I sadly don't own Finnick, Annie, Snow, Panem, the Capitol or the Hunger Games!

So, after reading over my last chapter, I was really unhappy with how juvenile I sounded, how rushed it all seemed, so I attempted to make this chapter in a style I hope you'll like. Please tell me what you think, you supporters are the reason Translucent Waters is on my brain at all times! And thank-you again to all who review, you strengthen my dedication!

Warning: Mild swearing in this chapter!

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue

Laughing with your pretty mouth
Laughing with your broken eyes
Laughing with your lover's tongue
In a lullaby

When The Stars Go Blue; Ryan Adams.

FINNICK'S POV

I remember once, when I was little, I had seen a beautiful deer grazing in the field by my childhood home.

I had woken up in the early morning; warm, yellow light streaming through the dirtied window. Rubbing my eyes briefly, I wrapped my arms around my favourite blanket and pushed my small face up against the glass, hoping for a glimpse of something extraordinary.

I had done the same thing every morning for as far as my tattered mind could reach, each daybreak leaving me with nothing. But this one morning, while the sun was just extending its reach to the edges of the village, the foreign creature had somehow stumbled into my backyard.

Before I could squeal with delight, my innocent mind enthralled with the image of a majestic, unknown creature prancing in my vicinity, my mother drew her warm hand around my waist and cooed softly for me to hush and follow her. I could remember her still, clad in her fluffy pink robe and slippers, holding me to her waist as she silently trod us to the porch.

We remained there, observing the deer in hushed tones and wide eyes. When I asked her how the deer got here, she looked at me with her large, sad eyes.

"She's lost," She had responded, watching the elegant creature with a wistful gaze. "Lost and searching."

"Searching for who, Momma?" My young self implored.

Before she could respond, we heard a rustle disturbing the early morning quiet that hadn't belonged to the doe. My mother quickly got up, running towards the deer, her arms waving madly, driving it away from us.

When I asked her why she had scared our new friend away, tears glistening in my innocent eyes, her answer was simple:

"So she can keep on searching."

What I hadn't understood until after her death was that she had been saving the deer from poachers, driving it into the forest and away from the cold death machines of our hunters. I wish I knew if her efforts had worked.

Now Annie reminded me of that deer. She was the elegant, lost creature penned in and surrounded by hunters. Too pure to fight back; without any assistance she would fall into the darkness. Even with assistance, her chances were slim. I knew that all too well, unlike my naïveté so many years ago with the doe.

There was information I could learn, sponsors I could coerce, but I couldn't shield her from the elements, the vicious tributes or the immense pain she would feel upon entering the Arena. Even then, Mags insisted on being even between our tributes, which meant sending Amphitrite valuable gifts that could be going to Annie.

Amphitrite. Although I didn't have any reason not to trust him, I couldn't look into his eyes without tensing up. It wasn't as simple as saying we didn't like each other - there was some greater mystery. Something larger and much more ominous preventing us from working together.

Whatever it was, when he tapped me on the shoulder, presumably appearing from the shadows, I still felt the overwhelming dislike overtake me as we eyed each other.

Regardless of my feelings towards him, he was a tribute, and no part of me, not even the vindictive demon, wanted to see him thrown in the massacre that is the Hunger Games.

"I need to talk to you and Mags," He said simply, blue eyes watching me with the careful glint reminiscent of an owl's, both permanently suspicious and unattached at once.

"Alright, I'll just get Annie and we'll -"

"Alone."

The finality of his tone struck me, a slight anxiety already resonating in my bones over whatever words he was planning on bestowing to Mags and I. My brows furrowed, searching his stony facade for any hint of what this private audience would entail.

"Well, I have to go talk to Annie about some Games-related stuff," It was a lie. "Y'know, mentor-to-tribute." I didn't have to go see her; but when I was around her it alighted laughter and something indefinable that had long lied dormant in my body. So, I had made a point of coming up with some trivial question or topic to discuss with her at least once a day. Usually our conversations veered off almost instantly, much thanks to her strange but lovely questions. Yesterday, she had asked me one of my favourite ones yet.

