Chapter 6: Little Birdie's Secrets - KPOV

After several moments, the door burst open before us. There stood Cinna, with a worried looking Haymitch behind him. Cinna was wearing what looked like simple grey hospital pajamas, but he somehow made them look better... fashionable even. He was also wearing a wide smile and I couldn't help smiling in return, as I felt my clearly unfounded fears melt away.

"Oh Cinna, it's true. You're really alive! You have no idea how glad I am, I was half scared that it was a lie. I am so sorry, Cinna... So, so sorry about everything they did to you because of me. I'll do anything to make it up ... " I was telling him but was cut off when he suddenly reached out and pulled me into a hug.

The tears that had been threatening to fall, finally did. I was all sobs and I felt he was shaking too. I felt some wetness on my shoulder when his head was, and I realized he was crying too. I pulled back and took a good look at him. He seemed older and thinner but he was still the same Cinna, and I smiled at him through my tears. He smiled back and opened his mouth, as if to speak, before his features turned sad again. That's when I realized he wasn't the same after all, and my smile fall too.

"I'm so sorry, Cinna. Please believe me. As I was trying to say, I'll do anything to make it up to you. Whatever you need." I told him, hopeful to find a way to help him.

He shook his head, No, before pulling me inside the room. Haymitch gave me an encouraging smile as we passed him. Cinna brought me to the side table beside his bed, where he had a notepad. He began scribbling into it and it reminded me of all my previous conversations with Pollux, before I'd learned a lot of his sign language.

"Cinna, have you learned sign language?" I asked him.

He looked up from what he was writing, and shook his head again, before continuing to write. When he finished, he held it out for me to read.

"Katniss, please stop trying to apologize. There is absolutely NOTHING for you to be sorry for... and least of all, for you to make up to me.

No. I was never taught sign language. Avox have no need to speak of anything, and I was hurt relatively soon after."

He sat on the corner of his bed and i took the chair beside him. Effie and Haymitch were also in the room, but were allowing us to get reacquainted. I took one of Cinna's hands in mine before I replied.

"Okay, I'll try to stop with the apologies. I've been working on letting go of all the guilt I've felt for so long, but it's still my go-to emotion some days." I told him truthfully and he nodded, somewhat sadly at me.

"Hello Cinna, old friend. I just found out about you today but I'm glad to see you're well. I've actually been back in the Capitol for about a week now. Oh, I do wish I'd known you were alive all this time." Effie said to Cinna, drawing his attention to her.

I could read the reply he was writing as he smiled, from where I stood beside him.

"Effie Trinket, it's been a long time. Dare I say, you look lovelier than ever... happier too. Tell me all about you ... You say you've been back in the Capitol for a week. Where had you been before?"

Effie began telling Cinna that she and Haymtch are engaged and how she's been living in Twelve with us. He looked shocked at the news, and I wondered if he was shocked at her choice of fiance or her living in Twelve. I laughed to myself when I thought about it and realized both would be completely shocking to anyone that had known Effie before the war.

Conversation flowed between us as we caught Cinna up to everthing he'd missed over the last couple of years. I asked about Lavinia, and he told us her procedure might be finishing up already. I asked if he was scared about having it done the following day, and he admitted that he was, even if the doctors have informed him they'd been successful in the previous patients.

After a short time, Effie said she and Haymitch would go find us some lunch. I offered to stay with Cinna to keep him company. They hadn't been gone a few minutes before two doctors came into Cinna's room. They both looked startled to see him with company, but even more nervous when they recognized me.

"Katniss Everdeen. Hello, I'm ... I'm Dr. Mark Sloan. This is Dr. Derek Sheppard." The first doctor spoke, trying to disguise is obvious surprise.

They were both smiling at me like I was some sort of celebrity. I supposed they might be right on some level, but I wasn't here to give autographs or for a good time. I was here to stand by my friend as he prepared for surgery. I wanted these two clowns to get their heads in the right place.

"Hello doctors. You clearly know who I am and probably have a good idea of what I'm capable of. What you might not know, is that Cinna is a very close and personal friend of mine, and I care very much about his recovery. That said, what can you tell me of what you're planning on doing for my friend?" I spoke, not exactly sure where the confidence came from, but glad for it when I saw the doctors get serious.

"We're sorry if we seemed cavalier. We were just stunned to see you of all people, here with our patient. As Dr. Sloan said, I'm Dr. Sheppard. I'm a neurosurgeon, which means I specialize in brain surgery as well as nerves. Dr. Sloan is an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon that also specializes in tissue and cell regeneration." The second doctor told me.

