Author's note: This chapter really moves things along. Don't worry, my dears, we are in the home stretch of this story. And A LOT happens in this chapter. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this (respectfully, of course).
Many thanks to my beta LavenderVanilla. So many helpful notes on this particular chapter and the last of this story. Go check out her stuff.
Happy reading!
Chapter Sixteen
Preparations had been made for months. In one week, in the dead of night, they would start their journey. Katniss was terrified. When she was younger, she knew of several things that were going to be constant: her sister, her parents, and living in District Twelve.
"I'm not ready to leave them." She said softly to Finnick as they made their way home together.
"I know." He slipped his hand into hers. "We'll have Prim with us. That's something at least. You can make sure she's safe."
She nodded and squeezed his fingers. "Mama and Daddy are telling her tonight." She removed her hand from his and reached into the bottom of her basket and touched the felt cap she still carried there. "Give her time to say goodbye to Rory."
"I wish we didn't have to leave him behind." It took Katniss a few seconds to realize what he'd said since he'd spoken so quietly.
"He's got to take care of his family. He promised Gale." She let go of the cap and stopped in the middle of the road. People flowed all around them.
Finnick leaned close. "I know it's going to be hard, but you and I can help her through it. We experienced it. And one day she'll get back with Rory."
"I hope so." Katniss looked all around at the crowd and heaved a sigh. "I'm going to miss this place."
"You know what? So am I." He tugged her along. "Let's get cheese buns from Mellark's Bakery. I'll buy all they have. And then we should go out to the woods to officially say goodbye to the past."
She followed him along, praying that they didn't run into Maureen Mellark in the process.
Thankfully, it was Conrad behind the counter. "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Odair." He said kindly.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Mellark." Finnick said as they moved closer.
In public, they acted like they barely knew each other, but they had been meeting in secret for the last several months with all the other men to prepare for this flight out of Twelve.
"How can I help you today?" Mr. Mellark asked.
"Got any cheese buns?" Finnick asked leaning over the container and looking over the offerings under the glass.
"You're in luck," Conrad said as he reached into the case, "because there are two left." He placed them on the counter. "Can I get you anything else?"
Katniss pointed to a familiar round pastry, cut into wedges. "Is that shortbread?"
Mr. Mellark smiled. "It sure is. And just came out of the oven a few minutes ago."
"We'll take it all." Finnick said, placing some coins on the counter.
Conrad chuckled. "Of course." He took the coins and handed several back. "The cheese buns are on the house." He wrapped up their purchases and walked around the counter. He spoke softly, "I'll make extra cheese buns for your journey. Peeta told me once how much you liked them."
Katniss held out her hand. "Thank you so much, Mr. Mellark."
Conrad slipped his hand into hers and squeezed gently. He whispered, "Just give my son an extra hug for me."
"I will." She whispered back.
Finnick took the package and slipped it into Katniss's basket. "Thank you, Mr. Mellark." He shook the older man's hand and led Katniss out of the building.
Katniss slipped her hand into Finnick's so she wouldn't lose him in the crowd. She stepped into the woods and paused.
"What?" Finnick asked.
She thought a moment. "When I was a little girl and Daddy brought me out here the first time..." She squeezed his hand. "It was magical. And it was special. And Daddy was my world."
"Until Peeta." Finnick tugged her along.
Katniss nodded. "Until Peeta. When I was older."
He stopped and pointed. "Oh, dandelions."
She smiled and stepped forward. "Spring is here. Renewal and promise." She plopped down in the middle of the clearing and pulled the cap out of the bottom of her basket. "I've held onto this for three years. Can you believe it?"
He sat down beside her and looked at the bit of fabric. "What is it? A hat?"
"Peeta's hat. He was wearing it the day he was taken. It fell off in the struggle." She stuffed it back into the basket and unwrapped the package from the bakery. Passing over one of the cheese buns, she tapped hers against his. "For luck."
Finnick laughed and took a bite. "This time next week we'll be on the road."
Katniss rested her forehead on his shoulder a moment and then sat back. "You know, I..." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Words haven't ever been my thing."
He nudged her shoulder. "I understand."
