Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me. I just came up with the plot.

Chapter 2

Effie arranged the papers neatly together and began the process of filing them. The papers were bound and tabbed, making it easier for future reference. When that was done, the files were kept in the assigned cabinet and locked away.

In a small way, Effie felt a sense of closure; the last paperwork detailing the 75 years of Games in the history of Panem, the Rebellion, the identified victims killed during the terrible war - the children lost at the City Circle during the bombings, Finnick, Boggs, Cinna and many others – were stored away but not forgotten. Never forgotten although they were now reduced to ink on paper.

There was a plan for huge obelisk to be erected in the Capitol, memorialising the victims of the cruelty of the past administration, both identified and unidentified, but that was a project which was not under the department Effie was in.

Effie leaned her forehead against the wooden cabinet. That was it; her work at the Capitol was done. She had a week left on her term before her emancipation from the restrictive anklet that tracked her every movement, recorded her every whereabouts.

She would be able to meet Haymitch soon once she was free. She thought of him often; wondered how he was doing, her mind replaying back the scene at the train station when it seemed as though he had wanted to tell her something but changed his mind. He had never replied to any of her letters and she couldn't call him. His house was no longer connected to any phone lines.

He worried her. There are days when she feared the worst had happened to him but she always managed to convince herself that if something were to happen, surely Peeta or Katniss would inform her.

She looked forward to visiting Katniss and Peeta at District 12. Peeta had written her letters and a few months after they were sent back to District 12, Katniss had spoken to Effie on the phone. She doesn't sound at all like herself but Effie knew the road to recovery is a tedious path.

"Ms. Trinket, you are wanted in President Paylor's office," a voice pulled her back from her reveries.

"Thank you, Marcus," Effie smiled at the young boy, a personal assistant to the President.

Effie knocked tentatively and opened the door at the President's invitation.

"Take a seat, Effie," she gestured towards the black leather chair in front of her oak desk.

She did as she was told, sitting down with her ankle crossed and her hands folded on her lap. President Paylor wasted no time with small talk and delved straight to her point.

"You've been an outstanding employee, Effie. You are dedicated despite the circumstances in which you have been given this job, and I must commend you on your excellent work thus far. As I understand from these legal papers -" she pushed the papers in her direction.

Effie made no move to touch it. She knew very well what was stated in the papers; the terms of her sentence.

"- your anklet will be taken off in a week's time."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You have been nothing but exemplary during your time here and I have a court order for your anklet to be removed today, if you so wish."

Effie's eyes widened in surprise; the shock evident on her face.

"I'm sorry? I don't quite understand..."

President Paylor gave her a warm smile, "You've been pardoned, my dear."

She slid a piece of paper to Effie who took it in her shaking hands. Sealed with the official insignia of Panem was the Court order for her to have her anklet removed at the Justice Building, declaring an early end to her two years term.

"One other thing, I know you are free now, which means that as of today, you are no longer an employee in my office. However, I am rather fond of you, Effie. Like I said, I admire your dedication and the efficiency in which you carried out your work. If you so wish, I am offering the job to you, for you to keep."

Effie looked up at her.

"I... I'm not sure what to - Thank you," she mumbled. "I would very much like to return to this job but if I may request for a sabbatical? It's just that... I've always wanted to travel, and see the rest of Panem..."

"Oh, of course, Effie. I completely understand, take as long as you need. The offer still stands, upon your return to the Capitol in the future."

"A year, if I may?" she inquired.

President Paylor consented to it and Effie left the office still in a state of disbelief. She clutched the piece of paper that meant her freedom close to her heart.

XxX

Effie alighted from the train and inhaled the air around her. It smelt different. It smelt of salt water, something Effie had never experienced before in her life. District Four, finally here, she thought to herself.

She had been travelling for nearly a month now visiting each district for a week each time. She had witnessed the rebuilding and reconstruction in the districts. She noted how the people seemed happier and more at ease.

She met old acquaintances and friends who had relocated to the different districts as their jobs demanded it of them. She had met Plutarch who had his anklet removed three days after hers and they had shared a meal in which Plutarch had eagerly told her of his job as Secretary of Communications. She had also met Gale Hawthorne who had chatted with her briefly and he had parted ways after the expected exchange of pleasantries.

Each day, Effie sat by the beach, her naked feet buried in the sand. It was such a foreign feeling and after her initial discomfort, Effie realised that she quite enjoyed the feeling of sand between her toes. She wanted to swim in the ocean but Effie grew up never learning how to swim. It was a useless thing to learn at the Capitol. She made do by soaking her feet on the water and feeling the waves gently lapping against her leg.

It was her last day in District Four; she had Annie Cresta and her young son, Finnick accompany her at the beach. At two, the boy was sitting cross-legged on the sand attempting to build sandcastles, clapping his hand enthusiastically each time the waves destroyed it.

