7. All I Need

Annie entered the abandoned cottage in a sense of wonder. It'd been three years since she'd been in here. Everything was covered in dust, the furniture unused in all those years; their new home in the victor's village supplied everything they needed. As she closed the door behind her, she took notice of the blue glow in the room, coming from the ocean and the rainstorm outside. As if on cue, thunder roared beyond the thin walls of the Odair's old home. Annie shivered, flicking the lights on.

She found candles in a drawer near the front door, and placed them around. Then she fished out a lighter and set it on the counter, in case the power goes out, she thought to herself.

Annie sat down on the couch, curling up in a blanket that smelled old. She didn't care though. She'd missed this place. Finnick and she used to chase each other around the island in the kitchen, only stopping when their mothers made them; chastising them for getting in the way of their cooking. Annie smiled to herself and went to one of the bookshelves.

If her mother loved poetry, Finnick's mother was a fan of old literature. The books on her shelves were dusty, making them look even older than possible. Again, Annie daydreamed about what it would have been like to be living the time that Jane Austen was alive; or William Shakespeare. Would she have appreciated their words as much as she did today? For some reason, she knew she would have.

She heard the door opening behind her, and she turned, a smile pulling at her lips. "Hey, handsome." She murmured. Finnick didn't answer, his face was eager, and he crossed the room in two steps. He grabbed Annie's face and met her eyes for only a moment before he kissed her. Her deep, stunning blue eyes looked surprised at his actions, but he didn't care. She'd looked so flawless standing at his mother's book case, smiling effortlessly at him. She was beautiful, and she looked like she belonged there, in the place he'd always know as home.

Annie pulled away, "Mm." she pushed at his chest, "Well hello to you too." He smirked, "Hi, fish."

She couldn't resist the smile on his face, and she returned one of her own. He touched her face gently, "How are so lovely?" He whispered. Annie rolled her eyes, "You just haven't seen me in too long."

"I won't argue with that." Annie's hands touched his, still holding her face. "Did you miss me?" She asked. Finnick scoffed, "is that rhetorical?" she smiled, "I missed you too. How was your trip?"

"It was fine." he answered coolly. "What are you doing in here? I've been looking for you everywhere. I was worried; it's not too nice out there." Annie glanced out the window, seeing the ocean light up with a flash of lightning. The waves were vindictive and merciless tonight.

"I'm sorry; I just wanted to come back here. Do you remember when I cut my knee on the bricks when I was seven?" she asked, gesturing towards the brick fireplace.

"I had to bandage you up, you wouldn't stop crying." He laughed quietly. "We grew up here," she said, "I missed it here."

Thunder echoed through the silence as Finnick stared into her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but the power shut off, and they both stood silently still for a moment.

"I got some candles…" Annie said shyly, not sure if he'd want to stay in the dark or just get out of there. She hadn't been sure if he'd find her there, or if he'd even be home that night, but she had a feeling he would.

"I kind of like it like this," he whispered, as if not to disturb the peace. Annie glanced around; there was a blue glow again. But unlike before, it wasn't creepy. It seemed…romantic now; mystifying and dreamy. Finnick and Annie sat down on the couch. "I wish you'd said goodbye." Annie stated as she curled her legs up and leaned into him. Finnick wrapped an arm around her, placing the other hand on her knee. He sighed, wanting nothing more than to stay in this little abandoned cottage forever; unaffected by Snow or The Hunger Games.

"It was early; I didn't want to wake you."

"Thanks for the sweatshirt," she answered into his neck. Finnick kissed her head, "I wanted you to think of me."

"I don't need a sweatshirt to remind me of you…you seem to always be on my mind." She admitted, a little embarrassed. Finnick laughed, "Well, that makes two of us," he sighed, "Last time I was home…it only made me miss you more when I'm away." Annie didn't recognize the tone in his voice, so she lifted her head to look at his face, her eyebrows pushed together in concentration. He met her eyes evenly, and all she saw was pain.

She kissed his lips, and then pulled away, hoping that the expression would be gone. When it wasn't she tried again. This time he kissed her back, twining his hands in her dark mane.

