After Everything
AN: Enjoy my first story in the Hunger Games Fandom. I couldn't find anything to write about till now.
Happy Hunger Games! And may your odds be ever in your favor!
-Sukistory
Johanna Mason didn't know what to do with her miserable life. She still remembers the day she came home... Or what was left. It was full with ruins and empty lands with tree stumps. Many came back searching for their love ones that was most likely dead. Many came back to rebuild the district she called home. She just came back because she didn't know where to go. She didn't know how to deal with the nightmares, with water... It's been a year. A year since the war ended. A year since she lost her second family. Finnick... Her district partner and mentor, Blight... Mags...They were all she had. Finnick was the closest even though he was from another district, but victors tend to stay together. They had each others back, but it's the ones you trust, that end up being your best friend for life. He was the one who protected her. He was the one who donated all his money to her after his tributes he mentored died in the game she won. He, Mags, Annie and Blight held her the day she refused to be Snow's slut... The same day Snow killed her family and the people she loved. The same day she was raped by a capital buyer.
She couldn't forget the games or the people who she cared about, or the people who caused her so much pain. Not ever...
The pain hurts. Not even morphing could take the pain away. Not even throwing axes to get her anger under control. Instead... She made sure no one could ever hurt her again, by locking herself up.
She didn't do a good job at it.
She got a call from Annie saying that she wanted her to meet baby Finnick, who was five months at the time. Johanna has been growing close to Annie ever since Finnick had pass, and surly Annie needed Johanna now. She had no friends, but her and Katniss.
Johanna was against it. District 4 was surrounded with water. She hates water, she barley took a bath.
But, she went anyways, after Annie called her a billion times, and Brainless threaten to go to District 7, and drag her ass to see the baby. Of course she had to threaten her with an axe to the back, but deep down, Katniss knew Johanna never meant a word she said. She just had walls built around her.
She held the little bundle in her arms. Annie, Haymitch, Brainless and Peeta watching her from a safe distance. He looked so much like Finnick from head to toe. Even that smile. Johanna missed her best friend, but she realized that he never left. He was right in her heart, and a piece of him was in her arms at that everyone went to bed. Only Johanna stayed awake tending to baby Fin. She told him about his daddy. And the baby stared at her, listening.
Early morning Peeta and Katniss finds her with Fin, sleeping on the rocking chair. Peeta couldn't help draw them. In fact he made three copies. One for him, the other for Annie and one for Johanna. She said that it was just a waste of paper, but the night she left... She held the drawing in her hands crying her guts out. She was gonna miss the baby she adored. The baby who kept her and Annie sane for awhile. She never cried. She had no one left to love, but than she realized, she had someone again. Not only Fin, but Annie, Katniss, Peeta and unfortunately Haymitch.
She got home, and went to therapy.
Just for baby Fin. She really wanted to swim with him since Annie couldn't.
She was able to bathe again.
She was able to swim near the river that ran through the woods near her home.
She couldn't wait to swim with her baby Fin.
She decided to live close to Annie and Fin, since she had no family, but she decided to visit District 12 and her friends before she moved. She decided to help rebuild while she was there, for the sake of it. She had nothing better to do, other than fuck the world, and scare teenagers.
That's when she met a little girl.
She was only two years old. An orphaned seams girl who was saved by Gale. Her mother died during the bombings in District 13. Her father recently passed away, and she's been living at the orphanage ever since. Johanna admired the toddler for awhile. Despite the pain she's been through... She's still smiling. Something Johanna barley did unless she was with Fin or her friends, the remaining victors. The toddler walked in to her arms one day, and Johanna instincts kicked in. She picked the little girl up, and she gave her a hug. Something she never did. She didn't want to love another soul, so she put her down, and ran away.
But...
Everyday she came by to deliver food to the orphanage with Peeta, whom the children loved. Everyday she saw that little girl. Her seams grey eyes, but she had brown hair and pale skin unlike the others. She was small. She was a fighter. She had a personality just like Johanna's.
Even Peeta noticed.
She was about to board the train when she ran off.
Peeta saw her run to the orphanage, sprinting as fast as she could.
Katniss followed her.
Johanna demanded to keep the toddler and take her home with her to District 4.
Katniss thought she was insane for taking a baby. Johanna didn't even like children, but she loved this one.
With an axe and a evil smirk, the orphanage owner allowed it. Katniss signing as a witness.
Johanna adopted the toddler and named her Cora... Cora Mason. It was fitting, and Johanna loved that name.
Johanna was scared as fuck the night she and Cora stayed with Peeta and Katniss.
But Haymitch and Peeta knew she could do it. She was Johanna Mason.
She took Cora to district 4.
Cora grew to love her more and more.
Johanna wish she could love anyone the moment they met them. But she feared attachment and trust.
But finally, the little girl who was a mirror of Johanna, unlocked the cage she put herself, mentally.
Johanna began to truly love her daughter.
Johanna started to fear things a mother would fear for her child.
Cora didn't. She didn't fear anything.
They worked together, bringing the best out of each other. Mother and daughter. The sole victor of district 7 and her daughter Cora Mason. The papers even said that.
They followed Cora and Johanna... It took an ax, swear words and a middle finger for them to get the message that they didn't want to be followed.
Johanna remembers the day Cora called her mama. She called Annie and started to cry.
Cora turned three years old when she picked up her first axe.
She flew it as far as she could.
She manages to cuts down Annie's baby fruit trees she was growing with Fin.
