There's a moment between Plutarch and Haymitch that stemmed from the movie. When Katniss shoots Coin, Plutarch sort of had this smirk on his face, he kind of chuckled, so it made me think that maybe he knew what was going on, which is why I wrote it this way.

Also, a passage in this chapter is from my one-shot "Letting the Arrow Fly," which is found in chapter 119 (Dribble, Drabble) in Loosen Your Corset, Princess."

Lastly, this chapter is kind of dark. There is a kill scene, but it's not too graphic or detailed.

Chapter 36

Words: 2,209

They don't have a lot of time, but before they part, before they head out to do the deed, Katniss tells him, barely moving her lips,

"I demanded Effie be given immunity," and then she was gone.

He was dumbfounded, so startled that he stopped in the middle of walking, nearly causing Johanna to bump into him.

Not caring he made his way to Effie's as fast as he could.

She is still dressed in her outfit, still looking utterly ridiculous, and now she is with Katniss' prep team. He dismisses them and they leave, leaving the two of them alone.

"They tell me you saved my life," she stated, and her voice isn't cold anymore, but still reserved. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was the reason you were there. It was my job to get you out."

She looked at him, really looking him over. She stepped up to him, grabbing his hands and staring at his bruised knuckles. "Did you kill them?"

Haymitch wouldn't lie to her. "Every single one of them, yes."

She nodded. "I think deep down I knew that."

"Do you hate me?"

Effie didn't immediately answer. "I do not like you very much right now," she finally confessed.

He inhaled sharply.

"I understand why. But between the Games and the bombing that killed poor Prim… I cannot say I am in a place to condone violence right now, Haymitch, even for me. Violence killed Cinna. I heard Portia being killed. All of them, Johanna, Peeta, Annie… violence did this to us."

"That's why I had to—"

"There are other choices," she snapped out. "There has to be. I have to believe that, Haymitch, or I will never recover." She took a shaky breath and finally looked at him again. "Why are you here?"

Haymitch swallowed thickly. "Katniss… she demanded you have immunity. Your life will be spared."

Effie gave him an ironic smile. "Pity. I have wanted to be dead for such a long time."

"Do you think you'll ever forgive me?"

Again, she paused. "I think… one day I will. I am quite unsure how soon one day will get here."

"Soon enough to come back with me to Twelve?"

She blinked at him. "Do not hold your breath."

XxXxXx

He didn't have a lot of time drink away his sorrow.

So Effie practically hated him. He should be used to it.

Only he wasn't used to it.

Effie loved him, damn it, and he'd taken it – taken her – for granted, but he was selfish.

He thought saving her would make everything right, and he realized that even in saving her he was being selfish. He had thought she'd be grateful, he had hoped that she would fall into his arms and that all would be forgiven, but that wasn't the case.

Fortunately, he didn't have a lot of time to dwell on it. Plutarch needed him and he had to make sure Coin didn't suspect anything was off. As far as she was concerned they were all on one accord about there being another Hunger Game.

Before they made their way into the room Haymitch stopped Plutarch. He couldn't decide if they were friends or not. Chaff was his friend. Mags, Johanna, Finnick… those people were his friends. But Plutarch was his colleague, at the very least a friendly one, so he had to know.

"It was Coin's idea to drop the bomb in the Capitol," he said. Plutarch froze, his mouth open. Haymitch exhaled. He hadn't known. "And she wants another Hunger Game."

Plutarch shut his mouth and blinked, shaking his head. "That's impossible. Everything we've worked for was to end The Hunger Games."

"Yah, well, it was voted on. When Coin's elected, that's what'll happen."

Plutarch looked at Haymitch. "Did you vote for it?" Haymitch didn't answer. Plutarch stepped closer to him. "Tell me, did you think about Effie when you cast your vote? Because she's who would have been affected."

"All this is dependent on if Coin gets elected," Haymitch reminded him, and Plutarch blinked.

"What are you not telling me, Haymitch?"

Haymitch gave Plutarch a small smile. "You're gonna get a hell of a show today. If I were you I'd tell Cressida to make sure her camera stays on Katniss at all times."

XxXxXx

He watched her walk, his heart hammering painfully in his chest. Everything they'd ever done depended on this moment. For the past twenty-five years he'd been waiting for this to happen, and a part of him wished it were him pulling the arrow.

All eyes were glued to Katniss, the crowd quieting down instantly at her appearance. She looked fierce, and fearless, and he found himself partially proud of her.

He hoped this moment didn't destroy her.

He looked at her, like everyone else in the crowd was doing, and thought about how much weight she had on her shoulders. They were all counting on her, not just her friends and family, not even just Panem. Those who had died for this cause were counting on her too. Those who had suffered.

Cinna.

Portia.

Finnick.

Chaff.

Mags.

Prim.

And Effie.

He tried not to think of Effie. Effie, who he had cornered before they all made their way to Snow's execution, and told her to head to Plutarch's as soon as Katniss' arrow flew.

Things were going to get hectic, he knew, especially if Katniss was going to do what he thought she was going to do. He'd grabbed Effie and told her sternly that no matter what happens, no matter what Katniss does, she needed to head to Plutarch's and lock herself in the room, no questions asked.

She'd seemed to understand that something big was about to happen, even if she was dazed and confused and upset with him.

He'd stared into those vacant blue eyes, the eyes that used to be lit with a fire that he could never match, though they had always provided their own spark into his, trying to will her to understand, and she had nodded.

