Present day-

I had just finished my story, and I saw that people had slowly begun to go their own way. That was a story I never want to tell again. I've already lived it. No need to tell it again. I thought as I looked around. I noticed that Peeta had left. Not sure what he got called away for. Johanna is in the corner by the bar. I see that she was nursing a drink as well. Haymitch gave me a hug, and went his way. I realize that Bardan and Etain were missing. If I had to guess I see them when I leave. Most of my team is in the corner drinking and telling stories.

"What's next?" Lian asked.

"Head to the Presidential Palace and see how long it is until we leave." I said.

"Lead the way." Lian said, with a kiss.

I rise from my chair, and make my way for the exit. Lian is right behind me. Before exiting, I look back at the bar one last time.

"Saying goodbye?" Lian asked.

"More or less." I said, and then we leave the bar.

We make our way up to the palace, and as we go Lian is telling me about all the things that she remember about the Capitol while she was growing up. We when get to the palace Lian was in tears. I know that she is going to miss this place, she spent her entire life here, but her family is gone. So she doesn't have much of a reason to stay. I hold Lian until she finishes crying, and then we kiss. Just as we break our kiss, Plutarch was leaving.

"Sasha. Just the person I was looking for. There is a procedure scheduled at the hospital to fix your face." Plutarch said.

"I'm used to my face. What do you think?" I asked Lan Shi.

"Kai is dead. Both literally, and figuratively. You might as well get it fixed." Lian said.

"How long until Katniss is free to leave?" I asked.

"She'll be leaving as soon as they finish with you at the hospital." Plutarch said.

"Okay." I said.

Just as we were turning to head to the hospital, a car was pulling into the driveway. "Service with a smile." I said to Plutarch.

"You put everything into motion that saved our country. It's the least we could do." Plutarch said.

"Do you hear me complaining?" I asked.

Lian Shi laughed as the car pulled to a stop beside us. I opened the door for Lian Shi, and she gave me a quick kiss before getting in. We get to the hospital, and Mrs. Everdeen is waiting for me with a wheelchair. I don't even fuss. I take off my vest, handing it to Lian Shi.

"Make sure that disappears." I said.

"You got it, babe." Lian said.

Lian Shi traces the scar on my face one last time. She had grown used to the scar, but was happy that my face was being healed. Although, I wonder why they didn't fix my face they were working on the skin grafts for my legs. I thought.

And with that I was wheeled into the operating room. The last thing I remember before going under was a doctor saying. "Sasha. This procedure should only last an hour, and then you will be in recover for another hour."

"Thanks." I said. Two hours until I'm free to return home. I thought.

And with that I felt the sedative pull me under. I wake in my room surrounded by Peeta, Haymitch, Primrose, Mrs. Everdeen, and Lian Shi. I see Gale standing out in the hall calling to the nurse.

"I prefer Mrs. Everdeen checking me over." I said.

"The staff has to get the wheelchair." Mrs. Everdeen said.

"All right." I said.

Mrs. Everdeen held a mirror up for me to see the operation was successful. Which I knew it would be. I guess it's time to let my hair grow. I thought.

"Everybody, out!" Mrs. Everdeen ordered.

Lian Shi was the only one to remain. I got dressed, as best as I could after coming down off the sedative, and then sat down in the wheelchair. My head was a little foggy from the meds, but all I have to do is walk from the front door of the hospital to the car, and then from the car to the train. Or whatever mode of transportation they choose for us. I think on Plutarch's last words, and how literally they are. It was my actions that saved the country. To be honest, I don't want the kind of attention. So, I'm glad to be heading home.

When we get to the train station, Bardan, Etain, Katniss and Gale are already waiting for us. Peeta, and Primrose caught a ride with us. I realize that Haymitch is missing. I know full well he is not staying in the Capitol.

"Where's Haymitch?" I asked, when I step out of the car.

"He's already on the train." Katniss said.

"And he already has a bottle." Gale said.

"Somethings never change. Shall we?" I asked.

