Thank you to all those who favorited this story and put it on alert. For all of you that know the song, Your Surrender by Neon Trees fits, not only this chapter, but the entire Cato/April relationship perfectly to me. If you don't know it, go listen to it. It's a fantastic song. We get some Cato and April goodness as well as April and her brother. Guys, reviews really make me happy, even if it's just a great job or a constructive criticism. I can't tell you how happy I am to get a review notification in my email. I hope you enjoy this chapter! REVIEW! I can't stress that enough.

Disclaimer: Sadly, Suzanne Collins owns the Hunger Games and everything involved with it, but I own my characters. So, don't steal them. Please? Thank you.

I got close to your skin, while you were sleepin'
I taste the salt on your hands
I reached out to touch you
The morning light disarms you
Won't you let me in?
Oh… How long till your surrender?

Chapter 11: Tomorrow is Not Just another Day

Thankfully, it hadn't taken much convincing after Cato had calmed down to get him to follow me. As much as I knew I should have been trying to get some rest, there was no way I would be sleeping much that night. The worry of what was ahead of me in the arena was too daunting to get any proper rest. I was less than a day away from entering the fight of my life. The thought put a weight on my shoulders that was beyond heavy.

As soon as we were in the elevator, I reached up to hold onto Cato's shoulder while taking my heels off with my other hand. There was no reason to wear them once we were back in the training center and apartment building. Cato looked down at me oddly to which I just smiled, dangling my shoes from my fingers as I pressed the button to take us to the roof. I wanted to dangle my legs in the pool one last time before we went into the arena. There was every chance our arena would be a desert, and I didn't want my last good memory of water to be a shower.

"The roof, huh?" He asked as the elevator moved. "Why there?"

"It's secluded, there's a pool, and our last time up there was interrupted by a certain person's temper," I said with a pointed look. "I'd like to live just a little before we head out tomorrow."

The doors opened quickly, a rush of air letting me know that we were indeed on the roof. I smiled as I felt the breeze flip through the few strands of hair that had fallen from their confines, the feel of it almost completely calming. Without thinking, I slipped my hand into Cato's and began pulling him toward the pool. The only downside to being on the roof was the noise of the crowd below, hyped up for the Games to begin.

"Are you planning to swim?" Cato asked as we approached the pool, and I dropped my shoes as we got closer.

"Not really. My stylist would kill me if I swam in this dress or even got it slightly wet." Before he could even reply, I knew exactly what he was going to come back with. "And no, that doesn't mean I'm swimming without it." I turned around to face away from him. "See how it's backless? There's nothing under here that will hold up in water."

"I've had physical evidence to the contrary that there's something under there that would work just fine," Cato said, stepping up behind me.

I had to fight myself not to lean back against him and managed to turn and step around him with more ease than I imagined possible. "I just want to sit and relax for a while," I said, moving to the edge of the pool and lowering my feet in the water as I sat at the edge. "I miss the water." It wasn't the ocean from back home, but it was better than nothing.

Cato said nothing, only responding with a nod as he slowly began unlacing his shoes. It was hard not to be mesmerized, even by his smallest of movements, and I had to question my own mind as to what was so intriguing about Cato rolling up the pant legs of his suit. When I had mentioned the pool, I had made no insinuation that I wanted him to join me, but it was sweet of him to take part in my little glimpse of back home.

Leaning back and lying against the side of the pool, I looked up at the sky. It was almost the same sky I could see from my own home, but there was just the slight difference that made my heart ache. With the water at my feet and the sky above me, I was longing for home more than I had been since I had left.

"I don't like big cities," I said suddenly, not taking my eyes off the deep black above me.

"What?" Cato asked, looking over at me and sounding slightly confused.

I managed to pull my eyes away from the sky to look at him. "I'm volunteering information about myself," I said, a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "It's called getting to know each other. I don't like big cities." When Cato continued to look at me, though his gaze had changed from confused to thoughtful, I rolled my eyes and nudged him in the ribs with my hand. "This is where you're supposed to be polite and ask why."

