“Its a big day tomorrow, honey, I think its best if you go to sleep.”

“But Blaine...-”

Almaz is the spitting image of Quinn, though she has to goofy character Blaine associates more with Cooper. Shes a rowdy girl who loves fashion about as much as Kurt does. Her room is a mess and Blaine smiles at the little picture of Quinn next to her bed before he gives her a kiss and bids her goodnight. He knows shell probably rummage around for a while, but he lets her. He knows tomorrow is a big day for her and he knows shes a teenager. She will fall asleep eventually, he cant be too strict on a night like this.

He goes downstairs to find the wine already poured, Halina sitting by the fire and watching out the window like most nights before she leaves. To this day he cant believe he came home to find her safe and sound in the house in victor Village. The houses still intact, the Capitol too arrogant to bomb them and the people aware their owners were on their side. District 9 has been rebuilt, the roads are better now and the connections between all the villages and Center Village are quick and easy.

Halina helps Kurt and Blaine around the house every day, as Kurt is busy designing wedding dresses for people throughout the Districts. It was a way to get back into the business when they first got to the District, a way to keep himself busy but now he loves it. He loves making brides happy and he loves travelling and getting to see everything hes never seen before. Its so much easier now traveling between Districts is free.

Tonight is a big night, though, as tomorrow will be the first time theyll go back to the Capitol. Its been years since the rebels overtook it, since Katniss killed the wrong person and Snow died right there of a heart attack. Its been years since the republic had been instated and everything since has been calm and peaceful.

Kurt and Blaine have never held back from Almaz who her mother and father are, they have always talked about Quinn and Cooper in a free matter and though Blaine wishes he could spare her from the cruelty of the Games, he knows one day she will start to ask questions. He knows, too, that he will answer every question she asks.

Just yesterday, she asked what the big statue on Market Square was for and Blaine had told her, “its to honor people who fell in the overtaking of the Capitol. Just like your mother and father.”

“But you said my mother died in a hospital bed in your arms.”

“She did, but she did so because the Capitol made it unable for her to fight. She fought in the Games and she fought to keep you alive after they captured her. She was a brave woman and this statue is for her and your father, among others.”

“I wish I knew her.”

“I wish you knew her, too.”

Sometimes Blaine feels like Almaz is too mature for her age, but then he remembers she must be as old as Prim was when he met her and he realizes, she isnt nearly as mature as that. War had scarred Prim, and Almaz is still as pure and simple as she was on day one. Okay yes, so he found her kissing a boy two weeks ago, but that is nothing compared to what teenagers in his time lived through. She doesnt know the fear of entering your name in a bowl, of waiting and praying someone elses name is reaped.

Sure, yes, at school they learn about the old Capitol, about the way the Games were held each year but Blaine notices at times that she and her friends are unable to completely grasp the idea of how horrible it was. Almaz knows Kurt is originally from the Capitol, that he used to have a tattoo next to his eye that was silver and looked like two musical clefs that formed a heart. She knows the way he speaks sounds different from hers or Blaines and Halinas, but she doesnt know what it means.

She has been told that it was forbidden for them to love each other because they were from different places and she didnt understand.

“But love is something you cant stop.”

“I know, thats why we did it in secret.”

“But how can you forbid something that no one can help?”

“Thats how repression works, sweetie, you forbid something even though it is completely ridiculous. Like loving each other, or eating certain food.”

“Thats dumb,” she had said and Blaine had laughed. Yes, it is dumb and thats why they had fought it. Hes happy to see she has none of the concerns he had. He revels when she yells at him about singing too loud when she has homework. Not now, though, shes been excused from education for a week to visit the Capitol.

Its something that can happen now. Blaine tries to imagine asking for permission to leave school for a week in his time, and shivers when he sees Holly being dragged off out of the classroom.

“Are you okay?” Kurts voice comes from the doorway. He does that sometimes, stands in the doorway and just watches Blaine. Hes grown used to it, though it was uncomfortable the first few months they lived together in this house. Its Blaines house, in Victor Village, and its been completely redecorated by Kurt. Theres a lot of silver, but pink and green classically interwoven to remind them a little of Cooper and Quinn. The house feels like a warm nest now, with pictures of the fallen family members all across the walls.

