#mockingjay part two

The Arena

Finnick sat in the shallow water, letting the waves lap against his arms. The salt clung to his skin, the familiar sting reminding him of District 4’s coastline. But this wasn’t home. It was a nightmare—an arena where every breath could be your last.

Katniss and Peeta sat a little ways back on the sand, huddled beneath the shade of the trees. Their heads were bowed together, voices low, speaking words he didn’t try to catch. His own mind was far too heavy to hear them.

Mags was gone.

The image of her still lingered before his eyes—the way she had walked so willingly into the poisonous fog, sacrificing herself so that he and the others might live. He remembered her laughter back home, the way she’d woven nets with her gnarled hands, and the way she had always looked at him like he was her own grandson. And now she would never meet the most important people in his life.

His little sea star.

His two-year-old daughter, Briar-Sea, with her golden-blonde curls and eyes like crystal blue oceans. She was all innocence, all joy. And Mags would never hold her.

And Pearl.

Pearl, with her soft brown hair and the same crystal eyes their daughter had inherited. She was his anchor in the storm of Capitol demands, the quiet force who reminded him he was more than a pretty face, more than a weapon to be sold. She was the mother of his child, his truest love. And she was trapped in the Capitol while he was trapped here.

Finnick closed his eyes and murmured, “You’d have loved them, Mags. Both of them. My Pearl and my little sea star.”

The words slipped out louder than he intended.

Peeta and Katniss looked up, startled.

“What?” Katniss asked, her brow furrowed.

Finnick let out a bitter laugh, running his hand through his wet hair. “Oh, you didn’t know? The Capitol doesn’t share everything, I suppose.” His voice cracked with a mix of grief and defiance. “I have a daughter. Briar-Sea. She’s two. She has her mother’s eyes—Pearl’s eyes—and my cursed hair. And Mags… Mags will never meet her.”

Peeta’s mouth opened, then closed. Katniss just stared, her shock plain.

“The Capitol raised them, like pets in a gilded cage,” Finnick continued, his voice shaking but growing harder with each word. “Pearl and my little girl. They keep them fed, clothed, adored by some, hated by others. And all the while, I fight their wars and play their games.” He dragged his hand down his face. “I’m a District boy, and they’ll never let me forget it.”

The silence that followed was thick, heavy, broken only by the waves.

Katniss finally whispered, “I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Finnick muttered. “No one’s supposed to. It ruins the illusion, doesn’t it? The Capitol’s darling, secretly in love with someone they can’t control. A father, when I was supposed to belong only to them.”

Peeta shifted, sympathy in his gaze. “She must be watching,” he said quietly. “Your Pearl. Your daughter. They’ll see you fighting for them.”

Finnick’s throat burned, and he looked away, pretending the saltwater on his face was just the sea.

---

The Capitol

Pearl sat on the velvet couch in her beautiful apartment, her hands clutching Briar-Sea tightly against her. The little girl wriggled, golden curls bouncing as she tried to reach for the screen.

“Dada!” Briar-Sea cried, pointing at the projection. Finnick’s image filled the massive Capitol display, sitting in the water, speaking words that made Pearl’s heart stop.

Her breath caught. He had said her name. He had said their daughter’s name. Out loud. To the world.

Gasps and whispers rippled through the Capitol audience watching alongside her. He wasn’t supposed to do that. He wasn’t supposed to expose what Snow had always warned was their secret weakness.

Pearl pressed a trembling kiss to Briar-Sea’s curls. “He’s thinking of us, baby girl. He’s fighting for us.”

The door clicked open. She stiffened, clutching Briar-Sea closer, but it wasn’t Snow. It was Plutarch Heavensbee.

“May I?” he asked smoothly, gesturing toward the chair across from her.

Pearl narrowed her eyes. “Why are you here?”

Plutarch leaned forward, his expression both urgent and calm, as though every word he spoke had been rehearsed. “Because Finnick trusts you. He told me about you, and about your little girl. And because I’m here to offer you a way out.”

Pearl’s heart thudded. “A way out?”

Plutarch’s lips twitched into the smallest smile. “There’s a plan. A rebellion. The Capitol is going to fall, Pearl. And when it does, you and Briar-Sea won’t be here when it burns. I want to take you both to District 13.”

She froze, her mind racing. District 13? The place people whispered didn’t even exist?

Briar-Sea squirmed in her lap, still chirping, “Dada! Dada!”

Pearl looked back at the screen. Finnick’s face, weary and grief-stricken, flickered before her eyes. He had revealed their existence, knowing the risk. He had trusted someone with their secret. He had trusted her.

Her voice was firm when she answered. “When do we leave?”

---

The Arena

That night, the jungle around them hummed with insects and the rustle of unseen creatures. Katniss stood watch with her bow, her eyes sharp, but Finnick could see the exhaustion in her movements.

He sat close to Peeta by the fire. The boy was restless, staring into the flames as though trying to draw strength from them.

Peeta finally spoke, low and uncertain. “Finnick… why tell us? About your daughter. About Pearl. You didn’t have to.”

