Engulf

There was only one way to be with her beloved, and that was to become a human. She went to the deepest and darkest cave where the Sea Witch lived and begged her to become a human. The Sea Witch, well known for her cruel deals said that she could turn the Mermaid Princess human, but only if she gave the Sea Witch her lovely voice. Very desperate, The Mermaid Princess took the Sea Witch's offer and was given legs, but her voice was gone.

When the Mermaid Princess got to shore, the staff of the castle took her in. The Princess had quickly discovered that every time she took a step it felt as if a thousand needles plunged into her feet, and struggled to adapt to the world above. But that wasn't the only tragedy. When the Prince had been found upon the shore, he had awoken to find another fair maiden there. Convinced she had been the one that had saved him, he declared to all the land his intent to marry the fair maiden.

His father had cast out the Sea Witch a long time ago. So long ago, in fact, that the tale had almost become a legend among their tribe. It was said the Sea Witch, after it had claimed the soul of the Mermaid Princess who had melted away into sea foam, had gone on to cause more destruction and mayhem for it had devoured the most purest of souls and become nearly impossible to defeat. Maybe that had been the Sea Witch's plan all along, but despite Finnick's curiosity about that detail no one would ever really know. However, more importantly then anything else, eventually the Sea Witch became almost single-handedly responsible for bringing down the rule of the Kingdom of Atlantis that had once united all of the clans. Fragmented and terrified of the wicked magic the Sea Witch held, the merfolk lived in constant terror of the Sea Witch and the wretched enchantments, plagues, and danger it caused.

When his father had been a young merman, he led a desperate last-ditch effort charge against the Sea Witch. The plan was simple. They tricked the Sea Witch to come out of its cave by sending the most beautiful mermaid they could find to lure it out with her singing voice. At the thought of stealing another pure soul, the Sea Witch was drawn out like a fish to bait. Once the Sea Witch was in sight, they surrounded it, and without any chance to give orders his father stabbed the Sea Witch in the mouth so it could not speak, and massacred the Sea Witch's minions before banishing it to the far off realms of the sea where it could no longer create wreck the havoc it had once caused. The ending wasn't happy though, because despite the banishment of the Sea Witch, the clans were still fragmented and distrustful of the other clans. In the end, perhaps, the Sea Witch had gotten what it had wanted. Fear still ruled the merfolk.

Certainly the tale had been stretched to some extent but to his increased frustration none of the elder merfolk wished to tell him whereabouts he would find the Sea Witch. Maybe it was because they didn't want to remember, or just the fact that they were just too old. But by the second night of being apart from Annie he was desperate, and none of the others were giving him anything he could use. He didn't have enough time to waste even a moment. He needed to find some way to save Annie and save her right then.

As he continued to desperately press the elders for answers, he finally got something he could use from one of the eldest merfolk still alive in their clan, the one who they all called the Wizened. His skin was translucent, his eyes milky white, his teeth had mostly fallen out, and he could barely speak but eventually he managed to warble out something after Finnick had offered him some food,

"Go to the Old One, the one who can speak with the Goddess of the Sea. Go to her stone house and perhaps she who knows all can help you, for we cannot." He gurgled as he slurped upon the oysters Finnick had cracked. Finnick frowned and searched his mind for anything that he could possibly remember about a stone house, or if Annie had ever mentioned anything, but came up upon a blank. All of the human's dwellings were made of stone or wood…or in some cases both. How would he possibly be able to distinguish this person's home?

"The Old One?" Finnick asked confused, "What does the Old One look like? How can I find her?"

"I've only seen the Old One once, young one. And my memory has been washed away. Water does not hold history, but you will learn this later." The Wizened gurgled, "But her stone house was the largest thing in sight. If you drift close to the human dwellings you shall find it. Go in the dead of night, when the humans shall not see you. Be careful, young one."

He tried to press further, to squeeze out any more information that he possibly could, but the Wizened just shook his head and numbly fumbled with the rest of his oysters. Knowing he could get nothing more from the Wizened's foggy mind, Finnick waited until the dead of night to follow his single lead.

