(Age 23, The 75th Hunger Games- Quarter Quell )

Beetee fiddled with the coil and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Where do the careers feel safest? the jungle?"

It took me a second to realise eveyone was staring at me. The only career here. I felt Finnick squeeze my hand but I dropped my head. My ring stared back at me, I couldn't do this, not to my District. I can't betray my own kind anymore than I already have. What did District One think of me? weaponless and no kills...It's shameful.

Johanna huffed. "The jungle's a nightmare."

Peeta nodded. "Probbably here on the beach".

I could feel Beetee's eyes then shift from Peeta back to me. For some reason he wanted me to answer these questions instead of the others. He wanted me to betray the careers infront of the cameras..the only question is why. Eyes still trained on me, Beetee continued the interrgoation. "Then why are they not here?".

I could feel Johanna, Finnick and Beetee waiting particularly for me to answer. When it was clear I wasn't going to say shit Johanna sighed. "Because we are, we claimed it".

Why does matter who says what? Why does their motive involve me admitting how careers work? betraying them...only for these guys to kill me anyways? It doesn't make any sense. What are they up to? Is it some master plan to kill all the careers including myself once I tell them this information?...yeah, I'm definitely not saying anything.

I met Beetee's intrudieged eyes with a glare, yet he continued to ask me questions. "And if we left, they would come?."

We stared eachother down and I felt Finnick exhale in annoyance beside me. "Or stay hidden in the tree line".

I turned my head up at Finnick to find him giving a warning glance to Beetee. A clear 'drop it' written all over his expression. I felt myself smirk, so Finnick's going slightly aginst the inner alliance in favor of me. Interesting.

Beetee cleared his throat. "Which in just over four hours will be soaked from the 10 o'clock wave." Beetee switched his gaze to Katniss, as it was obvious I wasn't going to answer any of his questions. "And what happens at midnight?"

Katniss didn't even hesitate before answering. "Lighting strikes that tree".

He nodded. "Here's what I propose. We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lightning tree. That should draw them back to the beach. Prior to midnight, we run this wire from the tree to the water. Anyone in the water or the damp sand will be electrocuted."

Johanna raised an eyebrow at him. "How do we know the wire's not going to burn up?".

Beetee looked up at her in slight offence. "Because I invented it. I assure you, it won't burn up".

How comforting, but no. This whole plan is a giant no. My training, training I've studied, learned and dedicated myself to since the age of seven screamed no. We're at the end of the alliance, we should be cutting ties and not heading straight into a plan that requires us to trust eachother.

Divisions in this alliance were a problem from the start but this is the tipping point. This plan won't work. We have to trust eachother at the tipping point? No fucking way. Not to mention so many things could go wrong with the legistics, that and we'd have to split up to achieve this plan. No. A giant no.

I and every career, every citizen in District One and Two watching would know that agreeing to this 'plan' was just as bad as signing your own death certificate. Only from studying the games for eleven years can you analyse every detail startegically to know which plans work and which ones don't. This was too outer district, too many variables and no back up plan. I'm out. Simple as that.

"Well, It's better than hunting them down." I whipped my head to Johanna in alarm. Of course she wouldn't see a problem with it. She hasn't taken any classes in alliances, strategy or outliers. I bit my lip.

Katniss nodded. "Yeah, why not? If it fails, no harm done anyways, right?"

I scoffed, breaking my slience. "Well I'm out. I'm better off alone and weaponless hunting down Fangs and Muscles then going along with this plan".

And well of course that caused everyone to turn to me. Finnick opened his mouth to say something but was instantly cut off by Johanna. "Well the way I see it Velvet, you're weaponless and we're not. So you can stick it out with us and the plan. Or...you attempt to go hunting alone, and I'll stick my axe in your skull the second you step foot in the jungle. How's that for a plan?"

I swallowed nervously. "Yeah, on seconds thoughts, I say we try it".

She tipped her head at me and winked again. "Now your talking".

Finnick rubbed my back before looking at Beetee. "So what can we do to help?".

"Keep me alive for the next six hours. That would be extremely helpful".

I stood slightly behind Finnick as he twirled his trident. The words handsome, smart and safe echoing throughout my head. I liked those words. Words asscoiated with something good instead of something terrible. Those words were Finnick.

He turned to me with a smirk. "You coming in or what?"

Before I even had time to react he dug his trident into the sand and picked me up before throwing both of us into the water. When my head resurfaced, Finnick's sea green eyes were in front of me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he rested his forehead on mine. "Alright there, Love?"

I nodded back. "What are we going to do?"

He smirked at me. "We follow the plan".

I sighed. The plan that won't work. "And after that? You don't need to be a career to know what happens next. This is going to turn south quick Finnick. Y-you have to promise me as soon as its done that we leave."

He leant his head back and cupped my cheek. "You don't have to worry I'm going to get you out".

I shook my head. "Only one of us is getting out. And I need it to be you".

He kissed my forhead and the kiss lingered before his head dipped next to my ear. I felt his lips brush up against my air. "My love, you have my heart for all eternity. And if I die in this arena, my last thought will be of your lips".

