A fate worse than death~~A Finnick Odair story~~

58. After the end

When I woke up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, I felt a sudden familiarity wash over me. I looked around and something in my chest froze. I was in a smale room, just big enough for a bed and a chair, a chair that doubled as a nightstand, a chair that doubled as a nightstand that clothes were currently hanging over.

This was impossible, it couldn't be, the only reasonable explanation would have been if I dreamed it all, but I couldn't have such a cruel imagination, could I? No, I must be dreaming now, but dreams never used to feel so real.

Then I heard her. Tears filled my eyes as I heard my mom yelling for me to hurry down to breakfast!! It couldn't be, I must be dreaming!! But what if all that other stuff was just a horrible nightmare?? I had to pinch my arm, it was the only thing I could do to reassure myself, but I was still there, it was reality, my room was real, my house was real and down there my mother was waiting.

A horrible thought crosses my mind, what if today was lottery day and I would soon have to relive all the horrible dreams I just had!!
The world couldn't be that cruelr now, could it? I took a deep breath and tried to reconcile myself to the thought as I got dressed, after all there was only one way to find out.

As I made my way down the stairs I was struck by an incredible happiness, everything was exactly as I remembered it, there was the kitchen table, and the kitchen and by the stove, my breath caught in my throat. "Mom?"
She stopped what she was doing and slowly turned around.
"I was wondering when you would get here."

With tears in my eyes, I threw myself around her neck, ignoring the burning smell that began to come from the stove.
"Ohh you have no idea how much I've missed you!!"
The tears flowed freely down my cheeks, but for once I didn't care, they were tears of happiness and they were allowed to come as many as they wanted!!
"I've missed you too my love, but are you sure it's only me you've been missing?"
Confused, I pulled out of the embrace, but when I met her gaze, a small flame of hope ignited in me.
"Is he??"
I didn't need to say more before I was met with a nod of confirmation.
"Both of them are."

I was sure my heart skipped a beat at her words, and as if I didn't dare believe it, I walked slowly to the open balcony door, and there, outside, on the little wooden dock in our garden, they were.
Both had their backs to me, Dad explaining something to Ian with his fishing rod, pointing somewhere before continuing to explain.

Without a sound, I stepped out onto the stairs and onto the small patch of grass below it. I stood there for a while, just taking in the view, before I made up my mind. I cleared my throat and slowly, as if they didn't have a care in the world, they turned around.
"Izzy!!!!!"
Ian was in my arms in seconds, fishing rod discarded on the ground, unimportant in the moment, and soon after that, Dad had followed his initiative and he too leaned into our hug.

But then, the moment was slightly interrupted by faint vibrations in the ground and a new sharper light filled my vision.

I didn't really know how to react, but no one else seemed to think it was weird. It was as if no one else felt the vibrations, but still my mother gave me a look from the stairs where she was standing indicating that I was not crazy, I had felt something I knew it!!

I had been right, I don't really know how long it had been, but after a while someone was knocking on our door. I had been out on the dock with my dad catching up on some much needed father-daughter time when Ian had opened the door. That's why I didn't react until I heard his voice. "Gee Lizzy, I never thought your brother would be happier to meet your husband than you!!"
I turned, filled with happiness, before I even saw him I knew who it was. Finnick. I ran to meet him and threw myself into his arms, it almost ached as if it was becoming a new habit. But all that mattered now was that he was here, he was here!! I broke out of the hug only to follow it with a long kiss and I knew this was pure bliss.
Nothing could make this better!!

I had been wrong. It could be better. The house we built on our island proved just that. It wasn't far from everyone else, so mom, Ian, Finnick's parents, Mags, yes, everyone could visit almost whenever they wanted. And with our rings on our fingers, we now knew what true happiness was. We had made it through so much, nothing else mattered, because we both knew now that as long as we had each other, we would always make it.