AN: Hi all! It's The Magpie Method here, I just wanted to thank all you lovely readers for taking the time to read my story, it is very much appreciated! And for the lovely reviews too, anonymous or not they are always welcomed! Special thanks to empressakura655, who was the first to review! Anyway here is the fourth chapter of my story Mermaids, Sirens, and Fishermen, hope you enjoy!


CHAPTER 4

"Me! I volunteer! I volunteer! Please!" Darya says as she runs to the stage, she sees the Victors stare at her in shock, they recognize her, she can hear Annie start to sob, Finnick and Mags are standing up, she runs up the stairs and pushes the girl brusquely toward Finnick, who in his shock, barely manages to catch her. "Get her out of here!" Darya tells Finnick sharply.

Darya stands in front of them blocking them and says again, "I volunteer as tribute."

The Escort stares at her pleased with all the drama she is giving her and eagerly drags Darya to the microphone.

"A volunteer! How lovely! Introduce yourself darling!" The Escort asks excitedly, "What's your name pretty one?"

"Darya Marlowe." Darya answers steadily, she will not cry she tells herself over and over in her head, at least not here.

"Well District 4, how about a round of applause for your beautiful tributes this year! My, but what a handsome pair! Gillian Dorsin and Darya Marlowe!" the Escort chirpily announces to the crowd.

The crowd does clap, much to the Escort's delight, but solemnly and no one smiles, Darya knows what this means. They clap because they know they've got a chance to win but not because they're excited, and four never smiles because even though four is a Career District and are better off than a lot of the outer districts, they dislike the reaping more than most. Afterall District Four wasn't solely given favors because they were loyal to the Capitol, they were given favor because the Capitol was scared of them. Four was one of the districts to rise up in rebellion, they weren't the first but they were one of the last districts to surrender, they fought fiercely through to the end.

"Shake hands you too!" the Escort orders.

Darya reaches out her hand to Gillian and he takes it, gently squeezing, Darya looks up into his striking green eyes and he gives her an encouraging smile and Darya can't help but to feel comforted by this and returns it.

'Well he doesn't want to kill me yet." Darya thinks, before they're pulled apart and rushed into the Justice Building.

Once inside Darya is taken into a large dim room the heavy doors closing behind her, she takes a steadying breath and gracefully takes a seat on one of the chairs surrounding the table laying in the center of the room. She has been here before, two years ago, when she said goodbye to Fen, when she gifted him the pendant, this was the last place she ever hugged her brother, and the first she ever hugged Finnick.

The door opens and in walks a fair-haired man she has never seen before but trailing behind him is Brooke Seadee her braided fishtails bouncing as her father pushes her toward Darya.

"What do you say Brooke." The man reminds her gently, his blue eyes looking at her kindly.

"Thank you for saving my life Miss Marlowe." Brooke says shyly.

Darya feels a well of emotion in her chest, her mother's students used to call her that, forcing back tears she smiles sweetly at the girl and brushes her fingers over her braids.

"It is an honor to go in your stead Brooke, you're a very special girl and you are going to do great things in your life, thank you for coming to visit me, that was very sweet of you." Darya says kindly.

Brooke launches herself at Darya and hugs her, Darya lets out a laugh and reciprocates the hug, before her father calls her away and she lets go and now he approaches her.

"Thank you, I mean it, I will never be able to repay you and your mother's kindness, never, so please whatever you need, I will do, It's twice now you've saved my little girl." The man says, his voice heavy with emotion, and then he gives her a quick hug and kisses the top of her head, and they leave.

Darya barely has time to compose herself before Finnick and Mags come in. Finnick looks furious and more serious than she's ever seen him and Mags has tears streaming down her face. She feels like crying, but knows she can't because Annie, the kids, and her aunt and uncle haven't come in yet, and she can't let them see her crying, so instead she hurries to comfort Mags.

