A.N. So I figured I'd write a multi chapter fic. I'm not sure how this is going to go, if you want to know my track record go to my profile and you'll see I'm not very good. I'm going to try and write longer chapters so I won't have to write as many. Think of this as the pilot chapter, if people like it, I'll continue. As always, enjoy.

Haymitch Abernathy was going to die. He knew it with every fibre of his being, there was no way he could get out of this one. He'd have to fight, and that wasn't his best asset, he was good at thinking and this was not something he could talk his way out of. These people wanted him dead, and they were going to stop at until he was six feet under. He wondered if it would hurt, chances are that it would because they usually killed people slowly. He hoped they wouldn't make it too bloody, his mother, brother and girl would be watching and he didn't want them to see him like that, for that memory to be burned into their brains for the rest of their lives.

He looked around him as they began to close in. God those blades looked sharp even though they'd been used to kill before. He'd been so close too, well, closer than he ever thought he would get. It had been a long time since anyone from Twelve had even stood their ground in the arena, as far as he knew the girl he was reaped with was still alive and here somewhere. He wished he'd made an alliance now; it might have come in handy. Haymitch chastised himself for his thoughts, all these stupid wishes he wanted to have, they hadn't been there before… then again this was the first time he'd been this close to death. Even as a seam kid starving in Twelve he'd been better off.

Grinning, Haymitch raised his knife. Two could play this game, and is he was going down; he was going down in a blaze of glory. And hey, if he would take even one with him then it will have been a good day.

Effie Trinket awoke with a start. What in Panem was that noise? It sounded like someone was dying. Sighing she slipped out of bed, pulling on her slippers and a robe before she stepped out into the hall. She frowned, if that noise kept up it was going to wake up the Tributes and that wouldn't be good for anyone. They looked weak already; an interrupted night's sleep was not going to help them tomorrow when they would begin training. She padded down the hall in an attempt to deduce which room the noise was coming from. When she finally stopped in front of a room she sighed with resignation, it was Haymitch's room; he must have been in the middle of yet another nightmare.

He didn't have many nightmares that were this bad, she'd always figured that he be too drunk to dream. That the alcohol would have quietened his brain enough to keep the demons away and allow him a good night's sleep. Contrary to what Haymitch believed, his image impacted the Game as well. After all, who wanted to help out the tributes of a slovenly drunkard?

Effie let herself into his room with her key; she wasn't sure whether Haymitch knew that she had a key but it came in handy at times and it's not like she was letting herself in because it was fun. When the door closed behind her the first thing she noticed was the stench, the room always smelled like some form of alcohol but tonight there was something else in the air. The second thing she noticed was Haymitch writhing in the sheets, mumbling incoherently. Her features softened as she watched him, she did feel bad for him, she really did but if he wasn't going to help himself why would she bother trying?

She approached the bed slowly and quietly, swiftly dodging all the empty and almost so bottles on the ground. Pulling the two sides of her robe closer together she leaned over calling his name softly. Nothing. She sighed and tried again, louder this time and shook her head when she still did not get any reply. Whatever nightmare gripped him must have been holding on tightly, usually when she came to wake him up it was quick and easy and she could leave soon after she arrived. Shaking her head, Effie leaned over and placed her hands on his shoulders; giving him a good shake she called his name one last time…

They were stalling, why were they stalling? Haymitch idly wondered if it was to make him squirm, if it was it was working. He was now certifiably nervous and it was making him fidget which would look like weakness. They were sneering at him now as they closed in even more, there was no where he could go, and they'd encircled him.

"Haymitch."

He took a step back, they knew his name? He guessed they would have seen it at some point during the reaping and the interviews but he would never have guessed that they would have remembered. He didn't know they're names, didn't want to know they're name, they were careers after all.

"Haymitch" More insistent this time. What did they want?

He refused to answer them, wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Suddenly, all but one vanished leaving Haymitch witch even odds. He grinned, this was more like it, and he could probably take this one down. The career took a step forward and grinned at him, something was wrong though, his grin, it went from ear to ear, literally. Haymitch's eyes widened as he watched, that wasn't possible, was it even human? Apparently not as in the next moment it transformed, the body of a teenage boy turning into a griffin. It stood at least 10 feet tall, the claws as long as his arm, teeth shard enough too cut through steel. He reared back, he couldn't kill that! He didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of killing that thing!

Haymitch stared at it for another moment, before turning and bolting. His plan still stayed, if he was going to go down, he wasn't going down without a fight. His blood pounded in his ears and his feet flew over the ground. The adrenaline in his system spiked as he pushed himself to run faster. Deep down he knew he wouldn't be able to out run the creature, not only did the damn things have wings but its paws were huge. Even if it didn't fly it could out run him in less than three strides. He shuddered as he ran; he dreaded to think what it would do after it caught him.

He didn't even reach the trees.

Before he could register what was happening, he was flying backwards. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him as he collided with the unforgiving ground. He gasped for breath as he tried to roll over and run, he could fell rain hit his back as he tried to crawl away. Before he could get back to his feet a giant paw had flipped him onto his back. He brought his hand up to protect his face… well that was weird. There was blood on his hand, but he wasn't bleeding was he? There was blood on his arm too, he watched as more and more blood dripped onto his arm. His panic flared when the realization hit him, it was raining blood!

All of a sudden the blood stopped, and with a spreading feeling of dread he looked up to see the magnificent beast looming over him. Its sharp beak looking inches away from his face, its dark eyes looking at him with pure intent to kill. He watched too stunned to move as its break opened, he could see the back of the thing's mouth and would put money on the back it would swallow him whole if it wanted to. He closed his eyes as he brought his other arm up in a vain attempt to protect himself, this was it.

"HAYMITCH!"

He opened his eyes and glared at the beast, what was with the arena today? Why did everything that was going to kill him have to call out to him? Now annoyed, he pulled his knife out. This thing had had its chance to kill him, now he was going to fight back. With all the strength he could muster he reached up and thrust the knife into the neck of the giant beast…

Haymitch awoke with a start, and came face to face with Effie Trinket. He frowned, what was she doing in his room in the middle of the night? She was gaping at him and he looked down when he felt a hand on his. His hand was covered in blood, the hilt of his knife the only thing visible, the blade buried in Effie's abdomen. Without thinking he pulled the blade out and she collapsed onto him, he could feel her blood seeping into his clothing. As gently as he could he rolled her over, pressing his hand to her wound to try and stop the bleeding.

He must have started to yell because the next thing he knew his room was full of people, tributes and peacekeepers alike all firing questions at him. But he wasn't paying attention to any of them, his sole focus of Effie Trinket. He couldn't say he was especially fond of her but he hadn't wished her dead. He had to keep her calm, and conscious, yes she needed to stay awake.

He brushed her hair from her face, "Effie? Come on princess, open your eyes for me."

With a little more prompting, Effie finally opened her eyes. When he met he gaze the betrayal in hurt eyes cut him to the quick. He'd never wanted any of this to happen, he didn't want to be responsible for another death! He opened his mouth to apologize but before he could the medical team was in his room, taking Effie away. Questions were still being fired at him and he looked up to see Katniss and Peeta staring at him, horror in their expressions.

He looked down at his bloodied hands, "It was an accident." He murmured. When he looked back up they were gone.