I swear to god my breath stilled as I looked back up at him. His eyes were deathly serious and he'd dropped his smirk. He look vulnerable but determined. "I promised you Velvet, I'm getting you out!".

I didn't blink or move and then I felt it, I felt him. His lips had crushed mine. A kiss I didn't know I needed. A kiss filled with passion that I didn't know my life was lacking. A kiss from Finnick Odair whist he held me close to him in the water. A kiss we both clinged to for dear life. A kiss from someone who was once my enemy and now...now he's my everything.

"All right, lovebirds!"

At first I thought Johanna meant us but it was Katniss and Peeta making out too. I looked back at Finnick. He nodded at me and kissed me sweetly this time before muttering. "Remember I love you"

I nodded, there was no doubt in my mind what I was fighting for now. I'd fight to get him out. Together we joined the others.

We walked in a single file towards the lightning tree. Finnick lead the way so naturally I was by his side. I'm not leaving him for single second even if I am weaponless. I knew a little combat from my time in the academy. Although I doubted it would help against Brutus and Enobaria. His muscles and her teeth were an avantage I lacked, throw in them having weapons and I'm toast. Still whatever little effort I do have to help Finnick seemed better than nothing at all, hence why I'm sticking to him like glue.

A loud melody echoed throughout the arena and I lifted my head to find a glowing Capitol symbol. The fallen. I watched as Gloss' face stared down at me next to the symbol of District One.

I dropped my head in shame and remorse. He was kind, at least to me. A friendly face. Saying we were friends might've been pushing it but we were nearly all eachother had apart from Cashmere. Oh, God. Cashmere...

The music ended as if nothing had happend and we continued to walk. But the air felt different, more heavy. We'd all lost district partners today, our family. Gloss, Wiress, Mags and Blight. That comes with a cost nobody was willing to give into yet. We can't afford to grieve, not in here.

Once the tree came into view we all halted. Beetee assessed it. "Minimal charring. It's an impressive conductor. Let's get started".

I felt my hand connect with Finnick's as we walked to the base of the tree. I didn't trust Beetee or his plan and I wasn't about to let Finnick get killed over it.

Beetee wasited no time wrapping the wire expertly around the tree. "Typically a lightning strike contains five billion joules of energy. We don't want to be anywhere in the vicinity when this hits".

He picked up the coil and handed it to Johanna. "You three girls, go together now. Take this."

His eyes turned to Katniss and I. "Unspool it carefully. Make sure the entire coil is in the water, you understand?". I looked to Katniss and saw she wore the same alarmed expression that I did. "Then head to the tree at the two o'clock sector. We'll meet you there".

No. no no no No!. Not happening. I could already tell Katniss wasn't a hundred percent commited and Johanna...well I just don't trust her. This is what I mean, theres too many varibales, one of us is going to end up dead.

"I'm gonna go with them as a gaurd". I snapped my head to Peeta. They're going to split up, shoot us down and hunt the rest of us until its only them left. If Peeta goes then I'm staying here with Finnick.

Beetee looked back at him. "No, no , no, no. You're staying here to protect me. And the tree."

Peeta's voice was more firm this time. "No. I need to go with her".

Yeah, so you can split up and pick us off...

Beetee shook his head. "There are two careers out there. I need two guards"

I swallowed. "I'll stay and protect you and the stupid tree then. What better then to have two careers watching you, right?".

Peeta nodded. "Exactly, Velvet and Finnick can protect you just fine on their own".

Katniss joined in now too. Okay, they've so discussed this, alliance is officially over. "Yeah, why can't Finnick, Velvet and Johanna stay with you, and Peeta and I will take the coil. That way you have three to fight off two careers".

I nodded at Beetee. "They won't attack if they're outnumbered." I smirked. "We're trained not too".

Beetee walked over to me, staring me down the entire time. "You all agreed to keep me alive till midnight correct?"

I nodded with a smirk. "Correct. By staying I'm giving you the upper hand to do just that".

Motive. This has to do with their ulterior motive. Otherwise, he'd do the smart thing and have three as a guard. Especially now that he knows that they won't attack with three guards. But he won't back down because of that motive, even though someone as smart as him knows it's the safer option.

"It's his plan, we all agreed to it". I turned my head to Johanna who was glaring at the three of us impaitently.

Finnick tipped his head us. "Is there a problem here?"

Dude what the hell? This is a shit show that's the problem!

"Excellent question". Beetee raised an eyebrow at me and I dropped my gaze. I'm weaponless at the end of the day so...not like I really have a say. Although, Katniss does.

She sighed. "No, there's no problem." Fuck. Godamn it Katniss!

I watched her walk over and kiss Peeta. I held eye contact with Finnick, he nodded at me and mouthed. 'Remember I love you'.

Okay. I nodded back. As soon as it's over we're leaving. I don't care if I have to knock him out and drag him out myself. Whatever this motive is, it's going to get him killed if he's willing to take risks like this...and I won't let that happen.

Johanna had already started walking . "All right, Let's go!".

With a final nod to eachother I started following inbetween Katniss and Johanna.