THE FINAL DAY in the Capitol came and went faster than Aella expected.

The morning was hers to do with what she wished but as lunchtime rolled around and the evening began to settle in she was once again meticulously groomed to within an inch of her life. Her body was sore when Flax and Cayenne decided they were finished with her only to drag her into the chair before the vanity in her dressing room and start the extensive work on her makeup, her hair, her nails... it was never ending and Aella was exhausted.

She hadn't acquired any sleep the night prior, not a single wink and when the sun shone through her window she still couldn't pull herself from her bed. She just laid on her side and stared out the window for hours. Everything was numb. She wasn't plagued with her thoughts or memories for once, her mind was completely blank but she physically couldn't switch off.

Daniel and Clio had let her be for as long as they could. They were both worried about her, especially when they had heard of what had happened prior to the dinner the night before. She had been fragile before hand and both the dinner plus the meeting with Haymitch and the allies of the rebellion had taken it all out of her. She'd barley been able to drag herself back to the apartment. She didn't look at Clio and Daniel as they waited for her on the sofa, instead she passed them wordlessly and dropped into bed. She hadn't moved since.

They were still completely unaware of what it was that had occurred during her individual assessment. Haymitch had paid them both an early morning visit and reiterated everything that was discussed the night prior in hushed tones. They talked about how Finnick was to take Aella as his ally as well as Katniss and Peeta instead of the young woman allying with Johanna for the first night. Haymitch told them everything Heavensbee had said about Aella's perfect twelve, about the bounty on her head and how what she had done hadn't been well perceived.

Haymitch didn't say it to Aella but Heavensbee had warned him that she would likely be punished for what she had done—even if he did commemorate it. President Snow was outraged and Aella was in grave danger. Their President was out for retribution and Heavensbee would be forced to deliver it to her.

Daniel and Clio decided not to tell her. She already seemed too worse for wear when Flax and Cayenne were waxing every hair from her body through the afternoon. Her usual level of protest was absent, as was her cursing when they pulled the wax strip off without giving her any warning. Instead, she had sat quietly all day and hardly uttered a single word.

They didn't know she was savouring her last day alive in a semi-normal world.

She truly didn't know what was going to happen when she stepped foot in the arena. The rebellion would kickstart. Panem would never be the same again after this day had ended. Aella had been promised protection but only if she could stay alive long enough for the help to arrive and Haymitch said himself the night prior that he didn't know when their rescue would occur.

It was a huge task to not only try and keep herself alive to escape but to protect two others with all her being. If Katniss or Peeta died in the Games the rebellion would die and there would be no deal. It was a heavy card to hold. It wouldn't just be the other Tributes trying to kill them. It was the elements, the environment, the pods, the mutts.

Aella felt as if she'd bitten off more than she could chew, especially with a target of her own on her back. There was absolutely no going back, however. She was apart of the rebellion whether she liked it or not. She'd already shook on it, already specified her conditions, already signed her own death certificate and dug her grave in the eyes of President Snow.

There was no turning back for her. She would either die fighting for the rebellion or most likely be killed by the Career packs. Or if the rebellion did work but for whatever reason she didn't make it out with the others the Capitol would kill her themselves. 

She shuddered. That wasn't an option. She would take her own life before she handed it over to the Capitol. There was no way she could let them take her.

Cayenne stepped away from her for a second, back straightening as she watched Aella shudder. Her blue eyes flickered back and forth fleetingly, seemingly waking up from the trance she'd been in all day. It was relieving to see her mind slowly open up again, for her brain to start working rather than boarding up the walls in her mind in defence.

Aella looked at herself in the mirror, the air slipping from her lips for a moment. She knew Flax and Cayenne harboured special talents when it came to making her look good for the cameras. They had never failed to conceal the bags under her eyes or bring colour to her abnormally pale cheeks. They were magic within the Capitol, both known for how well they could style a person but by god had they exceeded themselves. She was speechless.

She sat forward slightly, examining her face in the mirror and wondering if it was truly her. The artist duo liked to keep Aella's hair and makeup suitable to her age and the older she had gotten the thicker it had become. They liked to paint black smoked eyes that had a dramatic effect. The typical cat-eye made the blue zircon of her irises really shimmer but this was an entirely different look for her.

