When The Canary Sings

Down In The Valley-O!

First Person: Haymitch Abernathy:

I sat at a raised table by myself, watching the stage, and watching as a Capitol camera crew uncomfortably stood in the back.

Becca and Will had just walked into their small room, the only privacy they would get for the night.

"How do you like it?" I heard a familiar voice say behind me, "all the attention?"

"Hey, peacock." I smirk, taking a sip of my drink. Finnick fakes offense as he dramatically places a hand over his heart. "Where's Annie?"

"Over there." He responds, nodding his head in the direction of Annie. She was squatted down, playing with a few young kids from the Seam and Town. I smiled, somehow, Becca's win managed to unite District 12 more than ever. When I turned back to Finnick, he was lost. Completely sick. Lovesick.

"Oh no, we lost him," I laugh, pulling him out of his lovesick gaze. Finnick's eyes flick back to mine. "She's a good kid."

"She's perfect." Finnick says breathlessly. "Just perfect, but," he pauses, and swallows thickly. "You know." His jaw clenches.

"Snow." I finished for him. The golden boy nods and takes a sip of his own drink, I shrug.

"I can't. I just can't. She's the only thing that feels real. Actually real." Finnick says. "But I know, I know that the minute that I get too close, Snow gets her. Kills her." He says, running his fingers through his blonde curls. "God forbid anyone gets in the way of his plans. Can't let anything get in the way of the Golden Boy and his string of Capitol lovers, right?"

This is what I've been trying to protect Becca from. Her and Will are already all over the Capitol, meaning that Snow has leverage to use against her. Not only him, but her grandmother too.

But I know that if Snow threatened that stupid boy, she'd play right into his trap.

I reach out and rub the boy's back. "That's what secrets are for right?" I ask, and he looks up and a sliver of a smile is on his face.

"It's not fair," he drags out. "It's almost everyone, everyone has to do it. One person in the Capitol could find you desirable, and poof! Your body isn't your body anymore." Finnick says, his eyes flicker to the empty stage, and I already know what he's thinking.

"Your girl," he chokes out, and my eyes look down.

"I know." I say, "that boy who was with her when you came. He's her friend," I say, and Finnick shoots me a look. "Fine, I don't know what he is to her, but I know that he likes her and she likes him. And they are always together."

"Snow has leverage."

"Snow has leverage," I echoed, "and I tell them, three feet apart, hands off, and all this shit my girl's dad used to tell me." I say, "and I know they don't listen, and brush me off. But now, now that snake has leverage." I shrug, "and I don't want her to end up–"

"Like me." Finnick finishes.

"Like us." I correct.

Suddenly, Annie saunters over and hugs Finnick from behind. Finnick practically melts into the embrace, and his smile is back on his face.

"Come play with the kids, Finn," Annie says sweetly, "they're adorable. At least until the show starts."

"Hey, before you go, go over to the tent and tell Becca and Will be three feet apart." I smirk as Chaff walks up with a bottle of vodka he practically slams on the table. Finnick laughs and he and Annie walk off hand in hand towards the tent.