Author's Note: For those of you wondering why I haven't switched back to Ari's POV for a while her thoughts are too abstract and confusing to actually type lol, besides apparently my version of Gale is going over quite well, dont worry we get to see the Phoenix fly out of the ashes here braver and more fierce :D

Thanks goes to RR and JB for the reviews...

one more chapter to go people? happy sad? lemme know! :)

now...onward!

Chapter 99

Crane, Murderer, Phoenix…Attorney?

I find her, my girlfriend, the girl I love sitting on the edge of a massive bed. Staring at the empty revolver she used to shoot President Snow with so intently, like it would tell her what she needs to know.

I lean in the doorway, relieved to see her looking healthy at least physically so. She even looks well rested. Better than when she was in Twelve, there is even a glow about her, maybe it's the lighting, or maybe its something I'm only noticing now.

"Hey there pretty girl" I say as gently as I can to not startle her.

Her head snaps up and she looks at me wide eyed, it's like life has been breathed back into her as her eyes light up. She drops the revolver as she stands and we crush into each other. Wrapping each other in an extremely tight embrace.

"You scared me" I say to her, "god I missed you! It's over Ariana, we won"

She just nods into my chest, "I'm sorry I scared you" I hear and I chuckle, she always apologizes.

It takes me a few minutes to get her to come out of her room. We leave that empty gun on the bed. I'm gonna ask a guard to dispose of it. Either that or Plutarch is gonna have it encased in glass as the weapon that killed Snow. Wonder what he will do to Katniss' bow?

When finally out of her room she sits on the couch tucking her legs up, looking downright confused on what Vivian is asking.

"Viv…I'm no lawyer" she shakes her head; "I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Look they elected me President and I have no idea what to do" she teases, "I just know how to give orders, you know how to be fair and isn't that what a judge does? Make sure things are fair; we are just expanding on it. Revising old laws, making new laws, and heck Gale and I will help you out. You can even make a staff for yourself, like I made a cabinet; Gale has to see if the head peacekeepers are salvageable…"

"I can fire Thread?" I look shocked and maybe a little too happy at the prospect of sending the man that whipped me to an inch of my life out the door.

"As long as you find someone to replace him yes" Vivian points out.

"Oh I am so on this" I smirk

Ariana is in deep though, "what's gonna happen to Katniss, she didn't do anything wrong."

"According to you, I, Gale and everyone that isn't a native district Thirteen resident she didn't. But these people are scattered far and wide Crane, she's not safe unless she's here" Paylor explains, "we will have to have a trial, explain the situation, and let a jury of her peers settle this, I will veto if they want blood of course"

"I want to represent her" she is looking at her hands then look up at us, a spark of something I never seen before stirs in her here, "she needs a friend right now"

Paylor smiles,"and that's why I gave you this job Ariana"

For everyone's sake it was agreed Katniss didn't need to be here. We assembled everyone we thought would give her a fair shake at justice. So other than Boggs and Charring no one from Thirteen is on this panel.

I haven't brought Ariana to Seneca's apartment yet, I think its not the right time. Maybe after we settle things with Katniss. Once again I am shocked out of my thoughts to the sounds of Ariana explaining what would have happened.

"Coin wanted to continue the games!" she says, "it would just start all over again with oppression and corruption and god knows what else, maybe she'd see the advantage of having avoxes! She was as bad as Snow!"

Boggs sighs, "look Coin was no saint, but she kept the district together when we were falling apart. Katniss might have done it under duress but…"

Ariana slams her fist on the desk, "Coin deliberately caused the death of Primrose and Ziggy Boggs!"

Boggs looks shocked at this admission.

"What evidence do you have?" Charring says when Boggs can't find words.

She settles slightly at him asking, "Malcom was doing her dirty work, I have Beetee as a witness to him shooting Ziggy when she warned us, and Paylor can second as a witness when he admitted it"

"Ariana you were denying him morphline, he would have admitted anything" Paylor points out.

"He would have lied if you hadn't" Charring says, pondering what was just given to him.

Ken sighs, he is still blind from months ago, and as the year wears on the less likely he will ever get his sight back. I kinda feel sorry for him, but then again he doesn't seem to be fazed by this since Delly has become attached to him, "look we can't have her gallivanting around Panem, she did kill the President, but I agree keeping her locked up isn't what we need."

"What do you suggest?" Paylor asks, "we don't have jails in place, if we need jails, and she's been catatonic since she killed Coin, she is eating and sleeping but apparently she's having nightmares."

Everyone is quiet, where do you send someone like Katniss? Capitol isn't her home…

"Why not send her to Twelve?" Haymitch speaks up, "I mean it's being cleaned up, she had a victor's home, and it's familiar to her, on top of that I don't think she'd fight being there."

"I don't think she'll fight at all" Aurelius says, "she's worse off than Ariana was" he looks at my girlfriend, "no offence."

Ariana just nods, "I can go to her with this, exile. I guess that's what we can call it. I don't want to impede her from coming to other districts though"

"If she does she's endangering herself" Daniel says, "maybe if she has to go anywhere she has to get permission, we won't deny it, but it will give us fair warning so we can make sure no one will be gunning for her."

Seems fair.

Paylor looks pleased, everyone seems okay with this.

"I can agree to it" Ariana says finally after she thinks it over.