AH I'm sorry! I had no internet connection!

Did you guys like the way I brought in the secrets for payments instead of treasures?

Also CuddlyPeguin is my 100th reviewer! Thank you. Actually thank you all, you are all so nice and thank you a billion times!

I don't own the Hunger Games.

….

Finnick Odair

The moment Annie came home I was sure she would get better. It was true for the most part. She still had her nightmares, and sometimes she wouldn't talk to anyone. But she now had one of the worst fears possible if you live in District 4: she was terrified of the water.

It was about two weeks after the she came home from the Capitol. Most of the time she was fine. Mags and I tried to visit her every single day. Her grandfather didn't mind. We would chat and have something to eat, and I suggested we go swimming and fishing. Mags and her grandpa didn't want to go, saying it would hurt their bones, so me and Annie set off. It was nice not worrying about the Capitol. But I knew very soon I would have to go back. Then that would be when I ask for secrets instead of money.

We walked out, lots of people were in the ocean swimming. I could see mothers and fathers teaching their children to swim. I smiled when I saw them step into the water and their faces filled with shock ask the cold water seeped into their small bones. My mom and dad both taught me to swim, basically they did what every parent did: let them step into the water, get used to it, and then throw them in. I grinned when I thought about it, but it disappeared when I remembered when my father 'drowned'. No man in District 4 usually every drowned, President Snow had him murdered because I didn't agree to go to the Capitol one time. My heart ached when I thought about it.

"You coming Finnick?" Annie asked in small voice. She was shivering, even though the sun with big and bright, I was already sweating.

I nodded and headed over to the water, I immediately jumped in and expected Annie to come in after me. She didn't. I turned around and she was standing on the shore, waves softly lapped right by her toes.

"Are you coming little mermaid?"

"Y-yea." Her voice shook, she took a few steps in, the water reached to her waist. Then she snapped.

And she screamed.

Annie Cresta

It was all too much. The water, the waves, the sun. It was like I was in the Games all over again. I thought I felt something grab my leg and I screamed.

Finnick rushed towards me "Annie, what's wrong?"

Soon Wyatt would come and drag me underwater-

"Annie! What are you doing?"

I couldn't see anymore, I was underwater Wyatt was going to kill me this time, President Snow would be happy, he would have a big strong victor, not a weak lucky tribute that knew how to swim. But I wasn't swimming right now, I was drowning I think.

Somebody grabbed my shoulders and I braced myself.

Light blinded me, I was no longer surrounded by water. Did Wyatt take me out so he could kill me slow and agonizingly painful?

"It will be okay Annie." Somebody whispered. Finnick? Why was Finnick in the Games? A hand stroked my damp hair and lifted me up from the sand.

A few minutes later we were almost home I think, were people were whispering things? Or was I imagining it?

"Isn't that Annie Cresta?"

"Yea, that's the crazy one!"

"Oh! Finnick's holding her! How romantic…"

Finnick was holding me? I felt a warm body pressed up against me, it must be. "It will be okay Annie." He whispered in my ear.

I calmed down slightly knowing Finnick was there for me.

But then a dark figure loomed over us, and I screamed once more.

Finnick Odair

Annie's green eyes followed an imaginary thing moving around with the look of utter terror on her face. I managed to move her away from everyone else, I was planning on bringing her back to the house but when I tried to pick her up she wouldn't move. I sat with her the entire time, trying to get her to talk or move. She would sometimes she would even cover her ears. Eventually her grandpa came out to look for us. I explained to him what happened and we picked her up and brought her home, thankfully she didn't scream.

Eventually I had to leave late at night it was raining and thundering loudly by the time I got home I was soaked.

I didn't get much sleep though, so I stared out the window and watched the waves, and I wished my life could be like the ocean. I wished it could be free. The ocean was even free of the Capitol, they couldn't control it, if I wanted to I could take a boat and go as far as I could out to sea, and see what other land was out there. But I couldn't leave my family and friends.

"Are you okay Fin?" A small voice asked behind me.

I turned around and saw my little sister Opal. Standing at the doorway. Her wide eyes were frantic, all though she was twelve she still hated the sound of thunder.

"Yea." I scooted over and let sit down with me. It was sort like a drill engraved into my mind, when the thunder got loud she'd come to my room and we would sit there until it's over.

Opal got onto the bed and made herself comfortable "How is the girl Annie?"

I liked how Opal didn't say she was crazy, she sounded like she was genially concerned about her. "I have no idea. The doctors said time will tell. But so far she isn't doing the best."

She nodded "I think she will get better."

"How can you tell?"

"I watched her games Finnick. She seems like a fighter and a survivor."

"She is."

When the thunder boomed Opal flinched, she saw me watching and she put on a brave face. "You don't have to do that you know." I said "Act brave all the time. Everyone has their fears."

"Then why do you do it then?" She asked "Put on a brave face every single day. You can be scared and cry sometimes too."

We sat there in silence, listening to the rain pound against the roof and windows. Finally Opal broke the silence "When do you have to go to the Capitol for your meetings?"

I sighed, Opal thought I went for meetings, she was young and she didn't need to know those sorts of things. Nobody needed to know those things. " About a week."

Opal groaned "Really? So soon? I'll miss you." Before I could say anything she asked "Do you think I can meet Annie?"

I frowned "Why would you want to meet her?"

"I don't know. There is something about her that seems interesting. You smile around her."

Annie was very interesting "You're saying I don't smile?"

"You do sometimes, when you think nobodies looking. But most of the times they are fake."

The thunder and rain finally started to calm down "I think it's time for you to go to bed."

…..

The romance shall commence very soon I swear!