You guys are fantastic! You know that, right? 112 reviews, you guys! And I think I got to like 105 on my birthday night! I looked on the fic when I was out to dinner with my dad and freaked out! Thank you SO much, all of you, for your lovely reviews! You really made my birthday so special! You all are wonderful, and I couldn't ask for a better group of readers! Thank you for liking my fanfiction and giving me confidence! I love you all!
So, I got back from Florida a couple of days ago, and now here's the next chapter! Florida was amazing, btw, you Americans are the friendliest people ever! :D
But without further ado, here's the new chapter! :)
Haymitch
In the morning, Effie and I continue to watch. Only six of them are left, two of them are our own tributes. The thought of having another Victor in Twelve fills me with conflicting emotions. On one hand, I would love to share the burden of mentorship with another, and the company of one of those kids would be well needed. But on the other hand, did I really want to be responsible for the kid's future? Because it was likely that they'd either end up like me, or get hooked on morphling like the Victors in Six. Could I be responsible for that?
Effie wrapped her arm around my back and nestled her head into my chest, watching as Katniss struggled to make heads or tails of anything. She was obviously distressed by Rue's death.
On screen, Templesmith and Flickerman are discussing the recent turn of events.
"She looks half mad, the poor girl." Flickerman remarks.
"Maybe it would be the decent thing to kill her off quietly, to avoid a scene. She's lost enough, we don't need to make her suffer more than necessary." Templesmith says, but Flickerman shakes his head.
"Ah, but Peeta's still clinging on to life. He's desperate to see her make it through this. Oh, the plight of young love!" He throws his arms up in the air, and it is in that gesture and sentence that an idea springs into my mind. I jump up, Effie hot on my toes.
"What's wrong?" She asks, registering the glint in my eyes that I know is there. I apparently always have that glint when I've had a good idea, which isn't that often nowadays.
I turn to her, and am about to tell her my idea, when Chaff bursts into our apartment. Effie instantly jumps away from me, and I move my arms to the side, like I'm trying to reach my whiskey bottle.
Chaff comes over to me and whispers in my ear, "D'you have somewhere that they won't hear?"
I understand what he means and takes him to my room where the monitors are soundproofed. Effie's wig is still on one of them, and Chaff raised an eyebrow at me.
"Stole it from her. She hasn't had the guts to come and look in here yet. It's rather amusing actually, watching her search. What did you want to talk about?"
Chaff chuckled at the image of a frantic Effie, but then his face hardened. "There's been an uprising in Eleven."
"What?" I say, suddenly really interested.
"After your girl did what she did for Rue, the people couldn't take it anymore. They started fighting the Peacekeepers, throwing crops everywhere, pushing trucks over, the like. Snow sent in reinforcements, and now Eleven is under lockdown."
"How come we don't know anything about this?" But somehow, I already know the answer.
"I guess the Capitol doesn't want the Districts to see that they can rebel. But word has spread, one way or another. They're calling your girl the head of the rebellion. They rally behind her. Snow will want her dead, you know it."
And I did know it. If the Districts were rebelling in response to Katniss' actions, then she was in great danger.
"They'll kill her in the arena. Flickerman and Templesmith were already talking about it. I have to do something to stop them. I won't have my best hope of a Victor killed by the Gamemakers. I'll go and see Crane."
My resolve was set. I loathed Crane with every fibre of my being, but this has to be done.
Chaff put his hand on my shoulder. "Good luck. I doubt even your pleas will save the girl. You know how ruthless Snow can be when he wants to."
Both of us knew how ruthless Snow could be. Both of us lost all those that we cared about. Chaff had formed new bonds since his family was slain, but aside from Effie, I hadn't. But I had to try and save Katniss' life. I just had to.
Chaff left, taking a glass of whiskey with him; although why he needed it when he had his own a floor down was beyond me.
Effie gave me a look as I walked out.
"I'm going to see Crane." I snarled, as if I didn't care whether Effie cared or not.
She didn't say anything as I downed a glass of whiskey and walked out of the door.
Luckily, I caught him as he was leaving the control room. He looked tired, but I didn't care.
"Crane!" I called.
He turned to look at me, hatred written on his face. "What do you want?"
"I heard what Flickerman and Templesmith said. Are you planning to kill her?"
"President Snow hasn't told me to do anything yet. I wait for his orders." He moved to leave, but I moved too, standing in front of him so he couldn't escape.
"Don't kill her, you'll just create a martyr."
"Well, it seems we've already got one."
