Prompt : Could you please write a fic when Effie realize that Finnick didn't make it.

Grief

"I'm sorry you have to do this." Haymitch cleared his throat, sitting on her bed and fiddling with the clipboard.

There was no immediate answer from the bathroom. He glanced at the half-closed door but it was some time before Effie stepped out, wearing one of her old escort dresses and high heels. She walked tentatively at first, not used to the shoes anymore or maybe trying to hide the residual pain from her months of captivity.

"It's alright." she answered at last. "It is the price to pay for my freedom, isn't it? You were very clear about that."

"Doesn't mean it's right." he spat. He and Plutarch had fought Coin teeth and nails for Effie. One part of the deal they had struck was that she would play the escort one last time for Katniss. It showed she was part of the team. It showed she was standing with the Mockingjay. It would also make her a traitor to most of the Capitol people but he supposed her imprisonment had already done that.

"Who will be there?" she asked, moving to the gold framed mirror on the wall. It matched the wig she put on her head.

"Everyone." he sighed, propping himself back on his elbows to watch her rummage around the make-up case he had brought along with the clothes.

"Then it won't be so bad." she declared after taking a deep breath. She wondered who she was trying to convince. Him? Or herself. "I want to see the children obviously. And I wouldn't mind seeing Finnick either… I wished he had been allowed to visit me in the hospital… I miss him."

Haymitch had frozen at the mention of District Four's victor. He was suddenly very conscious of his heart hammering in his chest.

"Sweetheart…" He wasn't able to go further than that.

Effie had been placed in isolation right after her rescue. The doctors had treated her wounds and nursed her back to health but she had been kept in a locked hospital room under guards – which had been ridiculous in his opinion because she could barely stand at the time never mind try to escape – and forbidden visitors. It had taken days before Plutarch coaxed Coin into allowing them the right to see her. And by that time… Too much had been happening at once. She had asked about the kids, of course, but she had been so out of it even then that it was the only thing she had cared about. Haymitch had been too exhausted to remember the rest.

"Haymitch?" Effie was frowning. He blinked and the next second she was standing in front of him, her face still devoid of make-up. He used to like it when she wasn't wearing any but now he wished she were so he didn't have to see the hollow cheeks, the bags under her eyes and the slowing healing bruise on her jaw. She was still beautiful to him, that wasn't the problem. The problem was he had caused her suffering. It was his fault she had been left behind, he should have protected her better. She placed a hand on his forehead with a worried expression. "You're awfully pale…"

"Sweetheart." he repeated more firmly, clasping her hands in his and gently tugging until she sat next to him on the bed. "Finnick…"

"No." she cut him off before he could say anything else. He didn't need to, she had read it on his face. "No, no, no. Haymitch, no."

She shook her head as if to deny the truth of his words, her voice caught and then the tears came and it was all he could do to gather her close to his chest.

"It was quick, Princess." he lied, pressing a kiss on her forehead. They had said the same thing to Annie. "Not painful."

"No." she still refused in a sob, clinging to him as if he had the power to change it.

The sobs wrecked her barely healed body, she shook and shook.

He held her through it all in silence, knowing nothing he could say would appease her grief.