Halina gets up and kisses them both on the cheeks. She wishes them a safe trip and a wonderful time with their family before she leaves. Blaine admires her, the way she has picked herself up after peace came over Panem and how she now lives a full life with her best friend, Holly. Its amazing, too, how Holly has picked herself up after the things she lived through in the Capitol. They have worked out a communication system after Holly took up sign language, in which Almaz is as fluent as English.

Holly and Halina share Quinns house, and Blaines parents still live in Coopers house. They are fine, old, but fine. It was hard telling them what Blaine had gone through, and it was even harder telling them what fate Cooper and Quinn had suffered, but it was as if all of their pain was shoved aside the moment they held little Almaz in their arms. Blaine knows exactly how they must have felt, felt it himself when he realized it would be him and Kurt who would be Almazs guardians.

“What are you thinking about?” Kurt asks, as he drops next to Blaine and scoots close to him.

“Nothing,” Blaine answers, “everything. How much I love you.”

“You sap,” Kurt says with a smile and kisses Blaine softly on the lips. Its amazing, how he still loves Kurt so much after sixteen years together. Fourteen years of taking care of Almaz, fourteen years of sleeping next to each other every day and still whenever he sneaks a glance at Kurt he falls in love a little more with this unpredictable man who grew up with such different values from his own. Someone who he somehow fell in sync with the moment they became guardians of their beautiful girl, someone he will never, ever be able to live without.

“I love you, too,” Kurt says, “but I can tell you were thinking about something else.”

“Just, the olden days. How lucky Almaz is to grow up in this world, where shes free to do whatever she wants. And how much I love her. How much I miss Cooper and Quinn.”

Kurt falls silent, its the only thing he can do when Blaine talks about how it was. He knows now that what he lived through wasnt nearly as horrible as what Blaine lived through. And they, together, know what they lived through was not nearly as bad as what Quinn lived through. Sometimes they look at Almaz together and all they see is Quinns strength. The way she held herself together until this little girl was safe and well. The way she refused to go without a fight, the way she was strong until the end. Her motherly warmth and her sisterly love, its all inside Almaz beneath Coopers rowdy attitude, and his charm.

Just before Kurt and Blaine go up to sleep, they stop by Almazs room together and watch her sleep peacefully, her suitcase packed and ready to go.

“She really is the most beautiful child that has ever been,” Kurt says, “and without any alterations as well.”

Blaine slaps Kurt playfully, kisses the light grey mark where his tattoo once was bright silver, and whispers how perfect he thinks Kurt is with or without alterations.

They make love softly that night, Kurt kissing Blaine over and over again, trying to ease his mind about going to the Capitol. He knows they need to do it, but it scares Blaine nonetheless. The last time he was in the Capitol was naked in a dungeon with rats, Holly and Quinn as his roommates. Hes anxious, hes scared and he crawls as close to Kurt as is humanly possible as he lets Kurt make him forget, make him feel good.

Its been like that since the moment they arrived back in Nine, Kurt the only one who could ever make Blaine truly forget about the horrors. Truly take his mind of off things. When Kurt isnt around, his mind is always on the Games. He still dreams about blood rain, about ice cold snow and Penny dying in his arms. He dreams about Quinn dying in his arms, too, and he dreams about Fours face as he stabs him. He wakes up screaming and the only thing that can comfort him is pale, strong arms and kisses to his neck. Words that whisper “Im here, its over, youre safe.”

“Im here, its okay, youre safe. My dad will be there, were safe I promise.” Kurt keeps telling him the next day on the train. They let Almaz do whatever she wants, its not like she can disappear anywhere on the moving vehicle and so they spend their time together in Blaines old bedroom on the train. Its a little out of date, fourteen years after its last use, but it is familiar and Quinn and Coopers bedroom hasnt changed a bit so Almaz can spend a little quality time with her parents. She is happy in there, it is good.

The fifteen hours are long hours, especially for Blaine who is dreading his visit, and Kurt who is looking forward to seeing his father and the place where he grew up again. They arent being served the way they used to, even though Blaine still has a lot of money from his victory, and Kurt is quite well off as a wedding dress designer, they prefer to do things themselves. Its the first time Blaine sets foot in the trains kitchen and hes amazed by the equipment they have on a moving vehicle.