"I hear these rumours out of District Eleven. This could get away from you." That's it, try to scare him into doing what I wanted. I knew that what Crane feared most was letting the rebellion flourish. That would mean an instant death sentence for him.
"What do you want?" He seemed angry at my constant presence there.
"You've got a lot of anger out there. I know you know how to handle a mob, you've done it before. If you can't scare them, give them something to root for!" I knew what I wanted now. I knew a sure fire way to keep Katniss alive.
"Such as?"
"Young love."
The look on Crane's face was pleasing. He knew that the audience would love a twist that threw Katniss and Peeta together. It would keep Katniss alive for just a bit longer.
"You know that it would boost the enthusiasm. And you've been looking for a good twist, haven't you? This year has been a bit boring so far, in my opinion. Better get working, Crane." And with that, I walked off, leaving Crane hopefully staring after me.
When I got back, Effie had disappeared from the living room. I threw myself down on the sofa, and suddenly heard noises. At first, I couldn't make them out, but they grew louder until they were recognisable as the sounds of vomiting.
I shot up, running to the bathroom and nearly tripping over my own feet. When I turned the handle on Effie's bathroom door, I found it locked. The noises had stopped, but I heard Effie panting.
"Princess? You alright?" I knocked on the door.
"I'm fine!" She called, breezily.
"You sound like you're puking."
"I'm not, you must be imagining it. I'm fine, Haymitch, go away."
"Fine. But don't come crying to me when your wig gets puke all over it!"
I left the bedroom, but I knew that Effie was lying. She had been sick. There was that unmistakable smell too, as well as the sounds. Surely this can't all be due to stress.
When I got back to the living room, Katniss was sleeping, but the cameras weren't on her anymore. I suppose that they were trying to cover up for the damage that she inflicted. Instead, they were focussed on the two remaining Careers, both from Two. They were talking, both sharpening their weapons.
"Are you sure that you even cut Lover Boy? If your cut was so good, he'd be dead by now. Yet he's still out there, Cato." Clove snarled, giving her knife an aggressive rub.
"I know where I cut him! He'll be dead soon enough. We don't have to worry about him. It's his girl that I want." He held his sword over the fire, twisting it until the blade turned orange.
"His girl," Clove spat. "Everyone's acting like they're in love, that they're the only pair of lovers in this Game." She looked up at Cato, and for a minute, I saw a flash of tenderness cross her eyes.
"Well they're wrong, aren't they? But you know that it won't end well, Clove. One of us, or both of us, will die soon. It just won't work." Cato looked down at his sword, not looking Clove in the eye.
"Oh my! Confessions of love from the two Careers! Can these Games get any more exciting?" Flickerman gushed, and I didn't need to even think that I could think of lots of ways for it to be more exciting. Like setting the tributes free, maybe?
I was so engrossed in pouring and drinking whiskey that I didn't notice Effie had come into the room until my hand brushed her leg when I sat up again, glass in the other hand.
"Oh, hey Princess. You done puking?" I said, nonchalantly.
"I was not being sick, Haymitch. I was just having a make up malfunction, but I've fixed it now." She straightened her skirt and locked her ankles together, in a more "ladylike" position, I assume.
"Trust me, sweetheart, no amount of 'fixing' will make your face look any better."
I regretted it as soon as I said it. I know we were supposed to be nasty to each other for the monitors, but maybe that was a little bit harsh.
She said nothing in reply to my insult, simply made a "humph" noise and focussed on the television.
Nothing happened that night, the Careers kept talking and sharpening, Katniss kept sleeping, the fox-faced girl kept hiding, Thresh kept hanging out in the meadow by the Cornucopia, and Peeta kept on playing a rock. It was remarkable how well he camouflaged himself. I had seen Peeta's cakes at the bakery, and they were pretty, but I didn't know that he was this good at decorating.
I waited. I waited for the twist that I had proposed to Crane. Something had to happen to throw Katniss and Peeta together. Or maybe the Gamemakers were satisfied with the love between the Careers. I prayed that that wouldn't be the case.
But suddenly, at about 10 o'clock at night, the sky in the arena lightened. Stupid Gamemakers, messing with the lighting. But that had to mean something, right? Something important must be about to happen.
And my suspicions are confirmed when Claudius Templesmith's voice booms out across the arena.
"Attention tributes. There has been a rule change. From now on, two Victors may be crowned if they originate from the same District. This will be the only announcement now. Good luck."
