Hebe was then pushed through the train to the front, where she stood on a small attached platform, staring out at the people of district 4. There were hundreds, it seemed like they had all turned out to see her return. And they were all shouting. Cheering. Chanting her name. She broke out into a grin and began waving at the citizens, who grew even louder. For once she was not repulsed by waving at a crowd. Because they were her people.
Instead of the hordes of altered faces plastered in absurd makeup and coated in strange tattoos and out of place hair, she was met with normalcy. What she once would've brushed aside as plain and dull now shone in her eyes. Beige and white clothing, pale blue flowers handed to her by the young girls next to her on the platform. Natural smiling faces, blonde, brunette, raven, red hair. She no longer felt out of place.
Then she caught sight of a flash of ginger hair and someone pushing their way through the crowd.
"HEBE!"
Hebe began craning her neck to catch sight of her oldest friend. She reappeared again, and they locked eyes. The younger girl was teary-eyed and shouting her sister's name. Hebe shouted back.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, a familiar, low voice in her ear.
"Go on. Go see her."
Hebe didn't turn to look at Finnick before she leaped over the railing and onto the dirt floor. She didn't even give her legs time to recover before breaking out into a sprint towards her sister. The crowd parted like the red sea as she moved, and before she knew it, she had thrown herself into the arms of her 'sister'.
They didn't talk for a minute, all they did was cry quietly.
"I can't believe you're back. I thought I'd never see you again!" Annie choked out. She was stuck between sobbing and laughing.
"I'm back now. I'm back, I'm not gonna leave again." Hebe whispered as she stroked the younger girl's hair.
"I missed you so so much. We both did."
They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, not caring about the cameras that filmed their every reaction for the Capitol to view. Until Hebe glanced back at the train and remembered.
"Oh fuck. I have to meet the mayor. I'm gonna have to talk to you later." She groaned, still wiping away stray tears from her eyes.
"You're not going to get in trouble are you? For jumping off the train?" Annie said, her eyes suddenly widening at the idea.
"I'll be fine, don't worry. The Capitol probably loved it. I'll see you both back at the house soon, ok?"
Annie nodded and embraced her sister one last time before making her way back through the crowd whilst Hebe jogged back to the steps leading up to the platform. As she was climbing back up she locked eyes with Finnick, noting the bittersweet smile on his face.
"I forgot about meeting the mayor." He mumbled, and Hebe murmured her assent. She too had let the meeting entirely slip her mind.
She followed her old mentor back down the platform and toward a car that would take them back. It was the first time she had ever seen a car in her home district; even though 4 was fairly affluent, only the ultra rich could afford them.
As she sat down on the velvet seating, she was glad of the absence of Ambrosia. She was certain that her escort wouldn't have been very pleased by her stunt back there. Luckily it was just her, Mags, and Finnick.
"I'm going to be dropped off at Victor's village, then you and Finnick are going to go and meet the mayor." Hebe nodded, not surprised.
It seemed that due to her status as one of the oldest victors she wasn't held to the same scrutiny as Hebe and Finnick were. Most people had entirely forgotten she existed. Hebe already couldn't wait until she faded into obscurity.
The door of the car swung open and Mags clambered out, waving to the younger victors as she ambled through the gates to the village.
As she neared the town hall, Hebe felt herself grow more and more nervous. She just wanted to go home and see her mother. Finnick noticed her tense beside him and reached over to squeeze her hand.
"It won't take long. You'll be back before you know it." He whispered, his presence beside her taking a load off her.
Together they climbed out of the car, plastering smiles back on their faces as they passed rows of 4's citizens. They all screamed just as they had at the train station, and the scene felt strangely reminiscent of Hebe's crowning at the Capitol. It was like she was transported back to that moment, the turmoil of emotions left over from what was only the night previous roared in her bloodstream.
Hebe focused on Finnick to detract from the anxiety tying her stomach in knots. She watched as he flashed shining grins at the crowd and noticed a few teenage girls swooning at the sight. She couldn't control the small chuckle that bubbled from her throat, a small part of her wishing she was still as young and care-free as they were.
She recognised faces in the crowd, people from school, their younger siblings, people her father used to work with, women her mother used to gossip with at the markets. They all cheered as she ascended the steps to the town hall. Her eyes even locked onto those of Eleanor Piscis and her daughter, the young girl sitting on her mothers shoulders waving at the new victor. Hebe's face split into a grin and waved back.
However her cheerful mood didn't last as she returned her gaze back up the steps to where the mayor was standing. But he wasn't the only one waiting for her. Next to him was one of his subordinates. Luca's father.
The man had the same dark hair and eyes, although his iris was dull instead of the shining chocolate brown Hebe was accustomed to. She couldn't help but imagine the way he and his son would have smiled at each other. She could picture the way their eyes would twinkle as they shared a joke.
