A little hope is effective.

United.

It's funny, when I had fear in me of the inevitable time went by; even though each minute sometimes felt like forever it still went by but now...now I'm stuck in limbo, I have no reason to still be here but I have every obligation to be here. It's been two days since the death of Marina, and still I can't rid my mind of the image of her convulsing on the floor, in that attack two were killed in- Marina and Glimmer- but the last two days have been quiet for the games the dropping of the nest was genius and kept the Capital pining and entertained but in its wake Katniss is stuck in the comatose state that can be induced by the stings with that little one from Eleven playing nurse; Cato, Marvel and Clove have the odd stings and have been away from the drama with the boy from three just there as accessory; the boy from twelve is from what I can make out dying slowly from a fatal wound Cato sprung in his thigh when he urged Katniss to go immediately alerting Cato to his double agent role but also setting the Capital into a frenzy of love for the pair of troubled lovers. Which in all in all means people are getting restless, oh but that doesn't mean there isn't drama building in the Capital what I keep forgetting is that Katniss stole the bow and arrows from Glimmer which has an abundance of rumours circulating. All in all, it's beginning to cause a stir, I'm waiting for something...anything but the walls of the apartment.

I sit in front of the mirror as Axel brushes out my hair, running a hot plate over it so it lies straight and fill around my face. Taking the smallest sections of hair, he braids them, securing them with clear elastics. My face is a mask, everything covered away with a layer of makeup then drew back in so I'm at the desired beauty base. Flushed cheeks, sculpted cheekbones and jaw and defined brows. In a short black skirt and a white lace blouse I look normal, look as though nothing has crashed into my world and made its axis change entirely.

'Normality.' I breathe at Axel, as I meet his gaze in the mirror trying my best to smile.

'Ayda you have to move on...' I look down at my hands. 'Remember this is your job now...'

'What to bring kids to their death?!' I hiss, standing abruptly; and pushing past him.

'Ayda you know what winning means.'

'No I knew that winning meant I stayed alive, that is all I was thinking about when I won!'

'Well you're here now, would you really make Annie do this!' I look at him in surprise, his words catching me off guard. 'Finnick told me a few nights ago...' He adds in obvious explanation.

'This isn't fair, I'm scarred too!' I scream at Axel, tears brimming in my eyes and my vision blurring.

'Ay...'

'No listen to me! This hasn't just come from the fact I've just watched two kids die, this has come from the fact I can't do this every year without turning into someone I don't want to be- the kids I was prepared for but all this shit with celebrations I don't like.'

'Wow...' Johanna says from behind me. 'Girl got a temper on her.'

'Jo...' Axel says softly.

'No all this ranting and raving is getting us nowhere, Ayda you know you would never make Annie do this; next year you will be back with two new kids and the odds say that we won't come back with you either so you need to strap on a pair!' Johanna's voice is harsh, so harsh I look at her with disbelief in my eyes. 'You're a strong on Ay, I know you are and you need to get over this because we're in business.'

'What?' I say after a couple of seconds of taking in what Johanna has just said.

'We're in business, if you dial yourself down; twelve is awake.'

'And that means?'

'That means we go and watch.'

I have no answer to her except to raise my eyebrows a few inches and turn expectantly to Axel who is also looking at her as if she has just grown a second head; which makes me feel much better about my internal confusion.