When she thought back to that moment afterwards, Annie would reflect that on how strange it was not to recognize the sound of one's own doorbell. She hadn't heard it before as Finnick always let himself in, Mags didn't venture much further than her front porch anymore, and nobody else wanted to see her. So, she reasoned later, it was perfectly reasonable that she didn't realize until at least the fourth chime that it was not pressing the red button on the overly complex sound system that had sat unused since she moved in that had made the strange sound.

"Coming!" she shouted, hurrying to the front door. The doorbell continued to ring, faster now, nearly frantic. "Take a deep breath. I can't help it that this hallway is so bloody long," she swore under her breath before adding a much louder "I'm coming!"

Her annoyance melted away as the door swung open. Shirtless, with glitter still clinging to his chest and face and hair still styled into perfect waves, stood Finnick, but all she saw were wide, scared eyes and a neck and chest marred by a rainbow of bruises. He trembled as he silently watched her.

"A-are you all right?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Her words seemed to break whatever had held him back, and he pulled her towards him, bending over almost double to bury his face in the crook of her neck. She ignored the gel that clung to her fingers as she stroked his hair. Annie could feel tears dampening her blouse. "Shh. It's okay. You're home now."

His shoulders quaked, and Annie worried that she would not be able to hold them both up. He murmured something against her neck, his voice sounding desperate even when muffled. Gently, she pushed his head so that his lips could move freely. "I love you, Annie, so much," he repeated again and again.

Tears burned in her eyes, but she would not allow them to fall. Right now, she needed to be strong for the both of them. "I love you too. Let's get you cleaned up a bit."

He followed as she led him to her bathroom, walking backwards so that her eyes and hands never left his. "You're going to be fine, love," she said as she helped him remove his shoes. Annie started to undo his pants, but he forced her hands away. "It's okay. I won't force you to do anything. Can you get in yourself?"

Finnick nodded, quivering as he stepped into the tub. Annie started to fill the tub, checking the temperature first like she remembered her sister doing for her young niece. "I just want them gone," Finnick said.

She didn't have to ask who, so Annie just nodded.

"I want them all to stay away from me and you and Mags and to just let us be."

"That's what I want too." She started to scrub at his arm, trying to loosen a month's worth of Capitol products. Annie couldn't remember there ever being such a thick layer of cosmetics caked over his body, and she wondered if he usually went to his own house first, scouring away at his skin and trying to erase any trace of his clients before he came to her, broken and alone.

Eventually, he began to help her, and together, they returned him to some semblance of his normal self, at least on the outside. He climbed from the tub and dried himself, smiling and tossing her a towel when he noticed how wet her clothes had become as she helped him.

This time, it was him who led her as they walked together to her bedroom. Finnick laid down, and the corner of his mouth quirked up in a lopsided grin when she tucked herself into the fold of his body. "You're really too good to me," he said.

She squeezed his arm. "We take care of each other. It's just what we do."

"I suppose I can live with that." He kissed her forehead, and she nestled in closer to him, listening to the steady beating of his heart, smiling as he stroked her hair.

She couldn't lie to herself and say that either of them was fine, but he was back, if not quite whole, and she was here, if not quite sane, and, for today, that had to be enough. Annie allowed the rise and fall of his chest to lull her to sleep, grateful that they had at least this time together.

.oOo.

A/N: Thanks for reading, and to everybody who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! I'd love to know what you think of these last few chapters!