Thank you for reading Haymitch's Story and for all of your feedback, I really appreciate it!

I do not own the Hunger Games nor its characters.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I spend the next three days tirelessly parading around the Sponsorship Room trying to get people interested and giving as many interviews as I can, which feels alien and familiar at the same time. It's been a while since reporters have genuinely wanted to speak to me.

I think I shock the other victors with how much effort I'm putting in but those that are in the rebellion are eager to know more about Katniss. As I get to know her it's clear that she doesn't like being told what to do and second guesses everything that everyone does. She's clever and careful who she trusts, I can see that and it's making things a whole lot harder.

"Do you really think we could use her?" Asks Finnick one day.

"I think so, I mean, everything she's done so far is two fingers up to the Capitol and she doesn't even realise! She just has to win, first."

"My tribute says she's not too bad with a spear but, of course, he thinks he's far better."

"Typical Career," I say, "I think she has a chance. She's got this cold, calculating aspect to her that could put her in good stead in the arena."

"Cold and calculating? I believe you just described yourself."

"Oh, shut up and go back to flirting!"

By the time the training days are over I feel utterly exhausted. I've tried not to drink too much but I need a glass now and again just to get me through; I have no idea how Mags and Titam did this for so long. I know they put the effort in every year whereas this is the first time for me in a long time.

On the final day I get back from the Sponsorship Room just as Peeta is returning from his private session with the Gamemakers, he looks pretty stressed so I tell him to go and rest. We can talk about it later. Twenty minutes later Katniss storms in to the living area and straight through to her room, slamming the door behind her. Effie and I instantly head over and knock on the door but she refuses to open it. How bad could it have gone to warrant this behaviour? How are we supposed to help her if she doesn't speak to us? She's so infuriating! Eventually we give up and I help myself to a large glass of wine, I'm not sure how much longer I can stay sober for.

Katniss does, however, emerge from her room when it's time for dinner but she has that now infamous scowl on her face. I know things are rough but does this kid ever smile? Not that I can give lectures on smiling, I only give unimpressed smirks these days.

There's lots of nonsensical chatting at dinner that starts to drive me insane so I finally ask just how bad things were in the training room.

"I don't know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think. So I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go." I HATE Gamemakers, they have no idea the hell they are putting these kids through.

"And you, sweetheart?" I say to Katniss.

"I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers."

"You what?" Says Effie, voicing everyone else's shock.

"I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just…I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth!" I have to fight the urge to laugh; I can just picture their faces, especially Plutarch who can be very dramatic when he wants.

"And what did they say?" Asks Cinna.

"Nothing. Or I don't know, I walked out after that."

"Without being dismissed?" Says Effie.

"I dismissed myself."

"Well, that's that," I say, buttering a roll. Katniss starts worrying about what will happen to her family but I tell her that it's too late in the Games to replace her and they can't reveal what happened in the training room, anyway, so why would they hurt her family? I'm a bit of an expert in this sort of thing, now. "More likely they'll make your life hell in the arena."

"Well, they've already promised to do that to us anyway," says Peeta.

"Very true," I say and then curiosity gets the better of me. "What were their faces like?"

"Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous, some of them. One man tripped backwards into a bowl of punch!"

I laugh and a part of me hopes it's Plutarch, I can picture it, now. This girl must be getting his attention and I desperately want to talk to him before the Games begin. Surely he can see Katniss' potential as much as I can? Maybe he can do something in the arena for her…

Talk then turns to the scores and both Peeta and Katniss are worried about scoring low but Portia manages to calm them down. Scores are mainly for sponsors, anyway.

When it's time to watch the scores the Careers get their usual eight to ten marks but the biggest surprise is probably the little girl from 11 who gains a 7. Chaff is her mentor and, apparently, all she can talk about is Katniss, which worries me, slightly. She must be twelve but she looks much younger, I can't look at the screen for long because my willing Katniss to win means the death of a small twelve year old.

Peeta's face eventually flashes up with an eight underneath it and everyone in the room is pleased, especially Peeta. I have to admit, I can see that he's strong but I didn't think he would score that high. Then it's Katniss' turn and an 11 flashes under her picture! This girl just continues to surprise me.

"There must be a mistake. How…how could that happen?" She asks me.

"Guess they liked your temper. They've got a show to put on. They need some players with some heat."

We all congratulate Katniss before retiring to our rooms, although, just as I'm finishing a glass of wine I hear a knock on the door. The last thing I need is a lecture off Effie but I remind myself that I'm meant to be trying this year.

"Come in," I say and a sheepish Peeta walks in, closing the door behind him. "Hey, kid, you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. I need to talk to you."

"Take a seat," I say and gesture to the plush sofas in the corner of the room. "What is it?"

"I know you've been trying really hard and we both really appreciate it, even if Katniss doesn't say so, but," he turns his head away from me, "We have to make sure that Katniss gets home."

