LEGENDS ▹ the hunger games au

xxix

GOODBYES

KATNISS and Peeta were restricted from seeing Willow.

Following her time in the Block, their daughter lost the ability to speak for several hours. Went into some sort of stupor. When she finally came out, she started arguing with herself like she was two people. They had to sedate her again.

Apparently, her rehabilitation had a better chance at success in her parents' absence. That hurt more than they expected it to. Every time they asked about her progress, Plutarch gave cheerful updates like, 'Good news! I think she's convinced Katniss is not a mutt!' or 'Today she was allowed to feed herself!' or 'She hasn't tried to kill anyone in a record ten days!' It wasn't very reassuring. In the meantime, they dedicated themselves to getting ready to take the Capitol. To kill Valeria Snow. Training continued — monotonously, painfully — until finally, the time came.

They were summoned to the hospital wing, and met Haymitch on the way, all of them breathless and eager. Aurelius was waiting for them, just like he was before, standing outside the door of her room.

"Doctor?" Peeta quickly asked, "How is she?"

Katniss was terrified, "Did we make it worse?

"Not worse, per se. The experience was painful but perhaps cleared up a lot of her memories. Many of her thoughts will still be jumbled, but we have finally had a breakthrough."

A round of genuine sighs of relief filled the air.

Doctor Aurelius smiled slightly, "She's awake, she's talking. She would like to speak to you. All of you."

The entire world — their whole future — hung in the balance.

There was no use delaying it.

The door slid open.

Carefully, they stepped inside. At the sound, Willow looked up and her entire body tensed, seeming like she was resisting the urge to flee. This was the first time she had seen them all together since her very first night in Thirteen. It had to be overwhelming, to see them all at once, especially the memories were still so fresh.

"I'm sorry..." Peeta spoke carefully, "We didn't mean to startle you."

She said nothing.

She no longer had full body restraints or a tube in her arm to knock her out if the need arose. She only wore a pair of metal cuffs, looking massive on her skinny wrists. She wasn't wearing a hospital gown or a robe, but a grey jumpsuit like all the other citizens of Thirteen. It looked strangely big on her, her shoulders folded in and her hands hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly in front of her. But most shockingly of all, her hair had been jaggedly cut so all blonde was gone and only short brown hair remained.