"Yep." Peeta said.

"What are your orders?" I asked the twins.

"Your old unit is joining the army. We have been given charge of our own unit." Bardan said.

"Though, it doesn't feel right not having you in control of it, Sasha." Etain said, using my real name for the first time.

"I've done my job. Now it's time for me to pass the torch. Plus you two are very capable, so that unit is in good hands." I said.

"Thank you," Bardan and Etain both said.

We all said our goodbyes, and then boarded the train. Just as I'm boarding, I feel a hand wrap around my wrist. I turn to see that it was Primrose. "Please keep her safe." Primrose said.

"There isn't anybody left to threaten Katniss now that the Capitol has been stopped, but okay. I will." I said.

I knelt down to give Primrose a hug, and then stood to talk to Mrs. Everdeen. "Did you ever see any of this happen when you left nine years ago?" she asked.

"Of course not." I said.

"Well, at least I know that my daughter will be safe. You keep him safe." Mrs. Everdeen said to Lian Shi.

"That won't be a problem" Lian Shi said.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Everdeen." I said.

Mrs. Everdeen gave me one last kiss on the cheek, and then I stepped onto the train. The doors shut, and then Katniss appeared to wave goodbye to her mom. Katniss and Mrs. Everdeen place their hand on the door, and left it there until the train pulled away. The train had left the station for a full two minutes before Katniss asked. "What do we do now?"

"I honestly don't know. I've spent the last nine years fighting the Capitol. Now that they aren't the enemy anymore, I don't know what to do." I said.

"Start a new life with Lian Shi." Peeta said.

We turned to see both Peeta and Lian Shi approaching.

"I know, but still. I've been so focused on freeing the districts from the Capitol's grasp. Now that it's here, I never thought about what to do afterwards. Now that afterwards is here, I truly have no clue what to do." I said.

"We'll figure it out." Lian Shi said, kissing my cheek.

"I know." I said.

Then the four of us went into dining car. Upon entering we saw Haymitch eating dinner, with a bottle of white liquor.

"Where's Effie?" I asked, as the four of us joined Haymitch at the table

"Effie wants time to figure out what she wants. I told her to come find me in District 12 when she's ready." Haymitch said.

"That will be an interesting housemate for you." Katniss said.

"We'll see." Haymitch said.

There was a full spread on the table, so the four of us took our pick and eat our fill. Of all the people having a hard time to adjust, it's me. Although nobody but Haymitch knows. When we went to bed for the evening, Haymitch called me to the back of the train.

"Yeah." I said.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm pretty certain you already know the answer to that question, or you wouldn't have called me back here." I said.

"It'll pass, to an extent." he said.

"It never passed for you." I said.

"And you have seen worse things than I have, but you turned out all right." he said.

"The jury's still out on that." I said.

"If you say so. Before you boarded, one of the attendants told me that the Capitol would send shipment of supplies and food once a month." he said.

"So is this a metaphorical exile that has been handed to us?" I asked.

"Not if their sending us food and supplies on a monthly basis." he said.

"That is until we get back on our feet." I said.

"It looks like it was a good thing I commandeer this, now isn't it?" Haymitch asked, pointing to my bow that Beetee updated for me.

"Good night Haymitch. I'll see you in the morning." I said, and then left.

Come morning, I wake to find that Lian had already woke, and head to breakfast. I get a shower, and then head out to the dining car. Everybody is there, and Haymitch is having something not as strong as white liquor. I roll my eyes and sit down. I listen to the conversation, and politely decline to join the conversation. The closer we draw to the bombed out ruins of District 12, the more somber I become. Although, I'm not the only one to become somber. We feel the train begin to slow, and the rest of the group sobers up as well. We all make our way towards the door. And to our great surprise, we were given a few changes of clothes. A weeks' worth, to be exact, and given the food as well. The attendant gave a letter to Katniss to read.

