"Finnick!" a voice screamed. Finnick turned his head around the hospital, searching for the voice that had called his name. He was baffled of how familiar this voice sounded. His eyes fell upon a woman in her early twenties standing a couple of feet away from him wearing nothing but a sheet. He recognised this woman immediately. She had dark tangled hair which fell to her elbows. Her eyes were as green as emeralds so they stood out against her snow white skin. The woman's expression was joyful yet scared. Finnick didn't need to look twice. It was Annie. Finnick froze in the middle of the hospital, not caring that Katniss's eyes were also glued on him. Staring at the woman he loved, Finnick froze for what seemed like an eternity; when in reality it was a matter of seconds.
"Finnick!" Annie shouted again with an edge of panic to her tone. And suddenly, it's as if there's no one else in the hospital besides Finnick and his Annie. After Finnick had snapped out of his brief paralysation the two had flew into each others arms, lost their balance and slammed into the hospital wall. This bothered neither of them, they stayed their, caring for nothing besides each other. Finnick cradled Annie against his chest as if he were a small child mourning over a broken toy. Annie wept tears of happiness into Finnick's chest as if a goodbye was near. Finnick took Annie's face in his cracked and bloodstained fingers, and whispered:
"It's really you?" Annie replied with a watery grin and nodded, holding Finnick's hand against her cheek. They could've stayed there forever, on the hospital floor- without a care in the world, but the hospital had other plans.
"You may check out now, Miss Cresta" a sudden and almost rude sounding voice interrupted. Finnick mumbled something under his breath as he glared up to the snobbish looking doctor who was peering down on them through her spectacles. Annie giggled as Finnick picked her up bridal style, tossed some paper-work on the desk and strolled out of the hospital, with Annie still laughing into his chest, leaving the doctor gobsmacked.
"This one is my favourite" Annie said, fingering a tiny pearl white shell from Finnick's collection that he had managed to get from home. The couple were in Finnick's compartment, looking through some of old memories from District four.
"I like that one too" Finnick murmured into Annie's ear, whilst wrapping his arms around her waist. "Do you remember when-" Finnick started, but Annie was already staring into space, daydreaming. Annie knew she was different- odd even. She understood that she couldn't help the temptation to daydream and block out nasty memories and thoughts by covering her ears. Annie grasped that fact that she could never be normal, not like the other girls. But this didn't stop her from mentally wandering her way back to District four. To home. Where she was free to pad bare footed on the pale sand of the beach. Where she was content of swimming through the glistering waters. Where she could happily gaze into the sunset, the sunset was always the best in District four- it had to be…
"Annie?" Annie snapped back to reality with a worried faced Finnick gently patting her shoulder. Annie found herself sitting on the bed, with Finnick beside her.
"Sorry" Annie murmured.
"Don't be, love" Finnick cooed.
"I just miss it, Finnick" Annie said, holding up the shell "I don't like it here"
"Neither do I. But at least we have each other now".
Annie turned her head, so it was inches from Finnick's. "Promise?" she whispered.
"Promise" Finnick confirmed whilst tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I love you, Annie" Finnick breathed, his sweet scent covering her. Finnick only had to look into Annie's eyes to see she felt the same way. He pulled her face to his own with sudden fierceness, a loan moan building in his throat. Annie objected in no way, she entwined her hands in Finnick's bronze hair- forcing herself to be closer to him. Their fingers hurriedly began to undo each other's clothing as the lay down on the bed. This was the happiest moment of Finnick's life. Not only because he was about to make love, once again, with the woman he cherished, but because he felt safe – secure. After training and getting back in shape, he was too strong, mentally and physically, to be torn from Annie's side again. Finnick could really see her now, see every radiant curve on her glorious body, feel her vivid scent on his tongue and feel the smoothness of her pale skin under his sensitive fingertips. She was exquisite and better still, she had Finnick's heart held under lock and key. Annie felt beloved as Finnick's and her own body tangled into one being on the bed. Annie felt no caution and no fear- especially not that. It has been so long since she had embraced her Finnick, to feel his arms wrapped around her, to hear his romantic whispers in her ear. Annie now understood how lucky she was, that Finnick chose her out of the hundreds of rich and more beautiful woman out there. And that Finnick loves her with such passion and gentleness. Annie knew that people called her mad- if only she could not daydream every now and then…would the rumours reduce? Then she could be with Finnick without dozing in and out of an indolent reality. People would then begin to realise the love betwixt Finnick and herself- and what it meant. And she would feel better too. If Annie could do this one, small thing, she knew she would feel a whole lot better in herself. And she could love Finnick with even more affection (even though it sounds impossible). But she could look in the mirror with him and think to herself 'they look like they belong together'. Finally equals. Not only through everyone else's eyes, but also, her own.
Annie felt a warm breeze on her; she could feel the sun on her back. She could here the hungry waves trying to consume the small beach, outside. She smiled into the white silk sheets that covered herself and Finnick. She reached her hand over to the spot where Finnick's chest should be- but her hand only found itself a handful of satin cushion. Where was Finnick?
Annie's eye's snapped open to the grey room of the compartment in 13. Her eyes searched the room for Finnick and found him quickly shutting the draw of his dresser, wearing nothing but his grey underpants. "Annie?" Finnick said softly. Annie realised that she had been dreaming about District four, but the thought of waking up without Finnick still lurked in her memory. Annie had had a lot of nightmares whilst Finnick was in the arena for the 75th Hunger Games, not that Finnick knows this- but waking up without him, waking up without being in his arms, just about killed her. Finnick looked over at Annie, she looked worried and she was shivering badly. Finnick slipped something into his left hand and made his way back to the bed- encircling Annie in his arms. This calmed her down a lot.
"Finnick?" Annie asked.
"Yes, love?"
"Do you think I'm strange?" Annie said quickly.
Finnick's head snapped down towards her. His expression confused. Why has Annie brought this up? Before he could reply, Annie spoke again, turning her head so she wasn't looking at him. "Because I know I'm not…normal- I know I can drift off at times…" Finnick was shocked. He un-wrapped his arms from Annie so he could use his right hand to tuck under her chin, to guide her to look at him.
"Annie Elizabeth Cresta" Finnick mumbled, whilst studying her sea green eyes. "You are a lot of things. Beautiful, smart, friendly, cute, the list goes on and on" Finnick said gently. Annie smiled. "But you are not strange, in a way that makes you a bad person" Finnick stated firmly. "You are different. Different in such a unique and stunning way that it adds another reason to the list why I love you so". Annie felt her heart melt into something that could be describes as gold; she was speechless but she manages to stumble out:
"What about when I act all…" Finnick interrupts her, already knowing what she means: "That is what makes you, you. And I wouldn't prefer it any other way" Finnick whispers whilst tapping Annie's nose. This is when it hits Annie. She didn't have to be different. Who cares what people think of the relationship between Finnick and herself? Finnick loves her just the way she is, and why should she change herself because of what people say? They don't know anything. Annie doesn't need to feel better about herself or worry that she and Finnick are not equal. They have been equal all along; she just didn't see it.
"Actually" Finnick continued, bringing his right hand down to Annie's level "I was hoping that you wouldn't be Annie Elizabeth Cresta anymore…" Finnick held his right palm open to reveal a silver ring. Nestled in the ring was the small white shell that Annie had adored yesterday. Annie gasped. "I was hoping that you would agree be Annie Elizabeth Odair."
Annie didn't need to be asked twice.
"Yes!" She half screamed and pounced on Finnick causing them to both laugh out loud.
"I love you, Finnick" Annie said.
"As I love you" Finnick spoke.
Their lips connected then, effectively ending the conversation.