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

Chapter 6: You Can Never Escape

This chapter's short, but I wrote it at like 4 this morning because my cousin's dog woke me up. So I might type another part later :3 -Sarah

*After the final interviews and all that stuff*

I stood in the crowd that had formed around the stage that was set up in front of the train station. The train from the Capitol would be here any minute. And Finnick would be on that train. I had my mother curl my hair so I'd look extra pretty for him, and she'd even let me use some of her fancy perfume.

When I heard people cheering, I looked and saw the Capitol train quickly making its way down the track. It stopped for a moment before people began to come off and onto the stage. First the escort from the Captiol, Kiku. Then one of the former victors who I assumed was Finnick's mentor, Mags. And finally, Finnick himself.

The crowd roared, but I just smiled. Finnick was himself again. No blood, no half-crazed look on his face. He caught my eye and smiled a little, but there was pain in his eyes. It quickly faded, like he hadn't intended for me to notice. He mouthed the word "Beach" before the mayor led him through the crowd towards the Justice Building.

I quickly hugged my mother and went to the spot Finnick and I had been the night before the reaping. The beach was completely deserted, considering everyone in District 4 was at the train station. I waited there for 5, 10 minutes. I began to think he'd forgotten about me until I felt someone's hands cover my eyes from behind.

"Guess who?" he whispered before kissing my neck. It sent shivers down my back. He moved his hands and pulled me up so he could hug me. He was warm and his heart beat was steady, just like I remembered him to be.

"Now you're going to be home forever, right?" I asked before kissing his cheek.

He held me at arms length and looked at me with sad eyes. "I'm afraid not, sweetheart. I've got to go on the victory tour in a few months, then I'll probably have to go back for the future Games, and then when I'm older I'm sure I'll have to--"

"Yeah, I get it."

He tucked my hair behind my ear. "It's alright though. At least I'm home now, right?"

"Yeah, but there's always going to be cameras around. People wanting to know what's up with the latest victor of their Hunger Games. Everywhere you go, people will follow."

Finnick's eyes went cold, and he stared off into the distance at nothing in particular. "You never really can escape, can you? Once they reap you, they have you forever."

He was hurting. I wiped a tear that fell down his cheek. "Hey. The cameras aren't that bad. We'll get used to them, I guess. And I'm sure they won't really be here all the time..." My voice trailed off.

Finnick's voice was a low murmur when he said, "You don't understand. Once you've left the arena...well, you never really leave. It stays with you, no matter how hard to try and forget. You can't. The memories of those who died...of those who you killed...they're overpowering. And you..." He fell to his knees, sobbing, and I dropped down beside him. I rubbed his back gentlyand between sobs, he cried, "You can never escape."