Finnick and Annie

Birth (Annie's POV)

"Fuck" I say through gritted teeth.

Finnick looks helpless and concerned.

"Can I get you some more ice chips?" he asks. I laugh quietly before groaning again.

"No ice. I'm fine."

The contraction subsides and I take a deep breath. Finnick's expression softens. Every time I have a new contraction he tenses with me. He's spent most of his life trying to keep me from getting hurt, but there is not much he can do right now.

"Babe, you gotta relax," I tease. "You can have the next one."

He rolls his eyes.

"Why don't you sit?" I gesture to his wheelchair. His physical therapist encouraged him to try standing and walking with his cane, but he still stumbles sometimes. I worry he's trying to get better quickly for my sake.

"Annie, if you can give birth to my son, I can stand next to you while you do it."

"Sure, but I get to do it lying dowwwn," I grunt as another contraction hits. "Man, I wish this kid would hurry up."

"It hasn't been that long," he says, looking tired already.

"Easy for you to say," I snap.

He gives me a brash smile that almost takes my breath away. He looks happy and healthier by the day. Through the magic of Capitol medicine he's made an impressive recovery. But it's not just his body that is doing better. For the first time in both of our lives we don't feel afraid.

Finnick holds my hand quietly for a while. He grimaces as I squeeze his hand during every contraction, but he doesn't pull it away.

Our doctor stops by a while later to check on me.

"I think we're ready to start," she says.

I suddenly start to feel anxious. Finnick can see it in my face, and he gives me a reassuring kiss on the forehead. "It'll be okay."

I swallow hard and nod my head.

"Mr. Odair, you can sit in the waiting room if you'd like," she says.

His grip on my hand tightens. "I'm not leaving her."

Dr. Marietta leaves the room briefly and returns with three nurses and another doctor. The room suddenly feels very crowded.

I take deep breaths as instructed, push when they tell me to and try to keep my anxiety at bay.

The beeping of the machines reminds me of all the times I'd been in a hospital before. After my games in the Capitol, when Finnick's father died in this very hospital, in District 13 where I thought I saw him die.

"Annie!" His voice brings me back to reality. He looks concerned, and so does the hospital staff standing around me.

The machines are beeping like crazy.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. The pain is making me feel lightheaded. The lights above my bed are blinding.

I search for Finnick's face; it's screwed up with concern.

"It's okay," I assure him.

He looks at me glassy-eyed. "Annie, hang on," he pleads.

"She's losing a lot of blood," I hear someone say.

What is happening?

The nurse to my right shakes me as I start to fall asleep.

"Push, Annie."

I do as I'm told, though I don't feel like I have the strength to do this much longer.

When I look at Finnick again, he's crying.

Then I hear another cry, it's much more high pitched. I look down and catch a glimpse of my baby before I pass out again.