A/N- Thank you for reading, especially since this story is so long. It should be done within a week or two, though. Then I'm going to start a new, separate story that goes through Catching Fire and Mockingjay, because this one is getting a lot of chapters. So again, thank you for sticking with this, and please review.
I actually manage to forget about Johanna Mason after that, at least somewhat. When I first get home, I find that there are bigger things to think about, although for once, not necessarily bad things.
First, there's the girl.
Annie, who I hadn't been able to tear myself away from since we got back, decided that she wanted to go into town one day. Not the normal part of town either, but the section where she used to live, with the dilapidated shacks and starving vagabonds prowling the streets. She doesn't remember this place, not really. I mentioned it in passing one day, so she decided that she wanted to go.
Just like the only other time I've been here, rain is pouring in sheets, and the only people outside are the ones who have no other place to go. I can feel hate radiating off of them when they see Annie and me, walking around there with our thick cloaks and money burning through our pockets. More than the anger, however, their despair seems to cling on me, and it seems impossible to shake off.
"This is where I grew up," she whispers unbelievingly, clinging to me tightly. A homeless man stretches out in a box, sending a school of mice that were sharing an alley with him flying into the street. Annie jumps, and I hold her even tighter.
"Do you want to go?" I ask her. She nods, and I hurry her into the newer, nicer part of town. Yet, Annie never ceases to amaze me. Instead of wanting to get home, she drags me from store to store in that horrible rain, clearing shelves of food and blankets, clothes and coats.
"We're going back, aren't we?" I ask her.
"I felt bad," she says simply, as if that's a cause for buying six dozen cans of soup.
After we buy everything, we return to the slums. By then, it's late at night, and we can hardly see a foot in front of us. Yet, she insists on going from house to house, knocking on the door and giving out bags of supplies. Neither of us say our names, but I think that everyone knows who we are. Who else would have the money?
It takes the whole night to finally finish, so we aren't walking home until six in the morning, or the time when the men and women are all heading out to the boats. They all stop to stare at Annie and I, who are soaked and shivering, stumbling along to Victor's Village. Strands of hair hang in my face, and it feels like my eyes have been sunk back into my head. I'm exhausted.
That's when someone grabs my arm. I turn around, expecting to see some fisherman or something, wanting to talk about the Games. What I see instead, is a little girl, probably around nine or ten. Her long bronze hair is braided down her back, and her sea green eyes seem tired, with dark circles under them. They seem too old for a girl that looks so young.
Despite how weary she looks though, she's beautiful. Her skin is smooth and tan, her features soft and angelic, and her eyes are stunning. She has a bright white smile, even though there's a gap between her two front teeth, which gives her the cutest grin I have ever seen.
She looks like she should be a mayor's daughter, or even like she wouldn't be out of place at a place as luxurious as the President's mansion, yet she's wearing the same clothes as all the other people going out to work. Well, except for the diamond studs the adorn her ears. That's what tips me off. I mean, I guess the eyes really should have, if not everything else about her appearance. For some reason, I just couldn't get myself to believe that it really was my sister, until I saw those earrings. Almost no one else in the district could afford them, let alone would make their daughter work on the boats. But my father made me work, because he wanted me to learn skills that I'd need for the Games. I guess that means my bad example hasn't deterred him from wanting her to participate as well.
"You're Finnick Odair," she says. Her voice is melodic, like she's singing almost.
"Yes, I am," I tell her. My voice, on the other hand, is dry and husky. It's her, it has to be her.
"And who's that?" she asks, a suggestive tone in her voice, like she's assuming that it's some random girl that I'm with. Annie, if you can imagine, doesn't get half of the attention from the people that I do. She's somewhat scared to go out by herself, and Snow doesn't invite her to the Capitol because everyone there thinks that she's completely mad. It isn't surprising that she wouldn't know her.
The way that she says that, though, like she thinks Annie and I were doing something a lot different than helping the poor, basically confirms my suspicions. If it truly is Daisy, she would've definitely been brainwashed.
"Annie Cresta," Annie says, holding out her hand. She doesn't look at the girl when she says it, though, instead, she tosses me a questioning look.
"Oh, so you're a Victor too," she says, her smile growing bigger. "What would too Victor's be doing walking around out in the rain so early?" Annie smiles gently.
"We were helping people from where I used to live, out by the old pier." The girl looks surprised, her jaw dropping open a little bit.
"Wow, I never would've expected to hear about Finnick Odair helping the poor."
"Annie held a gun to my head. I didn't really want to go," I mutter sarcastically, not thrilled with that view of me. Annie, however, isn't thrilled with my sarcasm. She jabs her elbow into my ribs, and I jump.
"He likes to be sarcastic," Annie says. The girl laughs.
"I never would've guessed." Wow, sarcasm must be a family trait.
"Why did you stop us?" I ask her, wanting to hear her say it, to confirm what I'm so sure is true.
"I wanted to meet you," she says with a glint in her eyes.
"You don't seem to have a very high opinion of me. Why would you want to meet me?"
With another quick smile, she turns to leave.
"Just to say that I did. Now I'm sorry, but I have to get to work. My father is going to be very mad at me if I'm late again."
"Wait," I call after her. She stops. "What's your name?"
"Daisy," she says, then skips away. I want to chase her, but I just stand there and watch her leave. I don't know why. I just can't chase her. I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to see her again, not without my dad finding out. Of course, I'm wrong again.
