Puzzle Pieces • Finnick Odair

C H A P T E R 3 2

Jessica was in the water, swimming at a rapid pace, ignoring the familiar salt water that reminded her of home, making her want to stay in it forever. She reached the cornucopia before anyone else, well Finnick was probably there too but he was on the other side.

She grabbed a belt of knives and a pair of twin blades in hand. The familiarity of the weapons brought her an uneasy comfort as she knew she had the weapons she was strongest with. Though she could use any weapon, she was best with the twin blades. They were the perfect weight and they seemed to fit in her hands as if they were part of her. Compared to her first games where she had to use machetes, due to her not going to the Cornucopia to get her blades, she now felt more prepared with them in hand.

She found Finnick over by the tridents and stood next to him. They see Katniss and, as she notices people near her, she draws her bow instinctively.

"Good thing we're allies, right?" Finnick says in a mocking voice as we show our gifts from Haymitch.

"Where did you get them?" She asks, glancing between the familiar bangle and medallion, bow still aimed.

"Where do you think?" Finnick answers cockily, "duck."

Katniss does so immediately as Finnick's trident hits the man in the chest.

"Don't trust 1 and 2. I'll take this side. You two hold them off. I'll go find Peeta."

He comes back a moment later, "guys, over here."

They walk over to see Peeta in the water losing a fight with someone. Jessica passes her blades over to Finnick before diving in and swimming over to them.

Everything goes quiet.

Boom.

A body floats up to the top of the water blood surrounding it.

Silence.

A moment later, Jessica emerges from the water with a frightened Peeta following shortly afterwards causing the Mockingjay and Capitol Golden Boy to both sigh in relief. She helps him over to the stone path where Katniss helps him up, Finnick doing the same for Jessica, helping her to her feet and placing a quick kiss to her temple.

They get off the cornucopia, away from the beach and deep into the jungle.

More canons go off.

"Well I guess we're not holding hands anymore," Finnick chuckles as Jessica stifles a laugh.

"You think that's funny?" Katniss says, clearly unamused.

"Every time that canon goes off, it's music to my ears. I don't care about any of them."

"Good to hear."

"You want to face the Career Pack alone? What would Haymitch say?"

"Haymitch isn't here."

"Okay guys, let's move," Jessica tries to break the tension.

The group move forward, Peeta leading, until he cuts into the force field, being thrown back.

"He's not breathing. He's not breathing." Katniss exclaims, "Peeta!"

Finnick crawls over, pushing Katniss off of Peeta as he starts to give him CPR and Katniss reaches for an arrow out of instinct. Jessica grabs her wrist, "Katniss. He's helping."

"Peeta, Peeta."
"Come on. Come on."
"Please, wake up."
"Come on."
"No. Please."
"Come on. Come on, Peeta!"

Katniss is in hysterical tears as Peeta gasps for air. Finnick sits back with a sigh and he leans against a tree.

"Be careful, there's a force field up there," Peeta says.

Katniss laughs, kissing him, "oh my god, you were dead. You were dead. Your heart stopped."

"It's okay. It's working now." He says, eyes still closed. Jessica tried not to cringe.

Katniss' face is damp with tears as her mouth contorts into a sad grimace. "It's okay guys, it's just the pregnancy hormones, right?" Jessica knowingly jokes, making them all chuckle lightly, successfully brightening the mood.

"Do.. do you wanna stand up?" Katniss asks Peeta with teary eyes who nods in reply, "yeah."

She helps him stand and brings him into a hug.

Though their relationship started off as fake, they did truly love each other, whether they knew it or not. They were similar to Jessica and Finnick that way, the boys knowingly in love, the girls knowingly denying it.

Finnick wraps his arm around Jessica's waist, placing his chin on her head with a sigh as they let the star crossed lovers have their moment, eager to have any form of physical contact to the girl who keeps him grounded.

Katniss led from then on, stones in hand to throw at the force field, Peeta right behind her then Jessica, then Finnick.

Katniss climbs a tree for who knows what reason. Does Katniss Everdeen need a reason to spontaneously climb a tree? Probably not.