The official first installment of 'Geese ...'! I thought I'd post this - then go on hiatus. So here's the first and I'll see you all again towards the end of July/early August!

"Why'd Mrs. Abernathy go to the Capitol?" Linus asked. He was sitting on the sofa with a coloring book on his lap - crayons spread out on the cushion next to him.

Haymitch looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "Hm? Oh … she was doing a favor for a friend."

More specifically, she was doing a favor for Plutarch. Effie knew he wouldn't have asked unless he needed the help and having uncovered old Escort files - he needed an old Escort. So she made a deal to go for a week.

Haymitch wasn't pleased - neither was Effie, but she did owe Plutarch in some ways. It led to a fight - one Effie ultimately won, but still one Haymitch felt guilty over. They had left on a bad note. He had been angry and Effie sick with the flu.

But with Linus coming every day to keep him company - which was starting to grate on Haymitch a little because he knew Mrs. Grenning was sending him for that very reason … 'company' - he couldn't really say much. Or let on what he was feeling.

Haymitch didn't even tell Katniss or Peeta, who were both a bit worried about Effie's decision to help Plutarch. It was understandable, of course, but she shouldn't have felt obligated.

Haymitch then reasoned that maybe it was the fight. Maybe it was him. Not his drinking - he'd gotten better at that … hadn't he? He must've. But Effie was stubborn. Effie had always been stubborn. And if she was going to do something -

His thoughts were cut short when Linus perked up, hearing the front door opening. He flew off the sofa and ran to the door, wrapping his arms around Effie's waste excitedly - wanting to show her the picture he had been working on.

"Oh, it's lovely Linus," Effie said, her hand gently running through the curls atop his head. "Has Mr. Abernathy been keeping you company?"

Linus nodded enthusiastically and went on to tell Effie all about their adventure with a goose that had escaped its pen. Effie listened intently - ooh-ing and ahh-ing at just the right times. Linus would be late for his dinner if he didn't leave soon, though, so Effie saw him to the door after making sure he had all of his crayons with him.

"Tell me you love me."

Effie felt Haymitch's arms slip around her, his head bend down to bury his face in the red curls that had at one point in the day been pinned back. Effie turned around in his embrace. "Of course I love you," she said, stroking his back gently. "Why? What happened?"

"Just … missed you," he said. "And … I was out of line when you left. I didn't mean to … I know you're your own person and … that kind of stuff."

Effie suddenly clutched him tighter.

"I was sick," she said. "And you were worried."

"Better now?"

Effie only nodded - not knowing if he could tell if she was or not. She leaned her head against his.

"I'm sorry I had to send Peeta -"

Effie cut him off with a kiss. "I don't care. You were busy anyway."

Haymitch's brow furrowed. "Are you crying?"

Effie shook her head, but a tear slipped down her cheek. Haymitch reached up and wiped it away with his thumb.

"What did I do?" he asked.

"Nothing," Effie laughed. "Nothing at all. I just … do you … do you remember what they told me? After I was found and …"

Haymitch looked at her strangely. "They said a lot of things, sweetheart."

"And … and one of those things … one of the bigger things … one of the things they said I couldn't have … that there was damage and -"

"Effie …"

Effie bit her lip, tears streaked her cheeks.

"You were worried," she said. "So I … I went to see a doctor in the Capitol and … it wasn't the flu."

"You're …"

Effie nodded. "I … I didn't know how I was going to tell you -"

"A baby?"

"Is it … is that all right? I don't really know what -"

"Eff … if … if this world was like it used to be then yeah. We'd look at options. But … if you want this -"

"I do," Effie said quickly. "I do and I never thought I would want something so much, Haymitch. I never thought that I'd … ever want this. But now … with you … the impossibility and … yes … yes, I do." Effie kissed him. "And you? I need to know -"

"We're having a baby."

Effie finally let her tears get the better of her. She wrapped her arms around Haymitch's neck, letting him lift her off the ground in one of his great, overwhelming embraces that she had been missing in the Capitol - one she looked forward to coming home.

And now … home was going to mean something entirely new.