Title: Barely Breathing
Rating: M- for safety (suggested violence, adult themes, and occasional language)
Characters: FinnickxOC; a little of KatnissxPeeta and we'll see if any more will be added in later chapters
Summary/Warning: Another look into the world of the Hunger Games as seen by one of the previous victors. Starts out in Catching Fire and moves on to Mockingjay in later chapters. Story closely follows the books so spoilers will go along with the story although creative licence is used in a few areas with the addition of another character.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games, Catching Fire, or Mockingjay in which this story is inspired from. I do use direct quotes every now and then from the books themselves when the timelines coincide but I tend to leave out a lot of the in between to more explain the story line of the new character and some of the supporting cast in the original stories.
Sapphire Reed
The group ran through the trees until they were deep enough in that they thought they weren't being followed. Sapphire stopped to take a breath as her eyes scanned the area. A creeping feeling ran through her stomach and up through her chest. This wasn't a forest, this was a jungle. She knew this because the Hunger Game she had won was situated in a jungle. The horrors they had unleashed in that jungle...Sapphire had to suppress a shiver as she closed her eyes, her hand rubbing up and down her other arm.
"Are you ok?" Green eyes snapped back open and found Finnick next to her with Mags watching her as well from his back. Sapphire straightened and nodded sharply not saying anything, fearing her voice would give her away. Eventually this truce would end, she couldn't afford showing any weakness, even weakness the Hunger Games had inflicted on all of them.
The air was heavy and thick with moisture, Sapphire knew that water would be a necessity and should be top priority. The water around the Cornucopia was salt water, so that was a no go. When she looked around she could almost see the others thinking the same thing as all were looking around them for signs of water. They kept on moving with Peeta leading the way and Katniss taking up the rear. While it made Sapphire itchy to have a bow at her back, she allowed it. There was no reason to break the truce now. Maybe they would've been bolder with Nexus still alive but even with Sapphire in the group they were only five, five against the rather large group of careers. No they would have to play it smart for now, at least until they killed each other off enough. And that would mean no internal bickering so for now Sapphire kept her mouth shut.
Over the years Sapphire had never truly stopped training for the Hunger Games. Her nightmares always placed her in areas where she was vulnerable and incapable of defending herself so she trained. Every day she trained, as if the Capitol was going to attack her on a whim and it had. She now walked in the Capitols biggest death trap and even with her physical training she still found herself losing her breath. It was the dense air, it made for more strain on the muscles. Sapphire could see Katniss and Peeta having more trouble but she was surprise to see Finnick moving on better than herself even with Mags on his back. Even when he requested a stop Sapphire didn't think it was completely for him but more for Mags. She wondered what it was that tied Mags and Finnick together like that.
Katniss takes this time to climb a tree to get the lay of the land and Sapphire moved to the edge of the group to peer out into the jungle. Even with no sign of anyone following them she still couldn't stop herself from being on alert. A rustle of dead leaves behind her notified her of Finnick's approach. "Anything out there?" he asked. Sapphire glanced at him and then back to the jungle. "Not that I can tell, hopefully Katniss can spot some water for us up there." Sapphire responded as her eyes moved to the tree Katniss had climbed. Finnick did the same and then looked back at Sapphire. "Were you and Nexus close?" he asked his voice softer. This time she did not respond. They hadn't been close but he had been someone she had trusted and that very rarely happened since the first games.
Turning to look back at Mags and Peeta she changed the subject. "We, at least, are used to the other victors easily turning into killing mode. How do you think she will take it?" Sapphire asked nodding up to Katniss. Finnick's gaze ran up the tree and he was silent for a while. "Nexus said to trust you but just how trustworthy is Katniss? She in it to win it, but is she in it to work it as a team until the others are gone?" Sapphire didn't bother mentioning Peeta, the boy seemed like a honest enough sort but it was obvious he was devoted to Katniss. If the girl decided it would be better to off them off now while she still could Peeta would follow if only to protect her. She had seen the look in Katniss' eyes, the girl had no interest in partnerships. In all honesty Sapphire saw herself in those eyes, a loner more than a team player and one who did not trust lightly. "I'm not quite sure. I'm hoping she likes Mags enough to keep me living. Mags is the only one who likes me here." Finnick finally responded with a smile before moving back to Mags and Peeta.
