It didn't make sense. Why was he here? Why was he doing all of this? Putting all this effort for something he didn't even know about? He was trudging through the thick forest because a stupid letter was left for me on the door step. I read it and it sounded urgent but he wanted to ignore it. His dad asked about it and he can't lie to his dad or blow it off as nothing. He told him in some many words and was forced to go check it out. The letter said to meet in the deepest part of the forest.

His dad was always making him do stuff he didn't want, or have to do, it was just how he was. His dad could be rough and mean at times, always pushing Cato, and still never fully being pleased. This is why it was so hard for Cato to have a relationship with his father, at least a good one. He was worried no matter what he said or did it would never be good enough. Even after he won the Hunger Games his dad wasn't totally happy. Proud, but not happy.

Now his mom, boy did she love him. He never could do anything wrong in her eyes and it was easy to talk to her. She listened, which was nice when Cato had no friends, and she could understand where he was coming from. Cato loved his mom too, but he never was one for verbal affections. He showed it in private. Hugs every time he left to go train, kissing her cheek too, and helping her with whatever she needed. He was a killing machine, but he had a sweet spot for his mother.

But because of his dad he was out in the gross, cold forest walking until something stopped him. He felt a strange presence and it stunned him for a while. He knew the presence, but just couldn't figure it out. It was someone important and that he had been close to, but he couldn't figure out who it was. There weren't many people he was close to, but it was hard to think of who would he have technically been more important than others.

"Cato?" a girl's voice whispered.

"Glimmer?" Cato turned around, recognizing the voice.

"Hey." She said shakily.

Cato suddenly went on the defensive. Why was she out here? Had she sent the letter? What did she want? Why did she look so broken and act so terrified and shy? He frowned at her as she took small steps over to him. She was smiling lightly which made him believe she wasn't a threat, but he still kept his guard up.

"What are you doing here?" Cato asked, still glaring.

"We need to talk, it's important." She whispered, avoiding eye contact.

That's what the letter had said!

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant." Glimmer stated, bluntly.

Cato couldn't think. It had been so forward and straight to the point, totally Glimmer, but he wish she would have tip-toed around the bush a bit. Right now he didn't know what to say or what to do. He was only 16 and she was only 17. Cato and she were both the winners of the Hunger Games, yes, so food and money wasn't a problem, but it was if they could handle it was the problem.

"Are you serious?" he gulped.

"Does it sound like a joke, you dumbass!" Glimmer yelled and smacked him on the head.

Cato was strung up enough without getting hit and stepped up to her, grabbing her arm, and pulling her close. His hand was in the air and ready to strike her, but his eyes landed on her stomach. He couldn't hit her when she was pregnant. He looked back up into her eyes that were glaring holes into him. He released her and took a step back.

"And it's mine?" Cato breathed out calmly.

"I hadn't had sex in months when we first had sex and I haven't been with anyone else since." She answered, rubbing her wrist.

"Well, why are you telling me?"

"Maybe because it's yours too and I thought you'd like to know I was caring your first child! That you'd want to do something to help me so I'm not living out in the forest!"

"Why are you living in the forest?"

"You think I could go home with a pregnancy test and show my parents the pink plus sign? That would go great! 'Hey mom and dad I fucked around and got knocked up by some guy I was supposed to kill.'."

"Well, do you think I can take you home to my parents and tell them I got you pregnant?"

"I thought you would want to help." Glimmer whimpered and turned away.

Cato furrowed his eyebrows and stood where he was, confused. He heard a sniffle and a choked out sob, then he knew that Glimmer was crying.

"Glimmer, don't cr-." Cato said, moving to comfort her.

"I'm not crying!" Glimmer shouted.

"Glimmer you have water coming out your eyes, those are tears, you are crying!" Cato shouted louder and louder, close to her ear.

"Alright fine I'm crying, but you don't have to-!" Glimmer shrieked, but couldn't end her sentence because Cato pulled her close as she started to cry heavily.

She sobbed loudly, tears and snot coating her face and being rubbed onto Cato's new clean shirt. He held her tight as she screamed out her frustrations in the empty forest.

0000000000000000000

By the time Glimmer woke up she was on the dirt ground and using Cato's arm as a pillow, just like she had in the Hunger Games. She remembered how happy they were when they made that announcement about there being two victors, a boy and a girl. Cato and her paired up right away because they were the last two strong people on that alliance they made.

She turned over to face him, still resting her head on his arm. He was awake and staring up at the sky, obviously thinking. Glimmer sighed and placed her hand on his chest, pressing on it to help her up.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, trying to be casual.

"Come on, we're going home." Cato said and got up, walking away without looking back at her.

"Just so you know," Glimmer shouted, "I only cried because my hormones are going crazy. I'm not weak."

Cato smirked, "Never said you were." He whispered to himself.