Since our return to the Capitol, Carina and I have been crashing at Grandfather's mansion. With everyone treating this place like it was haunted, no one else has occupied the place since Grandfather vacated. There aren't many objections, partly because we didn't ask, but Rotor and Lilac tell me that I still have a room at the Training Center. But without Vixen there I think it'd be too awkward with just me and the parents. Besides, Carina says she needs room for all the wedding planning.

A few weeks go by and Carina shows no signs of making her next big decision. Many Capitolists, both good and bad, knew Carina and her affiliation with Phoenix. Returning to her old life, the one she loved so much, is no longer an option. Revenge is still a common practice around here and if the remaining Jabberjays find out she's not in prison, well take a wild guess what will happen to her. She could get a job within the secured sector, but that's not her style. What is her style happens a week and a half later when she disappears leaving a note behind saying she'll be back soon.


Trial after trial goes by where Carina, who returned as promised, and I are called as witnesses to confirm if someone was a member of the Jabberjays. Liber Wine's trial stings the most. He knew things about me from my old life. While I know I'm not that person anymore, I still did those things and the guilt cuts like a knife.

Iraneus returns to give me a pep talk. He is one of the few people who really knew me back then and assures me I am not even close to being the same girl anymore. That girl wouldn't endure weeks of torture to protect her friends. That girl wouldn't be someone Atlas would fall in love with so easily.


Rotor and Lilac Welkin pick me up one morning to greet our family. We stand on the platform anxiously waiting for the noon train. I take one breath and then another until I spot him getting off of the second to last car.

Gaius!

Dodging the crowd I rush up to him and get one of his papa bear hugs. There will be time to tell our stories to the other, but for now we're just happy to see the other is alive and well. When he finally lets go I see that three people have gathered behind him. He takes the hand of the dark haired woman and instantly I know who she is, his wife. That means the two teenage boys must be his sons. I just wish I could describe the look on Gaius' face when I show him the ring on my finger.


Atlas and I have been invited over for dinner with the Welkins. Lilac greets us at the elevator with a large smile. The meetings must've gone well today. She hasn't been in this good of a mood since Chance and Sariah arrived a week ago.

"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable in the living room," she says.

Doing as she says we walk further into the apartment. As we round the corner I find Rotor on the couch with… wait… how did she…

"Evening," Vixen says with her head on her father's shoulder.

My mouth isn't the only one that has dropped to the ground.

"When did you… how did you?"

The Welkins laugh which Vixen instantly regrets. Rotor and Lilac check on her but Vixen assures them the pain was worth their joke. Vixen lays back a little further, still in a little bit of pain but rather smug at the same time.

"To answer your questions, I left Thirteen the same way I arrived, landed in one of the districts, and took a train into the Capitol arriving late this morning and got a ride off a friend at the train station. Leader Steev is going to announce tomorrow that he let me go. So what did I miss?"

Sometimes that girl…


Atlas and Vixen… in one day I thought I lost both of them. Now they're back with me along with Gaius and I don't think I've ever been happier. Wedding preparations are in full swing. Plans move much quicker than I expected. All I have to do is rate Claudia and Carina's ideas on a scale of zero to ten and they do the rest. One massive book after another on how to plan a wedding gets tossed out and soon what's left looks much more manageable. Vixen helps where she can, but between avoiding the media, attending the hearings and trials, meeting up with all of the families of the kids captured so they can personally thank her, and spending time with her family, her schedule is a bit full.

Two months go by when Atlas and I decide to take her away from the Capitol for a week since she's been such a good sport about her forced fame. I figured another trip back to District Five might be in order, but Atlas has something else in mind. With Vixen's injuries still healing, there wasn't much for her to do in Five on her last trip home, but in District Three there's plenty she can do sitting down at the controls. But it quickly becomes apparent that we aren't here for the technological toys, we're here for the technological boys and one in particular.

I knew she liked Triac, but we hadn't had any serious girl time in a month that I didn't know how close they were getting. That night, however, I'm brought up to speed. As Vixen puts it: Shut the front door! They kissed. She said it only lasted a few seconds, but it was still as kiss!

One day Vixen's injuries are playing up and she finally admits that she needs to go to her room to rest. Triac gets up and offers to walk her back. Remembering what happened last time that happened when we were in Three, I decide I should go with them but Atlas grabs my hand and I'm left with watching as the pair leaves together.

Immediately Beetee switches to the security feed outside the building and Atlas pulls up two chairs. If they're so paranoid that something will happen to them why did they let them go alone?

"What do you think?" asks Beetee.

"Right now I think he'd rather be back in that arena facing off those mutts," says Atlas.

Huh?

Atlas has been holding out on me. He's friends with Triac and apparently something is going on that he didn't share. Beetee keeps switching cameras until they are no longer within the range of the lens.

"Oh come on. Why did your people have to take down those cameras again?" pouts Atlas.

"Something about privacy," mutters one of the female technicians.

Atlas turns around, "So you're going to tell me you wouldn't be interested in watching Triac ask her to be his girlfriend?"

That catches everyone's attention.

Everyone tries to act as if they're still working when a shell-shocked looking Triac returns.

"Breathe," Beetee encourages. After a minute Atlas asks, "Well?"
He can only manage a nod before Atlas claps him on the back. I give the Avox equivalent of a shriek of delight before running to Vixen. I want every little detail.