It was Cato's turn to roll his eyes at my antics, but it had an air of playfulness around it. The banter had really become such a normal back and forth for us that I hadn't minded. "Okay then. Why don't you like big cities?"

I looked back to the sky for a moment, taking a deep breath. It was blacker than I cared for, stars that I knew to be there invisible to me. "You can't see the stars. The lights dim them out."

I saw Cato's gaze move to the sky out of the corner of my eye, and I was sure he had never really thought about the stars the way I did. They were an important part of my life growing up, and being unable to see the beautiful flicker of them in the night sky was disheartening. And with Merrick's description of how the arena would work, we wouldn't get to see a real night sky.

"What's so great about the stars?" He asked quietly, his tone genuine.

I smiled a little to myself, hoping that if I continued to talk about myself, he would eventually feel comfortable enough to return the favor. "My father runs a successful fishing business. Before he had more workers then he knew what to do with, he had to run one of the boats himself. We would always beg him to take us with him, me and my brother Wade." I had been so focused on preparing myself for the arena, to try to win that I hadn't thought much of my family. Seeing them in my head brought a soft smile to my lips. "Finally, after weeks and weeks of begging, my father took us out on his boat. He just sort of showed us the ropes and made us familiar with everything. We didn't fish that day. But we stayed for hours out there in the water, just having ourselves a little adventure."

"Learning the difference between port and starboard was an adventure?" I looked up at him, shocked by the terms he had used. He chuckled at the surprise on my face. "My family lives by a lake."

I nodded slowly, tucking that bit of information away and schooling my face again before looking back to the sky. "The adventure came after the sun had started setting," I supplied, continuing as if he hadn't said anything. "The last of the blue sky was fading away when we finally decided it was time to head back. Much to our dismay, when my father moved to the control panel, our navigation system had shorted out, and my brother and I panicked, having no idea what to do without coordinates or a compass. But my father eased our worries. He taught us how to navigate using the stars that night, and we made it home safely."

I finally let my eyes fall back to Cato, blushing almost immediately. He was doing nothing to hide the fact that he had been staring at me with a look of wonderment and awe. It was a moment like that that made me so sure that the pull I felt toward Cato was mutual, that I wasn't just making something up in my head. The question of whether or not he felt it too was on the tip of my tongue before he opened his mouth and stopped me.

"How exactly do you navigate with stars?" When I looked confused at his question, he continued. "Star mapping wasn't exactly a priority in Two."

I couldn't tell if he was genuinely curious, hoping to use the skill to his advantage in the arena, or if he was asking for the sake of getting to know me. There were times when Cato could be hard to read when he wanted to be, and he had picked then as one of those times. I couldn't exactly deny him if it was out of curiosity itself of for me. Pushing myself back up into a sitting position, I moved a little closer to him so our lines of sight would be similar. That's what I had told myself, anyway.

"Well, there are tons of different constellations of stars that can help you get your bearings a little," I started, but I knew all of it wouldn't stick. Basic was better. "But there's only one star you really need to look to for help." Leaning over a little more, I pointed up to one of the lone stars you could see with the lights of the city blinding the rest. "See that bright one at the end of that curved line of stars?" I waited for a moment for him to follow the direction of my finger, feeling him lean in just enough to line up with my arm and look up. When he nodded a moment later, I continued. "That's Polaris. The North Star. It never moves because it sits directly at the top of the North Pole. As long as it's directly in front of you, you're going north."

Cato mulled over my words for a moment before nodding and leaning back away from me, resting his palms behind him. "Well, I guess you learn something new every day," he finally said, and I was still no closer to knowing why he had asked. It was a start, though.

I looked at him expectantly for a few moments, but when he didn't continue, I filled the silence for him. "This is the part where you tell me something about yourself. That's how getting to know each other works. It's a back and forth kind of thing."

Cato looked surprised by my words, and it took only a second for the pieces to fall into place in my head. No one had ever gotten close enough to him to want to get to know him. I tried to make my expression as sincere as possible, wanting him to know that I genuinely cared about what he might tell me. Moving my feet back and forth in the water, I moved a little closer to him, turning my body more to face him. I hoped that the openness in my stance would make him more comfortable to talk to me. He had never seemed to have a problem before, but that was also just flirting and banter.

