Hello! I am here with another chapter, never fear.

So... what's new with you guys? :D
I have some news. I probably won't be able to update from friday to... sometime.

I have friends coming to stay with my family for the weekend so I will be busy with them.

Don't worry, I may be able to squeeze in some time for writing. If not, they aren't going to be here very long

:( But that means I will be able to write so good for you guys.

SO there's the news, and I'll let you get back to reading!

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Time passes.

After Johanna killed Ziva and the careers split up, the next couple days were quiet.

Since Cecil and Theodor are no longer together, half of the screens show what's happening in Cecil's neck of the woods, and the other half shows Theodor's.

Not much goes on, after moving a fairly good distance away from the others, they both searched out a good campsite, then they just got down to the business of surviving.

Once Cecil got settled, we sent her some medicine for her wounds, and Ariel seemed to calm down a bit after that. She still looks anxious all the time, and Poseidon is clearly worried about her. Personally I'm worried for both of them. Ariel's not talking much, and just stares at Cecil's screens, where as Poseidon takes extra shifts so Ariel doesn't have to be in there as long, and so he's not getting near enough sleep.

If I wasn't here, they both would probably have fallen apart long ago. I take extra shifts as well, telling Poseidon that I'm young and healthy so I don't need as much sleep as the "old people". He scoffs at this, but I think he knows I'm trying to help so he lets me take the extra shifts.

It is now day seven in the arena, the first week is officially past. There have been four more deaths; Both from eleven, the girl from six and the boy from seven. Nine tributes are left in the arena; Mercury, Bernard, both of our tributes, the girl from five, Johanna, both from nine, and the giant from ten.

Although there have been six deaths in the past week, nothing especially exciting has happened since Ziva and Johanna's showdown, so the audience will probably be getting bored. Which means the gamemakers have to make these games interesting again, which is not a good thing.

I am on guard currently, and I have been for a while. I glance at the clock; 2:00.

I sigh, and put a hand over my growling stomach. Someone should have relieved me by now. Where are they?

Ignoring the gnawing in my stomach, I turn and watch Theodor's screens.

He's re-setting his snares that he made, and collecting the rabbits and squirrels that were unlucky enough to be snared. He's very good at setting up traps, and he knows right where to put them. I guess he can thank his tracking skills for that.

He makes his way back to the giant fallen tree that is his camp. His camp is at the base of the tree, where the roots pulled up a chunk of the forest floor, creating a dirt wall on the edge of a shallow ditch. He sets to work skinning his prizes, and starting a small fire to cook lunch.

For some reason looking at the skinned rabbits and squirrels doesn't make me lose my appetite but increases the gurgles my stomach.

"Silence! I shall nourish thee when I get the chance. It doesn't help when you keep doing that."

My stomach ignores my command, and keeps making dying whale sounds.

I look over to Cecil's screen, and see that she is taking a rest in the cluster of pines that serves as her camp. Suddenly the door opens, and Ariel walks in just as my stomach groans loudly. She laughs.

"Why don't you go eat some lunch, I can take over for a while."

I leap up, and grab her in a hug.

"Thank you! I'll tell Poseidon to relieve you in a little while."

She laughs, as I let her go, and walks over to the screen. Waving her hand dismissively.

"Go on already, I'll be fine. See you in a bit."

I go directly to the dining room, and stack a plate high with all different foods. Then I walk over to a table and quickly eat every last bit. After I'm done eating, I decide to go to the lounge.

Once inside, I see the large television screen that takes up most of one wall, is showing the games how they're being broadcast live to all of Panem. I walk over to a large red leather chair, and plop into it, watching the TV.

I doze off for a little while, getting an hour or so of deep sleep. I wake up, and blink drowsily. Then I yawn, and stretch.

"Mr. Odair?"

I turn around quickly and see an attendant standing near the door.

"Yes?"

She walks over.

"There's a phone call for you."

I look at her surprised.

"A phone call?"

She nods, and points to a phone on the wall.

"Press number one and the call will pick up on that line."

I thank her, and as she leaves I walk over to the sleek black phone hanging on the wall. Who would be calling me? Fear builds inside me as a thought strikes me. What if it's the president? I take a deep breath, pick up the phone, and press one. I wait a brief moment.

"Hello?"

"Finn? Is that you?"

Relief floods through me, as I hear Annie's voice.

"Annie! Yes it's me."

I hear her sigh relieved, and I can picture the smile she has on her face.

"Oh good, the first time it was some woman, and then she asked all these questions and it was kind of awkward and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to talk to you and..."

