"I-" She frowned softly. What was that noise...?

Screaming. It was screaming.

Finnick sighed internally, closing his eyes for a moment to bottle up his selfish mind before he lost control. Then he stood, helping her up. One of the wedges opposite them was where the sound was coming from.

"That's new." Reyna remarked as a tidal wave destroyed trees–and Tributes. Something was nagging her, something about what Finnick said the night before. Something about midnight...

Each one of them tensed as the wave drew nearer. It ended up calmly splashing at their feet, nothing more than a particularly large crest of sea foam. But the unlucky Tribute caught in the water was definitely dead. The cannon proved that.

"Someone's here." Katniss warned, prompting everyone to grab their weapons. So much for some time off from being hunted and or chased by airborne toxins.

"Johanna?" Finnick wondered, matching Reyna's thoughts. She hurried over with him to their friend. Who was... Covered in blood...?

"Johanna!" She called, speeding into a jog.

"Finnick! Reyna!" The woman called back. The two girls shared a hug and one of their wry smiles.

Peeta and Katniss approached, albeit reluctantly. "Well..." The woman holding the axe started. "I got 'em out. We were all the way deep into the jungle where I thought it was gonna be safe." She said, voice rising. Beetee was washing the blood off vigorously.

"That's when the rain started." She hissed, pacing. "I thought it was water. It turned out to be blood. Hot, thick blood."

"Tick tock," Wiress mumbled, stumbling around in a daze. "Tick tock,"

Johanna pushed her out of the way. "It was coming down, choking us." She scoffed angrily, her nerves obviously set on edge. The constant "tick tock" was starting to drive Reyna batty. That nagging feeling pulled on her mind again, but the harder she tried to grasp it, the further away it became. "We were stumbling around, gagging on it, blind."

"Tick tock."

Johanna sighed. "That's when Blight hit the force field." She exhaled again, closing her eyes.

"Tick tock. Tick tock."

"He wasn't much, but he was from home."

"Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock."

"What's wrong with her?" Katniss asked, perturbed.

Beetee was the one to answer, kneeling in the sand where the water was shallow but still there. "She's in shock." Reyna helped him up. "Dehydration isn't helping. Do you have any fresh water?"

"We can get some."

Wiress grabbed Johanna's shoulders and whispered urgently, "Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock."

"Just-"

"Tick tock."

"Listen." She started, growing more agitated by the second. "Stop it!" She pushed her down none-too-gently. "Just sit down!"

"Hey! Lay off her!" Katniss barked angrily. She strode towards Johanna and grabbed her.

"Hey! What are you doing!?" Reyna's old friend shouted.

Finnick pulled her back. "Hey, hey, hey!"

"I got them out for you!" Johanna screeched.

"It's okay, it's okay!" Finnick soothed, taking her towards the water to wash off.

Katniss lunged forward again, but Peeta grabbed hold of her.

Reyna splashed out to Finnick, helping him with Johanna, who shouted. "Let me go!"

"Johanna, it's alright. I know Katniss isn't the most agreeable girl, but you need to calm down now."

She caught Finnick stealing glances at her while she helped Jo wash herself up. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Just... I don't know if I could ever calm you down if you actually got angry."

"We'll find out when I get enraged." She said with a wink.

He laughed quietly. "Let's hope that never happens."

"Agreed." Johanna piped up, sending them both a smirk. "Although I really thought you two would act more like an old married couple."

Reyna gaped open-mouthed while Finnick just smirked more widely than before. "An old married couple, huh? I can see it. The two of us on the beach, still looking for shells like you used to. Maybe watching some grandchildren run around playing tag."

Johanna howled with laughter, much to Reyna's chagrin. Her face heated up and she spun on her heel, jabbing a finger at Finnick's chest. "Don't encourage her shenanigans!"

"Yes, Finnick, don't encourage my shenanigans. Listen to the wifey." Jo mocked, still snickering.

"I am so done with you people." Reyna deadpanned, crossing her arms.

"Ah, but you still love us!~" Johanna teased. "Well, some of us more than others. Sorry for interrupting you two back there, Finnick."

"Hey, I'm part of that 'you two!'"

"True, but which one of you has been waiting for it longer? Oh, that's right. It's obvious he has."

The man in question glared at his friend, oddly quiet.

"Fin? Are you–?"

"YOU HAVE NICKNAMES FOR EACH OTHER AND DIDN'T TELL ME???" Johanna shouted, jumping to her feet. "I mean–carry on." She cleared her throat and went back to cleaning her axe. Katniss looked over at them like they were crazy. Which they probably were, but whatever.

"Are you okay, Fin?"

"What? Of course, I'm fine."

Reyna narrowed her eyes, not believing him for a second. "Liar."

"Psh. Whatever."

"Nope. You don't get to brood and be all grumpy-gills."

"It's 'Mr. Grumpy Gills,' Reyna." He drawled, but glanced down at her with amusement. Well, at least he was opening up.

"You know what I meant!" She pouted, poking him in the side, where she knew he was ticklish.

He glared at her, biting his tongue so as to not laugh. Johanna saw him doing it, and smirked at what she was about to say. "That's her job, Fish Boy."

Finnick spluttered, caught off guard. "Johanna!" He exclaimed, mortified.

She sniggered. "Just saying."

Katniss asked Jo something about the coiled wire Beetee was wrapping around the spool, so she went over to the younger woman.

Reyna turned to Finnick, sighing as Johanna said, "Alright. I can't do this. Have fun with Nuts."

She jumped as the Lightning started to hit the tree again. "Tick tock..." Reyna mumbled, looking around. 12 wedges, midnight, the fog staying in its...hour.

Katniss looked over at her, coming to the same conclusion. "It's a clock."

A/N: Hello, my dear readers! You may have realized that, once again, I have used some lines from the movie/book in this story. Yes, I have. No, I do not take credit for those lines in specific as my own. They belong to Suzanne Collins/whoever wrote the script of Catching Fire. Not me. Also, please vote if you like what you read and comment on what exactly it was you loved. Because writers need feedback. Desperately. It's like the fuel for our writing. Feedback. Please.