Copyright Note: I do not own anything to do with the Hunger Games series, only my own character Caroline Winters.

Actress Lookalike - Candice King

Extended Summary: Caroline Winters became the winner of the 68th Hunger Games at 17-years-old. She's struggled with the aftermath of what life is like after becoming a Victor. She does what she does to keep those she loves safe. The Quarter Quell is approaching and everyone has a part to play. The Mockingjay has become a symbol of hope and the rebellion was awakening. Can promises be kept? Can love remain strong through thick and thin?

Flashbacks will be spread throughout the book and this chapter starts with the second book/movie – Catching Fire

"She was brave and strong and broken all at once"

~ Anna Funder ~

She was running as fast as she could, the branches scratching at her arms as she passed with thorns occasionally digging into her skin. She could hear growls echoing from behind her, each getting closer and multiplying as if they were breeding one every second. Her breath came out in harsh bursts, the exhaustion begging her to stop but she knew she couldn't.

If she stopped, even for a second … she'd die.

A female scream of terror fell through the air somewhere around her but she couldn't quite tell where it was coming from. As soon as it started, it soon vanished as quick as it came. A cannon sounded above her. She dared to look over her shoulder just for a second, thinking she heard the mutts getting quieter, however by doing this, she wasn't looking where her feet were going.

She tripped.

Her body tumbled down to the ground in a painful heap. Her teeth ground together in pain, a wince filling her features when her ankle twisted the wrong way. Her heart stuttered to a near stop when the growls got louder again and by this time, they were so very close. She tried to stumble to her feet again but all she did was fall back on the rotten leaves. As if a minute passed by in a second – she was met with the horrifying sight of three pairs of red eyes staring at her, sharp teeth pointed in a terrifying growl.

She completely froze - not even able to reach for her weapons. She knew there was no chance she'd reach for them in time and her life just flashed before her eyes.

Her scream filled the forest as each mutt pounced on her and tore into her flesh like a shiny new toy. Blood spattered everywhere and all she could see was red. Another cannon echoed in the distance…

…

Caroline Winters, the victor of the 68th Hunger Games, stared out towards the sea, her head resting against the window pane. Her blank expression occasionally letting out a small tear from the corner of her eye as the sun sparkled against the water. It looked so serene, so calm, so inviting … unlike her. Nothing about her felt right anymore. It's almost like she's fighting every second to even keep a level head above water.

As much as she hated Victor's village for what it meant, it was nice to live in a place right next to the water with very few people surrounding her. Before her games, she lived in a small one-bedroom place that was only big enough for her and her little brother Evan. It had a small kitchen and bathroom – all they ever needed besides each other. It was all she could afford with the little money she was able to make.

Her parents passed away a couple years between each other when she was 12 and 16. She passed away during the birth of her brother, due to complications. Her father died during a fishing accident at sea during a heavy storm. She had to start providing for her brother after her parents passed and there were no other living relatives that could take them in. She knew that if she didn't do something, she'd lose her baby brother too and that was something she couldn't live with. He meant everything to her.

Her little brother turned 12 as of this year and she was now at the ripe age of 24. He was literally half her age and sometimes he acted more like an adult every day. She wished he would just stay a kid but with everything that's happened, she couldn't blame him. At just four years old he had to see his sister nearly die on a TV screen multiple times. She was the only thing he had in his memory, the only family he had left. Clearly, he didn't remember their mother, he was a newborn when she died, and he was only four at the time their father vanished from their lives.

At the time of her games, there had been an older woman living beside them in the area – her own daughter had been reaped for the games and unfortunately never returned. She offered to take care of Evan while she was away and promised that if anything should happen to her, he would be well cared for. She could still remember her reaping as if it were yesterday … she still had nightmares about it.

Seventeen-year-old Caroline Winters stood within the crowd, occasionally looking around her to see just who she could recognize within her age group. There were a lot of girls she remembered from school before she left but of course everyone would be here. It was an obligation – mandatory.

There haven't been many people who have volunteered for The Hunger Games in District 4 but there were still some who had the guts to do it. If you're from District 1 and 2, however, then it might be a different story. There was at least one volunteer every year, sometimes even both tributes will go at it.

She tuned out part way through and glanced back at the crowd of parents and loved ones waiting for all of this to be over. She could see her little brother standing beside her neighbor, Ms. Jenkins. Caroline was standing at the end of the row and right by the middle aisle so she could see him wrapped around the older woman's leg, keeping close to her like he was told.

The usual speech continued for a couple of minutes, the same things that were spouted out every year. Not a single word was missing from the repeat. The video they played was also the same … always the same.

It was only when she heard her name being called into the microphone that her heart froze stiff.

