One Month Later

It was during the first week of December, when light snow flurries had just begun to fall, that Annie Odair came to District Twelve. Peeta had wrote her a letter last week and invited her, and she responded with a confirmation and a promise to be here within the week. She arrived on the train a little after one o'clock. Peeta had taken off from work at the bakery, leaving a more than capable Mica to man the counter, to come with me to meet her at the station.

We stood close together, Peeta's hand wrapped around my waist, and rubbed our gloved hands together to stay warm. The train pulled in on schedule, a the doors slid open with a hiss. An attendant emerged, carrying a large suitcase, who was followed by Annie, carrying a diaper bag over her shoulder and a heavily bundled baby in her arms.

"Annie!" Peeta exclaimed. He bounded up the platform to greet her. Annie gave him an awkward, one-armed hug and Peeta excitedly peeled back the blankets to look at Finnick Odair's son.

I timidly followed him up the platform, coming to a halt a few paces in front of them.

"Hi, Katniss," Annie said softly. I grinned. She opened her arm again and I returned her hug gently. Annie shifted the baby in her arms and I gasped.

I saw staring at a miniature version of Finnick. His son had his eyes, his cheekbones, even a few bronze tufts of hair. Peeta stared at him with a goofy smile on his face.

"What's his name?" I breathed.

"Finnick," Annie said softly. "Finnick James Odair, but I mostly just call him Little Finn."

I felt like my heart was being crushed in my chest. Peeta took Annie's suitcase and the pair started walking back towards Victor's Village. I followed numbly behind. When we arrived at our home Peeta graciously showed Annie to her room and I sat in a chair in the living room, still reeling over how similar Little Finn was to his father.

Peeta and Annie returned, this time with Little Finn in just thick pants and a miniature fleece jacket, and sat across from me on the couch.

"How have you been, Annie?" I asked.

She smiled, brushing a strand of dark hair away from her face. "I've been alright."

"And Little Finn? How old is he now?" Peeta asked.

"Five months," Annie answered. Her eyes found the lamp above my head and stayed there for a few minutes. Peeta and I glanced at each other uneasily. I cleared my throat, trying to break her out of her reverie. She kept staring.

Then, Little Fin reached up at touched his mother's face, and her eyes snapped back down to him. Peeta and I both sighed with relief, and Annie kissed Little Finn's forehead.

"Thank you, baby," she breathed.

"May I- May I hold him?" Peeta asked. Annie smiled and handed him over to my fiancée. I watched with a heavy heart as Peeta held Finn over his head and tickled his belly, making the baby cry out with raucous laughter.

Annie moved to stand by me. "I hear you're engaged."

I smiled up at her. "Indeed we are."

"Congratulations," her eyes flicked over to the two boys. "Are you planning on having children?"

"No," I said quickly. "I mean, I'm not sure."

"I never wanted them," Annie admitted quietly. I looked at her with wide eyes. "I didn't want to raise them in such a dangerous world. I didn't want them to be reaped like I was.

"Obviously Finn wasn't planned. I didn't even know I was carrying him until-" Annie's voice cracked and she looked down. "But I wouldn't change anything. He's my greatest gift."

I looked back at Peeta, who was still fussing over the baby. "I want so badly to give him a child," I admitted. "He would be the best father. I just...I wouldn't know what to do if something happened..."

"I was terrified," Annie said, "when I was pregnant. I still am, most of the time. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost him. But that's why we take it one day at a time."

The far-off look returned to Annie's eyes. "You never know when your last day will be."

We ate dinner a few hours later. Little Finn sat on Peeta's lap the whole time. I watched in awe at how good he was with him. A few times I caught myself thinking about what it would look like to have our own son at his lap instead.

Peeta thought it would be a good idea to show Annie the book. We had been adding new additions each week. When she looked at Finnick's page silent tears fell down her face, but she smiled. She traced with page with reverence.

Little Finn reached forward from his place in her arms and pressed his tiny palm against his father's picture. He let out a soft gurgle, and Annie whispered to him, "Look at how handsome your daddy is."

I had to leave the room in fear of them seeing me cry.

Soon Little Finn began to fuss, and he and Annie retired to their bedroom for the night. Peeta and I followed suit soon after. We laid next to each other in bed, spooning, and he gushed about the baby.

"He's like Annie, you know. Quiet and thoughtful. But when he laughs he seems just like Finnick, you know?"

"Yes, he does," I agreed with a yawn.

"I noticed you didn't hold him," Peeta mused. I tensed.

"So what if I didn't?"

"I was just wondering why, that's all."

"You know why, Peeta," I grumbled.

"Okay, okay," he conceded. Peeta leaned up and kissed my lips. "Goodnight. I love you."

"Love you, too," I mumbled, snuggling into his chest. He began to trace patterns on my arm, and soon I was asleep.

The ocean waves crashed against the shore and licked at my feet. My hair was down, flying behind my head like a cape as the wind tickled my face. He stood beside me in silence, his bronze hair tousled from the wind and his hands. I turned to him, and he flashed me his signature smile.

"Hey Finnick," I said softly.

"Brainless," he shot back. I chuckled. "Or is only Johanna allowed to call you that?"

"No one is allowed to call me that," I retorted. Finnick laughed. I relished in the sound. I let it wrap around me like a blanket and sink into my skin, making me chuckle as well.

"I see that Peeta finally got you to cave?" he asked, nodding to the ring on my finger. I twirled it between my thumb and forefinger with a grin.

"He did."

"Tell me, how did he win you over?" he teased. "Was it the cupcakes?"

"It was the bread."

Finnick reached an arm over my shoulder and pulled me close. I rested my head on his shoulder. He smelled of saltwater and honey and sunshine.

"Of course it was the bread, Brainless. Everyone knew it but you."

