Against All Odds (Finnick Odair love story) (1)

Chapter 21

April and Heath ^
Warning longest chapter yet. Over 2700 words.... it's worth it I promise. Please give me feedback so I can make changes. Or if you have requests or comments.
Finnick's POV
I sit in the victors lounge staring at the screen watching Kara's little body toss and turn the only thing keeping her in the tree is the rope that has her body firmly pinned to the tree.
None of the other tributes have been able to successfully climb the trees like Kara had. All of them camping or hidden by the greenery.
Even the careers have failed to climb the trees even with the weapons they have.
Watching her as she watched the bloodbath almost broke my heart. It's like it took the innocence from her eyes. When I saw the blood on her hands I realized how much seeing those deaths affected her. Mags whispered begging her not to go into the water as the announcers tell the audience that it's a liquid blood thinner.
It's toxic if in the blood stream in large quantities it will make you bleed out and if consumed it will make the tributes weak and most likely kill them within an hour if they were lucky.
I watched her dip her small hand into the water. She yanked it out of the water quickly as if she realized something was wrong. She waits for the bleeding to stop again before dipping her hand back in the bleeding starting again.
"You smart girl." I remember Mags whispering her eyes shining with pride.
At that point all eyes were on our girl and the career pack that were hunting the other tributes.
She ran to the cornucopia grabbing a back pack and searching the pile.
Suddenly she slams her body to the wall her eyes darting around waiting for the person approaching to show them self a knife in her hand.
She lets out a sign in relief.
"Gina?" Her was voice soft but still got a yelp in fear.
"Kara you scared me." The pregnant girl says holding her chest.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Her voice not harsh but concerned.
"They left and I need supplies. I need to find Hazel." She whispers defensively.
" Are you thick? Being here is dangerous. They will be back take these and run. Be careful you have more than one life to protect. She ran that way." The smaller girl says quickly her voice sounding as if there isn't room for argument. Pointing in the direction the district eleven tribute escaped to practically shoving a backpack at the pregnant girl handing her a knife from her own belt.
"Don't go near the lake it's blood thinner. Good luck be safe." Kara says pulling the pregnant girl into a tight hug. Pulling back to look the taller girl in the eye.
"Now run as fast as you can manage hide and find her tomorrow." She orders quietly kissing the Gina's forehead softly before they part ways.
Mags started crying into my shoulder she was really affected when Gina was reaped she was reminded of her own reaping. I know Mags wished she had someone like Kara to help her.
"What would she need the water for she knows it's poisoned?" Johanna asks me sitting in the chair next to me.
She had been asking about Kara after finding out her relation to the Nadia. Much to popular belief she isn't a monster she felt bad and hated seeing Nadia suffer it was a pitty killing. When I told her Kara didn't blame her there was a small flash of relief in her eyes.
"I have no idea." I said in staring in wonder. Wishing I was able to read Kara's mind.
Mags watches Kara sleep and I watch her when she's awake that's the deal we made the second Kara left for the arena.
She's having a nightmare right now Mags and I watch as the little girl sobs softly in her sleep. It's barely a whisper but we watch as she shoots up softly gasping for air. My chest throbbing in pain watching her eyes pool with tears.
She doesn't take long to climb down the tree.
She takes off just as the sun rises finding the snare she set yesterday had caught a squirrel. She resets it taking off to were the tributes from 10's fire was at last night and cooks the squirrel after skinning it.
She wraps it in the plastic for later. We all watch her walk in almost a stumble from dehydration before she comes to a dead halt.
"I'm so stupid." She whispers walking to one of the trees.
"I told you" Mags says a smug smile on her faces.
I wanted to send her water but Mags assured me Kara would figure out there is water in the trees. She uses the back of her axe to hammer her knife through the bark.
"Your girl is smart." Johanna tells me walking into the room with three coffees. Handing Mags and I each a coffee.
"Her mind works differently than anyone I've ever met." I smile softly watching water spout from the tree her furiously drinking the cold liquid. 
She sighs in relief eating a piece of squirrel meat. Before continuing walking.
I stand stretching my bones crack in protest as I go talk to the tributes from district one about Randy.
"Odair you might want to see this." Johanna's voice calls making me turn around quickly.
"Your girl is about to run into my boy." She warns I curse softly saying goodbye to district one and two before rushing to Mag's side holding her hand.
