Bear woke Haymitch with a series of whines that quickly escalated into barks. Haymitch stood and walked him outside, let him roam free to go chew grass and chase bugs. He watched him closely as he got all of the supplies to patch up the kids' stairs. The puppy saw Haymitch walk away and followed closely at his heels, nipping at his pants excitedly.

"You're trouble."

The puppy cocked his head up at Haymitch, then collapsed down with a small whine, telltale sign of a puppy nap. Haymitch smiled, scratched his head.

"You sure can sleep, boy."

After a long afternoon of being the kids' personal handyman, he went back to his home and stared at his unused wall phone. He told her to not be a stranger, but she sure was acting like one these past few years. Maybe forgetting was her way of coping, it was his sometimes.

She had scribbled down her phone number one day when she came over. He still had it up there. Her swirly Capitolian print that read Effie with a series of numbers near it. Although, that was written years ago, and he wasn't sure if it would be the same. And if it was, if she picked up her phone, what would he say?

Hey Eff, I've been missing you so damn much these past couple of years. Why don't you call me? I know you call the kids. I can practically hear your voice from my house when you do.

He looked down at Bear who looked back up at him with those coal-colored puppy dog eyes.

"You'd like her, boy. Most of her clothes would make fun chew toys. She'd spoil you rotten, even if you did steal some of her stuff. I just know it. That's Effie for you."

He barked a response, Haymitch laughed and pet him.

"She might yap more than you, though, believe it or not."

He picked the puppy up and dialed the phone. Bear watched on with curiosity, probably wondering why his pa was trembling.

After the second ring, he heard her voice, "Effie Trinket. May I ask who is speaking?"

"You still answer your phone like that, Effie? What's wrong with hello?" He asked, a small smile spreading on his face. He could imagine her in some ridiculous feathery robe, a stunned expression on her face.

"Who is this?"

She knew, he could tell in her voice that she knew, but she didn't want him to have that satisfaction.

"Some mean old drunk. Who is now sober, by the way."

"Haymitch?" She asked, her voice soft and crackly.

"Yes, Eff."

The phone went silent again, Bear wriggled and Haymitch set him down.

"I didn't know you knew how to use a phone." She said, and he could hear the smile in her words.

"I don't. You should feel special, old girl." He replied, sitting down in his chair with a grunt.

"Why are you calling me?" She asked, he heard rumbling in the background.

"Wanted to see what you were up to these days."

"Look, um, it's funny you should call, really, because I will be in twelve next week on business. We should catch up."

"You're talkin' to me like I'm a stranger, Eff." He said, but then quickly realized they were technically strangers. It had been years since they had any kind of exchange.

She cleared her throat, "I will be there Monday."

"Well, drop by anytime, you know where I am. Don't have much to do these days but stare at the woods and get nagged on by the kids. And… stay here if you want. I'm a lot cheaper and probably cleaner than the inn."

He heard a small laugh, "Okay, Haymitch, I will see you. Bye now."

"Bye bye, honey."

Haymitch looked down at his pup and back to his house. He had some cleaning to do. He wasn't as cluttered as he once was, but he definitely wasn't as immaculate as Effie would like.

"Guess we got some work to do, old boy."

The pup whined.

"I feel that way, too, Bear. But I think it'll be worth it."

All weekend, he made repairs on his home, cleaned up paint, went out and bought the guest room some new bedding just in case. The set was cream and floral, it wasn't half as obnoxious as her tastes were, but he thought she might like it.

He even went so far as to cut off some wild flowers: baby's breath, milkweed, daisies, coneflower, marigold, cosmos, and, of course, that fragrant honeysuckle that could fill a room. He put the bouquet on her nightstand and wrapped the vase one time in some small, violet ribbon Katniss had left at his house.

"What you think, boy?" The puppy fell asleep at his feet.

