Second

Clove's POV

I felt my head collide with the smooth metal once again. The sheer pain, even though I felt it, it seemed miles away. Thresh had thrown most of my knives to the side, away from me. I held one now, but I think it would have just enraged him more. I couldn't have killed him from this position anyway.

Look at little Clove, so defenseless, so utterly weak. I heard his voice come back to me. My brother, Xander. I am not weak! I growled in my mind. Of course I knew he cared for me, but all I could ever think about is that he was always better, stronger, and utterly carefree. He was 19, and I was 16. He had to know that if he got picked, he would have won, but he had to stay to watch over me. He wanted this all his life, and when he saw I got picked, I could see he was battling to either be proud or engulfed with hatred that I got to go, and he didn't. What are you doing!? Your going to be killed, Clove! Snap out of it!

"Cato! Cato help!" I screamed the best I could while getting my head bashed in.

Thresh slammed me once more and ran off. "Just this once, 12, for Rue."

"Clove!" Someone called, they sounded heart-broken. Cato...He dropped down beside me, his body was trembling as he took my hand. He had lost his entire Careers, and I was next to go down.

"Cato..." I murmured.

"Don't leave me, stay Clove, stay for me. Don't leave me alone!" Cato sobbed. "I-I love you, don't leave me alone. Your the only one left for me!"

"I-I l-l-ove y-you t-too." I pushed the words out.

His tears dropped one by one onto my chest as he sobbed above me.

I tried to get into a sitting position, but I knew I couldn't. Cato knew this too, and lifted my head onto his lap. He kissed me, tenderly. So, so, softly. I smiled, At least I died happily with the one I love...The world started going blurry. Memories flashed at me. Cato, Marvel, Xander, Katniss, Glimmer, Training...Cato...Then I plunged into the darkness of death, hearing Cato's sobs as I lost reality...I heard a cannon go off, I knew it was mine, my own cannon...

Katniss's POV

"Just this once, 12, for Rue." Thresh called as he ran away.

"Clove!" Someone cried, it was Cato

I was so shocked I laid there like an idiot holding the bag with the number 12 sprayed across it in sliver. I was frozen on the spot, as I watched Cato lose yet another one of his Careers. I think Clove was different, I could tell he loved her. Then as if to confirm my thoughts, Cato kissed her.

Run Katniss! Get up, run! Somewhere distant I could hear myself try to reason, but I couldn't move. I felt his pain. Peeta! I had remembered, I had to get this back to Peeta!

As I jumped up to leave, I saw Cato not wanting to let go as they tried to take Clove's body. He's eyes were stained, and tear streaked. It broke my heart to see someone like this...

He's a killer, Katniss! Run! But I couldn't! I was frozen on the spot again! Frozen and helpless. Katniss run! Get out of there!

Too late...Cato turned to me. Oh damn... He looked around, he seemed lost.

"Cato..." I started.

"You killed her, Didn't you!?" Cato screamed, he was enraged. Uh oh...

"Cato, please listen, it wasn't me!" I spoke quietly.

"No one else is here, Katniss." He spat.

"No? Then why didn't you come before the main event?" I sneered.

"I knew it was you!" He lunged at me. I side stepped him and made a hasty grab for my bow.

He grabbed me before I could get a hold on it, wrapping his muscular arm around my neck, the head-lock. Repeating the fate of the boy from District 3.

"Can't wait to put out your flame, Girl on Fire." He whispered into my ear.

I struggled to get out of his grip, I couldn't. "Cato...It wasn't me." I whispered, it's all I could say. If I died, I didn't want Peeta to be found, and Thresh had just saved my life.

"Then who was it? It's just you and me now." He sneered. " Where's Loverboy?"

He was choking me now, I couldn't really breath.

"No where you can find him."

"So, you admit. You killed her!"

"I'd tell you who, but they just saved my life. Can't have them in-danger."

He thought for a moment. "Thresh!"

"I'd ask if you'd let me go, but I think you'd rather just kill me."

"Got that wrong, I'm not just a killer." He let go from his grip.

I turned toward him. His eyes, he looked so heart-broken. I wasn't that kind of person who was this huggy-touchy person, but I couldn't help it. I hugged him.

"Just this once, 2, for Clove." I mimicked Thresh.

He had an empty smirk on his face, "Your fires going out, after I kill Thresh."

He hugged me back. Was Peeta the wrong one for me? What about Gale? Was it Cato?My mind is such a mess. I must be losing sponsors now...Peeta to Cato...

I pulled away. "Guess you needed the hug?"

"Why not?"

"See you in the end." I grabbed my bow and raced back to Peeta.

Cato's POV

I watched Katniss run off. What's wrong with me? Why couldn't I kill her? Did I love her? No! I loved Clove. I growled at the past tense I used, I still loved her, at least I think I do...

I followed where Katniss was going, if I killed loverboy, I could have her to myself. Cato what are you thinking!? You lose Clove and now your after Katniss!? Oh teenage boys! I heard my escorts voice coming to me. What does she matter? All the girls want to get with me; Clove, Glimmer, all those girls back in District 2. So, what was so intriguing with Katniss?

I saw her duck into a cave. Must be where she and Loverboy are. Since when did I care so much about her?

My mind was so foggy now. Everything was a huge jumble. I needed a distraction, fast. At that moment, a parachute flew down. Katniss must of heard it because she stepped out of the cave to go receive it. Hide! She turned go inside, when she saw me. Too late...

"Cato...?"

"Katniss," Peeta called.

"Go, I'll just sit here." I nodded toward the cave.

