Reunited // Finnick Odair

Chapter 21

 It's hot, standing in the roped off Victors area in front of the platform. I barely had a chance to settle in (or back in) to District 4 before the reaping came around. Finnick is in another roped off zone, alone, about four meters from my own 'pen'. Mags and I are the only ones to occupy it. I know instantly I'll volunteer for Mags if her name's called. I can't let her go back into the arena - she means too much to Finnick. 

I barely register for a few seconds as Mags' name is announced. She begins to tremble as she takes a tentative step forward. And then I volunteer. It moves swiftly on, I step up on to the platform with bated breath before standing in front of the crowd. Then the escort asks for my name but it's pointless. Everyone here knows me. They all know I come from District 4, moved to 12 then returned for the Quarter Quell. They don't, however, know why. And nor do I. ''Vivianna Everly.'' I simply state before the chirpy woman moves over to the class bowl with only one slip of paper laying at the bottom, pristine, white and folded in half.

''Finnick Odair.'' he walks gingerly towards the stairs and up the platform, a grim look etched on his handsome face. It makes me sad to see him like that. Usually his mouth is constantly turned up in a wide smile, dazzling everyone with his pearly white teeth. I guess the reaping makes everyone rather solemn.

He stands next to me and voluntarily takes my hand as the escort goes on. ''You okay?'' he asks me quietly, leaning sideways slightly to get closer.

I take a deep breath. ''Sure. You?''

He nods slowly. We both know we're not prepared to go back into the arena - it changes you. And then seeing those kids you send in as mentors die before your eyes...it's enough to put anyone off for a lifetime. ''We'll be okay.'' he says simply, giving my hand a squeeze before we're ushered into the Justice Building. This year, it's evident you don't get to say goodbye. Not that Finnick and I have anyone to say goodbye to. I already said my goodbye's back in District 12. I miss them. I miss Haymitch's drunken words of advice and his sickly hugs. Katniss' willpower and determination. Peeta's friendly smiles, heart-to-hearts and warm bakes. I miss being welcomed into the Everdeen home everyday, Prim always wanting to braid my overly long hair, Mrs Everdeen offering to make me tea whilst we sit by the fireplace and talk. I even miss Effie and her bustling and schedules. Maybe not her brightly coloured hair, though.

We're pushed out of the Justice Building by the district's Head Peacekeeper and into a sleek black car before straight onto the train. There were no cameras, no crowd, just the escort who's name I learn to be Cassis. Once Finnick helps me on to the train, the door slams shut and we begin to move. Everyone departs, leaving Finnick and I alone.

''Tough crowd,'' Finnick mutters.

I bite my lip. ''This isn't normal...why is everything so uptight this year?'' I ask him.

He shrugs and frowns before grinning. ''Let's forget it and go get a drink.''

''A drink...?'' I repeat uncertainly.

Finnick just flashes me a wicked smile and takes my hand, leading me through to the dining car. It's empty. ''You sit here,'' he instructs, grabbing my waist and setting me on a bar stool before letting go and moving around to the other side of the makeshift bar.

''What are you doing?'' I laugh, resting my chin on my palm and watching Finnick with raised eyebrows as he scurries around under the bar.

''I have no idea.'' he replies, pulling out two glasses and finding the nearest wine bottle and filling them up. He hands me one. ''Try it.''

I take a sip and instantly pull a face, earning a hearty laugh from Finnick. ''Well, I'm no Haymitch.'' I cough, taking another sip to get used to it. Finnick smirks and comes back around, sitting on the stool next to mine and using his foot to swivel mine around until we're facing each other. He takes a long drink.

''So who do you think are the tributes for Twelve?'' he asks me.

I take a drink before setting down my wine glass and thinking. ''Obviously Katniss. I don't know, I hope not Peeta but I don't want it to be Haymitch, either.''

''Why not?'' I can feel Finnick staring intently at me again. He does that quite often.

''I love him. He's been the closest thing to a father I've ever had.'' I reply.

''Not ever...'' he mutters into his glass.

I furrow my brows. ''What do you mean?''

He sighs before setting his own glass down next to mine. ''You don't remember your real parents, do you?''

That was unexpected. I shake my head.

''They were incredible people, Anna,'' my breath catches in my throat as he says that. ''Your father, he was always smiling. He was the one who spent a summer teaching us how to fish. You owned a little boat that we used to row out onto the sea and spend the whole day catching fish and making hooks, although neither of us were very good back then,'' he laughs. I know my eyes are tearing up, by now. ''Your mother though, you two were always cooking. The fish that we caught, bread - anything you could. You used to weave baskets together. One day she forced me to join you. A useful skill, I guess. Then there was the time we camped out on the beach outside my house whenever your parents were working. They worked for the Capitol, although you hated it when they left.''

He pauses, raking a hand through his perfect hair, now messing it up. He bites down his own tears. ''You were so young, Vivianna. Six! I know it was Snow, I know it. Anna,'' he takes my hands in his. ''I don't think your parents just died. I wish you could remember me. Everything. The day Snow came to your house and said -''

''-''They died in an, should we say, unfortunate accident.''.''

Finnick's mouth drops open. ''Y-you - you remember!''

My own mouth opens. ''I remember. Oh, I remember!'' I clasp a hand to my mouth, tears flowing down my face as every single memory hits me hard. I place both hands on the side of my head as it loads with information, as if a block in my mind fell and everything came flooding out. Finnick wraps his arms around me, amazed and confused.

''If all it took was a drink I should've done this months ago!'' he jokes and I laugh, looking at him.

My best friend. I jump on him, my arms around his neck, crushing him. We're both a sobbing mess, speeding along to the Capitol to our inevitable deaths. And we're together again.