Finale by patricia51

(Cato faces the end. Begins with the book version of the fight at the Cornucopia and then slides into the movie finale.)

I remember the instructors telling us "No plan survives contact with the enemy". And there was something else, some battle we studied that I didn't pay much attention to because it was a Naval Battle for crying out loud. Who cared? I can't even remember who fought in it; the Chinese and the Austrians maybe or perhaps it was the Russians and the Egyptians. Once again, who cares? But I remember that one side lost because they relied too much on the other side doing what they wanted them to do.

I suppose that was me. Us. No, just me now. From where I sit if I turn around and look I could see the Cornucopia. But why would I want to? It would just remind me of how much I failed; failed because I expected things to go the way I wanted to them to go instead of remembering that others have plans too that might not be the ones I was anticipating.

Yesterday we had it all worked out. We were on top of the world. Sure we had lost our supplies but the competition was down to only four other tributes. And the news from the Game Makers had been incredible! We could win together Clove and I. No one was our match. Not together. In fact we were able to admit that the only person who was really worrying each of us was... the other. And the closer we got to the end the more I had to keep an eye on Clove's knives lest I find one in my back and the more she had to watch my sword in case it took a sudden turn for her neck or heart.

We had known that sooner or later we would have to have that final showdown. Neither of us looked forward to it because, against all odds and in the face of all common and uncommon sense, we had fallen in love. Not that I would have shrunk from it but the idea of killing Clove tore me up.

So there we were, basking in the knowledge that we wouldn't have that showdown. She was literally lying in my arms that evening when they made the announcement for the feast at the Cornucopia. We started planning immediately.

"Lover boy is out of it. I know where I cut him. He may already be dead."

"Maybe not," Clove had said thoughtfully. "In fact, I hope he isn't. Not yet anyway."

"Why not?" I was surprised.

"Because that would bring Katniss out of hiding to where we can get her. You heard him 'each of you needs something desperately'. I bet that for them it's medication for him. So we kill her and he'll be an easy target, assuming he doesn't die from not getting that medicine and saving us the trouble."

"You want her don't you?"

"Uh-huh. That bitch nearly killed us." She had twisted in my arms to look up at me and touch my face. "Let me do it. I'll make it a good show and pay her back for those stings."

"And what am I going to do?" I had teased her. "Sit and watch?"

"No, you look for Thresh. Ambush him or hell; take him head to head like I'll take twelve girlie. Then all that will be left is that sneak from District Five and sooner or later we'll either find her or the Game Makers will drive her out. The same with Lover Boy if he's still alive. And then we'll have won."

I knew better than to underestimate Thresh. I'm good, damn good, but he's powerful, strong and that weapon of his, well, he chose it from the Cornucopia that first day. It's like a reaping hook; something I bet a District Eleven guy is familar with. So I staked out the most likely route from where we think he's been hiding and waited, spear at the ready and sword at hand. But I forgot what I was taught. I counted too much on him doing what I expected, what I planned him to do.

I could hear the commotion from the Cornucopia but it didn't worry me. I knew Katniss wouldn't go down without a fight but I also knew Clove was more than a match for her. Then it happened, a scream that froze me in place.

"Cato!"

It wasn't a call. It wasn't a yell even. It was a scream in a voice filled with fear such as I never could have thought I would hear from Clove. I crashed through the bushes heading towards her, calling her name.

"CATO!"

My God she's terrified. And now so am I.

I come around the Cornucopia. My heart drops and unbelievably I actually stagger at the sight. Clove is stretched out on the ground. Her hands are empty. Two knives lay several feet away from her.

"Clove!"

She's still breathing. I can see her chest rise and fall. There's no blood that I can see. A desperate hope that maybe it's not that bad crosses my mind. Then I see where the side of her skull has been bashed in and I know that hope is futile.

But I can't help it. I drop to my knees beside her, my spear falling to I know not where. Anyone; Katniss or Lover Boy or the redhead could sneak up on me and take me with no trouble at all. I don't care. I take her hands in mine and do something no one who knows me would ever believe I am capable of doing. I beg.

"No Clove, no. You can't do this. Please. Please don't die. Remember, we're going to win this and be together forever. Oh God no Clove don't leave me. Please Clove. PLEASE. I love you Clove. Come back Clove. Don't. DON'T."

It's all to no avail. Her eyes never open. Slowly her moans quiet and stop and then I realize her chest is no longer rising and falling. She's gone.

I should be furious, filled with anger and determination. Instead, all I feel is empty. I should be running after Thresh, whom I saw out of the corner of my eye disappearing into the long grass with his feast bag and ours. Mine. But I don't care. I don't want revenge. I just want her back. Is that too much to ask?

I leave my spear. Clutching my sword I stagger aimlessly in the direction of the lake. When I reach I sit down and look across to the trees beyond. None of it makes any impression on me. After a while it all dissolves into Clove. But no matter how I picture her; smiling, laughing, throwing her knives or the special times we shared in near secret the picture keeps returning to how I last saw her. Fortunately my mind eventually goes blank as the shadows of evening creep over me and the world goes as dark as my thoughts.