I had very little ideas about what any of that meant and had to admit most of it was lost on me. Clearly, he realized that and went on to explain it to me in simpler terms.

"Ms. Everdeen, Dr. Sloan has developed a way to regrow cells and muscle tissues that we will regrow as Cinna's tongue. I will make sure the nerves work properly so he can regain control of it and eventually speak again." Dr. Sheppard said and smiled warmly at me.

I was forced to return his smile, since he made it impossible not to. I could tell that they both meant to help Cinna and my original impression of them had been wrong. It didn't hurt that they were both dreamy and very handsome men. When I looked back at Cinna, I saw him smiling back at me and he seemed very hopeful.

"We actually came in here to tell Cinna that his friend Lavinia's surgery this morning, went very well. She's probably still asleep in the recovery unit now, which is probably for the best." Dr. Sloan told us.

"That's right. As you might remember Cinna, the surgery is tedious but the aftermath can be very painful for several days. We will continue to monitor her and keep her on pain medications for some time. The important thing to remember is that it was successful. We will come back and see you to surgery tomorrow morning, bright and early." Dr. Sheppard told Cinna.

I saw Cinna mouth thank you, to them, so I also thanked them. They nodded at us and were about to leave when a woman walked in.

"Derek, the patient has woken up and I've started a new line of morphling to help ease her pain and lull her back to sleep. Mark, Lexie told me to remind you that you're supposed to meet her for..." The woman was speaking to them and suddenly stopped when she got a look at me, clearly surprised to see me there.

Both doctors chucked at her reaction, before Dr Sheppard spoke to her. "Meredith, this is Katness Everdeen, a close friend of Cinna's."

She turned to him before looking back at me apologetically, but I just waved it off. I was already used to getting that reaction from people.

"Yes, Dr. Grey. We don't gawk at our patients or their friends." Dr. Sloan joked at her, causing her to kind of growl at him.

"Don't let them fool you, they gawked at me when they got here, too." I told her, smiling at the looks of betrayal they shot me.

"Oh really? Well, I'm sure Derek won't mind housework duty tonight. And, I'm sure my sister Lexie can find similar work for Mark after I tell her." Meredith told me, smiling conspiratorially at me.

They both shuffled away after that and I smiled back at Meredith, who stayed behind.

"So, am I to understand that you and Dr. Sheppard are an item, as are your sister Lexie and Dr. Sloan? I can only imagine how crazy it might get around here." I told her and saw Cinna laugh silently.

"Trust me, you have no idea. Mc Dreamy and Mc Steamy are a dynamic duo, but I'd never be able to explain just how crazy it usually got in our original hospital, in our district. I can tell you, that they are both very gifted surgeons, so Cinna couldn't be in better hands." She told me.

"That's good and very comforting to hear." I replied and held Cinna's hand.

"We were all relocated here from Seven. During my time here, I've worked with your mother for some time now. I must tell you she's a very talented nurse. Did she tell you that our hospital chief has been trying to convince her to complete her medical training, to become a doctor. Dr. Bailey is hopeful that your mother will do it. Since Dr. Bailey trained me, I can tell you that if your mother accepts, she'd be learning from the best." Meredith explained.

I told her I'd been in Twelve for some time and hadn't spoken to my mother about that. In reality, I still felt a bit ashamed that i'd never really taken an interest in how my mother was doing so far away from the only home she'd ever known. Its clear that she's been doing well here, and i was glad for it. After Meredith was done checking Cinna's vitals and writing them down in the chart, i told her that I'd try to convince my mother. She said she was glad to hear it and to have met me, then she left me with Cinna.

Cinna and I began watching a Capitol movie, when Haymith and Effie returned with sandwiches and soup for Cinna. The movie was about a girl that had fallen in love with a vegetarian Vampire that glittered in sunlight, for some reason. When Effie saw what we were watching, she squealed again. She told us how this movie was based on the first of a four book series. Cinna even confessed it was a guilty pleasure, since he'd read the books several year's past. Effie and Cinna then chatted about different ideas for her wedding dress, and Effie was elated that he'd offered without her having to beg.

After watching two of those vampire movies, our time with Cinna had some to an end for the day. It was time for us to return to my mother's house for dinner. I felt bad leaving Cinna here, but he waved me away. He wrote me a message telling me to get some real food and a good night's rest. He wrote that he'd be busy thinking up some ideas for decent clothes for me to wear, even if they were only for Twelve. He also told me he had to get busy with plans for Effie's dress.

After promising that I would return in the morning, before his surgery, we finally left. When we were finally in the car Haymitch had called for, I realized how tired I really was. Still, we went by Effie's hotel room and I helped her pack her things while Haymitch got her checkout.

