A/N: My dear readers, I do believe I have been neglecting you! I sincerely apologize for that, but here I am now! I urge you all to get on Tumblr. I've been posting one-shots that you will not have seen unless you are on Tumblr, as well as another Hayffie fic that's been rather popular. My followers kind of forced me into writing Fifty Shades, only as part of THG universe and using Haymitch and Effie. I will not post that story ANYWHERE except Tumblr, so if you want to read it, I suggest you make haste to , find me (ablazingmockingjay) and enjoy my fancy blog. ;) (I've done it so you can click a button to find all my Hayffie one-shots, and a button to find what we've dubbed Fifty Shades Of Abernathy [FSOA])

Anyway, I apologize for the long A/N, and I apologize for abandoning you for Tumblr. It's just better for me because I love hearing from you all. On Tumblr, we can actually chat a little! Huzzah! It's great. Come join us. Come talk to me. :)

Enjoy. :)

-Ellie.

Effie froze in horror as President Alma Coin fell from the balcony, an arrow lodged deep into her skull. The crowd had erupted, people screaming, shouting, running everywhere, and the stage was chaos. Soldiers, civilians and Victors alike had rushed the stage, most of them after Katniss, some of them after Snow, and some of them just looking for somewhere, anywhere to run. She watched as Peeta struggled with Katniss, and saw how Katniss bit him, drawing blood. She just watched, frozen, until a rough hand found hers. A warm arm moved around her back, pulling her securely close to its owner as he guided her through the crowd.

They're in her room in Snow's mansion now. She's said nothing for nearly half an hour. He's been watching her, waiting for her to speak, but he's had enough.

"Sweetheart… you've gotta talk to me. I know you're shocked. We're all shocked, but I don't like this… this you. The Effie Trinket I know would never shut her damn mouth." He smiles at her a little, just so she knows that what he's saying is entirely in jest. She smiles at him weakly, but still refuses to utter a single word, instead going back to staring at the floor. He starts to get annoyed.

"Effie. Come on. Say something." He tries to keep his voice calm, but she hears the undertones of annoyance. "Effie… Speak. Talk to me."

He gives her a minute or two before he loses his temper.

"Damn it Effie! Say something!" He yells harshly, feeling guilty when she jumps in terror at the sudden anger in his voice.

"I want to go home." She whimpers. "I want to go home."

"Sweetheart…" He begins, but she interrupts him.

"I want to go home." She repeats over and over again, lost in her own mind, her eyes closed tightly in fear.

"Effie…" He tries to get her to stop – to talk to him – but she's not there.

"I want to go…" He's had enough.

"Where is home, Effie?" He snaps harshly, interrupting her, and her murmuring stops suddenly. She looks up at him with fearful, teary eyes.

His question stumps her. Where is home? She doesn't know. Does she have a home?

"I… I want… I want to… I…" She stutters, suddenly not able to finish the sentence.

He sighs when he sees her expression and the stray tears escaping down her cheeks. He crosses the room to sit beside her, gently and awkwardly placing a hand on her shoulder. He speaks with a softer voice this time.

"Look around you, sweetheart. Look out the window. Look at the Capitol."

She turns her head slowly, looking through the window and seeing the chaos that remains in her once beautiful home. Fire. Smoke. Death. Blood. Destruction. It's not her home anymore. She remembers what they did to her – every cut, bruise and strike, every sneer, every hurtful remark. Everything. The waves of agonizing electricity they sent coursing through her being; the burning of her lungs when they held her under water - not quite long enough to drown her, but long enough to make her head spin. They did this. These people. Her people. Her home.

This is not her home anymore.

She doesn't have a home.

A choked sob escapes her throat, and suddenly, she's weeping into Haymitch's shirt, having thrown herself into his arms.

He sighs and wraps his arms around her, allowing her to just let it out. He doesn't know what they did to her, but he knows she'll never be the same.

