AN: All the awesome reviews finally wore me down so here it is…another chapter…I think there's even another one sprouting in my head but we'll see.

Protecting Her

"Leave me alone," Katniss screamed as she ran from the room. Cato was still hot on her heels though. The two had definitely made a scene in their exit and it was safe to say neither had thought about how sponsors may have reacted to it.

"Katniss," he called again beginning to gain on her.

"Stop!" she yelled as she lunged for the elevator and pressed '12' with such force her finger bent slightly. Thanks to the Capitol technology the elevator closed and whisked her up before Cato could make it to her. She sighed heavily and collapsed on the floor of the elevator, crying into her black gloves that Cinna had matched perfectly to her golden dress which was draped in glittering black lace. Somehow it made it worse, the games that is. Sure before it was miserable but now it was hardly bearable, Katniss could hardly stand to not rip the skin off of her own flesh because God damnit nothing could ever go her way could it. It wasn't bad enough that these games were going to take her life from her, more than likely, but now they had to take her new love's life as well? Wait love? That's so stupid! That's so romance story, so fictional, so…true. How did one kiss equal love? How did one conversation equal deep understanding? How did one slow dance equal a life of commitment? Yet here she was crying on the floor of a high tec elevator contemplating whether or not she would be able to kill him.

"Why are you on the floor?" Cinna asked Katniss looked up and was greeted by her prep team, Effie, and Haymitch.

"And where's Peeta?" Effie's high-pitched voice weighed in.

"I don't care," Katniss said standing quickly and smothering the delicate fabric back into place.

"Katniss!" a disheveled voice called from…damnit the stair loft.

"Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you and I don't want to see you so stop following me!" Katniss went to run from her group but Haymitch grabbed her arm.

"You giving her a hard time kid?" he asked with a growl to his voice. ' Oh Haymitch thanks for the effort but let me go' she thought.

"I just want to talk to her," Cato mumbled even being polite as to not get himself thrown out.

"She says she doesn't want to talk," Haymitch said using his 'I'm superior to you' voice.

"Well she kissed me so I think it's owed to me," Cato smirked with satisfaction at the surprised faces that greeted him.

"You what!" Effie shrieked so loud the people on the streets probably heard her.

"I didn't kiss you," she said with a bite to her tone. Then she looked down and amended "we just kissed in general."

He was smirking at her again. "I think I'd like to speak to you alone now."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea for your health considering I'd like to shoot that smirk right off of your face," she shot a glare at him.

"Tributes aren't allowed to fight until we are inside the arena," he recited the warning they had all be given.

"I'm probably going to die in there anyways I might as well brake the rules," she said lunging for him, Haymitch still had her arm however and held her in the center of the little group.

"Katniss?" Peeta's voice broke into the confusion as his elevator arrived on scene.

"I think it's time you take her to her room," Haymitch handed her arm over to Cinna.

"I'm not a puppy that you can all just hand off," she quipped at Haymitch though she did follow Cinna as he led her away.

"Katniss," Cato called after her. She hesitated but looked back at him. "In the arena, find me, I'll keep you safe, I promise," he whispered the last part.

Katniss didn't know how to take his message; it didn't make sense why on earth would he keep her safe? She looked to Haymitch hoping for some silent advice but all he did was shrug. Finally she returned her gaze to Cato, she looked deep into his eyes before responding "I don't believe you," she said after much anticipation from the rest of the group.

He smiled, wide and toothy "then I guess I'll just have to prove it to you babe."

"Don't call me that," she gave him an annoyed face.

"You kissed me so I get to call you babe now babe."

"We've been over this I didn't kiss you we just happened to kiss," she shrugged.

"Ya well us happening to kiss means I get to call you babe now," he wiggled his eyebrows at her and she rolled her eyes.

"You cannot call me that," she crossed her arms. "And you definitely cannot ever kiss me again."

"Oh I can't can I?" he stepped closer to her.

"No you cannot," her face lit up like a bonfire.

"Well let's test your resolve then shall we?" he stepped up to me and stared down at me with his beautiful blue eyes. He brushed her hair behind her ear and leaned towards her. Katniss's breath caught as she stared up at him and her eyes lulled closed as she puckered her lips to him. "Told you so," he whispered before capturing her lips with his.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she melted into him. His arms captured and supported her body as her knees gave out. "See you in the arena," he whispered in her lips before setting her straight and walking off.