Katniss woke up screaming and thrashing, sweat dripping down her face; another nightmare. This is what
the Capitol has done to her. Figuring it wasn't very likely to get to sleep again, she pulled on a long t-shirt,
and shorts and began to make her way to the food car. That is until, Katniss picked up a muffled sob
coming from the train car behind her. It was shrill, but very quiet, obviously the sound of a female, but
who?
She started to investigate when she could hear the girl's choked sobs more clearly now.
"Effie?" She pulled the door open to Effie's room to find the older women sitting on the edge of her bed, her
slender body only covered in her under garmets, her pale wig sitting on her dresser, while her real hair,
golden curls, pinned to her head messily. Her eyes red and puffy.
"Oh! Katniss, I'm sorry! Did I wake you? I was sure everyone was asleep." She said in her bubbly voice,
obvious faking, whiping her nose and eyes from any evidence of her crying. Katniss had never thought that
maybe Effie was hiding any pain behind that usual happy attitude she wore every day. Katniss had never
thought Effie had felt much of anything, coming from the Capitol, but now realizing what kind of things Effie
could be hiding, a knot of guilt formed in her stomach.
"Effie, what's wrong? Why were you crying?" She slowly sat down next to the lady, so different from her
usual self, placing a hand on her arm.
"Oh, it's nothing, Katniss! You know how us women can get! All emotional and whatnot. Don't you worry
about me darling, I'll be fine!" She gave her her best reasurring smile, but failing when she couldn't help the
tears streaming down her face again.
"Oh, Effie." Katniss hadn't even had time to think about what she was doing before she wrapped her arms
around the small woman, as tightly as she dared in fear of breaking her tiny, vulnerable body. She began
to sob uncontrollably again, but she tried to stay strong for the girl holding her, it was the least she could
do for her. "Shhh, it's okay. It'll be okay."
Effie curled her body next to Katniss', her head resting below the young girl's chin.
Katniss pulled her onto the bed and then crawled in next to her shudderring body under the covers. Before
she could even get settled, Effie tightly wrapped her arms around her, burying her face into the brunette's,
hair. It smelled of the various Capitol soaps she bathed with, hours ago.
As the lady's shaky breaths evened and her whimpers subsided, Katniss took that as her job done. But
as she lowered the woman's body from her own, she felt a hand tightly grasp her wrist.
"Please... Don't leave... I don't want to lose you..." What had she just said? She doesn't want to lose me?
Is that what this was all about? Could this woman, who has been watching over her since her first games
really, care about her like that? And the way she said it... I don't want to lose you... Could she really have
feelings for me?
A million questions flooded Katniss' head, but she deemed them innapropriate to the situation. Not
wanting to hurt Effie any more than she already was, she lowered herself back to the bed and wrapped her
arms around the woman again.
"Katniss?" Effie asked, once she had calmed down again.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you..." She pulled back and looked up into the girl's gray eyes, and it was then that Katniss
noticed how beautiful this woman was. Her golden curls up on her head, a few strands falling in her face,
her dazzling pale eyes looking up at her with such happiness. A warm feeling overwhelmed Katniss and
she couldn't help herself, she pressed her lips to the woman's head and pulled her against her once again.
It wasn't a bold gesture, but it was enough to stir something up in both of them. Effie's feelings were then
confirmed, and Katniss' questions had only just began.