Lucy Gray Baird

Lucy Gray started to feel the soft tug of consciousness, pain returning into her shoulder. She groaned softly, feeling the soft hums and beeps of machines behind her head. Her mind felt fuzzy around the edges, feeling a strange weightlessness as she tried to open her eyes. What had happened to her? Where was she? She was greeted by the sweet scent of roses and it brought a twitch of a smile to her lips, the smell comforting to her. Her eyes fluttered open, wincing at the lights that seemed too bright and she closed her eyes once more. Hospital. She was in a hospital. The lights, the white walls, the soft beeps. Not a District hospital, certainly. They could barely afford medicine out there, they certainly didn't have anything this fancy. The Capitol. She must be in the Capitol. Faint panic gripped her before memories started to slip back. Coriolanus. The gunshots. She had been shot. A gasp came from her, feeling herself starting to shake slightly. She forced her eyes open, groaning softly at the stabbing pain in her head. "Coryo..." Her voice sounded strained, croaky to her ears. She looked looked down, seeing his jacket was draped over her once more. He couldn't be too far if he had put his jacket over her. It was strangely comforting, even though she knew it shouldn't be. She was a prisoner here in the Capitol, at Coriolanus' demand. But right now, all she wanted was to see him. "Coryo."

Lucy Gray felt relief settle within her as Coriolanus came into view. She hadn't wanted to be alone and she couldn't help as the corners of her mouth twitched into a smile as he sat down on her bed beside her. She knew that she should hate him. He had dragged her from the Districts - well his Peacekeepers had because he wouldn't dare get his own hands dirty anymore. He had forced her to the Capitol and was keeping her here as a prisoner, even if she wasn't being held in a cell. The Capitol was a cage all on it's own and a gilded cage was still a cage. Of course he wanted to keep his little songbird under lock and key, even though she knew he didn't quite know what to do with her yet. "I was shot, I'm fairly sure I could not be considered okay." Her words were light, recalling how the events had transpired. How long had she been asleep for? How bad was the wound? She remembered feeling the blood patch growing, how wet her skin had felt as Coriolanus had run with her to get help. She wondered if he had considered just letting her die on that ground, a complication that he didn't need swiftly taken care of and another way not to get his own hands dirty. He could have told the tale of how he had tried to save his little songbird, the tenth Victor to the Games but how a rebel had killed her as he had tried to valiantly to save her. "You could have been killed." Lucy Gray had been surprised to see just how useless the Peacekeepers had been at protecting him. Were they not supposed to be prepared to lay down their life for their President? Instead their inaction had almost cost him his life. Perhaps Panem would have rejoiced. Another Dictator gone from the helm. But another would have taken his place, for the jackals were baying at the door and waiting to swoop in at first chance. Lucy Gray knew she would have mourned his loss greatly, much to her own irritation. He was her captor after all, even now.

A soft cry escaped from her as Coriolanus reached into the car and pulled her out of the passenger seat. The sharp pain forced her eyes open in time for him to hiss at her 'You can't sleep'. She knew he was right, that when you're injured you were supposed to try and stay away but she couldn't help her eyelids fluttering closed even if she was trying to fight it. The pain was making her head spin and she rested her head against his shoulder as her stomach threatened to lose it's contents all over herself. Coriolanus words felt like they were floating around her mind, bouncing around her skull. 'Please help!' She could hear the desperation in his voice and she frowned slightly. Was her wound that bad? Did he really fear losing her so much? He was keeping her here in the Capitol against her will so she knew the answer to that. What she didn't know was did he love her or was he just obsessed by her and a past she didn't think they could ever recapture? Another soft sob escaped her as she was tugged away from the warmth of his embrace and put down on a bed before it was wheeled down the corridor. The lights were too bright, too overwhelming and she closed her eyes. But she gripped onto Coriolanus' hand as tightly as she could, scared and wanting him close by. Don't leave me! She thought, panicked by the wound and the thought of being without him. He was stroking her hair and then suddenly he was tugged away and she was wheeled into a room and a curtain pulled across. "Coryo. Coryo." She called out to him, her words slightly slurred. There was a flurry of activity around her, syringes being prepared, and more pressure being applied to her shoulder. She felt something sharp go into her arm and a sting and then darkness finally tugged her into peaceful oblivion.