I see Haymitch holding my bow, and take it from him. We all take a few crates, and slowly take them off the train. As the train is leaving, Lian Shi, Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta are discussing how we are going to get the food to Victor's Village, while I stare off into the distance. I've finally made my triumphant return home, and it's nothing more than a wasteland. I look out into the square, and I can see the ghosts of the children I use to babysit. I even see Kyle run around the square. It seems that both Sasha and Kai are dead. I thought.

When I rejoin the group, they decided that we should see if there is anything we can use as a cart and make a few trips as possible. We walked up to Victor's Village to see if we could find anything. Haymitch gave me a quiver of arrows as well. Old habits die hard. I think, as I nock an arrow and scan our surroundings. We found a make shift cart in one of the locked houses. By dinner time, we had the crates up to the Victor's Village and distributed evenly, or as evenly as we could make it.

The following day, I make for the woods for a change of pace. Something I did as a boy. I kiss Lian Shi as I'm on my way out. As I'm approaching the woods, Katniss is running to catch up with me.

"How long?" Katniss asked.

"Four hours, tops." I said.

"Good enough." she said.

And then we get down to business. We spend four hour in the woods, and then head back to Victor's Village. It was a small haul: a few squirrels, a rabbit, and a two dozen berries. It takes time, but over the months Katniss and I fall into a rhythm, just as I did with her dad years ago. As no surprise the Capitol stopped sending supplies, but that was a year after we had been in District 12. Six months after arriving, Buttercup made his way back from District 13.

"Just got off the phone with Prim." Katniss said.

"Oh, what did she have to say about Buttercup?" Lian asked.

"She said that she wouldn't be able to come get him anytime soon, and that we should just keep him for the time being." Katniss said.

"I don't think that will be a problem." Peeta said.

"Ya think." I said.

Everybody turned to see that Buttercup had gotten real friend with me, to which they all laughed. Haymitch made an effort to join us at least once a day. Some days it worked, other days he didn't come out. But it's a start, at least.

After a year, we stop receiving supplies from the Capitol. Not that it mattered because Katniss and I kept up on the food stores, and are clothes are still good for the foreseeable future. After a year, Effie started to visit Haymitch on a weekly basis, until she just ended up staying with Haymitch.

After a while we forget about the Capitol, and the people there. Primrose, Mrs. Everdeen visit on occasion. So does Gale and Johanna. We even get a visit from Finnick, Annie, and their son. But after a while the visits stop, and people forget about us. Ten to fifteen years pass before we see anyone from the Capitol again. They bring word they the plan to demolish what's left of the district and build a factory. Not much we could do, and we could use the new faces.

Another five years pass, the factory is up and running, and they are beginning to rebuild the district. Peeta and Lian Shi apply for work in the shops in town, but Katniss, Haymitch and myself don't see the allure of rejoining polite society. It doesn't really matter though. Whatever Peeta and Lian Shi can't get in town, Katniss and I can get from the forest. The butcher loved our little arrangement.

After the District 12 began to thrive again, Katniss and Peeta welcomed their first child: a little girl. Over the next ten years, the six of us each welcomed children. Effie and Haymitch had a little girl, which took us all by surprise. Lian and I had a boy and a girl. Katniss and Peeta had a boy as well.

It was early, one Saturday morning, when Lian Shi and I went out to the Meadow for a picnic. Katniss and Peeta were already out with their family just enjoying the lovely weather. In the distance, I see Haymitch and Effie are out with their daughter as well. Off in the distance, I see Buttercup doing his thing. We let the children play for a while, and then we call them over to eat.

"I hear that the school is going to start teaching about the Hunger Games in history next year." Lian said.

"Our children won't get there for at least a year, or so." I said.

"I'm saying that because Katniss, Peeta and you maybe be called to talk about your time in the Games." she said.

"Don't forget about Haymitch." I said.

"True enough." she said.

"I'd rather not get involved with that part of history, but I'll have to cross that bridge when we get there." I said.

"Hey." Lian said, getting my attention. "We'll figure it out."

I gave Lian Shi a slow, sweet kiss, and said. "We always do."