Only Finnick is aware of your pregnancy, a secret that weighs heavily on both your hearts. If word got out, tributes not aligned with the secret rebellion would see you as a target, exploiting the vulnerability of your condition to threaten him. Peeta, in his attempt to protect Katniss, played the baby card to halt the Quarter Quell, but it ultimately fell flat, as they aren’t truly expecting. In contrast, you and Finnick are, though you’re fortunate enough to not yet show, keeping your precious secret safe for now.

Katniss and Peeta lie fast asleep beneath the starlit arena, a surprising sight considering how hard it was to convince the Girl on Fire to let her guard down. Finnick sits against a sturdy tree, while you curl up between his legs, feeling the warmth of his presence. He gently caresses your stomach, lost in thoughts of how he’s determined to get you both out of this nightmare. The plan crafted by Haymitch and the Gamemaker with District Thirteen plays repeatedly in his mind, filling him with hope. It’s still surreal to him that he’s going to be a father. He dreams that by the time you give birth, the Hunger Games will be a distant memory, and the rebellion will have triumphed, bringing peace to all the Districts.

God, you really shouldn’t be here. Sure, you can hold your own—you showed that when you became a Victor. But Finnick’s protectiveness over you is limitless. With no hidden cameras in sight, he leans in and places a lingering kiss on your temple. “I love you,” he whispers, those three words always echoing in his heart whenever he thinks of you.