Bleeding Wounds and Healing Scars

A Hunger Games Fanfiction by Sassy Lil Scorpio

Disclaimer: The story and characters from The Hunger Games trilogy are from the creative imagination of Suzanne Collins. This author makes no claim of ownership. No monetary gain is being made from this work.

Summary: It all started with a spark. The Girl on Fire fanned the flames of revolution and changed the face of Panem forever. 100 fanfics from before, during, and after the events in The Hunger Games Trilogy. Stories about trauma and resilience, love and hate, and life and death. A mix of drabbles, vignettes, and one-shots. Based on the LiveJournal writing community Fanfic100.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Fanfic100 is a Live Journal writing community. I chose The Hunger Games because I wanted to write HG fanfiction, but was stuck on what to write about. There's so much I love about the books and movies, the story and characters. They're dark, beautiful, real, painful… Fanfic100 is one of many LiveJournal writing communities that got the creative juices flowing.

Some fics are written in the past tense, others in the present tense. I tried to get all the characters from the series into these fics, but I'm sure I missed some. The names of Katniss' and Peeta's son and daughter are based on what Suzanne Collins confirmed their names to be: Rye and Willow. My hope is that every fic in this collection gives justice to The Hunger Games.I also used some quotes from the trilogy and other source material which I'll be sure to give credit.

The word prompts from #96-#100 are "Writer's Choice." The first 95 words are from the "Big Damn Table" found on Fanfic100.

The fics in this collection are one-shots. Three fics are connected to each other: #79 Where?, #98 Forgive , and #99 Regret. However, the chronological order of the story being portrayed is #99 Regret, #98 Forgive, and #79 Where?. They can still be read as one-shots.

Dedication: For my amazing god-daughter, Yonique. I'm so proud of all you are—intelligent, funny, athletic, strong, and so much more. You got me into The Hunger Games and I can't wait to take you to see Mockingjay Part 2.


1. Beginnings

The End is The Beginning

"Endings are beginnings," Plutarch tells Katniss in the hovercraft. "You'll see. The Hunger Games are a past horror, part of Panem's awful history. The war is over. All we can do is begin all over again."

Katniss casts him a long, weary look. After everything that's happened in Panem and all she's been through with the rebellion and the war, she has nothing to say to him. Even if she had the words to respond, she isn't sure she'd want to express them. How does one begin again when they have lost everything? Plutarch, always one to toss around cliché phrases including— "beauty from the ashes" and "look forward with hope, not backward with regret"— doesn't seem to grasp the impact of his words. At least, not in Katniss' view. He comes off trite and belittling and she's tired of hearing him. It's not until she returns home to District 12 that Plutarch's words take on significant meaning.

Relationships begin the healing process. She and Peeta start to mend their connection by spending time together.

One of Katniss' favorite times is when she lies down on the couch in the living room; the fireplace is lit and casting a beautiful reddish-orange glow on the walls. She watches Peeta as he mixes colors together and paints a portrait of Cinna, capturing the stylist's calm, yet calculating, expression. He is focused and solemn as he maneuvers the paintbrushes and paint across the canvas, transforming it into a beautiful memory of Cinna. Katniss stays up until dawn, watching Peeta paint the finishing touches. Peeta had returned to his home in Victors Village in the morning. One day, he doesn't return to his home. They retire to Katniss' room and they fall asleep in each other's arms. Peeta never returns to his home after that, except to gather his few belongings and place them in another room in Katniss' house.

Haymitch shows his face every now and then. He raises a flock of geese which helps keep his mind occupied. It's comical, and even sweet, to see Haymitch with a bottle in hand, shepherding a flock of geese. It's especially funny when they cross paths in District 12 and Katniss has to wait for the smallest one to catch up with the rest. Little duck, she thinks to herself and it makes her smile because she is reminded of her pet name for Prim.

One day, Katniss goes into town and is surprised to see Greasy Sae in a small tent cooking wild dog stew along with other District 12 residents. A new Hob starts developing and a trade begins again. Katniss hunts now for the traders in the Hob and also for her, Peeta, and sometimes Haymitch.

Katniss speaks with her mother on the phone every few weeks. She hopes she can convince her mother to visit next summer and even considers taking a trip to District 4 to visit the new hospital Mrs. Everdeen has opened. It's just her and her mother now in the Everdeen family and they must try to stay close to each other even if there is physical and emotional distance between them.

When she sees the lone dandelion in the field one morning, Katniss is finally convinced these new beginnings will continue forward into a new life. She feels the reassurance of a new life with peace and tranquility, when she holds the delicate yellow dandelion in her hand. Katniss closes her eyes and remembers Plutarch's words, finally appreciating and understanding the full truth behind them:

"Endings are beginnings."