Before the war had ended, Coin wanted to make sure that all possible threats of a rebellion against her had been terminated. She only manages to get one: Haymitch. Since he had manipulated her command to help Katniss get her way, she decides that he will be taken out first. Commanding Beetee to take him down or he gets killed himself, he decides the only way to save Haymitch is make him unrecognizable. They way? Making him two years old until he can turn him back. However, the venom has permanent effects. Haymitch can't remember who he is, and Beetee can't turn him back. Not-exactly lighthearted.
Rated T for language. Has a happy ending. AU from end of Mockingjay.
As Katniss walked away, after he had tripped while teasing her, Haymitch sighed. As he stiffened his arms to get up, he felt a jolt of stinging pain. Gasping, Haymitch felt himself go numb. Attempting to move on his back, he was surprised to see Beetee standing over him, with Coin standing in the corrner.
"Sorry Haymitch. It had to happen sometime. You were a threat to 13." Beetee said, as members of command lifted him onto a stretcher. Trashing, Haymitch tried to cry out, but Beetee silenced him. Strapping him down, the comand members moved the rolling platfrom out of the room and into an empty medical room.
"Are you sure this will work? I thought you said this would be instant." Coin asked acusingly. As his world began to blur, he guessed what was happening. Letting a couple of tears fall, Haymitch turned his head, and stared at the wall. The command members left the room, leaving him, Beetee, and Coin alone.
"I never said it would be instant. The alcohal he had probably is delaying the venom. I assure you, it will work." Beetee told her proudly. Coin nodded, watching Haymitch for a couple of seconds.
"I don't have time for this. Radio me when he is dead. Make some excuses to tell the other tributes." With that, Haymitch heard the doors open again, and Coin leaving. Once the doors closed, Beetee bagan to franticaly move around.
"Haymitch. You are not going to die. That venom is meant to numb. Now, I want to you promisse me that when I unstrap you, you will listen. Nod if you understand." Taking a chance at trust, Haymitch gently nodded. As he nodded he felt Beetee unstrap him.
"Now. Here is what will happen. I'm going to give you another injection. This will make you smaller, younger. I'm going to pass you off as a young 13 citizen. I can't etimate your age, but you will be very young. Once we get back to our districts, I will give you another. That one will make you the age you are now. Do you understand what I am saying?" Beetee was quick and firm in his instructions. Haymitch nodded again, and moved his arm so Beetee could inject him.
"Ok. You will feel a slight pinch." With that, Haymitch's world went dark.
"So he isn't dead?" Katniss asked, speeding up to match Beetee's pace. "No. I made him young. About two years old, to throw Coin off. If she couldn't find him anywhere, she would belive he was dead. Now that she is dead, I see no need to wait to you get to 12." When they reached the door to the medical room, Beetee stopped, holding his hand so Katniss wouldn't enter.
"The only side affect from this is that he couldn't remember me. I guess this was because he lost all memories after he turned two. So, a warrning: your usual interactions with him will not work." Katniss nodded, taking a deep breath before walking in.
She couldn't help but smile when she saw Haymitch. He had bright gray eyes, and his dark curls stood out. The little Haymitch was playing with tiny toy duck Beetee had found for him. As the pair walked towards him, she began to think of all the ways whe could get back at Haymitch for teasing her. Haymitch took notice of her, hiding behind the duck. Beetee moved towards the cabinets, taking out a jar with a blue liquid and a siringe.
"A bit shy, aren't we little one?" She asked softly. She felt a protective urge wash over her. Thinking of Prim, she held back tears that were threatening to fall. Beetee interrupted her, holding the needle ready.
"Hold him steady." Beetee told her. She nodded, sitting on the table, positioning Haymitch so Beetee could inject him. Hooking him up to machines to mounter him, he quickly put him to sleep before injecting the cure. After whispered praises, Beetee motioned for Katniss to follow him, closing the door when they were out.
"It will take the rest of the night. The cure has to go through his whole system."
The next morning, Katniss walked back to the room, to check to see if Haymitch was back to his adult self. She was surprised to see Beetee in the room, frantically moving around. What shocked her even more was that Haymitch was still a toddler.
"Beetee, you said it would work!" She yelled, toning her voice down when she realized that this Haymitch couldn't handle her yelling.
"His body rejected it. I've been here since last night, I got an alarm stating just that. I've tried everything, Katniss. His body just won't accept the cure." Katniss, deciding that anger would get her nowhere in this situation, moved to the teary-eyed boy. Cuddling him close, she sighed.
"He has to grow up again, doesn't he?" Beetee nodded.
"The only other thing I was wrong about was that he does remember a couple of things. He had a nightmare, I evaluated him. It's from his games- I tested his memory. I used people an images to see what he remembers. He can't recognize faces- unless it's his mother. He seems to only remember prominent actions or scenes- such as his games or the deaths of his mother, younger brother and girlfriend when he was 16." Beetee took a deep breath, and continued.
