If we burn } Finnick Odair

Chapter 26 ~our love keeps us alive~

What? What does that even mean? The enemy was the capital we established this forever ago. He nods to me as I turn around and walk out his words lingering in my mind. Finnick's at the door when I walk out. "Are you okay?" Is the first thing is he asks me. I nod hesitantly. Remember who he real enemy is I want you to still believe it? It's already been said and done but it's going to weigh on my mind for a while now.

Finnick's pov

She's thinking. He said something when she was in there that got her thinking. It's my turn to go in. I look at her to make sure she'll be okay and she nods her fingers up to her mouth as she bites at her nails.

The president has a strong scent as soon as step one foot in the room. "I knew you would be next to see me." He says. "What gave it away the fact that I was right outside the door? I know you want me to think that you're smart. But you know how many times we outsmarted you." "You may be right at least to an extent. You definitely did win a few times didn't you? However you must still remember I've won a few rounds too." More than a few. I think to myself. "I'll never understand your mind set Coriolanus Snow." "Nobody ever does." We stand in silence a minute. "That bandage above you brow was that from the lizard mutts?" I nod. "The ones that were supposed to kill me? Yes, yes it was." "Daphne saved you." I nod again. "I'm sorry to hear about Mags. I forgot to mention that to her. Must've been a good thing she saved you then. She'd be living the rest of her life alone." "Wouldn't that have been the case anyway?" "I beg your pardon." "We all know your favorite thing in the world is to torment us. Think about it this way let's look at the people you've killed that affected us. My mom, my dad, Daphne's parents, Ardin, Elias, Ren." Saying her name was like reopening a wound that's been trying to heal.

"That changed your tone." "What?" "Saying Ren's name. Your tone changed." "Well yeah she was my reason for survival in my games, after you killed our parents I vowed to protect her, she meant everything to me. I done everything you said to protect her and yet you still killed her." "We made a deal. And you broke your end of it." "My five year old sister shouldn't have even been apart of that deal. I always knew you'd do something to kill her. Whether you put only her name in the reaping bowl when she was of age or you would've killed her before she turned twelve. And you did. I don't expect an apology. Even if you gave one I wouldn't have accepted it."

"You're smart Finnick. You always plan ahead don't you? You knew there would be a revolution that's why when you were given to my citizens instead of asking for money you had plenty of you asked for gossip on me. You felt as if one day it would do you some good didn't you?" "I had to save Daphne." "You still knew you'd need it didn't you? And the way you managed to keep it a secret. So everybody would be surprised. So that everyone would turn against me." "It worked didn't it? Which one of us is getting executed in seven days?" "Since you're as smart as you are I hope you realize I'm not the real enemy. Or that I'm your only enemy. You think you and Daphne will both live a happily ever after lifestyle don't you? As long as riches and filth remain in the high power your lives won't be much different as they were before the Quarter Quell." "That's a lie." "I don't lie." "Good day Snow." "Good day to you as well Finnick."

I wonder if he said the same thing to Daphne. I feel as if I'm leaving confused like she was. He was just trying to mess with my mind right? He was right about one thing. He doesn't lie. Everything he's ever said has had truth to it. Minus an everlasting safety after we won the games of course. But in all honesty that wasn't a direct quote. He tells that to all of Panem. All of Panem he's lied to never one on one. He told me he'd kill my family if I refused to be prostituted. I refused and he killed my parents. We made a deal that if I failed to operate by he'd kill Ren too. And he did.

Daphne's pov

Finnick walks out looking just as confused as I did. We start to open our mouths to both speak. Then we realize this isn't the place for that. We nod to the guards in front of the garden doors before heading back to our rooms. Finnick locks the door behind us as we go onto the balcony. "Remember who the real enemy is." "As long as riches remain in the high power our lives wont be much different as they were before the quarter quell." "I don't think he was lying." I say. "Neither do I." We know Snow's game. We've played it time and time again. He tells us straight up what he means by things. There's no way he'd lie to us now about all of this. I just don't know what.

We hear a knock coming from inside. We turn our heads around to realize it's coming from our bedroom door. We get off the balcony. I close the balcony door while Finnick opens the bedroom door. "Jezebel?" I whip my head around. "Jezebel!" "My victors." She smiles hugging us both. "Did they hurt you?" I ask immediately. "No because they though I knew nothing where I didn't leave with Plutarch and Haymitch. "Rowan?" "Fashionably on perfect time." "Oh my god!" I hug him. "Before you ask yes I knew about the entire plan as well." "We heard you got stuck here." Jezebel coos combing my hair back to look at my face for any scars. "Yeah. Just for a little bit. Finnick saved us." "And that he did." She places her hand on his face her thumb brushing his temple. "What scratched up you pretty faces?" "Lizard mutts." I state simply motioning my eyes down for her to see Finnick's leg and my ankle. "Oh my Snow! Are you both okay?" "Yeah I'm good Daphne saved me." Finnick smiles. The two of them smile turning to each other.

Then they drop.

"We heard about Mags. We're so sorry we know how much she meant to the two of you." We nod them a thank you. Talking about Mags is a little sore right now.

After a little bit they leave. Finnick and I clean ourselves up just to get comfortable again. I change into some pink silk pajamas. I must say I missed actual pajamas. After brushing my hair I start walking back to bed when Finnick's strong arms wrap around me picking me up then throwing me down on the bed. I get under the covers and he lays beside me.

"You know the doctors said that I was lucky to get my leg covered when I did or I could've gotten blood poisoning. So when I said you saved my life down there I meant that too." I smile softly at him. "Thank you Daphne." "Finn you don't have to thank me. You've been saving my life since we first met." He chuckles. I snuggle closer to him our legs tangled together. "I'm not hurting you right?" I ask. "No Pigeon not at all. Honestly it's starting to heal so it's not super tender anymore anyway. Did they say what was wrong with your ankle." "I will still never understand why that worries you." "Well for one it's because I love you and worry about your well being twenty four seven. And two that's the same ankle you fractured in the arena and I'm concerned for if it will heal right." "I love you, but I promise you that you have nothing to worry about. You were worse off than me. I mean come on Finn you could've got blood poisoning." "But hey I didn't." He smiles cockily crossing his arms over his head. I snicker elbowing him in the ribs. He chuckles now wrapping me in his arms. Our noses touch. I feel his breath on my lips before he presses them against mine.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough for saving me when I was in the capital.....I remember sitting there in the floor. Being relieved I didn't have any shackles on, but I was still scared. Absolutely terrified...until I heard your voice. I know they used Jabberyjays to make me think they had you too. That they were going to kill you or were killing you. But when I heard your voice all through the capital..I knew. I knew it was you. I was there an entire month and never felt more safe than I did in that moment. But I knew how much it took out of you to even say what you said. I wanted nothing more than hug you. I just wanted to be in your arms or have you in mine." "Daphne, I don't think you realize what I would do for you. I would do it all again for you. I would go back to the games again, I would expose the capital's darkest secrets, I would fight another war for you." "Finn I love you but I'm begging you to never do that for me. Because I seriously would go absolutely insane if you put yourself in danger like that...again." We both laugh.

I feel like that would be a rare scenario for most in our situation. How could two people with shared trauma wounds still open laugh at all of this? The answer to that questions unknown to the both of us. What we do know though is that our love is strong. Our love keeps us going. Our love keeps us alive.

AN- Another update. it's been a few days I know but I mean this whole heartedly when I say I was having some technical difficulties this chapter would NOT sync to save it's life. But I wanted to thank you all for 4k on if only it. i love watching this story grow. Thank you so much for reading i hope you all enjoy this chapter :)