Hey everyone! Sorry it's taking so long to update! I'm again, sorry to say, but I'll only be able to update, like once a week...I'm sorry (I'm saying that too much, but whatevers) but I've been really busy. :( But, I've got a challenge for those of you who actually read my story! Whoever catches the Princess Bride (which I don't own, obviously) quote hidden within the chapter first, the NEXT chapter will be dedicated to them! *devilish smile* Let the Hunger Games Begin!

This story is dedicated to Holly my cherished sister, and Courtney a great support and inspirer for me...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins nor the world and characters she created. Enjoy!

Cato's mum woke him up the next day. "Go wake up Katniss," she demanded.

Events from last night flooded Cato's memory. "Erm, mom-"

"Shut up Cato Evan Stone!" Mum silenced him. "Go wake her up. We're taking the Staten Island Ferry today, and it's our last day here! I don't care if you're so lazy you don't want to wake her up but you are going to wake her up no matter what. Shoo!" she pushed him out of the room.

Cato sighed. What was going to happen? Oh geez, what if she was taking a shower? What if she was changing? What could he say? He was no longer her boyfriend. He chewed on his lip, but he walked to Katniss's room albeit a bit slowly.

As he got to Katniss's door he used the card his mum had given him, completely forgetting to knock. When he entered he had expected Katniss to be in bed. However, Katniss was sitting on her windowsill. She was staring out the window at the busy streets below when he cleared his throat.

"Um…Mum wanted me to wake you up," Cato said awkwardly and uncomfortably.

Katniss raised her head, and Cato chewed on his lip harder. She wasn't crying at the instant, but her eyes were rimmed red. She had obviously been crying if not at the moment. "Oh." she said softly. "Ok, give me a minute to clean myself up." she looked like a mess. Her hair was tumbling over her shoulders, her eyes had bags under them and her face tearstained, but damn it, she still managed to look beautiful.

Cato nodded. She carefully avoided Cato's eyes as she grabbed some clean clothes and locked herself in the bathroom. When she came back she was still avoiding Cato's eyes. Just to make conversation she asked, "Where are we going today?" half heartedly.

"The Staten Island Ferry," Cato replied. "I've never been there before. I've heard that it has really pretty sights though."

"It sounds fun," Katniss's voice broke. She didn't look like she had been crying anymore. But if you looked closely, as Cato had been doing, you could see she was wearing makeup if minimal. Katniss never wore makeup.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. It was miserable.

On the ferry, Mr. and Mrs. Stone left them on the deck, out of good heartedness thinking that the couple would like some time together alone. While they meant good, Cato could tell that Katniss was practically begging with her eyes at their turned backs, 'Don't leave me alone with him."

But they left anyway. They watched the sun set on the ship. It truly was beautiful. Cato cleared his throat and said, "Well tomorrow we'll be on the plane again."

Katniss chewed on her lower lip, and Cato felt himself getting entranced by the motion. He was pathetic. "Are we going to be on the same plane?"

"Yeah." he answered. "Different passengers though. None of the others will be there though."

"Oh." Katniss looked down. She rubbed her eyes with her hands tiredly.

Cato couldn't help it. He blurted, "Did you get any sleep last night?"

Katniss looked away and didn't answer. Cato repeated his question, "Did you get any sleep last night?" When she still didn't answer, Cato said softly like a caress, "Katniss."

"It's not your business," Katniss said aggravated.

"Tell me." he demanded.

"Alright, I got a few hours of sleep. Will you let it go now?" But he could tell she was lying.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" he repeated for the third time.

"Fine! I didn't get any sleep, damn it!" Katniss closed her eyes trying to calm herself down. "Look, it's really hard to be around you right now." she opened her eyes and all Cato saw was raw, indescribable pain. "But it's even harder when you try to care for me. Cato please." she was begging now. "Please, just stop. I can't handle it."

Cato looked down. "Ok." he looked back up at her. "Go."

"What?" she asked her voice cracking. After so much crying, Cato assumed, her voice was cracking right and left.

