The Capitals Flower

Chapter 11

Dahlia's Pov:

It's been a few days since Boggs found out, I've spent most of these days wondering who they were going to send. I've pestered Boggs about telling me but he doesn't know either. Usually me and Finnick would make guesses together but I'm afraid to tell him that they're being sent to keep me in check.

I was outside on watch when a district 13 truck comes rolling in. I tense up, could this be them? Would they tell Finnick? He'd be so mad I don't know if I could take it. They open the doors and out walks an all too familiar face.

He looks less beat up than the last time I saw him but I can tell in his eyes he's still hurting. Peeta smiles when he sees me but his face quickly drops. I turn behind me to see what he's looking at and I see an angry looking katniss.

"Why is he here?" She asked Boggs loudly. Boggs looks equally confused.

I ignore their conversation and run to hug Peeta. When we pull away I can see how different he is from the boy he was before the capital. The timid way he walks, the dead look in his eyes. He knows Katniss doesn't want him here.

"Peeta, you got cleared to come out here?" I ask

"Something like that." He says forcing a smile, for me. He walks into the tent well Boggs does damage control with Katniss.

I follow him and whisper, "Did they tell you why they sent you here?"

"Because your pregnant?" He responded not bothering to match my hushed tone.

"Shhh, only you and Boggs know."

"You haven't told Finnick?" He asks, judgement in his tone.

"It'd only make him worry and that's the last thing he needs right now." I explain, but I can tell by the look on his face that wasn't a good enough excuse.

But instead of dwelling on the news he simply says, "Katniss doesn't seem happy to see me."

"She'll come around, she's just angry right now. We all are."

"I should've known they were sending me here to hurt her, not to help you. I'm sorry." He says sadly

"Well since you're here you may as well help me out. There's no point in being upset over things we can't change." I say in a poor attempt to comfort him.

Before he can respond Finnick comes over and says, "Hey Peeta, it's been a while." I can tell by the look on his face he's about to give him bad news. "So we were all talking and we think that since you haven't been exactly at your best for a while it'd be better to tie your hands up. Just incase anything happens."

"What?" I ask, I understand why they'd have to do this but I can't help but feel bad for Peeta. He doesn't want to be here more than any of us, it's my fault he was sent here and now we're just tying him up like some animal.

I can't help but feel angry. How could Finnick do such a thing? He knows what's it like to be forced to do something. Why would he punish Peeta for something he was forced to do? Did he even argue against it, or did he simply agree? I look up into his beautiful eyes, and for a moment feel a sense of disgust.

"It's just a precaution, nothing too serious. Just to make sure nothing happens." He says showing Peeta the handcuffs.

Peeta doesn't say a word as he's cuffed to one of the tent's poles. They spend the rest of the day discussing what will happen to him and what would become of us if we treated him with the humanity he deserved.

Finnick's Pov:

She's hiding something I can feel it. Everytime our eyes meet hers dart away quickly. And as I think more and more into it, the worse my guesses as to what it is gets.

At first I had just brushed it off as an effect of the capital torture, but I know Dahlia better than that. I can tell when she's hiding something from me. Perhaps she was regretting the marriage, perhaps when this is all over she plans on breaking it all off. I couldn't blame her, I don't deserve her. But at the same time I couldn't imagine a single person in the world who would deserve her.

The thought of another man with her, kissing her, touching her, even looking at her causes my stomach to turn. Yet I know if she told me she wasn't happy with me, I would allow her to break it off. Anything to make her happy. Of course I am not willing to give up that easily. So until she tells me for certain she is done with me I will spend every moment trying to be the man she deserves.

I walk over to her, her small frame propped up against the wall of the tent. I can tell the Peeta thing is bothering her, and normally she wouldn't keep these feelings from me. But the space between us has been particularly wide recently.

"Hey, how are you doing?" I ask softly, sitting next to her. I try to wrap my arm around her but she just shrugs me off. Maybe she really didn't want me anymore.

"Fine, I really don't feel like talking to you right now." The disgust in her voice clear, piercing me with a heart break I hadn't felt in months.

"Does this have something to do with Peeta?" I ask, angling her face up at me, only for her to look away angrily.

"Of course it does Finnick." She scooting away from me. I don't miss the aggression in her voice, mixed with anger and frustration.

"It'll be okay, they'll let him go soon. We just have to make sure he's harmless." I say keeping my distance.

"You're the one who locked him up. Don't act innocent." She snaps. I'm taken aback, Dahlia had never acted like this before. She has always been nothing but sweet. She must know why I handcuffed Peeta. It was for her own good, for the good of the team.

"Dahlia, you know why I had to." I answer defensively.

"I know, but that doesn't make it right." She says finally looking up at me, tears pouring down her face.

"I know, but you have to understand it needed to be done."

She shakes her head defeatedly, of course she understands. I know she does, but she's always been defensive over her friends. And her and Peeta have been through so much together it makes sense that she would care.

"I know, but it's hard Finnick. You don't understand." She says finally allowing me to pull her into an embrace.

"What don't I understand?" Confusion taking over me. Of course I wouldn't understand what happened to her in the capital but she isn't referencing that. It's something different, something she's not telling me.

"You can't know. Just trust me, I've ruined everything." She sobs into my chest. I decide not to press anymore questions.

"You haven't done anything wrong love. We're doing what you need to in order to survive. It's not fair to blame yourself." I say kissing her forehead tenderly.

"I know." She whispers tenderly, and in a moment she was asleep in my arms. I have to figure out what she's hiding.