Guys! I'm so sorry again...I thought it was a good end, so I ended it there. I know I promised a really long chapter. But on a happier note...We're nearing the end! I'm so excited! Thanks so much to all those who have supported me thus far. I couldn't have done it without your support. Stay until the last chapters, please? I'm estimating maybe two or three more, then it's all going to end...

This story is dedicated to Holly my cherished sister, and Courtney a great support and inspirer for me...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins nor the world and characters she created. Enjoy!

After spending about thirty minutes cruising through the night, Katniss cut off the engine and leaped off and pulled off her helmet shaking out her static-y hair…Thom followed and surveyed the house. It was pretty classy. Definitely belonged to one of the 'richies' as he liked to call them, Thom decided.

"Katniss," he whispered. "Who's house is this?"

Katniss looked tired. "It's Finnick's house. He's pretty rich." she answered. "You're staying here."

"Wha-" Thom started, but Katniss cut him off by knocking on the door of the cottage.

Finnick answered the door, "Hey Kat. We were just eating dinner, you wanna come in? Did you get tired of Cra-" Then he noticed Thom. "What's he doing here?"

Katniss ran a hand through her hair. "Look, can you help Thom out? Just let him stay until Medical School? You don't have to feed him or anything, but let him have a room to stay in. And it would be good if it's quiet so he could work there," she added.

"Kat, it's fine! He could eat with us too, but why?" Finnick asked confused.

Katniss sighed, "We, or rather I, got kicked out of Cray's house, and Thom decided to leave too."

"But what about you?" Thom asked, finally getting a grasp on what was happening. "You're not staying here too?"

"Yeah," Finnick joined in. "You know we could house both of you easily."

Katniss smiled tiredly, "Maybe I'll take you up on that offer. But I probably won't be around to see Thom go to Med School. Anyway, not tonight at least. I'm going to get a vehicle for Thom."

"Where?" Thom asked. "And why?"

"I'll either get my car out of the auto shop, or I'll get yours from home. We need at least two vehicles, my motorcycle will work for me, but you need a vehicle to go places." Katniss explained. Then, seeing Thom's distraught face she added, "And you can't stop me!"

"Catnip," Thom pleaded. "You can't go back there! Cray'll do something to you!"

"Since when is that a surprise?" Katniss snapped, getting tired. "Look, stop it. You know it's mandatory."

Thom sighed, "Be safe."

"Whatever, Thommy babes." A bit of the old Katniss shone through.

"You're a pain in the S, you know that right?" Thom shook his head at her.

"Thommy babes, Thommy babes, how many times must I tell you…That's what brothers and sisters are for, without sharing the same parents or not!" Katniss sounded like she was joking, but her eyes were telling a different story.

Since her sister and dad's death, Thom had been the only relation who really felt like a relation. They were knitted tightly together, sometimes even tighter than a real brother and sister.

"I wish you'd never have to leave." Thom looked down at his hands. They both knew what he really meant, he wasn't talking about getting another vehicle for him.

Katniss searched in her brain for something to say. Then she remembered a vague memory of someone telling her… "But not all wishes come true," Katniss told Thom sadly, and hopped onto her motorcycle. Once again, cruising through the night…But this time...She was alone.

Katniss climbed off her motorcycle, creeping quietly towards what used to be her home. She had tried to get her car out of the auto shop, but unfortunately Cray had already made his move. He had canceled the work on her car, thus resulting in her car not being ready to ride. So, here she was sneaking Thom's car out of the garage. She knew she could do it. Easy. The problem was how far Cray would go to. He had once taken out a gun to shoot at some hoodlum's who were vandalizing his property.

But it was late at night, Katniss had reasoned, and they were probably asleep…or drunk. She continued her silent walk towards the garage, with Thom's keys in her pocket, when she thought she heard steps. She stopped, dead still, straining her ears for any other sounds. As a hunter, Katniss knew she could trust her ears. She had heard something.

When her ears produced no other result of hearing some other human being or animal around she continued her walk towards the garage for the second time, but being ever so more careful. She was on the sidewalk in front of the gates when she knocked into someone and almost fell…until she was caught rather roughly, but she never hit the ground. His hand, Katniss knew it was a he, no one could be so strong to make her feel the pain she was feeling, pinched her arm hurtfully. Neither of them knew who the other was, Katniss reasoned. But she had a feeling it was Cray. Hopefully, he didn't have his gun with him. She could practically see his wheels turning trying to find out if it was a hoodlum he could beat up, or if it was a rich person's kid causing some mischief, in which case he wouldn't dare hurt.

