A/N hello! I kind of cheated a little bit because this wasn't a prompt I just had an idea and this came to be... Sorry? Based on the episode "the god complex" from doctor who (one of my favourite shows) there are a few of my head cannons in there too- for example Effie's high school portrayal and her being a catholic... Hope you don't mind! Enjoy:)

Euphemia Trinket; that isn't where you place your faith.

It was almost certainly lurking somewhere in the penthouse waiting for them. What 'it' was exactly, the inhabitants were still unsure- hoping, no, praying, that they could figure it out. After all, it was concluded that their lives were dependent on their ability to solve the mass mystery. Everyone was scared, terrified even, of the seemingly massive, unknown beast. However, some opted to show their fear, some didn't.

"What is it?" Portia said, panic clearly clung to her words as they scratched out in a whisper from her throat.

"I don't know," Haymitch said huskily. His voice was deep, cool and collected, although anyone of them could be targeted, at any moment. For Haymitch, it wasn't the beast that necessarily made him weary- he had won the hunger games after all, his fate was worse in there- it was more the uncertainty of when it was going to strike.

"I think we should just focused on the information we have," Cinna muttered, fingers twitching. Flavius had already gone. Left in a state of fright before the thing took his life.

"But we don't have time! We need to run!" Venia was practically shouting in fear.

"In case you haven't noticed idiot, the doors won't budge!" Portia was on the verge of blowing her top now. The insanity of it all was driving her to madness. They had tried all the locks hours ago.

Venia glared at her, before realising what their situation was, then her face went back into that of a representation of terror.

"Let's all just calm down..." Cinna started.

"What did Flavius do wrong? Why was he targeted?" Haymitch said, more to himself during a brainstorm rather to anyone in particular.

"He was happy a lot, maybe the thing goes after joy?" Portia suggested and Venia rolled her eyes.

"If that was the case Effie would have been gone first, surely!" She mocked. "Think more carefully Portia!"

"It's not all rainbows and sunshine being the angel of death you know," Effie said quietly, looking quite vacant and pale, then proceeded to laugh at her own moniker. "I'll have two more innocent children's blood on my hands after these games!" She gestured to the TV. "The arena looks awful," Effie went back into a slight daze again, her eyes shining. With fear of the beast or thoughts of the doomed children was unsure.

"You alright gorgeous?" Portia asked sincerely. Effie had told her everything and honestly, Portia couldn't compare to the pain she went through every year. Effie simply nodded.

"Did he do or say anything before he was taken? Anything that might have triggered 'it'?" Haymitch's thought process was still being broadcasted to the scared people with him.

"He said something like-" Cinna said before being interrupted.

"Praise him," Venia said.

"Yeah, I think it was that," Cinna finished; annoyed at being stopped mid-sentence.

"So now that's been established, what are we doing now?" Portia was in a hurry to get this solved. She hated feeling on edge constantly.

"Well I suppose we need to find out what made him say-"

"Praise him" Venia said again.

"Yes." Cinna was getting irritated with her rudeness. "Thank you Venia,"

"He mentioned peacekeepers," Effie whispered from the sofa. She was the only one sat- well, curled up in a ball and rocking slightly- whilst everyone else stood.

"What was that princess?" Haymitch asked. "Couldn't hear you, speak up,"

"I said," Effie hissed through gritted teeth. "He said something about the peacekeepers, after going into his bedroom I think," Effie looked lost in though for a moment. "Actually, I think that's the only thing he said. How he was certain the peacekeepers were coming to save him. He was so sure of it..." Effie trailed off her sentence and furrowed her brows. For a woman so experienced with death, almost a professional in fact, it confused the others how worked up she got about the matter.

"So he had faith in them, so what?" Portia said, shrugging. "Doesn't particularly mean anything,"

"I think it does," Haymitch said slowly. "There must have been a reason he said it. Fear, yes... But his room- why did he go in there?" He muttered to himself once more, the smart 16-year-old he once was shining through again, Haymitch's brain were certainly his highlight.

"Perhaps he saw something in his room?" Venia suggested. "That's the only place he went, other than in here with all of us. Maybe that's what made Flavius 'praise him'" her voice was robotic uttering the last phrase of the sentence, but no-one paid it any heed.

"Shall we take a look?" Haymitch suggested. The idea made adrenaline run through his veins.

Cinna, Portia and Venia nodded, although the girl's reluctantly. Effie neither said or did anything.

"Princess? Come on, you'll be okay- I promise." Haymitch said.

