Ramsey awoke on the morning of the Quarter Quell with a jolt, her breathing labored and a thin film of sweat lining her small back. She coughed and groaned, running a hand through her fair hair.

He hadn't even seen her coming.

Her hardest kill.

She knew him, she had gone to school with him.

His name was Yarro Ashberg and he was a year older than her.

His skin was pale and his body thin. Though he had been fancying a girl from the richer part of the district and she had found him to be fine just as he was.

Ramsey remembered cringing when she had heard his name called on reaping day. His blue eyes had grown wide in fear, but the cameras panned towards him quickly and his eyes fell dead. He had accepted his fate just like that.

She had found Brier, his girlfriend, in the crowd immediately. Her tanned face had already been covered in tears. She could've only imagined their goodbyes in the justice building.

Killing all of the other tributes was easy. She didn't know them, she hadn't grown up going to school with them. She had prayed every day leading up to the games that someone else would kill him. That they would spare her the mental pain of doing it herself. But things weren't that easy. They left him for her to kill off last.

She knew he was too weak, he hadn't eaten or slept in days. It was no struggle at all.

He was her only awake kill.

He had been stooped over a dirty stream, scooping the murky water to his mouth with his hands- completely unsuspecting. He hadn't even heard her coming. But she had his throat ripped out in seconds and the games were over.

The flashback haunted her in her nightmares sparsely, though it came every year when the games approached.

Her eyes flashed to the window first, noting it was still dark out, before moving towards the clock. It's bright red letters shone angrily at her- it was only five in the morning.

She sighed once more, aggressively kicking the silky sheets from her body.

She hated this place. She hated everyone here.

It was Katniss' fault that they were all in this mess. If she hadn't acted out against the Capitol then none of them would be being thrown back into the arena.

But it was because of her that they might one day be free from the Capitol.

Was it worth it?

Was risking her life and killing for her worth it? Worth all the death that would surely come with it? She had killed so many, was putting more kills under her belt really worth it?

It had to be.

Anything was better than a life under the Capitol rule, right?

Any more efforts at sleep were futile at this point.

With one more groan of exasperation she flung the blankets and sheets to the floor and padded across the hardwood floor. Slinking through the apartment was no problem for her.

The building was too quiet for her liking. She needed stimulation. She needed something to lull her from the chaos that rampaged throughout her mind.

The roof wouldn't do, it was too far from the city, it would still be too quiet.

She found herself wandering towards the pool of the training center, the crashing of the water pulling her in. Someone was swimming, the water rolling sharply with their body.

The humid air assaulted her face as she entered the pool room, her eyes snapping towards the body in the water, her mind already registering who it was.

His blonde curls broke the surface, slicked against his head.

His breathing was strained, his shoulders slacked, his chest heaving and gasping for air.

Yet he was a sight to see.

His eyes found her small figure, clad in only a large cotton t-shirt and visibly softened.

"Why Miss Ramsey, you should be sleeping. We have a busy day ahead of us." He smirked up at her, earning an eye roll from the small victor.

"I should be saying the same to you, should I not?"

He chuckled bitterly at her, shaking his head as he grabbed a towel from the pool's edge.

She watched him carefully as he dried out his hair, then moving on to his arms and bare chest. He stepped out of the water and carried on down his body.

She bit her lip.

He was beautiful.

He was the first man to ever provoke an interest from her and she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was about him that brought forth a tenderness and yearning from deep within her.

But why wasn't he afraid of her? Every other man was.

Every other person was.

Albeit Johanna, though she didn't quite have a great fan-basis either.

They were both bitter and lethal, it only made sense that they would find solstice in one another's company.

"I can't say I mind you watching me, but really, what brings you here?"

His voice broke her from her trance and her eyes shot to his.

She shrugged, attempting to avert her eyes as he moved towards her, "The excitement was just too much, I was unable to contain it for even a moment more."

Finnick smirked and tossed the towel over his shoulder, guiding the two of them to a table beside the pool. Ramsey hesitantly lowered herself down beside him, though he calmly leaned back against the chair back and his eyes found her with ease.

Would he ever be able to figure out what was going on inside of her mind?

It appeared as if not a single person had ever been able to before him, what would make him different? He hoped with all his might that something would make her let him in.

Her eyes were cold and hard as she looked back at him, he could only stare back.

There was something so completely off about her. Something wild and bizarre and dangerous.

She was downright wily.

"Are you ready for this?"

His words took her by surprise and she could only stare for a moment before realizing what he was talking about.

Not the Quarter Quell itself, not the victors being thrown together and expected to kill one another, but the rebellion. Putting her life in total danger in order to promise the execution of the rising up of the districts against the Capitol, for the second time. The second, and hopefully, final time.

"Yes." Her voice was quiet though she knew the room was bugged. There was nothing wrong with these words, though, it was just two tributes discussing their readiness for the games.

He smiled at her, his whole face lighting up.

Going through this would be much easier with the knowledge that Ramsey would make it through too.

Dawn began to shine through the class windows, the Capitol buildings coming into view. Finnick sighed. Today was the day.

"Let me walk you to your apartment, Ramsey."

She nodded slowly, cautiously following him through the doors and down the hall.

They stepped into the elevator, the doors sliding shut.

"I want you to know, I'm going to be by your side in there. Okay?"

