Finnick hadn't made an appearance on the train ride home at all. Once they arrived home, Renata caught a quick glimpse of him darting off the platform and then he disappeared. It was apparent that he was going to skip out on the whole event and during all the hubbub and rushing in her preparations, her suspicions were confirmed as she saw the form of his boat out on the ocean while she was being whisked to the Justice Building. The nervousness she had felt at the beginning of the tour had returned, and she couldn't stop pacing back and forth as she waited to take her post in front of the community. Kain's family would be out there, for one, and with the buzz of her engagement still fresh in the air, she wasn't sure if she could go out without fainting.

Renata blinked and she was at the microphone, staring at the entire population of District Four. She let out a shaky breath and fished for the right words. Damn that Finnick, did he have to blow her off? She needed him; he helped her when she got like this… When she met the concerned eyes of Cecil, who stood near the stairs, she swallowed. She needed to be strong. She was on her own now.

"It's nice to be home," she finally spoke. "I was getting tired of going somewhere new every day." Her eyes searched the crowd of people gathered in the square, some faces familiar, some not. Only when she realized that she was looking for Finnick did she stop and blink herself back to reality. "When I was waiting to leave for the Capitol on Reaping Day, I was given a token from my father," she began, meeting Cecil's eyes again and giving him a smile. "I think that's what helped me survive the arena. Knowing that I had people I loved waiting for me at home gave me the strength to endure whatever happened there…and it's that same love that will keep me going as I move onto new things in my life." She ran her thumb against the cool band of metal around her finger and felt her heart skip a few beats when people in the crowd began to murmur. "And even if I am leaving, I don't think that it's for good. One day, maybe soon, maybe not…our paths will cross again." She nodded, giving them one more smile before beginning to step back from the microphone. "Bad things happen," she blurted suddenly, surprising herself. "Bad things do happen, and it may feel like it's the end of everything, but…you can still live."

Slowly, she stepped back and leaned her head down, having nothing else to say.

"Please tell me this isn't true," Cecil said as he pulled Rini inside the front door of his house. He swallowed and looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to laugh and say that she got him. "Renata…"

"It's the way that things have to be," she answered in a quiet voice, shrugging. "I can't change it; I don't have any choice in this…" She swallowed and fought back tears as Cecil pulled her into his arms. She could be strong. She didn't want to be a weak little girl anymore. Don't cry, she willed herself, biting her lip and holding her breath until she felt the sensation pass. "Plus, who knows? Maybe I'll learn to love it. I'm just scared right now."

He furrowed his brow and pulled back to look at her, studying her oddly vacant expression. "Will we see you again?" he asked, dreading the answer. Leona was keeping the children busy downstairs while he spoke with Renata, not wanting to upset them.

"I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen. All I know is that I'm going to do whatever I need to make sure all of you are safe. My hands are tied, Cecil."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of some situation that would save Renata from this new development. "You have done too much at my expense. I never wanted you to-"

"I owe you everything, Cecil," Renata whispered, swallowing. "It's because of you that I'm still alive. If I can keep you safe by doing this, then I'd do it a hundred times over." She stared at him, neither of them moving for a few moments. There was nothing he could do except try and accept the new circumstances.

"So now what?" he asked, scratching his head. "What happens, what…what can I do, Rini?"

"I'm going to get my things from Finnick's house, and then I'll be back. I'm staying with you until they send for me, if that's okay. I figure that have a couple days left here, and then…"

"I can't believe this," Cecil shook his head as Rini walked past him.

Renata had started gathering up her possessions that she had brought to Finnick's home, every so often looking over her shoulder to see if Finnick would magically appear there. He was obviously angry with her; there was no question of it. She huffed quietly as she emptied a drawer of her clothes and dumped them on her bed. It wasn't like she had a choice in the matter! He knew how she felt, didn't he? How many times had they kissed, had they talked about how they were the same person? She put her hands to her face, feeling the burning of tears in her eyes and she held her breath until they went away.

He could be angry at her; maybe that would be easier. In fact, she was glad that he wasn't here! Then she would probably be a blubbering baby! This way, she could take all her things and stay with Cecil until she was ready to leave. Renata nodded as if convincing herself and picked up a box, starting to head towards the front door with it.

"Are you trying to sneak away?" Finnick's voice came from the room beside the door, surprising Rini and making her drop the box.

