"FINNICK STOP!" My screams mingled with Annie's as we both tried to pull him off Seneca. Crowds were gathering and looking upon the scene in horror. We finally managed to drag him back, leaving a broken, bleeding Seneca lying on the floor.
"What were you thinking?" I yelled at Finnick, pushing him in an attempt to get him to look at me rather than Seneca. "He's from the Capitol. Have you gone mad?" His glare turned on me, and faltered as he took in the anger burning inside of me.
"That doesn't give him the right to take you against your will. Why are you defending him?" He asked in disbelief. "You don't owe these people anything anymore. I won't let them sell your body to the likes of him. He's worse than the dirt under your feet." He spat towards Seneca, pure loathing in his eyes. That must of struck a nerve in Seneca because he was suddenly on his feet, pulling me out of harm's way before landing his fist against Finnick's jaw. Finnick stumbled back in shock, before regaining his feet and stalking back towards Seneca.
"I would never take her against her will." Seneca growled as they sized each other up. "You assume you know everything Odair, but you don't. Your own arrogance will be your downfall."
"Is that a threat?" Finnick asked, moving dangerously close to Seneca, his mouth curled in disdain.
"A warning." Seneca spat back. "Jealousy doesn't suit you."
"This isn't about jealousy you shallow fool." Finnick snarled. "This is about keeping her safe. She has been through enough. Just leave her alone." He shoved Seneca backwards, voice rising.
"I want to keep her safe." Seneca yelled back, retaliating with equal force.
"You are a liar. Your silver tongue might work on her, but it's not fooling me." There were practically flames coming out of Finnick's eyes as he glared at Seneca. "You don't want to keep her safe. You just want her around for whenever you fancy a quick fuc-"
"Finnick Odair! Stop this madness!" Mags stormed through the crowds that parted quickly in her wake. Trailing behind her, looking frightened, came Maria. It was easy to see how Mags won her games as she forced her way between the two men and gave them such a ferocious look that both of them stepped backwards. She took in their bruised and bleeding faces and turned to Finnick gravely.
"Fin, what have you done?" She asked hopelessly. "What have you done?"
"He was forcing himself onto Kai!" Finnick protested, though his anger seemed to be failing him as he realised what his actions may lead to.
"Was he?" Mags turned to me. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out, so I shook my head, looking anywhere but at Finnick. She regarded me sadly and turned to Seneca.
"I think it's best if you left." She told him coolly, dislike plain in her voice.
"Who are you to give me orders?" He asked, his voice just as cold. "I came here at the President's command. He won't be happy to hear that the likes of you were throwing orders at someone as high up as myself."
"I don't care. Go back to the Capitol." She stated, but he stood before her not moving. Seconds ticked by as they stared each other out. Eventually Seneca stepped down, his jaw tight with rage. He turned on his heel and strode through the people gathered around our little scene, not evening sparing a glance in my direction. Annie was sobbing on the floor, and the sound of her pain seemed to jolt Finnick back to reality. He went to her and bundled her up in his strong arms, whispering sweet nothings in her ear to calm her down. Mags took my arm, and with Maria's help, led me to my house and into a seat in the lounge.
"What's going to happen?" I asked, my voice hoarse. Maria rubbed my arm comfortingly as Mags got me a glass of water. I was in shock, and very frightened. Frightened Seneca would no longer want me, and frightened for Finnick.
"I don't know." Mags said sadly, making me take the glass, and coaxing me into taking small sips. "The President won't be happy. Not at all. I wouldn't be surprised if peacekeepers pay us a visit and drag us to the Capitol." I nodded stiffly, remembering the metal table and feeling my hands begin to shake.
"It'll be ok!" Maria told me, looking determined. "You can come and live with me. We'll hide you in our basement. They'll never find you." Sweet, innocent Maria. I remembered a time when I believed there were solutions that simple.
