CLOVE'S POV

"Cato?" I speak in a raspy voice. Bewildered by the darkness. How long have I been asleep?

Cato pulls me into his lap, my head now resting on his upper thighs as a pillow.

"You're fine. You're fine," he speaks softly to me as I curl up into him. I look across the small fire.

In the dimly lit area of the arena, I see only one other body beside us. The weapon of choice lies beside the body- a spear. Where is Glimmer? I don't exactly care, but I'm curious about what I may have missed. I mean I saw her on the ground- swarmed by the mutts of the Capitol. But I ask to be sure.

"Where's G-" Cato cuts me off.

"Dead," he says a soft, but bitter tone.

I flop to my back to look up at him.

"Dead?"

"Kinda glad she is. She got off easy. You would've ripped her to shreds," he knows me too well.

I smirk up at the boy, who I love. Slowly, I pull myself up to sit on my knees, and pull Cato into my chest.

Cato never cries. Not even when his best friend died in the arena two years ago. However, his breathing becomes uneven now, but he doesn't make a sound.

My hand pets his head; my fingers run through his hair.

"You're fine. Everything will be fine." Lie, but it's all I can think to say.

He speaks, his voice is steady. "How many times do you tell yourself that?"

The hand that was brushing through his hair stops. The question hits me. I have told myself that since the beginning. I told myself that on the train. I told myself that the morning Glimmer walked out for breakfast in his shirt. I told myself that the moment I stepped into the chariot. And before my interview. And the last night in the Capitol, before every shower... I've been lying to myself all this time. I am not fine. And everything will never be fine again. I don't know if it's the venom still running through my veins that is making me realize all of this now. Actually it wouldn't surprise me if that's what it is. It would explain why Cato broke down into tears..

His voice breaks my thoughts. He's laying down in the dirt, his sword right beside him.

"Clove."

I look up at the sky, expecting to see the stars I'd always known. There are none. His hand reaches for me, I jump defensively.

But in the dark, I see his facial expression. It's soft, harmless. I curl up on the forest floor with him, Marvel close. Cato is going on about something, but all I see is the darkness in which I soon succumb too.

CATO'S POV

She looks so weak right now. I've never seen Clove look weak like she does right now. Usually she's fierce, fiercer than any female. It must be the venom, or maybe my question that's hit her hard. She hasn't answered. I break away from our slight embrace and take bed to the floor.

"Clove."

Her head shoots up towards the sky- she used to love watching the stars back home. I remember when she was about thirteen, and climbed the tree near our homes. She was so high up from the ground, and her mother was so scared. But Clove showed no signs of fear. She made it down, with a broken wrist. You would've thought she was only five feet off the ground, not twenty-five feet. So brave. Even then. She finally looks over to meet my face. Clove scurries to me, and curls up into me like we were lovers for years. Were we lovers? Her chest rises slowly, but evenly. Asleep soundly. I keep myself awake-keeping watch until Marvel finally stirs.

"Would you just sleep dammnit!" he hisses.

I mutter words under my breath, but follow his advice. It's only a matter of time before he will be dead too.