Title: Barely Breathing

Rating: M- for safety (suggested violence, adult themes, and occasional language)

Characters: FinnickxOC; a little of KatnissxPeeta and we'll see if any more will be added in later chapters

Summary/Warning: Another look into the world of the Hunger Games as seen by one of the previous victors. Starts out in Catching Fire and moves on to Mockingjay in later chapters. Story closely follows the books so spoilers will go along with the story although creative licence is used in a few areas with the addition of another character.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games, Catching Fire, or Mockingjay in which this story is inspired from. I do use direct quotes every now and then from the books themselves when the timelines coincide but I tend to leave out a lot of the in between to more explain the story line of the new character and some of the supporting cast in the original stories.

The Capitol, that overly dramatized land of glutinous citizens and flourish of color, always seemed like a far off land that people only made up in stories. But what kind of parent would tell stories of such a place and of the games they hosted every year unless it was truth. Who would believe that there were actually crowds of people cheering the blood and gore of children while indulging themselves on the food they hold back from others? Even if the Districts were outside those pristine walls and practically foreign countries even to each other, was there really the lack of basic morality that didn't see the children as humans but as 'tributes', beings to be used like animals and slaughtered like such. No, this was the reality of every man, woman, and child in Panem. Every year the reaping of children from the Districts paid it's visit like clockwork but this year was different. This year was the 75th Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell, and this year the tributes were chosen from the existing champions. While for once the Capitol was able to feel some of the dread the Districts felt ever year, fear the loss of one of their favorite champions of old, the Districts could only let out a breath. While they mourn for their victors being sent back into the arena, not all could hide the slight feeling of relief that their children wouldn't be picked this year. This year would be completely different; this year was a Hunger Games to beat all Hunger Games. This year was a Hunger Games meant to stop a rebellion. The fire of rebellion has been ignited, let the games begin.

Finnick Odair

Finnick could still hear the screams from his latest nightmare but his posture and face did not show the inner turmoil. The rule change for this year's Quarter Quell had been like a slap in the face but the reaping itself had been a gut punch. For a moment, he had lost his ability to breathe when Annie's name was called but the sweet old Mags, now a saint in his eyes, volunteered for her. Finnick wasn't sure how long he would be able to get Mags through these games but he was defiantly going to try. As far as Finnick was concerned, Mags now had a bodyguard. He owed Mags for saving Annie from the arena.

The elevator doors opened as Finnick, dressed in the finery of his stylist's interpretation of his District, waltzed through the courtyard in almost nothing but a net around his waist. The clear view of bronzed skin had the Capitol girls screaming from their station a few yards away. Knowing he would need sponsors he forced a brilliant smile and waved at them as he went to join the other tributes.

The scene before him was so much different from the scene of his first Hunger Games. All those children with those big round eyes nervously looking about, most fearing the children from the career Districts. The career Districts were known for their volunteers who had been training since birth from the hunger games. In front of him now were mostly adults, and while yes the career Districts still were formidable each one of the tributes this year were victors in their own right. While they were all crowned victor of one hunger game or another most of those before him did not look like what you would expect a victor to look like. Almost each one of the victors looked haggard, old, or strung out on drugs. Very few were still young and hadn't hit the alcohol yet. It was these Finnick's keen eyes looked for as he walked to gather with the other victors.

In order to survive, and to keep Mags alive in return, he would need a career pack of his own in the arena, a temporary truce to take out the greater threats. He had a mission this Hunger Games and his sea of blue eyes found her standing by her horses petting them awkwardly. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, she was the one he approached after greeting a few other victors. Just who was this girl really who had ignited the embers of rebellion with a handful of berries.

Sapphire Reed

Sapphire sat perched on the half wall that surrounded the tribute's gathering area, her ever watchful green eyes flitting between the champions. Compared to the rest she almost looked normal even with her blood red hair and ever changing temporary tattoos slithering down her arms. Her way of coping with the result of the Hunger Games was to claim the one thing she could control, her body. One separated from the group and made his way to her, her fellow tribute from District 10, Nexus Rose.

