Protect me ⚔️ Finnick Odair

Fifteen

"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears."

Nelson Mandela

Finnick ever so gently led Bree to the medical wing.

Letting her hide behind him whenever she could hear anyone coming.

The closer they got to the medical wing, the more Finnick could feel as Bree slowed down. Her steps were even more unsure as she tucked herself into his back.

"You're going to be okay, my pearl," Finnick assured her. "I will be there the whole time."

"Promise?" Bree murmured into his back.

"Promise", Finnick assured her. Turning to press a kiss to the top of her head.

Then, when Bree was ready, and only when Bree was ready, did the two of them enter the medical wing.

When the nurses spotted Bree hiding behind Finnick, they smiled sadly at him. Motioning to the nearest medical bed.

Genlty Finnick led her over. Helping to get her situated on her bed. Letting her grip his hand as the nurses approached. Poking and prodding her.

It broke Finnick's heart to see her like this. To see all the damage that the capital had done to her again.

Forlornly, it reminded Finnick of her games. Of watching a beautiful, fiery woman go in and a broken shell come out.

But they had worked on it. Together, they had put all her pieces back together again. Built her back up. While she may not have been the same woman who had gone into her games, she would never be. The games would always take a piece of your soul. So long as you are willing to go on living after them.

But to see her reduced to a shell of herself again made Finnick's heartache. It makes him want to wrap her up in his arms and never let her go. Squeeze her close to him until all her broken peaches had no choice but to stick back together again. But he knew that that wasn't an option.

They would have to take it slow and steady the way they had after her games. Ever so slowly, sticking back her pieces till she would forget that she had been broken in the first place.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." A voice called.

Looking up, both Bree and Finnick were met with the sight of Johanna walking towards them as she pulled a drip behind her.

Bree smiled at her best friend. Opening her arms to her. Johanna approached, collapsing into the medical bed beside Bree.

"God, aren't they a stuffy lot?" Johanna moaned as she got herself comfortable propped up against Bree. Sending a glare to the nurses when they looked like they were about to tell her off.

The nurses shrunk away. Seamig to accept that Johanna wasn't going to be going anywhere. So, instead, they continued to administer the rest of the checkup around the grumpy woman.

When they were done, they instructed Bree to return the next day so they could repeat their tests again. But given that Bree had Finnick, they were not trying to keep her in overnight.

Then, with that, they were gone. Leaving the three, two-time tributes to it.

The three of them sat silently for a while. All glad to be back together. But not knowing where they were going to be going from here. The 75th Quarter Quell had changed all of their lives irreparably.

✯⚔️✯

When Bree had been discharged from the hospital, she and Finnick were sent to the main hall. There was going to be a speech from President Coin.

As the two of them got closer to the hall, there were more and more people. The two of them got swept up in the sea of people. Bree gripped on tighter to Finnick. Her island is in a sea of chaos. If she got separated from him, she would not be able to cope.

Finnick, able to feel the fear radiating from Bree, lopped an arm around her. Pulling her tighter into him. Till nothing could fit between there two bodies.

When they finally reached the cavanas space Bree could see people everywhere. All waiting to see what President Coin had to say.

As they stood waiting, Bree could see two people approaching them. As they got closer, Bree could see that it was her Mum and Dad.

The two smiled at her, with Leo grabbing his daughter's other hand and giving it a squeeze.

Bree knew the moment that President Coin stepped out onto the stage as everyone let out a defining roar. Causing Bree to flinch back at the sheer wall of sound.

Bree tried to squeeze herself further into Finnick, scared to meet her so-called saviour and even more terrified to discover what this woman meant for her future.

When Coin made it to the microphone, the cheering continued before it suddenly stopped.

Leaning forward, President Coin started to speak into the microphone.

"Good evening. Yesterday, I authorized a covert rescue mission inside the Capitol. I am pleased to announce that the Victors have been liberated!" At the confirmation of their success, the district broke out into cheers. When it died down, Presint Coin continued. "Let this day mark a historic change. With The Mockingjay and the Victors beside us, we have sent a clear message to the Capitol. That we will never again endure injustice." At this point, Coin paused again. Letting the sound of cheers swell through the cavernous space. "Today, a day on which we reunited family, friends, and loved ones."

At the word family, Leo squeezed Bree's hand as Finnick smiled down at her. Placing a kiss on her forehead

"You don't know how relieved I am to have you back," Finnick murmured against her head.

"Let all of Panem come together. Not to battle for the amusement of the Capitol. But to join hands in this fight. Let today be the day we promise never to give up, never to give in until we have made a new Panem, where leaders are elected, not imposed upon us. And where the districts are free to share the fruits of their labours and not fight one another for scraps!" Bree could agree. That Panem sounded like a dream. A world in which kids weren't sent to their deaths for the amusement of others sounded like a world worth fighting for.

"This new Panem is on the horizon." President Coin continued. "But we must take it for ourselves. The road there leads through the sharp mountains and deep ravines of District 2. There, in the heart of Panem's steepest mountain range, lies the Capitol's principal military facility. We can conquer this stronghold because we are one people, one army, one voice. Because today is our new beginning. Today, we have freed the Victors. Tomorrow, Panem!"

President Coin raised her fist in the air.

Her people cheered before copying her. The sound of their chanting echoed through the space.

Bree looked up at her Finnick. This woman could be their salvation or their damnation, and Bree did not know which one she was yet.

But at this moment, that didn't matter to Bree. All that mattered to Bree was Finnick and getting out of this with him.