Her blue eyes were wide and her cheeks turned red. "I wasn't sneaking," she swallowed, looking down at the spilled contents of the box. "You were the one who disappeared." She gave him a look before going back towards her room to retrieve more things, the angry look on his face making her uneasy.

"Why did you say yes, Renata?"

She stopped outside her doorway, feeling the hairs on her neck stand on end. Slowly, she turned to face him and saw that he was standing at the end of the hall, his tall frame intimidating. Her throat felt like it was closing up and she couldn't speak, so she shook her head.

Finnick furrowed his brow and he set his jaw, taking a few steps and closing the distance between them. "Answer me."

"Finnick," she whispered, backing away from him. "Stop it, you're scaring me." She gasped as he grabbed her shoulders tightly, but not hard enough to hurt her.

"Tell me why!" he demanded, a crazed look in his eyes. "You don't have to lie to me, just tell me!" He released her shoulders when she wriggled in his grasp and he backed her further down the hallway into the doorway of his bedroom. "Goddammit, why did you say yes to him?! You looked me in the eye and then you told himyes!" He let out a severe laugh and shook his head. "Is this just a game to you? What is wrong with you?!"

"Stop yelling at me!" Renata cried, tears pooling in her eyes. "It's not like I had any say in this! I didn't choose for any of this to happen! If you want to blame me and say that this is all my fault, then fine, do that! Believe what you want, you arrogant-" She was cut off as he grabbed her shoulders roughly and pushed her back. She landed on her back on the mattress and Finnick was lying on top of her, his copper hair hanging in his eyes. Immediately she gasped and cried out in fright, reminded very much of that traumatic experience in Seneca's bedroom. "Stop!" she whimpered, her lower lip quivering. "D-don't hurt me!"

Finnick froze and his eyes grew wide upon hearing her words. What was he doing? She looked like a frail young girl underneath him and he swallowed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered, shaking his head again. "Oh god, Rini…I'm so sorry, I was just…" He didn't move from on top of her, he just held himself above her and looked into her fearful eyes. His mind was going off in a million directions and there was a stabbing pain in his temple as he tried to focus on any one thing. He sat up and put his hands to his face, sighing heavily. "I don't want you to marry him," he whispered at last, removing his hands from his face and looking at her. A few tears clung to his eyelashes and he swallowed, feeling a little better once he saw that the fear was gone from her face.

"I don't either," she whispered back, swallowing. "I don't want to leave home, I don't want…I feel like I'm being tested on how far I can be bent before I break." She whimpered quietly, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry, Finnick." She sat up and rested her cheek against his arm, sniffling. When he moved his arm to hold her shoulders, she sank against his side and she nestled her face against him.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Rini," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "I'm not angry at you."

Renata nodded and sat back, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. "I'm going to take a shower," she said, scooting towards the edge of the bed and walking to the bathroom, her head hung in defeat.

Finnick watched her go, feeling his heart start to race faster. He couldn't let her go. Not without a fight. Not without letting her know that things weren't truly over.

As soon as Renata closed the door, Finnick burst through it, making her gasp with surprise. "Finn-" she breathed before he grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her hard on the mouth, his lips desperate and urgent.

"I'm keeping you here, with me," he murmured when he pulled away, looking into her beautiful eyes. He let go of her face and reached down to take her hand in his, easily removing the silver ring from her third finger and setting it on the sink.

Seneca couldn't keep Renata tied to him, no matter how hard he tried.

Renata whimpered and she wrapped her arms around Finnick's neck, feeling butterflies in her stomach as he lifted her by her hips and carried her back out towards the bed. This time when he fell on top of her, there was no fear. Any shred of nerves or uneasiness was nonexistent. Their lips connected over and over in soft, tender kisses that made the young woman feel like she was floating. Her legs fell open to fit his hips between them and she couldn't help but arch her body up against his midsection.

His mind was reeling; rarely, if ever, did he feel such passion. He had perfected every aspect of physical intimacy in his servitude, able to conjure up believable emotion like it was second nature. But now, with Renata, he was being hit with feelings that he'd never encountered before. It was more than sex – it was lovemaking. His hands trembled as they removed her clothing, peeling off each piece until there was no barrier left between their skin.

Smiles grew on both their flushed faces as they stared in wonder at each other; hesitant hands moving across warm skin and raising goosebumps.

