Heart of Gold • Finnick Odair

-44-

ROSALIE POV

I wake up to the steady beeping of a heart monitor. I open my eyes to find myself in a plain white room.

My body both aches like i've been beaten by a tonne of bricks and feels as if it's been asleep for a week at the same time.

I'm about to sigh in relief in hopes that i'm in district thirteen when I see a peacekeeper open the door to reveal President Snow.

He smiles at me in that sick, twisted way that makes me nauseous as his snake-like eyes focus in on me, "Hello Miss May, it's good to see you're awake. How are we feeling this fine afternoon?"

"Oh, i'm great," I sigh in defeat. I was hoping that the next time i'd see this man in person would be at his death bed.

"That's wonderful to hear. Now, enough small talk, let's talk about this rebellion stuff. Tell me everything you know," he leans forward from the chair he's sat in at the end of her bed.

"Why don't you tell me everything you know?"

Snow smirks, "very well. Miss Everdeen shot an arrow at the dome as the lightning struck, causing the entire arena to collapse. We managed to get you, Johanna and Peeta but the other tributes seem to have been... misplaced. Do you know anything about that?"

"Well if anyone would know, it'd be you. After all, the tributes are your property aren't they?"

Snow just chuckles. "Hmm, I suppose you're right dear. But know this, you will talk. I will break you eventually, no matter how... unethical we must get."

He stood, walking towards the door, as I comment, "i'm looking forward to it."

On his way out, Snow nodded to the pair of peacekeepers. Once he'd disappeared, the two men walked into the hospital room and grabbed me harshly by the arms and removed me from the room and into an elevator.

It went all the way down to a floor of the Tribute Centre I didn't know existed. All the walls as well as the ceiling and floor was white, except the tables and stools which where silvery grey. There were grey cabinets filled with medical supplies which I don't recognise. However, I don't get much time to take in my surroundings when i'm dragged into a room lined with cells on either side.

I recognise Johanna in the one beside my own, which I am not-so-gently thrown into. "That's no way to treat a lady, guys."

The door slams shut as the pair of peacekeepers leave and Johanna calls from the adjacent cell, "you're finally awake, it's been getting lonely in here."

"It's just you?" Johanna hums. "Where's Peeta?"

"They're keeping him elsewhere. I'd try not to worry too much about it though, I think they want him for live interviews and stuff to use against the Mockingjay so hopefully they won't beat him too bad. Or at least they won't shave his head."

"I think you're rocking the look."

"Thank Babe," Johanna smirks.

In a disgustingly, almost selfish, way I'm glad Johanna is here with me. She's tougher than most that she's still going despite everything she's been through, like myself— we relate in this way— and there's no one else i'd rather be here with. Because at least we'll be able to help each other get through this with humour as a comfort.

One part of me is just glad that Finnick is safe, though the other part is punching myself over and over again for the guilt I know he is forcing upon himself for him being safe and me being in Snow's clutches.

Then the thought dawns on me that he may not even know i'm alive. And Luna, was she safe in the thirteen? Or in danger in eleven?

FINNICK POV

Numb. That's what I preferred to feel over the gnawing pit of loss in my stomach over losing my girl. She's strong, I know that, but even the strongest people break eventually. The question is: how much more can she take?

Sitting on the edge of my bed in the medical ward, I tie and untie multiple knots into a strand of rope in my lap. My fingers are red raw and I have no idea how long i've been tying knots. I only stop when Katniss appears in the doorway.

"Finnick." Katniss sounds angry but with a hint of sympathy too.

I take a deep breath, "I wanted to go back for them. For Peeta, for Johanna... for Rose." I turn my head to look her in the eyes, "of course I did. I would have never voluntarily left her in danger, especially in the hands of Snow after everything..." I cut myself off and clear my throat. "But I, uh, I couldn't move. I couldn't save her, I was useless." I swallow back tears, clenching the rope tighter in my hands to contain my frustrations. "I wish she was dead. I wish they were all dead, and we were too."