Just as Alaric had done with her, Dahlia rides the elevator down with Lavender and gives her last-minute tips that she's repeated numerous times before. She feels more nervous for Lavender's games than she did for her own, because she can't control what happens in the arena when she's just a spectator. All she can do is watch. And that is more torturous than fighting for her life.
"Don't go too deep into the Cornucopia." Dahlia advises, wringing her hands anxiously as the elevator descends quickly. "Grab what you can and run."
"I know, Dahls." Lavender replies emotionlessly, fear of the unknown beginning to sink in. "You've done all you can. Now it's up to me and Annie."
"I'll keep fighting for you, even from outside the arena." Dahlia promises, barely being able to force a convincing smile on her face to comfort her sister. "I know you and Annie can do this, Lav. Just stay sharp, trust your gut and never let your guard down."
Lavender nods her understanding just as the elevator reaches its destination. The doors slide open and the younger girl instinctively grasps onto her big sister's hand. Without a word, the Blossom girls stride closer to the awaiting hovercraft, ignoring the soulless stares of the Peacekeepers on guard.
"This is as far as I go." Dahlia states sadly, her heart breaking as Lavender faces her with teary eyes. "But I'll see you later, yeah?" Pushing through her own tears, Dahlia grins weakly at the young woman in front of her. "You've grown so much in my shadow, Lav. Now it's time for you to blossom on your own." In truth, Lavender had always relied on her sister to take care of and protect her. This is the first time she truly has to face something on her own and it scares her to death. "You'll come home to me, my flower."
"You're stuck with me, Dahls." Lavender manages to say through her sniffles before throwing herself at her sister. Dahlia catches the girl in her arms, hugging her tightly for it may be the last time. "I love you."
Dahlia feels Lavender's tears dripping on her shoulder and being soaked up by the dark fabric as she whispers, "I love you too." With one final squeeze, the pair reluctantly pull away as the Peacekeepers start to urge them along. Before they can usher Lavender onto the hovercraft, Dahlia catches her sister's hand and presses three times. Lavender just manages to return the silent sentiment when their hands are ripped away once more.
As Lavender gets situated in her seat, she uncurls her fist to reveal the object Dahlia had passed on during their final gesture. A token for the Blossom girl to wear. The golden dahlia necklace. Annie would be going in with Dahlia's old token and Lavender would be wearing Cove's. History has a funny way of repeating itself...
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
The next few days were absolute torture for Dahlia. Most of her time was spent in front of a screen watching every second of the games. Finnick was her most frequent companion and the only reason she hadn't pulled all of her hair out in stress. But Alaric and Mags were the only reason the two teenagers were even kept alive. If it wasn't for their cooking skills and constant pestering, the pair would've starved to death or withered away to nothing on the couch.
The girls had done a decent job of staying out of trouble. They'd escaped from the bloodbath unharmed, avoided any run-ins with the Career Pack and stayed relatively off the radar. It hadn't been the exciting showdown the citizens of the Capitol had expected, but they were safe. That's all that mattered to Dahlia and Finnick.
On the third day, with Annie and Lavender hiding out in a cave, the older mentors managed to convince the younger ones to emerge from District Four's apartments. Watching the Games on a large screen amongst the chatter of Capitol officials wasn't exactly what the pair wanted to be doing. But the odds can quickly fall out of their tributes' favour and they needed to ensure there were sponsors lined up just in case.
Finnick and Dahlia made a formidably brilliant tag-team. They could swindle their way into the deep pockets of any rich Capitol sponsor without much effort. A little flirting and a lot of charm made each patron feel special, soon emptying their savings into the laps of the two Victors. But as they were greasing up another peacock, the tables took a horrifying turn.
"Oh my goodness!" A Capitol citizen gasped out suddenly, making all eyes avert to the screen. The room came to life with cheering and yells as the dull games had finally started to get interesting. A fire, obviously started by the gamekeepers, had been set to force Annie and Lavender out of hiding. This sent them straight into the clutches of the Career Pack.