Finnick confused her, in the Cornucopia he had been a killing machine, sharp and efficient. While she had been able to get the slip on him and could've taken the killing blow if it hadn't been for Nexus, he would've landed a crushing blow on her before bleeding out. She had seen it in his stance. His reaction time was fairly impressive. Yet now, as he talked with Peeta and Mags, he was all smiles and jokes. Sapphire knew that all of that simply hid a mass of mental fractures. She knew this as much as she knew she had the same.
When Katniss hopped down she was again surprised when she found Finnick in a fairly defensive stance. When had he gotten his trident again? He was all casual but his deep blue eyes were fairly hard and dangerous. "What's going on down there, Katniss? Have they all joined hands? Taken a vow of nonviolence? Tossed the weapons in the sea in defiance of the Capitol?" Finnick asked. Katniss look a lot less casual with her own defensive stance as she responded in the negative.
"No," Finnick repeats. "Because whatever happened in the past is in the past. And no one in this arena was a victor by chance." He eyes Peeta for a moment. "Except maybe Peeta." Sapphire watched as the two seemed to size each other up, more on Katniss' part then Finnick's. He was just being honest, throwing aside any doubt or delusions that the girl might have on these games. Before the games the tributes might've known each other and might've thought each other as friends but here, they were all survivalists and killers. Even if they had held hands the last night in defiance of the Capitol on their games, that was then and this was now. The girl needed to grow up and accept what this really was and she needed to decide how she was going to play this, with or without the group.
Before Katniss could make up her mind that she might have a chance to kill Finnick and try for Sapphire, Peeta stepped between Finnick and Katniss. "So how many are dead?" he asked and like that he defused the situation. Katniss responded to him and he changed the topic again with a "Let's keep moving, we need water," and they all did.
This time Sapphire was in the back and she thought on the dynamic of the group. It was obvious that Finnick and Katniss did not get along. She seemed to rather dislike him. As for herself, Sapphire was fairly certain Katniss didn't care one way or another about her besides the fact that she was another threat to Peeta and herself. The only one Katniss even remotely cared for besides Peeta seemed to be Mags. Then again who didn't like Mags? Sapphire didn't even know the old broad and even she couldn't find a reason to dislike her. She didn't bother trying to figure out Mag's motivation but instead turned her attention to Peeta. He seemed to be completely fine with the alliance and even openly defending it with Katniss. He defiantly thought things through on a more diplomatic avenue then Katniss did. Finnick tried to play off the basic 'I'm just in this to win this' mentality towards the alliance but his underlying motivation was shrouded in mystery. Sapphire still couldn't fully pinpoint what his overall objective was in these games. Nexus had promised her a team of tributes who would all wish for Snow's death and the District's freedom but how would these tributes do this if they were to win?
The trek through the jungle was growing long and the beginnings of thirst was starting to hit the group. Ahead the tree line ended in what they assumed was the crest of a hill. "Maybe we'll have better luck on the other side. Find a spring or something." Someone said as the made their way to it. Peeta was slashing at some vines with his long sword as usual when Katniss started to call out. There was a sharp zapping sound and Peeta was flung back from the force field and into Finnick and Mags. Sapphire caught sight of bare earth until the force field shifted back into place.
Immediately Katniss rushed over to Peeta as did Sapphire. Finnick, despite being knocked over by Peeta, jumped into action as Katniss started screaming out Peeta's name. Finnick passed Mags to Sapphire with a brief look to make sure she would take care of Mags before moving to Peeta. She checked Mags and asked if the old woman was alright before looking back to the other three. Katniss was fighting Finnick, apparently she thought Finnick was trying to kill Peeta. Unable to spare Katniss too much time he hit her and she flew back into a nearby tree trunk. Not wasting a moment Sapphire quickly moved between Finnick and Katniss just in time to pause Katniss from shooting Finnick with her notched bow. "Stop! He's trying to save him!" Sapphire said urgently as she held up her hands to show that she meant no harm. Katniss' wild eyes caught Finnick giving CPR to Peeta and the confusion played plainly on her face. The girl lowered the arrow and leaned in to watch, desperate for any hope. Sapphire backed off a little so she could have a clear view. When Peeta coughed Katniss flung the bow on the ground and jumped to him.