This seemed to perk her up, she stepped up from her curled position; wobbling slightly in her heels. She then stepped forward and laced her fingers between Portia's.

"Fine, but you're going in first," she gestured to Haymitch. He smirked back at her, then shrugged. "I've got nothing to loose."

Arriving at Falvius' room, everyone stepped back from Haymitch as the doorknob was turned and the light was switched on, illuminating the gloomy darkness. Indicating for everyone to step inside, the coast seemed clear, everyone searched frantically for some reason to say the dreaded two words.

Suddenly, a school bell rang from what seemed to be from inside the bathroom. Chatter was emerging and the bathroom door swung open- revealing a dark haired boy with his hand on the waist of a pretty blonde, petite girl wearing a cheerleader's uniform. They were obviously a couple, and with the boy wearing a red letterman jacket, the typical capitol high school cliche fell into place.

It had seemed as though Effie had frozen in her spot, wide eyes and mouth opening and closing, possessing close relations to a fish. Portia looked concerned for her and Haymitch distinctly heard someone ask the escort if she knew the pair. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Effie nod; but his eyes were focused on the teenagers only. Coming out of the door after them was another teenage boy, wearing skinny black jeans and a t-shirt. He looked sad, his eyes red as though he had been recently crying. Effie gulped and gasped. Haymitch nor anyone else questioned why, it was probably just fear.

"Oh, look!" The blonde said, glancing over her shoulder. "It's freaky Flavius!" She laughed, and the room seemed to laugh with her, as if resembling the school corridors, cruel chants and laughs emerged from its walls.

The dark-haired boy turned around fully, taking the cruel cheerleader with him, spinning her around. "Hey there," he said quietly, although it was most certainly evil. "Been staring at more people in the changing rooms?" He smirked. Flavius shook his head at the speed of light.

"No- no. Seneca." He stuttered.

"Oh get a grip, freak," the blonde rolled her eyes, "we aren't exactly going to hurt you,"

"I know, I'm sorry." He stated. The blonde looked guilty for a brief moment before recovering her act. She glared at him as her response.

"Whatever. Come along Effs," a teenage Seneca smiled down at her and they seemed to evaporate through the walls, leaving a defeated teen Flavius behind- looking more and more ashamed of himself as time passed. Then the scene seemed to end, the lights turned off and then on again, leaving the viewers in silence.

"That was the thing he feared most," Effie said quietly. "That's what he saw in here. That's what made him say-"

"Praise him," Venia said from the back of the group.

"And how would you know that, Effie?" Cinna looked at her as though she was poison.

"He told me. Freaky Flavius, that's what people used to call him. Including me, as seen before you." She gulped. "Oh god. I'm a horrible person,"

"You were," Portia agreed. "But let's get on with it, you're not her anymore gorgeous," Effie offered a small smile.

Yet again, Haymitch was lost in thought. Trying to concentrate on why Flavius was taken proved hard, when he had just seen Effie's make-up less face and natural blonde hair. She was gorgeous; certainly living up to Portia's pet name for her.

Back to the task. Peacekeepers, fear, what you fear the most, reliance...

Haymitch snapped his fingers. "Faith! Flavius had faith in law and order. He trusted the police force to save him. That's why he was taken because he had faith! Hold on to whatever you believe in and you'll be fine!" Haymitch was glowing with order at his hypothesis.

"Praise him," Venia said, before clamping her mouth shut.

"What?" Cinna asked.

"Praise him," she repeated, tears forming. "Oh god, help!"

"Did you go in your room? Portia asked. "What did you see Venia tell us!" The panic had returned the her croaking voice and Effie had started to whimper.

"Yes, I saw a clown." Venia shuddered. "I'm sorry, the room sort of called for me... Wanting me to, praise him," she smiled absent mindedly.

"Keep hold of your faith, Venia," Haymitch ordered. "Whatever you believe in, don't let go of it."

Footsteps could be heard. The beast was getting closer. Sniffing her out.

Venia's eyes darkened and she walked out into the penthouse corridor. "Praise him,"

"Hold onto your faith and you'll come back! You can do this Venia!" Haymitch shouted after her.

The room was silent. Waiting for her return. She didn't. The monster's footsteps got bigger and then smaller- allowing the residents to know the exact time Venia was killed.

"Now what will we do?" Effie asked. "That wasn't correct. And we can't just test everyone out as guinea pigs and see who survives!"

"Isn't that exactly what the capitol does with the games?" Haymitch snapped, although he instantly regretted it. "Sorry, I'm just... I thought I was right,"

"It's okay,"

"Can we get back to the main room? Flavius' bedroom is creeping me out," Portia asked. Everyone agreed.

