AN:/ I could really do with deciding on an update day and not just posting when I feel like it, but at the moment that is how I work so follow the story if you're confused by my updates (and I'm sorry for being all over the place). Anyway, it would be really lovely if you would review this, even if it's just a couple of words, and also if you could spread the word about this story. Writing this chapter made me sad, so saying this is weird, but I hope you enjoy it.

I don't own anything, except the characters I created. Everything else belongs to Suzanne Collins

Chapter Seven

Finnick

I hated having to reject Annie in public, it made me feel awful. She was crying and there was nothing I could do about it because if the cameras caught it then everything would go from bad to worse. I couldn't explain everything to her as it would put her in more danger than she was already in.

The car stopped outside the training centre, and everyone entered in silence. It didn't take long for Peach and Sundown to start discussing Annie's interview. If her prep team had been some serious scrutiny about it, but not from Peach, she was too polite and not from Sundown she knew Annie and cared about her. We reached the fourth floor, Mags wished everyone a goodnight before leaving for her room. Annie didn't say anything but she also left for her room. My eyes followed her, trying and failing to read her body language. "Is she alright?" Peach asked, "I don't know, I'll check up on her in a bit."

Annie

When I got into my room, I locked the door before getting dressed into something that I actually liked and that was comfortable. I found a blue top and black trousers in a draw so I decided they would be as good as anything. I didn't bother to shower before I changed, the makeup would wear off eventually.

My emotions were getting the better of me, everything was out of control and crazy, life had been better before the games. They forget to mention that if you survive that you live a lifetime of mental hell, well at least it looked like I was in for one. I sat on the bed and cried. I wanted to scream and shout about everything but I couldn't manage to get any words out, the only sounds I could muster were painful sobs. I could have sat like this all night with not a care for anything or anyone else in the world, and I would have done that but there was a knock on the door that brought me back to reality. "Hey Annie, it's me. You gonna let me in." I ignored him, after what had happened in the car I didn't want to speak to him. "Annie, please let me in. I want to know if you're alright." I responded with silence plus the occasional sob but he didn't get the message to go away. "Annie don't be like this. I want to make sure you're alright." This went on for almost an hour, I realised he wasn't going to give up so I reluctantly opened the door.

Finnick

I was happy when I heard the door unlock, but the feeling didn't stick around when I saw her. Her face was tear stained and her makeup had run down her cheeks, her eyes were red and puffy and she looked as if she was about to give up. "What do you want?" "I wanted to make sure…" "That I was alright? Well do I look alright to you?" "No, Annie I'm sorry." I put my arms out to her, she needed a hug, I could tell, I expected her to just fall into them but she didn't, she slapped them away. "What was that for?" "Why wouldn't you hold my hand earlier?" I sighed, "I can't explain it Annie. Not here, maybe back in Four, but it's complicated." "How complicated can it be? I needed you back there, I was hurt and I was scared but you wouldn't help me!" "Annie please understand how sorry I am. Let me make it up to you." She could have kicked me out of her room, she could have done anything to reject me like I had rejected her, but she didn't. "Fine." She still wasn't 100 per cent happy with me but it was a start. "I just don't understand why you won't tell me. I want to understand Finnick." "Annie it's complicated and it's dangerous. Can we just forget about it for now?" She nodded and sat down on her bed. "I'm so tired Finn, but I can't ever sleep. The games are always there. I always see Christopher getting killed." She was shaking, so I sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "I understand Annie. I know how difficult it is." "You don't though. Did you see someone get beheaded right in front of you? Do you see the arena every minute of every day? Do you laugh at random moments with no explanation? Do you just want to give up because you don't feel worthy of living anymore?"

I didn't know what to say, because truthfully this didn't sound like what had happened to me. I didn't witness anyone being killed in front of me, well not enough to shock me because I had been a killer. They used to haunt me, but that stopped as Snow got worse. I had never laughed without an explanation. Mags and I knew that the games had affected Annie in ways neither of us had experienced but I was only just realising the extent of it and how serious it was. "No. I never have. But even though I haven't I will try to understand so that I can help you. I promise you that much." "I'm not even sure what's real anymore." "You can always ask me. I won't lie to you." "Do you promise?" "I promise."

