Chapter One-Hundred-and-Twenty-One; Unpleasant Surprises

Stephanie was at least almost a head smaller than Seneca and her frame was much slighter than his but it all mattered little. The absolute unexpectedness and resulting shock at her actions meant that Stephanie was able to floor Seneca.

They tumbled to the ground harshly, Seneca's shout of surprise caught somewhere in his throat as his concentration was suddenly on grappling with Stephanie's wildly flailing hands.

Stephanie had very little knowledge of hand-to-hand combat and what little she did have she couldn't call to mind through the haze of rage. Every strike Stephanie aimed for Seneca was acting on pure instinct, her teeth clenched together so tightly in a snarl they seemed likely to shatter.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Seneca finally managed to shout as he grasped Stephanie's wrist tight enough to bruise when she made a swipe for him.

Seneca swiftly calculated that his personal bodyguard would be returning shortly with the medic he had sent him for, but the next nearest guards were stationed at the bottom of the stairs preventing anyone from coming up and were hence unlikely to hear the sudden commotion occurring.

Seneca hadn't positioned any guards outside the room, given he had most certainly not expected to be attacked by Stephanie. She had slapped him once before yes, and even directed a few kicks under a table at him, but this unbridled attack was sheer lunacy.

Though Seneca had lived a life of luxury he was not a completely incompetent coward like most in the Capitol that would shatter like porcelain dolls at the first blow. He was more than able of fending off a weaponless, under-fed district girl that didn't know how to swing a proper punch.

Seneca moved sharply, upsetting Stephanie's balance. He immediately took advantage of it knocking her aside to the ground as he followed her. He pinned her to the ground on her front when she tried to scramble up again, pushing his knee into the small of her back, not enough to hurt but enough to hold her in place as he reached for her wildly thrashing arms. He caught both her wrists before twisting them behind her back in a manoeuvre he had watched his guards exact countless times before.

Stephanie struggled fiercely against the hold, writhing against Seneca's grip like a fish out of water, "let me damn well go!" Stephanie snarled.

Seneca gritted his teeth as he continued to hold Stephanie fast, "do you really think I am going to let you up after that lunatic display?!" Seneca bit back, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Stephanie tried to twist her wrists out of Seneca's grasp but he only tightened his grip in retaliation, using both his hands again until his hold was like steel.

"Stop struggling!" Seneca barked, raven locks of hair falling across his blue eyes that were sharpened with anger but also confusion. He knew Stephanie despised him still but it didn't make her recent impulsive actions any more comprehendible.

…

Stephanie stubbornly tried to arch against Seneca's hold but her initial burst of volatile anger and rage was ebbing, simmering begrudgingly beneath the surface as she admitted this was going nowhere.

The rage that had clouded her thoughts was clearing and Stephanie tried desperately to cling to it; to call up in her mind every vile thing Seneca had done. She wanted that blinding anger to rise up in her again so she could throw off Seneca's hold and do what her thoughts were screaming at her to.

Seneca had destroyed so much, he had destroyed a part of her – she would no longer be innocent, she had blood on her hands, she was a murderer now just like him. He would only continue to destroy until he was destroyed.

The blind rage had blocked everything else out like what would happen if she successfully managed to exact her murderous intent.

But now as her struggling gradually lessened Stephanie felt the bitter truth sink in.

Killing Seneca wouldn't change anything, he was only part of the Capitol.

And if she somehow successfully managed to do it – which seemed unlikely with her lack of any skill – her family, Haymitch; they would all suffer for her blind moment of rage.

Deep down Stephanie acknowledged she probably couldn't even do it; to beat the living daylights out of Seneca would be viciously satisfying but to actually kill him. Stephanie didn't know if she had that in her; to kill in the arena in a life or death situation was very different to this.

Seneca sighed heavily as Stephanie finally went still, their ragged breathing strangely in sync the only sounds filling the otherwise silent room.

"If I let you up are you going to behave?" the sarcastic bite to his tone sounded hollow as Seneca lessened his pincher-like grip around Stephanie's wrists.

Her head was turned to the side, tangled dark locks splayed across her face, moving shallowly with each breath that left her open lips.

She remained silent and still and Seneca took it as her assent as he released his hold on her wrists and lifted his knee.

He collapsed sitting against the wall beside her running a hand through his hair to smooth the dishevelled ebony locks while Stephanie still lay unmoving on the ground.

"Well that was quite the greeting," Seneca muttered sarcastically, casting a dubious glance towards her in case she decided to renege on her silent consent to behave.

Stephanie made no reply, she didn't even twitch and Seneca sighed heavily again.

"Well are you going to tell me why you attacked me or do I have to play the riddle game again?" Seneca demanded, anger colouring his tone.

