Love at Sea (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 9

"Finnick, Finnick," a voice broke through the haze as he felt his body being shaken.

"Go away," Finnick mumbled as he tried to swat the hand away.

"Finnick, you have to wake up."

"Katniss?"

"I have news. You have to wake up."

"What?" Finnick groaned, cracking one eye open to look at the younger girl. He let out a small groan as he realised he was back in the hospital. He was so going to lose that bet with Buck.

"It's happening Finnick. It's happening. They sent a team to break them out of the Capitol."

This was enough to rouse Finnick. All agitation he felt at being woken up faded away and a delighted, but slightly deranged smile took over.

"Don't you see, Katniss, this will decide things. One way or the other. By the end of the day, they'll either be dead or with us. It's... it's more than we could hope for!"

"Ok," Katniss nodded with a frown. She wasn't quite expecting his negative outlook on that. But in a way, it brought with it a sense of peace. The torment would end. It was the first time in over a month that Finnick felt at all relieved.

"Katniss... I don't know Peeta that well, but I know Taiya. I should warn you, if they get her here, she's going to be pissed. At everyone probably. Just... don't judge her too harshly, please?" Finnick pleaded with his friend.

Katniss gripped his hand. "It's fine, I get it," she shot him a smile. Finnick was a true friend to her, and he loved this girl. Katniss had no idea what she would have been put through so she'd tolerate anything from her, and she'd do it for Finnick.

The curtain was then ripped aside and the recovering alcoholic District 12 victor was revealed. "Plutarch has a task for you two to help... if you can pull it together."

"We can do it," Finnick nodded, sitting up so his legs were dangling over the edge of the bed.

"They still need footage of 13 after the Capitol's bombing. If we can get it in the next few hours, Beetee can air it leading up to the rescue, and maybe keep the Capitol's attention elsewhere."

"Yes, a distraction," Finnick nodded. "A decoy of sorts."

"What we really need is something so riveting that even President Snow won't be able to tear himself away. Got anything like that?"

"Let me get prepped!" Katniss immediately leapt up and ran out.

"Kids," Finnick smiled at Haymitch.

"Put some pants on Peacock," Haymitch rolled his eyes before following Katniss.

"Wait! Haymitch!" Finnick called him back. "Tyler and Buck?"

"They didn't go. No victors allowed. They wanted to. Turns out you District 4 men are easily distracted, we told them to go check out weapons with Beetee downstairs and as soon as they were out of sight the rescue mission took off. I think they're still down there."

Finnick couldn't help but laugh at how easily Buck and Tyler were fooled. But then his smile dropped and a frown creased his eyebrows. Hadn't it just been the other week that Katniss told him to go to Beetee to check out weapons while she headed off on a mission?

"Wait a minute!"

"Gotta go," Haymitch ran off.

*********************

Katniss was a sweet girl. That was no doubt. But she was not a good storyteller. The District 13 editors could only do so much to improve her story. To be fair, her story about meeting Peeta was yes, very touching, but her performance... not so much.