They cook a lovely meal with the three of them, before Almaz gives them both a kiss and says shes going to bed. When they stop by her room that night to see if shes okay they find her with her face buried deep in one of the pillows, a bottle of perfume next to her on the bedside table, the drawer wide open.

“It smells like Quinn in here,” Blaine smiles. He remembers the first time he entered Quinns house to show Halina and Holly around, how he couldnt stand her smell then. It hurt him too deep, the wounds were to fresh and hed collapsed on the ground. Halina had to get Kurt to get him up and back to their own house. He smiles, now, as he smells her. Its a good smell, its something that brings to mind those endless nights when he was a little boy afraid of his name being reaped and she would sing Almazs song to fend away the nightmares.

Almaz blinks open her eyes and looks at her two caretakers in the doorway.

“Youre creeps,” she mutters and moves to the middle of the bed. “Youre creeps and saps and Im in my parents bed, Im a little emotional so please come here and sing my song.”

Kurt gives Blaine a little push to encourage him, and he crawls up in the bed with Almaz. She lays her head on Blaines chest, and Blaine notices she smells like Quinn. Kurt lies down on her other side, takes her hand and starts her song softly. He hums it first, before he continues with words.

“She only smiles
He only tells her
That shes the flower, the wind and spring
In all her splendor,
sweetly surrendering,
the love that innocence brings

Almaz, pure and simple.
Born in a world where love survives.
Now men will want her
cause life dont haunt her
Almaz, you lucky lucky thing”

She drifts off again quickly, and Blaine and Kurt smile at each other over the top of her hair before they, too, doze off. It must have been at least six years since the last time she fell asleep in between them, so they revel in it while they fall asleep. Their little girl, shes growing up and its all going so fast in this world where she is safe from harm, where no one can hurt her. The world her parents fought so hard to create. Here, in their bed, Blaine knows they are proud of her, of him and how he and Kurt raised her.

They rise the next morning when the train drivers voice announces they are about to enter the Capitol. Kurt is the first out of bed, so excited to be back in the place he once called home. He might hate the way the Capitol ran Panem, he still loves the people he called his family and friends. He still misses them and the way people lived here back then. Blaine tells Almaz to do whatever she wants to get ready, that its still about half an hour to the train station and then he follows Kurt to the back of the train.

He finds him sat on the large sofa there, looking out the windows as the green rushes past. The train makes a slight jolt and then theyre entering the Capitols grounds. The large wall is still up around it, and Blaine sees the faded Mockingjay sign very much intact on the wall.

“So much has changed.” Kurt says. “Im scared.”

“Of what?”

“That my father has changed, that I wont really know who he is anymore.”

“You speak almost daily.”

“I know,” Kurt says, “but everything has changed. I havent spoken to Tina in ten years, Isabelle in twelve. I have no clue who they are now, and whether they even like Panem or the Capitol at all anymore. Im scared of what Ill find, how much this has changed and that maybe I wont fit in anymore.”

“Why didnt you tell me?” Blaine asks, pressing up close against Kurt and kissing his cheek softly.

“You had other worries,” Kurt says, “realer worries. Like whether or not youd be able to handle being in the place you were once captured.”

“Thats very considerate of you,” Blaine whispers, “but were in this together. I need to know what bothers you just as much.”

“It bothers me that Im excited and scared at the same time.”

“Its okay,” Blaine says, “youre allowed to feel whatever you feel. Im here, Im not going anywhere and youre home with me, okay? Where ever it is. The Capitol, Nine, Thirteen for all I care, Im home with you and youre home with me. Were home where ever Almaz is and wants to be. Okay?”

“Okay.”

They arrive at the train station not much later, Kurt drags a suitcase almost larger than himself, Almaz with one that is just as big and Blaine with a tiny one behind them. Its those tiny things where their difference in upbringing and background is so painfully obvious and it makes Blaine smile.

“Kurt!”

