4 years earlier (the 70th victory tour)

The first day of my victory tour I couldn't stop dreaming of Annie's death. It was a never ending nightmare. I had been taking anything and everything that would help me sleep. At home distraction came easier, Seb would teach me to play new songs on the organ and I spent hours every day learning about medicine from Capitol textbooks and I constantly was at the apothecary in town. There was no escape on the train though, Seb couldn't come with me and I wasn't allowed to bring sheet music or a textbook. It was like the Capitol wanted me to suffer.

Jem was the only other victor to accompany me this time. And Jem had warned me though, I needed to be perfect during the tour or there would be retaliation, some people weren't pleased with how I handled Annie's death and I needed to appear a perfect victor or who knows what would happen. So far I had been perfect. I only had small issues with a couple. District Twelve had been the hardest so far, I had killed both of their tributes. Their male tribute in the bloodbath and the girl I had trapped and left as a present for the careers. District Seven was the least of my worries, their male tribute deserved what he got. He was the only kill I didn't regret, but today we were getting into District Four and I had no escape.

I was going to Annie's home, speaking to her district on her bravery and then I would be coming face to face with her mentors and more importantly, Finnick Odair. At one point I would have died to meet him, now all I was doing was dreading it. Sure, I was lucky and sometimes I was even happy to be alive, but right now I wished I was dead. Annie deserved to be going home to Finnick, not me. I had cheated her out of her love story, I had stolen her victory.

Katniss's skin was crawling after the day she had had. Every single one of these victors were actually crazy. Johanna had stripped down in front of God and everyone just because she didn't like her costume. Chaff had kissed her on the mouth. Emmer the Reaper had hugged her and kissed her cheeks. Finnick was offering her sugar cubes, basically naked. It was all just a joke to them. Peeta said they were just poking fun at her because she was pure in their eyes. However, she was disgusted by all of them and Haymitch wanted her to make allies?

"So what did you think?" Haymitch said after they finished dinner and concluded the recap of the opening ceremony, their costumes were clearly the standouts.

"I think Emmer is right her outfit was my favorite," Peeta started to laugh, but immediately stopped the second Katniss glared at him. "Come on Katniss she's sweet."

"She's playing an angle. She's friends with Finnick. I don't trust him at all," Katniss didn't trust any one of the tribute victors so far, not that this would be surprising.

"Well this year you need to make allies," Haymitch interjected. "And sweetheart, I'm talking to you."

"Katniss it might not hurt to," Peeta did seem open to trying and Katniss was willing to give him what he wanted. Within reason of course. He deserved so much more than this, she would never deserve him in a million years.

Katniss rolled her eyes, "Okay, sure, but can we worry about that tomorrow?" Katniss already knew that she was not going to make friends or allies, it would just make them harder to kill and she was afraid. She didn't want to like any of them and the more she got to know them the bigger the possibility.

Haymitch's eye softened, he knew her struggle, "Okay, sweetheart get some sleep. Peeta, you, too." They were the same Haymitch and Katniss though she would never admit it outloud. Peeta and Katniss curled up in bed and she tried to think of anything other than the coming day.

The next morning, Haymitch stopped them before they got on the elevator. "Today, in training, you've got two jobs. One, stay in love."

"Obviously," Katniss said.

"And two, make some friends," said Haymitch.

Katniss groaned out loud, "I'd rather operate with just the two of us."

"But that won't be enough," Haymitch insisted. "I've said this enough already, but you're going to need more allies this time around."

"But why?" Katniss said, feeling a little like a whiny teenager.

"You're at a disadvantage. They have known each other for years and who do you think they will target first?" Haymitch asked rhetorically and immediately followed up with, "You. But you can fight and you're popular with the crowd and that will make you desirable."

Katniss groaned again and Haymitch waved his hand, dismissing her, "I'm not going to say this again, get to know the people around you today. I'd recommend Chaff and Seeder, but Emmer and Finnick are definitely not to be ignored." And with that he sent them off to the training center. On the ride down, Peeta took Katniss's hand, and she didn't pull away. She needed the comfort.

When they arrived downstairs the only tributes there were the ones from Two. By ten o'clock, more tributes had shown up. The mood in the room was definitely different compared to the previous: the victors were talking and joking. Katniss suggested that they split to cover more territory. Peeta met up with Brutus and Chaff at the spears station, and Katniss wandered over to the knot-tying station. She hoped no one would bother her there, but Emmer made a beeline for her and the trainer smiled to see the both of them.

"Katniss, love," Emmer tried to hug her and Katniss sat down to avoid it. She went to pick up some rope to show the trap that leaves an enemy dangling by the tree from a tree. "I forgot to mention it yesterday, but I loved your outfit."

"Thanks," Katniss tried to be as standoffish as possible, but she could sense that Emmer wouldn't give up easily. Emmer stayed quiet as the instructor taught us advanced snares, considering the both of them star pupils.

Once the trainer walked away to grab more supplies for the two of them. Emmer continued her conversation, "Well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry," Emmer sounded genuinely sympathetic, peaking Katniss's interest.

She turned around to look at the victor. She was wearing the same glasses that she had worn during her reaping, but were missing during the opening ceremony. "Why?" Katniss was still suspicious. "Why are you sorry?"

"Well, I guess because only one of you can make it out this time?" Emmer said the very thing that Katniss had been thinking about since the Quell had been announced. She didn't interrupt Emmer and allowed her to continue. "I know, it's kind of obvious. You want him to go home and he is trying to get you home, but I doubt Snow will allow for two victors this year."

Katniss was instantly on edge, she looked around to see if anyone had heard her, "You are in dangerous territory."

