How It Could Have Been ~ The-Mockingjay-xx

Chapter 5

"Katniss, oh thank god!" says Annie, the baby on her hip still screaming while she struggles to carry her suitcase. Gale rushes towards her to lighten the load.
"Here, let me help," he says and takes Annie's suitcase off her before returning to my side. She thanks him and then turns to the baby and continues desperately to try and calm it down, however it carries on screaming. Due to many sleepless nights, her face is so pale and tired and there are clear lines around her eyes, which have turned from a bright seaweed green to a dull grass colour. She looks like she could murder some sleep or just a bit of time away from the baby so I hold out my arms and offer to hold it for a bit. Willingly, she places the baby in my arms and I rock it back and forth for several minutes until it shuts its tiny eyes and goes to sleep in my arms.
"Oh thank you," she sighs with relief. "This mother's business is harder than you'd think, but you seem to have the magic touch!" This makes me smile, I never knew I was good with babies. I can't remember when Prim was a baby because I was only four years old.
"A girl or a boy?" I ask, now looking down at the little one which I cradle close to me.
"A boy," Annie replies, "his name is Finnick, after his father. But I call him Fin as to not get confused." He opens his eyes now to look up at who is holding him and I see the instantly recognisable seaweed green of his irises, and the wispy blonde baby curls which lie in swirling patterns all over his little head.
"Hello Fin!" I whisper. "You are just like you daddy." I look up at Annie and she smiles sadly.
"He is so beautiful, Annie," says Gale. "Would you like to come to ours for a bit? Fin can have a nap inside and we are having a little barbecue outside if you would like to join us."
"Oh that would be lovely," she replies. "But only if it is ok with Katniss, I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Oh no, that's fine!" I reassure her. "Please, come. We could even invite Peeta and Haymitch over later, once you have settled in." Annie nods and we begin the walk back to the Victors' Village. Gale carries her suitcase and I hold the baby to give her a break, and on the way she informs us that she has been re-located to the empty Victor's house next door to us so she could be closer to people that she knew since Finnick is gone. Despite most of the Districts being a building site, the Victors' Villages are still only allowed to be populated by victors even though there are no more Hunger Games, so it is still only me, Peeta, Haymitch and now Annie that officially own one in District 12, which we can share with our families.

Once we arrive back home, we take Annie's suitcase upstairs and tuck Fin into my Mother's old bed. We spare a minute to look at him, Annie, Gale and I, as he sleeps. Such a beautiful, tiny baby, who can now grow up in a world of peace, but not one overshadowed by fear, one of pure happiness, thanks to people like his father, Finnick, who gave their lives for a cause greater than themselves. As we are about to go, I can see Annie fighting the urge to stay with her baby and ask if she is ok.
     "Sorry, it's just I feel slightly guilty leaving him here on his own. It's not the same without Finnick by my side, he would know what to say," Annie says and I can see how much she is hurting. To let her know that I am here for her, I pull her in for a hug and she clings on to me like I am her last hope.
     "It's ok, Fin will be here when you come back. Finnick is watching over him now," I reassure her and she nods. Reluctantly, she blows her tiny baby a kiss and walks out of the room, followed by me and Gale, and I shut the door quietly as to not disturb his slumber.

     Sparks are sent flying as Gale tosses another piece of wood into the barbecue flames. It is rather cold now, as the warm evening air begins to fade into a cool night chill, and we huddle for warmth around the campfire which crackles softly and glows red against the dark night sky. Haymitch and Peeta agreed to join us, so we ended up pulling extra chairs out from inside and now sit in a circle around the campfire, Gale and I sit on the bench, Annie at a right angle from me in a garden chair, Peeta and Haymitch in between Gale and Annie in chairs we managed to salvage from inside. The heat from the fire begins to have a lesser effect on the nightly chills so Gale goes inside to retrieve some blankets. Within a few minutes he returns, his arms piled high with them.
     "Sorry, I could only find four," he says. Not wanting to make my guests go without, I sacrifice mine.
     "It's fine," I cut in. "I can go without."
     "No you can have mine, Katniss," Gale offers, but I reject his offer and promise that I will be ok. However within a few minutes I begin to regret my decision, as the temperature decreases furthermore, and feel somewhat sympathetic for the tributes in the Games which had to go without the luxury of a heat thermal sleeping bag, a luxury which I was very grateful to afford. I must have begun to shiver because I feel Gale's eyes concentrated on me and then hear his voice say, "come here silly, you're freezing," as he wraps his blanket around both of us. I hear Haymitch, Annie and Peeta laugh.
     "I sometimes wonder how you stayed alive in the Games, sweetheart," jokes Haymitch.
     "I sometimes wonder how you stayed alive sober," I retort and everyone, even Haymitch, bursts out laughing.