Author's Note: Not much to say folks, just that although Thread would punish he isn't insane and does have a shred of logic in his head, he just might be over zealous.

Thanks to my reviewers: HL, Otter, EWD, JB and Pandora

Chapter 32

Seam Surgery

Thank goodness Prim is small, all her clothing fit into a cardboard box we found. I stuff all the medicines and supplies into the black bag and we stuff all the food and other items into bags we could find. We leave Katniss' stuff where it is, just on the slim chance she return to the house.

At least that's what we say to each other but Gale looks like it's a lost cause and I know better.

When we get to the seam Prim answers the door. Her face is tear streaked and she looks on the verge of another bout of crying. Gale wraps her in his arms as I bee line past her to the thin woman sitting motionless in the tiny kitchen they have.

"Mrs. Everdeen?" I touch her shoulder, "Mrs. Everdeen? Can you say something? Look at me?" she doesn't seem to react.

"Sophie!" I yell at her and her eyes shift to look at me, "come on snap outta it, you have to look after your younger daughter!"

"It's like when daddy died," Prim whimpers into Gale's shoulder since he had crouched down to hug her.

"Yeah well this is not that Prim" Gale reminds her, "she's in shock"

"Gale take Prim to Haymitch's" I look at him, "in fact bring their stuff to Haymitch's and if they give you grief tell them I am taking them in since the house is mine until Abernathy returns" I look at him coolly, "it's gonna be okay"

Gale gives me a nod and gets Prim to take her clothing and he takes the other supplies, "I'll leave the doctor supplies with you" he says coming over, he give me a kiss on the cheek, "I'll come back for you?"

"We'll meet at the stocks" I say, "give me a couple hours okay? Suppertime meet me there"

He gives a sympathetic nod and leaves with the younger Everdeen daughter.

"Sophie you have to come out of there" I take a chair and straddle it starring at her, "it's no good for you and definitely not good for Prim you receeding like this, she needs you to be strong"

She looks at me, I can feel for her, I can…if Maverick had to return to the games, being disabled and outclassed, I would be crushed. But that's not the case, they are ready. And they will get out.

"You have to come with me; they beat up Ryen Mellark before he was sentenced for the stocks. He's pretty badly injured" I tell her

"You can" she says breathless, like a ghost, her eyes divert and she seems to be in a daze again

"No, I have to make sure Prim is okay, you are going to take my bag and get to town square" I kick the chair away as I get up and I pull her to her feet, "I was like this when I first won, you have to force yourself, and I know its not easy but you have to, for Prim and this district you can't allow this to defeat you."

"She's going to die" Mrs. Everdeen says, "I can't…I-"

"Like hell she is going to die" I look at her, "Katniss is way too stubborn to just die, knowing her she will get to the weapons and take down Enoboria before that district Two shark faced twit can blink"

"You think?"

"I know, I trained them, and I trained Tracer Kingsly, they have the best head start anyone could ask for, and they will have allies" I rub her shoulders sympathetically, so thin and frail looking right now, "my worry isn't with them its with you and Prim and the Mellarks, we cannot and will not let them see us crack over this, we have to act like its business as usual or they will find our weaknesses and use them to destroy us, so get into your emotional vacuum, forget about the death matches and the arena, they haven't even gotten there, you're job is to get on with life, and help heal Ryen, and reassure his family, and take care of Prim"

"You could take care of Prim" she looks at me

"Me, take care of kids?" I chuckle, "I don't think so, I get along with kids but looking after them?" I shake my head as we make our way to the door, she is hesitant, "chin up doctor Everdeen, we need you right now, everyone does"

We finally get to the stocks, it's gone late afternoon and Gale has brought a light supper for Ryen.

Mrs. Everdeen doesn't say much except to have Ryen tilt his head as much as he can this way and that to check the gash in his scalp, then applies a cold pack to his swollen eye. She touches his chest and minds he has a broken rib and cuts on his legs not to mention some welts on his back from a whip, but no broken skin.

I want to cry, to scream angrily at the peacekeeper on duty but Gale just holds me steady.

Ryen is so calm thru this; he seems to relax as Mrs. Everdeen gives him a shot for the discomfort. He manages the heavy bread and tea in small doses, but he isn't the same. The Ryen of the bakery is gone, he's a ghost of himself.

"It's getting late" Mrs. Everdeen says, "I should go see to Prim, apologize for …disappearing again" she heads off.

"Ryen" I look at him and he just gives a sad smirk.

"You are not staying here with me at night kiddo" he looks at Gale, his blue eye keeping his grey eyes for a moment, "Gale take her home, she shouldn't be out"

"But!" I look shocked, "Ryen no!"

"Ariana go home with Gale" he says as sternly as he can, "dad is looking after me"