The Lady Of The Lake

So here we are! The final chapter before the Bloodbath and the Games truly begin.

This chapter features Peeta being Peeta, Finnick being the master strategist we know and love, Sky panicking about her future, and Cato...being a possessive, rude ass who doesn't understand women very well.

I've decided to do Reviewer responses here :) They shall be at the end of the Chapters from now on.

Thank you so much to those who do review. It's an incredible feeling seeing New Review in my inbox, and makes me flail about happily.

Enjoy the next chapter!


Chapter 7

When I reach the roof I discover I am not the first one there.

Peeta is sitting on the wall looking out across the Capitol skyline and I hesitate for a moment before walking over to him. I lean over the wall and feel him look at me in surprise.

"Hey Schuyler," he says softly, giving me a tiny smile.

"Hey Peeta," I smile back and then notice that his hands are bandaged up. They hadn't been a few hours ago at the interviews, I'm sure of that, so I frown, reaching out to touch one with a fingertip, "What happened?"

"Oh…" he pulls a face, "Just…Katniss."

"Katniss?" I look up at him with surprise, "Katniss did that to your hands?"

"She was…unhappy about the interviews." His face is set in tense unhappy lines and I mouth an 'o' before wrapping an arm around him.

"She'll get over it." I say softly, rubbing his back, "She's a lucky girl you know."

He huffs a laugh, "Thanks. What about you and your…tribute?" He looks at me, "Did he know you were going to say something?"

I shake my head, "There wasn't much to say, just that he affects me like…well it's never happened to me before." I chuckle weakly, "I wasn't exactly the cool kid of District 4."

"I wasn't either," He offers, wrapping an arm about my shoulders and letting me lean against him, "But I'm sure you had guys interested…you're pretty."

I laugh softly, "No…thanks but, I was a bit of an oddity. I miss it though…"

"Me too…"

We both sigh wistfully and then look around as a break in the wind lets us hear someone coming up the stairs.

Katniss pushes open the door and pauses, looking at us.

I smile at her and give Peeta a hug, "I'll let you both talk." I murmur, "See you in the Arena Peeta."

He squeezes my arm gratefully and I move away, around the roof until they are out of sight and I am stepping into the oasis of the garden.

I walk over to the wooden bench and sprawl on it, letting my eyes drift closed as I lie there, breathing in the sweet fresh air.

"There you are,"

My eyes shoot open at the sound of his voice and I sit up, watching as he walks over to me, dressed in a casual shirt and loose pants, his hair spiky and damp from a shower, skin still a little pink from the hot water.

He looks…really good.

Which is something I really shouldn't be thinking.

"2," I greet and he rolls his eyes, coming to a stop before me.

"I think we're a little past that now Schuyler." He says dryly, but his blue eyes are intent on my own, "Well past it in fact. Since I 'affect you like no one else'." The smirk on his lips can only be described as smug.

"Who said I was talking about you?" I retort back, pushing my hair back behind my ears, "Bit egotistical don't you think 2?"

"You were talking about me." Cato walks closer, but his eyes narrow slightly.

"How do you know?" I purse my lips, "It might have been Peeta, and now I'm heartbroken because he loves Katniss."

"Stop that." He frowns.

"Thresh seems like a decent enough man. Maybe I fancy the strong, silent types…"

"It was me." He leans over me and I tilt my head back to keep our eyes on one another.

"Or maybe it's Marvel? He did give me those handy lessons on spear work and he was so chivalrous about it."

He growls and suddenly he yanks me up from the bench and against his solid chest. I gasp, clutching at him instinctively and look up at him, eyes wide.

"It was me." He says lowly, blue eyes intensely focused on mine, as a hand slowly strokes down my exposed throat, pausing on the beating pulse there, "I affect you. I can feel it right here."

I swallow and his answering grin is sharp, feral almost.

"You're still an insufferable ass." I breathe but he knows that he's won this round.

"So," He loops his arm around my waist, holding us close together, "You are attracted to me, you're pretty enough…and I'm not without some mercy. I'm sure I can make your last few days alive…very pleasurable."

I look up at him shocked.

"You are…unbelievable!" I hiss at him, shoving at his seemingly immovable chest, "Let go of me you absolute prat!"

"What?" he looks down at me, arching an eyebrow, his arm unmoving from around my waist, "You already admitted I was the Tribute. I fail to see what the problem is."

"I have absolutely no intention of just….laying back and letting you just…How dare you!" I splutter my indignation and feeling my temper spike I slap him hard across the face.

"Fuck," he lets go of me for a moment hand touching his face for a second before staring at me, "Oh sweetheart that was a big mistake."