"It's okay Mags, I'm from a long line of fighters, you know that, I'll be okay." Darya assures Mags holding the old woman tightly, her voice only slightly gravelly, but a big reassuring smile on her face. She risks a glance at Finnick over Mags head and sees him still watching her, his eyes unflinching, his jaw clenched furiously, his nostrils flared and his arms crossed firmly over his chest.

Mags doesn't let her go for the allotted time provided, and they sit down together and hold hands, Mags telling her stories about her late grandmother. When a peacekeeper comes in to call time Finnick nods, with a final hug Mags exists, but Finnick, still practically glaring holes into her head, doesn't move or say anything. When the peacekeeper tries to get him to leave and grabs Finnick's arm to kick him out, he snaps.

"Do you know who the hell I am! I am a VICTOR! As of today, I am her mentor and she," Finnick yells now pointing at her, "is my tribute, so bring whoever else in but I stay!" Finnick demands angrily, violently wrenching his arm from the peacekeeper's hands and striding over to stand behind Darya his hand clenching the back of her chair and his eyes challenging the peacekeeper to argue.

Deciding it's better not to bother, the peacekeeper opens the door and holds it open for the Cresta family, Annie's the first one in, running to Darya and latching herself onto her, sobbing.

"Darya no, not you, I-I'm so so-rry Dar, I'm so sorry, it should have been F-Fen not me, I-I'm so s-." Annie sobbed into Darya's shoulder inconsolable. Darya hugged her tightly before untangling Annie from her and grasping onto her arms firmly a serious expression on her face.

"No, Annie, how could you say that, you have nothing to be sorry for, it was you, you were the one who was always coming home, we all knew that, even Fen, you." Darya said doubtlessly.

Annie sniffled but nodded and Darya released her, taking a breath before she planted a huge smile on her face, she turned and face her darling little cousins opening her arms to them.

Marin, Ridley, and Pearl ran to her with choruses of Darya's name spilling from their pure mouths, she hugged them the tightest, she had basically raised them, especially Pearl, who was only six. She made sure to hug each one individually and assured them she would do everything in her power to comeback. Darya was really proud of herself; she hadn't teared up once and her voice only cracked a couple a times.

Her Aunt Meredith and Uncle Marius were next and they both enveloped her in a group hug, her uncle didn't say much to her, but he kissed her head and patted her cheek before breaking the embrace and heading over to Finnick, whispering furiously to him, her Aunt Meredith kept holding her tightly.

"Oh Dar, do what ever you have to, to come back to us, you deserve more Dar, not this, please come home to us. Know that you are loved hun, know that you are so loved and we'll be waiting here for you, we'll be waiting for you to come back." Her Aunt Meredith said lovingly, holding her still in a maternal embrace.

Darya almost broke down at this, her aunt had never been discourteous or anything and she had always been kind, but Darya had never known her aunt had cared for her that much and learning that now made her heart ache. Looking at the Cresta clan she knew this could be the last time she saw anyone with any connection to her mother and her memory. When they finally broke apart she and her aunt turned to see her Uncle Marius and Finnick whispering furiously toward each other, trying desperately to keep their voices down, she met Finnick's eyes and she saw him blush, his anger momentarily forgotten, and then Pearl who had been standing closest to them turned to Darya gleefully.

"Are you and Finnick getting married Dar!" Brooke announced to room.

Her Uncle Marius and Finnick both ceased talking and turned to look at Brooke stunned, her Uncle Marius looked horrified and Finnick looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him up. Darya was speechless, she could see the boys looking at her and Finnick and her Aunt Meredith looked at her expectantly, but Darya didn't know what they were expecting her to say, so she looked at Annie for help, but Annie was in no state to speak, her shoulders shaking, and Darya couldn't figure out if she was still crying or laughing at the whole situation.

"W-what, I-I-I-," Darya stuttered and could feel herself blushing, especially now that Finnick was looking at her curiously, but was saved from answering when the door opened and the peacekeepers called time. After a quick last group hug from the Crestas, they filed out and Darya was left alone once more, well alone with Finnick, she knew he was angry at her, but she didn't say anything and she didn't look back, after a while Finnick broke the silence.

