Why wasn't Valencia in the last chapter? That's the fun thing! I forgot her!

Valencia Cadillac- Wandering Souls D6F

They didn't pick Romeo. The one good thing about this was they didn't pick Romeo. I hadn't thought about that until I woke up- that anyone who got Reaped was theoretically immortal. Nearly all Tributes died, but with that loss came the postmortem power of potential rebirth. At any time, for the rest of Panem's history, Romeo could come back. I was overwhelmed with how blessed I was that he hadn't come this time, and that next time it would be long enough he wouldn't be able to recognize Nico. The two of us, at least, were safe. Everyone in the future... I could only pray for them.

I didn't know how to bear the crushing weight of knowing I could get back to my son. I'd failed him once- left him orphaned and bereft. At least I could tell myself it was before he would even remember me. There would be a piece of him missing, but surely it was easier for people born blind than for people who lost their sight after they'd known it. He was a toddler now, old enough to see me on the screen but too young to know what any of it meant. I wondered what Giada was telling him. I trusted her to do what she thought was best, but even I didn't know what the best was.

The others had to know what I was willing to do. I'd been surprised when Gaius had invited me to his alliance. Surely he would know someone like me couldn't be trusted. A mother would do anything to get back to her baby. There was no one I wouldn't backstab. Had it come down to it- had we been the last two in the Arena- I would have done the same thing to Kade that Beth did. Watching that on the tapes was so much harder than seeing my own death.

There was no one like Kade in my alliance. The youngest of us was... I wasn't even sure. We were all seventeen or older, so the difference would only be a matter of months. The hardest of us to kill was perhaps Todd, with his earnest kindness and optimism. The way he'd gone the first time, I had half a thought he wouldn't even be mad at me. But then, who was to say I wouldn't just go in the Bloodbath, one of the dozens of names people glaze over by the end and never remember again? Never remembered by anyone, much less my tiny son. Someday all I might be to him was a few hours of footage.

I didn't like the thoughts that haunted me. Whenever I sat with my allies, eating together or talking strategy or just socializing, I wondered which of us was willing to kill who. Surely Gaius was willing to do what he had to do. He was military and they were used to making sacrifices. Jude would kill anyone who got near Deciduous, even if he'd broken up with him. I couldn't see Theo doing it, but then, no one ever really knew someone until they went through something like this with them. Most people would have said I wouldn't kill anyone...

Anjou Corriente- Wandering Souls D10M

"So, what is it?"

I sat across a carefully neutrally-decorated table looking at the man swiping between various pages.

"Well, it's very irregular to make any diagnoses off one appointment..." Dr. White said.

"Not a real one, but just like what's your impression?" I'd come in to his office to see if I could find out why all my relationships blew up and I seemed to be so... honestly, self-destructive. I didn't think it was entirely my fault but it was a little bit my fault, so I could work on that. I was starting to make peace with not wanting romance, but I at least wanted some friends.

"It's not antisocial personality disorder," Dr. White said.

"I like being with people," I said.

"That's really not what it means, despite the name." Dr. White smiled a little. "It's far more violent and callous. But you don't seem violent."

"Not except for the Games, I guess," I shrugged.

"And it's not narcissistic personality disorder, I don't think. You do exhibit some heightened egotism, but you lack the exhibitionism and demanding nature."

"I'm not egotistic," I protested.

"Why do you think you always know better than your partners?" Dr. White asked gently.

I looked down angrily. "Well, I have to be right some of the time," I said. Sometimes someone was usually right, just statistically speaking. It didn't mean they were obnoxious about it.

"You scored very low on the sociopathy scale," Dr White said.

"All these things it's not," I said. "So what is it?"

Dr. White took a deep breath and steepled his fingers. "Sometimes the problem isn't psychiatric."

He didn't seem to be leaving many other options. "So what, I'm just an asshole?"

"That's certainly not how I would put it," Dr. White said.

"You would if you were allowed to!" Dr. White's lack of response spoke volumes.

"These things aren't so simple." He tried to rerail things. "Psychiatry is a combination of brain chemistry, but also environment and personality. There's so much we don't know."

"Oh, so Total Jerk Syndrome just hasn't been discovered yet." Who did he think he was, anyway? I came in here to improve myself and he just told me it was all my fault?

"There are definitely options. Talk therapy would be very helpful for someone like you," Dr. White said.

"What's someone like me?" I asked, not quite as bitterly as before.

"Someone who's trying to be a better version of themselves," Dr. White said. "Which everyone, 'asshole' or not, can do."

I sat with my arms folded, glaring down at the stupid aloe vera plant on the table.

"I'll think about it," I muttered.

Miller Thresher- 24 Years 24 Tributes D9M

"Hey, ladies," I said, sidling up to where Akari and her friends were practicing archery.

"Can we help you?" Akari asked, looking down her nose at me.

"Last time I hitched up with an all-ladies alliance to give them a hand. Do you fine folks need someone like me?"

"Literally no one needs someone like you," Jezzebel said.

"Well that's not very nice," I said. Sometimes ladies like to pretend they don't want someone, but really they do. You can always tell.

"Pray tell, how much help were you to your last alliance?" Akari asked.

"They loved me," I said.

"For how long? How long, precisely, did you last in the Games?" Rachel asked.

"Well... You see, I very valiantly gave my life protecting them in the Bloodbath," I said.

"I think I saw that footage. None of them were anywhere near you," Jasmine said.

My patience was starting to wear thin. "It's not my fault the Capitol targeted me since they were afraid of me."

"Wow, why are they scared of you?" Jasmine asked, her eyes wide with admiration.

"They know once I get out of here I'm going to take this place over," I said. I had a lot of ideas about how Panem should run. With me in charge, we'd be going places.

"Why'd they bring you back, then?" Rachel asked. "Seems pretty stupid, since you're so scary."

"They are stupid. That's why they keep targeting me," I said. You had to be patient sometimes with people like this. Sometimes they didn't understand geniuses like me.

"I don't think it's a good idea to be with someone the Capitol keeps targeting," Jasmine said.

I looked at her with wounded pride. She'd been on my side until the others turned her against me. Everyone always had to make things harder for me.

"Gosh, that's a good point. I was really thinking this was a good idea. I mean, I trained since I was five for this, but what I really needed to help me was the boy who's died in first place four times," Akari said, her face growing sour as she went on.

"You know what? Fine. Have it your way. I changed my mind. You all lost out. I'll see you in the Arena, unless you all die before I do." I stomped away, waving my arm dismissively over my shoulder.

Alysanne and Lacey were at the fire-making station, crouched beside their little flame as they threw in powders to change its color. I could work with that. A sporty chick like Alysanne, and a softer babe like Lacey...

"Hey, ladies."