A/N Sorry it's been so long to wait! I've been dead busy with homework and crap. Anyway, I'm updating BOTH of my stories today so check them BOTH out. Also I'm sorry that this chapter's so short but I'm working on a couple of other stories right now, most being Hunger Games so look out for those.

Thanks to Katris Mellark for reviewing Chapter 1 and I know (after your comment) your probably not reading this but oh well! I'm still thanking you. The imput was nice and honestly I swear I'm not being sacastic I am grateful for all comments.Thanks to Danni & Randomnerdygirl for reviewing too.

Thanks to Pandawangchuk & MsRose91 for favouriting and following and doodle10 for following. :D

Thanks to everyone reading!

ME4427

10. Carrying On

[Finn's POV]

As our welcome embrace comes to an end we both look around the crowd now encircling us. All of their eyes, and cameras, seem to be trained directly on both of our faces. To be honest it's a relief in a way because for once, the cameras and stares aren't all focused on me. No, now I'm sharing the limelight although I don't think Carmen's as pleased about this as I am. Her face shows it all. A crimson tinge now clings to her cheeks and her eyes are averted towards our feet at the ground. As I look at her feet I can't help but stare at what I see; at first glance her ankle appears, although I'm no sort of healer, quite badly twisted. It actually explains why she's standing so weirdly.

FLASH FLASH

I ignore the aggressive behaviour of the cameras and their supervisors. Instead my focus is entirely on Carmen's ankle and I know she's going to kill me for what I'm about to do but it needs to be done.

"Carmen your ankle…" I gesture towards it and she's about to say something but I don't let her finish. As an alternative, I provide the cameras exactly what they're searching for, a story and a picture to go with it.

"Come here darling," I make sure my voice is loud enough for the camera and give the crowd of adoring fans a cute signature wink. That'll keep 'em busy for a little while! Before she's given the chance to respond or quiz me, I whip her off her feet and into my arms, placing my suitcase on her lap. Her face is priceless! Complete and utter shock with a hint of mortification! I stifle my chuckle but I can't hide the smile that creeps its way up my lips. We wade our way through the stunned faces of my envious followers and are heading towards her house when she first starts fighting my grip.

"Put me down Finn! Now!"

"Nope." Short and sweet just like Carmen.

"Finn!"

"Your ankle is twisted and unless you want me to…"

She interjects my rant, "I need to get my friend Fern."

"Fern?"

I sigh loudly and overly dramatic intentionally. Turning around to find Fern, I still refuse to put her down. Who's Fern? Maybe she made this person up so I'd have to put her down. If I'm honest that's the most likely of answers considering how unsociable she is around the majority of people. I am, as far as I'm aware, the only friend she really has and I like that, not that I don't want her to have friends, it's just...complicated.

"Where the hell is this girl?" I asked curiously. But basically I was saying 'Is she real?'

She scans the area from a minute, pauses and looks directly at me. I feel myself pause too and it takes me a minute to get my thoughts back together.

"I don't know." Her brow furrows and it's actually quite cute. I always love it when she…no I like it when she looks like that. Confusion is definitely an emotion she suits if you can suit an emotion that is.

"Hmm."

"Maybe she's back at the house…?" Fine to the house it is! We walk through town. There are not many people about considering we left the majority of district twelve stunned at the train station, but those we do see just stop and stare. I'm kind of used to it now though. For me, it's something that now happens on a regular basis and don't get me wrong I don't dislike the publicity as such but I'm not all cocky about it either. I just give them what they want: me. The only person I really want to pay me any attention is Carmen and I know I've not really shown it in the past year or so but it is true. It's not like I avoided her on purpose; I mean it wasn't unintentional though. I had a good reason though! Anyways, the priority is getting Carmen safely back home in as close to one piece as I can. She always did manage to hurt herself in some sort of a way and I'd always take pity on her even if prior to the injury, I'd been a bit irritated with her. Like the time when I was annoyed because of how she reacted to something pretty trivial but it still stung. She then fell over and hurt herself so I had to be the one to carry her all the way home. It happened a lot to be honest, in fact almost every time I'd actually felt exasperated with her, she'd somehow or other become wounded… I'm starting to think it's not so much a coincidence.

Whilst walking through the square, I'm glad that they seem to have rebuilt a lot of what was destroyed the last time I was here. Just thinking about everything that's happened here simply makes nervous shivers tremor in my system. Anyway, it's good to see that all the buildings, or at least most of them, have been well reconstructed so they look like nothing ever happened here. I wish nothing had. When we pass Mellark Bakery, I can't help but smile a little at all the good memories me and Carmen have in there. Often when I'd come down here for a visit we'd have to do a shift or two at the bakery because someone had to be there to supervise Rye and make bread. Although I don't think either of us were really very focused. I actually don't remember even making any bread…

"Come on help me will you."