He looked grey all around, his face was ashen as he caught sight of the new victor and on closer inspection his hair was streaked with white. Hebe felt her smile melt away as she took him in fully, the typical tsunami of guilt washing over her once again.
She felt so stressed that her vision tunnelled, so much so that she couldn't even see Finnick's concerned glance. Then her hearing went, and she couldn't hear his questions. Then he balance began to falter, and her mentor was forced to hook his arm onto hers to keep her upright.
All this time Hebe could do nothing but stare at the man who'd had his son ripped away from him. She tried to convey her sorrow and guilt through an intense stare alone before realising that the man was entirely avoiding eye contact with her.
When the two victors finally reached the top of the steps, the mayor held out a hand to help her up onto the platform.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. We are all very glad that you're back with us in 4."
Hebe thanked him politely, well aware of the political capital that came with a new victor. For the next year 4 would be provided for as a token of her victory. In return for massacring other tributes, families could feed their children.
Finnick greeted the mayor as well, easily slipping into his charming facade. Luca's father hung back, choosing not to interact. Hebe couldn't blame him.
Then it was time for the mayor to hand over her plaque, shake hands, and snap some photos for the tabloids. The crowds cheered as they all took their photos, and Hebe was yet again reminded of how far the Capitol's influence reached.
The ride back to Victor's village was electrically charged by Hebe's nerves. Finnick told her that her mother would have already moved into their allocated house and she would be waiting there for her.
"I'm not sure I want to live there." She said quietly to her companion.
"I know. But you have to. You'll get used to it. I promise."
Hebe was still not used to all these new opinions she had about the games. No longer was she inspired by the victors and their feats. No longer did she want to aspire to live in Victor's village. All she wanted now was to forget the horrors of the games and to live a normal life in her family home. But that dream had become impossible the moment she raised her hand at the reaping.
Did she regret what she did? She couldn't be sure. Her mother was provided for, she would never have to work another day in her life. They could dedicate the rest of their span on this earth to making up for lost time. But what really nagged at Hebe's soul was the thought that she was no longer the Hebe that had woken up on the day of the reaping. How were they supposed to live if Juno no longer recognised her as her daughter?
Her nerves continued to swirl in her stomach. At this point, she would be surprised if they weren't there. She could no longer imagine a time when she did not feel anxious or frightened. That too was something that had disappeared from her life.
Those doubts followed her out of the car and back into the warm air of district 4. She took a slow intake of breath, allowing the calming scent of salt from the sea to fill her nostrils. She stared at the rows of sterile white houses that she had once adored so much. Now they were tainted, and all she could see was crimson blood staining their bright facades.
Finnick walked just ahead of her down the road, before stopping in front of one of the many identical houses. Its only distinguishing features were the small basket hanging from the porch that was filled with blooming pansies, as well as the pale blue door.
"This is my house. You've been assigned the one next to me."
"Lucky me." Hebe feebly attempted to be humorous, but her cracking voice betrayed her.
"You'll be fine. Trust me. Feel free to drop by whenever you want, maybe we can go sailing some time?"
"I'd like that."
Finnick smiled softly in response, before turning around and retreating into his home, shutting the door firmly behind him. Hebe stood and stared at the closed door for a minute, as if trying to work up the courage to walk the 10 yards from his front garden to the door of her new home.
Finally she managed to force her feet to move from the spot they were firmly rooted in. She moved slowly down the path to her own home, taking note of the subtle differences between two houses that were built to be identical.
For one, all the curtains were drawn, like it had yet to be moved into. The garden was even more barren than the others, not even possessing a small shrub to set it apart from the rest. The door was painted an unfriendly, sterile white that matched the rest of the village. Now that she was finally here, she would deem the place less of a village and more of a compound.
Hebe took a deep breath and steeled her nerves. She reached out a tentative arm to grab the knocker on the door, pausing slightly before slamming the metal into the wood of the door three times. Inside she heard a small kerfuffle as whoever was inside raced to answer the door. The door swung open and before her stood Juno Cross, beaming at her daughter, several tears already running down her face.
Before she knew what she was doing, Hebe was flinging herself into her mother's arms and sobbing, unable to control the noises that erupted from her as she was squeezed tightly. For the first time in a long time, it was the turn of her mother to do the soothing and shushing. Hebe felt immediately safe, safer than she had for years.
Juno pulled her daughter's head from the crook of her neck to look her directly in the eyes, holding her face tightly in two hands.
"I missed you so, so much."
"I missed you two mum," Hebe felt herself choke slightly because of the sob forcing its way from her throat, "I wasn't sure I'd make it back."
It was true. At points in the games she had believed her death was imminent, even fantasised about how it would happen. But she had been unable to admit it aloud at the time, not even realising the depths of her fear until she was back in the safety of her mothers embrace.
"It's ok baby, I knew. I always knew you'd come back to me safe." The older woman stroked her hair, returning to her soothing shushes and softly spoken words.