By the time Monday rolled around, it was raining pretty bad. Grey clouds shrouded the distant mountains. He kindled the fireplace and checked her room again to ensure everything was in its place. He was anxious as hell. Time rolled on and he kicked himself for not asking her if she had some sort of ETA. ETA, an acronym he had learned from her long ago. When he was about to call it a day and pretend he wasn't a little let down, he heard a quaint knock on his front door.

His heart soared to life as he walked to the door, Bear at his heels. He opened it and there was Effie, ruffled umbrella over her head. She looked beautiful, her golden hair in a loose updo, a little dress on, short heels. He blinked, drew a breath.

"Is that you?"

Her long eyelashes brushed her cheeks bashfully, "Live and in the flesh."

He took her bags and brought them upstairs. She looked down at the little excited puppy and beamed.

"Bear." He pointed. Goddamn, her bags were heavy. Some things never changed.

"Bear?" The puppy wagged his tail so hard it moved his butt. He did a little circle for Effie as she got on the floor and played with him, laughing.

"He's wild, that one." Said Haymitch, coming down the stairs and watching with a small smile as Effie turned into a child again.

"Him and I both! Oh, he is just darling." She said, picking him up and taking him with her. The puppy licked her face a couple of times as a thank you.

"You should have told me you had a puppy, Haymitch! You know I would have bought out half the Capitol for him!"

"Exactly why I didn't. Plus, I would've thought the kids told you. They're the ones who brought him over and dumped him with me." He said, sitting across from her.

"Oh, you know I can't resist a baby. Even one with fur and a tendency to lick."

He laughed, "Guess him and I have that in common."

She threw him a deadly look, "You are disgusting!"

The puppy fell asleep on Effie's lap, his fat little belly exposed to her.

"What have you been up to, Trinks? Haven't heard from you in what, 20 years?"

"I have been busy in the Capitol. I'm here to help the teachers at the schoolhouse with lessons and supplies. They gave us a pretty sizable budget. I think it's funny you called, perhaps fate is real."

Under Paylor's rule, schools were getting better in the districts. Much better. A big, giant elementary school was put up, then a bigger junior high, and now something they called high school. All of them shiny and nearly Capitol-grade. He envied the children who didn't have to fight for a window seat on warm days (he'd thrown a few punches in his day), praying for relief from the hot classrooms.

"Teaching, huh?"

"Yes, well, I find I can be quite good at it."

"Taught me a thing or two. Little strict for my tastes, though." He gave her a smirk.

She looked down, "What have you been doing, Haymitch?"

"Let's see, I help the boy with his bakery, go out in the woods sometimes with Bear, do home projects, read, been getting better at the piano. Life of a victor, really." He gave her a familiar smile.

"Sounds like bliss. I have about had it with the Capitol."

"Took you long enough." He mumbled.

"It's where I was born and raised, Haymitch. I can't just… I can't just leave it. But I have realized over the years that… that maybe… that the things some of them want and the things I want differ."

"Since when did you stop wanting all of the finer things?"

"The war." She shot back, not bothering to come up with a witty response. She gently took Bear off of her lap and stood, going to make herself a coffee.

"You look incredibly, Haymitch, really. It looks like you are doing very well." Said Effie, pouring two mugs of that bitter brew she loved.

"Bored out of my mind sometimes."

"Is that why you called me?"

"You always knew how to make things interesting. Figured one of us could start a fight if it got too boring around here without the kids."

She sighed, handing him his coffee the way he liked it, half a gallon of milk and a million sugar cubes. She had told him so many times it wasn't good for him, but he had always said it's better than what I normally drink and that shut her up. She sat next to him without hesitation, that same pleasant concoction of perfume, fabric spray, and hair products hitting his nose at once. Felt like a time machine.

"Can't believe you remembered." He muttered, signaling to his coffee.

"I remember everything."

"Oh right, how could I forget."

She looked at him like he had told the worst joke in the history of Panem.

She stayed silent a moment, "I'm proud of you, Haymitch. So very proud."

"Thanks, Eff."