The stone house the Wizened spoke of was the largest thing he had ever seen. He had to crane his neck to see to the top of it. But it was too far away from the ocean, and certainly he couldn't walk in there, not without assistance. Seeking another way he went closer to the port, to what he had heard Annie call on multiple occasions the canal. The water there was strange, almost…sweeter. Not salt brine, but fresh. It was a river, he thought suddenly panicked. Rivers, as told to him by the Chieftain was water that flowed into the sea with no salt. And their inhabitants, river nymphs didn't like merfolk encroaching on their domain. If a tribe of river nymphs were to catch him in their territory he would be killed immediately. But hopefully the human presence was far too populous for there to be any river nymphs within the close area.

Being extremely careful, darting from dock to dock he made his way up the river only to find, again, the temple was too far away to walk without certainly being caught. Feeling stumped, and the slightest bit defeated, he quickly returned back to the sea and gazed at the stone house, trying to figure out some way of getting in and eventually feeling more and more useless. His efforts had to have been futile in comparison to how Annie was certainly struggling at that very moment.

In thinking of Annie (not that much else occupied the wanderings of his mind as of late), he also hoped his gift had proven somewhat helpful to her. Merfolk could barely work any magic. However, Finnick had done all he could do. He had marked her as his own mate. A feat that was fantastic in its own regard. He hadn't thought it could be possible among humans and merfolk, as he had been told by everyone it was, but he had certainly proved that theory wrong.

Among merfolk, if another male attempted to touch the claimed mate of the other it would immediately set illness upon him, the effect of which could only be broken with one of the mates' death. Finnick had pushed his luck and tried to court a mate of another once as his victory over the shark had left him filled with hubris. The attempt had nearly been crippled with a pounding headache and a nausea so bad it left him sick and almost unable to move for hours afterward, and had taught him the value of paying attention to the warnings of his elders, as he didn't know everything in the world. Finnick hoped that it had the similar, if not the same effect upon humans and that this would at least keep Annie safe from any advances put upon her by that wretched male suitor Gloss.

He was right in the middle of thinking those thoughts when out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, quick movement coming towards him. There was a blur of motion, the sound of something whistling by his head. He ducked underwater; weaving through the shallows and the rocks, before seeing a foot hit the water. Knowing it was his chance he yanked it hard, causing the female to gasp sharply and hit the water and-

There was a bow and arrow strung aimed to hit him right between his eyes, and his hand was at the female's neck ready to yank her into the water. The wind caught him just right and he could smell her. It was the scent of the branch and leaves Annie had brought once, and fine dirt. And instinctually Finnick knew what he was dealing with. The old ones sometimes told stories of creatures like merfolk that lived upon the dirt.

"Land-dweller." He hissed, the land-dweller frowned and glared at him fiercely.

"A merman. I've never seen one so close to the land." The land-dweller said and Finnick could hardly contain his growl.

"It's hardly your concern."

"Tell me why and I might be able to assist. But only if you aren't here to attack humans." The land-dweller warned and Finnick frowned.

"Do you think me so stupid to do something like that?" He scoffed and released his hold on her before snorting, "Actually, yes. You do think me stupid if you even imply that possibility."

"Well I know your kind like to eat humans, and you aren't known for being the smartest beings known. Though, you at least have some sense about you it seems." The land-dweller said cautiously hand still poised to shoot, but Finnick just crossed his arms over his chest.

"I do eat humans, but only when they fall into the sea. I've got to eat, and meat is precious. But no, I wasn't so close to land because I was hunting. I need to speak to the Old One in the stone-house." Finnick said pointing to the stone-house. The female frowned, brow furrowed.

"You mean the temple? A priestess of the temple?"

"Were you not listening? The Old One in the stone-house!" Finnick said exasperated, "The one who can talk to the Goddess of the Sea."

"I understand. But why would you need to consult the Priestess of the Sea?" The land-dweller asked.

"I need to save the girl I love, and the only way to do so is to speak with her." Finnick explained and the female's frown deepened.

