Disclaimer:
I do not own the Hunger Games characters. The lovely Suzanne Collins owns all rights to them. This story is written in her honer.
Author's Notes:
Here is chapter two. It does have the rating of M for a reason.
Another buffer Chapter. Sorry, but it gives more much needed information. We are working toward everything and this will give it more background.
Thank you 3vlee for being the best Co-writer ever!
As always, reviews and suggestions are welcomed so that we can make this story worthy of Ms. Collins.
Enjoy!
Chapter 2
Christopher POV
It has been a week since we rescued the tributes from the arena, and I had started planning the evacuation of D-2.
I haven't seen Cato since the rescue, and I have time now to go and see him. I know that they have been moved into new living quarters when he and Katniss was released. I heard that Clove his district partner and Prim helped him put together the nursery for the girls so that Katniss didn't have to worry about it.
I reach there quarters and saw that the door was open and that Uncle Brutus and Prim was there, so I just walked right in giving Katniss and Prim a hug and gently poking Katniss's belly. Thinking that I might as well get my rights in as an uncle and start picking on them early. I noticed that Cato was not here and asked:
"Hey where is Cato?"
"He went in for his second treatment for the bite he had. He should have been back by now. I am getting a little worried."
"Okay Katniss, I will go see if I can find him."
I had 'Pops' stay with Katniss and Prim as I go down the hall to find Cato.
As I turned the corner I see him lean against the wall almost sliding down to the ground from the pain. Its the first time Chris has ever seen Cato cry since he was little.
"I got you little brother"
I swing him up and help him into his quarters. Brutus looks shocked at his protégé looking so pale and weak.
"Brutus, Chris don't tell Katniss, please I beg you (as Prim comes out and sees Cato, she even gets very concerned). It's not as bad as the last time. It's my penance and I'll take it like a man. I need to get tea ready for Camille for later."
Cato passes out from the pain. Brutus looks at Cato then to Chris.
"Brutus please stay here with them. Prim not a word to Katniss, I'm handling this. I'm going to have a chat with Camille." Chris leaves to go straight to medical. Marcus is there getting updates of all the tributes when Chris walks in.
"Chris what a pleasant surprise. I was just informing Marcus on your brother's condition."
"Really Commander or, just getting more sadistic satisfaction after I found him practically passed out in the HALL from YOUR TREATMENT! Sir, I respectfully request that you stay."
"Request granted. Explain yourself Commander Briggs."
"Gladly. How about after Commander Everdeen explains herself how she takes GREAT pleasure in torturing my brother during these treatments. Yes, he was a total ass in his treatment of Katniss, but he is making amends to her. Commander Everdeen you have NO CLUE on how we grew up. It took me joining the peace keepers for two years to become human after years of conditioning at home. WE had no love FROM either parent. Cato got more love and care from Brutus in 5 minutes than our parents gave us in OUR ENTIRE LIFETIMES. Our Mother, Cate was raised in an orphanage and was never loved nor never knew what it was to be loved. Not even from OUR FATHER. Cato had to be in the academy for two years to know what the meaning of pain is even though most of the whip mark on his back was from OUR FATHER for showing emotion. You know what he BEGGED Brutus and I just less than five minutes ago; DO YOU?! Well COMMANDER let ME TELL YOU! My kid brother begged his mentor and I NOT TO TELL KATNISS. That this was his penance and HE'LL TAKE IT LIKE A MAN! Just before passing out He tells Brutus he has to get TEA READY FOR YOU! He feels that everything YOU ARE doing to him he deserves. YOU COULD SHOW HIM what being human is instead, YOU TORTURE him like OUR FATHER DID! Happy now Commander! Hmm? I bet he didn't shed one tear, did he when you administered your 'treatment', hmm? No? Well no surprise since half of those whip marks on his back was for EVERY TEAR HE SHED while DAD was WHIPPING HIM! For showing any emotion in front of a WOMAN ANY WOMAN! You think it was easy in the 'Briggs' household because we're from District 2, THINK AGAIN COMMANDER EVERDEEN!"
Chris looks at Marcus
"Sir I asked you to be present so I wouldn't lose it. I know I can't change Cato's current treatment because it's working. However since Commander Everdeen wants and is hell bent revenge on Cato worse than my father would've thought of, I can request that his treating Doctor CAN be changed and I will if you ever treat him like this again. NO more Camille, HE SUFFERED ENOUGH! Now if you don't mind I have to get back to make sure my brother and HIS family is okay. Get it through your head, he's not your punching bag. Not anymore, he needs care, not revenge and punishment."
With that I'm about to walk out on her when Marcus puts his hand on my shoulder.
"You two will stay and hash this out. I will check on Cato and Katniss. I will return in 15 minutes for those updates and it will include an update on the TWO of you."
"Well Chris why don't you tell me about this 'home life'."
"Here Camille let me show you."
He removes his shirt where his back is littered with scars from whippings. Camille cringes as she sees a lot of these are older and ran very deep.