So, that's one thing that takes my mind off of Johanna. Then there's the whole Rafe thing. Remember how we had that sort of fight about me and all the women of the Capitol? Well, his girlfriend, Lavinia, sort of gets involved with that, too. Annie, who's started sort of remembering what Snow is doing to me, gets in several arguments with her after Lavinia tells her to dump me. Lavinia also happens to give me a huge lecture about responsibility.
Okay, she's a nice girl, really with her easy humor she's perfect for Rafe. But she's also extremely unimpressed with my morals, and it gets to the point where I just try to avoid her so we don't get into arguments. This gets Rafe and I fighting again, especially since him and Lavinia are virtually joined at the hip, so I end up avoiding him as well.
"What is your problem with her?" Rafe finally asks me one day when he's actually alone.
"Well, maybe it has something to do with her cute little nickname." She's started calling me Coriolanus Jr., which I find extremely annoying. Incase you aren't familiar with it, that happens to be my loving President's first name.
"Okay, maybe the nickname is out of line," he says, "but it's not like you haven't earned it."
"You have no idea," I spit at him. He shakes his head.
"I don't see what's so complicated about it."
"Not everything is as it seems," I tell him.
"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asks.
"I can't tell you," I say weakly. He throws his hands in the air in frustration.
"This is why you drive me nuts," he shouts. "You act so normal. Being accused of being anything other than a saint drives you insane. Yet, you are such a creep. You and Annie have been together for years, but you cheat on her every chance you get. For crying out loud, maybe once, maybe it'd be understandable. But every fucking time you set foot in the Capitol, you sleep with five different women, even if they're twice your age.
"It can't be money you want, you're rich enough that you could clean your ass with money if you wanted to. Fun? Isn't your life exciting enough? And if you wanted to forget, why do you treat alcohol like poison? That's all I could think of, but none of it fits."
"Sometimes, it's just because you have no choice," I tell him.
"Enough of that shit. Tell me what is wrong with you." He tries to make me meet his gaze, but I look down.
"I can't," I whisper.
"Then quit getting mad at Lavinia for confronting you about it. She has reason to dislike the Capitol, and she isn't thrilled that I'm so close to someone who seems like he was born there."
"Is that really what you think, that I act like I'm from the Capitol?"
"Only if there's a rich girl around," he says. With that, I give him an ultimatum.
"I'm not able to change, so either lay off and tell your stupid girlfriend to get off my back, or stay away from me."
"Finnick-" he says.
"I want to hear your answer right now."
"This isn't fair, I'm just trying to help you," he says, suddenly not angry anymore. My resolve fades, and I think about letting him out of this, but he needs to make a decision now, or we'll just fight about it more.
"I'll lay off," he finally says. "But please, think about what you're doing."
"I do, all the time," I whisper. Then I walk off. I'm happy, but I'm also tired off all of this. I immediately head to Annie's house, because no matter what, I know that she'll comfort me.
So, fast-forward another month after that fight, and Annie and I are helping out in the slums again. Since that first time, we've been coming back every week or so, giving away food and money, and even helping to restore some of the houses. We never stayed as late as we had before, however, and we usually back to Victor's Village by two or three. Then, one day, one of the families invited us to stay for supper. We ate, talking with them some, and didn't get to leave again until six or so. By then, all of the workers were coming home from the boats.
"Do you remember Daisy?" I ask Annie. She nods.
"If you see her, please help me find her. I just want to talk.' Annie smiles up at me.
"Are you missing your littler sister?" she asks.
"That's the problem," I tell her. "I can't miss her because I don't know her. She's my own sister, and I've spoken to her once in over six years."
So Annie and I look, until finally I catch a glimpse of a bronze braid.
"Daisy," I call. She stops, then turns to look at me. She still looks tired, and her cheeks are wind burnt, her hair damp from salt water, but that does stop a gap-toothed smile from spreading across her face.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it Mister Odair," she says.
"Too long, if I had a say," I tell her. Her green eyes light up.
"You aren't talking about meeting in the street last time, are you?"
"Not really."
"So you remember who I am?" she asks, and I almost think I hear hope in her voice.
"Yeah, I do." Then she completely shocks me by throwing her arms around me, her smile even bigger.
"I always thought it was so cool, that you were my brother. Dad doesn't like you very much, but I always sort of thought that he might've been jealous, because you seem nice enough right now."
"Ah, he's not jealous," I tell her with a smile. "He never liked me much before those Games either."
"I think that's just his personality," she says, and I have to laugh.
"I don't think I'm going to argue that."
"Speaking of that, he's going to pop a gasket if I don't get home real quick. I do want to see you again, though, even if I'm not supposed to. You're my brother," she says, like it explains everything.
"Why don't you hate me?" I ask her quickly.
"Because, Dad is a jerk, Mom was a jerk, so my family sort of sucked. I guess I just imagined you as a hero, but I never could talk to you, because I'm always working."
"I'm sorry," I tell her, really meaning it. I know how she feels.
"I'm used to it," she says, then hugs me one more time. "I work every day except Thursday and Sunday, until six. Just look around here, and I'll find you, if you want."
"That'd be nice. Tomorrow?" I ask.
"Tomorrow," she agrees. Then she walks off.
From that day on, we meet almost every day, getting to know each other again. So I guess I'm happy about that, even though she's sort of started taking Rafe's place, since we still aren't exactly friendly again. I guess with every good comes some bad.
So, as you can imagine, Johanna Mason was the last thing on my mind. She turned into just another victor. Let's just say that didn't last very long.