"The girl you love?" She asked and Finnick perked up.

"Yes, the girl I love very dearly."

"Is this girl…perhaps, a human?"

"Yes, her name is Annabel. Which means grace and beauty, but she mostly goes by Annie. Her mother's name is Laurel and her father's name is Daniel. And she has two siblings named Cora and Kai…and she lives with her Uncle, Aunt, and cousins in a stone-house." Finnick said, trying to give the best description he could, "Land-dweller, do you know Annie?"

"Yes, I believe I do. She was very kind to me when I first met her a few days ago at the Royal Embassy ball." The land-dweller said quietly, "Does she have dark hair and green eyes?"

"Yes! You do know Annie! Have you seen her? Is she well?" Finnick asked, desperate for any news regarding Annie and the land-dweller seemed to think on it.

"She has been engaged, I know this. And I believe I have heard she has locked herself in her room." The land-dweller said, "Then you must be the reason she smelled of Fay."

"I don't know about that, I'm happy to hear she is as safe as she can be. I have to help her, and the only way I can do that is to see the Old One." Finnick said urgently.

"Alright, I'll help. My name is Katniss, Huntress of the Old Wood by the way. Can't have you calling me land-dweller." Katniss said, holding out her hand which Finnick took as he bowed his head in traditional greeting.

"I am Finnick, Hunter of the Holy Fish, son of the Sea King." He introduced, "I am grateful for any assistance you can give me, but I do have to ask why."

Katniss gave Finnick a look, tucking a stray piece of dark hair behind her ear as her grey eyes burned into his.

"Because I was in a predicament much like yours. I sympathize with you. So therefore I'll help." She explained quickly. "Be here at four hours past dawn tomorrow. We'll get you in the Temple then."

"Alright." Finnick agreed, not having any other options but certainly liking this one the best.

"I will see you then." Katniss said quietly, before just as quickly she came, she left Finnick alone in the darkness of the night.

If Katniss was an agile huntress, her mate…or what she called 'husband' Peeta was a docile creature, prey. He was stocky and strong, with curly gold hair and eyes like blue tang that swam in the warmest of waters in the reefs of the south. In any other case, the meat on his bones would have been prized, but for now he would attempt to look past that in exchange for help.

"We have got clothes and a walking stick for you. It's still very early, so not many people will be at the Temple. This is the best time to do this. Keep your head down, and mouth closed. Not a single peep of those teeth, or else you'll be killed." Katniss warned and Finnick nodded, understanding.

"Alright, you probably need help getting into the clothes." Peeta said and helped Finnick awkwardly wrestle into the cloth. It felt restraining and itchy, and stuck to his wet skin and caught on his scales. How did humans go about wearing this stuff without wanted to scream? But then again this fabric would probably slide easily onto Annie's warm, smooth skin.

Soon enough he was in a shirt, breeches, and a cloak with a hood that Katniss pulled up. His hands were too big for the gloves they had brought and his feet didn't fit into the shoes, but Katniss told him that if he didn't make a big deal of them no one would notice in the dark. He was then handed and walking stick and began to walk with both Katniss and Peeta at either of his sides.

Land walking was difficult, as he wasn't made for it. His legs were too bendy and his feet were too flat and slapped upon the ground almost uncomfortably loud. He found himself relying heavily upon his walking stick to make it up the beach and down the little (what Peeta called) cobblestone street before ducking into the temple.

It was strange, almost like a giant dry cavern like the one he lived in. Columns of rock, and strange hanging orbs of light from the ceiling caught his eye at first but he soon became frozen with terror at the sight of the rock giants in front of him standing around a slim rock that somehow squirted out water, gazing down with their serious gaze. Sensing his distress Peeta gave him a smile.

"They're just statues, carved from rock. They can't hurt you." He explained and Finnick felt embarrassed by his comforting and held back his hiss of annoyance.

Katniss hurried ahead talking quickly to a young woman before she hurried off into one of the caverns. The young woman hurried off and Katniss returned to where Finnick was standing with Peeta's help.

