CHAPTER 2.8

'Memories will have to do.

They will take the place of you.

Can't you tell me what is true.'


Recovering from her shock, Indiana pulled out a small knife and cut out the fang embedded into the poor morphling's ass.

"Go on. Get her. I'll cover you." Indiana nudged Peeta towards the woman's body and followed behind as Peeta carried her body towards the beach.

Sinking down next to the body, Indiana clasped the morphling's hand in hers, hoping to offer some sort of comfort in her last moments. The other three of the pack walked off to 'watch out for other tributes' but really, they were giving Indiana and Peeta some time to say goodbye to the stranger that sacrificed herself for them.

Peeta crouched down on the other side of the woman, stroking her hair and whispering comforting words in her to try and distract her from the horrible place she was in. Reaching up to Peeta's cheek, the dying woman painted a flower on it in her blood.

"Thank you. It's beautiful." Peeta smiled, giving the morphling one last piece of joy before her hand fell limp in Indiana's and her heart stopped beating.

Together, Indiana and Peeta carried her body into the water, watching as it floated for a moment before the crane snatched it up and flew it back to the Capitol. As the pair sat together on the sand in silence, Indiana realised her desire to murder the boy from Twelve had diminished. Peeta Mellark was compassionate and caring, which showed when he bumped his shoulder against Indiana's in a comforting manner. When she didn't snap at him and the corner of her mouth lifted, Peeta took it as a chance to start a conversation.

"Thank you, for saving my life. Again." Peeta didn't look at her and she didn't look at him. "You're a lot nicer than you were portrayed as being last year."

Letting out a chuckle (which surprised both of them), Indiana finally turned to look at him. "Let's not make a habit out of it, Bread Boy."

Peeta smirked at her before both of them turned back to stare at the small waves. Yes, they had both tried to kill each other at some point (and one had succeeded) but maybe they weren't as bad as the other thought.


"Why don't you all get some rest?" Katniss said to the rest of the group. "I'll keep watch for a while."

Clenching her shaking hands, Indiana ignored the nausea that washed over her at the idea of sleeping. "No, thank you. If you don't mind, I'd rather do it."

"Indie, you need some rest." Cato scorned, giving her a hard look.

"I can't," she confessed, her voice deathly quiet as she didn't want the others to hear her.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Cato lay down on the floor next to the woman who'd stolen his heart, holding on tightly to her hand. Finnick requested to keep watch alongside Indiana and everyone agreed once they saw the un-shed tears in his eyes. Snores poured out of Cato's mouth yet he still kept a tight grip on Indiana's hand, knowing it would provide her some comfort. A tribute had risked their life for her and she didn't even know her name.

Finnick and Indiana didn't say much but they shuffled closer to each other. Indiana rested her head on his shoulder. Having been friends for a long time, they knew when the other was hurting and what they needed. And they both knew that words wouldn't make anything better.


Katniss was the first to wake, coming to sit beside the two 'guards'. Noticing the blood under her nails and the scabs on her on her arms, Katniss begged Haymitch to send them something for the itching that everyone seemed to be suffering from. He quickly obliged.

Once the two Victors had covered themselves in the disturbing looking ointment, they passed the tube towards Indiana who eyed it suspiciously.

"Go on, you need it. And you deserved it." Katniss urged.

All three of them stared at each (and the green splotches on their face) before bursting into laughter. Once they'd calmed down, they decided they were going to wake the two men still sleeping.

Coming up with a plan, the three of them placed their faces in front of Peeta's whilst Katniss gently shook him awake. Upon seeing the three faces, he let out a high pitched shriek. As a result, Cato shot up, calling out Indiana's name in panic and grabbing his sword. However, when he saw the three tributes rolling in the sand with laughter and Peeta's terrified expression, he put two and two together.

"That noise was you?!"

By the time they had pulled themselves together, Indiana realised that having allies wasn't too bad.

Bread floated down in a parachute after they'd stopped laughing and the seaweed green tint informed the group that it was from District Four. A gift for the loss of Mags. After Katniss and Indiana had finished putting ointment on their boys, the five tributes sat down to enjoy their breakfast. Thirty three tributes were already dead, the majority of them being Fallen, who had only just adjusted to being alive again. Now, fifteen remained.

Cashmere and Gloss were still out there somewhere and as soon as she got the chance, Indiana would be dragging Cato off to find them. Whilst she was getting used to her allies, her family would always be their main priority. The Summers family would be united, even in death.


Screaming ruined the peaceful atmosphere of breakfast and three figures stumbled onto the beach. Whoever they were, they were in no position to fight the team of five. Another was dragging one and the third member was walking in loops – all of them were covered in a dark brick red colour.

Finnick lowered his weapon and sprinted towards the trio. "Johanna!"

Indiana's blue eyes lit up and she ran after Finnick, calling her other friend's name.

"Finnick! Indie!" Johanna called back.

Indiana was faintly aware of Cato and Twelve trailing behind but she didn't care as she barrelled into her volatile friend. Her companions turned out to be Wiress and Beetee from District Three.

"We thought it was rain because of the lightning and we were so thirsty. But when it started coming down we realised it was thick, hot blood. We couldn't see, we couldn't speak, and we just staggered around blindly. That's when Blight hit the force field."

Despite her revulsion and suspicion (where did it come from?) at the substance her friend was covered in, Indiana gripped Johanna's hand. "I'm so sorry, Jo," she gave her friend's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"He wasn't much but he was from home."

A knife wound was marring Beetee's back and Wiress just stared into the distance repeatedly muttering 'tick tock.'

However, the joy at being reunited with her friend was ruined when Katniss and Johanna began laying into each other for no apparent reason.

"Who do you think got them out of that fucking jungle for you? You-."

Before she was able to say too much, Finnick tossed Johanna over his shoulder before repeatedly ducking her into the water. Sniggering into Cato's shoulder, Indiana had to be pulled closer to him in order for her giggles to be muffled further.

"At least Katniss now has someone else to worry about attacking her rather than me."

District Twelve decided to make themselves useful by tending to Beetee's wounds, leaving the newly engaged couple alone for the first time since they'd entered the arena.

"How are you feeling?" Cato whispered into Indiana's ear, holding her close.

"I'm pretty much living on adrenaline. I don't really feel like I'm in here. My whole body is numb," she admitted to one of the rare few people she trusted more than anything in the world. "But, what scares me most is that I'm starting to think Twelve over there isn't so bad."

Letting out a snort of agreement and laughter, Cato nuzzled the blonde's neck.

"Yeah, they're not so bad." Cato turned Indiana around to face him, pulling her into his lap. "I wish you'd stop putting yourself in danger though. You risked your life earlier by jumping in front of Peeta. Don't do it again. I can't lose you a second time."

His voice broke with emotion and he buried his face in the crook of her neck so that their allies wouldn't catch a glimpse of the tears shining in his eyes.

"I'm not leaving you any time soon." Indiana promised, placing a loving and passionate kiss upon his lips.

Wiping away his stray tears, guilt coursed through her when she thought about the promise that she'd just made – a promise that would be so difficult to keep.


'Love's a lifetime's only token.

Words are lies the day they're spoken.

Promises are made to be broken.'