13
xx
As soon as the hovercraft landed, they took an unconscious Katniss to the medical bay in 13. Gale went with her, it was wise that he be the one by her side, when she awoke, and not Haymitch.
The landing bay was busy with crafts, coming and going, most were bringing in rescued citizens from further districts, refugees, people that wanted in on the attack at the Captiol, escorts and mentors being brought in by their past victors for safety, some willingly, some not.
She was supposed to be on craft number two. Where was she?
He scanned the area for the colourful blonde but remembered that all refugee Capitol citizens were to dress in 13 attire during the flight over, it was an order. A sudden wave of regret hit home. He had never seen her out of her Captiol grandness. Would he recognise her?
"Let go of me! I can walk by myself, thank you very much!"
Of course. He'd only need to recognise that voice. He followed the sound of her shrill and crystal cut voice and prayed she wasn't being difficult. Then he saw her. Cuffed and chained and almost unrecognisable. Her natural hair was a long, dusty, blonde mound of waves. Gone were the sky scraper heels and the colourful couture, instead she wore district grey and navy, and boots that were far to big for her.
"Hey, hey!" He called out to her and the guards that were pulling her along. He knew Effie could be stubborn, but surely, were the cuffs and chains really necessary?.
"Hey!" He called again, witnessing the two guards getting a little too rough with her for comfort, he made his way over to them, across the platform, and she caught his eye.
"Haymitch! Help!" She cried and kicked at one of the guards to break free. Unfortunately, before she could turn to run into Haymitchs arms, she was stuck hard, across the mouth by another guard and Haymitch watched helplessly, as she fell, half conscious, to the ground. He bolted towards her, blood boiling and ready for a fight.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He seethed, grabbing for the guard who had struck her, and punching him hard in the face. Soon enough, he was grappling with several more of them.
"Get off of her! She's with me! What are you doing?!"
Two guards took ahold of Haymitch as the rest of them picked a shaking Effie up from the ground and carried her away.
"Presidents orders, the woman goes straight to the cells. You gotta problem? You go through Coin"
As soon as Effie was out of sight the guards dropped Haymitch to his knees and left him.
"Don't worry!" He spat up to them "I will!"
Xx
Coin had refused to see Haymitch until she realised he would not give up.
"Send him in then" she told the guard and sat poised and ready for Haymitch to fly in and lose his shit it with her. Surprisingly, he was calm. Clever man.
"Effie Trinket" he began
"What about her?" Coin sighed and ran a finger through the front of her silver, slick hair.
"Why is she being held as a prisoner and not a refugee?" He spoke slowly and clearly, but Coin could tell there was an underlining venom to his tone. His fists where clenched tight and he spoke to her through gritted teeth.
"Because she's not a refugee!" Coin stated, slapping her hand down on her desk and standing so she was just below his eye level "The woman was an acquaintance of Snow and a good enough allie. She is a criminal, she will remain a criminal and locked in a cell, like a criminal, until I deem her safe to be otherwise, understood?"
"No" was his answer. Coin rolled her eyes and sat back down. She eyed him suspiciously, stood there, trembling and ready for a fight. All for a woman, that had made his life a living hell, or so she'd thought.
"Don't you dare let your personal feelings for this woman get in the way of my mission." Coin started "you know she's a risk she-"
"She's not a risk, Alma!" Haymitch pleaded. He let out a groan, took off his black beanie and ran a hand through his sandy hair. He took a seat across from the president and leant forward, arms clasped together on her desk.
"She knows nothing. I told her nothing. She didn't even know about an uprising-"
"Everybody knew it was coming!" Coin scoffed, in total disbelief at his words
"Ok! Fine! Maybe she had an idea, maybe they all did, but she had no way of knowing our plans, what could she have possibly said to Snow?"
"That's what I'm going to find out-"
"No!" Haymitch yelled, finally loosing his cool. He knew exactly what she meant by that. Torture. He wouldn't have it, not when he knew it was a lost cause. She knew nothing. She would tell them nothing. But it would only make them torture her longer. "You won't touch her, you won't get anywhere! Let me talk to her, if she knows anything, she trusts me, if there's anything I'll get it out of her, torture is not the way, she's….she….it'll break her."
"Her or you?" Coin questioned. And for a second, Haymitch saw a twitch of jealousy strike across her eyes. A fraction of admission. She dipped her head quickly, taking her eyes off him as he began to work her out.
"You talk about my personal feelings getting in the way…what about yours?" He asked calmly, placing his beanie back onto his head and leaning back into his chair.
"I don't know what you're talking about" she lied, clearly flustered and blushing.
"Well, whatever I am talking about, or what you think I'm talking about or what you think I feel for that woman, know that my only intention is to do the right thing. She doesn't deserve it and you know that."