"We should be talking to the other tributes." Nexus said as he grimaced a smile at the Capitol fans at the door. "And you should actually smile instead of growl at your sponsors, looks like neither one of us are following the rules here." Sapphire simply replied barely sparing him a glance. Nexus leaned on the wall beside her so that his face was inches away from hers. "Look I know you want to make it through this as much as I do. We have to play this right, we need teammates when we enter that ring." One of the tributes from District 9 puked in a corner. "Oh yeah, plenty to choose from. At least it'll be easier to slit their throats when all the others are gone."

Sapphire didn't wait for Nexus' response as she hopped off and started walking to their chariot just as the gong rang out to gather them all together. This was all just a game, and she didn't have the stomach to play it. Everyone here would be dead except one when these games were over. Sapphire was a fairly recent victor but she had gotten to know a few of them through her years of being a mentor. Her hand went into her pocket to finger the cold metal of a tattoo pen.

Before she had been reaped in her Hunger Games, she had been an artist. Sure she had been drawing during the dead of night and when she snuck off to odd corners of her District but it had been her passion. Livestock and animals was a job but drawing had been a habit. She wanted to capture the rare beauty in the dismal world around her and keep it safe in the pile of odd scraps of paper under her bed. When she had emerged from the Hunger Games her mentality had been greatly fractured as most victors were. The beauty in the world was now coated in a layer of blood. The only way she kept her sanity was to work complicated designs on her body. She needed to be able to see them whenever reality threatened to rupture. Her eyes would take in the pattern and examine it; adding things here and there, changing colors, or even erasing it all together. For once the Capitol was able to give her something she needed, a tool to temporarily tattoo her skin and erase it all to start anew when the design was beyond helping her. Sapphire currently sported a day old design of frantic sharp lines, burning faces, and utter chaos. Soon even this would be taken from her, the tattoo pen would be replaced with a weapon and they would expect her to take another's life once more.

The drums started and Sapphire jolted some when Nexus hopped on the chariot beside her. He didn't mention anything but just stared on ahead as their horses started forward in the precession. Emerald eyes watched as the giant doors came closer, this road was leading them to the games, and this road was leading them to President Snow. Her eyes darken at the thought of Snow. "He will die." she thought but apparently it had been muttered aloud as Nexus looked over at her. His look of surprise morphed to determination as he nodded. Before the chariots crossed the threshold Sapphire only said one more thing. "Whoever you choose I will help as long as the victor fulfills our overall objective." To free Panem, to kill President Snow. "That's the goal." Nexus said as the light suddenly engulfed them and the roar of screaming fans drowned out any other conversation. This hunger games the tributes from District 10 were united, this year they both wanted to see the man standing over them now dead. Their eyes didn't flinch from his as they pulled up before him and as Sapphire later noticed on the re-runs that night, neither did the eyes of half the other tributes. The only other eyes that defied Snow's almost as much as her own were those of the young mocking jay, the eyes of the girl on fire.

Finnick Odair

Finnick paced in his Launch Room as he waited for the voice to tell him to go to the tube that would lead him back into hell. His stylist had left him, and probably for the best. While Finnick had never said a terse word to the stylist, they hadn't necessarily gotten along. It didn't matter anyway, now was a time when he needed to be alone. His mind was swimming with planning, what to do with different scenarios. Anything could be waiting for him above ground and he had to be ready for it.

His outfit didn't give him much of a hint; it was fairly thin material so all Finnick could hope was that they would not be facing freezing cold weather. "Alright, let's go over this again. First I need to get Mags and then I need to get Katniss and Peeta." Finnick thought out loud. His eyes caught the glint of the gold bangle Haymitch had given him to wear. Apparently it was a sign to Katniss and Peeta that he was an ally. He was fairly certain it would work on Peeta but he wasn't certain about Katniss. They hadn't necessarily hit it off. No matter what Finnick did all he seemed to do to her was annoy her. Besides the gold bangle, he had also been told to look out for red ribbons on two other tributes. Apparently Haymitch hadn't known who the other group would be just yet when he had seen him last, Finnick could only hope they waved that ribbon up and down like a flag before he ran his supposed teammates in with the nearest spear.