Emmer set down her ropes and whispered in her ear, "I know you don't want to trust me, but you need to remember who the real enemy is," She looked right at Katniss, then said, "and that isn't me."

Emmer left following that odd exchange and Katniss was left wondering what she meant. Wondering if Emmer could be trusted.

One minute later...

I left Katniss to her thoughts and really hoped that she got that we weren't all out to get her. Katniss needed to know that at least I would protect her and Peeta in there.

Finnick rushed over to me as I headed to the plant station. "How did it go?" He picked up a piece of mint and held out to me.

I grabbed it and took a piece of to chew on, "Alright, I don't think she trusts me quite yet. But she wouldn't be the Girl on Fire if she did."

Finnick rolled his eyes and moved so I could identify the poisonous plants from medicinal and edible ones. As I set the edible ones aside, Finnick began trying each.

"What if I'm wrong about those and you get poisoned?" I didn't look up as he continue to munch on a Katniss root, the irony. I knew I hadn't messed up, but still.

"You're not wrong. But suppose you are, then I get poisoned and you can nurse me back to health," he loved flirting and batting his eyelashes. Sarcasm got me in trouble and flirting got him in trouble.

"You're merciless," I laughed and threw comfrey at him. He threw the rest of the Katniss root at me and before we knew if there was an enormous mess at the station, but we were laughing too much to care.

"Okay, okay, mercy," I held my hands up and he stopped, both of us breathless and laughing. I wanted to laugh and continue this, but we were drawing attention to ourselves, something I had been instructed specifically not to do. There was too much at stake. I stopped and wiped off my glasses of my shirt.

Finnick understood, he always did. He knew how much I stood to lose. "Okay, I'm going to try and make nice with Twelve and maybe you should talk to Johanna."

I groaned internally and nodded, he just wanted what's best for me and forgiving Johanna would be in my best interest. It was just difficult. "Okay, wait for the last elevator after training today." I smiled and left to go find Jem.

Before I found Jem though, I saw something truly remarkable: Katniss shooting. Really shooting for the first time. Her eleven last year made perfect sense now. And we thought she needed protecting. Looking around I saw that I wasn't going to be the only one looking for an alliance with the Girl on Fire.

Four years earlier (District Four during Emmer's victory tour)...

I couldn't breathe, I was suffocating. I was having a full blown panic attack and I was about to go on stage at the Justice Building in District Four and thank them for their tributes' death. I can't do this.

Jem came over to me, "Em," he sighed and pulled me into a hug. "Darling, I know it's hard, but you got to do this."

The hug grounds me a little and I remember. I have to do this. I don't have the luxury of feeling bad, I have to be strong for Annie. For Seb and Jake. There's already a price on both of their heads. I nodded and Jem let's go. "Okay, okay," I dry my eyes. "I can do this."

I walk out on stage and it feels like a dream. I recite the Capitol provided speech with ease and smile as I talk about their male tribute, but as I talk about Annie, I become a lot more serious. "Your female tribute, Annie Cresta, was a trusted ally and a loyal friend until the end. If not for her, I wouldn't be here and I thank you for your tribute."

Then the song I recorded on the organ for my victory tour begins and I bow, signaling the end of my speech. I walk off stage and Jane gives me a thumbs up. I made it. District Three will be bad too, but I successfully finished my speech.

Next, I am off to the banquet the district has provided for me and it's time for me to meet the victors of Four. I smile and nod at the two female victors: Mags Flanagan, their first victor, and Skylar Newsome, she's in her mid-30s. They're both kind, but quiet. Mags thanks me for being so kind to Annie in her final moments. And my armor starts to crack a little.

"Thank you, ma'am," I look around and he's nowhere to be found. I rub my bracelet- her bracelet. "Um, do you know where Finnick Odair is?"

Skylar laughs, "Oh and here I thought you were going to be original. He's in the Victor's Village. I'll give you directions, if you want to try for him."

I rolled my eyes, sleeping with him was the last thing I had on my mind. I agree regardless and Skylar helps divert attention as I sneak off.

Minutes later I'm standing at his front door, so nervous. My Capitol armor, definitely has some major cracks in it, reluctantly I knock.

The door opens and I'm face to face with him. He's even more attractive in person, but he looks horribly sad. "I made a mistake, I'm sorry. I just," I'm stuttering and I can feel the anxiety coming back.

"Hey," Finnick seems very confused, he doesn't know what Annie told me. "Are you okay?"

"I j-just wanted to give you this," I held up my wrist, revealing Annie's token: the simple bracelet. I hadn't taken it off since she gave it to me. I unclasped it and held it out, tears rolling down my eyes. "I don't know if you gave it to her, but I know you meant a lot to her and, I just. I thought maybe you would want it."

There are tears in his eyes, as he grabs it. "Thank you," he studied, didn't look like he grasped that this was real. "I don't even remember her wearing it. I made it for her when we were little." He points at the creature. "That's a dolphin."

I laughed through the tears and nodded, "Yeah, she told me a lot about you during training." I dried my eyes. "I just wanted to say to you that she really loved you and if she hadn't helped me in the arena, I wouldn't be alive." I regretted saying that, "I know that's not what you want to hear because of course you'd rather have that, but… I'm sorry, I just." I didn't know what else to say so I walked away.

"Wait," he called out to me. "It's okay, I understand."

I didn't know if that's what I wanted to hear, but it did make me feel a little better. "Thanks, I guess I'll see you in six months, at the next games."

He smiled thoughtfully at me, still holding the bracelet in his hands, "Yeah, I guess you will."