The next few weeks pass in a blissfulness that I can hardly describe. Even though Annie is forced to live in the hospital because of somewhat frequent relapses, she's still with me every second of every day.

She eats with me, walks with me, stands off to the side while they film more We Remember propos. I introduce her to Greasy Sae and Prim, show her my trident, and give her a complete tour of District 13.

Her favorite place is easily the Hummingbird room. She's fascinated by the small birds and spends hours watching them fly around while I spend hours watching her.

I hate to admit it, but I ignore everything except her. One of the nurses told me that Johanna is constantly high on morphling, and I don't want to deal with a Johanna on drugs when I can hardly deal with her normally.

Katniss had been harder to quit talking to, before she left for District 2, but I had a feeling that she probably wouldn't want me around. Prim told me the specifics about Peeta's hijacking, how they aren't sure he's ever going to get better, and I'm worried that seeing me happy and with Annie would just be rubbing salt in the wound. So I focus on Annie instead.

I don't think that I let her out of my sight except for when she's forced to return to the hospital, and even then I walk her there and back.

It's on one of those walks, when we're talking about Katniss and Peeta, that Annie mentions how much it looked like they love each other and how she hopes they can still get married.

That's when I realize it.

Snow no longer has control over me. There isn't an axe over anyone's throat anymore. I can marry her.

"Annie," I say, stepping in front of her and collecting her hands in mine. I open my mouth to say that we can get married, to tell her that we need to talk to Coin immediately, when I realize that she hasn't even agreed yet.

I take a deep breath and kneel down in front of her, looking up into her angelically beautiful green eyes.

"Will you marry me?"

Annie lets out a small gasp, her eyes widening dramatically, and asks, "Did you really think that through?"

I smile up at her and say, "I've been thinking it through for five years, Annie."

Tears fill her eyes, and she nods mutely, too choked up to speak.

A nod. Yes. She said yes. I am going to marry Annie Cresta. The notion is so unbelievable that I start laughing, and then Annie is laughing too. I stand up and sweep her into my arms, holding her and kissing her, and wishing that I'll never have to let her go.

…

Two days later, I'm sitting in the Hummingbird Room with Annie, having one of those perfect silent moments where it seems like time seems to sit still, when the door clatters open.

The interruption makes Annie jump up with fearful eyes, but it's only Fulvia standing in front of us. I put a hand on the small of Annie's back, and she leans into it, her tension easing away.

"Finnick, Annie," Fulvia says cheerfully, "I've been looking everywhere for you. I suppose that the first thing I should do is offer my congratulations. We've been discussing your engagement all day in Command."

I give her a surprised look. Coin is the only person who I've told, and that was to ask when a wedding would be possible. She'd just raised an eyebrow and said that she'd get back to me.

"You don't have a problem with him marrying me, do you?" Annie asks, voicing exactly what I was thinking. I don' t see any other reason that they'd be discussing it in Command. But how would it be bad for the rebellion? No. There's no way that they're going to keep me from marrying Annie.

"Oh, no," Fulvia laughs, and I release a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "We're all thrilled with it. But do you think that we could talk with the two of you? We have tons to discuss!"

I look to Annie, and she bites her lip. I know that she doesn't want to have a big discussion with a bunch of people she doesn't even know, but Fulvia is making it sound like they have positive news to tell us. I don't think that it'd be good for either of us if we refuse to go.

"We can go," she finally tells me softly. "Just don't leave me alone with them."

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Then Fulvia leads us down to Command, almost skipping with every step, looking like she wants to tell us something extremely badly but isn't allowed to.

There are about a dozen people sitting in Command when we get there, and almost every single one of them gets up to offer some type of congratulations. Coin is the only one who stays in her seat, her colorless eyes watching me so carefully that I'm not able to forget she's there, even above the cheering and handshakes.

After a few minutes, everyone calms down, and Plutarch stands up.

"Currently Katniss is in District 2, but we expect her to be back within the week. As soon as our Mockingjay returns, we are going to have a wedding."

I look at him in surprise. Is that all that he wanted to say? I would have waited for Katniss anyway. It would be the least that I could do for her. She's the main reason that the wedding is possible in the first place.

Plutarch continues, "Finnick, Annie, if it is okay with the two of you, we would like to make your wedding a district-wide event, and shoot clips of it to make into a propo."

My first instinct is to say no, that I want our wedding to be a private moment, with no one there except for our closest friends, that I don't want it to turn into some kind of weapon to use against the Capitol.

Then I realize what having our wedding broadcasted would do. It would show Snow just how little control he still has over me. It would show him that despite his best efforts, he hasn't been able to break me.

As for inviting everyone in the district, it would only be right. The people here have almost no reason to celebrate, and even though I'd never imagined my wedding being anything more than a small, private ceremony, I don't care if Snow himself is there as long as I get to share the moment with Annie.

"Are you okay with it?" I ask her gently, not even thinking about arguing with whatever her answer is.

She bites her lip and lets her eyes flash nervously to every person in the room before she nods and says, "I want everyone to be happy with me."

That logic makes me smile as I press, "And you don't care about the propos?"

"I don't care about anything as long as I can marry you," she whispers softly.

"Okay, then," I tell Plutarch, having all of the answer I need. "You tell us where to go, what to do. Neither of us care as long as we can be married."

He nods at us and smiles.

"Very good. I'm sure that this will be the most fun District 13 has had in a long, long time. And again, congratulations, Finnick. I mean it."

I lock eyes with him for a moment and think about how badly I hated him for not getting Annie out of the Capitol. Now that I'm thinking more clearly, I know that he was right, that it wasn't like he could have just barged in there and yanked her out. It would've been dangerous and stupid, and if they failed, things just would have been worse for her.

He didn't do anything wrong, not really. In all honesty, he's a big part of why I have enough freedom to marry Annie in the first place.

"Thank you," I tell him sincerely. "And, I'm sorry. About, you know."

"All said and done," he replies cheerfully. "Don't worry about it."

I nod at him, accept another round of congratulations from the people spread out across the room, and then Annie and I leave to go back to the hummingbird room.

A/N-

I hope it doesn't feel like I skipped ahead too much there, but as much as I love Finnick/Annie fluff, writing two weeks worth of it would get kind of old. Thanks for all of the awesome reviews for the last chapter, by the way.

~bballgirl32~