Steps Singles - The One Shots

Last Thing On My Mind (part 5)

T/W reminder - Blood, death and fighting

In the early hours of the morning Faye was half awake (once again on the end of a warmth cuddle line just like last night), the pain from her arm still bad, still wishing she hadn't made such a dumb choice while still knowing it was the best idea she had available to her, when she heard a soft crackling behind her. She pushed herself up, trying her best to ignore the pain of moving, and looked around, hoping it was just an animal or falling branch and not another tribute. As she looked around she spotted a dark amber glow behind them and it took her an unusually long moment to thread together the facts. The second she'd worked it out she shook Ian's arm as hard as she could, pinching him through his top, hoping something she did would wake him up. He looked at her groggily and asked what was wrong.
"I think the arena's on fire." She told him.
He looked the direction Faye was still staring in and swore. "Help me wake the others up."
She nodded, pushing herself to her feet as she bit back against the pain and swinging her bow and quiver on as Ian struggled to stand in the anxiety of the moment. She headed to Lee to wake him while Ian woke Lisa. Both were equally as horrified, Claire was just a bit confused by it, especially given Lisa, Ian and Lee were all giving different instructions. The general idea was to run, so they'd all somewhat done that, Claire being tugged along by Lisa and Lee.
"We've just got to run, run back to the cornucopia and we have to stop as little as possible." Lisa said when they eventually agreed on a plan.
"If we can't run that far?" Claire asked quietly.
"Then we'll die." Ian said. He was worried about Claire sure, but he was also worried about Faye with her injury.
"It's about a day's walk to the cornucopia, so that's a fair few hours of running." Lee said, taking Claire's hand.
Faye groaned, tears building in her eyes again.
"You've got to otherwise you'll die." Ian told her firmly as he started to drag her along.
"I don't know how long I can..." She replied.
"Try your best, come on." And he took off after the other three, gripping Faye's hand to make sure she stayed with them. Lee was doing something similar with Claire, who was smaller and lighter and he was stronger so was making better progress.

"Ditch me and Claire and save yourselves, we're just slowing you down!" Faye begged as they paused for breath. They'd made it a fair way and the flames were a way behind so they could stop and have a moment.
"No. We made it this far together, we keep going together. I'm not losing you two now. I can't." Lee said, hugging Claire against him and offering Faye a hand as she looked dangerously like crying again. Faye accepted it, gently holding on like his hand was breakable.
"Lee's right. We're a team." Lisa said.
Ian nodded, giving Faye a hard stare as he did. She gave him a harder stare back. "Faye you are not giving up on my watch. Think about the fact that you'll get to go back and be with your sister. And your parents! Same for you Claire, for whatever members of your family there is at home."
"I promise I'll keep going. For mum and dad and mostly for Gem." Claire whispered with a nod.
There was a slight nod from Faye too, who for a brief moment felt suddenly like she might get to see her family again after all. "I will too then if Claire promises. But for my parents and my Clare." And then as if responding to her optimism her arm throbbed again and she inhaled sharply, squeezing Lee's hand as she did. With that her idea of getting home was shot once more.
"What's wrong?" Lee asked her.
Battling to think of a lie, Faye racked her brains for anything at all she could use as an excuse that didn't involve her arm needing looking at. "I urmm... I think I might have pulled something when we were running. I'm sure I'll be fine in a minute."
Lee looked at her and sighed. Something was up with her that wasn't a pulled muscle, but they didn't have time for him to push for an answer. They needed to keep moving because the fire was catching back up, the air getting thick with smoke again. He didn't need to tell the others to move as they were already getting ready, so Lee took Claire's hand, Ian took Faye's again and they ran once more in the hope they'd reach the cornucopia before the fire claimed them.