Finnick had nothing to do. And it was killing him. He'd never felt so useless. He was too unstable to work, but he wasn't physically ill enough to keep locked in a hospital room.

Tyler and Buck had campaigned hard to get him upgraded to unsupervised walks, so at least he didn't have doctors trailing him quite so aggressively anymore. That being said, Tyler and Buck were usually close by to step in whenever he started wavering, or to pull him away when he got too fixated on any blonde girl with the false hope that it was his partner.

He tended to just spend his days wandering up and down various corridors, hoping to hit the same jackpot he did the other week and hear Taiya's name being spoken from within a room. That was his new method of obtaining secrets. Eavesdropping.

That's how he'd found out that both Tyler and Buck had refused to take him on as a roommate yesterday when the doctors asked, leaving him to stay in the hospital wing. Not that he could blame them, his night fits hadn't really improved.

But for now, he'd just been wandering up and down the room Katniss was filming a 'propo' in. The girl had been dolled up in makeup that aged her about 15 years, and the tech wizard behind the screen was digitally altering her body and surrounding it with fire.

To be honest, he could see it exciting those in the Capitol, but not those in the Districts. They wanted honesty, the real Katniss, and this wasn't it.

Finnick walked up behind her to joke. "They'll either want to kill you, kiss you, or be you."

Katniss simply rolled her eyes and ignored him, but she was amused. Good. He had to keep her on his side. She was his best way of reaching Taiya. The more valuable she made herself to the rebellion cause, the more leverage she had over them.

"Thanks, Finnick," she mumbled. Even the small acknowledgement was enough to make him smile. It was astounding how, despite Taiya's obvious dislike of the girl, she'd managed to become one of the closest people to him. The 17-year-old rebellion symbol from District 12. Go figure.


Finnick had been lying on his bed staring at the ceiling. How dare Buck and Tyler tell him no?

Katniss had been granted permission to go and visit District 8. They'd all had a meeting about it, a meeting arranged by Haymitch. He made the very good point that Katniss was a terrible actor. The Districts had fallen in love with her based on her authentic moments of generosity and kindness, not the circus act they were trying to make her. The Districts fell in love with the girl, the Capitol had fallen in love with the mask. She was going to film her propo in District 8, let the real her shine.

And Finnick wanted to go, but Buck and Tyler shut him down immediately. He wasn't ready apparently. Who were they to tell him what to do? If he could prove to District 13 that he was getting better, maybe they'd let him join a mission to the Capitol to free the victors. Even if he just stayed in the hovercraft, it'd be a step towards proving his health.

So he leapt out of bed and took off running down the corridors and straight for the command rooms. He slammed open the door and skidded to a stop, his eyes immediately meeting Plutarch's. Exactly who he was looking for.

"Plutarch," Finnick breathed as he ran at the man, grabbing onto his forearms. "I want to go. I want to go with Katniss. I can help. Because I'm better now, you see that right? It can be like a test, if I can do this then I can go to the Capitol. I can go help her. I can help Taiya."

Finnick didn't even register how unwell he sounded, he couldn't see the madness in his eyes that was startling even Plutarch, who having been around Capitolites wasn't unaccustomed to a certain degree of madness.

"Finnick," Plutarch gently removed his hands. "You're not well," he said gently. "You need to go back to the hospital ok? Get some sleep. I promise you, we're working on a recovery plan for the victors, and when we know more, we'll tell you."

"But I swear…"

"Finnick… I'm sorry," Plutarch shook his head. "Maybe next time."

Finnick merely let out a disgruntled groan before he fled from the room, not wanting to hear anything else from the man. If he couldn't convince Plutarch, maybe he could convince Katniss to smuggle him onboard.

"Katniss!" he yelled when he saw her and Boggs waiting for an elevator. "They won't let me go! I told them I'm fine, but they won't even let me ride in the hovercraft!"

She stared at him, and for a fraction of a moment, he thought she was going to agree with him and let him tag along. Until she smacked her hand against her forehead.