She shrugged looked away. "I love you, Finnick." She said quickly and took a bite of her cheese bun to cover the awkwardness. She felt his hand land on her lower back and she turned to look at him.
"You pretty much have to." He said with a smirk that quickly fell when he looked at her stern face. "I know. I love you too. You're the only thing that's made life here worth living."
She gave him a sideways grin and finished off her cheese bun and then reclined on the ground.
Finnick leaned on his elbow and poked at her side, making Katniss jump. She laughed and moved to her side to face him. They were silent, resting in the momentary warmth of the early spring day.
He finally broke the silence. "Other than your parents, what are you going to miss most about this place?"
"Everything." She sighed. "The woods, the sounds in the Hob and in the middle of town, my few friends." She smiled. "That damn apartment of ours where we couldn't have a single moment alone. Not even in the washroom."
He chuckled and pushed some hair behind her ear. "It feels like there's a whole world between here and Four."
She nodded. "I'm ready to get Prim out and to see Peeta again, but I'm not ready to leave."
"I'm not either." He rubbed her cheek with his thumb and then moved his hand away. He stretched out on his back with his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "I've been imagining Annie and thinking about her since the night I was taken away. And I'm scared I've forgotten what she really looks like." He opened his eyes and turned his head. His green eyes were bright with unshed tears. "What if she doesn't love me anymore, Katniss? What if she's all wrapped up in Peeta and I don't make the list?"
"Then you'll still be on mine. And we'll figure it out from there." She placed her hand on the middle of his chest. "Prim's safety and ours are the most important thing. Next is comfort and happiness. If they are comfortable and they are happy, then we move on together."
Finnick placed his hand on top of Katniss's. "And where would we go?"
Katniss thought a moment and then said, "I hear Seven is lovely. We could become lumberjacks."
"You'd be good at it. You know your way around a forest." He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.
"I could climb to the top of the tallest trees." She tried to move her hand away, but he held it fast.
Smiling, he brought it to his lips and kissed her palm. "Why don't we head back to our tiny apartment and make some dinner?"
She nodded and stood up, extending her hand to help him stand. "You're cooking."
He wrapped his arm around her waist and waited as she slipped hers around his shoulders. "And what do you want me to make?"
"Pickled squirrel." She chuckled.
Finnick made a face. "Surely we have something else. I'm going to be living off of it for the next month."
Katniss laughed again. "I'm sure we have something else."
They walked into their apartment to find a white rose sitting in the middle of their table. This time there was a note accompanying that read, "Mrs. Odair, I thought we had an understanding." It wasn't signed, but it didn't need to be.
Katniss's hands shook as she read the piece of paper.
Finnick desperately looked around the apartment to make sure they were alone. It was a quick search. He looked at Katniss's face and held out his arms.
She threw herself into Finnick's chest and pressed her eyes hard into his shoulder. "I need Peeta."
"I know." He pulled away after a while and said, "Do you feel safe here? Do you want to go to your parents' home?"
She swallowed. "At least for a little while to see my Daddy." She turned toward the door just before someone started pounding on it.
They both froze. Finnick put his finger to his lips and inched toward the door. Katniss was just a step behind him. If she hadn't been so scared of who was on the other side, she would have smiled at how quietly he was moving.
Then they heard the sniffing on the other side and Prim's small voice said, "Please be home."
Katniss threw open the door even as Finnick reached for her arm to stop her. It could have been some sort of trap, but Prim was out there and she needed help.
Thankfully, she was alone and she threw herself into Katniss's arms as soon as the door was open. She sobbed heavily and begged, "Please tell me they were lying."
Finnick closed the door as Katniss led her sister into the back of the apartment.
"Talk to me, little duck." Katniss said as she sat with Prim on the bed.
Prim sniffed. "Daddy said we're leaving. That I'm going with you. And that I'm going to leave Rory."
"Rory has obligations to his family." Katniss said slowly.
"But you're getting Peeta back." Prim wailed.
Katniss pressed a finger to her sister's lips. "Not so loud."
"You are." Prim pulled Katniss's hand away angrily. "Don't try to deny it. That's what Daddy told me."
"Did your daddy also tell you there's a war coming?" Finnick's voice was as calm as usual. Katniss appreciated it as her own emotions and memories weren't helping with her response.
