Glimmer Point of View

Our train, that had been going back home, was now reversed and heading back to the Capitol. Word had been sent that there were a few complications with things that hadn't been sorted out, so they were sending us both back. It was Cato's fault that this had all happened, so at least they were taking us both back. They couldn't look like they had lost control of their Games, so they were trying to save face.

But I was scared. Never before had I been such a nervous wreck; before the Games I would never have been caught crying at all, let alone this much. But this had changed me so much, I felt scarred, like everything would come crashing down on me at any point, and I was afraid of every man that was in the same room with me.

I was ashamed of whom I had become, but I also knew that after what had happened, there was nothing else I could really do. I could try to fake it, like I had tried right after I won. When Caesar had interviewed Cato and me, I had tried to keep the fear at bay, convincing myself that this warm, humorous person would never hurt me. And I knew he wouldn't. But I could barely sit near him and keep my voice even, and had rushed offstage at the end, saying I had to go to the bathroom to calm my nerves, which took more than 15 minutes and had made Wynn very unhappy with me. That too, had scared me, seeing him angrey. After that, I knew I wasn't in control of my own fear, and that nothing I told myself would help that much.

We arrived in the Capitol a few days later. Cato came to wake me up, gently shaking me. I had opened my eyes, calmed a little by the fact that he had so kindly wakened me up with a smile on his face. It made me think that maybe he was sorry for what he had done, that he hadn't meant harm. I knew he hadn't, but I was still very frightened of what the doctors in the Capitol might do.

Once in the room, I had a right to be scared. It was bright and circular, making my eyes hurt before they got adjusted. They had drug Cato with me, "just in case something happened", they said. That only made me more afraid, but I sat on the table in a cloth pink gown, waiting. A man called Cato out of the room, and he came in shortly afterward, looking slightly confused.

"They said they have gynecologist coming to see you in just a few minutes, and that he's the best they have. I've got no idea what that is, but they just told me to tell you."

I needed a gynecologist? That would mean... No, I would not be spreading my legs for a man to check whatever it was they were checking. I was fine. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to think that.

But he came in the room, glancing up at us. He didn't smile, but he didn't exactly frown either. He pointed at Cato with his pen.

"Are you supposed to be in here young man? This is something that should be privy for the girl and me."

Cato looked at him sharply, taking a step towards me. His eyes were protective as they looked at the man.

"Yes, I'm supposed to be here. Go about your business, I won't interfere."

He sighed and came closer, still not smiling as he glanced at the information, reading my name and why I was here.

"Ah, yes, Glimmer. I'll need you to part your legs a little bit so I can have a peek at what might be going on."

He had on gloves and what looked like a vial for taking blood. I shook my head at him. No, no, I would not be letting this stranger do anything with me. He sighed, but looked like he had some patience stored up. Maybe that's why they had sent him. He looked at me once more, not introducing himself or making any attempt to comfort me or even smile.

"It won't take long, I promise, and it won't hurt either. Just a little blood for this," he held up a syringe that looked much like what had injected our trackers during the Games. "Then it will be over and all will be well. Come now, just part them a little."

Again I shook my head, and Cato rested a hand on my shoulder. "Do what he asks; it'll be better once it's over. Drawing it out like this will only make things worse."

His words did nothing to convince me, and I stayed stubbornly sitting up, legs firmly together. The doctor turned away for a moment, listening to something in his earpiece. I was hoping he'd rush out of the room, give me some more time, but it only made him agitated and impatient.

"Glimmer, I have a patient who needs me right now, quite desperately, so whether you want to or not, I will be taking blood."

He put his hand on my thigh and pushed my legs apart. The older man was stronger than he looked. I felt him trying to inject and get blood, but I started to shift, trying to close my legs and get this disgusting man far, far away from me. But that only made it more difficult, and he pricked me twice, before finally sticking it not into me, but up into me. I shrieked at this intrusion, my back falling onto the table, but he simply walked out of the door and closed it tight behind him after filling that horrid syringe.

Cato was instantly at my side, rubbing my arm and sitting down next to me. He seemed just as surprised about what had happened to me as I was.

"That's what gynecologist's do, stick needle where they shouldn't be? Did he hurt you, are you alright?"

Though he was slightly embarrassed by finding out something that no boy his age should know, he was still concerned about me. I wasn't crying, but I was sniffling a little bit. I was staring up at the too-white, almost glowing ceiling. Cato still looked down at me, checking to see if I was okay with his eyes. I just nodded.

His hand went to my thigh, rubbing it, and I popped my newly-shut eyes open. What was he doing, hitting on me? Looking down, I could see he was only trying to comfort me, but I pushed his hand away. I didn't want anyone touching me like that, not even someone I trusted like him.

We were back on the train when the tests came back a few hours later, declaring everything fine. The doctor said there had been slight scarring, but that should heal within a few days with the pills they gave me.

It was night, and I was pulling my night clothes on. It was a cute, soft cotton dress, light pink. I didn't like it that much anymore; it looked like a tailored version of the hospital gown. I had taken off my regular clothes and was about to slip it over my head when Cato came through the door, once again without knocking. I was almost naked, and I didn't like it. His eyes were wide, staring at me, and I was a deer caught in the headlights, staring at something that shouldn't be there. He quickly turned around, letting me get decent. But he saw me, saw me. I never wanted anyone to see me like that unless I wanted them to.

When he heard me lay down on the bed, he came and sat by me. I was still blushing, and he looked a little embarrassed too. But he laid back and held me, and I curled into him. He was warm, and even though the bed was comfortable, I liked him better. Slowly, he began rubbing my back and talking to me in a low voice.

