Entering the train now with Peeta holding your hand and Haymitch and Effie just behind you, you smiled and waved at the Capitol citizens once more, feigning happiness. Yes, you were still angry at them for trying to treat the Hunger Games like true sports. But you can't blame the citizens very much, can you? After all, you did come out of the Games alive, and like the rest of you they had to give the President at least some form of respect. But was it all real? You hadn't had much time to think this through before the train pulled away from the station, your hand still raised in farewell as you looked out the window, Peeta by your side.

"Can't believe we're finally heading home," you murmured, smiling at Peeta sadly as you took his hand again. Though you didn't manage to say goodbye to Cinna and Portia due to the tight schedule Effie presented, you knew you'll see them again when you go on the Victory Tour in a few months.

Peeta nodded as he squeezed your hand, gazing into your eyes. "Yeah. Finally, home to a normal life."

"You do mean everything, do you? About me being your girlfriend and everything?" you blurted out, unable to hold it in any longer.

"Of course I do." Peeta smiled gently and leaned in to kiss you again. "You think I'd lie to get myself alive? I wouldn't lie, (Y/N). Never in a million years."

"Good." You smiled and cupped his cheek, and he leaned into your hand now, the two of you just quietly enjoying the comfortable silence. Then Effie called you over to watch the final televised interview, which you both quickly did as you went over to her and Haymitch, watching the both of you talking to Caesar. For some reason, the both of you looked like you were going to a film awards thing instead of actually going through an interview for the Games, but Effie assured you both looked charming and cute, and even Haymitch agreed.

"And this also calls for a celebratory dinner, of course!" Effie added, signalling a Peacekeeper over to bring over some dinner rolls, some groosling meat, and an elegant salad and lemon pie and chocolate pudding. You all heartily dug in, your appetite winning you out, and the sight of all this amazing stuff made you smile as you began to think of home, of your mom, Delly, even the Everdeen family.

As you made your way through the lemon pie, you caught Haymitch staring at you, and you glanced up mid-chew. "Hmm?"

Haymitch laughed as he ate his salad. "You look like you haven't seen food in a while."

"Well, what with restricted meals after the Games, I suppose it wouldn't hurt looking like a pig for a bit," you joked, making everyone laugh. Oh, how you missed those fun times. But then a sudden thought occurred, and you felt yourself sink in your seat again.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asked.

You shrugged as you took his hand under the table. "Cato."

"He'll want this," Peeta murmured. "Remember what he did. Wasn't that what he promised? He'll want to see us laughing again the way we used to. So don't feel bad."

You nodded as a smile reappeared on your face, and you continued to dig into your pie now, enjoying yourself to the fullest. When you were done, you excused yourself to go to your room to change, and you did now, putting on your reaping dress again--not to relive your terrifying memory of volunteering for Prim and experiencing all of this, but just to make your mom proud, to make her know that you still honoured her and remembered her even in the Capitol. As you straightened your hair out again and brushed through it thoroughly, putting it back in a ponytail, you felt your smile widen.

The train briefly stopped for fuel, and so you and Peeta got off the train, surprised at how close you are to home with the sight of wildflowers all around you.

"For you," Peeta murmured, picking up a few flowers and presenting them to you in a beautiful bouquet.

You smiled and kissed him on the cheek, blushing slightly as you held the flowers close, sniffing their sweet scent deeply. "Thanks, Peeta."

Peeta nodded as he shuffled his feet through the tall stems of the flowers. "You know what this place reminds me of?"

"Enlighten me, Peeta."

"Remember all the times in the past when we used to hang out in the meadow? All those times I felt so close to you, and yet so far at the same time, because I never knew my true feelings for you," Peeta admitted. "I thought I was--"

"Head over heels with Katniss?" You smiled gently and took his hand. "I don't blame you, Peeta. I heard what you told Caesar--and I know she would never forget that moment either, when you helped her find a meaning to life again."

"Yeah, I know. But then there's you, and everything gets more complicated," he eventually said. "You're my girlfriend, and I trust you. But what if Katniss...what if..."