He looked at her for the longest time. Whether his instincts were right or not and Alma Coin had an interest in him, the answer was and always would be, no. He wasn't one for caring much for others, but it had just so happened that Katniss, Peeta and now his ridiculous escort had struck a nerve on his conscience and in his heart. He didn't know when exactly, that Effie had come in to play, but he cared for her, more than he should and he was jeopardising everything he had worked for but, for some reason, it didn't matter. He had to protect her, them. That, to him, was more important than any war..
"You may speak to her" Coin spoke suddenly. She was also a very clever woman, clever enough to not let a silly little interest get in the way of her true mission. "Report back to me tonight, if I'm satisfied, she may be freed into your care."
Haymitch nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, Alma"
"President Coin, to you, Mr Abernathy."
Then he left, and a new struggle formed in his head. How was he going to tell Effie that this, her imprisonment, her kidnap from the Capitol, was all his fault.
Xx
She didn't even wait to see if it was really him before she flung herself into his arms, and let go of what tears she had left. He shushed her gently, combing his fingers through the back of her dusty hair and spied the chain still clasped around her foot and joined to the wall.
"What's happening Haymitch?" She started in a panic. "I was in the penthouse when Katniss shot the arrow, it all happened so fast, I didn't know what to do, those men, they just, they took me away on board that craft and- and-…oh Haymitch, I've never been treated so awful. I feel like a criminal!" She babbled and stuttered through her tears but all he could do was listen, had he the heart to tell her yet? Or, at all?
"They made me undress in front of them" she said a little quieter
"What!?"
"Those men, those guards, they laughed at me"
Haymitch gripped the back of her jumpsuit in anger. That was not supposed to happen, this was sick. They were supposed to be the good guys. He wanted to know the names and faces of every man involved in Effie's kidnap. Heads would roll for this.
Suddenly, Effie began inspecting him, like she was looking for something, she ran her hands up the length of his chest to his neck and combed her fingers through the tips of his hair.
When she was satisfied with her search she let out a sigh of relief as Haymitch stood there, confused.
"Thank god, you're not hurt."
His heart ached at her endless concern for him. Here she was, abused and locked up and still, she cared less about herself and more for the man that had ultimately put her there.
"Did they take you too? Did they lock you up? Are you free now?"
"Effie I-"
"Was Katniss apart of this? Is that why she shot the arrow? Of course she is, how else would she have known it would bring the system down. Is she alive? Are we in 12? Where are we?" She clung to him, frightened and frail. How anyone could pen Effie Trinket for a criminal, was beyond him.
But of course, there were other reasons behind her inprisonment, ones that, hopefully, Haymitch had called Coin out on. She shouldn't keep her down here long.
"Are they feeding you? Are you thirsty?" Haymitch asked. He just wanted to know she was ok, then he would report back his own story to coin. "Are you cold?" Haymitch placed his hands on her upper arms "god, Effie, you're freezing, here…" He took his jacket off and wrapped it around her, then he took off his beanie and placed it over her soft waves.
All the while, Effie had stilled, watching him curiously. When he noticed her jaw tense and her lips purse into a fine line, he knew he was in trouble.
"You knew…" She said softly. It wasn't a question or a statement, it was words. Emotionless, gut wrenching words, falling of the tip if her tongue
"You knew all about this, didn't you?"
She stepped back from his hold on her and took the beanie from her head, placing it back into his hands.
"I didn't know she was going to do what she did, but the plan was to get her out, alive, and bring her here. Yes"
"Here? Wheres here? Where are we?" She looked around her cell like it could bring her new answers, but Haymitch knew it was just to avoid his eyes.
"District 13" he replied.
Her eyes grew wide, her shoulders tensed. She shook his jacket from her and let it fall to the floor.
"We've been re building it for years, there's an army, we're preparing to fight…to storm the Captiol, to-"
"To kill all those innocent people?"
"It's no different to what they did to our people, Effie. No different from the games"
He stepped a little closer but she held her hands up to keep him well away
"I'm one of those people, Haymitch. Is that why I'm here? Are you going to kill me too?"
"No!" He exclaimed "never! I brought you here to save you-"
'SLAP!' She hit him hard across his cheek, then again and again and again until he grabbed her wrists and restrained her against the wall of her cell.
"What right have I got to be saved, if my family and friends are to stay there to die?! To be murdered?!" She struggled weakly against him, kicking at his legs and wriggling against his chest. "I'm the murderer! I'm the one who should be punished! I was the one who sent all of your people to die in the games! Why? Why did you save me?! Why?!"
"Yes, why did you Haymitch?" The presidents amused voice came from behind them. "Do tell her the truth, why you thought she deserved a second chance?"