She bit her lip to keep from crying out and causing noise for Cray to resolute who she was. Cray wasn't dumb. He was one of the best lawyers. She knew he was smart…But he was also abusive. Her mind was working faster and harder than Cray's. Finally she kneed him where it hurts, and took off running.

Cray cursed, "You!" so now he knew it was Katniss, and Katniss's thoughts were confirmed, she knew it was Cray. "You're not gonna get away so easily, you scum!" he shouted.

Katniss pumped her legs faster to the garage. If only she could get to the car. As mentioned before, Katniss knew Cray wasn't an idiot. He wouldn't think that he could have a winning chance against a car.

Katniss made it. She made it to the car. She turned on the engine, and Cray was caught in the car's spotlights.

Cray cursed, "You bitch!" but he ran in the opposite direction, to his house, presumably to get a gun.

To say that Katniss stepped on it, would be an understatement. She was well away from the house. She had about fifteen more minutes to go, when…

"Damn you Thom!" Katniss tipped her head back in frustration. "You couldn't have filled the gas tank up before?" She slammed her hand on the dash board out of purely frustration. After calming down for a bit, she opened the car door and stepped out. She was in an unfamiliar neighborhood. As she leaned exhaustedly against her hood, she sighed.

"Really? Could the day get any worse?" she mumbled. She sat there, on the hood of Thom's expensive Corvette, trying to find a way to get herself out of the mess she'd gotten into. She decided that she'd end up walking to the nearest gas station, she had money to buy gas.

But she'd most likely be stuck there for almost all the night. She groaned, but she started the trek to wherever the nearest gas station was. She had been walking for about five blocks when she ran into someone. Again. And again, the person caught her.

This person's hold on her was different though. Katniss felt safe in his grasp. The person spoke up, "Katniss?" he asked incredulously.

"Cato." Katniss breathed.

"What are you doing here?" Cato hissed. "This is not a good neighborhood to be wandering around in!"

Katniss, being ever the snappish self which was enhanced by it being late at night retorted, "What're you doing her then?"

Cato ran a hand through his hair, "Katniss. Just answer the question!"

"Well, if you must know, Thom and I got kicked out of our house, so we're at Finnick's, then I decided to get Thom's vehicle back, then Cray might've…gone to get a gun," she cringed at her own words. "And then Thom's freakin' stupid Corvette had to run out of gas!" she gave Cato the short version of the story.

"Christ." Cato screwed his eyes shut.

"No, my name's Katniss." Katniss told him sarcastically.

"Shut up. We'll come back for the car tomorrow. You can ride with me." Cato practically dragged Katniss to his car.

"Finnick's house is fifteen minutes away from here," Katniss protested to Cato. "Your house is like in the opposite direction!"

"I don't care," Cato mumbled. "I don't care wherever I take you. You shouldn't be anywhere near here. There's…bad people here."

"Then why were you here!" Katniss all but shouted. "I'm not helpless you know!"

"Hush!" Cato hissed, interrupting her. "If you're not helpless, then what were you doing walking all this way, huh? And I can come here because I can protect myself."

"And I can't!" Katniss sighed exasperatedly. "I understand that some people think that I can't take care of myself, but I can! I've proved that to Cray more than once after he beat me up! I know how to defend myself!"

"Just get in the car, dammit!" Cato glared at Katniss.

Katniss glared at the ground. Cato pursed his lips. She still wouldn't look him in the eye. She said back, "Fine!" Cato revved the engine, and they drove along the black roads at night, when Katniss realized they weren't going to Finnick's. "Where are we going?" she sighed. "This isn't the road to Finnick's house. You and me both know that, so there's no use trying to lie to me, wherever you're taking me."

Cato's hands clenched the steering wheel, "I'm taking you to my house."

"Why?" Katniss slumped down in her seat tiredly. "Why would you take me to your great mansion of a house? It's not like if a gang jumped us that they would let you go to your house but not Finni-" then she stopped abruptly.

"Oh." she said softly, then bit her lip as the realization came to her. "Oh."

"Oh, what?" Cato asked tiredly.

Then Katniss exploded, "Why the hell are you in a gang?"

Cato winced, but he kept up the act, "What are you talking about?" he replied in measured tones.

"Don't even try to lie to me," Katniss hissed. Here she was, yelling at him, but she still didn't look him in the eye. "I know what a gang is like. I know the rules, the regulations." she persisted.

