Notes: This chapter is gifted to BaronessKika - whose birthday was 2 months ago- and to InLoveWithClatoLove. Thank you thank you thank you to sohypothetically for the beta work! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter, this has a second part to it that i'll be tackling after I finish up my Odesta, Odashmere entry for streetlightlove's charity event Stories to Save Lives. You can preview my teaser here. Enjoy!

"Daaad! Annnie! Marvel just texted, he said they're heading to the hotel, I'm going to go pick 'em up okay?" Noah calls from the front door as he slips on a pair of sandals and shoves a pair of his Dad's sunglasses into his back pocket. Opening the door and taking a step out onto their snowy porch when the sound of a clearing throat stops him in his tracks. Shit.

Slowly turning towards the culprit, Noah finds himself towering over Annie whose those crisp, teal eyes pierce him. He may be six feet tall now but he's still intimidated by the intensity in his stepmother's stare and the 'who do you think you're fooling?' rise of her eyebrow. Where he has succeeded in convincing his father of his sense of responsibility, Annie isn't as willing to let him off the hook just yet, he is only sixteen after all.

"I'm just going to go pick them up, I'm not even really getting out of the car so I don't need boots or a jacket. If anything, are you okay to be outside without a coat?" Noah says frantically, staring down at her swollen belly. All it earns him is a snort.

"Maggie and I won't get sick that easily." she smiles at him.

"You're sure?" Noah's loved his baby sister from the moment they told him Annie was pregnant.

"Yes." Annie rolls her eyes. "You are no doubt your father's son."

Noah shrugs sheepishly.

"Before you leave, is there anything you're forgetting?"

"I already told you I don't need-"

"That's all well and good but I don't think you'll be able to get there without these." Annie shakes her head as she drops the car keys in his hand. Flushing, Noah averts his gaze from his stepmother to the car before leaning down to kiss her cheek and patting the enlarged baby bump.

"Drive safely," she turns back into the house closing the door gently behind her as Noah skips down the stairs and slides into the driver's seat of his father's new Audi. The crisp, fresh smell of the black leather has Noah sinking into the unmolded seat as his fingers ghost over the course ridges of the tightly wrapped mesh of the steering wheel. Nineteen more months and he'll have a luxury car of his own, as long as his Mom keeps her word.

Backing out onto the street, Noah straddles the speed limit up until he pulls into Clove's driveway. She waits for him, bundled on the front steps like it's minus forty, even though it's barely below zero.

Slipping into the passenger seat, Clove rips her gloves off her fingers and wraps them beneath Noah's jaw, catching wisps of the hair hugging the nape of his neck before melding their mouths together in a molten kiss. Grasping the front of her jacket, he pulls her over the divider, sweeping the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips coaxing them open with ease. She tastes like peppermint.

The vibrations of his cellphone in the cup holder jolt them apart. Settling back in her seat, Clove buckles up as Noah types back to his half-brother that he's on his way.

"Hey there." Clove coos as she weaves her fingers through his while he travels towards the highway.

"Hey yourself." A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, his hand grips hers. "How'd the game go this afternoon? Sorry I couldn't make it."

"Don't worry, all you would have seen is Rosy single-handedly kicking the other team's ass as I sat there warming the bench. No big deal."

"Yeah, she told me." Noah glows with pride, a a grin breaking out onto his face. Many had their doubts, Noah included. Rosy's hard work, allowed her to prove her worth. With her sinewy arms and petite stature, she was the underdog to make the cut for the Ringette team. "I can't don't believe that she actually got the ring to ricochet off the other goalie's skate and into the net. Her handling isn't that good yet."

"It was an accident. The goalie was anticipating Rosy'd get it in the left corner but she well...she missed... and it hit the girl's skate instead."

"I knew it! Rosy owes me lunch." The car swerves from his excitement. Clove gasps as Noah straddles the left lane before he maneuvers the car back to the center.

"What are you trying to do, get us killed!?" she pants with wide, wild eyes.

"Sorry!"

"You better be." Clove side-eyes him before staring out at the black tar of the highway splashed in headlights. The hum of the car fills the gaps in their silence until she decides with a huff to turn on the satellite radio. Making them both erupt into laughter as The Wheels on the Bus pumps through the speakers.

"S-seriously, Noah?" Clove laughs.

"Dad must have been in the car with Annie. Since they found out that Maggie can hear in the womb they've been pretty adamant about playing music for her. I catch my Dad talking to her sometimes."

