So this is my first attempt of many... I'm not really sure why but I have this obsession with Cato and I think he needs some Fanfic love.. So I don't own anything. Also I don't have a beta and have limited time with school and work so basically what I'm saying is be gentle...

5 years and two months before the 74th Reaping

"Come on Denver!" Catching her breath the short brown haired girl looked up the hill where her best friend stood waiting. "If your gonna make into the academy we gotta go faster." Denver, like her body, wanted to protest. She didn't wanna join the academy not like Clove did at least. She found the games to be vile and if she could avoid them she would.
"Could we just take a break please?" Clove started to think it over and was about to reason why they shouldn't but looked at Denver trudging up the hill slowly and sighed.
"Oh alright but when we go to the academy tomorrow I don't wanna hear it when they stick you with all the other 12 year olds." Clove had it set in her mind that Denver would be placed higher in the same age group as her, which could happen now since the one year they had no girls that were 18 and had to put a 17 year old into the reaping.
"Don't worry Clove I won't." Both girls looked at each other before laughing. It was something that came easy to them, being together. It had been that way since Denver had been 4 and the two met at the market. Sometimes their family's joked that they could read each others thoughts.
"Come on let's go have some cookies." Clove nodded and the two stood up to walk home when a shadow feel over the two girls.
"Well look what we have here if it isn't little Clove and her even smaller friend." Both girls looked up at the boy standing over them finding it to be Cato a 13 year old boy Clove met at the academy.
"Hey Cato this is Denver my best friend." Cato looked over the younger girl in front of him, he was thirteen so girls to him still had cooties but something about her caught his attention. He wasn't sure if it was her bright green eyes or how innocent she looked with the freckles dotting her noise and cheeks.
"It's nice to meet you Cato would you like to come have some cookies?"

1 year and three days before the 74th Reaping

"No stop."'Her eyes searched the crowd looking for anyone to help, someone to save her but found she was on her own. No one was stopping to aid the 16 year old girl. Not even her best friend sitting across the auditorium.
"Honestly Den I thought you learned by now?" Turning her head Denver looked up at her attackers face feeling her stomach move as she did. "No ones going to help you." Giving her a devilish smile Cato moved to sit on her legs making it so she couldn't crawl away. "Not even Clove." Denver bit her lip because he was right no one was going to stop him he was Cato after all the strongest, smartest, and damn if best looking guy at the academy. Clove master of knife throwing would be able to stop him.
"Please Cato I'm sorry I-I'll do anything." Cato cracked a smile down at her small frame. Pulling his hands back from her sides.
"Anything?" His voice sounded strong but Denver could easily pick out his nervousness behind his words.
"Yes anything just stop tickling me." usually at this point Cato would smile down at her with a small chuckle and demand a kiss. This time was different this time Cato leaned down an kissed her anyway but his demand was one unexpected.
"Marry me." Eyes wide Denver searched his face making sure he was for real. This wasn't something she ever thought she would hear coming from him.
"Cato are you serious?" Both Cato and Denver looked up to find Clove just as shocked as Denver but also happy for her best friend.
"Yes after this hears reaping I turn 18 in a week and I wanna marry your Denver." this was a rather odd turn of events.

74th Reaping

"Denver!" Her heart stopped, her name had been called. She would be going into the arena and everyone including herself knew she wouldn't make it out. Her and the child only her and Clove knew about. "Come on up Hun." Cato's eyes burned into Halon's head as he used his pet names on Denver. Oh how Cato wanted to volunteer for her taking her place but he could. Holding her head high like all district two tributes Denver started for the stage, her heart beating out of her chest. She turns 18 in three days the administration at the academy felt that was OK for her in the reaping.
"I volunteer as tribute." Twirling around Denver fell speechless as Clove walked towards the stage. Stopping when she got in front of Denver. "I take Denver's place in the games."
Denver was ready to protest to tell her no she wasn't but the moment She started to opened her mouth to decline a hand covered her mouth turning her head into a broad chest. Looking up She found Cato's eyes looking down at her, bursting out in a sob she buried her face in his chest. Was her unborn child worth her best friends life?
"Shh baby it's ok." Cato held her head close to his chest as Clove told Halon's who she was. People volunteered in District 2 all the time so it wasn't that big of a deal. If only they understood.
"Alright thank you Clove now for the boys." Turning her head slightly Denver watched Halon stick his hand into the large glass bowl pulling out a name.
"Alright Talio-" Halon began saying the name of a 13 year old boy in one if Denver's class.
"I volunteer." Her heart stopped because no matter where she was looking or how loud it was she knew that voice better than anything. Her husband had just volunteered to be a tribute in the games.
"What Cato no!" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched her husband be escorted to the stage by peace-keepers. Her pleas falling on deaf ears.
"Well here you have it District 2's 74th Hunger Games Tributes."

"You have five minutes." Nodding her head at the peace-keeper Denver walked into the room with her best friend. The two wrapped their arms around each other, Denver burying her face in Clove's hair.
"Why Clove why did you take my place." Pushing Denver back Clove stared at her best friend.
"I did it for you Denver, I did it for Cato, but most importantly I did it for my god daughter." More tears rolled down the younger girls cheeks. "I knew Cato was going to volunteer. He's been wanting to since he was old enough to pick up a sword. I couldn't put you guys in the position." a stabbing pain went through her chest as Denver understood what Clove had meant. She didn't wanna make Cato kill her. The two held onto each other till the peacekeeper came back walking her to Cato's room.
"You have 10 minutes." Denver smiled at the Peace-keeper recognizing him as one of the academy graduates from a few years back. She thanked him an hardly made it through the door before Cato had his hand behind her neck connecting his lips with hers. Like all of his kisses Denver noted this one was full of passion but urgency as well. When they did finally pull apart Cato took in everything. Her eyes, skin, lips, hair just everything. When tears started forming in her eyes Cato pulled her towards him.
"Remember to call Jose if the car starts acting up again and my mom will help with the baby." it took her a moment but Denver finally registered what he had said. About the baby she never told him about.
"How did you know?" Her voice was cracked but he could make out what she had said. "About the baby?"
"I've known for a while Clove just confirmed it when we walked into the building." Denver laid her head on his chest listening to his heart beat. "I'm going to make it out, I'm going to win. I promise you I'll win."
"Take care of her Cato. Please don't let them kill her. I-if it needs to be done I want you to do it don't let her suffer." the words taste bitter on her lips but she knew if she had to choose between clove dying in pain my a stranger or right away at the hands of her husband she picked the latter.
"I love you Denver never forget that. I considers not volunteering but when they called your name I knew I had to. I had to go in an protect you. I hope you know I would die for you Denver." She drank in his words feeling horrible for thinking he would ever harm her so he could win.
"So why did you still volunteer?" she asked closing her eyes.
"So Clove didn't suffer I couldn't stand watching you in pain when she was killed plus I couldn't send a 13 year old not when I'm ready to fight." not wanting to waste time Denver attached her lips to his spending the remaining of their time together in his arms.

Showing of the Hunger Games

"I give you the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games." Her eyes were glued to the screen. In a short three hours Denver had watched kids kill other kids, some blond tramp flirt with her husband, her best friend killed by a boy from 11 and her husband mauled by creatures of the capital. She couldn't move, not when her mother in law tried to get her away from the TV and not when the screen turned black. The capital took everything from her, her home, husband, and best friend. If it took her last breath She would make them pay...

Also before I say goodbye I'm wondering what a sequel would be like of course it wouldn't be a Cato/OC but I'll let you ponder on who else ends up in two Denver could make an impression on...