Hello all, wisegirlindisguise here. This story is beginning to draw to a close. There will be at least one more chapter and an epilogue. I can't decide if I want to do that all in the next post or in two different posts. We'll see how I feel about it. Enjoy this chapter as everything finally begins to slow.

Primrose Mellark went back to the Capitol with Lucas, Iris, and Leera. They were her entourage which had armed themselves and disarmed the Peace Keepers. A few of them pledged their allegiance to Prim because they were never truly followers of Markkus who had threatened their lives. So she had help on the way back into the Capitol. The day that they arrived she demanded that they tell the citizens of Panem of an announcement. That way she could talk to everyone all at once. Immediately, they agreed and she walked out onto the stage as herself in front of all of Panem.

"Citizens of Panem," Prim started looking blankly out over the crowd though her voice demanded attention, "President Markkus is dead." The people in the square around the stage began to bustle and Prim could hear their nonstop worry. She held up her hand and silence fell almost immediately. "I killed him." She sounded so confident even though everyone went up in roars and fits as if this was some terrible thing. "He is the reason the Hunger Games were brought back! He is the reason all of these children are dead!" No one was listening so Lucas stepped up. He had a shotgun in hand and he was able to cock it with one hand and he sent a shot into the air. Everyone in the square jumped and turned back to the stage. Lucas put his hand on Prim's shoulder and she was able to take a deep breath and think before she completely yelled at them. "He's the reason I am blind..." Prim pulled the microphone from it stand unsteadily and used Lucas' guidance to walk from behind the podium. "Please think about this People. My mother did not make the deciding factor though I will not point fingers. She agreed to President Coin's idea! Then she realized this wrong doing and now Coin is dead so that we can be free. Why would she ever want to put children through the things that she had to go through?

"My mother wakes up most nights with nightmares. She screams at the top of her lungs from the nightmares. I've listened to these screams night after night and no one can ever help her. I lost sleep over these games before I was even a part of them!" Everyone in the square seemed to consider that for a moment and they faced one another as if asking each other questions about the predicament. "I want to know why anyone would think this lowly of my mother after she fought for our freedom so that we could be our own people and have our own lives that didn't include endless punishment. It doesn't make any sense. And now I'm demanding that the 76th Hunger Games be ended and that we elect a new President with views on the world like us. Freedom."

One person cheered, and then ten. Suddenly the whole crowd was up in roaring cheers and Lucas smiled taking the microphone from Prim. "You did good," he whispered to her hugging her gently. It sent a smile onto her face that glowed confidently. "There's someone backstage who wants to see you," he muttered right in her ear and then motioned to Iris to help her. Prim went with her willingly as Lucas talked to the crowd about how he was going to go out to the arena and personally remove everyone there with a team of Peace Keepers.

When they made it back stage a boy was waiting there. He had dark hair and grey eyes like a classic Seam kid. His hands were shoved down deep in his pockets. Wasn't he supposed to rush forward and greet her? The special someone was supposed to be there for her weren't they?

"Who is it?" Prim asked Iris still holding onto her arm desperately afraid that this was some unfriendly soul who didn't like what she had done.

"Tell her your name," Iris demanded directing the question to this boy in the room.

"Ash,"

Prim let go of Iris's arm and shooed her away along with anyone else in the room. One Peace Keeper demanded that she stay to watch out for Prim. No matter if the Capitol was leaning toward her side there were still people out there. Prim only agreed to the one person. "Ash, I can't believe you're still here." Prim's smile grew and she stepped forward until she met Ash's hands but they weren't welcoming her in. They were keeping her at arms distance and she faded back a step. She wasn't supposed to get too close when he was like this.

"What the hell Prim?" Ash's rough voice caught her off guard and she found herself taking yet another step back. She looked to where his face should be. "You're gonna pretend to love me after you practically made out with him on national TV?" She was about to apologize when he spoke up again. "Will you look away from me? Your eyes are creeping me out." Prim's gaze dropped to her feet and she clenched her hands into fist as she attempted not to cry. When he touched her shoulders he apologized. "I'm sorry Baby-"

"Get away from me!" Prim pushed at his chest and tried to get away from him as tears began to tumble down her cheeks. All of the sudden there was another person in the room ripping Ash away from Prim. He held Prim close but not lovingly. It was protective almost creating a cage around her.

"Of course you would come to her rescue because you're just so damn perfect!" Ash charge toward the guy and the guy let go of Prim before punching Ash in the nose. When he continued to try and fight the guy, Ash received a hit with an elbow to the back of his neck sending him to the floor unconscious.

When the guy went back to Prim and touched her arm which was pulled to her chest she jumped almost clawing at him. "It's me. It's me," Lucas said pulling her in close to him and she melted into him sobbing. The Peace Keepers collected Ash and cuffed him to a chair in the room as Prim and Lucas were lead to a medical room where they were separated. "I'll be back for you," Lucas promised whispering the words to her as his nose was pressed to her forehead. Prim agreed and sat down on a medical table while Lucas vanished.

