'd volunteer for you if it comes down to it." He nodded. As we finished a girl was standing on the stage bawling and our escort Creama Kio was walking over to the guy's names. I tightened my grip on Leon's shoulder as she said my name. My legs felt weak and my stomach did flips. How could this be happening?

*End of Flashback*

I snap out of my flashback when my mother put her hand on my shoulder. I missed something but I'm not sure what, and that's when I see her, Angel Black making her way to the stage. No, oh god, please no. This can't be happening. She is the 13 year old younger sister to a friend of mine. I didn't think this could possibly get worse until I hear him.

POV of Finn Black

"I volunteer as tribute!" I scream right after the name of some other boy is called. I didn't even hear who it was because I was so focused on volunteering. I hear my mom cry out in pain. Not physical pain, but the kind of pain she felt when she found out dad was swept off to sea. "I'm so sorry mother." I whisper to myself. "But I will make sure Angel get's home safely."

As I walk up the stairs Creama Kio asks me my name. "Finn Black."

"Are you related to our other tribute?"

"Yes. I am her older brother." Creama looks like she is about to burst in excitement the second the words pass through my lips.

"This is so exciting. Siblings in the games. This year is going to be one to remember." She paused. "Ladies and gentlemen your district 4 tributes!" She yells raising our hands. We are ushered into the Justice Building and a small sitting room. Our first visitors are our mother and Felicity. I can see that mom has just recently stopped crying, but Felicity just started. Mom must have told her that we might not come home. She runs over to Angel and hugs her.

"Sissy are you coming home?" Angel and mom start tearing up.

"She's coming home kiddo I'll make sure of it." She smiles. Angel shoots me a look both thanking me and hating me for what I am going to do. She knows I'm going to make sure she makes it as far as she can, and if it comes down to the 2 of us I will take my own life so she doesn't have to live with the guilt of my death. This was all my choice so I don't want her to feel responsible. Mom pulls me and Angel close to her and hugs us for a minute. Then she pulls off her wedding band and puts it on a chain. She wraps her arms around Angel's neck, claps the necklace shut and Kisses her forehead. Angel starts crying.

"I can't take this mom. I just can't" But instead of taking it off she cries even harder and lunges for mom. Then mom reaches in her pocket for another chain and another ring. She puts the ring on the chain and hands it to me.

"What's this?" I asked

"Your father's wedding ring."

"But they never found his body." I started to tear up.

"Before he'd go out on the boat he would take it off so that no matter what I would always have this piece of him." She said as calmly as she could. When the peacekeeper came in she began to sob. She gave us each a hug and kiss, and Felicity did the same. Then they left. But our next guest I didn't expect.

POV of Stephan Odiar

"Are you fucking stupid?" I scream at Finn. "I get you want to protect Angel, but don't you think I would have made sure she got most the sponsors and the best gifts. I would have worked my ass off to keep her alive. But now one of you has to die!"

"I know, but she's my sister, and you can still do all that. Take care of her. Only help me so I can help her. She's coming home alive." Damn! Right now I hate him, but I get why he did it. Now I have to watch one of my close friends die, and on top of that I have to keep calm so I can bring his sister home or he died for nothing. I run up to him and hug him. This will be the last time I see him as my friend, because in a few minutes he'll be my student and I'll have to distance myself. If I don't I won't be able to handle his death, and knowing there was nothing I could do to save him. The peacemaker comes in to let me know my time is up. I nod to him and he closes the door.

"See you in a bit. I'm going to warn you now that the whole train ride is going to be strategy. No buddy, buddy stuff. If you don't do what I say then I won't help you. Understand?" They both nod. "Good." With that I walk out the door and down a hallway leading to the back of the building. I exit and get right into a car with my fellow 2 mentors. As we ride to the station I explain the plan on how no matter what we keep Angel alive.

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