Ok so got some new followers, awesome. So we are in the final stretch of the story here only a couple more chapters to go which is good for me since I'm kind of done with this story. So here's the next chapter and reviews are gratefully appreciated.

Chapter 13

All the pain I had felt the day before now vanished and I felt like my old self again. For a moment I couldn't help wondering if I was dead, but when I opened my eyes I found I was still very much alive. That's when I felt something cold on my hand. I looked down and saw it was blood, but not my own.

I gazed over at the still figure beside me and was shocked at what I saw. Katniss lay next to me in a pool of blood, a lot of blood. I could hardly breathe as I checked for a pulse and sighed in relief when I found she still had one.

"Ok" I thought, "She's still alive, come on Peeta what do you do now?"

I turned her over and saw the cut on her head that was still dripping blood. I quickly covered it with a bandage. It took several before the bleeding finally seemed to stop. I didn't dare relax though, not until I knew she would wake up. What seemed like hours later I felt Katniss shift slightly. Taking this as a good sign I spoke softly.

"Katniss. Katniss, can you hear me?"

Her eyes opened and she seemed startled for a moment before she recognizes me, "Peeta."

"Hey" I said softly, "good to see your eyes again."

I was relieved she seemed to be ok, but she was still very pale so I didn't let her get up. She was happy that I was feeling better and had my appetite again. She said that she could hunt for food, but I insisted she rest. She took care of me even though it seemed hopeless so now it was my turn to care for her. Little by little we would make it and maybe even see real sunlight again.

Katniss appeared to be recovering well as she explained just how she got that nasty gash on her head, and that's how we went for a while, just talking.

When the subject was brought up again about her using the sponsor's gift to knock me out I became serious. When I told her I couldn't stand her dying I wasn't lying. Like I said before Katniss was like a sister to me; a kind, sweet, caring, sister. Of course all the kissing we had to do ruined that image. I wanted to pull away every time Cinna entered my mind, what torture it must be for my love to see me kiss another.

But we needed good sponsors if I ever had a hope of seeing him again, we needed those silver parachutes that were the key to my survival and Katniss's.

Cinna POV

I was happy that Peeta was recovering, now he had a fighting chance. But the way he had to pretend to be in love with Katniss was cruel to him and me. Although I knew it was fake I could still see love in his eyes when he gazed at her, but it was a different sort of love. It wasn't the same look he gave me, but a love that was between siblings. It put me at ease a little knowing that Peeta thought of Katniss as a sister rather than a lover.

I gazed at the screen as it shifted back to Katniss and Peeta after briefly showing the other tributes. The two were just getting ready to go hunt, enjoying a nice big meal.

"I can feel Effie Trinket shuddering at my manners" Katniss was joking as she scraped up the gravy with her fingers.

I had to cover my mouth to refrain from laughing at Effie's face. She looked both disgusted and horrified at the same time and about ready to faint as well. The Capitol people and their manners, always had to be so proper. I grinned and turned back to the screen to watch the two as they headed out for hunting.

Peeta POV

It was a bit of a shock to me when I found out I had killed Foxface. It had torn me up enough to be responsible for that other girl's death. The blood on my hands was growing darker and I couldn't get rid of it no matter how hard I tried.

These thoughts plagued me as we headed toward the lake. Now that it was just us and Cato I felt a little more confident about the final battle. I could not deny the sadness for Thresh's loss. But then again it hurt my heart to see all of them die, this game was such a cruel way of teaching the districts a lesson. So afternoon soon turned into evening and still everything was quiet. I could tell the strange silence was making us both uneasy.

Where was Cato?

No sooner had that thought crossed my mind when I heard a rustling in the bushes and Cato came crashing through. I realized when I saw the pure terror ablaze in his eyes that he wasn't running to us, he was running away from something. And a couple seconds later I got my answer, the biggest, meanest, wolves I had ever seen were sprinting full speed at us.

I don't hesitate for a second, I turned and ran as fast as I could with my bad leg. Katniss got to the Cornucopia ahead of me and I encourage her to get up there. I quickly started to climb and she helped pull me up the rest of the way. The moment of getting rid of Cato was forgotten now that we had this new problem.

I noticed Katniss staring at the mutts with a look of horror and I couldn't figure out why.

"It's her!" she said.

"Who?" I asked.

"It's them. It's all of them. All of the other tributes" she said.

I gasped as I realized the same thing, the human quality to these animals made me almost sick. The Gamemakers really had some twister humor. When we got higher up to where Cato was everything seemed to blur and before I knew what had happened I found myself in a sort of headlock that was slowly cutting off my air supply. I clawed at Cato's arm, but he was just too strong and I was already feeling dizzy. I saw Katniss draw her bow as Cato laughed harshly.

"Shoot me and he goes down with me" he threatened.

I can't barely breath or think anymore. I glanced down at Cato's hand and got an idea. It took an enormous effort to draw the x on his hand, but it was worth it. Katniss shot his hand and released me instantly. I coughed as air filled my lungs again as I hear Cato hit the ground, knowing it's all over.

Or at least that's what I thought. The mutts did get him, but it was painful and slow. The whole night went on without a cannon fire to end it. Finally at dawn Katniss send an arrow to put him out of his misery and the cannon sounded. At last it was over and we could finally go home. And Cinna, I would be reunited with Cinna. That thought alone filled me with so much joy.

But something was very wrong. Even after we moved away from the body there was nothing, just silence. I suddenly heard Claudius's voice booming.

"Greetings to the final contestants. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed."

My heart sank. I should have known they wouldn't allow two victors. When Katniss pointed an arrow at me I knew what spurred her to do so, her family. I took my knife and threw it away from me, even if I was going to die I would not kill anyone else, especially not Katniss, I would never be able to live with myself if I did. She seemed to feel the same way when she refused to kill me.

"Listen" I said when I pulled her to her feet, "we both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us."

I saw a spark in her eyes, an idea I gave her from what I said. But what was she planning? When I saw what she was going for I stopped her, "no, I won't let you."

"Trust me" she whispered.

She placed some berries in both our hands and I realized what she was doing. She was keeping with the star-cross lovers theme. If we both refused to kill the other then we could die together and they wouldn't have a victor. I leaned down to kiss her gently as if it's our last kiss as we hold the berries out for all of Panem to see.

"One" would they stop us?

"Two" would they really go without a victor?

"Three"

I knew if I wasn't stopped I wouldn't get to ever see Cinna, but it was too late now. The berries were in my mouth when the trumpets sounded above.

Claudius's frantic voice called to us, "stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!"

And at last it was over.