Well shit (excuse me my friends) I have been putting this chapter off because I'm not so sure where to go from here. But this will be where I am going I guess. It should be interesting to see where my mind takes this. Sometimes I will dive off into crazy town, but don't worry, I will bring it back to reality.

Also, this is a big pleading stupid immature thing to say (frankly I hate it when authors do this, but yes I am stooping to this level): PLEEEEASE go check out my story Fixed and tell me how you like it.

Read and Enjoy everyone!

Two Months Later

"Cato." The gruff yell sends me straight out of my dreamy thoughts. I look up only to see a less than pleased Brutus standing before me. "What the hell are you doing?" his voice is thick with anger.

All around the gym, the sound of fists pounding bags stops and all eyes are trained on me. I can feel my face go red, it isn't often that Brutus gets angry, but when he does, it's bad. It's like throwing a snake in a fire, only to have the snake survive and attack you after.

"Get the hell outa my ring until you can learn to pay-fucking-attention." He's done it, he's finally lost it, the kind gruffness is lost in his reddened face, and I can see the foaming spit of anger in the corners of his mouth. This is going to be one hell of a night.

I wipe my brow on my sleeve, cursing every word I can fathom in my mind. Before I can even think, the chair in my hands goes flying across the room, hitting the wall with a dull thud. It would happen to hit the only sheetrock wall in the brick building, and it would happen to be the wall to Brutus's office. Shit.

I look over and the rung. I can see his knuckles turning white against the ropes surrounding the edges. He's getting ready to explode and I cringe, waiting for the worst.

You see, I'm used to this, people exploding, getting mad easily. Hell, I grew up with a dad that used me as his virtual punching bag. But, when Brutus is angry it hurts more than all the punches I've endured. It stings worse than the burns and bites worse than the kicks. When Brutus is angry, it hurts on the inside. He's been my dad now for ages. I sound like one of those sentimental freaks I've tried so hard not to be.

Sighing, I throw my wraps in my bag, gagging at the stench they throw off. Across the gym I can hear Katniss grunting as she throws herself into her workout, Rue watches from a few feet away, her eyes wide with anticipation. She even has Angelo watching her with speculation, taking notes in that damn spiral of his.

Why, might you ask, have I been kicked out once again for my thoughts? The reason lies across the gym under the speculation of the two kids.

I don't know what's happened to me since I met her. Suddenly life isn't just about my and getting by, it's about her and making her happy. She has taken up rent in the once vacant heart, and is driving my mind crazy with thoughts of her.

I sit through my math class, and she's all I can think about. World Government and it's the same thing. Thoughts of her plague my existence.

After we got home that day at the beach, I cleaned up the mess our newest pet, Melrose made. The dog's a mutt, and it hates one thing more than everything else. Me. If I even get close to Katniss at home, the thing growls and pounces at me until I get away. Then it returns to its spot right at her side.

Forget sleeping with her to keep away the nightmares, the dog lays right in the middle of us. I swear it kicks me until I leave, all the while pretending to be asleep.

Katniss keeps me on my toes, the last incident was over three weeks ago. Nothing bad has happened since. We kiss occasionally, and when we can find the time, I hold her in my arms. She likes the little things like that. She doesn't want to be told how beautiful she is every second, but I remind her every day, and she sure as hell doesn't want me hanging on her like I have her on a leash.

She's different in that way, but she still tries with me. I catch her gazing off sometimes, with the faraway look I know she gets when things are about to get bad. When I do, I pull her face gently up to meet mine and I press my lips against hers softly. By the time one of us pulls away, the fire is back in her grey eyes.

I don't push her about her family, I want her to tell me on her own accord, I don't want to make her feel forced. She'll come around eventually, and when she does, I will be ready, waiting to listen.

"Hey." I whip my head around, facing Enobaria's sad gaze. She reaches her pale hand out, pressing it against my hot cheek.

The look in Enobaria's eyes is one I have seen many times in the face of my own mother as a child. I can only imagine what she must be feeling on the inside. To En, I'm the closest thing she has to a kid.

When she was seventeen, she was raped. She kept the baby, and she loved it. From what Brutus has told me, it was the best thing that had happened to her at the time. I don't know why she wanted to keep the baby, maybe it was a reminder that good things can come from things as horrific as rape. She lost the baby a few weeks into her third trimester.

After she lost the baby, she was done with life, and alcohol was her only friend. Brutus laid down the law when he found her passed out on the floor covered in barf. I guess even Brutus can only take so much. Enobaria got her life turned back around, and she leaned on Brutus when she needed it. My mom was her best friend.

"You look so much like your mother." She sighs, tucking a loose strand of platinum blond hair behind her ear.

"Enobaria." I groan, pulling her into a crushing embrace.

"What? It's true you know. You have here blue eyes and blonde hair." She wipes at her eyes. "I'm sorry sweetheart; it's just that I can see her in you so well. You have so many of her mannerisms and the look you have in your eyes. You like this Katniss girl, no?" she smiles softly.

"Yeah En, I like her more than a lot." I respond with a soft smirk.

"Be careful then?" she responds, dabbing away the last few tears in her eyes.

"Always am." I smile, swinging my bag over my shoulder.

All eyes are on me again as I walk towards the bags where the kids and my Katniss stand.

"Ready to go?" I ask, wrapping my arms around her waist, sweeping her into a soft kiss.

She squeals, pushing me away, giggling something about how sweaty I am. Rue claps her hands over her eyes and Angelo shakes his head.

"Can we get ice cream Catty?" Rue bats her eyes up at me, using the nickname she so affectionately gave me when she was only three.

"I don't know, does Katniss think you earned it?" I give her a quizzical glance. Rue's foot stomps against the ground in a flurry tantrum.

"I think we both did." Katniss chimes in, rolling her eyes at my antics.

I grin at her, reaching down to grab her hand, she doesn't pull away, but doesn't look up at me. Her cheeks are red, and she looks down at the ground with a small smile.

As I push open the door, embracing the chilled October air, Brutus calls out to me.

"Boy, you have a fight on Friday. You better get your shit in order or I'll kick your ass straight to the curb." I reach down to cover Rue's ears, worried another outburst will come from him.

I turn back, giving him a smile.

He understands. My life is finally in order; all I have to do is figure it out.

I am begging you to give me your reactions. I take the good and the bad!

Love to All,

Dedicated