"And our female tribute is … Caroline Winters!" There was silence surrounding her. She didn't move a muscle as shock and terror secretly rattled her to the core. "Caroline, where are you dear?"

After hearing her names called one more time her feet started to walk numbly past everyone and towards the stage. She could hear peacekeepers stomping up behind her, probably making sure she didn't try to run off or do something stupid. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened. She didn't meet anyone's gaze as she passed them, too busy trying to keep herself together as her brother started crying next to Ms. Jenkins. He was only five and he knew exactly what her name being called meant.

And it broke her heart.

The only pair of eyes that did meet her own were very familiar to her – he was standing to one side of the stage next to an older woman in her late fifties.

Finnick Odair.

His face had a look of horror and anguish when he gazed into her eyes. You could see that he wanted to say something but knew it would only make things worse – he kept his lips shut. Caroline and Finnick were the same age. The two of them have been best friends ever since early childhood. Now he had to potentially see his best friend die in the hands of the Capitol, just like so many countless other children have before her.

Caroline sometimes thought it was pure luck she even managed to survive her games. She was skilled in a few things, having been trained on the side with Finnick and on her own with a lot of practice as they grew up. During the finale, she managed to stay alive just a little longer, just for a couple more seconds than the male district five tribute. She was announced the winner and saved at the last minute. She could still smell the mutt's breath gorging at her, making her want to hurl every time she thought about it.

She didn't have any remaining scars from her experiences in the arena all thanks to the Capitol. Even if you couldn't see the physical wounds, there were mental scars replacing them and they were scarred into her nightmares every night. She'd wake up screaming just a few hours later or she wouldn't know where she was. There was only one person who could bring her back from the brink, calm her down and bring her back to reality. He was the only one close to her who really understood what she was going through.

Her hand briefly grazed the side of her neck where her largest wound had been. Sometimes she wished there was a scar still there, maybe then she wouldn't be going through half of what she's having to right now. Even with dark bags underneath her eyes and being a little pale from the lack of sleep, she could still see that Capitol persona beating through the real her. Another reason her brother acted older than he was – he knew the truth. The truth of what she's going through in order to keep him alive.

Caroline removed her head from the window pane and turned away from the window. The sun was starting to rise and she knew exactly what that meant. Today was the 75th Quarter Quell – 75 years of The Hunger Games. The participants were to be chosen in just a matter of hours and she already knew who they were going to be.

In District 4; there were only four people to chose from. One male and three female. Finnick was going to be chosen since he was the only male victor left in the district. There had been another but he died many years before Finnick was even reaped. There were three females to choose from; it was either her, Annie Cresta, someone who was like a sister to her, and Mags, someone she looked up to, like a mother almost. She knew that if one of them was to be chosen, she'd volunteer in a heartbeat. Annie would never make it and neither would Mags, both for varying reasons.

There was also another reason as to why she was volunteering. Two, in fact. The first was because of Finnick – there was no way in hell she was going to let him go back into that arena without her. She couldn't lose him, not after everything they've been through together. She could never live with herself if he died in there and left her all alone. The second was a secret except for the special few. This plan was known by many of the trusted victors among the districts and that included her and Finnick. It was ludicrous and completely insane … but it might just work.

The plan had been worked on for months before they even found out. They didn't even know the details of what they had to do until after the announcement President Snow made on what the Quarter Quell. With cameras being everywhere - everything had to be shared as carefully as possible. Something different was going to happen during this year's games and they needed to act as protectors for two people in particular.

Over the past year; the two 74th winners from District 12 have been unknowingly making havoc throughout Panem. A spark had ignited within its people and pockets of them were starting to rebel against the Capitol. It was happening even here in her own district, it's why she's tried keeping her little brother away from the area and if he does go anywhere, it wasn't without her. The moment she saw Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark win by almost killing themselves together – she knew that this was the start of something. The small episodes throughout their games were also tell-tale signs something bigger was coming the Capitol's way.

The knowing victors knew that if anyone or anything could stop the Capitol – this was it – this was the rebellion the Districts needed to end the horror that's been inflicted upon them for generations.

Katniss Everdeen was the Mockingjay they needed to start a revolution.

Caroline didn't realize how caught up in her thoughts she really was because the sound of a door opening didn't even register in her mind. A pair of footsteps started making their way towards her direction after the door closed. She was momentarily startled when she felt someone's arms wrap around her middle in a safe and securing way. She instinctively tensed for a moment at the sudden gesture but when the swift smell of sea salt hit her nose she immediately relaxed into the person's arms.

She knew exactly who it was.

The person rested his head against the crook of her shoulder and in return she leaned into his chest.

