Author's note: These seem to be getting longer and longer. Anyway, I put some exposition in here. I kind of got it from another story I wrote, but I liked the idea. I fixed some things in my story map and figured this story will, as of right now, be thirty chapters. That could change. But expect thirty. That means we're almost half-way through this, kids!

As always, happy reading, all!

Chapter Fourteen

Annie found Gale sitting with his feet in the surf several minutes later, staring out at the sun as it made its progress higher into the sky. She'd left Finn inside to gather the rest of the things for a picnic and meet them out there. She'd already packed the basket, but wanted a few minutes to speak with Gale alone first.

He looked at her as she sat down.

She sat a little apart from him. She smiled and looked out at the horizon. "I used to come here and sit and wait for him to come back from the Capitol every year."

"This exact spot?"

She looked around at the landmarks. She pointed a little farther down the beach to the left. "By that rock. That was the marker."

"And he always found you?"

She nodded. "And then we'd sneak away somewhere else." There was a wistful smile on her face, but the storm was in her eyes.

"Where?"

She shook her head. "Sorry." She turned her head. She had a teasing grin and her eyes were normal again. "My secret. I may tell Finn one day."

He reached up and hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. He smoothed his hand over her shoulder and down her back.

"Gale." She said, a small tremor in her voice.

"Annie." He leaned in and kissed her gently. He pulled back slightly.

She took a moment to consider and then leaned in and kissed him again, keeping her lips pressed to his a few seconds longer.

They sat looking at each other for a few seconds.

The spell was broken when they heard Finn singing happily in the distance. They parted and looked out at the ocean again. Both leaned back on their hands. Gale slid his hand over to Annie's and touched it with the tip of his fingers.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. A small smile played on her lips. She lifted her hand and pressed on his shoulder, laughing.

He let out a small chuckle. "Way to break the moment, Annie." He teased.

"Finn started it." She slid her hand down his arm.

He turned his hand over, inviting her to slip hers into his.

She smiled and shook her head. She stood and walked into the water.

Gale watched her.

Finn came up and dropped a basket beside him and then ran out into the water with a yell and knocked his mother down, submerging her in the water.

She laughed and splashed water up at him.

He splashed her back, laughing louder with every bit of water that flew through the air.

Gale smiled as he watched them. He liked seeing Annie like this. She looked so much younger. He was lost in her laugh and her shining eyes when they started calling his name.

"Come in, Gale. The water's great." Finn said.

He waved them off. "No, I'm good."

The pair shared a look and then ran out of the water. They each grabbed an arm and pulled on him until he was on his feet. Then they tugged him into the water.

He gasped at the cold. "This isn't great. It's freezing."

Annie looked at him and said, "Well, Gale, there's only one way to fix that."

"What?"

She jumped on his back. "Just get in the water, Hawthorne." She said with a laugh.

He fell to his knees with a splash. He reached behind him and pulled her around and into the water.

She pulled him under and flipped around.

He sat up, sputtering and pushing his hair out of his face.

"Doesn't it feel great?" Annie asked, laughing and splashing water in her son's direction.

"Sure." The man said, still wiping water off his face.

Finn laughed. "What a wimp."

Gale narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Did you just call me a wimp?"

"Yeah, I did. Got a problem?" He challenged.

"No one calls me a wimp and gets away with it." He lunged out of the water after the boy.

Finn laughed even more and called, "Come and get me, Gale." He dove smoothly into the water and started paddling quickly out into open water.

Gale sloshed through the water until the water reached his neck. He stretched out his arms and started paddling clumsily. But he tired quickly. He treaded water and yelled, "You win this round, Finn. But I'll get you on land."

The boy turned in the water and laughed, "No, you won't."

"We'll see, kid." He swam back to where Annie was sitting in the water and watching them. He walked to her and sat down beside her.

They watched as Finn played in the water for a long time. Gale reveled in the quiet time with her. It was comfortable. Her hands floated through the water. Occasionally her fingers would brush against him. The boy's laughter drifted to them as he dove and flipped and turned in the water for nearly an hour.

"About the kiss…" Annie said after a while.

"Which one?" He asked. He gave her a teasing grin.

"All of them." She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were on the brink of the storm again. "I don't want it to happen again."

His smile dropped. "It won't. Don't worry."

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment and then stood. "Finn, come get something to eat." She turned and went back up on the shore and started unpacking the basket.

Gale walked up behind her and helped her spread out a blanket and put out the food, mostly leftovers from the night before and a few apples thrown in since they all had, in fact, cleaned the pie plate.

Finn splashed up on the shore. Gale threw him an apple and he caught it without a second thought. He bit into it as he flopped down.

Annie reached over and pushed the wet hair from his face. "Did you have fun?"

"So much fun. You should have come out there, Mom."

"I couldn't leave Gale alone. He's our guest."

They all three sat and looked out to the water. The sun was high in the sky.

Finn kept casting glances at the adults. He'd watched them kissing as he walked up. Part of him hoped that they would soon admit to more than just friendship. He daydreamed about the three of them being a family and staying in District Four. He didn't even care that Gale's work was in a different district. A part of him imagined Gale do whatever he could to spend his life with him and his mom.

Annie stretched out on her back and closed her eyes. "Perfect time for a nap." She sighed.

Gale and Finn both agreed and stretched out on either side of her. It was quiet. The waves lapped the shore. Birds called to each other.

Gale turned his head to the side and watched Annie sleep for a while. She smiled. She rolled over and her arm came over his chest. He reached up to remove it. But after considering it, he left his hand resting on top of hers. His eyes drifted closed and he fell asleep.

