Calm Before The Storm {Finnick Odair}

Reunion

Hebe was then pushed through the train to the front, where she stood on a small attached platform, staring out at the people of district 4. There were hundreds, it seemed like they had all turned out to see her return. And they were all shouting. Cheering. Chanting her name. She broke out into a grin and began waving at the citizens, who grew even louder. For once she was not repulsed by waving at a crowd. Because they were her people.

Instead of the hordes of altered faces plastered in absurd makeup and coated in strange tattoos and out of place hair, she was met with normalcy. What she once would've brushed aside as plain and dull now shone in her eyes. Beige and white clothing, pale blue flowers handed to her by the young girls next to her on the platform. Natural smiling faces, blonde, brunette, raven, red hair. She no longer felt out of place.

Then she caught sight of a flash of ginger hair and someone pushing their way through the crowd.

"HEBE!!"

Hebe began craning her neck to catch sight of her oldest friend. She reappeared again, and they locked eyes. The younger girl was teary-eyed and shouting her sister's name. Hebe shouted back.

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, a familiar, low voice in her ear.

"Go on. Go see her."

Hebe didn't turn to look at Finnick before she leaped over the railing and onto the dirt floor. She didn't even give her legs time to recover before breaking out into a sprint towards her sister. The crowd parted like the red sea as she moved, and before she knew it, she had thrown herself into the arms of her 'sister'.

They didn't talk for a minute, all they did was cry quietly.

"I can't believe you're back. I thought I'd never see you again!" Annie choked out. She was stuck between sobbing and laughing.

"I'm back now. I'm back, I'm not gonna leave again." Hebe whispered as she stroked the younger girl's hair.

"I missed you so so much. We both did."

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, not caring about the cameras that filmed their every reaction for the Capitol to view. Until Hebe glanced back at the train and remembered.

"Oh fuck. I have to meet the mayor. I'm gonna have to talk to you later." She groaned, still wiping away stray tears from her eyes.

"You're not going to get in trouble are you? For jumping off the train?" Annie said, her eyes suddenly widening at the idea.

"I'll be fine, don't worry. The Capitol probably loved it. I'll see you both back at the house soon, ok?"

Annie nodded and embraced her sister one last time before making her way back through the crowd whilst Hebe jogged back to the steps leading up to the platform. As she was climbing back up she locked eyes with Finnick, noting the bittersweet smile on his face.

"I forgot about meeting the mayor." He mumbled, and Hebe murmured her assent. She too had let the meeting entirely slip her mind.

She followed her old mentor back down the platform and toward a car that would take them back. It was the first time she had ever seen a car in her home district; even though 4 was fairly affluent, only the ultra rich could afford them.

As she sat down on the velvet seating, she was glad of the absence of Ambrosia. She was certain that her escort wouldn't have been very pleased by her stunt back there. Luckily it was just her, Mags, and Finnick.

"I'm going to be dropped off at Victor's village, then you and Finnick are going to go and meet the mayor." Hebe nodded, not surprised.

It seemed that due to her status as one of the oldest victors she wasn't held to the same scrutiny as Hebe and Finnick were. Most people had entirely forgotten she existed. Hebe already couldn't wait until she faded into obscurity.