Annie leaned closer, not wanting him to stop. His hands in her hair felt so comforting, and his lips against hers felt wonderful. When he realized that she was leaning toward him, he gently helped her and pulled her onto his lap. She shifted, putting her legs on either side of him and wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands were on her waist involuntarily.

Finnick pulled back, turning his head to the side and breaking the kiss. Annie only began to kiss his cheek. "Annie," he started, knowing he had to stop her, and himself, before things got carried away. He couldn't find the words though. He wanted her more than anything, and here she was, right on his lap, kissing his neck. He sighed, "Annie, stop,"

"Mm-mm," she mumbled, shaking her head back and forth. Annie wasn't sure where her confidence came from. It was nothing like her to do something like this. Maybe it was the fact that she loved him, and she knew that he loved her and thought she was beautiful. She kissed his neck again, ignoring his objection. Finnick let out a quick breath. "Please, Annie…don't,"

What was wrong with him? He wondered, that he would have no control to stop her, but instead sit there with shaky hands on her hips ad beg her to prevent the inevitable. It was a foreign feeling to him, to be completely at a woman's mercy.

"Why?" Annie whispered, "Why not, Finnick?" Her face was still at his neck, but she'd stopped kissing him, thank God. "We shouldn't…" Annie removed her hands from his neck, letting them fall limply on his chest. She was too embarrassed to ask him why they shouldn't, and too self-conscious to move. He didn't want her, at least not like that.

Finnick knew exactly why they couldn't. He would be sold to the Capitolites soon, like a piece of meat thrown at wild dogs. And Annie would be home, heartbroken by the coward who'd abandoned her.

Of course, there was nothing he wanted more than for Annie to be his first; but that would be too selfish to forgive. He'd never forgive himself, and she'd never forgive him, either.

Realizing that he wasn't going to continue, Annie started to disentangle herself from him. She took a seat on the opposite side of the couch, folding her hands in her lap and blinking back tears. He wasn't sure which would break his heart more, to love and then betray her, or to have her so far away at that moment.

"Annie, I'm sorry," he tried weakly. She shook her head, "its okay, Finnick." Her voice was hurt, and Finnick had to twine his own fingers together to keep from going to her.

"You don't understand, Annie…"

"No, I don't. But you don't want to tell me, so where does that leave us? Hurt and angry, Finnick. And just tired." Her last words were so quiet and drained; he couldn't keep from closing the space now. He slid closer to her, but still didn't touch her. "I know it's frustrating, and I'm so sorry." He sighed, "You're all I need, Annie."

She turned her head to look at him, "You have me." she whispered. Annie's tears ran silently down her cheek, mixing with the rain outside. He swiped them promptly away, "Annie…" his voice was gentle, "I'm so, so, sorry."

He kissed her softly, but that was dangerous. Annie kissed him back, turning his mind blank and sending the reasons for their not being together out of his mind. As she kissed him, he couldn't recall why it could possibly, ever be a bad thing for him to make love to Annie Cresta. She felt his smile under her lips, but didn't stop kissing him. Instead, she reached down to his shirt. With an unstable hand, she slowly undid his buttons, revealing his warm, tan skin underneath.

Finnick pulled at the strings on the back of her dress, and the two of them sunk to the floor, not realizing that they were doing so.

Annie woke in a tangle of blankets, not certain how they got there. Without opening her eyes, her hands slid across the cool covers, searching for him. Her hand touched something hard. Annie's eyebrows furrowed; a book? She opened her eyes and looked around. Finnick was nowhere in sight. She picked up the book without reading the title, turned to the page that he'd marked, obviously for her to read. Annie's eager eyes skipped the title and everything else on the pages besides the words he'd highlighted.

And so it lies happily

Bathing in many

A dream of the truth

And the beauty of Annie-

Drowned in a bath

Of the tresses of Annie.

Her eyes flew across the page to another verse that Finnick had highlighted. She sat up this time, pulling the blankets up to cover her bare body.

But my heart it is brighter

Than all of the many

Stars in the sky,

For it sparkles with Annie-

It glows with the light

Of the love of my Annie-

With the thought of the light

Of the eyes of my Annie

She recognized the poem. It was called For Annie, written by Edgar Allen Poe. And it was the poem Annie was named after.