"That's really sweet," Clove gushes as Noah gives a noncommittal shrug. "Do you think he talked to you too?"

"Mom told me he would talk to me all the time. He would ask me questions, make me wish him luck on finals." Noah grips the steering wheel tightly, his turquoise eyes narrowing intensely as he watches the dark road. "She said it was one of the few times they could actually be in a room together and not get into an argument."

"...that's not true."

"How would you know?" His eyes snap towards her, teeth clenched. The fear swimming in her brown eyes has Noah relaxing against the back of the seat and turning back towards the road.

"I-I asked Gwen," she stammers. "She said she actually enjoys dinner when your Dad is around." Of course Clove would ask Gwen. They've been friends since Noah introduced his half-sister to his girlfriend.

Noah shrugs. Five more kilometers until their exit.

Silence fills the car again while Clove flips through the stations trying not to land on one that's playing Katy Perry or Bruno Mars.

"Do you think your Mom will change her opinion about me?" Turning off the satellite and scanning through the regular radio stations, she settles on the Alternative Rock station. Maybe they'll get lucky enough to hear the DJ call someone at home from work.

"I can't make any promises."

Clove rolls her eyes. "Thanks for being comforting, Noah."

"What? Look..." He sighs, weaving their hands back together and touching a kiss to the back of her hand. "Of course I want her to like you and it's not like I haven't tried to convince her, but she's stubborn. She probably doesn't think anyone is good enough for me."

"She seems to like Rosy well enough." Her voice has an edge as Noah squeezes Clove's hand tightly. He refuses to say anything more as he takes the off ramp, the hotel visible in the distance.

Noah wouldn't call "well enough" a good approximation of how much his mother actually adores Rosy. Part of it may have to do with he and Rosy having been friends since before she could walk, but he's more certain it's because Rosy's much more polite and girlish than Clove. He's been told this appeals to his Mom's sense of proper etiquette since she became a Victoria's Secret model fifteen years ago.

They drive up into the hotel parking lot to find a slew of paparazzi and gossip columnists climbing over each other to fit through the sliding doors of the building. His Mom must have arrived.

Dreading his Mom's less than stellar reaction to the invading paparazzi, Noah rounds the corner, parking in a spot closest to the back. He slips on the pair of sunglasses while Clove pushes her hands back in her gloves and pulls her hat over her eyes. Maybe he should have worn a jacket and boots, no doubt these intrusive barbarians will want his picture too.

Forcing his way through the blinding, flashing lights with Clove's hand securely in his, Noah catches sight of his Mom and Marvel as they set foot out of the elevator. She may look casual in her jeans and cashmere sweater, with her blond hair tied back in a neat ponytail, but he knows that she probably took hours getting ready.

"Mom," Noah says just loud enough for that ponytail of hers with the glimmering scrunchy to whip around her neck. A radiant smile graces her lips before they fall into a scowl. He's unsure if it's because she's spotted the swarm of journalists that rush towards them or if it's Clove standing behind him.

Marvel is the one to greet him first, dropping his suitcase to the ground and pulling Noah into a bone crushing hug. For a thirteen year old, he's strong. "Aw man, it's good to see you! I've got a really great story to tell you. It's about Glim-"

"Cashmere! Cashmere!" one over-eager journalist calls as they roughly push past Noah, sending Marvel to the ground. "Is it true about your daughter, is she really expelled from Brentwood? Where is she now? How are you and your husband taking it?" With the microphone an inch from her hollow cheeks, it gives Cashmere little room to squeeze herself out of the mob of cameras.

Noah watches in awe with how calm and cool his mother remains as more reporters shout her name, demanding answers he knows she's unwilling to give. Lowering the Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses to the tip of her nose, her eyes reflect ice into each of the camera lenses.

"Would you all step back, I'd like to leave please," her voice is as rich as flowing caramel yet commanding like a sergeant. Offering a smile to the press as their swarm dissolves, the click of her heels and the rolling of the suitcase in her hand resonate loudly all the way to the automatic doors. She turns back only to raise a perfectly shaped eyebrow in Noah's direction.

"If I had any idea of where you parked, I would be there by now," Cashmere says crisply.

"Right! Of course" Noah runs to catch up. It'd be nice if his family could be scandal free for a day.

"So, what's with the other suitcase? You moving in or something?" Noah inquires, eyes focused on the road while Clove sits beside him in the passenger seat texting rapidly, a grin on her face. Must be Glimmer. Noah doesn't see his girlfriend smile that brightly when talking to anyone but he or his half-sister.

