Thanks for all the interest! It means a lot :) Two people have suggested I move this to the regular Skins archive to get more traffic so I have. Also this next chapter might be my only update for a little while, I don't want to catch up with my writing too quickly.

After training we return to our floor. Freddie and I are pulled apart and grilled about our training separately. I taste bile when I realize Timber has claimed Freddie. Ozhim quickly distracts me with a tirade of questions. What stations did I go to? What did I learn? And most important- what information did I gather about the competition?

I tell him my observations carefully. The twins always stayed on opposite ends of a room. When one moved the other followed and they spent most of their time spinning away from each other. They did not want to be grouped together. But Katie from District 1 was constantly looking at Emily. I didn't miss the frustration on her face. The Careers travelled around in a pack. Naomi was the weak link. If she saw a better offer she'd turn on them in a heartbeat. She disliked her allies a great deal. JJ from District 3 had been unnerving. He'd spent most of the time watching everyone else, not even trying to hide it.

Ozhim listened to the rest and finally said, "So you think the twins won't become an alliance?"

I shrug. "Not sure. Emily won't leave James' side. She doesn't seem to want anything to do with Katie. Katie… is much harder to read. I can't tell whether she wants to get anywhere near Emily or not. I don't think she knows either really."

Ozhim is quiet as he ponders this. Then he says, "I noticed you left Cook out of your assessment."

I shift uncomfortably thinking about Cook and his disarming smile. "Well…" I tell Ozhim what happened with him at the station and Ozhim looks alarmed.

"He did what?" Ozhim demands.

"I think… he was offering a partnership." It doesn't make sense but that's what had happened right?

"Effy, how could you tell me this last!" Ozhim is furious with me. But I can see under his rage an almost excited face. I don't say anything more.

We have dinner and Ozhim and Timber whisper their findings to each other all through the meal. I tuck in as vigorously as ever but my stomach is in knots. Freddie looks just as nervous.

The Avox girl is back. I wonder why she didn't talk to me this morning. "Hey Ozhim? Are Avoxes not allowed to speak?"

The table goes terribly silent. The victors and Josie are giving me identical looks of horror. Josie breathes, "Oh my goodness."

"What? What'd I say?" I ask, annoyed. I look at Freddie who shares my perplexed look.

Timber scowls at me. "Did you try to talk to one?"

I know instantly what I'd tried was extremely taboo. But how was I supposed to know? I'm hesitant to answer but everyone's waiting so I say defensively, "I did order her to answer, it wasn't like I wasn't following those rules. You can only address them with a command right?"

"You stupid heartless girl," Timber growls. It feels like a punch in the gut.

"Now hold on a minute, don't be mean. If she did something wrong she doesn't know. Neither do I for that matter," Freddie snaps at my defense. He looks pissed off as he continues, "Do you expect us to know all of this stuff telepathically Timber? You're being unfair."

Timber rolls her eyes but she looks adequately chastened. "Whatever. Avox don't have tongues. They can't talk."

I can actually feel my face grow pale as the blood drains from my cheeks. I feel like throwing up but my throat has tightened up. The color drains from the room as my head spins sickly. I push away from the table and run to my room in blind terror.

I collapse onto my bed. Eventually I realize I'm screaming for Tony. Why am I here in this awful place? People paint themselves like clowns and watch children slaughter each other while being served by maimed servants food farmed and caught by starving people. And that's only what I've seen. All I want is to be home with my brother, climbing in the trees and being…alive. I'm going to die.

I pretend not to hear the people knocking on my door. I'm done with them for today. Dotty Josie and venomous Timber, tired Ozhim and Freddie… Freddie who cares too much. My heart aches unexpectedly at the thought of Freddie. Why does such a kind soul like him have to die?

Before I know it it's morning. At some point I fell asleep. I'm feeling a little better now so I take a shower and get dressed, then go to get some breakfast.

Freddie is already there just like yesterday. He smiles at me and hands me a cup of cocoa without saying anything. This I am extremely grateful for. I don't want to talk just yet about anything.

We eat in companionable silence. I eat almost half of the large platter of bacon on the table. Crying must have made me hungry. I'm finishing off my fifth strawberry when I say, "So…do you want to help me teach Panda how to swim?"

He looks surprised by my request but very pleased. He nods and I offer him a tentative smile. His ears go red and he tucks his head back into eating. Odd.

