Chapter 8

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When Finnick goes into his home, he notices that a main light is on, which he knew he wouldn't have done on purpose. The aquarium is dark, but the lights over the central steps are bright, and Finnick turns back, looking for a trick, when he hears the voice that tells him everything is alright.

"Finnick…" Soft, gentle, unsure, needy, but more than anything, lovely. That is how he would describe the voice of Annie, who is at this moment wearing a wonderful black dress, which starts slightly below her shoulders, and stretches to the floor. Her brown hair is gathered to her right, and she wears the golden bangle he'd given her the last time he saw her. It was a bright, shimmering yellow, and had the appearance of fish touching each other's tails. She stands on the top of the stairs, and as she comes down slowly, Finnick feels he must bow to the woman.

"My lady, Annie, of the house of Cresta," he says. Annie smiles and as she reaches the ground floor, she lets him kiss her hand.

"How do I look?" she asks. He sweeps her off her feet and looks straight in her eyes.

"Like the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Annie blushes badly, then notices Finnick is carrying her back to her room.

"What are you doing?"

"We have just enough time for a quick round," he says, bouncing his eyebrows. She playfully smacks him.

"Put me down! I don't want you to wrinkle my dress!"

"Oh don't worry, you won't be wearing that for long…" Annie, laughing, gets out of his grip and pushes him aside. Finnick can see her smiling, really smiling, and happy. She looks like her old self, the sixteen year old girl who let the seventeen year old drunken Finnick in her home, took care of him, and gave him the confidence to keep on living. While Mags helped him stay alive after his games, Annie was the one who gave him the will to live.

"Finnick, we'll have all night! Put something nice on and try to look presentable!" Annie says. Finnick grabs his collar and takes his shirt off, then drops his pants, walking in the nude past the girl, who is holding her head in her hands.

"You're a mess…" she mutters.

"Only when I'm with you…" he says, going into his closet and finding formal wear. It is a long white shirt open in the middle, with blue pants and a sash over his side. Nearly ten years ago, it was his interview costume. He had the pants and shirt lengthened and the sash was a new addition, but he still felt like he was fourteen wearing it. He looks back to Annie, who smiles, and puts a necklace on him.

"There…" she says. He looks at it. It is made of fish scales, and shimmers like her bangle, though, unlike the harsh gold, this seems more natural.

"Well?" he says, striking a pose. She giggles, then leans to his ear.

"You look like the most handsome man I've ever seen…" She kisses his cheek, then they lock lips for a long time. He's lost in her, with her, part of her. This is real love, not what he has to do with so many women of the Capitol. Not like their sensuous touches and giggles. Not like how Katniss kissed that boy.

"Hmm!" Finnick opens his eyes and leans back.

"What?" Annie asks, a little confused and sounding more like her broken form. He leans forward and rubs her arms again.

"Nothing…I figured something out…" he says, grabbing her hand, "Now, let's get to my father's house before that old coot sends peacekeepers after me…" They go down his stairs together and out onto the Victors Road, the street which cut through the twelve homes of the Victor's Village, and was touched by his father's home as well. Finnick walks with Annie down past two empty houses before he hears a shout.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Odair! How do you do?" Ron yells from his porch. Mags is with him, and smiles at the man. Both are wearing the clothes they had for the funeral. Annie waves, and Finnick wolf whistles.

"Not so bad of a couple yourselves." Mags laughs and Ron coughs, but both are clearly in good spirits. "I have to stay this happy. I'm tired of being miserable with that man," Finnick thinks as Ron helps Mags down the porch steps.

"Where are Librae and Jarrok?" Finnick asks.

"We're here!" Librae says from behind the man. Jarrok is holding her arm, while her boy, who is maybe four now, holds her other hand. The girl, Priscilla, who is six, is much less needy, and races out from behind the woman.

"Aunt Annie!" Priscilla screams, running to the woman. Annie picks her up and touches young girl's nose.