"I can guarantee you Cato has at least twice as many since he ran interference for our sister when she was little. Our sister is only 6 now."
"My God. It still doesn't excuse his behavior to my daughter."
"No but it doesn't excuse YOURS to him as HIS DOCTOR! I mean Camille if you mistreat him again like that, I will replace you as his and family's treating doctor in ALL THINGS. Let Katniss and him hash it out. They're working together on it. This is the first time my brother has loved anything IN HIS LIFE. You have my word, if he fucks up, I'll remove him from there personally. He wants to do right by them. All three of them. Let him, Katniss is."
Camille nods in agreement
"Your word Chris. If he fucks up."
"My word Camille. Now ease up and show him that you're a human being not a sadistic bitch."
As I put my shirt back on, Marcus returns to find us talking about a better more tolerable course of treatment for Cato so he can care for Katniss and the twins. He nods to me so I can return to Cato as well as help them with Katniss and the twins.
Cato POV
I can't keep my eyes open as I pass out on the couch after Chris carried me back from medical. I have to be strong. I have to stay strong for the twins, for Katniss. They're my family. How can I care for them if I'm not strong for them? It's my penance for what I did. I can take it. I have to tell Chris that I'm strong, I can take it.
At least I got their word that they won't tell Katniss. I must be strong for my girls. Oh no Mrs. Everdeen will be stopping by I have to make tea for her. I must fight through the pain. Why does Brutus looked scared for me? I remember telling Brutus and Chris
"I must make tea for Mrs. Everdeen."
The pain is worse than ever before. Then everything went black as I heard Chris leave to talk to Mrs. Everdeen.
I remember after we were released from medical after the first treatment. I was wheeling Katniss and I to our quarters:
We were escorted to our quarters and given a schedule to follow. Peeta and Clove are next to Katniss and Cato which gives her reassurance but I knew why. Camille told Peeta at the first hint me mistreating Katniss, that I'm out of here and if she has anything to say I'll never be allowed around my girls. I already figured this out.
I know that I had A LOT to prove to everybody. I only hope that in time that Katniss will really forgive me and allow me to be a part of our girls' lives. For now I'll take it like a man.
Now I want to learn about a few thing concerning District 12 and without knowing it, Mrs. Everdeen has given me the perfect person to ask without getting tongue tied. We're the tributes from the 74th/75 games are assigned to different quarters with our partners from the games.
We are our partners caregivers until the rest of they give birth. Katniss and I are between Marvel and Foxy and Peeta and Clove which is good because we are good friends with all of them. Thresh is on the other side of Marvel with Glimmer.
As we look around we notice there are two bedrooms, one of them being a nursery with two cribs. The other is ours. I noticed this too and after everything, I doubt that Katniss would want me around her. I don't deserve to be.
"Katniss I can sleep on the couch. Hell I slept on the floor for over six months before the arena."
"No, its' too scary in here. I have to ask, at the capitol after I woke up, you were asleep and you kept saying "I'm sorry, sorry." Why?"
"I was sorry; I called you 'the barren ice bitch Katniss. I didn't know you were around the corner with Peeta. I honestly didn't know. Just like in 3, I didn't know the signs of pregnancy. I thought you were gaining weight but for the wrong reasons and that you getting sick were just antics. I didn't know that you were, that we were pregnant those two months. You don't know how close you and the twins were to death Katniss. Your core temperature was 88 degrees. They had to do a warm IV to get your core temperature up. You had everyone so scared and to scare Brutus is a feat in itself."
Katniss sees that I'm being sincere said.
"I rather you stayed here. Besides you're the only one that can get these two to quit using my ribs "Whoa!"... (At this point I put my hand on her stomach to calm the kicking) for target practice and my bladder as a freakin' trampoline."
I'm waking up to bright light. I see Brutus talking to the Leader of the Rebellion, his brother Marcus. Oh god how long was I out. Katniss? Our Girls? SHIT! ! What did I do now?
"Brutus why is Marcus here? The Girls, Katniss?"
I got dizzy again as I tried to get up.
"You lay back down mister. Prim take a look at Cato. Cato why didn't you tell me?"
"I told you why. Katniss and our girls they're..."
Prim put her hand on his shoulder
"They're okay. YOU passed out in the hall from the pain and your brother brought you back here, put you on the couch, he went to my mother. Marcus was there when Chris went off on my mother about her treatment of you. (Cato groans out loud while putting his head in his hands) Marcus came here to check on you."
"Oh shit! Sorry Prim. It'll just get worse from here on."
"Sir I can take it. Please don't tell Katniss. Can't have her worry about me, please Sir. I can take it."
Cato said to Marcus as he checks to make sure that Cato is okay.
Marcus is about to go to Katniss but Brutus stops him, telling him it will add stress to the twins & to her that she doesn't need. Then further tells Marcus
"We will be the advocates for these two."
