Epilogue 2:

In Memory of Sasha Kolster, Placed 6th

It's such a bittersweet sight to Aria, seeing the banners hung, the tables set up with food, the baskets for the raffle. This should be such a proud moment for her, seeing the fruit of her months of labor and organizing. And yet, nothing is ever going to fill the hole in her chest left behind by Sasha.

She leans against the wall, staring around the fundraiser as people start to trickle in, people who came here because they were moved by Sasha's story…and she can feel her eyes prickling with tears. This is all wrong. Her daughter never should have had a stroke in the first place and she never should have questioned it, leading to it being worse. And she never should have been picked for the Hunger Games. And she never…should have trusted that bastard. Would she still be here if Aria had acted differently in those first moments? Would she be standing at Aria's side, organizing this with her to help treat others like her?

Or would she still have been taken away from Aria?

This whole thing shouldn't have been possible – and really, why would a victor from another District want to help the mother of a tribute who wasn't his? Yet Jarle reached out to her after Aria had talked to the District Three victors, somehow aware of her idea. An idea that came to fruition because of him… Somehow, her daughter touched a lot of people's hearts during her time in the Games, something that chokes her up every time she thinks about it.

"How are you doing?" Jarle asks quietly as he approaches her, smiling as he looks around at the steadily growing crowd. But when the young mentor turns to look at her, his smile falters and all she can do is shrug. "Yeah…I understand."

"It's tough," Aria finally replies, crossing her arms as she stares at the people and avoids eye contact with the victor who helped her organize all this. "I can't help but wonder if someone had done this for us and I knew the signs…if she'd still be here today."

"You can spend a lifetime overanalyzing every decision but it can't change the past," Jarle tells her, sounding way wiser than he should be for his age. But, he did go through a lot more than most people his age. "The best we can do is live in the present and focus on not making the same mistakes."

"Or stopping others from making your mistakes," Aria says softly to herself, but from the sad look on Jarle's face, the victor still heard him.

"Yes, that too," he answers before waving at a trio of people who stick out in the crowd and draw quite a few looks. "Let me introduce you to a few friends of mine." Aria really isn't in the mood to chat with people, but it doesn't seem like she has the choice. The first person is someone easily recognizable to anyone who follows the Games. "This is Bee, someone who's basically a parent to me," Jarle says and Bee gives her a nervous wave. "Then we have Sonja, another parent to me," the woman with her arm around Bee gives Aria a polite smile. "And then we have-"

"I can introduce myself, you know," the young woman teases the victor, hands on her hips as she lets out a huff at him. He shakes his head at her, fighting off a smile, as she turns to Aria and offers her hand to shake. "I'm Mari, their daughter and one of Jarle's best friends."

"Nice to meet you," Aria answers awkwardly, shaking the Capitolite's hand and trying to give a polite smile. She doesn't exactly know what to say to these people, especially one who chooses children to die each year.

"When I mentioned the fundraiser to them, they insisted on coming," Jarle explains to her and she blinks in surprise. "You know, they helped me when I was getting my treatment."

"So we wanted to help with this," Bee says politely with a small smile. "And we'd like to make a donation as well."

"I…thank you," Aria says, feeling her eyes starting to prickle. She quickly blinks them back, not wanting to look like a blubbering mess in front of these three. "Having more research on strokes…it could help more like Sasha…"

"I'm going to help healthcare in the Districts, just wait and see," Mari declares proudly and with her stubborn attitude, Aria believes that she is going to do whatever she sets her mind to.

Aria smiles gently at the young woman, hoping that she can do it. They need more people like her in the Capitol, those that care about people like Sasha in the Districts. "You have my support."


In Memory of Asha Kader, Placed 5th

When Lelantos got the call from the gate security about having visitors, they had to verify that they did, in fact, mean to call them. The only people that ever come to visit them are their family – at least, those not still living with them – and they don't need to get confirmed entry into the Victor's Village. They aren't actually sure why they agreed to let her parents come visit now, two months after the Games have ended, except for just pure curiosity.

