Freed

1

It'd been weeks since Finnick had seen Dakota. Weeks since he'd heard her voice, seen her eyes, held her tight. Weeks since he found her necklace in the dirt. He sat in his hospital room, still recovering from what happened in the arena, no matter how well he was healing he couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He couldn't help but fall back into an old habit of tying and untying rope, burning his hands with how tight he was pulling the rope. As he looked down at his hands he couldn't help but think of Dakota. Her bright green eyes and long, sandy blonde hair. He even couldn't help but crack a smile as he remembered the amount of times she complained about 4. More tears fell from his eyes as he closed them tightly, harsh sobs escaping him as he felt his heart break and his body fill with regret at the memories of his best friend. Even though he had her necklace with him at all times, it felt wrong to be back in his possession and not with her.

"Finnick." Katniss harshly said as she stood by his door. Finnick hadn't even noticed her walking down the hall outside his door and flinched at the sound of his name. Finnick looked up, his hands loosened the grip on the rope as he stared at the wall.

"I wanted to go back for them, Peeta and Johanna..." His voice choked at saying her name, he pulled the rope tighter and coughed, clearing his throat. "but I, uh...I-I couldn't move." Finnick played with the rope in his hands, pulling at it continuously, burning his hands in the process. He turned to look at Katniss standing by the entrance, a change in mood following her, echoing her pain and annoyance of what had happened with Peeta. "You know they didn't just take someone you love, Katniss...they took her." He sniffed referring to Dakota, his head dropping as he pulled again at the rope. It took all the energy in his body to prevent himself to not break down in tears and sobs in front of the girl standing in front of him. "She's in the Capitol too." He kept his head down as his thoughts drifted, a tear peaking at the edge of his eye slowly slipping out and across his cheek. "I wish I kissed her..." he whispered, his voice breaking as more tears built in his eyes. He didn't care about the previous thought he just had of keeping his guard up, he needed to tell someone and she was the closest person. Katniss didn't quite know what to do as the broken man in front of her cried his heart out.

"Why didn't you?" she questioned, still standing at the door, not wanting to move.

"I don't know..." he choked. "I've loved her ever since I was a kid...I was always going to do it, but I never knew how...but then I got chosen and it was too late. Snow even took it further with my 'reward'. Then it happened to her..."

"But why didn't you tell her?" Katniss asked again. Finnick turned to her.

"You know I actually care about her, a lot." He sniffed. "She's been there for me for as long as I can remember and I was there for her. When her father died, her uncle, her cousin. When her mom left her. When I finally was able to tell her something would happen. Whether it was the sudden rain from the north or Johanna interrupting..." A pause filled the room as Katniss remembered the time on the beach, although she was with Peeta, she did remember Johanna calling out to Finnick. If only she had known, if any of the other victors knew they might have stopped her.

"Has she ever told you?" Finnick's head shot to Katniss' direction.

"What?"

"She loves you Finnick." Katniss watched as her quite voice caused Finnick's eyes to light up. His spirit seemed to have been lifted, but just as quickly as it came it disappeared.

"I wish she was dead...I wish they were all dead and we were too." Katniss felt a tear fall from her eye as she watched the man in front of her be consumed by his own pain and loss.

"Why?" she unexpectedly asked, not knowing what came over her. Finnick, lifted his heavy head but kept his gaze at the wall in front of him. A silence. A pause. A halt on time as Katniss waited.

"Then I know we'd be save. Then I know I could be with her all day every day and make up for lost time." Tears fell out of both the heartbroken victors as Katniss slowly walked closer to sit next to her friend. The two sitting there sat in silence as they secretly thanked the other for being there.