"Darya Marlowe you are the most exasperating person I have ever know." Finnick sighed, his tone conveying a mixture of both affection and frustration.

She didn't answer.

"Dar what the hell were you thinking?" Finnick asked, his voice now sad.

"I-It was he-," Darya started before Finnick cut her off.

"Yeah it was her first time Darya, but it was your last, they didn't call you, you were safe, you were finally safe." Finnick reprimanded softly, the last part whispered almost to himself.

"No, Finnick it was he-"Darya tried again but Finnick interrupted once more, his arms turning her to face him, his hands grasping her arms in place.

"It was what Darya, it was her last chance, it was her only hope, her destiny, what about you Dar." Finnick said his eyes boring into hers, his voice sounding desperate, angry and hurt, "Why Darya, just tell me why, why!"

"IT WAS HER, FINNICK!" Darya shouted now angrily, wrenching herself away and hugging her arms around herself.

"Who is her Darya, because up until today I had never seen you talk to that girl, so please explain it to me, because I don't get it Darya, I really don't, so please just tell me why?!" Finnick said running a hand over his face, the frustration more apparent in his voice.

"She's the little girl my m-mom saved," Darya said quietly her voice more vulnerable than Finnick had ever heard before.

Immediately she saw the ire leave him and his eyes soften at her, he approached her slowly as if he moved to fast she would bolt and he wrapped his arms around her, and she finally let the tears fall, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Oh Dar." Finnick sighed, holding her tighter as her body wracked with sobs louder, " I-I'm sorry."

He held her until she stopped crying, and when she stopped he gently released her, leaning on the table behind him, arms crossed over his body.

"You know we spend an awful amount of time hugging and crying in this room, we may as well just move in, the carpet's nice at least." Finnick said wryly, hoping his poor attempt of a joke would get the tension to ease.

It seemed it worked because Darya snorted in response and gave him a bitter chuckle, before moving toward him and resting her forehead on his chest letting out a long sigh, his arms automatically wrapping around her again.

"Finnick Odair you are so lucky people think you're pretty because you're personality is seriously lacking." Darya said jokingly causing Finnick to bark out a laugh.

"Please, everybody loves me, even you Darya." Finnick answered arrogantly.

"Unfortunately, I think that's true." Darya answered ruefully, laughing lightly, before lifting her head to look at Finnick, her gaze serious, remembering her aunt's words.

"Finnick, you are loved, you do know that right, by Mags and Annie, and the kids adore you. I know we're joking but if anything happens, If I d-," Darya said, her soothing voice cut off briefly by Finnick increasing the pressure of his hands on her arms at the unspoken sentence, 'If I die'.

"If anything happens," Darya amended at Finnick's pleading look, "please don't shut yourself away from them, love them instead, like they love you."

"I'll keep that in mind for when you're old and frail and decide to do something ridiculous, like swim five miles out to sea in the middle of the night and get caught up in some poor fisherman's net," Finnick answered sardonically, "But there is no way in hell I'm accepting that right now, you're coming back home, with me, I promise you Dar whatever happens you are coming home."

Sighing, Darya looks at Finnick exasperatedly, but nods just the same, she knows if she insists it'll only make him upset, so she decides to drop it, at least for now.

The door behind Finnick opens up and in walks Ron Stafford, the same bored look on his face as always.

"The train's waiting Odair," said Ron in a bored toned of voice, as if just speaking was too much effort for him to give.

Finnick simply nods in response, maneuvering Darya in front of him, his hand placed on her lower back as he leads her toward the door. The three of them walk out, Ron leading the way to the train stationed behind the Justice Building, the peacekeepers on spotting them, form two lines on either side of them and escort them onto the platform, standing guard until they enter the train. Darya steps in.


Thanks for reading! I'm always happy to listen to thoughts and theories as well as suggestions on what should happen next. Don't be shy and let me know, I always take the reader's suggestions into consideration, so share away. Also don't forget to review to show your support!