Finnick leaned back against a log, his bronze hair catching the firelight. He smirked faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Maybe I wanted someone to remember them. In case I don’t make it out of here.”

Katniss glanced over. “Don’t talk like that.”

Finnick’s jaw tightened. “Mags is gone. We’re surrounded by death every second, and you want me to pretend? I’ve been in their games long enough to know how it ends.” He hesitated, then his voice softened, almost a whisper. “But if I die, I need someone to know they existed. That Pearl isn’t just a Capitol secret, and that Briar-Sea isn’t just a bargaining chip. They’re my life. My reason.”

The silence after his words pressed heavy, filled only by the crackle of the fire.

Finally, Katniss murmured, “Then we’ll remember. Both of us. Even if you can’t.”

Finnick met her gaze, surprised by the steel in her tone. And for the first time in days, he allowed a small, genuine smile.

---

The Capitol

The next morning, Pearl found herself pacing with Briar-Sea in her arms. The Capitol was buzzing with Finnick’s revelation. Commentators on every channel were speculating—A secret family? A hidden romance? How long has the Capitol kept this from us?

Pearl’s stomach twisted. Every whisper, every set of curious eyes turned toward her quarters.

Plutarch returned, carrying a small case.

“We don’t have much time,” he said briskly. “Snow is furious. He thinks Finnick’s slip might inspire sympathy in the districts. He’ll come for you and the child soon. We need to move before he does.”

Pearl clutched Briar-Sea closer. “How? The whole city watches my every step.”

Plutarch opened the case, revealing sleek Capitol tech—false IDs, a cloak that shimmered faintly when held to the light, and a vial of something green.

“Disguise and timing,” he explained. “There’s a hovercraft that makes regular supply runs. If you’re with me when it departs, you’ll be listed as cargo—not passengers.”

Pearl’s breath hitched. “And Finnick? Does he know?”

Plutarch’s expression softened. “He doesn’t. Not yet. But he fights with a clearer head when he knows you’re safe. If he survives the arena, you’ll be reunited in 13.”

Her chest constricted, torn between terror and hope. She looked at Briar-Sea, who was tugging at her curls, babbling nonsense.

“Alright,” Pearl said firmly. “We’ll go.”

---

The Arena

The next day, the alliance moved deeper into the jungle. The oppressive heat clung to their skin, sweat dripping into their eyes.

“Water,” Johanna muttered, swiping at her forehead. “I don’t care if it’s poisoned this time. I’ll risk it.”

Finnick helped Katniss steady Peeta when his leg buckled. Peeta gritted his teeth. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Katniss snapped, adjusting her grip on him. “You’re burning up.”

Finnick’s mind churned, flashes of Pearl’s voice filling his head: Take care of them, Finnick. You always take care of people.

He swallowed hard, forcing his focus back to the group. “We’ll find something. Mags taught me to read the ground for signs. We’ll manage.”

But even as he said it, his thoughts betrayed him. Pearl, keep our little girl safe. Don’t let her see this. Don’t let her see me like this.

They stumbled upon a tree with strange, bulging fruit. Katniss raised her bow warily. “Looks poisonous.”

Johanna smirked darkly. “Everything here is.”

Finnick plucked one down, rolling it in his palm. “Sometimes the only way to know is to try.”

Peeta’s voice was hoarse. “Don’t. Not you.”

Finnick blinked, surprised at the sudden protectiveness.

Peeta looked away. “If you die, she loses you. Pearl. Your daughter. You think I don’t understand that?” His blue eyes softened. “I do.”

Finnick froze. He hadn’t expected that kind of acknowledgment—from the boy Snow had shackled to Katniss’s side. For a moment, his grief eased. He wasn’t entirely alone.

---

The Capitol

That night, Pearl tucked Briar-Sea into bed, the little girl clutching a carved seashell Finnick had once smuggled back from a Victory Tour.

There was a knock. She stiffened, expecting Snow’s men. But it was Plutarch again.

“It’s time,” he said simply.

Pearl’s heart pounded. She scooped Briar-Sea into her arms and nodded.

They slipped through dim corridors, Briar-Sea whispering, “Mama, shh?” as though she understood the gravity of silence.

Pearl kissed her daughter’s temple. “Shh, sea star. We’re going where Dada wants us.”

When they reached the loading bay, a hovercraft loomed, its engines humming.

Plutarch pressed the false ID band into Pearl’s hand. “Once you’re inside, don’t speak. Don’t move. District 13 will take care of the rest.”

Pearl swallowed her fear, clutching Briar-Sea tighter. “And Finnick?” she whispered.

Plutarch met her gaze steadily. “If he survives, he’ll find you. I promise.”

Pearl stepped forward, her heart hammering. For the first time in years, she wasn’t walking deeper into the Capitol’s trap—she was walking out.

---

The Arena

The humidity pressed against Finnick’s skin as though the jungle itself was trying to crush him. The group had moved deeper inland, but every step seemed to drag.

