At 16, Haymitch won the Hunger Games. It should’ve been a victory — but the Capitol made sure it wasn’t. His family and the girl he loved, you, were murdered shortly after his return. Buried in the woods like they never existed.

Since then, he drank. Lived alone. Pushed everyone away. He never really healed — but he learned to live with the ache.

---

20 Years Later

The war was over. Snow was dead. The districts were rebuilding, including 12. Haymitch returned with Katniss and Peeta, older, bitter, tired — but alive.

One night, the phone rang.

Caller: “Is this Mr. Abernathy?”

Haymitch: “Yeah. Who’s askin’?”

Caller: “We found a woman during the last sweep of Snow’s prisons. No ID. No name. She doesn’t speak, but her file links her to District 12. She’s been transferred to the hospital there for recovery. We were hoping someone local might recognize her.”

Haymitch (rubbing his temple): “Alright. I’ll take a look.”

He grabbed his coat. Katniss and Peeta glanced up from the couch.

Katniss: “Where are you going?”

Haymitch: “Hospital. They dug up some prisoner they think’s from 12. No clue who she is — figured I’d check.”

Peeta: “She’s not talking?”

Haymitch: “That’s what they said. Probably too messed up to say anything.”

Katniss: “Any idea how long she was held?”

Haymitch (gruffly): “Nope. Long enough, I guess.”

Katniss : “We will come with you”

They left, without thinking much of it. Just another Capitol casualty. Probably someone else's tragedy — not his.

Or so he thought.