Finnick's POV 2
Once we're on the train and the cameras have had their paparazzi time, we sit down for dinner. I watch Annie and Michael eat. Annie knows how good the Capitol food is because sometimes I sneak enough back and share with her. Michael, however, has never tasted the delicacies on the table before us. Annie is sitting across from me. My foot finds hers under the table and I lock my ankle around hers. She smiles at the gesture. Michael looks a lot calmer than before. Before dinner Mags spent a while talking to him while Annie and I spent time holding hands and watching the scenery change before us.
"So, we get a whole week with the two of you to help you continue to get ready for this. District 4 is a career District, as you both know, so I'm sure you've spent time already training right?" I ask. I know Annie has, I helped her train last week. This is more of a question for Michael.
"Yeah, my dad and I spent all of the last year training. He's taught me some of the neatest things." Michael smiles brightly.
"I've spent all summer getting ready," Annie says for Mags benefit.
"Good, once we get to the Capitol you will be sent off to the remake center where you will be prepared to meet your stylists. The stylists will also have some time to work with you over the course of the week. They'll prepare you for the opening ceremony and will be the last person you see before entering the arena."
"Are they going to be as nice as you two?" Michael asks timidly.
"They'll probably look strange, but most Capitol people are nice." I answer. Most Capitol people are nice. The evil ones are right at the heart of the Capitol where Snow resides. I hate him for what he's done to me. I hate him even more now that he's trying to take Annie from me. I'll show him. She will come home because I'll be sure of it. I can't live my life without her.
After dinner we are directed to the sleeping cart. Michael and Annie have rooms across from Mags and me. Annie's is across from Mags, and Michael's is across from mine. Once the two of them are in their rooms, before I can open the door and go into my own Mags puts her hand on my arm.
"Remember, be careful. All those Capitol woman who think they're yours won't be inclined to help you if they think you're only doing it to bring Annie out alive. Also keep in mind that sometimes, the tributes that have the most peace and who are the safest are those who die. Victors are never safe from the Capitol. We're always in more danger than normal District citizens. You know that, so don't forget it," she says and then turns to leave me standing in the hall.
I try to sleep in the muggy bedroom that I've been given for the train ride, but I can't help but to keep tossing and turning. I wish that it were safe enough to check and see how Annie's holding up, but there are cameras everywhere. If she comes in here or I go in there the Capitol will notice. We've already let them in on too much already.
At a little after seven there's a knock on my door.
"Come in" I shout. It's Mags.
"Breakfast," she says popping her head through the frame and looking at me. She hesitates before she comes in and shuts the door behind her.
"You look like hell Odair. Didn't you sleep at all?" she asks.
"No," I reply as I turn over for the ten thousandth time and put my face in my pillow.
"It's going to be okay Finnick, you just have to stay strong. You've managed to do it in the years past," she says.
"Because it wasn't my best friend, or the girl I love whose life was on the line!" I shout as I turn my head to look at her. No sleep makes me cranky.
"You're in love with her," Mags says, "That explains a lot." I glare at her.
"I don't know how to tell her. I don't know if she loves me back. She's going to die Mags," Tears spring to my eyes.
"You promised her you'd bring her home. I'll help you the best that I can. I fell in love with a tribute once," she sits down on the edge of my bed and starts to rub my back.
"It was the third year I was mentoring. We were much like you and Annie. He had been my best friend for years. He was seventeen and I was nineteen. I did everything that I could to keep him alive in that arena. It came down to the boy from District 3 and him. Beetee I think was his name. Beetee had some powerful skills and Josh wasn't any match for him." I can hear the tears in her voice.
"I made a promise to myself to never fall in love with a tribute again. I stuck to that promise until you came along," she chuckles and I stop breathing. "Don't worry boy, I was never in love with you. You know that I love you though. You became the son I never had. When it came down to you and the last tribute, I thought for sure you were done for. Had you died, I would have been okay compared to when Josh died. But you survived because you've always been a fighter. I hope you don't mind that I still think of you as my son," she says. I roll over and sit up so I can hug the old woman.
"You've always been like a mother to me, or really a grandmother because you're so much older than me," we both laugh.
"It's a good thing we're both on the same page there kiddo," she says ruffling my hair. I stick my tongue out at her. "Come on, let's go have breakfast before the other two think something's happened to us," she smiles and extends her hand.
~HG~HG~HG~
After we get to see Michael and Annie for the first time after they've been through the remake center, I almost have to refrain from gawking at just how much more beautiful Annie is. While I really like the new look the Capitol has given her, it makes me appreciate the old Annie. When she sees me she gives me a small smile and I pull her in for a hug.