"And how do you know?" Cato challenged.

"Because I've been in one. I know the signs. I know that you're not allowed to leave. Please, Cato, don't do this. Once you get in, you can't get out…Have you taken the pledge yet?" She asked in desperation.

"No. I haven't yet." Cato answered. "How did you get out, if you said you couldn't?"

"I moved." was her simple answer. "It was the perfect opportunity to leave. Cray wanted to move, and for the first time, I whole heartedly agreed with him," she laughed bitterly. Then she turned deadly serious, "Promise me."

"Promise you what?" Cato asked, although he knew what she was asking.

"Promise me that you won't join them. Promise me you'll walk away and never look back. Cato," she pleaded. "Trust me, you'd regret it so, so much. I regret it so much. Please."

"Ok." Cato agreed readily.

Katniss's shoulders slumped with relief. "Good." she sighed. "Thanks."

"No, thank you," as Cato turned a corner, he noticed the bags under her eyes. "You should catch some sleep."

"We're almost as your place though," Katniss protested tiredly.

Cato saw how much she needed sleep. So he lied. "No, we're not close at all. You must be really tired to think that we're close." he lied.

"Oh." Katniss said exhaustedly, but cutely. "Then, I think I will get some sleep if you don't mind."

"Go right on ahead, sweetheart," Cato told her. He saw her cheeks blush, but she fell asleep almost instantly. After she did, about five minutes later, they reached his house, or rather, mansion.

He was careful not to wake her, as he lifted her out of the car. When he got into the house, and his parents saw him carrying her, Mrs. Stone said, "Oh, is she all right?"

"She's fine, mum. I'm gonna put her in my room, ok?" he asked as he carried Katniss bridal style up to his room.

"Alright dear." she agreed. "Does her brother know she's here?" she asked doubtfully.

"Argh," Cato sighed. "I'll text him, right now."

"No, I will," his mum volunteered.

"Thanks mum. G'night, I love you both." Cato sighed in relief.

"Love you too, son."

As Cato climbed up three stories, Katniss's arms made their way around his neck and she snuggled into his chest. Cato looked down at her, "I love you," he whispered.

When they got to his room, Cato made a move to put her on the bed and move towards the floor, but Katniss said in sleep induced bleariness and almost unconsciousness, "Stay."

Cato sat back down, and cradled her to his chest. Who knew how many more times he would get to do this? He replied in a soft tone, loving and gentle.

"Always."

When Katniss woke up the next day, she literally freaked out, Cato decided. "What am I doing here?" she panicked.

"It's ok," Cato soothed. "You're just in my house."

"Just in your house? Why am I here in the first place?" she asked as yesterday's events slowly came flooding back.

Katniss finally got a grip on things, and considerably calmed down. "Okay," she told him slowly. "I guess you can just take me to where Thom's car is, and I'll bring gas, and then we can both drive our separate ways."

"No," was Cato's sharp, but resolute answer.

"And why ever not?" Katniss glared at the ground.

"You know why," Cato argued, and sighed. Katniss still wouldn't look at him. "I don't want you going into the neighborhood again! It's dangerous and there are gangs!"

"Ugh!" Katniss flopped onto the bed. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"I suggest that we leave the car there, and I'll just bring you to Finnick's house. You can always borrow a car from my house. We have tons." Cato told her.

"We can't just impede on you like that!" Katniss moaned. "Why, oh why, did Thom not fill up his gas tank!"

"Well, I'm glad he didn't," Cato commented.

"And why not?" Katniss asked defiantly and sat up again, but still wouldn't look him in the eye. "You yourself said you didn't like the neighborhood I was stuck in!"

"Because, you got to stay with me for a night," Cato smirked. Then his playful mood dissolved, "So you want me to take you to Finnick's?"

Katniss's shoulders slumped in defeat, "I guess so."

"Ok, let's go." Cato grabbed her hand and hoisted her up. She carefully avoided his eyes. Again. Cato was getting frustrated, why wouldn't she just look at him for a moment?

After Mrs. Stone bombarded Katniss with questions, and a whole basket of pastries, she sent them on their way.

After fifteen minutes out of forty five, Cato tried to make some small talk.

"So," he started awkwardly. "Thom's confrontation went well?"

Katniss snorted, and almost looked at Cato. Cato's heart soared, but then, she looked out the window again. He clenched his hands on the steering wheel. "If you call me getting kicked out, and Thom following my example, I guess that it went well," she answered him.