"You go. I'll catch you up," Effie said.

"Don't look in your room," Haymitch said.

"I won't, I just need to get something from Venia's,"

Haymitch looked at her uncertainly before approving and walking down the hall.

Effie turned left and down another corridor. Stopping in front of her own room. She had to know. She had no option.

Reluctantly opening the door, Effie stepped in and stared at the sight before her. Her natural self sat before her watching the television and crying. On it, Effie could see Caesar Flickerman commentating all the death's of all the district 12 children she'd ever escorted. With each one, Effie saw herself crying even more. Closing the door, Effie felt a heavy feeling in her stomach and a tremble through her body. Her biggest fear was that; deep down she knew it. Of course she did.

Entering back in the main room, she saw everyone sitting down and discussing panicked solutions. Haymitch was pacing with his hand on his chin, the sight was so funny she had to giggle.

"What's gotten into you?" Portia asked with a smile on her face.

She just giggled again. "Praise him,"

Everyone's faces fell solemn as she sat down.

"What did you just say?" Cinna asked.

"Nothing?" Effie said, confusion etched in her voice.

"Yes you did,"

Effie shook her head, dismissing the stylist's arguement. "Praise him,"

Haymitch stopped pacing and looked at her. "Effie," he said. "No..."

She looked at him after realising what she said- her face morphed into the god forsaken fear he'd seen too much. But never in Effie, it could never be in Effie.

"Princess, I really need you to concentrate, alright?" He asked, his voice squeaking a bit. He couldn't loose her. He'd lost two too many today, it wasn't about to become three. Especially not with Effie making the up the numbers. Effie nodded. "What do you have faith in?"

She thought about it, he could tell as everyone watched and could hear her brain tick. "Well I'm a catholic, so God I suppose? But I don't think he can save us. Humans have free will and it's up to us what we do with it. I think this is moral evil, and I don't think this is purgatory because you're all here..." Her thought process was voiced aloud.

"What did you see in your room?" Haymitch asked, pushing her further. "You must've gone in there," surprisingly he wasn't mad, he just wanted her safe for now.

"The death of the children. District 12's tributes. The ones I murdered. Oh god! Maybe this is purgatory! I'm going to hell!" Effie was frantic with worry. The other occupants had no idea she was such a strict Christian. But it couldn't her belief in god, especially if she thought she was in torture for eternity.

"Anything else, sweetheart? Come on!" Haymitch could've sworn he heard a couple of tiny footsteps.

"You!" Portia practically screamed at him she was in that much of a rush.

"Me?! What the hell are you talking about?"

"She trusts you and believes in you. Your the tributes mentor, she has faith in you to bring them home!" Portia stated.

"And what makes you so certain?!" Haymitch said sarcastically.

"Well she must. Try it!"

Effie started rocking backwards and forwards, apologising to god for being an "awful Christian". Haymitch went towards her.

"Effie listen to me,"

She looked up from her state of madness and met his eyes. "I'm listening, tell me what to do Haymitch,"

So Portia was right, Haymitch thought, there it was, her faith in him. He felt numb, how had she kept it? Every single year he let her down and every single year he promised to do the same. The tributes were as good as dead as soon as they were snatched from district 12. There was no point in helping them.

So then why? Why did she have this profound faith in him? Perhaps she wanted too much, expectations from her rich spoiled childhood he could no longer fulfill. Or hope, that was equally as likely and equally as stupid. He had to get it out of her head.

"I'm a drunk, Trinket, I'm no good. I can't save those kids any more that their parents can. And I certainly don't care about them." He saw her featured recover from her initial shock, and then go to anger; yet he continued.

"They're just another pair of doomed tributes each year. Annoying and snivelling, they can't fight for themselves. And those that can are too stubborn or scared to try. I've never helped them and I don't plan to either. Ever. As long as I'm here, district 12 will probably never have another victor. And that's fine with me, princess, in fact, I prefer it." She looked disappointed now. Her eyes giving across her infamous puppy dog look.

"Here's some advice princess, don't put your faith in someone. That's a child's mistake. It's about time you grew up," Shining orbs filled with water as a lone tear escaped her eye and travelled down her cheek. Another one followed, silently.

The creeping footsteps stopped and all was still. They could all breathe again.

"I think we're safe." Cinna hushed.

Haymitch nodded, looking at Effie who was staring into space. Faith was dangerous; that's why he had none.