6 Years, 2 Months

"Hey, can you help me with this?" Annie asked Finnick as she struggled to rip a particularly tough piece of tap. Finnick quickly took the roll of duct tape from her hands and ripped off a piece, jokingly kissing his bicep muscle.

They had spent most of the day beginning to pack, because they were planning on moving to their new home by the end of the week. By the time they had gotten home from their honeymoon, they had seriously committed to being homeowners, and with their fund already well underway and their credit good, they had easily gotten the mortgage.

"I think I might miss this place." Finnick said with a contemplative look around.

"What about it? The moldy bathroom or the off-white tiles?" Annie asked jokingly, while Finnick just sat down next to her, cross-legged and leaning against her.

"It was the first place where you ever said, 'Welcome, home'." He explained. "Unlike you, I have a tendency to feel nostalgic about things."

"You do have an amazing pair of rose-colored glasses sometimes." Annie agreed, as she filled up her box with books.

"I'd like to think I'm the romantic of the two of us."

"One of us needs to be." Annie said as she taped the previously mentioned box close, and he just squeezed her thigh.

"I would also like to say this was the place where you let me do all sorts of wild things to you. Though it will be great to make passionate love to you without having to worry about neighbors." Finnick hummed into her ear, she just batted off his hand with a chuckle.

"Right, right, of course." Annie said, before standing up, albeit a bit too fast. Vertigo hit her suddenly and she stumbled a bit, only to be caught.

"Woah. You okay, Ann?" Finnick said, as Annie steadied on her feet, the world still spinning a bit uncomfortably.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I just stood up a bit too fast." Annie explained, squeezing her eyes shut and blinking them back open and finding the dizzy spell mostly gone.

"If your not feeling well, you can just skip lunch with your friends, I'm sure they'd understand." Finnick told her, obviously a bit worried.

"No, no. I have to go. Don't worry. It's nothing." Annie reassured him, "Besides, I've been looking forward to seeing everyone."

"Alright, if you're sure." Finnick said, trying not to look concerned.

"Don't worry." She told him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I'm fine. Since when are you the worry wart?"

"As long as you're okay." Finnick said quietly, obviously letting her make the call. He gave her a quick peck on the top of her head as she went to go change out of her sweats and into something a bit more fashionable.

After the wedding, honeymoon, work, and with the entire hullabaloo that was finding a new home, she had scarcely been able to get together with her friends. She had seen them all around, said a few hellos, but she hadn't actually had any time to visit her friends. They had arranged a get together at their favorite restaurant, and were planning on a fun night out.

She hadn't been feeling her best the past couple days. Just being generally achy and a bit lethargic. She had found herself sleeping a bit later than usual, her stomach being off, and not being quite able to focus. It had been an extremely busy past couple of weeks, so she figured she had just come down with something as she tended to do during stressed times. Sometimes the best remedy was just getting out and doing something, so she gladly took the excuse to go out and give Finnick some peace and quite as he recovered from a hectic week at work.

She took a shower and blow-dried her hair, before changing into a pair of jean shorts, and a lightweight cream-colored blouse. In the muggy July weather, that sort of blouse was a prayer answered. She quickly accessorized with a pair of low-heeled platforms and bracelets, before hoping in the car to meet up with her friends.

Katniss's boyfriend Peeta had opened up a restaurant and bar, (Adorably named Everlark) which was enjoying very good commercial success. Peeta had filled the place with paintings, and retro decor leaving it a cool, trendy restaurant that the masses enjoyed. By the time she had rolled up, Katniss, Johanna, Delly, and Madge were already seated outside, sipping on strawberry daiquiris, pineapple mojitos, and long island ice teas.

"Annie-cakes!" Johanna called, and Annie chuckled as she sat down with them.

"Already drinking ladies?" Annie asked as Katniss gave a small smile.

"Peeta just hired a mixologist, so we were giving him a bit of a test run." She explained, "Want a strawberry daiquiri? I know it's your favorite."

Normally she would have said yes, but suddenly she was feeling a bit under the weather she turned down the drink instead for some water, as they put in their orders and waited for the food to come out. They had all generally agreed on Annie being the DD tonight.

"So tell me, how's married life Mrs. Annie Odair?" Delly asked, obviously interested before Johanna snorted.

"I bet the curtain's open and she's ready to divorce his ass." Johanna joked and Annie just chuckled.

"Besides the name change, there really hasn't been much that has changed." Annie explained, "I glad though, I didn't want anything to change."

