Falling Through Portals

Welcome Hom- Back yeah that's what I meant welcome back

Chapter 49

Annabeth stood in the foyer of Finnick's house. She wore a plain pink dress that was fitted in the waist and then fanned out. It had no sleeves and made her feel like a Barbie doll. But it was the only dress that Finnick had brought to the hospital and so she didn't have much of a choice.

It felt like she had been in that room only a night ago but with the way that Finnick coddled her it would have seemed that she had been gone weeks. Of course in his mind, she had.

Every time he came near her, her heart rate picked up. When he held her arm lightly to keep her from falling she couldn't think straight.

"Welcome ho-"Finnick stopped himself and then corrected himself, "back." She smiled despite herself. She felt light headed from walking and the trip back from the hospital. Everything seemed to be almost too bright. Finnick helped her over to one of the sitting areas and led her to one of the super comfy looking chairs. After she was sitting in the chair safely, Finnick jumped up and went to grab the rest of the things from the car.

Annabeth leaned her head back against the chair, letting her exhaustion consume her as soon as he was out of sight. She didn't want him to know how tired she was. Annabeth tried to think, she tried to think about what had happened at camp, how she had ended up in the hospital, and what was going to happen from here. But all of those thoughts seemed to converge on Finnick. His drawings . . .

When he wasn't looking, she looked through every picture after he had taken them all down in preparation for their departure from the hospital. Each one was like a reflection of his affection for her. Every drawing of her face made her look like an angel. It made her heart want to break and then sew itself back together and then break again. She was so overwhelmed.

She heard Finnick coming back in and she lifted her head from the chair.

"So," Finnick said calling from the kitchen area, "Can I get you anything?" he was unloading all of the things he had brought to the hospital.

Answers, Annabeth wanted, needed, answers. Why she was still stuck in the Hunger Games realm? Why had her dream back at camp landed her in the hospital? How was she going to go back? Why did Percy have to die? Why did she loose the love of her life? How could she have feelings for Finnick after Percy's death? Why did Finnick have to go and make her fall for him? Why? Why? Why?

"I am good," she said softly. It was no use to tell him exactly what she wanted. And if he found out that she was beginning to have feelings for him . . . she wasn't sure they could hold themselves back. She wasn't sure she would be able to hold herself back. Although at the moment she was having trouble walking, so until she had her strength back, she thought it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

Finnick nodded and poured her a cup of water despite what she said. Then he walked over to her. His shirt was rumpled and his hair was a mess. But he looked endearing that way. Without the light makeup for the Capitol big screens, without the fancy clothes, without the wall that separated him from the rest of the world. Those walls had come down for her.

It was like someone had strum a harp string in her stomach. She could feel the vibrations throughout her body. Her, he did this all for her.

Finnick set the cup of water down on the coffee table in front of her and he sat in the chair next to hers. He looked up and saw her staring at him. She hadn't even been aware of it until that moment. A blush crept into her face before she could look away. He didn't look away. His stare was loving, worried, and kind.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She pursed her lips and looked at the cup on the table. No she wasn't alright. Percy was dead. That phrase rung in her ears, in her mind, and was like a knife in her chest. But it was the truth, the truth hurt.