"Go." he nodded towards the chairs a few feet away from them. "You should try to get some sleep." he suggested. Then he said, "Actually, let me rephrase that, you're going to get some sleep whether you want to or not. Go." and when she looked a bit hesitant, he gave her a light push.

He watched her finally make her ways to the chair and 'sleep'. They both knew that she wasn't sleeping. She was crying. But neither acknowledged it.

A few hours Katniss's 'sleep' the family and the two guests boarded off the ferry and went to dinner. Cato didn't know what overcame his parents. They put both of them in a booth, and they themselves with the two toddlers went to another booth way on the other side of the restaurant. Perhaps they realized something was wrong and decided to help them. What they didn't know was that time together might not completely fix the problem.

As Katniss and Cato got their orders Cato said uncomfortably, "My parents are, erm, looking over here. I think they're put off by our, erm, lack of acting like a couple…"

"Are we still one?" Katniss asked in a low tone.

"Do you want us to be?" Cato asked in reply, dreading her answer.

"I don't know if I can," Katniss lowly replied looking away.

Cato sighed, "At least don't break it immediately to my parents yet."

"They're bound to suspect something though, if we're not acting like a couple." Katniss bit her lip.

"Then I guess we have to act like a couple," Cato concluded.

Katniss leaned into him and Cato put an arm around her. Katniss was blinking fast and hard. Cato knew that she was trying to hold back tears. She was in pain. "I'm sorry," he whispered brokenly to her.

"Please don't." Katniss begged him whispering.

Cato remained silent, but didn't pretend not to notice that when Katniss pulled out of their embrace after dinner that she wasn't wiping away tears that had escaped. He noticed she hadn't eaten much. But he didn't know if it was because of the cancer or because of him. And that hurt more than he had ever imagined.

Cato returned to his hotel room after dinner and flopped down on the bed. It was all so messed up. Then fifteen minutes later after acting dead to the world, his phone rang. He halfheartedly picked it up without reading the name.

He spoke into the receiver tiredly, "He-"

"YOU ASSHOLE! YOU FREAKING ASSHOLE!" Gale's voice bursted through the speakers. "HOW COULD YOU? WHEN YOU GET BACK I'M GONNA RIP YOU APART WITH MY BARE ARMS AND FEED YOU TO-"

He heard a commotion in the background, "Gale. Gale." he heard Clove trying to get the phone away from Gale and calm him down. "Look you're…overexcited right now, I think you need to cool off."

"COOL OFF! HE HURT MY BEST FRIEND AND YOU TELL ME TO COOL OFF? HE'S GOING TO PAY!"

"Look, Gale," Clove sighed. "I know you're angry, but this isn't the right way to deal with it."

"SO THEN WHAT IS?"

"Umm…" Clove spoke into the receiver again and Cato could hear her clearly. "Cato," she sighed. "Why? Why would you do it? I don't believe that you would do it on purpose. You're my friend, not a heartless monster who would…" Clove trailed off.

Cato put his head in his hands and winced. That was what he was. "No," he whispered hoarsely into the phone, "That's exactly what I am. A heartless monster."

"Cato, no you're not-"

Again the phone was transferred, or more like ripped out of the current speaker's hands and transferred to another's, but it wasn't Gale's this time…It was Thom's. Cato sighed. This was going to be a long night.

"YOU. HURT. MY. SISTER." Thom growled. "YOU. PAY."

"Thom," he heard Clove say in the background. "Come on, I think he's really sorry and it's all just a misunderstanding! And lessen up on the caveman talk while you're at it."

But Thom wasn't listening to her. By the second he was getting more angry like Gale, "YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK, STONE. CAUSE WHEN YOU COME BACK-"

Clove's voice after a struggle interceded, "Look, Cato, they're really…worked up right now. It's not the best time really," her voice was strained as she tried to keep the phone away from the others. "So, don't receive any other calls from anyone else. I'm ending this call." He heard shouts of protest on the other end. Then Clove added softly, "And Cato, I don't think it's your fault. Please don't beat yourself up about it." Without giving Cato a choice, Clove ended the call and the line went dead.

Cato, due to Clove's wishes took out his phone card to keep it from ringing. He flopped on his bed and changed into his night clothes. But he knew there would be no sleep for him tonight.