"I'm so sorry about what happened earlier today, Glimmer. I never would have told anyone if I knew what the repercussions on you would be."

I looked up at him and smiled a little. "It's okay, you didn't know." Then I frowned, putting my head on his shoulder. "But it did hurt, and it scared me, it scared me a lot." I had trailed off to a whisper, and he held me close and kissed my hair. I fell asleep like I hadn't in a while- soothed, calm, and protected. Cato Point of View

It felt like forever before we got to District 1. Glimmer had told me that she wanted me to meet her family, and that they would want to meet the other victor. I was okay with, although I thought it was odd. But since we were both alive, and one of us at least was well, I couldn't see the harm.

So after we waved to the crowd and gave a speech, we headed to her house. It turned out that her father had been a victor in his days, so they lived in the Victors Village. Theirs was just as crammed as ours, no wonder they were considering moving us to the Capitol. She had a younger brother named Jarius, and her parents were Aeliyatt and Cassius. Their names seemed somewhat odd compared to those in District 3, but I was kind toward them. I ate dinner at their house and went on a walk with her father. That got interesting.

"It was very nice to meet you, Cato. You're a fine young man to win with."

I nodded in thanks. "Thank you sir, I did my best and so did Glimmer." I was wondering where this was going, but decided to roll with it. I had never met a victor from another District like this before.

"Yes, she's a fine girl. Her brother will be of age for the Games next year, and he can't wait." He paused at the end of the road where the village began, and I stopped to. He looked at me then. "I want to know your intention with my daughter."

My eyes went wide and my mouth almost gaped. What was he saying? "Intention? Um...I intend to be her friend, and go on a tour with her, maybe do the Quarter Quell with her next year, if we both get to do that..."

He stared me straight in the eye. "You are a man, Cato, and all men have eyes. Almost every man in this District has their eyes on my Glimmer. But I only approve of you." He set his hand on my shoulder, and I gulped loudly.

"I have no intention of looking at your daughter like...that. We're friends, victors, nothing more."

He shook his head at me as a sly smile crept across his face. "She told me how sweet you were to her when she had nightmares about the Games. No boy is that sweet unless he has a motive. I know your motive, and she does to. By all means, my wife and I are okay with it. We know you're going to live in the Capitol, and if you chose to get into a relationship, we'll be happy for you." His smile faded as he said his last line. "But don't break my baby girl's heart. That will have serious consequences."

I nodded, and we walked back to the house. Glimmer smiled at me, really smiled, and I hadn't seen her like that in a long time. She seemed to fit in here, with her family. They had a dog named Lyric that ran around the kitchen, and her mother was putting extra food away while Glimmer sat on the counter. I smiled back at her, happy to see her happy. Maybe I had more of an "intention" with her than I realized.

But I certainly did like her family. She had blonde hair like her mother, and her brother had brown hair like her father. The house was two stories tall and light brick, modern on the inside, with four bedrooms. Glimmer's parents said I was welcome to stay over anytime if I was in the neighborhood, that they had a guest bedroom for a reason. I grinned and said I would.

The evening was over, and we had to head back to the train to go to the next District on our tour. Wynn and my mentor, Pertina, are walking back with us, but they're not really paying attention, so Glimmer and I can talk ourselves.

"I really enjoyed meeting your family. They're nice, quiet welcoming. You seemed so happy there."

She smiled and nodded, and her eyes got that glaze that said she was remembering. Whether they were memories from the deep past or simply looking back on tonight, I couldn't tell. But she was thinking nonetheless. We were almost at the train, and I put my hand on her back to help her up. I expected her to push it away and shake her head slightly, still nervous about anyone touching her. But she let me held her up, and I took it as a small sign of healing. We both smiled at each other as went into our separate rooms. I wouldn't go to her tonight; I didn't think she needed it. And it would be weird, having just met her family, to sleep in the same bed as her.

It was dark, and my hand held my head on the pillow, my arm bent above my head. Flexing my muscles always made me seem powerful; this was always a good thing in my book. When I heard a soft creak come from my door, and looked up to find Glimmer coming through it. She had quickly discarded her old pink nightclothes, saying it reminded her too much of the robe at the hospital. So now she was in gray shorts and a shirt that only came down to right below her breasts and stopped. It looked like the sport's bra's the girls back home at the training center wore. Perhaps it was.

But Glimmer just stood in the doorway, not coming any closer, her hair still done up in the style it had been since the Games. I smiled and sat up, beckoning for her to join me on the bed. She smiled and sat by me, leaning her head against my shoulder as I ran my fingers through her hair, gently letting lose.

"My family really likes you, you know. They all do." I could feel her breathe on my shirt as I lay down with her. She momentarily stiffened, but relaxed into me again when I began rubbing her back. For how tough she was during training and the Games, she really was a lot softer, sweeter.

I laughed a little at her words. "Oh, I know they do. Your dad told me that if you and I ever got into a relationship, they would fully support it. I've never met a father who actually approved of a tough-looking guy like me."

She lifted her head for a moment and smiled at me. Whenever she gave me that specific smile, the sweet one that looked like pure happiness, I couldn't help but smile back.

"I don't think you're that tough-looking." And then her smile faded a little with her next words. "And you let me live. What father wouldn't approve of a guy like that?"

I nodded silently, still rubbing her back, surprised when she settled into my shoulder, putting her hand on my chest and getting comfortable. Even those nights I had held her in her own room, she hadn't done that. Perhaps seeing her family had given her strength, or maybe it was just beginning the Victors Tour.

Either way, her breathing soon grew steady and slow, and I felt myself drifting into sleep. So I wrapped my other arm around her, brought the blankets up, and slipped into the welcoming darkness.