Enchanted; A Finnick and Annie Fanfic ♥ (Currently Revising/Editing)

Chapter 20: Final Goodbyes

The time had come for me to start saying goodbye to Finnick. He still had about a day before left, but our goodbye had to be a long one. They excused him from training and final preparations on this day so he could spend it with me.

We spent the majority of the day above ground in the sun. It was one of those really nice days, not too hot, but not too cold. We even got to bring lunch up and eat outside. We had a little picnic, chased butterflies, and spent a lot of time holding each other. Everything was good and beautiful, and ever since Finnick told me he was going to be a member of the "Star Squad", I didn't feel so bad about him leaving.

That is, until night fell.

The last night that we would spend together for a while. Nobody even knows how long. We didn't let go of each other once. There was kissing and touching and holding, and everything was so sweet and beautiful. Just like things had been outside.

After a while, I started to cry because I started to think bad thoughts. Finnick held me tighter and ran his hand through my hair, while I cried into his chest. I felt a few of his own tears fall on me, so I held on even tighter.

It was strange how quite we were. An occasional quiet sniffle or assurance that it would be okay was all the noise in our compartment all night. But that's all that we needed. You could just feel how much love there was between the two of us just by the atmosphere in the room.

At one point during the night, I was laying on Finnick's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. I could feel myself drifting off, but I didn't want to. Finnick played with my hair and I guess he noticed too, because he whispered, "You should sleep."

I looked up at him and whispered back, "So should you." And I think those were the only words we spoke to each other all night.

I'm not sure if Finnick ever fell asleep. I drifted off a couple times, but never for very long.

The night passed too fast. Before we knew it, we heard people rushing around outside. Everyone preparing for this day that would change history.

"I guess we should get up too, shouldn't we?" Finnick said quietly, and I only nodded a little. We held onto each other for a little while, and when we did finally move, it was slowly. I think it took the two of us an hour just to get dressed, because we kept getting distracted and craved the attention of the other.

When we were finally ready, it was around 11 in the morning. We'd missed breakfast, but that was okay. Finnick decided it would be best to run up to Command and make sure everything was good to go before lunch. Lunch was at 12, and they were leaving by 1:30. He said goodbye to our compartment, and we went out the door.

We'd only gone a few steps when Finnick stopped and ran back in. I waited in the hallway for him, and when he came back, he had a 2 foot length of rope in his hands.

"For you," he said, holding the rope out to me.

It made me smile. "You remembered my nervous knot tying?"

He nodded. "Not only remembered, but picked up on it myself. While you were gone."

I hugged him tightly for a short time, but we needed to continue on if we wanted to make it to Command before lunch. I held the rope in one hand and Finnick's hand in the other.

Plutarch greeted us both when we entered the Command room. He was buzzing with excitement over what was to come today. Everyone else in the room just looked stressed out, especially the President. I kind of hid behind Finnick when I saw her.

Finnick talked to just about everyone in the room, checking up on everything that was going on. The rebels had established a base camp just outside the Capitol, and that's where Finnick's squad would be heading to. Beetee, the former victor from District 3 and the one informing Finnick of where he would be staying, must've noticed how nervous I got, because he added, "Don't worry. It's been secured. He'll be fine."

Coin dismissed everyone to lunch early. There was plenty of food, and anyone leaving even got extra, but I didn't feel like eating.

"You feeling okay?" Finnick asked when I pushed my tray away without touching anything.

"I'm fine, I guess. My stomach just hurts a bit. It's probably just nerves." So Katniss and Gale split my food and ate it, since District 13 hates to be wasteful.

After lunch, which was a quiet and awkward mess with a sad tone to it, all of the soldiers that were leaving today were ordered to the hovercraft launch pads. Finnick held my hand tight, and we followed Katniss and Gale up there. It was a bunch of elevator rides away, and I wasn't entirely sure how I'd get back down.

Some of the soldiers already began to board the hovercraft, but I wasn't ready to let Finnick go yet. I started crying again, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. He held me close to him and rubbing my back, trying to get me to stop crying, but it didn't work. And then he started to cry a little, so when we kissed for the last time, it tasted salty.

They were commanding him to get on the hovercraft. Just as we'd said our goodbyes and he was about to leave, I collapsed to the floor in a sobbing fit. He ran back to me and knelt beside me.

"You've got five minutes, Soldier Odair, or this hovercraft is leaving without you!" someone yelled from the hovercraft. Finnick acknowledged him with a wave then turned his attention back to me.

"Annie, what's the matter? I thought you were okay," he said with a sad laugh.

I wrapped my arms around his neck again and cried into his shoulder. "I--I was, I was okay. B--but I--I don't w--want you to leave."

"Shh, I know. I know you don't, sweetheart. But I've got to." He pushed me back slightly so he could look at me. "I've got to go get revenge on the Capitol. For the both of us." And when I nodded, he wiped my tears and added, "Besides, we're just the faces of the rebellion. No real combat, remember?"

Finnick was really cutting it close, because they were making preparations to take off. Quickly, he called Prim over to us. She was holding Buttercup tightly.

"Prim, can you make sure she gets back underground safely?" Finnick asked her quietly.

"Of course, Finnick."

We stood up, and Finnick hugged me tightly one last time. When he pulled away, I whispered, "I love you, Finnick."

He smiled and stroked my cheek. "I love you too, Annie. I'll see you soon." And with a last quick kiss on the forehead, he was gone.

Prim handed Buttercup off to her mother and took my hand. "Come on, Annie. Those things are really loud when they take off."

I clutched onto the rope Finnick gave me with one hand and onto Prim with the other. I continued to cry softly, but I let her lead me away.

We went down to the hospital and she sat down on one of the empty beds. She let me lay with my head in her lap while she played with my hair. I laid there crying until I somehow drifted off into an unpeaceful sleep.