One shots

THG Oneshot 18: She Could Have Escaped

This is a oneshot that takes place during the 29th chapter of Inside The Mentor's Room, The 92nd Games. Read that chapter to understand this oneshot. As always, I don't own the characters. Happy holidays to all my readers! The next chapter of Inside The Mentor's Room should be out soon, as a belated holiday update, I promise. Happy reading!

Brutus had finally been released from his time with the sponsors, just in time for the final few tributes to start fighting. He grimaced as he leaned against the wall once he knew he was finally free of the sponsors and they couldn't see him anymore. His whole body ached and he could feel blood and other fluids running down his limbs and his back.

It was worth it to keep his Baria safe but that didn't make it hurt any less. And who knew what kind of personal hell she'd been put through by Lyme over the last few weeks.

For a moment, he just leaned on the wall, trying to catch his breath and then wincing when all he felt was more stabs of pain. They'd done a number on him, he'd admit that much. He didn't care, it had kept Enobaria safe, but it hurt. He was eager to just get back to her, to hold her and feel her holding him. He was eager to get back to her and to Chara Thistle, the little Victor they'd taken in as their own.

His family, safe from the sponsors.

With a hiss of pain, he pushed himself up, preparing to walk to the control room. He froze when he heard boots marching. Peacekeepers. Shit.

"So we just have to find the singer from 10?" One asks.

Brutus pushes himself against the wall again, listening. They were walking past, didn't see to see him. But they were talking about his kid, and he knew her location already. It was late to be grabbing her for a performance. They wanted something else.

"Yeah. The President wants her, dead or alive, doesn't matter how she's taken, long as she's dead afterwards." The other says.

Brutus freezes again, biting back a noise of pain.

"Wonder what she did to make the President angry." The first one shakes his head.

"Who cares? She's just a District kid anyway. There'll be more." The second laughs. "C'mon, let's get to the others so we can get this over with. If we're lucky, we might be able to get a turn with her before we shoot her."

Brutus listens to them leave, continuing on. With a sudden sense of urgency, he moves again, rushing to reach the control room first.

The games must have ended already, he can hear the mentors inside the room just talking well before seeing the door. Brutus enters the room as quickly as he can. He sees Enobaria, relaxing fractionally when she spots him and hurries towards him, wrapping him into her arms.

"Brutus!" She calls, relief evident in her tone.

He lets her start the process of patching him up. It hurts but he does his best not to react, not wanting to worry her. She looks anxious enough.

"That's the best I can do right now, love. We can do more once we're back in the tribute center. I'll get you some pain killers there, too." She murmurs, pressing a kiss against his cheek.

His eyes scan the room, searching desperately for Chara Thistle. He finds her, next to Argyle, slowly moving forward, perhaps to hug him, or help Enobaria.

"You have to go, Chara Thistle." He says, tone gravely serious.

It's the first he's spoken since entering the room. It silences any and all chatter still on going. The room is suddenly dead silent.

"What?" Chara Thistle asks, startled.

"You have to go." Brutus repeats. " Get out of here. Run! Snow's sent Peacekeepers. I don't know what's happening, not entirely, but you have to go. Now!"