"Hello sweetie!" she says, weakly, even a little bit unsure, but her intention is clear.

"Hey, how 'bout some love for old uncle Finnick," Priscilla gives Finnick a stern look.

"I saw you at the train. No more for you! You're greedy!" Finnick belly laughs, and rubs the girl's head.

"You're right of course. Come we have a party to attend." The six mentors go in a great precession toward William's house, which is already full of people. Unlike some of William's more exciting events, this one is restricted to those who are part of District Four, and multiple times, William has had to kick drunken Capitol citizens out of his home. It is meant to be a sad and somber event, honoring those killed in the games, but it has over time become a happy occasion, and now it is an enormous party to "inspire life in the living" as William puts it. When the victors come to the door, William throws it open and ushers them him. He is wearing a new suit, this one dark green, and holding a cane. With him also comes Otho, who is marginally a District Four resident, but the condo he owns in Area Three is apparently close enough for William. He is holding a glass of champagne, but already appears quite drunk as stumbles to the stairs and slurs out something like a greeting.

"Otho, go back inside…" William mutters, pushing the man back into his home, "Ahem, sorry about that. Come! Enjoy yourselves! I've got a good one for you today, Jarrok, oysters on the rocks!"

"Oh goody!" Jarrok says, rushing past the man. Ron shakes his hand, Mags and Librae both give him a kiss. But now it is Finnick's turn. The man looks at his father, and then holds out his hand.

"Should I be concerned where that's been?" William says, before taking the hand. Finnick grins, but its forced. Annie chimes in to dispel tension.

"I was…wondering that…myself," she says, smiling at him.

"Then don't touch this after tonight…" Finnick says. William draws his hand away, and Annie giggles at it. Finnick swallows and straightens up. If that Katniss girl can act like she's madly in love with some boy she barely knows, he can at least be amiable to his father.

"Is there gumbo?" Finnick asks. William points into his home.

"For you…always."


William holds his glass of wine, looking out over the crowd in his home. Jarrok is taking Librae and her children around, tasting various foods. Mags is talking with some of the older guests, while Ron is making the rounds with the ship captains, fleet commanders, and hotel managers, including talking with his father, William's best employee, Terrance Stafford. And Finnick…oh Finnick. He seems to actually be enjoying himself for once, going from person to person, his hand glued to Annie's. At times, they almost appear like a normal couple. Annie's father is with William in the upper lounge, over the ballroom, and tears are slipping down his face as he watches the girl.

"She's…so happy…"

"My son looks happy too. In fact, I'm not sure much else makes them happy anymore," William says, taking a small sip of the wine. Annie's father is holding a bottle of some cheap whiskey, and takes a deep swig, then puts it down.

"I remember when that little girl wouldn't let go of her daddy…" he says, burping slightly. He's clearly drunk, and will probably tell the story William has heard from him about a hundred times.

"Yes…I know you do…"

"She used to say to me…'Never let go daddy. I don't know what I would do,'" he says with another swig. William downs his wine quickly and takes the bottle from him.

"I need a real drink too…" William says. If he's got to hear the rant, he might as well give some too.

"Yeah well, I never told her, but I didn't know what I would do either! Sure, her brother's fine. He takes care of me, but Annie was my first, and always had a special connection to me. Her brother loved his mother, peace be on her soul…but Annie was mine…" he leans back in his chair. William's head is spinning after only two swigs. He can't imagine what the man, who's been drinking from that bottle since the party started, is feeling.

"It's just wrong, isn't it? Finnick was that way. Loved his mother, attached to her…but he always wanted to be like me…hmph! I had a dream of one of our fishing trips not that long ago. You know what he said to me? That he was going to win the games for me! That he was going to be my champion…" Tears form in William's eyes, but he's not embarrassed, as the man across from him has started crying loudly.

