~Katniss~
"RUN!"
Cato didn't need to tell me twice. Breathing heavily we sprinted to the Cornucopia where the mutts seem to be chasing us to. At first there was just one, but then more seemed to be coming out of nowhere. Now there were at least seven of them on our tail, snapping and biting at our heels. Branches and leaves whipped our faces and the cold wind didn't help the pain of it either. My lungs burned at the over use of them from running miles non-stop to the Cornucopia. As we ran faster, Cato in front of me, and Clove behind me, the mutts seemed to just faster as well. Finally the Cornucopia came into view and when we reached the giant metal structure each of us climbed to the top of it.
We stood there for a second watching the mutts snap and snarl at us that we didn't even hear Thresh climb up behind us. I screamed as he gripped my hair and pulled me back, he had a wild and crazed look in his eyes. The desperation to get home was clearly visible in them. Cato and Clove took out their weapons and tried to attack. Thresh lunged at them and Cato was the first to respond. The two of the fought while Clove tried to find a good angle to throw a knife. But they were moving to fast. My vision was slightly blurry from hitting my head against the cold metal exterior of the Cornucopia. A trickle of blood fell down my cheek, Thresh's weapons must've cut me. The next thing I know Cato is knocked to the ground dazed from a blow to the head. Clove took the time to throw a knife at Thresh but only hit his shoulder as he turned to face her. He pulled the knife out and lunged for her. She tried to jump out of the way but she was too late because he landed a blow in her stomach. She coughed and fell to the ground but no cannon goes off yet.
Thresh finally turned to me, not worrying about Cato for some reason, and takes out a long and extremely sharp knife. I couldn't get a good view of him to shoot an arrow at him, he thrust the knife down and it pierced my skin. But not enough to be fatal because Cato dove for him before Thresh could to any real damage. They rolled around on the ground near the edge of the Cornucopia scaring me half to death. Thresh was on top of Cato who held his wrists to stop the knife from entering his body. And in that moment is when Clove tossed one last knife into Thresh's back. That cannon fired, signaling his death. Cato tossed him over the edge of the structure and we hastily made our way over to Clove.
"Clove." I gasped as she lay on her back, a small stream of blood flowed out of her mouth.
"Kat-" she tried saying my name but was interrupted by a cough, letting more blood flow from her lips.
"You're going to be okay." Cato said from next to me, taking her torso and holding her in his lap. I gripped her hand in mine, she felt cold, ice to the touch.
"You have to-" she coughed again shutting her eyes tightly from the pain. "take care of my family." she said her breathing uneven but heavy as the coppery red substance filled her lungs.
"I promise." Cato said.
"Clove open your eyes please." I begged shaking her hand gently. Her eyes flickered open a sliver and looked up at the two of us. Her ice cold hand turning my own numb, like the rest of me as I lost yet another friend. First Rue, then Peeta, and now Clove, all because of the Capitol.
"I love you guys." she said with her last dying breath.
"Clove!" I shouted at her as her body became limp. If her cannon went off, I wasn't paying enough attention to hear it.
"Clove!" Cato pleaded. Tears fell down his face like a roaring river. I let go of Clove's hands and wrapped my arms around Cato's broad shoulders as he hugged Clove's limp body to his chest. He cried into her as I rocked him back an forth.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the winners of the 74th Hunger Games." a voice said over the loud speaker. Cato and I didn't listen to it though, we just sat there and continued to cry. A hovercraft flew over us and Peacekeepers came and tore us away from Clove, and away from each other. I thrashed against them trying to break away.
"Katniss!" Cato shouted with his hand out stretched to me. I reached out to him but before his hand could grasp mine a sharp pain burst in my shoulder and my world went dark.