After another moment of silence, he said, "So what are you up to back in Capitol hell?"

"I started dating someone. His name is Leander, he works for Paylor. He is very nice, but likely a little too nice for your tastes. I also have my own home now. You would despise it. It's pink on the outside and white on the inside with pink accents."

He gave her a small smile.

"Sounds like where I'll go after I die and am rejected from heaven."

She laughed.

"You got it made, Effie."

She gave him a small, sad smile, "I guess so."

"Bet this man has a handful with you, girl. Feel sorry for him." He said, leaning back on his couch, trying to seem comfortable when really his racing heart was hurting him with every beat. What did he think was going to happen? They could spark up the small remnants of the flame they left to die years ago? Of course Effie would move on, she wasn't like him in that sense.

"Yes, well, he seems to be managing well. The children tell me you aren't seeing anyone, why is that?"

"No need. I got a hand."

She slapped him, "My goodness, Haymitch! I thought your foul mouth would have been better by now."

He chuckled, always amused by her over the top reactions, "Us twelve people are creatures of habit, Eff."

She sat a little less rigid, reprimanding him must have been a familiar comfort to her.

"Well, you should find better habits, Haymitch. So very tacky." She clucked, taking a sip of her coffee and closing her eyes.

"Good to see you haven't changed much, Effie."

She looked around, "This place has changed! For the better, of course, I considered bringing curtains out of fear those dreadful sheets were on the windows still!"

"Well, wasn't going to let you sleep on a bare mattress."

She shot him a look, "They better not be. I will know, Haymitch."

"They're not, they're not. Got you some new bedding up there, princess"

She breathed, "This coffee is quite good."

"You come here to talk about coffee and curtains, Eff?"

"Sweet Panem, Haymitch, you are still blunt as ever. Must I remind you, you invited me!"

"Oh right. Well, did you want to do something?"

"Like?"

"We could go look at all of the boy's flowers that I'm sure you saw walking in here since the rain is letting up. Damn things are growing faster than wildfire."

She looked at him a moment, "I think that would be lovely."

"You bring a real coat or just those pieces of fabric you people call coats?" He asked.

"They are coats! And, no, I don't have a coat... by your rather high standards."

He shook his head, got her a coat out. A nice, heavy blue one to go with the simple blossoms on her dress, thought she might appreciate it.

"Come on, Bear!" Called Haymitch. The puppy yapped excitedly, and Effie nearly lost it over him.

They strolled on the grounds. He showed her the pond Peeta had forced him to help dig out, had to keep Bear from fishing. She marveled over the craftsmanship of the benches, fawned over the giant cabbage roses that climbed their homemade alcoves.

"He worked like a slave on this damn thing. Gave him somethin' to do after the war I guess. Took him months, worked into the night sometimes. Maintaining the damn thing is a whole other hell that he has sucked us all into."

"It's beautiful." She swooned, her hand delicately brushing some of the soft lobilias that poured out of a rustic pot.

He grabbed his pocket knife and cut off a branch big enough to put in her hair.

"Goes with your outfit." What a dumb thing to say, he thought. He felt like a naive kid again, and his emotions were only heightened by the fact he hadn't had a sip of alcohol in years. He felt stupid and anxious, didn't know what to do with his clumsy hands.

She blushed, looking down, put the flower behind her ear. She was so beautiful. Somehow even more than the last he had seen of her.

"Even I couldn't come up with such an intricate and beautiful garden, and everyone knows I have wonderful taste." She teases, smiling at Bear who had gone to chase some bird that was double his size.

"You've got a hunter there." She crooned softly.

"Yeah, you should see him with a damn house fly. He won't give up to save his life."

She laughed and he craned his neck to look at her a moment. He had to look away just as soon because of the way the garden lights reflected off of her, the way that flower complimented the gold in her skin.

He swallowed, "You happy, Eff?"

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"After everything. You doing well?"

"Yes. Yes, I think so. Are you?"