"Yes." Prim sniffed again and took the handkerchief Finnick offered.
Finnick knelt in front of her. "Katniss and I are getting you out, keeping you safe. I know it's going to be hard, but we have to go."
"Away from Rory." Prim cried again.
"Gale asked him to stay and help their family." Katniss pointed out. "He wanted everyone out, but it would have drawn too much attention for them all to go. It was a hard choice for all of them."
"It's still not fair." Prim said.
Finnick took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Katniss and I know just as well as you how hard this is. I have a girl we're going to see soon, too. And I have missed her every day since I was taken from her." He squeezed her hand again. "Maybe this will all blow over and you will be back with him soon. But if not, know that you are going somewhere where there are four people who know very well what you're going through."
Prim smiled gratefully and looked around, her face falling. "Friday is far too soon."
Katniss hugged her sister close. "But still so far away." She looked up and begged Finnick to help her say something.
He nodded and said, "We're being watched, Prim. They know. We may have to leave sooner."
Prim begged. "Please at least give me time to say goodbye to Rory."
Katniss nodded. "Okay."
"Katniss." Finnick warned.
"She deserves it." Katniss argued. "We didn't get that chance."
He thought a moment at then nodded. "Just don't tell him where we're going."
"I don't even know where we're going." Prim said, crossing her arms.
Katniss pressed a kiss to her temple. "We'll tell you when we leave. I promise." She stood and pulled Prim into the other part of the room where she'd dropped her things by the door. She reached into her bag and found a small vial of tea. Placing it in Prim's hand, she whispered, "If you plan to make love with him, drink some of this. Make a cup tonight and then drink some every morning until it's gone. You won't need much. I can get you more when you need it."
"Mama already gave me some." Prim said, rolling the small bottle in her hand. "She makes it for me every morning."
"Have you and Rory...?" Katniss made a vague hand motion.
Prim looked over Katniss's shoulder and pitched her voice even lower. "Not yet. But we want to. And I suppose we will when I tell him we're leaving."
Katniss pulled her into a tight embrace. "We need to get you back home. And don't leave home without an escort again, okay?"
"Okay." Prim sniffed and wiped at her face with the handkerchief Finnick gave her earlier.
Caleb had agreed that they should leave sooner, but he told them to wait until he came for them.
Katniss was just stepping through the curtain to join Finnick in bed a few nights after finding the rose and note when there was a soft tap on the door, so soft she wasn't even sure she heard it at first.
But then it came again.
Finnick came up behind her, pulling up his trousers. "Who is it?" He whispered.
She shrugged and stepped toward the door.
He grabbed her arm and put a finger to his lips. Taking a moment to quickly snatch up a knife from the counter, he made his way to the door.
There was a soft tap and someone whispered, "Open up already. It's Caleb."
Finnick, still grasping the knife, eased the door open to reveal Caleb and Prim standing on the other side of the door. Prim held a small bundle and her eyes were ringed in red.
Caleb pushed Finnick aside and pulled Prim in. He quickly shut the door and walked across the room. He looked out the window and nodded once before he pulled the curtain over it. Finally, he turned. "You're leaving tonight."
Prim let out a strangled sob and covered her mouth.
Katniss and Finnick both slipped an arm around the younger girl in the same quick motion.
"When?" Finnick asked.
"Haymitch is going to give a signal when the patrol moves out of the area." Caleb rubbed his face. "I knew I wasn't going to be ready."
Katniss hurried forward and wrapped her arms around her father's waist and pressed her eyes into his shoulder. "We'll be back together soon."
"I sure hope so." Caleb cradled Katniss to his chest and hummed softly in her ear.
She smiled when she recognized the tune. "The Hanging Tree, Daddy?"
"That's where the supplies are hidden." He kissed her cheek and then looked deep into her eyes. His own were glistening with unshed tears. "Make new arrows as often as you can. Keep to the shadows as much as possible, especially when you get close to towns. You and Finnick take turns keeping watch."
"Daddy, I know." Katniss swallowed and wrapped her arms tight around him again.
Caleb eventually peeled her arms away and reached into his pocket. In his hand he held a small notebook. "Your mama's been working on this for a long time." He ran his hand over the cover. "She said you should know it all by heart after all this time, but just to be sure..." He placed it in her hand and looked over her head to Finnick. "You get my girls there in one piece."