White
That is all I can see right now. I woke up in a completely white room. White walls, floors, blankets, chairs, everything was white. The light was blinding, when I opened my eyes I shut them immediately as the white light blinded me, making my eyes scream. There was a beep coming from somewhere, a consistent beep. When my eyes adjusted I tried to sit up but I couldn't. There was a large strap across my torso and legs, and smaller straps binding my wrists and ankles to the bed. Tubes penetrated my skin pumping fluids and medicines into my body. I survived. I lived through the Hunger Games. Rue died. Clove died, one of my best friends. And then Peeta, he was one of my longest friends I've ever had and now he's gone. Because the Capitol wanted entertainment. I lost people that mattered to me. Cato. Where is he? Is he alright? Is he even alive? He has to be, there was an announcement saying that two people can live. And we did, we made it to the end. So where is he? Why isn't he here with me? There was a sound of an automatic door opening and when I looked to see who it was, it was everybody that helped me these past years. Haymitch, Brutus, Enobaria, Effie, and Cinna.
"Congratulations Sweetheart." Haymitch said resting a hand on my arm. I flinched slightly at the contact, after coming out of the state of unconsciousness my mind was still in the Arena, and these straps prevented me from getting into a fighting stance.
"How are you feeling?" Brutus asked once I relaxed.
"Angry, numb, sad, relieved, I just want to get out of here." I said, my throat hoarse from not being used and dryness. Effie scurried over and poured me a glass of water. I gulped it down and handed it back to her. "When do I get out of here?" I asked.
"When the doctor comes to give one last check up. Then Cinna will take you to get ready for the interview." Effie said setting a hand on Cinna's shoulder.
"The interviews already?" I asked.
"Yes, Cato has been out of the medical department for a day now." Brutus said.
"Why am I still here?" I asked confused.
"When Thresh tried to stab you on the Cornucopia, the one where Cato stopped him, a bit of the blade broke off and was still lodged in you. They had to perform surgery to get it out. And you went through a few more injuries than he did, so it took a little longer to get rid of the scars."
"What about the ones on my back?" I asked and everybody was silent for a moment.
"I asked them not to remove them." Brutus said. "I'll leave that decision up to you." he said and I nodded my head. I want to keep them, they remind me of why I fight to survive.
"How is Cato?" I asked.
"He wants to see you." Haymitch said.
"But he can't." Effie piped up.
"What why?" I asked angrily.
"President Snow said that he wants the reunion done live." Brutus said sounding equally angry. "He's been going crazy waiting." he finished.
"And I've been going crazy wondering whether or not he is okay." I said leaning my head back against the pillow. Brutus gave everybody a look and they left the room leaving Haymitch and him alone with me in the room.
"You are in trouble Katniss." Haymitch said quietly.
"What's going on?" I asked and they shook their heads.
"We'll talk about this when you get released." Brutus said. A moment later a doctor came in and ushered them out. The doctor checked me over before clearing me and having an Avox give me a change of clothing. When I walked out of the room I saw Cinna standing there alone. Everybody else was gone.
"Where did they go?" I asked him.
"Haymitch and Effie went up to the suite and Brutus went back to Cato." he said hesitantly putting an arm around my shoulders. When I didn't flinch he relaxed and ushered me to the elevator that will take us up to the top floor. Haymitch was there waiting for me to get back and when I did he took me up to the roof. At first I hoped that Cato would be there as well but when I saw he wasn't my shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"What's going on Haymitch?" I asked him and he gave a heavy sigh.
"Snow is angry. He didn't want you two to come out alive but because of this romance he didn't have another choice. Plus what you did with Rue wasn't good either. You made them look like fools and he is very upset." he explained glaring out at the city.
"So what do I have to do?" I asked him resting my hands on the ledge in front of me.
"Act in love. And if you already are, be more in love."
"But I'm not acting. I do really care about Cato. What does Cato think of all of this?"
"Brutus and I have already talked about it and he's said the same thing you did. He isn't acting." Haymitch said to me and I felt my heart swell in happiness at the sound of this. He loves me, but I want him to tell me himself. "Come on we should get you back so your team can get you ready." When I got back I was taken to my room where my prep team went to work. They didn't say anything, they tried to be a gentle as possible. They know by now how much Rue, Peeta, and Clove meant to me, so they won't go on talking about it. They just gave me space and I appreciated that. When they were finished my hair was in curls around me shoulders and my make-up was a soft gray color. Almost like the color of ash. Cinna came in a moment after the prep team left with a garment bag. I closed my eyes as he instructed and felt a light and soft feeling as the material brushed against my skin. When I opened my eyes again I was in a pale yellow colored dress. The skirt was full but the material was light, and my short sleeves fell off my shoulders, resting there. I turned to Cinna and smiled softly.