"It's for the baby," Cashmere nonchalantly twirls a piece of hair framing her face. "On your father's last business trip up to L.A. we spent one afternoon going through Glimmer's baby outfits looking for things he and Annie might like for Maggie." his mother smiles with her pearly white teeth.

"Thanks Mom," Noah says, smiling back at her through the rear view mirror. "I'm sure Annie will love it."

"Your Dad is certain she will, particularly because these outfits don't have any rhinestones on them," She winks.

"Is that how Gwen got nicknamed Glimmer?" Clove's head perks up, chiming in. Cashmere turns to stare pointedly at the painfully oblivious girl, her crystal eyes narrowing.

The comment was harmless curiosity, but Noah can feel his Mom simmering behind him; cursing Clove's ignorance in her head.

"Hm, that would be right," His mother answers Clove much to Noah's shock, "So, you're Clover, right? The girl dating my son?"

"Clove, actually. And yes, I'm dating No-"

"Uh. I could have sworn Gwen told me he was dating someone else now," Cashmere clicks her tongue. "Such a shame you're name isn't Rosy, I would've had a personalized bracelet for you."

Running a hand through his thick dark hair, Noah lets out a heavy sigh. Over the better part of a month he had made a point of requesting, during their multitude of Skype chats, that he wanted his mother to be kind to Clove even if she ended up not approving. However, his mother can't seem to manage even that!

Reaching for Clove's shaking fist, he unfurls her fingers and wraps them around his like algae to an anchor. Noah doesn't have to be looking at her to see the glistening of frustrated tears in her eyes. He'd like nothing more than to take her in his arms, hold her close and, whisper how beautiful he thinks she is, how lucky he is to have her in his life. But they are in the car, still a ways away from his house, so the best he can do is bring her hand to his lips.

"I love you," he whispers, the wool of her gloves muffling the sound. She doesn't need to return the sentiment for the knot to loosen in his stomach and for his heart to warm: her smile is more than enough.

When Noah's teal eyes flicker to the rear view mirror as he turns down his street, he catches the condemning look in his mother's frigid stare. The courage he once felt dissipates in wisps, letting fear seep through the pores in of skin and settle in his nerves. A cataclysm of cackling fills his head as Cato Bosch's smug brown eyes dance with delight. Shaking his head, Noah wills the image away but trickles of laughter remain.

"You okay?" Clove's voice calls him back. Soaking in the surroundings of his driveway and the well-lit front porch, Noah gasps for a breath as he feels his heart pounding a mile a minute.

"Noah?" she calls again. Finally able to regulate his breathing, Noah kisses the worry from Clove's lips before plastering on the best smile he can. It was tactic his father taught him, seamless of merit, until now.

"Daaad, Annie! I'm back!" Noah calls, dropping his mother's suitcase in the front hallway. Disregarding the baggage, he rushes through the house and up to his bedroom, in desperate need of socks and a sweater. Rounding the corner on the second floor, he plows right into his father, who appears as to have just risen from a nap.

"You're back," Finnick says, adjusting his dark framed glasses on his nose. "I didn't hear you come in."

Noah scrutinizes his father; eyeing the sloppy sweats, bedraggled hair lacking its usual gel and his sockless feet. "Dad...you can't have dinner like that. Mom's going to kill you."

"Your Mom won't give two shits that I'm even there, let alone what I wear," Finnick says sharply.

"Sorry." Noah's eyes flicker to his bare feet.

Finnick runs a hand through his hair tiredly, "No don't be. You're right. Annie's going to be unimpressed if I go to have dinner without at least a pair of underwear on."

Noah scrunches his nose. Pushing past Finnick, he crawls over the mountains of laundry - dirty and clean - as well as textbooks and school work. Smelling the mounds of laundry for exactly what's clean, Noah catches the hint of a sigh float through the air.

Casting his gaze up, Noah sees his father's attention is focused on the Canucks poster above his bed. Noah catches sight of the red tint rimming Finnick's swollen eyes hidden carefully behind his glasses.

"Dad…" Noah's voice takes on a crisp, authoritative tone, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"It's about Mom isn't it? I thought the two of you put your differences aside and finally agreed to be friends." Noah tries to keep his voice even. "I don't want to go back to being the only kid in this family who can't have a meal with their parents!"

"It won't come to that, again, I promise," Finnick says sincerely.

"Then what's wrong? Grandma die? Aunt Penny back in the poor house? Annie have another one of those irrational pregnancy episodes?"