He kept his eye on Effie as the crowd quieted down, but she seemed to only have eyes for Katniss. So did everyone else. Haymitch suspected he probably should have been focusing too, but he'd spent too much damn time not focusing on Effie Trinket.

It was dangerous, having her here, but Coin was vindictive.

Still, she'd get hers, he knew.

That thought had him glancing away from Effie, in her gold wig and tattered dress, and focusing on their Mockingjay. He held his breath, blood still pounding in his ears.

This was it.

Katniss was fierce, he realized. Fiercer than he'd ever given her credit for, and he hoped they'd all survive this when it was over. He kept a close eye on her, saw the way she drew back her bow, Snow her target.

He wasn't sure anyone else would catch it beforehand. He only caught it because he'd been watching her bow, not her, wondering if his assumption had been correct.

The second it shifted, Haymitch held his breath, his mind immediately going to Effie. He didn't have time to glance at her again. He wanted to will her to safety, but she'd have to make it there herself.

Get to Plutarch's, he thought, hoping she still had the ability to hear his thoughts.

He wouldn't have time to shield Effie. He had the unfortunate responsibility of always having to choose the Mockingjay over her, and it was no different in this moment, right here, right now, as she let her arrow fly through Coin's skull.

XxXxXx

The reaction was immediate, the roar unmistakable. Residents of Thirteen were furious, the crowd was confused, but at the end of the day Coin lay dead and all Haymitch could hear was Snow's laughter.

Somewhere in the distance he could hear Katniss calling for Gale to shoot her. He looked up and could see the rebels dragging her away. He had never for one second thought that she'd be able to kill herself. She would have, he had no doubt about that, but Peeta wasn't going to let that happen.

And Gale wasn't going to shoot her, either.

Haymitch set his sights on Snow, who had been knocked down from the crowd. He bypassed the people, running around in chaos, and approached the man spluttering on the ground.

He dropped low and turned Snow around so that they were face to face.

Snow's eyes widened slightly as they connected with Haymitch's, and for the first time since Haymitch had known Snow, he saw fear flicker in his eyes when the former president noted the knife in Haymitch's hand. Without saying a word Haymitch started undoing Snow's jacket and shirt.

Haymitch smiled darkly, their eyes locked, and he sunk his knife into Snow's stomach. The older man gasped and Haymitch watched his face scrunch up in pain.

"That was for my mother."

He took the knife out and slid it back into Snow, this time on his side. "That was for my brother."

Snow coughed, his eyes rolling back, but Haymitch didn't let it deter him. He went to Snow's other side. "This is for Nova."

Snow moaned as blood started to seep out of his body. Haymitch wasn't quite finished with him yet, so he pushed his knife into another soft spot in Snow's stomach. "And that one was for Maysilee."

Snow's eyes bugged as Haymitch took the knife back out.

Haymitch's heart was pounding furiously in his chest as he forced the knife into Snow's heart. Haymitch bent down and whispered in Snow's ear, even as Snow's body went rigid. "And that last one was for Effie."

When he sat back up Snow had blood pouring out of his mouth. Haymitch removed the knife and proceeded to button Snow's shirt back up. Then he buttoned up his jacket and brushed Snow's hair out of his face.

"Enjoy hell," Haymitch said, and then he stood up and walked away. He dropped the knife at some point, his vision blurry.

He could have killed him. He could have slit his throat but Effie would have hated him even more. Sure he might have sped up his death, but he didn't deliver the murderous blow.

He made it all the way to his room before throwing up.

XxXxXx

Haymitch felt mentally drained. So much was going on….

Peeta had had another flashback and was immediately taken to the hospital, though he couldn't really get treatment because Katniss needed Dr. Aurelius. Katniss' trial too up most of his time, and when he wasn't in that courtroom he was defending Effie, whose immunity had been demolished once Katniss pulled her little stunt and killed Coin.

It was being argued that maybe Katniss hadn't been in her right mind when she had told Coin that.

Haymitch and Plutarch argued on Effie's behalf. They had arrested her a few hours after Katniss had been arrested and Haymitch found out too late – again. He'd been furious, absolutely manic with anger and demanded that she be released.

Commander Paylor suggested letting her go but keeping her under house arrest, and she was allowed to stay at Plutarch's.

She had clung to him, sobbing, when he'd come into her cell, shaking and terrified.

"I'm sorry for everything I ever did that was wrong," she cried. "Please don't let them imprison me. Please, I can't ever live in a cell again. I did it once, please don't make me live through that again. I'd rather they kill me."

He couldn't get her to stop trembling, he practically carried her to Plutarch's, and then she was all over him, ripping at his clothes. He tried to stop her, she was deranged, insane, but he missed her so much and it'd probably be the last time anyway, so he pushed into her and tried to enjoy it for what it was.

She wrapped one leg around his waist and let her other leg balance them on the floor as he pumped into her, her head thrown back, her whimpers loud. It was… it made for mind-blowing sex: the rush, the adrenaline, the realization that they'd both escaped death on one too many occasions but they had made it, and that meant something.

He never wanted to exit out of her, but after he'd stayed buried inside of her and didn't move she gently pushed him away.

"Come back with me to Twelve," he had said, pulling her to him and burying his face into her neck.

She didn't answer. She just gently pushed him away, kissed him softly, and walked away from him.