The boy is struggling to make a trap for food.
Kara is in direct line with the boy she slowly takes her belt off and both axes and hides them in hallowed dead tree a few feet away hiding one knife in her boot and one knife in her hand. She looks to be debating to herself. There is no way for her to get away without him seeing her. My whole body tense staring in horror she's stuck.
"Why is she hiding her weapons? What is she doing?" I ask harshly.
"Calm down Fin she knows what she's doing." Mags tells me.
Then turns on her heels takes off through the trees grabbing his attention.
"Does she?" Johanna asks Mags doubt in her voice.
He chases after her tackling her to the ground.
"You caught me." She says as the boy holds the knife to her throat he hesitates.
Mags grips my arm tightly.
"I wouldn't kill me if I were you Heath." She warns softly.
"Why the fuck not 4." He demands pressing the knife harder to her throat.
We hear the small girl whimper softly.
Mags eyes are wide holding my hand tightly. I look at the small girls face my hands shaking.
"What the hell is she doing?" Johanna says confused.
"I saw your lovely girlfriend, April was it? She got cut during the bloodbath. I could help her you know. My mom was a doctor I went to work with her everyday and I'm in the medical program... I'm a doctor in training. If you kill me she's as good as dead. I have food, water and first aid. If you let me help you I can save her. Your choice Heath chose wisely." She says calmly her eyes flashes in between amusement and fear.
She never told us she was training to be a doctor.
"I don't trust you little girl." He snarls.
"Then your little girlfriend is gonna be dead like me." She snaps making me flinch. I have to remind myself that she's alive not dead.
When he lets her go we all let out a breath we didn't know we were holding.
He takes her knife from where it fell and her pack.
"Well District 4 consider yourself a hostage." He smirks pulling the 13 year old by her pigtail braids to her feet.
He drags her to their small camp.
Her face blank of emotion but I can see the anger in her eyes it's the same look she gave Randy.
"She's going to get herself killed." Johanna tells us.
"She won't." I mutter shaking my head. She can't die.
We watch as they reach the camp and April is less than pleased.
"What the hell is this Heath?" Her weak voice asks harshly.
"This is someone who can help you. She's going to look at your cut." He tells her his voice softening.
Kara steps towards the girl getting grabbed roughly by Heath.
"If she dies I'm going to slit your fucking throat so don't you dare do anything stupid." He snarls at the young girl. She doesn't answer back so her grabs her by her throat roughly.
I sit there staring in horror my heart racing.
"Did you hear me bitch." He says.
I almost shake with anger breathing in softly.
"Loud and clear." Her blue orbs glaring at him struggling to breathe.
He lets her go as she falls to the ground.
She gasps for air for a moment.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" Heath snaps making her crawl close to April.
"May I." Kara asks the red head kindly. Her voice raspy from the stress his hands did to her throat.
" I need a better look please take your pants off." She tells her getting a nod from the girl and a glare from the boy.
The cut was bone deep and is red and irritated and full of puss.
"He's going to kill her." Mags whispers into my arm.
"Can I see my pack please?" She asks Heath not turning around.
"Why?" He asks defensively.
"I have a first aid kit she needs to get stitches." She tells him aggravation in her voice.
"The only water she has is the poison water." Mags whispers in confusion.
"She knows what she's doing. She will get out of this." I promise comforting mags wrapping my arms around her.
"Plus there is food I know you both must be starving." She says softly.
He throws her the bag she takes out the food she had gotten.
"Would you like some?" Kara offers April handing her a piece of meat getting a weak nod in response. She hands a piece to Heath motioning for him to eat as well.
They eat the food before April thanks her.
She takes the spare sock she got from her bag and wiped away the dried blood.
She takes out the blood thinner water uncaps it and goes to pour it into the girls wounds.
"Oh my god." Mags whispers in surprise.
"What the fuck are you doing?" He asks Kara almost slapping the water out of her hand.
"Fuck." Johanna says softly before catching herself. We all know she doesn't care for her tributes most of the time. I can tell she has something invested in Kara.
"I'm cleaning her wound." She answers a matter of factly looking at him like he's an idiot.
"Give that here." He says yanking it from her hand.
"Where did you get this?" He asks harshly.
"The cornucopia in my bag." Her quiet voice.