"Still trying to make me the Girl on Fire?"
"Yes but a softer side of you. Like a dimly lit candle after the loss of your friends." he said and I hugged him. This is the most human contact I've had since I've been out of the Arena, and it felt a little weird but I was getting used to I slowly. He hugged me gingerly and pulled away, grabbing the matching shoes from the chair beside him and setting them on the ground to I can step into them. We walked out into the living room and we loaded into the Elevator. On the Ride down Haymitch held my hand. I'm about to sit on stage and relive the Games over again. Only he out of all of us has been through that so he knows that I am terrified. When we made it to the stage I stood on a pedestal that will raise me up onto the stage. Haymitch gave me one last hug before going to take his place by Effie and Cinna when they announce my team. I heard Caeser announce my team and Cato's before he said something I had been waiting for.
"Now may I present the victors of the 74th Hunger Games Cato Hart and Katniss Everdeen!" the plate rose and the cheers and screams were deafening. When I was up all the way I looked over and saw Cato staring at me. I smiled and broke into a run, lunging myself in his arms. He held me tight to his chest, picking me up off the ground, planting kisses on my cheek and neck.
"Thank God you're okay." I said to him. He pulled away from me, setting me down on my feet and brushed a few curls away from my face.
"I love you." he said whispered to me. My smile grew and I leaned up and kissed him.
"I love you too." I whispered quietly, his smile grew and he leaned down to kiss me again. My arms wrapped around his neck as one of his was around my waist, and his other hand held my face to his. Our lips moved in sync as the crowd went more wild than they did before. I wish it was just the two of us with nobody else around. I wanted to be alone with him in our own place. Caeser came and tapped us on the shoulder and we knew we had to pull apart, no matter how much we didn't want to. We faced the crowd and Cato kept a protective arm around me, and giving me one last kiss on the cheek.
"I'll never let anybody hurt you again." he promised in my ear and I smiled up at him. In these heels he was only a few inches taller than me. Caeser, clad in all red this time, lead us over to the loveseat that replaced the usual chair. When we sat down I sat on the left closest to the crowd but Cato pulled me to his lap and held me there. The crowd laughed at him.
"So Cato, Katniss, how does it feel to be alive?" Caeser asked us.
"It feels great. I'm alive and I have Katniss it's everything I could ever want." Cato said kindheartedly. A blush crept on my face as I made my answer.
"I don't know what I would do without him. We've had our differences in the past but we've gotten over them. I'm just happy to be alive here with him." I said looking at him and he leaned in to kiss me once more.
"How did it feel to have your friends in the Games with you?" Caeser asked me.
"I was terrified. Peeta-" my voice cracked when I said his name and tear threatened to spill over as I tried to fight them. "he has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. Clove had been my friend too. After getting to know Cato, Clove became a friend to me, one of my best friends. I don't know what it's going to be like living everyday without them." I said, tears spilled over my cheeks and Cato hugged me tighter to his chest letting me cry.
"Cato how did you feel when Katniss blew up your supplies?"
"At first I was a little upset, when I saw her in the trees I expected something was going to happen but I thought it would just be taking something from the pile. When I heard the explosion I panicked. But when I didn't see her body I was relieved but upset at what she did. But then Clove reminded me that either one of us would have done the same if the roles were reversed." he explained. By the time he was done talking I had finished crying.
"I see. It must have been hard for you to lose a close friend to you Cato?" Caeser asked him tapping his finger on his chin. Cato grew stiff against me and I reached to hold his hand. He gripped it and held it tightly.
"Clove has been my best friend for years. I saw her every day for hours at a time. To go home and see her family I-" he started to choke up as a small tear fell down his cheek. Tears started to fall down mine as well as I hugged him.
"It's okay. We understand." Caeser said but he couldn't. He couldn't possibly understand what it's like to lose your best friends to the Games. "Would you say that is the worst thing you'll have from the Games?" Caeser asked.