He scowled darkly at any lack of intelligent response.

Stephanie unwittingly had developed a habit of making him angry with her for whatever reason and then afterwards adopting a very worrying state; such as hysterics, fainting or complete unnerving stillness. All of which annoyed Seneca but also made him feel strangely guilty and made his initial anger at her ebb frustratingly.

Seneca reached out a hand to nudge Stephanie's shoulder and just as his fingertips had grazed her skin Stephanie shot up and out of reach at his barely-there touch. Seneca tensed, readying for an attack.

But Stephanie merely sat a few metres away from him, glaring at him balefully from red-rimmed eyes and Seneca relaxed his position.

Seneca sighed; he had never been this frustrated with someone in his life.

Why did he have to…love – her?!

He couldn't recall them ever engaging in one civil conversation that didn't involve threats or accusations and yet he always anticipated the next.

"Do I get an explanation or are you prone to randomly attacking those trying to help you?" Seneca groused miserably.

Stephanie continued to glare at him, "yes well I've had enough of your help," Stephanie shot back with a hateful glare.

Seneca's eyes narrowed, "so we're back to the guessing game," he muttered with an imperiously arched brow.

Stephanie closed her eyes for a brief moment, "you had Fas killed – "

"Hold on!" Seneca interrupted her, "what?"

Stephanie bared her teeth, "don't even pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," she threatened in a low voice.

Seneca scoffed, "oh I know what you are talking about alright. Fas Clearwater was found murdered this morning. What I don't understand is how I am somehow involved."

It was Stephanie's turn to scoff as she tossed her head before fixing Seneca with a disbelieving glare, "do you honestly expect me to believe that?" she spat.

"I know you like to believe that somehow I am responsible for everything questionable that happens in this Capitol," Seneca replied caustically continuing on loudly when it seemed likely that Stephanie meant to interrupt, "but once again in this circumstance – I am innocent of any involvement."

Stephanie glared blearily at Seneca for a moment before she dropped her head into her bloodied hands and Seneca frowned, "I can't do this anymore," Stephanie muttered.

And really Stephanie considered – she couldn't. She wasn't raised to survive life somewhere in the Capitol where she was meant to be able to read deceit at a glance, deciphering plots and seeing through facades and lies effortlessly.

Stephanie tried to tell herself to think objectively that Seneca could still be lying to her; but the problem was she so desperately wanted to believe him, because then that would mean she wasn't a murderer, that Fas's blood wasn't on her hands.

"Dare I ask how you came to the conclusion that I had Fas Clearwater killed?" Seneca said, "perhaps I could give you some advice on your sources; for they seem to be wildly inaccurate?" he added with a smirk that wasn't as smug as it usually was.

Stephanie shot him a weak glare feeling weariness suffuse her over-taxed limbs. Twice she had been knocked to the ground harshly today; once by her own volition.

Stephanie wasn't in the mood to discuss anything with Seneca Crane. She may have been wrong about Fas, and she desperately hoped she was though Ficen had seemed pretty certain…

But Seneca was far from innocent.

"You hurt Haymitch," Stephanie shot vehemently, knowing she sounded awfully childish and hating it though not as much as the lump that rose in her throat at Haymitch's name leaving her lips.

Seneca smirked callously, "I make it my daily goal," he replied and Stephanie gave him a disgusted look before averting her gaze.

There was more she feared Seneca was responsible for; she didn't know where she stood with Haymitch now and the thought killed her inside that maybe Seneca Crane had come between them now irrevocably.

But Stephanie gritted her teeth in determination; she would be damned before she would admit that to Seneca Crane – she could almost imagine the smug smirk on his face.

They were interrupted however by a sharp rap on the door before the guard entered with another person following him.

The guard took one look at the overturned chair, Seneca slumped against the wall looking dishevelled with Stephanie a few metres from him looking worse. His hand was already straying to the gun beneath his coat when Seneca held up a stalling hand.

"It's fine," Seneca said brusquely as he got to his feet.

Stephanie stared at the man that had followed the guard into the room, vaguely recognising him as the medic that had been there after she had fainted during her Flickerman interview. He had referred to her as an 'it' and looking at his revolted expression as he took in Stephanie's appearance she imagined he was not impressed second time around either.

Stephanie snapped her head up when the shadow fell across her and she looked up at Seneca standing above her, his hand extended towards her expectantly.

She frowned, ignored his offered hand and stood; if only because she felt silly sitting on the floor when everyone else in the room was standing.

"Has Dan Flickerman been taken care of?" Seneca immediately asked his guard who nodded.

