I look up at the screen. The Gamemakers are now toying with Katniss as she runs from the growing fire in the forest. I cringe a bit as she gets hit in the leg but most of the other sponsors moan and pretend to faint. By the second time Katniss is injured I've had enough of this ridiculous room and I leave, walking over to Haymitch's room where I find him staring at his TV. He looks like he hasn't gotten any sleep, like I did during Annie's Games. There are wrappers left strewn on the floor, half-drunk bottles of juice lying about, he always could make a mess where ever he went...

"I can't do it Chaff... It's over. I hope she can figure it out herself because I sure as hell can't. They led her right to the goddamn careers," He slams down his head-phones which provides him with live feed only to turn and get a look at me, his face doesn't change though, "I thought you were Chaff."

"Sorry to disappoint. She's a smart."

"How would you know, you haven't met her?"

"No, but I've been in those games and we know victors think alike," I watch the screen as Peeta worriedly and sheepishly follows the Careers to a tree Katniss is climbing. Cato tries to scale up but falls. Haymitch changes his pose and watches carefully.

Peeta intervenes and asks to wait her out, for a moment everyone is suspicious, even Somerly. I wonder if Cato will buy it, though, he's the important one. They seem convinced enough to light a fire and fall asleep beneath the weaponless girl. One of them stays watch, I think it's Cashmere's girl. I get distracted as Chaff walks in, he's shaking his head and we can all see how much pain Katniss is in up in that tree. She continues to clench her leg and look towards the sky, look towards Haymitch.

"I don't understand why they just don't light the tree on fire. I mean that would get her to the ground or kill her," Haymitch and Chaff shoot me looks and I back away shrugging my shoulders. "Just saying! If I were in the games, that's what I would do," I grin, "I guess we're lucky Enobaria and Cashmere aren't so smart huh?" They don't smile.

"I don't have the support yet," He says turning to Chaff and ignoring my comments.

"But people love her," I protest. I've heard them.

"Not enough for two million," He shakes his head and I take my shirt off in response – it's not allowed, to support other tributes, but how will Snow know if I tell the Sponsors to throw their support behind Katniss?

Chaff offers me a sympathetic look, "Finnick, we know how hurt you get when you do that stuff. Maybe, Haymitch can get it himself."

"I don't care. If Haymitch really supports her like this, if he really thinks she's the Girl on Fire, then I won't hesitate to support either," I don't even blink as I stand before them, because this is my resolve.

Haymitch stops Chaff from protesting, "This isn't even about a spark of fire for you... it's just about Annie, and trying to make things up to her?" He laughs to himself, "Odair, the world will owe you one... and I promise you'll get your reward one day."

I nod and head out and it doesn't even hurt tonight. Because Haymitch is right. I am doing it for Annie. In hope that this Girl on Fire can throw the Capitol ablaze, and that Annie and I can one day live happily in peace. Or at least just Annie.

Apparently, I had convinced enough people in between "private meetings" because I watch a little tin land in the girl's lap. She looks gratefully towards the sky for Haymitch and I smile, he's done his part well.

Chaff comes into my room, chewing on something and I notice his young tribute has taken to Katniss. The man sits down next to me as I play with a string of rope with my fingers.

"She's a sweet little girl isn't she?" I let out a smile, "We've all done it before haven't we, harbored a hopeless case?"

"No, that's just you and Haymitch... not me, it makes you out to be a martyr when you don't die the way they want. When you die for a cause."

I watch the little girl, Rue, point out the tracker jacker nest. My stomach churns as I watch the bugs fly around the hive. They're horrible, horrible things. Last years Games saw a cave filled with them and seven tributes died. I'm surprised they've included them in these Games.

"She's a smart girl," Chaff nods.

I watch as Katniss saws down the branch of the tree and tries not to cry out as the bees sting her in various places. Eventually the branch cuts and falls to the ground. Chaff's girl managed to leave an hour ago but Cashmere's girl and mine are in trouble. Cato and Clove get up and run off, they've been trained for this type of attack, and to their credit Peeta and Marvel get up fairly quickly as well. I watch Glimmer, the gorgeous girl who looks just like Cashmere fail to shake them and her image distorts. The bees swell her features and ruin her pristine face. Somerly is caught as well and it's just as gruesome maybe even more so since I actually know her.

Katniss tumbles to the ground and attempts to pry the weapon from Glimmer's bloated arms. The cameras don't know where to look as Cato pins Peeta to a tree and shoves a long sword into Peeta's leg.

The accusations fly, that Peeta is helping Katniss, that he planned this. Clove is badly injured and whines for Cato's attention and in his delirious state he moves to nurse her, giving Peeta the opportunity to break for it. Cato catches on, but is a bit slower with the bites now weighing on his sanity. Peeta yells at Katniss to move and continues to lure Cato away as the two head down to a small river. Out of the shadows Chaff's girl appears and uses some kind of unforeseen strength to pull Katniss to a secluded area of safety while the action around them continues to commence.

For the next few days I quietly watch the Games with Mags, the whole world watches as small, twelve year old Rue nurses Katniss in and out of health. I am silent through most of it, and it gets a bit boring at times, but Cato has been on a killing rage with his temper so the Gamemakers and audience are at least satiated.

I take the free time and continue to walk around the stressed hotel. Everyone is busy, Chaff and Haymitch still have both their tributes, Cashmere is busy with Marvel, her last boy. No one fun is left to talk to and Four is out of the Games. Johanna runs into me as we cross paths in the hall.

"Hey!" She cocks her head to the side with a smile, "I've been looking for someone fun to talk to, everyone else is a sack of boring," I give her a grin and we sit together in a little side room, away from everything to do with the Games.

She orders some drinks and lifts her one leg over the other. We sit there for a moment and then out of nowhere tears begin to fall from her eyes and she finds her way into my arms.

I stroke her hair, "What's wrong?" For someone who seems so strong, she has broken rather easily.

"I said no Finnick," She takes a deep breath and goes into a fit of sobs, even when she tries to calm herself the words come out choppy, "I said no, and Snow... he... my family," I understand immediately what she means and it hits me hard, all of my memories of those I've lost to my selfish ideas... there's nothing I can do but hold her that much closer. There are no words that will justify this, nothing that can be said to make it easier. She pounds her fist into my chest and looks up into my eyes with such intensity that I fear she's mad at me, "He burned my backyard."

"I know, I know," I whisper into the back of her hair and feel its chopped ends poking me in the face. I feel so much older now – or at least a lot older then twenty-three. I've played this game... I've played it for almost ten years now. Her face shows itself when she finally picks it up from my chest and it looks exactly like the innocent one she put on for Caesar, before she turned deadly. Behind her facade is her real persona, the real Johanna that is vulnerable.

"You're the only person I have left."

I take a deep breath and take her in closer, "And you're not ever losing me, Jo."

Thanks for reading!