*****DISCLAIMER!*****

Cinna: Okay, we are all here because Lovely needs our help.

Haymitch: *Snorts* That girl needs professional help.

Effie: Haymitch!

Haymitch: What, you all know it's the truth.

Peeta: *Rushes in the room* Katniss has her in the hall, but she's putting up a good fight.

Katniss: *Walks in holding arms* Stop wiggling!

Me: Get off me! Get off me!

Cinna: Lovely, listen, you don't own any rights.

Me: I already know – what is this? ARE YOU HAVING AN INTERVENTION?!

Cinna: Yes because you need to get a grip on reality. Suzanne Collins owns the Hunger Game trilogy.

Me: Fine.

Katniss: *Eyes warily* That was too easy.

DUN DUN DUN!


Previously:
I force myself up and lunge. Letting go of Katniss, Cato swiftly wraps an arm around my neck, his hands gripping my jaw. He could kill me any second. This boy is far from an ally and my life is currently in his hands… literally.


Chapter Twenty-Eight: Nightlock

102213

LovelyUnderland


(KPOV)

"Peeta!" I yell as I aim my arrow at Cato. I did not get Peeta this far to lose him to some blonde mass murderer. Then again, we're all murderers in the arena.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, Girl on Fire," Cato warns. Between Peeta, who is struggling to breathe, and Cato, who is prepared to kill him, I don't know what to do.

"I could easily kill him. If you shoot me, he goes down with me. That would be to your benefit anyways. Why don't you just do it?"

I don't say anything.

"You know, I wanted to bring pride to my district. I can still do it though. I can still win. I can win and become a victor– live in luxury. Just two more kills."

Your life would be no luxury.

Lowering my arrow, I see Peeta draw an X on the back of Cato's hand. It was too late for Cato when he realized what was going on. My arrow had already been released and was implanting itself into his skin. Yanking his hand away, Cato paid no mind to Peeta who had turned around and pushed him off of the Cornucopia.

I can hear the mutts attacking Cato and the screams coming from him. I feel sick. No matter what the mutts did, he wasn't dying. The body armour was only protecting him from serious damage, not from injury. His screams seemed to go on forever, until he said something that I can never erase from my mind.

The words, the way he said it, the look on his bleeding face, the pain in his voice. "End it, please. I'm scared."

Cato is just a kid. A kid that doesn't deserve to die like this. It's sick.

Loading another arrow, I sent it through his skull. Once the cannon sounds, the mutts disappear. I drop to my knees and breathe. The Games are finally over. I see Peeta who is slouched against the Cornucopia. His healed leg is bleeding again from the fleshed ripped open by a mutt.

"Peeta," I say, crawling over to him, "stay awake!"

The only thing I have left is the cloth from my head. I wrap it around Peeta's leg. His body is sickly pale from the blood loss. He's already died once; I'm not going to let him die again.

"We did it, Katniss. We get to go home," Peeta says weakly while I help him off of the Cornucopia. I open my mouth and Claudius Templesmith's voice takes over.

"Attention, tributes. The previous revision allowing two tributes to go home has been revoked. Only one victor will be allowed. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favour."

Of course this would happen. Why did I expect everything to be okay? They need an intense ending. The star-crossed lovers set against each other. Who will win?

Again, I can't breathe. One way or another, I have to break some promises I made. I'm not going home without Peeta and, if that meant not going home at all, so be it.

"Go ahead," Peeta says raising his hands in defeat.

"W-what?" Even in my soundless ear, I can hear the rhythmic beating of his heart.

"Look, one of us has to go home. They have to have their victor," he says with fear in his eyes.

"N-no," I choke out. "Peeta, no!"

"Katniss, you'll be fine without me. You'll be okay," he says softly, pulling me into a hug.

My yelling and screaming echoes through the arena. I punch my fists' into Peeta's chest like a child, but he doesn't let go. He takes every hit I throw without a flinch.

"No, no, no! You promised– said you wouldn't leave me– the promise– can't leave you– I promised– we promised– Peeta!" My ability to form proper sentences has failed me –everything being said came out in chunks.

"I'll still be with you. Maybe not physically, but I will still be with you," Peeta says. I can hear, in his broken voice, that he is crying.

"I don't want to be seen as just a piece in their games"

A piece in their games. Peeta's words repeat in my mind. Now, I get what he meant. He didn't want to be controlled and killed off by their rule. The idea that fills my head is suicidal and rebellious, but that's the point. They want a victor– two or none.

This is my chance to show that the capitol, and my father, can't control us. We are going to play by our own rules now. Fuck the Capitol.

I pull away and force myself to stop crying. In the strongest voice I can I say, "No."

"What?" Peeta says, his deep blue orbs looking into mine.

"No, I'm not leaving you. You're not leaving me. We are in this together. Either we both go home or neither of us go home. Peeta, I don't care if they want a victor– I'm not going home without you."

"Katniss, are you insane? What the hell is going through your mind?! Don't lose your life because of me," Peeta hisses, but his voice lacks venom.

"Maybe I am insane, but aren't we all? Peeta, I don't want to be seen as just a piece in their games," I say and pull the nightlock from my pocket. Peeta's eyes grow wide but he doesn't argue. He understands that I can't leave him; that I don't care about the Gamemakers, my dad, my controlled life, the Capitol.

"Don't leave me here alone, Peeta." I whisper, holding out the berries.

"I won't. I promise." Peeta smiles.

"Together?"

"Together."

"Alright, on the count of three," I hold up three fingers and wiggle them, earning a chuckle from Peeta.

"Then you and I'll be safe and sound."

Taking a deep breath he begins the countdown. Our countdown.

"One."

He kisses my cheek one last time.

"Two."

I look around at the bubble we are stuck in.

"Three."

We kiss each other and lift the nightlock to our mouths… but we never finish because Claudius Templesmith's voice booms throughout the arena.

"Stop! Stop!" A sharp intake of air can be heard. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! Tributes from District Twelve!"


*A/N: I hope you liked it! Please R&R! I will be updating every other day if possible!-LovelyUnderland*