"They would find her." Mags softly told her, smiling at the bright defiance in Maria's eyes. "And you wouldn't want your family punished for it." Maria's shoulders sagged and she nodded her agreement, looking at me apologetically. I smiled at her, seeing myself in her right then, when Snow had threatened my father.
"You'll be ok." Mags said to me, taking my hands in hers. "You didn't fight him, you didn't oppose him."
"That's not why I'm scared though." I whispered to her. I couldn't stand by and let her take a punishment because of me, because of Finnick. Finnick. He must feeling so betrayed right now. He was only looking out for me, regardless of the completely wrong conclusion he'd come to, and I'd chosen Seneca over him. How could I make him see the truth? He probably hated me.
"I know." Mags soothed, her motherly tones calming my frazzled nerves. This woman was incredible. "They can't kill me or Finnick without raising too many questions, and if we can survive the games, we can survive anything." But she was so much older now! I wanted to tell her that, but I didn't want to be rude. "Why was Seneca here?" She asked, suddenly curious.
"He came about my father." I said slowly, unsure about how much to tell them, but somehow, as I looked into the gentle eyes of the two women who cared about me so completely, I ended up telling them everything.
"You don't have much of choice then." Mags sighed, standing after I'd finished speaking. "I'm sorry he had to take an interest in you, but I suppose rather that than being handed round like a pet to every man who takes a fancy to you."
"You're going to have to leave again?" Maria whispered in horror, clinging onto my hand as if she could stop anyone taking me away from her.
"Much sooner than previously thought I expect." Mags said, walking over to the window and gazing out. "After Finnick's brotherly display."
Maria's arms went round me, and I hugged her hard.
"You'll visit though?" She asked, tears in her eyes. "You're my closest friend. I don't want to lose you again."
"I probably won't be allowed." I said numbly, letting go, and wiping away a stray tear that had made its way down her face and clung to her chin.
"But this Seneca person might let you. If he loves you like he says he does!" She protested, sounding hopeful.
"He's never actually said he loves me. Only that he needs me. And I'm beginning to think those two things are very different." I admitted, to her and myself. I was suddenly terrified it was all an act on his part. The way he'd left without a backwards glance had planted a seed of doubt in my mind. Mags turned to me, and surveyed me for a moment.
"I hope you're wrong." She said after a while.
"So do I." I responded.
It was 3 days before the peacekeepers came to call. A sharp knock on the front door drew me from an uneasy sleep filled with shadows, and I stumbled downstairs and opened it without thinking. In my sleepy state, I wasn't fully aware of what was going on as I was seized roughly and material was stuffed into my mouth to keep from crying out. I thought I was still dreaming as I was half escorted, half dragged to an awaiting train at the station, while around me, people in their houses slept on peacefully, unaware of the muffled arrests happening on their doorsteps. I was pushed into the train and dragged into a padded room with no windows. As I hit the floor, I saw Finnick being taken past, struggling and lashing out at the unfortunate peacekeepers assigned to taking him. The ones who had brought me here left to help, letting the door swing shut and leaving me alone to put together my scrambled thoughts. I tried to get the door open, but there was no handle on this side of the door. I sat back against the soft wall and pulled my knees up under my chin. What an earth had happened? One day, I'd gone to sleep a girl and woken up with my childhood slipping through my fingers before I could blink. I began to laugh, hysteria bubbling up inside me, this situation was so surreal, so far-fetched that even in my worst nightmares, my wildest daydreams, I'd never have dreamed it up. The noise died in my throat though, as the sound of screaming reached me. My heart stopped as I strained my ears to listen. Whoever was screaming was in intense pain, that much was obvious from the sound, and it was making my skin crawl. The scream cut off and was replaced by a woman begging for it to stop. My blood turned to ice as I realised that woman was Mags. I threw myself at the door, desperate to get to her, to help her, just as the screaming started again. I bellowed through the door, I yelled curses, threats, pleas, anything that might make someone open the door, but no one came. I shouted myself hoarse, but still continued to hammer at the door, clawing at the gap between it and the wall, as Mags' screams continued. Eventually, my ceaseless attack at the door must have been noticed. The door swung open and several peacekeepers marched in, one of whom pinned me against the wall while another poured some kind of liquid onto a piece of material similar to the one they'd shoved into my mouth to keep me quiet earlier. I struggled against the man's grasp, desperate to get to Mags; I called to her, praying my voice would carry to wherever she was being held. As I did so, the man with the material brought it down over my mouth. Almost instantly, a wave of sleep, heavy thick sleep, hit me and my eyes slid shut against my will. The last thing I heard as I slid to the floor was the laughter of the peacekeepers stood around me…
My head was pounding when I came to. I looked groggily around as my eyes became accustomed to the light. Instead of the red velvet of my bed curtains, the view that normally greeted me when I woke from a nightmare, a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling above me, and the bedcovers were of the finest silk I'd ever seen, with a heavy fur throw lying on top of it.
