.Forest Fire (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Victory Tour-

Paige sat with her head hung, arms resting on her legs and hands hung between them limply, one of them loosely holding a large glass of Whisky.

"You really think it is a good idea to give her that?" Manson asked Johanna, whispering to her, both watching the girl who felt like she also had died in that arena.

"Trust me, this would be harder if we didn't, she only listened to me to change when I assured her she could have more." Johanna answered him, Paige cleaned up enough for the tour, not smelling anymore, some boots, pants and a turtle neck, hair brushed out, but still her face was fallen, like she had taken on many more years, eyes hollow and sunken in from lack of sleep.

Manson just sadly shook his head.

"Stop looking at me!" Paige slammed the drink on the table, the glass cracking but nothing leaked.

"This is your victory tour, drink yourself unconscious at night sure but you need to be presentable when you'll be in front of the districts, if for no reason other then respect for their tributes." Johanna said, walking over and leaning on the table in front of her. "I know the feeling but you a victor too now, the games have not stopped, they never will, you'll now be a mentor too as usually districts have one for each tribute, gather yourself enough for this."

"Stupid Capitol propaganda." Paige put her head in her hands.

"I agree but you have one thing going for you."

"What? Huh? My life is in shambles!"

"That all your family is dead." She said, Johanna didn't sugar coat it. "Snow controls through fear of taking those close to you, that's why he killed my family, because I didn't bend the knee to his wishes but now there is little to nothing he can do to me outside of hurting me and he can't do that to a victor, so barbaric to kill someone the Capitol 'loves'... So you are free too, no one he can threaten you with so these." She pulled out flash cards that had been written for Paige's speeches and threw them over her shoulder. "Are not needed, you can speak how you want."

Paige stayed silent, watching her before grabbing her drink and downing it.

"Just give me another one." She held the glass up.

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"I didn't know Oina." Paige gathered herself enough to look like a living person but everyone in district 12 could tell the young victor had regrets and demons weighing on her shoulders, standing on her shoulders. "But I wish I did, so I could remember her as someone and not just a name and a face, she deserved better." She told the family.

She stood with her hands in her pockets, turning her head to the other family on the other elevation with the other tributes face on it.

"I did know Kai." She said, seeing the mother and father stand there, father holding the mother. "Some might think he was a dead weight to the pack but he was not. My brother was the one wanting to be his teammate, his ally, he was so gentle with him, I'd have entrusted Marcus to him if he had lived. I'm sorry."

She looked at her hand before lifting it in a fleeting moment in 12's three finger signal but didn't have the strength to hold it, arm dropping as she hung her head, turning her back to the stage and walking off.

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"Julia killed my brother but I don't hate her." She told the mother who stood with three children. "We are all victims of the game and she played it too. Marcus could have never hated her so I apologize in the way I killed her, if I could go back in time I wish I could have been swift."

"Nelson was my friend, the first ally I looked for." She said, looking at Finnick who stood alone as the boy had had no other family. "And I am sorry I left him to suffer, I wish I could have put him out of his misery so he didn't need to suffer. He could have tried to join us but he didn't, he slammed that door in my face.... I'm sorry.... Neither Nelson or Julia deserved this." 

Finnick solemn nodded, lifting her hand to his chest and thumping his fist there twice.

Paige weakly did it back.

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(I know logically they'd go in order but I want district 2 as the last she visits.)

"Crystal and Brendon, I didn't know them." She spoke to the families at the same time. "This tour is broadcasted through the districts live and I tell you the same as for Julia, I don't hate them, they did what they had too to live and wish I had been swift with a fast death. I am sorry, neither deserved this."

She knew which district was left and it was choking her up.

She felt nauseous just knowing what she needed to face when she'll get there.

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District 2 was the hardest to stand in, she felt like she'd crumble the moment she stepped out in front of then crowd and saw those projected faces.

She was silent for a minute, getting a nudge from her escort, making her suck in a sharp breath.

"I got in a fight with Josh, at the tribute center..." She started, looking at the father, mother, two daughters and one brother stand on the platform. "He pushed Marcus and I got mad at him, I hated him, for being who he was, what he done, I hated him for taking Jasmine out." A tear escaped her control hen she said her name, she didn't wipe it. "But he was playing the game, he was boy just like my brother, in the grasp of the Capitol for their amusement, he didn't deserve that, I can forgive him, he deserves that much... But I can't forget what he did, I am sorry."

She turned to Jasmine's elevation that had been empty, the career had said she was an outlier and they did want her dead, and yet she had seen a dirty blood haired and muscled boy climb up and stood on it now as peacekeepers were trying to pull him off.

"You are Cato?" She asked, a tear escaping her other eye as she saw him nod, able to see his tight jaw from here, the peacekeepers let him go as Paige addressed the boy directly and he straightened out.

She took a shaky breath.

"She was a hard head." A humorless chuckle to hide the pain but it only conveyed it stronger. "They actually told me to ally with her for death fodder, as a sacrifice if I needed to run.... I never thought of her as such... In the little time I knew Jasmine she became my greatest ally and friend." She swallowed, choking up. "She was my sister.... There was a moment I didn't know if I wanted to see her or Marcus win and I felt so guilty. I wish she lived instead of me.... But I failed, She screamed for my help and I failed her.... She didn't deserve this, the hate of her district, the games and such a hard life.... I am sorry I left her to die in fear, I wish I could exchange my place with her... I am so sorry." A sob escaped her as tears spilt out.

And even from where she was, saw this boy, barely 14, lift his fist in the sky, a familiar hair tie around his wrist, and he let out a war cry, throwing his fist higher.

She clenched her shaking jaw, eyes glued to that hair tie, she knew the bodies were brought back to the districts to be buried, she knew Marcus had a grave, one she didn't dare visit. like any other tribute from the games prior to hers but she never expected to see that hair tie and it was too much for her.

As she cried, she echoed his movement, lifting her fist in the air like he did but unable to make any sound or she'd crumble to pieces, dropping her hand.

"Don't volunteer please.... Don't, I know 2 does but don't.... I don't want her memory to fade with you, I knew her in the game but you remember the Jasmine from before." She said through sobs, voice just ugly. "Please." She begged the young man through tears as Manson grabbed her and led her away as she was breaking down for all of 2 to see.