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One week down, one more to go.

Arizona and District 13 had one week left to prepare for their battle against the Capitol. The plan sounded fairly simple – ambush the cathedral during April and Denny's wedding before they exchanged vows. It would be a surprise attack, one that not even President Webber would see coming. Like the Capitol, District 13 had their own collection of hovercrafts that could become invisible at the push of a button and they could fly under the radar. Part of the plan was to capture Webber and force him to step down from his reign.

Easier said than done, of course. Because the wedding would be a significant event almost as big as the Hunger Games, every Peacekeeper was recruited to tighten security from morning until midnight. The Capitol was always ready for possible outside aggressors. After the announcement of the engagement, the majority of the districts were in rebellion mode.

"Textile factories are burning all over the place in District 8," Heather noted as she observed the various news reports from the other districts in the control room. Along with Arizona, Dell and the District 4 victors, they watched riots erupt in districts that were normally calm. "And District 3 isn't convinced that Jackson's accident was an accident."

"Well, they are the smartest district in Panem," Jackson chimed in. "You're from there. A car that's supposed to be built with the best technology couldn't have malfunctioned that badly. They know Webber is scum too."

Libby pursed her lips as Peacekeepers attempted to control citizens of District 10 with violence. "Do you think he'll do anything about these rebellions? I mean, Webber won't let this continue. The rebellion will do more harm than good," she worriedly replied. "District 4 seems to be keeping it quiet. Any riots from them and Webber might order for fire bombs to drop onto our homes. Maybe- maybe we should evacuate our families just in case."

Jackson nodded in agreement. "Yes, if the ambush in the Capitol backfires, Webber will definitely go after our families." He turned to face Arizona. "Please? We can't gamble with our families' lives. At least they'll be safe here. My mother can relax for a change. The Kepners aren't even invited to the wedding. They'll never know that they left District 4."

"You two make good points. I can arrange for them to settle in District 13 until it's 100% safe," Arizona agreed. "Give me a list of names from the both of you and we'll send a crew to retrieve them today."

"I'll volunteer to join the crew for this trip," Finn offered. "If I'm there, they'll cooperate a lot faster."

The blonde gestured towards the door. "Alright, how about you and Dell come with me? We'll begin discussing the evacuation plans in the war room. Libby and Jackson, remember to make those lists. You know where to find us when you're finished," she instructed before leading the two men out of the control room.

Plopping down onto an empty desk chair, Jackson sighed as he glanced back at the TV screens. "So, this is really happening. The rebellion is finally taking over in most of the districts." He softly chuckled. "Who knew my death would have such an impact?"

"It wouldn't surprise me if some of the people in the Capitol mourned too. The majority of the women drooled over you during the Games," Libby suggested. She gently tapped Heather on the shoulder. "Hey, Brooks. Do you mind switching to Webber's mansion? I just want to check up on April."

"No problem," the younger woman chirped. She typed a few things on a keyboard and the screens switched to the security footage inside of President Webber's mansion.

The threesome spotted April in a dressing room. She stood on a platform while two seamstresses were fitting her for her wedding gown. Addison also accompanied them along with Bailey. The redhead appeared perky, smiling at one seamstress, which was a concern for Jackson.

"She looks way too happy for an arranged marriage," the pretty boy dejectedly said.

"April's faking it. She has to be," Libby insisted. "She played pretty much everyone during the Games. Remember her fake charm during her interview? The Capitol citizens ate up everything she said. This is no different. She has to pretend to be happy because she knows Webber is watching."

"Or she's been hijacked," he answered with a frown. Hijacking was a form of brainwashing using the venom of the deadly trackerjackers. Prisoners in the Capitol have been known to be given the venom when they refused to cooperate with Webber. Jackson feared he had done it to April and it was possible her memories of him were erased. "She could've been manipulated into thinking she loves Denny."

"We don't know that for sure, Jackson. She could be thinking about you in that dress. And having Addison there is probably making her feel more comfortable about faking her happiness."

Jackson rubbed his forehead, closing his eyes. His fiancée looked so beautiful in the white wedding gown, but it was difficult for him to stare at her when the dress was for Denny Duquette and not for him. Despite Libby's constant reassurances that April was fine, he still had his doubts. Anything could have happened to her after his fake death. With him out of the way, Webber had the power to toy with her emotions. He couldn't help but feel paranoid about that.

One more week felt like a long mountain climb to reach. The time they already spent apart was unbearable enough. Knowing the plan to invade the Capitol now made him very impatient. However, there was no room for errors. They basically had one chance to successfully rescue April. Fail and Webber was fully in control. District 13 would be in danger just like all of the other districts.

Jackson was determined to get her back. He told himself he would train his ass off until his muscles felt like they were going to explode from training too hard. And he also had unfinished business with Webber and Denny.

"What do you think will happen if we manage to toss Webber from his throne?" he inquired.

"I have no idea," Libby sighed. "No more Hunger Games? We can hope for that at least. Us victors won't feel like we're being watched 24/7 in our homes. We need a leader we can trust, somebody who will treat every district fairly."