The next day, Cato and Katniss boarded their own plane together. Katniss was still dutifully avoided Cato's stare to his annoyance. As they boarded the plane, they heard a little girl's voice saying in awe, "Mommy, they look like a prince and princess! Are they married? I think they are, they look like they're in love."

Cato saw Kantiss flinch out of the corner of his eye and blink fast and hard. This time unlike the last the plane passengers were made up of purely business people. Katniss and Cato climbed to their assigned seats. Katniss got the window seat and was in-between Cato and the wall of the plane. Cato couldn't help but notice Katniss scoot as far as to the window as possible. It hurt.

A quarter through the plane ride, he saw Katniss texting someone on her phone, and he didn't know what possessed him to do it, but he took out his own phone…And texted her. He didn't know if she'd reply or not. He hoped she would.

Cato Katniss

Hey. He knew Katniss had gotten the text. He saw her bite her lip in that adorable way of hers and saw her fingers hesitate over her keyboard. Then he saw her starting to type. He couldn't help it. He began to smile.

Hi. Even the small word made him feel hopeful.

Are Cato's fingers hesitated, but then he continued. we still friends? He saw Katniss hesitate too. He didn't blame her. He wondered what her answer would be.

Do non-friends text each other? Duh. We're friends. It was so much like Katniss, he couldn't help but have a full blown grin on his face.

I'm glad.

Gosh, I can't believe we're having a texting convo, when we're right next to each other.

Would you rather talk? He saw Katniss bite her lip.

Not really.

Then we'll stick to texting I guess. he reassured her.

Are you excited to go back to Cali?

Cato grimaced. Not exactly. There's a line of people there who's ready to tear me apart when I get there.

He saw Katniss look confused. Who?

Your buddies and brother. He saw her mouth a few choice curses.

Damn Darius. I told him not to tell you.

Ah, but he had Gale and Thom yell me out.

Damn them too. Cato smiled at her straightforwardness.

Mmm. I love you. Cato's eyes widened. It had slipped. He immediately sent after that. I'm sorry. It slipped.

To his surprise he saw Katniss smile a little albeit sadly, but she replied. It's okay.

The rest of the plane ride commenced with numerous texts. Cato had a good time despite himself. He wasn't quite so miserable anymore.

When the plane landed, Katniss's friends and her step brother were there waiting for her. Cato watched them with apprehension. He watched as Gale caught Katniss up in a hug.

"Oh, Catnip. You had a heck of a time, didn't you?" he sighed. "What're we gonna do with you?"

Katniss cracked a joke, "Bury me." Many of her friends groaned at Katniss's future death related jokes and this was no exception.

"That's not funny!" Peeta glared at her.

"Maybe not to you," she muttered. "You guys have absolutely no sense of humor!" she complained.

Then Thom told her, "We're sending you home with Clove. The rest of us boys have to have a little talk with Cato here," he gestured towards Cato, and cracked a knuckle.

To Cato's surprise, Katniss looked worried. "Guys," she pleaded. "Don't do it, I know what you're thinking."

Darius groaned, "You're not defending him! After all he did? C'mon Kat!"

Katniss stood defiantly, "Yes, I am! Darius Julius Reskiav, if you dare to do anything to Cato, I will hunt you down!" then she added in a lower tone, "I just don't want to see him get hurt."

"He breaks your heart, and you don't want to see him get hurt?" Finnick asked incredulously.

"Is that really so hard to believe?" Katniss retorted. "Just leave him along guys!"

"Listen, I'll try to explain this so people of your level can understand it," Gale said in an overly patient voice, and Katniss snorted. "Hmmm…Let me think of a way…" then he perked up. "I got it! He breaks your heart we break his face. Period."

"Guys!" Katniss whined. "I'm not leaving!"

"Katniss," Finnick ran a hand over his face. "C'mon, don't make this any harder for us, please?"

"Why don't you make it less harder for Cato?" she argued.

"Katniss," Darius looked her straight in the eye. "Don't make us become physical with you."

"What makes you think you can become physical with me?" Katniss challenged.

"We'll force you," Peeta threatened.

