The Search For Home

by Maleficent-darkgoodwitch2416

Two months after leaving Nanthia, Cinderella enters the Hunger Games. She returns to Nanthia five years later, a changed woman—emotionally and psychologically scarred from what she endured—as a tribute and rebel. Will she be able to recover from the traumatic events of the arena and fight her past? Or will Lady Tremaine prevent a full recovery for her former stepdaughter and maid?

9. A Rough Night

That night, Rella slept very poorly—plagued with almost constant nightmares, waking up twice crying, and waking up screaming once—all of them had her in the arena again. In fact, after the nightmare, from which she woke screaming, she began to cry, sobbing out, "I killed her. I killed Stepmother. In the arena." In fact, she had told her husband that at times she felt like she had never truly left the arena because it still haunted her.

All three times, Samar wrapped his arms around her and murmured, "Shh, my love, shh. It's OK. I've got you. You're safe. It's over. It's all over. The nightmare is gone, I promise."

After the final nightmare, he began to sing the song used to signal or call her during the Second Rebellion. "Fly Firefly. When I said go, I never meant away. You ought to know the freaky games we play. Could you forgive and learn how to forget? Hear me as I'm calling out your name. Firefly come back to me. Make the night as bright as day. I'll be looking out for you. Tell me that you're lonely too. Firefly come lead me on. Follow you into the sun. That's the way it ought to be. Firefly come back to me. You and me, we shared a mystery. We were so close, like honey to the bee. If you could tell me how to make you understand—I'm minor in a major kinda way. Firefly come back to me. Make the night as bright as day. I'll be looking out for you. Tell me that you're lonely too. Firefly come lead me on. Follow you into the sun. That's the way it ought to be. Firefly come back to me. Fly Firefly through the sky. Come and play with my desire. Don't be long. Don't ask why. I can't wait another wait another night. Fly Firefly through the sky. Wait another night. Don't be long. Fire-Fire-Firefly! Firefly come back to me. Make the night as bright as day. I'll be looking out for you. Tell me that you're lonely too. Firefly come lead me on. Follow you into the sun. That's the way it ought to be. Firefly come back. Firefly come back to me. Make the night as bright as day. I'll be looking out for you. Tell me that you're lonely too. Firefly come lead me on. Follow you into the sun. That's the way it ought to be. Firefly come back to me."

Rella eventually calmed down, but she and Samar agreed it would be best for her to remain at the hotel during the next day's negotiations so she could recover from her latest Hunger Games nightmares.