Don't Drown | Finnick x OC

Barrier

In the Jungle

The jungle was hot and humid. I was still soaked to my skin but at this point I couldn't tell if it was from the fight in the water or sweat from the humidity. We'd been hiking uphill for a long time now. If I didn't know that the sun was fake, I'd say it had been over an hour based on its position. But you can't trust anything in the games, especially "nature".

Katniss walked behind me. I think it made her feel more in control, with Peeta in front and her in the rear. I didn't care. I doubted very much that she would do anything such as stab me in the back. She wanted to trust us.

I knew why Peeta was in front. It was a way of paying back. I could tell he felt bad about almost getting me killed. He was hacking at the vines in our path as a way to repay Finnick and I. Again, I didn't care. 

We had decided with Plutarch and Haymitch that I was to take charge of Peeta while Finnick gained Katniss's trust. I don't think Finnick was as pleased with the arrangement as I was. Probably because he had to be himself in order for Katniss to like him. His real self, not whoever he was for the Capital.

Glancing up at Peeta and Finnick in front of me, I took in the jungle scene around us. For such a manufactured arena, it couldn't look more real. The plant life around us was bamboo-like trees, and vines hung everywhere. That's what Peeta was hacking at to clear a path, using the sword I had grabbed for him.

The metal sliced through the air and the plant life, and I could hear him grunt a bit with the effort. Then it all happened so fast. I heard Katniss yell behind me.

"PEETA NO!"

But it was too late, he was flung backward, knocking Finnick and I to the ground. I looked up in time to see the electricity of the forcefield pulsing back to look invisible. We must have reached the edge of the arena.

Katniss reached him first. She turned him over and as I scrambled to my feet I could see that he was unconscious.
"He's not breathing!" Katniss wheezed out in panic.

"Finnick!" I yelled.

He knew what I meant. I didn't carry the muscle to administer CPR on Peeta. He shoved Katniss aside and immediately started chest compressions.

Katniss didn't understand. She started to yell and scramble back to Peeta. I caught her around her stomach, holding her back, and swerved my head to avoid her elbow that she tried to swing at me.
"No! No! What are you–" but she stopped herself short.

She understood. When she stopped struggling I let her go and she collapsed next to Peeta, fear in her eyes.

"Come on Peeta!" Finnick growled as he pressed his head against Peeta's chest and didn't hear a heartbeat.
He started back to mouth to mouth and after several more chest compressions, Peeta took in a large breath, his eyes shooting open. Finnick fell back exhausted, while I blew out a long breath I didn't realize I was holding. I could hear Katniss whispering his name, not sure whether to believe her eyes.

I moved over to Finnick, sure the cameras would be trained on the star-crossed lovers, and crouched down.

"You good?" I whispered, running my fingers just once through his hair, no matter how much they longed to linger.

He just nodded and gave me a tired smile. He was out of breath but he had done good, I was proud of him.

"Be careful, there's a forcefield back there." I heard Peeta joke and Katniss sobbed out a laugh.

"You were d-dead. Your heart stopped."

"It's okay," he continued to assure her. "It's working now."

"Told ya it was real." I whispered to Fin as I helped him up, referring to the couple by us.

"Do you want to stand up?" Katniss asked and with my help, we pulled him up.

She gripped him in a tight hug. I glanced at Finnick and recognition dawned on his face. This would be us if we were in that position. He looked at me.
'I told ya so.' I mouthed.

He rolled his eyes but smiled, for the briefest of moments, before he trained his eyes back to the cold ones he would only wear here.

"I think we should keep by the forcefield, walk the edge of it, see where it takes us." I broke the silence.

"Why?" Said Katniss.

"I don't know." I said as I unsheathed my sword from behind my back and stepped in front of them, ready to take the lead this time. "Maybe just cuz I think they won't expect it."

"They?" Peeta asked as I started forward, throwing a pebble at the forcefield as a reminder of where it was.

"The Gamemakers." Finnick answered for me.