The first part doesn't really contribute to the rest of the chapter. I just decided to put it in for fun.

Comfort

(ANNIE)

The front door bangs shut. "Annie!" calls Finnick.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I call back. I pick up another wet cup and start rubbing it with the dishtowel to dry it.

Finnick's footsteps grow closer. He steps up behind me and wraps his arms around me from behind. He kisses my shoulder, slowly working his way across my collar bone. I tilt my head to the side, giving him access to my neck. He kisses all the way up to my ear. When he reaches it, he whispers, "I found you."

I set down the dishtowel and cup and turn around to face Finnick. But . . . It's not him. Pointed chin, massive lips, angular nose, high pronounced cheekbones, dark blond hair, and abysslike eyes. There's no mistaking who he is.

He sighs happily and sets his hand on my cheek. "I have missed you, my dear Annie."

Telemachus.

When I wake up, I'm choking on air. I sit up and look around. The only other person here is Finnick, who is asleep on his side, facing me. I can hear him breathing softly. There's no resemblance between him and Telemachus. Finnick is a thousand times more handsome. Certainly more kind.

I stuff part of my hand in my mouth and bite down hard to keep from sobbing too loudly. I bite it so hard I taste blood.

I've been telling myself to pretend like It never happened. Maybe it didn't. It wouldn't be the first time I halluncinated. But even I don't believe that lie. I wish I could, I think as I lightly set my hands over my ears and hunch forward.

"Bad dream?" Finnick asks. I sit up straight, remove my hands, and turn to look at him. His eyes are still closed, but his breathing and position have changed. He's only half awake.

"Yes."

Eyes still shut, he opens his arms. "Come here." I lie down beside him. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me in close. He kisses the top of my head. "It's all right, sweetheart. It was just a dream. And you can always wake me up. I want you to. No matter what time it is."

I kiss his chest. "Thank you for not annoyed that I'm depriving you of sleep."

He's silent for a second, and I think he's fallen back asleep. "I knew what I was getting into when I decided I wanted to be with you." He repeatedly brushes my hair behind my ear to soothe me. "Besides. They've started giving me coffee." The comment is meant to be funny, but I don't laugh.

"I love you," I say after a moment.

"I love you too."

I shut my eyes and cuddle up closer to him, as close as I can possibly get. Close enough to hear his heartbeat. That sound, complemented by his breathing, is what I hear as I go to sleep.

[LATER] – (FINNICK)

I've gotten better since marrying Annie. So much better, in fact, that District 13 has decided I'm fit for military service. I don't mind it, but Annie does. She hasn't said anything but I can tell it bothers her. She's scared I'm going to get hurt – or worse.

The soldiers get trained in groups of eight. The groups aren't coed, so mine is all-male. Gale – who I never thought much of until he rescued Annie – is part of mine. The only thing we really had in common before was Katniss. I started pairing off with him for exercises because he had the fastest reflexes – and he was the least likely to annoy the crap out of me. From there, we sort of became friends.

Johanna and Katniss are getting along. They're grouped together, too. And I also think they're sharing a compartment.

Some of the exercises they have us do are ridiculous. There was one where we were "captured" by the Capitol and had to break out. The instructors made the mistake of tying me with rope; I was free in seconds. Other drills may actually come in handy, like today's. There was this gas that they sprayed. I think it was meant to be knockout gas or poisonous or something. I can hold my breath for a very long time, so I helped the others put on their gas masks before I bothered to put on my own.

We're released early for lunch.

"I still don't understand how you did that," Gale says, coughing. None of our group passed out, but they all inhaled a bit of it.

"District Four, baby!" I reply. "You hold your breath or drown." Annie is waiting outside the training area. As usual, she runs into my arms. I pick her up, kiss her on the cheek, and set her back down. "Hello," I say, taking her hand.

"Hi," she says in reply. She looks over at Gale and smiles. "Hi, Gale."

