A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the positive feedback. This chapter does have a bit of smut, you've been warned.

I push Cashmere out of the way, and she squeals, tripping over something in her ridiculously heels. I'll apologize later. I just need to see what's going on. Finally, with a lot of pushing and shoving, I manage to make my way to the front of the crowd. I hear a lot of screaming, and I'm not sure what's going on. Gloss is breaking up what looks like a fight between Finnick and Gale. It's not even a fight, just Finnick screaming at Gale. If they were fighting, I'm positive Finnick would win. He's a lot stronger, and given by the swelling beginning to form on Gale's right cheek and his bloody nose, Gale wouldn't stand a chance. I catch a little bit of what Finnick's saying, "-was not okay. Thats my girlfriend, and you're not even friends with her anymore. Remember what you called her? Well both me and her do. Say what you want about me, but don't you dare say anything about Katniss. You better watch your back in the arena. I killed twelve people in my games, I have no problem making that thirteen-"

I need to interject. This is getting out of hand. And the press is eating it up. This'll be in every tabloid by tomorrow morning. "Stop it!" I cut Finnick off, and come in between the two of them. "Just stop! Gale, that wasn't okay. No, that was terrible. If I didn't dislike you already, I would now. I don't know what you were thinking. Did you even think before you proclaimed your looove on national televison? That has mandatory viewing. Every single person in the world was watching. Did you think I would just run into your arms and leave Finnick for some asshole who's made my life intolerable these last two years? Lover, boyfriend, makeout-buddy? Not a chance. You're not even my friend." I spit. It's harsh but I don't care. I'm seeing red. I turn to the press, "Why are you even here? Go home." They scurry off. I can be terrifying. "Let's just go upstairs." I say to Finnick, and we walk into an elevator with Gloss and Johanna.

"Well, tonight was way too dramatic for my taste." Gloss sighs, leaning against the wall of the glass elevator. He stands up when the doors open and a ding means we're at the first floor. "See you guys tomorrow. Finnick, don't wear her out too much." I roll my eyes and the doors close behind him. I agree with Gloss. I just wanted to relax and enjoy my last definite day alive. I did, but of course Gale just had to start some drama. Whatever. I think he likes getting me angry, it gives him some sick satisfaction. I'm over it. Gale's a part of my past, not my present or future. Finnick and I will spend the night together, and try to get our last few peaceful hours of sleep.

The elevator stops on the seventh floor, and the doors open. Johanna gives me a small hug and nods at Finnick. "Night you two. See you on the hovercraft. And may the odds be ever in your favor," she jokes. As the doors are closing, she stops it with her high heel-clad foot. "Hey Finnick? Breathe. It's gonna be okay. You can trust me." I let the doors close, and don't say anything. Trust Johanna with what? Do they have some arena strategy that they've been keeping from me? Probably. Maybe that's what Johanna and Haymitch were fighting over telling me. I shake those thoughts out of my head. I don't want to think about the arena, or at least not for a good twelve hours. Besides, it's probably not even about me. Being in the Capitol has made me way too self-centered.

We get out at the top floor, and I reach up to entwine my hands in Finnick's hair and capture his lips in a rough kiss. It's sloppy and wet, but neither of us care. Finn and I completely ignore Gale and Haymitch conversing in the living room. I wrap my legs around his hips, and grab onto the base of his neck. He shakily carries us into my room. This is where I had my first time, and where I'll have my last time. I pull Finnick onto the bed, and he suddenly stops. "We're gonna take it slow," he tells me. I look at him confused, and he stands up to close the door. He explains, "you're gonna get romance." I giggle a little at him, and shake my head at how ridiculous this is. Not that I care. Tonight, we don't have sex. We make love.

