Cato's POV.

I heard the bath running as I lay in bed. I'd just awoken from one of those dreadful nightmares. They'd just started to ease but with the victory tour just around the corner they'd came back with a vengeance. It was the girl from six. I watched as the blood poured out of her staining my sword, I heard my laugh. I sounded weird. Like a villain. Lilly kept telling me I hadn't killed them: it was the games that killed them. Maybe so. But the games hadn't tortured them. Hadn't dragged out their death for as long as possible. I'd done that. And for what? A couple of parachutes from sponsors who wanted to be entertained again. Lilly hadn't seen my games. Maybe that's why she was still here. I heard a slight whimper coming from the bathroom. Oh god no. Please tell me I didn't do it again.

I stood up from the bed preparing myself for the worst. I made my way to the bathroom door before knocking.

"Come on in, darling" Lilly said in her usual chirpy voice. She was far to happy for someone who got beaten up off their psychotic boyfriend every time he has a bad day. I entered, cringing as I saw her blue and black body. I closed the door, looking at her. I was scared to go near her in case I hurt her more. She turned around and looked at me. Despite the bruising she still looked beautiful standing there in her underwear.

"Care to join me?" she asked wiggling her eyebrows

I looked at her. She was so strong, but somewhere behind that fake smile, I knew she was breaking trying to fix me.

"Lilly- you… I… I didn't… You know… Maybe you should go home" I stuttered trying to think of the right way to say what I wanted.

"Trying to get rid of me? Sorry love it's going to take more than a few bruises to do that" she turned round shimmying out of her underware and stepping into the bath. I sat down on the floor looking at her as she held my gaze. "Your doing so well Cato. These bruises are just from the nightmares. It's been nearly two weeks since you flew off the handle. We're almost there."

I gave her a half hearted smile "I don't want to hurt you Lilly."

"Then you'll let me stay. It hurts me more when I'm not near to you" Lilly said turning her gaze away from me reaching for the soap. Then it came to me. A way to protect her.

"You can stay on one condition" I said, amazed at my own genius. She turned her attention back to me, raising an eyebrow "You watch my games, I want you to know what kind of person your still in love with."

"Cato, I've told you, that wasn't you in that arena" she stated strongly but her eyes broke contact. "Plus I didn't think I had to bargain to see my boyfriend."

"Do it for me"

She sighed, staring at me. It was like she was searching for something. An answer maybe? Or an explanation? "Fine."

Lilly's POV.

I sat on the couch staring at the TV while Cato rummaged through the tapes attempting to find the one he was looking for. The house had been weirdly quite ever since Cato flung his parents out in one of his rages. It hadn't helped when his father had told him to man up and stop being such a pussy. I fiddled nervously with my thumbs. I was ok to watch the games- the only reason I hadn't was out of fear something would happen to Cato. But would he be ok? Would it be helpful for him to see it there in front of him again but not living it?

"Cato? Are you sure you want to watch them. I'll phone Kain and get him to come watch them with me if you want"

"No. I want to watch them with you" he answered bluntly. He found the tape and inserted it into the player. He sat down on the couch next to me and I scooted in closer allowing him to drape his arm carelessly around my shoulder. I winced as his arm put some pressure on my bruises. He glanced down at me, guilt written all over his face. I smiled moving in closer to him. I had to reassure him everything would be alright.

The capitol anthem began to play and the words "VICTOR OF THE 73RD HUNGER GAMES. BEST MOMENTS OF CATO HARDY" were displayed on the screen. I hadn't seen one bit of these games. Unlike most of district two I found them absolutely barbaric. Children killing children. And for what? To come home like Cato. A shell. My Mum had tried to warn me and Hiedis as kids. I'd took somewhat notice whereas my elder bother seemed to turn a deaf ear. And look what happened to him. Ever since then both me and my mother had avoided even watching the interviews for the games. Although she did pretty well at painting the façade of being a capitol-adoring socialite. I just learned how to bite my tongue and smile.

"Ladies and Gentlemen please give a warm Capitol welcome to the handsome hunk from district two- it's Cato" Caesar said grinning wildly at the camera

That's when he walked on, My Cato. Not the one I am with now. But the one I had before these games. I smile as he winks at the camera.