"She said the Priestess should be out soon." Katniss said, before Finnick finally got up the nerve to ask.

"Do you live in a place with trees?" Finnick asked and Katniss seemed off guard by the question.

"Um…yes. Why?" She asked and not sensing any sort of animosity he continued to say,

"Annie tells me that fruit are baby trees, and I trust and love Annie, but is it true that a fruit will grow up to be a tree? Or is Annie playing a joke on me?" Finnick asked, "Because they are just so small, and it doesn't seem possible."

"The seeds inside fruit are the things that get planted to become trees. But…figuratively speaking yes." Katniss said, and Finnick smiled before forgetting he shouldn't do so and immediately stopped.

"And…do your kind talk to trees? The Elders said you did. They said that land-dwellers were merfolk who left the sea, and that they could converse with the plants and animals of the above-world where we cannot go and that they can work magic."

"Well, I don't know about the elves being merfolk once, as our lore tells of exactly the opposite. But we can speak to plants and animals." Katniss said, her face still a neutral mask, but her voice a little warmer. "And certain elves can work magic, like my sister Primrose, who is a healer-mage."

"So if you can speak with the tress, can you tell me what they talk about?" Finnick pressed. Oh, what wondrous things trees must talk about! About the soil, or the things they've seen, or perhaps the children who'd played in their branches! Annie once said that trees could live for hundreds of years. Some jellyfish could do so, but jellyfish were boring and not fun to talk to at all because they just had water for brains and stingy tentacles. Trees were probably much better conversationalists then jellyfish. And of course sea turtles could live for hundreds of years, but a lot of time they forgot what they were saying in the middle of saying it so they weren't good to talk to.

"They like to give advice." Katniss said, "And they have a rather…different view of the world because of their age. It's interesting to speak to them just in that regard."

"Do your kind talk to fish?" Peeta asked curiously and Finnick shrugged.

"Fish aren't good at talking, and they forget everything after a few moments. Dolphins though are some of the smartest creatures I know, but would rather play games then have conversations. Once you get a whale to talk, the whales won't stop talking, but they're giant pacifists so it can get a bit annoying talking to them. They like to make us feel bad for eating what we do." Finnick explained with a sigh.

"Aren't dolphins and whales fish? They live in the sea, don't they?" Peeta asked, confused.

Finnick barely held back his scoff and shook his head, just about ready to tell Peeta that he was silly and had obviously never met a dolphin or a whale before in his life because he would definitely know the difference but suddenly had to clutch onto his staff for support as the world spun uncomfortably.

It was at that moment the young priestess Katniss had talked to before hurried back into the main cavern. She immerged out of one of the small caverns with an old woman with braided hair. Immediately Finnick knew that this was the Old One, the one who could speak with the Goddess. He could smell the salty brine rolling off of her, and see the ocean's power in her wizened face.

"I have heard there is one with desperate need of me." The Old One said in a welcoming tone. Finnick tightened his grip upon the stick he had been given.

"I am. Old One, I am in need of your knowledge." He said, hoarsely. His throat was suddenly feeling parched beyond belief. The Old One's eyes widened and she took in a sharp breath.

"You-" She said before looking at Peeta and Katniss. "Bring him here quickly!"

He was quickly hurried into the small cavern, and the Old One took off his hood. Without fear she touched his face and looked into his eyes.

"Please. I am…" Finnick started to say but suddenly his throat felt as if it were closing. He took in a breath but got nothing, as if no air existed at all.

"Get me the water! Don't just stand there like an imbecile!" The Old One snapped and Katniss quickly gave her the whole bowl that the Old One dumped over his head. He gasped, suddenly able to take in air again and lay upon his side in the puddle, panting. The Old One glared at him, "You bring him out of the sea with no water is like bringing a fish to land. He will literally dry up! Now tell what could've made you do something so terribly dangerous!"

"I need to save my love, and the only way to do that is to become human." Finnick explained, "And I need to find the only person who can do that."