Johanna couldn't be more proud.
She even gave her lessons.
Annie thought it was barbaric, but that's before Haymitch bought Fin a trident. He was four when he started to use it to catch dinner. Johanna taught him.
Cora learned fast. She was natural. Like her mother, and her grandfather... Johanna's father who taught her to cut down trees the moment she learned to walk.
That night Johanna thought of her family she lost. She was only seventeen.
The moment she saw them dead. Her mother and little brother.
The moment she found a white rose on her fathers bloody chest.
She cried heavily.
She had the urge to stop thinking about it, but she had to learn to get through the pain, so she let go this time.
And she had someone to catch her...
A little body wrapped around her that night, and finally she let go the pain that she held on for the past six years.
She remembers the first day of school, her first play and swim meet. Big mile stones for Cora.
Johanna couldn't believe that she was growing up fast. Cora was a fast learner, and strong. She had friends, mostly boys who weren't scared of her. Johanna could see her in the little girl she called her daughter despite the fact she was adopted.
She had a one night stand when she went back to District 7 to visit the graves of her mentor and partner, and her family.
Got pregnant.
And she had a baby. A baby boy, with dark brown hair, pale skin and dark brown eyes.
He was given the name Nick.
Nick Mason, after Johanna's father and best friend Finnick. Two names of the two people she loved wrapped in to one.
Everyone came to see her and Nick. Cora couldn't be more happy for a baby brother.
Katniss came to see her.
Brainless was a good comfort for her.
The closest thing to a best friend, other than Annie.
They talked.
And for a very long time.
Johanna felt complete.
Cora turned twelve.
The age that use to scare Johanna.
If the rebellion didn't happen, she would have been reaped... Being a victors child.
But no.
There was no more games. No more worries.
Her children. Cora and Nick are safe.
When Cora got older she asked about the games. She learned a little in elementary, and some in middle school, and she knew her Aunt Annie and Katniss, Uncle Peeta, Grandpa Haymitch and Mom had something to do with the rebellion, but now she's fifteen. The school allowed them to see real footage. To visit the arena. To learn about each important games. They showed Johanna's game as an example and how she won at school. Cora felt a sense of pride of her mother, for her surviving and being strong... For not falling apart.
Johanna fears her daughter will she her as a murder weapon.
She didn't. She didn't fear anything.
Johanna finally told Cora about her games at her perspective and what Snow did to her family. She even showed Cora the book, Katniss and Peeta had made with Haymitch.
They cried that night. For the people who died. For little Rue and Prim, for the victors who died, for the tributes who came home in wooden boxes to their parents, for Finnick, Mags, Wiress, and all of the people who she cared about.
It wasn't the last time Johanna had to tell that story.
Nick learned it. He watched it. He learned about Finnick, his mothers family, and the whole Capitol selling tributes. He was taught things that was never mentioned in school.
He overheard a group of people calling his mother insane after they watched her game in class. They even called her a whore, and a bitch who should have never called her worthless to the rebellion. Nick came up to them. He showed them an axe and played a little tricks.
Johanna was called in.
Nick explained about the blood. The little cuts on the side of a boys ear and the scrap on the one of the boys stomach.
Johanna couldn't be more proud.
Cora, Nick and Fin grew up together.
Annie and Johanna watched as they aged.
They thought that Cora and Fin would fall in love, but the two seemed better off as friends.
But to there surprise Finnick decided to fall in love with someone 16 years younger than him... Finnick married Willow Mellark. Peeta and Katniss were happy with this match.
They had two boys.
Finnick, named after his grandfather and father and August, a name Willow liked.
And a daughter.
Anne.
After Annie.
Cora married Arrow Hawthorne. To everyone's surprise. They hated each other, but after a little time, they fell in love.
Arrow was Gale's oldest and adopted son. An orphan from the same orphanage. He was saved by Gale, lived in District 13, and returned home as an orphan at the age of four. He was adopted at 8.
And not too long after the two got married... Cora was expecting. She had twins.
A son... Jack Mason-Hawthorne
A daughter... Johanna Mason- Hawthorne or "Jo" as her mother would call her. She was named after Johanna, something that her daughter thought would be good.
They also adopted a daughter.
Margo.
From District 12.
Nick Mason married Lily.
She was the great-granddaughter of Mags.
They had a two sons and daughter.
Haymitch.
Blight.
Mags.
Named after Haymitch, Blight and Mags. They were named after three victors. It made Johanna happy.
Katniss and Peeta's son Rye married Maysilee Hawthorne. The only daughter of Gale and Madge. Imagine Gale's surprise that his only girl was marrying a Mellark.
They had a son.
Graham.
And a daughter.
Primrose.
Johanna watched her grandchildren, and watched them grow.
They learned about the games.
And Johanna, Annie, Peeta and Katniss told there story.
Cora taught them how to use an ax... And when Willow came to visit she taught them how to use a bow and arrow.
The skills of the original, were passed down to the third generation. Johanna couldn't be more proud seeing her grandson Blight and granddaughter Margo chop down five trees with one swing.
She lived happily till her time came.
Surrounded by her great-grandchildren, grandchildren, Nick, Cora, and their spouses... She finally went, on the day she won her games, almost sixty years ago.
Her daughter and son cried.
She hears their wrench bloody cries, but she couldn't comfort her children like she use to do.
They finally had to face pain without their mother.
She went with Finnick greeting her. She saw the faces of the people she loved and missed. She finally found peace.