Spark to Flame: A Finniss Story

Pt II: Ripple to Stagnant

When Finnick wakes up, he's on a hovercraft.

But it's not just any hovercraft; it's the rebellion's. Plutarch and Katniss' Mentor are there to explain the situation to him, that they were able to save him and Katniss and Beetee but Peeta, Johanna and Annie were being held by the Capitol. Though he was scared for Annie and Johanna, he couldn't have been more relieved to hear that Katniss had made it out of the arena.

She had awoken some time ago, scared and confused beyond all reason when she realized that she had been saved and Peeta hadn't, going so far as to try and stab Haymitch with a syringe before Plutarch sedated her. He had stayed away after that, not wanting to check in on her for fear of being violently rejected, and let Gale go in his stead to see how she was doing.

He had sat in the cockpit for a little over an hour, thinking himself to death on whether or not to just leave her alone until they got to District 13. He wanted to give her space but he also wanted to invade it with all the strength he had and see if she was okay. He supposed that what was really stopping him was fear, fear that he might not be welcome in her eyes anymore because she thought that his mission had been solely to help get her out of the arena and that his words at the lightning tree had meant nothing.

He wasn't afraid of her calling his bluff, because he wasn't bluffing; his words had been the truth, every last one of them. No, he was afraid that, after all they had been through, it would all count for nothing in the end to her, because he had lied about his initial reasons for getting close to her in the first place. Which of course was only half-true, because in his defense he wouldn't have had to seduce her in order to gain her trust in the Games. But still, he doubted that would matter to her, once she worked out the kinks in her brain...

He sits contemplating his situation for another few minutes, battling with himself on whether or not to check on Katniss when Gale Hawthorne emerges from the doorway and seats himself across from him in the cockpit.

He briefly looks at him before casting his eyes to the floor, and the solemn look on his face tells him that his meeting with her didn't go very well. They sit there in silence, each respecting the other's space as they mull over their own thoughts, when Gale suddenly speaks.

"...You should go to her," he says, voice low. "She needs someone who knows what she's been through."

There's contempt in his voice and he doesn't look at him as he speaks, but Finnick knows that it's just his begrudging way of being nice to the guy who almost got his best friend killed in the Games. He almost thinks better of it and stays put in his place, but knows in the long run that he won't be able to forgive himself if he doesn't at least see her before they land. Fear or not, he has to know how she's doing.

He nods to Gale, showing his appreciation, and gets up from his seat.

He swallows down the uncertainty swirling in his stomach, and without another thought, heads towards Katniss' room.

~*~

He enters with great caution, sticking his head past the automatic door frame to make sure she's not waiting with a knife or other pointy object on the other side, and after seeing that the coast is clear, steps inside.

Katniss is sitting hunched over on a medical table, facing away from him as her legs dangle over the edge.

Slowly, he approaches her, trying to keep quiet but also let her know he's there so as not to startle her, and comes to stand at the edge of the table. He stares at her hair and back, at the hospital dress that is far too big for her slender frame, and tries to decide what he should do next.

He hesitantly raises a hand to her shoulder, applying a feather-light pressure before daring to let the full weight of his limb press down on her as he swallows nervously.