He smiles back kindly. "Hi, Annie. How are you?"

"Good, thank you," she says politely. (She makes a point to be as nice and polite to Gale as possible since he saved her.)

We start for the dining hall. Gale waits outside for Katniss and Johanna; we promise to save them all seats. Delly, one of the kids from 12, invites us to join her. Annie and I sit across from her. Gale and Katniss sit next to her and Johanna sits on the other side of Annie.

I'm in the middle of a story when Katniss starts choking on her food. We all look at her, then what she's staring at. Peeta Mellark stands behind the empty spot next to Johanna. His wrists are cuffed, and there's a guard on either side of him.

I hold Annie's hand a bit tighter. I'm not crazy about having someone in handcuffs so close to her, but she doesn't seem to care.

"Peeta!" Delly says. Good God, she's peppy. "It's so nice to see you out . . . and about."

Johanna takes a bite of beef. "What's with the fancy bracelets?" She points at his shackled hands with her fork.

"I'm not quite trustworthy yet," Peeta answer. "I can't even sit here without your permission." He gestures at the guards with his head.

"Sure he can sit here. We're old friends." Johanna pats the space beside her and Peeta sits. "Peeta and I had adjoining cells in the Capitol. We're very familiar with each other's screams."

At that, Annie hunches forward and covers her ears with her hands. I wrap my arm around her and pull her in close, glaring at Johanna.

"What?" she says, taking another bite of her meal. "My head doctor says I'm not supposed to censor my thoughts. It's part of my therapy."

God help me. I love Johanna like a sister, but sometimes I want to kill her. Things were going so well today!

I turn my attention back to my wife, who's visibly shaking. "Annie," I murmur. "It's okay. It's over. You're safe now. Nobody's going to hurt you. I'm not gonna let anybody hurt you. Come back to me. Come back." Slowly, she uncovers her ears and leans against me. I kiss the top of her head and keep my arm around her.

After a long awkward silence, Delly pipes up. "Annie, did you know it was Peeta who decorated your wedding cake? Back home, his family ran the bakery and he did all the icing."

Annie leans out to get a better look at him. "Thank you, Peeta," she says quietly. "It was beautiful."

"My pleasure, Annie," Peeta replies gently.

I've had about enough of this meal. "If we're going to fit in that walk, we better go," I say to Annie. She gives me a confused look, but doesn't object as I take her tray. Instead, she wraps her arms around my waist. "Good seeing you, Peeta," I say.

"You be nice to her, Finnick. Or I might try and take her away from you."

Seven. I can think of seven different ways to kill him right now without letting go of Annie.

How dare he. It doesn't really bother me that he wants her; I know Annie wouldn't leave me. But obviously, I'm going to be nice to her! The one thing that pisses me the hell off is people thinking I don't treat Annie right. How stupid can someone possibly be? Why would I hurt her? HOW could I hurt her?

"Oh, Peeta," I say in as light a voice I can. "Don't make me sorry I restarted your heart." Or I'll shove a trident so far into your chest, the prongs will poke out of your back, I finish mentally. I shoot Katniss a look and leave.

"Why are you angry at Peeta?" Annie asks once we're out of the dining hall. She slips out of my arm and takes a step away from me.

"What he said . . ." I say, shaking my head. "I hate it. People assume that I take advantage of you and I hate it. And then threatening to –"

"He's been through a lot!" Annie says defensively. "You have no idea what they did!" She's not just talking about Peeta anymore.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

She sighs. "I know. It's just that some –" She abruptly cuts off and doubles over, gasping.

"What is it? Annie? What's wrong?" I ask, frantic.

She coils an arm around her torso and grabs my arm with her free hand. "My stomach."

"What can I do? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

She shakes her head. "It'll pass in a second." And it does. She straightens up again and breathes deeply.

"Are you all right?" I ask.

Annie nods, but I can't shake the feeling that something big is wrong.