Fighting To Come Home Chapter 1
It had been three months since Katniss Everdeen had left her home town of District 12 Oregon. She Johanna and Finnick had been in Afghanistan for almost two months, they had seen plenty of minor fights but nothing big and nothing that left any serious injuries on them or any of their teammates. Peeta had surprised her the week before she deployed and showed up at Fort Benning in Georgia with Clove and Annie. He was only able to stay for two days which meant they didn't have much time to spend together, but it was still an amazing suprise. Now that she was in Afghanistan she and Peeta wrote letters to each other every week, and talked on the phone at least twice a week, but only when she was able to. She still talked to Prim and her mother and wrote letters to them as well, but she still missed them like crazy. And it was only going to get worse. Katniss' unit was getting ready to go on a two month mission where they wouldn't have any access to internet, phone, or any electricity at all. They wouldn't even be able to receive mail, which meant no contact with Peeta.
They were leaving for their mission the next morning so Katniss was calling her mother, Prim, and Peeta the night before. She had already talked to her mother and Prim so she was currently trying to get Peeta to answer the phone, finally on the third ring he answered.
"Hello" the familiar voice answered.
"Hey babe" Katniss said smiling at the sound of his voice.
"Katniss. How are you? God I've missed you so much" Peeta said.
Katniss gave a tiny laugh and said "I'm fine Peeta, how are you? I've missed you too, and it's only going to get worse. We're leaving for that two month mission tomorrow, which Johanna is excited about since we'll finally get some real action".
Peeta laughed a little sadly and said "I'm good, the gallery is doing well we've been doing new showings every week, and there not all of you. I'm sure Jo is excited for real action, but I'm nervous about you going babe".
Katniss sighed and leaned against the wall the phone was on and said "I know your nervous Peeta, I am too, but everything will be fine, Haymitch doesn't think it'll be that dangerous, just some hostiles that we'll easily be able to take down. I've only got five minutes left on the phone".
Peeta sighed and said "I hate the whole time limit crap on the phones. I love you Katniss, just be safe out there please, I need you to return home".
"I love you to Peeta, and you know I'll do everything in my power to return home. I have to go; I'll try to figure out a way to get word to you that I'm alright. I love you and try not to worry too much".
"I love you to Katniss, and I'll try but I'm not promising anything".
"Okay, love you, bye babe" Katniss said quickly.
"Love you too bye babe" Peeta said sadly and hung up.
Katniss hung up the phone and slowly walked back to her compartment that she of course shared with Johanna. Once in her compartment she made sure her equipment and bag was all ready to go, she double checked her weapons and first aid kits, and made sure her sniper was all ready to go. She and Johanna had an early dinner and went to bed early since they had to wake up before dawn to head out.
The next day Katniss loaded in the Humvee that Finnick drove with Johanna, and three other guys. They drove for eight hours before they stopped at a small base and left the Humvees and grabbed their equipment and continued on foot, walking well into the night, before they finally stopped and set up camp. Katniss and Finnick were the first pair on guard duty while the others slept. By the time they were woken up and suppose to get ready to move out again Katniss had only slept about four hours. In order to reach their location they had to walk for four hours which wasn't too bad, but since it was close to 100 degrees in January it was horrid in their uniforms with all of their gear on their backs. Once they were at their location they set up their base and quickly split up to scout the town. Katniss along with Johanna and a guy named Clark went into one of the taller buildings to set up the sniper point. They sat there for hours before they switched. This is how things went for two weeks; she was able to convince Haymitch to send word home to her mother and Peeta that she was fine.
They were on their third week on the mission when the fighting actually started; Katniss was on top of a building with Finnick, and Clark when the enemy fired on their ground squad which happened to be Johanna's. They returned fire and were starting to get everything under control when Katniss spotted three enemy snipers in three different buildings. She took the first one out easily and quickly turned to take out the other but Finnick had already done so she was getting aimed on the third when she noticed that the enemy was targeted on Finnick. Finnick was shooting at the enemy on the ground and had no idea he was in the kill zone of an enemy sniper.
Without thinking Katniss sprinted at Finnick, every sound disappeared, she could hear the enemy sniper fire, she flung all of her weight at Finnick hitting him in the side, she felt the familiar feel of the bullet hitting her in the same shoulder she was shot in the first time. The pain was exactly as she remembered; she rolled off Finnick and placed her hand on the wound putting pressure on it. Finnick was able to shoot the enemy sniper while Clark radioed for the medic and applied bandages on her shoulder. Katniss stared at the sunny blue sky focusing on her breathing and thinking of Peeta. Her thoughts were interrupted when Finnick's angry face hovered above hers.
"What the hell were you thinking Katniss?" Finnick yelled at her.
Katniss managed a smile and said "I was saving your life. You were in the kill zone of the enemy sniper. Even if I did shot him you still would have been killed. Annie need's you Finnick, your kids need you".
Finnick's face softened a bit and he said "Jesus Christ Katniss, what about your mother, and sister, and Peeta?"
Katniss gritted her teeth as the medic pushed extremely hard on her shoulder, once she was able to talk again she replied "You have a wife and children Finnick, they need you more. I know it would be hard for my family and Peeta but imagine what it would be like for your kids if they lost you".
Finnick closed his eyes and squeezed her hand "Thank you Katniss. I owe you my life".
Katniss smiled and said "You would do the same if I were in your position. Now you can repay me by staying by my side while they clean me up, you know how much I hate being sewed up".
Finnick smiled and said "Okay I can do that. You know Peeta is gonna freak when he finds out right?"
Katniss' smile immediately faltered "Shit. Well at least I'll be able to tell him when we return back from this mission which is in another three weeks".
"Yeah, come on Clark has it dressed let's get you downstairs to the medics so they can sew your sorry ass up" Finnick said smirking.
Finnick easily picked her up bridal style and carried her to the medics where he sat her on a table and they gave her some pain meds while they cleaned and sewed up the two bullet holes since it went in the front and out the back. True to his word Finnick sat there the whole time and held her hand.
Forty minutes later she was completely done and getting ready to be discharged when Johanna and Haymitch came into the med ward.
"Well good news sweetheart, I got a hold of your mother and lover boy and told them what happened to you" Haymitch said smirking.
"You what, why would you do that?" Katniss yelled.
"I figured they should know. We're heading back to the base tonight, there sending helicopters to retrieve us, we got rid of the enemy, and we've got a couple guys who need to be cleaned up in the hospital at the base. Your mother expects a call from you once we get back" Haymitch said.
Katniss scowled and looked at Johanna "You told him to call them didn't you?"
Johanna smiled and said "You know I did, they needed to know brainless".
Katniss sighed and said "I hate you two".
Johanna laughed and slapped her on her injured shoulder causing Katniss to scream in pain "Sorry didn't realize that was the bad one".
Breathing heavily Katniss glared at Johanna and said "Just wait, one of these day's I'm going to kill you in your sleep".
Before an argument could start Haymitch stepped in the middle and said "Come on we've got forty minutes before we have to leave, get your shit together and meet at the helipads" and with that Haymitch stalked off.
Katniss sighed and got off the bed to go pack her things. The entire time she was dreading the phone call that she would have to make home. She was hoping to be able to tell them in three weeks once her shoulder was healed and everything was fine, now she would have to deal with a hysterical Prim, and trying to be strong but worried mother. And of course her over protective and over worrying boyfriend. It was going to be a long talk on the phone.
