All Great Ideas Are Dangerous [C'est fini]

As Amira finished speaking it dawned on her that Duke was staring at her. At first it panicked her. Was she doing something wrong, or out of the normal? She never really knew anymore. He was watching her, and Amira couldn't make out why. Maybe she was trembling again, her doctor said sometimes she may get lost in her thoughts and not be aware of it. Another one of the side effects of the trauma she had been through, that may or may not go away after time. She could only hope that it would at least improve a little somewhere down that road.

"Dammit Amira... You're pretty. You know that?"

The comment made Amira's face flush red, and a quick tremor shot through her. What a change from when she would use her beauty as an advantage over opponents, now it may her happy he thought so, but nervous and shy as well. Amira didn't know how to react with her career self so deeply retreated, and replaced by a timid girl she didn't recognize from any earlier point in her life. No, she has always been vicious, and confident, never like this. But things change, and people change.

"I... I'm glad you think so." Her voice barely above a whisper.

Then much to her surprise, the awkward silence was broken when Duke began to talk again. About how they needed each other, which was definitely true, at least for her. Amira didn't want to think about where she would be right now if it wasn't for him. Although she did think he could probably do ok without her, her shaken state refused to let her believe anyone actually needed her. His words continued on about how he wasn't happy when he looked back at his life, and was questioning all the career training, and the stress that came along with it. It was true that he would be turning eighteen, and then his time with the Games would be over. She would only be turning seventeen, and still had two more years. But with this being District One, she was sure someone would volunteer for her, the sad excuse of a career/ex-career she was. Amira's hands clutched the blanket one Duke's bed for support when he asked her what she thought that he should do with his life, and that he was asking because he trusted her. Trusted her? She wasn't sound of mind, and he trusted her to advise him on what to do with his life, he never ceased to amaze her. A train of thoughts ran through Amira's mind as she struggled to form an intelligent answer, and find her voice.

"I... I... We... We could s-."

Amira abruptly shut her mouth realizing what she had almost said. It would have been terribly embarrassing, and would probably scare Duke half to death, neither of which she cared to experience. Had she really thought that? Yes... Perhaps she was even crazy than she thoughts. Desperately she attempted to pull herself together from her near disastrous slip up, and given Duke a proper answer.

"I haven't been completely there since I woke up in the hospital. I don't know who I am anymore. I tried to kill my nurses half the time, and hid in terror from them the other. My doctor told me about all these changes that may go away in the future. But I know I won't be quite the same ever again. So I'm not sure what advice I can give you when I can't even help myself. But what I can suggest is this. Do whatever means the most to you. Whether it be staying a career or becoming a career training, getting a job, or... Anything really, it's up to you."