"I don't like this," Conway mutters as he pulls back the curtain to watch out the front window as Asha's parents approach their door. He drops the curtain and turns back to look at Lelantos, hands on his hips. "Why now?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Lelantos answers with a shrug because really, they don't have much of a clue why they would come now. There's a knock on the door and Lelantos gives a smile at their partner. "Well, let's find out."

Lelantos doesn't waste time heading to the door and opening it, giving Asha's parents a polite, but distant smile. "Rajesh and Sai. This visit is quite…unexpected."

"We apologize for showing up unexpectedly," Rajesh says with a genuine smile, putting his arm around his spouse's waist. "We…well, we wanted to speak to you about Asha but it…"

"It was too painful before this point," Sai finishes for him, their eyebrows furrowing as they think about their only child. "Is it alright if we come in?"

Lelantos is about ready to say no because they don't know these people, but Conway gives them a gentle elbow to the side. When Lelantos looks at him, he's giving them a forced smile with his eyebrows raised in questioning. Lelantos finally sighs and turns back to the Kader's, stepping aside to give them space. "Yes, come in."

Lelantos leads them to the dining room, sitting down at the head of the table to subtly make sure they know the victor is in charge of this conversation, as Conway somewhat begrudgingly asks if they would like anything to eat or drink. Lelantos waits with their hands folded in front of them on the table, watching the two in silence as Conway gets water for them, able to see them getting slightly uncomfortable with their staring. Only once their partner sits down opposite them do they finally speak up. "Alright, why don't we just cut the fake niceties and get right to why you're here?"

Rajesh and Sai share a look, both of them looking kind of surprised by Lelantos's bluntness. They wait somewhat patiently for them to speak and Rajesh is the first to clear his throat and speak up. "We do greatly miss Asha. We loved our daughter so much. But without her…"

"We were already struggling to make ends," Sai interjects, clearly unashamed to openly admit to the victor why they are there. "I gave up everything for her when I got pregnant and we lost the support of our families when I came out. We work more hours of the day than we don't, yet we're still struggling. Please, we need some help."

"I see," Lelantos says quietly, trying to figure out what they're feeling from this. They feel bad, of course, but at the same time, they despise those begging them for money simply because they earned it from killing a bunch of people.

"Surely you must understand what I went through," Sai says with pleading eyes and Lelantos feels a pang in their chest, knowing exactly what it is like to feel outcast for their identity. But at the same time, bitterness courses through them. Where were the people to help them out when they were at their lowest point, struggling with a sex addiction and having to face the consequences of that with their child? "Please, we've been struggling for so long now."

"At least half the District is struggling," Lelantos says, keeping their voice level, but from the nervous look Conway gives them, they know they aren't being too subtle with their growing anger. "That girl nearly destroyed her life in that brothel busting her ass to earn money for you. A place that destroys more people who enter it than those that get through unharmed. And you have the audacity to come here and beg me for money after the way you treated her." Lelantos shakes their head at them and stands up, watching as they both quickly scramble to their feet. "I am sorry that you have fallen on hard times, I truly am. But if I gave money to every family whose child I didn't save, I wouldn't have any money left for my own family. So I kindly ask you to leave and not return unless you genuinely feel bad for how you treated Asha over the years."

Rajesh looks hurt at their statement while Sai looks deeply offended, putting their hand on their chest as they give the victor an aghast look. "You won't help us?!"

"No, now leave before I call the guards to escort you out," Lelantos tells them and they linger for another moment, before quickly scurrying out the door, at least looking somewhat ashamed by their blatant begging for money. Lelantos watches them head down their driveway before shutting the door, harder than necessary, and they sigh loudly when they turn back to face Conway. "I know, I know, I should have helped them."

"Honestly?" Conway says and gives them a shrug. "I don't blame you. I can't imagine begging for money like that and I know what it's like losing family to the Games."