"A Sea Witch? Do you have no concerns for yourself? That sort of bargain-"

"The Sea Witch will take my voice, or cause the stabbing pain of a thousand knives with every step. The Sea Witch will pull out my bowels or my blind my eyes or pluck out all of my teeth or cut off my tongue, or take away anything else I hold dear. I do not care! I must find the Sea Witch and save my love, no matter the price I will bear it for I have given my love my heart so I have the strength to endure any punishment. Old One, the one who can speak with the Goddess, please," He bowed down before her, "I implore you, tell me where the Sea Witch can be found."

"What name did you give her? The girl you love. And what is the name she gave you?" The Old One asked and Finnick looked up at her and frowned.

"Finnick. And her name is Annie." He answered and the Old One smiled a sort of sad smile.

"I knew I would be seeing you sooner or later." The Old One hummed, at the alter of the Goddess of the Sea, lighting a stick that wafted the fragrance of one of the flowers he had seen by the sea. "Annie is in trouble then?"

"Great trouble. A suitor forces her away and I must save her." Finnick said resolutely. "Annie asked it of me, so I will find a way."

"And transforming you into a human is out of the realm of my abilities. But I can offer you the information you seek, and see what I can do to help Annie. Along with giving you my blessing." The Old One said resolutely, "The Sea Witch lives in the dead reefs, past where your father's domain is. Tread carefully into the caverns, and there you shall find it. Oh, and please do call me Mags. Old One just sounds so…old."

"Thank you." Finnick said quietly. "If you see Annie…tell her that I love her, and tell her that I am going to save her without a doubt. But do not let her know about the Sea Witch. I'll tell her that bit after…I can meet her."

"I will definitely see her. I'm not that fond of stupid men forcing women to do things they don't wish to." Mags said, "And I do have to say, young merman, you are perhaps the loveliest surprise I have seen in a long time."

"Surprise?"
"Tell me, what do you love the most about your Annie?" Mags asked bending down and smiling at him.

"A lot of things. But…the best thing is her honesty. I've never had anyone who would be honest with me, and she is. She tells me how she feels, so I don't feel as if I'm floating without any will or whim." Finnick admitted, "It's a relief."

"Keep that close to your heart. Where you are going to go can try even the truest of souls." Mags said, "I believe in you, for even I can see that you two belong together. Come here and allow me to bless you."

Finnick crawled forward as she took a knife from the altar and pricked her thumb before pressing it to his forehead.

"Goddess of the Sea, here my plea. Keep this child of your waters safe, and bless his transgressions. Keep his love, his stars and skies, safe as he navigates the hardest of challenges, and give her strength to believe that her sun and seas will return back to her." Mags said before moving away. Finnick immediately felt a rush of something powerful go through him, as if he had just grabbed hold of an eel. Stars and Skies and Sun and Seas was the term only used for soul-mates, which was almost as rare as Sea Witches or any other sort of magic. Had the Goddess just told him so? Whatever the case was he sat there, allowing the feeling to run its course before looking up.

"Thank you." Finnick said quietly as suddenly Mags lifted up a hatch in the floor.

"Down here is a tunnel that if you go right, should lead you right into the sea. Be safe, Finnick." Mags said and Katniss nodded.

"Good luck, Finnick." Peeta agreed, and before they could say anything else, Finnick was down the tunnel and ripping away the clothing, and dove into the sea, his goal set in front of him.

When reefs died, it was considered an omen above all other omens. What should have been bursting with life wasn't. The Elders once said, once a reef was dead, the souls of all the creatures who had once lived there haunted it, and sucked life from the living that passed by. So it was custom to hold your breath while swimming by or if you came near one by accident. It was rather fitting, Finnick thought, that the Sea Witch lived there.

Finnick swam carefully into the Sea Witch's den. It was filled with things, much like his things, but mostly jars filled with liquids and organs, rocks on which rested jewels and necklaces and charms. Deeper in lay the bones of creatures big and small, and finally he found the Sea Witch, sitting in the darkest corner, twisting a beard of white in his finger. He opened his mouth to reveal teeth stained red.

