After the gruelling preparations she was forced to undergo in the Capitol, Dahlia never thought she could actually enjoy the process of getting dressed up for a big occasion. But she was happy to be proven wrong. With Annie hovering near her like a bee buzzing around a flower and Katniss attempting to reign in Effie's enthusiastic suggestions, Dahlia was sure she had never smiled so much in her life.

This joy only grew once she finally slipped into the dress she had chosen, her excitement bubbling inside her body as the smooth fabric glided over her skin. The silver underskirt shimmered like the surface of water when it was hit by the sunlight, the layers of sea-green material flowing above it reminding Dahlia of Finnick's tales from District Four. A strip of darker green cinched the skirt in at the waist, connecting to the straps which were cut in a very deep V-shape. Sewn into the top was a netting-like shawl with beads and pearls draping down her arms and along the neckline. It was District Four captured in a dress and Dahlia had never felt so beautiful.

The wedding dress also served as the 'something borrowed' part of her mother's tradition and Dahlia had lost count of the amount of times she had thanked Katniss for letting her wear such an exquisite piece. But the Mockingjay was just glad to see the once broken girl look so alive. The two had grown closer in the last weeks than they could've ever imagined. It was amazing how friendships could bloom when they were taken out of the hostile darkness of the Capitol.

Annie was also delighted to play a role in the wedding of her two closest friends, passing on another item to be used for the tradition. "Your something old." She had declared cheerfully, securing a piece of jewellery around the girl's neck. Only once the pendant had settled on her chest did Dahlia realise what it was.

The golden dahlia necklace that had been through three Hunger Games, worn by Cove, Lavender and Finnick as they faced a battle for their lives. Two of them had failed, one had lost his love. But he found her again. The necklace that Dahlia had once assumed to be cursed with bad luck had kept her Finnick alive during his darkest time. It was a turning point for all of them. A fresh start. To a new life filled with luck and love. Annie had even polished the tarnished metal to ensure it was restored to its original golden sheen for the big day. Dahlia made sure to hug her even tighter for that.

Finnick's gift was a perfect addition to the look as her something blue. The woven bracelet sat neatly on her wrist as a reminder of the prosperous future ahead of them. But still, she was missing a something new. Dahlia didn't even know where to begin looking for an object to fit that description. She wasn't used to having new things when she was growing up. Then once she won the Games, most of her possessions were either provided by the Capitol or stolen from the homes of rich men. And District Thirteen certainly didn't offer much inspiration. She had to accept that she wouldn't be able to fulfil every detail of her family's tradition.

"Knock, knock." A male voice called out into the empty room as the door was cracked open. Dahlia spun around to find Haymitch nervously edging his way through the gap with one hand firmly placed over his eyes. "Are you decent?"

Through her giggles of disbelief, Dahlia managed to respond, "Yes, Haymitch. You can come in."

Peeking between a gap in his fingers, Haymitch confirmed that Dahlia was indeed fully clothed before removing his hand with a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god." He exclaimed, placing a hand on his chest to ease the paranoia that had formed in his mind. But it did nothing to ease the pain in his heart as he stared at the mature woman that stood in front of him. Alaric's little girl was all grown up now, and Haymitch wished he had been there to see it. "You look beautiful."

Dahlia beamed as Haymitch strolled closer and placed a fatherly kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, Haymitch." She replied as he pulled away to admire the bride in all her glory. "You look... surprisingly neat."

"Yeah, well... Effie managed to find the scissors and manhandled me to the ground until I agreed to a quick trim. She's stronger than she looks." Haymitch explained gruffly, running his hands mournfully through the slightly shorter and cleaner strands. "I only let her take a few centimetres off. She said we all had to look our best but I didn't want to upstage the bride." The pair chuckled lightly at Haymitch's jesting tone before the man cleared his throat and said, "So, Katniss said you wanted to see me... I'm not in trouble or anything, right?"

"No, you're not. I just..." Dahlia affirmed with a shake of her head before trailing off. A lump began to grow in her throat as she felt her eyes threaten to sting with tears. Swallowing harshly and speaking in a tone heavy with emotions, she mournfully admitted, "I miss him. I wish he was here."

Haymitch didn't need to ask who she was referring to, he knew the answer already. "I know, kid." He muttered downheartedly, struggling to contain his own sadness. "I miss him too. But he died fighting for what he loved... You. And I know, if he were still here, he'd want you to know how proud he was of how far you've come." Though she was devastated that Alaric was not there with her, Dahlia knew that Haymitch's words were true. He did everything to protect her and ensure she had a better future. She believed he was looking down on her with a smile on his face and his arms wrapped around his family. "He would've loved to be here, to see you. And he would've given Finnick a very stern talk about taking good care of his daughter."

