Warriors ("Allies" Sequel)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Plutarch and Cressida do an amazing job at creating a propo which includes me singing 'The Hanging Tree' in the background while we show the destruction that is Twelve. They tell me Beetee will try to broadcast it as soon as we have another transmission from the Capitol. Coin seems pleased with the results and gives me a head nod with her version of a smile.

When the meeting is over I feel good; I really hope Peeta gets to see it and tries to help us, even though we haven't been able to help him.

Finnick and I go back to his room and lay on his bed waiting for them to broadcast the propo. I put my head on Finnick's chest and he begins tracing patterns on my hand.

"Do you think It'll work?" I ask, after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think Peeta will help us now?"

"I... I don't know, Katniss," he seems to struggle for the right words. "I mean, it will shock him but I'm not sure if he'll agree with the war any more than he did before."

"But they destroyed his home. His whole family is dead. Wouldn't he want to get revenge?"

"Maybe. I don't know him, Katniss. Why do you want him to agree with you so bad?"

He's right. I've been trying to convince everyone but mostly so I could convince myself that this is the right thing to do.

"I just -"  I sit up and look at Finnick. "I just need someone to tell me that what we're doing is right. Peeta has always known what to do and now that he's against what we're doing, I can't help but think that maybe, it's wrong. So many people are dying and what if we don't win? All dead, for nothing."

He sits up too and grabs my hand. "You're right. Maybe it'll all be for nothing but we'll never know if we give up now," he brushes my cheek gently.

I give him a faint smile and nod. I realize at this point that Finnick is who's getting me through all this. Every doubt that I have, he makes it go away. And that's more than I could ever give him.

He pulls me closer to him end brushes his lips against my cheek, until they find their way to my lips. He kisses me softly for a bit but then begins to do it more desperately. I find myself doing the same, refusing to let go of him. He lays me down gently on the bed without removing his lips from mine. At this moment my mind begins to drift off and I think about how my life would've turned out if Finnick hadn't been part of the plan to take me out of the arena. What if he had been like District 1 and 2, not knowing anything? Would we still have spoken to each other? Become allies? I don't know, but he's here right now and that's what matters.

A knock on the door startles us and Finnick moves from away from me to open it, revealing a soldier from Thirteen. He mumbles something to Finnick and I can't quite make it out.

"All right. Thank you," Finnick says, and turns to me as the soldier walks away. "There's another Peeta interview going on. They're gonna try to show the propo and they want us there."

When we get there a small group has gathered already, watching the interview.

I feel  a sudden hole in my stomach when I see Peeta. He looks even worse than he did last time; he has black bags under his eyes, his skin is practically hanging from his bones and he can't seem to control his shaking.

But then his image disappears and I see myself walking around District 12 while 'The Hanging Tree' plays on the background. Then we go back to Peeta, who looks confused and disturbed by what's happening.

"Katniss?" he whispers, and that's enough for tears to fall from my eyes.

And then there I am again, walking in front of what once was The Hob. When we go back to Peeta he looks desperate.

"Katniss," he says again. "How do you think this is gonna end? No one is safe! Not in the Capitol or the Districts. And you in Thirteen... you'll be dead by morning!" he shouts, and before we realize it, Peeta is knocked to the ground and the sound of bones crunching fills the whole room. The last thing we see is a splatter of blood on the camera.

A scream is stuck in my throat and I feel Finnick push my head towards his chest to prevent me from seeing it... but it's too late. I saw, and I heard.

It's hard to breathe, my body feels heavy but I just stay there with my face buried in Finnick's chest.

"He's warning us," I hear Haymitch say. "The kid's telling us they're gonna attack us."

"The radar is showing  missiles approaching from the west," Boggs says.

I step away from Finnick and look at Coin. She nods thoughtfully. "Yes, get the defenses ready, evacuate everyone to the bunkers." Then she turns to us, "that goes for you as well."

Finnick grabs my hand and leads me towards the door just as a deafening alarm starts sounding. We walk down a staircase and several hallways, in silence. When we reach the bunker we're the first ones there. Finnick goes to get our supplies (a thin mattress, clothes, flashlight, etc.) and then sits down with me on one of the beds.

"Okay, now that we're safe," he says, "let it out."

"He could be dead," I whisper, and for the first time, I believe it. Just for warning us, for saving our lives , Peeta could be dead.

"I don't think they'll kill him," he says, putting an arm around me. "They need him, otherwise they would have nothing against you."

Could that be true? Could Snow really need to keep hurting me that bad that he would just torture Peeta but not kill him? Not right now, at least.

My body is shaking and a million things are going through my head when people finally begin to fill the bunker. After a while I see my mother and wave at her.

"Hey, mom. Where's Prim?" I say.

"I thought she'd be here by now," she says. "She left the hospital before I did."

She went back for the cat.

I suddenly feel like I'm gonna faint and stand up as quickly as I can. I start running towards the entrance of the bunker as a loud voice in a speaker begins to count down the seconds to close the door.

Ten seconds.

I don't see anyone near the entrance but just then I hear a voice shout "Wait!"

It's Prim's voice.

Another voice shouts "We're coming!"

Gale.

I start to breathe heavily and I think they're not going to make it when they both slide under the door in the last two seconds.

I hug Prim so hard because I'm glad she's safe but also because I'm angry at her. "What were you thinking?!" I yell.

"I couldn't abandon him again, Katniss. I had to go back," she says.

"Just glad you're all safe," I say and turn to Gale. "Thank you, Gale."

He just smiles and nods at me.

"We should go back before the first missile hits," Finnick says. I didn't even realize he had come after me, but it doesn't surprise me. He's always there, for me.

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I knooooooow I suck and y'all hate me for not updating in a month and I have no excuse for it, but I just want y'all to know that I really am sorry and I would hate me too.

Love y'all

Ally xx