Thirty-six was a very important number in her life.
More than thirty-six years later Annie Cresta-Odair still remembered her husband. Every little detail – how he liked coffee or when he used to get up before he went swimming. The way wind played with his bronze hair after a long training near the sea and how his eyes shone every time he looked at her, touched her and promised he will always love her. The first time he kissed her, made love to her, asked her to marry him – they were all clear, as if it happened a few minutes ago. It made her heart ache whenever she got out of their – without Finnick – bed, but she loved him too much to give up her life. He sacrificed himself to let her and their son have a perfect life. This was the only thing he could offer.
Thirty-six years passed after a rebellion which changed everything, making her a widow before she could actually taste how it felt like being a wife. Their son was born thirty-six years ago and he never got to meet him. He had never played with him, taught him how to swim or one of the songs he loved so much. He had never seen him chasing ladies and fell in loved with Willow Mellark. He could never make jokes about it – Finnick Odair died thirty-six years ago and as an old woman, she still was not able to move on.
Annie looked at the gravestone in front of her, wiping her tears away. No matter how hard she tried to stay strong when they visited him together, she could not.
Finnick Jr. – she named him after his father and never regretted her choice - stroked over her cheeks lovingly. "Are you fine, mom?"
"Yes," she whispered barely audibe, but by her son gazed with her she knew he did not believe anything. "It's just…"
"…memories," he cut her off, kissing her hair. "I know."
She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shirt. "I miss him so much, Finn."
"He would be proud of you," the younger version of Finnick said, making his mother smile slightly. "He is proud of you wherever he is now."
"You think so?"
"You are the greatest mom ever," he kissed her forehead and mumbled it into her skin. "You managed to raise a kid like me! I was a really bad child, considering that I'm my father's son."
Annie furrowed her bows. "You weren't a bad child!"
"Nah," Finnick Jr. waved off playfully. "I was. Aunt Johanna also told me once that whatever I got in my hand I always broke them. And the trident incident… I know I shouldn't have play with it, I just… wanted to impress Willow by behaving like dad did."
Johanna died a few years ago, she did not have children but always treated their son as if he was her own. She knew it was mostly because she respected and loved Finnick too much to let him go every way possible.
"She was only kidding," she ran her fingers through his bronze hair, a move which made him smile as brightly as Finnick always did. "I love you, Finn."
"I love you too, mom."
"Could you leave me alone with him for a couple of minutes, please? I will follow you, don't worry."
Finn nodded, shooting a worried look at her before he left. The brunette knelt down in front of the gravestone, pressing her forehead against it. "Is it normal that it still feels like you are here? That you were always with me? In bed, having lunch, taking a walk with me near the sea you loved so much, when Finn married Katniss and Peeta's daughter and when our granddaughter born. You were there, right? You never left me..."
She sobbed so heavily she barely could fix her breathing, almost breaking the white rose she was holding. After Annie came back from the Games as a victor and Finnick tried to fix her somehow they always met on the beach. They spent almost every day of the summer – when Finnick could stay – lying in the sand. Finnick always brought her flowers – every kind, since she hadn't told him which was her favourite. One day after Finnick kissed her she only whispered "white rose".
"I don't say I wish you were here," she wiped her tears away, but could not stop the new ones to fill her eyes again. "I wish I was there with you. I love you Finnick. No matter how many years, days or hours will pass until we meet again, it will never change."
One year later.
Finn pressed his lips hard together, suppressing a sob. Willow quickly embraced him, taking care of her very pregnant belly, but comforting him. She let him cry into her neck, giving their daughter – who seemed to be confused – a weak nod. They knew it will happen soon, Annie was very sick and her body too weak to survive a cancer. She died soon, in her sleep, without any pain. Willow and Finnick were somewhat happy about it – Annie was the last one who deserved to die painfully.
"Shhh," she murmured into his ear. "She's in a better place now."
"With dad…"
"Yes," the woman agreed. "With your dad. They are probably watching us and wondering why the hell you are crying now."
Finn chuckled, but Willow knew it was too weak to be real. "They are together, right?"
She nodded. "Yes, and happier than ever."
He kissed her forehead. "I hope so."
"I know so."
Someone was talking to her. She did no recognize the speaker at first, but his soft voice.
She blinked against the strong light, letting out a low moan, making the person who was kneeling in front of her laugh. A hand brushed a few strands behind her ear, gently. She shivered by the familiar touch. Thirty-seven years and it still did not change.
"Annie?"
Annie opened her eyes, a small smile on her lips. She touched her face and frowned, noticing how young she was again.
"Welcome to the Heaven, darling."
Everyone she loved were there; her mother and father, her grandmother and grandfather, her brother who died years ago, Joanna, Prim Everdeen, Mags and him. Finnick Odair leant closer and without hesitation he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I missed you so much!"
"Finnick!" She croaked, cupping his cheek. The brunette inhaled his scent and before he kissed her she only whispered "Finally."
Someone - obviously Mags, who looked very young and was hugging her husband - snickered as Finnick lost in their kiss, too...
They were together.
Again.
Nothing could be better.
Finally.