"Oh, I forgot. It's this stupid concussion. I was supposed to tell you to report to Beetee in Special Weaponry. He's designed a new trident for you."

Finnick's thoughts of District 8 immediately disappeared. A new trident would be useful. He could take it with him to the Capitol when they went to break Taiya out.

"Really? What's it do?" he asked.

"I don't know. But if it's anything like my bow and arrows, you're going to love it. You'll need to train with it though."

It was probably best he start learning how to use it now, he couldn't let Taiya down by not being familiar with his weapon.

"Right. Of course. I guess I better get down there."

"Finnick?" Katniss stopped him. "Maybe some pants?"

He smirked as he looked down. This paper dress that District 13 handed out to all their hospital patients wasn't exactly flattering. But he could work with it.

"Why?" he whipped off the gown and dramatically threw it to the side, leaving him standing in the middle of the corridor wearing just his underwear. "Do you find this," he pulled a pose, "distracting?"

Katniss immediately started laughing and only laughed harder when she looked over at Bogg's uncomfortable face.

"I'm only human Odair," she turned around to enter the elevator.

This made him excited. If they'd made him a trident, they must actually be working on a plan to get to the Capitol. So he happily made his way to Special Weaponrys.

"Hello," Finnick smiled as he walked through the doors to greet Beetee.

Beetee eyes immediately bugged out of his head. He was there with Tyler who merely groaned and dropped his head in his hands.

"What?" Finnick asked in confusion.

"Finnick," Tyler groaned. "Clothes."

"Oh yeah," he chuckled nervously as he looked down. "That was a joke."

"No clothes, no weapons," Tyler pointed to the door.

"Fair point," Finnick mumbled as he left to go get another gown.


The trip to District 8 hadn't exactly gone to plan and Katniss ended up back in the hospital. The silver lining, at least he had someone to talk to again.

He hadn't expected Haymitch to visit though.

"You'd keep this in if I asked you to wouldn't you?" Haymitch demanded, waving a white ear device in the air. Evidently, Katniss wasn't good at following his instructions. Shocking

"Absolutely," Finnick nodded.

Haymitch frowned when he heard Finnick agree. "Oh right," Haymitch mumbled when he looked down at Finnick's mentally disoriented coloured wristband. He hadn't seen the kid since the hovercraft, he'd been told he wasn't doing well, and he hadn't had the heart to visit him. Because he didn't know if he could keep it together for him. He was feeling guilty and sorry for himself. Guilty for what happened to Peeta and Taiya, and sorry that he couldn't do anything to stop it. He'd already had an earful from Tyler and Buck, but he hadn't had the guts to see Finnick yet. But Finnick barely even seemed to remember the role Haymitch played in getting Taiya taken.

"It's an earpiece," Haymitch explained. "Katniss took it out and nearly got herself blown up," he scoffed. "I shouldn't be surprised."

"You're sober," Finnick noted. "Good for you pal."

"It's the worst," Haymitch moaned. "How's insanity going for you?"

"Well, in fact, it's called mentally disoriented," Finnick flashed his wristband. "Thank you very much."

"Still not allowed in the dorms?"

"Tyler and Buck keep saying no. Apparently, I scream. Hey, how do you feel about a roommate?"

"No."

"Had to ask," Finnick grumbled.

Haymitch then spotted the rope between Finnick's fingers and started to broach a topic Finnick was very eager to avoid. "Is that T…"

"I'm going to take a nap," Finnick dismissed, lying down and rolling away from Haymitch. The message was received though and the older man left the room with a sigh. Taiya had been on his mind all the time. He adored that girl and she'd been through so much only to end up where she feared the most, and he knew he was partly to blame. That was something Haymitch would never forgive himself for.


At dinner, Finnick brought his food tray across to Katniss's hospital room to join her in watching the new propo they shot in 8. It's hard to watch, especially for Katniss who buried her face in a pillow. The Capitol had bombed a hospital full of wounded men, women and children. It was barbaric. And he doubted anyone in the Capitol even knew the truth of what just happened.

