Katniss POV
We near the doors that would lead us to our family, I notice it is AROUND 1:15 AM and be part ways to spend time with them, "Tell your brothers and Annie I say hi.."
"I'll tell her you say hi," he breathes and opens the door to the left, closing it quickly behind him. I take it as a sign to leave quickly also and I open the door to the right, "Hello?" No one was awake... Excpet.. Peeta. I know from last years we could never sleep. I search the halls calling out his name softly but I turn to see a silhouette sitting by a large window, looking down at the city lights.
"Peeta?" The shadow turns with glistening cheeks and a faint smile
"Katniss.. I don't want to die..." I sit beside him, feet touching his, backs against the walls. We stare into eachothers eyes, and I can't help but notice how puffy and wet his eyes have been these past days. I know he is stuggling because he knows he does not know if he can make it and the fact that Prim is there is what makes him second guess it again. Oh Prim...
"I'm sorry..."
"I guess... I am another piece to their games..." he whimpers, putting his face in his hands. I get up to sit beside him and hug him. I want to save him, "Haymitch is my mentor, along with Prim."
"What about Gale and Mother?"
"Well they are on our... Um... Team.. But Haymitch told us he has no intentions on saving them. He thinks it would be best for you to save one of us... If he can."
"Stop it.., There's always a chance."
"You don't need me Katniss." I bite my tongue for the lack of words and reach in to kiss him passionately. I missed his lips. This can't be goodbye.
Finnick's POV
"Finn..." I look up half teary eyed to see her sitting, legs crossed in the middle of the dark marble room. Her hands were moving- tying bows in my rope. I waste no time to scoop her up and bring her to the bed. She doesn't talk, she only mumbles words that do not make any sense to me. I lay her down in the silk and craddle myself into her as she begins to quiver,
"Shh... Im here, I'm right here with you," I say as she clings to my skin an bursts into an earshattering shreck of tears. She is shaking and it hurts to see again. I want so badly to save her.
"I'm scared... I am going to die this time..."
"Don't say that, Annie.." She looked up at me with hollow, glazed eyes.
"I am already dead, Finn. As soon as the Games were cut short, I was dead." My heart began to throb because I knew it was partly my doing for all of this and I wish I could fix it. I started to cry.
"I'm sorry."
She sighs and then looks at me with empty eyes again, "Are you going to try and save me?"
"Always." She begins to choke up again and places her hand on my cheek,
"Remember what I said." I bit my lip, holding back the tears, trying to face reality and give her a single passionate kiss left to linger on her skin. This can't be goodbye.
Katniss POV
The light is bright, I wake up by the window and see Peeta still sound asleep on my arm. Flavius enters and I see him tip his head in a way to motion me to get up and be prepped. I get up giving a kiss on Peeta's forehead before leaving, he smiles and goes back to sleep.
I leave with Flavius quietly as we walk toward the prep area, "What's the occasion?"
"You and Finnick are judges... I think it's just cruel but I wish the best." he tries to say politely. I reply with a nod of the head.
I am brought into the prep room now and close my eyes, "Wake me when it's over." I am awoken to a slight pinching feeling to the smiling faces of my prep team. I look into the mirror, I am a grey/black color that shimmers. My dress has skinny wings that go from the back and attach to my wrists,
"Always a Mockingjay," they hum. Cinna is a genius. I thank them once again and leave the prep room to see Finnick dressed rather sharply, in a compete jacket, and pants made of what looks like woven gold and blue silk.
"You look dashing," I wink.
"Oh please," he sighs as he takes in my appearance. We walk hand in hand out of the room and down the hall to where two peacekeepers, they lead us into to a staircase. The staircase led up to an area above a training area and we had a view above it all. The Game Maker and his crowd were here, laughing. They stop laughing at our presence,
"Welcome."
We sit quietly, watching the children pile in along with our mother. You can tell which ones are dangerous... Cato's sister is deadly, throwing knives into the hearts of dummies, I see Prim choke on her breath and it hurts. My mother and Prim prim is tying knots... My mother is studying medicine. Peeta is painting and staring at me... I smile back but he just holds in tears. Then I notice Gale, eyes empty and full of rage. He was in a simulation area, throwing knives at rapid speed into hearts and heads of fake enemies. He finishes to turn around and look toward me... Why?
"I am not dying here, Katniss!" I hear him scream. He is glaring at me eyes full of tears. Annie is in the corner staring at him, shaking. I look at Finn and he looks at me thinking the same thing: we can't do this. I see Peeta out of the corner of my eye walk toward Gale in anger, he pushes him and then Gale thrashes back, "You're first lover boy!"
I stand up and bang on the forcefeild, burning my skin and tears crash down my skin, "Stop it Gale! Stop! Don't touch him! Don't you dare touch him!" He walks away from Peeta and looks uptoward me,
"Are you not afraid of losing me Katniss? I quiver looking back at him, "You'd rather me die than see him or Prim get killed! It hurts Katniss you know? I rooted for you and you can't even root for me,"
"Gale that's not what I-"
"You're dead to me Filithy whore." I break into tears and fall back down, hiding my face in my hands. I would rather be dead than see this outcome unfold. If I was dead, they would all be safe. Sanity has ruined their humanity. Snow has killed who they were and it has left me hollow and empty.
I hear a chair screech and I look up to see Finnick facing the Gamemaker and his entourage, "We'll be back for the judging. This is a waste of our time..." he picks me up and forces me down the stairs and out the door, "Call us back then." and he slams the door shut.
I want this to end. The torment, hurt, pain. I would rather die than see all of this... And I know Finn does too, he is crying hysterically,
"Where's my rope... I need my rope... I need... My rope. I need.." He can't find it in his outfit, and falls to the floor, hiding his face in arms and crying louder.
I fall too in defeat... Snow has won. Everything. And we know it.
I am Katniss Everdeen.
A capitol slave.
A dead capitol whore.
A empty Mockingjay.
All I have left if Finnick.
And everything hurts.