Beta-Read by: gkmoberg1

Dear Sister by The Pretty Reckless

Dear sister, can you help me lie?

I've told the truth so many years

No one seems to wanna hear that

I'm not someone else inside

I've been alone this lonely road

Looks like I'm not coming home

But I don't mind, please don't cry

Chapter 8

It was pitch-black in Winnow's room when the door slid open with a hiss. The dark-haired young woman did not stir from her slumber, face pressed into a pillow. A dark shape crept through the darkness before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. At the shift of weight on the bed, Winnow did stir, but did not wake. She shifted in her sleep, her back curling against the intruder's leg.

Finnick Odair sighed, reaching for the lamp beside Winnow's bed to lighten the room a little. Winnow was curled against him, her dark hair bound into a long plait away from her face. She wore a little shirt and shorts pajama set made of dark blue silk, no doubt another gift from either Pyrrhus or Artemisia.

He shook her shoulder gently to wake her, persisting even when the teenager flailed her arms to make him go away. "Winnow, little minnow, wake up," Finnick requested softly.

Winnow rolled onto her back, her dark-lashed eyelids to reveal tired blue eyes. "Finnick? What is it?" she asked sleepily, rolling over again to lie next to where Finnick sat.

Finnick took a deep breath, running a hand through his thoroughly tousled hair. "I wanted to apologize for the way I acted towards you last night. I was short with you, and I know I did say things that conflicted with what I had said before." He remarked.

Winnow propped her chin on her arm, eyes brightening as she woke up. "Why were you in such a terrible mood?" she asked curiously.

Her mentor took a deep, shuddering breath. There were dark circles under the heartthrob's eyes, but the conflict and despair Winnow saw in his eyes were not indicative of a night spent with one of his rich Capitolian lovers. "Have you heard of Cress Llyn?" Finnick asked quietly.

Winnow nodded, sitting up beside him. "The Victor of the 72nd Hunger Games- she's a bit mad, isn't she?" she asked.

Finnick nodded shortly. "She was one of my tributes. Like you, Winnow, but she isn't so strong. If Cress had known then what she knows now, she wouldn't have bothered trying to survive the games. She would have gladly died, rather than emerge to this type of world." Finnick informed his tribute, whose brows furrowed in confusion. "She has tried several times to take her life, the most recent having been yesterday," Finnick added.

"Why?" Winnow questioned simply.

"Because the games don't end when you leave the arena, Winnow. You just enter a different kind," Finnick said bitterly. Winnow leaned against her mentor's shoulder, eyes full of confusion- and reluctance, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"I don't understand, Finnick," she murmured.

Finnick sighed, wiping his hand down his tired face. "When a Victor leaves an arena, Snow tests the waters. If there's an interest in the Victor, Snow makes them prostitute themselves to Capitolians," he told her.

Winnow's mouth gaped open. "He can't do that!" she protested even as Finnick hushed her.

"Yes he can, Winnow. Because Snow is evil and ruthless and no one would dare cross him. If a Victor were to refuse, Snow would slaughter those the Victor loves. You, he could not force. You have no family and precious few friends- but I do, and Cress does. In order to protect those we love…I would do anything," he told her with a hint of defeat in his tone.

"Oh, Finnick," Winnow murmured sadly.

"Cress' mother called me yesterday. She was crying, telling me how Cress had tried to take her life again. She told me how the healer managed to save her life, and just a few hours later, Peacekeepers entered their home and carried Cress out from her bed. She's missing now, and I do not know where she is, or if she is alive. Snow could have decided to just get rid of her now, after she has tried to take her life so many times and take herself away from the Capitolians who purchase her time and body," Finnick managed to explain to Winnow, his voice cracking several times.

"And I feel responsible for Cress' fate- whatever it is," he whispered to Winnow. "I'm sorry for speaking so harshly to you. I don't want your fate to be mine, or Cress', anything but what you make it," Finnick said, his hands wringing together in his lap.

Winnow sighed and wrapped her arms around Finnick, the older man molding his body to her shape. "You will never be responsible for my fate, Finnick. I am old enough and smart enough to make decisions based on logic and reason, not just what you may tell me. Whatever my fate is…it is what it is. And there is nothing you nor I can do about it." She remarked.

"Do you really care so little if you die?" he asked with a sorrow in his voice as if he had some personal stake in the situation.

Winnow shrugged. "I care more than I did two days ago. But I have no family. I have no one who would miss me, and I honestly feel that is best. If I won, there is no one for Snow to hold against me, and if I lose, there is no one who will miss me."

