Rise From the Ashes

Chapter Twenty One

After I'm done being crowned I'm sent back to the twelfth floor. I'm allowed back into my room and I sit on the bed for a second. Both bedrooms I've seen are haunted. I can't stay in this room. I strip out of my dress and redress in a pair of pants and a shirt. I purposefully picked an outfit that reminds me of home but doesn't look like my arena outfit.

I walk out to join the others and carefully take my seat. They've removed Gales old seat. I guess it makes sense. He's not here to eat. I carefully take some of the food laid out so my team doesn't worry. They're chattering on about my win. Haymitch isn't talking instead he's making some sort of alcoholic drink which he slips to me. I sip it gratefully. It burns my throat but it numbs the rest of me.

"Ash?" Effie says. "I've heard from the other victors that their old rooms can feel a bit haunted so if you'd like I can move you to our empty mentor room."

"That would be great. Thank you Effie." I say. She smiles slightly and goes back to chatting with Octavia. I gulp down the drink and my mind starts going fuzzy. For once I don't want to avoid that because it makes some of the pain go away, even if it's just temporarily. Haymitch makes me another and makes himself one. I can tell Cinna is watching me carefully. He's probably hoping to avoid another drunk victor.

I drink the other one more slowly. I'm rather hoping to avoid another drunk victor but for now I just want to make myself numb. Back home I won't be able to get away with drinking myself numb so for now I'm letting myself get away with it. Mrs Everdeen probably won't but Katniss will be actively trying to keep me from turning into Haymitch.

"So tomorrow you have your final interview and then you can go home." Cinna says.

"Okay." I say. Soon I'll be home. Haymitch gives me another drink and I quickly drink it. I'm numb now. I force down some food and then stand. "I'm going to bed. Mind showing me where it is?"

"I'll show you sweetheart." Haymitch stands and leads me to my room. I stumble inside and collapse onto the bed. I manage to strip out of my clothes and curl up under the sheets. They'll just make me get naked anyway.

The next morning I'm woken up by my prep team. They pass me some sort of weird drink and I drink it. It helps my bad headache that must've come with my first time drinking. They start on my makeup and I'm feeling much better by the time Cinna comes in. He holds up a short soft dress that would look perfect on a young teenager. He helps me into it and I bite my lip as I feel the padding again. It's adding some of the curves that have been stolen from me by the hunger the Games inflicted.

"So Caesar is in the sitting room. It's just a little bit and then you'll get on a train for twelve." Cinna says. He gently slips a ring on my finger and my throat tightens. It's Catos ring. "I wanted to put on your pin but Haymitch figures it would be a slap in the face." 

He gently unbraids my tiny braids and brushes them out. He twists a few pieces back so my face is nicely framed but not taken away from. He helps me into a pair of sandals and leads me to the sitting room. It's just me and Caesar.

"Hey Ash. How are you doing?" Caesar says. For a moment he seems nice and human.

"I'm alright." I answer. I glance down and catch a glimpse of my ring. I look away before I can breakdown. "Just trying to cope."

"Of course. I can't imagine loosing someone that close to you." Caesar says. I nod and I'm led to a couch. I carefully sit in the middle and hide my ring under me. They count down and the cameras start rolling. "So Ash, we got to see a great romance during the Games. We would love to hear how it started."

"He came with his sister on her victory tour." I start. It was true. Somehow he had managed to weasel his way onto the victory tour and I guess I had met him then. Except I didn't talk to him. But I now remember his eyes. The way he followed me through the crowd until I disappeared. "I don't know, he came up to me and we just started talking. He helped me come to terms with loosing Terra."

"Yes let's talk about your family. Do you think they're proud?" He asks.

"Yes. I think that they would be. I think that they were watching over me during the Games." I answer. My dad would've been proud. But not for winning but for fighting.

"Do you think Katniss is proud?" Caesar asks. Despite myself I smile.

"I think she's happy I'm alive." I answer. "I'm sure she is proud."

The rest of the interview passes quickly. For the second half when we delve into Cato and his death I keep my eyes on Haymitch. Soon enough I'm being sent back to the train and being whisked away back home. I wait by the window staring out. No one is filming me right now so I can be quiet and breakdown a little. I retreat to my room so I can hide under my blankets. I must've been here for a few hours because Effie is knocking at the door.

"Ash? It's dinner time." She says. I stand and join them in the dining room.

"We should be in twelve by noon tomorrow." Haymitch says. "You'll be home."

"Home." I mumble. I miss home. It's finally time to go home. I don't touch the alcohol tonight for the sake of being okay when I get home. I retire to my bedroom early and change into my pyjamas. I slip into bed and stare up at my ceiling. I'm so close to being back to my family.

I fall asleep around midnight and wake up to Effie knocking on my door. I must be almost home. I get up and find my moms old dress. Cinna must've saved it for me. I slip into it and glance in the mirror. I get to see Drift. I get to see Katniss. Madge. Madge is going to be waiting for me. I'm going to have to explain what the romance was. Especially since right before the Games Madge had nearly kissed me. I know I like Madge but I think I did love Cato. I walk out to join the others for breakfast. It's my last time eating the Capitol food for a while. I carefully stuff my face but since the Games I haven't been able to eat very much.

Soon after breakfast we pull into Twelve and I can barely stop myself from running to the window. I can't wait to see Katniss, Prim, and Drift. Haymitch leads me to the door. It opens and I step out to wave at the crowd. Drift is squirming against Mrs Everdeens arms and I can't help it but run down to hug her. Drift squirms her way into my arms and I pick her up despite her size.

"Your hair is so puffy." Drift giggles.

"Yeah it's not in its braids." I answer. I set her down and nearly fall over as Katniss tackles me.

"You're home." Katniss mumbles.

"I'm sorry about Gale." I mumble. She shakes her head.

"As long as one of you came home." Katniss says.

I let go of her and hug Prim. "Hey little duck." I say. Prim smiles.

"Im glad you're home Phoenix." Prim smiles at me.

"Let's go home." I say smiling. "We need to get everyone moved in."

"Yeah we've got a new home." Drift says.

"Yeah all five of us." I answer. Katniss opens her mouth to protest. "No, you're family and you guys are living with us."

Mrs Everdeen hugs me. "Besides Ash needs someone to look after her for once." She says.

We start for the victors village and towards our new home.