Chapter 11
Annie Pov.
Katniss, Maggie and I walk to the beach to meet everyone. We brought some food for everyone so that we can hang out here.
"Hey! There they are!" Peeta says.
I put everything down, Katniss is holding Maggie. I run into the water.
"Hey Sugar Cube." Finnick says.
"Hey." I say. "How are the kids?"
"Good, they're all good." he says.
"Good," I say and smile.
He kisses my cheek and we walk out of the water.
"Annie, Maggie is so cute." Katniss says. "I forgot how fun it is to hold them when they're this small."
"Yea, she's a cutie. Just like her Mom." Finnick says.
The kids are still all splashing in the water.
Katniss and Finnick start a fire so that we can be warm when it gets later. Everyone, including Maggie goes in the water. She actually seems to like it. All the adults take turns holding her. She doesn't seem like she minds Katniss or Peeta when they hold her. Neither of them are all over her which is probably why she likes them.
The kids all have fun, Lilly seems to not be as shy. She seems to like Angie and Finn. Darius is one of those sweet kids that's really shy and independent, so when you offer to help him even though he needs it, he wants to do it himself. Darius looks like Peeta, with his short blonde-gold hair, and just about everything else except for his eyes. That are a sparkly silver-grey color, just like Katniss'. It's weird how when you look at Katniss and Peeta's kids, you can see them both. But when you look at Finn you only see Finnick, and when you look at Maggie you only see me.
We get out of the water and eat food and Katniss even sings a song around the campfire, only because the kids beg her to. The words are soothing, and clearly a lullaby. Darius sits in her lap, Angie and Finn hold hands, Lilly snuggles up next to Peeta. I hold Mags in my lap, and lay against Finnick.
Deep in the meadow,
Under the pillow,
A bed of grass,
A soft green pillow,
Lay down your head,
And close your sleepy eyes,
And when they open again,
The sun will rise,
Here it's safe,
Here it's warm,
Here the daisies guard you from every harm,
Here your dreams are sweet,
And tomorrow brings them true,
Here is the place,
Where I love you...
She looks like she wants to cry after saying the last line. But she doesn't. Because she's used to holding back her tears.
"That was, really nice Katniss." I say.
"Thanks, Annie." she whispers. "It's getting kind of dark, maybe we should head back, if that's okay with you guys."
"Yea, I think that's fine." Finnick agrees.
"Me too, Angie we'll walk you home okay?" I say.
"That's okay, I can walk by myself." she says.
"No, it's dark and I don't want anything to happen to you." Finn says. So much like his Dad.
"Finn, I'm not afraid of the dark." She says, rolling her eyes.
"I know, but it's not safe. You could get bit by a mutt in the jungle, or lost, or..."
"Okay, okay. I get it." she says.
"Finally." he says sarcastically.
We laugh a little at his sarcasm. When I watch Finn and Angie together, I can't help but remember Finnick and I. Because we acted the exact same.
We start walking through the jungle, Finnick knows where to go, even though it's almost completely pitch black. We have the kids stay in the middle, Katniss is at the back of our line. I'm behind Finnick, Peeta is in front of Katniss, Finn and Angie are behind me, I'm holding Maggie who is in a deep sleep, and Darius and Lilly are behind them. No one really talks unless Darius says he's scared, and Katniss reassures him that we're all okay. Sometimes he just whispers, "Mommy?" to make sure Katniss is still there. She always calms him down though. She's good at it, since she's done it for Prim since she was little.
We get out of the jungle and back into town. We walk to Angie's house even though she asks us to drop her off early, we walk her all the way. Her Mom answers the door.
"Finnick Odair?!" she squeals like a lady in the Capitol.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Casey." he says politely but emotionlessly.
"The pleasure is mine." she says, a little too flirty.
I clear my throat and say, "So, Angie is a very sweet girl. We love being around her."
"I wish she was like that with me. The young lady is supposed to be grounded but she's sneaking and going to the beach where she is forbidden to go to!" she glares at Angie. "Get in here,"
"Bye Finn, bye Finnick, Annie, Katniss, Peeta, Lilly, Darius, and Maggie." she says, obeying her mom.
"I'm sorry for the trouble." Her mom says.
"She's not trouble, she's a very sweet and well behaved young girl." I say.