Cato suddenly cleared his throat, and I smiled encouragingly, waiting to see what he would say. "In what little spare time I get from training, I play the guitar to relax. My grandfather gave me his once he couldn't play anymore, and I taught myself how to play. Mindlessly strumming after a day of training calms me down."

"Music is a good outlet. It's also pretty impressive that you taught yourself. I wouldn't have the patience for that," I said with a bright smile. I nudged his side with my elbow before looking back out at the water. "See? I already feel like I know you better."

We fell into silence once more, the quiet lapping of the water against the sides of the pool reminding me of the docks from back home. I couldn't help but close my eyes and just listen. Waves crashed against the shores of the beach, the ocean air filled my lungs, and it almost felt like I was home. I could almost forget that the sounds and smells were just my mind in the relaxed state it was in. I said a silent prayer that the arena wasn't completely dry.

When my eyes finally fluttered open, I found Cato just staring at me with a small smile. I wished dearly that we had somehow met under different circumstances, that we didn't have to go up against each other at some point. What he made me feel after just a few short days of knowing him was unexplainable and terrifying, but it was there, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. I just prayed that whatever the connection was between us didn't stand between me and going home.

"Are you sure you want me in your alliance?" I asked, trying to get my mind away from my thoughts of strictly him.

"Why wouldn't I want the second biggest badass in the competition in my alliance?"

"Second biggest?" I said, feigning offense.

Cato sat up straighter, a cocky grin appearing on his face. "Well, behind me, of course."

I rolled my eyes and playfully shoved his shoulder before my smile started to get smaller. "Seriously, though. Am I completely welcome? After what happened with Marvel?"

"Marvel knows not to do anything stupid or it'll get him killed," Cato said, his tone almost protective.

"And what about Glimmer?"

"What about Glimmer?"

"Are you really oblivious to the fact that she hangs on your every word and move? And hates the fact that you talk to me more than you talk to her?" If looks were able to kill, I wouldn't have even made it off of the train. "Catty girls are dangerous."

"Look, even if she did come after you, which I'm not saying she will, I think you could take her." Cato surprised me by slinging his arm around my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're small, but you're feisty. And you're stronger and faster than she is. But honestly, I don't think you have anything to worry about. So relax, Four."

"And you got so good with calling me by my name," I said, only slightly annoyed. But if Cato thought all was well, I would try not to worry.

"Maybe I just like seeing you angry. I believe I've told you that you're cute when you're angry," Cato replied, teasing me.

Part of me knew that he was just trying to get under my skin, loving to see how he could get to me, but I was feeling the playfulness as well and decided to go with it. "I do remember you saying that I'm cute when I'm angry."

"Well, you are," Cato said with a shrug, though his voice was sincere. "And you can't argue with the truth."

"I could, but something tells me you would argue right back that I was too stubborn to accept the compliment," I replied, looking up at him.

He was so close with his arm draped over my shoulders that we were sharing more space than was necessary, but I didn't want him to move away. It was rare to get to see him like this, to see him out of Games mode and just enjoying himself. At least, I hoped he was enjoying himself. It seemed like he was, which I was more than thankful. I wanted Cato around and to get to know him, but then the lingering thought that he could very possibly be dead soon hung over me. I tried to push it away as much as I could, because once the Games started, I wouldn't be enjoying myself all that much anymore.

"Are you saying you don't accept it?" He asked, his voice lower than normal.

"You're hardly the first guy to compliment me," I said, hoping I didn't sound too vain. I knew I fell under the standard definition of pretty, but I hardly considered myself the knockout, gorgeous type. "But would it have killed you to leave of the 'when you're angry' part?"

"It might have," Cato said, smirking only slightly before his lips curled into a real smile. The arm around my shoulder pulled me just a little closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "You are very pretty, April."

Despite my previous comment, I felt a blush slightly cross my face and couldn't help but smile up at him. "You're not so bad yourself," I said quietly, my eyes flicking down to his lips for a moment. It was hard to ignore them given how close he was to me, and I didn't miss it when his gaze found my lips.