"How about the honeymoon? I'm sure you crazy kids kept busy." Madge said, fluttering her eyes suggestively. Annie tried not to blush like Katniss was doing at that moment and instead cleared her throat.

"We had a great time, thank you for asking. The weather was really nice and we had a lot of fun exploring all of the areas around my Godmother's house. "

"Annie, you're literally no fun. What about the gritty sex facts? As your friend I cannot stand that you may be depriving us of important details!" Johanna half shouted, making Annie want to sink into the ground as multiple people stared at them as they passed by.

"If you have to know, yes, we did have sex, and it was very fine thank you." She said shortly, causing Johanna to break into laughter the other girls shared.

"Well, we've all been getting ready because it seems like marriage season has started." Delly said, giving Katniss a little nudge. In Katniss's defense, she looked as clueless as Annie did.

"Why do you say that?" Katniss asked, frowning while Delly rolled her eyes.

"Peeta looks ready to pop the question any day now. Duh." Delly said as if it was the most obvious fact in the world. Johanna and Madge nodded vigorously as Katniss turned as red as a tomato.

"That isn't-we're not- ugh." Katniss spluttered, which only increased their laughter.

"Listen, Brainless, just go with the goddamn flow why don't ya? You've got a luscious piece of Golden Boy ass in there, who also wants to get with you. So just let him get with you. Don't think about all of the what-if bullshit, just do it." Johanna said, stabbing her finger in Katniss's direction.

"Johanna Mason, dispensing life lessons at your expense since 1990." Annie said while taking a sip of water.

"Don't you be sassy with me, Annabel Cresta. I'm wise beyond my years. You might as well, slap a number on me and call me a Magic Eight ball."

"Oh I'm never sassy. Please, don't mind me, continue." Annie said with a hum, again taking another sip.

"Oh, food's here." Madge said, as a waiter brought all of their plates and put them down in front of them.

Annie had ordered the chicken francaise which came with garlic mashed, broccoli, and a slice of home made bread, and God did it look delicious. Peeta was possibly one of the best cooks she knew, and the chicken was wafting the scent of lemon and herbs. She took a bite, and groaned as the meat flaked off, juice and tender.

Another bite.

Another bite.

Suddenly the meat tasted strange in her mouth. Not just strange herb strange, but down right revolting. Her stomach turned, and she gagged and swallowed trying to keep the bile from erupting out of her throat.

"Annie, are you okay? You just went green." Delly asked concerned.

"I'm going to be sick!" She exclaimed, and suddenly a wastebasket was shoved in front of her face. Being unable to stop it, she vomited.

"Girl, are you okay?" Johanna asked concerned, quickly bending down by her to pat her back.

"My water…can I get my water?" She croaked, and Katniss quickly handed her the glass of water.

"Was the chicken bad?" Katniss asked concerned.

"No, no. I've been feeling ill. Must have the flu." Annie muttered, "Ugh. God, I hate throwing up."

"You should go home, Annie. If you're really not well." Madge said gently.

"I…I guess." Annie said, severely disappointed.

"Don't worry, Ann. When you're feeling better, we can go out again. Just focus on getting better. Are you okay to get home?" Delly asked, and Annie nodded.

"Yeah, just feeling really disgusting." Annie said, getting up and putting her money on the table. "I'm sorry, guys."

"It's okay. Just go home and rest up. Get Finnick to give you some good loving, that's always the best remedy." Johanna said, clapping her shoulder, and with a weak smile she left for her car.

Annie hated being sick. She hated the bone deep sense of weakness she felt. She hated the tiredness, and most definitely the nausea. She hated feeling as if she was being defeated. Annie always wanted to be doing something, whether it was working, going out with her friends, or reading a good book snuggled next to Finnick. With the lethargy that had overcome her, she felt listless, she felt useless. And more importantly, by trying to push herself to do something, she had actually gotten sick.

She was mortified, actually beyond mortified, and more than that she was frustrated. She just wanted to not be so ill anymore.

She got back to the apartments, and went straight through her door. Finnick sat up on the couch, holding a beer in one hand, a remote in the other, and a baseball game on the screen.

"You're home early. What happened?" Finnick asked and Annie hung her purse along side their jackets.

"I got sick." She answered shortly.

"Are you okay?" Finnick asked, setting down his beer. "Maybe you should lay down."

"I don't want to lay down, I'm so tired of laying down and doing nothing!" She snapped, suddenly infuriated at the sight of dirty dishes, Finnick's on the table. She grabbed them and brought them over to the sink, scrubbing them clean. "Goddamn it, Finnick! Why do you always leave your dirty dishes on the table! We aren't barbarians!"

