Puzzle Pieces • Finnick Odair

C H A P T E R 5 9

Jessica sat on the bed in her hospital room, anxiously biting her lip as she waited for Finnick to return with a 'surprise' as he had put it. Her head whipped up from where she had been staring at her hands when she heard a quiet knock on the door, followed by it slowly opening.

Finnick popped his head round, "you ready?" His encouraging smile caused her to nod, she trusted his judgement that this was good.

He pushed the door open further and her older brother, Jacob, came rushing into the room, automatically pulling her into a big, brotherly bear hug. She accepted it completely, letting herself relax in the arms of her brother. Her rock. The one who has always been there for her. The person who held her when she cried over their fathers death. The one who's words never failed to bring comfort. The man who was always there for Jessica to lean on. Her older brother.

As she stood in his embrace, she felt a pair of smaller arms wrap around the older siblings bodies. She brought her head off of her brothers chest as she looked down at the twelve year old. She moved one arm to wrap around his smaller figure, "hey little man."

He looked up, his brilliant, brown, innocent eyes looking up at her, "I'm so happy to see you again," there were tears evident in his eyes as he hugs his big sister tighter.

"I missed you too," she looks back up at her big brother who was trying not to cry, "both of you."

The siblings sat in the room for a few minutes, catching up and enjoying the familiar déjà vu they got. It was small family moments like this they had all been longing for.

"Alright Jake, I'll let you get back to Johanna now then, huh?" The girl Miller smirked.

"What? I- I don't know what you mean," the oldest Miller sibling blushed furiously. He gave up, "thanks sis, I'll see you tomorrow at lunch?"

"You got it," she smiles back, mockingly.

Jessica and Kylo exchanged a glance as their older brother leaves, "he's in loooove," the youngest Miller sings.

Jessica laughter fills the room, the happy sound bringing a smile to the faces of anyone who heard it. "And what about you? Jacob mentioned a Primrose?"

"He did?" Jacob had told Jessica about their brothers crush whilst he had left the room to go retrieve the pearl he had been keeping safe for his sister. "What a snitch! I mean- I don't like Prim."

"Is this Prim the famous Primrose Everdeen, by any chance?" She teased.

The boy blushed to the point where he was almost as red as pure blood itself, "whatever," he said with a huff, hiding his smile as he walks towards the door, "byyye," he elongates the word in a playful tone.

"Say hi to Prim for me," the girl smirks, knowing who he would be going to find.

Once both brothers had left, the door opened again but if wasn't the expected Mr Odair, it was her designer and friend, Brayden. Alone? Where's Valaria and Elaine? She thought.

"Hiya girlie," he smiled at the girl, "it's great to see you again."

She stands up and smiles, "you too," the two old friends embrace. "Where are they?" She whispers anxiously, assuming the answer but hoping she was wrong.

"They died trying to get out," Brayden speaks in a soft, sad tone as he pulled apart from the hug, "in a way it's better though. At least they died and weren't caught. I'd have hated for them to end up in your predicament, they wouldn't have been nearly as strong as you, girlie."

"I'm sorry," she speaks in a low, soft voice, "they were good people."

"Yeah, we did make a good team didn't we," they both smile fondly at the memories, "it's not been all bad. I got to know your brothers better. They're good boys."

"Met any potential boyfriends?" Jessica teases.

"Nah, sadly. I've been spending most my time with either Finnick, your brothers, Mags or Haymitch and Effie."

"Haven't spoke to Haymitch in a while, how is he?" Jessica wondered.

"Sober," Brayden smirks.

"No?" Brayden nods with a smile, "wow. I didn't see that coming."

The two fall into easy conversation before Brayden leaves.

Finnick comes back into the room and smiles automatically seeing her bright, happy face, "wanna go see Ann and Jo?"

The pair walk down to Johanna's hospital bed to see the bald girl pouting at Jacob in the chair next to her. Her expression changed into a smirk upon seeing her best friends come over, "hey sweetheart, nice of you to join us back in the real world. Have a nice nap?" Johanna jokes, hiding the fact that she, deep down, was ecstatic to see Jessica was okay.

"I did, darling, now get up and hug me," she retorts. Johanna gets up without a second thought, immediately hugging the girl before her, "I'm glad you're okay, Jo," Jessica sighs, speaking in a more serious tone.

"Me too. But could you please tell your brother that I'm fine." She glances back to the smiling boy who she refuses to admit that she loves.

"Nope. He's your problem now," Jessica grins at her best friend, happy she has someone.

The next place the pair go is the room Annie and her husband, Callum, share with their old mentor, Mags. As soon as the door was opened, Annie launched herself at the girl who saved her a great deal of pain, still careful not to touch her back though, "I'm so relieved you're okay. Thank you, for everything, I love you," the ginger girl was tearing up, her breathing becoming shaky.

"Hey, hey. Breathe, Annie, it's okay. I'm alright now. Shhh, I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you, I promise," she smiles at the girl who had become like a sister to her.

Once Annie let go and took a step back, she was pulled into a gentle hug. Despite Callum being a tall, muscular man, he was always very soft and gentle. He whispered in her ear so that only she could hear, "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for her, I'm so glad your okay, Jessica."

"Don't mention it," she whispers back. She looks between the two as Callum had now wrapped an arm around Annie's waist, holding her close to his side, "oh! Congrats on the wedding, Cal, Annie told me all about it. Sounds like it was beautiful."

Just then, Mags walked around the corner, having woke from her nap, and hugged girl, 'It's good to see you again, Jessica, we've missed you.' She signed.

"Missed you too, Mags." Jessica smiled fondly at the women, asking her what she'd been up to and just having casual conversation.

She was told about what happened between Katniss and Peeta however, Plutarch and Coin suggested that in the next few days, once Jessica has fully recovered her physical injuries, that it might help if she spoke to the boy from twelve as they had been through similar things and she had been the one to comfort him in the Capitol. She also made a mental note to go check on Katniss soon as well.

Finnick took Jessica back to her hospital room so that her nurse could change her bandages around her torso. The nurse gave permission for Jessica to be released from the hospital the following day and just come back every morning and night to change her back wrappings.

With a gentle kiss on her lips, he said goodnight before reluctantly heading back to his room.

AN: wow. This so a long chapter ahah. I just thought it was important to show Jessica saying hi to all her family/friends to really prove how many people she affects with her happy presence and smile bc everyone loves her (including myself) <3