Finnick stepped forward and held out his hand to his father-in-law. "You have my word, Caleb, that I will do the very best I can."
"I sure hope so." Caleb shook Finnick's hand and then hugged both of his daughters close.
Katniss slipped the book into the front pocket of her dress. She noticed Finnick slipped into the curtained area, probably to give them some privacy. She looked up into her father's face and the tears were now flowing.
Prim clung to him and cried quietly. "Do I really have to go, Daddy?" She asked in a voice so small she could have been ten instead of nineteen.
"I'm afraid so, baby." Caleb kissed the top of her head. "I love you so much. And I will miss you every day." He looked to Katniss. "Same to you. And remember, if you find yourself, you'll never go hungry."
Finnick stepped out of the curtain with Katniss's medical bag and the basket she carried the deliveries in. It was now stuffed with an extra set of clothes for each of them. Katniss's medicine bag held all the normal supplies as well as several jars of food they had stored there as they made their plan to flee.
Caleb peeked out the window and nodded again. "Time to go."
Katniss nodded and took Prim's hand. "Don't let go, little duck. Whatever happens, don't let go of my hand until I say."
No moon hung in the sky, so it was dark. Katniss knew the woods well enough, but it wouldn't be too far before she had to take out the map or just take a chance and hope for the best.
After walking with them a short way into the trees, Caleb hugged them all, even Finnick, and then waved them on their way.
Katniss walked as quickly as Prim's unsure footing would allow. They found the hanging tree and searched around it until Prim noticed a hole in the base. Inside were three bedrolls that could be worn around their shoulders. There was also a bundle of food and a note that was written in Haymitch's scratchy handwriting.
"Stay alive." It read.
Katniss stuffed the paper into the pocket of her dress, took Prim's hand, and continued on. They plodded along through the night, stopping to rest after a few hours. Finnick kept watch around the perimeter for a few yards while Katniss and Prim rested their feet.
Finnick sat down across from them and accepted the cheese bun Katniss offered. "Thank you." He took a bite. "I don't think we've been followed."
"Good." Katniss said.
"I think it would be smart for us to keep going for a few more hours." He added as he chewed thoughtfully. "Probably travel at night only for at least a few days."
Katniss shook her head. "I think we should go a bit more tonight, but then sleep for a few hours and go a little further in the daytime. We won't be able to see where we're going much at night."
Prim nudged Katniss with her shoulder. "You can read the stars. Daddy taught you. I never could get it right. Nighttime would be best, but I agree we should travel as far as possible into the day."
"Can you make it?" Finnick asked, his eyes fixed on Prim.
"If it means our safety, then yes." Prim sounded confident, but Katniss could feel her trembling beside her.
A sound in the underbrush froze them all until a fox loped into view and then immediately ran away. All three breathed a sigh of relief.
They got up and continued walking, stopping for another meal just as the sun rose behind them. Prim fell asleep against Katniss's shoulder for a short time. Katniss was tired, but she didn't feel comfortable sleeping just yet.
The first few days were frightening and exhausting. They walked until they couldn't walk anymore and then slept, Katniss and Finnick taking turns keeping watch. Their sleep never lasted longer than a few hours.
They encountered some groups of men moving east. They were armed and marched in a semblance of a formation. Their clothes were a little ragged and there was a haunted but determined look in their eyes. It was easy to see they were the new rebels on their way to the Capitol.
Katniss, Finnick, and Prim held their breaths even after the men moved out of sight.
"Where are they going?" Prim asked in a low voice once they were gone.
"To fight the war, I'd wager." Finnick said. "Let's keep going."
And so they did for nearly three weeks until they finally made it out of the forest and met the ocean. The sun was just starting to set.
Katniss took out the map and pointed. "I'm fairly certain this is where we are.
Finnick pointed a short distance to the west. "This is where Annie's house is."
"Then it may only be a couple more hours." Katniss said as she examined the distance between their fingers.
Prim looked over her shoulder and examined the map. "So why don't we finish the trip?"