"Why have one leader? We have mayors, but they don't hold a ton of power. We should have a president in each district," Jackson suggested. "You know, like how Arizona is the president of District 13. They seem to be living in a civil environment. Brooks, what do you think?"

Heather quickly shrugged her shoulders. "I think President Robbins is a trustworthy leader. It would definitely take less work if each district had their own president," she answered. "Although, it's been a lifelong dream of hers to take over the Capitol – for positive purposes. She's had this huge grudge against Webber since she was a teenager."

"Why?" he asked.

"Something about her older brother being executed. Umm… Timothy was his name. He fled District 13 to become a Peacekeeper in District 2. He was tired of living underground and not knowing what the outside world was like," she recalled. "At first, nobody knew where he came from. Somehow, Webber discovered he came from here and believed he was a spy. Since Panem wasn't supposed to know that we existed he falsely accused Tim of murdering a woman in District 2. He was shot in the head in front of everybody in town square. Arizona's whole family witnessed it on TV. This rebellion against the Capitol is her personal revenge for killing her brother."

Jackson let out a low whistle. "That's brutal. She's almost always in a good mood. You wouldn't assume she's holding in a dark secret like that."

"She doesn't really like to talk about Tim, though. Too painful to think about. Pretend you know nothing," Heather advised and sheepishly grinned. "You don't want to face Arizona's wrath when she's angry."

After Jackson and Libby provided Arizona with a list of names to bring to District 13, she sent Finn and a crew to District 4 to pick them up. They would be asked to pack light, mainly of important mementos since clothes weren't a major issue in the underground district. Both Jackson and Libby anxiously waited for their families to arrive in the conference room. It would take a couple of hours to bring them back. He knew his mother would take an eternity to figure out what to pack.

"Are you going to let your mother smother you when she sees you alive and well?" Libby asked with a smirk.

"It's the least I could do after putting her through hell in the past week and a half," Jackson unenthusiastically replied. He supposed letting Mama Avery's lipstick stain his cheeks was harmless considering she thought he was dead. "You think she'll be pissed that we lied to her?"

"Well, she'll probably be annoyed that she cried over some random dead guy's ashes," she speculated, sharing a laugh with him. "I think she'll be happier to see you alive. I'm sure Arizona will explain everything once they're here."

The families arrived a half an hour later. Arizona introduced herself using her true identity before leading them down a hallway and into the conference room. As soon as the automatic door slid open, Jackson jumped up onto his feet and nervously smiled. The Averys were instantly shocked to see him alive. Catherine rushed towards her baby boy and hugged him tightly.

"Jackson," she gasped, grasping his cheeks and eying his face suspiciously. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her youngest son was alive and not little bits of ash in the ocean. She caught everyone off-guard when she slapped him across the cheek. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Ah, what was that for?" the pretty boy retorted, furrowing his brow at his mother.

"We thought you were dead! We had a funeral and we gave away all of your belongings in the mansion-"

"You what?" he interrupted, his mouth dropping open. "Even my first trident from when I was six?"

Finn stepped in to defend Jackson and stood in between the two Averys. "Mrs. Avery, I can explain this. Jackson didn't purposely lie to your family to hurt you in any way. He had been set up to be killed in that car accident," he clarified. "It was my decision to hide him in District 13 to keep him safe from the Capitol. They don't know he's alive and this is all a part of our plan to save April. We brought your families here to protect you from potential threats."

Catherine slowly nodded, then she looked over Finn's shoulder at Jackson. "I'm sorry, baby." She sent the same slap across the older man's cheek causing him to groan. "I slapped the wrong person."

Jackson walked around the pair to greet the rest of the families. He was relieved to see Reed's family standing nearby. Saving April's best friend was just as important as saving their families in his mind. On the Kepner side, Kimmie and Alice didn't hesitate to pounce on him. He chuckled as they wrapped their arms around his body as tightly as they could. "It's nice to see you two again. Umm… I need to breathe, though."

"You guys, don't kill him now. We need him for later," Libby politely scolded her sisters and pulled Jackson away from them. She noticed Joe appeared completely confused about the situation and approached him. "Daddy, you do know where we are, right?"

The fisherman scratched the back of his head. "District 13 exists?" he inquisitively asked. "But I thought-"

"Don't you worry, Mr. Kepner. I will explain everything you need to know," Arizona chimed in. She gestured towards the empty seats at the conference table. "How about you all sit down and have a seat? This place will be less confusing for you afterwards. Libby, you can go with Dell. He'll take your sisters to their bunkers. Jackson, you can go with them as well and bring Ms. Adamson too. I'm sure you can explain to her the situation yourself."

"Yes, Jackson. Tell me what this underground maze is all about," Reed playfully said as they exited the conference room. "Oh, and thank you for not actually being dead. I really can't believe April's being forced to marry that blue haired freak. It's not happening, right?"

Jackson sighed heavily. "That's what we're trying to prevent. So, long story short, District 13's existed the entire time. They formed an agreement with the Capitol that kept them independent from Panem, so they are immune from participating in the Hunger Games," he explained quickly. "Now we're going to crash the wedding and save April from a shitty lifestyle."

