Note to readers: I've started another story too, Fire Hearts, which is basically about a girl who was part of a notorious gang in the Capital shortly after Snow is killed. She meets Gale, who is working in D2. So updates may slow down a bit for this story, but I'll try my best to evenly contribute to both :D.
On another note; anyone want to co-write a story? I'm thinking that may be fun to try. So anyways enjoy this (hopefully funny) chapter!
-Rachel:
Finnick stands behind me, his arms around my waist, as we stand before a television watching the interviews as we wait for my turn. Gloss struts out onto the stage and everyone goes crazy, she's beautiful, I'll give her that.
She and Caesar talk about her life as a victor, she earned herself an eight in training and she finishes her interview by saying how very sad she is that the citizens of Panem will be losing so many wonderful victors. During her interview Lyme also says how sad she will be to not be able to come visit the Capital after the Games, and how she always thought winning meant not going in the arena again. Lyn moves the crowd to tears as she tells Caesar about her six month old son that she will be leaving behind. Skitt reads a poem about the ocean and says how sad he is that he will most likely never see it again. Dillad and Pren say how hard these Games will be, since all the victors are friends, how they aren't looking forward to killing their friends.
By the time District Ten comes up the crowd is a mess already, many people calling for the Games to be called off. The people don't want to lose their victors; they don't want to lose their celebrities. Finnick kisses my cheek, reminding me he has to go now.
"Go tell'em beautiful" he whispers in my ear. I turn so my arms go around his neck and I kiss him again.
"I will, you stay away from my father." I warn him.
"Oh I will" he laughs and kisses me one last time before he leaves; I fumble with the ring on my finger.
Tir tells the audience to how he will miss their hospitality. "But I get to go back in the arena hay" he chuckles. Caesar doesn't comment, he's been having a rough night too. I nod to Blight as he goes on stage following Tir. I go and wait by the curtain; soon it will be my time. Blight himself earns a nine in training, which isn't surprising; in his first Games he got a ten. Blight moves the audience to further tears when he says his mother is on her death bed. "I think she may die while I'm in the arena, I'm saying goodbye to her tonight" he says solemnly
"We all feel for you." Caesar says, tears in his eyes. Blight nods as his buzzer goes off, Caesar recomposes himself and the audience as I walk out on stage, Blight grins at me.
"Knock Haymitch dead." He grins.
"And now we have District Twelve's Rachel Abernathy." Caesar introduces me by the wrong name. I giggle as I sit across from him, I find Finnick in the crowd, and I locate Haymitch, who is about twenty feet away from Finnick.
"I'm afraid you got my name wrong Caesar." I laugh, instant confusion, I watch as Haymitch's eyes go wide.
"Hm, no I didn't, it's always been Abernathy." Caesar is confused so he just laughs; I lift my left hand and show my ring. I see the cameras do a close up of it on the televisions in the Capital square. "Oh, when did you get that! And who's the lucky man?" Caesar asks. He doesn't seem to notice Haymitch, who is on his feet now, he's arguing with Chaff, who is laughing and trying to hold him down.
"Well, we tied the knot what, two days ago?" I call out to the crowd looking over to the victors, the camera pans over the victors. A huge smile goes over Finnick's face.
"Yeah Mrs. Odair, I'm pretty sure it was!" Finnick calls over, the cameras zoom in on Finnick, who is now blushing, and it does a side to side screen view of Finnick and I.
"Mrs. Odair?" Caesar smiles at me.
"Mrs. Rachel Odair." I confirm.
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Haymitch goes ballistic
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"WHAT!" his scream rises out over everything else in the square, probably in the Capital, probably in the whole world. He's on his feet now, and to my horror, is strutting towards the stage. Oh God. "What do you mean Mrs. Odair! When the hell did you get married! Did I give you permission to get married! And to him! Of all people to Finnick! OH GOD RACHEL! Why am I finding out now, and on national television?" Haymitch rants on and on, he's already shoved his way past about ten peacekeepers and is now at the foot of the stage, glaring up at me, glaring at my ring. I smile at him.
"Did he know?" Caesar asks as Haymitch stands there, his face a brilliant red.
"Not until now, since I'm a victor I didn't need a signature from a guardian." I laugh. "It's just, when Finnick asked me, and I said yes, we ran off to do it right away, it was a private thing, only Seeder and the man doing the ceremony were there. I'm just glad I got to have these last few days and nights with him. That I got to be his before I go back in there tomorrow." Citizens of the Capital let out wails and gasps, people chant for an end to the Games. But we all know that won't happen.
