The penultimate chapter before my break! The cliffhanger will be tomorrow! I'm hoping you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it ... but that's the next chapter.

Again, I cannot say how thankful I am for all of your reviews and visits! And I have a few followers on tumblr as well! Thank you so very much for reading and enjoying my little bit of writing!

Effie listened to Opal drone on about some dress she had custom fit for her that ended up going too far past her knee. It had been like this for hours, small talk here and there as the girls were ferried about through the salon.

"And I just can't believe you leave tomorrow!" Opal cried as her new nails were painted and styled. "I can't believe it's already that time!" She had given up her bright orange coloring and was now all about reds and blacks - dark colors seemed to be in.

"Thank you for taking Peacock," Effie said, wincing as a nail was pressed onto one of her fingers.

"Oh - I just love having him! I do! Such a well behaved creature - and you'd think for a cat he'd be terrible!"

"As long as you give him his dish of milk on time, he is a doll." Effie felt her cheeks numbing from the constant grinning she had to do. She wondered how she ever did it before. Was she really as empty as Opal?

But then, that thought only made he feel bad for thinking that way about a girl who had been her friend since childhood. Effie scolded herself. She just wished she didn't have such … dark thoughts. Everything had changed so drastically from the moment she became escort, it was hard to still be adjusting.

"You're not going to dye your hair?" Opal asked, leaning back to have her own, natural hair washed - though it was now a dull shade of orange. She was going ruby red for the season. "I thought Aulus wanted you to?"

"It's my hair," Effie answered with a laugh.

"Oh, but it is awful, Effie! Really, it's just ugly - you know it! Why not change it up?"

"Because I've already bought such a lovely wig -"

"Yes, but Aulus doesn't always see you with your wig!"

"Opal!" Effie's face flushed under her powdered cheeks, "Manners! Please!"

Opal rolled her eyes and let the stylist massage shampoo into her already fading orange hair.

Aulus took her to the station. Effie didn't fight it - she went along, letting him order the Avox to be careful with her bags and didn't they know who Effie Trinket was? An escort!

"Aulus, don't raise your voice," Effie said as he allowed her to fix his deep golden tie. "It's impolite."

"It's just an Avox."

"It's impolite because the neighbors can probably hear you. We need to get to the station."

It wasn't crowded - not yet. Effie was the only passenger who really matter on the train that was going all the way out to District Twelve. She stood on the platform and watched her luggage being carried onboard. Aulus arm was around her waist - he was telling her how he would miss her and how he couldn't wait to see her up on the screen.

"I just wish you would have reconsidered your hair," he said when Effie went to board.

"My hair?" Effie was wearing a dark plum wig with a blue ribbon tied at the side. "Really, Aulus, is this the time?"

"Just something to think about on the train - besides how much you'll miss me," he said, kissing the tip of her nose.

Effie made herself laugh and smile and return his kiss when he finally did kiss her goodbye.

She wished that when she stepped on the train she could have felt some relief for leaving. But no - she only felt a new burden on her shoulders. The names of those two poor children she would be calling out tomorrow, picking out with her own fingers.

She felt ill.

Arriving in District Twelve for the second time, Effie knew what to expect. She greeted the Mayor happily and asked after Haymitch, knowing she would likely need to fetch him.

"Someone ought to wake him," the Mayor said.

Effie wished the Peacekeepers didn't have to follow her. She knew she stood out just by what she was wearing, but being flanked by two guards in white made her feel even more out of place.

Keep your eyes to the ground, she said to herself. If she looked up, she'd see their faces. And she had already been sick on the train with just remembering last year.

Haymitch's house seemed in its usual state of disrepair. She noticed there were empty bottles on the lawn - had she missed them last year? When she knocked on the door, she didn't expect an answer. But it was the polite thing to do before just walking in - which is what she did next.

"Haymitch?" Effie called out. She stepped into the house, wiping her heels as she did. "Haymitch?"

She entered the living room - it was empty. Outside, she could hear the Peacekeeper's radio. She began to feel nervous. Things were on a schedule. They needed to keep to it. She entered the kitchen and found him, passed out with a bottle against the cabinets.

"Of course …" she muttered to herself as she knelt before him. "Haymitch! You need to wake up!"

He stirred a bit. Effie groaned and fetched a glass of water, throwing it on his face.

He shouted when the water hit him, cursing and trying to figure out where exactly he was. He charged at Effie on his knees, but she backed up quick enough before he could grab her.

"Oh! Manners, Haymitch!"

"Where am I?" he asked, his head touching the floor.

"You're going to be late." Effie steadied herself against the kitchen counter. "That's where you are. And I suppose, literally, on the kitchen floor of your house. But you need to get up. You need to clean your face and change your clothing." She was helping him to his feet now, a bewildered look was on his face.

He reached out and touched her face, looking confused - as if she wasn't there. Effie gently took his hand away and tried to meet his eyes.

"Haymitch - Haymitch, look at me. It's Effie - remember? Maybe you don't, but you need to go upstairs. You need to change your clothing. You'll meet me at the Reaping – okay?"

She didn't want the Peacekeepers having to force him to be there.

Haymitch shut his eyes hard for a moment as if trying to still figure out where he was. He leaned on the kitchen counter and grabbed one of the unopened whiskey bottles near the sink.

"Whatever you say, princess," he muttered.