01 ✼ Video

[brokennotmad]

[A young woman with dark semi disheveled hair, and large panicked eyes is shown when the video starts. She ventured out of the Welcome Hall, and well she's managed to get herself lost. She looks at her screen, her eyebrows drawing together. Her breathing is becoming erratic and it truly looks as if the fragile string in which tethers her to reality might at any moment snap.

When she begins to speak her voice is little more than a harsh whisper.]

No. Can't be right. No such thing as Gods. Just a way to break me, confuse me. [She lifts her hand up and though it's shaking, she runs it through her hair, further messing it up.]

Another Game. Has to be. Need to find water. Then shelter and Finnick. [Her gaze darts nervously around as she tries to keep to the shadows, can't be too careful.]

Comments

[unfalteringly]

[ That actually makes Peeta pause and it's his turn to be confused. But he tries not to look it. Instead his expression is more concerned and sympathetic ]

District 13? I've never been to 13. Not many people have, since the Dark Days and before. There's nothing there.

[brokennotmad]

[Okay now he's not only confusing her, but making her a little angry. She's not understanding why he's acting that way.]

It is so. [She might have just snapped that at him. She shakes her head, and the look she's giving him is a mixture of anger and hurt.]

Just stop.

[unfalteringly]

[ He's not sure if she truly is upset because of him, or if maybe simply because of what the Games did to her ]

I'm sorry Annie, but if it did happen like you say it did, I don't remember it.

[brokennotmad]

[She closes her eyes, shaking her head again. She's not sure if she believes him. How could he just forget? Forget everything? Even she can't do that and she really wishes she could sometimes.]

It did happen. I was happy. Rescued. With Finnick. [Her head tilts a little to the side and it's obvious she's breaking away from reality and beginning to retreat inside herself.]

[unfalteringly]

[ Okay, that's it. There'll be no more arguing over whether or not he truly did make the cake. It's not actually getting them anywhere ]

Rescued? Rescued from where? The Capitol? I remember that, you being there while I was. It's good that you've been taken from there. You should be far away from the Capitol. [ It seems they've already done enough damage to her ]

[brokennotmad]

[She adverts her gaze, shaking her head.] No, I- I can't talk about that.

[Her eyes close for a moment and she exhales a shaky breath. she really doesn't want to think about the Capitol or anything.]

[unfalteringly]

[ Peeta shakes his head. It's not something he's been talking about too much either. Not his more recent visit to the Capitol, at least ] You don't have to talk about it, Annie.

[brokennotmad]

[She bites down on her bottom lip, her eyes still adverted. She's trying to make sense of everything, but it's not easy for her to do. Not when she just doesn't understand why he doesn't remember anything.

Finally after a few moments, she lifts her gaze again.]

It really was a beautiful cake.

[unfalteringly]

[ She might start to understand eventually. Might. Peeta gives Annie a bit of a smile. He's not going to lie to Annie and act like this wedding cake thing happened, but he's not going to act quite so oblivious either. She has to be from some point in the future that he hasn't experienced yet, or however it is that it works ]

Well, I'm really glad that you liked it, Annie. I hope it was everything you wanted.

[brokennotmad]

[And that seems to pacify her and she grins. She just might be thinking that he's actually remembering some of it.]

It was more than I had thought to even imagine. [She smiles almost shyly.] You have great talent.

[unfalteringly]

[ While he's not about to say, again, that he doesn't remember any of it since it obviously upset her, he's not going to lie and say that he does, either ]

Thank you, Annie. That means a lot. Especially that it was what you wanted. Everything should be perfect on your wedding day.

[brokennotmad]

It was a surprise. [She shrugs, glancing around for a moment before turning her attention back to the screen.] But it made the day more special. Thank you.

[unfalteringly]

[ Peeta smiles and he nods. Suddenly what he did or didn't do just doesn't matter quite so much ] You're welcome. You deserve to have your special day, just like anyone else.

[brokennotmad]

[She nods slowly, picking absently at her nails.]

Thank you, Peeta. [She thinks for a moment, though as she thinks, she begins to look a little confused.]

You've been here a while?

[unfalteringly]

[ His expression turns thoughtful as he tries to come up with the best way to phrase his answer, so he doesn't upset her or confuse her further. Unfortunately, he's still confused by the explanation. How could he possibly make it simpler for her? ]

Long enough. It's been a month or more.

[brokennotmad]

[She stares, not understanding that at all.]

I just saw you. [Maybe not just, but fairly recently.] That, that can't be right.

[unfalteringly]

[ Peeta shakes his head ] That part doesn't make sense to me either. None of that makes sense, but I guess time moves differently here. Just try not to think about it too much. It's easier that way.

[brokennotmad]

[All this new information was just making her head spin. Thoughts were just rolling around and around in her head, seemingly beginning to bounce off of the sides.

It was obvious that she was just a step beyond confused. The idea that time moved differently anywhere was a thought she'd never even attempted to give any sort of attention to it.

She bites down on her lip, her gaze drifting to her tightly clasped hands.]

I-I, this is... Why us? Why not our families?

[unfalteringly]

[ It's not something Peeta's thought much on either, even since coming here. It hasn't been easy to wrap his mind around so quite frankly, he's stopped trying ]

I don't know, Annie. [ His tone is apologetic ] But just because they aren't here now, doesn't mean they won't be. They could end up here with us.

[brokennotmad]

[She rubs at her forehead. Maybe she should just stop thinking about it all.]

Maybe. It'd be nice.

[unfalteringly]

[ That's how Peeta does it. It's just easier to stop thinking about it ]

Who do you have back home, as far as family goes?

[brokennotmad]

My parents... [Her gaze drops though, and she closes her eyes.] But after... But after everything, I-I don't know.

[unfalteringly]

After everything? What's everything? [ Even though their differences in timeline (so to speak) upset her last time. So he adds ] Or we can just talk about something else, if you'd rather.

[brokennotmad]

After being rescued and brought to District 13. [She exhales slowly, she doesn't know for sure if her parents are all right. She can only hope.] It's... all right. Not knowing is what's hard.

[unfalteringly]

Not knowing really is hard. [ Not knowing about what goes on after the rescue from the Capitol, or even what happens while he's in the Capitol is hard, especially when he keeps hearing about them ]

You're from a good District. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about with your parents.