𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑫𝑨𝑯𝑳𝑰𝑨, 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒓

𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒕

Just as he had fixed the hood into place and started to retreat away from her, Dahlia caught his hands before they could leave her head. Pulling them down to rest in between their bodies, she held his trembling hands in her own with a reassuring grip. "I'm coming home to you, Finn. I swear it." She pledged with such confidence and passion that Finnick was inclined to believe every word. "I will do whatever it takes to end this war and get back to you."

"I know you will, little flower." Finnick replied earnestly, because he knew he'd be doing the same. He still wasn't onboard with the idea of being split apart from Dahlia, his strength and motivation in this fight. But he could accept that he trusted his wife with anything, including this.

With a soft smile, Dahlia squeezed his hand three times and waited for Finnick to return the gesture. Once they'd both expressed their silent message of love, Dahlia placed a loving kiss on the top of her husband's hand as she slowly backed away towards the exit. Before she could get too far, Finnick called out, "Don't forget I'm still rooting for you, Odair."

A reminiscing grin instinctively spread on her face, memories of that first meeting flooding her mind like the sea coming to wash away all her fears. Turning back to the man she now shared a last name with, Dahlia affectionately responded, "Thanks for the words of encouragement, Odair."

With that, Dahlia followed Katniss to the door where the girl retrieved her bow and paused to take a deep breath in. After steadying herself, Katniss yanked the door open and stepped out into the Capitol, Dahlia and Gale swiftly falling into line behind her. Finnick watched his wife disappear from sight, the anxious feeling in his heart becoming more unbearable the further away from him she got. He didn't think he could just sit here and wait for her. He couldn't just do nothing, but what else could he do?

•——————•°•✿•°•——————•

"By order of President Snow, all residents must proceed to the Presidential Estate. Please, continue to move forward in a calm and orderly fashion. Additional food, medicine and clothing will be provided upon arrival."

The announcement was repeated over and over again in that dull monotonous voice until Dahlia was sure she could recite it perfectly word for word. It grew louder the closer they got to the main street, like a beacon guiding them through the maze of uniform grey buildings and flashing wanted posters displaying their faces. Dahlia kept her head down as she walked past a screen flaunting her and Finnick's own photos from the Quarter Quell. So much had happened since then, it almost didn't seem like an accurate depiction of them. And they still refused to get her name right.

"It's Odair now." She muttered bitterly as she passed by an avenue plastered entirely in her mugshot, with her unmarried name and old alter ego written below. One hand was gripping the sword strapped to her side under the billowing cloak, determined not to let go of her precious weapon. Though the urge to use it now to slash through those damned posters was growing exponentially. "How hard is it to get that right?"

"Don't let it bother you, Dahls." Katniss muttered back, head hung low to avoid drawing unnecessary attention as they neared the crowd of Capitol refugees.

They were briefly shrouded in darkness as they entered a side alley connected to the boulevard, their target group now in sight. But before they could join the despondent citizens, Dahlia hissed through gritted teeth, "It doesn't bother me... It just pisses me off."

Neither of her companions had any chance to reply as they abruptly emerged from the shadows. They immediately found themselves swept up by the horde and engulfed by a sea filled with the very people they were fighting to gain freedom from. Their anxiety heightened as they were surrounded on all sides by citizens who considered them the enemy. Though no one paid them much mind. Under those capes, the three rebel figures simply became more hooded faces in the crowd, more people desperate for an end to this war.

Together, they traipsed along the main street with their cloaks pulled low over their eyes and heads permanently staring at the ground. The closer they got to the Presidential Mansion, the more Peacekeepers seemed to be on guard. They were dotted around on either side of the avenue, each one staring down at them from above like armed marble statues. At the mere sight of the soldiers she'd once been forced into the ranks of, Dahlia's grip tightened on her sword. She'd once taken out a whole squadron of Peacekeepers singlehandedly, and she wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Dahlia's intense glare was interrupted by Katniss suddenly clutching onto her arm. Alarmed by the firmness of her hold, Dahlia slightly unsheathed her sword until a small sliver of steel was visible beneath her cloak. Until she noticed the direction Katniss' eyes kept flickering in.

A young girl in a bright yellow coat had spotted the trio from her place in her mother's arms. Her big blues eyes gazed at the two women curiously, but she showed no sign of fear or distress. Discreetly sliding her sword back into its sheath, Dahlia smiled gently at the toddler who slowly grinned back.

"Act like you're one of them." Dahlia advised Katniss out of the corner of her mouth, watching as the little girl lowered her head back down onto her mother's shoulder. "Even if you're just pretending, no one will be able to tell the difference."

Katniss knew bringing Dahlia along would help to ease her nerves. No one knew how to perform under pressure better than her. She knew exactly how to play the game, having learned from many years of heartbreaking and painful lessons. Katniss felt like she was just being pulled along in Dahlia's slipstream, riding a wave that she had started long ago. Now, together, they would end it.

Straightening her spine, Katniss walked with a little more pride to mimic the stances of the confident Capitol citizens around them. Though, in doing so, she spotted multiple Peacekeepers removing the hoods of cloaked residents up ahead. They were clearly looking for someone, and that someone was strolling right into their clutches. Katniss' heart dropped in fear as the white armoured soldiers quickly advanced through the crowd, drawing closer to discovering three of the traitors they were searching for.

"Dahls." Katniss gasped out anxiously, wondering if the women had also identified the threats coming their way.

Dahlia had indeed noticed the soldiers and knew no amount of pretending would get them out of that one. "I see them." She whispered subtly, voice barely audible over the mindless chatter taking place around them. "I'm with you."

With that, Katniss nudged the two to head in the opposite direction, turning around to go back the way they came. However as they calmly pushed against the flow of the crowd, they found Peacekeepers closing in on them from that angle as well. They turned again, being pulled along by the Capitol citizens back towards the original set of Peacekeepers.

They couldn't keep doing this forever. Sooner or later, they would be approached or have attention drawn to them. They would be flushed out and exposed. Then it'd be the three of them versus every Peacekeeper in the vicinity. Their odds weren't looking good.

"Hey! Stop right there!" One Peacekeeper called out, clamping a hand roughly down on Dahlia's shoulder as her whole body tensed in preparation for an attack. "Remove the--"

"They've been cleared." A different Peacekeeper declared, harshly shoving his fellow soldier's arm away from Dahlia. "I'm escorting them." The other Peacekeeper didn't hesitate to accept his comrade's words, dismissing the trio and moving on to another group as quickly as he had arrived. But Dahlia was still left with the Peacekeeper who had just saved their skins and whose voice sounded extremely familiar to her. As the soldier placed his hand on the small of her back and encouraged her along, he leaned down next to her ear to murmur, "That was a close one, little flower."

Eyes widened in utter shock and disbelief, Dahlia struggled to contain the gasp that escaped her lips, "Finn?"

Grinning under the Peacekeeper helmet that concealed his identity from prying eyes, Finnick Odair adoringly reminded his wife, "Wherever you go, I will follow."