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ACT VI
CHAPTER LXXIII
meeting the president of district 13
TEARS ARE streaming down Thana's face as she screams, "Johanna!" her voice is hoarse, and she can't remember with the tremor in her hands why she is calling for the woman. "Johanna!" her heart is beating a million miles an hour, "Johanna!" The girl doesn't hear the commotion around her, her mind not understanding what is going on, who they are. But most importantly, where Johanna is, is she okay? Is Johanna still alive? "Johanna!"
Someone rushes into the white room where Thana is screaming, the nurses try to keep the person from going to the panicking girl.
But they surpass the medical skilled, nearly flying towards the panicking girl. Not caring about the danger, she possesses in the eyes of the nurses. And as she reaches the girl, she easily ducks to miss one of the arms Thana is throwing around her in her blind panic. The person raises her hands to the nurse who is coming in with anesthesia.
"Shss, Thana," Johanna says, taking both of Thana's trilling hands in her own. Leaning her forehead against Thana's. "I am okay, I am here." Silent tears threaten to escape the older girl. "It is Johanna."
Thana's breathing slowly slows down as her eyes lose the blur before her eyes. Before her she sees and feels Johanna, the girl she loves. Both with tears in their eyes they look at each other in silence, neither daring to say something first before they get some time alone.
"I am sorry," Thana says, hating that she only seems to say those words these days. "But..." she takes another breath, "but you died in my dream, and it all felt so real. I cannot lose you."
"You never have to," Johanna squeezes her hand, "you are stuck with me." A small smile on her face, "we promised each other to look out for each other. I won't ever stop doing that."
"You are too good for this world," Thana smiles sadly, "what would I do without you?"
"Shine like the sun your soul is," Johanna dares to kiss Thana's cheek, not seeing the girl's cheeks redden at her action as she tries to diminish the meaning of the action in her own mind.
"And as the moon you are never far away," Thana mutters in Johanna's ear before hiding her face in her neck as they hug each other.
"And the poet lives on," Johanna smiles, playing softly with Thana's hair. How she missed the smell of the girl, it is as much as she misses the smell of district 7. But with Thana in her arms again, she is at least halfway home.
"I told you I would turn you into poetry," Thana's chuckle is melancholic, the pain of the arena still stuck in every fiber of her being. "If you came to close."
"And I remember saying that I would my greatest honor," Johanna looks up, "my greatest honor to be a poem made by you." She closes her eyes before looking straight in Thana's eyes. "And I still stand by those words, Thana."
"I could stay in your arms forever," Thana mumbles, not caring how they are received, "it makes it all a little more okay, I think?" her voice unsure now.
"I feel the same," Johanna hums back, "it all feels a little better with you near me."
...
"Are you two sure you want to go through with this?" Rohan asks the girls once more before they enter the room. "I can just say that with what happened this morning it is better to do it another time."
"We can't keep pushing it," Thana says, holding Johanna's hand in her own. "I am okay with doing it now." Her hands trilling as they stand still before the door.
"It is okay yeah," Johanna says, a frown on her face at the tremors of the girl beside her. Tremors she can't seem to control. "We need to tell what happened some time." Her voice clear as she hides the fear of reliving the torture and having to hear about the torture Thana had to go through for the first time.
"Haymitch and I will be right with you," Rohan says, "if it gets too much, we will intervene."
The tortured victors nod before Rohan knocks on the door, not mahogany doors that Snow's office has. A dark steel door stands between the girls and the president of district 13.
"Rohan," Haymitch opens the door, he sounds a little out of breath. "Come on in," he opens the door further, showing a round table where Boggs, Plutarch and a woman are sitting. "Lovely to see you two together again." Haymitch smiles genuinely to Thana and Johanna.
"Good to see you as well, Haymitch." Thana muscles relax as she slips back into how she and Haymitch used to talk. "You got any liquor for me after this?"
Haymitch grins as they walk into the room, "not allowed darling, besides you are on medications still." He squeezes her shoulder and gives Johanna a nod with his head. He and Rohan promised to watch over the younger victors, especially those who had to withstand the Capitol on their own. Beetee is too busy with ignoring the games and pushing all his intellect to help them win the Rebellion. Finnick finally a little better now that Annie was back. But with that they got three traumatized and tortured young people back who they had to look after next to Katniss. He and Rohan would and will do anything to make it all a little more bearable for them.
"Nice to finally formally meet you," President Coin's voice sounds bittersweet, "I am President Alma Coin." She nods her head, her hands clasped together at her stomach. "I am sure you two remember Plutarch, and the other man is Colonel Boggs."
The two girls nod their head politely before they are guided to chairs, their hands never letting go as they make sure to sit side by side.
"I am delighted we are finally able to have this conversation together," Coin says, a little off put that she would have to talk to the women at the same time, but she was promised they might tell more together and open a little better than if she forced them to come alone. At least, Rohan and Haymitch had vouched for it. And seeing that they actually know the girls, she would hope they are correct, because the turmoil they are causing and doing nothing to help her image in the rebellion was getting really frustrating. Yes, she had saved them to keep her Mockingjay, one she initially wanted Peeta to be. But now that they are here, they should be as helpful as Beetee and even Finnick have been during their stay here, otherwise it the action of getting them out of the Capitol wasn't worth it, the risk wouldn't have been worth it.
...
Nora speaking!
Finally introduced Coin.
I really hate her, which is translating to her character in this story, sorry for that.
Anyway, traumatic backstory time will start next chapter and take 2 chapter to cover.
Thank you for reading this story <3