I yelp and scramble back but not quite fast enough as his hand flashes out and grabs my arm.

I'm yanked back against his chest, my arms pinned as I squirm desperately.

"2!" I try to kick back at him and huff as he chuckles, the vibrations rumbling through me, "Let me go!"

"My offer was extremely generous," he growls in my ear and I shudder in his arms, "Just how long do you think you're going to last in the Arena pet?"

"I'm going to survive long enough to see you knocked on your arrogant ass!" I snap back.

He laughs and his arms tighten around me, "Oh sweetheart, you're just a little fish." He bites my neck and I yelp, squirming, "The bigger fish will eat you up as soon as look at you."

"They won't see me!" I gasp out, "Let me go!"

"I'm offering you the chance to live!" He yanks me around so I'm facing his blazing blue eyes, "Why are you fighting me, you stupid girl!"

"Cato!" I snap and his eyes darken slightly at the use of his name, his hands spreading over my lower back, holding our bodies together, "You affect me, but your arrogance is far from attractive! If you think that this…physical chemistry is enough for me to just…fuck my way to the end of the Hunger Games, then you have another thing coming!"

"Then you'll die!" he snaps.

"So be it!" I shout back.

He shoves me away from him roughly and storms off.

"You're a fool Schuyler." He bites back at me, "Well don't you worry, I'll find you and you won't have to worry about that pesky living problem anymore." He looks around at me, and his handsome face is twisted with bitterness, "I'll kill your Darrien and then you. And no one will remember you. Either of you."

I stand there, watching him as he walks away.

"You will." I whisper.


"You two are terrible at communicating," Finnick drawls from where he is sprawled on my bed, "It's like watching a awful Capitol soap opera."

"Having a crisis here Finnick, it's not really a great moment for your brand of humour." I scold, waving a hand at him.

"On the contrary love," he gives me a small smile, "Those are the moments when it is perfect."

"Finnick!"

"Oh fine, Sky…" he sits up, looking at me intently with those sea green eyes of his, "Do you know why he got all, aggro male on you?"

I blink at him, obviously clueless.

"He thought you'd rather die than submit to him." He chuckles dryly, "You wounded his pride."

"He has more pride than anything else," I throw my hands up into the air, "What was I supposed to do? Just….I couldn't Finnick…"

"Sky," he reaches out, "I wouldn't want you to do that unless it was absolutely your idea. He was an absolute tool for suggesting it but…"

"But?" I look at him incredulously, "How can there be a but?"

"But," he gives me a look, "He's a Career from District 2."

"Meaning?"

"He's been training for this since he was around seven or so years of age, and they test for aptitude before then." Finnick looks at me, face serious, "His whole life has been conditioning him to be a ruthless killer. To seek victory at any cost. I doubt he's ever had any kind of really meaningful interaction with a girl. Not properly. Physical, yeah he'd be experienced, but as far as the emotional goes, you're way ahead."

"So I should have just…"

"No…" he shakes his head, "No…but you need to realise the power you have. He offered to keep you alive…just because he was lusting for you. If you didn't affect him as much as he affects you, he wouldn't even be bothering. He'd just…wait until the games were over and shag it out with some girl then. Or shag some other girl in the games if it was a matter of the thrill."

I pull a face at him and rub my hair, "So…what should I do?"

"The plan hasn't changed love," he reaches out to me, "You can do this."

"Finnick," I flop onto the bed beside him, "I'm scared."

"I know love," he tugs me close and I bury my face in his shoulder, "I know."


We watch dawn breaking through the window of my bedroom.

Neither of us had been able to sleep throughout the long night, fear haunting both of us at what might come the next day. Perhaps if we stayed awake the day would not come as swiftly.

But the sun rose as it did every day, only this time I was being soothed by Finnick's fingers through my hair.

It's Flora who forces us to leave our haven, knocking on the door and twittering about what an exciting day it is. I glance at Finnick as he stands from the bed, and my stomach clenches at the pale cast to his face.

"Finnick?" I whisper.

He looks at me, his sea green eyes dark and gives me a weak smile, "You can do this."

"I don't think I can," my voice shakes, "I can't go Finnick, please…"

He crouches by the side of the bed and takes my face in his hands, kissing my forehead and cheeks softly, "Hey, hey…none of that." He strokes my cheek, "Where's my little spitfire Sky, who slapped a Career tribute and called him an arrogant ass, mmm?"

"She doesn't exist," I break down slightly, heaving a shaking breath as some tears leave my eyes, "I don't want to die Finnick."

"You won't." He pulls me into a hug, "I'll be there with you every step of the way. Sponsors, medicine, protection…I'll get them for you. Don't give up on me Sky…"

"Finnick…"

"Come back to me." He makes our green eyes meet and something inside me seems to listen, "I've seen too many of my Tributes die. I won't lose you. Promise me."