Katniss seemed to slowly deflate, realizing she couldn't keep it up and the inevitable would happen. Then she asked quietly, "Do you promise not to hurt him?"

"What?" Gale asked.

She repeated, "Do you promise not to hurt him?"

Thresh groaned, "Fine. Now leave."

"Alright, already…" Katniss grumbled. Cato watched her walk towards Clove, slipping on a pair of sunglasses to block out the sun…or to shade her eyes so that no one saw that she was…

Thom said, "Alright Stone, get in the car. We're not gonna get physical with you because we promised Katniss…Though I have no idea why she's sticking up for an asshole like you, so get in the car."

Cato got in willingly. "So, what's your torture plans for me?" Cato asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"More like an interrogation," Finnick improvised. Then he leaped right in, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Cato played innocent.

"Break her heart." Darius growled.

"Guys," Cato ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to. I didn't want to. I was jealous."

"No shit, Sherlock!" Peeta glared. "Now are you going to fix things?"

"Define fix things," Cato sighed.

"Glue back her broken heart," Thom then added quickly, "Figuratively of course! But same objective, stop making her so depressed and sleepless."

"Yeah," Gale glared. "Did you know she hasn't gotten a wink of sleep since?"

Cato winced. "That bad?"

"Worse than you think." Thresh intervened, guilt tripping Cato for all it was worth. "You better fix things up fast Stone, or as Gale so nicely put it…We break your face…And more."

"Joy," Cato said dryly.

"Whatever, Stone. Just get back together with Catnip," Gale told him. "And we're watching you…Always watching…"

"Dude, you watched Monsters Incorporated?" Finnick asked incredulously.

"Shut up!"

At school the next day, Katniss was walking to school, when- Joy!- she had slipped on yet another patch of ice…And was caught by Cato.

"Hi," he smiled at her in his arms.

Katniss hastily wrenched herself out of his grip, and desperately missing it once she was out of it, and smiled weakly, "Hi…"

Cato tried to make conversation, "Why are you walking to school?"

"Oh, my car is in the autoshop, for like the third time this month…" Katniss explained. "It's so annoying."

"Ah." Cato said. "Well, I'll see you at lunch."

"Lunch it is," Katniss affirmed, giving another tiny weak smile.

At lunch, Glimmer pranced over to their table and said, "Soooo, I heard that like, Cato broke up with, like that piece of Goodwill trash." she trailed a manicured finger up his biceps, "So I take it, you're like free now?"

Katniss merely cradled her head in her arms and said half heartedly, "Glimmer, I'm not in the mood."

"What, having the after effects of like being dumped?" Glimmer sneered.

"It's called cancer symptoms." Katniss muttered. "If you had more than empty air in that space you call the inside of your head, you might've known that from the lovely news you spread a couple months ago."

Glimmer smiled obnoxiously, "You're just like jealous that Cato's available to like other girls now, and not like," Glimmer wrinkled her nose. "sluts like you."

Cato noticed out of the corner of his eye, Katniss's back stiffen. Just then, Clove stood up, "Leave Glimmer, before I punch your face in."

"Like, whatever," Glimmer snarled.

Katniss didn't comment, and didn't eat anything for lunch. Things were going downhill, Cato realized, and fast.

Cato was hanging out with the group of friends, after school, when Finnick ran up to them breathlessly and spread the news to Katniss, "Plutarch wants us to make an album before…" he gestured madly at anything with his hand, designating her fore ordained death. "you know. So we've got to go to the studio!" then he turned to the rest of the group, "Oh, and he said we could bring friends along."

"Mmm…" Katniss stretched. "Well, this way we could record my funeral songs." everyone winced at the table. "Oh get over it!" she sighed. "It's gonna happen anyway, no use avoiding it!" she turned to Finnick, and held out a hand, palm facing up, "Address." she demanded.

Finnick handed a slip of paper over wordlessly. "I just love how you have a way of communicating through either no words or only one word so the rest of us are at no clue what's happening," Gale commented dryly.

"Glad you like it," Katniss smiled fakely. "Now if you'll excuse me," she smiled a genuine, but devilish smile, "I'm gonna go ride my motorcycle in. So long!"

Needless to say, she left them all envious and surprised at her new way of transport…

When Cato got to the studio where Katniss and Finnick were recording, they had just started a new song. To his surprise, Katniss was holding a guitar…When she started playing, he learned she was good at it too. He never knew that she played a guitar. He racked his brains to the time when they played 20 questions, but as far as his memory allowed, the topic had never come up.

Katniss Finnick

Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor.

Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore.

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind?

For me it happens all the time.

It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.

Said I wouldn't call but I've lost all control and I need you now.

And I don't know how I can do without.

I just need you now.

Another shot of whiskey, can't stop looking at the door.

Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before.

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind?

For me it happens all the time.

It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now.

Said I wouldn't call but I've lost all control and I need you now.

And I don't know how I can do without.

I just need you now.

Oh, whoa

Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all.

It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.

And I said I wouldn't call but I'm a little drunk and I need you now.

And I don't know how I can do without.

I just need you now

I just need you now.

Oh, baby, I need you now.

They finished to Plutarch clapping and saying, "Beautiful, guys! Beautiful! We'll do a few more songs, then for the last song that we record, I want to do a music video for the public, ok?"

"How long is this going to take?" Katniss asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The rest of the day, give or take. Maybe we'll do the music video on another day. Usually, for an album, you'd need a week, but with your talents, we won't need to do retakes or anything like that. Also, I've heard that you're good actors, so the music video shouldn't take long either." Plutarch told her. "Now, do you have any other songs that you'd like to record?"

Katniss and Finnick exchanged a glance, "Here's to Never Growing Up and If I Die Young." They replied.

"An album is going to take more songs than that," Plutarch told them with raised eyebrows.

They shrugged, "Chose whatever you think is best."

"We don't particularly…how should I say this?" Finnick added.

"Give a damn." Katniss told him brusquely.

"M'k, we'll also do We Are Young, Just Give Me A Reason, Roar, and we'll have Katniss do Heart By Heart by herself and vice versa for Finnick on Waiting for Superman."

"Whatever you say Cap'n." Katniss drawled. "We live to serve your every command."

"Oh, I like this girl," Plutarch said. "She's got spunk."

Katniss has more than spunk, Cato thought. She's got fire.

The next day, when Katniss and Finnick had finished making their music video, the whole group (excluding current girlfriends') went to Katniss's house to hang out.

When they got there, Thom practically assaulted Katniss with a huge hug. "Umm…" Katniss was confused. "I love you too?"

"I'm telling them today." Thom explained.

That was all Katniss needed to hear, "YES! Finally! You, my dear step brother, will experience what freedom feels like! Finally!" she repeated.

Peeta quipped, "The freedom of ridiculing your parents and disobeying them?"

Katniss grinned and threw an arm around Peeta, during which Cato ignored the jealousy he felt arising, "This guy has got it all figured out! Now go Thom!" she cried over dramatically. "Show them what you're made of! Oh, and I'm always available when they kick you out of the house!"

"Thanks for the moral support," Thom replied dryly.

"That's what step brothers' and sisters' are for, yeah?" she nudged him with her elbow.

"Yeah."

That night at dinner, Cray asked Thom, blatantly ignoring Katniss who didn't usually come for dinner and just sneaked up to her room, but of course she had to come this time to see the vein in Cray's forehead and was bursting with glee, "So, son," he started. "where are you gonna internship for a law experience?"

Thom fidgeted and bit his lip. Katniss squeezed his hand under the table for support and he started nervously, "About that Dad…" he trailed off.

"Go on, son," Cray said. "I don't mind if you intern at a rival law office, as long as it's law!"

"About that," Thom started again, slowly losing steam. "I might not really be into law after all…"

"What?" Cray looked angry. "You can't still be into that terrible notion of yours to be a doctor? Cause I'll tell you son," Cray now looked really angry, but not to the point when the vein popped out. "It's. Not. Worth. It. I don't want you even thinking about it!"

But of course, Katniss's mother had to say, "I agree with what your father says, Thom." which was all she ever seemed to do.

"Umm…" Thom started, then he caved much to Katniss's disappointment. "Ok, Dad."

"Good, son." his father nodded pompously. "Those doctors are good for nothing scum," he said contemptuosly.

Katniss had had enough. She stood up from her chair and hissed, "You jackass! They are not scum! Those doctors save lives every day and it's very honorable! Thom is an honorable person and he wants to be a doctor! If you really cared about him, you would let him do what makes him happy! Not what you want him to do! You just don't want him to be a doctor because that was my dad's hobby!"

Cray also stood up angrily, "They're just as much as scum as you are Everdeen!" he shouted. "How dare you accuse me of not wanting my son to do what makes him happy! He wants to be a lawyer and that's final!"

"If you actually listened to him and talked to him as a father to a son then you would know that's not what he wants!" Katniss cried out. The situation was quickly turning into a shouting match.

"I do talk to him as a father to a son!" Cray bellowed. "I command him to do what I think is best for him, and he follows like a dutiful son! And I know what's best for him!"

"Oh and Father always knows best!" Katniss retorted sarcastically.

"Who are you to talk to me like that?" Cray growled, trying to avoid the previous subject and going down another trail. "I provide for you, I feed you, and you accuse me like this?"

"Well maybe it's because I actually care about Thom!" Katniss gritted her teeth.

"You don't know him! You don't care for him either! If you really knew and cared about him, you would want him to go to law school! Son, she doesn't care about you." he turned to Thom. "Got it? Law school is the best place for you, and you are going to go there whether you want to be a doctor or not!"

Thom's fighter instinct's finally kicked in, "She does care for me!" he shouted. "Katniss is the only one who has cared for me in a long time! Everyone else is always making me do what they want, not what I want! None of you love me or care for me! I'm just another machine to do your will." he glared at his father breathing heavily.

His father gaped at Thom for a minute, then joined the shouting match yet again. "How dare you! I am your father you insolent, ungrateful child!" he turned to Katniss again, "You! How dare you turn my own child against me? Get out of my house! Now!"

"Stop blaming Katniss for everything!" Thom yelled, throwing his hands up. "I'm tired of it all! I'm tired of you blaming Katniss for every single thing! I'm tired of you hitting her when you think she deserves it! I'm tired of you telling me what to do! I'm tired of following you! I don't want to be a lawyer. I want to be a doctor! And there's nothing you can do about it!" He glared at his father. "I'm leaving with Katniss. I'm leaving this hell hole of a home. I'm going to go to medical school, and I'm ditching our family name!" he started shouting again. "I'm going with Mom's which I should've done in the first place! All I've ever been to you is an addition to your great and powerful name! Well you know what? I done with it! I'm done with everything that has anything to do with you!"

His father shouted, "DON'T YOU DARE TO ANY OF THAT!"

"Watch me!" Thom bellowed back.

Katniss saw the lovely moment when the much awaited purple vein appeared on Cray's skull with glee, "You can't even go with that-that piece of scum!" he pointed at Katniss, not deigning to say her actual name. "Her car is in the auto shop, which I won't be paying for!"

"TMI, Cray," Katniss added offhandedly. "I've got my own vehicle."

Cray's vein was standing out more than ever. "Oh really?" he mocked. "Since when? I sure as hell didn't get your car out of the auto shop."

Katniss out of nowhere tossed Thom a black shiny helmet, to which he looked at her questioningly, "It's for my vehicle," she explained with a mischievous glint in her eyes. They left the house and walked towards her vehicle, with Cray and Katniss's mother trailing after them.

When Cray saw the vehicle, he bellowed, "MY SON ON A MOTORCYCLE?" he looked murderous. "I will never allow it, ever!"

"Mmm." Katniss again said offhandedly, looking down at her phone, as Thom climbed on behind her. "Too bad." then she looked up at her mom who was just standing there on the porch there watching them all. Surprisingly, she had a few tears in her eyes as she looked down at what used to be her mom. "Goodbye, Mrs. Cray." was all she said.

Katniss revved the engine. Thom and Katniss cruised into the night, leaving behind their home (which courtesy of Thom was a hell hole), their childhood of pretending nothing was wrong, and the parents who had never really loved them.