"I will miss your company," Annie told her.

"So will I," Effie said, squeezing her hand lightly.

"You'll visit us again, of course. You're free to travel between districts now without your anklet, yes?"

Effie nodded and promised Annie that she would visit them during her next vacation.

XxX

Effie stood beneath the shade of a willow tree and observed Haymitch feeding his geese. Despite his promise, he had never called her nor replied the numerous letters she had sent him and Effie wasn't sure if he even read any of her letters.

She shifted her watchful gaze to the house next to his. She saw Peeta and Katniss - now married in a small toasting ceremony about 3 months ago – bustling about in their kitchen. Baking probably, she thought.

Effie wished she had been there to witness their marriage but from what Peeta had told her, the ceremony wasn't planned. They had talked about it and felt that it was the right thing to do. With that in mind, they wasted no time in having the toasting ceremony.

Enough dawdling, she told herself firmly. Gathering her wits about her, she stepped out of the shade and slowly made her way to Haymitch's house.

"Leave it to you to keep unconventional pets," she told him, leaning against the fence surrounding his house.

He turned towards her voice and did a double take.

"Effie Trinket, as I live and breathe," he said. "Finally made it here, did you?"

"Yes," she smiled. "And I brought you a gift."

She lifted up a jar with a blue ribbon tied around it, filled to the brim with white liquid. He arched an eyebrow in question.

He unlocked the fence to let her in and led her to his house. Effie noted that it was cleaner than the times she visited him before the Reaping each year. There were still empty bottles of whiskey strewn around the house but thankfully, his house no longer smelled of soiled clothes and food gone bad.

"Greasy Sae comes by once in a while to clean it up," he volunteered the information, clearly recognising the unspoken question in her eyes.

Haymitch took the jar from her hands and twisted the cap open. He sniffed the contents and his face broke into a wide grin. "Moonshine," he breathed out, clearly pleased with his gift.

Effie hardly ever saw Haymitch looking pleased with a smile on his face. Clearly, giving him alcohol could bring out that effect from him.

"Where did you get this?" he inquired.

"District 11."

XxX

"Panem lived up to your expectations?" Haymitch asked once they had settled down at his kitchen.

Effie nodded, stirring her stew absent-mindedly.

"You don't call, but I understand - your phone's broken," she nodded towards the broken the part of the wall where the cord had been ripped out. "But you don't reply my letters either, why's that?"

Haymitch shifted in his seat. "Been busy," he replied and took a drink from the jar she had given him. He had poured Effie a small portion and had drank his share straight from the glass jar.

She didn't believe him. Her hands curled around her glass and took a sip of moonshine for the first time in her life. She coughed violently; her throat felt like it was on fire.

"Steady there," Haymitch said, watching her in amusement.

She took another sip and fell into another coughing fit.

"Doesn't get any better, huh?" he asked, referring to the conversation they had the day before he left for District 12.

She wiped the tears with the back of her hand, and took her time to answer him as she placed her glass between them.

"It does, it got better with the other drinks I had. I've learnt to accept the taste, and like you said, I eventually got used to the burning sensation." Effie paused and looked at him. "But this is new and I... I don't know how to manage it," she gestured at the space between them.

Haymitch looked at her and she held his gaze, refusing to back down. Not now, not when she had broached the topic.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not talking about the moonshine, sweetheart?"

"Because I'm talking about you," she whispered.

He blinked and was the first to break the eye contact.

"Stop hiding, Haymitch. Please, just stop it. There is something going on here that I don't understand. Something new, something that has been bothering me for the past two years."

She searched his face for any signs to show that he understood her. The way his jaw was set, the way he clenched it was a giveaway.

"You wanted to tell me something before the train left. There's nothing to stop you now, and I'm here in your house, so tell me," she urged him.

"It was nothing important. So unimportant that I don't remember it now," he replied testily.

"What changed, Haymitch? I have always known where I stood with you. You with your mood swings, your drinking, your sarcastic remarks and insults. I used to write letters to you when we were working together during the Games. You used to reply to my letters, even though it wasn't the kind of reply I was expecting. But it has stopped now. You don't reply them now, not even to insult me or give rude sarcastic one liners like you used to."

"Told you, I've been busy."

"Don't patronize me, Haymitch. Katniss told me all you've been cooped up in your home and handling your geese. You can't even spare five minutes to reply to my –"

"I'll reply, okay? Stop nagging at me, woman. If that's what you want, fine. If that's what it takes to get you to shut up," he snapped at her and gulped down the moonshine.

