𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑫𝑨𝑯𝑳𝑰𝑨, 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒓

𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏

Waking up to the sound of artillery exploding in the distance was not the most comforting situation Dahlia had found herself in. Though her racing heart was significantly calmed by the familiar feeling of Finnick's arm wrapped securely around her waist, his chest pressing firmly against her back. They had barely separated from each other's side in the time they'd spent hidden in Tigris' basement and that didn't change as they both shot up in alarm at the commotion of war battering the surface.

"Mortar shells." Gale announced, standing up from his seat next to Peeta as Katniss shared anxious glances with Dahlia and Finnick. "It's not ours. Peacekeepers must be shellin' the rebels outside the city."

But Cressida was quick to correct him, "That's not outside the city."

They all knew what this meant. The rebels were getting close, practically knocking on the doors of the Capitol. Dahlia gazed up at Finnick with hope ablaze in her eyes for the first time in days. Finally, the end was in sight.

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

Gale, as the least high-profile target of the squad, had ventured upstairs to survey the situation outside while the rest continued to shelter down below. Though, discontent with simply sitting and waiting for news, Dahlia assisted Katniss in assembling more arrows to replace those she lost in the tunnels. It was numbly therapeutic for her, repeating the same task over and over again. Something to focus on while Finnick kept trying to distract her by draping ridiculous fabrics over her body. The interaction between the married couple was enough to keep everyone entertained, simply because they knew he was the only one who could get away with winding her up. But just as Dahlia went to playfully whack Finnick over the head with a fur-lined boot, Gale jogged down the stairs with information to share.

"Sun's comin' up." He declared loudly, pausing only briefly to stare at a snickering Finnick with a smirk on his face and a glaring Dahlia with a boot aimed dangerously in her husband's direction. Shifting his eyes questioningly to Katniss gave the District Twelve man little clarification as she just shrugged with an amused grin. Choosing to ignore their childish antics, he continued, "There's some small-arms fire. Could be Paylor, maybe Lyme. Rebels are close."

As if lost in a dream-like daze, Cressida stared into the distance and airily mumbled, "This is it."

And she was right. This was the moment every citizen of the districts had been yearning for. The day where they were freed from the tyrannic rule of a heartless dictator. The day they could finally stop living in fear.

Dahlia had barely begun to grin in delight when a tuneful fanfare echoed around the basement from the screen on the other side of the room. A message about mandatory viewing had popped up once more but, this time, Snow wasn't about to announce the successes of the Capitol or death to the rebels. He was ushering his people to safety.

"To all Capitol citizens more than a half mile outside the City Circle, I am announcing a mandatory evacuation." The disgraced President explained calmly, but Dahlia could tell he was on the verge of defeat. He was a prideful man, but he knew when he'd been beaten. There wasn't much left that he could do. "Come to the mansion. I am promising you shelter and sanctuary. All refugees, come to my home. And there you will be provided with food, medicine, safety for your children, and you will have my solemn oath to protect you until my dying breath..."