"I still should've been told about this you know!" Haymitch yells again, I'm thinking he'll get worse when we're alone, for now, the buzzer sounds.
"Thank you for your time Rachel. You got an eleven in training by the way." Caesar hasn't been able to tell me yet. I nod my thanks as I stand and take my spot at the end of the stage, the other victors come on stage as we stand for the anthem. As it begins, I reach out for Blair's hand, he takes it without hesitation. The anthem blares louder as people call for an end to the Games. I look down the line, and one by one, each victor joins hands. We are one, we are an unbroken chain, linked, standing together, together against the Capital. Simultaneously, we all hold our joined hands in the air, so all can see. And then everything goes black as the lights are shut off, as the cameras and turned off.
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Twenty minutes later I'm back with my husband on his floor of the Training Tower. We sit next to each other on the couch in the sitting room; my head rests on his shoulder as he holds me close to him. We're both waiting for what we know is coming; we're waiting for Haymitch to burst through the door any second.
"I think he took the news well personally." I whisper to Finnick.
"Yea, he did didn't he, I thought he'd scout me out right away." Finnick and I both laugh.
"I have to go back though in the morning." I say sadly, referring to the arena, this makes Finnick stiffen. He pulls me closer so my head rests on his chest and he plays with my hair.
"I should've volunteered, then I could keep you safe." He growls, I look up at him with my eyes.
"No you did the right thing, now there's a chance I'll get to come back to you."
"Yea, but I still have to go to my meetings while you're in there."
Right, meetings. I've thought about that already though, I know Finnick loves me. He's just doing what the Capital makes him do.
"I know you love me Finn"
"Yeah, and I'll be thinking of you the whole time." He promises me as he leans down and kisses my forehead.
"Same here" I put my hand on the back of his neck and make him come and kiss my lips. Our kiss is rudely interrupted though.
"Where's that son of a bitch cause I'm gunna make him swim with the fishes!" I hear the elevator door open as Haymitch yells and storms out into the hallway, Finnick pulls away and grins at me. We both look to the doorway as Haymitch storms up. "Get. Your Hands. Off. My Daughter." He fumes. Finnick starts to comply but I grab his arms and keep him in place, he doesn't object.
"Dad, I love Finnick." I say softly, maybe hearing it from me will go over better than Finnick talking.
"But you got married!" he yells as he comes closer. I look down at my ring then back to my furious father.
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"Don't be a smart-ass to me" he snaps, this makes Finnick snap.
"Don't talk to her like that!" he growls from behind me. Haymitch's eyes narrow.
"You don't tell me what to do. Besides, I'm your father now too" I guess he has a point there. " Now, I want to get one thing strait! You!" he motions to Finnick, "Will never leave her!"
Finnick's jaw literally drops open in shock, "I would never think of- ugh Haymitch I'd never"
"Good! And you" he motions to me, "if he ever does anything to hurt you or anything! Leave!"
"Dad, I'll never leave Finn" Finnick would never hurt me.
"Anyways! I would of rathered you at least tell me! Or even ask me if you could do this! Not just go off and do it! I get that you wanted to do it right away, and you have a pretty damn good reason to too! But would it've been that hard to just find me first and ask! Hell, you could've even asked and done it anyways if I said fucking no!"
"You would've said no" I point out.
"Yeah but then I wouldn't be arguing like this! Because I wouldn't have any reason to be yelling at you!"
Wait. What?
"What?" Finnick asks confused, no reason to be yelling at us.
"Yes." Haymitch takes a breath and composes himself. "I can tell you love each other, everyone can tell that. And I knew sooner or later this would happen I hoped it wouldn't, but I knew it would. I know you'll take great care of her Finnick, probably better care than any other man would, because you know what she's been through. All that she's been through. And I don't really have any other things to be angry about other than I just don't like you in general. I personally think you're too happy all the time, but I can see you love each other. And I know her parents would approve if they were here too. And, I know Peeta would too."
Finnick slowly gets up from behind me. He goes and offers his hand to Haymitch, who, after a while, takes Finnick's hand and shakes it. "I'll take care of her, always."
Hoped you liked it! I wanted to show that Haymitch actually has a soul and feelings here, hence the little speech thing he gave :] next chapter we begin the Games!
Mocking Verse