Chapter 29: Coup d'Etat

Disclaimer: I don't own THG.


Clove:

The thing around her wrist was plain and ugly. Nothing special, not like the beautiful shell bracelet she had lost. Clove stared at her wrist, reading the words printed on the plastic bracelet.

Mentally disoriented. That's accurate, I guess.

"Clove, let's talk about being home after your Games. What was it like?"

Clove examined her bracelet some more. "Do you have one of these, Dr. Aurelius? Does everyone get one?"

She had gotten hers on day three of therapy. Aurelius made the mistake of asking Clove about her time in the arena. She had kindly detailed each and every one of her kills. That landed her on the nut list, hence the plastic cuff.

"I'll repeat my question. Life after your games?"

Clove took that to mean that only a select few had the privilege to wear such a label. "I feel so special. Love the bracelet."

She stood from her chair and paced around her compartment. Aurelius took some notes.

"Clove?"

"Don't be so impatient, doctor." She said. "After my Games...I went home. President Snow asked a me for a favor. I refused and he killed my brother and his wife. I even got to see the ruins of their house. Did you know fire can consume wood in minutes? They didn't stand a chance in there." Clove never did learn what cause the fire, but those were unimportant details. That's what the peacekeepers said.

Aurelius scribbled down her answer. "I'd rather you not ask questions, Clove."

"I'd rather you not talk to me." Clove retorted. "I want to see Enobaria."

Dr. Aurelius appeared to be annoyed with her. "The session isn't over."

"It is if I refuse to talk. This is talk therapy." Clove said. "Leave and tell Enobaria to come see me."

Aurelius gave up, choosing to end the session early, but not without promising extended sessions for the rest of the week.


Enobaria got Clove's message.

"How's therapy going?"

"I'm not sick, I'm not trying to kill anyone. I hate therapy." Clove complained.

"You aren't sick, you're right." Enobaria took her arm, inspecting the bracelet. "You're just disoriented."

"Don't read off my bracelet." Clove snatched her hand away. "Why the therapy? I don't get it."

Enobaria shrugged. "We're all worried you might have a few blanks. You know, because of all the stuff in the Capitol."

Clove didn't see how she could randomly forget anything. She remembered the Capitol torture. The cutting, the fevers, the broadcasts, and the gun. It was all there, fresh in her mind.

"I'm tired of this room, we're going for a walk." They had locked her in there a whole week, enough was enough.

They left Clove's compartment in search of Max. He had seen Clove a couple of times, but only while Enobaria supervised. During their last visit, Max had wanted to tell Clove about his old compartment, but Enobaria had stopped him and quickly ended the visit.

I'll hear the rest of that story today. Sorry, Baria, but Max is under my guardianship, not yours.

"Clove!" Max was happy to see her out of her room and proceeded to bombard her with questions. "I thought you were sick, are you better? They let you leave your room now? Are you going to stay with us?"

Clove glared at Enobaria, who had obviously given him false information. The other woman looked away and pretended to examine her nails.

"I'm feeling better, thanks." She smiled at Max. "I can't stay, though. How are you liking your new compartment?" Clove was told Max and Enobaria were moved to be closer to her. It would be easier to give the three a larger compartment, but Clove didn't make the rules, she just ignored most of them.

"It's just like the other one, I don't see why it matters." Enobaria replied.

"I asked Max." Clove hissed at her. "Max, how do you like it?"

"It's smaller, but that's because its only me and Baria this time." The boy reasoned.

"They'll find you out of your compartment, Clove. We should go back." Enobaria warned.

"Just you two this time?" Clove continued her conversation with Max. "Who else was with you before?"

Max frowned. "Enobaria said I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"Enobaria said." Clove repeated, amazement leaking into her voice. This woman had gone as far as telling a child to lie.

Enobaria walked over to the dresser, pulled something out, and dragged Clove out of the compartment.

"What are you doing?" Clove protested. "I'm not done talking to Max."

"He can't tell you anything." She replied.

They were back in Clove's compartment. Infuriated, she took a seat on her bed, waiting for the explanation she knew was coming.

"Recognize this?" Enobaria showed her what she got from the drawer.

"Ha!" Clove exclaimed. "I knew you'd find it!"

Her bracelet, with the pictures of Regulus and Max. She reached to take it back, but Enobaria pulled it away.

"I didn't find it. Cato did."


Incredible, just plain incredible.

"So, you're aware of your condition." He said.

Clove scowled, disliking the use of the word 'condition'. "Completely."

"Clove, I can't tell you how to move on from here, but I can-"

"She told me, but I don't understand how any of it can be true. I know about this hijacking thing, even Shay gossips about it. But I'm not anywhere near that unstable." Clove said.

