Author note: So I haven't labeled this for the pairing for some obvious reasons. One of them being that I have some friends who read this who have yet to read the Hunger Games. So, in respect to them, I'm keeping the pairing out of the description. I'll write chapter two in a few days. The title comes from an Adele song One and Only. I think it fits the relationship I'm working on here.This is my post-Mockingjay OTP Gannie or Gale/Annie. I'm hoping to make it quite a bit longer than my previous fanfics, so I hope you enjoy it!
Promise I'm Worthy
(A Hunger Games Fanfiction)
By Danielle Cheri
Chapter One
"Please, Annie, we need you here." Katniss said over the phone.
"I don't know, Katniss. Finn has school." She sat stock still on her couch, staring off into the distance.
"All the schools are closing. It's a national holiday."
"I know what you're avoiding saying."
"And what is that?"
"That Finnick would want me there." Her voice cracked at her late husband's name.
"It's been ten years, Annie. Don't you think we should all move on?"
"Are you moving on? After your sister died? After Gale's bomb was used against her?"
"Annie."
"Just let me think about it, okay? I don't know if I want my son subjected… I just don't know, Katniss."
Finn came inside, smelling of the sea. "You okay, Mom?"
"Fine, Finn." She went back to her phone conversation. "I'll get back to you."
"You do that."
She hung up the phone and stared off into the distance. Her son sat down beside her.
"Mom?"
She put an arm around his shoulder. "Would you like to see the Capitol, Finn?"
"Really?"
"Really. There's a ceremony…"
"Because of the uprising? Dad and all the others?"
Annie swallowed some tears. "Yeah."
"So we're going to the Capitol? Will Katniss be there?"
"You like Katniss?"
"She's always so nice to me. Is it because of Dad?"
"Yeah. He saved her life more than once. He saved mine."
"Will you tell me about him again?"
"Not tonight, Finn. Go get ready for bed. It's getting late."
"We haven't had supper yet."
"Oh, that's right."
"I'll make something." He got off the couch and headed to the kitchen.
Some deep part of her knew this was wrong. She knew she should be the one making supper and setting the table and all those things, but she couldn't make herself. She lied down on the couch and curled up. She thought of Finnick. What would their life be like now if he had lived?
She was lost in her world again. At some point Finn floated into her vision and asked her to come to the table and eat.
"I'm not hungry." She mumbled.
"Please, Mom. Come eat something."
"I said I'm not hungry, Finn. Eat without me."
He sighed and walked away, "I always eat without you."
She wanted to cry, but no tears came. She heard the dishes clank as her son cleaned up. The lights went out. She felt him kiss her cheek and then all was silent.
Annie wasn't sure if she slept or if she was just off in the world she went to all the time. She saw the arena. She saw it flood. She felt her arms and legs moving as she fought to survive, fought the insanity that had started to creep in when her friend had been killed.
Then things shifted and there was Finnick, holding her and telling her it was all over and she was safe. Telling her she had won. What sort of victory was watching all those people die? What did it mean that she was still here and twenty-three others had lost their lives all for entertaining the people of Panem?
Dark times followed. As she looked through the dark times in her memory, she registered the sunrise. She felt the shift of the atmosphere as Fin awoke and started moving around, getting ready for school that day.
The phone rang. Her son answered. She heard him mumbling into it, but couldn't focus on the words, though he was so close.
Then he was bidding her good-bye and leaving.
She stayed there the rest of the day.
She dragged herself off the couch when Finn returned from school. She picked up the phone and dialed Katniss's number.
Peeta answered. "Hello?"
"It's Annie. Is Katniss home?"
"Yeah, hold on."
Katniss came to the phone. "Hey, Annie. How are you?"
"I've been better. I think."
"I called this morning. Talked to Finn."
"That was you?"
"Yeah. So do you need anything?"
"No, I…Um, we'll be there. You're right, it's probably time to try to move on."
"I'll be close, I promise."
"Yeah. Okay."
"You know I know some of what you're going through."
"You didn't lose Peeta."
"I almost did. It killed me."
"Look, I don't want to talk about this. We'll come to the Capitol."
"Okay. I'll send along the itinerary. You'll have a room in the guest housing. Just to warn you, they've renovated the training center for that purpose."
"So we'll be staying in the training center?"
"They've completely renovated it. I've visited. I had the same reservations, but it will be fine. I promise."
"I'll blame you if it's not." She teased softly.
"Take care of yourself, Annie. I'll see you next week."
"Soldier Hawthorne, a call from you. She says she's Katniss." Gale's assistant said from the doorway to his office.
"Katniss Mellark?" he asked surprised.
"She didn't give a last name, sir."
"But she wouldn't have to would she?" He mumbled to himself. "Patch it through. And go home for the night, Soldier Cole. I'm sure your wife is missing you."
"Thank you, sir."
"Katniss?" Gale said when he picked up the phone.
"Yeah, hi."
"I didn't ever expect to hear from you again."
"Yeah, well, I wasn't sure I wanted to ever talk to you again."
"So what changed?" He sat down on his desk.
"Annie Odair. Annie Cresta."
"You and her good friends now? You replace me?"
"There's no replacing you, Gale." She said softly.
"You've pretty much ignored me for ten years. Except for the letter telling me you finally married Peeta. And then the letter I got last year from the committee for the ten year ceremony, of which you are a member."
"Yeah, I know. I was hurt. You know how hurt I was."
"She was my sister too. I took care of her and watched over her all that time you were gone. It hurt me too. That was my idea and they used it against people I cared about. They hurt you."
"Gale, I want to be like we were."
"We can't be. Not completely. So much has changed, Katniss. I still hurt."
"I do too."
There was silence on the line.
"I just want my friend back. I've lost so much. It killed me when I lost you. I know it was your idea. I know you and Beetee designed it. He developed it. But I've come to the conclusion you'd never have been so callus. You wouldn't actually hurt all those innocent children."
"So you've forgiven me?"
"Yes." She paused. "Have you forgiven me for choosing Peeta?"
"Yeah."
"Have you been dating anyone?"
"I've talked to a few girls over the years. But none of them were you."
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, well, nothing we can do about it now. You were always his." He sighed, "I'll see you next week."
"Maybe we can get together and shoot some targets."
He smiled, "Wander out into the woods and shoot a few birds or something?"
She chuckled. "Yeah, I think we can arrange that."
"Bye, Katniss."
"Good-bye, Gale."
He hung up the phone and rubbed his face. "What am I doing?"