The voice suddenly called out to prepare for the launch and he made his way over to the tube. His gut clinched as his skin grew clammy. All the deaths and his own near death experiences came flashing back at him as she struggled to regain control of his lungs again. "Got to find Mags. Got to find Katniss and Peeta." he started chanting in his head as the countdown started for launch.

There was an odd delay in the launch as he stood surrounded by glass but eventually the plate beneath him raised him up and for a moment he was blinded. His instinct noticed before his eyes did, Finnick found himself surrounded by water. In fact all the tributes were surrounded by water. The cornucopia was in the center surrounded by a lake of water with rocks branching out in lines. The tributes were positioned in a circle halfway between the cornucopia and the beach. Just as he had been chanting a moment ago Finnick quickly started surveying the area searching for Mags, Katniss, and Peeta. He couldn't see Peeta but he did find Mags almost 5 tributes away from him to his left and Katniss was to his right. Something was wrong with her, she looked as if she was about to hyperventilate but she quickly got herself together and did what he had just done. With the look in her eye it was easy to see she would bum rush the cornucopia. Looking back at Mags as the official countdown started, he signaled for her to meet him at the cornucopia. He couldn't protect Mags on the mad dash to the middle but since both of them were from a fishing District he had to hope that her swimming abilities were as good as his own. Finnick crouched, ready to pounce as the countdown ticked down.

5..

4..

3..

2..

1!

Finnick dove into the cool water and all sound briefly muted itself. His body glided through the water while he could hear the floundering splashes of other tributes. He reached the nearest line of rocks first, the others still trying to swim to where he was. Taking the advantage he ran for the cornucopia, nimbly jumping on the rocks. Mags was already on the rock line nearest her as well but her way to the cornucopia wasn't nearly as fast. Finnick saw other tributes nearing her rock line and he picked up his pace. He would have to grab a weapon and meet Mags, the other tributes could easily overtake her pace. As an afterthought he chanced a glance at Katniss. She was behind him on her line but her speed was about equal with his. She was easily traversing the uneven rocks while others near her stumbled or slipped off.

The mouth of the Cornucopia displayed a brilliant array of weapons and provisions but Finnick had already seen what he wanted and within seconds of hitting the ground of the Cornucopia he had the trident and net in his hands. He turned and found Katniss getting her bow. It was automatic but as she spun around with the bow notched and ready to kill him he had poised himself to attack as well, the only difference was the slight smile on his face. "You can swim, too," he said, water still trickling down his face. "Where did you learn that in District Twelve?"

"We have a big bathtub," she answered. Her voice told him she was deciding if she should shoot him or not. "You must, you like the arena?" Finnick was trying to get her to calm herself enough to see him as an ally instead of a threat. It was obvious she was sizing him up and when she responded with a "Not particularly. But you should. They must have built it especially for you," he figured she thought him an agent of the Capitol. Couldn't say he blamed her, he played the Capitol to get what he wanted from them which was meant to look like he enjoyed the Capitol and do what they asked. He was sure in her eyes, he was the enemy in tribute form. He could only hope the gold bangle Haymitch gave him would sway the disgust he could see in her eyes.

"Good thing we're allies. Right?" Her eyes caught on the bangle as he hoped. A quick display of emotion plays in those eyes before she finally snaps out a "Right." just as a tribute comes up behind her ready to attack. "Duck!" Finnick commanded, his voice momentarily different from normal in the need for immediacy, and she did. He threw his trident just in time to catch the male tribute from District 5 in the chest. Moving to get his trident back Finnick kicked into gear. "Don't trust One and Two." He said over his shoulder as his eyes found Mags. Apparently the two tributes behind her had stopped to struggle with each other and Mags was making it to the Cornucopia on her own. When he glanced back to Katniss she was slinging on a quiver full of arrows. "Each take one side?" she asked and Finnick nodded in agreement.

"Anything useful?" Finnick asked as he scanned his side of the Cornucopia as well as the waters on the other side to track what tributes were where. "

"Weapons! Nothing but weapons!" Katniss called back.

