Total filler chapter. Nothing really important. I'm kind of ashamed for even posting this, but 1. I haven't posted in a while and 2. I thought you guys might like to know...


When my eyes opened, I was aware that I was in a tent and I wasn't alone. It took me a minute to remember what had happened. A beast... Brax? I think they had called it? Had attacked me, ripping off half of my side. I felt pain, not quite vomit inducing, but close, and I also felt fatigue. I sat up and realized that Seth was laying beside me, asleep. I wanted to stand and leave the tent, but I wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Just moving to sit up had felt like a million little knives stabbing my stomach. I lifted my shirt and saw the ugly marks, marks that would likely leave permanent scars, and just wanted to cry. I crawled my way to the opening of the tent, unzipped it and went outside.

"Syd? You shouldn't be moving around." Travis came to where I was crawling out of the tent and helped move me to my feet. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. Alive, at least. Don't we need to be moving? We're wasting time, just staying in the field. What time is it?"

"About eleven. We can't move, not yet. You need to get better before we move."

"I'm fine! We're not far from the Capitol, I thought. Why don't we just go ahead and get there?"

"Because, you need to rest, Syd. Moving around will only prolong your healing. I did the best I could, but your injuries were considerably numerous." Jon informed me as he walked over to us, with the rest following in his footsteps.

"Guys, I'm fine. Really." I argued, but they all just brushed me off.

Sara ran over and threw her arms around me. "Sydley, I'm just glad you're okay. When I saw all the blood that was pouring out of you, and how much pain you were in... I wasn't sure if Jon would be able to fix you! I was so scared for you. Especially when I heard the nonsense you were talking!"

"Nope, he did a great job. I feel better than ever!" I lied, hugging her back. "When can we get to moving? I don't like still being in this open field." That wasn't a lie. I felt too exposed.

"If you're really feeling better... We can pack up the stuff and leave whenever. But if you start feeling weak or are in too much pain, then you have to tell us so we can stop. Promise?"

"Promise."

I heard Seth stirring in the tent, and seconds later he was out, by my side.

"Sydley." He breathed. I just smiled.

"Good morning, sleepy head."

"Sydley... I thought... I thought you were going to die! You were screaming and bleeding so bad. And nothing you were saying was making any sense! I don't think I've ever been that scared before. I thought I was going to lose you! I-"

"Hey." I cut him off and pressed my lips against his, relishing the sugary vanilla taste. "What did I tell you? You're stuck with me."

"We're packing up and leaving soon." Jon told Seth.

"What? She can't be moving around! What if something else attacks us? She needs rest to get better!" He wasn't happy about this.

"Seth, I. Am. Fine. I promise. I just want to get to the Capitol."

"Fine." I could tell he still wasn't happy, but had chosen to just shut up, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. The others went around, picking stuff up and packing, but Seth and I sat a little off to the side.

"Sydley, when I thought I was going to lose you... That was one of the worst times of my life. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you. I'd considered just finding some more beasts and throwing myself to them, but... I couldn't do that. Not while there was still a chance you'd be okay."

"Are you serious? Seth, I don't care what happens to me, you should never consider just letting yourself be chewed to bits or whatever by anything. If something happens to me, you have to keep on living. You do realize that, right? You still have your parents, and Sara, and your friends, and a mission. Even after this mission, you'll always have a reason to keep on going. I never want to hear you think or say anything like that. Never. I don't even want to think of a world that doesn't have you in it. That would just be unfair to everyone else."

"You are my reason to life. Just you."

"You were doing just fine before you met me, Seth. You have people that love you, not only me."

"Doing just fine before I met you? The only people I talked to before I met you were Sara and Jon. No one else. I didn't want to socialize, I only wanted to work. Work and tear stuff up. I was a loner, I wasn't very friendly, I didn't really see a reason to get up in the morning, besides going to the lab and working. I had no life before I met you. I was not doing just fine."

"Well, you have a life now, with or without me. Look at those people over there. Sara, Stella, Jon, Steven, Travis. They're all great people. All of them."

"Look, I really would rather not talk about this now. I just want to get you to safety in the Capitol. Are you sure you can walk?"

"Yes, Seth. I'm fine. Really."

"I just love you, Syd. So damn much."

"I love you, Seth. Let's go. I think they're about ready."

They were just finishing up putting everything up and making sure the fire was completely out.

"You guys ready?" Jon asked the group. There were collective sighs and nods.

Just putting the backpack over my back caused me immeasurable pain, but I didn't let on. Regardless of my inward curses (and there were many), I kept a straight face and smiled at the group that was staring at me, looking for a sign of pain that would call off us leaving and prolong our stay in this wide open field.

"Are we gonna go, or are you all going to stand around staring at me?" I laughed and started off in the direction we had came from before, back towards the dirt road we had long been traveling on.

"Well... You heard her, I guess. We can either stand around staring or we can go... And considering she's already halfway across the field, I'd say we better go..."

God, I was in so much pain. There's no way that this is healthy. But there's no way I was going to be the weak, pathetic little Earth-tard that made us stay in the field. No. Damn. Way.

The steps we were taking seemed so slow, small and worthless. But we were actually making good headway, considering. It felt like we had been walking four hours, but in reality it had probably only been about thirty minutes, when Travis fell back to where Seth and I were walking, a little bit behind him.

"How you holding up, Earth-tard?"

"Fine and dandy." I responded through gritted teeth.

"You're lying." He quipped back.

"No, I'm not. I'm fine." Damn, Travis. Just shut up and forget about it.

"Really? Then why are you breathing so hard? And gritting your teeth? And your face is all red and splotchy."

"Syd, I'm not stupid. I know you're hurting." Seth added. "I wasn't going to force you to admit it, because I knew it wouldn't do any good. But I know. I can tell."

"Guys. I'm. FINE. Seriously. Yeah, there's a little bit of pain, but it is NOTHING that I can't handle!"

"Travis, can you take this bag, do you think?" Oh, no. What was he going to do? Hit me? Shake me into admitting that I was in so much pain I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry? He slid the bag off of his shoulder and Travis threw it around his. Then he stood in front of me and offered out his hands. "Climb up."

"What?" I was honestly confused. Not what I had been expecting.

"Climb. Up. You're in pain. I can't stand seeing you in pain. Climb on my back."

"I'm not climbing on your back and being carried around like some helpless little girl! I'm perfectly fine to walk on my own."

"Please, Syd. If you love me, climb up."

A pause.

"That's low. You know that, right?" I muttered as I climbed onto his back. The pain of getting up there was horrible, but when I was actually on his back, the pain was reduced considerably. "Using the 'if you love me' card already. Tsk, tsk." But I was smiling as I laid my head on his shoulder and felt his muscles moving under my legs and arms, his warm body heat radiating into mine. He's so manipulative, and knows just how to get his way. I love this kid.


That Syd was still alive and kicking, though you probably knew that of course. Couldn't very well have a story if our main character died, now could we? Or... Could we? DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUN. Haha. Review? If you want to, ya know. I'd appreciate it a whole bunch.