The Flames of the Mockingjay

Not Again

For Esmeralda getting back home is always bittersweet, it's a reminder that she has no one waiting there for her when she arrives but it's the familiarity that makes home feel like home to here.

Once they all arrived back to 12, new peacekeepers started rolling in, ones that had not one care for anyone, not even their fellow peacekeepers. Esmeralda ran to the town square where she saw Gale getting whipped in the back by the Head peacekeeper. Esmeralda ran quickly to stand next to Katniss who was trying to block Gale. The peacekeeper swung the whip at her and Katniss getting Katniss on her forehead and Esmeralda on her cheek. But that didn't keep them down they stood back up again.

"Get out of my way" he yelled in their faces but they stood where they were and got raised his arm again but this time it wasn't the whip.

Haymitch quickly ran in front of his girls, "Commander, let's not loose our heads. I see you're new here you don't recognize them. Katniss Everdeen, darling of the Capitol, The Girl on Fire. Esmeralda Theo, the will she won't she spectacle relationship with Finnick Odiar, The Flame."

"They interfered with a peacekeeper" he said loudly and Peeta came out running trying to help Haymitch. Peeta thought having all the Victor's up there might be quicker to getting Gale out of there.

"I never said they were smart" Haymitch said with a joking tone moving Peeta to the back to see if Gale was okay.

"Do you really want four dead Victors here because that's what you are looking at. You already got a few good lashes in, and its good enough you marked Katniss face up before the big wedding," Haymitch told him.

"Okay but next time it's the firing squad" the peacekeeper told him.

"Excellent idea" Haymitch said.

Once the peacekeeper told him to get Gale out of there, he announced that district 12 was now under curfew and everyone had to be in their houses before dark. Esmeralda and Katniss quickly unlatched Gale while Haymitch and Peeta helped Gale up and take him to Katniss' house.

Once they got there, Katniss' mother and Prim started working hard to make sure Gale was okay. After the chaos of getting Gale to calm down, Prim first checked Katniss forehead and told her she didn't need stitched that she would be just fine.

"Esmeralda do you mind him I check you to?" Prim walked over to her slowly.

"Of course Prim" Esmeralda gave her a faint smile.

"Your lash scar is a little bit deeper and I am going to have to put stitches if that's fine with you" Prim asked.

"After the way you handled Gale, I trust you Prim. Go right ahead"

While cleaning the wound up Prim asked, "Your ring is really pretty, I seems to calm you down. Where did you get it?"

"Oh yeah thank you, it was a gift"

"From Finnick?" Prim asked curiously.

"How did you know?"

"I hear things, my sister talks about the way you and Finnick care about each other, and I saw the way you two look at each other during your time at the Capitol" Prim explained.

"You know Prim you remind me of someone I really care about, she's like a little sister to me. She's also really good in medical situations like this" Esmeralda explained

"Well I'm glad I remind you of her, I hope I can meet her soon"

"I think you two would get along"

Prim finished stitching up Esmeralda and told her, "Thank you for taking care of my sister while she was in the games."