Finnick shakes his head, as if to clear a discomforting thought. "Can you take Clove home before dinner? There's something I'd like to discuss with just the family."

"I've been dating her for three years, Clove is family," Noah says curtly. "Whatever you can say to us you can say to her."

Finnick watches his son, sternly. "If this were anything less important, I wouldn't care one way or another. However, I'd rather not have her go home and gossip about it with her mother."

The cogs in Noah's brain whirl to decode his father's intention. With years of practice, he can read his dad almost as well as his dad can read him. He continues to sift through possibilities when a cry of garbled frustration comes from downstairs from none other than Clove.

Alarmed, Noah rushes down to see Clove seething from she stands in the living room. Marvel and Annie stand as if they are deer in headlights, while his mother looks down with a frigid gaze at Clove.

Noah doesn't ask. No one speaks up to tell him.

"H-how about we head into the kitchen? My Dad should be down any moment. He just had to change." The boy offers a smile, grabbing a hold of his girlfriend's petite shoulder and forcing her to walk towards the kitchen.

"It'll be nice to see him in fresh clothes," Annie says, smiling at Cashmere. "Finnick can be such a mess sometimes. Does Caius ever have those days?"

Cashmere glances at Annie before her gaze falls to her manicured nails. And now she's brushing off Annie? Clenching his fist, Peeta taught him that to control great waves of anger is to count backwards from twenty. His coach encourages him to smash the other kid into the sideboards.

"Even messy looks neat on Caius, he's by no means a sweatpants kind of guy. Unless he's participating in a recreational sport." Cashmere looks up, a fond smile gracing her lips as she takes a seat at the kitchen table. "That's what I like about your husband, Annie. He knows how to wind down."

"It's nice, the glasses are my favourite touch," Annie says, falling into the seat beside her.

"They give him a tinge of sophistication," Cashmere adds.

Noah feels a long breath push itself from his lungs, but uneasiness settles in his stomach as he looks back at the table. He's seen his father distraught often over their sixteen years together, many times the distress brought on tears; but not quite like this. Even Cashmere hasn't brought on this kind of uncertainty. What could he possibly need to say that has him so spooked?

Taking the dishes out of the cupboard, he grabs enough for five places at the table. If his father wanted a family dinner, then they can have a family dinner.

"Noah, darling, aren't you forgetting a place setting?" Cashmere asks as she folds napkins in half and places them next to each plate. Her blue eyes glow with curiosity as she folds a sixth napkin and puts it down on the winter themed placemats Annie bought.

"Dad suggested I take Clove home…"

"After dessert." Finnick smiles, a hand resting on his son's shoulder before giving it a gentle squeeze. Noah doesn't have to give his father a look in order for an answer to roll off the man's shoulders.

Running across the room, Noah grabs the cutlery as Clove grabs the missing plate. Taking their seats beside one another, he finds her hand beneath the table and squeezes. He'll have to tell her later just how big a step they're taking.

In his moment of euphoria, his mother's bitter stare slips through what he thought were seamless cracks. Why couldn't she just let go already?

Finnick serves large spoonfuls of stew on white rice but they don't take their first taste until Marvel falls into the seat beside his mother.

The stew is every bit as mouth-watering as when Peeta serves the dish at Thanksgiving. Having made it all from scratch, there is a degree of freshness that the Odairs' couldn't replicate. Marvel and Clove's sounds of delight and praise doesn't break the heavy silence and spark idle chatter. Clove's vibrating phone sounds as if it were a fog horn.

"Do you need to answer that?" Noah asks, scraping spoonfuls of lamb and rice off his plate and eagerly into his mouth.

"No, it's alright. They can wait." Clove smiles sweetly leaving the phone to vibrate on and off every couple minutes. Whoever is trying to get a hold of her needed to badly.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, answer your phone and tell the boy that's calling you're not ready to rendezvous yet," Cashmere sneers.

Clove's body becomes rigid, eyes wide and teeth bared as she appears ready to pounce and sink her nails into Cashmere's face, "How dare you accuse me of cheating on my boyfriend. For all you know, my parents could be calling."

"Please, I practically invented the bullshit you're sprouting." Cashmere rolls her eyes. "You've been attached to your phone since the car ride, there is no way you aren't expecting whoever it is."

"I wasn't expecting a call at all," Clove seethes.

"Then how do you know that whoever it is could have waited?" Cashmere goads, tossing her spoon onto her half full plate.