"While the only face he can match up from that is his mother- I assumed it was his younger brother, not born when he was two, all other faces and names have no recollection. His brain only recognizes the pain and trauma of these memories. This only slightly disproves my earlier theory of him not recognizing anyone at all."
Katniss took it all in, pity and mourn for Haymitch's losses filled her. Deciding against letting him go, she wrapped the little boy's legs around her.
"I'm taking him in." She told Beetee. "It will be best for me and for him. If I focus on taking care of him, then I can begin to heal. I can't go back to 12 knowing Haymitch is alone. I need to do it."
Not bothering to argue, Beetee nodded. "Do you want me to arrange for child's things to be sent back to 12 for you?" Katniss nodded. "Yes."
As she began to leave, the intercom announcing the arrival at 12, Katniss turned back to Beetee.
"Beetee."
"Yes-" He was cut off with a tight hug from Katniss, Haymitch glued to her side.
"Thank you for saving him." She whispered. With that, she began her new journey.
One month later.
"So little one, what do we want to do today? Color? Go take a walk through the meadow? Go see the geese?" Katniss asked, helping Haymitch pull on a shirt.
It was odd, taking care of Haymitch like this, since just over a month ago Haymitch was an adult, a drunken one, helping her. Now the tables had turned- leaving her a care taker. The word around town was that Haymitch was a nameless orphan from one of the districts, and in honor of the "fallen" mentor, Katniss had named him that. Along with that, she had taken him in to care for a child after the loss of Prim. Now, Katniss has to admit to herself, the last one was true.
She didn't realize she had zoned out until Haymitch had tugged on her shirt, calling her name softy.
"Katnith? Can we see the geeth?" Shaking her head yes with a small smile at the lisp, she helped him pull on his shoes.
"You love those Geese, don't you Haymitch?" She teased, attempting to pick him up.
"No Katnith. No up." Haymitch said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out the door. Grabbing their jackets, she pulled her's on, jumping when she saw who was outside her door.
"Peeta?" She exclaimed letting go of Haymitch's hand to grip him in a hug. He hugged back, kissing her when she looked up.
After an exchange and a game of real or not real, Katniss realized Haymitch was still here, hiding behind a tree.
"Oh, come out, Haymitch. I want you to meet someone." Peeta raised an eyebrow, but when the two-year old version of the man he thought was dead, everything clicked. The dark curly haired boy came into view, quickly running before hiding behind Katniss.
"That's what happened to him? Beetee did tell me Haymitch was alive, but different. He said you would explain." Looking from Katniss to the shy Haymitch, Katniss gave him a look.
"Haymitch, this is Peeta. The nice boy I told you about." She crouched down to his level. "He is really nice and sweet." Motioning for Peeta to crouch down, she pushed Haymitch forward.
"Paint?" Haymitch asked. Peeta grinned before nodding.
"I paint, yes. Have you been having fun with Katniss?" He asked, meeting her eyes over Haymitch's head.
"Yeth. We see geese now?" Haymitch asked, looking up to Katniss. She laughed, stroking his hair before taking his hand again.
"Is it ok if Peeta comes with us, Haymitch? I need to talk with him." Haymitch considers this before nodding. Peeta smiled, walking beside Katniss as they made their way towards Sae's home and farm, where she now raised cattle and geese.
"Haymitch, remember, be gentle!" Katniss called out. She didn't really need to worry, since the Geese were oddly gentle with Hatmitch, despite being complete demons to anyone else. As Haymitch sat down and held out his hand full of bread crumbs, Katniss leaned over the fence, looking to Peeta.
"I missed you." Petea told her, wrapping his arms around her. "I just had to heal on my own for a while Katniss." She nodded in understanding.
"I did too. I just didn't do it in a way I thought I would." Both looking to Haymitch, Peeta nodded.
"So how did this happen? I can tell he doesn't remember anything, but why is he two?" Peeta asked, raising an eyebrow when Katniss took a deep breath.
"Coin wanted him dead. Beetee was assigned to do it, but Beetee didn't want to go through with that. He created a serum to make him younger, pass Haymitch off as a toddler from 13. After I killed Coin and had my trial, healed a bit, Beetee found me. After explaining all of that to me, we waited to cure him."
"Let me guess, the cure didn't work." Peeta sighed.
"Yes. It didn't work. Now, Haymitch has to grow up again." Peeta nodded.
"Are you upset about that?" He asked, watching as Haymitch ran to Sae, asking for more breadcrumbs.
"You know what, no. I'm bittersweet about it. I would take Haymitch no matter what age he is- 42 or 2."
And with that, the first chapter is finished! Remember, Read and Reveiw!