"How long have we got?" She asked quietly, trying to savor the moment they were sharing. She leaned her head towards his own so the sides of their heads touched and hugged his arms that were resting around her middle.

The reaping was probably about an hour or two out given by how high the sun was now. She still needed to get her brother up. He finally went to sleep a couple of hours ago and it was only after hugging her body to sleep and listening to her voice as she told him a story. He knew what was coming today and he was scared to let her go, thinking that if he did, she'd disappear forever this time. Finnick was also scared of letting her go ever since the announcement but at least he would be going with her.

Finnick stared towards the same sunrise as she was and kept his hold strong, letting the strawberry smell of her hair comfort him a little. "About an hour." He replied softly. "Peacekeepers are gonna come and escort us just before eight." He was already wearing what needed to be worn. The prep teams and stylists weren't needed until they get to the Capitol for the parade so they got to wear whatever they wanted. It was nice to be alone before something like this.

"I should wake Evan." Caroline voiced her thoughts but acknowledged just how little time they had left. She turned away from the window again and towards the stairway.

Finnick finally released some of his grip and shook his head. "I'll do it." He said, "You still need to get ready." Nodding towards her attire of yesterdays clothing and how rough she looked. "There's still time for a shower."

Caroline raised an eyebrow as she turned to him, allowing his arms to stay attached to her waist. Her head tilted towards him with a quirk of her lips, "Are you saying I stink, Mr. Odair?" She playfully threatened.

Finnick let out a huff with a small grin on his lips, "Why I would never, Ms. Winters." He placed a hand over his heart in supposed innocence.

"Sure…" She drawled, dramatically rolling her eyes as if she didn't believe him one bit. Letting out a short laugh to ease the tension of what was to come, she reached over and kissed him. It was meant to be a quick one but she was quickly pulled back towards his chest and her arms wrapped around his neck. Their lips pressed together in a hungry fashion with their tongues conjoined a couple of times. His hands traveled up beneath her shirt and continued to keep her body flush against him. He didn't go any further but kept his fingertips tickled at her skin.

By the time they parted, they were panting hard and their foreheads were rested each other.

They knew this wasn't the time for anything more.

"I'm gonna go get ready now," Caroline said in a breathy tone, trying to catch her breath but didn't automatically move from her spot. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. She was sure his was also given by the slight redness against his neck and the way he was breathing. She looked up into his bright ocean blue eyes that were so beautiful to her, "I love you." This wasn't the first time she's saying it but she'd never get enough of how it sounded from her lips – and especially from his to her.

Finnick smirked and quipped, "I love you more." He gave her one last peck on the lips before reluctantly letting her go. There was probably half an hour left by now and as much as he hated to say it, he needed to let her get ready for the reaping. He glanced over to the ocean, folding it into his thoughts, given that this would probably be the last time he'll even be near it again, let alone smell the saltiness in the air.

He turned away with a sorrowful sigh one last time before following his girlfriend up the stairs.

~ Author's Note ~

Hello my friends, I'm back … sort of.

I know, I've basically been missing for about a year with promises of updating many of my stories … and when I do come back, I've started yet another story. Well, long story short, I pretty much gave up writing, unfortunately. I had amazing ideas that kept battering away in my head but every time I started to type, I stopped and criticized my own writing to a point where I couldn't do it anymore.

Writing started to become a chore instead of a loved hobby like it used to be. After buying a new laptop last week, a little bit of my inspiration has come back to me but only in small pieces. Nothing yet has come back for everything else I've started. Also, people also started telling me how I was ruining their fandom by just adding an OC character and them taking someone else's lines. 'Plagiarising' the show/movie also came up once or twice. To those people I now tell you – if you don't like it, then don't bloody read it. I have a much longer and better response for you on my fanfiction profile if you'd like to read it as well. Just at the top, you'll see it.

Now, this story idea and another are the two that are really pushing me to continue writing right now and I want to see where this goes. The other fanfic is for the Kingsman movies 1&2 but I'm not too sure if I'm ready to publish the prologue just yet.

I've made an update to my profile on what's active, put on hiatus, ect… Nothing else has been discontinued! A lot of them are just on hiatus until further notice. Like I said, when the feeling comes, I'll write. I've also been slowly rewriting a few of my earlier fic's like 'Destiny', 'Goodbye, my love', 'Hello, my love' (Soon to be 'A Passing Tide' and 'The Impossible Girl'), and 'Ghost in the Moonlight (GONE)'. Once that's done I think I'll be ready to start updating them again as well when the drive comes back.

I hope you guys like the start of this one – I have a good feeling about it :)

FOLLOW, FAV, AND REVIEW!

Lisa Anne xx