His quick scan had proven the same. "Same here, grab what you want and let's go!"

Mags was hitting the land immediately surrounding the Cornucopia and Finnick nodded to her but she was pointing behind him. Finnick swung around only to find a sword inches from his face. It was held by a thin woman with blood red hair and green eyes that looked about as deadly as the sword which had only failed to hit him because another was blocking it from him. In front of him was the male and female tribute of District 10, Sapphire and Nexus. "Sapphire, Finnick is the one I told you of." Nexus said harshly as he parried her sword aside. Sapphire straightened as her eyes flitted to survey the rest of the area while Nexus turned to Finnick.

"Sorry, adrenaline and all. It can be hard to see a gold bracelet when everyone's out to get you." Nexus said as he held up an arm that had a red ribbon tied to it. Finnick's brain finally kicked in as he lowered his trident slightly. "Haymitch?" Finnick asked, already knowing the answer as Nexus nodded.

There was a clang of metal and the three looked to Katniss who was facing Brutus. "Are we helping that one?" Sapphire asked. Finnick didn't know how she had done it with him there the whole time but the woman was already loaded down with weapons besides the sword in hand. "Yes. She had intrigued you hadn't she?" Nexus asked. Sapphire simply nodded as she swiftly popped out a knife and with a smooth practiced motion threw it. Brutus who had been using a belt as a type of shield and had even parried one of Katniss' arrows hadn't been concentrating on Sapphire and the knife embedded itself into his leg, downing the male before he fully reached land. Before Katniss could send off the killing blow Brutus rolled the few feet to the water and submerges.

Katniss looked at Sapphire and Nexus and then to Finnick. Finnick could only nod to say they were safe and apparently it worked for her. "Let's clear out." Katniss said as he saw that the careers were starting to hit the Cornucopia. "Your female tribute is point at something." Sapphire said nodding to Mags. Finnick and Katniss caught what Mags was pointing at in mere seconds, Peeta. He looked to be stranded on his plate, unable to swim. "We'll cover you while you get him." Nexus said as both him a Sapphire took either side of the entrance to the rock line that lead to Mags and Peeta. Finnick nodded and ran out to Mags.

Finnick had to stop Katniss from diving in for Peeta herself, giving off the excuse that she shouldn't exert herself with her pregnancy. In all honesty Finnick was fairly certain the whole relationship between Katniss and Peeta was a hoax and that the pregnancy was an even bigger one but it gave him a quick excuse. He was the faster swimmer and they needed to get out of there. While Finnick had noticed Sapphire and Nexus in training and knew they could more then hold their own, they would be easily outnumbered at the Cornucopia.

Getting Peeta to cooperate was much easier than Katniss and within minutes Finnick was dragging Peeta onto the rock line at Katniss and Mags' feet. When Finnick looked up to find the tributes from 10 he could only watch as Nexus fell from a dagger to the head. The dagger had come from Cashmere. Immediately Finnick took off back to Sapphire who let out an unearthly scream. A tribute from 9 took the force of her anger as he blocked her path to Cashmere but Finnick was there just as she was about to leap over the fallen body to make a mad dash at Cashmere. His arm wrapped around her waist and held her from moving forward. "You can't!" Finnick gritted out as she fought to get free to tear out the golden locks of the woman who had killed one from her District. Gloss walked up from behind Cashmere and smiled at them. "There are too many careers there. We need to retreat!" Sapphire blocked a throwing knife that Cashmere threw almost to taunt her but it seemed to snap her out of it. Finnick paused only a second before letting her go, her green eyes snapping to him and then beyond to Katniss, Peeta, and Mags. Katniss had passed out weapons to Peeta and an awl to Mags and was now notching an arrow looking ready to try for a shot at the careers behind them. They both quickly went back to them. Finnick easily picked up Mags and put her on his back over his net as he held his trident in his free hand. "Let's go." Katniss said and they all ran away from the Cornucopia, ran away from the piles of dead tributes and the career pack that had now taken over.