Waves and Wishes

The group gathered in a circle as daylight finally graced them. Butch's wound was still causing him some bother but it was on the mend much to the others relief.

The current moment almost seemed too perfect, the alliance united through their survival. Butch assumed that this perfection would soon be interrupted and his call was quickly answered.

Katniss' head sharply raised as she gazed out into the foliage around them.

'Prim!' She quickly pulled herself up as she sprinted into the jungle following the sound of whatever she was hearing. Finnick soon followed after her as the rest of the group rose to their feet in pursuit.

Peeta and Johanna hacked away at the vegetation in order to clear a path for the two injured tributes behind them with Butch ensuring he was the last one to follow them up.

The invading group came to a halt as Finnick and Katniss became lost in the shrubbery. Each member scouted out for any sign of them until a symphony of sound escalated around them.

Butch watched closely as a bird flew and landed at a distance from them. He examined its feathers further realising the exact species that landed amongst them.

'Jabberjays. Guys get out of there!' He suspected this was another hazard that was initialising around them and with that command the four ran some distance back until the birds stopped following.

They turned as each of them watched the plants in front be broken apart by Katniss and Finnick fleeing from the flock of birds above them.

Butch and Peeta stepped forward in order to grab the pair until a barrier blocked them. They were trapped. Katniss slammed herself against the barrier as Peeta did his best to comfort her, slowly falling to his knees.

'Beetee how do we shut this shit down!' Johanna said the exact words everyone was thinking and as Beetee examined the wall, the dreaded words escaped him.

'There isn't anyway, I'm sorry.' He sat and turned away not being able to bare the torture the pair were enduring. Butch continued to slam his weapons into the barrier, a futile attempt to try and break it.

Finnick's face of bewilderment slowly twisted into one of desperation as he sat and held his head low, submitting to the screams of the birds...

A gruelling hour went by as if it was decades long. Tributes on either side sat and stared at the other, knowing that despite their wishes it was impossible to escape this arenas ways.

The barrier slowly dropped as sound was regained and the flock had fled after some lay dead on the floor from the joint outburst of Katniss and Finnick.

Johanna approached Finnick as he slowly raised his head, the scratch on his face being more distinct than ever as his numb eyes locked with hers.

Butch followed shortly after watching this interaction unfold- Johanna broke away feeling her rage brewing once again inside of her. Peeta continued to remark how Prim was entirely safe to which Johanna finally found an opening to express her rage.

'Your fiancés right, the whole country loves your sister. If they tortured her or did anything to her, forget the districts. There would be riots in the damn Capitol.'

It finally dawned on Katniss why Butch was so protective over his daughter, any association to a victor leaves you at the mercy of the Capitol and their privacy erodes simply from your victory. Primrose had become a notorious star, a role enforced upon her.

'Hey, how does that sound Snow. What if we- what if we set your backyard on fire? You know you can't put everybody in here!'

Everyone looked around in disbelief.

'What? He can't hurt me, there's no one left that I love. I'll get you some water.'

There it was. The unspeakable was finally spoken. Both Finnick and Butch knew to never pry for information onto Johanna's history, that she would disclose it whenever she wanted to and that was enough for the pair to respect.

Butch firmly put his hand on Finnick's shoulder as an act of reassurance. He knew he would check in on him later once the shock had eased.

'We should all head down to the beach- I think we all need a moment.'

And with that everyone slowly headed towards the water with Finnick being the first to land as he slumped in the waves, placing his trident next to him.

Johanna handed over her cup of water to Katniss as she seemed to collect herself. Butch sat next to Peeta, who seemed continually focused on ensuring his partner's security.

'Who's Annie?' It never dawned on Johanna or Butch that Peeta and Katniss would never have been able to meet the woman. Butch gave a reassuring look to Johanna, encouraging her to answer the question.

'Annie Cresta, the girl Mags volunteered for. She won like 4-5 years ago.'

'Is she the one that went a little...'

'Mhm... love is weird.'

Weird it was in so many ways- that despite the given situation, love was the force that was holding these survivors together, whether that was love from a friend or from a partner. It was a boundless force that even the Capitol couldn't contain.

'Everyone looses themselves after the games. Whoever you were when you entered... they died with the other tributes, the rest is whatever your dumped with.' Everyone shared their agreements as each of them sacrificed so much to get here.

In the midst of the silence, Beetee spoke up as he announced he had a plan and this caused Finnick to be beckoned over. They all gathered around as they intently listened.

'Where do the careers feel the safest? The jungle?'

'Jungles a nightmare.'

'Probably the beach.'

'And why are they not here?'

'Cause we are, we claimed it.'

'And if we left, they would come.'

'Or stay hidden in the tree line.'

'Which in just over four hours will be soaked with water from the ten o'clock wave.' Beetee reminded. 'And what happens at midnight?'

'Lighting strikes that tree.'

'Here's what I propose. We leave the beach at dusk, we head to the lightning tree, that should draw them back to the beach... Prior to midnight, we then run this wire from the tree to the water, anyone in the water or in the damp sand will be electrocuted.' A plan was finally formulated.

'How do we know the wires not going to burn up?'

'Because I invented it, I can assure you it won't burn up.'

The trio looked at each other- no words needed to be said. This was the only shot they had at eliminating the remaining threats to themselves and Katniss. Although there was risks, the reward would be too valuable- all three nodded in agreement.

'Well it's better than hunting them down.' Johanna was always full of remarks.

'I'd still prefer that in some way but I like this much better.' Butch still couldn't hide his distain for the remaining careers.

As Katniss and Peeta voiced there agreements their goals all became aligned and now the plan was able to be executed shortly.

As some time had passed, the group split off into sections with Johanna keeping a close eye on the star crossed lovers while Butch finally took the opportunity to check in with Finnick.

He approached as Finnick was clearly lost in his thoughts as he faced out into the horizon. Butch slowly tapped him on the shoulder which startled him.

'Sorry. I was wondering if you wanted to talk? I think we could both use it.'

'Yeah... I think that's a good idea.' Finnick smiled as he lowered himself into the drifting water beneath them.

Butch joined him as he opened up the conversation.

'What happened in there, with Katniss? What did they do to you?'

'It was Annie. Her screams. If they've hurt her' Finnick's voice began to break as tears swelled in his eyes.

'Finnick. They wouldn't have touched her. I promise they will never hurt her.' Butch tightly wrapped the man in a hug as he began to tremble. This is what the two best friends relied on each other- comfort.

'I'm sorry about Tiffany, I should never have suggested to split off. If I would have been there, I could have saved you. I-' Finnick was weighed heavily by guilt over Mags and Tiffany's death alongside the injury which had still not subsided.

'Stop. None of this is your fault, okay. She never would have wanted this, neither of them would have. We have to keep fighting for them, for each other- make both Mags and her proud.' Butch was now beginning to be overcome with grief as he remembered the words that Tiffany had said-

'I want you to live not just survive.'

This is what Butch lived for- his loved ones. They were all that mattered to him now, nothing else could come close to topping that.

He pulled Finnick in front of him as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

'I need you with me out there. We need to promise each other that no matter what happens, we stay alive for the other- okay.' The brotherhood between was too complex to fathom into words simply because there would be too many- a bond that transcended lifetimes.

'I promise.' Finnick spoke through a wavering voice.

'So do I.'