He kisses his way down my body, slowly undressing me. He stops at my navel, and I sit up, kicking off my heels. They land in the corner of the room with a loud thud. "You're wearing way too much clothing." I tell Finnick, taking off his shirt while he kicks off his shoes. I kiss him again, not wanting to be separated from him. I fall back on the bed, effectively pulling him on top of me. I pull away to kiss down his jaw and suck on his pulse point. I'm pretty sure they'll be a bruise there tomorrow. That's the least of my concerns right now. My mockingjay dress is pooled around my waist, and Finnick's poorly attempting to unhook my bra. I fumble with the button and zipper on his pants, until I finally get them off. I pull them down and throw them on the floor. He's hard already. Boys, I laugh inwardly. I stick my hand in his boxers, and grab his length hardly. He groans, and his hips jerk forward. I stroke him once or twice, before stopping. I smirk at him.

"You're such a fucking tease, but I love you." Finnick tells me, standing me up. "Romance, not a quickie. I forget that this is your first real relationship sometimes. I'll show you how to make love." He slowly pulls down all my clothes, and folds them on the chair. I roll my eyes. He shushes me and walks back over, striking a ridiculous pose. "Do the honors?" I laugh and pull down his boxers, turning them inside out and hanging them on the bed post just to mock him. He turns off the lights and walks over to bed, pulling the blanket over us. The moon provides the only light. I can only see shadows.

I pull a magnum condom out from the drawer, and open it quickly, rolling it on Finnick easily. Better safe than sorry. He slowly guides himself into me, agonizingly slow, propping himself up by his elbows. I sigh, "I'm not a virgin, you know." He mumbles something, and kisses my neck before filling me completely and then pulling almost all the way out. He does this three or four times, until I'm sure I'm going to strangle him.

"Fine. Fine. So needy." Finnick jokes, thrusting a little faster. I wrap my legs around his waist, pushing him farther in. I roll my hips and moan softly. I tilt my head up to kiss him again, our tongues battling for dominance. He moans in my mouth and I bite down gently on his lip. We set a slow pace, but it's still so good, so so good. I wonder if this is how most normal people have sex. It really doesn't matter, when you're the most attractive, envied couple in the world, there is no normal. I feel myself getting closer, and Finn's thrusts are a lot less rhythmic. Our bodies fit together perfectly like the pieces of a puzzle. I let out a silent scream, seeing white-hot stars as I clench around him. He thrusts one, two, three more times and comes with a low grunt. "I love you." He tells me quietly before rolling off me and throwing the condom in the garbage.

He slides back into bed, and I lay my head on his chest. I yawn, and he hums a melody from a song I've never heard. We both lie naked under the soft earth-tone comforter, and I try to catch my breath. The only word to describe that is beautiful. I think we're meant to be, or something like that. I don't think it gets better than this. I absentmindedly trace a pattern on Finnick's bare chest with my fingers, and he twirls with a few strands of my hair. After a moment, he speaks. "You know, I lost my virginity in the training center apartments," Finnick tells me. He exhales sharply and continues, "Her name was Lily. She was my fellow District 4 tribute. Lily was four years older than me, but neither of us cared. We just wanted to enjoy ourselves before the games." I don't know why he tells me this. As if he can read my mind and understands my confusion, Finnick mutters after a moment, "Just thought you should know."

I smile to myself. "I lost my virginity in this actual bed," I state, even though we both already know that. "I had just won my games a few days prior, and I found out I was gonna be a prostitute. So this total player who was twenty-two years old helped me lose my virginity so I would know how nice sex could be without the unattractive creepy Capitol men." I sit up a little to give him a peck on his lips. "And I fell in love with him, and he moved all the way out to District 12 of all places to live with me. And then we lived happily ever after." I pause and mock Finnick gently. "Just thought you should know."

"Something like that," Finnick mutters. I curl my body up on his. We lay there, half awake and half asleep. I drift off a few times, but I'm too nervous to even get an hour of sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night, Finnick asks me, "Do you want me to sing you to sleep?" I nod, yawning. He sings a song I've never heard about love, the sunsets and the sea. His song is cut short when he falls asleep in the middle of the verse. I manage to fall asleep as well. And even in my current situation, I sleep well. For the first time in a very long time, I have no nightmares. It's not an empty sleep either. I dream. I dream of a place where Prim and I dance in a meadow, and where children grow up without a fear of being reaped, and there's no President Snow, no Panem. It's a fantastic dream. I really hope he dies. I wish I could be the one who gets to kill him, but as long as he'll end up dieing, I don't really care how. I just hope it's agonizingly slow and terribly painful for him. Snow deserves that.

