Prompt: Ellana, darling! I love thirteen sheep, and I was wondering if I could prompt something based on that. A one shot where Snow finds out about Theo, and Effie has to get him out of the Capitol. The first person she finds who she thinks will help is Chaff. (Or someone else, I just really want Chaff to find out about Theo somehow.)

It's been a long time since I did something Theo-related. This is kind of a prequel though so you don't need to read the other stories to understand it (and you can find it on my tumblr, in my tags masterlist under Theo) ;) It takes place a year before Thirteen Sheep.

Her Everything

There were things Effie Trinket had done that she was not proud of, things she knew she would never be forgiven for, things that haunted her day and night… Her role in the Games business was high on that list but that ship had sailed and she was trapped on it now. Hiding a pregnancy from the world, passing the child off as her sister's and never telling Haymitch her biggest secret… It ranked high too.

She would never regret having kept Theo. She knew it had been an insane decision, a decision that would most likely lead to heartbreak at some point, she knew it wasn't fair on the child who had to live mostly hidden in her mother's house, she knew it killed her not to be able to take care of him full time… She knew that if she had gone to Haymitch five years earlier he would have asked her to terminate the pregnancy – and that was the very reason why she hadn't ever told him. She knew that when he would find out – if he ever found out – he would hate her for it, both for keeping the child and for stealing him away from him.

She knew.

She knew.

And it seemed now was her time of reckoning.

Her blue eyes scanned the room, the victory party was in full swing, people were trying to get her attention left and right and the smile on her lips was fixed, a little manic. How long had it been since the last time she had slept or eaten something? She didn't remember. She had been drinking coffee by the gallons and so had Haymitch. They had been killing themselves trying to get one of their tributes back and now they had two victors who had threatened suicide by poisoned berries if they weren't allowed a joined victory and she could feel herself crumbling with fear.

Past the moment of hysteria when they had all hugged and shouted in joy, it had dawned on them all what had just happened. Nobody had said anything, not Portia, not Cinna and certainly not Haymitch. Effie had babbled to cover the awkwardness, always hyper aware that they were being listened to and that it wouldn't have done to let anyone doubt their happiness. But she knew too.

They were in troubles.

They were in so much troubles.

Seneca was refusing her calls and during a – not so lucky – chance meeting in a hallway had made it very clear in a furious whisper that Twelve's team was to stay as far away from him as humanly possible. The Head Gamemaker was in hot waters too.

Finally, she spotted Chaff amongst a group of younger victors, holding court like he sometimes did, regaling them with a story that made them all laugh… She made a beeline for him, that crazy smile still stretching her lips, nodding left and right at the call of her name, promising in sing-song replies that she would be back in a flash…

Eleven's victor lifted his glass in a toast when he saw her come closer but kept talking, clearly not expecting her to stop next to him. The other victors greeted her politely but with a certain distance, like all victors did when they weren't well acquainted with a particular escort.

"May I have a word?" she asked, more directly and less subtly than she had intended.

The fear was audible in her voice, she thought, and that was not good. Her mask of cheerful joy was crumbling. Everything was crumbling. She was tired, hungry and her stomach was churning with a dread that refused to be ignored.

"Sure." Chaff frowned and his dark eyes searched the crowd behind her, probably looking for her victor. "Where's Haymitch?"

"He is still at the clinic. With the children." she declared, lifting a hand to her face to rub it before remembering her make-up and dropping it again. "The doctors do not think they will be able to save Peeta's leg."

"Shit. Sorry to hear that." Eleven's victor offered.

"One of us had to make an appearance at the party. It was expected." she continued and she knew she sounded like she was trying to justify her presence – a presence she didn't have to justify – but she was so tired she couldn't see straight and she knew Chaff would jump on the smallest chance to criticize her behavior. "It is very hot in here. Would you mind stepping outside with me?"

It was hot and she really wasn't feeling that well. She was dizzy. That might have been from her empty stomach or the fact that the room was full of people or because Peeta's leg was probably being sawed off as they spoke and the boy had reminded her of her son from the start…

"Okay. Yeah." Chaff accepted at once and before she could say anything else, his big hand was cradling her elbow and he was supporting her more than steering her toward the doors. That had been easier than she had thought it would be. Getting him away from the crowd, getting him to follow her where they wouldn't be overheard… "Hey, don't faint on me, Trinket. Haymitch will have my head."