Katniss scouted ahead, bow strung tight, while Johanna muttered under her breath about bugs and heat. Peeta leaned heavily on Finnick, his leg worsening.

“You’re slowing down,” Johanna snapped at Peeta.

“Leave him, then,” Finnick shot back before he could stop himself. His voice cracked with sharpness, startling even Katniss.

Peeta gave him a strained look, as if expecting Finnick to regret his words. But Finnick didn’t. He had promised himself never to abandon someone again. Not after Mags. Not after all the people the Capitol had stolen from him.

Finnick adjusted Peeta’s weight on his shoulder, forcing a smirk. “District Four’s good for something other than tying knots, you know.”

Peeta huffed a laugh through his pain. “I’ll take it.”

They pressed on until they reached a stream that trickled between rocks, its water glinting under the artificial sky. Katniss crouched, testing it with her lips, then spat it out instantly. “Salt.”

Finnick sank to his knees, staring at the water. The image of the ocean tugged memories loose—Briar-Sea laughing as she splashed in the shallow Capitol fountains, Pearl kneeling beside her with her skirts soaked. Both born in a world of cages, but they still shine brighter than the sun.

Katniss’s voice pulled him back. “Finnick. You alright?”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Fine. Just… thinking of home.”

Johanna scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Some home."

But he smiled faintly anyway. “Not the place. The people.”

---

The Capitol → The Flight

Pearl’s heart hammered as the hovercraft doors hissed shut behind her. The walls were stark, silver, humming with power. Briar-Sea clung to her shoulder, thumb in her mouth, eyes wide with the strange lights.

Capitol attendants bustled around, loading crates. None gave her a second glance—her false ID band shimmering faintly under the dim light.

Plutarch leaned close before stepping back. “Stay silent. No matter what you hear.”

Pearl nodded. She tightened her hold on Briar-Sea, who whispered, “Mama, go up?”

“Yes, sea star. We’re going up.”

The hovercraft lurched, weightless for a moment before settling into the sky. Pearl swallowed hard, refusing to let her fear show. For two years she had smiled, played the part of Capitol darling for the sake of survival. But this—this was real.

Hours later, the hum shifted. The attendants disembarked at a checkpoint, and suddenly, the hovercraft veered off course. Pearl tensed.

From the cockpit, a calm voice announced: “Approaching District 13 airspace.”

Her knees buckled. It was real. It was real.

Briar-Sea squealed with delight at the descent, little hands flapping. “Mama, we fly! We fly to Dada!”

Pearl pressed her lips to her daughter’s curls, tears slipping free. “Yes, love. To Dada.”

---

The Arena

Night again. The arena’s false stars flickered overhead. Finnick lay awake while Katniss dozed lightly, bow across her lap. Peeta shifted restlessly in his sleep, murmuring.

Finnick stared up, unable to keep the words in. He whispered softly, as though the trees themselves might carry it.

“Pearl. Briar-Sea. If you’re watching… I hope you know I love you. That every step I take here is for you.”

The leaves rustled above, but no answer came.

Still, he closed his eyes with the smallest comfort. For once, he didn’t feel completely hollow.

---

District 13

When the hovercraft landed, Pearl was ushered down a narrow tunnel, the air cool and clean compared to the Capitol’s perfumed rot.

People in gray uniforms approached, efficient but not unkind. A woman crouched to smile at Briar-Sea. “Well, hello there, little one."

Briar-Sea buried her face in Pearl’s neck, shy.

Plutarch placed a reassuring hand on Pearl’s arm. “Welcome to District 13. You’re safe now.”

Safe.

The word nearly knocked the breath from her lungs. She clutched Briar-Sea tighter, unable to believe it. For the first time in years, she wasn’t afraid someone might burst through the door and take her daughter away.

But even as relief washed over her, dread lingered. Safe didn’t mean whole. Not while Finnick was still inside that arena.

She whispered into Briar-Sea’s hair, “We’ll wait for him here. We’ll wait for Dada.”

---

The Arena (Later)

When Beetee began sketching his plan in the dirt, Katniss’s brow furrowed. “Use the lightning to fry the forcefield?”

Finnick crouched beside her, absently braiding a strand of rope. His mind half-followed the plan, half-drifted to thoughts of Pearl. Of Briar-Sea.

Are they watching? Do they know I’m fighting for them?

Johanna caught his distracted look. “You’ve got that far-off lover’s stare again.”

Finnick smirked faintly. “Maybe I do.”

But inside, his chest thudded. If the rebellion was real—if the ones long gone whispers, Mags once used to hint at were true—maybe there was hope.

Maybe his girls would live free.

I like how it looks like Finnick is looking at them ^^^ 🤭

--- Part 1

For everyone that liked this fic and especially for @theoraekenslover

Also, I've just learnt how to name links on posts, and honestly, you think if I was born in the early stages of phones and technology (early 2000s) that I would know, but um... no 😔

So please shame and bash me in the comments (pls don't that's a joke)