Finnick sat back with a breath of relief as his eyes found Sapphire's. "Thank you." he mouthed behind Katniss' back. They both watched as Katniss, near hysterical from almost losing Peeta, cried and hugged Peeta. Peeta tried to calm her down and Finnick notched it off on the pregnancy which seemed to pull Katniss out of it. She was surprise to see Katniss still had that look of anger when looking at Finnick but he just kept smiling through it.
Finnick gets them all going again, even Peeta agreed that they should keep moving. This time Katniss took the lead. Both Finnick and Sapphire had noticed that Katniss had seen the force field before anyone else so it was an obvious choice. This time Mags decides to walk with the aid of a branch Finnick quickly fashions into a cane for her. They needed to move more slowly for Peeta, which Finnick makes another cane for him as well.
Finnick takes the back and catches Sapphires arm before she walked past him. "Keep an eye on Peeta for me, he's not as stable as he's letting on. Just give me a look if you see him faltering and I'll come up with an excuse to stop." Finnick whispered in her ear. It took everything in her not to automatically hit Finnick when he grabbed her arm and even more to suppress the shiver down her spine when his breath tickled her ear. When he pulled back his brows furrowed as he tilted his head. "What? Now your glaring at me like Katniss does. What did I do now?" he asked looking almost hurt. His head tilted more as if he noticed something as she quickly looked away. "Wait a second, is that a blush?" he asked, his voice ringing of merriment as he tried to move around her to see her face again. "Like hell, remember the only one here that even remotely likes you is Mags." Sapphire said looking him dead in the eyes so that he could see she wasn't blushing before taking off behind Peeta. Mags merely smiled at her as she joined in walking besides her. Sapphire's green eyes glanced down at Mags as the old woman kept up with her but she quickly accepted this new development. She could hear Finnick's chuckle in the background as they all kept moving through the jungle in search of water.
Finnick Odair
Finnick look over their little pack of misfits as they worked through the jungle. If he had been asked a year ago if he would be hiking with this group he would've thought the person insane. And yet it wasn't too bad. Mags had figured out the nuts Katniss had been throwing to keep an eye on the force field was edible and Sapphire was showing unusual kindness. Despite the fact that the woman was always wearing a sign that said 'back off, everyone can go kill themselves,' she was surprisingly caring. Multiple times she had come to the aid of another; whether it was her mad dash to Nexus when he was killed, to block Katniss from shooting him when he was reviving Peeta, or even now as she helped Mags and Peeta over more difficult areas. She hid it well and was even able to help Peeta in a way that didn't diminish his pride. Finnick silently thanked Haymitch for the addition. No one could've guessed the force field or that it would greatly hinder one of the few players they had to defend themselves. As it was only Finnick and Sapphire seemed to be trained killers and Katniss could certainly do her part but she was the wild card. Finnick didn't expect Mags to fight, instead he more hoped she would hide herself when things got ugly so he could take care of her.
They finally called it a day and set up camp close to the force field. Katniss had gone up in the trees again and had found that they were in a dome. The arena was small this year and they would be stuck walking in circles. Katniss went hunting and Finnick and Mags started work weaving a shelter out of long grass while Peeta fried more nuts and peeled them. Sapphire joined Finnick and Mags, they had to show her how to do it but she learned fast. She seemed to be a team player and always pitched in to help. Initially she had wanted to go with Katniss, the girl's excuse of Finnick's loud walk didn't work on the stealthy woman but she let it go. Finnick guessed that Sapphire saw hunting as Katniss' way of coping with the games and if anyone knew how important it was to allow those coping mechanisms it was a previous victor.
This brought on a new query to Finnick's mind as he eyed her arms. "You usually have tattoos on your arms, where are they now?" Finnick asked. Her designs and depictions had always caught his notice whenever the victors had gathered as mentors. While she was one of the more sane victors compared to the others, the difference between the girl who had been reaped for the games and the woman in the Capitol were stark differences. Now Sapphire bore no unique designs on her arms and the only thing that stood out was her red hair which even that was duller in the damp and heavy air.