"If you knew a magician," She had whispered, staring off into the distance with her face turned to the moon, the white light illuminating her bewildering eyes. "Would you ask to know his secrets?"

I pondered the question for several seconds, wondering what the right answer was.

"No?" Was my final response, tongue rolling as if it was unsure of the word.

She had sighed at my bewildered face before taking several slow steps towards me, her eyes penetrating me in a way that left me slightly dizzy.

I gripped the balcony's railing, steadying myself as she approached. I could still feel the wind drying the cold sheen of sweat that had overtaken my forehead, the warmth of her small body so close to mine. She smelled like the rain.

"Finnick," She smiled softly. "There's no right or wrong." It was as if she'd read my mind. "I don't care what you answer, so long as it's you."

I had never had anyone speak to me the way she did. In all honesty, I had never met anyone who spoke the way Annie did. It was this odd but brilliant mix of philosophy, whimsy, and a dash of melancholia.

Amphitrite's solemn stare brought me back to reality.

"I'll talk to Mags first, then." He countered, unwavering in his determination. "Just come by the meeting room when you're done with Annie." He turned away, already heading off in the other direction.

There was something tired and almost weary about his last few words, but I didn't care to evaluate the reason. Instead, it was time to go meet Annie.

The normally short trip to her room felt longer than normal, and by the time I reached her door I was already antsy, hands tingling oddly.

My curled hand stretched upwards to knock on the light wood, but before my knuckles even tapped the door, it was being swung open.

My fist was still standing freely in the air when Annie looked up to see me.

"Oh, hey Finnick!" The smile that stretched her lips was so instant, so immense, beautiful, and genuine, I could feel the blood rushing to my face.

God, she's so pretty.

"Hey, Annie." I smiled, letting my awkward hand drop and slide into my pocket. I couldn't help the grin that overtook my face. It was so big it didn't even allow for a flirtatious comment to seep through it. I just wanted to smile.

She looked at me expectantly, cocking her head and staring at me with big, long-lashed eyes. She was waiting for me to tell her why I was here.

I always had a reason.

I always had some made-up question or another to excuse myself with.

No, they were real questions.

Oh, who am I kidding.

"I was just bored." Was the unexpected response that seemed to slide out of my lips, landing with an oomph on my shoes. Please please please, I prayed, don't let her think I'm annoying.

Finnick! I admonished myself. You're Finnick. Since when are you concerned with -

Oh, she laughed. I love it when she laughs.

"What a coincidence, so was I." She bit her lip and looked downwards, a slight pink resting on her cheeks. She had stopped blushing so harshly around me, but it was still constant and adorable.

"Then again there's not much to do around here," She sighed. "Unless I want the Pastels to do my hair." I chuckled, recognizing the term she'd told me about a few days ago, a name Petal, Flicker and Antoinette seemed to love.

"So that leaves even less for me to do!" I quipped, settling onto her slightly ruffled bed while she continued to flit about the room.

"Oh, please!" She called from the bathroom, and I watched her reflection laugh. "They'd be more than happy to do yours, and if not I'm sure you could make a sport out of how many women you can seduce in five minutes."

She floated back into the room with a cup of water, looking awkwardly at the bed I sat on before turning and taking a seat on the couch opposite it.

My heart startled slightly. Uh, why?

I want her to sit next to me. It's that simple. Why won't she sit next to me?

When I spied the blush on her cheeks, my mind settled, if only slightly. She was really just that... innocent, wasn't she? She smiled at my sweetly from the couch, folding her knees and tucking in her feet.

I smiled inwardly. Yup. That was it.

"But I always win that game," I whined, pouting dramatically at her.

Her head fell back and she laughed, shaking her head before laying it down on the couch's back rest. She watched me quietly for a moment before responding.

"I'm sure you do, Finnick Odair." She said my name with an exaggerated attitude and flick of her wrist, emanating the Capitol women.

"Care to give me some competition?" I raised an eyebrow, letting a smirk twitch into true Odair form.

