FINNICK

Annie comes to visit him at least once a day.

He is buried by the sea, on the beach in Four, a rough rock with a trident sketched on the face. It's covered by brine and seaweed and eroded by waves.

He loves it.

Well.

He'd love it better if he weren't dead.

But this was what he wanted, right? Death, so that the Capitol could give him no more pain.

Except there was no Capitol anymore, and he could still feel pain.

The only consolation is Annie's visits. He got to watch in joy as her stomach swelled, and when Annie came one day, crying happy tears, carrying a small pink bundle. his heart leaped.

Well, whatever passed as your heart when you're dead.

Katniss visited as much as she could. It was far away, though, from her and Peeta's apartment in what used to be the Capitol, so she didn't come often.

It therefore surprises him to see a familiar lithe figure with a braid tumbling down her shoulders, walking steadily down the beach to his grave.

"Hi, Finnick" she says, sitting down. Sighing.

"I don't…" her voice catches. "I don't know what to do…"

"They're bringing back the games, Finnick"

Finnick feels like his breath is knocked from him. How could they? After all they sacrificed…when would it be enough?

"I wish you were here…" Katniss mutterers "You'd know how to stop this. You always knew a way out. I…" her voice is straining too thin "I voted, when the war was over, we'd have a games but with capitol leaders' children. I thought it was only fair, especially after Prim…" she swallows "But I never wanted this for the regular capitol citizens, believe me, Finnick, I didn't."

He knows.

She's crying now, and he wants to tell her it's alright. But of course, that's not so, and Katniss never did like lies.

She brushes her tears with her sleeve and gives a watery smile.

"At the very least, I'll protect your son. That's the least I can do. I hope you know that."

He knows.

She pats his grave affectionately "We miss you, Finnick."

He misses them too.

"I know you would have voted against this" she says bitterly "I know you would have been able to do…something! Haymitch doesn't understand. Annie…well she's got the baby to think about. Johanna, well, she'd enjoy any excuse for revenge. Peeta knows this is wrong but he's never been the outspoken one in this equation"

Sighing she strokes the grave, her fingers tracing the trident.

Finnick wondered if she was overestimating him. Yes, he would vote against this if he could, but fix it?

He didn't know how.

But he had a feeling someone could. Peeta. He had voted against this insanity.

He remembers his first speech at the victory tour, speaking of the courage and goodness of Thresh and Rue and their dedication of their winings to their family.

And maybe, he thinks, Peeta is more outspoken than he seems.

"Y'know, Finnick" she says finally, throwing up her hands. "I'm not getting to the real point of all this"

He wonders what the point is, what the point of any of it is.

She takes a deep, steadying breath and he can see the scared teenaged girl just under the skin, hidden away from the world.

"I have to talk to Paynor"