12/28/14

Hi again! So, this is the final chapter (other than the epilogue and bonus chapter, and the sequels, of course). I can't believe I actually got to this point. Before this, I've only finished four fanfictions, all of them for the Teen Titans fandom (the original version of Metamorphosis, I Did Not Drop Off The Face of the Earth, The Last Unicorn: Teen Titans edition, and The Remaining Enemy) and I've long since deleted the first three! Thank you everyone who's reviewed, followed, or added this story to your favorites. I know it's sappy and cliché, but I couldn't have done this without you guys!

Thank you Cashmere67 for following!

Reviews:

Lya200: You'll find out how she dies in this chapter. And yes, Snow wouldn't let someone win with Johanna's strategy two years in a row. Even though somehow there were two accidental victors in a row that I mention in the sequel. Snow must've been so happy!

Stellaslomp: I almost cried while I was writing that chapter (and the A/N. I'm such a wimp)! And I couldn't possibly have made her win after all she's done. Stupid Lace.

Disclaimer: We've been over this 1,000 times. Me no own!

Chapter 53: Endings and Beginnings

Ever since the Games ended, things have slowed down. Pine agreed to take over the mentoring, and Blight's been keeping Ava away from Nero so I can have time to mourn. But that's just the thing. No matter how much I try to mourn, I can't. I'm not really sad anymore, just… depressed, I guess. I wish I could cry. If I could cry, it would be easier to just let it go. If I could cry, I'd just be done mourning when I ran out of tears. But I can't.

I take a deep breath. The interviews are supposed to be tomorrow. And then the victor can go home. And I'll go home too, but without Ava. Life isn't fair. Nero isn't capable of taking care of Maple's baby cousin. Not the way we are, anyways. Maybe someday we can get her home, but by that time won't the Capitol be her home? I can't take her from her home twice, can I? I shake the thought from my head and knock on the door to the room in the Training Center set aside for the female District 7 tribute. The room Maple used to stay in. No one answers, so I go ahead and open the door.

"Hanna!" Ava squeals, jumping up and down on the carpet.

"Ava," I say, forcing a smile. "I missed you baby girl. Hey, guess whose birthday it is."

Ava looks confused. "Yours?"

I shake my head. "Nope, mine's a month or so away. Guess again."

"Maple?"

"Nope."

"I give up," Ava says dramatically.

I try not to laugh. I dig a box out of my purse and hand it to her. "Happy birthday Avalon."

"Me?" Ava asks.

"You're three now," I smile, trying to ignore the fact that Finnick wrote "happy 4th birthday" on the box. I have to admit, it does make a little sense that Finnick would think she's 4. She kind of acts like a really small 4 year old. But that's not the point right now. Ava rips open the wrapping paper and tries to open the box.

"Here, let me help you with that," I say.

"No, I get it!" Ava insists.

"Okay, okay," I laugh.

Ava fiddles with the box just a little longer before handing it to me in defeat.

"Sorry kid, I should've warned you about the duct tape," I say, peeling the tape off.

"Duct tape?" Ava asks.

"Oh yeah. It's really hard to get off," I say as I hand the box back to her. She opens it up with ease this time and pulls out the same necklace I was looking at the day I ran into Nero. She squints her eyes when she sees the writing on the cylinder.

"What does it say?" she asks.

I have to say, I'm impressed that she saw the engraving that quickly. The cylinder itself is pretty tiny, and the writing is even smaller. "Remember who you really are," I answer.

Ava looks at me in confusion. "Why?"

My smile becomes fake yet again. "Because… I'm not going to be around much longer to remind you."

"You won't?" Ava asks.

Oh gosh, why do kids have to ask so many questions? Doesn't she know how hard it is to answer these? "You're going to live with your dad now."

"I don't want to. I wanna live with you," Ava says before starting to cry.

"I want you to live with me too. But it'll be okay. You can come back someday," I lie. I take the necklace from her and slip it around her neck.

"It's heavy," she whimpers.

"I guess it is. There's something in there, but I don't think you should open it until you're older," I say. "Look, Ava. You need to remember this, okay? Remember who you are. I don't care if you don't remember who I am, as long as you remember who you are. Can you do that for me?"

Ava nods her head.

"Okay, that's good. Your dad will be here to get you tomorrow. And until then we're going to spend every second together that we possibly can. Does that sound like a plan?"

"Yeah," Ava sniffles.

"Good. Hey, I have something to do first, so I'll leave you with Blight for just a minute. I'll be right back."

"Okay," Ava says, grinning as if nothing happened. I wish everyone could rebound that quickly. She picks up the charm on her necklace and looks at it as if it's the prettiest thing in the world.

"You'll be fine," I reassure her before leaving the room. I sigh and lean against the wall.

"How did it go?" Blight asks in a concerned voice.

"She loves it," I say, smiling wistfully.

"I knew she would," Blight says.

"Yeah. I just wish it didn't have to be like this," I sigh.

"Me too," Blight agrees. "Didn't you want to talk to the new victor? Wish them luck and everything?"

"Right. I'd better get going," I say.

"See you later?" Blight asks.

"Yeah. Think of some things for us to do with Ava, okay? We need to make this the best day of her life."

"Can do," Blight says as I leave.

….

"How may I help you," the lady behind the desk asks.

"I'd like to see the victor," I say as politely as I can.

"Are you a mentor?" she asks.

"Kind of," I say. "I mean, I'm not their mentor, but…"

"Okay. That's all I need to hear. First door on the right."

"Really?" I ask. "I don't need to show and ID or anything?"

"Nope. You're recognizable enough as it is. Johanna Mason, right?"

"Yeah," I say nervously. "What, did you peak at my lanyard?"

The woman laughs. "Honey, you won last year. Not last decade. You're still pretty iconic."

"Right. Okay, um, I'll talk to you later," I say before slipping away. I quickly locate the door and peak in to make sure the victor isn't still asleep before opening the door.

"Hey," I say quietly.

"Johanna?" Shey yawns as she sits up. "What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to see how you were doing," I say.

"Oh okay. How did Maple and Aaron die? I wasn't there to see it…" Shey says sadly.

"Finbar killed Aaron in the bloodbath. Maple… well, she found Lace, but… Lace slit her throat while she was sleeping," I say pathetically.

"Oh," Shey says. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"No, it… it's okay," I sigh. "Snow's gonna pay for it."

"Right," Shey says. "How does that not surprise me? About the Lace thing, I mean."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Lace did the same thing to Terra and Invictus," Shey says.

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah, Terra had a soft spot for her and let her join the alliance. Lace was about to get Monique, but she caught her in time. Got killed with her own weapon," Shey laughs.

"How did you know?" I ask.

"I was spying on the Careers. Let me tell you, Lace was not a stupid kid. She stole your strategy when everyone was expecting it," Shey points out.

"I know. I wish she was maybe a little more stupid, though. I mean, not that I have any problem with you winning but…"

Shey cuts me off. "Why are you being so nice to me? I'm part of the reason your best friend died."

I smile. It's a real, genuine smile this time, not a fake one. "Well, us victors have to stick together, don't we?"

Shey smiles back.

.

Don't you guys love how I put off saying the victors name for like, forever, even though you probably guessed it 3 chapters ago?

Quote of the day!

"Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight? And then Rudolf told Santa no, because you can't emotionally abuse someone their whole life and then ask for a favor!" -Someone on Tumblr

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Spectrobes Princess, who is starting to feel guilty about her username because she hasn't posted a Spectrobes fanfiction yet