my little dove | Finnick Odair

chapter twenty-two

"It's killing me to see you this way."

Little Talks- Of Monsters and Men

~~~

"SHE'S awake." Coraz revealed.

Dove stared at him, as she felt her feet stagger backwards. She felt Finnick's hand on her back, supporting her as she tried to steady her breathing.

"I have to go see her. She has to know she's okay-" Dove panicked.

"No, Dove. No. She isn't stable enough to see more people." Haymitch argued.

"Stable enough? What does that even mean?" Dove retorted.

"I know this is a lot to process." Haymitch said sadly. "But now is a bad times to discuss it."

"Haymitch." Coraz tried to interfere.

"I'm not talking to you." Haymitch glared. "Please, Dove. In the morning I'll take you to her myself. But for now, please, just be patient."

Dove couldn't listen to Haymitch's urgency. She couldn't understand why they would drop such a big bombshell, but then refuse to let her see Isabelle. Nothing made sense anymore.

"How can you ask me to do that?" Dove said.

"I understand how confusing this must all sound." Haymitch sighed. "It will all make sense in the morning. I promise."

"Why? Why in the morning?" Finnick questioned skeptically.

"You kids are killing me here." Haymitch mumbled.

"That's my little sister, Haymitch." Dove glared.

"Do you trust me?" Haymitch asked defensively.

Dove immediately shut her mouth. Of course she trusted Haymitch, and he'd never asked for her trust before. He'd never asked for anything from her, really. Now was the time to put her faith in him. As painful as it felt, she knew that was the right thing to do.

"I trust you." Dove muttered in defeat.

"Good." Haymitch sighed in relief.

"However." Dove began. "If you don't meet me in the cafeteria at 7am, then I will be demanding answers from somebody else. Am I clear?"

"You're the boss." Haymitch smirked.

Dove wasn't in the mood for Haymitch's playfulness. She excused herself and Finnick from him and a suspiciously quiet Coraz. Coraz gave Dove an unreadable look as she parted, leaving her with more questions than ever.

—

"Seems we can never just have one day." Finnick smiled sadly.

"No, we can't." She replied apologetically.

He kissed Dove's forehead reassuringly, as he opened the door to their living quarters. He began unbuttoning his shirt as Dove carefully took her dress off. Finnick gazed at his wife sadly, who was trying desperately to be in the moment, but her mind was not there with her.

"I'm sorry." Dove said. "It's our wedding day, and there is still something that has to take the significance." She sighed.

"Only if you look at it that way." Finnick smiled. "The way I see it, is that I married the woman that I was madly in love with, and we had the most perfect day together. Then, reality set in, and we were simply taken back to the lifestyle under the Capitol."

"Thank you." Dove smiled. "You always know how to say the right things."

"It's one of my many talents." Finnick smirked.