"I am fine." she lied.

He would have stopped a few corridors away but she guided him to a well known side door that allowed victors, escorts and Gamemakers to leave the Center without having to face the crowd of fans massing at the front. They passed the bored Peacekeeper in his sentry box and kept on walking because the narrow street the door opened on was full of Games staff members sharing cigarettes.

Chaff didn't ask once where they were going but he didn't let go of her arm either. Perhaps because she was trembling, she realized.

"I know you hate me." she said once they were a few streets away from the Center, far from the huge buidlings and Main Square. There were cameras there too, she supposed, but probably less and she was fairly certain the music spilling down the street would guarantee their conversation would remain private. "But I did something stupid and now I need help."

Chaff didn't look particularly surprised by that.

"And you come to me?" he snorted. "Love, I'm flattered but…"

"I come to you because you love him too. Because he trusts you more than anyone else." she cut him off, forcing her voice to remain even. "I come to you because I don't know who else to turn to."

"Is it Haymitch?" Chaff frowned. "What happened? Is it because of those fucking berries? They can't hurt him, Trinket. He's the bloody winning mentor, he's gonna have to appear on TV and shit… I mean… Yeah, he's gonna be in a tough spot for a while but as long as he plays his cards right and keep his head cool…"

"We are all going to be in a tough spot and I cannot afford certain things to come out." she whispered. She stopped walking and he finally let go of her arm. They were in the middle of a street full of bars and clubs, songs were clashing together, people had taken the parties outside to the pavement… Nobody paid them any attention at all and Effie was very tempted to just sit there and have a good cry. "Chaff, I need help."

"So you said." Eleven's victor sighed, folding his arms in front of him. The sight was a little weird because of his shortened arm. "You didn't… join a certain something, right? 'Cause… If you did… No need to panic, yeah? Just... Lay low and wait for the storm to pass."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about, love?" he retorted without missing a beat. "And why ain't you taking this to your victor? Pretty sure he'd do anything for you." There was a hint of bitterness in the man's voice. "Fuck knows I warned him often enough."

"You warned him. You warned me. We did not listen and now we are in trouble, just like you predicted." she snapped. "Please, say I told you so to your heart's content but if you love Haymitch as much as you claim, help me."

"Help you with what?" he asked. "You've been asking for help for half an hour and you still haven't explained."

She looked behind him at the throng of unaware people getting drunk in the middle of the street, celebrating a victory that might yet sign her and Haymitch's death warrants.

"When your train goes back to Eleven…" she hesitated. "Could you sneak someone on board?"

The idea of sending Theo away, to a District she had no way of ever reaching was breaking her heart. It was killing her. But it was the best plan she had been able to think of so far. The Capitol would be watching more closely now and she couldn't let them find out about her son. She couldn't let them find out who his father was.

She had thought about coming clean to Haymitch, maybe convincing him to take the child with him to Twelve… Away from her. Away from scrutiny. But it was a stupid ridiculous idea. If she was to be watched, his every move would be spied on and the sudden unexplained presence of a child would be noticed.

The best plan was to send him far away from both of them, where nobody would think to look.

"You want to take an extended vacation to Eleven?" Chaff mocked.

"I want you to take my son with you." she explained more plainly. "I want you to watch over him. I want you to make sure he stays safe."

"Your son…" the victor repeated.

"Yes." she confirmed and her voice broke. She averted her eyes again.

"How old?" he sighed.

"Five." she answered. "He won't be much trouble. He is well-behaved and he is bright. He is so bright… He is a nice little boy, Chaff, and he does not deserve what will happen to him if…"

She stopped herself right there and looked back at him with pleading eyes. She would beg if it was what was needed. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her son. Nothing.

To his credit, Chaff never even asked who the father was.

"He doesn't know? Any of it?" Eleven's victor pressed. She shook her head. Chaff scowled. "Dammit, Trinket! He's my best friend! You can't just dump something like that on me and… I'm supposed to just keep your secret?"

"I am protecting him too." she argued. "What he does not know won't hurt him."

"Oh, it will." Chaff scoffed, his dark eyes studying her. "And you'd give that boy to me? You'd trust me with him?"

"Haymitch thinks of you as a brother." she retorted. "And… I do not know what else to do."

