Finnick's head snapped up when he heard the train's whistle in the distance. He ran to the back of the boat and squinted towards shore, his eyes widening at the sight of a train headed to the station. Could it be Rini? Would this train finally bring his Renata back?

He hurried to pull up anchor and he turned the boat about, his hands shaking as he moved back towards shore. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel his body trembling. He needed to see her, he needed to see that she was okay and that she was still herself.

"Rini?" Finnick asked, stepping into her bedroom. The redhead was faced away from him, and she didn't show any sign that she had heard him. He swallowed and stepped closer to her, reaching his hand out and setting it on her shoulder. His eyes widened when she cried out and jumped away from him, like he had hurt her. His stomach dropped as he saw the tears on her paled cheek, and he closed his eyes. "What happened to you?" He asked quietly, straining to keep his voice even. He opened his eyes after a moment of silence, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"He held m-me down, and he…" Renata whimpered, closing her eyes and holding her arms to her chest. "It hurt, Finnick. It…it still hurts." She cried out in surprise when he put his arms around her, and she slowly stopped her struggling and instead held still, crying against his chest. Her cries quieted after a moment and she sniffled, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Finnick whispered, holding her close. His heart was beating so hard against his chest that it hurt, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. "I didn't know, I hoped that-"

"That what? There would've b-been some warning for you? How do you think I feel?" She asked, pulling away from him and wiping her cheek. "I didn't have any warning, they came and took me away like some kind of prisoner! You don't know-"

"Actually, I do," He interrupted her, looking her in the eye. "Are you angry at me for this? What did I do to you, Renata?"

Renata swallowed and she shook her head after a moment. "No. I'm sorry," she went to the window and looked out of it, the feeling of Finnick's presence behind her making the hairs on her neck stand on end. "Can you…leave me alone?"

Finnick furrowed his brow, her words making him feel strange. "You want me to leave?" He asked in a soft voice. This isn't how he wanted things to go at all. He wanted to reach out and touch her, stroke her cheek, but she wouldn't turn to look at him.

"Please," she whispered, closing her eyes.

He stood there for another moment longer before turning and leaving without another word. He had to remind himself of what she had been through, that she needed time to recover…and maybe she did need time to do that alone. Still, it angered him and hurt him to be shrugged off so quickly. She didn't give him a chance to help.

The wind blew around his copper hair as he crossed the back of the house, and he glanced up at Rini's window, finding her standing there like a statue. He raised a hand to give her a feeble wave, and his arm withered down to his side when she didn't return it.


"Rini's home, Rini's home!" Aria sang as she skipped through the house. She went over and put her hands on knees. She frowned when Renata jumped with surprise. "Did you miss me?"

"Who'd miss a stinker like you?" Polom murmured from the doorway, grinning when his younger sister whined. "Dinner is ready."

The girls went into the kitchen after washing up, and they sat around the table as Leona brought the food over.

"Finnick has been bringing us some of his catch every day," The older woman remarked as she set the table, smiling at Renata and pursing her lips when she didn't acknowledge that she had even spoken. She smoothed Polom's hair as she went to bring the last bowl of food to the table and set it right in front of Renata. "Something special, since Renata is back."

Renata blinked and her eyes widened as she saw the bowl of bright red strawberries in front of her. Her stomach churned and she jumped up from the table, running to the bathroom and vomiting what had been in her stomach into the toilet.

Leona bit her lip as the rest of the family sat in the kitchen, listening to Rini get sick. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked her husband, who shook his head.

Cecil stood up from the table and went to the bathroom, going over and holding Renata's hair back as she finished getting sick. "Are you okay?" He asked in a soft voice. "Are you sick?"

Renata whimpered quietly and coughed, standing up and going to wash her mouth out. "N-no," she stammered, looking at him through the mirror over the sink. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and cleared her throat, looking away from Cecil when he gave her a questioning look. "I just want to go to bed, please…"

He nodded and moved out of her way, watching her climb the stairs and disappear into her bedroom. "She's tired," He murmured when he went back to the kitchen, sitting down and beginning to eat his food.

Leona hesitated while the others dug in, and she gave Cecil a look when she caught his eye. Something was wrong, and if what had just happened wasn't evidence enough, she didn't know what was.

Cecil nodded in understanding and went back to eating, sighing when a sad moaning started from above them.

"Daddy?" Aria asked, frowning.

"Keep eating, sweetpea," He murmured, setting down his fork. He stood up and went upstairs, pausing outside the closed door. "Renata?" he asked, knocking. "Can I come in?"

"N-no," She replied, muffled. "G-go away, please."

He shook his head, sighing and knocking again. "Something is the matter, Rini, let me in."