"I promise." I whisper back, a kind of calm filling me at his words, "For you."

He believes in me, the only person who really does. He believes I can win, that I will come back, that I will return to him. It's humbling, and I realise that I'd do anything not to let this man down.

Slowly he stands, tugging me up with him, and kisses my forehead.

"Get ready love. I'll see you at breakfast."

As he disappears out the door I run my hands through my hair.

"Happy Hunger Games," I whisper, wiping away the traces of those few weak tears, "And I'm going to make sure the odds are in my favour."


Breakfast is quiet, except for Flora twittering eagerly about the Games starting this afternoon.

Neither Darrien or I wish to eat anything but it's Mags who convinces us.

"You need the energy to run and fight." She says, her voice brooking no nonsense, "They'll blow you sky high if you faint off your pedestal, it's happened before."

Finnick snorts, "Sky high…"

Mags kicks him under the table, "Finnick!"

I giggle, a touch hysterically but it's something and Darrien grins weakly.

Afterwards we are given a short time to say goodbye to our mentors and Flora before we head up to the roof to board the hovercraft bound for our Arena.

Mags hug is warm and I breathe in the sweet sea smell that she seems to imbue, "Run swiftly." She murmurs to me, "Look after my boy will you?"

"You have my word." I whisper back.

Finnick's hug is longer and I find myself clinging to him, body shuddering slightly.

"Remember everything I told you." He breathes into my hair, "Run from the cornucopia, hide, and steal supplies when the Careers are hunting, find a base of your own if you can. Stay away from the other Tributes until the Feast. You can do this."

"I'll come back to you." Our foreheads rest together for long moments before he eases back and kisses my cheek.

"That's my girl."

Then they are gone, and it is just me and Darrien and the hovercraft full of Tributes.

We don't say goodbye. We simply take each others hands in ours and squeeze them.

We know the score.

This is it.

Zara gives me a small smile and a wave, Teesa merely nods, Peeta looks like he's about to be sick, and Marvel is muttering something to Darrien.

Cato isn't on this hovercraft. Neither is Katniss.

When we reach the Arena underground I am ushered into my launch room by impassive Peacekeepers and almost run into Felvia's arms.

Everything is almost like a daze from then. I remember it in flashes, blurry flashes, as my panic begins to affect my eyesight.

Again.

The uniform, woodlike brown pants, green shirt with a 4 stitched on the sleeve and a thin jacket that I huddle in, shivering.

The last meal, Felvia makes me drink and forces me to eat some soft fresh bread.

The alert, telling me to get in my tube.

Felvia's last words, "Show no fear."

And then I am in the glass tube, trying not to throw up as I ascend into the sunlight above.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Let the 74th Annual Hunger Games Begin!"


ObsidianWind - It is not my intention to torture you m'dear, and I hope the roof scene fulfilled your expectations ;)

Sugarpearl - We'll see more of the Darrien/Marvel in the Arena as Sky keeps an eye on those pesky Careers. I'm not going to neglect them!

IamCharliedaughterofPoseidon - Thank you! The Sky/Cato relationship is one of the toughest to work on, because I'm a hopeless romantic and having them misunderstand and hate each other makes my heart hurt. When I do get to write them together though it's mad fun. So I'm glad you like them!

DancingAroundAFire (Emma Lane) - Darrien is a love. I may have to give him his own little AU of this AU after this! He deserves a happy ending!

Queen of sharks - Thank you so much!

It's-A-Passion - I'm so glad you like Cato and Sky. Like I said above, they are tough to write because all I want is for them to get to the romancem but I am trying to progress them in a way that is believable.

StardustIsMagic - WOW! Your review was incredible! Thank you so much, I love it when people go into depth about what they like and want to see more of in my stories. I love getting imput and thoughts from my readers so thank you heaps for taking the time to do that! I always feel bad when people skip over Foxface and Marvel, they are two characters I think deserved to be seen more of, and it's mad fun being able to give them some more life in this fic. I ship Darrien/Marvel too, it's adorable in my head, and Finnick has been an absolute blast to write. I'm so glad you like my cast of characters and I hope to hear from you again!

Guest - I hope you can see that Sky has a little bit of fight in her after this chapter. She's a frightened 17 year old but I think when push comes to shove...she's got a bit of steel to her. And I hope you like Cato too. And yes...Darrien/Marvel...it is gonna be sad, but I am thinking of writing Darrien his own Hunger Games fic, maybe with Marvel. I think I'd like to give them a happy ending.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING. UNTIL NEXT TIME!