The beeping was a familiar sound that she was coming to hate more than anything else in the world. It was like an itch that she couldn't scratch, a tapping behind her eyes that didn't quite hurt but grew and grew until she wanted to reach through her skull to silence it.

Terra had no doubt that this wasn't going to be the last time she ended up in a hospital bed since the world was so set on destroying her. It was one of those things that made her want to bury her face into the pillows and scream.

Sitting up, she frowns at the IV, pulling it easy from her arm and covering it heavily with a hand to hide the blood that was sure to come.

They must have expected that sort of reaction since she spotted the bandages at her bedside. Terra was quick to hastily apply them to the back of her hand before she could bring herself to freak out.

And when she finally got to looking around, she realized that they weren't in District 13. She jumps from the bed, heart pounding wildly as she tried to remember what in the world she was missing.

It came in slowly, filling in the pieces and she collapsed back with a heavy exhale. It was over. Snow was gone, or rather, he was going to be soon, and no one was ever going to force her to do anything ever again. She was free.

Free. It was such an odd word, an odd concept, seeing as she had never been free before in her entire life. Living in the districts meant living in fear, and Terra had never realized that she had been so terrified until she wasn't anymore.

But still, there's was a different kind of fear that began to creep in, just as she was letting herself feel that sort of joy.

She didn't know how to live in a time where she wasn't a Victor fighting against something or laying down to another. Ever since her name had been drawn at the reaping, her fight had been different from the others. She had been one of the few to survive and find a way to keep her head relatively on straight.

And now she was one of the last of her species. So many had fallen, so many had been forced to pick a side.

Terra wondered if Enobaria was around somewhere. She hoped no one had done anything to her because she had stayed in the Capitol.

Shaking the thoughts away, she focuses herself. One thing at a time. It was important that she didn't let herself become distracted. Letting too many things grab her attention was only going to make things worse for herself.

She stumbling from the room before anyone can think of stopping her, dry heaving at the sight of the mansion halls. How dare they keep her here?

"Terra! You're awake!" Annie calls, crashing into her side in a blur of red. "I was just coming to look for you."

She smiles, holding the other girl close. "Annie, when did you get here?"

"The rest of us just landed. Johanna went to fight with President Coin because she expects us to be staying here."

"I had the same idea," she admits, glaring at the walls.

"I don't like it all that much, either. I think that's why Johanna was so angry."

"You and Johanna have gotten very close, haven't you?" she remarks quietly, hesitant.

The flush of colour on the other girl's cheeks is all the answer she needs. "I think I love her," Annie whispers, clutching tightly to Terra.

"I think she might feel the same way. She wouldn't want you around all the time if she didn't. You know what she always says, 'I always look after myself first.' Keeping you at her side isn't sticking up for herself," Terra says, brushing wild strands of red hair back from her face.

"Are you sure that she feels the same?"

Her responding smile is brighter than it's been since it happened. "I'm positive."

Annie glows with happiness. "I want to tell her."

"Do it."

"I'm going to tell her."

"Let's go."

Grabbing her hand, they take off together, Annie leading as she seemed to always know the way. "I- I love you, too, you know."

Terra squeezes her hand. "I know. I love you, too."

"I love her more though," she mutters, refusing to look her way.

"I don't think you'll ever be able to love anyone more than... more than I did- do! Finnick."

Annie freezes, stilling in places as she whirls around to face Terra, gaping at the girl as though she forgot something, a distant look in her eyes.

"I can't believe I forgot. You have to go to the media room. President Coin said that it was important for people to see that you were alright."

Blinking, she agrees hesitantly before she branches off, taking her time. Last time she was in the media room, or what Snow had converted into the media room, she had been with Peeta addressing the nation.

She doesn't bring herself to enter right away, unable to move as she takes a moment to think of the boy. None of them deserved this. The list was endless, but her species was already so small, already so hurt and tortured as it was, treated terribly in both ways, all ways.

Her moment is broken when the door opens before she can reach for it, Plutarch startling at the sight of her as a healer follows close behind.

"Where did you go?" the woman demands, reaching for Terra quickly and she flinches back.

"I didn't go very far," she snaps, holding her hands close to her chest. "Why was I even in there? What's wrong with me this time?"

The woman shares a look with Plutarch. Anger sores through her.

"Don't look at him! He shouldn't even know before me! What kind of terrible healer are you? He has no right to know at all!"

"Okay, alright, I'm sorry, but someone needed to be made aware just in case, it's protocol," Plutarch tries to soothe her.

She snarls. "Well, I wouldn't have chosen you, that's for sure."