It smelled great by the time we arrived at my mom's house. Haymitch and Effie went directly to their room to shower and get ready. I decided to pass through the kitchen, to tell my mom that we were back. I turned into the kitchen, and was flabbergasted by the sight of what i walked in on. Never, in all my wildest and crazy dreams, could i have ever pictured this.

Beetee had my mother pressed up against the counter, and they were kissing deeply. I would have turned away out of respect, but i was stuck unable to move. I must have made some sort of surprised sound, because they pulled apart instantly and stared at me, shocked to see me there.

Well, i can't imagine they're more shocked than I am - I thought to myself.

"I'm sorry, I can come back later." I said and tried to turn away, but still couldn't find a way to make myself move.

"I'm sorry you walked in on this, honey." My mother said as Beete echoed "I'm sorry too, Katniss."

They shared a look, adn then Beetee nodded at my mother. he stayed where he was adn she came closer to where I stood. I noticed that she approached me like i was a rabid dog that might attack. I found her movements amusing and was unable to keep myself from chuckling. My chuckle quickly turned into a full laugh when i saw Beetee and my mom;s reaction.

"Apparently, she tends to laugh at the weirdest of times." Beetee told my mother cautiously, as he came to stand beside her.

"Well, I don't recall the last time I've seen her laugh this way." She replied to him worriedly.

Looking at the two of them through my laughter, I came to realize they'd both lost so much, like I had. He was standing behind her, half supporting her and holding her hand. I couldn't begrudge them any sort of happiness they may have found in each other, I told myself as i let the laughter die down.

"Are you happy?" I asked them both.

"More than I thought I ever could be again." My mother responded, just as Beetee nodded.

I nodded back and told them we could talk during dinner. I finally found my legs and went to shower and get ready. As I showered i thought about all I'd leaned today. Cinna was alive and would soon be well. My mother had found happiness with a good man. I found myself hopeful, more than I'd been in the past. If even after all the devastation my mother lived through, if she could find happiness... Then, maybe one day, I can too.

At that thought, I found myself humming. I realized I wasn't humming just any song. I was humming the song I sang for Pollux the last time he'd been in Twelve. When I was dressed, I made my way to the dining room. Haymitch and Beetee were already there, talking in the corner. My mother and Effie came out of the kitchen with big dishes that smelled incredible. I asked how I could help, but they told me just to have a seat.

"Beetee and Hay, would you please bring the wine, water and glasses out?" My mother called to them as she placed her dishes on the table.

I saw Beetee nod and head straight for the kitchen, but Haymitch shot my mother a smile, before following after Beetee. I thought nothing of the nickname and it didn't seem to bother Haymitch either, so i focused on telling my mom everything looked great.

Once we were all seated, everyone began to dig in. My mother asked how my visit with Cinna had gone and I told her it was great. I also told her about the doctors I'd met and about what Meredith told me. Beetee became interested and she told us she would thinking about it.

"You should do it. There's nothing holding you back, Lil." Haymitch chimed in, making her smile in his direction.

"Okay, what's up with the nick names and the smiles and the looks between you too. You've known each other for a log time, but lately you've been acting weird. If i didn't know how happy Haymitch is with Effie, and if I hadn't walked in on Mom making out with Beetee earlier, I'd suspect you're having a secret affair." I told her and Haymitch, unable to hold it back.

"What?!" They all yelled at once.

"Lily, you're with Beetee? Why didn't either of you tell me?" Haymitch's voice spoke louder than the rest, sounding pretty demanding.

"Don't yell at her! It just happened one day, we just... Besides, why would we need to tell you anything? Lily wanted to tell Katniss first, but she happened to catch us earlier." Beetee defended my mom, who just looked at Haymitch guiltily.

"Lil?" Haymitch asked my mother, softly.

"Oh Hay, he's right. He'd been getting treatments at the hospital as he was trying to regain the use of his legs. That's where we met and started to fall for each other. I'm sorry I kept it from both of you." She answered Haymitch and me.

"Well, I told you I was fine with it as long as you're both happy. What I don't understand Lil, is why Hay over here, just reacted that way... That's what I want to know. What is that about?" I asked them, again.

"It is a little weird, I will admit." Effie agreed with me.

Haymitch and my mother shared another look between them before my mom sighed. Haymitch stood up and came to stand beside me.

"You remember how you kept asking me to tell you something I hadn't been able to tell you before?" He asked and I nodded.

"Katniss, i want you to know that neither of us kept any of it from you to hurt you. You know that any tribute or victor was under Snow's control, as was anything they thought they could use to control us." He said and I nodded.

