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Chapter Four

Annie paced the platform. She stopped suddenly and laughed. She clamped her hand over her mouth and looked around nervously. She didn't know when the random laughing had started, but it was getting worse as time went by.

A train pulled up. She stood on her toes as all the people started filtering out. She searched every face for Finnick. She knew he'd be on an afternoon train, but she wasn't sure which one.

This wasn't it.

The last passengers exited. The platform emptied. The train pulled away.

She sat down on a bench and gnawed at her fingernails. They were so mangled now. She was never good at keeping them up, but at least she wasn't chewing on them before. Now she was nervous all the time and couldn't help it.

Was that my name being called? She looked to the side. No one there. Just the whispers. Like the laughing, it was getting more frequent. It was just one voice at first. Another joined it. Then more and more compounded until they were screaming. She put her hands over her ears and started rocking.

And just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. She looked up, her hands still over her ears. There was a man standing on the platform watching her. She put her hands down and stared toward the direction the next train from the Capitol would come. It would be there in just a matter of minutes.

The man sat beside her. She recognized him.

"Dale, right?" she asked softly. "You're married to Mags."

He nodded. "That's me. I sometimes come to watch the trains come in. See who's coming and who's going." There were a few more people on the platform now. "And you?"

"I had nothing better to do." She admitted softly. She looked around nervously. "Finnick Odair is coming home today."

"That's right."

"He's my friend."

"He's a good friend to have."

"He's my only friend."

"Now that's not true."

She said nothing, turning her head to look down the track once more.

"So what is your talent?"

"What?" she asked absently.

"You have to have a talent for the tour."

"I know. I just don't know yet what I'm best at."

They sat together quietly for a while. Annie heard more whispers. She put her hands over her ears and rocked some more. When they stopped, she looked away from Dale, embarrassed.

"Is the train ever coming?" She stood and started pacing some more.

Then the whistle sounded in the distance. Annie bounced on her feet like before. The train pulled in as the previous ones had and people filed out. Others filed in.

She saw him. "Finnick!" She called and pushed her way through the crowd, calling his name again and again.

He stopped and looked in the direction of her voice. He smiled and wrapped her in his arms as she threw herself at him. "Annie." He breathed into her hair.

She looked up at him. "How was the trip?"

"Too long." He stepped out of her arms and slipped his hand into hers. "Come on, let's get out of the crowd."

They exchanged pleasantries with Dale for a few seconds and then left the station, walking towards Victors Village.

"I have a surprise for you when we get back to your house." She told him, threading her fingers through his.

"Oh?" He smiled. "What is it?"

"It's not a surprise if I tell you."

"Will I like it?"

"I hope so, too." She pulled on his hand. "Come on." She laughed. It was tinged a little with the madness from earlier, but she was able to hide it with her joy at having her friend back.

He ran along with her, resisting the urge to grab her in his arms and carry her the rest of the way.

She pulled to a stop in front of his door. "Close your eyes." She demanded.

He did.

"Now keep them closed tightly." She placed her key in the lock and pushed the door open. She pulled him inside and positioned him. "Okay, open your eyes."

He did. "You decorated."

"I did. Do you mind?" She chewed on her lip.

"No, I don't mind." He looked around.

There were pictures on the once-bare walls and curtains on all the windows. Pillows sat in the corners of the sofa and chair. Knick Knacks sat on the mantle and on the window sill in the kitchen.

"It looks great." He said, running a hand over the back of the couch. "It looks like someone actually lives here. He smiled. "You should come to my apartment in the Capitol."

"Maybe." She chuckled. "I did the bedrooms too. And the bathroom."

Finnick moved through the house, looking at all the rooms. Annie followed behind nervously. She laughed and covered her mouth.

He looked at her. He knew that meant something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

She blinked at him. "I'm fine." She said hastily. "How do you like the house?"

"I think we might have your talent." He pulled her into his arms. "But I know you're not fine."

She pressed her face into his shoulder. She whispered, "I hear voices. So many voices. I can't always understand what they say. Sometimes I do. They're begging for my help."

"Who is, Ann?"

"The other tributes. The ones that died. The boy from here. I didn't really even know him."

"I didn't either. He wasn't someone we dealt with that much." He dropped his head to her shoulder. "I'm starving. Do I even have any food here?"

"There's stuff here. I stocked your cabinets."

He removed his arms from her and walked into the kitchen. "I need something. I'd eat a fish that was still moving at this point." He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of juice. He opened it and took a drink as he searched through the cabinets.

"Don't you know how to use a glass?" She took the bottle from him and poured some into a glass. She handed it to him. "I got some fresh fish from the market this morning. I could bake that or something."

"You don't have to cook for me, Annie." He pulled out an armful of ingredients. "I wouldn't say no to help, though."

They sat on the beach as the sun set. Annie leaned against Finnick.

"You know what I haven't done in a really long time?" Finnick said, combing his fingers through her hair.

"What?" she asked softly.

"Gone on a moonlight swim." He kissed the top of her head. "Want to?"

She sat up. "Are you sure?"

He stood and pulled his shirt off over his head. He kicked off his pants and then ran out into the surf, screaming his head off.

She laughed happily and joined him, throwing her own clothes out behind her as she ran.

They swam out into the deep water and floated for a long time.

Finnick swam over to her. "Can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me everything." Annie responded.

"It's about what I do. When I'm at the Capitol."

She floated closer. "Yeah?"

"You know how everything works, right?"

"How what works?"

"Sex. Bodies."

"Oh, that. Yeah, I know about it." She was glad it was dark and he couldn't see her blush.

"Well, it doesn't really work for me anymore."

"Not at all? You said sometimes it doesn't, not all the time."

"It's been a long time since I did it on my own. And I feel like…I worry that if we ever get to that point, it won't really be me. And I don't know how I feel about that."

"Well, we're just friends. You don't need to worry about that. And it may be different with someone you really want to be with."

"Maybe."

"Let's just not think about it. Just swim." She let herself relax and float to her back.

He did the same. It might have been hours they floated or only minutes. They floated together and then apart and together again. Finnick grabbed her hand and threaded their fingers together.

"I want to hold you." He said softly. "I need you."

"Then let's go back." She let go of his hand and started swimming toward the shore.

The pair gathered their clothes from the beach and walked toward Finnick's house. They stood shivering just outside the glass doors.

Finnick leaned down and kissed her softly. "You can have the bathroom first."

"Okay." She hurried inside and closed the door firmly behind her.

He walked into the bedroom and opened a drawer. He lifted out a garment that looked distinctly feminine.

He walked to the bathroom door and knocked. "Hey, Annie, are you leaving clothes here?"

She stuck her head out the door.

He held up her undergarment that he'd found in his drawer. "Not my size or color."

She took it from him. "I'm sorry."

"It just doesn't look good."

"I've been practically living here since I got back. Me leaving my clothes here is the least of your problems if you're worried about your image."

"I'm not worried about my image, I'm worried about you."

"I can take care of myself." She closed the door.

"Not with Snow, Annie. No one can handle themselves with him. I've tried it."
There was no response. Finnick stood outside the door, waiting. A minute later she stepped out, fully clothed and clutching her wet things to her chest. She walked toward the front door.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked, following.

"Trying to save our images." She left without another word.