Lelantos shakes their head and gives their partner a sad smile. "I can't believe they'd use the loss of their daughter as an excuse for a hand out. Yet after the things Asha told me…as sad as it is, that seems like behavior that isn't out of the norm."


In Memory of Aberforth Barringer, Placed 3rd

Guilt has never plagued him as much as it does now, hanging over him every day, pressing down on his shoulders and making it almost impossible to get out of bed. To face the looks everyone gives him, all of them knowing what he did. Even though they whisper behind his back, he still hears them and knows what they say, how they judge him for what happened.

And he judges himself too and wishes he had done differently.

Why did he ever let himself think it was a good idea for Abel to volunteer in his place? How fucking delusional were they both? How could he let someone who he viewed as his brother go into the arena? He knows Abel's death is on his hands, just as much as it's on Marian's. The worst guilt happens late at night when his thoughts linger on how it was nearly him in the Games. He despises the thought, but a small part of him is glad he didn't volunteer and die instead.

He hasn't even been able to face Abel's family in weeks, not since the funeral. People he once called his own family…people he's almost certain despise him for what he did to their son. But if he doesn't go to them soon…this guilt will eat away at him until there's nothing left. If they hate him, scream and curse, at least he'll know how they feel – and he wouldn't blame them. He hates himself too.

Yet standing in front of their door – a door he has so many times entered without knocking, knowing they'd be happy to see him – he feels like a stranger. He doesn't know how long he stands there, hesitating to knock, trying to find the courage to face the people who will most likely reject him.

He finally gives a short knock and takes a couple steps back, waiting and hoping they won't be home – even if he knows that's impossible. "Coming!" he hears Jorah yell through the door and winces, wanting to run away, but he forces himself to stay put. When Jorah opens the door, the smile on her face falters when she sees him. "Oh, Leith…" she says quietly and he tries to smile at her, but he knows it's more of a grimace. She turns to call back over her shoulder for her wife, "Hey Talise, come here!"

They stand in awkward silence, staring at each other as Talise approaches, wiping her hands off on paint-stained overalls. "What is it – oh," Talise puts a hand on her chest at the sight of Leith.

"Hi…" Leith says, awkwardly scratching his neck as he faces Abel's mothers. He had rehearsed what he wanted to say for weeks, but now that he's here, the words have slipped from his mind and all he can do is blurt out, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Jorah asks, gently moving Talise outside so she can shut the door behind them, giving them some privacy from Abel's many sisters.

"For letting him go into the Games," Leith starts rambling, unable to stop the word vomit. "I shouldn't have let him. It's all my fault that he's gone. I-"

Jorah cuts off his rambling gently, "Did you make him volunteer?"

"I…what?" Leith asks, confused at the question interrupting his rambling apology. He slowly shakes his head at Abel's mothers. "No, I offered for him to volunteer in my place…"

"Then what is there to feel guilty about, Leith?" Jorah asks him, leaning against the doorway and crossing her arms at him. He…doesn't know, but he still feels like it's all his fault. "Abel made the choice himself to volunteer – a choice we really wish he would have told us about beforehand… But still his choice. He…" She sighs heavily and shakes her head, looking at the ground for a few seconds and biting her lip as she mulls over her thoughts. "He was never going to let himself be limited by his accident and be told he couldn't do something. It's…" she finally looks up at him and her eyes are glossy with tears. "We miss him so much but there's nothing any one of us could have done to get him to stay here once the option was available for him."

"Don't make us lose a second son," Talise adds softly, a tear falling down her cheek as she looks at him. "We don't blame you."

Leith's shoulder hunch over at that, not realizing just how much he needed to hear from them that they don't blame him for what happened to Abel. He can feel his shoulders start to shake as he tries to hold back tears and he wraps his arms around himself, not meeting their gaze. "Thank you," he whispers, afraid speaking any louder will reveal the way he's barely holding himself together.