Lucy Gray started to feel the soft tug of consciousness, pain returning into her shoulder. She groaned softly, feeling the soft hums and beeps of machines behind her head. Her mind felt fuzzy around the edges, feeling a strange weightlessness as she tried to open her eyes. What had happened to her? Where was she? She was greeted by the sweet scent of roses and it brought a twitch of a smile to her lips, the smell comforting to her. Her eyes fluttered open, wincing at the lights that seemed too bright and she closed her eyes once more. Hospital. She was in a hospital. The lights, the white walls, the soft beeps. Not a District hospital, certainly. They could barely afford medicine out there, they certainly didn't have anything this fancy. The Capitol. She must be in the Capitol. Faint panic gripped her before memories started to slip back. Coriolanus. The gunshots. She had been shot. A gasp came from her, feeling herself starting to shake slightly. She forced her eyes open, groaning softly at the stabbing pain in her head. "Coryo..." Her voice sounded strained, croaky to her ears. She looked looked down, seeing his jacket was draped over her once more. He couldn't be too far if he had put his jacket over her. It was strangely comforting, even though she knew it shouldn't be. She was a prisoner here in the Capitol, at Coriolanus' demand. But right now, all she wanted was to see him. "Coryo."

Lucy Gray laughed softly in surprise, gripping her towel a little tighter as she collided directly with Coriolanus' chest. She had forgotten to bring the robe that had been hanging up in her room but had forgotten it in her earlier haste to freshen up. His hands against her warm skin felt comforting and gentle. She was wondering if she should reach across and tug him closer when he suddenly took a step back as if she had burnt him. She gazed at him in surprise, her shocked smile softening when she realised how flustered he was. Stammering, cheeks red and eyes darting anywhere to avoid looking at her. He had no right to be this adorable, although it was quite a sight to behold when he was usually so composed. "That's quite alright. I'm afraid I have forgotten my robe in my room so you'll forgive me that I'm only wrapped in a towel and absolutely nothing else." She couldn't resist teasing him a little further with a hint of a smile up at him. Without shoes, their height different was even more pronounced.

She could feel the tug of sleep, her singing becoming quieter and the words becoming slightly slurred. "Right here, in the old therebefore. When nothing is left anymore." Behind closed eyes, she could recall sitting in that arena, covered in those rainbow snakes and so certain that she was going to die. Perhaps Coriolanus' cheating in the Games had only bought her more time but in the end, nothing could save her. Not even Coriolanus himself, although it was clear that he was attempting to cheat death itself out of claiming her. No, Coriolanus had claimed her himself and he would fight the very devil for her, of that she was certain. She felt him call out of her, reaching out to pat her cheek and tuck her hair behind her ear. His eyes fluttered open, looking across at him with a ghost of a smile on her lips. She could feel that he was shaking and she frowned slightly. As angry as she had been with him recently, she knew what her death would do to him. And it was the Citizens of Panem who would really pay the price because she knew he would take her grief out on those who couldn't fight back. Ones who had never done him a bad turn. They were only guilty of being born in the Districts. At least in Coriolanus' eyes to deserve punishment. "I...I remember you touching me like that, at the zoo. Through the bars of the monkey cage." She chattered, shaking as her voice broke. He wasn't quite so gentle with her anymore. She gave a soft cry as he hit something with the car. She had been so taken with him in those moments back then. Her mentor. Her Capitol boy. He had been her only ray of sunshine since arriving here and her heart always leapt when she caught sight of those white blonde curls in the crowd of people that had come to stare at them as if they were animals. She cried out softly in pain as Coriolanus slammed on the brakes and then he was jumping out of the car. Her eyes were slipping closed once more, teeth chattering. She was just so cold and she could feel the impending darkness growing. "Sleep....I have to sleep. Coryo..."