"You sound thrilled," she sarcastically replied.

"Trust me. I am, but… a small part of me has a bad feeling it'll go wrong. Like, Webber gets away with April and we screw over the entire nation. Panem will be nothing but giant holes in the ground because he bombed every district in response," he worriedly admitted.

Reed rolled her eyes. "That's just your bleeding heart speaking. I know you miss April a lot. You'll get her back," she assured him. Dell pointed out her temporary bunker and walked inside with Jackson following her from behind. "This is where we sleep? It's so… simple. And gray."

"That's why it's so easy for them down here. It's not complicated. It's all straightforward."

"I might actually go insane down here," she quipped, sitting down on the bed. "But the mattress is comfortable. That's a plus. Do we all gotta wear that ugly thing you're wearing right now?"

Jackson glanced down at his gray jumpsuit and laughed. "It's more comfortable than you think."

"Dude, you hardly wore any clothes in District 4," Reed reminded him. "How is that any more comfortable than walking around shirtless all day?"

"I'm an engaged man. My body is only for April's to stare at now," he boasted, causing her to scoff in response.

"Wow, okay," she laughed, shaking her head. "Whatever, Mr. Dreamboat."

"Do you want me to send you back to District 4? I thought it would be appropriate to save you too because you're April's best friend. I mean, besides myself she would be happy to see you too," Jackson insisted.

Reed raised her eyebrow at him. "You asked to save me?" she curiously responded, then she softly chuckled. "Huh, I thought that was Libby's doing. Well, thank you. I always believed you thought I was annoying."

Fighting back a smile, Jackson simply shrugged. Truthfully, he found Reed to be a little too eager and somewhat of a horrible friend to April. He couldn't quite understand how they became friends in the first place. They were opposites of each other. Reed always wanted everything to move fast, while April would barely dip her toes into the water. And the brunette always flirted with him in school, which made it even more awkward because his feelings were always for her best friend, who stood nearby watching uncomfortably.

He thought maybe he hadn't paid enough attention to April and Reed's friendship to judge the latter fairly, but she seemed pretty damn important to his fiancée. Leaving her behind in District 4 felt wrong, despite the fact that they weren't exactly close.

"You and April just looked like an odd couple to me," Jackson confessed. He sat down beside Reed and smirked at her. "You were her voice and she was your brain."

"If April wasn't so smart in school, I would resent that comment, but it's true," Reed amusingly replied. "It took her a long time to make her voice known to everybody. Then again, you weren't the most vocal person when it came to being honest either."

"But I told her the truth, so we're past that. It still shouldn't have come down to how it happened, but we can't go back and fix it anymore." Jackson shook his head disappointedly. "Of course, I finally get to have her and she's taken away from me."

"And I told you you'll get her back. Don't get all mopey on me, Avery. I don't handle mopey well."

Later in the day, the families learned how the life of a District 13 citizen worked. Like Jackson and Libby when they initially arrived, they were given the same clothes to match everyone else's. However, not everybody was pleased with the gray jumpsuit and black boots.

Catherine examined herself in front of a mirror inside of her bunker. She scoffed as Jackson stood nearby fully expecting her to loathe her wardrobe. "Baby, is there anything else I can wear? This jumpsuit does nothing for my figure," she complained. "And these boots are heavy on my feet."

"Mom, you don't have a choice but to wear that. It's different down here," he murmured, folding his arms. "And it's only temporary. After we complete our mission in the Capitol, we'll be home in District 4 again where you can flaunt yourself in your alligator leather heels."

"I feel short in this," she added.

Jackson snickered. "No offense, but you are short. The heels just made you taller."

She pointed her finger at him with a raised eyebrow. "Don't get snarky with me, dear."

"Fine, I'm sorry. Anyway, it's almost dinner time and we should head over to the cafeteria. Arizona may look kind on the outside, but she still runs a tight ship. We can't be late," he informed her and led her to the cafeteria.

The rest of the Averys were already there, suspiciously eying the slop in their bowls. District 13's food selection wasn't the greatest. Their resources were sparse due to their unknown status to the other districts, so their most common meal was a bland tasting type of oatmeal and bread. The different types of fish, clams and other seafood from District 4 were nowhere to be found.

"You'll get used to it," the pretty boy casually stated after joining his family at their table.

Grayson slid his tray aside before he faced Jackson. "So Harrison and I had a small chat with President Robbins earlier," he started, drawing curiosity from his youngest brother. "We want to help. We volunteered to fight for April too."

"What?" Jackson shook his head in disbelief. "That's not funny."

"Who said it was? I'm serious. We want to help you."

"Since when did you ever want to help me?" he scoffed, furrowing his brow. "You two only want to help because if there's a chance I die trying to save April, you two will battle it out to see who gets to claim her first."

"Jackson, if your brothers want to help you, then let them help you," Harper Jr. intervened as he poked at his oatmeal. "And somebody has to watch your back. We can't allow the Capitol to almost kill you again."