Annie

"Annie, maybe you should go take a shower and try get some sleep. You want to look nice for when we get back to Four, and I don't think you're really rocking the sleep deprived look." "You're starting to sound like my prep team." We both laughed at this, for the first time since the games I had actually laughed at something funny and not just because my mind had decided to. "Alright, I'll go take a shower. Would you care to join me?" What the hell have I just said? "Sorry that was really inappropriate." "No worries. Unless you were serious?" "I'm not exactly sure if was being serious or not." Before I managed to dig myself a bigger hole, I went into the bathroom.

I felt relaxed after a shower, but then I realised I hadn't brought any clothes with me. 'Oh well done Annie. You couldn't have made this more awkward if you tried.' I wrapped myself in a towel before quietly entering my room. Finnick had placed a nightgown onto my bed with a small note on top of it. 'Didn't want to be invading your privacy. Try get some sleep Annie, if you need me you know where to find me.' I changed into the nightgown and climbed into bed where for the first time in a long time, sleep found me almost instantly.

When I woke the next morning I realised that I had managed to sleep for the entire night. No nightmares, maybe I have to be happy before I can sleep. I dressed and left my room for breakfast- the last in the Capitol. Finnick, Mags and Peach were already eating. "Morning sleepyhead." Finnick said as I sat down. "Looking forward to going home Annie?" Peach asked me, "More than anything." "Well, the train leaves in 40 minutes so eat quickly and we can collect our things and then we can leave." I ate the largest breakfast I had eaten in weeks. I quickly returned to my room to take a few items of clothing I had worn since I won, they wouldn't mind if a few things went missing. I joined everyone at the elevator before we headed to the train station and back to District Four. I sat alone on the train, watching the world pass me by. The journey would only take a few hours so I didn't mind being alone.

When District Four was in view, Finnick came and sat by me. "I'm sure your father and sister will be waiting at the station for you." "I can't wait to see them Finnick. I'd already said my goodbyes, but now they won't be needed for a long time." He smiled, I loved his smiled it made me feel happy. "I need to talk to your father, you know to make sure he approves of me." "I'm alive because of you, so I think he'll approve." The train slowed into the station, there was a few people waiting for me, including a few other victors from District Four who are now too ill or old to mentor but I couldn't see my father or my sister. "Finnick, where are they? Do you see them?" he shook his head, maybe one of them was ill and they didn't want to leave the house.

Finnick

At first I was surprised that Annie's family wasn't at the station, but my surprise turned to concern. Snow knew about my relationship with Annie and I had agreed that I would do anything to keep her safe but I had made no agreement to keep her family safe and this time I feared what he might have done.

We stayed at the station for a while to allow Annie to talk to people. They wanted to talk to me as well; I wondered if any of them knew what I had done to save her. The station cleared pretty quick when Annie had spoken to everyone, and she had coped really well. "I want to go see my family now." "Not your new house?" "No, I have to see my family." I agreed to go with her as I had to know why they weren't at the station and I had to be there for Annie if she needed me to be.

Her family home was not too far from town, her family had made nets for as long as I could remember. Her mother had been very popular with people in Four, so when she died, almost the entire district turned out to her funeral. "Maybe they just forgot the time the train was getting in. I sounds like something they would do." She knocked on the door before entering. "Hello? Daddy? Rose?" No response. The shock on her face was obvious, the house had clearly been trashed. "What happened?" she whispered before moving further into the house to find things worth saving. As she searched, I noticed a letter on the table addressed to Annie. I knew I shouldn't have done it, but I picked it up to read it.

'My darling Annie,

If you're reading this you're back home and you know what they did to us. Please darling don't ever blame yourself, it wasn't your fault.

We are so proud of you and what you have done. You beat the games! I know that if your mother had been here she would have been proud of you too.

Live your life to the full Annie. Never let them hurt you the way they hurt us.

All my love, Daddy.'

I felt sick reading this, I knew it was my fault. Annie wasn't stable at the moment, and reading this could make everything worse, so I placed the note in my pocket. I'd give it to her when the time was right. "I have to go find them. The peacekeepers will know where they are surely." She turned and ran out of her house. "Annie, wait!" She spun on her heels to face me, "Are you coming with me or not?"