Spark to Flame: A Finniss Story

Pt IV: Breeze to Gust

When Katniss slowly opens her eyes, the last thing she expects to see is the group of people crowded around her bed.

Gale's is the first face she sees, and she immediately begins to recognize Boggs, Cressida, Pollux, Mesalla, Castor, and Lyme as well. She slowly blinks the blurriness from her eyes, attempting to get up.

"Woah, hey," Gale says softly, reaching out to stop her. "You shouldn't move just yet. Your spleen's ruptured."

She knits her eyebrows. Her spleen was ruptured? When did that happen?

And then she remembers. The Nut. The avalanche. The man. The gunshot.

Katniss softly scoffs and lowers her head, tiredly rubbing her eyes. "What happened? Did that man-"

"He's alive," Gale says. "He's not the one who shot you, but we got the guy that did."

She stares at her hospital sheets, nodding to show that she understands.

"How are you feeling, Katniss?" Cressida asks. "Coin wants us to shoot a quick propo of you in your hospital bed to show that you're still alive. I know it's sudden and you need your rest, but you did just get shot on national television."

Oh yeah, that's right. She was doing a broadcast when that happened. The entire world must have thought she was dead.

She looks up at the tattooed woman and nods, squeezing her eyes shut when the light becomes too much. "Um...yeah. Yeah, sure, I- I can do that."

Cressida smiles. "Great. Pollux, Castor, you set up over there. Messalla and I will get an angle from over here."

Katniss sighs, and everyone begins exiting the room to let her propo team do their thing. Gale rests his hand on hers and gives her a comforting smile before he leaves, and Lyme and Boggs both nod their acknowledgement of her as they walk out the door.

"Okay, we'll try and make this quick," Cressida says, getting her camera ready as Messalla gives her a mic. "Coin wants you back in District 13 as soon as possible. Wants you to be there for Finnick and Annie's wedding."

Her head shoots up, eyes wide as she registers what she's said. "...Wedding?"

"Yeah," she says offhandedly, not looking at her as she fiddles with her camera. "Plutarch suggested they record their wedding so Panem can know that they're still going strong despite Annie's torture. I'm surprised no one told you. You ready?"

Katniss shakily exhales, slowly turning her gaze away from Cressida and staring off into space.

Married? Finnick and Annie were getting married? How could that be? He said that he loved her. Not Annie. He had said time and time again that he wanted to be with her, that he loved her, going so far as to risk his life to save hers...how could that be?

Tears spring in her eyes of their own accord, and she sits there in her hospital bed staring at the wall and finding it harder and harder to breath, though she barely notices the changes.

Because Finnick is getting married, and she's the last person to know.

Her worst fears have finally been solidified, taking form in the worst way possible. He was going to bind himself to Annie in a way that couldn't be undone, and she was going to have to sit back and watch. President Snow couldn't have been crueler.

She supposed that she should have seen it coming; after all, what did she expect when they rescued Peeta and Annie? That they would go about their lives and live happily ever after together with their old flames somewhere in the background? No. That could never happen. It wasn't happening. Peeta and Annie had been back for a month and things were just getting worse and worse between her and Finnick. They were drifting farther and farther apart, and there was nothing she could do. This was the final act that would sever whatever they had for good.