Chaff stared at her a while longer and then suddenly kicked the wall to his left twice. "Dammit. Dammit. You were fucking stupid. You should have gotten rid of it."

"I know…" she whispered. "But I am not sorry."

"Yeah? You'll be sorry when your boy…" Chaff snapped.

"His name is Theo. Timotheo." she cut him off. "He is five. And he is your best friend's son. Please. Help me."

He sighed something that was more like a sneer and then rubbed his face with his good hand. "Do they know about this?"

She didn't need the vague nod upward to understand who he was talking about. "No."

"How sure are you?" he insisted.

"Ninety-nine percent." she answered immediately. "I never had any reason to doubt."

Chaff's face was closed but thoughtful. "Where does he live?"

"With my mother." she offered. "He does not… He does not leave the house often. Officially, he is my sister's son. That's what the birth certificate indicates. We have always been very careful. I am not even sure anyone knows a child lives there."

"Okay." Chaff nodded. "That's good at least."

"Will you take him?" she pleaded again.

"No." Eleven's victor refused and her heart stopped beating in her chest. She had been certain… She had been so certain… She felt herself go faint and she was pretty sure she had lost all colors because his hand closed on her arm again and he helped her lean against the wall. She vaguely wondered what it looked like from afar. A lovers' embrace? "Listen to me." he hissed with urgency. He was so close, she could smell the scotch he had been drinking on his breath. "Sneaking him out would be too risky. And… There's stuff going on. He wouldn't be much safer in Eleven anyway. Even with me. Particularly with me."

"I want him to be safe…" she begged. "I cannot…"

"Stop going." he instructed. "You want him safe? You don't give them any reason to doubt you, I don't think they're gonna bother you too much… Watch you, yeah. But if you don't give them any reason… You keep playing the game, love. You play it clever. You…"

"I am Haymitch's lover." she cut him off. "I have been his lover for ten years. They will assume he is attached to me and…" And everything he had ever warned her about would come to pass. She knew why he refused anything more than sex, knew he was terrified sick of losing someone he cared about again, knew he was right to be… "And even if they do not suspect me… I helped him with the star-crossed lovers story. I… I arranged the appointment with Seneca. I stand with him. You know I do… They will know too."

"Well, then… maybe you should have thought of that before having Haymitch's secret love child." he spat and then shook his head, nudging her chin up with his stump. "Stop going to your mother's. Don't give them any reason to go poke over there. Keep your distance and keep your head clear. No phone calls. No mention of him." He pursed his lips and averted his eyes, taking his mangled arm away from her face. "And whatever you do, whatever happens, don't tell Haymitch. We've all got a role to play now and he's gotta take care of that girl of his. She's important."

"Katniss?" She frowned. "Why?"

Chaff seemed to hesitate, really hesitate, but in the end he shook his head again and stepped back. "Can't involve you in this. He wouldn't forgive me. That I know about the kid is bad enough. Look… I'm pretty sure things are gonna get very bad before they get better but… Just keep away from the boy as much as you can, alright? Should be enough. And… If things go the way I hope… I'll make sure you're both safe, yeah? I'll have your back."

She didn't understand everything of what he was saying and the perspective of not seeing Theo every day made her feel sick but…

"Do you promise?" she whispered.

"I swear." he offered, gesturing at the way they had come from. "Come on, let's get you back to the Games' clinic. Haymitch's probably wondering where you've gone and you look like you could use a rest."

She nodded meekly and let him guide her back toward the Games Compound.

It was almost five minutes before he spoke again and he seemed to do so against his better judgment. "Is he cute? The kid."

She pulled out the delicate golden chain she always wore around her neck when she wasn't required to wear more expensive jewelry. The locket itself usually rested between her breasts, safe from prying eyes. She opened it and showed it to Chaff who rolled his eyes at the picture of Haymitch but couldn't seem to help a smirk faced with the adorable grin of her son.

"Looks like him." Chaff commented. "Got his eyes."

"And his brain." she added softly. "He is talkative and lively although I think he took that from me. I know what you think and I know what Haymitch will think when he eventually finds out but… I cannot regret keeping him. He is my everything, Chaff. My everything."

"Hope I get to meet him." Chaff offered, handing the locket back. She hid it beneath her clothes once more.

"I hope so too." she whispered.

She wasn't sure Chaff's influence would be a good one but Theo often asked after his uncle Chaff…