14.

"I miss wearing dresses." Effie complained, glaring at the tight jeans she had slipped on that morning. They were now dirty, covered in mud and zombie parts – her fault, she supposed, she shouldn't have offered to go with Haymitch on his daily walk around the property but it had been a fine day, all sunny and warm like they hadn't known in some time and she simply couldn't resist – there was a hole at the knee too and it didn't look like a fashionable tear either. "I miss premieres, red carpets, parties… The glamour of it all… Long dresses that make you feel like a princess…"

She was daydreaming aloud, she knew, Haymitch wasn't even listening. They were walking back to the farm and he was more worried about the fact that zombies and mutts were getting closer and closer to the house with each passing day. Katniss and Gale usually took down two or three each time they went hunting and it was a regular occurrence for Haymitch or Finning to meet new unpleasant undead people on their watch. Everybody knew what it meant but nobody was ready to say it aloud. They had been living on the farm for long enough that they had started to call it home. The prospect of leaving the house for an uncertain destination wasn't appealing.

"What do you miss most?" she asked him, sidestepping a particularly slippery looking muddy clump. She could see the house in the distance. They would be back before ten minutes, she estimated.

"Silence." Haymitch grumbled before a slow smirk appeared on his face. "And lately, sex. Still on strike, sweetheart?"

"Yes." she huffed. "You hurt my feelings. You have to learn your lesson."

It had been a few days since the fight about the pregnancy tests but it was still very fresh in Effie's memory. Haymitch had apologized, of course, but she planned on making him regret his hasty words for a few more days. She was enjoying his clumsy attempts at securing her forgiveness a bit too much. Oh, it was nothing, really, but for Haymitch it was huge : he made her tea in the morning, he was careful not to be mean when they bantered and he had started sleeping in her bed once she had allowed him access to her bedroom again. The bed was so small they had no other choice but to cuddle which was the perfect excuse because she suspected Haymitch was otherwise not a fan of such activities.

"Lesson learned." He rolled his eyes and grabbed her wrist. He spun her around, she giggled despite herself and crashed again his chest. A second later, she was trapped in his arms. "Now…" he smirked. "You have to kiss me."

"In the middle of a field where zombies could appear any moment?" she teased. "Did you forget we're in the middle of an apocalypse?" He certainly loved to repeat that particularly piece of information to her at every opportunity.

He loved to kiss her even more though so she wasn't really surprised when he forego answering to crush his mouth on hers instead. It was amazing, she mused, how Haymitch's lips could make the surrounding world fade into nothing. An army of mutts or zombies could descend on them and she wouldn't even notice. His hands wandered under her red jacket and her black tank top, one of them roaming on her back, toying with the clasp of her bra, and she had to laugh against his mouth.

"Determined, are you?" she taunted.

His lips brushed against her jaw before he started nibbling of the soft skin under her ear. "Maybe, I just miss you, sweetheart."

She tilted her head to allow him better access and forgot why it was so important to make him work for a forgiveness she had already granted in the first place. "Let's go home." The sun was quickly setting down and the others would start looking if she and Haymitch didn't go back soon. She didn't fancy getting caught up in a compromising situation again. "Let's just…" She closed her eyes when he bit slightly harder. "… go home." She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him in a kiss that made her see stars – although it was quite possibly the lack of oxygen during the last few seconds of the kiss.

It took more coaxing but they ended up walking again, sneaking glances at each other and exchanging stupid grins like teenagers. Well… Effie grinned. Haymitch mostly smirked like the cat who got the canary and the cream on top of it. She was so focused on what she was planning to do to him, she almost missed his complete change of demeanor.

His face grew stern and worried, his mouth pinching in a flat displeased line. He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him and it took her a few seconds to understand the reason why. How she could not have seen the unfamiliar cars and the two people standing in front of them before, she didn't know.

"Haymitch?" she whispered.

It was too late to hide now, the two strangers had seen them and had turned in their direction. The two men both had guns pointed at them.

