Against the Current (Finnick and Annie)

Chapter 27~Annie

I knew even before I woke up that he was gone. That the worst had happened. The unbelievable. I knew and woke up crying heaving sobs. He left me. He was gone. Forever and always.

Before, they told me that he was believed to be dead along with the entire team, crushed by a black wave and buried in rubble. People cried. I didn't. I knew he was still alive and fighting. I felt it, and knew it, and I was right. He was alive. They were alive and continuing on.

Now they don't even need to tell me that my greatest fear had come true. I feel it in every ounce of my being. I could've brushed off my dream as the usual nightmare, but I knew it wasn't. It felt too real and Finnick felt too close, like he was inside me.

Everything was too surreal with a sense of heaviness telling me that this was reality. I sat on the beach in District Four and a small figure walked up to me. As the person came closer I saw that it was Finnick dressed in white shorts and a white shirt. He was beautiful. An ethereal beauty too good for this world. One I could never truly have.

Finnick smiled a sad, regretful smile with unshed tears swimming in his eyes. I rose to my feet and he held me in his arms, tight, but I could feel him fading. He left a sweet, gentle kiss on my lips that continued on for eternity and ended too soon.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. His voice cracked. Tears trailed down his cheeks. "I'm sorry. I love you."

I didn't know what was happening, but I knew something was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong. I started crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I clutched on to his arms, but he was still fading.

Finnick just forced another smile, squeezed my hand. "Stay strong. Nothing has changed. You're still my true love, and I love you."

Just one more quick kiss and he was leaving, walking away into the water and leaving me behind.

"Finn! Where are you going?" I shouted after him. I wanted to follow but I was stuck alone with nothing but my own growing desperation.

"I need to go now. I love you," he said. He gave me one last smirk, the very one I first fell in love with. "Don't forget that. Ever."

I shook my head, a sob left my mouth, tears ran down my face. I screamed back that I loved him but he was gone with the next wave. It came and crashed over him, and he was gone. All that was left in his wake were the white mist and the deep azure.

I collapsed on to the sand in denial. I couldn't believe he was gone. But no matter how hard I looked, how long I waited, he never came back and somehow he always did. But he didn't. Not this time.

I couldn't keep you here with me. Not if I cried out to the world and begged for it to let you stay. You weren't with me. You were gone. Forever and always.