Promt: Panem today panem tommorw panem forever" After the broadcast Haymitch thinks back to cards Effie wrote for the tour and wonders if effie was told to write that or if the capitol are taking her words for marketing. (wether Effie is in D13 or still lost is up to you)

Panem Forever

"We need to hack this." Plutarch declared as soon as the propaganda spot was over. "Beetee, what can you do?"

The small room became alive as everyone started to talk at the same time, making suggestions and trying to be heard. Plutarch and Beetee were at the center of it all, listening and nodding all at once. Haymitch had nothing to contribute and he quietly went to stand near the other silent person. He still had troubles recognizing Effie without her Capitol outfit, the grey uniform made her look small and his eyes often passed on her without taking notice of her presence. Not that she wasn't striking because she was but he was too used to the colorful Effie to register that they were the same person, he remembered only when she talked : she became annoying fast.

She was still looking at the now blank screen, tears shining in her eyes. He stayed next to her, close enough that their shoulders bumped with each breath they took, and he felt her gradually standing straighter as she started to realize he shared her pain and her worry. They probably were the only two people in that room to be concerned about Peeta, the others were all going on about the impact that using Peeta's face as a symbol of Capitol loyalty would have.

No one bothered to ask how they had gotten Peeta to cooperate, what they had done to him… Of course, everything that had been done to Peeta was on him. He had failed to save the kid.

Effie's hand nudged his, probably knowing where his thoughts were going. They didn't hold hands exactly – of course not, Haymitch wasn't twelve anymore – but the back of their hands was pressed tightly together, one of her fingers hooked around one of his. A part of him wanted to remind her that she was angry with him, another one was simply glad for the reprieve.

"Did they tell you to put those words in the cards or are they yours?" he asked. It was a stupid question. Who cared about the stupid motto that was so recurrent during Victory Tour that Katniss and Peeta had taken to repeat it mockingly every chance they had. He could still remember lifting his glass one night and the kids droning "Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever" like a common prayer under Effie's irritated gaze until they all burst out laughing. It was one of the rare carefree moments they had shared on that Tour from hell.

"Mine." she replied softly. "I thought… I thought it would speak of unity. I thought it would send a message." It did and the wrong one, but he didn't tell her that, her intentions had been good. She finally stopped staring at the dead screen to look at him. It was odd, he thought, how she could look so different and yet be exactly the same. Her eyes looked just as blue and anguished as the day of the Quell Reaping. "Will we ever get him back?"

He wanted to say yes. He wanted to promise her they would.

He remained silent.

He didn't know.