Author's Note: And now a warning: first impressions are everything! Take this as a lesson in how not to be thought of…(yes this is how Ari finally meets the infamous Katniss Everdeen….just so you guys know Personally I am not a Katniss fan)

Thanks go to my reviewers: ASMF, Seaotter, E-W-Dragon, Pandora and HL

Chapter 10

Katniss Everdeen: The Reason for Prohibition

We get downstairs and Haymitch unceremoniously grabs my hand as my other one has my doctor's bag. "We have a problem" he grumbles

"No kidding" I look on helplessly as Harry waves us off and Peeta is right behind us.

"Katniss went a little loony" Haymitch says and I can smell liquor. I wrench my hand from him, and he looks at me angrily.

"You were drinking again!" I glare at him

He looks even more miserable and angry, "give it a rest sweetheart, I would have left her to her mother's hands but her mom is a bit overcome at the moment and you're the only other doctor we have". He stops suddenly and heads for some bushes to throw up. Which for me is a first, I think he drank a wee bit too much.

"Peeta you know where she lives, let's go" I look at my friend who nods, we leave Haymitch to his stupor. First thing tomorrow he will get a rude awakening if I see bottle touch lip.

We get in as a dark haired guy is heading away to the Seam, he's tall and I only see his back. His shoulders are slumped, and walking slow, like it's painful but he's too proud to say it.

A young girl with blond braids comes out, is about to call after him when she sees Peeta and I, then notices the doctor's bag.

"Peeta!" she runs to him, "It's Katniss she hurt her hands pretty bad, and mom just kinda went quiet again"

"Show us in Prim" he says, "this is my friend Ariana"

"Haymitch said he was getting someone" she says worried

"Yeah me kiddo, lets go see to your sister" I say

They have her laid out on the couch, she's out cold. I take an ottoman as a stool and get myself set up. Peeta goes to see to Mrs. Everdeen.

Her hands have deep cuts on the meaty part of her palm. And there are splinters of glass. The most disgusting thing isn't the bloody mess I have to clean up.

It's the smell of alcohol on her breath.

"Prim is it?" I look at the young girl, she looks reaping age, she starts when I call to her, "it's okay, mind getting me a bowl of hot water, and a towel?" she bobs her head and goes to the kitchen coming back moments later. I guess she had started a kettle prior to us getting there; she has even made a poultice of some green plant.

"Studying to be a healer?" I look at her with a small smile, she bobs her head again, "have a seat Prim" I kick a second ottoman to her and she perches there as I set about stitching the gashes closed after removing the glass splinters.

"Will she be okay?" she asks her voice quiet, I see, she's shy.

"You tell me kid" I smirk, "we've put in stitches, I have some gauze in my bag, we can use that poultice you made to help her hands heal faster, I'm guessing it's Yarrow?"

She nods and I smile, she returns the gesture and a very faint blush appears.

Haymitch finally gets in while we are wrapping Katniss' hands in gauze.

"I don't know what she was up to but she broke glass somewhere" I reply, "she'll wake up, feel sick and throw up probably"

Peeta comes over, he had given Mrs. Everdeen some tea but her hands are shaking.

"Prim, go see to your mother" he says and she's over by her in moments, "I'll bring her upstairs and to bed"

"Good and then meet us at Haymitch's" I tell him

He nods in response and we part.

I don't bother with niceties. This whole drowning oneself in alcohol has to stop and now. I grab Haymitch by the upper arm and steer him out. He tries to wrench free but my grip is as solid as steel and he almost dislocates his shoulder trying to pull free.

"Let me go woman!" he finally says as we get into his place. I flick my hand away and since he is still inebriated he almost topples.

"Sit your filthy, grubby rear over there!" I spit at him glaring, and pointing to a kitchen chair.

It seems to take him aback because he actually does as he is told. And takes the bottle from the table…that's going to be his last drink.

Peeta comes in and I am glaring at Haymitch as he steps to my side. I move over and snatch the bottle from the drunkard's grasp.

"Peeta!" I toss him the bottle, "dry up this place"

"W-what?" he looks a bit stunned

"You will by hell not!" Haymitch lunges taking out his knife.

Oh…bad move buddy.

I grab him by the wrist of his armed hand and slam it to the floor with him following. The air is knocked out of him as I slam the hand again and his grip releases. I kick the knife away and then bend his arm behind his back.

"Do it Peet, and make sure he sees you do it" I tell him, then I put my knee in Haymitch's back and he groans, "no more drinking, no more hiding from the nightmares that keep me awake most nights old man. No more" he struggles feebly, we hear a toilet flush upstairs once and he whines. Pathetic really, while Katniss and Peeta have to deal with nightmares as do I and probably everyone else who has survived he drowns himself in alcohol and becomes a laughing stock.

"You have two choices" I mutter in his ear, "you can stay awake and we can sober you up, or I can knock you out"

He grumbles then snarls at me, "knock me out…if you-" he doesn't get to finish the sentence because I knock him out for the night.

Peeta comes down with a dozen or so bottles. He looks at the unconscious drunk then at me.

"He asked me to" I say dragging him to the couch, Peeta puts down the box of bottles and helps me first clear the couch of debris then toss Haymitch there.

"He asked you to knock him out?" he looks at me, "Ari, you have to explain a few things to me I think"

"I think I do too" I tell him, "first lets' get the rest of the liquor down the drain take the bottles to the trash then we'll have a talk"