Much like when he was a child, Noah wants to run up to his room, dig his teddy bear out from a box beneath his bed and curl under his blankets. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. Why was she doing this? Why couldn't she not antagonize someone for one day?

"Go on, sweetheart. Tell us who demands you suck their dick while you're having dinner with your boyfriend and his parents." she watches with satisfaction as Clove begins to sweat in her search for the right words.

"N-noah," Clove's voice shakes, cheeks wet with tears while her small hand reaches out to him. "Cato and I are just friends. I'm not cheating on you."

Cato. Had to be him didn't it? Had to be the one person who relentlessly and creatively found ways to break him, making him feel like the worthless, illegitimate child of two irresponsible college kids. And once they started playing hockey for the same team, Noah felt what it was really like to break. He knew all the nurses in Emergency by name now.

Nausea bubbles and rests in the back of his throat, threatening to burn its way along the walls. Pushing back from the table, Noah madly dashes for the washroom when the simple act of breathing no longer controls the urge to retch.

"Couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?" Finnick spits.

"What was I supposed to do, let his girl walk all over him? Where's his sense of pride, Finnick," Cashmere snarls back .

Finnick counts to ten before he, too, leaves the table. Stomping along the hallway and up the stairs until the sounds of gagging, erratic breathing and the toilet flushing reaches his ears. Upon approaching he sees that the boy has his back against the bathtub staring up at the dome of a light fixture.

Sliding down beside him, Finnick feels Noah startle at the sudden company. All it takes is a lopsided smile and a pat on the knee for his son to erupt with tears.

"I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have brought Clove to dinner. I should have taken her home when you asked. I knew it wouldn't work out, Mom was already giving her a hard time in the car. I don't know why I thought I could change her mind."

"Because you're her son and you thought she'd do anything for you." Finnick rests his cheek against the dry, frayed ends of Noah's hair. " Unfortunately, her real face came out."

"I-Is that how she used to talk you?" Noah's speech falters as he wipes his tears away with his thumb.

"Not quite," Finnick says, flatly. "She's a lot nicer to Clove."

They sit in silence while the hum of low voices, the slam of the front door, and the rushing water from the kitchen sink fills the emptiness. The din of routine lulls Noah's mind, racing heart, and churning stomach into an acceptable calm, giving him room to think before he speaks.

"You didn't like me dating Clove, did you?" Noah finds his words, eyes overflowing with heartache. "You'd have preferred Rosy, too, right?"

"I didn't like it when my parents told me who I could and couldn't date. I was implementing what I would have liked to hear from my parents at sixteen," Finnick says after a beat.

"Could you just answer a question straight for once?" Noah chides impatiently.

"I think you would have more fun with Rosy in the long term. She wouldn't pressure you, let you do things at your pace."

"Yeah...yeah, she would." Noah smiles gently.

"You bounce back quickly don't you," Finnick laughs, nudging his son in the ribs. "That's my boy."

"Shut up." a flush crawls on Noah's cheeks. "I'm not interested in pursuing Rosy, it was just a question."

"Okay, whatever you say." Finnick raises his hands defensively as he lifts himself from the spot on the floor. "I support whatever decision you wanna make, just if you don't think Rosy's the girl for you, make sure you let her down easy."

"Dad!" Noah rises to his feet too quickly wavering as the blood rushes to his head. Latching onto his father's outstretched arms, he steadies instantly. "It's far too soon. I don't even know if I like her like that, or if she like likes me either."

"Oh, she does. Girl's had it bad for you for as long as I can remember." Finnick smirks as he pads down the hallway towards the staircase. "So proud you've got your old man's sensational charm."

"Way to be humble," Noah rolls his turquoise eyes as he steps in the opposite direction before pivoting to face his father.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Wasn't there something you wanted to tell us?"

Finnick blinks once, twice, before the corner of his mouth curls up as his eyes shine. "We'll talk about it later, just go and relax with Marvel. You've got a big day tomorrow."

"I know but …"

"Really. It's fine. I should tell Annie first anyways, she's gonna have the final say after all," Finnick says, voice fading as he descends the stairs one step at a time until he reaches the main level. A tumbleweed passing through a ghost town would be louder than the hallway. Until the whistle of a kettle pierces through the silence and startles him.

"Annie," Finnick peers into the kitchen and dining room only to find her stretched out on the suede sofa watching some inane entertainment show. Her eyes, heavy with exhaustion lift to meet his. Four more weeks until she can get a couple nights of satisfying sleep.