"Where am I?" I asked thickly to no one in particular.
"You don't recognise it?" Came a man's voice to my left. I slowly sat and twisted to the side, my movements stiff and clumsy due to the throbbing pain in my head. A beautiful man with black hair, and intricate beard sat before me, his blue eyes so piercing they took my breath away. "You should recognise this room." He continued with a smile that made my heart pound. "Though you were otherwise preoccupied last time you were in here." I looked away from him and around this strange room in confusion. But slowly, slowly the mist in my mind began to clear. I looked at the bed sheets and remembered falling on top of them, underneath a man, the same man who sat before me now. My face heated as I remembered my bare skin under his hands, his lips on mine, and I remembered the noises that came from my lips as he explored my body.
"You do remember then." He said with a smile, reaching out and touching my cheek. I flinched away from the contact.
"Who are you?" I asked, fear coursing through me. "What am I doing here?"
"Kai…" He started, frowning at me. "You don't know?" I shook my head, edging away from him. "It's me Kai. Seneca." He leaned forward again and brushed a strand of somewhat tangled hair behind my ear. The motion seemed familiar somehow, and an unpleasant prickling sensation moved up my neck as I looked into his eyes again.
"Mags…" I whispered, my eyes widening in horror as my mind un-jumbled the disarray in my mind. "Mags!" My breath hitched in my throat, and tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill over. "Where is she?" My hands grabbed the cloth of Seneca's top. "Where is she?" I was screaming, but I didn't care who heard, I was desperate. His strong arms pushed me back onto the bed as I writhed and begged him to take me to her.
"Kai stop it!" He ordered, raising his voice over my hysterical pleas and he pinned me down as I tried to get out of his grasp. "NOW." His eyes blazed and the authority in his voice frightened me so much I obeyed, and lay subservient and trembling beneath him. I shut my eyes tight, terrified he was going to hit me. The tears squeezed through my shut eyelids no matter how hard I tried to hold them back, and a sob escaped my lips. Then the weight was gone, and I heard him sit back in the chair. I dared to open my eyes, and fought the urge to bring my knees up and curl up into a ball so tight, no one could touch me. I eventually found the courage to look at him and to my surprise the anger had left him and he was looking back at me with wide eyes, breathing heavily.
"I'm sorry." He said, his eyes never leaving me for a second. "I'm so sorry." I didn't answer, too paralysed with fear to move. Everything was crashing down around me. How could it all have gone so wrong so quickly? He fell to his knees before me and took my shaking hands in his. "Please forgive me. That was wrong of me." He gazed up at me beseechingly, and then pressed his lips to one of my palms. When I didn't answer, he lifted me from the bed so I was standing before him, his hands supporting most of my weight as my heart thudded in my chest and I tried to remember how to make my legs work properly. "It wasn't your fault. President Snow doesn't blame you. I told him you'd agreed before Finnick found us." He lifted my chin so I had to look at him. "You understand what this means?" I shook my head. "We can be together now. Forever. I'll keep you safe. I already have." He leaned down, and kissed my lips. I remained motionless. "Are you happy?" He asked as he drew back.