"Peeta. It'll all work out." You gave him a hug now and he returned it halfheartedly, burying his head into the crook of your neck. "We'll work it out together."

"(Y/N), what will I do without you?" Peeta asked, and you heard the smile in his voice as you grinned in return, slowly letting go of the embrace.

You said nothing as you took his hand again, feeling the familiar rush of warmth as you both headed back to the train, where you both headed your separate ways. Entering your room now, you slumped on the bed, closing your eyes. You felt your fingers brush against some smooth papery surface, which startled you briefly until you rolled over, glancing at the sketchbook and tin box of drawing pencils you had Effie order through the Capitol.

"Oh," you whispered, picking the book up and flipping through the blank smooth pages, the book bound by nothing but a spiral wire coil, feeling the slight weight of the paper increase as you passed them through your fingers. You desperately wanted to use this sketchbook as a way to remember the tributes who made your life matter so much. But as of now, it doesn't seem right. Not when the Games are still fresh in your mind. Maybe if time does call for it, you will.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, and even the next day too, when you found yourself being woken for the final time by Effie with her signature "Up up up! It's another big big day!" You found yourself wearing your reaping dress in your sleep, but seeing that it didn't look too crinkled you kept it on, putting the sapphire pendant on as well around your neck and glancing at yourself for the final time in the mirror.

"My name is (Y/N)," you muttered to your reflection, standing poised. "I'm a town girl of District 12. I live with my mom, a blade carver. I was a tribute of the 74th Hunger Games, and now a victor. But I can't say I like the Capitol for it. I was never theirs. And I never will be."

"(Y/N)? You ready?" Effie's voice outside made you turn away from your reflection as you grabbed a bag full of the things from the Capitol that Effie gave you and joined the crew by the window at the front of the train, standing next to Peeta.

"You ready?" Peeta repeated Effie's question softly, holding his hand out again.

You nodded hesitantly, taking his hand and intertwining your fingers with his. "As I'll ever be," you whispered.

The train finally pulled into the station of District 12, and you felt a smile take over your eyes and mouth as you waved to the entire crowd, exiting the train, your eyes eventually honing in on your mom who fought through the crowds and threw her arms around you, while you laughed and hugged her back.

"You're back," your mom murmured, and you smiled as you patted her back, while Peeta and everyone else was watching with smiles on their faces.

"Yeah," you murmured back, laughing slightly as you let go of the embrace, and then everyone you knew was attacking you with hugs and cheers. Even Katniss and Prim joined in the throng, and as you felt Prim throw her arms around you you felt like the happiest person in the world.

"I knew you could do it!" Prim cried.

You nodded as you hugged Prim back. "I did, Prim."

"So brave," Katniss remarked softly, and she nodded at you with a smile also creeping on her own face, shaking your hand. "Good job out there, (Y/N)."

"Thanks Katniss," you beamed back, and soon everyone in the district started to cheer for you and Peeta. Reporters from the Capitol were also filming the moment, interviewing people, and after what felt like forever, the noise and hustle and bustle died down, and Effie got onto the train again.

"Well, I'll see you both at the victory tour?" Effie asked, holding her arms out for a hug.

You nodded and hugged her first before letting go for Peeta. "Yeah. See you then."

Effie smiled and blew a kiss at you as she disappeared into the train, which pulled away.

"So. To a new life," your mom said beside you, and you turned to her and nodded.

"I guess that's the best way to put it," you nodded, and you all--including Haymitch--smiled as you headed your separate ways, one of your mom's arms wrapped around you as you walked with her all the way home, but not before giving Peeta a goodbye kiss.

Your mom smirked at you. "I knew you and Peeta would get together eventually."

"It did take a while," you admitted. "But I'm kinda happy for that too."

"And you're both alive. What's next?" she asked.

Now it was your turn to smirk. "Try not to fight, I guess. And protect one another."

Your mom nodded as you both got to your house--your old one. "That's my girl."

Yes. That's who you are. Someone who protects the people she loves.

You are (Y/N)...a girl of your own creation, not the Capitol's.

I was never yours, and never will be, you thought again as you entered the house once more, with your mom following you behind and closing the door on your wild journey to the Capitol.