After the whole medical checkup her doctor sat down with her clasping her hands together. "This may sound like some cheesy movie Darling, but there is good news and there's bad news." Prim sighed setting her chin in one of her hands as she sat on the table in her regular clothes. She had already been allowed to change back into her clothes after having to wear a flimsy little dress for the examination. She didn't specify which news she would like to hear first so the doctor continued. "The damage to your eyes will never clear on its own even though it may seem like it improves because you get used to it." Prim nodded as if she understood but the doctor stopped her from giving in so easily. "What we can do is we can fix your vision but it won't be like how everyone else sees. It'll be a little bit like an adaptive vision choice. It will always be changing so that you can focus on things you're, eh, aiming at."

"A targeting system?" Prim asked and though the doctor avoided the word yes it was clear that it would have to be that way if she wanted her vision back. She wished she was joking around. Prim wished that doctor would laugh and say, "Just kidding!" It never came though. "I don't want it then." Prim got off of the table and went for the door. The doctor didn't try to stop her and she continued to walk. When she made it out Lucas was waiting. She took his arm immediately and they walked together toward the back of the building where they got into the back of a car just like the one they had arrived at the Capitol Building in. When Lucas asked her if she was going with him back to the arena she shook her head. "No, I'm going home."

Prim climbed into the train that day alone. The only people aboard with her were the Peace Keepers, Leera, and Iris. Even with them she felt alone though. She spent the ride in her room with her face covered by her hands just trying to find some peace inside her. Funny, with everything she had done she couldn't find that complete feeling of having done something great. The negatives seemed to trample the positives and she started to understand why her mother was the way she was. A person could spend their whole lives building their reputation. They could have been the best of people with great hearts! Their reputation could've been divine! Worthy of the heavens! Then one slip up, it could even be an accident, and then it was trampled. They were shoved to the ground and stomped on until the person was officially done with.

The train found its rest at the station in District 4 and Leera and Iris left. People were waiting with open arms. Their families most likely, they took them in so easily and the only person that stuck out was Leera with her tattoos. Even then, some of her family members had smaller tattoos. Then, as if they had never been apart of the Capitol or the Hunger Games at all, the train left them there and headed onward toward District 12.

Pulling in to District 12 the train came to a stop with finality as if it was never going to leave again. Prim knew that wasn't right though because the train would leave her there alone as soon as possible just like it had Leera and Iris. A Peace Keeper came to her room and finally coaxed her out of hiding and out of the train car into the sun. There were cameras were everywhere snapping pictures or recording the moment to show on a news special the next day. Someone was able to get a microphone in her face without warning so that the Peace Keeper couldn't stop them.

"What do you think your parents will say to your return?" The man demanded before shoving the mic back toward her face.

"I think they'll be happy to see me safe." Prim didn't say anymore than that and continued to push through until she almost ran into someone until the Peace Keeper stopped her forward motion.

"Why did you make this move against the Hunger Games and President Markkus?" Another reporter asked leaning over desperately for just a few words from Prim.

Prim stopped and for a moment everyone went quiet. No one ever stopped. Not even the attention seekers unless they were planning an announcement. "This was the human thing to do. If you can't understand that, then you're not human." Constant chatter began until Prim heard it muffled through a car door which took her out toward her house. District 12 citizens looked at the car and then looked away as if they already understood. The Peace Keepers of District 12 were forming a wall that blocked the road that went to the Mellark household and after proof that Prim was the one in the back they finally let the car through. When it parked Katniss and Peeta were waiting on the porch with Gavin just coming outside.

Prim stepped out of the car and Gavin flew off the porch with his arms open. He latched his arms around Prim's legs and began to sob as he tried to explain how much he missed her. Prim hugged him silently holding back the tears pretty well. Her heart swelled and it took several swallows to keep the tears back. Gavin finally took her hand and led her to the porch where Peeta hugged her next. He told his daughter that he was so proud of her and just stood there for a moment. Katniss ushered everyone inside as one of the of the Peace Keepers notified her of an intruder with a camera coming up the back way through their street.

As they got inside Katniss closed all the curtains. Prim took a deep breath in of all the smells around her. The smell of fresh bread and freshly cooked meat. The quiet was welcomed and the comforting feeling of her father's arm holding her protectively. When Katniss returned to the group she took Prim's hand at first letting her know it was her before Prim fell into her. She wrapped her arms around her mother and told her she was sorry, that now she understood.

"I missed you so much Primrose. I'm so proud of you." Prim almost wanted to hear these things and then dismissed it when they didn't come. Why would they? Prim knew she was proud but she also knew any other things would've been unacceptable because this was the human thing to do. The one thing Katniss did say to Prim was, "I love you Baby." For the first time ever, Prim cried in front of her mind with no regret.

I hope you've liked my writings and I hope to hear from you even if you don't usually leave reviews. Thank you to those of you who do. You know who you are.

Sincerely,

wisegirlindisguise