Against the Current (Finnick and Annie)

Finnick~Chapter 27 (version 2)

I wake up to find Katniss examining some of my wounds underneath the bandages. I must look like a mummy right now with all of them wrapped around me. I groan when one of the bandages sticks and pulls painfully on one of my deeper cuts.

"Stop that," I complain.

I open my eyes and the relief is clear in Katniss' expression. "Good you're awake. I was scared for a second that you were dying on me."

Katniss tries to make a joke but the abating fear is still clear in her voice. I just give her a one sided smile that makes my face hurt. "I'm pretty close, but not quite there yet."

"Not a nice joke," she says. "Come on we have food."

Katniss helps me into a sitting position which already tires me out and leaves me gasping for air. Gale is sitting on the floor a little ways away. When he sees me awake he nods tiredly at me. I still feel weak from the blood loss and everything hurts, but I'm alive which is good enough for now.

"Here," Katniss says and hands me a can of food. It looks disgusting but I force it down anyway.

It's silent in the room as everyone eats or stares tiredly at nothing. Honestly everyone looks like they went through hell and I feel twice as worse as they look. Katniss shifts nervously in her seat and turns to face us.

"I have to tell you guys something," she says. "This mission to kill Snow, it was all fake. I never had orders from Coin. I'm so sorry. I led all of you on some insane plan for revenge and now so many people are dead. All because of me."

Katniss looks devastated, all of the events and fatigue finally catching up to her. It's not like her to easily show her emotions, but now she lets a few tears escape. Katniss blames every death on herself. It's too much for anyone to bear.

I look around the room and no one looks particularly surprised by Katniss' confession. Gale is the first to speak up.

"Katniss, we all knew you were lying about Coin sending you to assassinate Snow," he says.

She shakes her head and looks up. "You and Finnick knew, maybe. The others didn't."

Gale and I saw through Katniss right away. We knew her well enough to tell. But the others weren't stupid either.

"Do you really think Jackson believed you?" Cressida asks. "Or anyone for that matter? They all knew, but they trusted Boggs and he wanted you to go."

"But I never told Boggs," Katniss protests.

Gale scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Please, you told everyone in Command."

"Yeah you said 'I kill Snow.' I don't know how much clearer you could get," I point out.

Katniss shakes her head and places it in her hands tiredly. "Not like this. It's been a disaster."

Cressida, Gale, and I keep trying to get Katniss to see that none of this is her fault. Pollux nods his head in agreement, but no matter what we say, Katniss doesn't look any more convinced. The entire time Peeta is silent and Katniss finally asks for his opinion.

Peeta purses his lips as he thinks things through carefully. He's been different ever since Katniss kissed him after barely escaping the mutts. It's like she gave the real Peeta the power to fight against his demons.

"I think you still have no idea. The effect you can have," Peeta says slowly. "None of the people that died were stupid. They knew what they were getting themselves into. But they followed you because they believed you could really kill Snow."

I look at Katniss, taking in every word Peeta is saying. The best thing is, she believes him. The Peeta who was always great with his words and could make anyone rally behind him is back.