building back together

Chapter 7

-KATNISS-

I look at Haymitch in shock. "Are you sure?" I ask him. "Yeah. Paylor will be bringing him here tomorrow." He says. "Why is the president bringing him over?" I ask. Haymitch shrugs. "I don't really know." He tells me. While trying to be careful of my leg, I stand up and give Haymitch a hug. He's hesitant at first but finally hugs back. I don't even care that he smells like alcohol. He needs to know how much I appreciate him. And since I suck with words, hugging him is the only thing I can think of at the moment.

After awhile I hear a loud meow. I pull away from the hug and look around for Buttercup. Haymitch points to the door. I open the door and he runs outside. After a few minutes he meows to be let back inside. I open the door and he runs inside. As I'm giving him some food, I hear a knock at the door. Haymitch goes to answer it. After a couple minutes I realize he's not back yet. I get up and am ambushed by a bunch of reporters and cameras. They ask me a bunch of questions and I answer them, thinking that they're lucky I don't have my bow and arrows with me at the moment. After what feels like an eternity, they finally leave and I go inside.

As soon as I close the door, I get angry. "Why can't they leave me alone?" I ask Haymitch as I sit down on the couch. "Because they have nothing better to do with their lives. Face it sweetheart. Even without the Games anymore, you're still a victor." Haymitch says. I groan. "I guess you're right. I'll never get off this train." I say. "Did the stubborn Katniss Everdeen say that I'm right about something?" Haymitch asks, pretending to be shocked. I take a pillow off the couch and throw it at him. He catches it and throws it back at me. Unfortunately he sucks at throwing and ends up hitting Buttercup who falls off the couch in shock. "Sorry Buttercup." Haymitch says. Buttercup stands up and walks out of the room, stopping to hiss at Haymitch as he passes him. I see the stunned reaction on Haymitch's face and start laughing. At first he looks mad but soon he starts laughing too.

But our laughter is cut off by the sound of a gunshot blasting through the window. I scream and cover my ears, hoping to block out the flashback that's trying to take over. I look at Haymitch but suddenly I don't see him. Instead I see the old man from District 11 that got shot for whistling Rue's mockingjay tune. I close my eyes as more flashbacks come at me. Me getting shot. The sounds of gunfire and bombs hitting the ground in 8. Every horrible experience that happened to me during the rebellion.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and am pulled out of my flashback. "It's okay sweetheart. It was just a group of newly recruited peacekeepers walking around 12. One of them was being a moron and decided to dare another peacekeeper to pull the trigger. They will pay for the broken window and then go back to 2 for retraining. They feel bad about scaring you. They left the Victor's Village." Haymitch says. Slowly, I begin to relax. No one was hurt. We're all alive.

But the relief goes away when I see that buttercup isn't in the room. "Where is he? What if he died?" I ask Haymitch. Tears were beginning to fall. Before he can answer me, a meow comes from the doorway. I fling off the couch and grab him and hold him close, crying into his fur. "I thought I lost you. You're all I have left of my family. I'm sorry for trying to drown you." I say, making his fur wet with my tears. He starts purring. "You never purred for me. I promise not to hurt you again." I tell him before letting go of him. I turn to see my mother standing there. "You heard that. Oh god I told the cat he's all I have left. I'm so sorry." I say. I run into her arms and start crying again. "I missed my train and while I was waiting for the next one, I heard the shot." She says while hugging me. "I didn't mean it. I love you and I'm glad you're here" I say. My mother hugs me tighter. "I know Katniss. I love you too."