"Aren't you a beauty," I say it in a way that she knows I mean it while listeners would believe it to be teasing.
"I'm as every bit as beautiful as you are," she laughs.
"I've always known I'm beautiful, now you know that you are too,"
"Finnick," Mags says from across the room. I look at her. Her eyes tell me I should stop flirting.
The day progresses rather boringly. Michael and Annie meet their stylists and start planning the outfits for the opening ceremony tomorrow night. It takes District 12 two days to get to the Capitol so the Districts that are closer have extra time.
"I'm going to be a mermaid!" Annie complains at dinner that night. I can't help but to chuckle. Annie, my little mermaid.
"They want to make me a merman Annie; complete with the trident." Michael sticks his tongue out.
"Oh yeah, I get the cute shell and pearl too." She doesn't look happy.
"Be happy you're not from 12, they're coal miners," Mags speaks up.
"I think the mermaid idea is a good one. Better than the one I had," I scrunch my face at the memory, "my District partner was dressed like a hooker in fishnets. I was dressed in fishnets too, but more of my body was covered than hers." I look directly at Annie, pick up a sugar cube and pop it in my drink. Instant smile. She shakes her head as I pick up the glass and take a sip from it.
After dinner we each go our own ways. Mags, Annie, and Michael go to their room. I go to my room too, but I'm only there for a few hours. After I'm sure Annie and Michael are asleep I make my way to the window in the living area and crack it open enough that I can fit out it. Since we're on the fourth floor, there's a small ledge that I climb out on. There aren't any cameras out here because they have enough cameras on the inside, so it's easy to find peace out here. The ledge is big enough to walk on, but easy to fall off of. Of course there's a force field at the bottom of the second floor ledge, because tributes before me discovered you could jump out the window. If you hit the force field, it shoots you back up through the window you came out of. They don't want you to die until you get into the arena.
I've been out on the ledge for ten minutes when I hear the window squeak. It's Annie.
"Hey mermaid," I say.
"Don't call me that," she replies as she crawls over to me. She's not been one for heights and I can tell that this is a bit much for her. She sits beside me and together we watch the moonlight.
"What's up?" I ask wrapping my arm around her.
"I can't sleep, I'm nervous," she says leaning into me.
"Nervous about what? 12 won't be here till tomorrow, and after that you have about two days before you'll go into training." I say.
"No, that's not what I'm nervous about," she says, "I have something to tell you. I don't know how to tell you or if it's even it's appropriate to tell you."
"Annie," I use my other hand and lift her chin up so that she's looking at me and I'm looking at her. "You're my best friend. You can tell me anything and I'll never judge you. I have something to tell you too. Would you like me to tell you first?" I ask. Annie nods her head. I take a deep breath before I begin. I don't know how this is going to turn out either.
"You've been my best friend since I was twelve years old. I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose you to these stupid Games, and I promised you I'm going to bring you home out of this because I can't live without you. I don't know when it happened, but Annie, I've fallen in love with you," She doesn't say anything for a minute as she processes my words. It's enough of a silence to make me wonder if maybe she doesn't return the feeling. She takes her hand and puts it on my cheek.
"I didn't think that you felt like that," she begins, "I don't know when it happened either, but I've fallen in love with you too," she smiles. This time, she's the one who kisses me. It's not just the soft, gentle, quick kiss that we shared just a few nights ago before the reaping. It's the way a first kiss should be. I pull her close and she wraps her arms around me tighter. When we pull away she's sitting in my lap.
"I am going to get you out of there alive if I have to die for you," I tell her. There's no way I'm going to let her die now.
"I don't want you to die for me Finnick," she says and then she nestles her head into my neck and wraps her arms around me.
"If I have to, I will."
"I'm sorry this didn't happen sooner. It might have been easier for you to get over losing me," she says like that would make it better.
"No Annie, I'm glad it didn't happen sooner. I'm glad I know you feel the same way. It would have been harder if I didn't know how you feel. But I'm going to save you. You are going to come back to me," I kiss the top of her head and tighten my arms around her. We sit there in silence and I think she's fallen asleep.
"Finnick, I can't find –" Mags sticks her head out the window. She knows this is where I go when I can't sleep. She found Annie's bed empty too but now sees her in my arms.
"She's alright," I smile and look down at her. She has fallen asleep because she doesn't stir when I move. "Annie," I whisper waking her, "come on love, bed time," I say. She sits up and stretches. When I look back toward the window Mags is gone; Annie never noticed her. Annie looks so sweet and innocent. I lean over and kiss her again. Even in her sleepy state she kisses me back.
"I love you," she says.
"I love you too. Come on before you fall off," I manage to get her in the window and to her bed. By the time her face hits the pillow she's fast asleep again.