FINNICK ODAIR WAS A MAN OF MANY MYSTERIES.

He was both charming and desirable, exceptionally handsome yet deadly all at the same time. Those were just a few of the words that had been used to describe him over the years he'd been known to Panem. Since his victory he'd been a God walking among mortals. In the Capitol he would shoot his victims down with a lavish smirk. In the Games he'd strike from behind with his trident, a weapon that embodied his district. He was Kratos in his truest form—strength, might and power.

Everybody that knew him wanted to be him, it was no secret. They either loved him or hated him but it didn't deter from the fact that he was a God. He was always calm and composed and never phased by anything that happened around him.

Or he used to be until he watched the love of his life run into a dense jungle with four deadly killers on her back. He had to fight to keep focused, to stop himself from saying to hell with the rebellion—to hell with the promise she'd made him make—and chase her into that jungle. He had to stop his mind from thinking of all the ways she could've been killed. His heart stopped dead in his chest every time he heard a cannon sound around them and it took Mags' hand on his arm to pull him back into reality.

He had to keep himself focused when he was forced to realise that Katniss and Peeta did actually love each other in their own strange and twisted way after he'd had to resuscitate him when his heart had stopped. It pulled at his heart that felt half empty when she was not around. Aella had her fingers wrapped tightly around his heart in the same way he did hers and he was only just feeling the true effect of it.

As the night swept in on them he couldn't stop himself from fidgeting with his fingers. It was a habit he hadn't realised he'd picked up from her until just then. It would've been better if it was a small string of rope, that way he could've occupied his mind twisting knots while trying not to think about the promise in her eyes before she turned her back on him and dived back into the water.

Fidgeting with her fingers had always been her thing, tying knots into rope was his. It was something only they knew about each other. To everyone else it was nothing but to them it was their tells of nervousness or anxiety.

The sound of the Capitol tune echoed loudly through the arena and it made his heart pound in his chest in anticipation. Adrenaline ran through his body, forcing his legs to grow numb as he looked upward to the sky and prayed while he waited.

Drew's face was the first to flash in the sky along with his District to signify his death. Anger clutched at Finnick's heart at the mere sight of his face but he suppressed it quickly. All he wanted was to be able to console Aella after she killed him because he knew she would need it.

It was a big thing for her to kill someone who had taunted and ruined her life for over six years. All her pent up rage and anger would release into grief. He had seen the way it loomed over her shoulders when she tilted her head back to the sky and exhaled deeply after he'd died. When she had turned back to him that one last time he could see the way it gripped her body and forced its way in. He knew that killing him after six years would have had a massive impact on her and the fact he couldn't be there to help her through it was killing him inside.

When the next face that was shown was the male of the Morphling duo from District Six his shoulders relaxed in a way they never had before. The tension dissipated from his body for a brief moment in a large wave and he exhaled deeply. He was overwhelmingly relieved that she was still alive—not like he ever doubted her—and little did he know she was sitting across the arena thinking the very same.

The relief intensified when the tribute skipped District Seven all together and moved straight on to District Nine. Aella and Johanna were still alive for now, all they had to do was make it through the night.

Both of the tributes from District Nine had died, as had the tributes from District Ten—Aella being the one to kill the man. The final tribute was for Seeder from District Eleven and as her face portrayed in the sky Finnick and Mags shared a secret glance with one another.

Nine tributes had died thus far, two of them were involved within the rebellion. Two out of the thirteen rebels that had agreed to join the cause were dead and fifteen tributes remained. The only Tributes left that weren't involved within the rebellion were the Careers.

It left eleven rebels scattered throughout the arena, some of them alone and vulnerable with no one to help. Those entirely alone like Aella were forced to pick a spot that looked safe enough and seek refuge for the night. They either risked trying to get some rest—completely unprotected—or were forced to stay awake all night because there was no one around to keep watch. It was a risk Aella had to take.

After twelve chimes echoed loudly throughout the arena like an alarm Finnick watched through the dense trees as several bolts of lightning fired down on one particular tree across the arena repeatedly. He pressed his lips together as he watched knowing that Aella had a habit for climbing abandoned buildings in her Games and hiding out. He hoped that she hadn't scaled that particular tree.