"How are you enjoying the Capitol, Cato"

"Well what's not to love Caesar? The showers, the people, those little parcels of chocolate. Oh gosh I'd kill for them. In fact if someone wanted to offer me 100 at the end of the games it would only take me a matter of minutes to win" There is a loud laugh from the crowd.

"So your confident you'll win then?"

"Without a doubt" Cato answers back giving his trademark grin

"And finally the last question- the famous one- is there anyone special waiting at home for you?"

"A handful. No I'm joking- there isn't anyone Caesar I'm still waiting on the right girl to come along. Who knows maybe I'll find here here"

My body tenses under Cato's arm, I can feel him stating at him. I stare at the TV pretending I didn't hear it, or that it didn't bother me. I try to digest what I just heard. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe I am just here till he gets proper fame. He reaches for the remote, pausing the video.

"Lilly… Speak to me"

"Play the tape, Cato"

"It was just all about getting sponsors. That was all. Don't doubt for a minute that my loyalties ever left you"

"Play the fucking tape, Cato" I said through gritted teeth.

He pulled me in closer to him. Remembering this was all to help him I let him. He played the tape. It cut to the scene from the Corrnicoupia. Cato kills anything and everything that he can grab that's not the career alliance. Claiming himself to be leader, his full body covered in dead tributes blood. My stomach churns as I try to hold down the bile. He just snapped that girls neck with his bare hands! She was fourteen for Christ sake! "Now, Now Lilly," I calmed myself "If it wasn't for the actions he took Cato wouldn't be here today" I let out a sigh as I continue to watch Cato, bloodied and bruised on the screen.

The next clip was from the final battle. The boy from four was in a worse condition than Cato from the beginning. He'd took quite a beating off his last victim. They taunted each other, Cato made the first move. I winced as he missed and fours knife went into his arm, Cato cuddled me closer. They'd fought together through the full games and now they had to turn on each other. I squeezed his hand. Yes. He had killed these people. But he was paying the price. He had no choice, this was life or death. The screen turned black. Cato turned round to look at me. I braced myself to speak to him.

"If you thought you covered in mud was going to get rid of me. You thought wrong" I said with a smile, I could sense he was about to butt in "Yes, Cato. I saw you kill. I saw the gleam in your eye. I saw you have no mercy. But if you hadn't done that then you might not be sitting with me. And that's all I care about. That you're here. With me. Right now."

Cato's POV

She's crazy, completely bonkers. She'd saw me kill. I saw her when I snapped that girls neck. She'd boaked and moved slightly away from me. She'd been repulsed by me. But yet here she was. Promising to stand by me. God. I loved this girl but she didn't half like pain. I looked her. She appeared so happy, so innocent, everything I use to be.

I looked at her for the first real time since I'd been back. She looked older, as if she had matured while I wasn't looking. Her blue eyes appeared darker, like the sea when a storm is on approach. She was truly you beautiful. We were beauty and the beast. I pulled her onto my lap, tickling her sides. She laughed and giggled trying to get away from me. She squirmed so much I ended up on top of her. She stared up at me her lips slightly parted. We hadn't be intimate since I'd been back. I was always either in one of my nightmares or to scared to hurt her. I leaned in closing the gap between our lips. She reacted hungrily, grabbing my neck and pulling me in closer. Her tongue fought for dominance with mine, and the kiss quickly deepened. She nibbled on my bottom lip. I broke apart for a second, just admiring her, before moving my mouth down to her neck. I sucked and bit on the spot I knew all to well wound unravel her. A soft moan escaped her lips and Cato smirked into her neck. Her hands ran freely down his body, tugging at his t-shirt. She managed to remove it in one swift action, she made her way down his abs stopping just above his trousers. She undid the button…

Knock Knock

Who the hell could that be. They hadn't had visitors all week apart from Lilly's mum and she was working today. I growled slightly peeling myself from Lilly, I made my way to the front door. Lilly followed shortly behind, fixing her hair and bruised lips. I opened the door ready to explode.

"Well Hello there Mr Hardy, I hope I haven't come at a bad time" the man rang out in his Capitol accent casting a glance over at Lilly.

"Well, actually Sir, you kind of…" Cato began

"President Snow, would like to meet with you, Wednesday at 6pm. You will be leaving for the Capitol tomorrow at 9am. Have a wonderful day, Mr Hardy. Miss Jenkins"

And with that he was gone.