AN: For some, including myself this has been a highly anticipated ending to a series that has been a roller-coaster. Embraced and shunned. Loved and hated. It's been a crazy ride. As my fanfic 'career' is nearing an end (still wrapping up other stories, don't worry) I find no story better to be my swan song than the ending to a story that began it. While S4/S5 was written for nearly anyone to come in and understand this one is more geared to the overall story. More of less, this one is for the fans of the series.

Thank you all,

Pokie

Prelude:

Dani's Voice Over: Hello mother, it's been a while.

A lifetime.

The world fell and you rebuilt it in your image.

Humanity crumbled and you rewrote the definition.

Your family ripped apart and you stitched it back together how you felt it should be.

It took nearly a century, but you've done it.

Brava.

I've seen my replacements, they're cute, but they pale in comparison.

You must have realized this rather early on.

Otherwise there wouldn't be quite so many.

Failure is and always has been unacceptable.

To you.

I've often wondered, do they know about me?

Do they know our story?

Do they feel something is missing from theirs?

Do they ever wonder why there is a crown besides there's, never worn?

Do they ever wonder why the five dollar coin remains faceless?

Curiosity.

Interestingly enough, that brings us here.

You must be curious by now.

Why here? Why now? What desire?

Well mother,

We've played many games over the years.

Only two have ever mattered.

By my count I took the first, showed you just what you were capable of.

By my count you took the second, rebuilding everything just how you desired.

Minus me.

We both know a stalemate is unacceptable.

So now it's time to finish this once and for all.

Either I get what I want or you get what you think you want.

A life without me.

It goes without saying, all bets are off this time mother.

There are no exceptions and there is no mercy.

Once and for all we will settle this.

Us.

…..

.

Charlie's POV

.

There is no hope more sorrowful than freedom and freedom is but an illusion.

Ironic the words I treasure most are those of my mother, though I suppose those words were spoken from another her. A her I never got to meet, one I maybe would have liked. Ironic my favorite words from her are ones she never actually spoke to me. I read them somewhere, maybe a history book. Unlikely. Probably her most popular biography; Lauren Alreyna, from Chains to Change.

How pretentious.

Her words begin again, cool breeze pulling me from thoughts of my mother to the Guardian Line. An invisible line in the metaphorical sand a good hundred feet ahead that separates us…me, from the rest of the world. They tell us its hundreds of miles of wilderness before you reach the Guardian outposts and then another few dozen miles before you hit the rest of the world, but I can't be certain. I've never actually managed to make it any closer to the line than this.

Not for lack of curiosity, more just an intense fear…of something.

I've lost count of the nights I laid wake staring at my celing wondering just what it is truly like outside of my prison of walls. I lost track of when the movies and novels became not enough. I assume a long time before the history books and memories from the elders did. It's not that I don't believe any of them, I just want to see it. No, I need to see it. Experience life and know what it's like beyond….this.

Even if it is as bad as they say.

"Mother would have your ass if she knew you were our here." Ethan's voice stardles me, but I don't bother looking over to him as he approaches. "You hear me?"

"Did they send you for me?"

"No, they think you're getting ready."

"Then?"

"Charlie, it isn't safe out here."

"I'm within the Guardian Line."

He snorts at me, causing me to glance up at the dapper model that is my brother. Every inch of his school uniform perfect. Silver belt buckle annoyingly shiny just like his shoes. Navy blue button up perfectly pressed and buttoned up to the very top. Sighing he goes to run his hand through his overly gelled porcupine needles. Dumbass. He mumbles something looking down at his stickily wet hand and then over himself attempting to figure out where to wipe it.

"Try the grass." I help him, looking back out at the line. "It won't bite."

"I don't know where it's been."

"What?" Glaring up at him, disappointed to find out he isn't kidding.

"This is G.I. territory. It separates us from all...," He stops, probably remember my distain for all of the pet names they have for those beyond our walls. "Of them."

"Them what?"

"Jesus Charlie, you've read the same damn books as I have. Heard the same damn stories."

"So you're afraid of homeless people?"