"They are useless in here. I cannot add or change them here in the arena so they would only be more of a hinderance." she responded. He noted her movements were jerkier now as her fingers kept weaving the grass. Mags reached over and patted her hand to calm her movements. Sapphire looked up into Mags' eyes and almost look apologetic before going back to work more normally. Was that her coping mechanism? The tattoos? "Were those your designs? I thought you got someone else to put those on you." Finnick said trying to keep his voice cheerful. "No, they are mine. I add to them when I feel like it and erase them when it's time for a new one."
'Meaning they were always keeping her mind on something else when necessary.' Finnick thought. He himself had his knot tying so he understood the need. "I'd love to see your designs again sometime. I hadn't given them the proper attention before."
"And you probably won't get a chance to."
The silence hung in the air after that. Sapphire had merely pointed out the inevitable, there would be no next time. In the end only one would leave the arena. Mags was the one to break the silence as she held up a woven bowl and pointed to Peeta. Finnick called him over and Mags gave him the bowl for the nuts he was de-shelling. By the time Katniss returned they had a shelter up and a few bowls of nuts roasted. She had gotten an animal but hadn't found any water.
As night descended they all sat waiting for what they knew was coming. The sky brightens when the seal of the Capitol appears. Eight victor's faces flashed across the sky including the two Finnick and Sapphire had killed. As the anthem played the ending they all sat in silence. It had been harder to watch then he had thought. He had hoped to keep the unattached mind frame throughout the games but the sight of a few of the dead tributes he had known personally had truly hurt him. When the silver parachute glided down through the foliage to land before them no one reached for it.
"Whose is it, do you think?" Katniss finally says to break the dead stare.
"No telling," Finnick responds. "Why don't we let Peeta claim it, since he died today?"
Peeta unties the cord and flattens out the circle of silk. On the parachute sits a small metal object that no one can seem to place. It gets passed around as they all try to figure it out but it ends up with Katniss who jams it into the ground in frustration and exclaims that she gives up as she lays on the grass mat and stares at it. Moments pass as they all mull over the gift until Katniss jolts up again exclaiming "A spile!"
Finnick just looks at her completely confused as Katniss snatches it from the ground and explains what it is, a tool to help get sap from trees. Something else must be in these trees so both Peeta and Finnick get to work with Mag's awl on one of the trees so that they can tap the spile into it. At first nothing happens but then a drop of water comes out, and with adjusting, a small stream. Mags was the bright one to bring over one of the tightly woven baskets that holds water. They all drink deeply of the water and even splash some on their faces. It was warm but it was so vital. Sapphire even laughed some as Finnick flicked some water on her when he shook his head like a dog. They were all so relieved to finally have water.
Exhaustion crept in as the excitement of the water calmed and they all prepared for sleep. Sapphire offered to take the first watch and when Finnick tried to argue it she pointedly looked at Mags who he had been carrying all day. In the end she won and Finnick hunkered down to sleep. He was exhausted, he had been trying to carry the whole team this entire time. It seemed always on the edge of breaking, at least on Katniss' side. Somehow he didn't feel too threatened on Sapphire's side. He believed that she would stay for as long as it was profitable, so for now he was safe in her not stabbing him in the back.
Finnick only slept for a few hours when the tolling of a bell woke him. He sat up quickly, ready for whatever horrors the gong signaled with his trident in hand. His blue eyes found Sapphire as she sat with her hand resting on her sword as she listened with the attentiveness he found in Katniss as well.
"I counted twelve" Finnick said when the sound ended.
Both women nodded as they tried to figure out what it meant. That was when the lightning started off in the distance. As it continued Finnick shrugged it off. "Go to sleep, Sapphire. It's my turn to watch, anyway." Finnick said as he leaned on a tree in a sitting position. She looked ready to resist when Finnick called out to Katniss. "You too, I'll be waking you up for your shift soon." Katniss nodded and Sapphire reluctantly laid down without protesting.
