A/N: This chapter hurt to write aw. But, anyway, please please review! It really helps me improve my writing and lets me know what's working and what isn't so I can improve the future of the story :)


-March 30th, Year of the 75th Hunger Games-

'Ladies and gentlemen, Finnick Odair!'

With a roar from the audience, the godlike specimen from District 4 takes his place at the back of the stage along with the other seven Victors.

'Now,' begins Caesar, 'Our next tribute rose to fame in the 42nd Games.' A cheer from the audience members who've worked out who it is, as if it wasn't obvious. 'Smart, cunning...beautiful.' A dazzling grin. 'Why yes, she has many traits, but what makes her stand out is not so much her Games themselves, but what happened later. Romance!' A massive cheer, and riding on that, Caesar continues. 'Ladies and Gentlemen, from District 5, Tyga Jedd!'

The doors open at the back of the stage and Tyga walks on. She's heavily made up with smokey eyes and pink lips, and she wears a dress that starts off cream, before turning to red as it stops at her knees, puffing out like a rose. She looks dazzling and Caesar kisses her hand.

'Now, Tyga Jedd! Tell us, how are you?'

'Wonderful,' she says, and then with a sad look, adds 'Mostly.'

Caesar shakes his head empathetically. 'Of course, of course. Now, these Games are difficult for everyone, but you in particular. Do you want to talk to us about that?'

Cue the waterworks. Tyga has always been an actress and her eyes start to become misty. 'I just can't understand how-' She breaks to wipe a tear from her cheek. 'How the Capitol, who has been so kind to me and Connor all these years, could rip us apart like this.'

'Alas, it's a tragedy,' Caesar says with a shake of his head, 'But, as we all know, the Quell was written into place several decades ago.'

'Of course, of course,' Tyga says, attempting a smile, but intentionally failing. 'I just don't think they realised back then how much the Victors would become a part of the Capitol. I feel as much a part of this city as the training centre, or the President's Mansion. And I just can't believe that it's all going to end so suddenly. I wish that there was someway it could be changed. ' She sobs. 'Maybe there is?'

'I don't think so, I'm afraid.' Caesar says. He looks like he's about to continue on with the interview, but Tyga is taking this audience captive.

'And I just can't help but think about Autumn – our daughter. How she was taken away from us, and taken away from the Capitol, and how we'll never see her again.' The tears are flowing freely now. 'And we thought that was it, me and Connor, that that was the worst that could happen. But now there's this and I just-,' She stifles a sob, as her mascara causes black vines to trail down her face. 'I just wonder how Snow is allowing this to happen? Surely he could do something. Like Beetee said, we all know he's powerful and has a good heart – surely he could look inside and just stop this heartache?'

She's good, and the audience are with her. There's a few agreeing shouts, but Caesar senses a break and takes hold.

'I'm sure President Snow would love to, but alas, to do so would be to dirty what has been a token to our past for so many years.' There is a shrill buzz which signals the end of the interview. 'We had so much more to say, I'm sure, but for now – the beautiful Tyga Jedd!'

Tyga smiles, but her eyes are still wet, and she steps to the back of the stage. A glimmering grin places itself on Caesar's face as he turns to the audience.

'Now, for our second of the District 5 pair, it's the loveable, the unpredictable, and the fearless Vice Taybridge!' The crowd thunders, welcoming Vice, who wears an all-black suit, to the stage.

'Vice!' Caesar beams, shaking his hand. Vice grins in reply and I wonder if he's had something to drink. 'Now, Vice, we all saw how you nobley refused to let Connor Jedd volunteer for you – can you talk to us about that?'

'Well, he's already having his family ripped apart,' Vice replies, with what is clearly a tipsy slur, 'I couldn't just leave his daughter on her own.'

His voice is gruff and unsympathetic, despite his words.

