Glenn
Haymitch Abernathy visits me in the hospital to congratulate me on winning before returning to District 12 with the bodies of his tributes. I'm relieved that they died by other hands than mine. With him is the new District 12 escort who he introduces as Euphemia Trinket. She asks that we call her Effie and then proceeds to explain that their tributes' dying so quickly was a terrible tragedy. For her. Because a winning tribute, or at least one that makes it to the final eight, is what gets you assigned to a better district. Of course since she's new she had to start at the bottom.
Effie seems oblivious to the various insensitivities and insults in her speech. Haymitch is not. He opines that the tributes probably didn't die to spite her and that she'd best remember the games aren't about her. She looks puzzled for a moment then seems to catch on and is silent. Apparently Effie isn't one of the great thinkers of the world.
Daryl has known Haymitch since he became a victor. They meet at the games every year and a few times during the year. Haymitch says he'll see us in District 12 at the start of the Victory Tour then he'll visit Merle and keep him company until we get home.
We stay in the Capitol for a few days until the new clothes I ordered are ready. Daryl gives me a set of luggage to pack them in. He also gives me the promised BJ which was interesting with the beard but it's really the mouth that matters so afterwards I shave him until he's left with his usual scruffy goatee.
The entire district turns out for our return. It's a Capitol decree that a holiday is declared if your district wins the games. Most people remain in the town square where I'll greet them later but a few meet the train: Merle, Dale, the Grimes and Andrea. I go first to Andrea. She's trying to smile through tears.
"I'm so sorry I'm here instead of Amy."
"No," Andrea says, "don't say that or even think it. I will miss my sister forever but I don't want you to regret being alive."
Dale hugs me. "I guess I've lost my assistant and housemate."
"You were going to lose me no matter what happened."
"I'm just thankful it's this way."
They won't let me keep working at the bakery because I don't need the job now. I remember something I've been meaning to ask Dale.
"Can I have that box of old books hidden in the basement? Where I found the cookbook? I'm going to have time on my hands and I like to read."
"They're yours," Dale agrees. "But we'll have to be careful. Those books are from the time before. The Peacekeepers would burn them if they knew."
Merle cuffs me on the shoulder with rough affection. "Took my advice, I see. Knew you were up to something all along. Never seen you act like a meek little Chinese coolie before."
"I'm Korean."
"Whatever. It worked."
Lori kisses my cheek. Carl smiles shyly. Rick smiles widely.
"Thanks for the bread," I tell him. "You saved my life that first day."
"You're welcome," Rick replies. "But judging by later events I think you would have done just fine. I was never so happy to be surprised by anyone."
I pick out a house in the Victors' Village and order furnishings. Dale and I pack my few belongings. They'd fit in one box but we separate the books into two boxes and put my stuff on top. Daryl and I stack the boxes on a cart and take them to his house where I'm living until mine is ready. Everyone knows we're together now.
A few weeks later my house is refurbished. Daryl moves in with me, leaving his own house for Merle. Family of a victor is entitled to live in the village in the same house but there are two victors and two houses in use so the Peacekeepers leave it alone.
With Merle next door, we often eat at each other's house. After hearing the story of Merle's hand and remembering my own experience with the Grimes, I think I know why Merle accepted me so easily. I catch him alone one day.
"The guilt and gratitude got to you, didn't it?" I ask Merle.
Merle nods. "Daryl knows I don't begrudge my hand but he can't help feeling bad that I lost it and how I lost it. He needs to stop existing and live a little."
"But why me?"
"You're who he wants. Beggars can't be choosers. I'd a latched on to anybody he showed interest in. I admit I was afraid he might take up with Millie the Mole. I couldn't abide that. And then I figured you messed up for sure volunteering like that. But it turned out real well. You not only took Daryl off my shoulders but out of the house. Plenty of room for Haymitch when he visits and we can talk about women and sex without Daryl gettin' bored."
"Yes, Daryl is more for action when it comes to sex. But you and Haymitch can talk all you want now."
It seems like a good exit line so I leave Merle glowering after me. Daryl had come in on the end of the conversation so I leave the brothers to it.
Daryl
Daryl didn't try to suppress his laughter as Glenn left the room.
Merle glared but let it go. "Guess I had that coming. Insouciant little bastard, ain't he?"
Daryl raised his eyebrows.