"Go away! Leave me alone!" She cried, surprising him. She watched the door and slowly laid back down when she heard him shuffle off, pulling the covers back over her head. She couldn't help it, she felt so weak. This was something she had to deal with on her own. If she could come to terms with her fate, then maybe it would become less painful.


As the days dragged on, Cecil could find no change in Renata. She kept to herself, practically barricaded herself into her room. And when she did eat, she picked at the food before abandoning it at the table. She was being so peculiar, and it worried him greatly, but he tried to talk to her about what was going on, each time resulting in her shutting up even more.

He sighed quietly as he left the house and went towards Finnick's house at the end of the street, not bothering to go to the door. As he suspected, the young man was at the dock, tying his vessel down. "Good evening," He murmured, peering into the boat and finding a meager catch of fish.

"I don't really want to talk right now, Cecil," Finnick muttered back, looking at him a moment with dark circles under his eyes.

"It's about Rini. Have you seen her since she came back? She isn't herself, and I'm worried."

Finnick grunted as he jumped back on the boat and began to pick up the bucket. "Yeah, I saw her, but she sure didn't want to see me," He sighed. "She wanted to be left alone, so I gave her what she wanted."

Cecil pursed his lips, stepping back so Finnick could step onto the dock. "Watch out-"

Finnick gasped as his foot got caught and he fell forward off of the boat, banging his knee against the dock and spilling the fish, most of which dropped back into the water. He let out a roar of anger and jumped up, grabbing the bucket and launching it towards the sand and narrowly missing Cecil's head. A string of curses exploded from his mouth as he kicked at the side of the bobbing vessel, yelling louder when a couple of his toes made a sickening crack.

The older man watched with wide eyes as Finnick threw a small tantrum, and he jumped with fright as he chucked a rock at a window, shattering it and glass shards littering the deck of the boat. "Finnick…"

"Would you just leave me alone, please?" He sputtered, his sea green eyes wide and looking slightly crazy.

Cecil swallowed and he nodded, slowly backing away from Finnick and heading back towards his home. What on earth was going on?

As soon as the old man was gone, Finnick blurted out a small, pained cry and he dropped down to the ground, looking at his quickly bruising toes. Those were broken, alright… He sighed when he looked at the damage he had done to his boat and closed his eyes, trying to stop the pounding in his head.

"Do you want something to drink?"

Finnick lingered by the front door, his hands balled into sweaty fists in his pockets. He'd never had a drink before, but why not? "Sure," He replied with a handsome but albeit nervous smile, taking a few steps over to meet the older woman standing in the kitchen, pouring a couple glasses of wine. What was her name again? Elora? Eleida?

"Should we make a toast? To new beginnings?" she asked, handing him a glass and smiling. Her hand wound around his arm and he nodded. "You're so shy now, it's cute. Have you ever done this before?"

"Of course I have," Finnick said quickly, then took a big slurp of the wine. It took all he had in him to not spit it out and to instead choke it down, giving her a strained smile. "Mmmm. Love that stuff." He tried not to jump backwards as she leaned up and kissed him, her lips foreign against his. Why was she making those noises, he was only kissing her! He broke the kiss and gasped as she slid her hand in his pants, grabbing his length.

"Mmm, big boy," she purred, and he stared at her with wide, fearful eyes. The feeling of her hand made him shudder, and he breathed a sigh of relief as she took her hand away and instead led him back towards the bedroom.

Finnick opened his eyes and he stood up, hobbling back towards his house. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw someone sitting in the bare living room. "Goddamnit, Johanna, do you have to do that?"

"What's that?" She grinned, picking at the fabric on his couch. "I didn't sneak up on you, you snuck up on me." Her eyes followed him as he went and sat down, bending down to nurse his toes. "I saw your little episode out there, I think you gave the old man a heart attack…" Her eyebrows furrowed when he merely grunted in response. "What's the matter, Finnick? What's eating you?"

"Nothing," he snapped, glaring at her. "Do you have to be in my business?"

"I tell you everything, Finn. Come on…I've never seen you this surly before, are you going back soon? Don't tell me it's her. Christ, are you gonna fall for everyone you mentor?"

"Do you remember the first time?" He asked her, hissing in pain as he reset his toes.

Johanna gave him a look before a smirk tugged up her lips. "Of course I do. You never forget your first. Why?"

"They've got her in it too."

"Did you think they wouldn't? Man, you really are soft. It's always the same cycle, crippling depression, shame, anger, tolerance. She's going to be fine, so stop your crying," she muttered, shaking her head.


"What are you doing?" Cecil asked, finding Renata sitting in the sand.

"Nothing," she replied quietly, smushing the warm sand between her toes. She looked up at him when he didn't say anything, and she furrowed her brows when he gave a heavy sigh.

