So much thanks to @otrascosasseries for the above banner! I love that you took my jumbled ideas and made such a beautiful image!
Thanks a ton to @lvfics for being a supportive and constructive beta. You helped me make sense of my original idea and focus it into something that I am really proud of.
I posted two chapters and an epilogue.
If you were waiting for the story to be finished to read the story, now is your chance! You can read from the start here: AO3 or FFN
I wanted to start editing this, but I decided to do some work around the house and now it’s 9PM and I go to bed at 10, so no real time to dive in like I want. So as a consolation for all of us, how about a preview of the first part of the chapter? Please note it still needs some work, so there may be a few mistakes.
One lazy Sunday morning a little over a month later, they were all shocked out of their comfort by the sound of gunfire. With barely any discussion, Peeta and Finnick ran down the beach to retrieve Prim and Mags from the old woman’s house.
They returned to say that they could see the smoke from the cannons firing only a few miles from Mags’s home. It wouldn’t be long before it was much closer to town.
They spent a nervous day around the house. Katniss sat in a corner going over all her arrows, sharpening and repairing as needed. Johanna and Finnick took turns watching out the window. Peeta, Mags, and Prim cooked. Annie held Adam to comfort both of them.
Later that night, as Johanna napped and Mags and Prim slept, Peeta, Annie, Katniss, and Finnick met to talk.
Finnick announced, “Katniss and I are going to join the fight in the morning.”
Annie slammed her palm on the table. “No, you won’t.”
Adam started crying again and Peeta quickly scooped him up from the floor to sooth him.
Finnick placed a hand on Annie’s arm. “The war is getting closer, Ann. You know Katniss and I have been planning to go for a while. We need to keep you all safe.”
Peeta looked between the others gathered and turned to Katniss. “You only know the bow. I don’t think that’s safe. Maybe you should stay behind. Let me and Finnick do this.”
“And how are you going to fight, Peeta?” Katniss demanded. “Throw spoons at them?”
Peeta sighed. “I’ve been practicing with the gun, same as Finnick.”
Everything was suddenly too loud. Annie covered her ears and shook her head. “Everyone always leaves me.”
Finnick’s hand fell on Annie’s arm again and she heard him whispering in her ear. It was several breaths before she made out the words, “It’s okay, Ann. I’m here. Peeta’s holding Adam on the other side of you. You’re okay. No one’s going anywhere just yet.”
Annie slowly raised her head and saw Katniss watching anxiously from the other side of the room. “You know what? Just leave. All three of you.” She lifted Adam out of Peeta’s arms and left the room.
Much thanks to the amazingly talented @otrascosasseries for the beautiful banner!
A million billion trillion thanks to @lvfics (AKA LavenderVanilla) for being such a great critic and help all around for this fic!
Katniss sighed and leaned against the empty counter. "Feels good to get some work in. I was starting to feel useless."
Peeta grinned as he finished wiping down the cabinet. "You're far from useless. You've been a great help with Adam."
"I love that little man. I'm sorry he got so fussy and Annie had to bring him home." Katniss said as she walked over to lock the front door.
"He's really grown attached to you. It's sweet." Peeta reached under the counter. "Before we head out, I want to give you something." He handed over something small wrapped in cloth.
She knew what it was before she started to unwrap it. "Cheese bun?"
He shrugged. "They were going pretty quick today and I wanted to make sure you had one."
"Thank you." She tore it in half and offered part of it to him.
"Thank you." He said as he took it.
They both picked at their bread in silence for several minutes before Katniss moved toward the back door. "Prim and Annie probably have supper on."
I just realized it’s been a whole year since you all started the journey with me through the madness that is Worry Is Calling. (FFN/AO3)
This beautiful image above was made by the super talented @otrascosasseries. I am so in love with it! She took a vague idea and made it into this beautiful banner. Thanks so, so, so much!
I finished a fixing the epilogue and sent it off to my wonderful beta and friend @lvfics. She also has four other chapters before the epilogue. She’ll be looking them over as soon as she is able.
And then as soon as I am able after that, I will be doing my final edits and dropping all five chapters at once. I’m looking forward to seeing your final thoughts.
