DANGEROUS WOMAN || THE HUNGER GAMES ²

5.

"YOU LOOK LIKE SHIT..."

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Hearing the curtain being pulled back, I continue to hold back my disgust as the nurse wipes my arm clean of blood; as she pulls out the needle. Hearing three gasps behind me, I turn my head to see Carrie, Thalia and Damian standing there with tears in their eyes. Clasping her hand over her mouth, Carrie runs at me with full speed collapsing into my arms; as I stroke her head. Pressing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, Carrie's sobs slow down to silent whimper's; as she starts to calm down.

"You look like shit.." Damian mutters, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Out of all things to say to me. You just had to say, 'you look like shit'.." I said, scrunching my nose at his bluntness.

"Just telling you the truth, Auntie." He said, using his sleeve to wipe his eyes; making my heart clench.

"Stop your staring and give me a hug you big babies." I said, motioning for Thalia and Damian  to come to me.

Opening my arms for them, Carrie curls herself into my side giving the other two room; which they quickly filled. I could feel there hands wrapping around just about every available part of my body; one wrapped around my waist, one clinging onto my neck and another holding onto my arm. Pressing kisses to each of their heads, swallow the lump in my throat; refusing to cry, I couldn't in front of the kids. I needed to show them that I was okay, a little drained; but okay and breathing.

"Hey⎯Did you three really miss me that much? I was only gone for a little while." I said, as they look up at me with red eyes.

"I⎯We saw you die⎯and we thought that we lost you." Carrie whimper's, her head resting in the crook of my neck.

"You didn't and even if I did die, you will always have me in here." I said, pointing at her heart with my free hand.

"Please don't leave us." Damian said, as the girls let go of me; but still remain close.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm here, I'll be fine in a few days. Your here, in Thirteen. We're safe." I said, wiping his tears; as Thalia and Carrie put their hands on his shoulder for support.

"I⎯I know, but you look so bad and Fish-stick wouldn't tell us anything and⎯" Damian rambles on, but I cut him off with a small giggle.

"Fish-stick? Is that what you've been calling Finnick?" I ask, as his cheeks turn a rosy red.

"Yeah." He said, his lips quirking up.

"Out of all fish or ocean related nicknames...You choose Fish-stick?" I ask, using my hand to cover up my smile.

"Yeah. I mean after we threatened him in the cafeteria on Fish-stick Friday. The name came to me⎯I mean we didn't threaten him! We didn't do anything like that! I should have not said that! I should have not said that!" Damian rambles on, making me and the girls chuckle.

"I should be scolding you for threatening Finnick. But do you three want to explain to me how you came to be in Thirteen?" I ask, as the all tense up; making me furrow my brows.

"Right after you had died, a riot started in the town square. Hermes grabbed us and we ran." Carrie said, sitting down on a small chair.

"A riot?" I ask, trying to wrap my head around the fact that a riot broke out in Ten; over me, of all people.

"Yeah, it started off as a few people booing and screaming out, but then the Peacekeeper's got involved. They blocked off all roads to the slaughter houses⎯and things went from shouting matches, to people using knives and weapons from the slaughter houses to attack Peacekeeper's." Carrie explains, going into more and more depth; making my head start to hurt from all of this rapid information.

"How? How did you get out if things were so bad?" I ask, rubbing my forehead; in an attempt to stop the migraine that was forming.

"We had managed to get out and run to the tunnels, it lead out to a grass field in twelve." Damian adds, as Carrie and Thalia nod their heads along.

"Tunnels? The only tunnels we have are for the trains." I ask, confused about the tunnels; the only ones I knew of were the ones that took us to and from the Capitol.

"Yeah⎯well apparently before the First Rebellion, there were tunnels where they would smuggle things through out the District's. Like food and people." Thalia inputs, as I nod in understanding.

"So you smuggled yourselves out. Do you know or see anything after you left or when you were leaving?" I ask, curious to know how my District was doing.

"Besides the slaughter house being burnt down? No⎯but we hear from some people in Twelve, they were bombed. I guess we were lucky, cause I think that Ten is still sending out food to the Capitol." Thalia explains, as I suck on my bottom lip.

"Do you know if anyone else left with you guys? Or were you alone?" I ask, hoping that there were more people who escaped.

"Mom and Dad told us to go, said that they would protect the District." Carrie said, as Damian's face grows sour at mention of their parents.

"Just me, Mom and Uncle Hermes. It was just the five of us. I haven't seen anyone one from Ten in forever." Thalia said, fiddling with her thumbs; as I remember what happened to her dad.

Klaudius was dead, he was actually gone. It wasn't like he was trapped back in District Ten, waiting for us to come get him; he was gone. There was no way for us to get him back. He had died, leaving both Anna and Thaila; a widow and fatherless child. He was one of the people who raised me, along sided Pixie and Celia. 

'Oh god, Celia..Celia was probably dead too..' I thought, as reality starts to hit me; everyone who had helped me during my games was now dead.

"Thalia. Oh! Honey, I sorry about your Dad. I did everything that I could and I know that may mean nothing to you⎯" I said, starting to apologize; but she cuts me off with a sad smile.

"Don't be, Papa did his job. It's my job now to make sure that he doesn't get forgotten." She said, batting away her tears with a tiny smile.

"Thalia, your Dad was a good man and a good mentor. I'm so sorry that you had to loose him and I promise you that he will never be forgotten. Once this war is over, everyone in Panem will know his name and legacy." I said, as warm tears roll down my cheeks.

"Papa would be proud of you, Athena." She said, making even more tears fall.

"I know that Klaus would be so proud of you too, sweet pea." I said, using the nickname that he had gave me all of those years ago.

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And I am done with the chapter! Stay safe out there guys!

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