Hey guys! Update time! I'm so excited to get this show on the road. I decided to bring back the Hunger Games because I really wanted to write about the games from the opposite side, where the main character isn't in them (winky winky). Oh but don't get your hopes up. Somebody important will be in them. Just sayin. Anyway, here's chapter…10? Yes, 10. No? Yes? I'm not sure… Yeah it's 10. *clears throat* Here's Chapter 10.

Disclaimer: Me: Really now. Aren't we past this by now? Why can't you just realize that I don't own the Hunger Games?

Josh: Are they bothering you again, darling?

Me: *nods*

Josh: You stay away from my woman. She doesn't freaking own the Hunger Games.

Chapter 10

Life in the woods was incredible. Yet it was also terrible. Sometimes I could lose myself in them, smelling the pine trees and thinking of hunting in the peaceful quiet mornings before I volunteered. But then I would open my eyes, and I'd see the horrors around me. Families huddled together next to trees and mourned their lost loved ones. Children cried as the remaining Thirteen doctors treated their serious burns. I felt sorry for little Prim. She hated seeing people in pain, especially children. Yet somehow, she didn't seem disturbed by the pain swallowing her up and using all her medical supplies. She was in fact much stronger and mature than she had ever been.

I had sacrificed one of Peeta's and my supply packs, giving it to a family near us who needed it more. It made me sick to see so many people shivering in the night, and I wished I had more to give them. Being useless was one of my greatest fears, and here, I had never felt so useless.

Three days after we arrived, all of the evacuation groups had arrived, and the Thirteen officials began to create some sense of structure to the mish-mash of the masses. They assigned us sectors of the forest according to our last names. Fortunately I didn't have to relocate to a different sector, as our large tree fell in the "E" section, but when they tried to relocate Peeta to the M's all the way across the forest, I threw a fit until they agreed to let him stay with me. He insisted that he could've told them that in a much more pleasant manner, but the redness of my face and my intense glare in his direction shut him up.

A day after that, we found Annie. She was with the doctors; they were closely monitoring her baby, making sure it wasn't affected by the trauma of the fire. We sat with her for a moment, but she was asleep. Finally, the doctors told us to go back to our camp, and we reluctantly complied. Peeta and I walked hand in hand back to our tree. But then it struck me.

"Peeta…" I stopped dead in my tracks, letting go of his hand.

"What is it?" He stopped and turned to face me.

"Peeta, why…why wasn't Finnick with her?" I waited for him to respond, but he merely swallowed heavily. My hands shook, and he noticed, enveloping them with his own, steadying me.

"I'm sure he's fine. We weren't there for very long before the doctors made us leave. Maybe he needed rest, and he felt like while Annie slept would be the best time."

"But why would he leave her to sleep, Peeta. That's not like Finnick. He'd never leave her. Not ever. Would you leave me in that condition?"

He paused, considering, most likely thinking of a way to calm me down while also masking his own fears. He sighed, defeated. "No. No I'd never leave you like that. And neither would he." He put an arm around me and turned us around, walking once more in the direction of the "O" section to see Mrs. Annie Odair.

Then the screaming began. I turned to Peeta, my eyes wide. His expression matched mine, confirming my fears. Annie must've woken up. I broke into a sprint, with Peeta lightly jogging behind me because of his leg. I reached her first.

"Katniss! Katniss it's you! Where is he? Where is he?" She screamed desperately. I approached her and held her hand. "Katniss where is he? They took him! I know they took him! They can't have him, he's mine! He's mine!" I stroked her hand, not knowing what to say. Tears fell from my own eyes. Useless. That's all I am here in this forest. I am useless. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and hear Peeta's voice, like velvet, break through all the screaming.

"Annie," he said gently. "Hey, look at me." She opened her eyes, which had been tightly squeezed shut, and looked at him, her pupils shrunk down to pinpoints in her green irises. "Annie, Finnick will come back to you. I promise. I swear to you he'll come back." She continued to whimper. "Annie, do you trust Finnick?" she nodded. He smiled and continued. "Then trust him to come back to you. If you don't trust him to come back, he may think you don't want him to."

She opened her mouth to protest, but only a strangled sob came out. "I know it's not true, but you don't want him to think that. Can you be strong for him?" She nodded, and he leaned in to embrace her. She sobbed heavily into his shirt.

I got up and walked over to the doctor who stood to the side, watching the spectacle unfold. "Where is he? Did they tell you? They must've. He's her husband. He's her only family." The doctor sighed. "Yes, they told me what they think happened," he began. "He brought her up here safely, but he went back inside. They didn't say who or what he went back for. Just that he went back. He's not dead, I can say that much."

"Then where is he?" I asked him, already knowing the answer, my eyes welling up with tears.

"He was captured. He's to be put into the Hunger Games. He's been sentenced to die."

"Oh, God…" My voice broke. I felt hot tears stream down my face. They had taken him. He went back inside and they took Finnick. If Annie was distressed when she thought they might take her, I can't imagine how she'll take this news.

I stumble over to Peeta where he sits next to a now sleeping Annie. He sees my red splotched face and knows instantly what I'm about to tell him.

"They took him," he says before I get the chance. I nod. He holds out his arms to me and I fall into them, not caring who hears me gasp and sputter as I cry for Finnick. There's no way they'll let him live. They want to destroy me, and to do that they have to destroy those I love. I'm not sure how long I cry before Prim finds me.

"Katniss…" She said weakly, her voice shaking. "Katniss I'm so so sorry."

"It's okay, Prim. It's not your fault." When I said this, she burst into tears, holding her face in her hands.

"It is," she squeaks. "It is my fault." I don't ask her why. I know she'll explain to me. "I…I saw Finnick with Annie heading into the woods. He saw me and gave me a hug, making sure I was okay. I told him I was fine, but…but that I had left Buttercup inside without thinking." She sobs openly now as she speaks, not trying to conceal her tears. "He squeezed my hand and told me he'd be alright. I thought he meant that Buttercup would find me, but then…then he ran back inside. I yelled for him to stop, but he kept going. The next thing I knew…Buttercup came out. But Finnick…Finnick didn't."

I sat there in Peeta's arms, shocked. I wasn't angry at her. I wasn't angry at Finnick. I was sad. For one of the first times in my life, I didn't direct my sadness into anger. I let myself grieve. I grieved all night in Peeta's arms. Prim joined us and we grieved together. I wish it had been my fault. Guilt would be better to handle than grief.

Guilt is heavier than grief, but grief takes more away from you and leaves you bare. Helpless. Hopeless.

Useless.