Forever and Always (Fifth book to the Finnick and Annie series)

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Annie Pov.

I wake up and look at Finnick whose still peacefully sleeping. I smile and give him a soft kiss to wake him up, but he doesn't so I kiss his forehead, and his cheek.

"Finnick, wake up!" I shake him.

He stifles a laugh and smirks before opening his eyes, "I already was awake I just wanted you to kiss me."

I slap his arm, "You're so going to get it,"

"Oh come on, don't act like it killed you to kiss me," he smirks.

"Maybe it did," I lie. "I was simply trying to wake you,"

"You sit on a throne of lies!" He declares and jumps out of the bed.

I can't help but laugh at him.

"Fine, fine, you win," I say and give him a kiss.

Maggie and Kayla peep their heads in the door.

"Good morning girls," Finnick says.

"Hi," they both say.

"Go get ready for school,"

They go in Maggie's room to get ready.

"Finn after we take the girls to school, I want to go visit Nixon,"

"Okay, I'm fine with that. Any particular reason you want to go visit him now?" I ask.

"Well, when I try to call him and see if he wants to come over or if he wants us to stop by, he always says no. And makes up an excuse, I'm worried about him, we've all had happier lives after the war, but he doesn't seem as happy." Annie explains.

I do agree with her, Nixon doesn't always seem happy, I do worry about him every now and then.

"You're right, there has been something up with him, alright, we'll pop by after we drop off the kids."

"Thanks Finn," she says, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

We take the girls to school and walk to Nixon's after. We don't knock because we don't want him to try to hide something.

We walk in quietly, and see Nixon asleep on the table, it's a mess in this house, with clothes thrown all over the floor, dust, cards, coins, and even some broken glass. Surrounding Nixon are many empty glasses of alcohol, I know it's alcohol because the house reeks of it.

"Nixon?" Annie says. He doesn't answer and she repeats herself louder.

"That's not gonna work," I tell her.

I turn on the sink in the kitchen and cup the icy water in my hands and let it fall on his head.

He screams and jumps up.

"What are you doing here?!" Nixon yells at us.

"We're worried about you, and clearly we were right that something's been going on, you've seemed different," I say.

"Why can't you mind your own business? Just because you were my mentor, doesn't mean you're the boss of me," Nixon says.

"I'm not the boss of you but I do care about you, and you need to start taking better care of yourself." I tell him.

"Nixon, when did you start, drinking?" Annie asks, I can tell this has surprised her.

"A year after Finnick came back, I was depressed, all the other victors had moved on in life and I was the only one who wasn't married, I didn't know what else to do. And I know I shouldn't have, turned to this, but I can't do anything about it now, we all know this is how I'll spend the rest of my life, alone." Nixon explains and I feel bad for him, he's a good person, he shouldn't have to feel this way.

"You're not alone," Annie says.

"Don't do that!" he yells at her.

"Don't yell at her," I yell at Nixon, "She cares about you and so do I, so stop being like this."

"I don't want pity, I want a family, but I don't have time for that, it's too late." He says.

"Have you at least tried?" I ask. "I thought you had feelings for someone else and you were okay when Kim and you broke up."

"You really think there was someone else?" Nixon asks. "I still care for her, and that's why I lock myself in this house, because she is with Xavier who was my best friend and they have a family so it's a little late for me to tell her the truth."

That's upsetting, I couldn't imagine Annie with someone else. Now I understand why Nixon feels this way.

"Hey, I'm sorry, but this isn't the answer. I was your mentor, I saved your life once, will you let me save it again?" I ask him.

"Yes."