"People should know that happened. And now they do," he tried to reassure Katniss.

"Let's turn it off Finnick, before they run it again," Katniss urged. He couldn't help but agree and moved to pick up the remote. "Wait!" Katniss stopped him and he looked up.

The Capitol was introducing a special segment. Starring Peeta Mellark and Taiya Ambersnow. A joint interview.

It was as if neither one could be trusted to handle the pressure of a single interview.

The physical differences in Peeta were more noticeable. He'd lost around fifteen points and his hands were tremoring. His hair was nicely done, but the bags under his eyes were still evident. He looked sickly and clearly in pain. It'd only been 5 days since their last interview…. unless they'd filmed that in advance.

Taiya hadn't lost any weight, but she was different. And it made Finnick want to throw up then and there. She couldn't look directly into the camera, at least not for more than a few seconds. She kept her eyes locked on her knees. But when Finnick could see her eyes properly, breath left his chest. The closest he'd ever seen them to this was when she returned from her Games. Devoid of emotion and empty, as though she'd completely given up. All he wanted to do was hold her but she was miles away. He also caught the grimace on her face when she shifted and subtly jerked her leg up. Something was wrong, that's why she was wearing a dress so long it touched the floor, her leg was injured. He watched her tug at the ends of her hair, awkwardly skewing the innocent pigtails they'd placed on either side of her head, an anxiety tell she'd had for years.

He felt all the blood leave his face. Any hope he'd had of her being safe and staying untouched so long as she said the right thing had gone out the door. She was being punished regardless.

Caesar and Peeta had some light banter going for a few minutes, Peeta tried to involve Taiya, but she was pretty despondent, and not interested in their small talk.

Caesar then asks them both about the rumours of Katniss filming her propos.

"They're using her obviously. To whip up the rebels. I doubt she even really knows what's going on in the war. What's at stake."

"She's pretty malleable," Taiya backs up in a dull voice. "Airhead. Honestly, she'd do anything she was told. You've seen her on TV here in the Capitol. She's a child who likes to parade around in pretty dresses. She's not exactly the mastermind here. She's a child being manipulated by evil people. They're using her to wreak chaos all over Panem, it's foul."

"Is there anything you'd like to tell her Peeta?" Caesar asks.

"There is. Don't be a fool, Katniss. Think for yourself. They've turned you into a weapon that could be instrumental in the destruction of humanity. If you've got any real influence, use it to put the breaks on this thing. Use it to stop the war before it's too late. Ask yourself, do you really trust the people you're working with? Do you really know what's going on? And if you don't… find out."

"And Taiya, anything for your friends from Four?"

Taiya merely snorted. "No," she dismissed coldly.

Black screen. Seal of Panem. They were gone.

Finnick immediately pressed the button on the remote and killed the tv. People would be in the room soon to do damage control on Peeta and Taiya's condition and words. No matter Peeta's intentions behind his words, he had a point. People in power seemed too often to have a tendency for corruption. And Katniss seemed to realise that as well.

Footsteps were already coming down the corridor, ready to convince them that Peeta didn't know what he was talking about. Looking over at Katniss, Finnick could see she was ready to give them a piece of her mind, but he doubted that'd go over well with President Coin, and to be honest, they couldn't afford to rock the boat too much.

"We didn't see it," Finnick grabbed Katniss' arm, forcing her to look at him.

"What?"

"We didn't see Peeta or… Only the propo on Eight. Then we turned the set off because the images upset you. Got it?" Katniss nodded in agreement. "Finish your dinner."

"You should turn away from the door," Katniss suggested and Finnick nodded.

He couldn't let them see him until he'd had a moment to compose himself. There were a couple of tears running down his cheeks.

She'd said no. She'd made no effort to send a signal to him like the time before. Instead, she'd given a hard, resounding no.


