Happy New Year, Madam Press Secretary!

Usually, despite the constant stress that a live-performance involved, Effie always enjoyed watching Haymitch address the nation. He had a unique sort of charisma, a roguish charm that never failed to make her swoon when he bothered to turn it on.

But, at this very moment, all Effie wanted was for the New Year's address to end so she could get out of this dress. And that wouldn't happen for some hours yet. There was the official ball to get through – although she was already planning on bailing early.

Wearing a ball gown and towering heels when you were almost six months pregnant was not pleasant.

And there was no hiding her midsection either. Technicians and people who didn't regularly visit the Mansion had been giving her double-takes ever since they had started setting up Haymitch's office. Even people who did work at the Mansion had been glancing at her, eyebrows lifted high. She didn't think any of them didn't know she was pregnant anymore. There was only so much clothes could hide – even with Portia's brilliant help – and the rumors were rampant in the press anyway. But it was easier to hide just how big she had gotten with casual clothes than it was in a ball gown – a maternity ball gown at that, custom-made by her best friend.

Haymitch, not unsurprisingly, looked almost bored as he read the teleprompter, slouching in his chair like he shouldn't be doing. She stepped closer to the camera so he could see her disapproving pout, careful not to trip on a wire. They didn't need a repeat of that cursed year, all the more so given that her stomach would be the first thing to hit the deck and they had worked too hard on making their bean to lose it now.

Haymitch did catch her eyes but it didn't have the right effect. His lips stretched into a small soft smirk instead and he tilted his head to the side, a sparkle of wickedness in his gaze. "And you all know how much they hate when I go off-script, so let's do that again…"

To her left, where he was leaning against the wall, she could see Plutarch tense.

Plutarch had been tense since he had caught sight of her earlier. It seemed he hadn't realized either just how pregnant she was. She laid a hand on her belly, following the pattern of tiny hits. The baby wasn't happy about being stuck in a ball gown either.

She frowned a little at Haymitch though, not sure where he was going with that and not particularly impatient to find out. His going off-script was rarely a good thing.

Haymitch paused and cleared his throat, letting the whole part of the speech about the now resolved troubles with Thirteen roll past unacknowledged on the teleprompter. "I've got a bit of a personal announcement… Well… The Mansion's got a bit of a personal announcement…"

Oh no, he wasn't…

She shook her head.

They hadn't discussed how they were going to come out – although she had told him earlier while they were getting ready, once everyone saw her in that dress they would need to – but this wasn't what she had had in mind. At all. She wanted it controlled. She wanted to do it herself. She wanted…

"My lovely Press Secretary got knocked up!" he announced cheerfully, with a delighted smile that implied this was the best news ever. Knocked-up. Effie was going to kill him. "It's all a big mystery, mind you… No clue who the father is…" He had the nerves to wink directly at the camera. "Wear a condom, kids."

She closed her eyes, let her head fall back, took a deep breath and counted to ten.

She had distinctly heard Plutarch choke on the other side of the room – and with reasons. Thatcondom comment was politically loaded for one thing. She didn't disagree necessarily but…

"So, yeah… That's it. We're getting a new baby at the Mansion. We're fucking happy about it so that's only fair we tell you…" He shrugged, a bit sheepishly. "Here's to the greatest year yet to come! Happy New Year!"

There was a moment of confusion before the technician staff understood they were supposed to cut the feed. The moment the red light blinked off, Plutarch was on the President.

"What were you thinking?!" the chief-of-staff snapped. "Did you plan this?"

And just like that she was dragged into the lecture. She carefully walked closer, picking her path through the wires on the floor, her hand still on her stomach, a displeased pout on her lips. "Does this sound like a plan I would have designed?"

"Point taken." Plutarch granted and glared at Haymitch again.

Haymitch didn't seem to care one bit. He barely looked at their friend, his eyes glued to her belly. He liked the dress, she knew. He liked the dress because it didn't hide his child and he simply loved to gaze at her heavily pregnant stomach. At night, in their bed, he liked nothing more than to lift her nightgown and press kisses to her stretched skin… He had had enough of hiding and she could understand that. They hid enough on a regular basis.

"Stop fretting…" Haymitch dismissed with a wave of his hand. "It was gonna come out anyway. Press's been buzzing for weeks."

Peeta appeared at her elbow, her phone in hand open to a social media. He handed it to her after clearing his throat. "Hayffie and hayffiebun are trending."

"See?" the President triumphed.

She skimmed the feed, glazed over the few haters… Mostly the messages were supportive, happy… It was good news, people seemed to have decided.

"The opinion is positive." she confirmed. She was about to hand her phone back to Peeta when the screen flash to a call. Her mother's picture. She declined it. It didn't take Elindra five seconds to try again. She sent it to voicemail and winced at Haymitch. "A heads-up would have been nice. Do you know how long I will hear about this?" She waved her phone in the air. Her mother was calling again. "She will murder me and you will never find my body."

"That's why you've got Odair." Haymitch cheerfully retorted.

Plutarch shook his head, lifting his hands and letting them fall. Around them, the office was slowing emptying. "You haven't even told your parents?"

"Have you met my parents?" Effie scoffed. "Poor Lyssa is still trying to convince them Leo is not out to steal the family's fortune and they have been dating for months…"

"I like Leo." Haymitch hummed distractedly, reaching across the desk for her stomach. "They're still coming tomorrow with the boys, yeah?"

"For lunch, yes." she confirmed. "Although now I suppose I will have to go with Lyssa to dinner at my parents afterwards." She sighed. "I will not know peace until my mother has been allowed to shout abuse at me."

"She shouts abuse at you and I'm having her tossed in the Capitol's dungeon." he growled. "We've got one of those, you know." He was only half-joking and the look he gave her wasn't happy, his lips were pursed hard. "Maybe I should come with you."