The thought triggered a process of how even though they were safe from the Career packs, they weren't safe from the arena. Haymitch's words of warning from all those nights ago echoed in his mind. This was the Quarter Quell after all, there were bound to be twists and turns waiting for them at every corner. Even if Heavensbee was on their side, he still had to make it seem like he was against them and that meant sending mutts into the arena and releasing pods that could potentially kill them.

When the lightening storm ceased he held his breath and waited but no cannon sounded. It was comforting to hear but the overwhelming urge to close his eyes pulled at him. He was both physically and mentally exhausted, mainly driven by dehydration and when Katniss refused to sleep he finally caved and settled in for the night.

He closed his eyes thinking about her but his dreams turned into nightmares as the image of the Career packs tearing into her plagued him until a pained scream startled him awake. The very thought he'd had before he fell asleep about the elements within the Games killing them had came true. That night their four become a three and it broke his heart in ways he didn't know could.

•   •   •

Pure exhaustion gripped at Aella's body as she stumbled through the darkened jungle. Her hair clung to her forehead and her neck and it started to frizz under the humidity around her. For the fourth time since that starting cannon sounded she felt as if she truly could not breathe. She had been running for hours through trees that looked just as familiar as the last. She was losing it and she knew it.

Black stars danced in her eyes and she was forced to stop again. She stumbled blindly, catching herself as her hands pressed against a thick tree beside her. The bark was rough under her hands and small splinters pierced her skin but she barely registered the pain. All she could feel was the intense pounding in her head and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth like sandpaper. She had no moisture left inside her. She wasn't even sure how she was still sweating at this point—there was no water left.

Her body swayed dangerously and her shoulder slammed into the tree. She cradled her head in her hands and rubbed her eyes as her vision danced and twisted but it didn't work. She could feel the exhaustion and dehydration nipping at her ankles, desperate to pull her into the unconscious land.

She tried to take a deep breath but she felt a powerful weight sitting on her chest. Her knees buckled underneath her and she tumbled to the ground under them but she didn't feel herself hitting the floor. Her whole body had grown numb. Her breaths were short and heavy as she clawed at the material of her suit, desperate for one tiny breath to help her. She tried to keep her mind calm but she barely managed. She felt as if she was suffocating on hot air.

She had no idea where she was. She didn't know how deep she was but she knew she had spent her entire day and the better portion of her night running. The Careers didn't let up until the sun had began to set but Aella didn't stop because they did. She continued running through the dense jungle, killing the female from District Nine along the way and she put as much space between her and those Careers as she could.

The fallen tributes had displayed in the sky and no sooner after that twelve chimes had echoed out like an alarm. She couldn't figure out what it signified. Whether it was twelve for midnight or twelve for the number of districts she didn't know but what she did know was that the storm of lightning that pounded into a random tree she was walking passed had nearly killed her. She'd barely managed to get to safety before the first bolt electrocuted the entire tree and everything that surrounded it.

She didn't stick around and watch the lightning either, afraid that it would follow and catch her. Instead, she broke out into another sprint and she ran through the jungle until she physically couldn't go on any more.

She didn't know how far she'd ran before she'd collapsed against her tree she was currently leaning against.

She looked up at it, scaling the size and let out a tearless sob before getting herself into position to climb. It was a great effort and it took every last drop of her willpower and strength. Her entire body screamed at her and she grimaced in pain as her muscles ached in ways she had forgotten. The exhaustion she felt made it ten times worse when her arms and legs continued to give out on her, when she fell again and again.

On her fifth attempt she finally managed to pull herself on to the lowest branch of the thick tree. She had nothing to secure herself in with and she eyed the branch above in line with her chest. It was thicker and had more coverage than the branch she was stood on and with a strenuous groan she managed to get herself up into the next branch.

Her legs uncurled in front of her and her back rested against the bark. Her muscles were twitching and her body felt floppy as she relaxed. She had sat there for less than two minutes before her eyes were closing and eventually she passed out.

She awoke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked around with wide eyes. For a moment she had absolutely no idea where she was as she searched her unfamiliar surroundings. It took her some time to remember she was in the arena—a contestant in the Games—and the haze of dehydration sat on her shoulders like a weight. Her tongue was still heavy in her mouth, worse than what it had been before she had fallen asleep, and the pounding of her head was nauseating.