"Stop freaking out. I was going to get them later." Finnick said with a snort. She slammed down the fork she was holding into the sink.

"I come home, sick, and all I see is you lazing around on the couch not even cleaning up your own stupid messes, of course I'm mad! I'm not your maid! Or did you just magically expect all of this to be cleaned up?" She said with a sarcastic snap to her tone, Finnick went a little red with anger.

"I never implied that! I'm sorry I left my plates on the table for five minutes." He said before hissing under his breath, "Damn, you'd thought I'd killed someone."

"Why do you always do this to me! You always just leave stuff around for me to take care of! I'm sick of it. Why are you so inconsiderate!" She shouted, and Finnick stood up.

"What is your problem?! You've been acting hissy all week!" Finnick shouted back, "Look, I'm sorry if I forgot to clean up after myself, but don't lecture me as if you're absolutely perfect or something!"

Annie, suddenly at the peak of all of her frustration burst into bizarre tears. She was suddenly sobbing so hard that she had to hold onto the counter for support as she nearly threw up again into the sink. Finnick was immediately at her side, a comforting hand on her lower back rubbing small circles.

"Annie, sh. Sh, what's wrong?" Finnick asked, totally concerned (if not confused) as Annie turned and buried her tear stained face into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She sobbed, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's okay. We all lose our tempers sometimes, it happens." He said, gently kissing her forehead, and then her lips. They stood like that for a few minutes, Finnick gently kissing her, his lips comforting hers with every warm press, but eventually by the way his hands wandered she could tell he was hoping for make-up sex.

Annie sighed and detangled herself from his arms.

"I'm sorry, Finn. I'm just not in the mood right now." She said quietly, touching his arm. "I'm just not feeling like myself."

"Yeah, I realized that when you started acting psychotic." He joked before asking, "What's wrong? Still got the flu?"

"I dunno. I've just been all achy, and feeling yucky, and my stomach's been off the past couple of days." She explained, sniffing and then turning back to the sink to attempt to fill up the dishwasher. Finnick smiled in understanding.

"Period problems? It's okay, I get it." Finnick said patting her arm.

Period problems.

Suddenly it hit her like a brick. The revelation came with such force that the breath was nearly knocked out of her and she dropped the pan, which clattered to the floor with a loud clang that nearly caused Finnick to jump out of his skin.

"Woah, Annie! You okay?" Finnick asked, but Annie had no time to answer him because she was desperately trying to count.

"What day was our wedding?" Annie asked, wracking her brain and counting on her fingers.

"The twelfth. Why? What's going-" Finnick started to ask, but only to be cut off as Annie held up her hand.

"I need you to shut up for a minute, Finnick." She told him, going over to the calendar, flipping through it, checking, double checking, triple checking, quadruple checking before releasing a harsh breath and muttering more to herself then to Finnick, "I'm late."

"Late for what? Annie, what's going on?" Finnick asked, confused, annoyed, and concerned.

"I'm late, Finnick. My period is late." Annie said with a bit of force. "As in, I'm going to go take a test right now."

Finnick's eyes went as wide as saucers as the weight of what she was saying just hit him with colossal force.

"Oh, oh, oh!" He said, a bit pale, "Yeah. Yeah, go do that."

Annie walked into the bathroom on legs that felt like Jell-O. She ripped open the box of tests (tests she had bought for precaution but had never actually thought of using) with trembling fingers, and before she lost the nerve she popped one open and took it.

She waited the agonizing few minutes until finally a pink plus sign appeared.

Pink plus. Positive. Oh God, I'm pregnant. Annie thought, her head spinning. It all made sense. The nausea, the aversions, the dizziness. It was all because she was pregnant. How could she have missed it? How could she have not known? How could she not know she was pregnant? Pregnant, pregnant with Finnick's-

Her hands immediately pressed over her stomach as a tidal wave of emotion crashed over her. She was pregnant. A baby was growing inside of her, another life; another person was inside of her. A baby made with Finnick, a baby created from their love. She couldn't hold back her sobs of terrified elation, and at the sound of her crying Finnick burst into the bathroom.

"Annie what is it-"

"I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant. Oh Finnick, we're going to have a baby." She said grasping his face and kissing him, not caring if she was an absolute mess. He kissed her back fiercely, hands on her hips. When she pulled away he was smiling a smile that looked as if it would split his face right in two.

"Oh my God. Oh my God, you're pregnant." He said, picking her up and spinning her, kissing her neck while he was at it.

