Nation

a/n: Please listen to the song "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes while you read. It's really a good song and there's lots of badass Dean in this chapter so it fits.

He awoke within two hours to find Jo still awake and still alert. He shepherded her to the little cove and practically demanded that she get some rest. Of course, the second that her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

Dean watched her sleep for a few seconds. He grabbed his bow and started for the mouth of the cove but not before leaning over Jo's sleeping form and pressing his lips to her forehead. He could almost hear Bobby's growl of approval.

Glancing around, he could guess that it was maybe five in the morning. The sun wasn't out yet but the there was a distinct dimness around him that made it really hard for him to see. He didn't dare try to make a light for fear of what was left of the Careers that would most definitely take him and Jo out. At the moment, they really had an advantage, especially with the toll of exhaustion that was heaping on his shoulders. He inwardly wondered if he could move another step.

That was when the first bolt of lightening struck down.

"What the-?!" Dean leapt to his feet, strength he didn't know he had-or maybe adrenaline-overtaking him.

The lightening had struck down less than five yards away from him and the cove, hitting a tree and lighting it ablaze.

"Crap. Jo!"

"Dean!" Her voice sounded very far away.

Another bolt touched down right at the mouth of the cove, sending it alight with fire.

"Damn it, Jo!" He shot to the opening of the cove, trying to peer through the hazy fumes. "Jo! Jo, are you all right?!"

He could hear her coughing. "I'm fine!"

"Jo!"

"Dean, just get out of here! I'm okay. I'll get out!"

"Are you crazy?!" he snarled as he yanked out his knife, hacking away at the side of the brush.

"Dean, get out of here!" Jo screamed.

"No! I am not leaving you in there!" he yelled back. And with one final push, the side of the brush fell through. "Come on!" Dean reached an arm in and Jo latched on, both of them falling through the large hole and onto the forest floor.

More lightening flashed in the air as they began to run. Dean could feel his grip on Jo's fingers slipping and tried desperately to hold on but it was becoming no use.

Another bolt hit ground, finally causing them to break apart. Smoke filled the air and Dean started to hack violently. He yanked the top of his shirt up over his nose and mouth and looked around wildly for the blonde that had disappeared.

"JO!" he shouted, his head dipping down as the next lightening bolt touched the ground.

But Jo was gone.

The next shock of electricity hit less than a foot away from him. The fire singed the side of his jacket, causing more smoke to enter his lungs. Dean quickly pawed it out but could feel the burning sensation in his skin. He began to move once again, dodging another surge of power as it touched down to his left.

He knew exactly what the Gamemakers were doing. Any tribute would have to be a total idiot to not know. They were trying to rub him out and most likely had already gotten Jo.

A jolt of pain hit his heart at the thought of her.

"Damn it!" he cursed aloud and he took a wild yield to his right, turning to look behind him for any sign of the blonde.

There hadn't been a cannon yet but then again, the shocks of the electricity was so loud that he could have missed it. He hoped with everything that he had that he was wrong though.

He couldn't stand losing her.

And he couldn't stand what District 12 would do if he let that girl die.

His amulet bounced against his chest as he ran, the heat contracting the metal and burning his skin. He yanked it from under his shirt and let it rest on the sweaty cotton but soon put it back as he needed the cotton to cover his nose and mouth once again.

Just run. You need to run.

Without being able to help it, images of Jo's battered and broken body crossed his mind. That beautiful-wait a minute-nice looking brown eyed girl dead because of him and he just couldn't stand it.

Please be alive. Please.

He also knew that Jo would kill him if he risked his life for her like that. But he remembered everything that she had done for him during these Games and that they were supposed to be star-crossed lovers.

God, he hated that saying.

CRACK!

More electricity surged and it snapped a nearby pine in two, causing the tree to come crashing down towards his head. Dean let out a shout of surprise and fear but managed to dodge out of the way in time.

Take that, Azazel.

With another wide loop, Dean moved back. He called out for Jo as loud as he could. Animals were moving the opposite way that he was going and it was then he was forced to turn around. That electricity and that fire was heading straight for him and he was running right into it.

Keep moving!

Ben's still body flashed in front of his eyes. Gordon's crumpled body with his arrow lodged in his neck.

A final shot of power hit right behind him. He could feel the heat rising up his back and almost sizzling his hair.

The burning cove. Jo trapped inside.

And then the electricity was receding. It was falling back and fading away.

The air was so still.

Dean prayed with everything that he had that his father had pried Sam away from the television. He couldn't stand it if Sam had seen what had just happened. But of course, Sam always got his way and had probably seen every second.

Furiously weaving his head around, Dean knew then that there was only one reason why the Gamemakers had sent the electricity away.

Another tribute was near.

Exhaustion finally overtook him and he let himself collapse on a fallen log, knowing that he had to get to water and figure out a way of shelter if somehow he could get around that tribute. But he was too exhausted. Too...

A scream met his ears. Female.

Dean leapt to his feet and ran towards that scream. He could only pray that this wasn't a trap but he wasn't taking any chances.

The scene that met his eyes as he crashed into the clearing almost made him want to throw up.

The remaining tributes from District 2 were there. Along with the survivor from District 11, Rachel. Ben had spoken of her several times and had always had high regards for her. Dean felt a strange pull when he saw Rachel, almost like he needed her.

Ruby and Brady had Rachel cornered right up against a large tree. Ruby had a long knife in her hand, thin and extremely sharp. He could tell just by the way the early morning sun glinted off it's blade. She was slowly running the knife down Rachel's jaw line, bringing out a long and very bright strip of blood.

