Hey there! first of all thank you for reading and hope you enjoy.
some things to put out there.
1) this is a Peeta x katniss however there is also going to be other couples especially some Katniss and Peeta's Daughter ( you'll find out her name ) x Finnicks son :) YAY I really hope you enjoy the prologue.
Resting my head on the metal frame of the hospital bed, take a large breath that instantly filled my lungs with cold air, scrunching my face as I smelt the large quantities of disinfectant that doused the hospital room leaving it clean with the disgusting hospital smell that screams its over in my head. My obnoxious subconscious reared its self in the back of my head insulting me. Look at yourself, moping around the empty hospital room as if its going to bring it back you my as well slap a label on you that says caution do not date. Tears swelled in my eyes whisking them away with the back of my hand before I let them fall, I would not cry. I would not cry, I repeated this mantra in my head on a endless loop. I promised him I would stay strong however it was so hard when I remembered the time I spent with him. Closing my eyes and returning my head to the cold metal that sent shivers running through my spine telling me that yes sadly you are still alive, closing my eyes I welcome the unforgiving darkness.
"Maybelle Thorn Abernathy get back here" Haymitch yelled standing on his porch holding the now empty cookie jar, I ran into the meadow that Haymitch had taken me too many times sitting and devouring the multiple cookies that I had taken. Jumping when I heard foot steps behind me shoving the last cookie in my mouth I turned around, smiling at Haymitch waving my sticking fingers in his direction. He raised his eyebrows at me and bellowed out a laugh smiling along with me "What am I going to do with you Maybelle" Haymitch said shaking is head in a small disapproval. Smiling - my mouth still full - I mumbled a incomprehensible I dun' know. Lifting me off the ground and swinging me on top of his shoulders, holding my hands as he walked back towards the victors village. "Now Little miss thorn" - he says putting me down and poking my nose "I think for that little stunt, someone is eating double the amount of broccoli than she usually does" Haymitch lifted me again, lifting me to the third step on the stairs and pushing me slightly "Now go wash up, dry your hands or else you'll get sick" Laughing I walked up the stairs and out of sight. Haymitch smiled from the bottom of the stairs.
Opening my eyes I welcomed the smell of disinfectant, a smile stretching across my face. Haymitch was everything to me, He was the person who raised me even though I wasn't actually his he allowed me to call him papa, even though I know deep down it hurt him sometimes. I raised my head from the metal bed frame for the first time in a while, the sun gleamed through the hospital window. Seeing the sun high and bright in the sky I had a feeling in my gut, I felt nervous to know that today was the day. Today It was time to go back home. I needed to face the home that Haymitch lived in, the home the Haymitch raised me in and when I saw the sun in the sky I knew that today I was ready and the nervous feeling vanished replaced with feeling of happiness and hope that I would manage on my own. I smile at the memory that had replaced the usual dream filled with horror as Haymitch's lifeless body lay next to mine. Haymitch used to call me Thorn, he said because a thorn was what made a rose tough, and that a rose was beautiful like me, he always knew how to make me smile. Haymitch was the father that I never had. Slipping my bag over my arm I walked from the hospital whispering a small goodbye to the bed that haymitch had rested in for the last few days of his life.
The sun heated my back as I stand on the porch to Haymitch's victors house, Haymitch never ever went into detail about the hunger games I knew what all the other teenagers born after the rebellion knew, That the hunger games was horrible game that turned innocent children into killers. I swayed uncomfortably on the porch my hand inches from the door handle. Opening the door the cold air rushed out almost blowing me off my feet, It saddened me the cold air meant that no one had been here a while the home that I grew up in was a now a lifeless house that some how I had to turn into a home again all by myself.
I had been in the hospital moping for three weeks and Haymitch's funeral had been planned by someone named Effie, I had heard of her before but I had never met her, Haymitch and Effie were the only two people who knew about me. To everyone else in district twelve I was actually Haymitch's daughter. My Mother was unfit to look after me when I was born or so that is what Haymitch told me and my Father never knew about me, My Mother left him before she knew she was pregnant.
Haymitch told me briefly about my parents. Multiple times he had tried to tell me more but honestly I didn't want to know much about them, it was obvious my Mother didn't care about me because surely if she did she would have at least tried to contact me however in my whole seventeen years of life she hadn't ever tired to call and that frustrated me.
Walking into the house, I looked around smiling at the numerous amount of photos he had of me - some with him - but mainly all pictures of my at different times in my life, My favorite photo was when I had started my first day of school and I grasped onto his leg, begging him not to leave me, Someone else had taken the photo and given it to him, I knew it was his favorite too. Running my fingers over his smiling face I smiled too. Like I said before Haymitch was the father I never had. I laughed when I remembered my first date.
Haymitch sat inside no doubt with a knife tucked into his belt, I Peaked towards the window making sure he wasn't looking and thankfully he wasn't when I turned back towards Roy. Both thirteen year olds standing on the porch awkwardly not knowing what to do next, and then out of the blue Roy leaned in and kissed me, I was a small peck on the lips but it meant the world to me because it was my first kiss by a boy other than haymitch when he kissed me of the forehead or cheek. The kiss must have lasted one second too long because the front door swung open Haymitch glaring Roy as he fumbled with his hands, keeping his head lowered to the ground determined not to look into Haymitch's anger filled eyes "Boy you better get of my front porch after that stunt" Haymitch growled as she pulled me inside, slamming the door and locking it in one swift motion "Maybelle what have I told you, your too young for kissing"
I couldn't help the smile that stretched over my face, he was over protective. After that night no date I had after that ever kissed me within ten meters of the front porch afraid of what would happen if they did.
