With wedding preparations advancing swiftly under Annie's strict supervision, Katniss generously offered to take Dahlia to her home in District Twelve to try on dresses. Dahlia was touched by her kindness, especially considering how hostile she'd been towards the girl when they first met. She didn't hesitate to agree and soon the two girls (plus self-designated wedding planner Annie) were setting off in a hovercraft bound for District Twelve.

"It's a shame we can't travel to your district so you can wear your own dress." Katniss commented as they soared through the air towards her home.

Dahlia just scoffed and bitterly muttered, "Trust me, it would be more difficult finding an appropriate dress in my wardrobe." When Katniss turned to her with furrowed eyebrows, Dahlia sighed and explained, "I don't think there's a single strip of fabric in there that isn't black."

"You're forgoing your signature colour then?" Katniss asked with a jesting hint to her tone and a faint smirk on her lips.

Mirroring the girl's expression, Dahlia quipped back, "I don't think it matches Annie's strict colour scheme." Subdued laughter left the two girls at Annie's expense, who playfully glared at Dahlia for the remark. "Besides, I want this to be a new start with Finnick. My old dresses will just be an unwelcome reminder of a difficult past. I think it's time for something new."

The other girls couldn't agree more, beaming at Dahlia with encouraging grins and supportive nods. At that moment, she was never more thankful that the pair had decided to tag along with her. For most of her life as a Victor, her outfits had been chosen for her, usually planned months in advance to an event and always consisting of dark revealing costumes which hugged her figure. Her body was never her own, merely an exhibition for others to gawk at. And her wardrobe as a Capitol soldier wasn't very inspired either. Now that she was taking control of her life, she had no idea what she actually liked to wear. So she needed Katniss and Annie's input to decipher her own opinions.

District Twelve was a sorry sight to see. Most of it had been bombed into rubble, forever trapping its citizens beneath the buildings that had once provided them shelter and sanctuary. There was very little left standing to identify as key landmarks, save for the abandoned Victors' Village which appeared to be frozen in time. The lasting legacy of a doomed district.

Dahlia and Annie tried not to cast their eyes in the direction of the ruined houses as they landed in the Victor's Village, determined not to witness the devastation the Capitol had left behind. In a way, Dahlia felt guilty for avoiding the demolished scene, not quite able to shake off the shame that she had fought for the people who had ordered it. Some part of her pondered if she could've been partly responsible.

"This way." Katniss ushered the two girls in the direction of her old house as quickly as she could. The growing sorrow was evident in their features and she didn't want those bad feelings to linger. This was a happy day, a cause for celebration not sadness. They need not concern themselves with the downfall of her district. Nothing could change the past. "I'm afraid the wedding dresses Cinna designed for me are in the hands of the Capitol. But I still have some dresses left over from the Victory Tour."

"That's fine by me." Dahlia replied as they entered the large house with a handful of guards trailing them for safety. "I didn't want to wear white anyway."

Nobody had to question her reasoning behind that. White was the colour of Snow.

Instead, an assortment of dresses crafted from every type of fabric imaginable in all possible shades were laid out on Katniss' bedroom floor like an explosion of flowers, sequins and feathers. The choice was immediately overwhelming as Dahlia found herself drowning in colour and material. Her instincts cried out for her to stick with what she knew best and reach for the dresses with a darker tone. Deep purples, navy blues, burgundy reds... Anything similar to what she'd always known.

But then she asked herself why.

Why had she found comfort in blending into the background when the reason she had survived was her ability to stand out? Black was the colour that made her infamous because it made her different from the rest of the crowd. It was never meant to make her part of the shadows, it only made her stick out in the light. Now she had the chance to do the opposite, and be a light in the darkness.

Reinvigorated with a burst of inspiration, Dahlia began to pull outfits in styles and colours Snow never would've allowed her to try. From large pink princess gowns that seemed to swallow her up, to flattering mermaid shapes which clung to every crevice of her body, she experimented with everything. This was her life, and she was going to enjoy it.

The afternoon was joyous, filled with childish antics and carefree laughter. For once, the three girls felt like they were actually living life instead of just surviving. They were young and free, with a rare chance to forget about the war raging on around them for a few hours. No Capitol, no Coin, no Snow. No one around to give them orders or dictate their choices. Just pure freedom.

As they took a brief yet well-deserved break from dress hunting, each girl sprawling themselves out on cushioned beds of chiffon and tulle, Katniss took the chance to ask, "So why did you settle on a District Four wedding? Why not a District Five one?"

"Ceremonies in my district aren't as lavish as the ones in Four. And Plutarch wanted it to be a grand celebration for the propo." Dahlia explained with an exaggerated roll of her eyes, making Annie and Katniss giggle at her exasperation. "I didn't care what they decided on in the end. As long as I got to marry Finnick in the end, I will go along with whatever they suggest."

"Well, is there any part of a District Five wedding you want to keep?" Katniss questioned again, wanting to ensure Dahlia's wishes were being met as well as the elements required by Coin and Plutarch. "Even if it's just something for you... Not to please anyone else."

Dahlia hadn't thought of that. All she had been focusing on since the arrangements began was what everyone else wanted. Her own voice seemed to have been lost along the way in a cacophony of demands. So what did she want?

Her wedding wasn't exactly something she had dreamed of from a young age and, even if she had tried to picture it, she would never have imagined that it would become the momentous occasion it was now turning into. If her life had stayed as it was when she was younger, her ceremony would've been a simple family affair with very little fuss. If her life was still in the hands of President Snow, she would've remained unmarried so he could continue to sell her off.

But her life had changed and so had she. This was her wedding, she would make it her own.

"When my parents got married, my mother said that she followed the instructions of an old traditional rhyme; 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'." Dahlia recalled, a soft melancholic smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "She told me it was a way to blend your past, present and future into one. A chance to honour your family heritage and bring good luck to the union."

"What a beautiful tradition to continue." Annie announced cheerily, eyes shining bright as she reached across to squeeze one of Dahlia's hands in support.

Katniss nodded in agreement, nudging Dahlia with her shoulder as she commented, "And hey, the dress could be your 'something borrowed'."

Glancing between the two girls, Dahlia was grateful to still have strong female friendships in her life after all the years of hostility and spite. Though Johanna was not yet cleared to be released from the infirmary, the presence of her girls during such difficult times was more than Dahlia could ever ask for. Victors had to stick together after all. "Thank you both." She murmured appreciatively, sending each of them a proud beaming grin which they were more than happy to return. These girls, who once were strangers, would stick together.

"Oh! Speaking of dresses..." Annie suddenly perked up, springing from the floor to gather up the fabric that had caught her eye. Once she had thoroughly inspected the gown and nodded her approval, she whipped round to face the two with a satisfied smile. "What about this one?"

Dahlia never knew that a piece of clothing could be so divine and ethereal. She always believed that dresses were just layers of restrictive fabric and eccentric beading, things to endure and not enjoy. But this dress made her heart flutter in excitement. There was an instant connection from the moment her eyes landed on it. This dress was meant for her, sent her way by the angels watching over them.

It was heavenly.

Eyes watering in delight, Dahlia's legs carried her eagerly towards the dress. Once in reach, her hands immediately flew out to caress the material. The soft silky surface of the skirt had her falling in love with the gown all over again, just like she had fallen in love with Finnick.

"It's beautiful." Dahlia declared gingerly, as if she couldn't quite believe how perfect the dress was. Almost like the Gods had crafted it specifically for her. "I think this is the one."

As Annie and Katniss ushered her away to try it on, the realisation sunk in for the girl. After all this time, she was finally going to marry her Finnick... and she was doing it in this dress.