She curled her knees up into her chest and rubbed her eyes ferociously before she blinked but her vision was still hazy. She rested her head against the bark behind her and gently combed her fingers through her knotted hair while she looked toward the sky through the gaps in the leaves. The sun was just starting to rise, pink and orange bleeding into blue and purple, but the jungle floor was still dark around her.

She released a deep breath as she looked at her dirty hands. Dry blood stained her palms and dirt had collected under her trimmed fingernails. She didn't even have it in her to clean it out. Her entire body felt heavy and her heart begged her for a few hours more rest but the hairs on the back of her neck sent warning bells ringing in her head.

She had been exposed for far too long. There was no telling if one of the Careers had found her sitting up in the tree through the night. They might've been on their way to her as she sat and thought about her next moves. She had to move no matter how exhausted she was. Even if she made it to the Cornucopia far earlier than planned, she could collapse there and sleep if need be.

She managed to get herself to her feet, thighs shaking and feeling utterly sick, and she began her climb down the tree.
Her controlled attempt failed. She hadn't even made it three steps down when her shaking knees gave out from underneath her. Her hand slipped and she didn't have the strength to grip on and she fell, landing awkwardly on her feet before collapsing sideways into the tree for support. Her left knee twinged and she grimaced.

She panted for breath while she leaned against the tree. She couldn't understand how the arena had managed to beat her so easily. In the desert conditions of her first Games she had lasted much longer than this but she also had food, water and shelter...she had none of that here. She was open to the elements and the extreme humidity. It wasn't even hot like it was in her first Games. There was no intense sun pounding down on them and burning her skin like it had done six years ago, the air was just so thick and the dense jungle made it so much worse.

She had to find fresh water if she stood any chance at making it through the rest of the day. If the Careers were to find her now she was as good as dead. She was in no position to fight back.

She headed south to the beach while clutching her machete tightly in her weak fingers. She used the thick blade to swipe at the overgrown leaves and vines, cutting them away as she walked through. Each step felt as if she was running a mile but she forced herself to keep going. Haymitch's words of instruction echoed in her ears.

'On the second morning make your way to the Cornucopia.'

That's all she had to do. Drag herself to the beach and wait it out for a sign of an ally. She would be safe then and her back would be protected. She wouldn't be alone. She'd be with him and Johanna and she would be able to rest properly even for just a hour.

Aella was thankful she'd scaled that tree otherwise she would've had no idea where she was going. She'd of walked in the opposite direction no doubt. She liked to believe she had a good sense of direction but when all she was surrounded by was thick, tall, trees it knocked her senses massively. Everything had been knocked by the exhaustion she felt. She tried hard not to succumb to it but it was so, so hard.

She reached a small decline in terrain and began her descent when she heard the sound of rustling behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she slowed to a stop. Her eyes—having adjusted to the darkness of the jungle floor—searched every crevice of foliage around her.

The jungle was an excellent place to hide and there was most certainly someone waiting with their eyes on her. She searched slowly, even looking in the branches above her but she couldn't see anyone. Her intuition taught her well though and she knew that there was someone watching her. She could feel eyes burning into her body, she just had to listen to find them.

She readjusted the grip of her machete in her hands, tightening it and preparing herself for whoever was lingering in the shadows. She waited silently, trying to listen for the rustling of leaves but all she could hear was the sound of cicadas chirping.

A minute had passed before Aella heard a branch snapping to her left. She turned her head quickly with enough time to see Cashmere emerge from the thick bushes with a loud battle cry. The woman jumped, lunging for Aella and she tackled her to the ground. They rolled backward down the hill Aella had been standing at the top of, separating due to the momentum and they landed in a heap at the bottom.

Aella sprung to her feet quickly, grabbed her machete from the floor and slotted it in holster strapped to her back. At the same time, Cashmere rose to her feet and shouted loud and clear, "I've found her!"

Aella cursed quietly under her breath and looked around fleetingly for any sign of the remaining Career pack. She couldn't see anyone, nor could she hear them but Cashmere shouting to them made her think they were closer than she anticipated them to be. Why else would she shout to them?