She moved her head from the couch, looking me straight in the eye. "I have already, haven't I?" She smiled softly, and my heart begun to beat faster for some unknown reason. I wouldn't allow myself to guess what she was talking about.

But I couldn't help but wonder.

While I was having my internal monologue, she observed my momentary silence before speaking in more of her enigmatic questions.

"Why do you do it?" She asked, her head yet again resting on the couch. Her hair cascaded softly over her shoulder, encasing the white skin in a tawny brown waterfall.

Do what?

I voiced my thoughts. She licked her lips, contemplating her next move before speaking.

"Act so..." She trailed off, her kind eyes searching mine for something I wasn't sure existed. "Like them." She finished.

I was speechless. My stomach seemed to drop indefinitely.

I dropped my eyes to the floor, suddenly and wholly ashamed of myself. I was the same vain, disgusting, horrible person I'd always thought. And she saw it too.

When I looked up from the floor, she was standing straight up, her eyes penetrating in every way but malicious.

"'Cause you're not," She shook her head, the tiniest of smiles lighting her face. "You're nothing like them, but sometimes you pretend you are. Like the first few days I met you."

When she finished explaining, all I could do was look at her in silence. No words came to my mind. Nothing. It was as if someone had cut open my brain, turned it upside-down, and dumped its entirety out onto the floor, leaving me to madly scramble for the contents.

I shook my head blankly, running a hand through my hair.

"It has its advantages," I managed to strangle out, using one of my usually infallible smiles I somehow felt wouldn't fool Annie.

She looked me up and down. "It seems a great deal of effort for such an insignificant difference."

"Can I be honest?" She penetrated my silence.

I nodded, dreading whatever was coming next. She was surely about to tell me how fake and horrendous I was.

"I like you better like this." She stated decidedly, her voice leaving no room for argument.

My confidence over my ability to conceal my emotions must have been completely exaggerated, because when I looked into her eyes she noticed my shock.

"Well, I said I'd be honest, didn't I?" She smiled.

My body suddenly ached insatiably, and I had absolutely no idea why. But it was surprisingly wonderful. Words started to pour back into my brain, one at a time.

"I can't say I disagree with you, Annie my dear." I rubbed the back of my neck, a grin pulling at my lips. "Unfortunately there are too many that do." If only she knew.

Her face was suddenly filled with a hidden sadness I couldn't quite comprehend.

"Well, at least I always look like this, right?" I grinned cheekily and pointed at my face, watching with relief as she laughed once again.

"True," She giggled, standing up from the couch. "Uh, unfortunately I already promised Leif I'd go meet him for a final pageant fitting in a few minutes." She shifted her weight uncomfortably as she watched me rise. She felt bad kicking me out, I could tell.

"No, no problem." I smiled, head still reeling from our conversation. "I'm sorry to have kept you for so long, you can blame me if your late." I walked towards the door, holding it open for her with as we both exited.

"Oh, you're in no part to blame!" She laughed in her lovely way of laughing, beginning her way down the hall, towards Leif's fitting room, walking backwards to look me in the eye. "If anything, you make the lengths of boredom that much easier to overcome!" With one more smile she turned.

I stared after her a moment, waiting till she was out of earshot to whisper something in time to the beat of my pounding heart.

"You make things a bit easier too, Annie."

My head was still clouded and unclear, swirling maniacally as I returned to Mags' and I's designated meeting room.

The creaking of its door invaded my inner world, and I watched an utterly shocked Mags walk slowly away from the crystalline door. Her mouth was slightly parted, her eyes glassy, and she clutched a tissue tightly in one hand, her knuckles white.

"Mags!" I rushed towards her, my arms immediately winding around her aged body.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" I frantically searched her face for any hint as to what had caused her such grief.

She looked up at me with glazed eyes. "I can't believe it," She whispered, her voice low and hoarse.

"Can't believe what?" I probed. The continued creaking of the door drew my eyes momentarily to the entryway, and I spied Amphitrite sitting, still as stone, in a chair off to the side.