Harrison nodded in agreement. "This isn't about calling dibs on your woman. This is about helping you get her back. We know you've been miserable without her, so the least we could do is support you in this mission."

"You have a week to train and learn everything you need to know," Jackson noted. "Don't bullshit me."

Catherine snapped her fingers at her son. "Language, baby," she scolded him.

"I just don't want anybody messing up and ruining this," he muttered. "We only have one real chance at this and I can't afford to truly lose April for good. That's not an option for me."

The stage was set for the grand wedding in the Capitol. Streets and buildings leading up to the cathedral were decorated in white and baby blue colors. Peacekeepers were standing in their designated areas inside and outside of the cathedral. The lucky citizens who were invited to April and Denny's wedding arrived in limousines, while those left outside camped out on the sidewalks and opted to watch from the jumbotrons placed in several locations. News reporters awaited their arrivals on the steps leading to the cathedral, snapping pictures and interviewing the guests before they walked inside.

Sydney Heron had been chosen as the main correspondent for the live broadcast of the wedding. Dressed in bubble gum pink with a matching wig, she stood in front of a camera with one of her special interviewees. "I'm here beside the handsome groom, Mr. Denny Duquette," she delightfully announced, gesturing towards the blue haired man dressed in an all-white tuxedo. "Including myself, nobody is allowed to see your bride until she marches down that gorgeous red aisle inside of the cathedral. How do you picture her to be, sir?"

"Absolutely stunning," Denny calmly replied, showing off his shiny, white teeth to the camera. "I'm about to marry one beautiful woman."

"Right you are," Sydney chirped. "And I can already tell that you two will make some beautiful children. How many are you hoping for in your clan?"

"Six," he confidently answered. "Three boys and three girls."

The pink haired reported laughed with glee. "Well, I bet you two will be extremely busy during your honeymoon!" she quipped, then she politely patted Denny's shoulder. "I don't want to hog you all to myself. You do have a wedding to attend, so I'll set you free and let you prepare for that."

"Thank you, Ms. Heron. See you at the reception," Denny acknowledged, winking at her as he walked into the cathedral.

The crowds erupted upon President Webber's arrival. All eyes were on their leader as he stepped out of a white limousine. Dressed in a black and white tuxedo and a long, black trench coat, he elegantly waved to the citizens with an smug smile on his face. As he trotted up the steps, he was stopped by Sydney for a brief interview.

"Good afternoon, Mr. President. You're looking dapper in your suit today," she complimented, grinning widely at him.

"Well, for an occasion like a wedding calls for a dapper appearance," he playfully replied. "One of our honorable victors is getting married to a fine man in Denny Duquette and it's appropriate to witness this event in one of my best suits. And I also have the honor of walking April Kepner down the aisle today."

"You sound like a proud father. I don't want to keep you waiting either, sir. We are exactly thirty minutes away until the wedding is scheduled to begin and I'm sure you want to prepare yourself for your role in the procession as well," Sydney suspected. "Enjoy the rest of your day, President Webber!"

Inside of the cathedral, Addison and her prep team were making last minute adjustments to April's hair and face in a dressing room. The latter wore a long, strapless white gown made out of silk. The back of her gown extended an extra few feet of silk fabric that dragged along the carpet. Her auburn locks were pulled up into a French updo and decorated with a veil that ended at her lower back.

One of Addison's assistants was touching up her cheeks with some blush and another used her hands to smooth out the back of the gown. April stood still until they were finished working on her, then she was handed a bouquet of white lilies. "Thank you," she politely said and smiled at herself in the mirror. "I really love what you've done."

"You're the most gorgeous bride I've ever seen," her stylist complimented, softly rubbing April's bare shoulders. Addison proudly smiled after she noticed the redhead's glossy eyes. "You're making me feel like a proud mother right now."

April chuckled. "To be honest, you are the closest living person I know who is like a mother to me." She carefully hugged Addison while trying not to wrinkle her wedding dress or ruin her makeup by letting the tears escape her eyes. "Thank you for everything."

"It's been an honor working for you, sweetie," the older redhead stated. She pulled away from April and walked around to her backside, picking up the extra long fabric of her gown. "Now it's time to get married."

The cathedral was one of Panem's oldest buildings. The interior displayed various sculptures carved out of stone and colorful stained glass windows covered the walls. Above everyone's heads was a glass roof that revealed the clear, blue sky and the bright sunlight shined through. On the second level balcony was a choir softly singing to the tunes played by an orchestra behind the altar. All of the guests were seated in their assigned locations in the pews and awaited the bride's first public appearance of the day.

Denny stood at the altar beside the priest. Neither side had any bridesmaids or groomsmen for the wedding. President Webber wanted all eyes on the bride and groom – and himself when necessary.

Finally, the moment the Capitol citizens had been waiting for arrived. As the guests stood up to view April in her wedding dress, she and President Webber appeared after two Peacekeepers opened the doors leading to the aisle. Holding her bouquet in one hand and clinging onto Webber's arm with the other, she smiled brightly as everyone stared at her in awe. They gushed over her gown, some of the guests already weeping happily at the sight of her as she walked past them.