The cameras cut around to all of the tributes, showing their reactions. The Careers stared at each other for a while, and then smiles broke out across their faces and they launched into a hug. Thresh looked upset, knowing that he only recently lost his partner. Foxface shrugged it off, but she was scared, I could tell. Peeta closed his eyes, sighing contentedly.
"Katniss." He whispered, feverishly. The wound was getting worse; he looked like he was getting a fever.
But it was Katniss' reaction that was saved until last. At the end of the announcement, she cried, "Peeta!" and then clapped her hand over her mouth, realising her mistake. Luckily, the Careers were far away from her, so she was safe.
"You spoke to Seneca about this, didn't you?" Effie asked, watching me carefully.
"Yeah, I did. And it worked." I gulped down some more alcohol, and we watched as Katniss tries to look for Peeta.
When night rolls around again in the arena, it's the middle of the next day. Effie and I decide, with some reluctance, so head down into the Square to try and drum up more sponsors. When Katniss and Peeta reunite, they'll need sponsors to stay alive, especially with Peeta's wound.
When we arrive, Effie is swept away by her crowd of squealing friends, and I make my way to Chaff.
"Looks like your talk with Crane worked." Chaff said, lifting his glass to his lips with his only hand, and drumming his stump on the table.
"Yeah, it did." I ordered whatever Chaff was drinking, and gulped it down quickly. My eyes wandered over to where Effie was standing. She was talking to a couple of Capitol men, one who was trying to wrap his arm around her waist.
Anger flared up within me, and I remembered four years ago when I got jealous of Holden McKee's relationship with Effie. It had angered me, and I remember not knowing why. It was one of the factors that led to me beginning to love Effie. Or at least be able to tolerate her.
To my delight, Effie took the man's arm and disentangled herself from it, smiling shyly as she did it. He looked disgruntled, and grabbed Effie's wrists, growling something that I couldn't hear at her. She looked frightened by what he said, and that look was enough to spur me into action.
I got up and walked over to the man, who still had Effie's wrists in his hands. Putting my hand on his shoulder, I made myself known.
"Who are you?" The man asked, giving me a deathly glare. I noticed now that his eyes were a gruesome shade of red, and that his hair was midnight black and spiky. Capitol fashions, god.
"Nobody. But I would appreciate it if you let the lady go. It's not very nice to threaten a lady of her status." I looked at Effie, my eyes asking if she was alright, and she smiled faintly, the fear still etched onto her face.
The man's eyes flickered from Effie to me and back to Effie again. He seemed to piece together who I was from by my friendliness to Effie. His hands opened, and Effie pulled her arms back sharply.
"Come on, Princess, let's get some sponsors." I wound my arms around Effie and led her away from those thugs. How they were ever let into the Square was beyond me.
"You okay?" I asked once we were away from them.
Effie rubbed her red wrists and gave me a smile. "I'm alright, I guess."
"What did he say to you?"
She looked down, ashamed of something.
"Eff, tell me." I whispered, putting my hand on her shoulder.
I could imagine how we looked to everyone else, so close together, with me leaning over her and her looking down, with my hand on her shoulder. But somehow, I didn't care. All that mattered was Effie and her wellbeing.
"He told me not to be so shy, that I was being flirty, so I should like his arm around me, right? Then he said I was being too flirty, and maybe he should... teach me a lesson about not being flirty. And that's when I saw it... it's him, Haymitch." She looked up at me with eyes full of tears, and I realised who she was talking about.
I whirled around and stormed back to where the man was standing.
"You have a nerve coming here. Threatening her." I snarled, not caring who saw. My anger was too much, probably fuelled by alcohol, but all I knew was that this man had to pay.
The man turned, face smug. "So, the little slut told you then? Probably while she was in bed with you. But no matter. I can do and say what I like to her. And some pathetic drunk isn't going to stop that."
"Oh, I'm a pathetic drunk? So be it. But at least I'm not a woman abuser. To me, that's the worst crime there can be, and that makes you truly pathetic in my eyes." As I spoke, I started edging closer to him until I was right up in his face and spitting the last few words at him. He didn't look scared or even put off, he just grinned smugly at me, and then launched upwards with his fist.
Effie
I saw Damocles throw the punch, hitting Haymitch in the jaw. A scream ripped from my throat as I saw him go down. I tried to run towards Haymitch, but a pair of tree-trunk arms wrapped around my waist, and a familiar liquor smell wafted over me.
"Best not to get into that. 'Mitch can handle himself." Chaff slurred, holding me tight.