"Peeta, do you love her?" I try to keep my voice as soft as possible.

To my great surprise he doesn't deny it but looks me squarely in the face. "Yes and I know how much people at home need her. I'll do whatever it takes, Haymitch, I mean it."

"You know what you're agreeing to, don't you? You're saying that-"

"I know," he interrupts, "As soon as Effie called my name I knew I wouldn't be coming home and I've accepted that so now I have to help her."

I nod, I can't believe how brave he is for someone so young. "In that case we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow. From what the other mentors have told me Katniss isn't making much of an impression and I've been making some bold claims to potential sponsors. The best thing you can do at the interviews is declare your love for her in front of everyone, make her desirable, make the audience cry at how horrible your situation is."

"It is horrible. But yeah, that's fine. Should I…should I tell her before-"

"No," I snap, "She won't know how to react. It's best to keep her in the dark, she doesn't always think before she acts."

He agrees and a small smile creeps across his face before telling me that he can't see her tomorrow knowing what he's planning, he doesn't like lying to her. How can she not see how much this boy loves her?! Things would be so much easier if she just loved him, too!

"Did you know?" He says as he gets up to leave.

"I had an incline but I didn't want to force it out of you." I think he gives me a genuine smile as he leaves.

The next morning Peeta and Effie are already eating breakfast when I arrive and talking about tomorrow's interviews. He tells Effie he's going to be coached separately from Katniss but doesn't elaborate as to why. I wonder if he slept last night.

As soon as the object of his affections walks in he gets up and goes in to his room before he can even say hello to her. Once I reveal that they're splitting up I swear I see a flash of anger across Katniss' face but she doesn't act on it, just says "Good" before beginning her four hours of etiquette prep with Effie.

Peeta is eager to get started when I go into his room and asks how he's going to go about pouring his heart out.

"Well, Caesar is actually really good with the tributes and he always asks the good looking boys if they've got a girlfriend but you need to draw it out, create suspense."

"Right…"

I don't think he's quite sure so we spend the four hours practising different scenarios and, eventually, he seems pretty adept at dropping Katniss in to the conversation in a dramatic way. He's also pretty funny, which is never a bad thing.

"I've been thinking," I say after about three hours, "if you really want to protect Katniss you're going to have to make sure the Careers don't get to her; they're definitely going to be annoyed at that eleven she scored."

"What are you getting at, Haymitch?" I can tell he's getting annoyed but I don't know how to broach my latest idea, it came to me last night and could either be a stroke of genius or extremely foolish. I've just frantically been trying to think of ways to keep this girl alive.

"How do you feel about getting in with the Careers and keeping them away from Katniss? You'll have to say that you don't really love her, of course, you can just tell them that it was all my idea. But, hopefully, the audience will realise that you're trying to protect her."

"And why do you think they'd let me in? We've been avoiding them all week."

"I know, you're going to have to do something to prove your worth. Do you think you could kill one of them?" I hate asking this, the words don't seem right coming out of my mouth but I know they need to be said.

"I don't know, I'll try. I suppose we can't really plan what will happen in the arena."

I've been so busy trying to work on Peeta's strategy that by the time it comes to prep with Katniss nothing is coming to me.

"What?" She says.

"I'm trying to figure out what to do with you. How we're going to present you. Are you going to be charming? Aloof? Fierce? So far, you're shining like a star. You've volunteered to save your sister. Cinna made you look unforgettable. You've got the top training score. People are intrigued, but no one knows who you are. The impression you make tomorrow will decide exactly what I can get you in terms of sponsors."

I can tell that I've got her attention, now. "What's Peeta's approach? Or am I not allowed to ask?"

"Likeable. He has a sort of self-deprecating humour naturally." I wonder if I should reveal all, see if she can handle it but I know it's too risky. "Whereas when you open your mouth, you come across as sullen and hostile."

"I do not!" Huh, typical teenager.

"Please, I do not know where you pulled that cheery, wavy girl on the chariot from, but I haven't seen her before or since."

"And you've given me so many reasons to be cheery."

"But you don't have to please me, I'm not going to sponsor you. So pretend I'm the audience. Delight me." It's becoming increasingly difficult not to antagonise her, as much as I can see her potential for the rebellion she's still so stubborn.

I ask her hundreds of questions but her answers are either bland, hostile or both. She's not trying at all and I quickly revert back to drinking.

"They want to know about you, Katniss," I say, almost begging her to change her persona.

"But I don't want them to! They're already taking my future! They can't have the things that mattered to me in the past!"

"Then lie! Make something up!"

"I'm not good at lying."

"Well, you better learn fast. You've got about as much charm as a dead slug." I suggest she plays 'humble' but even this is too much of a stretch for her, it looks like Peeta is our only hope, now. "I give up, sweetheart," I finally say. "Just answer the questions and try not to let the audience see how openly you despise them."

I grab a bottle of white liquor and head to my room, wondering how on earth I'm going to get her home.