"Oh, yes…" she hissed. "Let the President of Panem show up uninvited at my parents' house after this announcement. Because the press won't be hounding both of us at all. If we have any hope to get away with this mysterious father story of yours for two more years, we need to stick to the status quo."

Haymitch studied her for a long moment and then looked around the office, finally spotting Boggs against the opposite wall where he was doing his best to blend in with the wallpaper. Probably because he wasn't liking the talk about going anywhere that hadn't been vetted weeks in advance and her parents' house had definitely not been vetted.

"She's right, the press's gonna be after her." he pointed out. "Odair wants another Peacekeeper added to her detail, maybe two. See that he gets what he needs. I don't want anyone coming within two feet of this baby."

"The baby? What am I?" she huffed. "A freight cargo for your child?"

"Or you obviously." he amended.

Plutarch muttered something that distinctly sounded like 'I hate you all'. A lie, of course. Plutarch had already purchased far too many stuffed toys and little outfits for the bean. They kept telling him he didn't have to but the chief-of-staff claimed he couldn't help it. Late night online shopping was an addiction and it wasn't like he was going to have one of his own so he might as well spoil theirs. She couldn't argue with that logic although Fulvia might.

"You're needed downstairs." Katniss shouted from the inner office. "All of you." She briefly appeared on the threshold, resplendent in a black and white designer dress – one of Effie's that she could definitely not wear anymore. "And you are supposed to escort me."

The last part was aimed at Peeta who snatched the phone from Effie's hand and hurried to his girlfriend's side, giving her a mock gallant bow. "Milady."

Katniss shook her head but a happy smile stretched her lips and she took the arm he was outstretching. Effie smiled fondly as she watched them go, wishing Peeta all the success in the world with the ring he was secretly carrying in his pocket.

Haymitch hauled himself to his feet with a sigh, holding out his own arm for her. "Ready, princess?"

"As ready as I am ever going to be." she replied. They made their way down to the ballroom but she paused when the doors came into view. "I cannot walk in with you."

He didn't need the reminder, she knew. She was not the First Lady. She was not even officially his girlfriend, never mind fiancée. She had no business walking in with him when he was about to officially open the ball.

"One day, when you're the fucking President, we can open that fucking ball together…" he grumbled, a promise more than anything.

"I will be delighted." she promised, letting go of his arm to accept the one Plutarch was gallantly offering.

"Save me a dance!" Haymitch called after her.

She doubted she would be dancing at all that night but she shot him a grin over her shoulder. "Don't I always, Sir?"

She purred the word just enough that she distinctly heard him curse under his breath…

That was good.

It wouldn't do to have a President too comfortable, after all…

I hate it when stories end XD Well... This was quite a surprising ride for me as I didn't plan to have this be a chaptered story at first... I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. It really was a special universe to play in and I'm not closing the door on a possible sequel because... Well, they were really fun in this one.

But because I know you will have questions and sequels are never sure things... (you can skip this part if you would rather imagine your own version):

- The Bean is a boy... They probably name it Aidan after Tadius' father because they can both agree they like the name when they don't agree on much name-wise. Annie becomes its nanny and he's raised right alongside the odesta baby. The two boys will grow up to be thick as thieves - and get in a lot of mischief to their parents' amused despair.
- While Elindra is furious that Effie is having a baby out of wedlock she has a vested interest in knowing her grandchild so she pipes it down a little. They never really patch things up and Lyssa takes her distances from her.
- Everlark gets married and probably has babies far sooner than 15 years in the future.
- Chaff does come to the Capitol after the bean is born. He and Effie don't exactly click but they're friendly enough and Chaff, while not exactly a fan of baby, tries to be the best uncle ever. He brings a regular homemade crib that does NOT rock by itself.
- Lyssa and Leo are regular guests at the Mansion. The two couples are close. Lyssa is happier than ever and while it takes a while, she and Rufus manage to patch things up enough that they can be friends and coparent the boys in a civilized manner. Lyssa will accept nothing else for her children's sake.
- Hayffie's wedding is, to Haymitch's despair, NOT a small thing. It turns out when Plutarch's in charge of the organisation, you're a former President and your wife is planning on having a political career, it involves inviting a lot of politicians and influent people. Elindra is invited to the wedding after all. So is Gale. They also end up having a private celebration the next day with just Chaff, Portia, Lyssa and the children. It's lovely (and not just because it means Effie gets to have two wedding dresses)
- Effie does become President after around a decade. Haymitch is very happy to become The First Gentleman and delights in being the trophy husband. Every time the press asks if he's behind one of Effie's idea (because they're A-hole and do) he smiles very blandly and told everyone he was always eye candy even back then. Obviously everyone knows that's false.
- Hayffie is the darling couple of Panem. Even if people disagree with their politics they can all agree they're a solid couple who everyone should aspire to. Don't worry though they still fight like cats and dogs in public and in private XD
- Speaking of cats, Rascal lives his best life. When Haymitch leaves the Mansion, the General of the Cat Patrol takes a well-deserved retirement. The mice don't really notice since he hasn't bothered hunting any in years. He's too busy watching his small human kitty and clawing the hands of everyone trying to touch him, Annie included. Haymitch can sometimes manage to escape the clawing if he pays proper respect to the cat before trying to lift his boy from the crib... Everyone knows Rascal is the real boss around here... They should name HIM president.

Here goes. I hope you all enjoyed this journey... It was really fun to write and some crack was needed last year...

Pleaaaase do let me know your thoughts!

As for what's next. Well... KATNISS THE VAMPIRE SLAYER IS BAAAACK! I'm thinking 3rd of October. I will take next Sunday off because I have a lot of prepping to do for work but after that we're going back to the Hellmouth, the demons and the slaying! I hope to see you there!