'How very honourable of you,' Caesar says, and the crowd cheers. 'Now, Vice, what we all want to know is whether-'

'You know what I want to know, Caesar?' Vice says. His tone goes up and down. He's definitely had something to drink, but I can't blame him for it anymore, knowing what he's going to do in the arena. 'I want to know how the precious Capitol can claim to adore its Victors and then send 'em to the slaughterhouse!' He takes one hand onto the mic, and Caesar looks alarmed. 'I don't wanna die for you! I don't wanna die and I bet Tyga doesn't wanna die and Finnick what's-his-face doesn't wanna die – you animals, you!'

The audience don't seem to know how to react, but Caesar takes back the reigns, plucking Vice's fingers from the microphone.

'I think somebody may have taken a trip to the bar' he stage-whispers to the audience with a wink. Vice just looks a little glazed and the audience roar with laughter.

'Damn straight!' Vice replies after a few seconds of laughter.

'Well, we love you for your quirks!' Caesar says with his trademark grin, basically wiping away any of the valid points Vice made. He leans in to Vice. 'Don't worry, I won't make you do a Katniss-style twirl. This is a brand new suit!'

He chuckles and the audience continue to laugh, before they're interrupted by the buzzer.

'And that's all the time we have! Ladies and gentlemen, Vice Taybridge! Careful with the stairs, Vice!'


'Everyone's been sent home,' I say, after speaking to a Capitol official and returning to Floor 5, 'It's mayhem out there.'

'Do you think they'll stop the Games?' asks Annalee.

'No,' replies Tyga, 'They can't. Everyone was amazing – if we had any shot at cancelling, we made sure we used it. But it won't happen.'

Vice and I nod solemnly.

There's silence for a while, us four Victors standing there.

'So, we won't see Stella again?' Vice asks, the crispness of the air seeming to have sobered him up. I shake my head. 'Well, that's one good thing to come of today.'

I smile and so do the girls.

'Tell her we said goodbye,' says Tyga. Annalee and I nod.

We stand there, soaking up this moment. Listening to the sounds of the Capitol people outside and knowing that this is the last time the four of us will stand together. We stand, embracing the finality of now.

'I guess this is it,' says Tyga eventually.

There's a brief moment of silence before Vice speaks.

'But it was good, wasn't it?' Vice's face erupts in a mischievious grin. 'Oh, we were good.'

I can't help but smile.

'We weren't good,' says Tyga, 'We were brilliant.'

'We gave 'em hell!' Vice grins.

'And we're going to keep giving them hell until the moment our hearts stop beating and our minds stop rebelling,' Tyga says, with a genuine smile.

'And maybe even a bit longer after that,' Annalee adds.

Again, we stop and breathe in this moment, before Tyga leans in to Annalee and gives her a hug. It lasts for a long time, and Vice and I even embrace whilst they're doing it.

'Thank you,' I whisper in his ear, knowing for certain that I will not see him again after tonight. He nods back and that's all I need in response.

Tyga parts from Annalee. 'You'll make us proud,' she says to her with a smile.

As tears form in Annalee's eyes, I put my arm around her, whilst Vice and Tyga lean in for a hug.

'You ready to go kick some Victor butt?' Vice asks.

'You bet.' Tyga replies over his shoulder, and they let go of each other.

One by one we leave to our rooms; Annalee and Vice return to their dorms and Tyga follows me into mine. We shut the door behind us and lay side by side on the bed, the covers draped over, looking into each other's eyes.

Not one word passes between our lips. We lay there, our arms enclosed around each other. We don't need to speak, we let the air between us fill with stories, memories of times gone by. We let is echo tales of Games and arenas and proposals and weddings and secrets and children and life and love. And Tyga was right. We were brilliant.

And when the morning comes, I don't know if we've slept or not, but I know I had no nightmares. Because how could I have nightmares when my Tyga – my one person in this life – is right beside me? She fights off the shadows and pulls back the light.

And when she has to leave, we share only a few words.

'I'll see you again,' she says.

'I know,' I say.