"Of course not, I volunteer at the shelter."

"Our homeless live in an apartment building with a pool and tennis court. I'm talking about the real kind of homeless. The ones with no running water or food or cable."

"Stop trying to make me seem like an asshole."

"I'm not trying to make you seem like anything." Sigh replace with a smirk. "Other than your mother's son."

"And you're her daughter."

"Jury is still out on that one."

"We have to go, it's starting soon."

"They won't notice if I'm missing."

"The world will be watching."

"No, Our world will be watching, the real world is out there." Pointlessly I gesture outward toward the line, glare fixed on him.

"Do not embarrass our family like this Charlotte." He warns me, jaw tensing the way our mother's does when she's trying to pretend she isn't one step away from yelling at us. "Not today."

"Did you know that in the nineteen thirties perhaps one of the worst disctators in the world had his youth wear beige to easily be identified? In the early two thousands a dictator by the name of Krasgrove out of Tanzania had his youth wear green cargo pants with a golden rope hanging from the belt loop, to represent a tail of a lion. Eventually those who became leadership would replace the rope with an actual tail. In the mid thousands the dictator Takahashi had his youth wear white. A dual purpose really, One, if they got dirty it would signify their lack of dedication and poor discipline. Two, he liked how it looked when covered in blood. "

"What does this have to do with anything?"

Sighing, I push myself to my feet. "The uniform may be more stylish now, as is everything in our lives, but there's no difference behind the meaning."

"Charlotte." He stops himself, tiling his head side to side attempting to crack his neck. "We must be going now, before they notice we're missing."

"If I'm wrong, just answer one question."

"I don't have time for games."

"One question, then I'll go."

He snaps. "What?'

"If I'm so wrong, why are you and everyone else wearing your uniform when there's no school?"

.

.

Dani's Voice Over: Bo, glad to see not much has changed.

Or has it, I'm curious.

I wonder, will you play this time?

Or will you linger in the background once again?

Everyone's favorite cheerleader.

Some may argue you've been the strongest of us all.

The unseen and unpraised hero of our tale.

You've kept true to who you are, always beaten but never quite broken.

You've gotten the life you truly wanted, a housewife with children to correct the failings of your parents.

You've been the best mom and the best wife you could be.

You've been the best sister and the best office employee.

You got the white picket fence.

Brava.

But in all of this you lost the woman you were.

You lost the woman everyone fell in love with.

You lost the fighter within that made you a survivor.

You lost the drive and anger that gave you power.

You lost the right to be called a champion.

If you ever were one.

So now I pose a question to you as I did to my mother.

Will you remain fighting in the sidelines, remaining true to who've become.

Who you always wanted to be.

Or is there still one good fight left in you, old girl?

…..

.

Bo's POV

.

Staring into an all too familiar blackness now somehow foreign I search for breath. The burning in my fingertips barely enough to register. Marble cracking within my desperate grasp, but I can't find the strength to let go. The fear of my knees buckling growing with every passing eternal moment.

This isn't how it's supposed to be.

Forcing myself away from the sink, away from the mirror with three uneasy steps I remember to breathe. Ignoring the tightness in my knuckles as I grip the hem of my shirt I pull it off, never once breaking eye contact with myself. I never did believe the lore, a reflection is simply a reflection but in this moment I think it's something more.

She's not me…not anymore.

The woman staring back at me I haven't seen in years. She is not trembling with fear, but stoic. She is not small and feminine, but a badass giant. Her jaw does not quiver at the uncertainty awaiting, but tightens welcoming the unknown. She's a warrior ready for what comes next.

She's not me…not anymore.

"Do you wish for the wraps?" Meek whisper from the corner earns my attention, eyes shifting to her reflection which unlike mine is true.

Shaking my head, eyes drifting to the reflection of my breasts. The bra should suffice, it always has in training. A dryness slithering through my mouth before trailing down my throat at the thought of training. Eight years. Eight years since I've really trained.

Nodding to myself, the thought a reminder that who stares me down is not me. She is confident and skilled, I am neither. Not really. Not anymore. Each eternal moment pulls me closer to the edge of insanity, a fear within myself begging to be released. A single scream. If I scream it'll be out and I'll be okay.

