Chapter 6: Meeting with Snow
"Willow. Willow. Blue, you need to get up." He sat down beside me and rested a hand on my knee. I hadn't moved, I was still sitting against the tree, the claw couldn't collect me from here. I guess they sent him in to get me out.
"I'm a monster" I breathed. He shuffled closer and pulled me against him, similar to how he had when I'd cried before the Games. But this time there were no tears. I felt numb.
"You're not a monster, Willow" he argued, "you did what you had to do to survive. She almost killed you" he pointed out. He was still holding me against his chest.
"Haymitch, how do I keep going after this?" I whispered. He kissed the top of my head and then held me so I was facing him.
"You get out of the arena, for a start" he said softly, "then you shower off the blood, and then you let me help you through this. I've been through it before" he reminded me. His blue eyes were locked on mine, waiting my reaction.
"You'll keep me alive?" I asked softly. He rested his forehead against mine.
"I promised you I would, and I intend to keep that promise." He stood, offering out a hand. I let him pull me to my feet and then the aircraft collected us. Taking us back to the tribute centre.
HAYMITCH POV
I couldn't help but pace outside the bathroom door, she'd been in there a while. I couldn't let her down, not now, not when she'd made it this far. I heard soft sobs and felt my heart break for the girl.
"You know you can have space in your heart for both of them" Effie commented, leaning against the wall in front of me with her arms folded across her chest. She wasn't always the uptight nagging escort for District 12. Effie was actually a lovely young woman.
"I know" I grumbled, moving my hair from my face.
"Would Lenore want you to mope around for the rest of your days? Or would she want you to move forward with your life and be happy, with someone you both love?" Effie continued, my head snapped up at the mention of Lenore loving Willow. I understood why they would get along, both stubborn and with a vendetta against the Capitol. Both carefree and loving, both kind and loyal.
"How would you know whether or not Lenore even knew Willow?"
"Willow told me" Effie replied simply, then stood up tall and let her arms drop to her sides. She stepped closer to me before continuing, "Willow met with Lenore every week by the lake in 12, they used to swim together. That's why Willow hasn't mentioned her feelings to you. She's worried Lenore would be upset" she explained. The water stopped running in the bathroom, but Effie and I were still staring at each other. Bewildered was an understatement. Willow barely mentioned Lenore to me, all she'd said was that the Covey mourned her death.
"I-"
"Talk to the girl, Haymitch. She's fragile right now, and she needs you. When the time is right, talk to her about it all. Maybe you can both find closure" Effie suggested, then turned on her fancy heels and left me with my thoughts.
WILLOW POV
When I stepped into my room, still wrapped in a towel, I jumped at the sight of Haymitch sitting on my bed. He was just staring at his hands, waiting for me.
"What are you doing in here?" He didn't look up at my question.
"How close were you and Lenore?" My mouth opened in surprise at the question. Effie must have said something.
"We were close. She always talked about you, you were her everything" I finally replied. I stayed where I was by the door, scared to get too close in case he took off. He finally looked up at me, meeting my eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Because you didn't ask, and because it hurts to talk about her." I moved to sit beside him, keeping a good grip on the towel to prevent it falling. "I miss her every day" I admitted.
"Me too" he breathed, his eyes falling back to his lap.
"Can we continue this after I'm dressed?" I finally spoke up, starting to get cold from the air conditioning on my wet skin. Haymitch glanced my direction and stood.
"I didn't realise, I'm sorry. I'll wait outside" he said, heading for the door.
"Wait" I called out, making him stop in the doorway, "thank you" I said softly. He nodded and closed the door behind him as he left.
That night was meant to be my interview with Julius Flickerman. My chance to tell the people of Panem how thankful I was to the Capitol and all that bullshit. But first, I was ordered to speak to Coriolanus in his mansion. I arrived escorted by Effie and Haymitch, both of which were anxious for me. They both knew this could be good or bad.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Baird" Snow greeted me from his seat at his fancy desk. Mahogany, I assumed. I stepped closer and stood before him, willing myself to stand tall against this man, the same man who had ensure the Hunger Games continued.
"Coriolanus" I nodded a greeting. Snow waved his hand at Haymitch and Effie, signalling them to leave. Effie immediately scurried away, but Haymitch looked to me for assurance that I was okay.
"Leave us" Snow insisted. But I could still feel Haymitch's eyes on me, I turned to him and nodded.
"I'm okay" I promised, then turned back to Snow. "He wants information that I have, he won't hurt me" I told Haymitch, but my eyes now on Snow. Haymitch turned to leave, stopping when Snow spoke up.
"You can't protect her any more than you protected your Lenore" Snow taunted him, chuckling. I launched myself over the desk, grabbing at Snow's beard and pulling his face close to mine.
"You don't ever mention my cousin again or I'll put a dagger in your cold, dead heart" I snarled. Snow looked startled, but a glance over my shoulder saw Haymitch frozen in the doorframe, watching me with a mix of emotions. I stepped back from Snow and sat on the chair opposite him, straightening my jacket and flicking my braids back over my shoulders. Snow straightened his suit, his eyes pinned on mine while I smirked back at him. I was glad I'd frightened him.
"Abernathy, you can stay" Snow said simply. Haymitch moved to sit on the arm of the chair I was sitting in, ensuring he kept his hands free.
"I know why you called me here; you want an answer to your question from individual assessment" I said simply. Snow looked to me and nodded.
"I assume you are related to Lucy Gray Baird" he replied, grumbling through Gran's name.
"Yes, I'm her granddaughter" I nodded, "my mother died in childbirth and my Gran raised me." Snow frowned.
"Your father? Your grandfather?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"My father was killed by Peacekeepers when my mother was pregnant with me" I told him, then leant forward in my chair. "As for my grandfather, I only met him recently. You'll find him if you look in a mirror" I smirked as Snow's face fell. I could feel Haymitch staring at me, he wasn't aware of my maternal grandfather. I'd never mentioned it. Not because I was hiding it from him, but because I was ashamed to be related to a monster. That was why I never wanted to kill inside the Games, that was why I'd panicked when I killed Goldinia. It was also why I rarely mentioned Lenore, because my grandfather was the one who arranged her death.
Author's Note: Well, what do you think? Willow is Snow and Lucy's granddaughter! I figured that'd be a nice little twist, because how will Haymitch react? What is Snow going to say? Will he believe her? Are we going to see Lucy in this story? Well…let's say I have a whole big plan *insert evil laugh here* I also have a habit of leaving people on cliffhangers just for funsies.
Thank you for all the love so far and I hope you're as excited to see where this goes as I am to write it.