Seneca smirked when he saw Stephanie's mildly alarmed expression, "he has been brought to his home – discreetly. Afterall it wouldn't do for him to be seen when he is meant to be enjoying his date with you now would it?" Seneca told her. "However you are welcome to ring him and check he is still alive if you don't believe me," he added, offering her his phone.

Stephanie scoffed silently, her cheeks tingeing pink as she folded her arms while both the medic and guard looked alarmed at Stephanie's evident disrespect before they looked even more surprised when Seneca's only response was to smirk wider.

Seneca turned to the medic expectantly then, "well?" he prompted the man impatiently as he nodded towards Stephanie.

The medic jolted into action while the guard exited the room to stand watch at the door.

The medic approached Stephanie and Stephanie reluctantly dropped into a nearby chair. She winced slightly when the man tilted her chin up; her sudden movements in grappling with Seneca had aggravated the already tender bruising around her throat.

The man clicked his tongue in uninterested disapproval as he studied the purpling marks and Stephanie averted her gaze before she might possibly be tempted to lash out at the man.

Her gaze unintentionally locked with Seneca and for the first time Stephanie noticed the almost identical angry marks against the pale skin of Seneca's throat.

Seneca's sharp gaze caught her look and a wry smirk crossed his lips, "perhaps you heard of Abernathy and I's little disagreement?" Seneca remarked.

Stephanie's eyes narrowed, "it seems it was rather one-sided," Stephanie remarked dryly and Seneca chuckled a little bitterly.

"Well I'd merely say the better man won," Seneca said with a charming grin and Stephanie rolled her eyes, hissing when the medic pressed too firmly against her throat.

Stephanie felt a small sigh escape her lips as an almost numbing coolness settled against her neck as the medic finished applying the gel for the second time. The medic after that had rapidly cleaned his hands and packed up his things, eager to be gone from the strange situation.

"I trust the need for discretion has been explained to you," Seneca said, his face was a mask of cool indifference but there was a silky undertone to his voice that carried a threat.

The medic's steel-grey gaze jumped jerkily from Stephanie to Seneca and Stephanie felt an uncomfortable sensation coil in her gut that the medic before her regarded her with the same suspicion he looked at Seneca with; he thought Seneca and her were accomplices.

"Of course," the man mumbled hurriedly before he swiftly exited the room with as much alacrity as he could manage respectfully.

Stephanie frowned after the medic long after he had disappeared from sight still feeling unnerved by the man's look that had grouped her and Seneca together.

"Don't worry, he won't say a word," Seneca assured her arrogantly.

Stephanie shot him a deadpan look but Seneca ignored it as he went to the door.

Seneca threw an inscrutable look over his shoulder at her before he cracked open the door and conversed in low tones to what Stephanie assumed was his guard outside.

When the conversation ended Seneca closed the door and made his way back over to Stephanie, his expression almost thoughtful.

His gaze drifted over Stephanie's haggard appearance discerningly, "are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked quietly, the slightest edge of sarcasm to his tone. But the usual bite to his tone had been lost and his gaze was almost unnervingly intense as he fixed it on Stephanie.

"I'm surprised you don't already know," Stephanie answered him truthfully.

"Oh I know what the general crowd knows; one insane district tribute attacking another," Seneca replied immediately with a half-smirk before his expression sobered again, "now are you going to tell me what really happened?"

Stephanie frowned sharply, "Slena isn't insane – she just lost her cousin and she thought I killed him because of damn bloody Ficen!" Stephanie shouted back, feeling indignant on Slena's behalf. What Stephanie felt towards Slena's actions was convoluted; she sympathised with Slena's motives and comprehended the need for some form of revenge – hadn't she herself attacked Seneca with the exact same emotion fuelling her attack and she hadn't even lost a relative like Slena.

But on the other hand Stephanie couldn't condone what Slena had made Vir do, especially when Vir would suffer so much for it. She understood that Slena had been the victim of blackmail from Ficen and Dess but how could Slena then willingly inflict that kind of torture on her district partner? The key word of course was 'willingly' and the fact that anything after the life of her cousin Fas had been threatened was not a matter of choice at all for Slena.

Lost still in her musings over Slena Stephanie didn't see how Seneca's features suddenly sharpened.

"Ficen?" Seneca barked, confused before he let out a measured breath. "You need to explain this properly to me – without leaving out anything," Seneca said in a low voice as he pointedly caught Stephanie's gaze.

Stephanie gazed back at Seneca steadily then, feeling as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. When had this begun to happen? Had she really been so blind? – When had Seneca started replacing Haymitch that it was the blue-eyed Gamemaker she confided in rather than the man she claimed to love?

Thanks to all those that continue to read and especially girlworthfightingfor for the review; you'll have to wait and see! :D