You all should know I love you all and think you are amazing! Thanks for reading this! Shout out to my lovely reviewers:
Gentlefurable, Thank you, I thought up the basic idea after I read Mockingjay for the first time and was devastated at the lack of Effie… as for Coin, I guess you'll all find out her deal when Katniss does! , thank you, as for Effie getting better, I want it to happen too (She's my favourite character, I don't put her through pain for my personal enjoyment) but it may not happen any time soon I'm afraid. Princesspooka, thanks, and I'm glad you like the idea. I hope you enjoy this. SilensFlos, here is your update, enjoy it! Baahbisaggio, STORY. OF. MY. LIFE. Here is more, and don't cry please. It makes me feel bad. Savysnape7, aw thanks, I felt I owed you readers something a little lighter after what Effie as been through. Hayffiefanforlife, I approve of your user name and thanks! Anon, hey anon… thanks so much, like I said to Savysnape, I kinda owe you guys something sweeter after what Effie as been through. Here is the next chapter. DoCtOrWhOlUvEr11, Thanks, and enjoy this update, I've done my best! TheMyification, Hayffie brings on a lot of feelings, and the sensation that your heart is no longer in your chest… they are perfect, unlike this fanfic even though you say it is. Your kind words are so lovely, and because I don't want you to die I have got the next update ready.
Neither Effie nor Haymitch talk about what I pretended not to witness in the hospital wing. When I woke up, Haymitch was sat in a chair eating something that wasn't my breakfast and Effie was still asleep. Haymitch greeted me with a scowl and I shot him one back before eating my soggy bowl of milk and bread. People checked on me, I was asked to film some more Mockingjay lines once I got out of hospital. And then me and Finnick went into the woods, resulting in minced venison been on the menu. Not that Effie touched it, preferring to eat Haymitch's slice of bread instead. Prim accidently knocked Effie's to the floor, and Haymitch was perfectly fine to let Effie take small bites from his. Prim was in distress afterwards, scared that the people of thirteen would hate her for wasting and that Haymitch and Effie would be angry at her. None of these things happened.
"Hey Effie, my mother talked to Coin" I say once I have finished my food. Everyone looks at me at this, minus Effie who is staring at her hands.
"What did she say?" She asks me timidly.
"Why don't you tell her Prim?" I say, nudging my sister with my elbow reassuringly. She has been uncharacteristically quiet at lunch ever since sending Effie's bread to the floor.
"She said that… that you can move into the room next to us" Prim says, breaking into a smile.
"Hey! That's brilliant Effie!" Finnick says, grinning "We can have sleepovers and everything" Finnick says, making Prim laugh, and even manages to bring a smile to my lips.
"Really?" Effie says, finally looking up at me with hopeful, wide eyes.
"What, you really want a sleepover?" I ask, not really picturing the four of us (Prim, Finnick, Effie and me) all sleeping together in the same room willingly. I had a sleepover with Madge once, we mostly talked about things and I played her piano a little. Not the sort of thing the four of us could do one night…
"No, am I really moving into the room next to you?" Effie asks me.
"Yes, once we have finished this, you can finally leave the hospital" I tell her.
"Thank you" She whispers to me, she can't say any more. Prim as ran up to her and as pulled her into a hug. Haymitch is shocked about this, seeing as Prim's shoulder made contact with his cheek. But Effie is running her hand up and down my sisters back so he can't really say anything. He still rubs his cheek though, I know I shouldn't, but I hope he gets a bruise. It would be funny to see him explain how he ended up with it.
We help Effie to her room after lunch. Haymitch has to go to the command room for reasons unknown to us, but Prim, Finnick, Gale and I all take the walk to the new room. She says we don't have to stay, but we all do, even Gale. We even get a surprise guest about an hour into conversation about the time Finnick almost speared someone's foot instead of the fish he was after.
"President" Gale says whilst the rest of us remain silent.
"Solider Hawthorne" She says with a nod. "I was hoping to have a quiet word with Miss Trinket if that was okay with you" She says, looking at me when she asks if it's okay. I want to say it isn't and slam the door in her face, but that won't do any of us any good. So I just sit there and allow Prim to tighten her hold around Effie's hand.
"Okay…" Effie says, struggling to stand up with Prim clutching to her. Coin's lips form a cold, thin lipped smile and Effie follows her out of the door.
"What does she want Effie for?" Finnick asks us. I shrug and Gale shakes his head.
"No idea…" Gale says, looking down at his communicuff.
"Will Effie be okay?" Prim asks, moving closer to me and wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Of course she will" I say, hoping my lie to Prim is actually correct. It takes a whole ten minutes, but Effie finally walks back into the room. She looks pale, but other than that she looks like she did before she left us. Finnick abruptly stops telling Prim about the aftermath of missing the foot of the man with his spear by this much and we all sit in silence and watch as Effie rejoins us on the floor.