Gale was working with Beetee the next day, so Katniss had somehow managed to convince command that it was a good idea to bring Finnick with her out above ground to hunt, breaking him out of the hospital. That was a rouse, of course, she wanted to talk about what they'd seen last night without prying eyes and ears.

Finnick was unarmed of course, still not being trusted with a weapon in his hand without supervision.

"I've not heard one word about it. Not even from Tyler and Buck. No one's told you anything?" he asked her. "Not even Gale? Maybe he's trying to find a time to tell you privately."

"Maybe," Katniss mumbled.

The silence was deafening but comfortable. Neither one wanted to talk and both were comfortable in the silence. They both had their respective partners to dwell on.

How was the Capitol torturing them? Why were they obeying? And why weren't they sending up signals they were ok?

They were silent for so long that a buck passed right in front of them and Katniss shot it down with an arrow.

"Give me a hand?"

"Yeah, I've got it," Finnick stood up and dragged the buck back to the fence line. At least dinner was sorted. Not that Finnick was that hungry. Instead, he trudged his way back to his hospital room. He couldn't face anyone whilst his anxiety about Taiya was running so rampant.

When he entered his room he stopped short, seeing Buck and Tyler already sitting in their usual chairs.

"We have something we need to tell you, kid," Tyler nodded his head towards the bed, ushering him to sit down.

Could this be it? Were they breaking Taiya out because she looked so disheartened?

"What is it?" Finnick asked excitedly as he jumped onto the bed.

"Now Command's told us not to tell you this, but we think you deserve to know," Buck hesitated.

"What? What? Tell me!"

"Well um…" Tyler twitched in his seat. "There was another interview." Finnick's shoulders immediately deflated. "With Taiya and Peeta. And Finnick, Taiya, she…"

"Tyler," Buck interrupted. He'd been watching Finnick closely for signs of a breakdown, and instead, he saw something else, recognition. "He's already seen it."

"What?" Tyler asked in surprise. "How? They said when they checked on you and Katniss neither of you had seen it."

"We lied," Finnick sighed as he lay down and let his eyes tear up. Buck and Tyler had only come to let him know Taiya had been on tv. There was still no escape plan. "She looked like she did 9 years ago," he breathed. "Broken. They broke her again. And they hurt her. There was something wrong with her leg. She didn't send us a message this time, she said no," he let the tears fall.

"I don't think she meant no in a bad way," Buck tried to defend her.

"She did," Finnick shook his head. "I know her. She meant it. She knew she could tell us something, but she didn't want to. Her eyes were cold. They've hurt her."

"We always knew it wasn't going to be easy Finnick," Tyler tried to explain, but Finnick cut him off angrily.

"Sure. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. But they hurt her. They hurt her because we left her there. They hurt her because I made her join in the rebellion scheme," Finnick said as he progressively got angrier. "This is my fault. Everything that's happening is my fault. I should've protected her."

"You can't think like…"

"Get out. Please. Just get out," Finnick grabbed a pillow and plonked it over his eyes, effectively blocking his two friends out. He didn't even hear them leave.


Finnick isolated himself in his room for three days before he was summoned to the command centre.

Katniss and Gale had ventured out to the ruins of District 12 to shoot a new propo and now it seemed Beetee might have found a way to bypass the security system of the Capitol and reach their networks. It was all looking up for the rebellion.

Finnick didn't want to sit with anyone but Katniss. He still hadn't spoken to Buck or Tyler. He was a little embarrassed and still mad at himself and he didn't want them to try and talk him down. So instead he guarded the seat in between him and Plutarch with his life.

"Sorry, I'm saving this seat," Finnick apologised to Gale who tried to take the seat by Plutarch's side.

Gale merely rolled his eyes before crossing around to sit on Plutarch's other side.

As soon as Katniss walked in, Finnick waved at her frantically, ushering her to the seat. Despite Gale's earlier eye roll, Finnick didn't miss the small smile that graced his lips.