"Mags." I whispered. I needed to know she was ok. I had to see her. He dropped his hands in frustration and turned away.
"You're going to have to pretend then." He said shortly, his voice tight. "You're going to have to pretend that this is all you've ever wanted and that you love me with all your heart. If you don't I'm not sure if I can keep you from harm."
"Where's Mags?" I pressed. He turned and looked at me sadly, shaking his head, then turned and walked out of the room. I sat back on the bed, and after a long time, I managed to put my mentor out of my head just long enough to decipher what Seneca had told me. I wanted to hit myself as I realised I'd just pushed him away so far I may have ruined it all. I was an idiot. Mags had already suffered because of me, Finnick too probably. I wouldn't let Seneca suffer too; he was only trying to help. With shaky, unstable steps, I made my way out of the room, and wandered through the house silently and hopelessly, looking for him. I was about to give up when I heard the sound of glass breaking from a nearby room. I followed the noise until I found myself in the kitchen. The cupboards were open and the floor was littered with shards of glass. Seneca was standing in the middle of the chaos staring at his bleeding hands in dismay. I made my way over to him cautiously, avoiding the glass and not wanting to make him jump.
"I only wanted to help." He said as I approached, his voice was thick with emotion. "I even do that wrong." He clenched his fists in anger, causing blood to drip to the floor. I reached out and took them in mine, and led him out of the scene of destruction into the living room, sitting him on the same sofa we'd kissed on the first time I was here. I gently opened his hands and with deft movements, pulled the large shards from his skin. I looked around for some sort of cloth to stop the flow of blood, but saw nothing that didn't look far too expensive. I sighed inwardly and pulled off my shirt and pressed against the cuts. I looked up at him, noticing for the first time, the bruises on his face. A result of Finnick no doubt. I raised myself high enough to kiss a patch of darkened skin lightly, and ran my fingertips over them. The pain, and worry for Mags and Finnick left me as I looked at the dishevelled man who I loved, and knew I'd continue loving regardless of what he did.
"I don't need to pretend Seneca." I whispered, looking directly at him. "I do love you." I held my breath as I waited for his reaction; terrified he might laugh in my face, tell me it was all a joke and leave me alone. Of course he didn't though, the light suddenly returned to his eyes, and the pain that contorted his handsome features vanished; his relief was almost audible. I put my arms around his neck and he manoeuvred me onto his lap.
"Good." He murmured, wincing as he moved his hands to my waist. "I love you too." He kissed me then, as if he'd never kissed me before. It made my head whirl and my heart swell. "You're beautiful you know." He stated simply, looking at me with a smile. I forgot the gravity of the situation I was currently in as he moved his lips to my neck and grazed his teeth along my collar bone, eliciting moans of pleasure from me. I let him carry me back to the bedroom and lower me onto the bed, keeping my hands on his neck the whole time. That night, we breathed as one, and he made love to me so sweetly I wanted to cry.
"I love you." He murmured again, into my hair as we lay panting afterwards, side by side. I leaned my head against his bare, damp chest and let my eyes flutter shut, feeling at peace.
I sat bolt upright hours later, finding the room in total darkness. Mags' screams had woken me from the most wonderful dream, in which Seneca was cradling me in his arms on the warm sands of District 4. How could I have forgotten? I was selfish, cruel. I had to find her. I glanced at Seneca's sleeping silhouette and kissed his forehead lightly, praying he'd stay asleep as I dressed myself and let myself out of the house in search of my mentor.
AN: Told you i'd update more regularly. ;) It's getting to the good stuff now, so i can't stop myself writing :P I really hope you like it, and all your reviews are still making me super happy. THANK YOU! :D