Author's note: This is something that popped into my head. Gale and Annie needed a little page time. So I hope you like this. The title comes from the Fall Out Boy song Immortals. Please let me know what you think.
Happy reading!
Your Wound, My Sutures
A Gannie One Shot
Annie leaned against the counter and wiped her hands on a towel. She had been doing so well, she was proud of herself. The house was clean, the dishes were all clean except for the pans she was using to make supper, the laundry was up-to-date, and she was content.
She turned and stirred a pan of sauce. The door opened and her daughters came running in, breaking all the silence she'd had all day. Gale was just a few steps behind.
Pearl threw herself at her mother. "Mama, I had a math test today. And I did really good."
Annie leaned down and held her close. "Of course you did well. Your Daddy's a math genius and you inherited it." She kissed her cheek and moved away. "And what about you, Mags?"
The older girl shrugged. "Boring. Until the bow lessons with Daddy."
She smoothed a hand over her hair. "And how is that going?"
"I made a bullseye today. But just one and the arrow didn't stick."
"But it's a start." Gale squeezed her shoulder. "And Pearlie got to see it, so there are witnesses to you being the next Katniss Everdeen."
She looked up at him with big eyes. "I don't want to be the next Katniss Everdeen, Daddy, I want to be the next Gale Hawthorne."
Gale chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Glad to hear it. Now you two go put your stuff away."
They ran off and Annie smiled. She wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and pushed herself up on her toes for a deep kiss. "Welcome home."
Gale laughed and pulled her close. "Good to be home if I'm getting kisses like that." He kissed her again. "Did you have a good day?"
"I did. Went grocery shopping, got all the laundry and dishes done, all the beds have clean sheets..." She smiled. "I feel great! Light."
"You look great. It's been quite a while since your last episode." He recalled
She nodded. "It's a daily struggle. And it was harder after Finn left. But I'm better now. And I'll keep working on it for you and the girls."
"Good." He brushed a kiss over her lips. "What smells so good? Besides you, that is."
She giggled. "I made homemade ravioli. And I have a marinara that has been simmering all afternoon. It's going to knock your socks off."
He grinned down at her and walked her backward toward the kitchen. He leaned her against the counter and kissed her again. "I'm looking forward to other things to knock my socks off."
She blushed. "Don't say things like that where our girls can hear."
"They need to see their mom and dad are in love."
"They do, but they don't need to hear suggestive things like that."
"They're too young to know."
"No, they aren't. I had the sex talk with Mags the other day. She told me some boys were saying things..." She shook her head. "Our girls are smart like you. They'd know it wasn't innocent."
He sighed. "I guess this is how you felt when you realized Finn wasn't a boy anymore."
She nodded. "It's hard."
He got a gleam in his eye and pressed himself closer. "You know what else is hard?"
She pushed him away with a laugh. "What is with you today?"
He leaned against the counter and watched her move around the kitchen. "I guess your health is sexy to me." He reached into the cabinet to get the plates.
"Good to know my mental well-being turns you on." She laughed and slapped his bottom as she passed by.
Mags and Pearl giggled from the doorway.
Annie wrapped an arm around Gale's waist. "You guys hungry?"
"Starving!" Pearl said.
"Only because you didn't eat lunch today." Mags said. "She said it was gross and refused."
"At least you have a choice to eat or not." Gale said.
Mags looked up at him with wide eyes. "You have plenty to eat now, Daddy."
He ruffled her hair. "I do."
Annie kissed his cheek. "Finish with the plates. Maggie, you can help me get the food on the table. Pearl, you—"
The phone rang, interrupting her order. Pearl called, "I'll answer the phone." She ran into the living room. "Hello, Hawthorne residence, Pearl speaking." She giggled. "Hi, Finn!"
Mags ran in. "I want to talk to Finn."
Annie called from the kitchen, "Let Pearl talk first, Maggie."
Mags took a seat on the couch beside her sister as she told Finn everything important that had happened since he called a few days before.
She finally said, "Here's Maggie. Love you, Finn." She passed the phone over.