"Is everything okay Effie?" Finnick asks her. She pauses for the slightest of seconds before nodding and telling us everything is fine. We carry on as normal, as if Coin never walked in on us. Finnick tells funny stories, Gale talks about times in the woods, and I help with some facts he forgets to tell. Prim even tells us about when her cat buttercup tried to claw a peacekeeper, the only time I have ever liked the cat.
"Have you got any stories Effie?" Gale asks. "We've all told one, it really is turning into a 'sleepover'"
"Um… I don't think so, no" Effie says, looking at the floor.
"Come on Effie. If I can tell you about getting a thick ear for nearly stabbing someone in the foot, surely you have one too" Finnick says with a grin.
"Well… one time, I stole a bunch of my mother's stuff and sold it" She says quietly.
"Seriously?" Finnick says with a laugh, "How old were you?"
"Six, I wanted some new trainers" Effie tells us, still looking at the floor. We all laugh as soon as she says this. I feel a little bit of anger bubbling up inside at these words, that whilst people were starving a six year old Effie wanted some new trainers. A luxury that kids in the seam could never have. A six year old though… she was brought up to live like she did. I can't be angry at Effie; the thought of even harbouring these feelings for this woman when she is so weak makes me angry at only myself. And I carry on laughing as Finnick asks how her mother reacted.
"She went crazy" is how Effie described her mother's reaction, setting us of laughing again. These simple words of explanation seem to tire Effie out, and I help her up of the floor and into bed so she can get some rest. The four of us leave her to sleep. Gale shuts her door quietly behind us, and leaves to go to his room.
"I can just imagine a mini Effie sneaking around stealing her mother's wigs" Finnick says with a laugh and a shake of his head as we reach the door to my room.
"I wonder how much money she got" Prim says as I open the door and she walks inside.
"Ask her tomorrow at breakfast if you want to know" I tell her, "See you tomorrow Finnick" I add before entering my room, hearing his goodbye before shutting my door.
I don't really sleep that night. I listen out for sounds of Effie having a restless night. I think I hear crying coming from her room at one point, but like me, it seems Effie isn't going to sleep tonight. And I really should get to sleep; we are going back to my District tomorrow. We are filming more Mockingjay propos. Whilst my prep team would be able to easily put make up over my to cover the bags under my eyes, I don't think no one would appreciate me yawing through a propo. So I make myself more comfortable and shut my eyes, trying to get to sleep.
I think I may have drifted off, but I'm been woken up by Prim before I can get full advantage of my slumber. It's time to greet my prep team and get ready for a trip to twelve. They do need to dab something under my eyes to get rid of the shadows, apparently the sleep I got wasn't enough. They dress me in my Mockingjay gear whilst I stand still. I don't know if I'm listening to instructions or just stood there with nothing sinking in. All I know is I am to keep my ear-piece in. I refuse to have the head shackle or the chip placed upon me instead.
"Katniss, you've been told about the new addition to your team, right?" Boggs says when we head of to the Hangar.
"No, I haven't" I say, a little annoyed that I am, once again, the last to know.
"Haymitch wasn't too happy, but Coin said it was for the best" Boggs tells me as we get closer.
"Why wouldn't Haymitch be happy? It's another pair of eyes to keep me from stepping out of line, right?" I ask.
"I'll let you see for yourself" Is all Boggs says. I find myself shrugging; it can't be too big an addition if I haven't been told.
Apparently it can be. After I get someone to inform my mother I am headed for twelve, I near the hovercraft and see a familiar figure stood close to it. It must be the new member of the team. She looks young and skinny, can't be a soldier as her grey suit is hanging of her. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a braid and she appears to be in conversation with Plutarch. Boggs reaches them first, shaking both their hands, before entering the hovercraft.
I follow behind him, my eyes locked on the blonde braid that moves even if the woman moves her head the tiniest fraction. I am taken aback when her braid spins around suddenly, and I am staring at her scared face and not her hair. The scars on her face all too familiar, the one running down her cheek still managing to make me sick to my stomach.
"Oh, hello Katniss!" Plutarch says cheerfully, I ignore him; I can't tear my eyes from the team's new member. I suddenly know why Haymitch wasn't happy about this appointment. Because as I finally look away from the torn scar running down her cheek and up to her eyes, I can only think about when I first came across her in thirteen. And she looks just as scared now as she did then. "Say hello to your new escort then Katniss" Plutarch says when there is nothing but silence between the three of us.
There is no need to say hello, we are familiar with each other already. My new escort, the woman who looks after me, is the woman who needs to be looked after herself. It's Effie…