"I'm sorry I was all weird."

"It's okay, it was because you're pregnant. Annie, we're going to have a baby!"

"That would be what being pregnant entails." Annie joked weakly as Finnick put her down.

"Don't go being sarcastic right now. Today's one of the happiest days of my life." Finnick laughed with a kiss so warm and sweet that she almost melted, before kneeling down and lifting up her shirt to kiss the flat plane of her stomach, before resting his cheek against it. "And you're the reason why, little Annie."

"How do you know it's a girl?" Annie asked, running her fingers through his soft curls.

"I don't. I don't care a single bit. It could be a Little Annie or a Finnick Jr., I don't care. I'll still love them just as much." He sighed, his arms wrapped around her waist before saying with a voice cracking with emotion, "I love this baby. I love our baby."

Annie had once heard somewhere that a man didn't become a father until his child was born. But the Finnick she saw right now was so in love that it brought tears to her eyes as well. Finnick was meant to be a father, it had always been a dream of his, she had known. Even though they hadn't exactly planned it, and maybe it wasn't a convenient time, but it didn't matter because when did convenience really matter? All that mattered was this, Finnick pressed against her, and the child lovingly nestled within her, between them. A child made of them, Finnick's baby, her baby, their baby.

"I love you." Annie whispered, kneeling down with him on the tile floor. "I love you so much."

He kissed her, a kiss sweeter than any other she had ever known.

Two days later she was in the practitioner's office with Finnick, who gently squeezed her hand every few moments. The door opened, and Dr. Lace (she preferred if her patients called her Dr. Cecelia) walked in, wearing a doctor's coat and carrying a clipboard. She sat down across from them in a rolly chair and smile.

"Well, congratulations. You are most definitely pregnant, Mrs. Odair." She said and Finnick gave a laugh and squeezed her hand, which she squeezed back.

"How far along am I?" Annie asked, and Dr. Cecelia flipped through her chart.

"Based on what you've told me and what your symptoms are, I'd put you at about 5 weeks. A loose estimation gives you a due date of about April 12th." Dr. Cecelia said before saying jokingly, "Now I have some questions I need to be answered, and they are just protocol. I'm not trying to interrogate both of you."

"Alright." Annie said with a small smile.

"Do you have any history of sexually transmitted diseases?" Dr. Cecelia asked.

"No."

"Chronic illnesses and drugs used to treat them?"

"I have GAD. I was on Prozac, but about a year ago I stopped the medication and have been successfully treated with therapy." Annie explained, and Dr. Cecelia nodded and wrote that down.

"Do anxiety and other psychological disorders run in your family?"

"Anxiety disorders and depression, yes." Annie admitted, feeling a bit defeated. Suddenly wondering if her faulty history would some day taint her beautiful baby.

"It's okay, Annie. That is fairly common, and knowledge is the key. Your child will have a much better chance if they do develop a disorder of successful treatment because you know." Dr. Cecelia said gently, Finnick rubbed her leg comfortingly. "Any drug allergies?"

"No."

"Drug use, drinking, or smoking?"

"No."

"Any genetic or chromosomal disorders within the family?"

"No."

"Have you recently had any infections, rashes, or viruses?"

"No." Annie answered and Dr. Cecelia nodded before turning to Finnick.

"Now how about you, Mr. Odair? Do you have any history of sexually transmitted diseases?"

"Nope." Finnick said a bit cheerfully.

"Chronic illnesses and drugs used to treat them?" Dr. Cecelia asked and Finnick shook his head. "Drug use, drinking, or smoking?"

"I had a…stint of unsavory behavior when I was fourteen and fifteen." Finnick said, clearing his throat. "Drank a lot, did pain killers, smoked pot, and engaged in general deviancy. No relapses for ten years though."

"Good to know." Dr. Cecelia said with a nod of her head. "Thank you for being honest. Any genetic or chromosomal disorders that run in your family?"

"No."

"Okay. Now, normally we don't have a prenatal appointment until you are about eight weeks, but since this was a surprise pregnancy I know you probably have questions you would like for me to answer. So please, go ahead." Dr. Cecelia said, leaning back, and Annie sighed.

"Yes, I'm not on any vitamins. Should I be prescribed for some?"

"Of course, it's hard for all women to get all the minerals and vitamins a growing baby needs. I'll prescribe you some prenatal vitamins, which you can pick up at your local pharmacy." Dr. Cecelia said, scribbling down something on her clipboard.

"How about what foods I should eat and what foods I should avoid?"

