You Asked For This - Finnick Odair

Lyra's Lullaby

"However many tomorrows are left to me, I will miss you in every single one."
– Unknown

...

Snow had sent Cora back to District 4 early. Finnick had one more appointment before he was allowed to leave. Cora had asked to stay until Finnick got to leave. Snow had told her it wasn't an option, a knowing smirk on his face.

Her family wasn't waiting for her when she got home. She wasn't supposed to come home until the day after tomorrow.

She assumed Sean, Lyra, and Blue would be at Mags's mansion. The strawberry-blonde would've gone there first, but she felt strange. Since Finnick's outburst a couple months back, she had been worried that something might happen.

And so, she found herself at the Odairs' mansion. The building was quiet. That could simply be because no one was home. But Cora pressed on, fearing the worst.

"Lyra?" The eighteen-year-old girl called out, her voice echoing on the walls. "Lyr?"

There was no response.

Cora kept on walking, alert for any sign of unrest.
And that's when she heard it. Coughing. Shuffling.

The green-eyed girl ran to the source of the sound. Lyra's room.

Cora's blood ran cold as she slowly opened the door. She was scared.

And, there, lying on the floor in a small puddle of blood, was a struggling Lyra Odair. Her hair was a mess and her face was smeared with blood and tears. She tried to call out to Cora, but her voice wouldn't let her. Whether it was from the sobs or the blood, she wasn't sure.

Cora immediately rushed to the eleven-year-old girl's side, her entire world collapsing.

"What happened?"

"Peacek–" Lyra was cut off by a cough, blood sputtering from her mouth. Peacekeepers.

"Okay, okay. You're gonna be okay," The eighteen-year-old girl assured as she tore off part of her shirt to try and stop the blood. It took everything in her to not break down sobbing right then and there. "You're gonna be okay, everything's gonna be okay–"

"Cora," the blonde stopped the older girl's rambling. "Just... sing."

"But we can fix this, I just–"

"Please," the young girl sobbed, laboring to speak.

Cora tried to calm herself. It didn't work, but she was able to finally understand that there would be no saving Lyra. "What do you want me to sing?" The strawberry-blonde tried to smile.

"My lullaby."

Cora had written Lyra a lullaby shortly after Finnick had returned from the games. The seven-year-old girl would often have nightmares about what happened to her parents. Or of Finnick having to go back.

And so, Cora had written her a lullaby. It wasn't the kind that pretended the world was wonderful, but the kind that acknowledged the bad and made everything seem like it'd be okay, regardless. This lullaby was called "Lyra's Lullaby."

Four years later, with tears streaming down her face and a shaky voice, Cora began to sing Lyra's Lullaby to its namesake for the final time.

"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said I'll never let you go."

Cora held Lyra close to her, careful not to hold her too tight and hurt her more.

"When all those shadows almost killed your light."

Seven-year-old Lyra Odair stares at the dead bodies of her parents.

"I remember you said don't leave me here alone.
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight."

Fourteen-year-old Coral Newport places a careful hand on the little girl's shoulder. "We need to go, now."

"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down.
You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now."

Lyra doesn't want to leave. She loves her parents.

"Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

Cora lightly holds Lyra's hand and leads her away.

"Don't you dare look out your window, darling, everything's on fire.
The war outside our door keeps raging on."

Cora leads Lyra away from the Odair home. "Don't look back," she advises.

"Hold onto this lullaby even when the music's gone, gone."

Lyra doesn't look back.

"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down.
You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now."

Lyra doesn't look back as she and Cora walk down the familiar path from her home.

"Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

Lyra doesn't look back as the Newport home comes into view.

"Ooh (ooh)
Ooh (ooh)"

Lyra doesn't look back as Sean runs out happily to greet her.

"Oh whoa (oh whoa)
Oh whoa (oh whoa)"

Lyra doesn't look back as Sean realizes something is wrong.

"Ooh (ooh)
Ooh (ooh)"

Lyra doesn't look back as Sean engulfs her in a big hug, tears in his eyes.

"Oh whoa
Oh whoa"

Lyra doesn't look back as her foot meets the threshold of the Newport home.

"Just close your eyes.
You'll be alright"

But, just before she steps fully into the house, Lyra looks back.

"Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound."

Lyra Odair's eyes stared up at the ceiling, seeing nothing.