My reflection seems to smirk as she shakes her head. No, I can't scream because then they'll know. They'll all know I'm terrified. The bones in my hands cracks as I ball up my fists. I couldn't scream if I wanted to anyway, I lost my voice some time ago.

Maybe none of this will matter, maybe someone else has won.

Or maybe I am a coward undeserving of the blood coursing through my veins and the last name I am to honor.

Your blood was royal before her.

Your name was royal before her.

The door flies open, the two maidens hovering in the corner squeal as I forget to breathe. I would have joined them, had I managed to find my voice. There's no need to fear though, not from him. Soren's normally cheerful call of my name now an unfamiliar whisper.

Faintest of smiles a momentary visitor, I had thought he would have been dead already. For what it counts, he does look like death. Bare broad chest torn to pieces, snow white skin an interesting shade of red. His dark blonde hair now stained auburn. If not for his icy blue eyes peering through me, he'd be near unrecognizable.

"They have fallen. I have fallen."

I nod, tilting my head to the left just to see if my reflection would do the same.

Maybe Lauren rigged this, maybe it'll be easier than you think.

You are more than this.

You have always been more than this.

His words repeat themselves drowning out the combative voice inside my head begging for attention. None of this was supposed to be this way. But I guess when life has plans of their own, there's no getting around it. First there was only one part to this, a ceremony. Then they demanded the traditional first part of the ceremony to be added. I wasn't of royal blood of their liking I needed to do more. I was a warrior at one time after all. I was allowed to pick six champions, a King's Guard as they called it. I guess I didn't pick well enough.

"Bo, it's time." Thick accent swallowing up whispered pity as he stares down at me like the fragile creature I apparently am. Even without facing him, I see his reluctance to guide me further. He knows I face the same fate as the rest. He knows what awaits for me just as the maidens do. Just as I do, but there is no running from this.

Nodding, I take one last look at her.

She may not be me anymore…

…But she can be…

…no…

She will be.

.

.

Dani's Voice Over: And to my siblings,

There are many of you now.

It's curious.

Our parents had a hard enough time wanting to keep two of us.

Yet here you all are.

I have no doubt you know nothing of me.

You will.

Some of you will be collateral damage if not all of you.

But you do have my DNA and I have high hopes.

Hopes that one of you will be mildly interesting.

Be more than Sean.

Sorry brother, but your destiny has already been written.

Out of sisterly responsibility I feel the need for a one time olive branch.

Stay out of my way.

And make yourself as intriguing as possible.

I bore easy.

…..

.

Bo's POV

.

The stone beneath my feet sends chills throughout my body. Calves tensing with every step taken, toes curling causing each step to be a little more painful than the last. Fists clenching and unclenching on their own, each breath shallower than the last. The funniest thing of this all is I hadn't even been aware this place existed until a week ago. A little colosseum of our own.

For the longest time there's nothing.

No sounds. No people. No thoughts.

Nothing.

Corridor after corridor, silence.

You are the daughter of Hades.

You are the granddaughter of The Blood King.

This is in your blood.

Five steps from the opening in the wall, the sun seeps in stopping just before my toes reach it. There's only silence and the pounding of my heart in my ears. I stand alone now. No crowd, no cheerleaders, no nothing. Only me. I should have had my guard to walk out with, they would have put on a traditional show before I fought.

But I opted to take the easy way.

They were supposed to win.

What was supposed to happen is irrelevant now and standing here crying about it won't do anything. They're all waiting for me now. Everyone is waiting. Depending on me. I could back out, but I can't do that. I could have Lauren decree this over, but I can't do that either. There's only one choice left.

Five steps forward and I feel the sun on my face, a welcomed wave of heat running over me like a blanket in a snow storm. It's momentary, but welcomed none the less. At this point any victory is welcomed. Fists clenched, breath held I take the first step forward to the rest of my life.

For family. For love. For her. For honor. For dignity.

For myself.

.

.

Dani's Voice Over:

Game on.