Crisis of Faith

7

Katniss and Finnick sat nervously, Finnick fiddling with a rope that he was tying into countless knots. The moment both of them had been waiting for could be here within seconds. Or, the opportunity to see the people they cared for most, could have slipped away completely. Waiting was killing them slowly. Then finally, Katniss snapped her head up at the sound of a door sliding open.

"They're back." Haymitch said eagerly.

The girl hopped up from her seat, and raced through the doorway. Finnick followed her lead but, slowly. He wasn't sure it was real, and he didn't want to accept it too fast out of fear of disappointment. After walking through the first door, he finally started to pick up pace, stopping only when he saw the familiar hospital walls.

Finnick turned his head to see Katniss take off across the room. His stomach tightened at the state Johanna was in. Her hair was all shaved off, and her body was bruised.

"Finnick!"

His eyes widened when they met Annie's. She ripped the wires, and other equipment off of herself before pushing out of the doctors' grip.

"Annie," He breathed out, "Annie!"

Finnick let out a relieved chuckle as the red-head threw herself into his arms, and he twirled them around. He pressed their foreheads together.

"You're safe," He whispered gently, resting his hand on the back of her head, "you're safe."

She pulled him in for another tight hug, as he set her down. When he glanced to where Katniss had been standing, she had walked away, undoubtedly in search of Peeta.

"Do you know where Kaianna is?" He asked desperately.

"They sepereated her," Annie mumbled, "but- I don't know. I don't know, I'm sorry."

She was scared to not have the answer, and Finnick hushed her immediately.

"It's alright," He cooed, pulling her close, "it's ok. Don't worry about it, I'll figure it out. Why don't you go back with the doctors? Get everything straightened out. You're safe now, ok?"

Annie nodded her head in understanding, before following his instructions.

"Boggs," Finnick finally found the man, and called for him, "Boggs-"

"Come on," He cut Finnick off with an understanding tone, "I'll take you to her."

"Thank you." Finnick breathed out.

The walk was maybe forty-five seconds long but, it felt like hours to Finnick. As they strayed further from the rest of the rescues he began to feel his heart squeeze tighter.

"Why is she so far away," He wondered allowed. He took a couple more steps, but stopped when he realized Boggs stopped, "Boggs?"

"Finnick, I need you to understand the situation before I have you in there," The man let out a light sigh, "she's highly distressed, and doesn't understand what's real or not real."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Finnick asked.

"Just don't get your hopes up," Boggs explained softly, "this isn't looking great. Things might not go the way you want them to."

"Well yeah," Finnick scoffed, "if that were the case, she never would've been away from me in the first place-"

"I'm serious. You're not gonna have what you got with Annie," Boggs said sternly. Finnick nodded, his heart dropping to his stomach. He remained silent as Boggs typed in a code to unlock the door in front of them. A click sounded, signifying the ability to enter, "I'll be right out here if you need anything."

"Thank you." Finnick patted Boggs's shoulder genuinely.

The man sent Finnick a reassuring nod, warranting him to take a deep breath, and push the door open. When he entered the walls were tinted yellow from the lights, reminding him of his time in recovery. The sound of his entrance caught the attention of the three nurses that were in the room.

"Can we have a minute?" He asked softly. The three women in grey all nodded hesitantly before leaving the room quietly.

Finnick zoned in on the woman's back, and his heart rate quickened as he noticed her visible spine. He felt like he could collapse at any minute. Her hair was tied back in a messy pony tail, and even from behind her, he could see the cuts and bruises that covered her. He almost couldn't see the original tone of her skin. He walked around the examination table, but came to a sudden halt.

Finnick's eyes filled up with water, and he could've sworn a crack sounded in his chest. His mouth dropped opened at the frail shell of a woman that sat in front of him.

"Kaianna?" His whisper was cracked, and heartbroken.

Her eyes quickly floated, switching her gaze from the floor to his eyes. Finnick's head involuntary shook. Her once hazel-green pupils, were now so dark, that from first glance, they looked like black holes. Her eyes were sunken in, and she looked on the brink of starvation. Her hair was still thick but, stringy from the grease soaked through it. He wanted to cry.

"Oh my god." He breathed out.

He reached out for her but, she dodged his touch harshly.

"What," She questioned harshly. Her venomous tone, took Finnick by surprise, "am I scaring you?"

"I just," He took a second to examine her body. She was bony, and pale, "I just never thought I'd see you again."

"Well, here I am. In the fucking flesh, no thanks to you," Kaianna shook her head coldly at the man. Disgusted by what she was sure was his false pity, "what do you want?"

Finnick shut his eyes tightly, her tone cutting him like a sword, "All I want, is for you to be ok."

He stepped toward his former partner, and reached out for her cheek once again. He let out a shocked wince when she slapped him away. His eyebrows scrunched in a painful confusion when Kaianna hopped off of the table and stepped up to him, backing him into a corner.

"Liar," She yelled angrily, "you're a liar! You left me there! You left us all there to die! You don't give a fuck about anyone but yourself!"

Kaianna shoved Finnick roughly, and even though she was weak, her rage gave her enough strength to pin him against the tiled wall. Well that, and he wasn't fighting back.

"What are you talking about?" He cried desperately.

Kaianna slapped his face hard, warranting another wince, "You sold us all out so they'd let you go!"

She repeated her actions, beating the man in front of her. He could've rose his hands in defense. He was nourished well, and could've fought her off with ease but, refused to lay hands on the girl. He refused to risk hurting her, even to save himself.

"Alright," Boggs spoke sternly as he pulled the woman off of Finnick, "that's enough!"

Kaianna yelled out a string of curses towards Finnick. She fought to get to him like her life depended on it.

"Kaianna-"

She cut Finnick off poisonously, "No!"

"Please-"

"No! I hate you! I hate you with everything in me! You ruined everything! I hate you!"

His heart cracked more and more every time she repeated the phrase. She left him completely shattered. Finnick raced out of the room, and slid down against the wall, struggling to catch his breath.

"Finnick?"

His head snapped up at the sight of the towhead blonde, that was kneeling in front of him comfortingly.

"She's gone," He mumbled numbly, finally letting his tears fall, "that's not Kaianna. Kaianna's gone."

"What," Brooke said confused. As he broke down completely, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, "Finnick what is it?"

He sobbed loudly into her shoulder, "she's gone. What if I can't get her back?"

The young girl rocked the man back and forth, comforting him without a second thought. As he fell apart in her grasp, his mumbles faded in and out of comprehensiveness. All his hope was slipping away. His faith breaking down slowly.