Haymitch staggered up and threw a punch himself, right in Damocles' gut. While my oppressor was down, Haymitch kicked and punched, shouting things like "you'll pay for what you did to her," and "I'll kill you!"
It was then that the Peacekeepers decided to intervene, and they dragged a drunk and angry Haymitch out of the Square.
Damocles stood up shakily and glared at me. "Don't think you're off the hook. I'll be back for you."
Chaff stepped in front of me. "Not while I have anything to say about it."
I looked up in awe at him. Chaff didn't even know about what happened between Damocles and me, and yet he was trying to protect me from him.
"Come on, let's go see Haymitch." Chaff led me out of the Square and up to Twelve's apartment. As soon as we got there, I was confronted with the sight of about six Peacekeepers trying to restrain Haymitch, who was still angry.
"Let me get him! I'll kill him."
"Haymitch Abernathy!" I screamed, and the whole room went silent. Even Haymitch stopped struggling, shocked by my outburst.
"Don't you ever do that again! Ever! Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was?" I shrieked, and I could see the annoyance on the Peacekeepers' faces. Again, they didn't want to be around the wailing of an annoyed escort.
"It's okay guys, we've got him now." Chaff said, moving over to Haymitch.
The Peacekeepers seemed relieved, and left. As soon as the door closed, I ran to Haymitch, kneeling down beside him.
He had a bruised face and a bloody nose, but apart from that he was fine.
"You stupid man." I whispered, getting a handkerchief out and dabbing at the cut on his lip. He winced, and I smiled. "You've lived through worse, suck it up."
"Yes ma'am." He smirked, and then winced again at the stretching of his cut.
"No more smiling for you, Mister." I said, wiping the last of the wet blood away from the cut.
"Not that I smile much anyway." Haymitch said, a smile in his voice and in his eyes. I just kept watching those eyes, grinning to myself.
Chaff coughed, breaking the connection. "I see you two are fine on your own. I'll go." He stood up and went to the door, but not before saying, "Oh, Mitch? You're welcome." And then left, chuckling to himself.
"For what?" Haymitch asked me.
"He stood up for me against Damocles. I think that's what he means." I got up to throw away the rag. I couldn't possibly keep it now, it was all bloody.
"Damocles? Is that what he's called? God, Capitol names are ridiculous," he looked up at me, eyes twinkling, "Effervescent."
I hit him on the arm, but to my chagrin he didn't even wince, just laughed. Then he winced about his lip hurting because he laughed.
"Do you hurt anywhere else?" I asked, feeling his arms.
"No, he only got me in the jaw. I got him everywhere else." He chuckled.
We stood up together, moving to Haymitch's bedroom where we could speak more openly. Haymitch checked the monitors, and then once he was sure that the room was proofed, he pulled me onto the bed and held me.
"Thank you for sticking up for me today. It meant a lot. And I'm glad that you didn't get hurt too bad." I ran my fingers along his bruised face lightly.
"You're welcome. It was the least I could do, after he treated you so appaulingly. I probably would have killed him if the Peacekeepers hadn't of intervened." He held me tighter.
"I could see that. You looked almost manic." It was a joke, but Haymitch's face went deadly serious.
"Effie, I was manic. I will never let anyone hurt you, not least that pathetic scumbag. He deserved what he got, and more. If he comes after you again, I'll kill him. I swear. No-one will hurt you again while I'm alive. I promise." He kissed me on the forehead and on the cheeks, and then finally on the lips, where I met his kiss fervently.
Suddenly, I remembered the Games. I broke away from the kiss, causing a small grumble from Haymitch, and turned on the television.
To my utter surprise, Katniss had found Peeta. They were together, and Katniss was gently pulling Peeta's trousers down. For a minute I'm horrified, but then I remember Peeta's leg, and realise that she's just getting a better look at it.
Haymitch and I both gasp in shock when we see the wound. It's terrible, festering and bloody.
"We have to do something." I instantly turn to Haymitch.
"Trust me, I want to. But not yet. She's got to sell it, be in love with him, act the part. Then we'll get him some sponsors."
We see how lost Katniss is as she tries different remedies to help Peeta with his leg. Eventually, she gives him some of the burn medicine, even though it probably won't do much.
"What has Haymitch sent you so far?" Katniss asks, and I hear Haymitch groan.
"Not a thing." Peeta replies. "Why, did you get something?"
"Burn medicine, and some bread," Katniss says, sheepishly.