"Good night, Mrs. Odair. And goodnight, Mr. Odair." she winks at Finnick who looks like he's going to puke. I don't know how Angie is so pretty (inside and out), when her mother is so ugly, (inside and out).
I laugh at his face a little. We start to walk away. But I hear Mrs. Casey yelling at Angie.
"WHEN WILL YOU LEARN TO STOP DISOBEYING ME?!" She screams.
"Mom, I'm sorry!" she says, crying.
"YOU WILL BE, AFTER I MAKE YOU REGRET NOT LISTENING TO ME!" She screams again. I hear a smack.
"Katniss! Hold Maggie!" Katniss takes her I think she heard what I heard. I run with Finn and Finnick running behind me.
Finnick breaks down the old locked door without effort.
"Leave Angie alone!" Finn yells.
"Whose this, Angie? A boyfriend, oh who am I kidding? A girl like you isn't worthy of dating an Odair." she says.
Angie doesn't say anything, she just cries.
"Back away from her, before I get the peacekeepers." Finnick says strictly.
"Why do you care?" She asks.
"Because, Angie is a sweet girl who deserves better parents than you." Finnick says.
"What are you going to do? Take her away from me?" She asks.
"Good idea." I say. Finn and Finnick look at me with their smirks.
Finn picks up Angie who is curled up in a ball. Mrs. Casey runs towards Finn, I won't let her lay a finger on him. I run straight towards her before she can hurt my baby. I pick her up, I never knew I was so physically strong. I slam her on the ground. She screams horrible things at me which just make it more painful for her.
"Sweetie, I think that's enough." Finnick says, after about three minutes.
"Mrs. Casey, how many times have you hurt Angie?" I ask, gritting my teeth.
She smirks, "Countless times."
"I think it's time I give you what you gave her." I keep beating her up. I would never lay a hand on Finn or Mags no matter what they did wrong. They're still innocent kids that make mistakes. No kid deserves what Mrs. Casey does to Angie.
Peacekeepers show up, they pull a bloody and unconscious Mrs. Casey out of the house. I don't know where Mr. Casey is, maybe he's working the late night shift for fishing. The peacekeepers question me.
"Why were you assaulting Mrs. Casey?" One of them asks.
"Because, she was beating her daughter Angela." I explain. "Angie, come here please."
She crawls out of Finn's arms that she's been held in for awhile.
"Sir, Annie was protecting me, look." she points to the bruise covering her cheek. "My mom did this to me before Annie protected me."
"Thank you, sweetie. Annie thank you for being honest and protecting this young girl. We will take Angie to the community home right away." He says.
"Thank you, Annie." Angela says.
"No! Sir, taking her to the community home will not be necessary. She can, stay with me, and my family. Trust me, I can take care of her." I say.
Angela's face lights up.
"Okay, Angela you can go home." He says.
I tell Finn first who is practically jumping up and down. Finnick agrees one hundred percent. Angie keeps thanking me and Finnick and Finn the entire time home. We get home and everyone gets ready for bed. I get into bed with Finnick.
"I see a pattern," he whispers.
"With what?" I ask.
"Think about it, Angie and Finn are kind of doing what we did." he says.
I notice it to. "Yea, they are."
Angie knocks on the door. "Yes?" Finnick asks with a smile.
"Sorry, to bother you. But I want to thank you one more time." she whispers shyly.
I get out of bed and so does Finnick.
I put my hands on her shoulders. "Angie, you are one of the sweetest girls I know. I've known you since you were eight years old and I want to thank you. Because you are like another daughter to me, and I promise that I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again."
She cries a little and throws her arms around me. "I love you, Annie."
"I love you too, Angie."
Finnick gives her a hug and adds, "Angie, you're doing us a favor. Because when Maggie grows up, I want her to be just like you. Smart, sweet, and kind. So don't say thank you to us, we're the ones that are thankful for you. I love you Angie."
"I love you too, Finnick."
"Come on sweetie, I'll tuck you in okay?" I say.
"Okay." she says. I walk her into her room that's right across from Finn's. I tuck her in. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I kiss her forehead and walk into my room with Finnick.
"Goodnight Annie, love you." he says.
"Love you too." I give him a kiss and fall asleep.