Chapter 9- Reconciliation
Finnick busted into Mags' house, calling out for her. He took Annie over to the table in the middle of the dining area and laid her down gently. She was still unconscious, so Finnick put two fingers on her throat to make sure she still had a pulse. It was strong. That was an extremely good sign.
"Hang in there, baby. You're going to be okay."
As Mags unsteadily walked down the steps in her long nightgown, Finnick rushed to meet her. He explained everything that had happened and asked her to take care of Annie. Although, Mags wasn't really an expert healer, she had steady hands and some minor medical experience. Anyway, she was the only one that Finnick trusted. Hopefully, Mags would be able to treat all of Annie's injuries so he didn't have to take her to someone that he didn't know.
Mags hobbled over and pushed Annie's hair off of her dirty forehead in order to get a better look at her head wound.
"How is she?" Finnick asked anxiously after Mags had examined her for a few minutes.
Mags offered a weak smile, so Finnick wouldn't worry as much. When that didn't help, she sent him to the kitchen to gather some supplies.
With Finnick in the other room, Mags checked other parts of Annie for injuries. Although she found no physical injuries anywhere but her head, elbows, and knees, she worried that Annie's torn dress meant that something else had happened. It was the type of injury that left a mental mark rather than a physical one. Mags didn't know how she would even try and explain to Finnick what exactly that meant Annie had endured.
She didn't have time to think about that, however, because Finnick suddenly walked back into the room, carrying some fresh water, a few bandages, and some antiseptic. She took them from him and quickly got to work. She cleaned and bandaged Annie's wounds in half an hour with no problem.
When she was finished, Mags went upstairs to fetch a nightgown for Annie to wear. Finnick followed her, carrying Annie in his arms. After placing her on the bed in one of the numerous guest rooms, Annie's hand twitched slightly. He sat in the chair next to the bed and watched her intently for any other sign of movement. She didn't stir. She just laid there looking extremely peaceful despite the bandages and her busted lip.
Mags came back into the room a few moments later, carrying a pink bundle in her arms. Finnick got up and left the room so that Mags could put Annie in the nightgown.
When he came back in the room, Annie was nicely tucked under the covers in Mag's nightgown. Mags was sitting on the edge of the bed, wiping the dirt off of Annie's face in a motherly way. She looked at Finnick with sad eyes when he entered the room. Why was she looking at him like that?
Finnick came towards her with a quizzical look on his face. She got up from the bed and approached him slowly. He could tell by her expression that she definitely needed to tell him something important.
About an hour later, Finnick was sitting in the same chair beside Annie's bed, mulling over Mags' thoughts on what had happened to Annie. If what she thought was actually true, then Finnick hadn't punished those boys nearly as much as he should.
When Annie woke up, he would have to ask her what had transpired in the most delicate way possible. Just thinking about something like that happening to Annie made Finnick's stomach twist in knots. He knew how traumatizing an experience like that could be. He wanted to explain that fact to Mags because she didn't seem to think that he understood the extent of her fears. Unfortunately, he couldn't let her know because she would worry about him. Also, he was embarrassed about what he had become as a result of his experience.
Suddenly, Annie's eyelids fluttered. Finnick leaned forward and grabbed her hand.
"Annie? Annie can you hear me? Annie?"
Her fingers laced with his as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Where am I?" she wondered.
"You're at Mags' house. Annie, are you alright?" He began stroking her face with his free hand.
"My head hurts and I'm not sure why I'm here. What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
"Well…I," her eyes suddenly widened and her breathing became erratic. "Dominic…he…he…I remember…he was drunk…I turned him down…he got mad…they attacked me…but you saved me…and the food...he threw it…it's gone...I…"
She sat up, shaking all over. Finnick crawled onto the bed and pulled her into his arms.
"Shh, it's okay. I'm here."
Annie felt warm and safe in his embrace, and she desperately wished she was in his arms under different circumstances.
"I wished tonight had never happened." Annie fought hard to keep the tears from her eyes. She had already looked pathetic enough in one night to last the rest of her life.
"Me too." Finnick gently let go of her and then looked deeply into her eyes. "Annie I have to ask you something."
"What? What is it?"
Finnick swallowed hard before answering. "Tonight, did they…touch you?"
Annie looked confused. "What do you mean?"
He put his hands on her shoulders. "Your dress was ripped and you were muddy like you had been forced on the ground for a substantial amount of time. Is that what happened?"
Finnick's meaning suddenly became clear to Annie, and all of the blood in her body immediately rushed to her cheeks. She turned her head away from him. "Um…no…they didn't…I think Benji was going to…but I got away…"
Finnick let out the breath he had been holding. It had almost happened. That was still too close. The beating he gave those boys tonight was never going to be enough.