"The omens read of you coming, son of he who banished me." The Sea Witch chuckled. "Though I am interested in discovering why."

"The girl I love, has been taking and I must become a human to take her back." Finnick explained and the Sea Witch hummed.

"What a dull request. I was hoping for something a little more unique."

"I don't care what you think of my request."

"Certainly, boy, you are smart enough to realize that even if you become a human it won't be enough to save the girl you love. Go back to your family. You won't remember her in a few years. The ocean shall wash away all memories eventually." The Sea Witch said and Finnick glared.

"Why does everyone always say that? Take the easy route; just forget about it, the water will wash everything away? Why would I ever want to do that?" Finnick demanded.

"Earth is impressionable, wind carves through all and carries scents of the past, and fire burns and leaves markings. They all leave traces of their history behind. But water is whatever form it decides to take. You can punch and kick, but water is forever changing, and therefore can never help one to remember. If you let the water in, allow yourself to float in it, be engulfed by it, you shall forget. Most merfolk allow this to happen, but you haven't. Perhaps if you did, then this would all go away." The Sea Witch said, motioning to everything around him. "And you could go on as before. Merfolk are vapid creatures, and you struggle against your nature. Just give in."

"Why won't becoming a human help me?" Finnick demanded and the Sea Witch smiled.

"Because if you became a human, you would be penniless, and clueless. If you had never killed a single fish in your entire life, would a father allow his daughter to marry you?"

"No."

"Then why would the girl you love's father allow her to marry a man who cannot provide?" He asked and Finnick frowned.

"He wouldn't."

"So your request is meaningless. Go sink back into the depths of the sea where you came from."

"But still I love Annie and I must save her." Finnick said, "And I shall pay any price to keep the promise I've made her."

"Then you shouldn't promise such silly things. Turning merfolk into humans is a nasty bit of business that is barely ever worth the pay off." The Sea Witch said, returning his hands back to fashioning whatever charm he was working on.

"My promise was far from silly. She is my Stars and Skies, the Priestess of the Goddess of the Sea proclaimed it as such. And I will fulfill my duty as her Sun and Seas to protect her despite any cost." Finnick proclaimed and this certainly caught the Sea Witch's attention, who looked at Finnick with a raised brow.

"A soul-mate? Now, that's rare, and interesting."

"I don't care what you find interesting. Help me." Finnick demanded and the Sea Witch chuckled.

"Fine, so much like your father with the demands. I can see the family resemblance."

"This idle talk means nothing to me." Finnick snapped and the Sea Witch's blood soaked smile just widened.

"Use your mind and come up with a wish worth granting. If you did not wish me to mock you then you might've thought of how you might save your love before coming to me with such a vague desire."

"If you will do nothing but taunt me and grant none of my wishes, then you get no reward. You'll just stay here and rot. Even most of the elders have doubts of your existence so I wonder if you have many offers coming along." Finnick snapped before suddenly the Sea Witch chuckled.

"Shall I give you an idea, child? A way in which I would be able to grant you wish?"

"What?"

"Who stands the highest above all men?" The Sea Witch asked and Finnick frowned.

"The…King?"

"That's right. And your father is planning on relinquishing that crown soon, correct?" The Sea Witch continued to egg on, however Finnick just didn't understand. What by the name of all that lived in the Sea did the stupid competition for the crown between his brothers have to do with Annie?

"Yes. Yes, he is. The competition is going to start soon among my brothers to determine who the next king and the ruling branch shall be." Finnick said, his frown obviously showing to the Sea Witch that he clearly needed more of an explanation. The Sea Witch just smiled at him pleasantly.

"Become the Sea King. Defeat your father, and rip out his heart. And then bring his heart to me. Then grant my asylum in your territory. After doing so, I shall grant your wish…" The Sea Witch as if it was the most sensible thing in the world before he held out a silver amulet with a large milky stone hanging in the center. "This shall transform you into a human when worn, and when you take it off, you will revert back into a merman."

