The Capitals Flower

Chapter 7

Dahlia's Pov:

Finnick has yet to let go of my hand since the jabberjay attack. I don't mind something about his warm hand in mine helps me to pretend we're at home and in an arena with a bunch of people who want us dead.

"Wiress is dead." Beetee says out of no where. Everyone else seems to already know this information. I nod slowly, it would be insensitive to ask how.

"Let's eat something." Finnick says opening one of the parachutes we got a few days prior. It is full of bread and we all take a small loaf.

I go for the district four bread, I need something that will remind me of home. Because home even if it was awful was better than the arena.

The heavy silence weighs down on me until Beetee breaks it with his plan.

"So we need to find the other tributes. And think we've already claimed the beach, if the fish in the water was poison we'd have figured it out first, we are in the only safe area. So if you were them where would you be?" Beetee asks as if he was a teacher explaining a concept to his students.

"I'd stay at the treeline." Katniss answers.

"Exactly! So they will be near the beach, so if we want to get rid of them we can tie my wire to the lighting tree and throw it into the water. When the lighting strikes, the careers will be electrocuted and their chances of survival are little to none. So they'll die immediately." Beetee explains

"What will you need us to do?" Finnick asks

"Three people can lay the wire and bring it to the water. I will need Finnick and Peeta to stay with me incase an other tribute decides to show up." He responds

"Well that's convenient. I'll go with Joanna and Katniss to lay the wire. When do we do it?" I ask

"After the noon lighting for maximum time." Beetee answers.

"Sounds good by me. Tomorrow then." Johanna chimes in.

"Meanwhile let's get to sleep. Who wants first watch?" I ask

"I'll take it" Johanna offers, and I'm  too tired to offer to take watch so I let her go.

I lightly pull my hand away from Finnick's so I can lay down. His eyes shoots over to me, the panic is unmistakable.

"It's okay." I whisper

"I know, I just can't lose you." He says

"You won't. We'll be home by tomorrow. The careers gone and we'll be eating like kings in the capital." I say, but we both know we'll be transported somewhere for the reballion.

I lay down and Finnick lays next to me. His arms wrap around me and he pulls me close enough so I can hear the rhythmic beats of his heart and his light breaths.

"If anything happens promise me you won't let it break you." I whisper so only he can hear.

"Nothing will happen." Finnick whispers back.

"You don't know that. So just promise." I say trying to keep the desperation from my voice.

"Fine I promise." He says, I know he doesn't think anything will happen. But if something does and he breaks the whole reballion could go down with him.

"I love you. I always will." I whisper to him as I bury my face into his chest.

"I love you too. Goodnight." He whispers into my hair.

He is warm, the smell of our home has long since faded but he still smells like him. I close my eyes and allow myself to slip into sleep.

~The Next Day~

We all woke up to fish and decided to eat the rest of the bread. All of us are laughing in a group as if we had known each other for years.

Maybe we'd be friends in another life, maybe we'd go out to eat and laugh over nice food with fancy drinks. Maybe we'd have families and our lives would be valued by someone other than each other. Not something to be used but someone to be loved.

Eventually we go to do our own thing. Katniss is teaching Peeta how to swim and I lay on Finnick's chest.

"You know after all these years you'd think you would get tired of me by now." I joke

"That's impossible your the most interesting person I know " he answers running his fingers through my hair.

I giggle as he places the wild flowers we found in my hair like we used to in district four. I stare up at the clouds and smile to myself.

"Look that cloud looks like a turtle." I say pointing up at the sky.

Finnick follows my finger and adds, "That one's a dog."

"There's a heart." I say pointing at the clouds that are beginning to have uncanny resemblances to random objects. The game makers doing, might as well humor them.

"Look it's a chicken!" I say pointing to a new cloud.

"And a fish." Finnick says

We continue naming the cloud shapes as we wait for noon to come. Finnick weaves the flowers into my hair until the lighting hits the tree.

As the lighting hits all the peace we had managed to find leaves as we all pack up the stuff we'll need to complete Beetee's plan.

As we walk there it sets in that this could be our last day in here. I take a deep breath in and speed up slightly to catch up with Katniss and Peeta who talk in hushed whispers.

I lightly touch Katniss' wrist to get her attention. She quickly turns around, I nod to her and she nods back. She tells Peeta that she'll be back in a second.

"What do you need?" Katniss asks with an edge in her voice.

"I just wanted to remind you that we're a team. And no matter how this ends, you need to know that I'm going to be here for you." I whisper to her praying the cameras can't hear.

"Not even someone like you can promise loyalty like that under these circumstances, Dahlia. But thank for the sentiment " Katniss says obviously annoyed.

"You'll be surprised at how far my loyalty stretches. Just please, if I'm gone don't let Finnick do anything stupid." I whisper back

She gives me a confused look as I go back to walk with Finnick.

"What did you say to her?" He asks

"I just made a lifelong alliance"