A/N: In Annie's POV.

Recovery

"Here we are miss." I hear Finnick Odair say. I would yell at him but, I don't care anymore. He shouldn't be so happy to send me off to my death.

I head to the room and put on my outfit for the arena and see Finnick still sitting out there waiting for me.

"Can't you leave." I mutter.

"Have to stay to make sure you make it into the arena. No tribute of mine would skip out now, would they Annie?" He smiles.

I growl at him.

"Do that in the arena." He says sarcastically.

"Just stop talking." I tell him.

He zips his mouth and then throws away the key. Why does everything Finnick Odair does seem so adorable.

I sit down across from him. I know he wants to say some sassy comment but, I don't care I just want to be alone for the rest few minutes of my life. I close my eyes and I can feel a tear roll down my cheek.

"Annie." I hear him say more seriously.

"What did I say about the talking Finnick!" I end up shouting.

Both of his eyebrows shoot up in shock.

"Sorry, I just wanted to tell you, you should stay with him Flip I mean... strength in numbers and he has it in with the others so...

"Flip doesn't like me Finnick." I mumble. My district partner has made that pretty clear.

"Au contraire. He wants you." Finnick smiles.

"Why?" I ask confused.

He clears his throat "Is that really important an ally is an ally right?"

I sigh.

"No."

"Annie, I already told him you would work with him in the arena."

"You can't do that Finnick!" I shout.

"I can and I did. Listen Annie despite what you are thinking I'm trying to help you stay alive."

"Well, then why won't you tell me why Flip wants me as an ally."

"Something along the lies of you falling on the sword first." He says not meeting my gaze.

"He wants me so they will kill me first." I say disgusted.

"Annie just make sure to run away before that happens it's easy-

"You think this is easy! You think being in this scenario is easy Finnick!"

"That's-

"I don't care! It's bad enough that I had to spend the last week of my life with you but, you will probably be the last person I talk to as well! Just sit there and for once in your life shut the hell up!" I shout.

Finnick is giving me a grave look of disapproval.

Tributes to your tubes.I hear.

Finnick stands up and starts to walk over towards me but, I stand up and head to the tube by myself.

"Annie." He says.

I sigh with disgust.

"I'm going to say this whether you want me to talk or not but, it's your choice to listen." He says firmly. I can feel the hairs on my back stand up. His tone is so forceful. "Stay with Flip and then run away when you think you can survive by yourself for awhile."

"Fine." I say.

"There's more." He says and I sigh again. "Hesitation is your enemy."

"What?"

"Moral conduct is different in there Annie. Well mostly because there isn't one. When you get the chance to kill someone do it, do not hesitate."

"You're telling me how to kill someone."

"Annie what do you think the past week has been about?" He says. I can tell he is trying not to laugh at this comment.

"I shouldn't be surprised. After all that is all you did in there." I mutter.

"I wanted to go back home to see my family. Don't you have a family you want to see again or anyone?" He says.

"I do." I say.

"Then fight for them, kill for them."

"That sentence is-

"Annie if you want to make it back you are going to have to kill someone. There is no victor with no blood on their hands and there never will be. When you're in there just think of your family." He says.

"They wouldn't want me to kill anyone for them."

"They want to see you again Annie and I don't mean when you get shipped back in a coffin." He says harshly.

"Why do you care all of your family is dead!" I shout. I don't know if this is true but, it has been going around District Four for awhile that all of his family died shortly after he won.

He looks angry when I say this but, something else. I think it is sadness.

"Fine go in there and don't kill anyone it's your funeral." He spits back clearly angry. I feel a little guilty but, I don't really care it's not like I will ever see him again anyways.

"Fine." I say.

"Fine." He spits back.

Tributes to your tubes The voice says again.

I step in.

"Good luck." Finnick mutters as the doors shut.

Blood flies everywhere getting all over my outfit. All is see is a crimson red covering everything thing around me. On the rocky ground and on the faces of the others with me but they don't seem distraught they are smiling.

Monsters, monsters is what they are. I think to myself.

I want to run away but my body won't let me.

I hear them laughing and pushing each other in admiration of killing the other tribute. Not caring that one of us was just beheaded.

I put my hands on my temples. I start to hear a strange high pitch cry. I know it is me. I want to stop but can't the monsters around me start to pull out there weapons, I know they are going to kill me. Surprisingly my legs start moving. I expect the monsters to chase after me but they don't. I find a nice hiding place and conceal myself and rock back and forth.

I close my eyes but, open them because I don't like what I see. I want to scream but I don't want people to find me so I bite the inside of my cheek. I do it so hard that I can taste the hot metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

Everytime I blink I see it. I see that crimson red.

I look down and take off my jacket and cut away the shorts that have blood on them. I don't care that it will be getting cold soon, I can't look at that blood because it will just remind me of that.

I lie down and hug my knees to my chest. I can feel the tears roll down my face and land on the cold stone ground.

I just lie here waiting… waiting to die.

I hear a faint beeping and a commotion all around me. I keep my eyes shut afraid to open them.

"She has finally stopped screaming."

"That's because she is drugged out of her mind. When she wakes up we will have to deal with her screeching again."

Are they talking about me? I think.

"Yes I wonder how the interview with Caesar will go, she can't be seen screaming. I don't understand why she is so upset she a victor now."

"Obviously she already had a few screws loose."

