His Last Words

*A/N: As you probably know by now, angsty and tragic stories are the result of my boredom… so this is another version of Finnick's death. ENJOY

Everything belongs to the wonderful Suzanne Collins except for the song… you'll see

"Gale, someone's still alive. You have to let me go." I pleaded with him as his tight grip on my wrist prevented me from going back.

"No, Katniss. It's too late. You can't save them anymore."

I looked at the remaining members of our party and my heart sank. Me, Peeta, Gale, Cressida, Pollux, and Finn – No wait a minute. Finnick's not here. And that's when I lost it. I began trashing around, flailing wildly, in an attempt to free myself from Gale's iron grip. He put a hand on my shoulder and ordered me to calm down.

"Please Gale." I pleaded once more while trying to fight the rising panic in my throat that threatened to overwhelm me again.

"No." he replied, his voice cold and firm.

Tears spilled from my eyes and my voice cracked as I said: "I can't do this anymore, Gale. We've sacrificed so much. We don't even know if these sacrifices are worth it in the end. How do we know for sure that we'll win this war?"

"That's exactly why we can't afford to give up, Katniss." he reasoned.

A small part of me is saying that he's making sense, but a more prominent and loud part of me has lost its sense the moment I realized that my best friend is fighting against the mutts… and failing.

There is nothing I can do anymore but break down into the wasteland that I am. I saw Gale's eyes soften and felt his grip on me loosen a little. Then before he could change his mind, I wrenched my arm free and quickly climbed down the slippery ladder. I hastily loaded my bow with an explosive arrow and shot the last mutt. I waited a few seconds to see if more of them were coming. But a full minute passed and there was still no sign of those rose-scented lizard mutts. I scanned the floor for the golden-haired boy I learned to trust, and found him clinging to the railing. I ran to him and helped him up. I smiled in relief. My best friend was okay. Shaken, but unscathed.

The smile didn't even last for 5 seconds before it was wiped away from my face.

He collapsed into my arms and dragged me to the floor with his weight. I placed his head on my lap and stared at him unbelievingly.

That's when I saw it.

Punctures and teeth marks near his stomach. Bleeding uncontrollably.

A burst of desperation bolted through me. I slipped my arm under his legs and with all the strength I could muster, I lifted him up. Tried to lift him up. I could've been moving a rock rooted to the soil for all the progress I made.

Reality struck me then. There was no hope. The desperation I felt earlier was extinguished, and an empty hole took its place.

"Could you tell Annie that I love her?" he croaked.

I shook my head and bit my lip to keep the tears from spilling. "Don't say your goodbyes yet."

He smiled in response and stroked my cheek with his thumb. "I'm not saying goodbye." He squeezed my hand when I remained silent for a moment.

"Will you tell her?" he asked.

I nodded my head.

"Thanks…" he said. "For being there for me during the hardest period in my life. For being my best friend."

The little composure I had melted as he said those words. The first tear streamed down my nosed and dropped on his chest. But we didn't care. "I should be the one telling that to you. For being the older brother that I never had." I cupped his right cheek with my hand. I looked into his sea green eyes that never failed to amaze me. "Stay with me. Like you always had." Another tear rolled down. And then another. Soon, my face was wet with my tears.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid this is the time we must part ways."

I laughed humorlessly. "Stop saying that. Stop being so melodramatic. It doesn't suit you." This is not the Finnick I knew. That Finnick was always bubbly. He's someone you could count on to make a bad situation like this better.

I don't know how he did it, but somehow, he managed to give me a faint grin. I grinned back at him. "That's more like it…"

I felt another squeeze on my hand and I looked at him once more. His lips were getting pale. His eyes were turning into a dull green color. I want nothing more this moment than to relieve him of his pain. But I can't.

I've never felt so useless in my life. How ironic is it that I, Katniss Everdeen, victor, survivor of the 3rd Quarter Quell, and the face of this rebellion, can't do anything to save Finnick Odair's life.

"Katniss…" Finnick half-whispered, half-groaned when I didn't respond when he squeezed my hand.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Don't give up on Peeta. The old him is still there, struggling to resurface from the monster the Capitol created. All is not yet lost, Katniss."

I didn't have the strength to tell him that that isn't possible when he's on the brink of death. So I just nodded my head.