Laughing painfully through her sadness, Dahlia nodded her head in agreement and wistfully mumbled, "Yeah, he would've."

What they would've given to have Alaric standing beside them at that moment, slapping Haymitch on the back and wrapping Dahlia in a warm embrace. He'd reprimand the pair for their tears and tell them to get on with their lives. Alaric wanted them to let him go, but they could never truly relinquish their grip on his memory. He would remain in their hearts forever.

"He never stopped thinking about you, Dahlia." Haymitch announced to her, making the girl glance up to find him frantically digging through his pockets. "Right to the very end, you were his main priority. He wanted you to find peace and happiness. And he knew you'd find that with Finnick." Throughout this heartfelt speech, Haymitch continued to pat down all the compartments of his jacket in search of an important object. He quietly cursed under his breath a few times and muttered something along the lines of how Alaric would haunt him for the rest of his life, until he finally found what he was looking for. "Ah, there it is... Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that he knew this day would come and... Well you know what Alaric was like. He was prepared for anything and--"

"Haymitch." Dahlia interrupted as the man began to ramble away about his old friend. "As much as I would love to hear more about him, I would also love to get married at some point today."

"Right, yes." Haymitch responded, internally grateful that Dahlia had stopped him before he burst into floods of tears. Clearing his throat, he got straight to the point and pulled the significant item from his pocket. "I-- I heard you were struggling to find a something new and... Uh, Al... He had these made for you before the Games."

Deposited into her hands were three of the most delicate hair pins she had ever held. Silver wire enclosed the glistening opal gemstones and iridescent pearls in a beautiful formation, perfectly matching the wedding dress she had chosen. Alaric knew. He knew all along. Even when Dahlia didn't know herself.

Before she could stop them, a few tears forced their way out of her eyes as she gazed at the pins in her hand. "How did he know?" Dahlia managed to ask Haymitch, who was relieved that he had managed to keep the priceless items safe for so long. "How did he always know?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that." Haymitch mumbled forlornly, disappointed that Alaric wasn't there to tell them if they were doing the right thing. Alaric always seemed to be one step ahead of everyone else with an answer to everything. He was so confident and honourable, the perfect candidate for leadership. Just a shame that all he ever cared about was making sure his little girl was safe and happy.

"Thank you so much, Haymitch." Dahlia murmured, filled with immense gratitude that he had carried these with him all the way to District Thirteen.

"It's the least I could do." Haymitch replied humbly, still overwhelmed with guilt for not fighting harder to rescue her from the arena. Nothing would ever make up for that, but at least he now had the chance to keep his promise to Alaric. He would watch over Dahlia like she was his own. "May I do the honours?"

Nodding in agreement, Dahlia placed the pins back into Haymitch's hands and spun around to allow him to slot them into her hair. They settled neatly into the natural half-up style her hair had been pulled into, contrasting beautifully with her dark locks and complimenting the shimmer of her dress. They were the perfect finishing touch, the missing element that she needed.

Dahlia couldn't help herself anymore. As soon as she turned to face Haymitch once more, she threw her arms around him and hugged him like a little girl with her father. Snapping out of his momentary shock, Haymitch didn't hesitate to return the gesture and tug Dahlia closer. His eyes involuntarily closed as he revelled in the comfort of the embrace, placing his chin on top of her head as she nuzzled into his chest.

Then Dahlia finally worked up the courage to raise the question she'd been meaning to ask since the man walked through the door. In a barely audible voice, she carefully whispered, "Will you walk me down the aisle?"

Haymitch was completely taken aback by the question. He didn't feel that he was worthy of such an important role. It should've been Alaric. It was always meant to be Alaric, never Haymitch. Even District Thirteen would've preferred it that way round. But they were stuck with the one that nobody wanted. Nobody except Dahlia.

Because Dahlia knew how it felt to not be wanted. To give everything to a cause and receive nothing in return. Haymitch had been dismissed more times than he could count, only summoned when they needed something from him. But he was the only reason Dahlia was restored to the person she was now. Without him, her mind would still be under the influence of the Capitol. She didn't need him anymore, but she wanted him there. And that meant the world to Haymitch.

With a tear of happiness slipping down his check, Haymitch earnestly replied, "I would be honoured, Flower."