"Stay behind me." he ordered, half-raising an arm to make sure she wouldn't do something stupid like try to sidestep him. His other hand was on the butt of his gun but as good as he was, it was too late to draw without getting shot first. Effie's own hand hovered over her gun but she couldn't resolve herself to untuck it from her belt. She just wasn't that quick with it. "What do you want?" he asked the men. "Where are our friends?"

"Inside with the President." one of the two men replied, lowering his gun and gesturing to his friend to do the same. "We don't want any trouble."

"The President?" Haymitch snorted. "That's new and not pompous at all."

He was unnerved, she could tell. Were the men lying? Were they sending them into a trap? Effie really doubted the others would have welcomed strangers readily…

"Effie…" Haymitch's voice faltered as if he wasn't quite sure what kind of orders he wanted to give her. Staying out there with two armed men was obviously out of the question, stepping into the house could mean danger, however, walking away from the farm when the sun was setting down would certainly guarantee death.

"We should try to find the others." she whispered back nervously.

"Yeah…" he replied without any conviction. His eyes were lingering on their truck a bit too long for her tastes.

"We're not leaving without them." She nudged him in the direction of the house, glaring at the two strangers who looked amused by their behavior.

The front door opened before he could take a step and Finnick appeared on the threshold. He first eyed the two men carefully and then looked at them. From what Effie could see, he didn't appear to be hurt.

"What's going on, boy?" Haymitch barked. "When did we open a Bed and Breakfast?"

Finnick shrugged. "Since people started to make appealing offers. Get inside, you will want to hear this."

Haymitch didn't look particularly happy but he placed a hand at the small of Effie's back and nudged her gently toward Finnick, his other hand remained on his gun. Effie was relieved when he closed the front door behind them, finally escaping the mocking gaze of the two strangers.

"What's going on?" Haymitch repeated coldly but Finnick only gestured to the living-room.

Effie didn't know what she was expecting but she knew it wasn't to find everyone sitting on every possible surface with cups of tea or cocoa. Finnick quickly took back his seat next to Annie on the couch, leaving Haymitch and her standing near the entrance. They weren't the only one standing, though, there was a man and a woman in the middle of the room, obviously at the center of attention.

Effie barely glanced at the man, there was nothing particularly striking about him, but the woman… Effie was used to quickly decide who was Queen of the bees, this woman wasn't a queen, she was an empress. Her eyes were so grey they looked almost devoid of color, they were cold too, cruel even perhaps, unforgiving at any rate. Effie lifted her chin slightly in an empty challenge but she couldn't help the goosebumps that prickled her arms.

"You never said you had a Miss Patriot with you." The woman's voice was loathing and annoyed.

"I'm sure we can work around that." the man quickly added, outstretching a hand in their direction. "How rude of us not to introduce ourselves. I'm Plutarch Heavensbee and this is…"

"I know who you are." Haymitch cut in, placing a hand on Effie's arm before she could even think of stepping forward. "You used to work for Snow. Close advisor."

If the woman's voice had been full of loathing, Haymitch's was laced with hatred.

The man… Plutarch frowned and then his eyes lightened in recognition. "Abernathy, wasn't it?" It wasn't quite a question. "The world has become a very small place, indeed. I remember you."

"Clearly not enough or you would have started running." Haymitch growled and it was Effie's turn to grab his arm before he did something stupid.

"Alright." Finnick cleared his throat and looked at Haymitch. "They say they work for the rebels and they have a safe place. They would take us in if we help them."

"No." Haymitch spat.

"What do you mean no?" the woman frowned.

Effie glimpsed Johanna rolling her eyes from her seat at the foot of the chair.

"I mean no." Haymitch shrugged. "Never heard that word before?"

"What kind of safe place are we talking about?" Effie cut in before a war could erupt in their living-room. She spied Johanna's axe not too far from the young woman and Katniss' bow was close too but if they could get out of there without a bloodbath… "And who are you?"

The lifeless grey eyes were back on her and it was unnerving. "I'm President Alma Coin."

Effie suppressed an irritated comment. It wasn't much by way of an introduction and that certainly wouldn't secure Haymitch's good graces.

"Self-appointed, right?" Haymitch snorted. "I know your kind. Get out of here before I kill you."