The healer glances at the pair, shifting, and she has to fight back the urge to attack the woman. She spews everything and Terra nearly finds herself fainting all over again. This was so-- this couldn't be happening.

Tears stung at her eyes as she felt herself sinking against the wall. If only he were here, her heart, her soulmate. She wasn't sure she could do this whole living thing without him.

She forces it from her mind. One thing at a time. Terra could only handle one thing at a time.

Pushing past the pair she enters the room, wiping tears from her eyes as she fights to clear her head.

A chair shifts. Terra blinks and then she blinks again.

"No," she whispers, backing toward the door. "No, this isn't funny."

"My heart."

"No, this isn't real. You can't be real."

"My heart, my Terra."

A sob rips from her chest and she's running, throwing herself at him. "Finnick!"

His hand tangled into her hair, the other wrapping tightly around her waist, holding her close to him.

Terra could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her own, the beat of his heart reassuring against the press of her hand -- and she couldn't keep her hands still, couldn't hold him in just one place because she wanted to feel all of him, touch all of him, just so she knew that he was there so that she could reassure herself that he was real.

"You're here. You're really here," she breathes, voice trembling with emotion. "I can't believe this. You're real."

"I'm here, my heart. I'm never leaving you again."

"You were dead. They told me you were dead," she cries, cupping his face in the palms of her hands, unable to look away from those deep sea eyes. "Why would you do that to me?"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, my heart. I saw," he brushes her messy hair back, "I saw you crying and how they turned you into a broadcast, and it was terrible, my heart. I'll never let them use you again."

She only cries harder. "I'm not able to live without you. I don't know how to do that anymore."

"You don't have to," Finnick promised, not letting go of her as he moves back to sit in the chair. Her legs come up to settle at either side of his waist. "I'm not going anywhere."

Her laugh is pitiful and wet. "I won't let you get away again. I don't care who tries to feet in my way."

"My heart," he mutters, brushing tears from her face. "My beautiful Terra."

She kissed his cheeks, streaming away the tears that had fallen. "I love you, Finnick. The world is nothing without you."

He kisses her firmly, fully on the mouth and she dives into him, holding him as close as she could and then impossibly closer. He was everything to her. He was all good things.

"I love you, Terra," he speaks against her lips, not finding the will to pull away.

She sighs happily as she pulls him back, tugging him close as she threads her fingers through his hair.

His hands move around her, shifting her closer as the touch at her waist — her stomach swooping.

Oh. That's right.

Taking a breath, she doesn't move too far, as if shared he would disappear.

"I'm pregnant," she says, words quiet against his mouth.

Finnick kisses her again, biting at her lip before her heels back, eyes wide as he finally hears. "What?"

A shy smile breaks across her cheeks, cheeks hurting with how wide she beams at him. He looked like sunshine, he was so beautiful.

"I'm pregnant."

He glances down at her stomach, still small and flat, before he laughs happily, shaking his head as he holds her face close to hers, pressing her forehead to his.

"My wonderful heart, my beautiful Terra," he kisses her all over, speaking her name as though it was a blessing, "you've given me everything I've ever needed in life."

"I've given you nothing, Finnick, it was you that gave me everything to live for. From the moment you first spoke to me, my life has been decided."

"I love you," he breathes, kissing her quickly.

She drops against him, her head coming to rest in the crook of his neck.

"No more recklessly jumping into danger for you then," he jokes, but his tone is serious, decided, and Terra can't help but agree with him. "Did you know when you went to capture Snow?"

She shakes her head quickly. "No, of course not! Finnick, I would never have done something like that, but I had thought I had nothing to live for then."

He squeezes her tightly. "You always have something to live for, my Terra."

"Not without you."

"Terra..."

"Finnick, please."

He sighs, wrapping her securely in his arms. He didn't say a word about it as he holds her, nodding the crown of her head again.

It was like everything aligned again, settling into place around her, clicking with finality. She was home again, surrounded by him, protected in his arms. She loved him so much, so dearly and true my, that she wasn't complete without him.

And now she was pregnant, holding the proof of their love, and if she ever felt a fraction of what she did for Finnick for this child, then he would be the most cared for and loved baby to ever exist.

Oh, how odd it was for it to feel like the world was falling apart to being impossibly happy in a moment.

She nestled into his neck. "You're going to be a father."

Finnick chuckles, kissing her temple. "Thank you, my heart, for everything."

Terra hums happily, tears of joy heavy on her lashes. "Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for loving me."

°°°

Haha I'm surprised I managed to write this so quickly.

Unedited

2020-01-17