When she reached the end of the aisle Denny claimed her from Webber and smiled. "You are making me a very happy man right now," he huskily said before they faced the priest.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join this beautiful couple in holy matrimony," the gray haired priest started, smiling at April and Denny. "Ms. April Kepner and Mr. Denny Duquette have chosen to spend their lives growing old together, raising a family together, resting in peace together. If there is anybody who doesn't believe in their everlasting love, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Silence. Even if somebody objected to the wedding, they wouldn't stand up and admit it. Webber would have them executed within a minute if they tried.

"Very well. Let us proceed."

As the priest continued with the ceremony, the lighting suddenly dimmed causing everybody to glance up at the roof. A hovercraft appeared, lowering itself close to the glass roof. President Webber furrowed his brow as a door opened and small figures jumped out with rope attached to their waists. His eyes widened just before they crashed through the glass.

"Take cover!" he shouted as the roof shattered.

Capitol citizens screamed in horror, ducking and covering themselves with their forearms and oversized hats from the shards of glass dropping from the sky. Peacekeepers came charging inside as Dell and his first wave of soldiers entered the cathedral. He started shooting his assault rifle before his feet touched the ground. The gunshots created chaos. People began to run all over the place trying to find a safe place to hide.

The District 13 invaders were dressed in all-black attire – bulletproof vests, shoulder and knee pads, combat boots and helmets to protect themselves. They detached themselves from the ropes, so the next set of soldiers could join them.

As Dell shouted orders, Jackson scanned the area for April, who was nowhere to be found. He suspected she had been escorted away by Peacekeepers or worse, Denny. Hoping they hadn't left the cathedral yet, he dodged the gunshots nearby as he ran through the action and searched for his fiancée.

Arizona found Addison hiding behind a pew and handed her an extra gun. "Where's April?"

"I'm not sure," she answered, ducking her head after a bullet hit the pew behind her. "But I saw Avery run out of here to look for her. Webber escaped through a back door with some Peacekeepers."

"Crap! I have to stop him before he gets away," the blonde replied in frustration. She pointed at Grayson and Harrison, who were shooting at Peacekeepers in the pew across from theirs. "You two! Come with me now!"

The threesome left the cathedral, while the other soldiers fought off the Peacekeepers. Libby sprinted from one pew to another trying to find better coverage. On her way to another pew, a stray bullet hit her right leg. She screamed in pain, dropping her gun and falling to the floor. Finn immediately spotted her and rushed towards her.

"Where are you hit?" he asked concerned, looking down when she pointed at her right leg. Blood spilled out from her calf and he carefully scooped her up into his arms. Crouching down to avoid the crossfire, he scurried towards a closet and safely made it inside. Setting Libby on the floor, he found a piece of cloth to tie around her wound. "You'll be okay in here?"

"You were right," she sighed, grimacing when he tightened the cloth to prevent more blood loss. "I got shot in the leg."

Finn slightly smiled. "You know I didn't actually mean that when I said it. Better than getting shot in the head," he jokingly replied, drawing a smirk from Libby. "Just stay here and I'll come back for you. If a Peacekeeper comes in here, shoot 'em."

"Wait." She grabbed his bulletproof vest before he could turn away to leave. Pulling him towards her, she planted a firm kiss on his lips and shyly bit down on her bottom lip afterwards. "Don't die, okay?"

"I'll be back," he assured her, offering a wink as he stood up. Finn couldn't wipe away his smile as he left Libby in the closet and closed the door behind him. For a brief few seconds, he completely forgot he was in the middle of a war.

Meanwhile, Jackson was in the back of the cathedral kicking open every closed door and hoping to find April inside one of the rooms. So far, no luck. He also battled random Peacekeepers who appeared in the hallway, shooting at them before they could get a shot off. There was one more room left to check. If his fiancée wasn't in that one, then he felt hopeless. She could be anywhere in the Capitol or riding a hovercraft to an unknown location.

Turning the doorknob, he slowly opened the door and peeked his head inside. Curled up in the farthest corner of the room was a woman in a white gown with red hair.

"April," he murmured to himself. Jackson entered the room and approached her. "April?"

The familiar voice drew April's attention immediately. Her head shot up and she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Jackson standing in front of her. "J-Jackson?" she stammered, her mouth partially dropped open in disbelief.

He smiled, extending his hand out to her. "It's me. I'm alright. Are you okay?"

She sprung up onto her feet, throwing her arms over his shoulders. "You're- you're not dead! I thought you were dead," the redhead sobbed, unable to contain her emotions. Taking a step back, she pressed her hands against his cheeks and moved them down towards his chest. She needed to touch him to reassure herself that he was real. "B-but I saw the accident footage."

"I made it, April. Webber almost got me, but he didn't," Jackson clarified. He cupped her cheeks and passionately kissed her after being apart for almost two months. "I thought I lost you. You… you looked so happy being here that I thought they hijacked you and you forgot all about me."