What should have clicked moments ago only began to register now. Whatever Amphitrite had said did this to Mags. I controlled the urge to pin him against the wall and make him repeat whatever had shocked Mags into this state.

She waved her hand absently, still distracted in her thoughts. "Go talk to him." She responded. "You'll see."

That was the only answer I received before she waddled off, limping in the way she always had.

I walked briskly into the room, standing directly across from Amphitrite, who continued to stare at the wall.

I waited for him to speak. He waited for me.

Several silent seconds passed by before I sat down and he brought his eyes to me.

"I have a request to make." His words were simple and somber, as were his blue orbs.

"I can't make any promises," My gaze never wavered from his face, and the air seemed to hold an indefinable tense quality.

He was quiet a moment, and my heart started beating faster. What could he possibly be about to say?

"If it comes down to it," Pause. "I want you to save Annie."

I could barely think. I had never, ever, in all my years as a mentor had a tribute say something remotely like this. What he was saying... it meant he was willing to die for her. He was willing to die for her.

Why?

Although this should have been good news, making my heart leap with joy, I couldn't help that it suddenly plunged downwards for reasons I was completely unsure of.

We looked at each other a long while.

"Done." I finally broke the silence.

"You can't tell her, understood?"

I struggled to keep my face blank, my eyes from closing, my mouth from twitching. Somehow I doubted this conversation had gone so quickly with Mags.

I nodded in agreement. No, she couldn't know - little Annie, she would just break entirely. She'd do something reckless and stupid... try and save Amphitrite. That couldn't happen.

She was going to come out alive. I felt it.

Unfortunately I knew it was more that I couldn't imagine her not returning. Her fate couldn't be saved by my petty smiles or flirtations. She would have to do something.

Amphitrite broke our staring contest as he got up to leave.

"You know she's made the decision she won't kill anyone?"

My heart simply dropped. Why was she doing this to me? To herself? She'd never come out alive if -

"She said she'll fight. And I have no doubt she will. But she refuses to end anyone's life - even if it's the Careers."

I shook my head slowly, wiping my brow with a warm hand. Why. Why, why, why, why, why.

It took everything in me not to flip the table over and scream like a madman. Everything was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be here, wasn't supposed to be like she was, wasn't supposed to go into a kill-or-be-killed game. And she certainly wasn't supposed to be invading my head.

But I couldn't say any of this to Amphitrite. But something deep inside me told me he knew exactly how I was feeling.

"Take care of her," I spoke to his exiting back. He paused momentarily and turned around.

"I will." He nodded. "And when it's your turn, you better do the same."

With that he was gone.

My turn? My turn? My thoughts began to swim, leaving me incapacitated and entirely confused. Nothing made sense. What was he saying, my turn? Did he think Annie would win? Why would I be taking care of her?

Why couldn't things make any fucking sense?

I put my head in my hands, demanding my aching mind to start computing again. But it hurt too harshly. This year was so much harder than all the others. I should never have let myself befriend Annie. But the idea of staying away from her seemed... relatively impossible.

Small, quiet feet shuffled into the room. Without looking up I knew they belonged to Mags.

She sighed deeply. "That was something I never imagined I'd hear in my lifetime."

I shook my head. "Yeah," my voice was quiet and hoarse. I wanted to voice everything I was feeling; but I couldn't. I didn't even understand what I was feeling myself.

Mags creaked into the chair Amphitrite had recently taken, and I for the first time I saw the coffee cup clutched in her wrinkled, papery hands. Her fingertips caressed the cup nervously.

I kept my head in my hands and stared at the table, my head beginning to throb.

LISTEN TO: VIDEO GAMES BY LANA DEL RAY

I wanted to see Annie.

No, no you don't. I attempted to persuade myself to stay away from her. I couldn't corrupt her in the way I surely would. I couldn't see her. I shouldn't see her.

My heart pounded against my chest, thrumming throughout my entire body. When I thought of her smiling face my chest began to warm pleasantly, fluttering into my limbs and erasing my headache. She'd make me feel better. She would, I knew she would. She would make me forget about the Games and Amphitrite and the pain and -

I tightened my fist. It wasn't me that needed all this. It was her. Why was I complaining when it was her who would be thrown into the Games in a week?