Mags wasn't much for phone conversation. But she did like to brag. "I got a bullseye today, Finn! But just one. I'm not nearly as good as you." She giggled, "I know, Daddy says that all the time. I'll keep at it. But at least I'm hitting the targets now. It took a while for me to learn it." She smiled, "I love you, too. Here's Mom."
Annie took the phone. "You two go help your dad." She put the phone to her ear. "Hi, baby."
"Hi, Mom. How are you?" His voice, so far away, sounded just like Finnick.
She closed her eyes a moment. "I was fine until I heard your voice."
He cleared his throat and spoke again. "Sorry. I usually try to pitch it differently." It was a couple notes higher this time and he put on the accent he'd developed in Two. "Is that any better?"
"A little. So how is the fishing business?"
"A little slow. We packed it in early today. Nothing was biting. How's the housewife business?"
She laughed. "Now that you're down there for good and the girls are both in school... It's a little lonely sometimes. But I get stuff done. And I'm taking my medication, so there's also that. I had a really good day today."
"Until I called?" Finnick's voice again.
"Yeah. But you and I, we know each other, Finn. You understand my struggle and I understand yours. He really was a great man. That's why it hurts so much."
"I know. But you have Gale. And your medication. You're fine, I know it. And you'll be here next month."
"I will. And we can finally meet that girl."
"What girl?" His voice went through about fifteen notes when he said it.
Annie chuckled. "Dad told me you've been asking for tips on getting women to pay attention to you."
"I'll kill him." Finn growled.
Annie laughed again. "I'll give you your chance right now. You should eat something. Are you eating enough?"
"Plenty, Mom. Promise. I love you. And the girl is smart and pretty and I know you'll like her."
"I can't wait. I love you, baby. Here's Dad." She handed the phone over and made her way into the kitchen.
"Hey, kid!" Gale said. "How's it going?"
Annie started plating the pasta while Mags went behind with the salad and Pearl very meticulously placed a roll in the exact same spot on each of their plates.
Gale walked back in. "I love you, too, Finn. Bye." He hung up the phone and pulled Annie into a hug. He whispered, "He's doing fine. And so are you." He kissed her temple and stepped away. "This looks delicious."
Annie picked at her food. The girls chattered on about their day and what they planned to do with Finn when they traveled to District Four. They finished and went off to do their homework.
Gale asked, "You okay?"
"I was." She started clearing the plates. "He sounds so much like Finnick over the phone. So much of our relationship was done over the phone. That voice in imprinted in my mind." She sat the plates in the sink. "Finn always tries to change up his voice when he talks to me and it's unnatural. He shouldn't have to do that." She put her face in her hands. She took several deep breaths and let them out. She finally locked eyes with her husband. "I'm fine. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" He took a tentative step toward her.
She nodded. "Yeah. I just need to be alone." She walked into the bedroom and threw herself across the bed.
Gale was just a few steps behind. He stretched out on the bed beside Annie and snuggled close. "Finn told me he hated how much he hurts you. He says it all the time, actually."
She turned her head to him. "It's not his fault. He knows that."
"He does. It doesn't change how guilty he feels." He combed his fingers through her hair. "Do you know I love you?"
"I do."
"And do you know how much I care about your health?"
"Yes."
"So you know that I am here. For everything." He kissed her forehead. "Finn also cares. And he just wants to be able to talk to you without sending you into catatonia."
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "You know the word 'catatonia?'"
He chuckled. "I read up on depression after I got involved with you. I wanted to know what I was getting into." He slipped his hand into hers. "The kids and I love you. You'll be fine. One month and we will be with our boy in District Four. And we get to meet Mystery Girl Who Stole His Heart."
She smiled and turned to look at him. "I love you very much."
"I love you, too." He kissed her softly. "I'll finish cleaning up the kitchen."
"Soak the marinara sauce pan. I'll scrub it tomorrow. I have to have something to do."
"You do plenty, sweetheart." He kissed her again and got up. "Take all the time you need."
"I won't be long. I promise." She watched him leave and then curled up to clear her mind and push away the shadows threatening on the edges.