His eyes were sincere and something in their seriousness seemed borderline unnerving in Ramsey's view. Had someone ever been so honest with her? She couldn't recall a time when such raw emotion was given to her- in favor of her.

"Okay." She nodded and he grinned down at the small blonde. His heart was pounding.

For once in his life, he wasn't completely confident about a girl. He didn't have her wrapped around his finger, in fact, she had him wrapped around hers.

They approached the tenth floor and he sighed. This would be the last time he would see Ramsey before they were in the arena. How could he possibly express what he needed to? There was no proper way.

"Ramsey, I- just, wait, okay?"

She cocked an eyebrow up to him, finding his behavior strange in comparison to his typical self.

His arms wrapped around her and drew her in against his chest. Her body went rigid at the contact and her mind began to race, her heartbeat hammering almost painfully.

She had never been touched so affectionately. But something about the security of his embrace and the tenderness of his touch allowed her to seemingly relax in her arms.

Her hands slowly rose to return the hug, exhaling deeply and shutting her eyes.

Her unsteady head was unable to wrap itself around what was going on here. It was all unbelievable.

As his arms released her she slinked into her apartment before another word could be spoken.

The suits this year were thick blue jumpsuits made of sheer material, a zipper coming down the front. They had padded black belts, filled with a mysterious purple gel.

Finnick stared down it in curiosity, his mind racing with ideas as to what the arena was this year. It was all so intense, there was so much on the line.

Those that didn't know about the rebellion, which there was a great deal of, they'd still be trying to kill everyone, right? What would they do about those tributes?

He shook his head, it was all going to work out. It had to.

His tube rose into the arena and the light was blinding. A distinct sound stood out: crashing waves. His eyes adjusted and his confusion breathed out a sigh of relief.

Their pedestals were in water. They were surrounded by ocean and in front of him lay the cornucopia, behind that an island. From each tribute lay a runway of rocks leading to it.

His eyes scanned around, taking in the tributes surrounding him.

Deep inside he knew his first priority should be to find Katniss, to protect Katniss was the most important thing. That didn't stop his eyes from searching for Ramsey.

He had told Katniss they were allies and as he looked down at the golden bracelet placed on his wrist he knew she had to believe him.

His heart pounded in his ears along with the countdown.

Eleven seconds left.

He had to find Ramsey.

A breath of relief escaped his lips as he found the small blonde.

She stood almost completely across from him, three tributes down from Katniss. Mags was only two away from him and he couldn't help but wonder how strategically they were arranged.

Directly beside Ramsey stood Johanna, Enobaria on the other. To one side of him stood Wiress, the other side Beetee.

His eyes jumped back to Ramsey, her blonde hair pulled tightly into a high ponytail and her eyes locked on the cornucopia. He followed them to find what held her attention: a small dagger. It was then that he realized why they had been placed where they were. Corresponding with each tribute, their respective weapon of choice laid atop the cornucopia directly in front of them.

Ramsey looked to him briefly, her eyes wide and for the first time- uncertain. She looked sick to her stomach.

The gong rang out and he felt his stomach in his throat as he dove into the water. Katniss did the same, both heading straight towards the cornucopia. Johanna looked to Ramsey once, the two nodding in agreement of the plan.

They held each other's stares for a moment longer before either of them moved.

"You be safe out there, I'll see you soon." Johanna whispered to Ramsey, the smaller girl nodding and sending the same wishes to her.

And with that they dove into the water side by side, Johanna towards Wiress and Beetee, Ramsey towards the cornucopia.

Katniss reached it first, immediately grabbing the bow and arrow strategically placed for her. She shot an arrow into Brutus' ankle before turning sharply on the body beside her.

And there stood Finnick Odair, holding up his gold bracelet as a wry smile graced his features.

"Good thing we're allies, right?"

"Where did you get that?"

"Where do you think?"

She stared at him for a minute more before his once sly face grew serious, "Duck."

Katniss did as she was told and he launched a spear into the chest of an oncoming victor, the first death of the 75th games.

"Don't trust One and Two. I'll take this side, you hold them off. I'll go find Peeta."

He was off with that, he knew he would have to make sure Peeta was safe in order to keep her sane. Though his eyes scanned for Peeta, his chest ached at the thought that he hadn't seen Ramsey once since the games had started.

Katniss hesitantly nodded and turned, firing an arrow at Enobaria, though she dove into the water and the arrow barely grazed her shoulder.

"Katniss! Mags found him, he's over here."

Her heart was in her throat as she hurried to follow after him.

Mags stood on one of the runways, her eyes frantic as she pointed towards the water. Peeta struggled with another tribute, Katniss' panic growing with every wild movement of the thrashing men.

Finnick dove in immediately, a cannon booming as both Peeta and the other male went under. Katniss' heart stopped as seconds felt like hours until a dead body resurfaced- unidentifiable. And then up came Peeta and her breath came back to her.

He was okay.

Finnick broke the surface once more with the knowledge that both Peeta and Katniss were currently alive and well.

It was then that his stomach dropped.

His eyes scanned the arena before him, desperate to see a tiny blonde anyway.

He saw Districts One and Two standing beside the cornucopia, the Morphlings as they scurried along the beach, and even Johanna as she hastily ushered Beetee and Wiress into the jungle. What he didn't see though, was the one person he was looking for.

Ramsey was nowhere to be found.