Timber joins us after half an hour. She won't look at me but I think I hear her mumble an apology my way before she takes a plate. I look to Freddie for confirmation. He shrugs and smiles. I think he might have given her a good scolding after my dramatic departure. I know how scary he can be when he's mad.

When I feel full I head back to my room for some more alone time. I lay on my bed and close my eyes. Interacting with so many people I have to kill is getting to me. I feel like crying all the time especially when I find myself seriously thinking about taking another human being's life.

It takes everything I have to get up again for today's training. I meet Freddie in front of the elevator. To my relief no one else is there to see us off.

When we get down to the training room Pandora is already there. She runs up to me eagerly. "Howdy do Eff! Are we actually talking to Freds today?"

"Eff?" I ask incredulously.

"Freds?" Freddie chuckles at the same time.

Pandora laughs and grabs both our hands. "So what are we doing today?"

I shake my head, trying to hide my smile. "I mentioned swimming yesterday and you said you couldn't. So 'Freds' and I are going to teach you."

Pandora starts to chatter happily as we make our way to the pool for the first time. She cuts off and we stop abruptly to stare in wonder at the queer body of water before us. The pool is in a room separated from all the other training equipment so we hadn't gotten a good look at it until now. The water glows an eerie aqua color: the brightest, cleanest and yet smelliest water I have ever seen. It looks unnatural, alien, almost toxic. The pool itself is a rectangle. Looking at the floor there are tiles on the edge announcing "12 ft", "10 ft", "8 ft", and then stops. "So not a learning pool then," Freddie says drily.

An assistant walks up to us and hands Freddie a pair of swim trunks and Panda and me some odd leotard-like swimsuits. I'd seen this sort of suit before but if I ever went swimming I'd go in my undergarments or naked. The attendant pointed to some changing rooms and motioned that we should change in there.

We change quickly and walk out. We stand awkwardly at the edge of the pool unsure of how to proceed. Finally Freddie says, "Right then. So I'll get in first. Then Effy, you help Pandora in. You can hold her arm and I'll grab her in the water. Then you can get in."

Freddie jumps into the water, splashing us girls with the strange water. Freddie broke the surface gasping, "It- it's warm! Like bath water! And it tastes funny!"

"The water contains chlorine to keep it clean," the assistant explains in a bored voice. "It's a chemical. It used to sting if you opened your eyes but scientists were able to fix that. Can't get the taste to go away though."

"Or the smell," Pandora mutters, wrinkling her nose.

"Come on Panda," I say as I grab her arm. I smile at her mischievously. "Time to sink or swim."

We get Panda into the water and I drop in. All three of us cling to the side. "What now?" I say.

"Erm… not sure. I was taught in shallow water first."

"Me…too," I sigh. This was stupid.

Suddenly a whoop of victory sounds from somewhere behind us. A shadow passes over as a figure jumps right over us into the pool, flailing all the way. We're hit with a wave of water. The person explodes through the surface, shaking his head like a dog. "Yeah-ha-ha!" he cheers loudly. He wipes the water from his eyes with his arm and swims toward us.

" 'lo Cookie," Pandora says shyly. Cook grins in reply.

"Yo Pan-do-ra. Are you just learnin'?"

I scowl icily at him. "You know she is. You've probably been listening to us the whole time."

Cook throws his head back in laughter. "Chillax princess, I've come to help haven't I?"

"You what?" Freddie asks in wonderment.

"Yeah! I learned how to swim in one of these. You two learned in some forest creek right? Little different." I was seething now. How dare he! Cook sniffs. "My da pushed me into a pool when I was three, but I won't do that to you Panda. I seen what most parents do to teach their kids." He swims up to Pandora's side. "Now Panda, I'mma put my palms against your stomach and lift you up horizontal OK? Don't freak."

Pandora lets him and she's lifted into a floating position. Freddie and I exchange wary looks. Freddie seems less hostile than me though and in a second he's made himself float like Panda. As if he wants to learn too. I frown stubbornly but now Cook is in that position and I'm the only one with my feet still against the wall. Pandora looks at me expectantly. With a groan of annoyance I join them.

Cook looks thoroughly pleased with himself at my submission but to his credit he turns back to Pandora. "Right, good love. Do you feel it, the air in your chest? If you stay calm it'll always keep you afloat. But that's not swimming righ'? You gotta propel yourself somehow." He proceeds to teach us how to kick and then shows us how to move our head and arms, all against the wall.

After a while he pushes away from the wall to tread water about three feet away. "You got the basics now. So what you'll do is put your feet against the wall and push yourself toward me. When you lose momentum just do what I told you alright?" Pandora nods uneasily.