"Promise me you won't do anything, Finnick." She still wasn't looking at him.
"What? Why would I promise that? They attacked you tonight!" His voice got louder than he intended.
She finally looked at him. "Because you will get in even more trouble than you might have gotten yourself into already. He's the mayor's son and you beat the shit out of him before breaking his arm! Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that you helped me, but you went too far."
Finnick got up from the bed and angrily punched one of the closet doors in the room. "Do you think I give a damn about getting in trouble, Annie? Do you? Those sons of bitches deserved everything they got and more. If they ever come near you again, I will kill them."
She had never seen this side of him before. His whole body was shaking from anger.
"Finnick, you need to calm down."
"Why, Annie? Why should I calm down? I almost lost you tonight!" He was pacing quickly and running his hands through his blonde hair over and over again. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."
Annie pushed the covers off her legs and moved to the bottom edge of the bed. She reached her hand out to him. "Finnick, look at me."
He continued to pace.
"Look at me, please." She grabbed hold of his hand.
He stopped.
"Hey, I love you okay, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you." She stroked the back of his hand with her palm. "Will you just let this go?"
He got down on his knees and laid his head in her lap. "For you I could do anything. But I just can't let them get away with this."
"But can you respect me enough to let me seek out my own punishment for them? Can you do that?" Annie gently twirled strands of his hair in her fingers.
Finnick remained silent for a few minutes, his head still propped on Annie's lap. Every part of him wanted to rip those boys to shreds for attempting to hurt Annie in an irreversible way. However, his need to please Annie outweighed his need for revenge.
"Okay, you win, Cresta." He lifted his head from her lap and proceeded to sprawl next to her on the bed.
She followed suit, sprawling next to him. They lay there, looking at the ceiling and then at each other.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Finnick wondered.
"What?"
"You said you loved me."
Annie blushed again. "Yes, I do love you Finnick…like a friend."
He seemed disappointed. Was he disappointed, Annie wondered.
"So you want to be friends again?" He continued.
"Yes…on one condition."
Finnick supported his head on his elbow. "Anything."
"Well remember when we were fighting and all of a sudden…"
Before she could finish, Finnick moved his head closer to hers and kissed her gently on the lips.
She pulled away. "What did you do that for?"
He smiled. "I assumed you were about to tell me that the one condition was that I couldn't kiss you anymore. I just had to get it out of my system before you said that."
Annie wanted to be mad, but she was too exhausted to muster up that much emotion. "You're right. I was going to say that. It's just that I think things could get complicated if you did that. Do you understand?"
He sat up. "Yeah. But I don't have to be happy about it."
The bed creaked as he stood up and stretched his back. Annie got up as well. She started looking around, attempting to maintain her balance. Her whole body felt shaky and her head started pounding the minute she stood up.
Finnick rushed over to her. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm looking for my shoes."
"Why?" Finnick wondered, putting his hand in his pocket and wrapping his fingers around an object that he hoped he wouldn't have to use.
"Because sunrise is probably in a matter of hours and I have to start on Milo's party from basically scratch. Dominic destroyed all of the food, and I still need to make some of the decorations."
Annie found her shoes in the corner of the room. Once she grabbed them, she headed to the door. Finnick was blocking the way.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"You can't go out. Mags said you need your rest. I'll take care of the party."
Annie laughed. "Finnick that is really sweet, but I can't let you do that. I need to make this party special, okay. Now please get out of my way."
Finnick nodded his head and moved toward her. "Alright, Annie. I understand."
"Good."
"I'm sorry."
Annie's brow furrowed. "What?"
In one quick gesture, Finnick took a syringe out of his pocket, opened the top, and injected Annie with the gold liquid inside.
"Ouch, Finnick! What are you…" Annie's legs suddenly felt like jelly and her eyelids became extremely heavy.
She dropped her shoes and fell forward into Finnick, her knees buckling under her.
He caught her and put her back onto the bed.
"What was that, Finnick?" The fuzziness in Annie's head became overwhelming and she couldn't move any of her limbs.
"It's a sleeping serum. Mags gave it to me in case you tried to get up. You really need to sleep, Annie. I'll get his party ready. Don't worry."
Annie's eyelids gradually closed and she was asleep before Finnick had finished tucking her in.
He watched her sleep for a few more moments before going downstairs and starting on the party preparations. Nothing in his life had prepared him to throw a birthday party, but he wasn't going to let Annie down. He had disappointed her enough. Now, he was ready to make her proud.
