Pure as Snow: A Do-Over of Corio and Lucy Gray's love story

Chapter Eight: Money, Power, Glory

Coriolanus paced the halls of the infirmary waiting area, it had been nearly two weeks since Lucy Gray had been admitted. He was told by the nurses today was her release day, however hopeful Snow was...he also had doubts. He didn't trust Dr. Gaul and had been spinning for days wondering if there was truth to anything she said to him that day during their meeting. The door opened and there she stood, full of color and life his Lucy Gray. She smiled as she approached him.

"Sorry for giving you a scare there Corio." She blushed as he wrapped his arms around her small frame. Coriolanus held onto her like he was never going to let go, resting his face against the top of her head. He breathed in the scent of roses from her hair. His Lucy Gray...yes that had a nice ring to it. But the more Lucy Gray did to prove how loyal she was to Coriolanus, the more he realized she had to be her own person to. She could not give up who she was for him. It had taken nearly losing her for him to finally be able to admit that to himself.

"Lucy Gray..." he finally spoke as they walked out of the infirmary building together, hand in hand. "Please don't lose yourself just to please me." Coriolanus said still holding onto her. He feared if he let go, she would disappear again. Lucy Gray stopped in her tracks and cupped his face with her hands.

"I can't lose me Corio, I've been by myself for so long...aside from the Covey..it's engrained in me. But I change like everyone else...life has changed both of us. And I learned from you change isn't as simple as rebelling. It starts from the inside, here you and I are as a team. No one more powerful than the other. I will stand by you at your darkest Corio as I have watched you do for me this past month. That was enough evidence to know I've made the right decision. For however selfish you thought yourself to be Coriolanus...I have seen none of that in regards to me." Lucy Gray calmed him with her words.

"You have such a wonderful way of making sense of darkness Lucy Gray. I can't imagine not having you by my side. I know as we take on our first week of work at the Capitol the waters will be rough, but Dr. Gaul has developed quite a liking towards you." Coriolanus said as Lucy Gray looked up at him.

"I wonder why?" She teased holding up her hand still wrapped in bandages to conceal the snake bite.

"Grand'mam still can't believe you put yourself in danger like that." Coriolanus said back to her, carefully giving a once over to her bandages, making sure none of them had loosened.

"Corio, the Capitol uses the Hunger Games to punish the district for keeping food from them during the war. The Capitol views others pain as power, why not show Dr. Gaul how much pain I could handle in return for power." Lucy Gray smirked at him.

"Too good for this world Lucy Gray, too smart, too cunning and too beautiful." Coriolanus repeated the words he had said to Lucy Gray upon first seeing her in the infirmary. Lucy Gray was still cupping his face at this point as he went in for a kiss. She warmly welcomed him, as their lips unlatched they turned their attention to an alarm that was sounding in the city square.

The couple sprinted down the Academy steps and towards the Lady of Panem statue. Lucy Gray noticed it before Coriolanus had. "Oh my..." She exclaimed as she pointed to where the head once sat. An explosion had beheaded the once great beacon of the Capitol. Corio thought back to when he and Lucy Gray were both brought into the arena to discuss strategy prior to the games. The explosion that followed almost killed them both. But Lucy Gray had managed to escape unscathed and could have actually escaped altogether. But she saw Coriolanus trapped under a beam and went back to rescue him. A deed so brave and selfless, Corio would never forget it.

"Could it be rebels?" He asked Lucy Gray as he pulled her closer into his side, weary of anything that could happen next.

"I believe it's a warning of what's to come." Lucy Gray sighed. "Red rain...it seems to be the only thing the district and the Capitol can agree on." Lucy Gray's insight into the war that was to come sent a shiver up Coriolanus' spine.

"The President will not be pleased with this, he'll see to it the rebels are punished." Coriolanus responded.

"But like the Hunger Games Coriolanus, it's never just 1 or 2...I believe this is a symbol of what appears to be the uprising. The Capitol will want war against the Districts again, and with our new positions...I don't think we push back just yet. I have a feeling Dr. Gaul will push for a sooner reaping day. Creating a new tradition that whenever the district attempts to strike back, the capitol will add more innocent souls the games. It will be the hardest thing I will ever have to do, standing idly by if one of the covey are chosen for the games this year." Lucy Gray's eyes watered as if she may start to cry. Stopped herself before she could start. "But there is a price to be paid for power and glory Coriolanus." She said as stood there in silence waiting for the president to make his announcement about the attack.

Coriolanus stared at Lucy Gray, her once messy curly brunette hair...now perfectly combed and pulled back with a red ribbon. Her rainbow dress from her mother was no more as she began wearing the rouge Capitol uniform. When she wasn't wearing the uniform Tigris volunteered to make her many "Capitol appropriate" dresses. He was watching Lucy Gray slowly erase the district from her way of life but not out of her heart.

"If Maude Ivory were chosen, I would stop it." Coriolanus said without thinking. Lucy Gray looked up at him and smiled.

"It means to world to me to hear you say that Coriolanus Snow. However little switching her name with someone else's would be a victory in my book." Lucy Gray said right as the President's announcement came over the speaker in the city square.