She walked into the cave and looked back at me, "I'll be right back." She mouthed.

I waited for a bit, Was she grabbing her bow to come kill me? I wondered, but as I did she came out with a bowl. I was skeptic to see if she put poison in it, but then she took a sip.

"Here," She handed me the bowl. "Eat up."

I ate it slowly. Why was she being so nice to me? I'm a killer for God's sake!

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I know what it's like to have someone you love taken away from you."

"Oh."

"Hmm, better get back to Peeta. He's my lover now." She giggled and went back into the cave.

I love her laugh...What are you thinking!? Stop mooning over the girl who's going to kill you! Better get some sleep...I ran off to my camp I set up with Clove. Clove...I forced away the tears.

I will win this for you Clove, even if it means I have to kill Katniss.

Katniss's POV

I slipped back into the cave.

"Back, Peeta." I whispered into the darkness.

"Good, come here." He replied.

I crawled to him and rested my head on his chest. "I got you the medicine." Handing him the container.

He sighed, "I told you not to go."

"I know, I know. But I couldn't just sit here and watch you in pain."

"Fine." He started to apply the medicine to his leg. He looked up to me, wide-eyed. "How did you get that cut on your forehead?"

"District 2 girl, she threw a knife."

He applied some medicine to my forehead. "That should do it."

"I'm tired..." I said with a yawn.

"Then, go to sleep Katniss."

I drifted off on Peeta's chest.

Cato's POV

I wanted to go back to her, back to Katniss. I saw how the fire danced in her eyes when she saw me. I can't deny that I didn't feel a similar feeling toward her, maybe I couldn't win this. Maybe I couldn't kill her, maybe I couldn't kill Katniss. On that note, everything started getting dark. It was only past noon, I'd only been wandering for a few hours since leaving the cave...Must want to end it. Let's see what happens, not like I can't handle anything they throw at me.

I heard a scream, from a girl. Katniss! I raced back to the cave. Peeking in, I saw her and Peeta sleeping. Inwardly I groaned. She must actually love him...

I heard a cannon go off, then another scream, a mans. Thresh's. He deserved that for killing Clove. Then another cannon. Gotta get Katniss and...Peeta up! I saw them stir in their sleep, even I couldn't sleep through a cannon! Get up, get up! If whatever killed Thresh and whoever else was still alive, it's moving quickly.

"Get up!" I screamed.

"Huh?" Katniss bolted into an upright position. She nudged Peeta.

"What?" He asked, lazily.

Katniss yawned. "Why is it so dark?"

"You ask too many questions. Get up, the finale is coming to you." I urged.

"Where do we go?" Peeta got up.

"The Cornucopia. Now hurry up before whatever killed Thresh and that other tribute get to us."

They we're never going to make it so tired...I grabbed both of their hands and weapons and ran. They stumbled, but caught up quickly. We ran to the cornucopia, I was afraid and I could tell they were too. The woods was too dark and too ominous. We had to get to the clearing, before they clear out us.

"What if whatever catches us?" Peeta asked.

"From what I heard, you die, quickly." I shot back, slightly out of breath.

"How fast is fast?" He was slowing us down.

"I heard a scream, seconds later, a cannon." I muttered and kept the pace.

"Hey...I think I see some-" He didn't finish as something lunged at him. Peeta was screaming as the huge mutt attacked him. I could hear more snarls coming.

"Katniss, get to the cornucopia!" I pushed her ahead shoving her bow into her hands with the arrows. I drew my sword and slashed at the mutt. Pushing the mutt aside, I heard a cannon. It had bitten out his throat. It was disgusting, I threw up a little in my mouth. It was enough to get me running. I heard the snarls getting closer and closer. I made it to the clearing. I looked for Katniss, she was on the Cornucopia.

"Cato, hurry up!" She screamed. The fire in her eyes danced wildly, she was afraid for me.

I ran to the cornucopia and grabbed the hand she leaned down to me. I climbed with one hand while she pulled me up.

"Where's Peeta?" The fire in her eyes were simmering down.

"They got to his neck before I could save him." I looked at the ground.

"What?" She trembled. "No, no, no! Not again!" She sat down hard on the cornucopia, tucked her knees into her chest and sobbed non-tear cries.

"Need a hug?" I whispered.

She nodded and leaned into my open arms.

"I'm so careless! I should have been-" I kissed her, I couldn't listen to hear her rant about why it should have been her that's dead.

She stopped rocking and kissed me back. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer.

I could no longer hear any snarls, and pulled away to see that it was now light again. Now all we have to know is who goes home...

"Katniss, kill me." I whispered. Her eyes looked on the verge of tears.

She shook her head vigorously. "I can't lose you too. Kill me."

I shook my head, "Katniss, kill me."

She got up, and I followed suit. "Cato, I will not kill you. Kill me!"

I shook my head again. "No."

"Kill me!" She cried.

I faked a smirk. "Fine." She turned her back to me. "Break my neck, its the quickest way."

I sighed, and looped my arm around her neck. "On three. One. Two. Three." I squeezed lightly. Then turned her to face me and kissed her.

She kissed me back, then pulled away. "Cato..." I picked up her bow and handed it to her.

She dropped it to the floor and leaned up to kiss me again. "I guess Clove wasn't the only one who loved you..." She whispered.

"And Peeta wasn't the only one who loved you." I whispered back.

"Lady's and Gentlemen, the 74th Hunger Games Victors!" Caeser called.

"We did it." She whispered, then her body racked with sobs.

"Yes, we did." I smiled.

We were led to onto a Capital ship. Each taken to a different part of the ship. What comes next?