"Cato… Cato, I don't want to die." The words were barely a whisper, but I heard her loud and clear. I wiped away the few tears that managed to escape from her eyes. I could barely hold back my own.
"Clove… Please…" I managed to get out those words before a single tear fell. Shit. There goes being strong for her. I pulled her head onto my lap and stroked her hair.
"Cato, don't cry." She looked worried. I swallowed the lump in my throat.
"I won't. Clove, don't leave me… You have to stay with me!" I was becoming desperate, my grip on her hand tightened as she slipped away.
"I'm scared… I'm so scared, Cato…" Her voice was becoming too weak, and her chest was moving up and down too slowly. I've never seen her like this. So scared… so emotional.
"Don't be scared, I won't let anything hurt you. The place where you're going, you won't have to worry about pain. You'll be in a happy place, with all the throwing knives you want, all of that lamb stew which you love. You'll live in a big house, and you'll never be scared again."
A faint smile appeared on her lip. Her grip on my hand was slowly weakening. I started to panic.
"Clove, please…" When she didn't respond, I put my ear to her mouth. The breath was barely there. I didn't care anymore. Screw everything! The tears that I've been holding back started to fall.
"Clove, stay with me! Stay with me dammit!" I could feel the panic rising in my throat. "Don't leave me here alone! Clove!" Her eyes fluttered open a little bit. She looked so beautiful, laying here like this.
"Cato, please… please win. For me. For us." Her eyes were slowly closing, her chest moving up and down slowly… much too slowly.
"I will. I will!" She looked at me in the eyes.
"I love you Cato. I always have." She could barely form words anymore.
Fresh tears flooded my eyes. "I love you too, Clove. More than anything."
She smiled her last smile, closed her eyes, and then she fell limp.
"Clove... Clove!" My voice was desperate as I shook her, trying to wake her up. "P-please don't go!"
Then I heard her cannon fire.