"And when did you self-appointed yourself as the head of our group?" Johanna snapped. "She was about to offer us a deal, I want to hear it."

"I do too." Katniss said. "If she has a safer place than this house…"

"The farm is safe." Haymitch lied. "Whatever she offers will have a catch."

"I can offer safety, food, protection from the undead and genetic mutations…" Coin argued. "I can offer you a normal life."

"In exchange for what?" Finnick asked calmly. "You said you needed help getting there but where is there?"

"District Thirteen." Plutarch answered. "You are aware of the new partition in Districts right? Well, Thirteen is quite north and there're only four of us now. It's too long and dangerous a trip for so few people and it is of the utmost importance to get the President back to the rebels."

"We need a new order." Coin nodded once in approbation of her advisor's words. "We need to implement a new government for humankind to rise again."

Effie squeezed Haymitch's arm before he could start insulting them.

"That's great." Johanna snorted. "I don't care much about humankind. Why are you so sure your District Thirteen is safe?"

Coin seemed affronted. "Thirteen is underground. Snow's administration never found it, I really doubt brain-dead things would have."

"So your idea of safety is being buried alive?" Haymitch scoffed. "Brilliant. We're not interested."

"We kind of are." Gale argued. "A bunker sounds safer than a farm."

"There would be schooling for the child." Plutarch added, nodding to Prim. "Others refugees her own age…"

Katniss looked from Prim to Plutarch and then to Haymitch, obviously lost. Effie knew her enough by now to know she shared Haymitch's trust issues on about everything. She also knew she would do anything without any reserve to keep her sister alive.

"We can protect her." Haymitch replied. "We can protect each other, we don't need your would-be government."

Effie wondered what the real problem was for Haymitch: those two particular people or the idea of being in close quarters with a new governmental organization?

"A bunker does sound safer." she ventured softly. She didn't flinch when Haymitch's betrayed gaze turned to her. "We won't be able to keep the farm for very long."

There, it was out.

"Then we will find another one." he countered with a shrug. "We managed before."

"And when the next one isn't safe anymore we keep running?" Peeta asked, glancing at Katniss and Prim who were huddled together on a armchair. "It's a miracle we didn't lose anyone already."

"We almost did." Katniss corrected him with a guilty look for Haymitch.

"I won't turn out better walls." Johanna decided. "I'm game."

"Never heard of a deal too good to be true?" Haymitch spat. "We're safe here for now. Why would we leave something good for something we don't even know really exist?"

Effie's eyes met Finnick's a fraction of a second before he made his announcement. "Annie's pregnant."

There was a heavy moment of silence, even Coin and Plutarch seemed taken aback by that new development.

"Awesome." Johanna chuckled cruelly. "Has none of you ever heard of safe sex? After Miss Proper…"

"Effie never thought she was pregnant, she was just trying to help me, Johanna." Annie butted in. "And don't start giving out lessons, if you please."

"Or if you don't please for that matter." Effie hissed, despite the fact that it was rude.

"We have a medical wing." Coin was quick to offer. "Doctors and nurses. We could assure you a safe delivery."

Annie and Finnick exchanged a glance and Effie saw they were sold. Johanna was too if only because she was bored of playing house. Katniss was staring at Prim thoughtfully so she must be considering it and Gale and Peeta would follow her wherever she went. As for Effie… Effie was very much tempted, rebels be damned.

"You go with her, you're all dead." Haymitch warned, pointing an accusing finger at the President.

"Now, that's a bit hasty, don't you think?" Effie tried, finally letting go of his arm. "After all… You were all in favor of the rebels when we first met, weren't you?"

"I was all in favor of getting rid of Snow." he retorted. "But her…" He waved at Coin. "She's the same kind, can't you see it? Or do you want to be the new Miss Rebel, now?"

"That's uncalled for, Haymitch." Effie gritted her teeth. "I am simply trying to consider the whole picture, here."

"The picture is pretty clear, sweetheart." he snorted. "We go with them, we meet a group of zombies and they leave us to deal with it while they drive away in their shiny black car."

"How could you know that?" Peeta asked.

"The boy is right." Effie said before Haymitch could turn on him. "You don't know."