For once she was totally natural. A light brown shadow had been dusted over the crevice of her eyes and a subtle shimmer matched it. A light lash had been applied to her lid, making it seem like her natural lashes were somewhat longer and her brows had been lightly filled. A light covering of foundation sat on her face with a small dusting of bronze contouring the shapes of her face. A shimmer of highlight danced across her cheekbones and a light blush applied. Her lips—Cayenne was just finishing—were a pinkish nude and natural.

It was still a lot of makeup on her face but it was the most natural she'd been in years. She preferred it to the heavier, more bold look. Tonight wasn't about trying to intimidate or impress, it was about being honest. The Games were happening whether she liked it or not and she would lay her heart on the line in front of Caesar and all of Panem in the hours to come...she just didn't know it yet.

Flax left Aella's natural waves. He just applied product to make her hair shine in a healthy way. Instead, he intertwined a rose-gold diadem within her hair and made work of pinning the top section back into a loose updo. The remainder of her long tresses cascaded down her back and added to her natural look.

She looked like the Goddess she had always intended to be. Except this time it wasn't the Goddess of War that was coming out to play, it was Aphrodite. Aella embodied everything she was and more. A true vision, a sight to behold.

The door opened wide, taking the attention of the three inside and they turned to see Palex walking in with Clio beside him. The man—already dressed to the nines for the night's event—held a long dress carrier in his hands. He and Clio glanced over at Aella fleetingly however they found that once they looked they couldn't take their eyes from her. Struck down by her natural beauty and held captive.

Clio gasped lightly and Aella saw the way her bottom lip began to tremble. The woman brushed back the tears forming in her eyes as she looked at Aella with such pride. She had never seen her so beautiful in her life. Everything seemed to hit her at once and Palex offered her a tissue before dabbing at his eyes with his own.

"My, my, Aella," He cooed, "Truly beautiful."

Aella smiled bashfully, "Thank you, Palex, but this is all Flax and Cayenne. I'm just the painting."

"Yes." Palex nodded once and looked to her stylists, "Artists, the both of you."

"Excellent." Clio nodded, dabbing her eyes before she said to them both, "Thank you."

Flax walked over to Clio, placing his hand on her arm gently. He offered her a warming smile as the bittersweet moment continued. No one knew what the following day would bring and they had spent countless hours dreading it. Six years ago, the night before her first Games Aella hardly knew Cayenne and Flax, she hardly knew Palex. They came and they scrubbed her clean, pampered her body and plastered her in makeup until she looked pristine and they left.

They didn't expect to be called to style a Victor all those days later when she emerged as the winner. It wasn't until then did they all start to build a relationship with her. They had dressed and styled too many others who had gone into the Games and never returned. They didn't make the mistake of growing attached to them like they used to.

Over the years of countless waxing sessions and manicures to dress fittings and extravagant hair styles they had all built a strong relationship with one another. They had never foreseen this—never expected her to be re-reaped.

It made the air around the five of them weird, like no one knew what to say to make it better. They hated that it was happening, that this would likely be their last goodbye with each other but there wasn't anything they could ever do about it. Aella had drawn the short straw and she was forced to face the consequences. The sense of beauty and awe was overcast by sorrow and heartbreak but what would never be overshadowed was their pride for her.

Each and every one of them—Cayenne, Flax, Palex and especially Clio—were so, so proud of Aella. They would never be able to put into words how proud they were of what she had achieved and overcome. They loved her and she loved them in all the most weird and unconventional ways imaginable.

Aella stood from her chair quietly and she walked across the carpeted floor to Clio and Palex, guiding Cayenne with her. She drew them all in and they embraced silently, savouring everything about the moment they were sharing. The clock was ticking over them, counting down their remaining seconds together.

The upbeat introductory music to Caesar's show interrupted them and drew them away from one another. The trumpets blasted loudly in a way that made the hairs on the back of Aella's neck rise. The tune haunted her and the wave of water lapped at her ankles, rising quickly up her calves.

The group of five turned to face the large flatscreen on the wall of the dressing room. Cayenne wrapped her arm around Aella's waist and hugged her sideways as both Clio and Palex took her sweaty hands. Flax placed his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her and just their touch soothed her erratic heart and trembling body. They watched her in fear, praying for God to give her the strength she needed to channel her emotions and sail through the show without breaking down.