"Just let it all out, sweetheart." He murmurs, stroking her hair gently as she clings to him. "You'll be okay. We'll all be okay."

"N-no." She murmurs through her sobs against his shoulder. "Not okay."

"No. Not okay right now. One day, you'll be okay."

"I d-don't have a home, Haymitch." She whimpers, another round of sobs taking over her. He doesn't reply. He knows she just needs to cry. He doesn't know how to make her feel better.

Her sobs diminish to whimpers and the odd sniffle, and she clings to him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. He figures he'll let her speak first. Eventually, she does.

"There's nowhere I belong anymore. Nobody left for me." She murmurs, so softly he barely heard her.

"That's not true, Princess." He mutters, turning his head to place a light kiss on the top of her head.

She sniffles again and pulls back, looking up at him through her teary eyes in confusion. "It's not?" She questions. He smiles weakly at her.

"No. Of course it's not. You have Katniss and Peeta. They love you. We all love you." He assures her. She frowns.

"But you're going back to 12."

He smiles sadly at her. "I know we are."

She sighs and hugs him tightly once more.

"I'm going to miss you, you insufferable buffoon."

He chuckles, a deep sound vibrating through his chest, and she smiles. It makes her feel comfortable. She clings to him, finding herself not wanting to let go. He doesn't want to let her go either. Her next sentence - whispered against the skin of his neck as she places a soft kiss there - almost breaks his heart.

"Please don't forget about me, Haymitch. I'll never forget you."

He turns his head to look at her, and she lifts hers once more as he does.

"Why don't you come with us?" He asks, out of nowhere. It takes his lips forming the words for him to realize just how much he actually wants this.

"To 12? To live?" She asks, not wanting to believe the words.

"Yeah. I think… I kinda need you, sweetheart." He smiles nervously at her, not sure how she'd take the request. He doesn't expect her reaction. She sobs again, this time happy tears, tightening her grip on him and burying her face in the crook of his neck again. He laughs, relieved, and strokes her hair gently. "Don't know what I'd do without you. You're a pain in my ass, but you look after me. You know better than anyone that I can't look after myself."

She laughs, happy for the first time in a long time. She can't remember her last genuine laugh.

"Thank you." She whispers, pulling back to look into his eyes. "Thank you, Haymitch." She leans forward and kisses him on the cheek, before leaning back and smiling nervously at him.

"Like I said… I need you." He murmurs, reaching up to wipe the tears away from her eyes with his thumb. Her smile widens a little at the gesture. "What would I do without you, Trinket?" He laughs, letting out a little chuckle.

"You can't even dress yourself without my assistance." She smirks and he shakes his head, grinning.

"You've got a point." He agrees, thinking for a moment.

She watches him, familiar with that glint in his eyes – she knows he's got a great mind, when he wants to use it, and she knows when he's planning.

"Effs…" He begins, hesitating for a moment. She waits. "So… I've got a spare room in my house, if you want-"

She doesn't let him finish, leaning forward to kiss him on the lips. It's not a kiss full of passion, like the ones they've shared before when the tension between them exploded. No, it's a kiss that simply says, "thank you." – a kiss you give the person who has saved your life. She knows that, in reality, he is the only person she's got left. She wonders if maybe they can move on from this dark place together. Maybe they can help each other heal. Maybe she can find a home.

Maybe he can be her home.

A/N: Special offer! If you join Tumblr within the next 2 days (So you've got until Tuesday evening [around 7pm] UK time) and follow me at .com, send me a message (through my "ask box") with the special code-word "Penguin" and I will promo you on Tuesday Evening to my followers. I'm trying to make it easier for all of you who like to read all my stuff, because there are exclusives on there and I always post there first. I guess, because I love you all that much, if you already follow me, you can do the exclusive promo too. :P

Alternative: If you don't want to join Tumblr, just favourite/bookmark the page /tagged/hayffie and you will find things (not just by me, but by other amazing writers) posted there regularly.