Mags placed a hand on my aggressive fingers, sighing. "You should probably go get Annie."

It takes me a minute to understand what she's saying.

I get to go see Annie.

Before I can talk myself out of it I nod and squeeze out of my chair, walking slowly down the hallway towards the girl I can't yet understand.

Each step is heavy and laboured, and my hands itch to grab against the wall and stop myself from walking any further. How will I be able to look her in the eye, speak to her, be near her, without spilling the entirety of my soul to the girl with the frightening eyes?

She's unlike everyone else. There's something about Annie that's got me confused, and I can't figure out what that is.

I arrive at her door sooner than I would have liked. I knock and clear my throat. The large door is suddenly dark and intimidating, the wood staring at me in defiance. Silently daring me to find what lies behind it.

I clear my throat, an unusual humming resonating throughout my body. I knock.

Once. Twice. Three times.

No answer.

I stared awkwardly at the door, willing it to open. It doesn't.

I swallow hard, my palm pressed against the cold entryway. "Oh Annie..." I trail off, my voice attempting to pierce through the thick separation piece.

No response. Impatient, I press my ear to the door. The sound of water humming resounds off the walls. She's in the shower.

Sighing, I open the door and stamp my feet. I silently kick off my shoes and pace around the room, adrenaline coursing throughout my veins. It's strange to be in Annie's habitat without her, and it holds a slightly thrilling illegal feeling. A sharp noise from the bathroom catches my attention, and I pad towards the closed door.

I place my ear to the door of the bathroom, where I hear a sound that's not quite water.

Every inch of me is alive. Grabbing and twisting the handle at an alarming rate, I smash through the entryway. "Annie?" I call out. I look to the shower, which has completely fogged up with steam. I cautiously tiptoe to the shower door, wet spots seeping through my socks as I walk. The noise gets louder. I grasp the handle tentatively and push.

There she is.

Sobbing, writhing on the floor, fully clothed, is Annie. Her pale body is encased in a small black dress, the material clinging to her skin within the layers of water. I can see her arms shaking, weak and fragile like leafs in a storm.

Within the second I drop to the floor and slide to her, taking her in my arms and rocking the fragile body back and forth. Back and forth. She's cold and stiff, even when I press her into me her reaction is slow and creaking.

When my fingers delicately grasp her she cries out louder, her bruised arms initially fighting me. Water stings my eyes, but I grip her tighter, ignoring the faint slap of her hands on my shoulder.

"Shh," I soothe, pressing my mouth to her ear, "shh, it's alright. I'm here. I'm here Annie. And I won't let anyone hurt you." The water is warm and everywhere, leaking into my every crevice, falling into my mouth and gargling my words. Her hair is soaked and pressed against her face, distorting her beautiful profile. I can feel her smooth skin against my cheek. When she looks up at me her eyes are terrified, but they remain the dangerous green of the sea before a storm. There is shock in those eyes, and pain that I can't begin to comprehend; but there's also recognition. She sees me.

"Fi-Finnick," She sobs, choking on my name and crying harder. Her tears are too much, her pained expression and dead eyes turn me into a mess. My body threatens to send me into the same state Annie finds herself.

But everything in me fights to remain lucid for her. She needs me. She needs me. She needs me.

"It's just me, I won't let anyone hurt you," I coo, holding her shaking body close to mine. I will never let anyone, ever, ever hurt you Annie. I will fight tooth and nail for you, I don't care how it's done - I'll get you out of that Arena. My thoughts are trembling and bordering on unsure; I no longer have a grasp of what I can do or can't. Everything I once thought was important seems trivial, anything I once thought I knew now seems false. Nothing makes sense besides holding her now. I just want her to stop crying.

Stop crying.

Oh, please stop crying.

"It's not me I'm worried about," She whispers, "it's their blood - oh, god." Her voice is terrifying, one that could ripple still water and make sirens silence themselves. "I can already feel it on me, and no matter how hard I try it just won't come off!" She wails, turning her body completely into me. She flails at her skin, wiping at an invisible liquid on her body that isn't water.