"I never knew, what did he really want to be? I know that he was supposed to be a lawyer, but I never knew what he really wanted to be." Cato supplied.

"Mmm," Katniss looked down at her clenched hands. "He wants to be a doctor, my dad's hobby."

Cato winced apologetically, "What was your dad's job, if being a doctor was his hobby?" He wondered if he treading on too dangerous waters.

Katniss still answered him. "He was a construction builder. Gale's dad too. The building collapsed, they both got seriously injured. Thom's dad died, and my dad got cancer and died one week later." her eyes were unfocused.

"I'm sorry," Cato told her. "And I know that's over used, but I do mean it."

"Thanks," Katniss said softly. She again, almost looked at Cato, but she carefully looked down at her hands, which were clenched so hard that they were white and they looked painful.

"Would you just look at me, dammit!" Cato was fed up. He hid his hand against the steering wheel.

"What?" Katniss asked surprised, jerking her head up, and finally looked at Cato, but she quickly brought her head back down, as if something had stung her.

"What is wrong with you?" Cato asked angrily. "I don't have a disease you know," he said sarcastically. "It wouldn't kill you to look at me!"

"You don't understand," Katniss said softly.

"Well then explain it to me," Cato looked sideways at her angrily. He had pulled over to the curb, and they still had a long trip to Finnick's house, but Cato needed to talk.

Katniss hadn't noticed that they stopped. "Do you understand how hard it is to be around you right now?" she looked him straight in the eye now, and Cato couldn't help but see the dark bags under her eyes. "It hurts whenever I look at you. I…It's hard." Katniss had tears in her eyes.

"Dammit." Cato closed his eyes, tiredly. "I'm so tired of all this." he opened his eyes. "I wish…"

"But not all wishes come true," Katniss slumped in her seat, cutting him off. "Look, just drive me to Finnick's."

Silence reined. Then, Cato said, "I hate how some people use my own lines against me."

Katniss screwed her eyes shut.

Finnick cried, "We're all bored, so let's just play hide and seek!"

Katniss raised an eyebrow, "Hide and seek?" she asked incredulously. "You're kidding me!"

"Nope! Let's play!" Finnick affirmed. "Touch your nose for it!"

The group touched their noses as fast as they could, and Cato was the odd one out. "You're it Cato!" Finnick grinned happily.

"Sometimes I wonder how you can get so...sugar highed on a sandwich..." Katniss muttered, but went off to hide while Cato smiled at her comment and started to count.

Cato was looking for Katniss…Yes, he knew hide and seek was find as many people as you can, but he was looking for Katniss. Ironically, he found everyone but Katniss and while they scoured the house by watching TV, although they claimed they were being productive by learning about the world through Dragon Ball Z, he found her sitting in her room slumped against the wall. When he came in she started and looked him straight in the eye, then quickly bowed her head and looked at her hands.

Cato was tired of this behavior. He decided to say it straight out loud, "Katniss."

"Yeah?" Katniss's voice cracked from not using it for a while. She stood up against the wall and stretched her hands toward the ceiling, exposing a thin strip of skin above her jeans. She was careful not to look him in the eye.

"I'm tired of this." Cato leaned against the doorframe.

"Tired of what?" Katniss asked, though she perfectly knew why.

Cato didn't push it. "I'm tired of being avoided by you. I'm tired of longing for you when you're only two feet away." he took a step closer to Katniss. "I'm tired of knowing that you're crying every day and not being able to comfort you." he was right in front of her. He noticed she had tears in her eyes, "I'm tired of not being able to love you outside of my mind."

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Katniss asked, a stray tear rolling down her pale cheek. "Let me lay this out for you. I find a new friend. I'm talking to him. My boyfriend gets jealous. So he kisses another girl. What should I do?" she wasn't being sarcastic Cato realized. She was torn. "I love him," she continued. "I really do. But how do I know he really loves me? He kissed that girl with no hesitation." she was sobbing now. "How do I know he won't do it again?"

"Because he loves you."

"Does he?" Katniss lifted her tear stained face. "Does he?" she challenged.

"More than you could ever know," Cato looked down at her with tears in his own eyes. Cato never knew what did it. What made Katniss forgive him. Maybe she saw in his eyes, how much he loved her and cared about her, no matter how undeserving he was. But she forgave him.

"I forgive you," the words came out.

Cato looked up sharply, "Really?"

Katniss smiled through her tears, "Really."

Cato drew her to his body. They sat there slumped against the wall. Then, Cato laughed softly and said, "I found you."