"Stay clear of deli meats, hot dogs, and pate unless steaming hot. As you probably know pregnant women have a much higher risk of listeriosis. Fish is very good for you because it has omega 3s, but make sure you are eating fish that doesn't have high mercury reading, so fish like tuna and swordfish might not be your safest bet. But try to get in the fiber, Vitamin D, and calcium. Also, make sure to exercise. Swimming would be my number one recommendation because it's low strain on the joints."

"Okay." Annie said with a nervous swallow, Dr. Cecelia reached out to grasp her hand.

"You're nervous, of course. I understand. I have three children of my own, and I felt nervous every single time. It's completely natural, and know that you can always call me if you have any other questions. Now how about you, Mr. Odair? Any final questions?"

"Um, how about sex?" Finnick asked hopefully and Dr. Cecelia smiled.

"You're fine all the way until her water breaks. However, be careful with oral sex not to blow in air, as rarely it could cause and air embolism." Dr. Cecelia said before crossing her legs, "If that's it, I'll see you again for your first-trimester combined screening."

So they left with a prescription in hand. They idly chatted as they went to the pharmacy, sang along to the stupid songs on the radio, but no matter what she did her hand always found it's way over her stomach, and Finnick's followed. The way he smiled at her, as if she had single-handedly made the world a fantastic place by simply existing made her nearly choke up. But maybe she was making the world better, because of the little child inside of her, a mesh-mash of everything her and Finnick would be coming into the world in a few months. Who knew what possibilities lay ahead for him? For them?

All she knew was that it would have never been possible without Finnick.

That night Annie lay in bed with Finnick spent and deliriously happy as he stroked the plane of her stomach with trembling fingers.

"You're so beautiful, Annie." He whispered against her sweat-damp skin. Annie hummed and met his lips in a kiss.

"I don't feel beautiful. I still feel yucky and sick."

"Well, you are beautiful. Our baby has the most beautiful mother on the face of the planet. Hopefully our little Annie looks just like you."

"If we are having a girl, we will not be naming her Annie. I am putting my foot down on that one." Annie said with a sigh as Finnick chuckled.

"If it's a boy, can we pretty please name him Finn Jr.?" He asked with giant puppy dog eyes. Annie rolled her own eyes in response.

"No. We are not naming our poor maybe-son Finnick Jr.-" She broke off in the middle of her sentence as Finnick licked her cheek and she tried to push him away and released a squeal of disgust. "EW! Finn-Finnick stop!"

"Aw, come on baby, you know you love me." Finnick laughed and Annie grabbed a pillow and brought it down on Finnick's head.

"I would love you a lot more if you weren't getting saliva on my face." Annie said wiping her cheek with her arm. Finnick burst out into maniacal chuckles that caused Annie to repeated bash him over the head with the pillow.

"Ow! Annie, stop!" Finnick said, grabbing one of his pillows and smacking her with it, causing her to hit back.

"No, you stop." Annie said and their spontaneous pillow war continued until Finnick pinned her down underneath him, both of them nearly choking on their laughter.

"We're…aha…going to be the best parents ever." Finnick said, wiping at the tears in his eyes. "I so cannot wait to embarrass my child at school functions." Finnick finished and Annie sighed.

"You are an overly excitable man-child." She informed him and he leaned down to kissed her as he lay down next to her.

"Of course, that's why you love me." Finnick said resting his chin on his hand with a goofy grin on his face.

"I love you for more reasons than that." Annie told him, and he smiled yet again.

"I love you too sweetums, and let's not forget you Finn Jr.!" He said kissing her stomach, but also licking it making her try to wiggle and claw her way out of his embrace.

"We are not naming our son Finn Jr.!"

DAH DAH! The pregnancy reveal chapter! (By some miracle this chapter is done on schedule) How will everyone else take the news? I guess we'll just have to wait until the next installment of the Baby Arch.

I'm guessing you guys already know that Annie and Finnick are having a boy. (I'm following canon…for at least the first one) And no, I am not naming their child Finn Jr. But, I am open to suggestions for names.

Citing the source www. pregnancy .com. Thank you so much for having so much useful information that I'll definitely be using in the near future.

Song of the week: Wonder by Emeli Sande

Question, do any of you actually listen to the songs I put as titles? If so, tell me if you think I have a strange taste in music.

Please review/fav/alert if you haven't already. This chapter is dedicated to my great fanfiction friend sohypothetically, thanks for being so encouraging and check out her fic Girls Night Out, which is basically the hilarious misadventures of Johanna and Co. (and tell her I sent you). Until next time~ OMGitsgreen