Blaine immediately recognizes Burt Hummels voice. He hears it over the phone almost every night, as Kurt calls him to inform him how Almaz is doing, how he and Blaine are doing. Its so good to see the man in the flesh again. He looks older than he did thirteen years ago, the last time they saw him, hes been wheelchair bound ever since the bomb attack left him disabled and a lovely woman is pushing him. Kurt leaves the suitcase behind with Blaine and Almaz, and runs to his father.

“Dad!” He exclaims as he launches himself into a hug, “dad, Im so happy to see you.”

“You too, son, you too.”

Blaine grabs Kurts suitcase and urges Almaz to follow him as he walks towards his father in law. Kurt releases him and Blaine smiles wide when Burts eyes fall on him. Theyre still as warm, inviting and fatherly as he can remember. It makes Blaine feel all warm and happy inside to know Kurt is loved so deeply by this man, still, after having not seen him for more than a decade.

“Mr Hummel,” he says and reaches out his hand.

“Oh come here you silly boy,” Burt grabs Blaines hand and pulls him down into a hug, “you deserve that for making my boy so happy, you know, and that little girl.”

“Hey!” Almaz says, “Im fourteen!”

“Well,” Burt releases Blaine and takes a good look at Almaz, “you are the spitting image of your mother when she was your age.”

“You knew my mother at my age?”

“That was when she was thrown into the Arena, wasnt it?”

“Oh.” Almaz says, “I thought she was a year older than I am now?”

“Fourteen, fifteen, whats the difference. You look just like her, just as beautiful, my girl.”

Burt then pulls Almaz into a hug as well, and she goes willingly. They watch tentatively for a little while, but both Burt and Almaz see completely captivated by each other. They have talked almost daily, too, since Almaz started muttering her first words. She always saw Burt as a second grandfather and it must be quite overwhelming to finally meet him in real life.

“Are you okay?” Kurt asks Blaine, reaching down to hold his hand, “no flashbacks or bad memories, panic attacks?”

Blaine is just about to answer he is absolutely fine when he sees a woman approaching behind Burt. She must be in her twenties, maybe thirty, shes tall, blond and if they ever thought Almaz was the spitting image of Quinn, they had obviously never met this woman

Yet, this woman looks exactly like her father in the way she moves, the way she holds herself and her eyes, too, are those of her dad. Or maybe her uncle, Blaine freezes in his place when he sees her uncle in the woman. She smiles then, and Quinn is back in her face. She looks like Quinn when she smiles.

“Its true...-” Blaine says. This was the reason they came here, this was maybe the reason why he was so afraid to meet her and at the same time the reason he knew he had to. She looks like all three of them in a way, and it freezes Blaine in his place. Its the first time he realizes fully why Quinn was so incredibly distant his year of the Hunger Games.

“What is?” Kurt asks and looks between Blaine and the woman. “Oh,” he says then, “that.”

“Yes, that.”

He had watched Quinns Games about three years after they got back to District 9. He was too young to remember them and he felt like he didnt know enough for when Almaz would start to ask questions. It was difficult to watch, he could see in everything that Quinn really loved the guy. It was awkward to watch when she would steal his food and water, but he felt strangely proud at the same time. He knew when he saw Noah Puckerman kill people that the boy from Four in his year did it the same way. Sure, they were both from the fishing District, but something about the way he moved had struck Blaine and only after he finished Quinns Games was the first time he looked up the name of the only person he had ever killed.

It had been a shock when he read it, hed been able to ignore it for so long and he still denied it, said that Puckerman could be a common name in District 4. Yet now, as this woman approaches, there is no denying. She almost looks more like her uncle than she does her father, and Quinn. She is a perfect, beautiful combination of the three of them. She keeps smiling as Kurt and Blaine stare at her. A tall, beautiful woman with long dark hair walks behind her. She seems just a little younger than Burt, with sharp features and a warm, motherly face. She holds her daughters hand firmly as they approach, walking tall.

Almaz and Burt release each others hold and then Almaz follows her parents gaze. She gasps when she sees her, spitting image of the mother she knows from pictures. This woman is a little older than her birthmother was ever allowed to be, and she must look exactly the way Almaz imaged her to look.

“Hi,” the woman says when she is standing right in front of Almaz. “You must be my little sister. I am Beth.”