Cole Campbell

"It's nice.... I'm used to chaos. This is a really nice change. Not that's it's going to last," I said and looked at him. "I don't want to cause anyone any problems. If you want me to... after the storm, I'll go. I don't know where, but I'll go."

I shrugged, "Naw, i dont care if you're here. Besides right now, you need an ally."

I managed a small smile. "I've never had one of those. Not really."

"Well you definitely have one, long as your being honest."

"I don't have anything to hide. Ask me anything and I'll tell you."

"I heard you killed a female in the games. Knowing she was with child, then tormented the father with it. Why? Are you that dead inside?"

"I didn't know she was pregnant. Not until after. When they were patching us up afterwards... I heard the game makers talking about it. They... they were laughing." I shook my head. "I had been... instructed... by my father... either kill Asher in the games or kill her. Both if I could manage it. Asher's always... butting heads, I guess you could say, with the Capitol, the Peacekeepers... My father hates him and wanted him punished. That's why he and Jo were in the games to begin with. I've always butted heads with him too, but I don't have to guess at why. I... being a bitch was always just to keep up pretenses. But yes, to answer your question... I was that dead inside. Until something made me wake up."

"Yeah? Did you have an epiphany?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"He let my sister get raped," I said, so softly I was almost whispered. "For all the evil I've done, I've never hurt her, never wanted her hurt. She's my baby sister. He just... he stood there... and let her get raped... listened to her screams... and did nothing. He told me about that... with the smuggest look on his face... said maybe she would... behave now. I know all too well what that feels like." I turned my head to wipe tears away. "After I went to the prison to talk to him... he got angry with me and hit me. He hadn't done that in years... I remembered everything that I'd forgotten. Pushed away, whatever. I remembered it all."

I nodded and said, "Your father sounds like a real winner. I'm sorry for what you endured, sincerely."

"Thank you," I said softly and laid my head against the back of the couch. "What made you come out here?" I asked, not wanting to talk about me anymore. "It had to be something right?"

"Everyone has a past, even me. Right now though you should rest." I said standing up.

"I am resting. So you can know about my past, but I can't know about yours?" I asked and immediately blushed and looked away. "I'm sorry, that was rude," I said the embarrassment still a relatively new feeling but one I was going to have to get used to. "You don't have to tell me anything."

I looked at her and sighed. "I don't open up much. Maybe after I know you, better or more, I'll tell you about me, deal?"

I nodded. "Deal."

She yawned and I leaned and picked her up. "I'll sleep out here. You and your sister can have the bed."

I nodded a little. "Okay. Thank you. I hate to take your bed away from you though."

I shrugged, "No biggie, don't sleep much anyways."

"I know the feeling," I said quietly.

" Well try and rest. I'll be in there if you need anything."

I nodded. "I'll try. Thank you... for everything," I said softly, not wanting to wake Timber.

" You're welcome. Just don't make me regret saving you."

"I won't."

"Goodnight, sleep well." I said and closed the door.

"Goodnight," I said quietly and laid my head on the pillow, a million things running through my head. It was hours before sleep finally found me.



I woke in the morning and watched Linna sleep for a minute before getting up and looking outside. It was still snowing but had let up a little and I walked out into the living room, stopping when I smelled food cooking. "Oh... um... morning," I said quietly when I saw the guy in the kitchen.