"No. No, I swear I'm fine," she tearfully responded. "I had to obey his orders or else he would've killed my family. I couldn't let him hurt them after what happened to you. Oh, gosh. I missed you, Jackson. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," he whispered, pulling her against his chest and wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. He blinked rapidly to dry the glossiness in his eyes. "It feels so good to be kissing you again. We need to get out of here now. Stay close to me."

"Hold on a second," she said, snatching a knife from Jackson's holster. He watched her in amusement as she reached behind her and used the knife to cut off the excess fabric from the back of her dress. She let out a sigh of relief as if ten pounds of material had been removed from her body. "Addison designed a gorgeous dress, but that thing was weighing me down. And more importantly, it wasn't made for you."

Jackson softly growled, slipping his hand into hers. "You have no idea how badly I want to rip that dress off of you now," he teasingly replied. Their reunion was interrupted when an uninvited guest found them inside.

"What do you think you're doing with my bride?" Denny greeted them. He raised his eyebrows after Jackson spun around to face him. "Ah, it's Avery. You still haven't thanked me for that present I sent to District 4."

"Duquette," he snarled, scowling at his blue haired foe. Jackson forced April to hide behind him as he raised his assault rifle. "You're not going anywhere near April. Not while I'm alive."

The older man laughed to himself, shaking his head. "You don't have the balls to shoot me. Save your breath, Avery. When this is all over President Webber will make sure your district is nothing but dust." He motioned his hand towards April. "Now, hand over my bride and I'll let you out of here with all of your limbs intact."

"You're a bigger moron than I initially thought," Jackson sneered, aiming his gun at Denny's groin area and firing a handful of shots. He watched him fall down onto the floor as he screamed loudly in pain. "Six kids my ass," he scoffed, recalling the interview with Sydney Heron that the crew had seen in the hovercraft prior to their ambush. "You're never having children now."

Just as he was about to shoot Denny in the head, April grabbed her fiancé's arm and forcefully lowered his rifle. "Jackson, no," she ordered. He glanced back at her in confusion, then she glared back at the Capitol citizen. "Let him suffer slowly."

Jackson smiled at her, then they walked past a badly injured Denny, who whined and writhed around in agony on the floor. "I'm fine with that too."

The war between District 13 and the Capitol lasted for three hours. Thousands of shots were fired between the soldiers in black and the Peacekeepers. It wasn't until the latter realized they were outnumbered and opted to surrender. Small camps were set up on the streets to treat the injured and to hold disgruntled Peacekeepers captive. Many lives were lost on both sides as well as innocent bystanders who were unfortunately caught in the line of fire.

Although the majority of the Capitol was now under the control of Dell and his crew, the status of President Webber remained a mystery. Nobody had heard from Arizona since she fled the cathedral with Jackson's brothers to search for him.

For Jackson and April, they were sent to the hovercraft to hide until the war ended. He explained to her the entire situation, from when he first learned of District 13's existence to the plan to save her from marrying Denny. They asked to be taken to the ground, so they could find out if their siblings were alive or dead. It was now safe to roam around the Capitol streets without shots firing from every corner. The once glamorous city of colors and bright lights had turned into a war zone. Some buildings were half destroyed when the soldiers were forced to take action using grenades and rocket launchers, and clouds of smoke filled the blue sky turning it into a dark shade of gray. It was almost in worse shape than District 12.

Walking through the streets hand in hand and refusing to let go, Jackson and April skimmed every District 13 tent hoping to find a familiar face. Both of them were beginning to worry because neither could find Finn or Libby or the older Avery brothers. There was a glimmer of hope when the pretty boy spotted Dell barking orders nearby.

"Commander Parker," he called out to him and quickly approached Dell with April. "Do you have any clue as to where Finn is? Or Libby? My brothers, are they back yet?"

Dell shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't. Have either of you seen Arizona? I've tried to reach her through the satellite phone, but I've received nothing," he dejectedly answered. "She went after Webber and it's been static since."

"Shit," Jackson mumbled under his breath. He ran his hand across the top of his shaved head and scanned their surroundings. For the first time in his life, he was worried about Grayson and Harrison. All of the times they treated him like crap didn't matter anymore. If they hadn't made it, his parents would fall into a deep depression.

April spun her head to somebody yelling out her name. She noticed an arm waving at her and she gasped when she realized it was Libby, who was resting in one of the medical tents. "Libby!" she shrieked, releasing her grip from Jackson's hand and running towards her older sister. The eldest Kepner lay sprawled out on a table with her right leg elevated on top of two sandbags. "What happened to your leg?"

"Took a damn bullet, but I'm going to be fine. Medics got the bullet out and rubbed on some of that medicinal cream on the wound. It'll heal in a day or two," Libby explained, smiling up at April. "I'm glad you're okay. We've been worried sick about you."

"I'm happy you're okay too," she sighed, giving her sister a hug.

Jackson eventually joined them and looked at Libby concerned. "Have you seen my brothers?"

"I haven't. Finn stashed me in a closet after I got shot, so I don't know anything," Libby admitted.