"Come here," Talise tells him and he feels her arms wrap around him tightly, holding him close and letting him sob against her shoulder. He can hear her own small sobs as Jorah hugs both of them, all of them mourning the family they lost. "You're still our family."


In Memory of Iroha Kinoshita, Placed 2nd

It shouldn't have taken this long for the adoption process to go through. After the Games had ended, Noah had been taken to the Capitol for his protection and to be with his new baby sister, while back in Six the legal process to protect them was ongoing. It should have been a surefire, quick case to lock Kayden up, but instead it took months and months. But finally, he's in jail with no chance of getting out, the Maxwells have moved to a different part of town, far away from Kayden's friends, and the paperwork was completed.

And today is finally the day they get to bring those kids into a safe house. They know Iroha should have been with them and for Mira, it's one of the things she feels the guiltiest about. They should have tried harder to get her away from that evil man sooner, before she was ever reaped for the Games. She should have given her and Noah a safe home to enjoy life together as a family before she was taken away from her son.

They'll never get the chance to give Iroha a life of safety, but at the very least, they can make sure her children grow up in a safe and happy home.

Mira and Aiden stand huddled together on the train station, anxiously watching as the train arrives in Six. It takes an agonizing amount of time for it to finally stop and for the doors to open, and when the pair of Capitolites step out, one holding baby Melita and the other holding Noah's hand as he heads down the steps, Mira clutches Aiden tighter.

"Aiden and Mira Maxwell?" the man asks, adjusting his hold on the baby as she starts fussing.

"Yes, that's us," Aiden answers as Noah starts tugging on the woman's hand, his face perking up in excitement at seeing two people he knows. How awful it must have been for him, getting taken away to an unknown place with no one he knew for months, without knowing why. "Hi Noah."

"Mr. Maxwell!" Noah says happily and the woman lets go of his hand to allow Noah to run over to Aiden. The boy wraps his arms around Aiden's legs, holding on tightly. "It was scary."

"You don't need to be afraid. We're going to live in a safe place now," Aiden tells Noah, picking him up and holding him close. Mira takes the baby Melita from the man escorting them to the District, cooing the baby as she starts fussing from the movement, her whole face lighting up at having a baby in her arms.

"Is Mommy there?" Noah asks, his lower lip sticking out as he looks ready to cry. "I miss Mommy."

Aiden shares a look with Mira, not knowing how to answer the young boy without making him cry. Mira reaches over and brushes back Noah's hair, giving him a comforting smile, even as she lets out a small sigh. They knew the young boy would ask about Iroha and they both had been dreading the answer. But he has to know the truth, rather than hiding it from him. "Mommy is in heaven now, but she is looking over you. Your own personal guardian angel, always looking out for you."

Tears start to fall down his cheeks and Mira quickly wipes them away. "Is she safe now?"

"Yes," Aiden answers softly, trying to hold back his own sadness at not doing enough. He shares a look with his wife, knowing she also feels the same guilt that he does for not saving Iroha as well. "She is safe and so are you and your sister. No one is going to hurt you again."

"Now come on, let's get you two to your new house," Mira tells him gently, pinching his cheek a little in an attempt to get him to smile. "We might even have a little surprise waiting for you."

"Oh surprise!" Noah says, clapping his hands together and just like that, his mood perked up. How easy it is to distract children from loss and sadness at his age. Aiden knows they have a long journey ahead of them, especially as Noah gets older and starts to fully understand what happens and mourns the mother he lost. But for now…he can have a small slice of happiness.


And there we have the other half of the tribute epilogues! As you've probably noticed, there aren't ones here for Pascal and Sissel - we'll see them in their new Capitol lives next epilogue, along with one more look at Marian and Seraphim! Not much else for me to say here that wasn't said last chapter (next chapter I'll have stuff to say lol).

RQ #35: Again I'll just ask which one of these was your favorite?

Alrighty, I will see you on Friday for one last update! Damn what a weird thought that is lol. We really did zoom to the end of this story. But anyways, I'll save the sap for the last epilogue!