"Right, you only decided to attack your head with scissors because you're sane." Enobaria countered.

"It's called a haircut, Enobaria!" Clove yelled.

"You can't even cut it straight, it's a mess!" She countered.

Aurelius cleared his throat in attempt to get their attention. "Hijackings work to alter the mind, Clove. The human brain is an amazing organ. And memory storage, more complex than you can imagine. But I'll put this in simple terms, how I think it applies to you. The person who used this technique on you did an impeccable job. I'll explain, your memories can be likened to a quilt."

Clove raised an eyebrow and glanced at Enobaria, who was unfazed by the strange comparison.

"Like a quilt, Clove. If you know what you're doing, you can take out a few squares and sew it back together. Seamless work, it's barely noticeable."

That makes some sense, I suppose. A quilt.

"Except, it's entirely noticeable, because I have cut out a person." Clove said. "It's probably really obvious to him, right?"

What she saw inside was not what she remembered. Clove was expecting to see Max, Regulus, and herself. But something had changed in Max's picture. Enobaria told her there had been a time when she and Cato Hadley, of all people, were close. The way she explained the relationship led Clove to believe it was the kind Enobaria didn't appreciate. And the picture with Max, it would justify the reason why the child was comfortable being around him. It was routine. A routine that had been disrupted.

"Does he know?" Clove asked.

"Yeah." Enobaria responded.

"Well, I haven't seen him try to talk to me." Clove said haughtily. If he cared that much, he should at the very least make an effort. She was worth that much, it was almost slightly insulting to her.

"We've all agreed there was no need to make you feel uncomfortable. We were hoping you'd make progress on your own." Aurelius said.

Clove rolled her eyes. "That's so considerate. Because this isn't uncomfortable enough."

"That's enough with the attitude." Enobaria scolded.

"You know, I've had it with you." Clove directed any and all emotion at her. "I've been here almost a week. Four whole days, I've spent locked up in a room. And I'm only hearing about this now. Why?"

"It's for your own good."

"I'm going to assume you said that. Because Aurelius here has no clue as to what's good and what's not. Am I right?"

Aurelius looked trapped. "Information is...limited."

"I thought so." Clove said. "Enobaria, you're one of the people I trust most. You and Finnick. I talked to Finnick, but he didn't say anything either. You asked him not to, didn't you? You thought it was a good idea to have everyone lie to me."

Enobaria glared at her. "You're one to talk, Clove. You think I'm gonna let it go? You lied to everyone so you could go into the Quell! And the whole time, I was wondering when you suddenly became this selfless, heroic, woman! Turns out you're just an idiot! You go and get yourself into the worst situations and the rest of us are here trying to pick up the pieces!"

Clove huffed in annoyance. "If I hadn't done it you'dbe dead! You and Max both. There was a reason why I reaped for the Quell, I was supposed to die in there. I did something useful, I found a way out!"

Enobaria's anger dissipated as she realized Clove was right. She didn't want to die, her need for self preservation was too, strong. But Clove understood her, Enobaria had no one else besides her and Max. Still, it bothered her that she was willing to lie. They were both equally selfish, going to great lengths to avoid being hurt and in the processes, hurting everyone else.

"I would suggest group counseling, to make it past this block." Aurelius broke the silence that had settled.

Clove sighed. "Don't bother. She's the least of my worries."

"What's your biggest worry, then? Cato?" Enobaria asked moodily.

"First of all, I'm going to make it clear that it's none of your business." Clove's words were cold and precise. "I mean it, Enobaria. I don't need a babysitter."

She walked out of the hospital and let her legs carry her all the way back to her room. That's what she needed, time alone.


Okay. Clove has officially cut Enobaria out of her Cato problem and she's taking over her own life once again. Next chapter, we'll get more Clove. We'll see how she's taking the news and what she plans on doing. She doesn't hate Cato, but she doesn't love him either. She simply doesn't trust him. In her mind,he's still allied with the Capitol and, well...that's a turn off.

Also, did the quilt thing make sense? I picked that over a science explanation. Maybe I'll add to that later, when Aurelius has more on Clove's case. Questions are welcome and thank you for reading! :)

Tori: Hi! It makes my day to see someone's reviewed, so thank you! I'd hate for anyone to be confused, so I'll always try my best to make things clear. There is absolutely no need to review every chapter, I'm happy knowing people read it! Yeah, I feel bad for Cato. And now that Clove is aware that she's hurting someone, she's going to have to do some serious thinking. That auto correct, I have sent some insane text messages. I'm already technology challenged, but technology itself is only adding to my pain! Oh, well. Thanks so much for reading :)