"Maybe they finally all fell out." I can hear the smile in the voice.

"Come, that mentor wanted to see her when we were finished with her."

"Why would he care so much for that incipient creature." This person sounds jealous and I wonder who this 'he' is they speak of.

"That is his job I'm sure once they leave he will no longer care." I hear laughter as the door closes.

I open my eyes and see myself in a room that looks like a hospital room.

I have things hooked up to me and my hair is wet and has gunk on it.

"Where am I?" I sit up and whisper. A part of me doesn't care. A part of me just wants to die.

I hear the door burst open and scream.

"Annie shhh." I hear someone say gently. "I don't want them to knock you out again." They say again.

The person comes into view and I see it is Finnick.

"Where am I?" I ask him afraid.

"You should lay back down." He says gently.

I do.

"Is it that bad?" I whisper.

"Annie, what's the last thing you remember?" He asks gently.

I make out a small whimpering sound.

"Water." I whisper and can feel a tear roll down my cheek. "So much water."

Finnick wipes the tear away.

"Well Annie I don't want to upset you so I'll make it simple."

I close my eyes and know what he is going to say before it leaves his lips.

"Please don't say it." I whisper.

"Annie… I have to, to make sure you understand what happened."

"Please don't say it Finnick." I whisper again.

"Annie, you… won."

I roll over and start crying.

I feel a pain in my side and lift my hospital gown and see a bandage on my side. It looks like a deep cut.

"That was from when you-

"I don't care! I don't care where it is from!" I shout.

Finnick reaches for my hand which I take.

"Annie, try and keep your voice down. You were screaming a lot so they just kept putting you under. They shouldn't... it isn't helping you."

"I heard people say I was annoying and that… I had a few screws loose. What happened after I left the arena?"

Finnick avoids my gaze.

"What did I do?" I ask him again worried.

He looks up at me and puts his hand on my cheek.

"You were screaming, crying, you broke a few things… kept saying it was trying to kill you. Called the medical people monsters. Then they drugged you. Every time the medication wore off you just started screaming."

I start to twirl the sheets and don't think about anything else. I just twirl the soft sheets around and around in my hand. I'm surprised by how soft they are usually hospital sheets are scratchy and uncomfortable. I guess everything in the Capitol is extravagant.

"Annie." Finnick places his hand on my shoulder.

I look up at him but still twirl the sheet.

"What?" I whisper.

"It's gonna be okay." He says.

"What makes you say that?" I whisper.

"Because I know what it's like." He smiles.

"I don't think so, not like me." I start crying and then the door opens and I back away.

"She's fine." Finnick says.

"I have strict orders that if she becomes unreasonable-

"She isn't being unreasonable... she was crying because of happy she is that she won." Finnick says not trying to convince the person at all.

The person shrugs.

"Whatever." He says and walks off.

"I'm not happy Finnick." I snarl.

"I know but I don't want them to drug you again. You need to stay awake. You need to… adjust."

"Adjust?" I say confused.

"Get out of the mindset that you aren't in the arena and... that you won. You can't do that if you're asleep all the time." He says smiling.

"I just want to get out of here." I whisper.

"You're still pretty hurt. You will be able to leave in a few days."

"I want to leave now!" I shout and sit up.

Finnick puts his hands on my shoulders and I look at him. He has a look in his eyes I think it is worry but something else is there too.

"Don't pity me Finnick Odair." I say.

He smiles and takes his hands off my shoulders.

"As you wish Annie Cresta." He smiles.

I swallow hard and before I know it I'm wrapping my arms around him. Finnick's body stiffens but he soon puts his arms around me and relaxes. I close my eyes and breathe in and out. Finnick feels so nice and warm. I didn't realize I was so cold.

He rubs my back.

"You're gonna be okay Annie and do you want to know why?"

I pull back to look at him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm gonna be there for you."

I roll my eyes and let go of him.

"I bet you say that to all of them." I mutter.

"All of them?" He asks confused.

"You know your… fans." I say.

He rolls his eyes.

"No. I've never said that to them or anyone really." He says smiling.

"Oh." I whisper. "But Finnick how can you be there for someone you barely know?" I ask.

"Don't worry about that now Annie. You'll get to know me along the way because I don't plan on leaving you."

"That sounds like something a stalker would say." I mmble.

"Well I don't think so." He smiles.

"Still alone with someone I don't know."

"It beats being totally alone besides, I can understand you more than anyone else."

"But you're a stranger."

"Fine what do you wish to know about me Annie Cresta that will make not a stranger?"

I shrug.

"I don't know."

"Well when you think of something just let me know and I will answer." He smiles.

I look at him strangely.

"Are you okay?" He asks worried.

"You're so nice."

"Yes…" he says confused.

"And I was so mean to you before that comment about-

"Don't worry about it Annie. I've heard worse and I knew you didn't mean it."

I look at him strangely again.

"What?" He asks smiling.

"I just always thought Finnick Odair was… not."

"Well Annie like you said I'm a total stranger. I'm actually very nice and concertante and thoughtful."

"Okay boasting about yourself is like you."

"Oh Annie." He says playfully and pushes hair behind my ear. "There's so much you don't know about me."

"Like I said you're a stranger."

"Well, Annie I don't know much about you either but, I hope one day you will call me a friend."

I look at him strangely.

"Maybe." I whisper.