Just as our lips brushed, the clock tower in the square next to the apartments clanged loudly, signaling that it was the top of the hour. I looked over to see that it was turning midnight and cringed. I really needed to try and sleep before we went into the arena, much to my dismay. As much as I wanted to stay with Cato, Merrick would have my head if I was out for any longer. It would also put me in the position to explain where I had been, a conversation I wasn't ready to have with my brother.

"I have to go," I said, reluctantly pulling away, hoping it showed on my face that I wasn't ready to leave.

"Why?" Cato asked, but didn't move to make me stay. In fact, he stood up quickly, reaching down to help pull me up. "Is this where your dress turns to rags and your shoes turn to pumpkins?"

A laugh bubbled up in my chest, and I smiled sweetly up at him. "Hardly, but we have an early day tomorrow, and we both know we could use the rest," I said, my smile turning sheepish. "All that training won't do any good if we pass out from exhaustion."

Appealing to that side of him seemed to do the trick, and he picked up his coat and my shoes from the side of the pool. "I'll drop ride down with you to your floor," he said, leading me to the elevator.

As we stepped in, I pressed the buttons for two and four before leaning against the back wall next to him. "Thank you for humoring me and telling me something about you," I said, smiling up at him. "It makes it easier to trust you."

"It was nice to hear your story, too," Cato said, handing my shoes to me as the elevator slowed. He seemed to not want me to leave as much as I did which actually made me feel a little good. It was just another thing that pointed to the connection I felt being mutual. "You know, you're not so bad, April."

The elevator doors opened, and I stepped into the doorway, keeping them open. "What every girl wants to hear," I chuckled, giving him a small smile. The next time I saw him would be under more serious circumstances, so I wanted to make the last of our time away from it all count. Standing up on my tip toes, I pressed my lips against his, not giving myself a moment to second guess my actions. The kiss was lingering, not the most passionate of the few we had shared but not lacking, and I felt it all the way to my toes. When I pulled away, he seemed to be in a daze, and I couldn't help but grin. "Until tomorrow."

I started backing away, and it wasn't until the doors started to shut that he finally replied. "Tomorrow." And he was gone.

I moved through the apartment quietly, all the lights off indicating that everyone was already in bed. I had been lucky that only Xerxes had seen me sneak in the last time, and I was even luckier to make it to my room without anyone knowing I was coming in late from the roof. I took off my dress and slipped a shirt over my head before crawling beneath the blankets on the bed. Pulling the pins from my hair, the strands tumbled out and fell to my shoulders, and I tossed the pins on the nightstand.

Before I laid back on the pillows, I grabbed the remote for the window and turned on the scene of the ocean once more. The familiar crash of the waves brought a longing half smile to my face. With my head on the pillow, I looked up at the ceiling, letting my thoughts wash away with the flow of the tide on the window, and before I knew it, I was in a dreamless sleep.

A knock at my door too early for my standards pulled me from my slumber. The sun was barely starting to show itself over the horizon when I turned the waves in the window off. The horizon was a foreboding red color, but it was certainly fitting with what would happen in a few hours' time. Rubbing at my eyes, I moved over to the door, opening it to find my brother standing in front of me.

"It's time to get dressed," he said, and he looked like he had gotten about as much sleep as I had. My heart squeezed in my chest at the worry etched on his face.

I simply nodded, turning back into the room and opening the draw that I had been told would have my arena clothes waiting for me. I had looked at them the first morning of training, trying to figure out what kind of arena they would have, but nothing stood out. I pulled on the pants and changed my shirt, slipping on plain shoes, knowing that the rest of my clothes were waiting in the chamber under the arena for me.

I followed behind him as he took me to the elevator, pressing the button for the room, and I took a deep breath. It was all coming too fast for me, and the thought that I would be fighting the other tributes in just a few hours was making my stomach turn. It made me wonder if my survival instinct would ever kick in, especially if my brain was already worrying about what would happen if Cato and I were the last two standing. Pushing him from my mind was what I needed to do, and after we passed the spot that we had talked the night before, that was exactly what I did. I wouldn't worry about him until I was on my pedestal.

