Fall Away

After lunch, I was just about to walk back into the training arena when a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back from the door, out of sight from everyone in the arena. Reflexively, I stuck my foot out and tried to kick the person in the stomach, thinking that it was Cashmere.

"Oof! Oh, crap." I heard a choked voice whisper.

"Oh my God! Finnick, I'm so sorry." I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands in 'shock' -- but really, it was just to hide the laughter that I was trying (and failing) to bite back. I'd accidentally kicked him in the groin, and he was now crouched against the wall, doubled over in pain. I didn't know why I was laughing, but I couldn't seem to stop myself.

He shot me a glare. "Yeah, yeah. Your giggles go well with your oh-so-sincere apology," He said sarcastically.

"You caught me by surprise." I accused once the laughter had passed.

"So you tried to render me sterile?!" He shot back.

I shook my head dismissively, ready to change the topic. "What do you want?"

"Ice and painkillers," He grumbled.

"Crybaby," I teased, a grin working its way back onto my face, but I didn't try to hide it this time.

Finnick rolled his eyes. "I need to talk to you about the alliance with the other Careers. We can't keep it."

My brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Of course we can. I've played my part perfectly, and they actually think I'm one of them."

"Okay, so we can keep it, but we shouldn't." He corrected, straightening up with a wince and shaking out his legs.

"Finnick, I'll say this once again: I've played my part perfectly, and they actually think I'm one of them. Key words there being 'played' and 'they think'. I'm definitely not a Career, and without their help, I'm screwed. I'm going into an arena full of victors; Adri and I have no hope if we don't have the Careers by our side." I frowned.

Finnick glanced around us as if to make sure we were alone, but he didn't seem satisfied. He grabbed my wrist and towed me over to the stairwell, closing the door behind us. "Winnie, there's been some...talk. This year's Games won't go according to President Snow's plan. I can keep you and Adri alive, but I can't do it if you're with the Careers."

"Wait, 'talk'? What kind of 'talk'? You're making no sense!"

He grimaced and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't tell you anything more than that, I'm sorry. You'll just have to trust me."

I crossed my arms and gnawed on my lower lip thoughtfully. Finnick stared up at me expectantly, waiting for me to give him some kind of assurance that I believed him, but I said nothing.

"You have to do this, Winnie." He said finally, desperation in his eyes. "Look, I kept you alive last time, didn't I? I tried to keep you alive even when you didn't want to win. I'm not going to give up on you now."

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping I wouldn't regret my decision. "Okay. Okay, I trust you." I whispered.

I heard Finnick let out a breath of relief, and suddenly he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him in a bone-crushing hug. "You're brilliant, you know that?" He said, kissing my forehead.

"But if you're not going to stay in the Career alliance, why are you pretending to be one of them?" I asked.

"It never hurts to try and figure out what the others are planning. As long as I know their attack strategies and where they're going to try to set up camp, it should be easy enough to build a defense plan."

"How can they already know where to set up camp? We don't even know what the arena's going to be like." I made a face.

He laughed. "Oh, Winnie, think! Every arena has a main freshwater source, areas of higher ground, and a Cornucopia piled high with weapons and supplies."

"Oh...right." I muttered, feeling stupid for forgetting that. "Do you want to tell Adri about this, or should I?"

Finnick paused, an apprehensive look on his face like he was about to give me some bad news. "I don't really think we should tell Adri quite yet."

A dry laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. "Really? I know you don't get along with Adri, but deserting him? He's my husband, Finnick!"

His eyes grew wide and he shook his head. "No, I'm not suggesting we desert him. I'm just saying that he seems to be rather...erm, close to Cashmere now. If we tell him now, he might try to get her to join us, and I don't trust Cashmere."

"So when do we tell him?" I asked.

"The night before the Games. And don't tell him too much about our alliance; we can't risk him telling Cashmere anything if he decides to stick with the Careers." Finnick warned.

I scoffed. "How could I tell him too much? I don't even know that much myself!" I pointed out bitterly.

Finnick nodded. "Oh, right."

"Besides, I don't care how close Cashmere tries to get to him; he's never stabbed himself to save her life. He and I are in this together. He won't stick with the Careers." I grumbled, feeling my temper flare just thinking about the smug look on Cashmere's face when Adri defended her.

Finnick raised his eyebrows and gave me a questioning look. He didn't dare say anything, but I knew what he was thinking: Are you absolutely sure about that?