The decent into hell is easy( Finnick Odair)

Fight or Flight

The hum of District 13's machinery echoed through the underground caverns as the makeshift alter was hastily being prepared. The subdued lighting and utilitarian surroundings starkly contrasted with the opulence of a Capitol wedding, the wedding that they were all supposed to have had. Looking around he couldn't help but wonder what it would of been like if one of this had happened, if they hadn't of been pulled into he politics of it all and had their freedom signed away. Turning away he made his way through the dimly lit corridors, the weight of his feelings tugging heavily on his heart. Seeking some sought of solace he approached the steps where Katniss often sat alone when she felt like her head would explode. They'd all become familiar with that feeling lately. Looking up as he approached she shuffled slightly over so he could sit next to her. The unspoken bond forged through shared trials allowed for moments of silent understanding.

"Don't you have a wedding to be getting ready for?" She asked eventually breaking the silence.

"Don't we all?" This was, after all, a wedding for the districts. "Katniss do you ever feel like you're being pulled in so many directions that you feel like you're going to just split apart?" 

"More often than I care to admit, I assume this is to do with them?" she asked, recognizing the internal conflict he grappled with. Loyalty and love, entangled and blurred. Nodding slightly he leant forward onto his knees

"I love Annie, I always have but I can't fight the feeling that somethings missing, that I'm doing the wrong thing by going through with this"

"You feel like you're betraying them both?" Nodding at her Katniss knew that feeling all too well. Loyalty and love were often two things that became highly confused. The line between them both was often blurred and difficult to decipher. "When we were in the arena it was obvious you cared for each other even when you tried to hide it, despite the brutal insults and fights you were always the first one by each other's side. I saw the pain on your face when she was hurt, it was like you would of done anything to take it away"

"I would have" But when she needed him the most he'd been unable to help her, he'd watched her fight for his life whilst he had stood on the sidelines, watched her be broken and beaten and yet she'd still come out of it alive. Time after time she had risen higher then any of them and he knew that he needed her more than she ever needed him, he wasn't blind to the fact that he had helped make her like this. So fierce fully independent that it had become almost impossible to keep up with her.

"Let me ask you something.  Hypothetically speaking if both of them had a gun held to their heads but you could save one which one would you choose?" Inhaling deeply he hadn't expected to ever be asked that. He'd never even thought of ever having to choose between them both in a life or death situation. " And say you were married to Annie by this point" Just to add more difficulty to the question. He knew he should say Annie, it would be the most logical but it wasn't because he cared more for her it was because out of the both of them he knew that Chloe would have the greater chance of survival by herself. " You're hesitating to answer"

"It's a difficult question"

"No it's not, Chloe or Annie Finnick? I don't think you'll get another chance to make this choice again" He knew she was right this would be the last chance he ever got at being with the girl he had loved for nearly his entire life but never been able to have. He'd promised her that he wouldn't fail her ever again and it was a promise that he intended to keep no matter the cost to everybody else. Getting up his movements were topped by the abrupt arrival of his biggest rival

"Has anyone seen Chloe?" Cato asked the very sound of his voice sending Finnick into an internal frenzy. "We argued earlier and I haven't seen her since"

"She finally seen what a tosser you are?" The words slipped out before he could stop them

"Shut it Odair"

"What you going to do about it?" Finnick snarled rising to meet him

"Maybe you should worry more about your own wife instead of being obsessed with mine"

"She's not your wife yet!" The word wife coming out of his mouth made him want to rip his vocal chords out, he had no right to call her that she was and never would be his wife.

"Cut your shit we have a big problem!" Haymitch huffed out as he reached the group that had formed

"What's happened?" Katniss asked rising to her feet as the others turned to face him.

"Chloe's gone"

"Gone? Gone where?" Finnick quizzed

"Where do you think? She's gone to the Capitol. Some of the guys said they saw Gale with her and what would you know he is also now missing"

"What?"

"No she wouldn't do that, she wouldn't go without backup" Really he wanted to say that she wouldn't of left without him, they'd promised each other that they would do this together, that they would be together until the end

"Clearly she thought that she had no choice but that doesn't mean we have to let her do it" Turning to Coin who had arrived amidst all the commotion Haymitch straightened up ready to defend his daughter. "How quickly can we mobilise a squad to follow her?"

"And why would I do that? Monroe made a decision to dive head first with no thought for anyone else. Why should I sacrifice my people for her poor decisions"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Katniss hissed, her dislike for the women becoming more and more apparent. " Everything she has done has been to save others! Anyone can see that she would throw herself into the fire to save everyone else, you think she's all about self preservation but she's not! And if it wasn't for her more of your people would be dead so whether you like it or not you owe her, you owe all of us" Silence surrounded everyone as the words of Katniss hit them. It was true, more people would be dead if it wasn't for the choices and sacrifices that she'd made. Pursing her lips Coin whispered something to one of her army leaders and he quickly slipped back into he shadows

"Platoons will be divided and sent out immediately. thankfully our aircraft have trackers so the lot of you and your media team will head out when we have a destination hit" Turning away she walked away from the group who knew that they might not live to see tomorrow.