Ocean Eyes - Finnick Odair

Twenty-Two

Bright lights temporarily blind Marissa, soft sheets cover her body which is concealed with a thin hospital gown. She can feel the neck brace around her throat and clumsily reaches up to feel it, dazed from whatever drugs have been pumped into her system. She half expects Finnick's hands to close around her wrists before she can touch the brace but, nobody stops her. Marissa knows where she is. She is in the Capitol. No district could have such extensive technology and luxury in their hospitals. So, she is almost glad Finnick is not here to calm her down. Maybe he got out. Maybe he is in Thirteen. Maybe he is safe.

A groan from the left-hand side of the room startles Marissa and, she strains against the brace to see who is there. Peeta Mellark lays in a bed near hers, his skin is flawless. Any remnants of his injuries sustained in the arena are gone. Marissa assumes the same has happened to her own injuries. The swelling in her throat and vocal cords thanks to Brutus is something that has to heal on its own but, Marissa has nothing to say to her captors, anyway.

Marissa observes Peeta as his eyelids snap open and he jolts awake, scanning the room in fear.

"Marissa!" Peeta exclaims when he notices she's in the room. "Where are we?"

Marissa cannot speak but she holds her hand out in the shape of a C and sends Peeta an apologetic glance. It is her fault he's here. She could not get his tracker out. She just hopes they are the only two the Capitol got their hands on.

The doors open, starting both Marissa and Peeta and, two Capitol doctors enter. One heads straight for Peeta and the other, for Marissa.

"How are you feeling, Miss Johnson? Are you in any pain?" the woman asks her, flashing a smile. Marissa does not trust her one bit. She shakes her head the best she can with the brace around her neck. "Do you mind if I take a look at your neck?"

Marissa does not respond, assuming the doctor will do as she pleases and the victor from Four is correct. The doctor reaches up and removes the neck brace, examining Marissa's neck with her eyes first before prodding painfully at the swelling. Marissa hisses in pain, drawing away from the doctors' cold fingers. Marissa stares at the woman, her eyes narrowed at her, unable to ask the question she is desperate to know the answer to. Why haven't the Capitol killed them? What do they want from them?

"Where's Katniss?" Peeta asks his doctor, his voice hoarse. "What have you done to her?"

"Mr Mellark," his doctor speaks calmly, "we do not have Miss Everdeen."

"Where is she?"

"She's been abducted by the rebels."

Marissa does not act relieved by this revelation but, she is. She has never been more relieved in her life. Katniss is out of the arena. Finnick was near Katniss when he had shouted out for Marissa. If Katniss has been liberated there is a good chance Finnick has, too.

"President Snow has requested to meet with you," Marissa's doctor tells her. Marissa's eyebrows draw together. Marissa is unable to speak, she will not be able to respond to anything President Snow has to say to her but, she supposes that will be easier for him. "Are you well enough?"

Marissa nods. She won't have a choice anyway. President Snow is not concerned about her well-being. The doctor fixes Marissa's neck brace back on before helping her out of the hospital bed. It almost seems inappropriate, speaking with the president in nothing but a hospital gown and neck brace. Normally, they'd clean her up, dressing her and styling her to perfection before she could even catch a glimpse of the President. But the Peacekeepers escort her straight to the Presidential Suite where President Snow sits behind his desk.

"Ah, Miss Johnson," President Snow sends her a wicked smile. "Have a seat."

The doors close harshly behind her, two Peacekeepers standing in front of them as guards, and she uneasily makes her way over to the desk, sitting in one of the chairs.

"It's unfortunate that you cannot speak," President Snow says. "We have a lot to discuss."

Marissa chews on her lip, anxious as President Snow speaks down to her.

"Now, Miss Johnson, you're one of the Capitol's favourite victors," President Snow begins. "I don't believe that you would ever betray us as Miss Everdeen and her accomplices have."

It is a lie and they both know it. Marissa has never been fond of the Capitol and, President Snow knows it.

"So, how did the rebels convince you to join their plan? Did they offer to protect Mr Odair? Did they promise to save him?"

President Snow is clearly manipulating Marissa into agreeing with his words. She imagines he will only use her agreement against her later but, she nods her head.

"You betrayed the Capitol to protect Mr Odair, how noble of you."

Marissa glares at him, unsure of what he wants from her.

"It's just such a shame that your betrayal was meaningless."

Marissa's eyebrows draw together, her palms growing sweaty with nerves. What does he mean, meaningless? What has happened to Finnick?

"You didn't really think the rebels would save him from that arena, did you?"

Her eyes widen and, although she cannot speak, her question is obvious. Where is he?

"Don't worry, Miss Johnson. I'm sure if you do everything that we ask, no harm will come to him," Snow says, smirking. Marissa sees red, the thought of President Snow laying even a hand on Finnick angering her.

She rips the brace from her neck and launches herself across the desk, wanting nothing more than to land a punch on President Snow's smug face but, she is knocked down by one of the Peacekeeper's. Her back hits the floor painfully but, she does not give up. She slams her feet into the chest of the Peacekeeper, knocking them back into the desk and knocking them out cold. She manages to take down another Peacekeeper in her rage but, President Snow has called in for backup and she is restrained to the floor and quickly sedated. Her anger slowly changes into despair because her rage had got the better of her and she confirmed her greatest weakness.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪⚓️ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

A/n: just in case anybody gets confused. Finnick is not in the Capitol, he's in Thirteen and Snow is lying to manipulate Marissa

Also, can we please take a moment to appreciate Marissa's badass energy?