Katniss said, "I think we should rest up tonight. Maybe even bathe a bit in the water. And sleep more than a few hours. I don't want to be completely dead when we drop on their doorstep."
Finnick chuckled. "I like the sound of that." He walked toward the beach and stood there a moment, marveling at the water lapping against the shore. He sat down and removed his shoes and socks. His shirt was next, dropping to the ground in a heap. He kept his trousers on.
Katniss watched his face, full of reverence, as he finally stepped into the water he had missed for three years.
And then he dove under the waves. He was under for so long, Katniss was worried he wouldn't come back up. Prim ran forward and called out his name. She must have felt the fear, too.
And then he resurfaced with a whoop.
Katniss shook her head, a mixture of anger and relief flooding her. "You have fun. I'm going to get us some food. Prim, start the fire. Yell if you need anything." She scooped up her bow and a handful of arrows she'd been working on for the last several weeks. Surely she would get something.
And she did. Two raccoons. She returned to their patch of the beach where Prim was tending a fire and Finnick, still dripping a little, scaled a large fish. She held up her kills and dropped to the ground opposite the other two and began dressing her game.
"How was the water, Finnick?" Katniss asked softly when the first raccoon was prepared.
A wistful smile grew on Finnick's face. "Lovely." He sighed. "I want to go in again."
"You should." Katniss smiled. "You look far more relaxed than you ever have since I've known you."
"I am." He sat the fillets from the fish on a rock he'd placed near the fire and smiled when they started smoking almost immediately.
"We're having a feast tonight!" Prim said excitedly, followed by a huge yawn.
Katniss laughed. "We won't have much longer until it's all done. And then we sleep." She looked across to Finnick. "I'll take the first watch tonight. And we should do three hours instead of two."
He nodded. "Tomorrow night we should be safe and have a full night of sleep without a watch."
"I'm looking forward to it." Katniss said as she tended to the meat.
They finished out their evening in silence. Katniss softly sang as Prim fell asleep on her lap. The fire was low, their first real fire in three weeks. It probably shouldn't have been put together, but they were so close to the end and there had been no signs of anyone for a couple days.
Finnick moved close and stretched out on his bed roll. He asked, "Where will we sleep? When we get there, I mean."
"In a bed, I hope." Katniss laughed softly.
"I mean..." He took a deep breath and let it out. "If they... Because you and I..."
Katniss looked down and saw that her sister was asleep. She slowly moved away and stretched out beside Finnick, wrapping him in a tight embrace. She whispered, "We made love a couple times and it meant nothing."
"I still care about you, Katniss." He said softly. "And I did then."
"Did you?" Her voice was barely audible even to her own ears.
"I did."
She smirked. "Well, for me I thought it would help with the tension. We were fighting so much."
"It did help a little." He said with a smirk.
She snorted. "It shut you up for a few minutes, at least."
He chuckled and then glanced at Prim asleep just a short distance away and then back to Katniss. "If they're in love… God, I don't know, Katniss. I think my heart will break into a million pieces."
"Then we can figure out how to mend our broken hearts together." She rested her forehead against his. "I've been so scared every step of the way here. So many more people on the road than I thought."
"But we made it." He squeezed her gently. "Almost, anyway."
"We'll be there tomorrow." She lifted her lips and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "I care about you too, you know."
He smiled. "A few weeks ago you said you loved me."
She chuckled. "Well, maybe that changed listening to you plod along all these weeks." She got up, scooping her bow up as she went and started walking around the perimeter. She heard Finnick humming softly to himself for a while before he finally fell asleep.
She looked to the stars and thought about Peeta. Had he and Annie fallen in love? Did they have babies? Were they comfortable and happy in their life? Would three new mouths to feed be the best thing for them all?
Katniss was still contemplating it when she woke Finnick to relieve her.
Katniss awoke to the sound of rustling leaves. She thought at first it was an animal in the underbrush, but when she heard voices whispering, she knew it wasn't an animal. She knew the journey was too easy. She slowly started inching her hand toward the bow.
"That's not smart." A smooth female voice said from a few feet away.
Katniss froze. They'd been found. Where was Prim? Was she okay? Had Finnick fallen asleep on the watch? Had he been killed? Her heart was pounding in her ears. They had come too close to have their journey end like this.