"I always knew you were his favourite," Peeta mumbles, and Haymitch leans forward. I can see hurt in his eyes.
"Please, he can't stand being in the same room as me." Katniss remarks, and Haymitch snorts.
"Because you're just alike," Peeta murmurs, and now that he says it, I realise how alike they actually are. They're alike in so many ways; their looks, attitudes towards the Capitol and the Games, their stubbornness. And that's why they clash, because they're just as stubborn as each other.
I laugh, and Haymitch looks at me, eyebrow raised.
"What? It's true!"
Haymitch shrugs and looks away, not even bothering to question it. I laugh again, running my hand over his back.
We watch as Katniss continues to care for Peeta, and eventually finds a cave to rest him in.
Suddenly, something snaps in Haymitch. He jumps up and turns off the television.
"We're going to the Square, now." As he said that, he walks out of the room.
"Wait, Haymitch! Why are we going now?" I stumble after him, head spinning from getting up so quickly.
"Just trust me!" He calls as he speeds down to the elevator. I'm suddenly scared that he's going back for Damocles, and that he'd get hurt even more. But I don't try to stop him, that would be a futile attempt.
Back in the Square for the second time today, I see Peacekeepers tense as they catch sight of Haymitch. But Haymitch doesn't seek out Damocles as I thought he might; he goes straight for some of our strongest sponsors.
And just in time too, Katniss and Peeta are talking, and it's the conversation that many people have in the arena. The "if I don't make it back" conversation.
I turn back to Haymitch, but he and the group of sponsors aren't there anymore. Realisation dawns on me; he must be getting sponsors for them.
And then, the crowd goes insane. My head flies back to the television to see Katniss kissing Peeta on the lips. A smile crosses my own lips, but then I remember that it's an act for Katniss.
However, the act pays off, as a parachute falls from the sky outside the cave. Oh Haymitch. When Katniss opens it, however, my gratitude to Haymitch vanishes. It's not the medicine that Peeta so desperately needs, but soup.
I want to hit Haymitch. Why doesn't he just give Peeta the medicine?
I say as much when Haymitch returns to the Square. He simply grabs my wrist and pulls me upstairs, away from the television that shows Katniss feeding Peeta the soup.
He drags me into his room, shuts the door, and then lets me talk.
"Why didn't you give Peeta the medicine? I'm sure if you pulled together lots of sponsors you could get enough to buy it! He might die, Haymitch!" I turn away and go to the window, watching the Square below me.
"Eff, it was a riddle. I found a way to communicate with Katniss." He said, simply.
"You sent a message to her?" I shouted, incredulous. That was illegal!
"No, not as such. She's smart. I gave her broth for one kiss. She'll work out that she has to kiss more to get more gifts. She will decide how much they get. She's supposed to be in love, and the boy she's supposed to be in love with is dying! She needed to give me something to work with, and I just prompted her to do so."
He gave me time to think about it, and I realised that he was right. Her kissing Peeta more would boost viewership and give the Capitol something to rave about and root for. That would give us more sponsors to work with, and give Katniss and Peeta a better chance of surviving.
"You're right." I admitted after a while.
He grinned. "I know I am, I'm always right. You should know this by now."
"Shut up."
"No." He walked over to me, wound his arms around me, and then dragged me to the bed.
That night, we lay together with the television on, just watching, as we usually did. This time, I took my makeup and wig off, so I was natural for him. I know he liked it more when I was natural, he liked running his fingers over my face and come away with them clean, and he liked twirling my hair in his hands. I was okay with being this way around him, but nowhere else. I guess that was a good thing; that I trusted Haymitch enough to show my full self to him. He sure had earned my trust, with his actions today. He fought for me. And I loved him for that.
But as I realised that, I realised something else. I didn't only love him, but I found myself... falling in love with him. And that shocked me.
But somehow, it felt right. And I was content in that feeling.
That was a long one! To make up for my absence! I hope you guys liked it!
I really want to finish THG and CF as soon as possible, because I have great plans for the future of the fic, but I know I need to stick to quality, and not rush! I can see this fic going on for some time! As long as you guys are all okay with that! :P
OH! On my holiday, I realised that there are some songs that are so Hayffie, aside from the obvious ones. Give Pieces by RED a listen, and see if you agree that it could be Haymitch singing to Effie, almost. I think so, but tell me what you think!
Again, please review! It really does make me happy! :D Thank you all so much again for getting me to 100 reviews, it's just fantastic!
Hope you liked it! :) x