"Don't" Haymitch warned. But Coin was a woman scorned and he knew she wouldn't relent.
"Fine, then I will." She said and looked directly into Effie's eyes. "He saved you for himself dear. Not because you deserve to be here, with us. But because he's a selfish man, who has his needs and unfortunately, our Mr Abernathy seems to have fallen quite In love with you…"
Effie gasped at the admission. Haymitch let go of her wrists and fell silent.
"…which makes me question your alliance now Haymitch"
"What?!" He spat viciously
"You're in love with a born and bred Capitolist, the enemy. How can you possibly fight for our side when you're in love with hers."
"I don't care about them! They deserve what they get! I'm ready to fight!" He turned to Effie, her eyes were full of hatred. "Hate me all you want princess, call me selfish, call me a murderer. We were a team, remember! That's why I got you out! That's why I saved you! I don't leave my team mates behind!"
He held her again but she tensed at his touch.
"I'm sorry. But I had to."
"Take her to the med bay, clean her up. I want her in my office by 6." Coin ordered and two of her guards pushed passed Haymitch and took hold of Effie. When they were gone, Haymitch turned to Coin.
"Happy?" He asked bitterly
"Relieved, actually. If I'd have had to kill her, I'd have had to of killed you too. I need you on this Haymitch. But, I need you to have a clear head. She'll never love you back now. I think I've done you a huge favour."
Xxx
They hadn't spoken two words to one another in almost 3 weeks. She had avoided him at all cost and he had let her, ashamed of what he had said, infront of Coin. Of course, he had meant every word. The Capitol deserved to be punished but they were a team, his team. His only regret was that he had failed to admit his true feelings for Effie Trinket, that day. Sometimes, as he watched her from across the cafeteria, eating alone and ignoring the gossiping districtees, he wished he had told her, he wished he had admitted it, then maybe she would at least hold his gaze for longer than a painful second. But, then he would watch the struggle that Katniss was going through, for Peeta, for the cause and it reminded him that he needed to be focused, he needed a clear head and no distractions, just like Coin had said.
But watching her from afar, her sad and vacant eyes, it haunted him in his sleep and he was nothing but distracted.
Xxx
"What do you want?"
Effie couldn't bring herself to open the door the entire way as Haymitch stood before her, wanting to talk.
He asked her how she was and she shrugged. He asked her if she was being treated fairly and she shrugged again and it started to rub him up the wrong way. She wouldn't answer him properly and she would barely look at him and it began to piss him off, so much so, that he found himself forcing his way into her room and locking the door behind them, much to her protest.
"God damnit Effie! Talk to me, you need a friend in this place!"
After trying and failing to push him out of her bunker she relented and rested her back against her wall, letting her head fall back in defeat. She was tired. So tired.
"Effie, please-"
"I needed you Haymitch" she whispered suddenly. "I needed you so much, I do need you, but I should hate you! I want to hate you!" She squeezed her eyes shut and he saw the tears falling down her cheeks. "You shouldn't have brought me here. You should have let me go. I don't deserve this"
He couldn't get his head around what she meant by 'this' so he asked.
"A second chance, Haymitch. I don't deserve it"
He sighed irritably
"Effie, out of most of the people here, you deserve that more than anyone"
"How can you say that?" She hissed
"Because I know you!" He yelled, stepping toward her and placing his hands against the wall, either side of her head. She pushed herself back against it, as far as she could. "You think all these years of working together that I haven't been paying attention to you? That I haven't watched you, Effie? Every day, you become smarter, wiser, more beautiful. I know you hated being an escort. I know you hated reaping those names and I know you were just too scared of the consequences, if you didn't do it, if you faltered in front of them, I know you. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never said this to you before, I'm sorry I never told you that I trusted you, that I knew how you felt, that I knew that you felt the change coming. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, god dammit Effie, I can't do this with out you, I need you. Call me selfish, I am selfish, I'm sorry but I can't…I can't survive this if I lose you" he was going on and on and all Effie could do was listen and think. She was lost for words, she was frightened, she was sad, she was a whole bunch of things but, apparently, she was needed, it seemed. That was new for her. She placed her hands on his chest as he rambled on with his apologies. His heart was racing and she could see angry tears, threatening to spill, even though she knew he'd never let them fall in front of her. She needed him too, desperately, but had been too angry to admit it or even forgive him. Now, as he was breaking down in front of her, she felt herself melting.
"Forgive me Effie? Please? I-"
"Because we're a team?"