I chuckle and Annie stops.

"Sorry, I babble when I'm nervous."

I frown.

"Nervous? Why would you be nervous?"

She hesitates before answering.

"Um...well...I should probably just tell you...of course, I could wait until you got back, or I could have someone else tell you, I'm sure Bruce wouldn't mind if..."

I cut her off.

"Annie! What is it?"

There's a pause on the other end, and I hear the faint gasping choke that she gets when she's trying not to cry.

"Mags is in the hospital."

My heart stops, and I start to hear a ringing in my ears. I stare blankly at the wall.

"What?"

Annie's crying now, but she manages to answer.

"This morning I went to visit her, I've been going to see her almost every day. When I got there, she didn't come to the door, so I thought she was out, but then I heard a crash inside the house so I ran in. She was lying on the kitchen floor next to some broken glass. Her eyes were open but she wasn't moving and she wouldn't talk to me. She was still breathing so I ran to Bruce's house and told him what happened. He ran over as fast as he could telling me to call the hospital, and by the time I called and got there he was carrying her out. A car came and took us to the hospital. The doctors say she had a stroke, but she's stable now."

I hear what she's saying, but it's seems like none of this is real, like I'm still asleep in the red leather chair. There's a moment's pause and then I hear Annie's worried voice.

"Finn? Are you alright? Finnick!"

I snap back and reply quickly.

"Yes, I'm fine. Did the doctors say if she would recover?"

Annie hesitates.

"Annie?"

I hear her heavy sigh.

"They said she will most likely recover. But the stroke might have permanently damaged part of her brain."

The lump in my chest grows heavier.

"How?"

She pauses again.

"Her memory could be gone."

I suddenly find it's very hard to breathe.

"What does that mean? Annie What does it mean?!"

"She might not remember us Finn! She might not remember anything!"

Annie shouts, and I can tell it's because she's scared and worried.

"She might not even wake up."

Annie starts sobbing, and she can barely get the words out.
"Finn...I'm so...worried...and you're...not here...I don't know what to...do."

My heart aches to be home. To sit beside Mags bed and hold her hand, to wrap Annie in my arms and comfort her, to be with Bruce and help him get through this.

"I...want you...home..."

I sigh, and soften my voice.

"I'll be home soon Annie. Promise to be waiting for me?"

She sighs heavily as she gets her tears under control.

"I promise."

"Good."

She sniffs, and I hear her try to sound stern.

"Finnick Odair."

I smile.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Don't you dare keep me waiting long."

I chuckle.

"I won't. Goodbye Annie, I'll see you soon."

"Okay. See you soon."

I hear the phone click, and my line starts beeping. I hang it back on the wall, and take a few deep breaths.

With the rate that the games are going, I might not be back for at least another week. Maybe longer. I shake my head, and sigh. Then I decide to try and find Poseidon.

I spot him walking to the bar as I walk out of the lounge.

"Poseidon!"

He turns, and walks toward me.

"What's up?"

He has dark circles under his eyes, and his hair is all rumpled. He really should be getting more sleep.

"I just got a call from home and..."

I'm cut off as a scream sounds from the mentor room, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Poseidon and I look at each other for a brief instant, and run for the door. He bursts through the door a split second before I do, and stops short, causing me to almost run into his back. I step around him, and take in the room at a glance.

Ariel is on her knees in front of the screens, her eyes are bloodshot and tears are running down her cheeks. The two screens in front of her are smashed, and her hands are bleeding.

"NO!"
She screams again, and claws at one of the screens. She breaks down sobbing, and pounds her fists against the broken screens.

Poseidon is at her side in an instant, grabbing both of her wrists and pinning them crossed across her chest by wrapping his arms around her. He stands up, lifting her. She kicks wildly struggling in his arms. Her flailing legs smash a third screen, and her foot starts bleeding.

"Ariel! Calm down!"

Poseidon shouts in her ear, still holding her tightly.

"No...NO!"

Poseidon pulls her away from the screens, and I glance at one of the undamaged ones, seeing the cause of her distress.

Cecil was attacked by a mutt, several mutts actually. They are small fluffy things that look like a cross between a squirrel and a cat. Their fur is dark brown and patched, and they have thin skin stretched between their back and front legs.

It looks like Cecil tried to run from them, because I don't recognise where she is. The little mutts have mauled her, long raking wounds cover her legs, arms, and torso, flowing blood. She's growing weaker by the second, and seeing their chance, several of the mutts leap onto her, and bite her neck. Shock registers on her face, and a thin stream of blood flows from her mouth. She falls to the ground as her cannon sounds.

A scream unlike anything I've ever heard escapes from Ariel, and Poseidon almost loses his grip on her as she thrashed in his arms. A couple of men with the word "security" on their shirts, run in and help Poseidon restrain her. A man in a white coat runs in as well, and quickly stabs a syringe in her shoulder. She passes out almost instantly, and the man in the white coat tell them to take her to the infirmary.

Poseidon is told to stay, and he has a desperate look on his face. He starts pacing the room like a trapped animal, as several technicians come in and replace the broken screens.

"I knew this would happen...she never should have mentored this year."

Poseidon mutters under his breath.

"Was it this bad last time?"

He shakes his head.

"No. Her attachment disorder is much worse. I don't know if she'll snap back this time."

He passes me, turns and paces to the other side of the room. As he passes again, I try to reassure him.

"I'm sure she would be better if you were there with her."

He shakes his head.

"I'd only make things worse."

I grab his arm as he passes me, stopping his pacing.

"You don't know that. When Annie's brother died, I was the only one who could bring her out of insanity. Ariel needs you Poseidon, whether you think she does or not. The more you push away, the worse her disorder is going to get. Did you ever think you may be one of the reasons she has the disorder to begin with? She thought she could trust you, and you just pushed her away, and why? Because you got scared? We're all in the same boat here Poseidon, we're tools of the capitol whether we have people we care about or not. So you need to suck it up, and be there for her!"

Poseidon blinks in surprise, and stares at me.

"Since when are you the expert on all things?"

I turn him around, and push him toward the door.

"Since right now. Go to the infirmary and be there for her before it's too late."

He turns around, and glares at me.

"Fine I'm going."

I glare back.

"Good."

He turns around, and walks to a tall white door. He glances back at me, and I cross my arms still glaring. He opens the door, and walks through, the door closing behind him.

I sigh, feeling drained. Then I turn and walk back in the mentors room. I've been there for several hours, when Poseidon shows up.

"How is she doing?"

He shrugs.

"She calmed down a bit when I showed up. She's sleeping now."

I nod.

"What's going on in the arena?"

I shrug.

"Not much. Theodor's settling down for the night."

Poseidon nods.

"Go get some rest. I'll take over for a while."

I stand up.

"Are you sure?"

He nods, and sits down.

"Go on."

I walk to the door.

"And Finnick?"

I pause, and turn.

"Thanks for making me go."

I shrug.

"No problem. I'll see you later."

I wander around for a little while, and somehow end up at the bar. I sit down on a stool, and order a glass of whiskey. The Barista places the glass in front of me.

"Thanks."

He nods, and turns back around. I reach for the glass, when someone reaches around me, and grabs the glass. I spin around, and see a middle aged man with straggly dirty blonde hair and foggy greenish gray eyes.

He grins, and downs the whiskey with one gulp. Setting the glass back on the counter her belches.

"Not a good idea. Drinking is not the answer."

I scoff, the man reeks of alcohol.

"Like you're one to talk. How long have you been drunk?"

He furrows his brows, thinking, and starts counting his fingers.

"Thirty years, give or take."

He drops onto the stool next to me, and holds out a hand.

"Haymitch Abernathy."

I shake his hand, surprised at his strength.

"Finnick Odair."

He suddenly breaks into rough laughter.

"I know who you are. Who doesn't?"

He taps the bar, getting the barista's attention. He points to the glass, and smiles as it fills with more whiskey.

He picks up the glass, and takes a long drink.

"Like I was saying. Drinking isn't the answer, never is."

I watch him sceptically as he finishes off the last of the whiskey.

"Why do you do it then?"

He shrugs.

"Got tired of looking for the answer. You're too young to be drinking away problems, enjoy life while you're still young. Plenty of time to get drunk when you're old."

I laugh.

"Well, life isn't exactly enjoyable for a victor."

He chuckles, and grabs the bottle of whiskey from behind the counter. Lifting it in the air he smiles.

"I'll drink to that."

He puts the bottle to his lips and gulps down a third of the whiskey.

"What won't you drink to?"

He ponders this for a moment.

"Anything to do with the capitol. Now go look for the answer elsewhere Finnick, I'm sure we'll see each other again."

He waves a hand, motioning for me to leave. I do, and go to my bedroom. Collapsing in my bed, I slowly feel all the stress leave my body as I sink into blissful sleep.