She pushes off and reaches him easily with just that but before she can get to him Cook has backed up and he's swimming away from her. A trap! I yell his name in protest and am about to launch myself to Panda's aid when an arm snakes around my waist and holds me back. Freddie's mouth is next to my ear and he whispers, "Wait."

Pandora starts to flounder but then the training against the wall kicks in and she's kicking and spinning her arms, slowly at first but then quicker as she realizes she's moving and her confidence grows. She swims the rest of the way to Cook. Cook grabs her and pulls her up, grinning goofily. "Hey hey, lookit that Panda Pops! You did it!" She's breathing heavily from fear and adrenaline but she manages to beam at him. He twirls her playfully.

I smile despite myself. With a start I realize Freddie's arm is still around my waist. He realizes an instant after I do and lets go. We move away from each other quickly. I push off the wall and collide with Cook who is taken by surprise. I push off the wall and collide with Cook who is taken by surprise. I dunk his head under the water grinning impishly. "Cheeky bastard!" I crow. He squirms from under me and we start to play fight. Panda laughs at us. Cook and I exchange a conspiratory look and jump on her.

Some sort of metal hook catches my arm and pulls me toward the wall. I kick in confusion and I can see where two more hooks have grabbed Cook and Panda. We're being pulled forcefully away from each other by some assistants on the edge of the pool. One assistant says in command, "Do not try to injure a fellow tribute!"

Cook and I start yelling in protest. We weren't trying to hurt each other! That should have been obvious. But maybe any fraternizing with the enemy was frowned upon.

The hook loosens on my arm and suddenly the assistant lands in the water next to me. Freddie stands for a second where the assistant once stood, laughing and shouting, "Be cool, you wankers!" He lets out a holler and jumps in. He grabs me fast and we swim away from where the assistant is just recovering.

Cook lets out a roar of approval and tugs on his hook. It makes the assistant lose balance and fall into the pool. Cook viscously kicks the man and uses him to push off toward Panda. Cook and I reach her at the same time. I get her uncaught and hand the hook off to Cook who wastes no time in puling the last assistant in.

Freddie yells for us to hurry from where he's gotten out of the pool. The attendants are starting to come after us. They look spitting mad. We all swim to Freddie. Cook and I push Panda up first and Freddie pulls her to his side. Freddie grabs Cook's arm and helps him out next. They exchange a nod, grinning at each other in comradery. Freddie and Cook grab one of my arms each and yank me out just as an assistant grabs for me. I stick out my tongue and manage to kick the fellow in the face before we all turn tail and flee, all still wet.

Pandora is ahead of us but she manages to slip and fall because she's tracking water onto the smooth training floor. Freddie and Cook grab her up on each side and I push from behind and we're all laughing so hard we eventually fall into a heap of moist bodies. Tears of laughter are starting to fall. It's like we're putting all the happy into one big burst before we enter the Arena. Our fellow tributes are staring at us like we're aliens. I suppose it's natural. Something like this is simply unheard of. I can see where Emily and James stand trying to hide giggles behind their hands. Katie looks from us to her sister and her face grows red with anger. Naomi is the only tribute not hiding her amusement. She comes over and holds out a hand for one of us to take so she can help us stand. "Blimey, what do you think you're doing? Crazy is what you lot are."

Cook grabs her hand but instead of letting her pull him up he swiftly brings it to his lips. He waggles his eyebrows at her. "I suppose that's us. Fun though innit? Want to join?"

Her face had gotten a mildly disgusted if not flattered look when he'd planted the kiss but at the question she pulled her hand free and took a step backward. "Erm… that is… what are you playing at?" She looks mad all of a sudden and she retreats back to her fellow Careers.

"You do realize there's no 'us' right Cook?" I ask. I don't want to because Cook… Cook seems like a really great guy. But he's volatile, dangerous. I don't know him enough to be sure he won't turn on Panda and me the second we enter the Arena. Cook doesn't look surprised at my proclamation.

"Fair 'nuf. But know I don't look forward to killing you two lasses," he says softly. I smile at him. It's the closest claim to a friendship we can get at this point. He turns to Freddie somberly. "Nor you mate. If I had a choice-"

"But we don't. So… there's no point in-" Freddie trails off looking honestly very upset. We scramble off each other and stand. I pull Panda to my side and the four of us stand looking at each other for one long moment, then turn our backs and walk away.