Chapter 22
Isn't She Lovely
Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
...
But isn't she lovely made from love
Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best
Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed
Haymitch
Haymitch's heart is breaking as he watches his daughter- not in blood, but in every way that really matters- scream in pain. He knows what it feels like to have blood on your hands, to feel like it has seeped into your soul and tainted it red. He drinks to forget the people he's killed. But Rosie… she's too fragile to handle killing someone. She's a healer for God's sakes. She helps people, not hurts them.
The District seven boy deserved it though. It was self-defense since he was trying to kill her, but Rosie would never see it that way. Not only did her friend die- and Rosie is the only one who can make friends in the arena, he thinks wryly- but she took another life. If she survives the games, she'll be damaged beyond repair. Haymitch can see by the way her hands curl around her head as she cries that she's already breaking.
Finnick has been sitting next to Haymitch in the viewing room, unlike the other mentors who are scattered around the room. Finnick is watching over Prim more than his own tributes.
Haymitch goes to reach for his drink, but when he only feels air he remembers. He's sober now, he thinks bitterly.
He heaves a sigh and leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. Watching his girl in pain and not be able to do anything is the worst kind of torture. He thinks about sending something, he has enough sponsor money, but nothing will comfort her now, he knows this. She's been getting a lot of sponsors ever since the tribute parade when she came in with flames, and since the crowd realized that Cato, a district two career, has a soft spot for the girl and they had an alliance pre-planned. Everybody wants to help out the girl who has a career enamored.
"This is sick," Finnick mutters, watching Prim.
They're both slumped in their seats but straighten up when they see Johanna walk over and pull up a chair.
Haymitch now realizes that both her tributes are dead, no one left to mentor.
"I'd say sorry about your tributes, but they both tried to kill my girl, so…" He shrugs without remorse.
Johanna just watches the screen silently. "I'm not sorry either. They deserved it."
They sit in silence and watch as the career boy tries to help Prim, trying to get her to stop hurting herself.
"I smell a lack of fumes coming from your direction, Mitch," Johanna notes, her observant eyes taking in everything on the screens while also watching the other mentors.
"He's sober now," Finnick teases.
Johanna finally reacts, turning to Haymitch with her eyebrows raised. "Sober? You?" She laughs. "Never thought I'd see the day. What on earth brought this on? I know it's not your health, since you don't give a shit what happens to you."
Haymitch hasn't even looked at Johanna, even while she talks. Just stares at Rosie, wishing it were him comforting her like she always comforts him. It should be him, not some punk kid.
Okay, he's not really a punk, he reluctantly thinks. The kid is actually genuine, cares about Prim and has even told him that he'll lay down his life for her to go home if it comes down to it. Haymitch doesn't know why, but doesn't really care to know the reason anyway.
Haymitch snaps out of his thoughts, something he tends to do since he stopped drinking.
He remembers Johanna's words and nods at where Rosie is slumped over, shaking and crying. "That's why."
Johanna is silent. No sarcastic remarks or insults. She just studies Haymitch and then the young girl on the screen. What Finnick has told her about Mitch and his "daughter" is true, then.
She realizes that Finnick has barely said anything, a rarity for him. He's used to having to be on all the time for the Capitol people, for the crowds and the cameras, that he tends to continue the habits even when he doesn't have to. But now, Johanna observes, he looks just as forlorn as Mitch as he watches the girl break apart.
Johanna scans the room for eavesdroppers. There are no bugs in this room, since the mentors don't talk to each other anyway.
"After I saw her interview…do you think she's the one?" Johanna whispers, her mouth barely moving. She makes sure not to use any words like rebellion or revolution or symbol.
"I know she is," Finnick replies before Haymitch can. "There's no one more perfect for it."
"If she wins, yes," Haymitch says sourly.
"If she is who you both say she is, then she'll make it out. The only concern is if she'll be strong enough to," Johanna hesitates, trying to think of a word she can use, "do the job when this is all over. And I don't mean physically."
Haymitch snorts. "She'll be ruined. But there's no one stronger than her. If you knew her, you'd know what I'm talking about. Rosie may be a little different when she's out, but her heart will be the same. She'd do anything to stop… the things going on here," he says, meaning the games.
"Heart of gold, that one. There's not even a word for what she is," Finnick says quietly.
Johanna hopes they're right. They've been building this secret rebellion for years now. They've just been waiting. They didn't even know what for, but now she knows. They've been waiting for someone who can change things, stir up the people and bring hope for a better world. Johanna thinks that Primrose Everdeen could be the one to do that.
"Come back to me, Prim," district 2's broken voice rings out from the screen.
Finnick can see the helplessness in his eyes as he watches Cato watch Prim. He knows the feeling. He thinks of Annie, thinks of every time she retreats into her mind, which is not a good place to be. He wonders if he looks like Cato when the same thing happens to Annie. Cato looks devasted, trying to help Prim and not knowing what to do.
"Get if off of me! Get it off!"
I think everyone in this room flinches. Not just from the volume of her voice, but the raw terror in it as she screams out the words. Finnick even sees Brutus and Enobaria watching the girl with pity, despite them practically hating her for turning Cato soft. But it's impossible to hate Prim.
They all watch as the boy tenderly wipes the blood of Prim, treating her like glass. Everyone can see that he cares for her a great deal when his eyes fill tears as he tries to help the broken girl get the blood off her hands and face. She's covered in it. Finnick knows that it'll be stained there in her mind for a long time. It'll never come off.