Fury raged his belly and he quickly notched an arrow. He pointed it right at Ruby's hand and let it fly.

The arrow pierced right through, coming out the other side. Ruby let out a bellow of rage and let her knife drop, hurriedly trying to yank the arrow out. Rachel then took that opportunity to break free of Brady's grip, whirling around and clocking him in the jaw. Brady went down like a ton of bricks, smacking his head on a low rock. Rachel then threw her foot into his ribs, practically tossing him into the bushes.

"Go!" Dean found himself shouting. "Just go!"

Why the hell was he-?

Rachel didn't hesitate to obey. She immediately disappeared into the woods, her long blond hair flying behind her.

Dean immediately notched an arrow, prepared to kill.

But then a knife flew right by his right ear, catching a chunk of skin along the way. Crying out in pain, Dean dropped his bow and clutched at his ear, feeling the blood starting to trickle down the side of his face and off of his chin.

Another knife whizzed past. Dean ducked it in time and it lodged itself into the tree right behind his head. He yanked it out and took off like a bullet.

He could hear Brady and Ruby's footsteps thundering after him. They had decided to abandon Rachel and go for him.

Well, let them come.

Dean continued to run, notching another arrow into the string of his bow as he moved. He turned slightly and let the arrow fly, straight and narrow, right on the edge.

A cry of alarm and pain was his answer.

"Brady!"

Ruby wasn't about to leave Brady behind. He remembered sorely how they had hardly left each other's sides during training. It had sickened him slightly.

He listened sorely for the sound of the cannon as he continued to run. He had one target, one aim now.

But as he went, there was none. Brady was still alive.

Well, it must have been quite a show for the people of the Capitol. First the electrical bullets that had rained down on him, separating him from Jo and making him head right to Brady and Ruby. And then, he saved Rachel. Rachel, who he should have let the Careers kill. He had saved her.

For Ben.

Finally, Dean allowed himself to come to a rest. He had gotten a good distance away from the remaining Careers but he wasn't sure about Foxfire or Rachel. Rachel had disappeared into a part of the arena that he had never been too and he doubted she was going to come looking for him at that moment. Foxfire was hiding someplace, most likely nearby and under cover in a little den just like theirs had been.

Dean clambered around in his pack, pulling out the last of his water and took a few slow sips. He had about half of a bottle left and no idea where the hell he was. The nearest source of water was definitely the lake and that's where Brady and Ruby would most likely head back. He wasn't about to go back there.

He remembered Jo's little spring but he didn't even bother to try and find it. He knew that the Gamemakers would have drained it dry, just to get him to head for the lake once again.

He prayed that rain could come down on him at that moment, soaking him and soothing his burns and bruises. Cooling rain that could wash away everything, absolutely everything that had just happened.

Night came and Dean found himself up a tree once again.

He was fully belted in and feeling the full extent of his injuries. He was sore from top to bottom and his burns were festering already. The last thing that he needed was an infection.

"Come on, Bobby," he whispered. "I need something here." He checked his throbbing arm and winced. Grabbing the knife that Ruby had given him, he cut a small slit in the sleeve of his jacket, giving the open and cool air a chance to hit the burn.

Like clockwork, a small silver parachute fluttered in front of his eyes, making him jump back slightly in alarm.

His first sponsor!

Damn, took long enough.

Dean made a grab for it and pulled the small canister towards him. He undid the top and found a miniscule bottle of anti-septic soothing cream for burns, bites, and cuts.

"Thank you," he whispered into the air.

The anthem immediately began to play after those words left his mouth. Dean applied a thin coat of the cream onto his arm and to the tear in his ear from Ruby's knife. He then pocketed it, somehow knowing that he would need it later.

Dean looked up into the sky. Were they going to show Jo's picture?

But instead of seeing any headshots of dead tributes, he heard the voice of Gabriel.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there have not been any deaths today. And with that, we are announcing something that may peak your interest."

Announcing what? What the hell could peak these freaks' interest?

"A rule change is now in effect. If the final two tributes alive are from the same district, those two tributes will be proclaimed the victors of the Seventy Fourth Annual Hunger Games. Now, sleep peacefully and may the odds ever be in your favor."

The anthem began to play again, drowning out the pounding in Dean's head.

Two victors.

Jo was alive.

Two victors.

Thank God, Jo was alive.

Two victors.

"Jo!"

Dun-duh-dun-dun!

I had to separate Dean and Jo for a little while. I just had to.

Okay, so I know that this is similar to the actual book but I had to keep this part in. It is a very important part of the story with the rule change being announced and all of you wonderful people already knew that both Jo and Dean were going to win from the beginning. But I did try to keep the bad-ass Dean/Katniss moments as different from the book as I could.

I have decided that I am going to write a sequel to this story once I bring it to an end. I am not exactly sure what I am going to call it yet but I am warning you now, there will be a bit of a time jump. That will be explained later as well but the ages of Dean, Jo, Sam, and Lisa will be slightly older. Sam and Dean will be about the same ages that they were in Season 1, maybe two or three years younger. Bear with me, you wonderful people, and I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. :D Also, I am going to be bringing more characters that haven't been mentioned yet, like Rufus, Ash, Zachariah, Jodie, etc.

Oh, and quick question. I am currently batting around a story idea set in Season 5 where Michael does take possession of Dean and Sam has to try to get Dean back. Anyone like? Hmm?

I just wanted to extend a thank you to you wonderful people. Thank you so much for being so invested in this story and leaving such amazing reviews. I love all of you.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. :P