The Capitals Flower

Chapter 6

Dahlia's POV:

Finnick has spent the last three hours trying to convince me to 'get my rest'. But instead we got permission to go see Peeta. I've been pacing the hospital room for a while now followed by a worried Finnick.

"Time would go faster if you just took a nap, you haven't slept since yesterday." He says from his seat by my bed.

"I hope he's okay."

Finnick nods in response, his eyes are full of worry and I'm not sure if their for me or Peeta. We are supposed to see him in twenty minutes.

"Let's leave now, maybe they'll let us in early." Finnick offers

I quickly agree and with a little help from Finnick we walk to Peeta's room. At least that's what they called it, I could tell it was more of a cell. Peeta was tied to the bed, he looked worse than I did and I doubt he's been shown much kindness since the incident.

A man stands at the door talking to a girl with short pin straight grey hair. Finnick puts on a familiar fake smile.

"Morning Boggs, President Coin." Finnick greets

"What are you guys doing here?" Boggs asks but before either of us can answer President Coin quickly interjects.

"Actaully I'm glad your here, we need someone to talk to Peeta." Coin says

"I don't think that's a good idea. Your still too weak Dahlia." Boggs pitches in

"It'll only take a moment." Coin insists

"I don't know." Boggs says

"We'll be watching don't worry." Coin says

Finnick makes a move to open the door but Coin places her hand on his chest to keep him from the door.

"Not you, just Dahlia. You'll be watching from the window with us." Coin says

"But what if something happens?" Finnick asks defensively

"It won't." Coin assured him

"It's fine Finnick." I say

"I don't like this. You can hardly walk without help." Finnick says, his arm still holding me up from the walk here.

"I'll just sit in the chair. Please." I'm afraid it sounds like I'm begging, but I am. I need to know that he is okay.

"Just let her, Finnick. She'll be fine." Boggs says

"No, Dahlia your not healthy enough to go by yourself." Finnick insists

"Finnick, you can't stop me." I finally say standing up straight and heading to the door trying to ignore the pain.

Finnick goes to follow me but Boggs puts a hand on his shoulder and leads him to the room where I assume they will watch from.

I open the door and find Peeta strapped to the bed. It sends a chill down my spine, we spent months being tortured just to come back to be treated like animals again.

"Peeta?" I whisper

His head snaps in my direction, "Dahlia?"

"How are you?"

He looks at his hands that are tied to the bed and shrugs, "Could be better."

"I'm so sorry. Nothing that's happened it okay." I say trying not to cry.

"Dahlia it's not your fault." Peeta says

He seems normal besides the bruises and cuts that litter his body. It doesn't make sense why he is being held down and locked up.

"It is my fault, if it would've just happened differently we could've been here from the beginning and skipped the capital entirely." I say tears threatening to spill

"Here's not as great as it seems Dahlia." He says a sense of urgency filling his voice.

"What do you mean?"

"You're too trusting, Dahlia. These guys don't want to help us."

All at once doubt fills my brain, what if the memories of Finnick weren't planted. What if I was wrong to doubt my own brain. Maybe these people that claim to help us are just the capital in a different light.

"What?"

"It's all Katniss' fault, they never wanted to help us. We were better off in the capital."

"Your wrong Peeta. We're safe."

"You're too naive, they're going to kill us. She's going to kill us." His voice slowly rises to a yell as he speaks.

"Peeta calm down." I whisper reaching to try and hold his hand.

Before my hand can reach his he lunges at me, still yelling. I fall back on to the floor my legs still weak. This seems to snap him out of it. Finnick and a guard rush into the room.

"Dahlia I'm sorry!" Peeta's voice follows, as Finnick picks me up and swiftly leaves the room. His voice rings down the hall as I bury my face into Finnick's chest.

"Are you okay?" He whispers into my hair as we walk back to my hospital bed.

"He was supposed to be the one that made it out okay. That was the deal, it isn't fair." My voice is barely audible and I'm afraid if I talk any louder I will start crying again.

"He's going to be okay, I promise." We both know he can't promise that.

"What if he was right? What if they are no better than the capital?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But right now we are all working to get rid of the capital and if they are going to help with that we'll take it. We'll deal with whatever happens after, we always do."

I'm not sure if it was the confidence he said it with or the way he whispered but I believed him. And for the first time in a long time I felt like I was okay.

"What did he do to Katniss?" I whisper

"Are you sure you want to know?"

I'm not, I can't imagine Peeta hurting her. He loved her so much. The capital may have destroyed that side of Peeta. The side that loved unconditionally and cared for everyone he loved and if they did I don't want to know. But a part of me has to.

"Just tell me."

"Dahlia, he tried to kill her."

Something in me drops, I had braced myself for this answer yet it still hurt. Finnick's arms wrapped around me and are all that can comfort me in the hurricane that had surrounds my brain.