"I'll be back in five days, Annie. I love you."
The past few days had gone by in a blur. Finnick had left her. He had left her with Mags to go to the Capitol. Who knows what is it this time? A job? An interview? Annie did not care what horrid event has taken him away from her; she just wanted him back.
The everlasting burn of longing in her is so intense that there's nothing left for her to do but to curl up in a ball and let out pitiful whimpers. Mags kept trying to coax her into eating or sleeping or anything except thinking about Finnick and the fact that he is not with her.
"Hurts," she whimpers heart wrenchingly from her spot on the couch. She needed her love to return to her. The empty feeling is consuming her. She doesn't even feel Mags' hand rubbing her back, trying adamantly to help the young brunette calm down. But Mags doesn't realize that Annie isn't just crying for Finnick. She's slipping into a dreaded flashback from her time in the Games.
Mags settles down on the coffee table that sits in front of the couch, carefully laying a soft fleece blanket over the dispirited victor, and she continues to stroke her tense back. She begins to hum a soft tune, hoping that Annie will resiliently come back from whatever kind of trance that she's trapped in.
It's not until Annie starts to shake and is overcome with poignant sobs that Mags realizes that her loving attempts at calming her are completely pointless. She also realizes that Annie is trapped in the confines of her mind and that there's only one person who can help her at a time like this.
With a shaky exhale, Mags stands up, and even though she knows that Annie probably won't hear her, she whispers, "I'll be right back, darling. Hang in there."
Mags crosses the room to retrieve her telephone from the wall, and she, almost reluctantly, dials Finnick's number.
After a few nervous moments, Finnick picks up the phone. "Hello?"
"It's me, darling," Mags says quietly, her nerves getting the best of her.
"Mags. It's great to hear your voice."
At this, she lets out a humorless chuckle. "I might make you change your mind, child."
"What? Why? What's going on?" Finnick mood immediately turns serious and almost somber. Is there something wrong with his Annie?
Of course there is. The girl can never catch a break. It's always something. If it's not a nightmare, it's a flashback. If it's not a memory, it's wondering what will happen in the future. She lives in fear, and Finnick is her anchor. He's the only thing in the world that keeps her grounded. Of course, when he leaves, she's not okay. Guilt begins to crush him when Mags tells him about her current condition.
"Alright," he sighs, trying to collect his thoughts and compose himself. Currently at a meeting in the Capitol, he excuses himself. Once in a quiet and seemingly private room, he tells Mags to put him on speaker phone. "You're with Annie, no?"
"Yes, of course, dear. She's right here," Mags switches the phone onto speaker phone as Finnick requests and reclaims her seat on the coffee table.
As soon as Finnick hears his love's sobs, he chokes up and puts his head in his hand. He would make this up to her. Somehow.
After clearing his throat, Finnick speaks in a soft voice. "Annie? Annie, love? It's me. It's Finnick."
Annie's sobs halt. Then, if possible, they become even louder than before. Mags starts rubbing her back again, trying to offer comfort.
"I need you to calm down, Annie. I know you're in there somewhere. You can fight this. Whatever you're seeing… it's not real. You're in District 4 with Mags." He keeps his voice steady and talks with a slightly firm yet gentle tone. He's never had to talk her out of a flashback over the phone. He's never been gone long enough to be away from her during one of her really bad ones: the ones where she shuts down and simply cries and shakes and screams.
"I love you, Annie. I love you, and Mags loves you, and we're both here for you. But, Annie, you need to come back to us. I can't stand being without you. I need to hear your voice, love."
With hearing Finnick's loving words, Annie's wails begin to dissipate after a few minutes, and she coughs a little, her throat undoubtedly sore and scratchy from crying for so long.
"You're okay, Annie," Mags coos. "You're safe. We won't let anyone harm you."
Finnick listens to Mags with a small smile, taking comfort in her words. He's so grateful that he and Annie has her to take care of them. He only hopes that Annie lets Mags take care of her when he's gone. There'd be nothing worse than―
"Finn?"
Annie? Annie! "Yes, Love? It's okay. You're okay."
"Finn… I miss you," she forces out in an exhausted huff.
Finnick chuckles a little and nods, though she cannot see him. "Yes, I miss you, too, my love. Are you back now? You're okay?"
She nods, too, and smiles weakly at hearing his voice. "I'm here. I'm back. I'm so sorry," she says to both he and Mags.
They both assure her that it's not her fault. She can't help but give into the pain. They both understand. They've both been in her position.
In the hallway, Finnick hears footsteps coming toward the room he'd escaped to, so he makes the wise decision to say goodbye to Annie for now.
"Annie? I love you. Don't forget that. Let Mags take care of you, okay? Don't be stubborn."
"I'm not stubborn!" she says defensively, a smile creeping onto her face.
"Are too! Even ask Mags!" Finnick says, knowing that Annie is smiling. He loves making her smile. There's nothing he loves more in this twisted world.
"I'm staying out of this," Mags says, and both Annie and Finnick share a well needed laugh together.
"I love you, Finnick. I'll be waiting for you," Annie says to the phone.
"As do I, Annie. As do I. I'll be home as soon as I can. I promise I'll come back to you. Just as you came back to us."