Prim informs them
"Too late, Sirs. Katniss overheard everything from the time Marcus came in thinking it was Cato who had returned from her mother. She asking for both of you."
Brutus makes Prim stay with me out here but I get up to show all of them that I'm okay. That I could take it but both Malone brothers make me stay out here.
Prim has me sit down on the couch and advises me on the tea
"I would make the chamomile. It's Mom's favorite Cato however for now you're sitting for the next 30 minutes at least."
"Thanks Prim."
Then I hear Prim mutter to herself.
"Even I wouldn't have gone this far."
I then hear Katniss try to get up. Knowing Katniss, I have Prim help me to get in there. She's on bed rest. I get in there and sure enough she's pissed which isn't good for her or the twins.
"Katniss listen to Pops, we'll handle it."
"NO! Brutus send Mom here now! She had no right to interfere."
I see where this is going and she's getting wound for sound so, I get in there.
"I told you not to get her upset."
I then look to Katniss
"No Katniss. They're right and I can take it. Stay strong for our girls."
As I put my hand on her where our girls still grow to calm them. Boy! They're wound up too.
We finally get her to calm down and everyone except Prim and Chris leave.
Prim put the water on to boil and asks what type of tea everyone else wants.
Katniss requests hot chocolate but when Prim cannot find any she settles for peppermint/spearmint tea and I say that I would like the same.
Chris requests some ginger spice tea.
When the water is ready Mrs. Everdeen walks in.
Camille POV
I cannot believe what I just heard. Those poor children. I feel bad for the treatment that I had given to Cato. The treatment that I had chosen to administer for the poison I personally chose for a reason. It was to get even for what he did to Katniss. It is an effective treatment, but it is also very painful. I was just trying to protect and defend my daughter and grand-daughters, but it is also very unprofessional of me as well as childish. I am very ashamed of myself.
As for what Christopher had told me, I knew that the academy had changed kids from having emotions to having no emotions at all, but for a child that has never known how to love let alone how it feels to be loved. This is wrong.
I will have to have a talk with Cato as both Katniss's mother and as his physician. His next treatment is in a week. I will for sure talk to him during that time.
I leave the head-commander's office and head medical. I know that Prim went to Katniss's quarters to help with something for the twins, so there was no on down there to keep order.
I reach medical and start to work. I work on an antidote for the newest poison that the Capitol has concocted to hurt the rebellion and the people. This is tiring work. When I hit a wall with the research and mixture, I give up for the night and go to Katniss's quarters. It is not a very far walk, so I get there very quick.
I walk into the room and sat down at the table. Christopher had brought Katniss in the room to sit with me.
"So I hear that Cato's treatments are going well, wouldn't you say mom? He comes in so tired. I didn't know that the treatments are so strenuous."
"You cannot give the antidote to that particular poison cannot be given too quickly and it is a rough treatment."
"Really mom. You are really not going to say anything?"
"Katniss you really should calm down."
"NO MOTHER!"
"Katniss, this is not good for the babies."
"He was ordered BY THE HEAD-COMMANDER TO TAKE CARE OF ME UNTIL I GIVE BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTERS. HOW CAN HE TAKE CARE OF ME WHEN HE CAN BARELY STAND UP!"
"I am sorry for going to far with my punishment to Cato for how he treated you."
"DON'T APOLOGIZE TO ME! APOLOGIZE TO CATO!"
Now I know that everyone in this room knows that I've been intentionally harming Cato to get back at him for his treatment of my daughter. No matter what people may think of me, Katniss is my baby. I will protect her and my granddaughters or, die trying.
"I am sorry Cato. From now on your treatments will not be so harsh. You only have one more and then you should be fine. Please accept my apology."
"Apology accepted, can we please move on from this and enjoy our tea?"
We sit and have our tea. We talk about the progress of the babies. I tell them about the new poison that the Capitol has developed that I am having troubles finding a cure for. Prim tells me that she will be there tomorrow to help me.
When we all finish our tea, it is time for us to leave. I notice that Cato is not himself yet so I ask both Katniss and Cato if Prim could stay with them tonight. They agree and I walk to mine and Prim's quarters.
I walk in and notice that I am not alone. I turn to the person and then I notice him.
Bran Mellark.
"Hello Bran. When did you get to 13?"
"Just today. I am not sure if you know, but 12 was bombed yesterday. I lost my bakery, two of my sons and my wife. Only a handful of people made it out of there alive. The only person that I really care about right now is my youngest son Rye. I know Peeta is here. I just seen him and his lovely Clove. They are naming him after me you know."
"I am so sorry for the loss of your wife. You must be devastated."
"Over my boys yes but not the bitch who birthed them. How are you?"
"I am well. I have been very busy with patients. I am the fifth Commander and my command is over the medical unit. If you need to be seen you can come see me in the Medical unit."
"It was nice to see you again Camille."
"Goodbye Bran. I am glad you are alive."
He leaves and I get into the shower. When I am finished, I dry off, put my sleeping clothes on and crawl into my bed.