The night goes on and as he said, Finnick woke Katniss for her shift. He closed his eyes but he was barely asleep when Katniss started shouting out to wake everyone. Jumping up, ready to attack the enemy but he saw nothing but a wall of fog. "Run!" Katniss screamed as she ran to get Peeta up. "Run!" As Finnick tossed a still sleeping Mags onto his back, Sapphire helped Katniss drag Peeta up and forward. He didn't move nearly as fast as the others but both Katniss and Sapphire practically dragged him forward as the wall of fog approached them.
"What is it? What is it?" Finnick asked in bewilderment. His mind was racing with adrenaline that he couldn't concentrate enough to see the blisters appearing on Katniss.
"Some kind of fog. Poisonous gas. Hurry Peeta!" Finnick glanced over at them, Peeta was struggling. The aftereffects of hitting the force field must be finally taking its toll. While Katniss and Sapphire could've run faster without him they each helped him since he seemed to be tripping over everything. They were moving slower than him and Finnick had to suppress the urge to just leave them behind. 'Sapphire's not leaving them behind, can't have her show me up.' Finnick thought as he watched the oncoming fog. Finnick started shouting out encouragements since he could do nothing else with Mags on his back.
Finnick watched as the fog kept nipping at their heels, he could see the pain distort their faces every now and then. That was when Peeta out right fell. For a brief moment they were being over taken by the fog but Sapphire grabbed Peeta and Katniss and with a strength that Finnick didn't know she had, she tossed them forward a good few yards relying on Katniss to keep Peeta up so they could keep moving. Now Finnick saw the blisters absolutely cover Sapphire but she kept on going. "They won't make it like this..." Finnick thought out loud as he glanced around still moving ahead. He was trying to find a way out of this, a way to get the other's out of this and soon. They wouldn't make it if it was much farther.
Katniss and Peeta were struggling, the acid drops from the fog was affecting their muscles making them practically useless. Finnick came up beside them. "Katniss can you take Mags? I'll have to carry him." Finnick said quickly. He saw the condition Sapphire was in after being completely engulfed by the fog even for a moment and knew she wouldn't have the strength to carry Mags for long, Katniss was the best bet and Finnick could carry Peeta on his back. When she agreed and took Mags, Finnick got Peeta.
'Water...we have to reach water..' Finnick thought as he lead them down in a diagonal to the wall of fog. He could hear Katniss fall every now and then but he saw Sapphire help her get back up each time. The third time she fell, Katniss couldn't get back up. "Mags, come here." Sapphire ordered. Her arms were useless from the effects of the acid but she was able to carry Mags despite of that as long as Mags clung for dear life. Again Finnick was surprised by her strength and sheer will to keep going. Finnick stumbled a few times but he stopped when he saw that Mags was letting go of Sapphire. The acid must be affecting her too. It was then that he saw that Katniss was far behind the others and about to get taken over by the wall of fog. "Katniss you need to keep up!" Sapphire called out, urging Katniss to surge forward despite the pain.
Finnick fell to his knees besides Sapphire, breathing hard, his arms as useless as Sapphire's. When Mags slid off Sapphire's back Finnick looked at her, about to yell at her to get back on Sapphire's back but the look in her eyes silenced him. "Mags?" he asked instead as she walked to him and planted a kiss on his lips. She pointed to the area behind him and then hobbled straight into the fog. Sapphire was as stunned as Finnick had been and had even started to follow Mags when Katniss fell back into her and the cannon sounded. The cannon fire rocked Finnick and for a moment the world stopped. He could barely hear Katniss call out his name in confusion as he turned from the scene.
'Have to get out of here.' was the only thing he let play through his mind. The pain of the loss would have to wait. Mags had wanted them to move on. She had wanted Sapphire to have the ability to help Katniss. Finnick had to get them out alive. "Sapphire-" he started but his voice choked before he could finish his request but she seemed to understand. "Katniss, I know your arms are almost out but cling with your legs and drape your body over me." Sapphire said bending down for Katniss.
Together he and Sapphire staggered through the jungle, with the fog nipping at their heels. They were only moving due to the deep-rooted animal desire for survival that all victors had coming out of these Hunger Games. They slipped and fell down a small hill, one rolling after the other and just laid there. No one had the ability to get up, everyone had used up the last ounce of strength they had and now the fog would embrace them just as it had for Mags. Finnick groaned as he tried to roll over only to feel the weight of Peeta still on his back. Unable to find the strength to even turn over he closed his eyes to simply accept the fate that was coming. He had done everything he could, there was nothing else he could do to save them.