A soft cry escaped from her as Coriolanus reached into the car and pulled her out of the passenger seat. The sharp pain forced her eyes open in time for him to hiss at her 'You can't sleep'. She knew he was right, that when you're injured you were supposed to try and stay away but she couldn't help her eyelids fluttering closed even if she was trying to fight it. The pain was making her head spin and she rested her head against his shoulder as her stomach threatened to lose it's contents all over herself. Coriolanus words felt like they were floating around her mind, bouncing around her skull. 'Please help!' She could hear the desperation in his voice and she frowned slightly. Was her wound that bad? Did he really fear losing her so much? He was keeping her here in the Capitol against her will so she knew the answer to that. What she didn't know was did he love her or was he just obsessed by her and a past she didn't think they could ever recapture? Another soft sob escaped her as she was tugged away from the warmth of his embrace and put down on a bed before it was wheeled down the corridor. The lights were too bright, too overwhelming and she closed her eyes. But she gripped onto Coriolanus' hand as tightly as she could, scared and wanting him close by. Don't leave me! She thought, panicked by the wound and the thought of being without him. He was stroking her hair and then suddenly he was tugged away and she was wheeled into a room and a curtain pulled across. "Coryo. Coryo." She called out to him, her words slightly slurred. There was a flurry of activity around her, syringes being prepared, and more pressure being applied to her shoulder. She felt something sharp go into her arm and a sting and then darkness finally tugged her into peaceful oblivion.

It was strange how the mind worked. Despite the overwhelming pain, she could still appreciate that he was apologising for hurting her while trying to save her life. Meanwhile, he had never apologised for kidnapping her and holding her here in the Capitol against her will. Did he not realise how much he had hurt her when he had forced her to remain in a place that wasn't her home, in a place she loathed even if she could never find it in her heart to hate him? She was a prisoner here, even if Coriolanus didn't see it like that. He had everything he wanted in his grasp and she was just another chess piece to move about on his board. Was she just another pawn to him or was his Queen going to be sacrificed today? She winced when he snapped at her to stop singing. The words she had been about to sing died on her lips, knowing he wasn't angry at her. He was scared, which gave cause for her to be afraid too. Coriolanus knew just how bad the wound was. he had seen it, touched it as press against it to stop the flow of blood. He hadn't been a medic back in 12 but she knew they received basic medical training, all under a guise that they might help the District Citizens. They never did. They were simply there to instil fear and keep control of them. Empty sentiments should have been the Peacekeeper motto. They didn't keep the peace, the caused the chaos. His words seemed to float around her mind, picking up on the word car and emergency and then suddenly she was being placed down into a vehicle as Coriolanus was running to the opposite side to climb into the drivers seat. "Did we just commit a felony? You'll have Peacekeepers after us." She muttered, feeling confusion start to fog her mind. She tilted her head to watch as he struggled to start the car but then they took off with a jerk and she cried out softly as the jolt to her shoulder. She felt her eyes start to close, shivering into the jacket. "Cold." She could feel it seeping into her bones and her teeth started to chatter against one another. She felt sleep start to tug at her sharply, darkness closing in. "When my bodys closed down. When my boats run aground. When I've tallied the score and I'm flat on the floor." She started to sing again in a whisper as her voice broke, shivering now and a soft whimper escaped her.

She could feel the tug of sleep, her singing becoming quieter and the words becoming slightly slurred. "Right here, in the old therebefore. When nothing is left anymore." Behind closed eyes, she could recall sitting in that arena, covered in those rainbow snakes and so certain that she was going to die. Perhaps Coriolanus' cheating in the Games had only bought her more time but in the end, nothing could save her. Not even Coriolanus himself, although it was clear that he was attempting to cheat death itself out of claiming her. No, Coriolanus had claimed her himself and he would fight the very devil for her, of that she was certain. She felt him call out of her, reaching out to pat her cheek and tuck her hair behind her ear. His eyes fluttered open, looking across at him with a ghost of a smile on her lips. She could feel that he was shaking and she frowned slightly. As angry as she had been with him recently, she knew what her death would do to him. And it was the Citizens of Panem who would really pay the price because she knew he would take her grief out on those who couldn't fight back. Ones who had never done him a bad turn. They were only guilty of being born in the Districts. At least in Coriolanus' eyes to deserve punishment. "I...I remember you touching me like that, at the zoo. Through the bars of the monkey cage." She chattered, shaking as her voice broke. He wasn't quite so gentle with her anymore. She gave a soft cry as he hit something with the car. She had been so taken with him in those moments back then. Her mentor. Her Capitol boy. He had been her only ray of sunshine since arriving here and her heart always leapt when she caught sight of those white blonde curls in the crowd of people that had come to stare at them as if they were animals. She cried out softly in pain as Coriolanus slammed on the brakes and then he was jumping out of the car. Her eyes were slipping closed once more, teeth chattering. She was just so cold and she could feel the impending darkness growing. "Sleep....I have to sleep. Coryo..."