Dahlia had shot forward in her seat, nearly hanging off the edge as her hand seized the closest available surface. Gripping onto Finnick's knee, she is unable to tear her eyes away from the scene. If she were in their shoes, she and Cove would've fought with everything they had to escape. But everyone seemed to forget that Annie and Lavender were not their sisters. So, while most spectators were eager for an epic showdown, Dahlia hoped for something else entirely. Run, she begs.
Unfortunately, her desperate plea is drowned out by the calls for battle. Instead of knowing when they're outnumbered and overpowered, Annie and Lavender stand their ground to prepare for the incoming brawl.
Fearing that she will miss something if she blinks, Dahlia stares wide-eyed at the screen as the girls become overwhelmed by the onslaught. They are putting up a good fight, but tiring quicker than the Careers. They receive more and more hits, becoming sluggish and slow to respond. Wary of the people watching her reaction, Dahlia tries to keep her face neutral and impassive. But Finnick can see her body flinching with each blow. He subtly slides his hand into hers, allowing her to squeeze his palm every time she tenses.
She is barely able to stifle her panicked gasp as Lavender is disarmed and thrown to the ground in front of the Careers. The younger Blossom holds her head up high and stares her opponents down defiantly, refusing to give in even as she's brought to her knees.
History will remember how the girl bravely looked death in the eye and welcomed her demise with a quivering frame. They will remember how she selflessly pleaded for her friend to run. They will remember that her final words were a desperate scream for her sister. They will remember Annie Cresta's scream of horror as her ally was decapitated right in front of her. But they won't remember her name. The Black Dahlia's Sister Beheaded by Careers, was the only recognition Lavender received. After all, history is written by the Victors.
But everyone spoke of The Black Dahlia herself. The cold-hearted stare that she is known for took centre stage as she reacted to the live footage of her sister's death. All eyes were on her, watching and waiting to see what she would do. Internally, Dahlia wanted to react just like Annie. Scream and yell with tears streaming down her face. Let the world see just how she felt. Make everyone feel the pain and anguish of her loss... But she couldn't.
The Black Dahlia is heartless. Crazy. A woman driven to absolute madness. That's what they wanted and that's exactly what she became.
After a few moments of stunned silence, her body rumbled with what some people assumed to be sobs. Before long, they realised it wasn't tears... It was laughter. The Black Dahlia had just witnessed her sister meet a gruesome end and she still found the ability to laugh. The crowds whispered about the girl's insanity, rumours already circulating that she had lost what was left of her mind.
Finnick could see through her act. His heart broke as he noticed how much she was struggling to hold herself together. But there was nothing he could do while they were stuck in the middle of the Capitol. He was cursed to watch as she fell apart right in front of him, descending further into her own mind to a place she may never escape.
She wanted to cry, but there were no more tears left. She had now mourned every member of her family and cried for each one. Her tears had run dry. All that was left was numb emptiness. She didn't deserve to live when so many innocent people had died because of her.
No... Not her.
They were dead because of Snow.
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
Dahlia always despised her time in President Snow's office. Nothing good ever came out of that cursed room and she always left his presence with a little bit more of her sanity stripped away. But she'd already been plunged into the depths of madness. There was nothing left for Snow to plunder.
"We struck a deal," She growls out with an unnervingly calm tone, standing before the devil himself and challenging his own bargain. "Sealed with our blood. A binding promise that neither of us could go back on, that if I did as you asked, the ones I love would be spared." Snow stared up at the Victor with tranquil composure, a hint of a smirk twitching the end of his lips as her fuming anger began to shine through. "THAT was the deal we agreed upon." Her voice nearly wavers as she reminds him of their terms. "Does this ring any bells in that twisted mind of yours?"
