Calm Before The Storm {Finnick Odair}

Surprise

Before she knew it, the day was repeating again, except this time, Hebe had a shadow looming over her.

The train pulled into the station at District 11, and Hebe was handed another set of cue cards with the same speech from yesterday. She nodded to Ambrosia, slipping them into the deep pockets of her pale green dress. Then the light from outside burst in as the doors opened, and she descended the steps.

She looked around at the citizens of 11, and in every face she saw Niamh and Dean staring back at her. They had the same deep skin tone and dark coily hair and stoic expression that had characterised her former allies. She tore her gaze away from the people and focused on her destination, the armoured car in front of her.

Hebe climbed inside, one of the peacekeepers grabbing her arm to help her up. She was directed to one of the benches at the back, and sat among around five of the troopers. She kept her gaze down, unable to feel at ease around what was effectively the Capitol's armed militia.

Even in a district like 4 which was favoured by the Capitol, she had still seen first hand how dangerous the peacekeepers could be. Several of her fathers colleagues had been beaten by them for 'breaking fishing laws'. Some had even been flogged in the square. It was difficult to believe that that was in their best interests.

Luckily, the car ride wasn't too long, and soon she was arriving at the hall. Unluckily, that meant she was one step closer to having to make that awful speech.

Hebe hadn't expected that all of the squares in the districts would look so similar. The differences were stark in terms of terrain and surrounding buildings, but at the centre there was that same white building and dull concrete stage.

The door swung open and she hopped out, waving to the crowds as she made her way up the steps and through the doors.

She greeted her team shortly, unable to meet any of their eyes, not even Finnick or Mags. Ambrosia didn't seem to take any notice of her worry.

"I'm sure you'll be wonderful, just try and be as enthusiastic as you can, yes?"

Hebe nodded, and let herself be pushed towards the entrance. She took a deep breath in, attempting to dispel her worries, and carved the most dazzling smile she could muster into her face.

The anthem began to play and she stepped out, grinning all the while. The mayor began his speech as Hebe stood off to the side of the stage, all the while trying to avoid looking at either the crowd or the large boards displaying the faces of the fallen tributes.

Then a little boy was walking up to her, holding the cushion with the pin. She swallowed the lump in her throat and accepted, trying not to think that this little boy was Dean reincarnate. He pinned it onto her dress and waddled off the stage. She strode up to the Mayor and shook his hand, keeping up her smile all the way.

Then it was time for the speech.

"People of District Eleven! I'm so happy and so honoured to find myself in this wonderful district today. I've heard so many stories about how beautiful this district and its people are, and I can already see that it's true. The occasion for which I'm here is both a happy and a sad one. I'm happy to share my victory with you all, the victory that was obtained through the strength that was forged in the crucible of the Games. It is this strength that I find to be my greatest prize, for it is this strength that gets us through all hardship, that brings an end to the longest, hardest of nights, and brings us to a brighter tomorrow."

She looked up, turning the cards, steeling herself to confront the images of her former allies.

"Of course, I also owe my victory to Niamh and Dean," The words on the card began to move and dance, and Hebe took it as a sign that now was not the time to read them.