Lucy Gray could feel the sincerity of his words as he promised that he wouldn't let her die. She believed him, even if she knew that no one could make any such promises. She didn't know how bad the wound was, but she had a feeling it was bad. The agonising pain was one thing, but the look of fear in Coriolanus' eyes told her the truth. It was bad and she could feel the blood patch growing against her skin. She cried softly as he picked her up, the jostling around causing the wound to pain even worse. She caught a glimpse of a Peacekeeper dead on the ground "Coryo." A sob left her throat as she buried her head into his shoulder as he started to run, in the direction of a hospital or at least help, she assumed. She tugged his jacket around herself tightly, feeling cold and she shivered. Fear gripped her, wondering if she was going to die here, in the Capitol. This wasn't her home and yet she felt a strange peace if she was going to die in Coriolanus' arms. Perhaps this was always how it was going to be. Her demise tied in closely with his existence. The explosion in the Arena. The Games. The events in District 12, culminating in him trying to shoot her and now this bullet that had been meant for him. Perhaps she had always been living on borrowed time and their reunion had meant the end of the road for her. She had run to the end of the line. "You're headed for Heaven. The sweet old hereafter. And I've got one food in the door." Lucy Gray started to sing quietly, her voice cracking in pain. If this was indeed the end, she was going out singing.

It was strange how the mind worked. Despite the overwhelming pain, she could still appreciate that he was apologising for hurting her while trying to save her life. Meanwhile, he had never apologised for kidnapping her and holding her here in the Capitol against her will. Did he not realise how much he had hurt her when he had forced her to remain in a place that wasn't her home, in a place she loathed even if she could never find it in her heart to hate him? She was a prisoner here, even if Coriolanus didn't see it like that. He had everything he wanted in his grasp and she was just another chess piece to move about on his board. Was she just another pawn to him or was his Queen going to be sacrificed today? She winced when he snapped at her to stop singing. The words she had been about to sing died on her lips, knowing he wasn't angry at her. He was scared, which gave cause for her to be afraid too. Coriolanus knew just how bad the wound was. he had seen it, touched it as press against it to stop the flow of blood. He hadn't been a medic back in 12 but she knew they received basic medical training, all under a guise that they might help the District Citizens. They never did. They were simply there to instil fear and keep control of them. Empty sentiments should have been the Peacekeeper motto. They didn't keep the peace, the caused the chaos. His words seemed to float around her mind, picking up on the word car and emergency and then suddenly she was being placed down into a vehicle as Coriolanus was running to the opposite side to climb into the drivers seat. "Did we just commit a felony? You'll have Peacekeepers after us." She muttered, feeling confusion start to fog her mind. She tilted her head to watch as he struggled to start the car but then they took off with a jerk and she cried out softly as the jolt to her shoulder. She felt her eyes start to close, shivering into the jacket. "Cold." She could feel it seeping into her bones and her teeth started to chatter against one another. She felt sleep start to tug at her sharply, darkness closing in. "When my bodys closed down. When my boats run aground. When I've tallied the score and I'm flat on the floor." She started to sing again in a whisper as her voice broke, shivering now and a soft whimper escaped her.

'Yes, you are okay!' Coriolanus tried to assure her, his words spoken harshly but they carried weight. She wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself, because she could see the fear and panic as he gazed down at her. The pain was agonising, blinding her to almost everything else except Coriolanus who was hovering over her. The silence felt eerie after the explosive gunshots. For those few moments, she had been back in the arena in her minds eye, the Peacekeepers shooting some of the tributes as they had tried to flee in terror at first opportunity. Fear gripped her as Coriolanus manoeuvred her around to place her head in his lap. Under different circumstances, in a different time, this might have been a sweet moment between them. Laying in the grass while Maude Ivory and the other members of the Covey were squealing as they jumped into the lake. Enjoying the little food they had as they shared a quite moment together. She missed that boy back in 12. She missed his short hair and the way he looked in that uniform and the happy smiles he would offer her when he thought no one else was looking. They'd been happy there. She gazed up at him, watching as he quickly tugged off his own jacket. This man still felt like a stranger. This wasn't her Coriolanus and yet, she knew he was. Her eyes fell to the blood on his sleeve and she knew it wasn't hers. "You're hurt." She whispered, hand shaking as she went to reach out to him but then he was pressing his jacket into her shoulder and she cried out as the pain exploded all over again. Tears welled and quickly spilled over, her hand shaking as she gripped Coriolanus' wrist. "Please don't let me die." She pleaded and for a moment, she felt like she was back in the Arena, pleading with Coriolanus to save her. "Please." She sobbed softly.

