Protect me ⚔️ Finnick Odair

Eighteen

"and here you are living despite it all."

Rupi Kaur

Bree and Johana sat shoulder to shoulder on a medical bed. Finnick was on the side, giving Bree the space to be with Johana. But not wholly leaving her. She wasn't ready for that yet. The two women were both staring fixedly at the same point on the wall in front of them. Neither saying a thing. But they didn't. For now, just that together was enough for the both of them. They didn't need to say anything for the other to know that they were there with each other. Being together was enough for them.

Just being in each other's presence was all they needed.

Sometimes, being with someone was what you needed to heal the wounds in your mind.

They didn't need to talk about it, and they didn't want to talk about it. They had both been through it and knew what the other was going through.

Staring at the wall in front of them, their arms touching so they could feel each other's warmth. Feel how the other was also alive and well. Feel connected.

They could also feel each other's gentle rise and fall as they breathed in and out, slowed their breathing to match each other, and calmed down as they focused on the wall in front of them and not the full world that was beyond it.

"I'm glad you are here, you know," Johana eventually murmured, still not turning to face Bree as they both stared at the wall.

"I am glad you are here as well," Bree murmured. Ever so gently leaning into Joahana.

"Hearing your screams," Johana murmured, shuddering. "I could hear you screaming Finnicks name over and over again. I didn't know what to do. So focused on surviving my own torture."

"That's okay," Bree murmured. "We were all just so desperately trying to survive hell. There was nothing that we could have done to help each other. You did all you could to get out alive. That is what matters."

The two lapsed back into since for a bit as they started into the distance.

"When this is all said and done, I want to take you to four," Bree murmured. "I know you have been, but I want to take you to the beach. I want to show you the beach so you can feel the sand between your toes and the water around your ankles."

"I'll take you to Five." Johana offered. "Show you the ancient woods so you can feel their bark under your skin and their dappled shade on your face. I may even teach you how to climb a tree properly."

"I would like that." Bree smiled, finally turning from the wall to look at Joanna's face in profile. "I would like to do that with you."

Johana briefly turned from the wall. Turning to look at Bree.

"If I had to go through hell with anyone, I am glad it was you," Johana murmured.

"I'm glad I had you, too." Bree smiled softly.

The two lapsed back into silence.

"Mrs Mason," a voice called, forcing both women to look around at the nurse who had approached them.

"Oh, here we go again." Joahan drawled, rolling her eyes. "My doctor is going to tell me how 'safe' I am over and over. As if that changes the past."

Pushing herself off the bed, Johana stalked towards the nurse.

The nurse turned, timidly beckoning for Johana to follow her. Turning, Johana threw a last exasperated look over her shoulder at Bree before she turned a corner and disappeared from view.

"I'm glad to see Johana hasn't changed." Finnick teased as he approached Bree. Taking the seat that Johana had just vacated as, he took Bree's hand into his.

Bree snorted. Resting her head on Finnicks shoulder.

"I think we have all changed," Bree murmured. "But at her core, she is still the same person we know and love."

Softly, Finnick rested his head on top of Brees.

The two stayed like that till a nurse came to get Bree for her check-up.

"Mrs Odair," The nurse called.

Looking at the pair sat pressed together on the hospital bed.

Bree and Finnick both sat up and stood up from the bed.

Following the nurse as she led them off to the doctor. The nurse knew better than to suggest that Finnick didn't come. They all knew that was a losing battle.