Finnick shook his head. "I would miss you. As would Mags and Pyrrhus. I don't know what you've done to that fool, but he has dozens of sponsors already lined up for you. Reed has made you a fan favorite before you've even entered the arena," He remarked knowingly, Winnow shook her head and smiled as response. "I heard you did well today," Finnick changed the subject to Winnow's relief, nudging her shoulder with his own.

"Yes…I will tell Cato that I will join the Careers tomorrow- as well as secure Kai's safety," Winnow answered briefly, yawning widely. "Did you speak with Enobaria?" she questioned.

Finnick nodded. "She was angry," he admitted. "But we decided that we could use your publicized meetings with Cato as a romance angle," he added.

Winnow's eyes widened, and panic as well as annoyance crawled up her throat. "Finnick!" She protested, only for him to shake his head at her.

"Don't worry, little minnow. All you must do is hint at it; Caesar will surely bring it up, and you don't have to admit a thing. Play coy, just as we have already discussed. We want it to seem like a passionate partnership- something realistic, but not too wild and idealistic," Finnick explained. "You and Cato are not lovers- you are partners. Based on what I've heard from your training sessions, your fighting styles are quite compatible. Make a pair of yourselves, fight at each other sides in the Games. You will be different than any other so-called couple that has been or will be in the Arena. You're not sickeningly in love- innocent creatures that deserve to have a chance at life together. You two are wicked, and willing to fight to get out of that arena- with your partner," he continued on, growing a little more hopeful the more he spoke.

"Okay," Winnow conceded with a sigh.

"I should let you sleep," Finnick murmured, slumping where he sat, toying with his fingers. He did not move to get up and leave her room.

Winnow suspected he did not want to be alone, after what he had told her this night. She sighed, putting an arm around his shoulders. "If you're quiet, you can stay," she uttered quietly, making her mentor's eyes shoot up in surprise.

"Don't be ridiculous, Fontanne. That would be inappropriate," Finnick responded quickly.

Winnow shrugged. "Everything about this late night encounter is inappropriate, Odair. But I know if I didn't want to be alone, there's nothing in this world that could tear you away. Why can't I do the same?" She queried in response.

Finnick merely chuckled in response. "Alright, alright," he said with a subtle relieved expression spreading over his face. Winnow scooted back in the bed, laying down again on her belly to fall asleep as Finnick lay on top of the covers next to her. "Good night, little minnow," he told her, a smirk curving his lips as he turned out the lamp.

"Call me that again and I'll gut you," was Winnow's response.

Haymitchsat down opposite Katniss and Peeta, a tumbler full of scotch in hand- despite the early hour. "So you've had a full day of training among the other tributes. Who do you think is your biggest threat?" He questioned.

"Cato." Katniss answered without a thought.

"Winnow," Peeta added.

Katniss turned and gave Peeta an incredulous look. "Winnow?! Did you not see Cato?!" Katniss demanded.

Peeta pursed his lips. "I did. But did you watch Winnow?" he asked in response. She gave a little shake of her head, as if she saw no point in it.

"I hate to say it, Everdeen, but Peeta's right. From what I've heard…Winnow is your biggest threat, Cato a not-so-distant second," Haymitch interjected.

"What?!"

Haymitch motioned for Peeta to speak. "I was watching her most of the day, Katniss. Winnow's strong- really strong, and she's deadly with a knife as well as the trident- I saw her practicing. She's fast, strong, and smart. And unlike the Careers, she has no illusions about the Games, or an ego to blind her about her capabilities or anyone else's." Peeta explained. Haymitch nodded in agreement.

"She is a Career," Katniss gritted out.

"Not yet," Peeta pointed out. "Not officially. They want her bad, though. Cato was staring at her all day," he continued.

"I'm more inclined to believe he wanted her for something else, rather than just as an ally," Katniss responded.

"Katniss, Winnow is someone you should befriend, not antagonize," Haymitch spoke up. She responded with a look of disgust. "She hasn't joined the Careers yet. She has no allies or deals yet; except maybe her district partner. Winnow's undecided. We should try to get her on our side. Which is why Peeta will try to talk her up today,"

The look on Peeta's face indicated that he had not heard this before- but he quickly nodded in agreement. "It wouldn't hurt if you tried to be nice too, Katniss," Peeta remarked. His district partner merely huffed in response, turning away to eat her breakfast. Peeta and Haymitch traded a dubious glance at the thought of Katniss being nice.

A/N: I hope to hear a response this time! It does inspire me...