"Rip out the Chieftain's heart?" Finnick asked, still reeling from that idea and suddenly feeling ill. Finnick certainly didn't like his father…but rip out his heart and give it to his most sworn enemy? And then, even worse, to give his father's sworn enemy a free rein of terror? Could he do such a thing? Certainly that would bring dishonor upon his family for decades, eons perhaps. And even worse, it could revert the world he knew into one of fear and chaos once more.

"That is an easy price to pay, isn't it? Don't you hate your father?" The Sea Witch asked and Finnick frowned.

"It's more complicated then that." Finnick answered, "I may dislike Chieftain at some points sometimes but I know he is trying to do what he thinks is best for me."

"This is my price. Meet it or not, it is not my concern." The Sea Witch said resolutely, leaving Finnick with nothing else to do but to go home.

Finnick lay there among his treasure trove. He felt not only useless, but the aching emptiness of being without Annie. Oh how he missed her. He wanted her to be with him right there. Sure he had been giving big talk about how he was going to get her back, but in reality, what could he really do? If the only choice was to murder his father and hand his heart over to the Sea Witch, could he really do such a thing? Did he have it inside of him to do that?

The world was cruel. He thought to himself. It was wicked, and took no pity upon the living. So if that was the case, then wouldn't it be okay? If it was between his father and Annie, who was the one who meant more to him and would he risk sacrificing the other for them? If only he could find some way to make this decision easier.

Needing some sort of support, he wondered if he could call Annie's soul to him, like she had to him the other night. He remembered how surprised he had been, the sensation of being away from his body before finding anchor with her. He had felt her. He had kissed her and touched her warm skin, or perhaps it was all a figment of his imagination. Maybe their souls had never mingled and they had both been dreaming.

No. He thought vehemently. It wasn't a dream. He had been there with her, and he would go back to her now. If they were truly soul mates then this would be easy, he just had to let go as Annie did, call her to him without any doubt in his mind that it would work.

He opened his mouth to say her name, but at first only a croak came out. Embarrassed, he cleared his voice and called again,

"Annie?" He said, his tone more akin to a question. He felt nothing and this time he reached deep inside of himself, to the place where Annie's sunshine smile had warmed and pulled at that instead.

Finnick!

He could hear her voice. He could feel tides of relief that belonged to her swell over him. She was so happy to feel him. He closed his eyes and reached out in the dark, before he touched her upper arm, trailed his fingers up her shoulder, to her neck, before cupping her face.

"I'm here." He said, and it was all he could say. He couldn't promise anything right then, but what he could do was be there for her, despite the fact they were apart. Her arms were thrown around him, and he could feel her desperately pressing her face to his chest, her breath stirring his scales, her wet cold cheek against him awoke the primal sense in him to comfort her. He put his arms upon her shoulders, suddenly terrified at the realization that they were shaking with sobs. Annie was always so strong. But at that moment, her shoulders were so tiny and delicate.

"I can't do this alone." She whispered, "Finnick…I…I can't. I'm trying so hard to keep it together and I really, really can't."

"You're not alone." Finnick soothed, stroking her back. He had no right to comfort her, but he did, because there was nothing else to do.

"But I-"

"No, I'm here for you. I love you. Annie I-"

He was just about to tell Annie of what had happened in that day when suddenly a sharp bang came from the side, jolting him from his strange dreamlike haze with little grace. He bolted up, expecting an attacker and preparing to launch an assault to protect Annie when he realized it was no one but his sister, trying to put back his candleholder from where it had fallen. He shook his head, and sat up feeling very light without Annie's weight (even though it was terribly bad, he wouldn't mind being pressed by that weight forever).

"What are you doing here?" Finnick demanded, looking at Cordelia who shrugged and still looked very guilty.

"I heard from someone that you were asking about the Sea Witch, so I came to see if you had your tongue cut out." She explained before handing him the candleholder, "Oh, and sorry about your…stick thingy. Is it broken?"

