Author's note: I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update this. I got so bogged down in the angst of all this and I've been working on a bunch of fluffy stuff that this kind of fell to the wayside. I'm sorry. I'll try to update more often that once a month. Promise.

And if you want something a little more fluffy and are into either Glee or Bloodlines, go check out I Feel the Earth Move or Forever With You for a nice, large dose of sugary goodness. Or the Gale/Annie one-shot Surprise for Annie.

Happy reading!

Chapter Twenty-Five

Finnick sat down beside Haymitch as he watched a Capitol boy playfully chase after his sister with a plastic sword. Haymitch shook his head in disgust and turned to the young man beside him.

"I'm sorry about your girl." He said softly.

"I can't fault yours for what she did." Finnick sighed. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. The girl from Eleven is taking care of her."

"I'll do whatever I can to help her. She's strong and has a good face and voice to lead us."

"You're just as good-looking." Haymitch pointed out.

"I can't put my face out there. Too many Capitol people know me. Intimately."

"All the more reason for it to be you. They know you."

He shook his head. "If they help, they have to admit I was bought and paid for." He sighed and stood. "Speaking of, I was informed that now that I no longer have Tributes to look after, I have a client to see."

"My floor at midnight." Haymitch said softly.

"If I can get away." He sighed again. "You know, you could take the fall and pay for me like Jo does. I always give the money back. Not that she takes it." He stopped talking. "Never mind. You have your own image to protect." He walked away without another word.

A few minutes later, he was packing his things from his room to prepare to head to his apartment across the city. There was a knock on his bedroom door. He turned and saw Johanna and then went back to his work. "I wish I could go home." He said as he angrily stuffed his last bit of clothes into his bag.

"You're kind of going home." She pointed out, sitting on his bed.

"An apartment that's paid for with the money I get from fucking strangers?" He scoffed. "Yeah, that's home. So comfortable and just where I want to be." He threw his bag onto the floor and sat down beside her. "I have to go meet someone."

"I know."

He laid back and covered his face. "I'm tired of all this death. And my body being used for other people's fun."

Johanna leaned over him. "I can have anyone I want, and I very often do. But honestly, none of it matters. All my family is dead. You're the only friend I have Finnick. And I'd like it to mean something just once."

"Next time you pay for me, Jo, I'll do it. But you're not my client."

"I am, actually." She ran her hand down his chest. "I paid anonymously by letter. And with cash. I don't want to make Annie jealous. I know you love her. But you need to relax. And I'll let you relax with me."

"We were supposed to meet somewhere."

"Yes, we were. But let's just go back to your apartment and hide away for a couple hours. You need it."

He said softly. "That promise was an empty one."

She stood. "I knew it." She started pacing. "Can you just treat me like one of the others? For just an hour?"

He sighed and then nodded. "I never take clients to my place."

"And I don't have a fancy Capitol apartment."

"Annie is the only person I've ever made love to there and I'd like to keep it that way."

She considered it a moment and then nodded. "Okay."

"We should meet later on your floor."

She leaned against his door with a huff. "Finn, you are being difficult."

"I know. I'm sorry." He let out a long breath. "Let's go, then."

They stepped into the elevator and Johanna pushed the button for the seventh floor. She leaned into Finnick and kissed him hard on the mouth. He kissed back automatically, already falling into the mindset he went to with a client.

She forced her tongue into his mouth and he moaned in surprise as he stroked it with his own. She pushed him out the door when the elevator stopped on her floor and they stumbled into the wall. Johanna pulled at his clothes and he let her.

She pushed him through the door to her bedroom and down onto the bed as she undressed.

"You going to leave the door open?" Finnick panted from the mattress as he watched her.

"Why not?" She straddled him and leaned over him, her breasts brushing his chest. "I like people to know when I'm having a good time. Make them jealous." She covered his mouth with hers again and rocked her hips down to meet his. She moaned, "Let's get these pants off."

"Jo, can we slow down?"

"I'm the client. Don't I get the say?"

"You're also my friend." He panted and moved out from under her. He closed the door and then finished undressing at a slightly slower pace. He held onto the strap of his underwear for a moment before he pushed them down. He stepped out of them and walked toward her.

"Hm." She nodded. "Impressive." She reached out and touched his chest. "Lay down with me." She moved the blankets aside and then stretched out.

"You are very bossy." He lay down beside her. "I'm guessing you like to be on top. So go for it."

"I like a little foreplay."

"Of course you do." He spat.

"If this is going to be too hard for you, then just forget it." She flopped onto her back.

"I'm sorry." He rolled on top of her. "What do you want me to do?"