Effie sighed. She was at a loss. She had initially thought that it was something that she did. Perhaps he had taken offence at her 'stay alive' remark before they parted ways but she realised that that was Haymitch Abernathy and he rarely took offence. His sudden cold and aloof behaviour puzzled her and she had no idea how to get used to it. She had missed him terribly and had continued writing him letters even though she knew they were being ignored.

"I thought we were friends and it hurts to have my friend ignoring me," she told him, her hands playing with the hem of her skirt.

"That's all you care about, right? Your feelings. The world doesn't revolve around you, Effie." He tipped the glass jar into his mouth as he continued taking large gulps of moonshine.

She was taken aback by his spiteful tone. She was truly confused now. She watched him warily at the amount of alcohol he was consuming. She noticed his hand gripping the edge of the table as he blinked his eyes rapidly. They had begun to lose focus. He was on the verge of getting extremely drunk.

"That's not what I meant. I care about your feelings, too. I'm asking you why you've been ignoring me for the past two years. The only news I have of you comes from Peeta and Katniss. If it was something that I had done, why don't you tell me so I can apologise for it," she pleaded with him.

Effie watched as Haymitch struggled with himself. He opened his mouth to say something before snapping it shut a few times, constantly bringing the drink in his hand to his lips to drink. She kept quiet and observed him, waiting for him.

"I can't be your friend," he told her.

"Why not?" she furrowed her brows in confusion.

Haymitch gulped down the alcohol before slurring his next words, "Because I have never gotten what I want in life and you're just one of those, right? Wanted you but couldn't have you, the Capitol princess. So untouchable, unattainable. Wanted to tell you how I felt that day at the station," he scoffed.

"So foolish of me. Of course, you would have said no, would have laughed at me. No, sweetheart, I don't want to be your friend, can't be your friend. Wanted so much more, wanted you all to myself, so selfish," he barked out a harsh bitter laugh.

Effie sat there shocked at his unexpected confession. Perhaps the moonshine was stronger that she had anticipated.

"I think that's quite enough, Haymitch," she told him gently, prying the glass jar from his hand.

XxX

"My head is splitting," he groaned, cradling his head with both of his large hands.

"Here," she pressed two tablet of hangover medicine from the Capitol into his hand.

They sat in relative silence waiting for the effects of the medicine to kick in.

"What happened?" he asked, sitting up from the sofa.

"Drank too much, as usual,"

"No, I meant, we were talking yesterday - I think I might have said something...Why are you grinning? Sweet heaven, did I call you beautiful or something? Cause, sweetheart, you know that ain't true," he mumbled as he dig the palms of his hand into his eyes.

"Oh, I'm not beautiful? Pity, I recalled you saying you wanted me. For another reason, then? My charming personality, perhaps?"

He froze. She watched his face as what she said slowly sank in.

"No. Oh no, no. Did I - How drunk was I?"

"Drunk enough to confess something you wouldn't have if you were sober."

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Go away, Trinket. Go back to the Capitol, you're the bane of my existence," he mumbled into his hands.

Despite herself, Effie chuckled and kneeled in front of him, prying his hands away from his face. He looked at her warily. Haymitch reeked of alcohol but Effie had long associated alcohol to be part of his scent.

"You said yesterday that you are a foolish man - I have to agree with you on that point," she told him, smiling. "I'm glad you had gotten drunk yesterday, Haymitch. And by the way, that will probably be the only time you ever hear me say it."

Haymitch grumbled and made to look away but Effie held his face between her palm; forcing him to look at her.

"But if you hadn't gotten drunk, I wouldn't have known how you felt. I would have been left wondering for the rest of my life what it's like to kiss you because I would never have the courage to do this –"

She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Her blood ran cold when he didn't return the kiss. She pulled back feeling slightly embarrassed and mortified at her single moment of bravery.

As she was about to rise from her position on the floor when she felt his hands slid behind her neck, urging her forward. Her lips met his once again.

She melted against him as he deepened the kiss. Her senses were tingling and she felt something burn within her, a flame she wasn't sure she wanted to extinguish. She had never felt this way before. Effie's fist curled around the front of his shirt as he moved to trail kisses down her neck.

As the minutes tick pass, Effie began to register the aching pain on her knee having been kneeling for a considerable amount of time and she slowly pushed Haymitch away. Sensing her discomfort, he pulled her up so she was sitting beside him on the sofa.

"I could get used to this. We could learn to, couldn't we, Haymitch?" she asked him after awhile, biting her lips worriedly.

Please, don't push me away, again, she pleaded silently.

"We could," he replied, sealing it with another kiss.

There would be time later for her to tell him of her one year sabbatical, that she would have to return back to the Capitol. But what time they had then were theirs and theirs alone, and she still had a few more months left on her vacation.

A/N: So, I'm not sure how it turns out. I hope it's okay and you enjoyed reading it.

Thanks for reading. As always, reviews are great :)