"Funny, Cordelia. Very Funny. And no, my candleholder is not broken. It would take more then a little fall to break it." Finnick snapped, and Cora just looked very concerned all of a sudden, probably at the darkness of his mood. "Now I know there's another reason why you're here."

"Well…you're expected to be at the ceremony…the matches will begin soon after all. But mother…didn't want to come get you herself. You've upset her quiet a bit, Finnick." Cordelia explained sadly.

"Yes, well that seems like all I've been doing these past couple of days, isn't it Cordelia? Just upsetting people. I can't seem to do anything right." He asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I've never seen you get so mad, Finnick. Did what she say upset you that much?" Cordelia asked, obviously interested but Finnick just shook his head.

"No…that argument was a long time coming I suppose. But I'll tell her that I'm not angry with her the next time I see her. I just lost my temper. And I know she means well, so I really shouldn't have gotten upset with her to begin with. It's just…you know, I was being difficult when there was really no need to be so."

"Are you admitting you were wrong? That's a first." Cordelia said, sounding vaguely impressed while Finnick snorted.

"Right, right. I'll tell her later." He said quietly, toying with the candleholder, tracing where Annie's fingers had once been.

"Is something wrong?" Cordelia asked, as if picking up his melancholic mood and Finnick sighed.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Or at least…nothing that's your concern."

"Oh come on Finnick, we both know that something is going on. Now tell me or I'll go back and ask the others what's going on." Cordelia threatened, but Finnick resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her empty threat.

"No one else knows what's going on."

"Finnick. Just tell me."

"I don't know what to do." He answered honest, and very quietly.

"That's a first." Cordelia said lightly obviously taken aback by his tone, and Finnick just sighed an even heavier sigh.

"I'm being serious. Cordelia…no, it's not something you could understand."

"Try me."

"Well…this is going to sound strange. But…if it came down between love and family, what would you choose?" Finnick asked and Cordelia thought on it for a bit.

"You have to choose the one you could never live without. Follow your heart, Finnick." Cordelia said, "But for your information, I think the choice has been obvious all along. You just don't want to live up to the consequences."

"Why must you be so wise?" Finnick asked, "You make the choice sound easy."

"It's not. But that's what being responsible for your actions is about." Cordelia told him, "So what are you going to do?"

Finnick looked at his sister, even though his hear hurt with this decision, there had never really been a choice in the first place. His sister was right about that at least.

"Has the ceremony started?" Finnick asked, "The competition that is?"

"No, why?" Cordelia asked suspiciously, and Finnick smiled and grabbed his trident from its place leaning against the wall if his cavern.

"Why? Well, I'm going to become the Sea King."

I bet all of you saw that coming. But I was pretty happy with how the whole dilemma shaped itself. Next chapter will be the end of Adrift, and will be coming soon…I hope. I'll be starting college soon so I need to squeeze in time to write. And these chapters are extremely long so I'll definitely need to work on my time management between this and Reaching You, though this will probably take priority because there's only one chapter left.

In other news…how would everyone feel if this became an M rated fic? I'm pretty well known for my Odesta lemons and I could see one fitting in here without much to do. But of course, I want to hear your opinions on it. I could just as easily not write one…though I would prefer to write one cause I am like that.

Also, changed genre from supernatural to fantasy…because this is sort of a fairytale and I forgot there was a fantasy genre.

Things to Note:

Dolphins and whales are marine mammals. Merfolk kind understands this while humans probably did not. That's why Finnick thinks that it's obvious that Peeta has never met one because he would know the difference.

In case you didn't get it, SPOILER ALERT, The Sea Witch is President Snow.

Jellyfish are awesome. They are the oldest known multi-organ animal, and one species of jellyfish called the Turritopsis nutricula, or the immortal Jellyfish, is…well if it doesn't get eaten, is actually immortal as it can return to younger versions of itself. Some other species have been known to live to 30 years of age. And of course, sea turtles can live for a long, long time.

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far, please keep it up! I love to hear from all of my readers and always appreciate when someone drops a review. And as always, until next time ~OMGitsgreen