Aella pulled a dagger out of holster and threw it toward Cashmere quickly but the woman moved with precision to dodge it. Instead, the knife lodged in a tree by Cashmere's head and the woman pulled it out by the handle and gripped to it with a smirk on her face.

She ran to Aella and swiped at her body but the young woman dodged her attack with a simple push of her arm. She knocked Cashmere's balance as they engaged in a fast paced fight. Aella put all of her energy and focus into it. Cashmere seemed to be moving in slow motion but she knew she wasn't. It was just her cloudy brain two steps behind.

The woman swiped with her blade again and she nicked Aella's upper arm lightly. The slashed through the first layer of her skin and her suit and Aella seethed before fixing her sharp eyes back on Cashmere.

They moved to engage again but before either of them could meet the heavy sound of trees snapping caught their attention. It was far in the distance behind them but as they listened closer they heard the sound of water gushing heavily in waves. Aella turned behind her just in time to catch a tsunami of water chasing them down, destroying the thick trees in its path.

Her eyes widened and she swore again before she turned around and broke out into a flat out sprint. She ran for her life, Cashmere hot on her tail. Her legs had never worked faster and her heart pumped a million miles to ensure she made it out. There was no way of telling where the tsunami was going to end but she had to try and make it out. She wasn't about to drown and die before she had the chance to see Finnick.

The opening of the beach became visible through the dense rainforest and the light grains of sand pushed her to run faster. She was so close but so was Cashmere. She could sense her right behind her and behind Cashmere was that ever growing wave.

Just as Aella broke the tree-line a loud feminine scream sliced through the arena followed by the sound of the death cannon and Aella thought it was Cashmere. She turned her head a fraction of a second to see the blonde woman right behind her and the water closer than ever.

In a daring move Aella launched herself sideways away from the tracking of the water and she soared through the air before landing on the sandy beach. The momentum of her jump forced her to roll three times, the sand scattering around but once she'd come to a stop she lifted her head to see the tsunami barrel through a small quarter of the arena, hitting off an invisible force and crashing back down on itself. The force disappeared, leaving the water to ripple until it calmed down and Aella exhaled in deep pants.

She laid there for a second, trying to catch her breath but Cashmere's angry cry infiltrated her ears and warned her to get up and go. She collected herself off the ground with a curse, casting a fleeting glance over her shoulder to see the blonde woman charging toward her with a dagger in each hand. She broke out into a sprint again, running across the sand until one of Cashmere's knives embedded themselves in the back of her calf.

Her leg gave in and she limped to the ground with a loud and painful groan. Her fingers reached for the knife in her calf and just as she pulled it out she felt a heavy force crashing into her body. Cashmere tackled her to the ground again and the knife slipped from Aella's fingers, dancing through the sand until it came to a stop several metres away from them.

The young woman landed on her right shoulder, a sickening pop echoing around them that caused her to scream in pain. Immediately her entire arm went numb and the familiar sensation of pins and needles spread through her arm. The nerve commands broke and she found her arm entirely immobile just like she had done six years ago. The pounding of her heart increased, now partially driven by fear and excruciating pain.

Cashmere pinned Aella to the ground, effectively trapping her left arm under her body and the young woman screamed as she tried to fight her off. She kicked with her legs and tried to move her hips to shake her off but all Cashmere did was balance herself further. She dug her shoe into Aella's left shoulder, making it so she couldn't pull her only working arm out from under her body.

Over on the opposite side of the beach their commotion and screaming had caught the attention of tributes of the rebellion...tributes who had been looking for Aella...of him.

It was Finnick and Johanna who broke into a sprint the second they saw her long black waves—recognised her scream—but when the blade of Cashmere's dagger glistened under the rising sun their stomachs dropped.

They could only watch as the older woman pushed the knife deep into Aella's side and she screamed loudly in agony. The lightening sky above her disappeared and instead was replaced by total darkness. Stars invaded her vision as the pain robbed her of her sight. Everything pounded into overdrive as Cashmere held the knife in her stomach and pulled it out.