One minute ticked by and then another. When he could finally find the strength to force Peeta off of him and turn over he saw that the fog had stopped, as if pressed up against a glass wall. "It stopped." Katniss said after her first failed attempt at speaking. The fog starts to rise up until it was all gone, not even the slightest wisp remains.
For a while they all just lie their gasping, Finnick turned his head to look at Sapphire who's eyes were shut and her gasping sounded more like wheezing. Her face was contorted in pain and her whole body twitched uncontrollably from time to time. He wanted to go help her but his own body was just as useless. Instead he takes stock of everyone else.
Peeta vaguely gestures upward. "Mon-hees." Finnick follows his gesture and looks up to see a pair of monkeys. For a while they just stare at each other until Peeta starts crawling down the slope with Katniss soon following. Finnick was slower on the uptake but eventually he follows. There was water there and Katniss was testing it with her hand. Finnick tried as well but the searing pain made Finnick back away and lie face down in the sand. He wasn't sure how much time passed but he became conscious again and found that Peeta and Katniss were pouring water on him to get the white fog out of him. They start to pull him into the water and he had to bite back a scream.
Before he could tell them to help Sapphire first he looked over to see that they had dragged her to the water as well. They were being much slower with her based on her condition. She had blacked out more than once from the pain but she didn't make a sound, it almost seemed that she couldn't make a sound. Eventually Finnick could sit up and then he had the very painful task of purging his eyes, nose and mouth. He was slightly surprised that Katniss and Peeta helped him every step of the way. When he could sit up on his own he pointed to Sapphire since he was still unable to talk. While they submerged Sapphire from the neck down with her head resting on Katniss' lap Peeta went to go tap a tree for water.
Slowly Finnick started testing out his muscles as he started to feel the life come back into them. Eventually he started to swim, it was something he did every day in his District so now he enjoyed it for all it's worth. He submerged himself and stayed under for as long as he could, just enjoying the silence before finally popping up for air near Katniss. "Don't do that," she said with a start.
"What? Come up or stay under?" he asked with a smile.
"Either, Neither. Whatever. Just soak in the water and behave," she said. "Or if you feel this good, take Sapphire so I can go help Peeta."
Finnick moved beside Katniss and took Sapphire from her. "Is she going to be ok?" he asked knowing that his guess was probably as good as hers in this matter. "I'm not sure, she had it worse than the rest of us.." Katniss responded quietly. When she had nothing to add she got up to find Peeta. Finnick brushed his hand through Sapphire's red hair as he watched the white seep out of her skin in the water. Feeling that he needed to do something besides sit there he started to rub down her skin to help facilitate the detoxification of the water. The seizing seemed to stop and eventually her eyes opened.
"There you are." he said with a smile as he looked down at her, her head still in his lap. It was obvious she still couldn't speak and her eyes were still foggy from exhaustion. "You're going to have to clean out your eyes, nose, and mouth with the water when you have the strength but take your time." Finnick explained since she seemed to be trying to speak. "I have to thank you by the way, there was no way I could've gotten the other two out alive if it wasn't for you." Her face contorted and the look of utter regret passed over her green eyes. He knew what she was thinking even if she couldn't speak. Instead of looking into those green eyes he rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. "There's nothing we could've done about Mags. She saved all of us with her action." Finnick said, choking up on his own words.
A hand came up and lightly brushed through his hair. He lifted up a little as his blue eyes meet hers. For a moment he just stared at her and then she pushed off him and submerged into the water. He quickly grabbed her hands so that he could pull her back up in case she passed out from the pain again but she didn't. She did use his hold to pull herself back to the surface and sit up. She ended up sitting in his lap but he didn't let her slide off until he knew she had enough strength to keep herself up.
Eventually she was able to speak again. "Peeta? Katniss?" she asked as she splashed some more water on her face.
"Getting water from one of the trees over there. Swim around some, you'll feel better." Finnick said as he joined her. They swam around while they could hear Katniss and Peeta work a hole into the tree for the spile.