"When are you going to tell me what happened?" He asked, sitting down beside her and noting the change on her face. "I wasn't born yesterday, Rini, I know that you didn't choose to go back." He stared at her face as she looked at the sand, her fingers tracing a random pattern. "You aren't sleeping well, you barely eat… I haven't seen Finnick around you either…" He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and he pursed his lips when she flinched. "Renata, you're going to have to open up."

The redhead hesitated and she swallowed, slowly drawing her knees up to his chest. "It's embarrassing," She whispered, shaking her head. "I'm so ashamed." She took a breath and blew it out, trying to keep her voice from quavering. "Seneca Crane, he paid money to bring me back. He paid money to have sex with me," she added in a tiny voice.

Cecil's eyes widened and his nostrils flared with anger. He knew that there were crazy things that happened in the Capitol, but prostitution?! No wonder Renata had been so jumpy, so withdrawn, and so apprehensive to being touched. He swallowed; the thought of the young girl he'd raised being taken advantage of made him sick. "Rini," He whispered, completely shaken by her words. "They can't be allowed to do that…They can't…"

"They can," Renata murmured back, closing her eyes. "If I don't listen to them, then bad things will happen."

"What could they possibly do that could be worse than selling your body?" He asked, his face red.

"They'll kill you."

Cecil froze and the color drained from his face. "Those are just…just threats, Rini, they can't-"

"They killed Finnick's mother. I don't want anything to happen to you Cecil," Renata whispered, finally looking at him with tears in her eyes. "You, or Leona, or any of the kids, I can't…I can't refuse anything they want me to do." Her lower lip quivered and she scooted closer to Cecil, hugging him around his middle.

Cecil swallowed and he held Renata close to him, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "They've got Finnick doing that too?" He asked after a moment.

"Yes," She whispered, sniffling and wiping her nose. "They do it to a bunch of victors, to…to make money and to keep them in line."

He stayed quiet, mulling her words over. They were worried of the victors rebelling? Snow must be paranoid of another uprising. He wasn't deaf, Cecil heard some whisperings at work. But that was dangerous talk, and it didn't go any further than whispers. But they were afraid of Renata rebelling? The thought was almost enough to make him laugh.


Renata swallowed and gasped for air as she awoke from her nightmare, feeling her body damp with sweat. She sat up and covered her face, trying to calm herself down. It was only a dream, she was home… Why was it so hot?! She got out of bed and threw open her window, the cool air rushing in the stuffy room.

The rain had passed over and all that was left was quiet thunder. She rested her elbows on the edge of the window, staring out at the beautifully clear ocean. The dark clouds had cleared way for the moon, which was enough light to see the young man out in the shallow water.

Rini's heart caught in her throat as she watched the figure walk along the beach, seeming to pace back and forth on the same stretch of sand. She didn't question that it was anyone else than Finnick and she sank down a bit, not wanting him to see her. What was he doing?

He walked into the water and dipped down to touch it with his hands, the light from the moon illuminating the muscles of his tanned back. She put her hand to her aching chest and swallowed, seeing him there after a long period of not seeing him bringing up so many emotions inside her. She slowly rose up and walked out of her room, being careful not to make any noise as she descended the stairs and walk to the back of the house.

Finnick was still standing in the surf, and she swallowed as she crossed over to meet him, pausing behind his turned back. "Hi," she said quietly, giving him a small smile when he turned around. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled back, and she hugged her arms against herself.

"How are you?" He asked, refraining from reaching out and touching her. Her skin looked beautiful in the moonlight, so pale and smooth.

"I'm okay," Renata shrugged, gasping when the water touched her toes. "That's chilly."

He chuckled and shrugged, wiggling his good toes. "Only when you're out. Come in further." He held out his hand towards her and his heart fluttered when she took it, slowly walking deeper into the water so it was up to her knees. "See, it isn't so bad now," he kept her eyes on her and slowly began to release her hand when she held it tighter. "I'm sorry, Rini."

She shook her head and looked up at him, "It's not your fault. I didn't mean to make you feel that way, I just…"

"I get it," he chewed on his lip.

"But I think I'm done with being alone. I feel so silly for hiding away from everyone, but I couldn't-"

"It what you needed," He finished for her, smiling weakly. "Everyone understood."

She nodded and blew out a slow breath, her body swaying back and forth with the gentle waves. Thunder rumbled from somewhere in the distance, but it didn't spoil how peaceful things felt.

"Have you figured out what it is you need now?" Finnick asked after a long moment of silence.

"Yes." Renata smiled and she slowly looked up at him, their fingers weaving together.

Well about time! Aghhh stupid school not giving me any time to write! I'm sorry agh here it is and I hope you like it, I'm going to tryyyy and update soon, okay? Please don't hurt me if I don't! You guys are awesome!

-Kelsey :3