Stained red with Aella's blood she held the knife in her hands as the woman fought for her grip on reality. Aella gritted her teeth together and she dug deeper than what she ever had before. She pushed through the pain in both her right shoulder and the side of her stomach and she raised up from the ground, headbutting Cashmere in the face. She slammed her forehead into the woman's nose, exactly how Finnick had taught her six years ago, and Cashmere lost her balance.

Her wobble was enough for Aella to free her left arm from underneath her and she punched Cashmere in the face before shoving the woman's body off of her. The knife in her hand went soaring out of range behind them and she knew she wouldn't be able to retrieve it. Her machete was lost on the beach somewhere, along with the rest of her knives.

Aella rolled on to her stomach in an attempt to pick herself up and run but she collapsed to the ground quickly as pain sliced through her. The stab wound in the back of her calf severely limited her abilities to move. She laid against the sand for half a second, trying to coax herself to get up and move.

Her hair hung over her dazed eyes but even through her distorted vision she could make out a dagger meters away from her in the sand. It was the same dagger that had been thrown from her hands when Cashmere tackled her to the ground.

She tried to push herself up to her feet but collapsed again with a pained grunt. Tears gleamed in her eyes and escaped down her dirty face. She wouldn't give in. She wasn't about to let herself die like this after fighting like hell for six years. She wasn't going to die in the arena with President Snow watching.

With a pained grunt she dragged herself across the sandy beach using only her left arm and her right leg. She crawled forward as fast as she could while her body screamed for her to stop. The knife was the only thing she could see in her tunnelled vision that was narrowing by the second.

Cashmere recovered and she jumped up and ran back over to her, catching her leg and pulling her backward away from the knife and Aella screamed in frustration as she did so. The woman flipped on to her back again and kicked out at Cashmere, the sole of her boot smashing into the woman's face and sending her backward into the sand.

Bone crunched and Cashmere screamed but Aella was deaf to it. She turned her focus back to the knife again as she felt herself slipping. A trail of scarlet blood followed her, staining the murky yellow grains of sand as she continued to drag herself forward.

Within the comfort of their apartment Clio and Daniel screamed at the television as they watched Aella drag herself through the sand to reach for the dagger. It was the ultimate battle between the two women, one that had the entirety of Panem sitting on the edge of their seats.

Across the beach, only half way to her, Finnick pushed his legs to move faster  as he gripped his trident in his hands. It felt like an optical illusion. For every step he took another foot was placed between them. It seemed he'd been running forever to get to her but it was only because of the anticipation. The beach was a large circumference to cover but they had only been fighting less than a minute.

Cashmere picked herself up from the ground again, moving for the knife Aella had knocked out of her hand and she gripped to it tightly as she stalked toward the woman. Her once perfect nose was disfigured and crooked as blood ran down her lips and her chin but she ignored it. Her eyes were set on the young woman as she crawled away.

Aella reached out for the dagger and sobbed as her fingers grazed over the blade. She was so close and she stretched forward with everything she had and still couldn't reach it. Pain ripped through her entire body and was pulling her under.

Cashmere grabbed her foot again but Aella swung out blindly, desperately trying to reach the dagger as the older woman came to finish what she had started. Aella was barely hanging on and the adrenaline in her body was slowly dying. Every movement was slower, every breath was harder.

With an ear-shattering scream Aella mustered every ounce of her remaining strength and she dragged her body forward an inch just as Cashmere grabbed her foot and pulled her back. She flipped Aella on to her back, hovering over her body and bringing the knife down to her throat. Before she sliced the skin Aella reached up and plunged the dagger she'd managed to catch just in time into the side of Cashmere's jugular.

Warm blood spilled as Cashmere gasped, her eyes widening in shock as they fixated on Aella. The young woman held her dying gaze and felt as she collapsed under her. Her blood dripped on to her chest, her neck, it ran down her arms and mixed with her own in the sand. Aella watched the light leave her eyes and the death cannon sounded as she pushed the woman's body off of her. She fell on to the sand a few feet away, her back facing her.

Aella collapsed on to her back. Her hand—still clutching the dagger in a death grip—fell to the ground as she stared up at the blue sky over her. Her ragged breaths were laboured and her heavy eyelids fluttered. She fought to keep them open but she could feel exhaustion gripping her in every sense. It pulled her under and her body was more than willing to succumb to the feeling of relaxation. Her mind, however, was not and she fought to keep her grip on reality no matter how difficult it was.