"So I've been told," I said, scowling.

"I'm not even looking at you and I know you're frowning. It's not very becoming of a young lady, you know."

I laughed and playfully hit his stomach. "Oh, how I've missed you Finnick Odair."

"You know I'd be there if I could be," he said lowly. A lump formed in my throat. "I'd give anything to be there right now."

"I'm so sorry," I choked out. "It's my fault that you're not here. "It's my fault that a lot of people aren't here-"

"Oh, shut up," Finnick groaned. "I knew what I was getting into, just as everyone else did. I knew, Boggs knew, Mags knew, and even Prim knew. We knew there was a possibility that we were going to die. But look at everything that's been accomplished. Of course I want nothing more to be there with all of you, but that would mean changing the past, and changing all of the good that came from our sacrifices."

His hand wiped a tear from my cheek. "Don't cry, Katniss. You've done enough crying in your lifetime."

I sniffled and wiped my eyes. My heart was throbbing.

"How is he?" Finnick asked quietly. "How's my boy, Katniss?"

I thought of little Finn with a smile. "He has your name. I was surprised that Annie named him after you. I thought it would be too painful of a reminder."

"Annie is a lot stronger than everyone thinks she is," Finnick protested adamantly. "She's just somewhere else sometimes."

I remembered Annie's far off stares during dinner and when we showed her the book.

"He looks just like you, Finnick. He has your eyes, and your smile. He doesn't have any teeth yet, but his hair is growing in nice and blonde. But he has Annie's disposition. He is very alert but very quiet. It was like he was watching all of us." I chuckled at a memory. "But when Peeta held him, he just kind of..came to life. He giggled a little bit, and it reminded me of you."

"Peeta's father material," Finnick commented. "He'd be the best father to your children, you know that, right?"

I nodded. "Of course he would be. I couldn't have children with anyone but him."

"But...?" Finnick prompted.

"But it's still too dangerous. Nothing lasts forever, not even peace."

"You're never going to enjoy yourself with that attitude, Katniss."

I sighed. "I know. I'm working on it."

Finnick chuckled. "What about my blushing bride?"

"Annie is...coping," I said. "You're right. She is strong. Little Finn is like her anchor, just like you were. Sometimes she looks so far gone that I think she's going to fly away, but then Finn will cry, or touch her face, and it's like she's a completely different person. He keeps her sane, now."

"Don't fly away, little sparrow, I'm right here." Finnick murmured. I arched an eyebrow.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing," Finnick said. "It's just something I used to say to Annie when she would go...somewhere else."

He bit his lip, and looked at me worriedly. "Do you think she'll find...someone else?"

My brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Little Finn needs a father, Katniss. Annie can't just live alone for the rest of her life."

I stepped away from him, outraged. "Finn has a father. His name is Finnick Odair, and he is possibly the bravest man I've ever met. Annie loved- loves- you more than anything. You will never, ever be replaced. Do you hear me?"

I could see tears glistening in Finnick's eyes. "Thank you, Katniss."

I stepped back towards my friend and he wrapped me tightly in his arms, and I squeezed him tightly. "Thank you so much, Katniss."

Finnick released me after a moment and wiped his eyes. "Now, go wake up. I'm sure Peeta's already awake and gazing at you lovingly as you dream about another man."

"Finnick!" I cried. He laughed, and for a second I saw the Finnick I knew before the Rebellion.

"You know I'm kidding, Katniss."

I rolled my eyes. I could already feel myself resurfacing.

"And Katniss?" he called.

"Yeah?"

There was a touch of sadness in his eyes, but he still smiled.

"Give my son a kiss from me?"

I bit my lip and nodded. "Of course."

My dream dissolved and my eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was Peeta's blue eyes staring at me. I chuckled at Finnick's accuracy.

"Good morning," Peeta said, leaning over to kiss me. I caressed his cheek, then pulled away and stood up.

"I'll be right back," I told him, and he nodded.

I slipped out of our bedroom and down the hall to where Annie was sleeping. Her bedroom door was slightly ajar, and when I peaked in I could see her asleep on the bed, with baby Finn tucked into the crook of his arm.

As if sensing my presence, Finnick's son stirred and sat up unsteadily. I slipped into the room with hunter's feet and crept to the edge of the bed. Finn gazed at me with bleary eyes .

Tentatively, I reached my arms out and brushed the hair on the top of his head. Finn reached out his arms for me, and without thinking I scooped him up.

His weight felt foreign in my arms. It had been years since I held a child- since Prim was an infant. But I tucked him into my arms with a tenderness that is not forgotten no matter how long it's been.

"Hi," I said softly. Finn stared at me, occasionally blinking. "Hi, Finn."

I cleared my throat. "I, um, I saw your daddy while I was sleeping. He was asking about you, and I told him how much you looked like him. It's unfair that you didn't get to meet him."

I sniffled, but continued. "He was so funny. He was always making everybody laugh. And he loved your mother more than anything. And he loves you, too. He loves you so much."

Finn let out a soft noise, and touched the side of my face. Eyes tearing, I bent down and pressed a gently kiss to his forehead.

He smelled just like Finnick- like saltwater and honey and sunshine.

Annie started to shift on the bed, and I could see her hands splay out, searching for her son. Quickly, I placed Little Finn back down on the bend, and she curled around him. I looked at them for a moment, then wiped my eyes and tiptoed back into my room.

Peeta was sitting up against the headboard, sketching. I crawled back under the covers and nestled into his side. He was drawing Baby Finn, when Peeta had made him laugh last night.

"Where did you go?" he asked me.

"To see Finn," I murmured against his chest.

"You did?" Peeta asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I did."

Peeta was quiet for a moment as he shaded into Finn's lips. "I'm glad you did."

I closed my eyes and smiled.

"Me, too."