"Means jaunty, light-hearted." Merle paused. "And gay. Ironic, huh?"
"I know what it means," Daryl said. "I didn't know you knew insouciant or ironic. You been studying that old dictionary in Glenn's box of books?"
"I ain't an ignoramus, you know."
"You just like pretending."
Merle shrugged. "Passes the time."
Daryl hesitated. "I tried to get you a hand in the Capitol. Went roundabout but it didn't work."
"Again. Give it up, Daryl. You try every few years and it's no good. Snow's got control of that line. He probably don't even care anymore if I get the hand but it's a point of pride now. Besides, I been without for so long I wouldn't know what to do with another hand. Be like somethin' extra I don't need."
Glenn
Daryl and I settle down together, glad that the games are two months in the past and almost a year in the future. But something sad happens: Dale is dead. There's no autopsy of course because the Capitol doesn't care about a citizen's death even if it's unexpected. He appears to have died of natural causes anyway, a heart attack probably. At least he died peacefully in his bed.
Maybe it was a delayed reaction to Amy's death. Dale's wife Irma died several years ago and when Andrea's and Amy's parents died a year later, he became a second father to them. To a lot of people, actually, including me. He had assumed the role of town elder and his wisdom and gentle humor will be missed by many.
Daryl tells me that he wondered if something might happen to Dale or Merle or both of them as payback for winning the games. But Daryl was the one who found Dale and he thinks it really may have been a natural death. He stopped by the bakery one morning and it wasn't open yet so he checked upstairs. He figures if Snow had a hand in it he would have made sure we knew he was behind it even if we could never prove anything. It's best not to dwell on it. Dale was well past 60 and spent all but the last few years laboring in the fields. Life is hard in our district and most people don't live to average life expectancy.
One good thing that came of it is that the new baker is Carol Peletier, a widow with a young daughter. Her husband Ed died recently, falling from a tree. He was too old and heavy to climb that high but Ed always knew best. He threw his considerable weight around bullying others, especially his own family. In another life Ed would have liked to be a Peacekeeper.
With Dale dying so suddenly, they needed someone who already knew how to bake since there would be no apprenticeship with Dale like I had. Carol is a good cook. Rick Grimes suggested her and the Peacekeepers agreed. So little Sophia has my old room and Carol asked for my pizza recipe because it's become a favorite around the district.
It seems like everything that happens brings Daryl and me closer. We got acquainted when Dale was hurt. Merle nudged events when Daryl held back. And the games that could have separated us forever cemented our relationship. Shared loss of Dale has deepened it. But bad things can stop happening now, please. Daryl and I are solid.
Daryl
After Dale was buried, Daryl expected life to return to its usual routine but barely a week later the district was rocked when the Head Peacekeeper committed suicide. PKs weren't popular so Daryl's first thought was that someone did him in.
But it turned out he shot himself in a clearing near the town after midnight. Two PKs on patrol heard the shot and found him five minutes later on the ground with his weapon at hand. They were still staring when the mayor ran up, shirt unbuttoned and pants hastily pulled on. Grimes asked if he was dead and had to check the body himself because the grunts were stunned. They didn't even give him a hard time about breaking curfew. A special investigator from the Capitol was sent to conduct an inquiry and the verdict was death by his own hand.
It was one damn thing after another lately because a couple of weeks later there was another shock, this time just for Daryl and Glenn. Rick saw Daryl in town and asked if he could stop by. That wasn't unusual because Rick visited Daryl every week or so. Glenn thought he was a little lonely. As mayor he had to make tough decisions for the district sometimes, or at least announce them since he was mostly passing on what was decided by the Head Peacekeeper or the Capitol. Even though the citizens knew the mayor wasn't responsible, there was a distance between them same as with victors so Daryl and Rick had become friends. Glenn was included, too, not just because he was a victor. Glenn had delivered to the mayor's house when he worked at the bakery and he got to know the entire family.
Rick looked like he was unraveling when Daryl brought him to the room they used most. It was fairly small and the new furniture was comfortable. A davenport sat before the fireplace with armchairs on either side, everything upholstered in oxblood leather. It reminded them of a men's club they had visited, one of the few things in the Capitol they had enjoyed.
Daryl and Glenn sprawled at either end of the davenport. Rick usually relaxed in an armchair but tonight he perched on the edge, turning his hat in his hands.
He didn't look up as he said, "I killed Shane Walsh."