Glancing to the left I frowned at the next photo, I hated this one however I would never take it down because Haymitch loved it so much.
It was the week before I started high school and I was struggling with my hair, frustrated that it wouldn't sit right, Grasping my hair in a tight fist I pulled anger and frustration getting the better of me, I flopped onto the bed, my hair in one million knots and hair ties. Haymitch trudged into my room asking me what I would like for dinner - on fridays, school holidays or not, I chose what we had for dinner - I muffled an answer into my pillow telling him I felt like squirrel when I heard a loud laughter fill the silence that was in my room and I realized he had finally seen my hair and before I could fully react he snatched the camera from my tall boy and snapped a photo of my embarrassing hair.
I playfully hit the wooden frame. damn Haymitch and photos. Walking through the rest of the house, Up the stairs and into Haymitch's room I realized a small envelope laying on his bed, my name scribbled on the envelope in Haymitch's messy hand writing. Opening the letter I read.
My little girl,
I want you stay true to your nickname 'Thorn' Remember thorns make a rose tough. Stay strong because the next few weeks without me are not going to get any easier, I writing this to you because I know that soon thorn I'll have to leave you in this big not so bad world however that means I wont be here to protect you from those heartbreakers you have encountered before. Although physically I can't stand on the front porch giving you a mere second to say good bye I am still here with you, in your heart. Now for the hard part, Like I said before you have to be strong because Effie will be organizing my funeral, of course it will be in district twelve or so help me god, but Effie enjoys extravagant and for you that means everyone will be invited into a confined space were you party away and everyone for you means your Mother and your Father, Your father who doesn't know you and your mother who...I've never told you before but it can't kill me now can it, I told your Mother that you died, she wasn't capable of looking after you, depression was all she seemed to know, Your mother couldn't hold you without hatred filling her eyes. Even if you hate me now you needed to know that I love you and you are forever in my heart, my darling little thorn.
Stay strong.
~ Haymitch.
I froze, Haymitch told my Mother I was dead? How could he. Even worse within the next two weeks or until I get an invitation from Effie I was left all by myself with the haunting thought that in two weeks I would meet my mother and my father who didn't even know that I existed.
Wrapping myself in the quilt that lay at the bottom of Haymitch's bed, curling into a tight ball and crying myself to sleep, the sunny day had disappeared and had been replaced by the dark never ending night that sent chills coursing throughout my body, without Haymitch in the house I didn't feel safe like I used to, closing my eyes and whispering the words Haymitch would say to me every night as a little girl I let the darkness take over and welcomed another memory of Haymitch.
Laughter filled the hallway as I ran away from Haymitch hiding under the sheets in his bed, clamping my hand over my mouth in order to muffle any sounds, making sure I would scare him. I felt the bed sink, trying to not laugh as I pressed my hand over my mouth more until Haymitch drew back the blanket tickling me until I was kicking and screaming, begging him to stop. "I found you" he smiled as I shook my head "No you didn't" I said poking my tongue out and putting my hands up in surrender "Come one Thorn, Breakfast time" He lifted me from the bed, picking up my little teddy bear and handing it to little five year old me "Ice Cream?" "How about pancakes" Haymitch watched my reaction "With ice cream" it was no longer a question but a statement, I was going to have ice cream for breakfast.
The doorbell rings waking me from my sleep, Memories were all I had left and I cherished them now, In my dreams everything seemed so real and thats what I loved about sleeping, right then I might as well have been five again, telling Haymitch I wanted ice cream for breakfast but sadly that was no longer, It was in the past and now I had to face the future by myself. Walking down the stairs I opened the door and saw a extravagant looking women standing in front of me, seven inch heels, high blue wig and pale make up. Instantly I knew It was Effie, this is exactly how Haymitch had explained what she would look like.
"Hello darling, May I come in" Her mood happy was over powering, making me more grumpy swinging the door open all the way she took it as an invitation and gracefully walked inside. "Maybelle, How are you feeling?" Her voice irritating me "Fine." My answer was short and it was obvious it didn't satisfy her however she let it drop "Well Maybelle I have organized Haymitch's Funeral" the way she said the words as if it were a party that he had died, she was proud she had organized his funeral only fueled my anger more. Effie handed me a cream colored envelope and smiled sympathetically, the first kind of sympathy she had showed whist being here. "I best be leaving you know darling, So much left to organize. It must be perfect"
It was frustrating, Haymitch hated perfect and here she was perfecting his funeral for him. I rip open the letter and read.
To : Maybelle Abernathy "Thorn"
You are invited to join us in saying good bye to beloved friend Haymitch Abernathy.
Date: 23rd. July. 2012.
Where: The meadow.
After Party: Victors village house number 2.
I hated it. This small stupid invitation made Haymitch's death...nothing. Surly this wasn't what Effie had in mind, So simple. It angered me that there wasn't even a longer explanation on what a wonderful man he was...then again no one knew the fatherly Haymitch I knew.
Reading over the invite again I knew that house number two belonged to my parents which meant that definitely they were going to be there, they were coming and soon.
Hope you enjoyed the story, please review it would mean a lot to me! :) Thanks.