"No, the worst for me would have to be the nightmares. Both mine and her's. I got out of the hospital before Katniss. But the doctors said I couldn't see her. I would sit outside her door in the hospital whenever I could. It nearly killed me to hear her screams and not do anything about it because her door was locked." Cato said regaining his composure.
"Katniss?" Caeser continued. But I was too busy looking up at Cato in surprise, I hadn't known that he did that. I could tell he wasn't lying, he was telling the absolute truth. "Katniss?" he egged on.
"Oh um, it would be the nightmares, seeing those faces every night. I just-" I had to stop. All I could think about were the night terrors I had in the hospital, they were to horrifying to say aloud, it would only make them much more real. Cato hugged me even tighter as I buried my face in his neck.
"Well how about we stop the questions and watch the Games huh?" he said looking out towards the crowd as the big screen behind us started out with the Reapings. It was horrible to watch them an experience them all over again. Through every moment in the Arena, the Bloodbath where Cato killed children easily, to me running for my life from the fire. Cato kissed my cheek when he saw me get burned.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you" he apologized again quietly. I turned my head to face him and rest my forehead against his.
"I'm here now. You're here now, that's all that matters." When we turned back to the screen Glimmer and Marvel had noticed me and were chasing me. Cato glared at that but then smirked and lightly chuckled when Rue dropped the nest on the two District One Careers. When they show Rue's death I had cried once more, they had cut the three finger salute I had done, but not the flowers. Then I had found Peeta and tried to nurse him back to health.
"I'm sorry you had to lose him." Cato whispered in my ear. I sighed trying to push back more tears that threatened to follow but I couldn't. My barriers were down and I couldn't rebuild them at the moment. I don't know if I'll ever be able to. I watched as Cato and Clove fought with Marvel as he tried to kill me at the Feast. They had killed him by cutting off his head. I turned away has his head rolled on the ground. As they set off to find me, tracking me through the trees and chasing me down they paused when they got to the rivers but then they heard my screams. And they found me and helped me as I cried over Peeta. The cameras kept going back and forth between the three of us, Foxface, and Thresh. Finally it got to the finale. Cato and Clove fighting to protect me as I was dazed on the top of the Cornucopia. When he stabbed Clove I squeaked in horror, and Cato reached up to wipe a tear away. He had some falling down his cheek as well but before I could do the same for him, he angrily brushed them away. They ended the showing with Cato and I screaming each others name and reaching out to each other. The crowd around us clapped and cheered for us as we walked off the stage. Once we were back stage he swept me up in a hug and planted soft kisses all over my face.
"I love you. I love you . I love you." he said over and over again after every kiss before placing one last long kiss on my lips. My hands had woven themselves in his hair as he kissed me.
"Okay you two cut it out." Brutus said behind me. Cato and I broke apart and looked at him.
"You had to have expected it at some point sir." I said to him and he waved a hand.
"No need to call me sir anymore Spitfire. You're a Victor, we are on the same level now." he said. "I hope you don't mind me calling you by your old name." he said hopefully and I shook my head with a tiny smile.
"Not at all."
"Good cause I would've done it either way." he says as Haymitch comes towards us.
"Come on you two, time to be crowned." he said and lead us to our Victor chairs where President Snow will place a crown on our heads. Cato held my hand the entire time. As Snow place the gold crown on my head he looked at my pin.
"What a lovely pin." he said with an unsure tone to his voice.
"Thank you it's from my District." I told him.
"Indeed." he said lastly before turning to the crowd below us. "The Victors of the 74th Hunger Games!" he shouted and everybody cheered. Finally we were allowed to go back to our rooms. Cato and I stood in the elevator as I pushed the button for the 12th floor. I was half expecting him to press the button to take him to the second floor but he didn't.
"You aren't going back to your floor?" I asked looking up at him with confused eyes.
"My floor is whatever floor you're on. I don't want to leave you ever again." he said to me seriously. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. His arms wrapped around my waist as I whispered in his ear.
"And I don't want you to leave me either." I whispered as the doors dinged telling us that we were at the top floor. We pulled away and he let me go as I walked into my room to change into something better to wear and more comfortable. I settled on black silk pants and a red silk, sleeveless shirt. I laid my dress on the bed to be taken care of later, and I kicked off my shoes and decided to stay barefoot. When I was one I walked back out to find Haymitch and Brutus sitting in the living room. I couldn't see Cato around anywhere.
