When Lily slowly opened her eyes all she saw was white. Bright, sleek white she feared for a moment that she had died and this was the afterlife awaiting her. She blinked rapidly a few times and with every flutter of her eyes her vision came back clearly and a face began to materialize. She thought it was Cato for a moment but as things became clearer she realized it was Finnick. Lily looked up warmly at him as her heart beat began to grow faster.

"You scared me," He breathed, giving her a soft and incredible smile. He sat down in front of her on her bed and she smiled up at him touching his cheek, he leaned into her hand.

"I am so happy you're here," She breathed, she could feel a small tension of electricity surging between them that was there before the games.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, curling a hand softly around the back of her neck, he leaned forward and kissed her. Some part of Lily knew that there were a million reasons this shouldn't be happening, that she shouldn't be kissing him back but for the first time since the games started she felt safe and the solace she always found in his embrace consumed her, she brought her hand up to his cheek and deepened the kiss. Finally he pulled away resting his forehead on hers catching his breath.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that," He whispered, pulling away and sitting back in front of her.

"No," She shook her head "You shouldn't have. But I kissed you back. What happened? Where's Cato?"

His face dropped as Cato's name left her lips. "Katniss had night lock berries in her pocket after you stabbed her, she fell down and Peeta thought she was dying so he put the berries in his mouth. You were probably the most popular Tribute in the Capitol both you and Cato and it was an up roar when you were bitten by that mutt, they wouldn't let you go and sent through thousands of parachutes of medicine to save you, though you needed medical care to actually survive they had to end the games."

"Is he okay?"

"His team discharged him last night." Finnick said quietly. "I believe they want you to reunite on the show with Caesar in front of everyone. Katniss and Peeta too." Finnick nodded. "They aren't happy with you Princess," He sighed. "This is very serious. You need to go out there and you need to convince President Snow that it was real, that you would rather have died than lived without Cato."

"It was real," She whispered, feeling so guilty about hurting Finnick, about kissing him back, about hurting Cato if he were to find out about it.

"I'll go get the Doctor to see you." He said quietly before getting up and walking out. Lily felt tears escaping, she shouldn't have allowed Finnick to kiss her but she couldn't deny to herself anymore that she did have some feelings for him while not as strong as the ones she had for Cato, they were there lingering in her heart. Before the games she could ignore them as she thought she wouldn't come back but now she was here and alive she would have to address them.

The next few hours felt as though they dragged, she had been discharged and rushed off to her stylists to get ready for the interview with Caesar. After being unconscious and healed for four days all she wanted to do was rest but they had made it very clear that the interview would take place as soon as possible when she woke. Lily felt like she was in auto pilot all she wanted was to see Cato and see for herself that he indeed was okay and he had made it out alive, it all felt like a dream to her.

Finally the time had come, she was dressed in a floor length light blue shimmering dress waiting on one side of the stage for Caesar to call her out. They had already interviewed Peeta and Katniss and now she was finally going to see Cato.

"You know them as the Cato, lethal boy from District two and Lily Panem's Princess from district four our other star crossed lovers!" Lily hurriedly stumbled up on stage and froze when she laid eyes on the familiar blue eyes, her eyes glanced over his body to ensure he was okay before she rushed forward. His trances also being broken he made his was over to her and she leapt into his arms and kissed him fiercely.

"You're okay?" He whispered after they finally broke apart. "They wouldn't let me see you, I was going crazy."

"I love you," She whispered back and kissed him again.

"Okay you two enough of that adorable reunion come and sit down and tell me everything!" Caesar laughed excitedly. Lily tuned out the recap of the games as they played on screen, Cato held her hand and squeezed it whenever Lily would close her eyes during the painful parts for her, her killings, Niles death and when the mutt attacked her.

"Wow!" Caesar exclaimed after it ended. "I mean just wow am I right folks?" The crowds went wild along with Caesar. "Now Lily, Cato" He began "I think we can all safely assume things between you two started before the games, is that right?"

"Yes," Cato said strongly looking at Lily who stared right back. "It started for me the moment I laid eyes on her here in the Capitol."

"So the Capitol can claim we brought you two love birds together?" Lily cringed at that comment, of course they're responsible, they also responsible for the death of every tribute.

"Yes Caesar it is with thanks to the Capitol we found each other and can now be together." Lily smiled, answering just how Finnick coached her.

"Lily in your interview you told us about a boy who we assumed was from home can we now clarify it was Cato?"

"Yes," Lily smiled sweetly, "it was Cato, I am sorry I kept that from you!" She teased Caesar

"Well we forgive you!" The rest of the interview was a blur to Lily until the end when Caesar grabbed her hand. "And Lily we have to ask you how you felt about Nile, Do you hold any grudges to him almost killing you?"

Lily's blood ran cold at the mention of Nile, "Of course not," She whispered feeling tears form in her eyes. "He was clearly effected by the games, he wouldn't have wanted to hurt me, he was just trying to survive that's all any of us were doing and I am sorry he didn't make it," Tears spilled out and Cato leaned over to wiped them from her cheeks, and gave her a light kiss.

After the interview Cato dragged Lily up to his suite, and pulled her into his bedroom claiming he wasn't letting her out of his sight again. He leant her a shirt to sleep in and pulled her down to the bed facing him. He kissed her slowly, his hand on her cheek.

"I am so glad you're okay," He whispered, "I thought you were gone when you passed out."

"I'm okay," She breathed crashing her lips back to his, and for the second time ever they made love and Lily felt safe and cared for as he so attentively held here.