"Best I can." He whispered.

"And that's more than enough I think." She whispered in return.

Why did she have to be seeing someone? Why couldn't it just be the same as it was? Haymitch never did well with change, especially when it came to people he held close. Effie had never, as far as he knew, dated someone in their years during the games. He had been curious about her love life, but the woman was so private about the things he indulged in embarrassingly loudly. Sex, drinking, all good things.

That was another thing that surprised him, she was meticulous. She knew what not to share, what to share when necessary, what to tell someone to make them feel special or happier or dejected or closer to her when they really were not. She was much, much smarter than she let on. One of the smartest people he knew.

They sat on a bench and watched the puppy frolic among the plants.

"He must think he's in heaven." She said with a warm little smile, her hands politely folded in her lap. Capitol girl to this day.

"Oh yeah, spoiled as shit. If it isn't me, it's the kids giving him treats or taking him out. Katniss has been taking him to the shallow woods while she hunts. They only get small things now, since she does it for sport. I think Bear thinks he caught it based on how excited he is when they get back."

Effie laughed. It was so strange the way he was the one yapping on and not the other way around.

"I'm happy to be here." She said finally, tearing her eyes away from Bear and back to him.

"It's too bad you didn't bring darling Leander."

She glared at him, although her body relaxed. It seemed like every time he gave the girl a hard time, she fell right into their familiar back and forth.

"Why? So you can scare him away?"

"Don't see any harm in that. If he's that easy to scare, he's not worth your time. Plus, you can be a hundred times worse, Eff, so it's bound to happen if that's the case."

"Oh please." She said, pushing him gently. As it grew darker, Haymitch turned on the lights the boy strung up and some of the flickering lanterns came on.

"The kids in the seam love this place, 'specially the girls. Come here and play fairy or something, ask me if Bear can play, too." Said Haymitch, remembering the group of little girls who always came knocking on his door. They were constantly giggling about something and dressed in frilly looking costume dresses that someone in the town made them, Hazelle, probably.

The seam wasn't the same seam as before. Things were nicer, more peaceful between dividing twelve classes. People weren't starving, thousands of good jobs were created with the rebuilding. The square looked cleaner, people were generally happier. Citizens could open the fencing and wander into the forest if they wanted to now, a rough trail was paved in case they got lost.

"They'd adore you, Eff, probably think you're their queen. They even put on accents, play tea. Don't think they've ever seen a Capitol woman in the flesh. You oughta meet 'em while you're here," he suggested, looking out into the sunset. "Then, of course, the little boys come and pretend to destroy their tea. All ends up in big cries and all of 'em going home. Bear is always upset when it happens."

He could see her in his periphery, watching him with that strange expression he had noticed her wearing more and more today.

"I could send for a tea set. We have so many at my job. Beautiful ones, adorned with little flowers and patterns. Helps encourage little minds." She suggested.

"I'm sure those kids would love that, guard it with their lives," He uttered. "Although, we'd probably never get them out of the damn garden."

"I'll call tomorrow. The Capitol is fast about these things."

"You hungry?" He asked. "I can make us something. Went to the new market in town yesterday."

Haymitch had turned into a damn good cook from years of feeding his little brother. That little butterball could eat, and he didn't mind feeding him. Meat and greens on good days. Once he could afford real food, he started following old recipes. When he was sober enough and didn't want Capitol crap, he'd cook. He used to make sure he made enough to feed Effie, too, who initially refused to eat his soul food and would end up devouring it at a speed that blew even him away.

"Yes, but you don't have to." She said, yawning.

"'Course I have to, Effie, you're a guest. And I know you can't cook for shit and you've got the appetite of about 13 grown men combined. Can't let you go to bed hungry, might wake up without a limb." He teased, she cracked a smile.

He wanted to press on one of her dimples, caress the tiny lines around her mouth that formed when she grinned. He used to be so familiar with these little parts of her.

