I wake up and slowly open my heavy eyelids, I feel groggy and disoriented. My whole body aches as if I'd been hit by a bus. Little by little, I take in my surroundings, I am lying on the floor on a grey mat, my body shivers at the frigid air. I hear voices around me, I think those of men, but I am too dazed to make out what they are saying.
Terror overwhelms me as I realize I do not know where I am or who these voices belong to. I sit up abruptly and gasp for air, Peeta and Johanna are lying beside me on their own mats, the men in the black suits sit in two rows on either side of the room with their helmets off. The seats attach to the walls behind them, some sit silently while others conversate among themselves. I catch the attention of the two of them sitting closest to me.
"Guys, she's awake!" one announces. He has dark hair, grey eyes, a white complexion, and a rather familiar face. Based on the sound of his voice, I think he may be the one who comforted me during the rescue, but I cannot be sure as his helmet muffled it.
I am stunned into silence and I cannot find the energy in me to speak. This is the first time in forever that someone has spoken to me in a way that wasn't hostile. The first human contact I have had with someone who was not trying to hurt me. Although I think I am safe, I am still petrified. I feel like a timid, wild animal cowering at the people surrounding me. I continue to glance around the room at each of the people in black suits, they look at me with faces painted in commiseration.
"Hey, don't be afraid... No one here is going to hurt you. We are part of the Rebel Army and you're in our hovercraft right now. We are taking you to District 13, Finnick is waiting there for you," He reassures me.
Finnick. He's waiting for me, of course he is, I knew he would never let the rebels leave me to die in The Capitol. I feel warmth and fuzzy as I realize I will finally see him again, for a second I forget about the trembling of my icy-cold body. I was afraid this day would never come, that I would go the rest of my torturous existence without the last person in this world whom I truly love. My heart begins to race, not with fear, but with excitement and anticipation. I begin to notice the weightlessness of the room, the quiet rumbling of the hovercraft engine, the soft whistle of the metal cutting through the atmosphere and bringing me closer and closer to my love.
I am still freezing, wrapped in a thin sheet that makes me feel vulnerable. The other man, sitting in the seat opposite of the grey-eyed one, seems to notice my quivering.
"Hawthorne, she seems cold. Give her this" He says as he tosses a white blanket to the all-too-familiar, grey-eyed man called Hawthorne. He unfolds it and hands it to me. I wrap it around my body, and although it is not much thicker than the paper-thin sheet I was bundled in before, it is far more comfortable and opaque. The name "Hawthorne" bounces around in my mind, I know I have heard his name and seen his face somewhere before, but I cannot pinpoint it.
Peeta and Johanna are still knocked out, they look the most peaceful I have ever seen them. Despite Johanna's injured state, her face appears relaxed and serene, I wonder if she is always this tranquil when she sleeps. Peeta is malnourished, although he is asleep his face is tense, his cheeks are hollow, his skin sallow and purple. Johanna looks much worse than I left her, she has far more scabs and bruises, her body is frail. My heart breaks for them both.
I nervously dart my eyes around the room at the soldiers, they land on the man who passed Hawthorne the blanket. He has dark skin, a clean-shaven head, and warm-brown eyes. He glances towards me, his eyes meet mine and I quickly look down at the floor in attempts to hide my gaze but my efforts fail. He notices my staring and grows a small smile, his eyes have a kindness to them.
"Annie Cresta, is it?" he asks, I nod.
"I'm Boggs, and that is Gale," he nods his head towards the man previously called Hawthorne. That's it, Gale Hawthorne. Katniss's cousin. I remember seeing him on t.v last year when she was in The Games.
"It is nice to meet you. We are going to get you, Johanna, and Peeta to the hospital ward as soon as the hovercraft lands,".
I nod and return his small smile. I stare at the ground for the rest of the ride to District 13. No one else says a word until I feel a jolt that could only be the hovercraft landing. The doors open and a ramp is extended, people come rushing towards me, I am startled by their sudden movement. A few of them offer me their hands and help me into a wheelchair. I look behind me as I am being wheeled down the ramp, people are lifting Peeta and Johanna onto stretchers. Next thing I know I am being rushed through hallways and down an elevator.
Finally, we enter what must be the hospital ward and I am pushed towards a bed. Several people rush around me, preparing medical equipment for use. I am completely overwhelmed by the busy surroundings and frantic activity of the medical personnel in the room. I try to find Finnick in the blur of faces and lights, but I don't see him. My nerves send butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. A woman stands in front of me and hands me a hospital gown to change into, but I barely pay attention to what she is saying because my mind is set on finding Finnick.
"Do you know where Finnick is?" I blurt out.
She smiles softly, "We have just informed everyone that the Rebel Soldiers have got you, he should be here any minute now".
She walks across the room to get me a gown to change into. I hear metal clanking, and I look over to see Johanna. She has been roused from her sleep and is languidly swinging at the doctors and trying to pull the tubes out of her arms. I stare back at the entrance, looking for Finn, as people attempt to take my blood pressure and listen to my heart.
