A/N: Hey, it's Brighton. My updating might slow down since I just got back in school, gotta deal with classes and swim team practice every. single. day. I'm also working on a new fanfic, trying to prepare that for you guys. Newsflash: I got a tumblr, no jokes about me being late to the punch, and I am going to start a blog there. I am The Other Everdeen Girl and my username is brighton97. I am having trouble getting used to it, so if any of you know really well about writing blogs, just message me and I will thank you graciously. Now, ON TO THE CHAPTER!
The days drag in the hospital. All there is to do is sleep or drug myself out. Dr. Reagal says my head injury is healing fine and I don't need as much pain meds anymore. And says I'm safe. Can't forget that. I don't listen. I use my drip as soon as the coast as clear. I'm allowed to be cut a little slack.
President Coin visited me. She runs district thirteen. She came to welcome me to the district, ask about my time in the Capitol and see how I was healing up and to "applaud my bravery" as she put it, but I know her true motive. Finnick filled me in on Peeta's interviews and the immunity deal. She was testing to see if I was worth the trouble.
Finnick visits regularly, alternating between me and Annie. I talk to her a lot. She's getting better. Finnick seems to be her rock, which keeps her steady. She still exits into her own little world still, but not as much as she used to. Finnick seems happy. Happier than he's ever been and he has every right to. After what the Capitol put him through, he deserves to be happy with Annie.
"Unlike me." I say out loud.
"What's unlike you?" I jump at the sound of the voice. A young girl is standing at the side of my bed, thirteen at the most. Way too young to be a nurse and too healthy to be a patient. "You're Johanna Mason right? I remember from the quarter quell."
"Yeah that's me. Who are you?"
"Prim." Looking at her closely, I can't believe I didn't recognize her before.
"You're Katniss' sister. I remember seeing you on television last year. How is she?"
"She's fine. Peeta didn't do any real damage to her neck. She already went to Two to help secure that district about... two weeks ago. She beams, proud of her sister's role.
"You must be proud."
She nods. "I am. She's been really brave. With Peeta and all..."
"Can I ask why you're down in the hospital?"
"Oh, my mother's a doctor down here. Since I used to help her in twelve with the apothecary, they're letting me train to be a doctor."
"Wow that's really great. How much stuff do you know how to do."
"Well I used to help out with mining injuries, so I know how to take care of burns and broken limbs. Now, they're teaching me how to place IV fluid drips in someone's arm, which is pretty easy. Can I show you?" I'm not very comfortable letting a thirteen year old, poke something into my arm, but I can fix it if she messes up. I've practiced enough with the morphling.
"Sure. Why not? The foods crap anyway."
She takes the drip and holds out my arm. She finds a big vein, inserts a needle and makes sure she hit the vein. Once she did, she plugs in the IV drip like an expert.
"Impressive."
"Thanks. All the nurses think me and my mom will run them out of their jobs." She giggles at her own joke. She's alright.
"So when is Katniss coming back?"
"I don't know. I guess when the district is secure." Prim looks amused. "I didn't know you liked her very much. Last time I saw you on TV, you were threatening to rip her throat out."
"I said that to people who got my coffee wrong. And at the time, you don't think about feelings when you're about to die."
She smiles sadly. "I thought I'd never see her again. Your family must've been devastated when you had to go back."
"I don't have any family. The closest I have to family is Finnick and Annie, but not really. I've been alone most of my life. I like it that way. It suits me."
"That's sad. My father died in a mining accident when I was seven. It was awful. My mother became depressed and Katniss had to start hunting to feed us when she was twelve. We almost starved to death once. That's how she knows how to shoot. Our father taught her."
"Prim! Come on! You need to observe the morphling technique!" A blonde woman yells out to her.
"I'm coming, Mother! I have to go; it was nice meeting you, Johanna." Prim walks over to Mrs. Everdeen and they disappear down the hall.
A nurse comes in and checks my vitals.
"Your head is healing up fine; the skull takes longer to mend than a normal bone and needs to be watched more carefully. You still need to be on antibiotics and your ribs are still broken. But you're getting better and I think-" the nurse is cut off by a commotion in the hallway. She looks out of my curtain and runs outside. I get up and look at what's going on.
"Alert Dr. Everdeen. She was just rushed in from Two after a gunshot rang out. No sign of a wound, with all of that protective armor, but she's been unconscious ever since the hovercraft ride. Damage to ribs, definitely. There might be a ruptured spleen. Everdeen should be in for the surgery, since it is her daughter." As the cart rushes past me, I see who it is. Katniss is unconscious on the cart and as they lift up her shirt, I see the gigantic bruise on her rib cage. No skin tearing, just an impact wound. She's lucky she had Cinna's outfit on, or she would be wheeled in here in a body bag.
They wheel her out of the room and into the next wing of what I assume is surgery. She was in two. And got shot. I know what her job is; she wasn't even fighting. But all her injuries mean to me, is that she was more valuable than I thought.
A/N: You guys know the drill: R&R! Lol, jk but seriously, someone help me with tumblr. Thanks!
