Puzzle Pieces • Finnick Odair

C H A P T E R 8 7

Commander Paylor thought it would bring Jessica some closure to the hell she'd been put through to talk to Snow. Of course, being nothing like Snow or Coin, she made it very clear the decision was 100% up to Jessica and that she didn't have to set foot near the man if she didn't want to but the offer stood in case.

Jessica agreed with Paylor and so, after some careful consideration, she was now stood in the snowy gardens of the mansion as Finnick stood just a few metres behind with Paylor.

She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled, her breath visible in the frosty air, before walking into Snow's glass rose garden.

The room was full of white roses. There were white pillars keeping the structure up and a black water fountain in the middle of the open space.

She picks up a rose and President Coriolanus Snow spoke, "that's a good choice." She would've been startled by his sudden presence if she hadn't been expected him to be there with a remark about the flower. She almost yawned but fought the urge, instead crushing the flower in her hands and turned to face the white haired man as she opened her palm, letting the petals fall to the ground. She was done playing his games. She told herself from day 1 she wouldn't let Snow break her or change her and, considering everything she's been through, she did a damn good job.

As she faced where his voice had come from, he rounded the corner in a white shirt and red robe, a rose attached of course, as he too watched the petals fall. "I was hoping you'd come visit, I did always like you, you know?"

"You have a funny way of showing it," she replies monotonously, not amused.

He chuckles, "there's that wonderful humour." He spat, bitterly, "Nothing could break that out of you, huh?"

"Nope," she exaggerates the 'p' as she sits opposite Snow, on the edge of the water fountain. She felt perfectly safe for a few reasons. One, Snow looked rather weak, obviously dying. What a shame. Two, she had a dagger hidden in her jacket in case. Three, Snow was... how to put it? He was a snake that had ran out of venom, left to die defenceless. He never did any dirty work himself as he was just a weak man who had previously been sat in a protected case. Now he was vulnerable. Not a danger or a threat. Not anymore.

"I do wonder, how did you manage to stay sane." He grits his teeth, "after everything I did, how did you remain unaffected?"

"I've learnt not to let irrelevant things affect me anymore," she says nonchalantly as she glances around the room.

He grunts but tries to hide it, "well, I'm sure your visit will be brief, so let's not waste any time," he coughs up some blood into a tissue making Jessica give him a disgusted look. "I am very sorry about your little brothers girlfriend, such a shame he'll never get to love little Prim."

Two things went through Jessica's head: 1, how the fuck did he know about that? 2, is he high? Prim is alive, though she is in a coma and will be for a couple more weeks, she will wake up and be completely fine with a few months of healing.

"What?" Jessica asks, like a predator toying with its prey. "Ohhh, you mean Primrose 'Prim' Everdeen. Is that what you're gonna use against Katniss when she comes to visit," Snow looks smug. "As much as I'd love to tell you, trust me, I think Katniss'll enjoy it much more." She stands up, watching the man's face she hates more than anything twist with helpless confusion. "I'll see you when you take your last breathe," she waves at him with a satisfied smirk on her face.

Still confused about what she meant, he calls after her, "Miss Miller? Miss-" he cuts himself off as he coughs again.

"One more thing," she pauses before she reaches the door, "it's Mrs Odair now."

She leaves after that, the two guards dressed in black open the door for her and she walks out, without looking back. She walks up the steps to Paylor and Finnick, the latter wrapping an arm around her as soon as she was close enough. "You okay?" He looks at her, observing her every move.

She nods with a small but genuine smile as she turns to Commander Paylor, "thank you." Paylor replies with a simple nod and smile.

AN: I thought it was important that Jess speak with Snow to get some closure so she can move on with her life.