"I'm not letting you put this anywhere near her it could be poison." He says suspiciously.
"We have been in this arena three days and haven't seen anyone with water. Why would I tamper with my own bottle?" She asks glaring at him.
I hold my breath expecting him to force Kara to drink it but instead his own thirst takes over chugging half of the blood thinning water.
"She's a genius." Johanna laughs loudly not even caring that her tributes are in trouble and dying.
I smile squeezing mags hand who laughs. Kara is going to be okay they can't hurt her.
"I take that back the boy is just an idiot." She tells us shaking her head.
He stops shrugging giving it to her.
"I'm just trying to help." Kara tells him rolling her eyes.
She tries to stitch the girl up but being watched by the boy makes her hands shake.
"Can you to take watch while I stitch her up please she might make some noise and I don't want to be attacked." She says making him leave before she starts pouring the poison into the girls wounds.
The girl hisses in pain.
"I'm sorry, This will hurt April bite into this." Kara says shoving the sock at her.
We watch as she drains the blood and puss from the deep cut before sewing the girl up.
"I'm so sorry April." Kara whispers her eyes glossing over.
"It's okay little Flower." Mags whispers to herself.
The girl passes out not quite dead yet.
Kara walks towards Heath who is starting to feel the effects of the blood thinner.
"How are you feeling?" She asks softly looking at his pale form.
"You look ill." She comments eyeing him up and down.
It clicks in his head what she did.
"You fucking bitch." He growls pouncing at the small girl just to get kicked in the chest hard making him fall landing his back.
She makes a tutting noise taking the knife easily from the dying boy.
The cannon goes off signifying the April's death.
"You should be thanking me Heath." She tells him shrugging as he attempts to get up but falls over.
"You killed her 4." He says before throwing up blood.
"She was going to die the fever was setting in. She was going to suffer and die. If she died I'd 'get my fucking throat slit.' I couldn't exactly let that happen could I?" She asks the boy squatting next to Heath.
"You should have killed me 7." She tells him bluntly.
My heart stuttering at her words.
"She didn't love you." She tells him matter of factly sitting next to him.
"You are lying." He snarls bleeding from his nose and mouth.
"Am I?" She asks raising her eyebrow.
"I don't think I am. She was using you. I saw it... she knew she stood no chance and latched to you her knight in shining armor." She tells him rolling her eyes.
"She's right you know." Johanna says.
"The girl was playing him she told me so." She informs us before turning our attention back to the screen.
"To make you feel better I did want to save her but she was a lost cause. She was innocent the second you put your hands on me you signed your death sentence. I don't take well to being threatened Heath." She tells the boy her voice sounding sad when speaking of April but threatening and matter of fact when talking about Heath.
It was a show that's what the Capitol wanted. She was angry with the boy and was giving the Capitol a good show.
"You knew she was practically dead did you really think I would offer myself up to be slaughtered?" She asks him.
"Fuck you." He spits weakly.
"I'd rather not." She tells him packing her things into her bags.
I almost laugh at this Mags giggles softly.
"Your enjoying this? You think killing us is funny 4? You're fucking sick." He snarls at her his voice weak
He's wrong Kara isn't sick she's the only sane person in the world.
"No I don't enjoy killing people." Kara scoffs taking the hidden knife out of her boot.
"I'm trying to survive. I could have pulled this on you and killed you without blinking." She says looking down at the knife.
"She has a point." Johanna says out loud.
"I gave you a chance and you failed. What's sick about that Heath? You thought your life and April's was worth more than mine. You underestimated me and it killed you." She tells him shrugging taking his pack from the bush. 
"I hope your boyfriend from 3 finds you and rips your fucking heart out." His voice raspy and breathy.
My mind goes back to seeing the boy from three hurt Kara his lips on her face. Whispering ungodly things to her her eyes wide and terrified.
"You underestimated me so does everyone else in this damn arena. That's a big mistake on everyone's part. At least you know your faults. They will never see me coming will they." She glares checking her bags.
"I'm sorry I killed you if it makes you feel better." She tells him softly. Taking both packs on her shoulders.
"Rest in peace Heath." She tells him walking away from the bodies of the district 7 tributes.
Tears falling from her eyes as she hears the cannon fire.
I want to comfort her. But I can't and it kills me.
I want to protect her. I need to protect her.