Lucy Gray could feel the sincerity of his words as he promised that he wouldn't let her die. She believed him, even if she knew that no one could make any such promises. She didn't know how bad the wound was, but she had a feeling it was bad. The agonising pain was one thing, but the look of fear in Coriolanus' eyes told her the truth. It was bad and she could feel the blood patch growing against her skin. She cried softly as he picked her up, the jostling around causing the wound to pain even worse. She caught a glimpse of a Peacekeeper dead on the ground "Coryo." A sob left her throat as she buried her head into his shoulder as he started to run, in the direction of a hospital or at least help, she assumed. She tugged his jacket around herself tightly, feeling cold and she shivered. Fear gripped her, wondering if she was going to die here, in the Capitol. This wasn't her home and yet she felt a strange peace if she was going to die in Coriolanus' arms. Perhaps this was always how it was going to be. Her demise tied in closely with his existence. The explosion in the Arena. The Games. The events in District 12, culminating in him trying to shoot her and now this bullet that had been meant for him. Perhaps she had always been living on borrowed time and their reunion had meant the end of the road for her. She had run to the end of the line. "You're headed for Heaven. The sweet old hereafter. And I've got one food in the door." Lucy Gray started to sing quietly, her voice cracking in pain. If this was indeed the end, she was going out singing.

Lucy Gray whimpered as the gunshots rang out across them, the overwhelming noise feeling as though they were tearing through her head. She tried to curl in on herself but then Coriolanus was covering her with his body as the Peacekeepers shot the man dead. She buried her face into Coriolanus' shoulder, a soft sob escaping he. The pain in her shoulder increased as he pressed her into the ground and she it her lower lip and closed her eyes tightly before silence finally fell. Her world spun as Coriolanus pulled back slightly. His voice sounded strained and full of fear. She frowned slightly, since the threat had been removed. "Coriolanus." her whisper was strained as she tried to sit up but the pain made her stomach churn. Before she could hit the pavement again, Coriolanus caught her. "I...I don't think I'm okay." Her world tilted for a moment as he lifted her slightly to sit her up. She glanced down as his hand pulled away, covered in her blood. Her eyes widened at the sight. She had known a bullet had caught her but that was so much blood. "Coriolanus." Her whisper held fear now, the pain making her pant softly. He was tugging off her coat then and she cried out softly as the pain increased as she was jostled around. The burn was overwhelming. "I...I think it's bad..." Her stomach churned as bile came to sit in her throat and she gripped onto his arm in terror.

'Yes, you are okay!' Coriolanus tried to assure her, his words spoken harshly but they carried weight. She wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself, because she could see the fear and panic as he gazed down at her. The pain was agonising, blinding her to almost everything else except Coriolanus who was hovering over her. The silence felt eerie after the explosive gunshots. For those few moments, she had been back in the arena in her minds eye, the Peacekeepers shooting some of the tributes as they had tried to flee in terror at first opportunity. Fear gripped her as Coriolanus manoeuvred her around to place her head in his lap. Under different circumstances, in a different time, this might have been a sweet moment between them. Laying in the grass while Maude Ivory and the other members of the Covey were squealing as they jumped into the lake. Enjoying the little food they had as they shared a quite moment together. She missed that boy back in 12. She missed his short hair and the way he looked in that uniform and the happy smiles he would offer her when he thought no one else was looking. They'd been happy there. She gazed up at him, watching as he quickly tugged off his own jacket. This man still felt like a stranger. This wasn't her Coriolanus and yet, she knew he was. Her eyes fell to the blood on his sleeve and she knew it wasn't hers. "You're hurt." She whispered, hand shaking as she went to reach out to him but then he was pressing his jacket into her shoulder and she cried out as the pain exploded all over again. Tears welled and quickly spilled over, her hand shaking as she gripped Coriolanus' wrist. "Please don't let me die." She pleaded and for a moment, she felt like she was back in the Arena, pleading with Coriolanus to save her. "Please." She sobbed softly.