Katniss and Peeta were alarmed and forced to get out of their house when they heard Haymitch and Effie yelling outside. They saw them in the middle of the compound struggling with each other.
"Please! Just stay here!" Effie yelled while trying not to lose her grip on his arm.
"Let go, Effie!" he yelled back trying to yank his arm away from her.
Katniss instinctively jumped in without asking what's happening when she saw him holding a knife on the other hand. She helped Effie to pull him back to his house while Peeta is still confused at what's happening.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"I said let go! I need to kill that bastard!" Haymitch exclaimed and that caught Peeta's attention. He finally saw the knife in his hand.
They played the tug of war for a couple of minutes when Katniss lost her grip on his arm and Haymitch overpowered Effie. As he pulled his arm back, Effie lost her balance and fell on the ground hitting her head on a rock.
"I told you to let go, Eff", Haymitch said without realizing what just happened.
Effie tried to get herself up but her vision is spinning. Peeta went to help her but halted when he saw the red liquid flowing from her head to her face.
"Effie, you're bleeding", he muttered out loud and that stopped Haymitch from whatever he's thinking.
He adjusted his vision and saw that her head is bleeding. Katniss kneeled next to her and assessed the cut as well.
"It's pretty deep. I'm taking you to the hospital", she said and that's when Effie went hysterical.
"No! I am not going back there! Don't take me there! Please, don't take me there! Please!" Effie exclaimed.
Peeta backed off unable to process what to do next while Katniss doesn't know how to handle her. Haymitch dropped his knife and wrapped his arms around her to stop her from hurting herself further.
"It's okay. It's okay. No one is taking you to the hospital. You're okay, princess. We're going home", he said and it worked.
Effie slowly calmed down though fear is still in her eyes. She's scared to death to go to the hospital.
"Take me home, please, Haymitch", she pleaded and he nodded.
Haymitch carried her into his arms and took her to his house. Katniss ran to Sae and Daisy for help. She knows very little about treating people. It's Prim's forte but she's not around to ask for help. Peeta helped with setting Effie down the couch and then he went to get water and clean towel to clean the cut while waiting for Katniss and Sae.
"What the hell happened, Haymitch? Why were you two fighting outside in the first place?" Peeta asked.
He knows Haymitch wanted to kill someone but he still doesn't know who.
"We are not fighting. She saw someone in town and I want to kill him but she won't let me", Haymitch answered while removing Effie's shoes.
"Who?" Peeta asked again.
"That guy who hurt her in that room", he answered briefly and Peeta got it right away.
Haymitch knew that Effie told Peeta about that room. She didn't tell it in a detailed way unlike how she did with him but Peeta knows.
"He's here in Twelve?" Peeta asked in shock.
"Yeah…sent Effie running back here. I found her in our room at the corner shaking in fear. She's having a panic attack. What am I supposed to do? That bastard hurt her! Then he came here in our district? I cannot let him be in the same space as Effie", Haymitch answered in rage.
He then felt Effie's hand on his arm. She's conscious again but still weak and lightheaded.
"Please, don't…" she pleaded in her weak voice.
She knows he wants to do it for her but she doesn't want him to get his hands dirty because of her. He's been through so much and killing took a huge toll on him. He doesn't need another name on his list.
"Fine. I won't kill the bastard because you ask but if he comes anywhere near you, I'm gutting him", Haymitch said and that's good enough for her.
Sae and Katniss arrived with the first aid kit. It stings but Effie took a lot more worse injuries than that and it showed. Before she would scream on a small cut but things changed. She's tougher now than she used to be. After Sae cleaned up her cut and made a clean stitch on her head, she ordered Katniss and Peeta to get the herbs she needed for the pain since she cannot take any pain reliever.
"The girl told me it was an accident. Mind telling me why she's stopping you from gutting someone?" Sae asked Haymitch when he walked her out of the house.
"Someone arrived in town. He's someone who hurt her during her time as prisoner in the Capitol. I got so angry especially when I saw how scared she was. I couldn't help myself. I didn't mean to hurt her", he answered.
Sae put her hand on his shoulder.
"I know. No one is blaming you. As per the man you're talking about, his name is Felix Garth. He's an investor from the Capitol. He came to Twelve looking for businesses to expand and invest in. I already said no and after I talk to some people, he won't get any yes from this place and he'll leave soon", she said.
Haymitch smiled at her.
"Thank you, Sae. I appreciate it", he replied.