A Voiceless Victor

She had passed out in the Arena. When she woke in the hospital later, she started violently when she saw her mentor's face looming over her.

"Easy there, kid. Easy. It's just me," he calmed her down, taking her hand in his.

"Haymitch?" Her voice came out strained as she looked around.

"Relax, Jeanetty. You're back in the Capitol." His hands cleaned her face of her tangled brown hair, his whiskey soured breath fell over her as he did so. "You won. Relax."

"Won? What?"

"You won the 54th Hunger Games." She looked at him confused. "You don't remember?" She shook her head. "Not surprising, most Victors don't usually want to," he said sitting back in his chair.

"How?"

"You screamed so loud you induced a seizure that broke his neck. Doctors sewed you back together, but they say your voice will be a little touchy for he next few days." He got up and walked around the bed to signal the doctor. "I'll understand if you want to keep up the silent act." He pulled out a flask from his jacket and knocked back some of its contents. "I didn't think you could do it, honestly."

Jeanetty nodded and whispered, "Neither did I." She stared out the window blankly until the doctor came in.

"Congratulations, Miss Hamstone," the doctor said smiling widely at her, bright blue hair nearly blinding her. "How are we feeling? Have we had the chance to try to speak?" He moved her bed to get her to sit up.

Jeanetty glanced at Haymitch before raising her hand to her throat, shaking her head. "Ah, I thought as much. That was quite the scream you gave. Tea will help your vocal chords heal. Other than that you seem to be healing quite nicely. We'll keep you here one more day to make sure you will stay that way."

Jeanetty nodded and the doctor left. Haymitch turned to her, his alcohol glazed blue eyes seeming to pierce her. "Smart girl. Now I'll come back tomorrow, bright and early, and you and I will head back to Tribute Tower and get you gussied back up for the Victors Interview."

"Then what?" her whispered question hung loudly in he air.

"Then we go home. They may wave the Victory Tour goodbye if you don't 'regain' your voice. And every year from now you'll be back here, in the Capitol, as a mentor for new Tributes."

She nodded as she sank back into her bed and looked out the window. "Leave the flask when you go."

The sedatives and alcohol kept her in a dreamless sleep. The next day she sat next to the Master of Ceremonies as he recounted her time in the arena. A few hours after, she and Haymitch were back on the train, headed back to District 12.

A/n: um... thank you, Rise of the Radical Feminists for your review, but the first chapter wasn't about Katniss... She wasn't even born yet...