I woke up slightly disoriented and feeling the effects of the white liquor. After looking around I realized that I was on Haymitch's sofa, and then I remembered falling asleep there.

"Haymitch?" I called out tentatively. No response. I got up and returned to the stool that I had been sitting on earlier that morning and took another drink of the liquor. I was already drunk, so what's a little more alcohol. So much of my last year had been spent drunk, so I could tolerate a good amount of alcohol. I decided that I might as well use that tolerance to my advantage since I still didn't have anything to ease my pain.

Haymitch returned a few minutes later with a bowl of soup that he bought from Greasy Sae and some fresh bread. I was glad to know that Greasy Sae was still in business, and her familiar soup made me feel at home. We ate together in silence, as we had that morning, because we didn't have much to talk about that we could discuss over dinner.

"Does your family know you're back?" Haymitch finally asked. I guess he hadn't run into them today, which is probably for the best. I hadn't even told them I returned, not to mention that I was physically and mentally falling apart.

"No," I answered simply.

"Are you planning on visiting them any time soon, sweetheart, or should I continue to stow you away for a while?"

I didn't appreciate his acerbic tone and I just wasn't ready to face my family yet. "Can I please just stay here for a while?" I asked pitifully.

Feeling guilty about his harshness, Haymitch replied, "If that's what you need. If you want anything, just let me know."

I paused for a moment before asking, "Did you see Gale?"

"He was at the Hob."

"Does he know I'm back?" If he knew, there was a chance my mother or Prim might find out too.

"Not unless you told him, sweetheart."

Ignoring his typical tone, I replied, "I didn't. I don't want Gale to know what happened either."

We finished our dinner in silence.

Haymitch's POV

When she finally cried herself to sleep on my sofa, I had time to collect my thoughts. Snow had sold her to people almost immediately. She didn't even get to finish the Victory Tour before there were people lined up… and that was a year and a half ago. She has probably been going through this constantly since then.

I sat and waited for Katniss to wake up, but she didn't stir. The evening was fast approaching, so I decided to head over to the Hob to grab us something to eat, since I was low on edible bread and she was probably hungry.

When I returned she was waiting on the same stool she was sitting on this morning.

I set the bowl of soup in front of her and sat down in the stool next to her. She asked if I had mentioned anything to her family or Gale. I told her I hadn't and we continued to eat in silence.

Katniss didn't want to tell anyone she loved what happened because she didn't want them to worry. Ignorance is bliss. I also knew that the only reason she was telling me is because she needed someone to talk to. She isn't one to seek comfort in others, and I'm not one to give it very easily; we're a perfect pair. Still, I think it would be better for her to talk to Finnick, since he can relate to her situation…

I definitely got writer's block on this chapter (which explains why it is sort of a dud), and I'm not even a legitimate writer! I didn't want it to be too "woe is me" on Katniss's end, so I decided to add a little break between her stories.

How would you guys feel about a Haymitch/Katniss relationship? Not a creepy kind of thing (even though he is sooooo much older than her). Let me know what you think or if there are any improvements I can make!