Hey! Hey! Hey!

I don't like walking around this old and empty house

So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" The press called as Annie Cresta the most recent victor of the Hunger Games walked by on her way from her interview with Caesar to the train that would take her home to District Four. Seemingly ignoring them she continued walking beside her mentor, Capitol heartthrob and the victor of the 64th Hunger Games, Finnick Odair. She continued with her forward motion until one leapt in front of her startling her and earning a growl from her mentor as he knew how hurt she felt and how she couldn't deal with this guy and neither could he but he had to for her sake, to protect her even though it hurt.

"Are you really as mad as they say?" The reporter blurted out not caring that he had clearly startled the girl or that the question was extremely personal and unbelievably rude to ask anyone, but this was the Capitol, why should Finnick expect anything else? None of them here knew the first thing about treating other groups of people as being human and having feelings, just look at what they do with their Hunger Games competitions. Annie leapt back after the reporter had appeared and had seemingly not even heard the question but was even more startled just by his sudden appearance and the bright blue skin, shining orange tattoos and spiked black hair. Her sea green eyes blinked rapidly and her black curls shook as the rest of her did in fright. Finnick's similar sea green eyes took in her fear and stepped in front of her in an attempt to shield her from the reporter's view.

"She's not mad!" He exploded with a harsh rebuke in the form of yelling and putting his face right in front of the reporter's with his bronze curls bouncing every which way. Taking a deep breath the mentor forced himself to take a deep breath so that he would calm down and none of their families would be harmed in response to his outburst. Gritting his teeth he replied to the man's question with a much calmer voice and put on a big fake smile, the same one he wore to every capitol event, "She's not mad, sir, just in a state of shock I suppose. I too am a victor of the Hunger Games and it is very difficult to wrap one's head around whatever way you look at it from the 23 others dying around you to the shock of realizing you are the only one left. Well needless to say it is quite shocking, now if you will please excuse us we have a train to catch to District Four and from what Iris says we are running on a very tight time table." Pushing past the crowd, Finnick could imagine the look on Snow's face as the President saw that here was another person Finnick was determined to protect, another person Snow could use against him.

Pushing these terrifying tendrils of thought away, the young man pushed through the rest of the crowd to the train praying that Annie was following and nobody else made the mistake of messing with her. Stepping onto the train he turned around and offered a tan hand to the girl to help her on the train. As she took his out stretched hand he could feel her hand so small and shaky inside of his and then he knew that no matter what Snow would retaliate with he had to protect this girl no matter the cost. Letting go of her hand as the doors closed the boy started down the hall and wasn't too far along when the train lurched to a start before gaining speed as the girl whimpered at the original sound.

Turning around he walked back to where the girl lay curled up on the ground with both of her hands over her ears and her sea green eyes squeezed shut in fear as she tried to hold herself together through the undeniable onslaught of memories from the games. By the time he'd crouched down to her level he could see her mumbling unheard words and knew that the only thing he could do was hold her close and whisper calming words so that's what he did. He sat down beside her and helped her into a seated position before wrapping a warm arm around her and whispering over and over again, "It's okay, you're safe." He continued with this statement even though he knew it was a lie and neither of them would ever truly be safe despite false promises that this would be so. About twenty minutes later the girl had calmed down enough for him to take her by the hand and lead her to the dining area where Iris, their Capitol representative, and Mags, his mentor, were awaiting their company.

A few hours later, during which Finnick and Mags successfully managed to coax a little food down the girl's throat along with a little water to wash it down, the group arrived to the screaming of its citizens as they welcomed them home. Annie was so freaked out by all the noise that Finnick again was forced to step in front of her and protect her from the world. After saying a few words and getting Mags to speak in Annie's place, he led the girl to Victor's Village where her family awaited her unbeknownst of her condition.

"This is your new home Annie." Finnick grinned as he theatrically gestured to the big house jokingly while at the same time carefully watching her eyes glance around wide as those of a deer in headlights. Walking inside she spotted her parents who were startled by the change in their daughter despite Finnick's parent's warnings that no one ever enters the games and comes out the same. There was a sword on the wall left by its previous occupant who had died quietly of old age a few years prior and was viewed by the rest of Victor's Village as one of the lucky ones, not many made it to old age or got to pass away painlessly in their sleep. Catching sight of this sword, the girl screamed which scared the Crestas to the point that Mr. and Mrs. Odair had to drag them into the kitchen while Finnick's older brother Mako snatched the sword off the wall and followed his parents into the kitchen. Again leaning down to her level Finnick soother the girl with the same words he'd used on the train and was relieved when she relaxed and saw that the weapon was gone. She still turned to him for confirmation that she was safe now and he nodded before standing up and offering her a hand, "Would you like to see the rest of your new home? It's one of the only perks of being a victor."

"I don't like walking around this old and empty house." The girl told him in a whispered voice that was hoarse from lack of use as these were the first words the girl had spoken since leaving the arena. The sound of her voice comforted him because it revealed that there was still someone inside fighting to get out of that traumatized shell.

"So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear." Finnick promised with that flirtatious ending coming naturally after having spent five years working on being someone he was not to protect those he loved. She nodded ignoring this and took his hand allowing him to lead her the whole way around without another episode. It was quite some time before he or anyone else heard her voice again but Finnick did not despair though many others did because that voice had reminded him that there was still a life inside that broken girl fighting to break free. Even then, though he was unawares, he was already beginning to fall for this broken girl.