"I know they don't need help, they have guns and a car, they need zombie food to keep monsters occupied while they run away." Haymitch snapped. "You're familiar with the method, aren't you?"

It felt as if he had slapped her and he must have realized it too because his eyes widened slightly.

"If you would excuse me." she addressed the room with a fake polite smile that did nothing to hide the tears shining in her eyes. She ignored him when he tried to call her back, walking quickly to the kitchen where she busied herself making some tea for herself or, rather, making a general mess. Her sight was blurred and Portia's screams filled her ears.

"Here, give it to me." Annie's soft voice demanded. Gentle hands took hold of the cup and the teapot and then guided her to the table. Effie sank on a chair without any conscious thought. "Whatever Haymitch was talking about, I'm sure he didn't mean it like an accusation."

"Of course he did." Effie smiled weakly. "It's his way."

Annie placed a hot cup of tea in front of her and then squeezed her shoulder. "He will come around."

"We've decided to wait until morning to make a decision." Peeta announced, closing the kitchen door behind him. "Are you alright, Effie?"

She nodded meekly, trying to force cheerfulness back on her face but failing miserably. She watched the boy step around the table to take a seat next to her, he clasped her hands in his.

"I don't know what Haymitch was talking about but it doesn't matter." he told her firmly. "I ran away from the zombies my parents had become. It took me two weeks to realize they were dead. I didn't even feel sad before that, I didn't mourn for them. When things get that bad, you react the best way you can."

"Thank you." she whispered. She didn't resist when he pulled her into a hug. She loved Peeta. She loved everyone in their little makeshift family, of course, but Peeta held a special place in her heart just like Haymitch favored Katniss.

"We're leaving them the barn for the night. Johanna is taking the couch." he said, once she was calmer. "Are you okay sharing with Haymitch or…"

She said she was even though she wasn't sure. He had hurt her feelings twice in the space of one week and she didn't like the sensation of weakness it left her with. She took her time getting ready for bed, lingering in the bathroom so long Johanna pitched a fit because she wanted a shower. He was already laying down when she finally got to the bedroom which made her angry because he just assumed he was welcome in her bed. His grey eyes followed her around the room as she opened and closed drawers without any other purpose than to waste time.

"Yell, already." he grunted at some point, obviously frustrated by her behavior.

She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of starting a screaming match. She remained silent when she climbed into bed, careful to stay close to the edge so they wouldn't have to touch. However, even like that, the bed was too small for two and she could feel the warmth of his body on her back as he moved to spoon her. He placed a hand on her hip. She slapped it away so hard her fingers tingled afterwards.

"Seriously?" he grumbled, shaking his hand. "It's a single bed, sweetheart. How are we going to sleep in it if you don't want me to touch you?"

Excellent question and she had an excellent answer. "Well, a gentleman would offer to take the floor."

"She speaks!" he mocked.

"But obviously, you are not a gentleman." she huffed, flinging the covers away from her. She snatched her pillow and most of the blankets before hesitating for a second. She could go to the living-room but Johanna would be unbearable or she could go to Katniss and Prim's and hope the girls would let her sleep on the carpet but that would mean explaining the domestic they were having. In the end, she settled for the least comfortable option but the one that would allow them at least a small amount of privacy. She placed her pillow on the ground in the small space between the bed and the wall and made herself a nest of blankets.

"Come on, Princess, be serious, you won't sleep on the floor." Haymitch chuckled.

"Watch me." she retorted and then switched off the lights. Silence followed.

There was no comfortable position to find and her body was already aching but she refused to give in. She tossed and turned until she knocked her elbow against the wall which made her cry in pain.

"This is ridiculous." Haymitch mumbled. His hands felt around for her, grabbed her arms and hauled her back on the bed. He almost crushed her when he bent again for her pillow and blankets. His arm sneaked around her waist and held her fast against his chest so she couldn't escape even if she tried. She didn't.

"I'm still angry at you." she warned him.

"Aren't you always?" he sighed before pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "Be angry and sleep, sweetheart, I have a feeling tomorrow will be one of your big, big, big day."