Our little Infinity (ONESHOT)

rienne’s whole body, for once, felt numb. She felt detached from the pain she felt everyday, the pain of living in a world she should have left a long time ago; perhaps being detached at this moment was best. Her sister stood on stage, her little sister stood on stage, for the whole of Panem to see as the only District 6 female this games. She wanted to scream, she wanted to scream but she couldn’t find the means too; her body was numb as was her mind for those few minutes where her little sister basically signed her contract to her death.

The screen faded and the anthem played again. Brienne blinked, looking around at the dispersing crowd before to the stage again where Gabrielle had already been whisked inside the college. Her hand went to the little handbag, crocheted by Gabrielle herself, as she inhaled and exhaled a long and shaky breath. It took her a long moment to put one foot in front of the other and make her way to the entrance of the college. One part of her wanted to walk in the opposite direction, to go home rather than see her sister in what could be called her death dress. She had seen too many people ready to die, too many people who had been buried too young; she could barely stand the thought of Gabrielle joining them.

But Gabrielle was her sister, she couldn’t abandon her. Not now. Not ever.

Her knees shook, perhaps a bit too much, as she climbed the stairs to the large and ornate oak doors of the College. She had never really been inside it, she hadn’t finished her education really and so there was no need to go on to further education until she’d at least finished her last year of schooling. Needless to say she’d heard all about its grandeur and marble flooring, and she wasn’t let down. There were marble floors, grand paintings of past deans and mayors, tall walls and beautifully decorated ceilings. Brienne didn’t pause to take it all in though, she was here to see her sister.

A peacekeeper, stationed need the front desk, looked up at her questioningly. Brienne looked at him and took a breath. She hated peacekeepers. Every single one of them. Just a single glance at the man in his clean, white uniform made her skin squirm; it made her think of the night she was thrusted into the back of a van after she had killed her step father. "I'll come find you when I get out!!" were the last words she had said to Gabrielle before the doors were slammed shut behind her, the last words she had ever thought she would say to her little sister. She had been wrong, she had come to see her again, but today; today was the day she would have to say goodbye.

She blinked, looking at the peacekeeper “I..I am…I am here to see Gabrielle O’D-“

The peacekeeper didn’t let her finish, just simply nodding and gesturing for her to follow. Brienne let out a shaky breath, following the man up a set of stairs and down a long- seemingly never ending- corridor. She didn’t pay much attention to as where they going, just the sound of their footsteps as they walked past several doors until they reached one, right at the end of the corridor, where another peackeeper stood watch. Brienne didn’t look up at him when he opened the door and told her she had 10 minutes. 10 minutes the time restraint made her sick, 10 minutes was not long enough.

Brienne took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Gabrielle turned from the window, her face red and puffy from crying. Just the sight of her bought Brienne crashing back down to reality.

All the emotion that had been numbed before, suddenly hit her like she had fallen from a great height. Painfully. Brienne took a few strides, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks as a sob broke out of her chest, and wrapped her arms around her little sister. The warmth of her sisters arm round her did not comfort her this time, as they cried in their embrace. Brienne shook as she buried her nose into her sister soft, blonde hair, taking in her scent. Oranges and Brienne paused for a moment trying to put a finger on what else her little sister smelt of. Oranges and…freshly washed sheets.

They were quiet for a long moment, sobbing into each others shoulder before Gabrielle spoke first. Her little voice shook, barely audible “I’m so sorry…so sorry”

Brienne pulled out of the hug slightly, a gentle frown forming on her face. The young woman gripped her sisters shoulders tightly “no...don’t you dare..”

“You’ve..You’ve protected me enough…..I couldn’t see you get taken away again….” Gabrielle spoke quickly, her final few words turning into a jumbled mess of letters and a choked sob. Brienne smiled sadly, pulling her back into a hug as she began to cry harder again. She knew too well that Gabrielle always looked up to her, despite her flaws, and now she had taken that one step too far. Brienne shut her eyes tightly as Gabrielle cried in her arms, muttering sorry occasionally between broken sobs.

Brienne pulled out of the hug when they heard a knock on the door, and a gruff voice telling them that their time was almost up. Brienne shook her head and spoke, in a whiney broken tone, “Gabrielle…”

Gabrielle’s eyes darted to the door then up at her, her lip quivering as tears continued to run down her chubby rosy cheeks. Brienne sighed, trying to think of something to say. What could she say? She did not want to say goodbye, even though that is what this was, because she hoped that her little duck would come home. She didn’t want to yell at her for being so stupid for volunteering, she didn’t want to hurt her sister more than being pulled apart from her only family would hurt her already. Brienne blinked away the tears.

“Promise me…” she began but was cut off my Gabrielle’s panciked voice

“Oh Brienne..I can’t…I can’t promise tha-“

Brienne’s hands moved into her little bag, pulling out Buddy. Buddy was looking worse for wear, he was missing an eye (Gabrielle had replaced it with a button though) and he had patches of fur missing and his ribbon had been replaced yet again, this time with a pink bow. She loved the little bear regardless though, he was one thing that would never change. Brienne looked at the toy in her hands briefly before thrusting it into Gabrielle’s hands as the door behind them opened and the two peacekeepers came in to remove her by force.

“Promise me you will come back…” Brienne blurted out as she felt the peacekeepers grip her arms and pull her backwards. Despite knowing she had to comply, she couldn’t help back struggle slightly, digging her heels into the floor as they dragged her towards the door.

“Brienne!” Gabrielle cried

“Promise me you will come back!!” Brienne yelled, tears soaking her cheeks as they pulled her through the doorway and into the corridor.

Gabrielle was quiet.

“PROMISE ME!!” Brienne yelled, desperately, as they closed the door behind them

“I PROMISE!” she heard Gabrielle yell in a frightened tone as the door clicked shut. Brienne closed her eyes and pulled away from the Peacekeepers grasp. An infinity, would never be enough to say goodbye.