"When I was reaped and won, I was forced to leave my family behind. While I was on the Victor's Tour, Snow tried to do with me what he'd been doing to Victors for years. Remember Finnick's confession?" I gasped, when I remembered that Snow turned the younger and desirable victors into prostitutes.

"Exactly. Well, I refused because I was in love with a girl from back home. I quickly learned the life of a victor held no real joy or happiness. Snow had my family killed... my parents and my brothers died from a suspicious house fire... all because I'd denied Snow." He said brokenly and my mother sat weeping as well.

"Was my mother that girl, the one you loved?" I asked, trying to make the connection, making him chuckle through his tears.

"No Katniss." My mother said, sniffling and drying her tears. She came to stand beside Haymitch.

"I'm sorry we kept this from you, but I need you to not blame Haymitch too harshly. After all, I agreed to it out of fear as well." She told me, without really elaborating.

"Sweetheart, Lily is... Oh Katniss... Lily is my sister." He said and bot Effie and I gasped.

I stared at the both of them, looking for any signs of lies, but found none. I saw my mom hold onto Haymitch's arm as if to steady herself.

"Haymitch is my little brother, a year younger than me. I was married to your father shortly after he saw him win. Only a month later, my entire family had died. I knew nothing but the story i was fed about their deaths. One night, after his return, Haymitch snuck over to the house I lived in with your father. He didn't even come inside to avoid being seen by anyone. From outside the window, he told me he suspected Snow had our family killed to keep him in line." Mom said with tears in her eyes.

"I was so glad to return to Twelve to find she was still alive, but resolved i'd never put her in danger. She was Lily Everdeen then, and I vowed that no ne would ever learn that she'd been born an Abernathy." Haymitch said finally.

I looked at them, letting it all sink in. I understood what they'd told me. I could also relate to the lengths I might have gone to, to keep my loved ones safe from Snow. Still, it was a lot to take in.

"I always watched you and Prim growing up. I tried to be there for you after your father died. I just couldn't do it directly. Instead, I had Greasy Sae make good trades for you anytime she could, and I'd pay her the sum of anything you couldn't cover. It wasn't nearly enough, but it was all I could do. Besides, I was a drunk and I didn't really trust myself to get too close and rise any suspicions." Haymitch confessed.

"Oh Hay. To think, I blamed you for so many years and I felt betrayed when you stayed away. I just couldn't believe the threats about Snow and thought you were a crazy drunk that had forsaken the only family you had left. I'm so sorry Hay, I understand now, I'm so sorry." Mom told him and hugged his side as he placed his head above hers that rested on his shoulder.

"I thought I'd kept all of you safe. You can't imagine what I went through when Effie called Primrose's name at the reaping. Then, I felt like dying a hundred deaths when you volunteered for her, Katniss. I knew that I had to do anything to get you out of that arena alive. It was my only focus. Everything that came after, snowballed from there." Haymitch told me.

How could I never have seen it? Their resemblance was actually uncanny. They had the same hair and skin tone coloring. I'd always assumed he was from The Seam, but he had the same looks as my mother, from the Merchant part of Twelve like my mother and Prim.

"And I thought the idea of growing someone'e tongue back was the craziest thing I'd hear today." I mumbled mostly to myself.

"What was that, Katniss?" Effie asked from her chair beside me, wearing a bewildered look but i shook my head at her.

Instead i looked into Haymich's eyes that I now realized were exactly like my mother's and Prim's. The same eyes that had looked out for me, through everything. The eyes of my family and I sighed.

"Uncle Haymitch?" I asked timidly, and felt a smile growing on my face.

"That's right, Sweetheart... sorry I'm not better looking." He joked, making us all laugh.

I just stood up and hugged him and my mom tightly. I told them that I understood why they'd kept the secret for so long, and that I was not upset. On the contrary, I told Haymitch that I was glad to finally understand him so much better.

"Well, I for one, can't wait to see everyone's reaction to this news" Effie said with a giggle.

"Me neither, Auntie Effie." I told her with a giggle, causing her to gasp. Before long, she and everyone was laughing with me.

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A/N: I hope you all didn't mind the different references I included in this chapter. If you didn't notice them, then ignore this. If you did and wondered what I was thinking or why I did it ... Here's why.

*The doctors are characters from Greys Anatomy, so i take no credit for them. I'm re-watching that series and thought it'd be cool to include them in this chapter.

*The vampire movie was clearly my tiny tribute to Twilight, which is what got me interested in writing fan fiction in the first place.

*Also, the line "sorry I'm not better looking" is what i consider to be one of the funniest Adam Sandler lines from the movie 50 First Dates.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading :D