Jay left me to sleep but I couldn't. I paced around the room and even took a shower before I laid in bed. I just stayed there, unmoving for an hour until I heard my door open slightly. I stayed still, thinking about a way to trip up Jay if he decided to attack again. I felt a hand on my back and I jumped up only to find Maya standing back, looking fairly scared.

"I can't sleep, I'm worrying about you." I stood up and walked slowly over to her a pushed her shoulders into the wall. I slowly leaned forward to kiss her but just as she leaned forward to kiss me I leaned back. I did it over and over again, teasing her until I couldn't take it anymore and I kissed her. It was sweet and innocent just like the others but for some reason this one lingered on.

Her blue eyes sparkled with delight. I took a step back, I couldn't hold my breath anymore. I pulled her down onto the bed next to me. I laid down next to her and we just stayed like that until she broke the silence.

"Koda, I'm cold." I moved closer to her and pulled the blanket over just her. She laid her head on my chest and I could hear her heart beat. I ran my fingers through her hair as she breathed in and out, adjusting the way she was laying every once in a while, but being sure to never take her head off my chest.

Her breathing slowed and I just watched her sleep. She was so beautiful, her golden hair was askew on the blanket, her perfect face was smiling in sleep. I loved her, I hope she knew it. I let my eyes close and I gave into my exhaustion again.

I woke up for the third time that night with Maya screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Shhh it's ok, I'm here. Stop screaming." She wrapped her arms tighter around me and began crying into my shoulder. "It's ok, nothing can hurt you. I'll protect you." She looked up at me, tears were streaming down her face. Her eyes were watering and I felt my instincts kick in. I wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled her closer to me.

"Was it a nightmare?" I felt her shake her head.

"It was perfect. I was with you, I had you forever. We lived in the District, you worked in the mountain. We had a daughter, and grandchildren, you had a grey beard." She felt my face as she said that. I began thinking about what would happen if neither of us were reaped, if neither of us were stuck going into the arena. "Koda, it was perfect. I can't live without you, I-I can't picture growing old with anybody else." I felt tears run down my face, I had to protect her if she were to win. Without her I would die. I would kill off everyone but us and maybe one person, someone who was an easy kill. She would go home, not me.

I kissed her forehead. "One of us won't get out of this, and I want you, I want your kiss, I want your love, I want to be your dreams, and I want to be a part of your future, but I want you to go home more then any of that." I stood up and kissed her before laying back down in bed and cuddling up with her to sleep.

"Koda?" I nuzzled my head on her neck.

"Yes?" She turned around to look at me.

"If we weren't off to our death, what do you think would happen to us?" Her question caught me off guard even though I had been thinking the same a few minutes ago.

"I would have married you. We would grow old together in that big house that you always wanted. We would have enough kids to fill the house. We would have sent them off to the Academy, and spent a lot of that time together. I would have gone out to work in the Mountain and you would have stayed home with the kids. I'd try as hard as possible to keep the kids out of the reaping. I would never, ever let you get hurt. I still won't. I promise you'll stay safe as long as you're with me." She hugged me and I really didn't want her to let go. I slowly wrapped my arms around her and laid my head on her shoulder. We didn't let each other go until she pulled back and looked me in the eyes.

"Koda, if we weren't reaped would you ever ask me to marry you?" I couldn't speak I just watched her as she laid back down and used my chest as a pillow. I never knew she was expecting it. We had been together a few years, but I never thought she has been waiting for me to marry her. We wouldn't be of age until next year, but in Two wedding celebrations took almost a year to plan.

The ceremonies were so rare that most of them lasted three days or more. Most people never get married, they just have kids and live together. I wouldn't mind marrying her, but I was never planning on asking her. My parents weren't married until my mother was pregnant with me. Maya's parents, as far as I know, were never married.

I smiled and held Maya in my arms. I could tell she was asleep by the way she was breathing and I took it upon myself to whisper lightly in her ear.

"Yes"