"Where's Cato?" I asked as I sat in a hair across from them on as they sat on the couch, each of them had a glass of alcohol in their hands.
"He's getting changed out of his monkey suit." Brutus said as Cato walked out of his room in black cotton pants and a white t-shirt. He saw me, smiled, and picked me up and sat back down so I was in his lap once again. He kissed me on the cheek, making me blush as I snuggled into him.
"Alright enough with the lovey dovey stuff please, not around me at least." Haymitch complained.
"Sorry Haymitch." Cato said with a small smile, but I could tell something was bothering him. And I hope that he would tell me when he's ready.
"Yeah yeah sure you're sorry." Haymitch mumbled as he stood up and walked to his room.
"You two did good tonight." Brutus said.
"Thanks." Cato and I said together. Our old Trainer nodded before getting up and going to his room too. Cato and I sat there in silence for a while before I couldn't take it anymore.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
"No. I don't want to be in the Capitol anymore. Everything I had trained for growing up isn't what it seemed at all. I'm confused and angry and I just want to go home. All my life I had been told that winning the Games is honorable. But there is nothing honorable about killing innocent kids. I feel horrible for what I did to them. I just wish that we didn't have to lose people we loved for me to realize it." he said and I turned in his lap to face him.
"You did what you had to do to survive. Clove and Peeta dying wasn't our fault. And you didn't know any better. That's how you grew up. You can't blame yourself for something that Capitol was trying to make you believe. Anything and everything that is done in the Games is their fault. They forced us to do it." I said as I held his face in my hands making him look at me.
"That doesn't make me feel much better. What's going to happen when we see the families of those who died? What about Clove's family? Her brother is handicap and they have a hard time surviving with her father's deli." Cato said.
"We promised that we would take care of them. And that's exactly what we are going to do." I assured him.
"What about Peeta's family?" he asked and at that moment I was speechless. I hadn't thought about it, because I didn't want to. Would his family hate me for leaving him? Even though I tried to help him but it was too late? His mom will probably hate me, she never really liked me to begin with. But his brothers and father? I have no idea. "Katniss?" Cato asked pulling me from my thoughts and slight panic.
"What?" I said snapping out of it.
"Are you okay?" he asked placing a hand on my cheek and stroking my face with his thumb.
"I don't know. Should I be happy that the two of us are alive? Or sad and angry that our best friends are gone? Peeta's family, I don't know what to do, his mother will hate me but I don't know about the rest of his family."
"We did everything we could to save Peeta and Clove, everything. They should understand that you tried but it was too late, because Marvel tried to stop you and kill you. But you still tried. There was nothing we could do about their deaths." he said wiping away a stray tear from my cheek. I nodded into his hand ad he kissed my forehead for a long moment.
"Are you really okay with me being from Twelve?" I asked him randomly and he sighed, pulling away to look me in the eye.
"Of course I am. I kind of love the fact you're from Twelve. You don't hold the same views and beliefs as the Capitol. You're more down to earth and real." he explained and I still didn't quite believe him. When he saw the look on my face he thought for a moment before continuing. "Look it doesn't matter where you're from. Does me being from Two change your feelings about me?" he asked.
"No." I replied and he nodded.
"Exactly. Even if you never came to the Academy, I still think I would have met you in some way. You caught my attention when I first saw you. If I won and saw you on my tour, I would have tried to meet you, get to know you, and see you after I went home."
"You really believe that?"
"Hell yeah I do. I don't care about how you grew up or where you came from. I love you for you. Nothing is going to change that." he said and it brought tears to my eyes, nobody has ever said anything like that to me. He brought his thumb up and wiped a tear away.
"I love you." I whispered, pressing my forehead to his. But he took it a step farther and pressed his lips to mine.
"Come on, we should try to get some sleep." Cato said once he pulled away, standing up with me in his arms. He carried me off to my room, not wanting to leave me alone at night. We settled into bed and he pulled me to his chest and held me close, whispering into my ear as I fell asleep.
"I love you too."