Author: MoiraShipper
Summary: What if during the Mockingjay, while everybody is waiting for Snow's death, Coins orders Effie's death?
Hanging tree
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where they strung up a man
They say who murdered three.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree
The avenue of the tributes was full like it used to be at the time of the games. However, rather than just the Capitol people, most people that were there were from the districts, all there to witness the execution of President Snow, by the hands of the Mockingjay.
But Haymitch diverted his attention from Katniss's slow walk toward Snow to look forward, to the balcony, where Effie was between Plutarch and Coin. The beautiful escort, who wore a gray dress with a yellow wig frowned as two guards dressed in black, from the District 13 whispered something in her ear and then immediately guided her into the mansion.
The former drunk mentor found the little interruption strange, and was even more surprised by the smile that had appeared on Coin's pale face so he turned away from Peeta and the others, heading toward the side of the mansion. He couldn't hide from himself that he was worried with the escort.
She had created roots in his heart like no other woman had managed before, not even his deceased girl from the Seam, and seemed to had taken more space even more during their time together in the 13, just after he had saved her from peacekeepers and taken her there.
The wind tossed his blonde locks on his face as Haymitch accelerated his pace to enter through the side door and then, spotted the group moving to the frozen gardens. What did they want with Effie?
Clutching the knife in his pocket, he went to the garden, ignoring one of Coins guards, seeing that Effie, more forward, struggled to get rid of the three guards that immobilized her, while another one seemed to try to put a rope around her neck and cursed her of murdering children. What?
"EFFIE" Haymitch screamed and two guards turned toward him, pointing their guns, but that wasn't what made him stop.
That rope had one of its end tied on a branch of a tree without leaves, which belonged to Snow's garden. Haymitch's blood ran cold as he remembered the song that Katniss had sung in the 12 forest.
No, they couldn't hang Effie, not his butterfly full of colors, he thought desperate.
"Haymitch..." Effie whispered, her blue eyes filled with tears, still confused with all that was going on.
It's not fair, she thought desperately with her life near the end, so cruel in that frozen and dead garden. Yes, it had been wrong to have a role in the games and send children to the arena, but then she had tried to help the rebels, her children, right? With the end of the war, it should have been her chance to tell Haymitch about her feelings for him and so both could have their happy ending, right?
Haymitch's gray eyes left the woman, turning to one of the guards who seemed to be the leader, but kept alert to any movement of the hand holding the rope around Effie's neck.
"I'd like to know why you are trying to hang my escort."
The guard laughed sarcastically, while the other poked her with the tip of the weapon, calling her a murderer, causing her to lower her head.
"The future president gave us permission to kill any remaining escort, so we won't start our new world with these dirty beings."
Haymitch tried to keep himself calm, thinking in how he needed a drink right now, to calm himself down. Effie wasn't like the other escorts, she'd had her role in the rebellion, helping and caring about the children and had realized how much her Capitol had been wrong to kill children and her to participate in their game. How could anyone call her a dirty being?
Effie groaned as she felt the rope tighten, but then fell in a silence, not wanting to give them another satisfaction of knowing they were winning and Hyamitch looked at her, trying to reassure her. The blonde tried to calm her heart as she kept her eyes fixed on Haymitch, knowing that she would be safe with him.
"Let me see if I understand. You want to end the slaughter, starting another massacre of people?"
"People? These people from the Capitol are so bizarre that for us, they can't be considered humans." And he spat on the ground near Effie's feet.
Haymitch then realized that she was barefoot over the large trunk on the ground, her high heels on the snow.
Screw it. Haymitch thought, as he threw his body against the man, pulling out his knife, but one of the guards shot it, which fell several feet on the snow and the other guard immobilized him, hitting him with his gun on his back after Haymitch had used his fist on the leader's jaw.
"What about her trial?" He asked angrily, his face red as he tried to knock the guard on the ground, ignoring the pain.
"It already happened." The guard holding him replied, laughing. "But perhaps the president hadn't considered it important to have a jury and witnesses, after all, she is just another Capitol monster."
"You choose which side you are Haymitch, or you say goodbye to your little friend or go back to the avenue and pretend that nothing has happened."
Haymitch took a deep breath, pulling away from the guard, making a decision and then stripping off his jacket and then his cap and stared at the man coldly.
"So hang us together in the tree then."
"Haymitch, please don't." Effie pleaded, her voice choked as tears streamed down her pale face. The idea of him wanting to die broke her heart. He had already suffered so much, he deserved to live the rest of his life... And what about Katniss, Peeta?
"Princess, you should know by now that I don't intend to live without you. If they hang you, they'll have to hang me too."
There wasn't sarcasm and it didn't sound like a joke. It was the same tone of voice he had used with her when they were alone, especially during the hugs and the time together they had shared in the 13th.
"Haymitch... You know that I lo-"
"Shh..." He trailed off softly, shaking his head in agreement and she understood that he also felt the same for her, while one of the guards put him next to Effie, over the tree trunk and tied the rope around his neck.
If they were to die now, he wanted it to be quick to avoid the suffering of both, especially hers, and his last vision to be from this crazy, uptight and fashion woman that even if he tried to deny it, he loved.
"Princess." He whispered, taking her hand and intertwining their fingers, ignoring the mocking glances from the guards, who prepared the ropes. Effie's hand trembled while Haymitch's was covered in sweat and then she began to sing softly the notes of Katniss's song and he followed her.
When the guards prepared to pull the ropes, there was an outcry and then many voices shouting Coin has fallen. The guards looked at each other and then, relieved that the plan had worked, Haymitch said quietly:
"I think the future president that will take over Coin's place won't be happy with the death of two rebels."
"How are you so sure she's dead?"
"Look at the screen." Haymitch said, shrugging.
When the guards turned to the huge screen in the sky, they saw the confusion on the avenue and then the body of Alma Coin on a pool of blood. The guards walked away running toward the doors of the mansion and then Haymitch began working on the rope around his neck that was hurting him and then Effie's.
When he finished untying the rope, caressing the red mark that remained in her neck with his thumb, Effie threw herself into his arms, knocking both on them in the snow, laughing and crying at the same time.
Haymitch awkwardly began to stroke Effie's wig, knowing that in those last few minutes he'd shown more affection than in an entire decade, but didn't mind so much, as long as she was the only one seeing this other side of hik. Relieved too, he relaxed, kissing the top of her wig and smelling her sweet perfume.
Little by little she stopped crying and her hands tentatively roamed to his back, stroking him where the guard had hit him, while she felt his strong muscles, so fit for someone almost middle age and then she raised her face and looked at him, whispering:
"It's over? We're OK?"
"We are."
Slowly their faces approached, their breaths releasing small clouds from the cold, and Effie climbed on his lap, ignoring her manners and snuggled there in his warmth as he held her waist with one hand and with the other, he touched her chin and then her pink and delicate lips and Haymitch's strong lips met in a kiss.
The small kiss hadn't lasted more than a second, but it showed their love that was growing little by little.
When they broke apart, their breaths touching the lips of the others, both felt happy and Effie had a smile on her face with her cheeks flushed from all the love she had felt coming from him, until her eyes widened when she heard the chaos from the avenue:
"Haymitch, Katniss!"
"Come on, princess." He said as he lifted her with him and put her on her own feet and, before running towards the girl who was almost like a daughter to him, he whispered in her ear in a tone she had never heard, affectionate:
"That was just an experimental kiss, Effie, and I'll collect the true one after this chaos..."
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out
For his love to flee.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree.