Drowning - Oc x Finnick Odair

Haunted

Johanna chuckled and stood up and attempted to comfort Katniss in the only way she knew how, "Your fiancé's right. The whole country loves your sister. If they did anything to her, there would be riots in the damn Capitol." Katniss just stared at Johanna, obviously still upset, "Hey, how does that sound, Snow? What if we set your backyard on fire?" She spat on the ground, "You know, you can't put everybody in here."

Beetee, Finnick, Peeta, and Katniss all looked at her in shock. Ellie was not surprised.

"What?" She asked, "They can't hurt me. There's no one left outside this arena that I love."

Katniss still didn't speak, her and Finnick with tears still streaming down their faces.

Ellie wrapped her arms around Finnick, and he pulled her close, holding her tighter than usual. She gently ran her fingers down his face, humming gently to comfort him.

Johanna sighed when no one responded, "I'll get you some water."

The group made their way back to the beach, Finnick not speaking the entire time. Katniss and Peeta's conversations were limited. Beetee looked like he was lost in thought. 

When they reached the beach, Finnick threw his trident down in the sand and walked to the edge of the water, sitting himself down.

Ellie followed him, sitting next to him and laying her head on his shoulder, "It's okay, Finn." She told him, "It wasn't real."

He kicked one of his legs around Ellie's body and pulled her into him, kissing her on top of her head, "You were screaming and I couldn't help." His voice broke, preventing him from speaking any more.

Ellie kissed his arm that was wrapped around her, "I know."

The two sat in a peaceful silence for a bit, watching the sun slowly start to set over the tree line. Their bodies slowly bobbed up and down with the crashing of the waves, but they stayed together the whole time. 

"Finnick!" Johanna called out, "Ellie!"

The two looked up to see her standing next to them, "Beetee has a plan."

Finnick nodded and stood up, giving a hand to help Ellie pull herself up, too. The trio walked back to the group, and stood, ready to listen.

"Where do the careers feel safest?" Beetee asked, "The jungle?"

Johanna shook her head, "The jungle's a nightmare. Probably here on the beach."

"Then why are they not here?" He asked them, almost like a professor trying to get his class to participate in a lecture. 

Johanna did not think twice before answering, "Because we are. We claimed it."

"And if we left, they would come." He told them.

Finnick spoke up for the first time, "Or stay hidden in the tree line."

"Which in just over four hours will be soaked in water from the ten oclock wave." He tried to get them to connect the dots, "And what happens at midnight?"

Katniss answered, "Lightning strikes that tree."

Ellie's mind came up with a bright idea. She got what Beetee was trying to say, "Fry them."

He nodded, "Here's what I propose." He pointed towards the tree, "We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lightning tree. That should draw them back to the beach." He pulls his wire out, "Prior to midnight, we run this wire from the tree to the water. Anyone in the water, or on the damp sand will be electrocuted."

Johanna was the first to present a problem, "How do we know the wire isn't going to burn up?"

"Because I invented it." Ellie remembered his interview before the games, where his help in the Capitol with inventions was mentioned, "I assure you, it won't burn up."

Everyone looked at one another, having conversations with their eyes.

Katniss responded, "Yeah, why not?"

The crew waited on the beach for dusk to fall. Peeta and Katniss off on their own, talking about whatever teenagers who are sent to their death do. Ellie, Johanna, and Beetee sat on the sand, Johanna amazed by the technical terms and ideas Ellie and Beetee have together.

Johanna had always admired Ellie, from the start. When she won her games, Johanna could not help but pity the girl, because she knew how much a gentle beast like her would suffer. When she saw Ellie on the ground that night at the Capitol, she vowed to protect the girl. The Capitol had already taken her name, she swore they would take nothing else from the girl. Getting to know her over the years, Johanna envied her personality. She was perfectly kind and smart, gentle but firm, and pleasant to be around. Most importantly, she always knew what to say, and how to help Johanna when she needed it.

Finnick swirled his trident in the air, surely giving Ellie a heart attack, but she tried to ignore it. 

Night had fallen, and it was time for action.

The group followed Beetee to his tree, weary of their every move. It was so dark, it was hard to see where they were moving, not used to running in the dark. The anthem played in the sky, showing the eight tributes that had died from the night prior. 

They reached the tree.

"Minimal charring." Beetee sounded impressed. "Let's get started."

The boys wrapped the wire around the tree many times, making it a large target. Beetee handed Katniss the wire and its container, telling her to take Ellie and Johanna with her to spread it to the beach.

"We'll meet at the tree in the two oclock sector." He informed them.

Ellie kissed Finnick, knowing that this could be the last time she sees him, if it came down to protecting Katniss. He gave her a big hug, "Be safe."

She nodded, looking back at him, "You, too."

Peeta tried to come with the girls, but Beetee and Finnick would not allow it. Ellie saw what was happening, Katniss and Peeta wanted to defect. 

She kept forgetting the two lovers did not know the plan. They had to keep them apart so they would come back to the group, and not run off and get themselves killed. Finally, all was settled and the girls went.

Katniss unwinded the wire, leading the way. Johanna and Ellie followed behind, quietly. 

All the sudden, the wire got caught. It would not go any further. 

Then, it snapped.

Katniss drew her bow, Johanna knocking Katniss in the head and onto the ground. She pulled her arm out and grabbed one of Ellie's knives. She cut into Katniss's arm, shushing her when she yelled, and smearing the blood onto the girls head to make it look like she was dead.

Ellie could tell the other tributes heard, and she needed to distract.

"I'll distract them." Ellie told Johanna, "They heard."

"Ellie, no!" Johanna hissed, but Ellie had already taken off. 

She heard someone running behind her, their steps fast and heavy. She had led at least one of them away from Katniss.

"Ellie, Johanna!" She heard Finnick yell, causing her to stop, unconsciously, "Where are you?" 

That moment stop was a huge mistake. She was next tackled to the ground by Enobaria. She screamed out, scared for her life, knowing if she did not fight, she would die. 

"Please!" Ellie pleaded for her life, "Know who the real enemy is!" 

She knew Enobaria was not in on the deal, but she hoped it confused the girl enough for Ellie to kick her off and run.

It worked, for a moment. Ellie realized she was headed straight for the beach, with a murderer straight behind her. 

She was thrown to the ground again, a body sitting on top of her stomach, knife at her neck.

"I'm sorry, Ellie." Enobaria flashed her teeth, "I have to win."

Ellie closed her eyes and waited for the pain to come, but it never did. 

A large light entered the arena, and then the feeling of weight on top of her was removed. She closed her eyes and laid on the ground in piece. 

She was free.