"Come on, Bear." He hollered to the pup, he was fast asleep in a bed of Shasta daisies. The puppy ran and nipped at Haymitch as they walked to the house.

"Damn dog." He uttered.

From the kitchen, Haymitch watched Effie explore his oversized living room with the round black mass that was Bear fast asleep in her arms. It really wasn't fair, he could never get the puppy to sleep that way with him, he was normally trying to get Haymitch to play or rough house around.

She kissed Bear's little head, kept her lips there, one of his tiny paws in her hand. She read the titles of books he had shoved on his shelves, rocked the puppy like a baby. He was afraid that this was what he was missing all along. And he knew it wasn't what he was going to get.

Effie sat the puppy in that oversized dog bed, rubbed his head until he went back to sleep, then turned to Haymitch.

"It's done, Eff."

Chicken and dumplings and green salad, two of her absolute favorites.

She beamed at him, "Haymitch! You remembered. You always made these good, I will certainly give you that."

"I make it all good."

"Don't flatter yourself." She said, sitting next to him.

She let loose, helped herself to a few servings, "I'm going to leave here looking like a stuffed pig."

"Few pounds might do you some good, girl." He said, unboxing an iced cake courtesy of Peeta and cutting her a thick slice.

She had a few bites and shook her head, pushing it away, "I can't."

"Never took you for a quitter, Effie." He responded, taking a bite out of it. The boy could bake, that was for damn sure.

"I'm not, but if I don't, you will certainly be cleaning up my vomit and not the other way around... for once."

"First time for everything." He pulled her slice of cake over to him and polished it off for her.

"Today was wonderful, Haymitch. Really. I'll be sure to call the Capitol for those little ones tomorrow."

"How long you gonna be in town? Was thinkin' we could go see the meadow tomorrow."

"All week, remember?"

"Ah, yeah. Okay. Alright," He nodded awkwardly. "You remember where the guest room is?"

"Like the back of my hand."

He gave her a curt nod and watched her walk off. Cleaned up and showered in his fancy, Capitol-made shower that felt like warm rain pummeling down on him. He pulled on some flannel pants and a white shirt and got in bed with his book.

Bear was fast asleep in the living room, but Haymitch'd be a fool if he thought the pup would be asleep all night. His favorite thing to do was wake his pa up around 4 AM to pretend he needed to go to the restroom when he was actually going to chase around every little thing that moved.

He thought of Effie upstairs and wondered if she still slept diagonally and took up the bed. If she was still a horrible sleeper who tossed and turned all night long, never once waking up from her own irritating movements.

The house was silent as he read. Once he got about an hour into reading, he heard his door open gently. He looked up and there she was, her light hair tucked behind her ears, clad in long sleeve pajamas printed with soft pink ribbons and flower shapes. She looked so small, so much smaller than he remembered.

She came inside and cracked the door behind her in case of Bear, and looked at him, "That vase of flowers is beautiful, Haymitch. I wanted to let you know."

He rubbed his forehead, "Shouldn't you be asleep beating up the bed right now?"

She suddenly walked over and laid next to him without asking, which was about the most Effie thing that she had done all night. He looked down at her, her hands folded under her face, her little nose red.

"You been crying." He said, matter-of-factly.

"No." She said, clearly embarrassed.

"Yes." He whispered, pulling her up to his chest because that was where she belonged. His arms circled her and he breathed in her sweet, familiar scent.

"Why you crying, girl?"

"We shouldn't be doing this." She muttered in that hypnotic voice of hers.

"You're right, Bear can't keep a secret to save his damn life." He mumbled against her hair. She held him tighter, nearly squeezing the air out of him.

"I've missed you so much." She said in a long exhale.

He craned his neck to look at her, "I've missed you, too, girl."

"I'm just… so…. proud of you. So happy that you are sober, dear." She mumbled, exhausted.

"Eff…"

But she started snoring, something she always denied she did. He had never told her about her snoring, wanting to keep this tiny part of her to himself. He kissed her head.