"He looks like he's in love with her," Johanna snorts derisively.
"I think he might be," Finnick says, no sarcasm in his voice, which surprises her.
"Are you joking?" Johanna basically shrieks. "He's a career!"
Haymitch shakes his head, "He may be from 2, but trust me Jo, that boy is not a career."
Johanna processes this information, tries to think of ways this could help the girl. It could even help the rebellion. She can picture it, Primrose as the face of the rebellion, inspires everyone and is loved by all. She even got a career to fall in love with her, that's how wonderful she is.
"This is good. We should use this. It'll get her more sponsors. Maybe even try talking to Seneca Crane about a rule change. Out of all the ways these kids play the games, star-crossed lovers hasn't been done before. Plus they're from two completely different districts. One is in poverty, the other in the lap of luxury," Johanna says, but then thinks of something, wondering if she should even say it in front of Mitch. "When she wins, it might make Snow back off on the whole-" she glances around the room before whispering "sex thing."
Haymitch finally looks at Johanna, thinking.
"We already know this. And we are using it. We talked to the boy before the games began," Finnick says.
"Never thought of asking Crane for a rule change though," Haymitch says, thinking maybe Johanna is a bit of a genius.
"Talk to him, then. Today. What did the boy say?"
Finnick and Haymitch exchange a look that has Johanna even more interested.
"He said that he agrees it could work. That he has real feelings for her, but that if he goes through with the angle in the arena, that it'll be real. He's doing it to help Rosie, but he's also doing it because he wants to and he probably would've done it even if we hadn't said anything," Haymitch says.
"I want to go home. Please just take me home. Let me go home." Her voice is hoarse from screaming as it rings out around the room, and Haymitch's eyes fill with tears as he watches Rosie beg to go home with wild eyes. His fingers twitch to grab a drink that's not there.
The other tributes are on the split screen too, but everyone's eyes are drawn to Cato and Prim.
Finnick looks thoughtful, "If the circumstances were different, if they met differently, they would've fallen in love naturally."
"The only problem is getting Prim to show her feelings. She doesn't know about this angle and she's mad at him, but she does have feelings for the boy. But he said… some things," Haymitch hesitates, thinking of the look on Rosie's face when she heard the things Cato was saying. "Some things that were unforgivable in her mind. But they were in the training center, and he was lying to protect her. She doesn't know that, though."
"So that's what he keeps trying to talk to her about," Johanna muses.
Haymitch and Finnick nod.
"With no success," Johanna laughs.
"I'll get you home. I promise I'll get you home."
Johanna can't help but trust this boy, even though he's from 2. She knows he is being 100% sincere and not just trying to say pretty words that hold no depth. There's a promise in his words. She truly believes that he will do anything to get her home, even if it means his death. She remembers loving someone like that.
Finnick stiffens as he notices something on the other screen.
"Oh god," he chokes out, pointing to the screen that shows Rue climbing down the tree.
Rue was impatient, wanting to know what was going on and wondering if Prim was okay after she heard the terrified screams of her friend. She decided to climb down from her hiding spot and investigate, even though Eli and Cato had desperately told her to stay where she was and hide.
They had all seen Glimmer and Callan and Wilco wake up earlier and discuss what to do about the fact that Cato and Marvel left. They had all seen them leave the Cornucopia to hunt for them. Then they heard Prim's screams and went in that direction.
Now Finnick, Haymitch, Johanna, and the rest of the mentors are all watching as the group of careers stumble upon Rue just as she had jumped the last foot from the tree, landing gracefully on the ground.
Her eyes are wide and fearful as she turns in the direction, finally hearing them.
Even Johanna, queen of indifference, is staring in horror, waiting to see how this plays out, but knowing they'll hear a cannon soon.
Callan steps in Rue's direction, his smile a little more evil than the others.
Rue takes a step back, and Callan's smile grows as he senses her fear.
"Where's your ally?" He asks.
Rue doesn't answer, her innocent eyes just staring widely in Callan's direction.
"No, no, no, no," Haymitch moans. Even as he puts his head in his hands, his eyes are still glued to the screen.
Rue had grown on him, her sweet nature reminding him of Prim, also impossible not to love. She was caring and innocent, and he couldn't help but have a soft spot for the 12-year-old who should've never been in the games. Nobody ever should. But he knew that Prim had gotten attached to the girl too- he didn't expect anything else from her really; her heart is so damn big.
That list of people she cares about is just getting longer and longer.
He is dreading what's about to happen.
Callan reaches behind him to pull his knife- the same one he used to saw off Zadie's arm- out of his belt loop.
When Rue registers what's in his hand, she starts running in the opposite direction of the careers, that just so happens to also be in the opposite direction of her allies.
A/N: This is a short chapter but I decided to show what's happening behind the scenes and Jo/Finnick/Haymitch POV and their dynamic and get a look inside their heads.
Also, someone reviewed a while ago asking if Haymitch sees Prim in a romantic way. First off, EW! Second, not only is there a huge age difference, but Prim sees Haymitch as her father and he thinks of her as his daughter. Any affection between them is simply innocent- fatherly.
Next chapter will be in Prim's POV again, but I was thinking about writing either a Rory POV or a Rory/Katniss/Gale POV (similar to this chapter's writing style). Should I do it or continue in Prim's POV? Let me know what you all think!