She was so vulnerable, so scared. For the first time in six years they were looking at the little thirteen year old with the golden butterflies in her hair in a pretty gold dress staring at the television in a mixture of awe and fear.

The deja vu was harrowing. Especially when they knew how the story unfolded.

The crowd that night was wild—screaming louder than anyone had ever heard before as the tune played. The sliding stage doors parted and Caesar passed through them, a bright smile on his face as he waved to his audience. The applause and cheers grew louder and the camera panned out, the view of the stage on full display.

Caesar stood on the stage, laughing cheerily into his microphone as he placed his foot behind him and bowed before his audience, "Thank you! Thank you!" He bellowed with a smile, straightening and enjoying the crowd. The stage lights held him captive on display. What appeared seconds previously to be a black tuxedo now shimmered with intricate gold embroidery within the black material and a gold collar.

"Thank you for being here tonight," He said as the crowd began to settle, "On the eve of the seventy-fifth Hunger Games!"

The cheering and applause retuned and it forced a shudder down Aella's spine. An unwanted feeling of disgust and anger surged in her stomach and Flax rubbed her shoulders gently.

"I can't believe they're actually cheering for this." She mumbled, "That they're excited for this."

"It's all they live for, Aella." Cayenne informed her sorrowfully. The stylist frowned, guilt etched into her features as she listened to the way the crowd roared. She was once a nobody in a crowd of somebodies who spent her days counting down for the Games to start.

"We have never seen anything like this," Caesar said, "and we will never see anything like it again...because tonight, on this stage, twenty four of Panem's brightest stars will vie for the ultimate crown. Tonight will be their final opportunity to express their thoughts... Our final opportunity to express our love... and heartbreakingly..." he paused for dramatic effect, the crowd groaning in sadness, "To say goodbye to all but one."

All but one, she thought.

"What a night," Caesar said almost ruefully before continuing, "Let's hear it."

The crowd erupted into cheers again, loud and deafening as Caesar grinned, "It's so exciting!" He said before laughing.

The man pushed on, diving straight into talking about Cashmere and Gloss before they made their entrance to the stage but the team of five stood and stared. They were frozen in time for a while until Clio found the strength to break their last moment of peace together.

She closed her eyes for a fleeting second and rolled out her shoulders before saying, "All right, come on." She tried to sound as inspiring as she could, a smile gracing her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. She clapped her hands as they all peeled away from one another regretfully, "Let's go, there is work to be done and we are behind schedule!"

The television was long forgotten behind them, merely background noise and Caesar commenced the interviews. Instead, Palex brought forth the dress carrier and he ushered Aella to strip from her cotton shorts and loose sweater. She didn't hesitate like she used to years ago, instead she did as she was told.

"Close your eyes." Palex instructed her and she furrowed her brows. Her face twisted in defiance and he could hazard a good guess that the profanity that was about to roll off her tongue. He stopped her before she could say it however and instead said, "Trust me."

She rolled her eyes with a short puff of air and did as she was told. Eyes closed she reached out for Cayenne and Flax and they steadied her while she stepped into her dress. Palex worked to fit it to her body and light gasps echoed as he worked. She was desperate to open her eyes, utterly confused by why he wouldn't let her.

"Palex..."

"Shush." He interrupted her beg softly, "I'm almost done."

The dress tightened around her body as he zipped the garment but wasn't enough to restrict her breathing. It was surprisingly light on her in comparison to some of the gowns she'd worn in the past and just when she thought he was finished something heavy draped over her shoulders and fastened under her arms to her dress. It weighed over her shoulders and down her back.

Palex spent a few more minutes readjusting everything until it was perfect. Flax and Cayenne added the finishing touches until they all stepped back from her with words stuck in their throats.

"Okay," Palex breathed, clasping his hands together as he admired his final masterpiece. She didn't know it yet, but she was wearing the final garment he would ever design and make. It was his swansong and he couldn't think of a more beautiful woman to wear his final design.

"It's finished."

Aella peeled her eyes open softly and blinked once, then twice. She stared deeply into the mirror utterly shocked by the reflection staring back at her. In her years as a Victor she had showcased a hundred dresses. It was rare Palex dressed her in something that she didn't like. She had always been lucky that he worked with her to design what she liked but this time she hadn't been involved within his process. This had been something her stylist team and Clio had worked on together and the reaction on her face when she saw how she looked made all the stress worth it.

