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

Chapter 13: Don't Tell Them Anything

I skipped so much time because I was having a severe case of writer's block and couldn't think of anything that could happen in between. So I'm just gonna skip ahead XD -Sarah

*A few years later, during the 74th Hunger Games*

Finnick held me close as we sat on the couch in our house watching the 74th Games. This was the first Games I could bring myself to watch, only because Finnick said it was interesting. And it was, I guess, with Katniss Everdeen being it in. She was a pretty small girl from District 12 who volunteered for her little sister, Prim, but she seemed determined to come home. Another thing that made her unique was her relationship with her district partner, Peeta Mellark. They were the "Star-crossed Lovers from District 12" everyone said. Finnick thought they were just doing it for sponsers, but I wasn't quite sure. I think they had some sort of feelings for each other.

Finnick and I sat and watched the Games every day, because technically everyone is required to. They just don't mess with victors. I had a piece of rope a couple feet long that a fiddled with and tied knots in whenever we'd watch. Finally one day, Finnick asked me why, since my hands had some major rope burn on them.

"I don't know. It helps me think of something besides the Games, I guess." And I continued to tie knots.

There was a twelve year old girl in these Games from District 11. Her name was Rue. She and Katniss became allies for a while, and we watched the boy from District 1 capture her and throw a spear into her stomach. Katniss quickly killed the boy, Marvel, and went to Rue's aid, but we all knew she was too late. She cut the net from around Rue's body and layed her head in her lap. Rue clutched Katniss's hand tightly and asked her to sing to her. And she did.

And the cannon boomed.

Katniss slid Rue off of her body and walked away. She looked like she had an idea. But the screen cut away. They didn't even show the hovercraft take Rue's body.

The next thing they showed was Katniss, sitting in a tree, obviously trying not to lose it. Claudius Templesmith came on over the speakers, and I thought he was going to announce a feast. But instead, it was a rule change. There could be two victors if they came from the same district.

If only they'd done that for my Games.

I fell asleep on the couch with Finnick and was woken up a few hours later to someone pounding on our door. Finnick had been asleep, too, but woke up when I did and went to get the door. It was two men, and they asked if they could have a word with him. He kissed my cheek and went out with them.

When he came back, he was pale, like something had happened that we wasn't expecting or didn't want to happen. I hugged him tight and asked what was wrong, but he just shook his head.

"I can't tell you, Annie. For your own protection," he said.

"Oh, we're back to this again?"

"I told you last time, didn't I? And look at what happened."

He was right, I guess.

________________________________________________________

Another year passed. Katniss and Peeta won their Games, but pissed off the Capitol in the process. And it was time for the 75th Games. A Quarter Quell, which means there's some special twist on the rules. The 25th Games, everyone voted for who they wanted as tribute. The 50th, 48 tributes were chosen, 4 from each district. And this year, the 75th, the tributes will be selected from the existing pool of victors.

Meaning I could go back into the arena. Or worse, Finnick could.

No one had their usual excitement at this year's reaping. Everyone, even the people in the Capitol, was upset about the rule change. Capitol people get attached to their victors. Poor them.

District 4's mayor read the Treaty of Treason, then our escort, Kiku, came up. The same woman who had escorted Finnick and I, only slightly older. You couldn't really tell. She didn't even say she was excited, like she did every year. She just went to the bowl of girls' names and picked out the first one she felt. She did a little gasp and swallowed hard before quietly reading out, "Annie Cresta."

I was shaking. So many memories flooded my mind all at once, it made my head hurt. I felt like I might faint. No one in the crowd said a word. Somehow my feet began to move towards the stage, but when I got to the steps, I felt a frail hand on my arm. Mags stepped in front of me and said to Kiku, "I volunteer for her," in her usual garbled speech. She kissed my cheek and turned me back towards the crowd before climbing the stairs to the stage.

I couldn't imagine this getting any worse, but naturally, it did. Kiku grabbed a name from the guy's bowl and dragged her feet back to the microphone. A few tears started flowing down her face, and she tried to conceal them when she read out, "Finnick Odair."

I guess I was in shock, because I just stood there. I didnt scream, I didn't cry. I just watched Finnick as he calmly made his way onto the stage. He even smiled at Mags when they shook hands. Playing up the cameras was something he'd become excellent at over the years.

After they'd been moved into the Justice Building, I climbed the stairs and went inside. I was led into the same small room I'd been in three times now with Finnick. He stood up and hugged me tight. It wasn't until then that I started crying. Sobbing even. He'd expected it, I guess, and did his usual comforting gestures.

"Annie, listen to me, okay? Trust me when I tell you this: I'm getting out of this. I know it means some of the other victors are going to have to...you know. But I'm going to get home, alright? Trust me."  And I wanted to trust him, but some part of me just couldn't believe it.

A Peacekeeper opened the door, signaling the end of our time together. Finnick looked up and told him he'd just need a second, and the Peacekeeper closed the door slightly to give us privacy.

Finnick held me at arms length and gave me a serious look. I sniffled, and he whispered, "Alright, listen. No matter what happens, no matter what they say or do to you, don't tell them anything. I didn't tell you much on purpose, but...well, I don't know what exactly is going to happen, but no matter what, you have to stay strong. For me, okay?"

I shook my head slightly, to clear it. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough, I promise. Just don't tell them anything, and they'll eventually figure out you really don't know what's going on."

"Finnick, you're scaring me."

He kissed my cheek gently. "I'm sorry. You'll find out soon, I promise. You've got to go now." He kissed me on the lips, and I tried to make it last as long as it could. "I love you, Annie."

"I love you too."

After one final quick kiss on the forehead, a Peacekeeper grabbed my arm and pulled me from the room.

My feet dragged as I walked home. Well, to Finnick's old house. I don't know how I'd be able to stay there without him. It was like there was a huge hole in my chest where my heart should be. But the Capitol, President Snow, had taken it and stomped on it. And now I had nothing.

A few tears still lingered on my cheeks as I opened the door. I wasn't sure what was going on. Someone in a Peacekeeper uniform grabbed my arm, too hard. I was pulled onto the ground and blindfolded. The last thing I remembered was a sharp pain in my arm before I blacked out.