"Why…did…the Capitol…take her from me?" Annie's father gets out before collapsing back into tears, "Those da…da…d*mned jabberJays! I never said those things! I told her so many times! But she wouldn't believe it! And her mother…that's what killed her…not the pneumonia, it was the fact that she lost the will to live because her daughter was afraid of her…" The man is starting to cry hysterically, and William puts his arms around him.

"It's alright…I know it's hard…I know what it's like…" William holds the man, then sees Mica, who races over with a towel. Annie's father blows his nose, then Mica escorts him to a bathroom to help clean him up. William turns back to the banister over the main ballroom, wipes away his tears, and Marcia comes to him. She's wearing a formal dress, and looks stunning, despite the pink hair.

"Hello my dear."

"Mr. Odair," she says tersely. William grins.

"I was so hoping you would come. Let me get you a drink…" William starts. Marcia grabs William and kisses him, which throws him off, then brings his ear close to her lips.

"I've gone through my men. Of the 110 under my command, 78 are with you for sure. My personal guard of five and myself pushes the number to 84. Right now other lieutenant peacekeepers are also possible allies, Hadrian in particular..." Marcia winks at a man coming up the stairs.

"If you ever need more sugar, let me know Odair," she says, then takes Hadrian's outstretched arm and goes back to the main room bellow. William smiles at them, then snaps at a servant and has a microphone brought to the top of his balcony. He taps it several times to get his guests' attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome, again, to this somber and important occasion. I hope the food is excellent, the company exhilarating, and now, let us get a bit of music as well shall we…" the people cheer. Music…of all the things William did which showed his upper class lifestyle, hiring bands had to be one of the most offensive to the impoverished.

"Now, let us welcome the natives of Area Three, the best singer, pianist team in the business, your very own, Dynamic Duo!" A woman in a long white dress and an older man in a bright green suit come out on stage and begin playing a rather upbeat tune. The middle of the ballroom is opened up and allowed for dancing, which Finnick and Annie immediately go to. Jarrok puts another scallop in his mouth, then is dragged out by Priscilla, while Librae hold up her son and dances with him. William watches the couples on the floor dance; even Mags is eventually pulled out by Finnick, once Annie apparently decides she needs to sit down. As William looks at the boy, he sees himself, much younger, much more lively. And the girl Finnick keeps going to, keeps planting kisses on, that girl is Iliana, the love of his life. Iliana is so beautiful, so fantastic when William holds her, so clearly in love, as he is with her. William remains in this dream until Ron's father Terrance shakes him awake.

"William…" the man says. William looks at him. He's wearing a dark green suit, is tall, large, and has slanted eyes. His hair line is receding and his face has spots on it, but he is still clearly quite fit based on his pulsing muscles and lean figure. And he's plenty rich, not quite like William, but enough to own three houses and one half of all the hotels of District Four. William managed the hotels through him, and he made no secret that Terrance was his best employee. He also made it no secret that the man was quite eligible.

"What are you doing up here? There are probably a hundred girls down there who would kill for a dance with you!" William says. Terrance smiles, and shakes his head.

"I'm too old for them William…Most of them still have a little life left in them…" he leans on the banister with William. Finnick has Annie in his arms as the band plays a particularly slow tune. Ron is holding some girl, a blond one. Terrance and William stare at their children for a long time before William speaks.

"The Capitol has taken a lot from us all…" William mutters. Terrance looks at him, then back at the kids.

"We've suffered a lot, you and I…our wives…and their mothers…" he says. William nods.

"How have we done this for years…" William asks, "How have we acted like nothing was wrong? This is the ninth d*mn party I've held. And I watched my wife, your wife, and eighteen other spouses hung! And our children are now just broken shells still wandering this District…how do we do this?" Terrance shakes his head.

"Maybe I do need to go dance with one of those girls…and at least act like I'm living my life…" Terrance starts back down the stairs, and William turns toward the window, where the dark, powerful, and roaring sea is beyond the window.

