Requested by Anonymous: 1. Haymitch coming back to Twelve for the first time after his victory. Thank you. :)

Twelve's Welcome
(16 years old)

His warm breath misted the window as he leaned his forehead against it, nails digging into the palm of his skin. Outside, the scenery rushed past him.

"Home," he uttered the word hesitantly as he forced his mind to wrap itself around the fact that he was on his way back to his district. "I'm going home."

As the words rolled out his tongue, a sharp jolt of familiarity resonated within him. As he slowly replaced the beautiful but deadly images of the arena that he had been seeing each time he closed his eyes with scenes of his house in the Seam and images of his mother and his brother, warmth spread through him. That feeling did not last because layered beneath that was a terrible sense of anxiety gnawing at his heart.

Home was meant to be safe. Home was supposed to be welcoming but right this instance, he wanted nothing more than to run away. Returning to Twelve meant having to face Maysilee's, Aster's and Allan's family. The thought made him anxious and the bile rose in his throat. The four of them were all returning home today. The only difference was that their bodies were lying cold in the coffin at the other end of the train while he was here, alive and breathing.

Throughout the train ride, the same thoughts kept haunting him. Would their families begrudge him for being alive? Would Maysilee's parents and twin sister hate him for it? After all, he had allowed Maysilee to walk away. He didn't stop her from breaking off their alliance and she died soon after.

"Are you ready?" Mags entered the train compartment. "We're pulling into the station now."

Haymitch opened his eyes at the warmth of her hand as it seeped through his shirt. He craned his neck slightly behind him to see Mags smiling encouragingly at him. Pushing all thoughts and worries to the back of his mind, he clenched his jaws. The expression on his face was a mask of grim determination as he nodded.

The train door slid open, letting in the cold draft of District Twelve's air. He inhaled sharply relishing the sharp smell of coal from the mines in the distant.

The station was filled with people - his people - all waiting to welcome the second victor for their district. The moment he stepped out from the train, they broke into applause. It surprised him. He took in the faces smiling at him and at the back of his mind he thought he understood this reaction. They knew that because of him they would have full bellies and they were grateful for it.

"You're still on," Mags remind him.

He breathed in, raised his hand and waved at the crowd. The cameras rolled, closing up on him and then panning out to get a reaction shot from the crowd.

"Mitch!" a sharp cried rang out. "Mitch!"

His brother was amongst the crowd and when the Peacekeepers stepped back a little to allow for this reunion to happen so that it would be caught on camera - not that Haymitch was particularly concern about the cameras right now - Lief ran forward, almost stumbling on his feet in his rush to get to his brother. Haymitch descended down the steps in a hurry, meeting his brother halfway. He enveloped Lief in a bone-crushing hug, neatly lifting the younger Abernathy off the ground.

He couldn't breathe. His emotions were threatening to choke him. He missed his brother so much. This was the longest he had ever been away from Lief and Mama. Haymitch buried his face in the crook of his brother's neck and then suddenly, they were laughing.

"I knew you'd come back! I knew you would," Lief's smile was so wide it must hurt his cheeks. "I was so scared when the girl chased you up the cliff."

"You watched my Games?" Haymitch asked sharply. He let his brother down carefully, his hand going to his stomach as he heaved, gritting his teeth at the aching pain that was still present.

"Don't strain yourself too much, Haymitch. We don't want the stitches to split open," Mags warned him

"I had to. Mama wouldn't let me but I had to know," Lief answered and almost cheekily, he added. "Besides, it's mandatory to watch. I got to."

Haymitch frowned. His brother would have seen his fight with the Careers and he would have seen Haymitch killed them. He searched Lief's eyes to see if he was ashamed for having a murderer as a brother.

Before he could dwell too much on it, his mother who had patiently waited as the two brothers reunited, called out to him and that was all it needed for Haymitch to step forward, pulling his mother against him. He couldn't remember the last time he had initiated a hug with Mama, probably since he was fifteen when it was embarrassing for his mother to still kiss and hug him in public but now, he wanted the comfort that only his mother could give.

"Mama," he breathed in her scent. Quietly, he whispered in her ear, "I miss you."

His mother was a strong woman, resolute and hardened by circumstances. Haymitch had only seen her cry once when his father died but never when times were hard or when they were struggling but now, at the train station, in front of all these people, as she welcomed back her first born, the tears flowed freely down Isla Abernathy's face.

"Why you crying? Don't cry," he smiled and cupped his mother's cheek. He kissed her forehead, hoping to give her the same kind of comfort she had always given him and wrapped his arms around her again. "You didn't lose me, Mama. I'm home. I got you now."

"I know," she nodded. "I thought I had to bury you like I did your father. I'm so happy you're home. I'm so, so relieved."

