The Wrong Victor

Chapter thirty-one: Finnick

"Hello? Annie? Boggs said it was an urgent message. Are you okay?" I ask through the communicator looking at the small screen where my lovely wife is. Her bright red hair has been slightly trimmed and taken care of. She seems tired and not well rested. "Sugar, have you been sleeping? Have you been taking your meds and going to therapy? You've been doing so good."

"Finnick, I'm still doing good." Annie says with a smile, god her smile is gorgeous. "I've just been a bit sick these past few days."

"Sick? Have you gone to the medics? Have you seen what's wrong? Are you okay?" I love her dearly but when she beats around the bush it makes me want to tear out my hair.

"Finnick, will you let me finish? Please?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry. He just said it was urgent and I'm scared you're really sick and I don't want to be gone if you need me."

"Finnick Odair, stop worrying so much. Please."

"Can't stop won't stop, Annie Odair." Her face blushes enough to compete with her hair. She smiles and pats away her blush.

"I still can't get over that, that we share a last name. We also share something else. Something new." Annie digs around a folder for a moment before holding up a small grey scale picture. "We share a baby. That's our baby." Wait what? "I'm pregnant."

Pregnant? My wife is pregnant, with my child? Oh my god, I'm a father. Oh my god, I'm a dad! OH MY GOD! "You're pregnant?"

"Yeah, I'm early on, just a month. But that's our baby. And I'm on new medication to help me and to protect the baby. And I get vitamins and I take a lot of supplements and I get a lot more food. And we've been moved into a family unit to prepare. So when you get back we'll be in a bigger unit. And there's already a crib in here." Annie is crying and I just want to kiss her. I want to hold her tight and kiss away her tears and kiss her.

"Oh my god. We're parents. We made a human. And in nine months they'll be here. And we'll have a mini us." I can't help but imagine a little boy just like me but with strawberry blonde hair and her bright green eyes. And her laugh! They have to have her laugh.

"Finnick, come home soon. Okay? I still have my rope. I use it everyday. And every night I wear your shirt to bed. Please come home soon. I need you home." Annie rests her hand on her stomach and smiles a sad smile as tears fall down her cheeks. "We need you home."

"I will be home as soon as I can. I promise. I promise I'll be home soon, Annie." I tell her before Coin and Boggs cut us off. I give her one last goodbye before walking off. God, I have a child. I'm having a child. I'm having a child and the war will be over before they're born. They're never going to know the horrors of the world I've lived in.

I walk back to the tent the lovebirds have and I just know I'm walking like a proud peacock. How could I not? I have a child.

"Guessing that urgent call was for something good?" Peeta asks as I sit on the ground with Prim and help her put her kit in order.

"I would like to announce that Annie is pregnant with my child." I grin at the other three in the room. "My wife is pregnant with our first born and I can't wait to go home."

"Congratulations, Finnick!" Prim says tightly hugging me. Her and Katniss have become like my little sisters I keep safe.

I kiss her head as Peeta shakes my hand firmly and Katniss just smiles, but hey a smile from Katniss means a lot. It's so valuable to get a smile from her.

"What are you going to name them?" Peeta asks his own eyes lighting up. I can tell he wants kids of his own someday, question is will Katniss allow it?

"Not sure. I'm really liking the idea of having a Finnick Junior. Or maybe after some plants like our friends. Might just name them Caesar." I laugh, I would never name my child after that man. Prim and Peeta laugh with me but Katniss seems distant.

"Katniss?" Peeta asks noticing she didn't laugh at the joke. "Katniss, hey, look at me. What's going on? Talk to me. You're safe."

Katniss' eyes are large and moving rapidly as if she's trapped in memories. Her hands are shaking as she tries to tie her rope, but she can't get it and throws it with a sob.

"Katniss, deep breaths." Prim says as she moves to sit next to Katniss in the ground.

I move closer as well and put her rope back in her hands. "It's okay. You're safe. You're not there. Just tie your knots. Remember? Tie your worries away and they'll leave you." I remind her as I help her untie her knot and help her go through the motions of tying a new knot.

"Katniss, where are you right now?" Prim asks as she moves gently hold Katniss' hand since we were failing at tying a knot. I hold Katniss' other hand and just hope she comes out of her memories.

"With Caesar. We're filming." Katniss says softly her eyes glazing over. "They're coming Peeta. They're going to kill everyone. You'll be dead by morning."

"I know, I know, the bombs. They tried to bomb thirteen. But they failed. You kept us safe, Katniss. You saved us all." Peeta says gently as he pressed his forehead against her temple just wanting her to come back. I know the feeling too well.

"They're coming Peeta. They're going to kill everyone. You'll be dead by morning!" Katniss repeats her hands shaking in fear.

"We know, Katniss. We know you did it. You saved us." Prim says her own hands gripping Katniss' like a life line.

"I saved you?" Katniss asked just barely recognizing Prim in front of her.

"You saved us all." I tell Katniss with a smile. "We were saved because of you. You kept us all safe and now we're here. We're here to make it better. We're here to stop them from having control again."

Katniss looks at Peeta who nods. She hides in his neck and pulls away from Prim and I before completely hiding in Peeta's neck with her arms wrapped around him.

"It's okay. It's okay. I have you. You're safe. You're safe and you're here with me and Prim and Finnick." Peeta whispers and rubs her back providing the same level of comfort I provide for Annie.