No other tributes must be in the area because when I return to reality it's morning again and I'm still alive. I manage to get to my feet. I have no idea of where to go. Slowly I collect myself and start to look over the edge of the field. I find a trail. That must be the way Thresh has come and gone. I follow it. After all, what can happen? I can kill him or he might kill me. Who cares? Even when I hear the boom of the cannon somewhere behind me I don't look around

As it turns out I DO care. Because the bright sunshine turns to night in the middle of the day and I slow down, knowing that the Game Makers are up to something. Through the gathering darkness I spot Thresh ahead of me. His back is turned and my heart lifts in fierce exultation. But I want him to turn around. I want him to know who is killing him.

Then I realize that he already is facing what will kill him. The shapes around him spring at him with low deep growls. They're mutts. Some kind of genetically altered cross between wolves and huge killer dogs. Very appropriate I suppose. I see Thresh swinging his weapon and he is indeed very good. But they're too much for him. He falls. I don't see the ending because I'm already running hard for the Cornucopia. If I can reach it and climb up I may get out of reach. Then they can finish everyone else off for all I care.

I break into the clearing spurred on by the screams I heard from Thresh and then the thunder of the cannon signaling his death. If they made him scream, well I don't want to find out anything more. But there's heavy panting behind me and I know that I am not going to get to the Cornucopia without a fight. I turn and face the single mutt following me. It leaps at me and I meet it with my sword.

It's touch and go for a moment. I get a nasty cut to the side of my head and the mutt's death convulsions result in a chunk being taken from my thigh. But it doesn't keep me from climbing up and collapsing on top of the Cornucopia. The mutt collapses too. The difference is I will get up again. It won't.

I'm still recovering my breath when a chorus of howls off towards the stream announces the arrival of yet another pack. Before I can get to my feet I hear someone else panting. There's a clatter and a grunt and a slender figure appears as though tossed onto the Cornucopia. It spins, reaches down and gives a pull. Then both Katniss and Peeta are standing there looking down at their pursuers.

They are so busy looking at the mutts they just avoided that they don't sense me until I am upon them. I knock them both down and they both bounce back up. For the first time since it happened I feel alive. Nothing like a little violence to make me feel better.

I throw Peeta to the side and punch him as he tries to rise. As he falls I grab my sword and swing at Katniss. Once, then twice she avoids my blows before she tries to grapple with me. I hurl her to the edge and fall on her, my hands locking around her throat. Fury rises in me. Why should they be together? Why should they be happy? Why shouldn't he be as miserable and alone as I am? At least until I kill him too.

A pair of arms encircles me and pulls me irresistibly in the air, throwing me to one side. I guess fury fills Peeta too; the fury that comes with protecting your lover. I understand him. I could almost wish him luck. But my training takes over and I spin him around, grabbing his arm he throws a punch at me and pinning him in a choke hold. And just in time. Katniss has recovered her bow and the tip of an arrow is aimed right at me.

"Go ahead shoot," I taunt her. She can't. She knows as well as I do that if she kills me I go over the edge and I take Lover Boy with me. I can still win this. But my mind won't stay focused on that. I wander. I babble even, looking to the sky and throwing words to the Game Makers and Capital audience. It's a standoff I remind Katniss. So I think. And then she suddenly shifts her point of aim and fires.

The arrow pierces my hand. Without thinking I stagger and let go of Peeta. He spins on his own and shoves. Caught off guard I lose my balance and fall.

Hitting the ground stuns me. Before I can recover the mutts swarm me, biting and clawing me. I grasp vainly for a weapon. My sword is on top of the Cornucopia and Clove's belt of knives was torn away during the first attack. I'm helpless. The mutts rip at me and the pain is worse than anything I've ever felt in my life with the sole exception of when I came around the corner of the Cornucopia to see Clove on the ground. Then even that vision is washed away by teeth and claws.

Through a gap in the mutts I look up and see Katniss and Peeta looking down at me from their safe vantage point. I thought they would be smiling, triumphant but they're not. They look horrified. And maybe there's a chance for me to not suffer. I realize the attacks have slowed in intensity. Now that they have me they may toy with me for hours. Great show for the Capital audience I'm sure. I lift one hand to them as best as I can and for the second time in my life I beg.

"Please."

I don't know if they heard me or not. But Katniss draws an arrow from her quiver and loads it. I'm looking right at the tip as she steadies her aim and even in the midst of all the pain all I can think of is how grateful to her I am. Then she releases the drawstring.

The arrow is only a pinprick among the tears and bites as it hits me and releases me. The darkness takes me and I only wish I had time to tell her thank you. The pain is gone. And then...

In the center of the darkness surrounding me a light appears. A soft gentle light that grows in front of me. Somehow I find myself on my feet and walking towards it and the indistinct figure outlined by it.

Oh my God.

"Clove," I whisper.

She smiles and holds out her hands to me. They are warm and soft when I take them and hold them, as warm and soft as her lips when she stands on her tip toes and kisses me. I can see from her eyes that the demons that lurked inside of her, inside of us both, nurtured and strengthened by our trainers and mentors, are gone forever. She's just a girl, the girl I fell in love with. And I'm happier than I ever could have imagined.

She left me. But she waited for me and what we agreed upon before had happened. We'll be together forever.

(The End)