"Because I-"
"Don't" Effie pleaded. She knew exactly what he was about to say, but she too agreed with Coins words. She'd heard what Coin had said to Haymitch when she was being taken from the cell. 'I need you to have a clear head. She'll never love you now. I think I've done you a favour'
If he said it, she would crumble. She wouldn't be able to hold herself back from him and it could put them both in danger. As angry as she was still, she could never, would never do that to him. Not when she also felt the same.
"Don't say it, you know you can't, we can't" Effie pleaded and pressed a hand to Haymitchs lips and he kissed her fingertips gently "if we are going to win this war, you need to focus, you need to be there for Katniss, you need to keep Coin on the right path, you need to stay sober and use that brilliant mind, that I know that you have, to her advantage.."
He leaned forward, wanting so badly to kiss her right now but she shook her head.
"Can't…" She whispered, but her breaking voice gave her away slightly.
"When this war is over, I'm going to-"
"But it's not" she interjected, before he could say anymore, before he could place absent hopes into either of their heads. "We don't know what's going to happen in the future. Focus on what's here, right now"
"Your here, right now" he said slyly, running his hands around her waist and pulling her closer to him.
"Please, Haymitch" she pleaded again, shakily. It was taking all the strength she had left, not to push her lips against his. "I'm only just working out how to forgive you, don't make this even harder by making me fall in love with you"
She closed her eyes at her own words, wishing herself to just shut up and let him kiss her but she was doing the right thing.
Haymitch saw her pain. Not wanting to cause her any more, he took it as a sign to leave.
"So, I am forgiven then?" He asked seriously. He didn't think he could go back to ignoring each other anymore
"I'll sleep on it" she replied. A small smirk teasing her lips. It didn't meet her eyes but Haymitch would take what he could get, for now. Anything to keep her in his life. The next few months were going to be tough, they were going to be dangerous, and like a soldier leaving for war, having his love here, waiting for him to return home safe, was enough to see him through it. Even if it was to be the death of them.
Xxxx
Over the months, Effie had made herself useful in the medical bay. Assisting, came naturally to her and blood and guys didn't seem to make her uneasy anymore, the games had given her a tough skin for sights like that. But, she was as weak as she was tough sometimes and the bombs had been dropped over the Captiol, killing thousands of innocent children. Many of the wounded and dying, were flown straight to 13 to be treated. Many had died in her arms that night. The sight of that and the feeling of losing a precious life, as it lay struggling in her hands, gave her the penance she deserved after all of those years reaping. Tonight she was unsettled. She needed him.
She didn't finish til the early hours next day. News of Prims death had swarmed the district and Snow had been captured. Tomorrow was going to be the day it all ended, or it all started again. She couldn't sleep, sleep was the last thing on her mind, she needed to be held, she needed reassurance that she wouldn't be alone tomorrow.
She found herself at his bunker and knocked gently. When he finally answered, he was undressed from the waist up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"What's the matter sweetheart?"
"I can't sleep"
He nodded understandably, taking her hand and pulling her into his room. As They wandered over to his single bed, she noticed how he didn't turn the light on and asked what he was doing.
"Sweetheart, I NEED to sleep tonight, we both do, but if you can't and you just need the company, lie down, I'll let you watch over me"
It was dark and she couldn't see his face but she could tell he was smiling.
"Ok…" She whispered, slipping into his bed and bunching over, as far as she could, to the wall. The bed was still warm and it was so comforting. It smelt of him too, and when he slipped in beside her, the feel of his naked skin against her hands, created a new sort of warmth within her.
He got comfortable, sliding his hand over her hip and resting his nose and lips against her forehead.
"Better?" He whispered, kissing her skin gently.
"Yes…" Effie replied and ran her hands, slowly up his chest before settling closer.
A good few minutes of silence passed between them as they lay, crushed together, but still, Effie couldn't sleep. She was held, yes, she was comforted, yes, but it wasn't enough. Feelings were stirring up inside her as she felt his hot breath at her skin. She wasn't sure if he was sleeping yet, but she knew she never would, not until she did what she was about to do, at least once, anyways.
Tilting her head up slightly until she felt his breath at her lips, she leaned a little closer in the darkness and pressed her lips onto his for a lingering, soft kiss.
He reacted immediately, obviously not asleep himself, by tightening his grip at her hip before running a hand down the length of her thigh and hooking it over him.
She pulled away for a second, letting their noses touch.
"Still need to sleep?"she asked. Her breath was unsteady as she finally knew what she wanted, what she needed.
"I'll sleep when I'm dead" was his answer before he closed the gap between them again and pushed his lips against hers, hard and hungrily.
They didn't have sex that night, it just didn't feel right to take it that far yet, not until it was all over tomorrow. Instead, they held each other close, explored each other with their hands and lips, fell so intimately in love that sex would be the icing on the cake, when the time was right, when they could wake up happy and satisfied and without a second care about any war.
xxx