Annie opened her eyes and saw Gale close to her. She felt his hand on top of hers on his chest. She sat up and slipped her hand from his. He woke up at the movement.

"Sorry." He said softly.

She shook her head and brushed the sand out of her hair. She looked over to see her son was still asleep. She leaned over and whispered, "Wake up, Finn."

He mumbled something and rolled onto his side.

Gale finished put the picnic things in the basket and said, "I can carry him back to the house."

"You don't need to do that. He can walk." Annie said as she reached down to shake him awake. "Finn. Come on, baby, wake up."

He rolled onto his back and stretched. He sat up and yawned. "I don't want to go back to the house yet."

"Well, if you want to stay out, just make sure you're back home before dark or I'll come looking."

He smiled, "Okay. Thanks."

Gale carried the basket back to the house with Annie strolling along beside him.

"I'm glad you came." She said as she let him into the house.

"Well, I've got one more day. My train back is Tuesday morning."

She nodded. "Tomorrow, we're going to take a trip to the market and pick out some of your favorite foods. Then Finn and I will make you a going away feast that you'll never forget."

He smiled, "I like the sound of that. But what about tonight?"

"There's a little stand in the market that makes fish tacos. They're pretty amazing. Finn and I love them."

"Fish tacos? What are those?"

"You've never had tacos?"

He smiled and shook his head. "I've never even heard of them."

She laughed. "Well, they take a piece of round flat bread called a tortilla and then put grilled fish, or breaded and fried similar to what I made last night, in it. And then they add a chunky, spicy tomato sauce called salsa and sometimes vegetables. And then they wrap it all up and you eat it."

"That sounds delicious."

"It is. Finn and I can put away quite a few of them."

He laughed. "So how long does this stand stay open?"

"Pretty late. They have a boat that catches fish especially for them. And they sell other stuff too. But that's what they do the best, according to Finn and me."

"Well, I'll have to try it."

"Good. I can run out and get us a mess of them and be back by the time Finn gets back. You can hang out and make yourself at home." She reached up a hand and ruffled his hair. "Maybe wash the sand out of your hair."

He laughed. "Yeah, maybe." He put his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. "Bright green. Good."

"What?"

"Your eyes. When they're bright green, you're doing well. When you start to go away, they look like a storm is coming."

She wrapped her hand around his wrist. "You noticed that in just two days with me?"

"Yeah." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She looked up at him and smiled. "You're too kind."

He shook his head. "I'm just being human." He let go of her and walked around her. "I will go and wash the sand out of my hair. And put on some clothes that aren't itchy with salt water."

She watched him as he walked down the hallway to his room. She flashed to a night with Finnick: the two of them sharing a shower; his hands caressing her body so gently; his kisses hot on her skin.

She swallowed and cleared her throat. "I'm going to head out, Gale. I'll be back in about a half hour."

He stepped out of the guest room carrying some clothes. He smiled. "I'll come looking if you're not back before dark."

She let out a small laugh. "Then I promise not to be gone long. And I will have supper with me when I return."

"You better." He teased as he stepped into the bathroom.

She waited until she heard the shower starting before she went to her room and changed quickly. She brushed out her tangled hair and slipped on some shoes. She rushed out the door. She was still thinking of that night with Finnick as she walked into town. Tears dripped from her face and she had to stop walking. She leaned against a wall and sunk to the ground.

She'd been so much younger then. Barely more than a child according to her age, but she had lived a lifetime in the Games. And Finnick knew that. He had been there to comfort her so much that making love had seemed inevitable. But as many lovers as he had in the Capitol, he held off with Annie for so long.

It wasn't until after the reaping the following year that it had finally happened. Her father was gone. He stayed gone a lot. Her mother had died when Annie was young and there had been no one else. He had become an alcoholic and it had only gotten worse when Annie had gone into the Games and then came home so unstable. He went out every night and drank to escape.

She was in the shower. She often took showers because she could cry and cry and no one ever expected her to talk to them. They kept thinking that if she talked about it, it would make it better. But it only made it worse.

And then Finnick was there with her and kissing her and holding her and telling her it would be all right. Then they were in her bedroom and he was so gentle and so sweet. He didn't pressure her; he just let her make the calls.

She wiped her face and took several long breaths. "You always come back at the most inconvenient times." She said as she walked the rest of the way into the market. "Why do you do that?"

A few people saw her and heard her talking to herself. They gave her sympathetic looks. A few of them turned to each other and started whispering. She heard snatches of the conversations: they were talking about Gale.

"It's about time." She heard a woman say.

"Are you sure it's right for him to stay overnight with the boy in the house?" her companion said.

She walked up to the familiar food stand and sat the basket she'd been carrying with her on the counter.

"Hello, Annie." The kind owner of the stand asked. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Martin, thank you. Finn and I are entertaining a friend and we want him to try your fabulous tacos."

"Well, I'm happy to oblige. Grilled or fried?"

"Eight of each."

He nodded. "I'll get right on it."

They made small talk as he cooked. He asked about Finn and she asked about his family. He loaded up her basket and then threw an extra package on top.

"What's that?" Annie asked.

"They're called Elephant Ears. Fried tortillas with sugar sprinkled on top. A little treat for you. No extra charge."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You're my favorite customer, Annie." He leaned in and said, "But don't tell anyone else." He winked.

Annie laughed and handed over the amount due. "Thank you, Martin. You're the best."

"I do what I can."

She laughed again as she picked up the basket and walked home thinking not about Finnick and her past, but about Gale and what the future could be.