"Ella!"

Finnick tossed his trident into the sand away from her body as she laid on the sand. When he saw her chest rise and fall he exhaled deeply in relief but the growing pool of blood that stained the sand underneath her made his heart clench. He and Johanna skidded to their knees by her side and he grabbed her body, pulling her into his lap as he eyed her injuries.

His face appeared in her line of narrow vision and she sighed softly when their eyes met, "Fin," She mumbled quietly, a ghost of a smile tugging on her tired lips as she closed her eyes, "God, am I glad to see you."

"Then open your eyes and look at me, Ella." He instructed her firmly, "Keep them open."

"You're so bossy." She groaned but she complied without hesitation. She seethed suddenly when Johanna pressed her hands against her stomach tightly and glanced over to her, "Bitch."

"Just trying to keep you alive, Aella." Johanna responded in a sarky tone but she could sense the caring nature in her words.

The sound of two separate parcels echoed around them and Aella looked passed Finnick's face to see them floating down from the sky. The three of them eyed the small sliver containers. Johanna and Finnick reached for one each just as Katniss and Peeta joined them with Wiress and Beetee.

"I can't open it." Johanna said as she eyed the silver container before looking back to her hands. They were covered in Aella's blood and Peeta Mellark knelt down beside her and unscrewed the lid quickly.

"What is it?" Finnick asked him quickly as he unscrewed the lid of the parcel he held.

Peeta shrugged as he looked inside and he grasped the card that came with it, "A blue pill." He said uncertainly, "The card says 'Don't give up just yet'."

"It's a regeneration pill. They're expensive. Whoever sent it really wants her alive," Johanna mumbled, taking it from the container and looking at Aella, "so you better open up."

Aella scowled at her order but she opened her mouth anyways. Johanna dropped the pill in her mouth and Aella struggled to swallow it with the lack of saliva in her mouth. She began to cough and Finnick looked at Katniss as she stood and watched them all from afar.

Their eyes clashed and he said, "If you're not gonna help you can at least get her some water."

Katniss rolled her eyes but she turned on her back and complied nevertheless. Finnick turned his attention back to the second parcel that had been sent and looked at the small portion of green emollient cream inside. He knew immediately what it was for and he instructed Johanna to move her hands and wipe Aella's stomach clean as best as she could. She did as he said, exposing the flesh wound to them and Finnick lathered the cream on generously just as Aella closed her eyes.

He almost told her to open them again but the cream began to work not a second later and she groaned in pain as it took effect. The healing agents in the cream began to sew her skin up naturally from the inside out. It was magic all thanks to the Capitol and their many advancements and in times like this, Finnick was beyond grateful for it.

Aella eyes were wide as she cringed in pain but before he could use the last of the cream on her stomach she laid her hand on his arm to stop him. It was the first movement she'd made since he dragged her on to his lap. The regeneration pill was slowly starting to work and Aella felt more and more like herself with every second that passed. The dark haze was starting to wash away.

With Finnick's wrist in her hand she met his confused gaze and shook her head, "Left calf." She instructed him.

He nodded wordlessly and gave the cream to Johanna. She took it and spread the remainder on her calf before waiting for it to work. The group of five watched silently as the flesh wound to her side healed miraculously just as Katniss arrived back with a cupped leaf filled with water.

Finnick helped her drink up and she gulped down the fresh water in seconds. Once it was gone she closed her eyes and released a content sigh. The cool water soothed her sore throat and she regained enough strength to sit herself up. She took Finnick's hand as he offered it and he helped her, bracing his other hand on her left shoulder. She grimaced as pain cut through her shoulder and she grasped her forearm and held it in her lap while looking at it.

They all looked at the evident disfigurement and Aella released a deep breath and said, "It's dislocated. I think the bone's impinging the nerve. I can't even move my fingers."

Johanna cocked her head to the side, "Let's hope those nerves are intact." She said somewhat quietly.

Aella's throat bobbed as she met her gaze and she nodded before releasing a deep breath. She could almost feel the faint scars on her shoulder tingle in response—reminding her of the gruelling surgery she'd had after her Games. She had no idea what she'd do if they weren't. She pulled her arm further into her lap and said, "I'll have to put it back into place."