Flopping down beside her, Finnick doesn't think twice about swinging his arm around her shoulders and drawing her in to use his chest as a pillow.

"Where's Catherine?"

"She left with Marven while you were talking to Noah," Annie mumbles as her body threatens to shut down in slumber. "Went back to the hotel. Said she'll meet us at the arena in the morning."

"Cath say why?" Holding her close and listening to Annie's shallow breathing Finnick assumes his wife has fallen asleep before finishing her explanation.

"Thought you and Noah could use some space."

"Ah. And Clove?"

"Left after Noah did, Cato was waiting outside for her in the driveway." Annie hums around a yawn, "How is Noah doing?"

"As well as he can be."

"You shouldn't have let her handle it," Annie says, cuddling in closer to her husband. With her belly protruding as if it were a basketball, she can't get as close as she'd like.

"She needed to let out some of her aggression. There's been a lot on her mind lately," Finnick trails off.

"Like?"

The inane program captures his full attention, or so he'd like Annie to think, but she knows him better than that. The way his teeth bite half of his cheek and he fiddles with right arm of his glasses speaks volumes. He's thinking about the answer, trying to tread carefully.

"Like?" Annie presses.

"Gwen's not in school right now. There was a mishap and they have to figure out how to get her back in school. Caius agreed to take some time off to help sort it all out, so he had Octavia send me an email..."

The rustle of clothes and the shift of weight on his body alerts Finnick's attention back to Annie, whom is much more awake then she was a moment ago.

"Did he let you go?" Annie asks, barely above a whisper.

"A temporary leave of absence was one option. The other, a transfer out to Los Angeles to work out of the main office for the next six months," Finnick doesn't cower, staring right into Annie's eyes he watches carefully for any sign of what she is thinking, but the blue-green irises swirl with nothing but their own colour. Her lips stretch in a tight line and she doesn't blink. Her current state is more terrifying than when she opens her mouth in one of her hormonal spats.

"Annie…"

The television turns off unexpectedly makes him jump and in the split second that his eyes dart to the TV, Annie is out of his lap and pacing towards the stairs. She stops just before the first step, dark, flowing hair whipping around her neck as she stretches out a hand to him. Rushing towards her, he scoops her up in his arms and plants a rough kiss on her.

"You're not mad?"

"Not at you." She places another kiss to his lips once they reach the second floor landing. "But we'll talk about that in the morning."

Finnick grins as Annie guides him into their bedroom. He closes the door behind them, letting the latch catch softly. Neither bother to lock the door, trusting that neither Noah nor Marvel will need them at any point in the next ten minutes. This leaves Annie to slip out of her constraining outfit and into her nightgown with Finnick watching her.

His eyes settle on the baby bump the moment Annie's shirt falls to the ground. Finnick would be lying if he said he wasn't excited: four more weeks and he'll be a father of two. A much wiser and prepared father of two. A father to a child who will never be pulled this way and that by the law or by bullies. A father to a child who will look in the mirror and never have to wonder which features may have belonged to her mother. Nothing will change how much Finnick loves his son, but he doesn't want to see Maggie hurt like Noah. Which makes his decision that much harder to make.

Annie slips the nightgown over her head and it drapes over Maggie drawing Finnick's eyes back to her exhausted face. She crawls on top the cream-coloured sheets and pats the empty space beside her.

Every night for the last six months, he's talked to Maggie lovingly, told her how much he loves her and wants her, until Annie forces him to stop before she starts to cry. He offers the unborn child sweet dreams before placing a kiss to the peak of Annie's belly then to her mouth. Tonight is no different.

"Annie," he calls tangling his fingers into the wisps of her hair as she places her head down onto his chest.

"Hm?"

"Do you think we could survive off our savings for six months?" Finnick asks softly, sea green eyes making constellations in the popcorn ceiling.

"I think we could live off current savings long into retirement," Annie mumbles. "But right now you need to put your head on the pillow and listen for the crashing waves. Feel for the warmth of the hot, Miami sun on your cheeks, and fall asleep in your Grandmother's sun room like you said you used to when you were a boy."

The effect Annie's words have on Finnick are instantaneous. He can picture Mags' sun room like he had just visited earlier that afternoon. The wind chimes sing as the open window brings a fresh waft of ocean air to dance around the room. Tension slides from Finnick body and he sinks into the density of the mattress without effort.

Sleep finds him easily and when his dreams begin, it's Maggie with her mother's glowing grin who comes out to play first.