Sometimes she could be so bossy but for some reason I liked that.

"Ok fine. What do you need me to do?"

"Go get the flour please."

"Ok sunflower, be right back." She rolled her eyes at my play on words and the fact I called her a flower. I stepped swiftly into the back of the shop to collect the flour. Today, it was just me and Carmen at the bakery because Rye was off at some sort of club, Katniss was tending to Rose at home and Peeta was looking after her because he couldn't help being around her when she was pregnant. I wondered whether it'd be a girl or a boy…

I got the flour and headed back in so Carmen could make the bread. I didn't just hand it to her though; I chose to play around a little. Her back was to me as I stretched my hand in to the bag of flour. As I removed it, I admired the coat of flour it now had. I was quiet as I crept up behind Carmen and slow as I reached my hand forward. Just as she was about to look up, I wiped my hand right across her face.

"Finn! What the hell?"

She whipped around so fast that I didn't have a chance to move back a little so her arm knocked into the bag in my hand causing flour to explode all of the two of us and a lot of the bakery. She stared furiously for a minute before she burst out laughing and I joined her. I thought that was all I'd get covered in but I was wrong. The realisation of this came as soon as I felt a cake hit me in the face. Icing smeared down my cheek and the cake dropped to the floor as the room filled with her mocking laugh. She was going to pay for that one! I scooped up a few cupcakes and hauled the first at her but she dodged it by ducking behind the counter. My failure just made her life come even stronger. God what I wouldn't do to hear that sound more. Another cupcake comes my way. Another goes her way. Neither of us were hit. In the end I just leapt forward and smushed it right on her forehead to be sure she got cupcake remains on her. It had turned into an all-out war but a fun one at that! There was nothing remotely serious about it at all. We didn't even notice that we'd been joined in the store until someone cleared their throat purposefully to get our attention. At that we turned to face the awkward stare of an old man from the Seam. I could tell by his signature grey eyes. The people who lived in the seam tended to have dark hair and grey eyes (like Carmen's mum) and the people from the town in twelve generally had blonde hair and blue eyes (like Carmen's dad) but she was completely unique- a mix of the two.

Carmen served the customer as if nothing had happened which gave me a satisfied smirk. She was coated in white now and she had icing all over her head and even a little in her hair. I probably looked the same but I don't think I could honestly care less…

We reach her house as my flashback of thoughts ends. I lift her up the porch and through the door to the hallway of her house. I'm surprised her family didn't send out a search party for her by now considering how long it took to get back here. I felt myself stop and gaze around the hall. I hadn't been here in so long because last time I'd come for a visit, I never made it past the square. The walls are telling the story of each of her and her siblings' lives as covering the walls are photographs and paintings of significant events in their lives. My eyes instantly focus in on the ones I've missed in my selfish year and a half. There's one of Rose at what appears to be a birthday, Willow by the lake in the woods and one of Rye winning some sort of competition. But my attention isn't really on these pieces of artwork of the children I've not seen in so long. No, my eyes are zoomed on one of Carmen and some boy who's got his arm around her. This hurts me. Obviously it's just because she was always so funny about me and her having any sort of physical contact with her. Nothing else. Just that.

I move quickly away from the picture but it's still captured perfectly inside my mind. I don't think it'll ever escape from my thoughts now. Together we move swiftly into the sitting room and I lay her gently on the couch without bothering to think about the people in the room with us.

"Finn honestly I'm fine there's…"

I interrupt and turn towards her parents and Effie whom I try not to grimace at the sight of.

"From the looks of it she's twisted her ankle and she can't walk on…"

"No. I could you just didn't give me the chance."

She boots my suitcase onto the floor with a thud.

"She'll be fine!" Katniss dismisses it and runs to me with open arms, "It's great to see you again!"

"Yes it's such a shame you've been so busy…" Peeta embraces me too and it's a nice little family reunion. I swear I hear Carmen scoff but I don't get the chance to comment on it,

"Come on people. We need to make sure she can walk by tonight so she's going to have to get that seen to." Of course leave it to Effie to only think of her party. We pull away and I run to help Carmen stand up but she just glares at me. I'm certain not long ago she was hugging me like we were the best of friends.

"AHHHH!"

Ok my ears are definitely bleeding now. That was the loudest scream I've ever heard in my life! I turn to meet the shocked, yet very excited, face of a pale blonde girl…

"Fern?"

A/N Please review, PM, follow, favourite and well just keep reading! I love you all! :D

ME4427