Tidal Wave || Finnick Odair

The Training Center

Reminder - Flashbacks are in italics!

CHAPTER 4

The Training Center

Caroline was breathing heavily as she stared out of the window of the train with a slightly curled fist resting against her lips, her breath plastering against the cold window in a fog. The scenes in front of her were moving at an incredibly fast speed that made the trees and limited buildings pass by in a blur.

All she could picture in her mind was the look on her brother's face as she said goodbye and the way he refused to let her go. He cried and begged for her not to go, clinging to her body in desperation as the peacekeepers tried to drag her away. Luckily, she was able to calm him down enough before the men with guns stepped in and yanked him away. She would have never forgiven herself if she caused her little brother harm.

She sniffed deeply as a few more stray tears made their way down her face, wrapping her arms around her body, almost as if the gesture would give her some warming comfort. She quickly brushed the drops on her face away when she felt someone come up from behind. She could already guess who it was going to be, someone she had been anticipating since the moment she stepped on board.

The sound of a door closed behind to give them privacy.

"Care..." The voice behind her started speaking with a hesitant tone. There was only one person in her life that called her that anymore and it was the only person she cared to see right now. All she wanted to do was spit in every Capitol citizens face and curse the shit out of them. Maybe even throw in a few punches. Although, if she did that, she'd be making things turn out worse for herself, making her chances of getting home become less than desirable.

Another tear worked its way down her cheek.

"I can't die in that arena, Fin." She choked out with a shake of her head. "I-I can't. Evan will have no one left and I can't leave him like that." Her bottom lip wobbled as she tried to calm herself down but nothing seemed to make her stop. She felt her whole world crumbling more than it already had and it was getting more difficult to keep anything upright and stable.

Finnick stepped forwards to slowly turn her so she faced him and away from the window. He grasped her shoulders gently as he observed her appearance. Her eyes were red and bloodshot and from what he could correctly guess as crying for a good long while. There was a light tenderness to the skin around them where it was likely that she continued to rub her eyes. He raised a hand and rested it against her cheek, using his thumb to stroke away the few stray tears. The warmth of his hands felt like a comforting gesture to Caroline as she leaned into his touch.

"Listen to me." He tried to console her, determined to help as much as he could. Honestly, he couldn't care less about the other tribute he's supposed to mentor. No matter what his duties were and the fact that he was supposed to stay unbiased. He wanted, no ... he needed Caroline to win this year's Hunger Games. After everything he's been through himself, she was the only thing in his life that he could consider good anymore. His shining light in the constant darkness. "You ARE coming home. Do you understand?"

This was all his fault. If he had just agreed to the terms ... she wouldn't be here right now. The person he cared most for in this world wouldn't be going through the same torture as he had. Guilt heavily weighed on his shoulders again as he realised what she'll have to do now in order to come back home to them, the hurdles she'll have to face in order to even stay alive.