Haymitch's POV
I attempt to slip into the operating room unnoticed, but a nurse with a military look about her and sharp eyes flicks her hand at me.
"Away with you. She's not ready for visitors."
I stand my ground, ignoring her comment. My eyes find Gale sitting in a chair near the bed, his jaw clenched with concern.
I meet the nurse's gaze again and set a determined face.
"Listen lady, I'm not blind. I can see him right over there."
"He's a relative." She answers matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, and I'm that girl's mentor. Thanks to me she's lived through both of Snow's games. I ain't movin, so let me see her." I press.
She looks me up and down.
"... Alright but stay out of the way."
I shift around her and come up behind Gale in the chair.
"Good job kid." I mutter to him with a clap on the shoulder as I look over Katniss's state. She's not well off, but she's alive and from what I can tell- uninjured.
I just hope the boy is the same. Unlike this nurse, the medical attendants in his room absolutely wouldn't budge to allow anyone in. I only momentarily peeked through the door to see dozens of nurses rushing around his bedside.
"Um... I just did what I could." He replies quietly, not taking his gaze off of her. I crouch down beside him.
"Gale, did you by chance see Peeta?" I ask. He must have caught the sight of him when he was rescued.
He nods.
"How was he?"
Gale lets out a breath.
"From what I can tell, not good. The medical assistants tended to him the moment he entered the hovercraft." He admits, rubbing his hands together slowly, glancing from Katniss to me.
I don't know what to say about this.
Why him and not her? What caused him to suffer?
My head whips back to the bed when I hear a murmur. Katniss stirs. Her eyes open in watery slits as she glances about the room, her hands gripping the sheets.
"What... what's going on... Peeta?" She whimpers.
I hastily approach her bedside, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey Sweetheart. It's okay. Your here now with us... your in Thirteen." I assure her, deciding to leave Peeta out of the equation for now.
"Haymitch..." She begins.
"Yes. Gale's here, too." I signal for him to come over.
He carefully kneels beside her.
"Hey Catnip." He says softly, reaching up to stroke her cheek. For a moment her eyes regain peace as she feels comforted by our presences.
"Hey..." A smile nearly traces across her lips, but worry soon takes over.
"Where's Peeta? You... you must have gotten him out." She says, creating a crease between her eyebrows.
Gale swallows, choosing not to answer. I take over for him.
"He's here. We got him and the other victors out." I confirm.
She nods to show that she understands, but her face contorts in fear.
"He's hurt Haymitch. Really bad. I didn't think he'd-he'd make it." Her voice catches as a few stray tears escape her eyes.
The military nurse I spoke with before shoots at glance at us, hearing Katniss's disturbance.
"It would be best if you two go. Your aggravating her, her mental state is already not well." She snaps, frustration for us growing.
Gale starts to stand, but Katniss reaches out for him.
"No, don't go. Either of you." She glances over at me through her tears.
"I've been alone... for a long time..." her mind drifts off elsewhere as she stares blankly at the wall in front of her, probably revisiting the horrible memories while being locked away.
Holy shit.
What has Snow done to her? She's broken.
I shake my head, glancing up at the ceiling. I then rub my forehead, trying to think about how I am going to explain all of this to Coin when she declares her proposition to pose Katniss as the Mockingjay. Our only hope is that her sanity will return as soon as she becomes well again.
"Where is he?" She asks suddenly.
"I have to see him. I-I don't even know if he's alright..." She attempts to sit up, groping at her left arm to remove the IV.
"Woah, woah that's not gonna to happen. You lay there till the nurse says you're well again." I say as Gale gently lays her back down. She fights uselessly against his restraints.
"No, Haymitch I need to see him. Let me see Peeta!" She pleads.
The nurse rushes over along with a few other medical attendants.
"Katniss, sweetheart, you aren't thinking straight. I'll check on him for you, okay," I assure her, trying to remain as calm as possible as she struggles in Gale's arms. Three nurses rush over and attempt to pin her down as the doctor ushers Gale and I out the door.
"You got to go now." He tells us with a shake of his head, turning immediately back to Katniss who is now sobbing, her arms flailing against them.
Gale's eyes burn with rage.
"Be careful with her, can't you see she's terrified?" He shouts at them. I shove him out the door before he can say or do much more and slam it behind us.
He curls up his fists.
"Haymitch they don't know what they're doing. Katniss is not in her head." He gestures to the door with his hand. I nod in agreement.
"I know. We just got to trust them. They're going to do what they can." I tell him, glancing around the hospital.
"The best thing we can do for her is figure out how Peeta's doing and somehow allow them to see one another." I state. Gale's harsh expression turns almost sad at my words and he looks towards the door again.
"But... why can't..." his voice dies out. I shake my head.
"C'mon." I gesture us to go down the opposite hallway. We trot across the lobby to the doors along the right wall and I find Peeta's room.