A/N - I sincerely apologize for Katniss being out of character, but this story is not about Katniss, nor Peeta. This is a story about Haymitch and Effie, and someone had to play this role, so I chose to pick on Katniss. I also apologize for taking a little longer to update this week, but I hope you guys are enjoying where this plot line is going. If you want to give your input on a twist in the story, review or send me a PM please, because I have the next few chapters planned out, but beyond that, I don't know yet.

Haymitch watched her as she made her way to the phone. Haymitch recently had it fixed. Katniss picked up the phone and started to dial.

"And just what do you think you're doing, darlin?" Haymitch asked.

Katniss remained silent as she waited.

"Yes, connect me to the capitol please." Katniss said in a monotone voice. She waited a bit more. She drummed her fingers on the table on which the telephone was placed. "Connect me to Plutarch Heavensbee please… oh I'm sure he can make an exception….. This is Katniss Everdeen… Thank you." Katniss again waited for a few moments. She looked at Haymitch, who had an indescribable expression on his face. He growled at her before turning to Peeta, who just shrugged his shoulders at him.

After a while of apparently being put on hold, Katniss finally got a hold of someone useful. She listened to the person on the other line.

"Hello?" a familiar voice on the other line articulated.

"Hello Plutarch" Katniss said politely.

"Katniss! I was wondering how you were doing. How have you been?"

"Not so good, but this phone call isn't about me." Katniss said in a more serious tone. "This is about Haymitch. Have you heard anything from Effie lately?"

"Trinket? No, I know she took some time off, to recover, but I think she's been working the last month or so. Why do you ask?"

"We have a… situation," Haymitch looked up at Katniss and glared as she spoke into the phone.

"I don't want Effie here!" Haymitch bellowed.

Katniss continued speaking to Plutarch. "Effie was supposed to come to district 12 a couple of days ago and she didn't come, and Haymitch has been…. Upset about it."

"Haymitch and Effie? Huh, who would have thought! Did she get permission to move?"

"Yes, she had already bought her train ticket."

"And you're sure no other complications were in the way?" Plutarch asked.

"I'm not really sure, this was Haymitch's arrangement. Maybe you should talk to him."

"Pft. I aint talkin! You cant make me!" Haymitch said.

Katniss persisted. "Ok, he's not talking."

Plutarch hesitated. "Well, how about I check the situation out, then I'll call you back, it should be late tonight."

"Thanks Plutarch."

"Anytime." Katniss hung up the phone. Haymitch was looking out the window. While concentrating on something outside, he spoke.

"That was your idea? Call Plutarch? Yeah, let's get the Capitol involved with this! That's just dandy."

"Haymitch, the Capitol is different now, you know that," said Katniss.

"No, No its bloody not! And why are you defending the capitol? Why are you defending Effie? Why are you doing this? This isn't like you!"

"You know what Haymitch? I'm tired of feeling nonexistent! I'm tired of the hurt, of the pain; I'm tired of what the rebellion has done to me! I just want to start over. Ugh, you can deal with your own problems! Peeta, we're going home." Katniss walked civilly towards the door, dragging Peeta behind her.

Haymitch finally got up out of his living room chair, and went outside into the winter air, without a coat. He let the cold air chill his bones. He didn't care if he was cold. He could stand it. He sniffed around. Around his house smelled like birds. Too many birds. He had bought a couple of geese, and somehow, those turned into more geese. He didn't mind though. The more the merrier he thought, although he had to feed them some time or another. Haymitch grabbed the bad of geese food and went out to the front yard to where they roamed, fenced in, not that it did any good. What a simple life for these geese, pecking at the ground, swimming in the small pond. They have no worries, none what so ever. Haymitch wished life could be that easy. For so long it had. Drinking solved all his problems. He wasn't sober to remember most of his life, and therefore it made it easier to get through it.

Snow had started falling down from the cold wintery sky. Haymitch knew he mustn't stay out her longer, but he did. He embraced the cold flakes. Eventually he couldn't feel his toes, and thus he chose the reason to go inside. He walked back into the door and rubbed his hands together. He thought of starting a fire, and went to get firewood from just outside the door. Once he had one roaring and crackling, he sat down and propped his feet up so where they could regain feeling. Just after he could move them again, the phone rang. Haymitch let out a heavy sigh and lifted himself from the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Hello?" Haymitch answered.

"Haymitch, it's good to hear your voice. This is Plutarch."

"Oh, um…. Have you found anything out about Effie?"

"Yes, I have. It's not a lot, but hopefully it'll be a reason. I tried to locate Effie, and I couldn't. We tried searching her house, her work, her favorite places, and no trace of her. In fact, the last anyone saw of her was on the day she was supposed to take the train to district 12."

Haymitch tried to make sense of what Plutarch had just told him, the alcohol was draining out of his system. "Thank you Plutarch, for the information. It's done a lot of use."

"If you want, Haymitch, I'll send a search party out for her."

Haymitch thought. "That would be fine, but I want to be there too. I want to search for her."

"Alright, consider it done. A train leaves for the capitol tomorrow morning. Be on that train."

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