Renata kept her eyes on Finnick's face as he marveled at her like she was a piece of artwork, and a soft moan escaped her lips when his fingertips brushed over her chest. His responding smile turned her to a puddle and when she tilted her chin up, his lips found hers once more. She put one hand to his cheek while they kissed, letting her fingers tangle into his hair and keep him close to her.

Gentle. Every touch and every kiss was given with the utmost tender care. They kissed until their faces were flushed with red and their breaths were short.

Renata leaned up and pressed gentle kisses against the base of Finnick's neck, stopping when he made a low moan. "Is that okay?" she whispered, suddenly nervous. She didn't want to think of Finnick in this same situation with countless other people. She bit her lip and searched his face for some kind of clue.

"Wonderful," Finnick replied and he leaned down to graze his lips against the smooth skin of her neck. Her familiar scent was so soothing and he found himself breathing in her aroma deeply.

"Do you want-"

"Yes," Renata answered immediately, smiling when he laughed.

"You don't know what I was going to ask," he said with a raised eyebrow, holding himself up with one arm. His other hand had travel traveled down his own body to guide his length to her waiting core.

"We're already this far, I don't want to stop." She looked up into his eyes and beamed when the same gleeful smile played on his lips. She opened a little more to him and gasped when he found purchase, and then they were one. His lips silenced her kitten-like whimpers and quiet moans as he rested his chest against hers and began his slow, rhythmic movements.

"Are you okay?" Finnick whispered after a few moments, his eyes wide. The worrying had started to seep back in. Was he as good a lover as Seneca had been? "Tell me if-"

"Shhh." She leaned up and took his lower lip between her lips and gently sucked at it, coaxing him into returning the kiss. She reached up and caressed his tanned shoulders, pulling him closer to her. "I'm wonderful."

He swallowed and sank to holding himself up with his forearms, his doubts melting away. There was no reason to worry about where Renata's true affections stood. There was no one else, no high roller in the Capitol, only the two survivors. Their bodies were created for one another, their lips molded to fit the other's perfectly. His ears tingled as the sound of his name on her tongue reached them, filling him with a warm glow. He whispered her name back to her like it were some sacred prayer; he breathed it to the skin between her breasts, into her fiery hair that he adored so much, and even inaudibly to himself.

Renata cried out against his chest at one point, feeling pure bliss that was difficult to contain. Never in her life had she felt like this, so safe and loved and free. She looked up at him and felt like she was staring into the sun. In between kisses and murmurs of affection, they found themselves laughing and smiling at one another, so fixated on each other that Snow could have walked in and been unable to stop them. Her hands never left his skin, whether they were caressing or holding onto him, they were like the careful touch of a feather.

"Rini…"

"Are you still awake?" Finnick's lips were at Renata's ear. Their lovemaking had come to an eventual but blissful climax and neither of them had the desire to venture out from the bedroom. The sun had gone down and the moon had taken its place, and they were wrapped in the sheets and in one another. They rested, and nothing could hurt them.

"Barely," she murmured in reply, nestled against his naked chest quite comfortably. "I don't want to sleep."

He smiled and kissed her temple, running his hand up her bare back. "I'm not going anywhere, love. Nobody could pull me away right now," he chuckled. He sighed happily for the umpteenth time and stared out the window at the moon hanging over the ocean. For the first time in ages, he felt his soul at peace. It was like he had come up for air after nearly drowning, and to breathe again was the most intoxicating sensation. A light breeze blew through the open window, ruffling his hair and making him slip down into the sheets, Renata's warmth radiating onto him. There were never nights like this in the Capitol. He could listen to a recording of the rolling tide, sure, but it was never like coming home. Nothing could compare to the amount of love he had for his home district. All of his happy memories and the things he loved were from Four. And as he felt his former tribute move against his side, her breaths light and even, he thought of one more thing he loved about home. Her.

So after way too long a waiting period...here it is :3. It only took so long because i wanted to make it as wonderful and ~emotional~ as possible. So hopefully it is! And if you are thinking, "But Kelsey, she's getting married! Is this the only time that they'll be doing the horizontal hula?" BERHEHE I assure you...its only the beginning! Spoilers? Nah. So while y'all are reviewing of course, I'll be skipping merrily through a field of flowers because of reasons teehee~

-Kelsey :3