Rose gold in colour she looked like royalty in itself. The garment styled a sweetheart neckline but the middle section where her cleavage sat was open and instead covered in an opal shape panel of nude mesh. The opal shape ended just above her navel and the design made her appear years older than what she was. Two spaghetti straps ran from the inner edge of the neckline and crossed over her chest before running over her shoulders to hold the dress up. The lace embroidered within the material of the dress was intricate and lined in beads that held a soft shimmer. The pattern ran down the whole dress and it clung to Aella's body, hugging her every curve.

She ran her hands over the material in awe, turning slightly and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened as she saw the cape that sat over her shoulders. It had been made solely of silk tulle and around the top small clusters of luxurious feather had been sewn in. The cape was lined with the same lace that sat on her dress and the feathers scattered out until they eventually stopped around the bottom of her back. The cape swept across the floor in a luxurious train.

She was truly speechless and her small but mighty team looked at her with pride in their eyes. Flax and Cayenne pulled one an other into an embrace as tears littered their eyes while Clio dabbed her eyes with her tissue again. She stepped up to Aella's side, her hands over her arms and she nodded vigorously, "Beautiful." She smiled broadly though a lone tear slipped down her cheek, "Truly beautiful."

Aella nodded wordlessly, placing her hand on top of Clio's, "I wish my mother was here."

Another tear pushed over Clio's waterline, "She is." She choked out, "She always has been."

Aella released a deep breath and looked to the ceiling, pushing back the tears that loomed in the back of her eyes. She looked at Palex with a grateful smile and reached out for the man's hand. He strode over to her, his hands still clasped tightly together until he took hers and interlaced his fingers through.

She squeezed his hand and drew him closer, pressing a kiss of gratitude to his cheek, "Thank you, Palex." She said to him sincerely, "For everything. Thank you."

"It has always been my pleasure," He said to her, "My Golden Girl."

Aella smiled at him though it was tarnished by the tears that threatened to spill. She looked to Flax and Cayenne sincerely, "Thank you."

"We do this all for you because we love you and we believe in you." Flax told her truthfully.

Clio nodded, "We are right behind you and we designed this together as a surprise."

"Like the Goddess you are." Palex said with intent, "That is our theme. Your power, Aella. Not your District's."

She couldn't wipe the smile of gratification from her face as she looked between them all. It was the last time they'd ever stand in the same room together and it was a moment none of them would ever forget.

•  •  •

Aella sat silently with Clio in the small dressing room she had been allocated backstage. They sat as best as they could in their extravagant garments and they watched the interviews. There was a game that was being played amongst the Victors, their anger for the re-reaping was evident and they made it known. They pulled at the heartstrings of the Capitol ton and each time they left the stage the protests were louder and louder. People called for the Games to be abandoned and it made Aella smile. At least they were not the only ones who were angry.

When Mags was welcomed to the stage Aella and Clio are called in preparation for her interview. She cracked her fingers nervously as the unfamiliar feeling laid heavy on her stomach.

"Aella," Clio called, diverting her attention from the screen. The two women turned and met eye to eye and took each others hands and Clio squeezed them tightly, "These people are angry. They're doing everything to stop these Games. I suggest you do the same."

Aella smiled lightly, sorrow tugging at her features, "If they stop these Games Snow will kill me."

The reminder punched Clio in the gut harshly but she did well to recover. She smiled through her pain and said, "Then say your truth." She urged her in the same way she did six years ago, "Tell them everything."

"Everything?" She parroted, brows pulling into a frown.

Rage sparked in Clio's eyes and she nodded, "Drag him down."

Aella inhaled deeply and she nodded. Clio squeezed her hands tightly in response.

Mags' interview finished and Aella was called forward again right behind the stage. As she walked Caesar introduced Finnick as his next guest and her stomach churned. They had been so close yet so far away and all she wanted was to cross paths, to stare into his sea-foam green eyes and feel the calming effect he had on her.

The deafening roar of the crowd was all Aella could hear and she looked up at the television screen above to watch his interview. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. He was so effortlessly stunning as he stood there under the blinding lights in a simple white shirt, the buttons undone casually and his toned chest on display. The sleeves were rolled up casually to his elbows and a seashell necklace hung loosely around his neck paired with simple black dress pants.

"Finnick!" Caesar cheered, "Welcome, welcome!"

He grinned as he looked out across the crowd of people cheering him. The way his lips curved was cheeky, high into a smirk that made the butterflies in her stomach flap their wings in preparation for take off. His hair hung over his forehead, small tresses shadowing his eyes.

"Thank you." Finnick said simply.

"I—for one—never though this day would come." Caesar said before he looks to the audience, "Did you?"

Again the crowd roared but in protest. It was clear none of them wanted to see Finnick go back into the arena.

"I know, I know," Caesar agreed with their protests, "We don't want to see you go."

"Well, it's not by choice." Finnick said in few words. He didn't say much, his presence on the stage was enough.

"It breaks our hearts. We've seen you grow for years," Caesar said, "From the boy who emerged as Victor at fourteen to the Capitol Darling."

Finnick's lips curved somewhat again but Aella could see deep down that he was not amused. He wasn't happy to be standing there and only she had the key to unlock that secret door behind his eyes where she saw his inner turmoil.

He merely hummed in response to Caesar's words and he nodded briefly, "Such is the way of the world," He said wisely and only those who knew understood the true meaning behind his words. Such is the way of President Snow, "I'm leaving everything behind for this."

Aella's breath hitched in her throat as vulnerability clawed its way into his words. It was a foreign look for him, especially on live television in front of the entire nation. She had only ever seen it behind closed doors and even then rarely.

"Ah," Caesar said, "Yes. I understand that you have a message for somebody out there—a special somebody."

A grin etched on Finnick's lips again and he shook his head playfully while Caesar chuckled. A few cheers were heard in the audience but all Aella could feel was the pulsating of her heart. She gasped quietly and she watched, the drum of her heart pounding behind her ear.

"Can we hear it?" Caesar asked.

The camera panned to Finnick and he looked deeply into it, so deep Aella felt like he was staring straight into her soul. His eyes softened in only a way she truly recognised and she held her breath in anticipation.

"My love," He addressed, "You have my heart... for all eternity and if," he paused, face faulting as his eyes cast downward once.

He closed them fleetingly and Aella reached for Clio's hand blindly. His words caused her vision to swirl. She forgot how to breathe and she was so dizzy. His confession struck her heart with such precision she knew it was intended for her.

Finnick Odair was a man of many words and he never usually had any issue in holding himself. He was effortlessly effortless, blasé and nonchalant but in that moment he was vulnerable. He stuttered and for a few brief seconds his walls crumbled and the raw emotion swirling in his eyes was clear for everyone to see.

"If I die in that arena...my last thought will be of your ethereal beauty. My only regret is that we didn't have time but I will find you in the next world, and the world after that... know that you will always be in my heart," he placed his hand over his chest and nodded once to the camera, "and I will always be with you."

She felt his promise linger on her lips, light and feathery and it was all she could think about as white noise enveloped her. She fell through the sky with no indication of when or where she would land. His confession was eternal and it pained her that it had taken something like this to happen for her to hear it. All those years they could've had but didn't in fear of repercussion. It both angered and saddened her.

Clio's words echoed in her mind again and she felt the woman push her forward until she was standing before the stage doors. She was entirely discombobulated as she stood there, unsure of what she was doing. The world moved but she was frozen in place. All she could feel was Finnick's words—they were all over her body, racing in her mind.

She was blinded an array of lights and suddenly the switch flipped....

Tell them everything.

Her lips curved upward into a small smirk as she walked across the runway to the stairs. The crowd roared like it never had before. She received the loudest welcome as the patrons threw themselves forward, desperate to get closer. Some of them tossed flowers forward on to the stage before her feet.  Their cheers almost deafened Aella, her ears were ringing and her heart was pounding. It was almost hard for her to breathe as she stopped beside Caesar and smiled but no one would ever be able to see the war raging on inside her.

"Wow, oh, wow!" Caesar laughed lightly in pure admiration as he looked at Aella. His eyes did a full sweep of her gown and fixated upon her face before looking at her hair. The rose gold crown was truly symbolic and he took her hand and span her around slowly for the crowd to see the full beauty that she was. They cheered again, inflating Aella's ego and her smile deepened. They were sitting right in the palm of her hand, just where she wanted them, and their hollering and whistling did wonders for her confidence.

"Where has our Golden Girl gone?" Caesar asked the crowd, "Look at her now, folks! A Goddess right before our eyes."