"I know, baby, I know." Baby? My mind freezes. How did that come out? My body freezes along with my mind, and I stop rocking her. But as I do I feel her body increase in shaking and within second I continue. "You're going to get through this. I'm going to make sure you do, okay?" Fuck, Finnick, this isn't the time.

"No, I - I just -"

I start to take off my jacket and wrap it around her, as if to shield her from the shower. If only I could shield her from the world in the same way. "Stop, Annie, shh. It's going to be okay... be-because I'm going to get you back home. I am going to do everything in my power to get you home." I've haven't been at such a loss for words in years. But she is doing this to me. I can't fight it, I can't ignore it like I've done with so much else. Nothing matters besides this shower, this moment, and I can't even think of what to say.

She shakes her head but remains silent. My hand, shaking, reaches up and pulls her soaking hair away from her face. Her eyes, lost in a sea of smudged makeup, look up at me terrified. And it breaks my heart. Those amazing, frightening, eyes, holding such terror. This girl should be back in the district, swimming in the ocean and breaking boys hearts. Instead she's here. My hatred for the Capitol has rarely been so great as in this moment, and I feel anger boil within me like lava in a volcano. The demon strains against its leash, breaking away and howling for blood. Snow. Snow.

A small hand grips against my shirt, and its Annie. Annie, Annie, Annie, everything that matters is Annie, Annie, Annie.

I can see in her eyes she doesn't know what to do. She wants me to tell her, wants me to guide her.

I coo at her, sweet nothings in her ear, gently standing her up and bringing her out of the shower. I grab a towel and attempt to dry her off; but she fights me with what little energy she has when I reach for her dress. Taking off the soaking wet clothes isn't an option, she blushes and struggles, try as I might. She won't let me see her naked.

This is different than any other situation I've been in with a woman. When they look at me to guide them, it's to guide them to a bed and make love, pretend passion under false pretenses. When I reach for their clothes, they are flung away immediately. Now, Annie fights to keep them on as I try to prevent her from catching hypothermia. She continues to grip my shirt, afraid once she lets go she'll fall and not be able to get back up. But maybe she won't be able to - I don't know with Annie.

Wrapping my arms around her delicate body, she nestles into me as I take her to the bed. She's so tiny, it almost scares me. Her wrists are not emaciated, not her ribs protruding from her chest. But she has no muscle, she could barely be 115lbs. This delicate creature has no place in the Hunger Games.

Slowly, carefully, I place her onto the plush bed and pull the quilt over her trembling body, smoothing the covers over her. She grips at the blanket and whimpers, tears forming in her eyes.

I don't what it is that makes me slide into the bed and pull her into the protection of my body, my arm winding around her waist, her head resting on my arm. But moving, in this instant, feels like the most cruel and heartbreaking task I would ever have to complete. She buries her face in my neck, and we lay together, words hushed, two sopping wet bodies clinging together for life and sanity. My whispers are soft and my caress on her cheek even lighter, and when her lips brush ever-so-slightly against my collarbone a fire ignites inside me. My breath catches, fingers instinctively tightening on her curved hip where her dress has ridden up. She is wholly soft and wondrous and utter perfection. Eyelashes tickle my shoulder and calm my beating heart, but long after her eyes flutter shut my own are plastered open, my skin trembling in its own way, body revelling in her heartbeat that I can feel through my t-shirt, fingers cautious and aching to feel her silken skin.

Eventually, my eyes closed and we fell into something like a synchronized slumber.

Many eyes closed that night, few woke up seeing the same.

I told you guys you wouldn't be disappointed! I loved writing it, and I've been planning the shower seen for a longgggg time now, so that was amazing to finally complete.

And this chapter up means something else... the dance is coming! Next update guys, I promise you that - and I know exactly what's going to happen! :D

Hope you guys loved it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I'm so entirely enthused that I finally get to write in some romantic feelings between Finnick/Annie.

And one more surprise: There's a banner for this story on my profile! Check it out!