The Price of Champions and Crowns (Hunger Games)

1

Hands...I'm being touched.

Hands that are rough and cold. It was enough to have me shuddering in discomfort. Only I didn't shudder. I'm perfectly still. Trapped in my body while I can feel strangers touching me. My arms, my chest. Fingers resting on my neck. What's happening?...

It's cold. Wherever I am it's freezing but it's because I'm wet. And there's another unanswered question, why am I wet?. 

Like a miracle I faintly start to hear. It's a ringing that gets louder until I'm surrounded by chaotic frantic voices and a never ending beep. A heart monitor, only it's not steady. 

The worst, then comes in what feels like a fatal hit to my chest. It electrifies my whole body and for a moment I realise I'm probably still in the arena. It's why I'm wet, why I'm experiencing that same pain of coming to after drowning. My eyes snapped open in the realisation.

I. Drowned. Again.

White blinding light causes me to instantly snap my eyes shut in a wince. But whoever's holding me down has other ideas because my eyelids are plied open while a light shines directly into them. I moaned and that reaction seemed to satisfy this...doctor?

Doctors and peacekeepers that's whose in this room.

"...name?".

The same man who's waving his finger infront of my face looks at me expectantly. And I can tell I'm easily frustrating him. But I'm too confused, too disoriented. My head tips to the side in plain confusion. 

He turned to the doctor beside him before staring me down again. "Can you tell me your name?".

My name?. I blink in surprise. "Vic-Victoria".

I frowned, I sound like shit. My eyes are able to focus on more than the man before me. I'm on a hospital bed. I'm in dirty wet hiking gear and I'm freezing. There's doctors all dressed in white muttering to themselves and they're writing stuff down. Capitol doctors. Two peacekeepers guard the door while an Avox stands beside them. Shes carrying a tray with glasses of juice...

Did I win?...how the fuck did I win!?!. 

I felt my head roll back to the man who asked my name. A surgical mask covered most of his face. I felt tears start to fall in the devastating realisation. If I'm right...then I've truly lost everything. "D-did I win?".

The man's eyes cringed in what looked like a false smile. And he nodded while he indicated to the Avox. "Wouldn't have been trying to resuscitate you for the past hour if you hadn't. Congratulations, you're a Victor". 

Ingenue, but I ignored it. Just like I ignored the Avox handing me a champagne glass full of juice. How?. Like, seriously?. On what planet could I of possibly out swam Liam Odair?!?.

Suddenly I felt my grip latch onto the unsuspecting doctor in total outrage. This can't be happening, this isn't right. "Where's Liam!?!".

I screamed it, my nails digging into his wrist until I drew blood. The doctor shook his head at me while others scurried in panic around us. He tipped his head at me cruelly. "In the arena".

A painful sting was instantly engulfed into my neck as the white walls around me softly faded to black. My grip dropped and I knew then that I've truely lost everything. 

***** 24 - Hours Later *****

Johanna Mason's lip twitched in anger at herself. She watched her daughter sleep while tied up to many machine's. The glass that separated her a painful reminder of the walls she'd always used to distance the two of them. 

She sighed and rolled out her shoulders as if it would aid her in blocking out Annie's consistent sobs. Both Finnick and Annie Odair stood behind her watching their son in a similar fashion. A wall of glass separated them too. 

The three Victors stuck in a corridor with nothing to do but wait. Johanna's eyes hardened and she shook her head. "She'll never forgive me".

Finnick's forehead creased. "She already hates you, it's nothing she won't get over".

Johanna scoffed and faced the pair with a seething glare. "Why, you really think Liam's just going to get over this!?!".

Annie whined and Finnick pulled her closer while shooting Johanna a warning look. "He will once he knows she's alive".

She shook her head in disbelief. "And then what?. I just send her off to live with you two. With him!. And watch from the sidelines as Snow fucking destroys her?!?".

Finnick looked tired. As if this was a conversation that they'd shared many times in the past day. "We don't know that. They're alive Johanna. They'll be just like Katniss and Peeta".

Johanna rose an eyebrow. "They won't be like them. He'll punish them. There's got to be a reason he wants them to think they're dead."

Finnick chuckled darkly, all humour gone while only anger remained on his handsome face. "Because we couldn't ever deny Panem the honour of watching them reunite. He's learned from Katniss and Peeta. He wants everyone to believe this time, and that only happens when we're not acting".

Johanna's anger seemed to dissipate a little bit. She walked slightly closer to the couple with her arms crossed infront of her body. Her head tipped to the side in consideration while she frowned. "You think he actually loves her?".

Annie for the first time opened her mouth while holding Johanna's hand who'd instantly cringed. "I think he truely does".

Johanna's eyes narrowed in suspicion at the sleeping boy. However it was Finnick she'd always turn to in moments like this, her trusted ally. He gave a small smirk with a shrug. 

And instantly Johanna knew, that unlike the daughter she'd gone through great lengths to devoid of emotion. Liam was capable, and therefore Liam Odair might just be her daughter's downfall.