"We're gonna be okay, Mama," he told her. "Our lives are gonna be different now."

Haymitch released his mother but kept an arm around her. The woman clutched to his shirt as if she was afraid he might be taken away a second time. He squeezed her shoulder in assurance and that was when he spotted Myra, walking with Aspen, Iris, Hazelle and Toby Hawthorne.

Her face broke into a wide grin and then she punched his shoulder. He smirked.

"You call that a punch?" he teased.

"I'm going to kiss him, Mrs. Abernathy," Myra said, eyes twinkling. Isla laughed and waved a hand, giving her permission. She stood on tiptoes and kissed him.

With his free hand, Haymitch gripped her shoulder and returned the kiss, pulling away soon after. He cleared his throat, embarrassed that his friends saw that or worst, Lief, who pretended to gag.

"Did you stay with Mama?" Haymitch asked.

Myra nodded. "I came over every day. We watched your Games together. I couldn't - I didn't want your family to be alone."

Haymitch nodded.

The camera crews were not intrusive and they filmed a few distances away that Haymitch completely forgot of their existence; forgot to pretend. Miles away, in the Capitol, President Snow watched the scene unfold with increasing interest. He leaned back in his seat, closed the book he had been reading and turned towards his advisor. He gave his advisor a curt nod. It was a simple nod that would eventually seal the fate of the three people Haymitch cared about. The advisor left the room, heels clicking against the floor. President Snow turned off the television to retire for the night, comforted by the knowledge that the little problem in the form of Panem's newest Victor would soon be taken care off.

Back in Twelve, Aspen Everdeen had nudged Myra aside to embrace his friend. He slapped Haymitch's back.

"Good to have you back," he grinned.

Haymitch nodded but his eyes trailed over to Iris, standing next to Aspen. Her eyes were red and puffy, and it was evident that she had been crying for days. Maysilee was her best friend and Haymitch felt the need to say something.

"I'm - I'm sorry…" Haymitch swallowed, staring at Iris. "About Maysilee… I know you both are - "

Iris bravely gave him a small smile and shook her head, saying, "There was nothing you could do," before shaking his hand and added, "I'm glad you at least made it home. I - I should be with Marilyn. She's been... Ever since Maysilee... I better go. See you around."

His gaze followed her as she joined the Donner's family standing around a coffin. Allan's and Aster's family were there, too. Haymitch broke off, walking away from the people surrounding him while mumbling under his breath about needing a minute.

Aspen followed, nudged forward by Haymitch's mother.

As Haymitch approached them, the three families raised their heads, watching him coming closer.

He stopped before Maysilee's father, the person closest to him. "Sir, I'm - " Haymitch began only to be interrupted.

"Don't apologise, son. Don't apologise," the man chided him gently. He was holding on to Marilyn who leaned heavily against her father, inconsolable in her grief.

Haymitch tore his gaze away knowing that the person in the coffin bore the same face as her. Aster's mother was sobbing, pressing a handkerchief to her mouth but she came forward, taking Haymitch's hand in hers.

"I saw you with her…" she said between sobs. Haymitch leaned forward to try and make out the words. "I saw you with my Aster at the Parade, looking out for her. Thank you. Thank you for being her friend."

Haymitch didn't know what she meant because there were no friends in the arena. It was everyone for themselves. At the Cornucopia, while the other 47 tributes were stunned by the beauty of the arena, Aster included, Haymitch had seized the opportunity, knowing that this was his only chance to get supplies and dashed to the Cornucopia where he retrieved a backpack. He had fled even before the Careers had gotten to the Cornucopia. Haymitch had not turned back to look for Aster, Allan or even Maysilee; he never stopped for a second to check if they were still alive.

Haymitch looked away, ashamed.

Allan's family said nothing to him and he didn't expect them too. Haymitch watched them all leave, each family bearing a coffin of their dead ones.

"The Capitol did this," Aspen gritted his teeth, a statement that Haymitch would repeat over and over two weeks later. "And we let them."

"Don't start," Haymitch warned.

"Let's go home," Lief said, coming to a stand next to him. "Let's go. We've got a new house now and I really wanna see it."

"You've seen Victor's Village before," Haymitch pointed out.

"Yeah, but never on the inside. Come on, you can tell me all about how the Capitol's like over dinner! Is it true that some people look like cats? With whiskers?"

"I'm tired," Haymitch said suddenly. "I think I'm gonna sleep when we're back."

"Oh," his brother mumbled dejectedly.

Lief had looked forward to having Haymitch back for days, since he won his Games but all Haymitch wanted was to be left alone.

I have a funny feeling when I was writing Isla and Lief Abernathy + Myra since I know at the back of my head that in the timeline, in two weeks, these characters will be dead.

Anyway, please leave a review!