A roar of cheers began to erupt as members of the District 13 army appeared to be celebrating. Both Jackson and April stepped out of the tent to get a better look at what the commotion was about. Marching down the middle of the street and flashing her dimpled grin, Arizona escorted a handcuffed Webber. She sported a few bloody cuts on her face, but that clearly didn't dampen her mood. Soldiers applauded and hollered as they celebrated the president's capture.

Following her from behind were Grayson and Harrison, sending a rush of relief through Jackson's body. They sported minor injuries as well, but nothing of major concern. Finn was also with them making their group complete.

"Where did you find him?" Jackson asked eagerly.

"In the underground lair of his mansion. We had to fight through some booby traps, but even that couldn't stop us," Arizona cheerfully replied, smirking at the irritated president. "It's over, Webber. We've won. Panem will no longer run under your authority."

"Bullshit! I am still the president regardless of what you say," Webber fired back. "District 13 is no longer protected, you hear me? You can kiss that treaty goodbye."

"Keep talking, Webber. It doesn't matter anymore," she dismissively said, then she turned her attention to the crowd. "Congratulations on a job well done, everybody. We will remain in the Capitol until complete order is fulfilled here and the other districts understand that they will be safe from now on."

Jackson raised his eyebrow at Arizona. "Even us?"

The blonde approached him and April, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Go home. There's nothing left for you to do here," she calmly instructed. The couple stared at her with puzzled expressions and chuckled. "I've already arranged for a train to bring you and your District 4 companions back to your home. Your families will be taken back tomorrow."

"Wow," he murmured, sharing a smile with his fiancée. "I… I don't know what to say. It's all over just like that?"

"I told you to trust me, didn't I?" Arizona nonchalantly said, grinning back at the two teenagers. "You're free."

April surprised her with a hug. "I don't know the real Arizona Robbins very well yet, but thank you so much," she gratefully responded. "I owe my entire future and life to you."

"You and Jackson were an important factor in this whole plan, so thank you," she chirped, pulling away from the redhead. "Now, go home. That's an order."

None of them were going to argue against that.

The District 4 group was driven to the Capitol's train station where they boarded a train and headed for home. The long and grueling day had taken its toll on some of them. Grayson and Harrison didn't even make it to their bedrooms and instead passed out on the couches in the common room. Finn and Libby raided the kitchen for food.

And Jackson and April desperately wanted to be alone together.

Placing gentle kisses along her neck, he smiled against her skin after they successfully became intimate again. She lay flat on her back giggling as his nose tickled her neck. "Oh, I missed this a lot too," April confessed, her fingernails grazing the back of Jackson's shaved head. "I can't wait to be in my own bed again… sleeping beside you every night like we used to do."

"You and me both, babe," he concurred and softly kissed her lips. Jackson slightly pushed himself up, so he could look at her beaming face. "Let's get married after our families return to District 4. After what we've been though, there's no point in waiting. We both know what we want. We've known that for a long time."

April nodded, reaching up and grasping Jackson's face with her hands. "I love you. I don't want to wait more than a week to marry you," she happily agreed. He leaned in for another kiss, but she was distracted by Libby's voice in the corridor. Her sister seemed to have stumbled because of her injured leg and laughed when Finn caught her. "She sounds drunk."

"It's possible." He listened to them enter the bedroom beside theirs. A few minutes later came the sounds that he and April normally annoyed them with during their many sexual encounters. "Oh, geez. Here we go."

"Is that…" She gasped in horror, scrunching her nose after overhearing Libby's moans from the other bedroom. "Gross! I thought these walls were soundproof!"

Jackson snickered. "Apparently not." As disturbing as it was to listen to their former mentors having sex next door, he was proud of Finn for winning over the girl. "You go, Finn."

April slapped his chest and scowled at him. "That's my sister, you perv!" she retorted. "I had no idea that he- that she- wait, you knew about them?"

"Well, I knew that Finn was kind of in love with Libby. I just wasn't sure if he would ever make a move, ya know?" His fiancée didn't appear to be too pleased by his admission and he slightly grimaced. "I left out that little detail when I explained to you everything about District 13, huh?"

"Yeah," she said in annoyance, turning onto her side and covering her ear with a pillow. "And I'm instantly turned off now. This must be karma for all of the times Libby walked in on us."

"But look at the bright side, she's happy with someone," he noted, kissing her shoulder. "She won't be bothering us as much anymore because she'll be busier making up for lost time with Finn."

"Stop! I don't need to hear how happy she is at the moment." April groaned at the sound of the headboard hitting the opposite side of the wall. "My gosh, they're like wild animals over there! How am I supposed to sleep?!"

Jackson flipped onto his back and smiled up at the ceiling. Despite April's complaints and Finn and Libby's noises in the adjacent room, he remained in a good mood. He could stop worrying about his life turning upside down and losing the love of his life to one of the sleazy Capitol citizens. Everything was going to be different now.

They were going to be living in a better world. He could see it already.

Three years later…

It was a warm and relaxing day in District 4. The ocean waves were calm, which made for a perfect time to walk along the beach. Jackson and April made it a daily routine after breakfast to visit the beach and walk by the water. She also wanted to keep the blood flowing while she could still move around comfortably. Six months pregnant and about to enter her third trimester, she wanted to enjoy the outdoors while she still could.

