"Clopin, I can't believe you!" Esmeralda yelled at her brother. "Prancing up onto that stage to call two people most likely to their deaths! One of which was me!"

"I was putting on a show for the Capitol audience!" Clopin sighed and explained. "Snow, the president of Panem, designated one character from each fandom to be the announcer, and sent us recordings of past reapings for reference. Effie Trinket fit my eccentric showman personality, so I tried to emulate that. It was just a performance, Esme! How different is it from being master of ceremonies at the Feast of Fools?"

"Unless you take into account the fact that you're basically playing the Grim Reaper, not so different at all."

"Look, Esme, I really am sorry this happened to you. And I'm sorry I misled you to believe I was happy that you were reaped. If there was any way I could have prevented it, I would. But Pierre will be with you. He's your husband; he loves you and I know he'll want to protect you.

Esmeralda looked sullen. The last time Pierre had had the choice between saving her or saving himself, he had saved his own skin. She did not feel confident that he would want to protect her at all.

Sigrid was the last person Fili expected to bid him farewell. Not that he didn't want her to. If he was honest with himself, he was more than a little into her. He just didn't ever expect a relationship between them to go anywhere, especially what with Kili's forbidden romance with an elf. Thorin wouldn't take kindly to both his nephews falling in love with someone of a different race!

But here she was. It kind of surprised Fili that Bard would let him and his daughter be alone together, but maybe he did it because of the emotional situation. She was quiet and composed. She had had lots of practice remaining calm when everyone else around her was in a panic. She had been both older sister and mother to her siblings ever since Bard's wife had died giving birth to Tilda.

"You're going into the jaws of death once again," she said despairingly. "Please don't die like you did in the Battle of the Five Armies. I'm glad I didn't see it happen, but from what I heard from eyewitness accounts, it was shocking to all. Even Kili—-"

Fili knew what she was trying to say. After he had watched his brother get executed, he had gone on an unstoppable rampage of revenge until Bolg got to him. Far from the usual behavior of his ever-joking brother. "I'll do my best to stay alive. I'd promise, but the reason I don't want to make a promise is because I might not be able to uphold a vow like that."

"I understand," Sigrid said. "When Mama died, I promised her I'd take good care of Bain and Tilda. Every day, I wondered if I had been good enough for Mama."

Then Sigrid took Fili's hand. "This might sound weird, but when Da first snuck you and your group of dwarves into our house, I saw you as intruders, then very inconvenient and unwelcome guests."

"I don't blame you for that," Fili smiled. "I'm sure that's exactly what Bilbo thought of us when we showed up at his door!"

"Let me finish!" Sigrid exclaimed. "But when those orcs broke in and started attacking, you immediately focused on making sure Tilda and I were safe, without a thought for your own selves. I think I started to admire you at that point. Over time, I started daydreaming about the handsome blond dwarf who saved my life." She smiled an embarrassed smile. "When I heard of your death, I was devastated. It's the worst thing in the world to me, having to relive those feelings every time someone reads our book or watches the movie. And then it's weird going back to our 'extro-story lives' where nothing ever happened and you and all the others are alive."

"Okay, let me see if I get what you're saying," Fili cut in. "You're emotionally traumatized every time you have to relive hearing about me dying, and it's because you had a crush on me?"

"Not 'had,'" Sigrid smiled. "Have. I love you." Her face fell. "If you don't love me back, just forget I ever said anything!"

Fili's blue eyes lit up. "Sigrid, I do love you! I thought you would be the one who's hesitant to love me back!"

On a sudden impulse, Sigrid leapt into Fili's arms and hugged him as tightly as she could. She kissed him on the lips. "Come back to me."

"I will," Fili said. "And when I do, I'll talk to your father and my uncle about us."

"So how did the goodbyes go this time around?" Clove asked Cato.

"All my dad said was, 'Be sure to win this time,'" Cato answered. "He's always been like that. What about your family?"

Clove shrugged. "My dad told me how proud he was of me to be going into the Games again. My mom cried. I think she was more worried about not having a victor for a daughter than me dying."

"I'm sorry your parents are like that," Cato said.

Clove smirked. "It's actually helped me train for the Games. I just tell myself that once I throw my knife at the last remaining tribute, my parents will actually love me."

Éponine kept staring at Azelma the whole time they had to say goodbye. It was as if she was trying to soak up the memory of her little sister so she would always have it. She didn't add in case she never saw Azelma again.

There was one thing she was worried about: Montparnasse. How could she make sure Azelma was safe from him?

Then she came up with a perfect plan. All she needed was for someone to personally look after Azelma for her while she was gone—-someone who'd be smart enough to recognize her father's cons and keep Azelma away from him and his beatings. Most importantly, it had to be somebody Thénardier wouldn't be suspicious of.

When Courfeyrac came to say goodbye, she approached him with her request. "Would you please take care of 'Zelma while I'm gone? Maybe even let her stay at your house so she can stay out of my father's sight? It's for her own safety. He won't suspect you of anything. You already have a history with girls, so he'll just assume 'Zelma's the next one you're stringing along."

Courfeyrac gave Éponine an encouraging smile. "I'd be glad to do that, 'Ponine. I'll even give your father money when I take Azelma home with me to make it even more convincing."

"Don't let him negotiate with you," Éponine warned. "He'll bleed you dry in a heartbeat if you're not careful."

"I'll keep my wits about me." Courfeyrac tapped his head.

Éponine threw her arms around the young student in gratitude towards him. "Thank you so much, Courf."

A/N: I have a headcanon for this story that all the characters are alive in their world regardless if they died in their story or not because they are just "actors" and they "act out" their story every time someone reads their book or watches their movie. It's kind of hard to explain.