We both manage to drift off for a little. I wake up to Finnick kissing my forehead and whispering, "Get up, Katniss. You don't wanna miss this." I groan, and rub my eyes, but I follow him up a staircase I've never seen. When we get up to the top, the sun is starting to rise, peaking over the mountains in the horizon. It must be seven to seven thirty in the morning. The dark purple is streaked with pinks and oranges and yellows as the sun stretches it's fingers over the water.

"That's beautiful." I tell him, and it is. I almost cry a little, realizing that this is the last real sunrise I'll ever see that won't be in a terrifying arena. It's so beautiful and despite everything that's going on, I feel alright. There's nothing to say, no words that can explain how I feel, so I just kiss him. It's different. The kiss is passionate but there's also a sense of urgency, almost as if Finn's realized we have almost no time left. I press my body to his, and realize we're not wearing any clothes. Whoops.

Finnick notices too, and laughs. "As much as I love seeing you naked, we probably should get some clothes on. How about a shower first?" He suggests. Neither of us move though. We both just lay there, watching the sun light up the dark sky. Today is the day I've been dreading for months. Today, we travel back to the arena: the place of nightmares and canons that mean deaths. But it's going to be so much worse this time. I know my competition now. Even someone, say Brutus. He might die, and I might even kill him. We're not even friends, but I know him. And none of us are teenagers any more, well except me. Most of the tributes this year have families and kids, or even grandkids. I think of Cecelia with those three children clinging to her side. It'll be hard for me too. I have friends, someone who's practically family and my boyfriend in the arena with me. Only one person will come out alive. I swallow the lump that's beginning rising in my throat. I can't cry. I will not cry.

Instead, I stare at Finnick. Physically, everything about him is perfection, from his bronze hair to the tips of his toes and everything in between. Such a waste, that his life has been reduced to this. Killing and fucking and putting on a mask for the world to see. Nobody knows who the real Finn is, the sweet, caring, funny guy I've fallen in love with. The whole world just sees a cocky, arrogant, self-centered jerk and player because that's how he has to portray himself to keep his family safe. It's terrible, but then again, life is terrible. There's not much we can do about it. We'll never have to sleep with anyone else we don't want to sleep with. I frown, I want to keep Finnick alive. But if he stays alive, he stays for sale. He'll be okay.

Finally I leave my thoughts and answer Finnick with a small nod. He picks me up, carrying me bridal style downstairs. I giggle the whole time. They say you never forget your first love, and now I understand why. This feeling I have, it hasn't been tarnished with betrayal or heartbreak or anything that ends a relationship. There's just love and lust and it's perfectly proportionate. I never want to let any of this go. But soon enough I will have to. The thought of that makes me want to cry or punch a certain president. I'm not sure which one.

He drops me gently in the shower and turns on the water. I shriek a little as the ice cold water hits my back, and Finnick laughs at me. I stick my tongue out at him, and he kisses my nose. I relax a little as the water warms up. I push him up against the cool tile wall as steam fills the air, our lips colliding. It's perfect and I just want to savor the moment forever. It's not neat at all, just a battle between tongues for dominance, a clash of tongues and teeth and it's amazing but nothing special at all. It feels so much different. My kisses with Finnick are numbered. My everything is numbered. I remember we're on a schedule. I reluctantly pull away to shampoo my hair. Finnick decides to rub body wash all over me, and the look on his face while he does it is hilarious. I know very well what he's trying to do. "You really can't keep it in your pants." I tell him, but I don't mind. I can keep up with him. Maybe this'll be our last time – in a shower in the training center, but I don't care. We love each other, and that's really all that matters. I smile a little, knowing that regardless of what happens a month from now, we'll have this love. I let him push me against the shower wall, ignoring the soap dripping down my body.