"A most profitable arrangement for everyone involved, I'm sure you can agree." Snow replies cryptically, toying with the fragile emotions of the broken girl in front of him.
"Then tell me, President Snow," His name was hissed out of her mouth like a spitting cobra coiled up for attack. "Why my sister, my only living relative, the reason I subjected myself to this torture in the first place... is dead because of the very Games I swore to protect her from?"
Snow remains nonchalant, feigning his innocence in the matter as if both of them didn't know exactly what he had done. "I can assure you, Miss Blossom, the reaping is completely random and every single child has an equal chance of being selected." He finally allows the smug expression to overpower his features as Dahlia's rage snaps inside her. Then he deals the final blow, "It was just the luck of the draw."
"No it wasn't. You fucking rigged it!" She yells furiously, jabbing her finger accusingly in his direction. "You lying, backstabbing cunt!"
Her seething words have little effect on the president who is content to watch the girl spiral into chaos. "As you seem so keen to remind me of the details of our agreement, Miss Blossom I shall do the same. I told you they would not suffer by my hands. And, as you can see, my hands are clean." Snow raises his hands slowly to further his point. "Yours, on the other hand..." His calculating eyes slowly sweep downwards until they linger on Dahlia's fists clenched by her side. Her hands have contricted so tightly, that her nails have pierced the skin of her palms. Small droplets of dark red blood slip down through her fingers, coating her hands in the sticky substance. Snow smirks maliciously at the sight and declares with menacing certainty, "Yours are stained red with the blood of those you failed."
All Dahlia can see is red. Whether it's the fiery anger buried behind her eyes, or the sight of her bloodied hands reminding her of the people she'd lost, she didn't know. But Snow was successfully fuelling the madness inside her. Who knew if that would work in his favour, or be turned against him?
Her cold resolve eventually crumbles away but still, the tears refuse to fall. Dahlia starts to wonder if she's as heartless as everyone says she is. "She didn't deserve to die. None of them deserved to die." She mumbles in a detached voice with a hollow expression. Their faces haunt her mind and her words. All those she swore to protect but ended up letting down when they most needed her. "But I did-- I do."
"They were holding you back." Snow speaks up, eyes gleaming in amusement. "Preventing you from unlocking your true potential." He would make her into a weapon. Condition her into a killer. This way, the people would never view her as their symbol of hope, and he would maintain his vision of power. "Strength is what we gain from the madness we survive."
Dahlia's head snaps up and Snow is greeted with the sharp glare of the monster he'd created. "Am I supposed to feel grateful to have survived this?" She retorts harshly, each word dripping with a venomous poison that could taint even the purest of hearts. "I am done with your games, Snow." Dahlia announces, straightening up her spine and tilting her chin up to prove her defiance. "But that doesn't make you the Victor. The only way you're winning this thing is if I'm dead."
With a swift turn and a flurry of black fabric, she strides to the door with dominant steps and murderous eyes. As she leaves the room, Snow ensures he gets the final word of their conversation, "That can be arranged."
•——————•°•✿•°•——————•
Six months later, Annie embarked on her Victory Tour and Dahlia's worst fear became reality.
"I don't want to end up like Annie. Alone on that platform with no one around me."
"You won't. I promise you now. You'll always have people around you, no matter what you do."
The conversation she'd had with Finnick during her own Victory Tour echoed in her mind as she stood alone on the platform. Annie could barely finish the speech that had been written for her, hands shaking uncontrollably as the words left her mouth. Neither girl would dare look up at the image of a fearless girl plastered behind Dahlia, only mustering enough strength to nod at each other.
With the last member of her family gone, Dahlia's descent into madness was complete. Snow had succeeded in breaking the girl down until only a shell of her past self remained... But Finnick Odair was determined to build her back up again. As he stared at the girl out of the window of the Justice Building, he knew he would do anything to save her from the pit of despair Snow had created for her. Dahlia Blossom is his, not Snow's. He won't let her be taken from him.