"Stop talking… every word that you utter takes a part of you away from me. I don't want to lose you… Not yet." The tears stopped but I know that's just for the moment. I'm sure they would return again later when – No. Don't think about that…

We were silent for a few seconds… I, trying to think about anything besides what would happen when he died, and him, probably having a walk in the memory lane. But it was him again who broke the silence. This time, his voice was barely a whisper. I had to inch my head closer to hear him. "You know… I haven't heard you sing in person yet. Would you sing for me?"

I felt another lump form in my throat but I gulped it down so I could reply. "What kind of question is that? Of course I would." Then I cleared my throat and made sure that nothing else was stuck in it so I could sing properly. I want this to perfect for Finnick.

I began to sing the song my father taught me when he was still alive. I started with the second verse since it was what Finnick needed to hear.

Don't you dare look out your window,

darling everything's on fire

The war outside our door keeps raging on

Hold on to this lullaby

Even when music's gone, gone…

Just close your eyes,

the sun is going down

You'll be alright,

no one can hurt you now

While I was singing, I noticed that his eyes were slowly narrowing into slits. But then they would flutter wide open again. Like he wanted to finish hearing the song before he slips away from this world

Come morning light,

you and I'll be safe and sound…

As I finished singing, I felt my heart become lighter. As if a huge burden was just removed. I realized that the song applied to both of us. It comforted me. Assured me that someday, all of this will be over. That someday, I'll finally be safe with the people I love.

I was brought to reality when Finnick's hand gripped mine like vices. And when I stared at him I saw that there was no more color left in his lips. And the green in his eyes was sucked out, leaving a dull gray behind. With a hard pang, I realized that any second now… he's going to leave me.

I bent my head closer so I could catch whatever he was going to say. I saw his lips quiver with the effort.

"K – Keep…" he rasped. "Keep.. fighting."

Then that's it. His hold on my hand slackened and fell to the floor. He's gone. My best friend – no, my brother was gone. The person who holds me every night as I screamed for Peeta was now unable to lend me his arms when I desperately need it.

Keep fighting. Two words. His last words.

I lifted his head from my lap and gently put it down on the floor. I stood up to go back upstairs when something crossed my mind.

I looked for Castor's body and intertwined his fingers and placed it on his chest when I found it. Next, I looked for Homes. Then I gasped when I saw his head floating down the sewage. I sighed inwardly.

Then I went back to Finnick and did the same. I kissed him on the forehead and mumbled a goodbye. Hesitantly, I climbed up the ladder back to the others. I was about to reach the top when my sluggish legs caught on the last step. I tripped forward, my chin hitting the hard concrete. That did it. It triggered something inside of me, making me burst.

I felt a strong wave of helplessness wash through me and before I could register the pain on my chin, I was sobbing.

Peeta was beside me in a flash, much to my surprise. His strong arms lifted me off the concrete and clutched me to his chest. I looked to my left and saw that Gale was still stunned to move. I don't blame him. I knew he'd never seen me so broken before.

I snuggled close to Peeta and wrapped my arms around his neck. And this time he didn't need words. The fact that the real him is back, permanently or not, was enough to give me hope. Maybe Finnick's right…

Then the weirdest thing happened. For some unknown reason, faces of the deceased people I care about flashed through my head. And in each one of them came a thought. Finnick's eyes. Rue's voice. Bogg's humor…

Slowly, I untangled myself from Peeta and wiped the tears away.

Keep fighting… Those were more than Finnick's last words. They were his last request.

I stood up with my legs still shaky and my chin throbbing. But I paid them no mind. I focused on composing myself and planning what to do next.

And I've come to a decision. Keep fighting. That's what I'll do. For Finnick. For Cinna… And not only for those people who I love. But for all who died because of this war and the Capitol's cruelty. Like Cato. Clove. Thresh. Wiress. Chaff… the list goes on and on. I owe all of them. And I couldn't let their deaths be in vain. They gave their lives up for a reason…

So with the most authorative voice I never thought I possessed, I spoke with a renewed vengeance. "Let's go. We don't have much time left."

They all looked at me questioningly. It was Gale who spoke for them. "What are we going to do?"

I stood up straighter and gave him a smile. "We're going to finish this mission. We're going to kill Snow. And we're not going to stop until it's done."

I inwardly gave myself a pat on the back for being able to speak my mind. Cause that's the truth. I don't care anymore if I die. I have to do this. To ensure a good future for my family. For everyone still alive. If my life is the price of Snow's death, then I would gladly pay for it.

*A/N: Weeeeee! Please tell me what you think… I myself think that it's a little bit dramatic. But that's the point right? Haha!

And just in case you don't know the song (though I doubt this), it's entitled Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift.