"We are simply ash."
•••
It had been five years since Autumn's Hunger Games. She now lived with visions and voices that haunted her every night, watching her district partner die right in front of her eyes. Only one good thing came out of the Games...
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•••
Mags shook her head in protest, her face holding a grave expression. Mags stepped in front of Autumn, placing her wrinkled hands on Autumn's arms. Mags begged Autumn not to with her eyes, but it was too late.
Autumn let another tear escape her eye as she pressed a kiss to Mags's forehead. Autumn then walked away from the woman, forcing Mags to let go.
"Oh, a volunteer," Amethyst spoke, her voice sounding anything but cheerful. Over the years, Amethyst has come to realize what the Games truly did to people. She watched Autumn loose her mind little by little. She had watched Autumn in the Games as she held Tyson's dead body in her arms, being almost taken advantage of not but an hour later.
"Let us give a hand for our volunteer, Autumn Reeves," Amethyst started clapping. But she was the only one. The crowd in front of her pressed three fingers to their lips and held the symbol in the hair.
Autumn had become accustomed to this symbol and what it meant since the seventy fourth Hunger Games, but she never thought she'd see it with her own eyes, much less it being directed to her.
"And now for the men," Amethyst spoke as she walked over to the male's Reaping bowl.
Autumn wasn't sure if she should hope Finnick's name be drawn, or hope it won't be drawn. Which would be worst?
"Finnick Odair," Amethyst spoke into the microphone. A gasp escaped Autumn's mouth as she looked over at Finnick. He walked up beside Autumn and turned to her. He wiped her tears away with his thumb before pressing a kiss to her lips.
Autumn wasn't sure for a moment why he kissed her in front of all of the country, but she quickly realized why. It was an act of defiance. It was Finnick and Autumn both telling the county that they would not kill each other. And if it were to corn to the two of them in the end, they would kill themselves. But it won't be them. It will be Katniss and Peeta.
They broke apart and intertwined their fingers before holding their interlaced hands up in the air. People began to cheer as they realized what this meant. At least District Four supported the two victors.
Peacekeepers, obviously unhappy with the commotion, began to push Finnick and Autumn back into the Justice building. Their grasp on each other broke apart as they were shoved, roughly.
"We have to say goodbye!" Autumn screamed at the peacekeepers, looking at Annie in the crowd and Mags on the stage. "Annie! Mags!" Autumn screamed before the door was shut in front of them.
"Don't touch her!" Finnick yelled at the peacekeepers as they continued to shove Autumn down a long hallway in the Justice Building.
Finnick and Autumn were eventually allowed to catch their breath as they walked out the Bach door of the Justice Building.
They held each other's hands once again as they walked the familiar path to the train station.
Autumn and Finnick got into the train station and got on board. They weren't even allowed to wave to citizens of District Four.
The train began its journey almost the minute Finnick and Autumn got on board, leaving the station.
Finnick and Autumn didn't want to be around Amethyst or any other Capital member so they walked into a bedroom compartment together and closed the shades all around the room.
Autumn stared at Finnick and began to break down, rushing into his grasp.
They held each other for a long time. Autumn's cries were audible but she could tell Finnick had silent tears dripping down his face.
"Why did you do that?" Finnick asked after a while, his voice shaking.
"I had too," Autumn spoke in between sobs. "I couldn't let Mags die in that arena."
"And I can't let you die in that arena," Finnick told Autumn as they broke out of the hug. Finnick had his hands on Autumn's shoulders, staring at her in all seriousness. "Mags and I made a deal. If you were called, she would volunteer. She was willing to take your place."
"I couldn't let her die, Finnick," Autumn's voice quivered as she spoke barely above a whisper.
"I know," Finnick told her as he pulled her close to his chest one again. "We will survive. I will protect you, no matter what."