"Let's get you cleaned up." Finnick smirks at me, kissing me again. I let him wash the soap out of my hair, and I wash his back. We hear something loud shattering outside. It sounded like a glass breaking or somebody dropping a plate. Whatever it is, it's followed by a string of expletives, from who I assume

was Haymitch. Gale doesn't curse like that. I quickly put some conditioning cream in my hair, and wash it out leaving it smooth and shiny. Finnick does the same, but gets it from a different button on the shower. That must be why his hair is softer and better-looking than most guys; he uses conditioner. He's been in the Capitol so long, he's probably had time to play with every single button in the shower.

"We should get out." I tell Finnick. As much as I'd like to stay here forever, I do need to get dressed. I throw on clean and comfortable but very cute underclothes, and put on a barely-there slip dress. Our outfits will be given to us after we get on the hovercraft. I braid my hair and put on lipstick. I don't need makeup, I'm going to be fighting to the death. When my mother and Prim bury me, they'll give me a face full of makeup before they do so. Whatever. Old habits die hard. I walk Finnick to the elevator. "I'll see you out there. We'll be okay." I stand on my tiptoes to kiss him and he wraps his arms around my waist. I never want to let him go, but I have to.

"Love you. I'll see you in a few hours, okay?" Finnick turns and walks into the elevator, the glass doors closing behind him. I sit down at the table next to Gale and Haymitch. They don't speak. I manage to chew a little toast, but I'm too nauseous from the anticipation and sheer terror to actually eat anything. I drink some juice.

Soon, enough, it's time to go. I say goodbye to every room in the training center apartment. My memories in each of the rooms is substantially different. I lost my virginity here. I threw a knife at Gale here. I yelled at Effie here. I can't believe I'd ever feel like this, but I honestly just want to stay here. My home in the Victor's Village feels less like a home than this dumb, ultra modernized floor. Of course, if I like it, the Capitol will take it away from me. They can't have me actually be happy for once.

As Haymitch walks us to the hovercraft, he pulls me into a hug before I get on. It's so unexpected I don't know what to do. I just hug him back, and say nothing. After a few minutes, Haymitch tilts my chin up and makes my look him in the eyes. "You be careful out there, sweetheart." I cry a little in his embrace. I've never seen him be caring to or about anyone before. Drunk, old Haymitch with his dumb but endearing nickname for me and his alcohol and his oily hair and messy looking clothes. I care about Haymitch. He's more than a drunk old guy to me. He's almost like a father. He's tried so hard to keep me alive, and we both know there's no more he can possibly do. I kiss his cheek and walk away. Right before I get on the hovercraft, he stops me. "Oh and Katniss? When you're in the arena, just make sure you remember who the real enemy is."

Something about his words haunt me. I think about it for a minute, and shake my head. "Is that really what you're wearing?" Gale asks me as we step on the hovercraft. I roll my eyes. He always has to cause a problem with something that I do. Whether it's what I eat or what I wear or who I like or love, Gale has to make it a big deal because I act different from how I did before I was forced to fight to the death and sold into prostitution against his will. And the craziest part is that no, he doesn't think he's being unreasonable. I don't even know what to say in response to that.

"Are you stupid? If it's on her body, she's wearing it. If you have a problem with Katniss, take it up with us." Johanna snarls, pointing to Cashmere, Gloss, Blight, Finnick and herself. She's even saved a seat for me on the hovercraft. I'm flattered by the gesture. "Hey, Katniss. You look cute." I sit down in between Finnick and Gloss on the wide chairs. The Peacekeepers come around to put the trackers in our arms. When the peacekeeper goes to put it in mine, Johanna reaches over gloss and knocks my hand out of the way, so it ends up being injected not in my wrist, but in the palm of my hand. Both the woman and I stare at Johanna, and she shrugs. "Whatever. You don't want an ugly lump in your arm. Get my hand please," she tells the woman. It's weird but I don't question it. Johanna Mason does some pretty weird things, and that's just that. Nobody would be crazy or suicidal enough to question her motives.