"What's going on?" Katniss asked as she took her seat. "Aren't we seeing the Twelve propos?"

"Oh no," Plutarch shook his head. "I mean, possibly. I don't know exactly what footage Beetee plans to use."

"Beetee thinks he's found a way to break into the feed nationwide," Finnick elaborated. "So that our propos will air in the Capitol, too. He's down working on it in Special Defence now. There's live programming tonight. Snow's making an appearance or something. I think it's starting."

The Capitol seal appeared on the screen, accompanied by the national anthem. Then it was President Snow's snake-like eyes that appeared on the screen. Finnick could hardly look away from them. These were the eyes that had caused him and Taiya so much agony over the years. He'd always pushed down any personal anger towards the President, with the aim of surviving with as few casualties as possible. But it was only now when he was relatively free, did he feel pure white-hot rage for the man. It was only now that he fully acknowledged all the pain and suffering in his life and the lives of his loved ones were caused directly by this one man. He'd always known, but he'd never let himself feel the full extent of his rage. He'd always just felt despair and a sense of loss, but now he felt rage like never before. It reminded him of what they were fighting for. He had to stop wallowing in self-pity and join this fight before it was too late.

He wasn't pulled out of his thoughts until Peeta was broadcast, off to one side and looking angry.

"He's worse," Katniss whispered in shock. Finnick immediately reached out and grasped Katniss' hand, trying to give her an anchor, but also to anchor himself. Taiya wasn't on screen. She'd been left out, and the possibilities of why stressed him out to no end.

Katniss' hand began to shake as Peeta began to speak with frustration about the need for a cease-fire. His speech was accompanied by visuals on a map, describing all the structural damage caused by the rebels.

Suddenly the screen flashed and Katniss was on. She was being broadcast nationwide standing in the rubble of District 12.

"He did it!" Plutarch jumped to his feet. "Beetee broke in!"

The room was buzzing with excitement when the screen flashed back to Peeta, who was looking distracted. He must have seen Katniss. He shook his head and tried to continue his speech when a clip Finnick had filmed last week appeared. It made Finnick lean forward, if Peeta could see Katniss, maybe there was a chance that wherever Taiya was, she had access to a screen and could see him.

The screen began flashing frantically from Peeta to their propos. The Capitol tech team was fighting them.

Almost the whole room erupted into cheers. Everyone apart from the victors was jumping up and down in excitement.

Finnick, Katniss, Haymitch, Tyler and Buck. They all had a look of dread. With every flash of the propos, they could sense Snow's rage build. And he had two excellent targets in his grasp to take it out on. Every cheer put Taiya and Peeta's lives in further danger.

The Capitol seal was then on the screen, accompanied by twenty seconds of a flat audio tone whilst the Capitol tech's booted Beetee out of the system.

Then Snow was back. The rage was evident in his eyes. Peeta looked petrified.

"Clearly the rebels are now attempting to disrupt the dissemination of information they find incriminating," Snow ploughed on. "In the Capitol, however, truth and justice will reign. We will continue the full broadcast when security has been reinstated. Peeta, my boy," he grasped Peeta's shoulder, who was visibly quivering. "Given tonight's demonstration, do you have any parting thoughts for Katniss Everdeen?"

Peeta's face contorted as soon as Katniss was mentioned, he was desperately trying to pull his own mind back.

"Katniss… how do you think this will end? What will be left? No one is safe. Not in the Capitol. Not in the districts. And you… in Thirteen…" he inhaled sharply, his eyes darting around looking insane. "Dead by morning!"

"End it!" Snow's voice boomed.

But he couldn't end it. Beetee had gained some control again and was throwing it all into chaos. He was flashing shots of Katniss standing in front of the bombed hospital, but between those shots was where they were witness to the reality of the Capitol.

Peeta continued to cry out warnings despite what was happening. The camera had been knocked down and the scuffle of boots around him was evident. As were the sound of the blows colliding with his body and his cries of pain.

And they all saw his blood as it splattered the ground.