"And maybe…I need to try to get my life back…" he says. Then his thoughts are interrupted as a familiar song comes on, slow and sad. It's very old, from the first days when the sea was just starting to rise. It starts with the word, "California," the name of the state which became District Four and some of District Five. But despite the chipper tone of the opening, its words speak to a dark melody about the humans who were so focused on battle, they ignored the sea's arrival.

Come on, come on, come on up,

To California's shore

Come on, come on, come on up,

We're ready to go to war

Go down, go down, to the sea

Where our enemy's bodies float away.

Go down, go down, to the sea,

This is the West Coast warrior way.

The sea, the sea, it comes for us,

We must not let them win.

The sea, the sea, it comes for us,

And now we must go fight again.

Come on, come on, come on up,

And let the blue sea clear our dead.

Come on, come on, come on up,

And let its untouched waters spread.

Come on, come on, come on up,

We're fighting for our shore.

Come on, come on, come on up,

We're ready to go to war.

As the last notes on the piano are pressed, the room is silent, and the notes hang in the air. William looks at the musicians. "Why in the hell are they playing that? At a party like this?"

The singer kisses her middle three fingers, and thrust them in the air. The piano player starts on the melody, four notes, which leads William to start pulling out hair.

"No, not here…" The piano playing is backed up by whistles, and soon a large part of the crowd is whistling, singing, or humming the notes, in a total defiance of the Capitol. William goes to look at the crowd from the banister, and Finnick grabs hold of him angrily. Annie is still attached to his hand, but he is clearly not very focused on her.

"What is this, some kind of sick joke?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing! So, did you and that District Three mentor, Betred, or Bernard whoever decide to start revolts in your own Districts?"

"I…I didn't plan this! You're the one who decided to keep her alive!"

"And you helped me do it. But our small act of defiance is over…I'm dispersing this crowd…" William turns and calls for a weapon from his servants, but before he can wield it, he sees the purple man, golden tattooed and eyelashed, standing in the crowd, waving. William's and Finnick's eyes grown wide, and they look at each other, then back at the man, who has begun up the stairs.

"Scipio…" William says, as the man approaches.

"You all know how to have a party here is District Four!" he says, smiling to reveal perfectly white teeth.

"Yeah…well…"

"Technically, you're crashing this party…" Finnick says, crossing his arms. He's a little shaky, but putting on a brave face. He has also put Annie into a large cushioned chair, and she appears stable, at least, as far as William can tell.

"I know…and I'm so sorry. But I just had to see you two together…" he turns back to the crowd, which has stopped whistling and is staring at him. They no doubt recognize him as a Capitol man, and some start murmuring among themselves.

"Don't stop! You know the tune…" Scipio goes to the piano and starts California, again, but this time, he does it to the melody of Rue's song. The words don't blend perfectly, but they fit well enough on the notes, and eventually, the singer goes with him, and soon the crowd is singing it together. Even Finnick and William are singing it after the second verse, and as the crowd ends on the final "We're ready to go to war," Scipio applauds the group, and looks back to William.

"Wonderful! Just fantastic!"

"I agree…would you…like to speak somewhere private…" William says, trying his best to maintain a cold demeanor. Scipio smiles and nods.

"Oh, I would like that very much. We have quite a bit to talk about, William Odair…" Scipio pauses, and turns to Finnick, "and of course you wouldn't consider not including your son…"

"Apparently not…" William mutters. He tries to wrap his brain around what happened just a moment ago, and leans in toward Finnick as Mica shows Scipio toward William's second floor private sitting room.

"Did that man just invent a way for us to sing that rebel song secretly?"

"Father, the only thing I know about him is that his true motives are unclear…" Finnick says, as he follows William. William turns just before he leaves to the room and turns back to the band.

"What are you doing? I paid you a fortune, give these people a show!" he says, mocking the Capitol accent and jumping to soprano on "show." The band goes back to playing and William and Finnick are left with this strange Capitol man, who is very pompous, very bombastic, and very ridiculous, but also, very dangerous.