I have loved all the (civil) discussion that has been brought out because of this story. There are some powerful emotions churning all around and I understand the frustration. It’s going to all come full-circle soon. I promise that the end is very near.
Thank you to all you dear readers who have stuck with it and trusted me. And for all of you who have been telling me they were waiting to read until it was complete, you will have your chance to do so very soon!
It’s the reunion chapter, so you don’t want to miss it!
The banner above courtesy of the very talented @otrascosasseries!
Many thanks to my beta @lvfics for looking over this chapter again after it needed a bit more polishing. I appreciate it!
The waves crashed against the shore and she breathed softly against him. He was so lost in the rhythm of the world all around him, that he didn't feel her tense up right away.
He opened his eyes when he realized it and watched her slowly sitting up. Following her line of vision, he saw four figures moving toward them. Johanna led a brunette woman walking slightly ahead of a young man with bronze hair who had a slight blonde tucked into his side.
Annie stood, her lips moving slowly as she tried to form words. She finally whispered, "Can it be?" She moved forward before Peeta could grab her.
"Annie, wait." He called as he scrambled to his feet. He scooped Adam up to his chest before following after his wife.
The man broke away from the group just as Annie started running.
He heard his wife's name called from across the beach and her voice floated back to him as she cried out, "Finnick!"
Much thanks to @otrascosasseries for the amazing cover art you see up top (that you haven’t seen from me in a while).
Special thanks to my beta @lvfics for helping with this story. She’s read all of it now, so if you don’t believe me when I say it will all work out, you can ask her and she’ll vouch for me. :) After that, go read her stuff because she’s awesome!
And now, to the chapter:
The afternoons were starting to warm enough that Annie could be outside on the beach for longer periods of time. The water was still a little too cold for her to step in. Not to mention that she seemed to get dizzy when she stood and she feared passing out and drowning.
But one afternoon, just as she was waking her way back to the house to lie down after a particularly frightening spell, she collapsed. She didn't know how long she was out, but she awoke to Peeta patting her cheek and calling out her name over and over. His voice was full of fear.
She opened her eyes. "Peeta?"
"Oh, Annie." He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close for several breaths. "Let me get you inside and then I'll get Mags."
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck as he slipped his arm under her knees and the other around her waist.
"You're going to be okay." He said softly. "I felt the baby moving around when I was trying to wake you. He seems just as concerned as me." Peeta let out a nervous chuckle.
Annie tightened her arms around his neck. "I wish you could send someone else for Mags. I don't want you to leave."
"I'll be quick." He sat her down on the bed and kissed her quickly. "I promise."
You can read on FFN or AO3. It’s a long one, y’all!
Since there is no way I’m going to have this ready for you tonight, I thought it only right to give you a look at the next chapter. Please know that this hasn’t been through its final edit and is subject to change (mostly minor changes).
Annie walked into the kitchen and saw the bowl of noodles sitting on the table. She wasn’t hungry enough to sit down for a full meal after her breakdown, so she picked up a roll from the counter and headed further into the house.
She could hear Peeta’s soft snores behind his cracked door and pushed it open. He was stretched out on his back, one hand rested on his bare chest and the other thrown out to the side. She watched the slow rise and fall of his chest as she finished eating and then she went to her room and changed for bed.
Only sparing a small glance at her own bed, Annie decided she’d rather sleep beside Peeta. She stepped into his room once more. He jerked awake as she moved the blanket, blinking several times until she came into focus.
“You better?” He asked softly as he slid over.
She shrugged. “I got upset over a piece of paper.”
He sat up and touched her face. “It was more than that.”
She grabbed his wrist, leaning into his hand. She felt the tears stinging her eyes. “I can’t do it, Peeta.”
“Do what, Annie?” His voice was gentle and made the tears fall freely.
She whispered, “I can’t go on without him.”
“But you have me.” He pulled her onto his lap. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know.” She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. She turned her head and kissed him desperately, pushing him onto his back.
There were no more words as the emotions slowly consumed both of them. Her tears dripped onto his face and she whispered an apology against his lips as she tried to move away.
He held her close. “Not yet.” He pulled her in for more kisses.