"Oh, she's kicking again," she squealed, resting her hands against her growing belly. "I think she knows we're on the beach. She kicks a lot when we're here."

Jackson wrapped his arm around his wife's waist and placed his hand on top of hers. "I have a feeling she'll become a top notch swimmer like her father," he insisted. "You seriously think our baby's going to be a girl, though? How can you tell?"

"I just know. Mother's intuition."

"I'll take your word for it," he replied and kissed her temple.

April stared straight ahead at the little boy running twenty yards ahead of them. "Finnick! Not too far, baby. Stay close to Mommy and Daddy," she shouted. Their two-year old son whipped around, mischievously grinning back at his parents. He sprinted towards them holding up something in his hand. "What do you got there?"

Finnick stopped in front of them and showed off his newest discovery. "She-shell," he squeaked. The spitting image of Jackson when he was a young child, he had his father's bluish-green eyes and April's smile. When he was born they chose to name him after his godfather, Finn. He bounced up onto his tiptoes and raised the white and pink seashell as high as he could. "She-shell for Mama."

"Aww, for me? Thank you, sweetie pie!" she excitedly said, taking the seashell from her son. "I'd bend over to give you a kiss, but your little sister is kind of in the way."

"That's a nice thing you did for your Mommy," Jackson complimented, scooping up Finnick with his free arm. "You know why you're so charming? Because of your old man."

April playfully rolled her eyes. "It's too early to teach him arrogance, dear," she teased. "Teach him how to swim first."

They returned to the Victors' Village, but made a detour to the Dandridge residence for a quick visit. The sounds of infants crying echoed throughout the house upon entering, which was normal for them. Finn and Libby had their hands full after all – literally.

Finn was seated on the couch with three infants crawling across his lap. The bags underneath his eyes showed how exhausted he was. His current life consisted of baby food, diaper changes and multiple burping routines. "Hey, guys," he lazily greeted them with a half-smile. "How was your walk?"

"Very good. Baby girl was kicking again. She's going to be a beach girl," April reached down as far as she could and picked up one of the babies. "Hi, Kayla! Are you giving Daddy a hard time today?"

"Not so much me. You should check out your sister," he chuckled. "She's passed out on the kitchen counter. The perks of raising quintuplets."

Jackson peered over the playpen behind the couch where the other two quints were playing with their toys. The Dandridge quintuplets consisted of two boys and three girls. Their first birthday was on the horizon. All of them crawled around like crazy, so Finn and Libby sometimes struggled to keep an eye on all of them.

The pretty boy set Finnick on the floor and let him run freely in the living room. He picked up one of the quints and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "How's it goin', umm…" Standing beside April, he leaned close to her ear and whispered. "Which one am I holding?"

"That's Joey," his wife answered with a smirk. "I can't believe you still can't tell them apart."

"They all look alike."

"They're not even identical."

"But they kind of are," he insisted. Jackson sighed as April shook her head. "These kids should just wear shirts with their names on them. It would make it easier for everybody."

Finn pointed at the special news report airing on the holographic TV screen. "Hey, Arizona's speech is about to start," he announced, sitting up as Jackson and April joined him on the couch.

Dressed in a simple, black dress. Arizona approached a podium with Panem's emblem on the front of it. "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of Panem," a man in a suit introduced her. She received light applause from news reporters before she spoke.

"Good afternoon, citizens of Panem. Three years ago today marked the end of an era. We once lived in a world where throwing innocent adolescents into an arena to fight for their lives was deemed appropriate by the Capitol and their citizens. It was an unfair disadvantage to the twelve districts who were forced to participate in this heinous event, but those days are gone. They are a part of a dark history that we should remember, but not celebrate. Many young lives were lost in the 74 years the Hunger Games had occurred. Some districts suffered economically, while others were greedy. Now we live in a world where everybody has a fair chance to survive. We share resources with each other and help to improve each other's living situations."

"Under the reign of President Webber, we weren't allowed freedom. And as a result, we revoked his freedom. He remains in solitary confinement in District 13's heavily secured prison until the day he perishes. Maybe one day he will realize how much better Panem is now without the violence keeping this nation in line. As long as we continue to work together, we will all live in a safe world where we can raise our future leaders without any worries troubling us before we go to sleep at night."

While the districts remained as separate communities, including a District 13 that lived above ground now, they were one unit. They could freely travel from one district to another without any restrictions. The lower districts grew healthier, though it would take more time for them to reach the same level as the higher districts in terms of wealth. The Capitol was transformed into a new district known as District 14, which was where Arizona resided as Panem's president.

The Hunger Games was no longer an annual event. Instead, each district was required to commemorate their lost tributes in the summer when the Games would normally have taken place. All of the former arenas were destroyed. Nobody needed to be reminded of the brutality that took place in all of them anymore.

"And remember, folks – Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever."

Jackson laughed at the end of Arizona's speech. "I always knew she secretly loved that line."

But at least this time, it was a line that all of the citizens of Panem believed in.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter or the story in general :) Thank you again for reading!