All of the sudden, the doors burst open and Katniss runs into the room towards Johanna. I look back at the doorway, and I see him. Out of breath, looking around the room with desperation. Finnick.
"Finnick!" I shout, my eyes well up with tears.
He turns towards the sound of my voice, his lips parting in shock as his eyes land on me.
"Finnick!" I say his name once more as I tear the blood pressure cuff off my arm, push past the nurses, and sprint towards him.
"Annie..!" he cries as our bodies collide, we gleefully embrace one another. I wrap every limb around him as he buries his head into my chest.
We press our foreheads together, laughing through our tears, faces in each others hands, completely enfolded in the safety of one another's grasp-- and suddenly, nothing else in the world matters but this moment. We are wholly, perfectly spellbound.
"You're safe" He whispers to me with disbelief, like he is trying to convince himself that I am actually here with him, that this is real. And for the first time in forever, I feel safe. All I see is him, his beautiful face, all I feel is his loving, comforting touch. Our lips meet, and everything feels right in the world again, like some balance has been restored. Happiness rushes through me like electricity and for the first time in months, I feel okay, more than okay.
He sets me down, but we are still enveloped in each other's arms, smiling like idiots-- and I don't think we will ever let go. Just one day ago, I did not believe this would ever happen, that I would ever be with my love ever again. But here I am staring into his eyes.
A doctor approaches us, pulling us out of our merry daze.
"Annie, my name is Dr. Galen and I still need to examine you for injuries" she says with a warm hearted smile, Finnick looks down at me with concern.
My merry daze is now replaced by a pang of dread in my chest. My attention goes back to the throbbing and soreness in my body. I nervously pull on my blanket and sheet to make sure I am still covered up, Finnick seems confused by my lack of clothes. I need to tell everyone what happened to me now.
We walk to the bed, Finnick does not let go of my hand. He sits down beside me on a metal stool as the nurses proceed to take my vitals. Once the curtains are closed, I self-consciously change from my sheet into a gown, revealing the suggestive bruises on my hips, thighs, and back. An IV is placed in my arm to get some fluids in my withered, dehydrated body, and I don't dare look up from the ground. Dr. Galen begins to ask me questions about my time in The Capitol.
"Annie, could you tell me what happened while you were kidnapped? I need to know how to help you," she questions gently, examining me with her eyes. I look down at my feet, tears sting the back of my eyes and threaten to fall, I feel embarrassed. Finnick softly strokes my back, Dr. Galen looks at me compassionately, "I know it may be difficult to talk about what happened, but it is important that you are honest with us so we can give you the care you need".
The tears fall down my cheek, I know I need to push myself to say it so I can get it over with.
"Okay" I manage to choke out through a sob.
"Annie, everything is going to be okay, you're safe now," Finnick soothes me. I manage to compose myself enough to finally spit it out.
Finnick's breath hitches at my words, he grasps my hand in both of his and brings it to his lips. I glance at him, feeling too ashamed to make direct eye contact. His eyes grow teary and he begins to softly cry. Dr. Galen nods with a small frown and asks me to lie down on the table, her and a couple of nurses prepare to give me medical attention.
District 13's medical system is advanced, it is probably second place to The Capitol. They have doctors that study the mind and doctors for each area of the body. They manage to have a steady supply of most medications and their doctors are well educated. They offered me a birth control, which I accepted as I don't want, and shouldn't have, a child at this point in my life.
In District 4, the doctors were mostly herbalists, the majority of people couldn't afford many pharmaceuticals. We had some contraceptive access because of our larger population, The Capitol was not as hell-bent on everyone having lots of children, so it went under their radar.
If you were particularly wealthy, you could have things like morphling and other expensive medications. Everyone else relied on herbs for pain, injuries, illnesses, some herbs even worked as abortifacients. However, that was difficult and could be dangerous if done incorrectly. I never once had morphling until I won The Hunger Games, and most people in the districts never get to have it. Many people don't have the privilege of pain relief.
I spend the next two hours being poked and prodded at. Photos are taken of my injuries, they complete examinations, run tests, put ointments on my skin, give me some pills, and finally I am left feeling sore and frightful.
I weep as Finnick pets my hair and plants kisses on my forehead. He has yet to let go of my hand, the feeling of his fingers intertwined with mine is the only thing grounding me, but still, sobs escape my lips.
"I am so sorry, love" he murmurs into my hair, his tears fall on my forehead.
A nurse walks in and asks me if I am okay, but I am so distraught that I cannot form the words to respond. The nurse offers me tranquilium, a sedative, to put me asleep for the night, I accept it. As he injects it into my IV, my eyes meet Finn's for the first time since us reuniting. He lightly cups my cheek in his hands, and all I see in his eyes are empathy and love, no judgment or disgust. My fears dissipate, and his love and acceptance is confirmed as my eyelids flutter shut and I slip away into deep sleep.