I lay my head on Finnick's lap for the hovercraft ride. It's a lot longer than the last one – maybe three and a half hours instead of the twenty or so minutes. It builds a ridiculous amount of anticipation. "Where are they taking us?" I ask Finnick. He shrugs, clearly he has no idea as well. I'm pretty sure that wherever we're going, it'll be a fantastic arena like no other, and I'm sure it'll be in an extreme environment. These games are unparalleled, and the arena itself must reflect that. President Snow probably wants to get them over as soon as possible. We all do.

"Times like this made me wish that they told us more about what's outside of Panem. Supposedly there were 4 other large land-masses, and large oceans in between them and little islands all around. I wonder if other people live there now." Cashmere thinks out loud. You can't say these things! My mind screams. I want to shake them. Sure, everyone thinks bad things about the Capitol, bu you don't voice them out loud. The only time I've done that is in the meadow with Gale, which is illegal in itself. I look over at Gale. I miss him. Not that I'll let him see that. Our times as friends was over a long time ago. And that's not my fault, so I have nothing to regret. He made his choices, and I make mine.

Finally, we get off the hovercraft. I kiss Finnick goodbye, and follow the peacekeepers to Cinna. When I see him, I scream and run into his arms. I miss Cinna already. He was the first (and the only) person from the Capitol I've come to trust. He's the kindest person I know, and I worry that he's risked his life after that stunt last night. "You look lovely like that." Cinna smiles at me, and kisses my forehead. "Now let's get you dressed." Cinna takes my dress, and puts me in a royal blue tight-fitting outfit. It looks like a mesh wetsuit, or something divers wear. It's a very fine fabric, and won't be much help with sun or cold. There's matching booties made of the same material, and a purple belt with some type of squishy foam in it.

"What do you think it is?" I ask him. "It's nothing cold or strong." I rub a bit of the fabric between my fingers, and stick my arm out for Cinna to feel it. He shrugs, knowing as little as I do. He pauses, and reaches in his pocket and attaches something to my chest. My mockingjay pin.

"I thought you'd want that." Cinna smiles sadly at me. "You have ten minutes. Let me get you some food." As soon as he leaves the room, I run to the bathroom, feeling the bile rise in my stomach. I heave a few times, and throw up breakfast and most of last night's dinner. What the hell? I'm glad nobody saw that. I clean myself up, and walk back outside. Nobody was here to see it.

Cinna comes back in a few minutes later, with some stew. I have a few sips, but mostly I just drink water. I just sit there for a while, and then a speaker tells me to step up onto the platform. I hug Cinna tightly. "Thank you, for everything." He kisses my cheek and I step on the glass plate. The walls close behind me, but I don't move. I raise an eyebrow at Cinna, and he just shrugs. A few moments later, two peacekeepers come in and start attacking Cinna. They knock him on the floor, and start beating him with sticks. I'm screaming and banging on the door, but it doesn't budge. Finally, they drag out Cinna's lifeless body, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. Then, the platform decides to rise.

President Snows has killed Cinna. Not just for the dress, but to unhinge me. And it's worked. I take a few breaths. I need to prepare myself for the first few moments in the arena, those are the most important. There will be time to mourn later. The plate rises to the top, and out into the arena. I'm not prepared at all I for what I see.

To my left is Chaff. I can't recognize anyone else, but there appears to be tributes grouped in twos in ten to twelve spokes, surrounding a silver cornucopia. The sun is so bright, I can't really tell. I look down at my feet, and at first I think it's the sun and overwhelming shock playing tricks on my eyes, but in reality it's that the sky is reflected of the ground. When it laps over my toes, I realize it's water. The whole arena is water. Only one thought is able to form coherently in my mind.

This is no place for a girl on fire.

A/N: How was that? Did you guys like it? If so, please review! ^.^