She watched him, combing her fingers through his hair. She pulled him down and kissed him softly. She smiled. "Close your eyes."

"Jo—"

"Do it, Finn."

He stared at her a moment and then did as she requested.

She kissed him again. She took his hand and placed it on her breast. "Picture Annie."

"Not so easy." He said through gritted teeth.

"Because I'm talking. I'm not going to say anything else. My body's not too different."

"Your body is completely different." He leaned down and found her mouth clumsily with his eyes still closed. He moved his mouth down and gently kissed her flesh.

She sniffed. Finnick's eyes snapped open he looked up sharply. She was crying.

"Jo?" He asked gently.

"Stop." She looked away. "That's enough."

"Johanna," he leaned over her, "Tell me what's wrong."

"Everything." She said softly, refusing to look at him directly. "No one's ever touched me like that."

He pushed hair away from her face. "I'm sorry. You deserve it."

She turned her eyes to him finally. "You think so?"

He smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"I changed my mind." She pushed him away. "Use my phone and call Annie." She got up and dressed.

"Do you hate me, Jo?" Finnick asked as he started dressing.

She shook her head. "I hate myself."

He nodded. "I know that feeling." He sat down on the bed and looked at the phone.

"I'll get us something to eat." Johanna left the room and he was left with the silence. He picked up the phone and dialed Annie's number all the way in District Four.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded thin.

"Hi, baby." He said softly.

"Finnick." She sighed. He could hear the relief on her voice. "I've been watching. I know you told me not to, but I have been. I'm sorry for what's happened."

"Me too." He said softly. "I, um…If you watch anything else, baby, you're going to see me with Johanna."

"Should I be jealous?" Her tone was light.

He chuckled. "No, I only have eyes for you, Ann. You know that."

"That better be true." She warned playfully.

He chuckled. "I like it when you're like this."

"Like what?"

"Joking with me. You can be so dark."

"I hate it in the dark." She answered in a whisper.

"I hate you there too."

"You've made me better, Finnick."

"You make me better, Ann." He answered, reclining on the bed. "I wish you could be here."

She sighed. "I just want you home. When are you coming home?"

"As soon as this thing's over, I'm on the first train back to you." He promised.

"I'll be waiting where I always wait."

"Good. I love you."

"I love you too."

He hung up the phone and stared at the ceiling. He imagined Annie beside him, her head resting on his chest and her fingertips moving lightly over his stomach as she traced his muscles.

"Are you going to stay in here all day?" Johanna asked from the doorway.

"Sorry." He sat up. "We should make an appearance."

She nodded. "But let's eat something first."

"I think Katniss has what it takes." Haymitch pointed out.

"But she'll risk everything for Peeta." Cinna pointed out.

"I know. I'm trying to think of something."

"Maybe you can talk Seneca Crane into bending the rules." Finnick suggested.

"Bending them how?" Haymitch asked.

"Remind him that everyone loves the underdog. Twelve hasn't had a Victor since you and didn't have one before you. And there's another district that still has two. Maybe there can be two Victors if they are the last two of their district. Seneca likes telling a good story. And everyone is enamored with the Starcrossed Lovers of District Twelve."

"I think I can make that work." He sat back and steepled his fingers as he considered it.

"You just have to hope Snow doesn't make him change his mind." Johanna said snidely.

"If I can convince him to do it right that moment, then Snow won't do anything. Well, not right away."

"If anything happens to Seneca as a result, he deserves it." Johanna said. "Too many kids have died because of him. And he's like the rest of them. None of them care about us, just the Games and entertaining the masses." She looked to Haymitch. "We can start to convince the people that it would be a lovely twist just this once to give them a chance to win together."

"You're not usually so sentimental, Johanna." He pointed out.

"I'm sentimental if one less kid can die." She stood. "I'm done with all of this. You know what you're going to do. I'm going to bed." She left.

Everyone stared at her retreat in silence.

After a few moments, Finnick said softly, "She's right. Two Victors means only twenty-two have died." He got up and followed his friend out of the room.

He caught her at the elevator. "Jo?"

She ignored him until they were both inside the elevator and riding down to the seventh floor. "I just want this all to be over with. And I want them to pay."

"I do too." Finnick said, slipping his hand into hers. "And they will. I'll personally see to it that they pay for what they did to Annie."

"What about the rest of us?"

"My revenge is for Annie." He stepped off on her floor and they went to her room. "If you want it to be for everyone else, then you do it for them."

"I'm taking my own revenge. For me. For my life. For my family." She undressed and got into bed. "Come here beside me."

He undressed and slipped in behind her, wrapping her in his arms.