There was a hovercraft waiting for us, and we stepped on either side of the ladder which was pulled up the instant we were on it. A woman with a syringe was there when the ladder stopped, and she told me to remain still as Merrick walked away. I hissed in pain when it was pushed into my skin and saw a light flicker under my skin. It was the tracker the Gamemakers would use to keep an eye on where I was in the arena.

Merrick called me over to a table full of food, and despite my nervous stomach, I knew it was better to eat then, because I wasn't entirely guaranteed a meal on the first night. I filled my plate with anything I could reach and forced all of the food down. It wasn't until the windows blacked out that I needed to take a few calming breaths. It could only mean that we were getting close to the arena, and that I wasn't allowed to see it until I was in it.

I jumped slightly when I felt Merrick's hand close around mine. "April, you're going to be fine. You've been trained for this," he said, squeezing my hand. I found some comfort in his voice, and my breathing slowed. "Just believe in yourself like I do."

The hovercraft jostled when it touched down, and we were led back over to the ladder. When we were lowered that time, it was through a tube into the catacombs, and I couldn't help but reach over for Merrick's hand as we walked down the hall to my chamber. Merrick let go once we were inside, and moved over to the jacket and boots sitting next to a clear tube. He examined the clothes for a few minutes as I stood there, waiting.

"The jacket is designed to reflect your body heat, and the boots are insulated," he said, handing them over to me.

"Which means it will be cold," I supplied, a grimace on my face. I slipped off my old shoes and pulled the boots over my feet, lacing them quickly.

Merrick shook his head. "Not constantly. If we were somewhere snowy, you'd be dressed in thicker clothing already. Probably just during the night."

I nodded before turning around, letting him slip the jacket onto my frame. When I turned back to him, I couldn't help but surge forward and hug him, taking deep breaths to keep myself from tearing up. I couldn't look like I had been crying when I emerged into the arena.

I could see unshed tears in Merrick's eyes as well when we pulled back, and he coughed to keep himself in check. "Now, you know not to step off the pedestal before the clock hits zero," he said, and I nodded. "Find the trident quickly, and stay close to your alliance. If someone during the Bloodbath gives you trouble, they should help you out."

"Thirty seconds," said a feminine voice over the PA system.

My heart began to pound in my chest, and I reached around the back of my neck to take off the locket I had been wearing since Finnick had given it to me. "Hold on to this," I said, lowering it into Merrick's open hand. "Keep it safe while I'm gone. I don't want to lose Mother's locket."

"You're putting it back on as soon as you get back, though," Merrick said confidently.

The reassurance of his voice made me feel better once more, and with the PA telling me I had ten seconds, I stepped into the tube, keeping my eyes on my brother as it closed.

"I'll see you soon," I yelled loudly so he could hear me through the glass, trying to sound confident. I knew he had been right. There were so many people that believed in me; I just had to believe in me, too.

The platform I was standing on suddenly started to rise, and I gave Merrick one last wave before he was out of sight. All I could see were grey stone walls as I moved through the tube. There was only the occasional passing light, and I wondered how far underground we went before light was shining down on me. There was an opening above me, and after a few more painstaking seconds, the bright light of the sun hit my face and it took me a few seconds to adjust.

Surrounded my forest and high grass, the arena was lush and green with a large lake on the other side of the Cornucopia. The trees were tall, their leaves lush and dense. Knowing the arenas were always rather large, I knew the forest had to stretch on for miles in any given direction. It was impossible to see anything five feet past the tree line. With the lake possibly being the only source of hydration, I felt a bit like a fish out of water.

Of one thing I was certain about the arena. Katniss would be right at home.

CATO OC CATO OC CATO OC CATO OC CATO

I'm so sorry this took so long, but my computer crashed and I was so afraid that I had lost the story. Thankfully my computer guy was able to get it back up and recover the document! I just got it back yesterday and have been working diligently to finish the chapter. I hope it isn't too terrible. Thank you all for your continued reading and support! It's almost arena time! (review review review! please please please!)