The Capitol is silent when I slip from the bed, dress quickly, and leave the house without waking the owner. The dream, which was also a memory, has refreshed and rejuvenated me, despite the difficulty of the night. Right now, though, all I want is to see Annie.

I consider walking back to my viewing room, when I remember this morning's feast. Judging by the still-dark sky, it is still an hour to dawn, but not enough time to walk and still find out what this feast has in store for the Games and the contestants. I do not enjoy watching the Games, but everything that I see helps me to mentor District Four's tributes.

As I walk to the bus station, I find that I have begun to whistle. This overnight change in myself surprises me, and I know that I have only Annie to thank for this. She is the one thing that keeps me sane. I could not survive without her.

Of course, there was one time when I almost had to.

I don't let myself think on it much. I prefer to remember our times together before the reaping that changed both of our lives. I wish that I had come to the conclusion of my love for her sooner, so that we could have had more happy memories. Still, I cherish those I do hold, and I know that the future holds many more.

I step onto the empty bus, and take a seat near the front. The bus driver seems excited to have the privilege of driving Finnick Odair, and I wonder if my face will appear on the side of his bus by tomorrow. A bus with my face on the side is sure to be more busy than one with, say, the President's face. I smile at the thought. That the Capitol loves me more than their own president, and yet they have injured me in ways I cannot measure.

But, then again, there are many things that one cannot measure. Like love, for instance. I never understood Annie's love for me in those first few weeks. She loved me when I myself did not love me. When I was still struggling over whether or not I could ever love, she loved me. Unconditionally. I cannot measure love like that. Unconditional love is the only thing in this broken world that makes any sense. I guess that is when I realized that I could love Annie. That day on the beach, when she told me that she would wait for me. That she would love me, and wait until the day when I could love her in return, if that day ever came. Someone who would love me no matter what, deserved to be loved in return.

I can still remember her face, her smile, that first day...

It was three days before the reaping, and the square was already being set up with television stands and large screens and speakers for the camera crews. I was a victor, and Annie lived in town and had never signed up for tesserae, so neither of us was worried about the reaping. Well, I was, but only because of the new job that I would hold. The fear that I would let my district down.

Annie had made a picnic and we had set out a blanket by the ocean. We sat side by side, not touching, but just being near each other. We talked about our lives, and shared our hearts. When she began packing up the picnic basket to go home, I knew it was time.

"Annie, wait."

She set down the basket and turned to me," What is it?"

I drink in the sight of her like this. Her brown hair is tied down her back in a long braid to keep it from blowing in her face. Her green sundress makes the radiance of her eyes stand out far more than normal. Her face, free then, from all the cares it now holds, was young, innocent, beautiful.

"I brought something for our, picnic."

Annie looks at me quizzically, confused," But, Finnick, we ate almost an hour ago. Why didn't you tell me then?"

I grin, allowing the smile to spread across my face, and then I wink,"I didn't think that what I brought would go so well with sandwiches."

Confusion is etched into her face, and I laugh, because I can't help it. And because I am happier now, in this moment, than I have ever been in my life.

She glares at me now, "Don't laugh at me, that's not fair. I have no idea what you are talking about...you are making no sense."

I hold back my laughter for a moment, and dig into my pocket, fishing out the two small objects that I have there.

"Remember what you told me, Annie, two days ago, on the beach."

She thinks for a moment, her brows creasing in thought.

"I told you a lot of things, Finnick. I hold to all of them."

I nod, and hold out a sugar cube to her.

"I love you, Annie."

For a moment she seems to be in shock, like she cannot understand this moment, nor this turn of events. Then her face breaks out into a smile. It covers her face, and transforms her into a creature that I can only associate with the angels of our District's myths. She is not pretty, she is not beautiful.

She is as radiant as the sun.

She stands there for a moment, and then falls into my arms, embracing me. I hold her tightly to me, never wanting to let her go. Not even for a moment.

"I know my birthday is not for a few days, Finnick, but you could not have given me a better gift, if you had given me the whole world," she whispers.

I realize she has tears streaming down her face, and I brush my finger across her cheeks to wipe them away.

"Don't cry. Don't cry, Annie."

Then I realize that I am crying to.

I am weeping, uncontrollably. Because I have longed for this moment all my life. The moment when I am finally free. When I finally feel loved, accepted.

And now I do.

Annie's arms tighten around me, and she whispers in my ear:

"I love you, Finnick, I will never leave you. Never."

I could not have asked for any more than this. I could not have dreamed for anything better than this. That was the moment when I truly, really, for the first time, fell in love with this girl.

What she did next, I should have seen coming, but somehow it surprised me.

She leaned in and gently brushed my lips with her own. I held her to me tighter, and though I can't say that I have not kissed another woman in my life, this was the first time that I wanted to.

Really wanted to.

And it stirred my heart. I knew then, that I could never let her go. That, no matter what, no matter the troubles or difficulties that it might cause, it would Annie and I forever.

Together, forever.

No matter what.

We left the beach, soaking in our newfound love for each other.

Hand in hand.