nightmare + f. odair✔

33

"So, Katniss, It's 'Thirteen is alove and well and so am I!" Effie Trinket called out from the back of the tunnel, her overly happy and prissy voice making Octavia want to bash her head into a wall.

They continued walking, until light peaked through and everyone walkes through a small entrance to the outside world.

"Finally, fresh air," Octavia muttered from beside Cressida sarcastically, looking around.

The entire outside was in ruins. Large concrete blocks were scattered throughout what she assumed was some kind of courtyard, all of them stacked. They encircled the area the group stood in now.

The most haunting thing were the white roses scattered around inside the circle, some with a stem and leaves and the other with just the flowers.

"What the hell," Octavia breathed into thr tense silence.

She watched Katniss drop into a kneel, picking up a rose hesitantly.

"Why would they drop these?" Gale asked, his form rigid as he examined the area.

"For me," Katniss spoke, her voice wavering. Octavia bit her lip, knowing this was about to go downhill.

"Ready to go Katniss? We're going to do this just like District Eight," Cressida reassured.

"Tell me about the roses."

Katniss looked around, her lips parted and quivering as she looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Tell Snow Thirteen is alive and well," Cressida urged, and Octavia glared at her.

"Give her a second," Octavia hissed, defending the obviously distraught girl.

"He's going to kill Peeta," Katniss breathed, her eyes finding Octavias.

"Can you speak up? We don't have a mic on you. Thirteen is alive and well, and so am I," Cressida bent down, becoming increasingly impatient.

"Shut up, Cres-"

"Katniss," Cressida sighed, annoyed.

"Leave her alo-" Octavia was cut off. Again.

"You can do it Katniss," Gale said, giving her a tiny smile.

"I-I can't do this," Katniss mumbled, and Octavia had had enough when Cressida continued to pester her.

Octavia rushed over, embracing the girl into a tight hug.

"It's okay, love. It's okay."

"He- he warned me about this, he's doing this because I'm the mockingjay. He's punishing Peeta to punish me," Katniss pulled away from Octavia, the latter letting a few tears spill from her eyes.

"No- I can't do this," Katniss began walking away, and Octavia only let her. She had done so much, this wasn't necessary.

"Katniss-"

"Don't make me do this!" Katniss shouted at Cressida, who inly shook her head.

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut, this is hard enough without your atti-" Octavia was cut off be Haymitch grabbing her arm.

"I'll help Katniss, go with them," he told her, and she only nodded, her glare situated on an equally pissed off Cressida.

"Octavia," Cressida called, her voice strained and desperate.

"Would you be willing to- help, with the propo?" She asked hesitantly, and Octavia only took a deep breath and nodded.

"I think I might know someone who can help."

_

"My name is Octavia Whether."

"I won the sixty-sixth Hunger Games."

Her voice was strong, with not a hint of hesitation or stutter.

"I am coming to you live and well from- from District Thirteen."

She met Finnicks eye, who stood just behind Castor as he filmed.

She had to do this, for Annie, for Peeta, for Johanna.

And for her sister, for Adriana.

"We have survived an assault from the Capital, a failed attempt at wiping us out. We are stronger, and more ready then ever before," she said, loud and firm.

"The games destroyed me. They took away my sanity, my happiness. They took away everything from me, except my sister."

She gulped, feeling tears from her eyes.

"And now, the Capital has her. They took her from me. I refuse to back down or give up, I refuse to just allow them to take the good from my life," Octavias words were cold, laced with a threat even Finnick shivered at.

"I know nothing of the Capital, I know nothing but of its coruptness, its willingness to murder and lie and sacrafice."

"But, I know someone who knows more of the Capital, of its hidden secrets, than some of you watching this," she smirked, and Finnick entered the frame.

She listened as he told his story, of how he was a slave to the Capital people. How he was forced to pleasure random citizens.

She didn't say a word, she let him speak. She grabbed his hand and squeezed as hard as she could as tears of both anger and frustration and sorrow ran down her face.

There was nothing she could do to chanhe what had happened to him, or what was going to happen.

Everything was bound to go to hell one way or another, and when the time came, she would protect him.

Just like he'd protect her.

_