Peeta rose to his feet and looked away with a grimace at the notion. His eyes met Katniss' before the young woman looked down to the three of their strongest competitors still sitting on the ground as if they weren't in the middle of an all out battle to the death.

They all watched her silently as she gripped her right elbow with her left hand and with a sharp movement she pushed upward, trying to pop the bone back into position. Aella's face twisted into a grimace and she bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. It suppressed the scream that bubbled at the back of her throat but the bone was still out of place.

"Do you need—"

She shook her head, cutting off Peeta silently. She repositioned her hand and tried again, squeezing her eyes shut but she failed. Her left hand trembled with pain and she opened her glossy eyes and looked sideward to Finnick who was still sat next to her.

"Fin." She pleaded.

He shuffled forward immediately and positioned himself behind her. He wrapped his arm around her chest and guided her back lightly until her back was flush with his chest. She rested her head back against his shoulder and looked up to the sky with a trembling exhaling. Her hot breath fanned against his ear and it set his stomach alight. He did everything in his power to ignore the way she made him feel but he simply couldn't. His body responded to hers in ways he didn't even know were possible.

"I got it." He said to her calmingly as he slowly slipped his fingers into position on her arm. He brought it up slowly so he cradled it to her body, slipping his hand under her elbow and shifting it upward slightly. She seethed in pain, her whole body tensing and he felt her dig her head into his shoulder, her hand blindly grabbing his thigh. She dug her nails into his skin, anything to anchor the pain.

"Are you ready?" He asked her, eyes flickering to her face that was dangerously close to his. She felt his breath tickle her skin and goosebumps rose along with the hairs on the back of her neck. Flashbacks of the moments they shared two nights ago sparked and flickered behind her closed eyes.

"Just do it." She snapped.

"You don't want me to count down?" He purred in amusement, a small smirk on his face that everyone knew him by.

Her brows furrowed in exasperation and she growled, "Finnick."

His harsh movement knocked the air from her body as he put the bone back into place. The confirming pop caused her stomach to churn and beside her, Johanna grimaced. Aella's face screwed up as if someone pulled on a ribbon and pain ricocheted through her body. After a few seconds she found her breath and then her voice and she groaned loudly in pain before a series of explicit words tumbled past her lips. Every curse was aimed at Finnick but all he did was grin in amusement as he listened to her. It was one of the many things he loved about her—her fiery personality.

Aella sat forward but Finnick didn't move back. He watched as she rolled her shoulder out and wiggled her fingers. The numbing feeling wore off and the sensation returned—much to her relief. It was just a weak spot, she reminded herself. The nerves remained intact for now.

She composed herself for a further minute before she pushed herself up to her feet as sweat ran down her forehead. Her vision distorted somewhat and blood rushed to her head in the first few seconds, her heart pounding in response

The regeneration pill did its job but her stomach was still empty and the small sip of water in her body was not enough. She needed food and a lot more water if she wanted to keep herself fit enough to survive—which she did.

She eyed her group of allies silently, lingering over Katniss and Peeta with an unreadable expression on her face. Finnick rose to his feet beside her eventually as Johanna retreated to collect Aella's weapons that had been long forgotten about. The young woman looked at him for a fleeting second, her eyes narrowing as she fought to figure out what was missing.

It didn't take her long, however, and the feeling of dread weighed heavily in her stomach as she swallowed thickly and said, "Mags?"

The way Finnick's eyes flickered with grief was all the confirmation she needed. Her lips parted in sorrow as he dropped her gaze, looking to the sand.

"Oh, Fin." She sighed sorrowfully.

She crossed the small space between them and wrapped her arms around his robust frame. He moulded into her hold, his arms wrapping around her small waist as hers looped over his shoulders and her fingers curled into the back of his hair. She pulled him down to her height and tucked her chin over his shoulder while she held him in a way where only she could feel the slight tremble of his body.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered delicately. Her words disappearing into the air, the only indication that he heard her the way he curled his arms around her body tighter, jasmine and lavender filling him.

He had lost Mags but he had her in his arms and he wasn't going to let her go again.

•   •   •

A/N; Next update on Friday!