Aella grinned in amusement, the blue shimmer of her eyes captivating everyone and dragging them to the edge of their seats. She searched the crowd and found Palex sitting next to Clio who had just taken her seat. She dipped her chin into a discreet nod to him and her designer raised his glass to his muse in a toast.

"Look at this dress!" Caesar continued to gush, "Just beautiful, utterly breathtaking."

Aella placed her hand to her chest and she smiled as the man took her hand, "You certainly know how to flatter me Caesar." She said.

The man erupted into hearty chuckles and she watched him melt into her hand like putty. This was her time. She had this stage, she owned the audience. Panem would eat out of her hands.

"Well, I can't help myself when there's a Goddess standing before me. You are..." he sighed blissfully, "Ethereal."

The crowd roared in agreement with him and she grinned at them.

"We've been looking forward to this interview haven't we folks?" Caesar worked the crowd, "The beauty and the strength. Your family must be so proud!"

The smile fell from her face entirely and in the crowd, Clio's heart dropped. She wasn't expecting him to ever mention her family. Not when Panem had no idea what had happened to them. No one knew her deepest secret besides those she loved. Even the people in District Five didn't know how her family had died and as far as the rest of Panem knew Aella's family were still alive and well, supporting their daughter from home.

The applause came to a slow stop as silver lined Aella's eyes. She couldn't stop the tears even if she wanted to and confusion swept across the studio.

Caesar frowned at her, feeling her hand tremble in his, "Is everything okay, my dear?"

She shook her head wordlessly and felt everything around her shattering. She had been fully prepared to take the secret of her family to the grave. When Clio told her to tell them everything she thought she had meant with Finnick...now she wasn't so sure. Did she mean her family's death? Hearing Caesar comment on them—to say that they must be so proud of her...it tore at her still healing soul.

Would they be proud of her? Would her mother truly be proud of the woman she had become? Would her father support her choices fighting for her District during uprisings? Would her brother still love her like he loved his innocent sister? For some reason she couldn't bring herself to say yes. It had been a long time since she had stopped to think if she was making her family proud and now she was...she honestly couldn't say she thought the answer would be yes.

It broke her.

She was aware of the tears in her eyes, of the utter silence across the studio and of the hollowness deep inside of her.

"I—" She stuttered and looked to Caesar, "I don't know," she said, "they were killed three years ago."

And she honestly didn't even register what saying those words would do. She was still fighting back for control but the pure outrage that followed...it pulled her back into her body.

She found Clio's eyes in the crowd. She saw the proud smile on her face.

Proud... Clio was proud of her. Why wouldn't her family be proud of her?

The chaos of the audience was something Aella didn't predict. The roaring of their anger was so loud and in her unsolicited admission Caesar was too stunned to calm them.

Aella dried her eyes and lifted her chin. They are proud of me, she told herself and said, "There's not a day where I don't think of them. Where I don't miss them...but I know that I've made them very proud since their death."

"I-I didn't know," Caesar stuttered, seemingly at a loss for words, "We had no idea... I'm truly very sorry for your loss, Aella. So unimaginable for you."

He took her hand and squeezed it genuinely and she nodded, "Thank you Caesar."

"How did they die?" He asked her, "When did they die? If you don't mind talking about it."

She could hardly believe his words. It was some weird kind of fate...how it had just fallen into her hands.

She cleared her throat and said, "I was sixteen and had just came home from the Victory Tour. I was walking home from the station and when I got into the village I saw a cluster of white rose petals at my front door," She began and looked out across the crowd, all them had tears in their eyes.

"When I opened my door all I could smell was roses. There was a trail of them through my house and I followed it to find my mother dead in the kitchen. The led circled her body and then led to my brother in the hallway and finally to my father was sitting in his chair in the study. The whole floor had been covered in white rose petals." Her whole body was shaking as she admitted, "They had all been shot."

The pieces of the jigsaw fell into place. The white roses, the shooting... it wasn't hard for those in the Districts watching to figure out, wasn't hard for some of the Capitol citizens watching either.

If President Snow wanted to award her a twelve as a death sentence the least she could do in return was turn his nation against him.

Caesar stood there and watched her, utterly speechless. Everyone was silent.

"I'm sorry," Aella said, holding her hand to her chest. She felt lighter for telling her truth, no longer burdened by it, "I just—it's the first time I've ever really said that out loud."

Caesar placed his hand on her caped shoulder and offered her a deeply sympathetic smile. She felt the sincerity behind it and her heart pounded ferociously against her chest. She looked out among the crowd. It was hard to see their admiration for her under the stage lights but the way they sympathised with her was real. They felt her every emotion as she stood there.

Telling her truth had won her their hearts but that had never been the aim of the game. It was to drag Snow—to tell the world what sort of person their President was. She knew she wasn't the only Victor who'd had their families killed for refusing to bow down to him. She knew he was torturing the Districts.

She knew what she had done—what she had admitted was most likely going to get her killed. She hadn't accomplished everything she wanted to do in her life though. She hadn't told the man she loved that she loved him.

Tell your truth...

She cleared her throat and took the reins again. She might as well of taken Caesar's cards out of his hands and finished the show.

"It was hard," She admitted, looking to him and still seeing that shock in his eyes—knowing shock...as if he, too, had figured it out, "But I wasn't alone... and I don't think I would be standing here today if it weren't for—"

The room fell silent. The crowd hung to her every last word, as did Caesar, as did Panem. They were all too invested to not know.

Caesar's purple brow arched high as he looked at her, "If it weren't for who, Aella?"

She shook her head, baiting the audience on and put to use those acting skills she'd developed over her years of being Victor. She feigned fear and said, "No, I've said too much, already."

The crowd roared in protest, begging for her to continue, each and every one of them rising from their seats. They were so deeply invested in what she had to say.

"Aella.." Caesar pried with a knowing gleam in his eyes. His words were quiet as he spoke into his microphone and she saw him fight back the grin that stretched his lips, "Are you or are you not implying that you have a special someone back at home? A significant other, if you will."

Tell your truth...

Aella could feel his eyes starting into the back of her head. His confession of his love played in her head on a loop over and over again, making her dizzy every single time. He could hardly breathe as he stood from the raised platform watching her place her heart on the table. It truly shook him. He didn't ever expect her to come forth and tell the world of her family's murder, never mind admit her true feelings for him at the same time.

They both knew the extent of their feelings for one another but they'd lived in fear for years. It ruled their lives with an iron grip. President Snow's threatening promise lingered in the back of their minds. Finnick was always supposed to be desirable, single and eligible, ready to charm anyone. Aella was promised a lifetime of misery, a death sentence placed on the heads of anyone she ever loved or cherished.

They lived in pain every single day that they couldn't be anything more than the close friends they appeared to be. It was never enough for them and yet there they both stood, finally able to confess their love for one another because there would be no repercussion. They were either going to die in the arena or be rescued and taken to safety in District Thirteen. President Snow could no longer hurt them and she was starting to realise that.

Aella's breath hitched in her throat at the same time his did. She looked at Caesar intensely, immersed in the conversation and she swept her gaze across the audience once more, "I—" She paused before she smiled and said, "Yes."

A deafening roar of sound carried over the studio. The audience went wild screaming and cheering in a mixture of shock. They screamed for her to tell them who it was, begged her to say more but she kept silent and basked in the reaction she had enticed from the audience.

"My, oh, my!" Caesar said in elation, his voice loud as he looked around. The somber air surrounding the confession of the murder of her family had disappeared. Caesar grinned broadly, "Love is in the air tonight, ladies and gentlemen! Am I right? Am I right?"

He worked the crowd perfectly but she knew where to strike.

"Tell us about him." He urged.

"He was there when no one was," She began, "and I would never of made it through if it weren't for him a-and the worst part is I was never able to tell him how I truly feel."

"Tell him now." Caesar suggested and the crowd cheered with his suggestion.

She shook her head as her eyes widened, "Oh, I couldn't."

The crowd pleaded for her to. They were desperate to hear her final words to her secret lover, ready to be swept off their feet and swoon at the idea of their love. The entire notion spelt 'fairytale' and they ate it all up greedily. The emotional rollercoaster they'd embarked on with her demanded they see it to the end of her story.

"Of course you can!" Caesar encouraged her, "I'm sure he'll be watching. Tell him how you really feel."

He's watching, she wanted to say, he's standing behind me, sea-form green eyes staring into the back of my head with such intensity it's making me nervous. Instead, she hesitated and she looked at Caesar as he squeezed her hand in encouragement.

She eventually nodded her head and the crowd screamed ready to hear her declare her love for a man they didn't know existed until thirty seconds ago. Caesar calmed the audience, shushing them until it was deathly silent. They held their breath and Aella swore she could physically hear her heart beating aloud. Her right hand began to shake and she took a calming breath as Caesar held the microphone in front of her.

She wanted to turn around so badly and look into his eyes as she said it but he was a card she still had to hold close to her chest. She could air every single piece of dirty laundry about herself and what pain President Snow had caused her but when it came to Finnick and her family she had to keep them safe.

It didn't matter where she looked. Whether it was to a camera, the audience or him, she was confident he knew that what she said was meant for him...just like she knew what he said was meant for her. She could finally be free. The chain no longer bit around her ankle and dragged her down. Instead she felt lighter and the smile that tugged at her lips was brighter. It was real and it was the first time Panem had ever seen it.

She took a deep breath as the weight lifted from her shoulders, "I want you to know that you are my everything... the love of my life .. and everything I do, I do it for you. I wish we had more time but they say forever is not enough. Think of me when you close your eyes, when you look up at the stars...for I will always be right there, by your side for all of eternity."

Her words took his breath away. The room was left in awe of her declaration and her truth drew to an end. The story was finished and the book closed and Aella nodded to herself feeling satisfied with its ending.

"Wow." Caesar commented, "Beautiful...truly beautiful." The crowd agreed in the form of loud cheers and he continued, "I'm afraid that is all we have time for. Aella, thank you for telling your truth. We all stand with you, don't we folks?" They applauded in response and he nodded, "Ladies and gentleman, one last time, Aella Barnes!"

The noise the crowd made matched that of when she first stepped out on stage and she smiled to herself. She thanked Caesar, pressing a kiss to both his cheeks and he pointed her upward toward the stairs that took her to the Victors who had already been interviewed. She took her dress in her hands, making her way over toward the stairs and she was greeted at the bottom by Finnick.

Surprise overwhelmed her as she saw him waiting patiently with his hand outstretched to help her. Their eyes met and the tension between them was unparalleled. The pull they felt toward one another was something they'd never felt before. When she slipped her fingers into his electricity flew up her arm in a pleasurable way.

He squeezed her hand in a meaningful way and she saw the message hiding behind his eyes. It brought a bright smile to grace her lips as they began their decent upward.

As they walked together Caesar dropped a one-liner about how much of a gentleman Finnick was and the crowd went wild for it. Only the pair knew it was a ploy for a slither of physical contact. A way for him to reciprocate her every word even though she made her confession in response to his.

They were forced to drop hands when they reached where they were to stand but knowing they were close was enough for them. They stood, overly aware of their feelings towards one another, and listened to the remainder of the interviews. Their hearts pounded furiously in their chests and butterflies swarm around their stomachs in herds. The feeling made them dizzy but in a good kind of way.

The cycle of Victors changed when Johanna refused to take to the stage before Blight but when she eventually did appear Aella applauded her interview. She laughed heartily as Johanna cursed out President Snow on live television.

They watched as Katniss appeared in an extravagant wedding dress that was truly stunning. The cheers she received matched Aella's. She twirled like she always did, fire eating at the white fabric of her dress and instead changing her garment entirely into a deep purple with wings of a Mockingjay bird rising in parallel with her arms. It was a statement the Girl on Fire was unaware of but one the rebels recognised. It was the spark that ignited the flame, beginning the revolution.

Aella learned not to underestimate her, or Peeta for that matter when he dropped the bomb that he and Katniss had a secret wedding before telling everyone she was pregnant. The crowd begin to protest heavily, calling for the Games to be stopped and not even Caesar could control them.

For the second time that night Finnick took Aella's hand but in unity. They stared deeply into one another's eyes as each and every Victor stood hand in hand and raised them into the air.

The message they sent riled the audience even more. The lights shut off and they were suddenly thrust into darkness and ushered off the stage in a quick manner but one thing that never changed was Finnick's hand holding tightly to Aella's until they were forced into two separate elevators. Though even then, the hidden love in their eyes didn't disappear as the elevator doors slid to a close and the waiting game began.

•  •  •

A/N; The next chapter guys... I can't.

Also, I tried to find the picture of the dress I found that inspired Aella's gown so I could post it but I've literally searched all day and can't find it anywhere!