Author's Note: From now on I'm going to thank each reader for reviewing. Since I'm totally new for fanfiction and all, I don't know what the etiquette is, but I really like getting reviews so I want to thank everyone! Hopefully this note makes up for the previous 70 reviews that I didn't thank!

Here's the new chapter, I tried to upload quickly because I don't like being left on a cliff hanger for days and days. And also I am probably not going to be able update for a few days because of school. Enjoy this chapter and remember to review! :)

Chapter Fifteen - Fire

Grey's POV

Once I give in to Spens and scream for Cato, exactly what I was meant to avoid doing, he laughs evilly and presses his knife harder against my neck. As if I'm going to be more likely to escape after I've just betrayed my friends.

"Guess what Grey; you're going to have a perfect view to see me kill your puny boyfriend." He spits in my face, glaring right into my eyes, "When he bursts through the trees over there I'll knock him down, and then I'll slowly kill him in front of you. You'll never rid yourself of his screams." He sneers and his nose crunches up in fury, and I have no doubt anymore, he's completely insane. Crazy, maniac, psycho Spens. I struggle in vain to try and free myself from him, but he has one hand pressed on my collar and the other is holding a knife roughly against my neck. My flailing limbs can't reach him and so do nothing to help the situation. I can feel blood slowly spilling from where he's putting pressure on his sharp knife.

I try and think of what Cato would tell me to do, to be strong and not let his words get to me, but I've failed that already because now Cato is going to show up at any second and be violently mutilated. If only things had been different, if Cato was in my place right now then Spens would already be dead. I'm just so weak, I can't help anybody.

I wonder if Spens had forgotten about Rue standing behind him. She had frozen to the spot when Spens had pointed his knife at her and hadn't moved since. I could see her contemplating whether she should run or try to help me. She was completely unarmed and probably didn't realise how heartless and sadistic Spens really was, if she tried to help me get away he could easily overpower and kill her in seconds. Within 5 minutes I was going to be the cause of two preventable deaths. Cato, Rue, and then I'd be next of course. At least if that happened, I'd be dead and wouldn't have to live with the guilt. I'm no career. The only thing I could hope for was that Rue stayed back until Cato got here, and maybe in all the commotion she'd be able to make a run for it.

Spens has gone silent, probably preparing to attack Cato as soon as he appears. I'm sure I can hear footfalls, but I don't trust my mind anymore because my heartbeat is thumping loudly in my ears. Suddenly I hear Cato far away calling out my name, and I can hear just a hint of anguish in his voice that I know he's trying to hide. But the fact that he's failing and that he's come back for me makes me feel slightly happy. At least I can die knowing that someone came back for me. But the thrill quickly fades and is replaced with fear again.

"Here he comes." Spens whispers seductively into my ear, and I have to restrain myself from spitting into his face.

Then everything starts moving as if it's in slow motion.

I feel Spens leap off me and I realise that Cato must be here. But when I look up I see a flash of brown hair and wide eyes, and I know that Marvel is the one about to be tackled. I try and call out a warning but I'm too late and I hear an, "oof!" as Spens throws Marvel to the ground, probably not even caring that he's got the wrong tribute. I suppose in the long run, it doesn't matter who he kills first. I roll into a standing position as Spens and Marvel struggle with each other on the ground, and I cringe when Spens manages to bring his booted foot onto Marvel's ankle, crushing it and causing him to scream in agony.

Then suddenly Cato bursts into the clearing, instantly taking in the situation and leaping onto Spens's back to help Marvel. As they roll on the ground in a mess of limbs, Cato's eyes find me and he shouts at me to, "RUN!" I stumble backwards, not wanting to lose sight of my allies or Spens. I nearly crash into Rue, and I grab onto her as we stagger away together, not wanting to leave everyone fighting. I can see Spens's knife lying close to the three of them, and as I turn to look I see Spens knock Cato and Marvel's heads together, temporarily stunning them. It's hard to follow who is overpowering who, but I know with the lapse in fighting Spens will grab his weapon. I can't imagine Cato coming unarmed, and looking for a second I see his sword strapped to his belt.

Cato draws his arm back and punches Spens in the face at the same time as I turn to Rue and tell her to run without me. She hesitates for a moment, which is just enough time for a blade to come flying and hit her in the chest.

I start screaming as I catch her when she falls, but I can't even hear myself. Why is everything suddenly so loud? Cato's sword unbalances from Rue's chest, dislodges itself and then clatters to the ground, and I whip my head around to stare at someone I thought I trusted. I thought I loved. Cato is staring at me, fear written on his face, the first time I've ever seen him afraid. Then I see Spens running at me, his arm still raised from throwing the sword. He must have grabbed it from Cato's own belt.

"Watch out!" I hear Marvel's voice screaming a warning just before Spens approaches, but he surprises me by rushing straight past. I only realise then that without even knowing it I have fallen onto my butt, and Spens's knife is standing up in the dirt barely a centimetre from me. I didn't even notice him throwing it.

Then I hear a soft voice calling my name and I am shoved back into the present where Rue is injured in my arms. I look down at her innocent face and try to ignore the crimson stain spreading across her arena shirt. In the back of my mind I know that she won't recover. I try to choke out something positive, but on death's door there's nothing I can say to her, and instead one of my tears drops onto her cheek.

"Don't cry Grey," Rue whispers, her breathing laboured, "I'm going to be okay, I'm not afraid anymore, as long as you promise me that you'll win." She sounds so much older and mature like this, the fact that she's comforting me even though I'm not the one bleeding.
"I promise." I say, and I've never felt so sure of something in my entire life. And then just like that the life leaves her eyes. It's not some long drawn out moment, it happens so quickly. I never even got time to say goodbye. I look towards the sky and wail, and it's even louder than the cannon that follows.

Then I feel strong arms around me as Cato tries to lift me up off the ground but a mixture of grief, agony, and guilt makes me elbow him in the gut, causing him to drop me and exhale sharply. It's my fault Rue is dead. I called it, I called her death. She started to run because I told her to, and that's why she was in the way of Spens's attack. I turn around and Cato's blue eyes stare back at me. He's holding his hands up in surrender, but the fear has gone from his eyes and is replaced by pity. I feel demeaned and it makes me suddenly furious as tears for Rue flow freely down my face.

"Why didn't you save her Cato?" I'm screaming even though I'm the one feeling the blame, not him, "She died because of me!" Cato's eyes go serious and blank as he blocks out the obscenities that I begin to throw at him. He picks me up off the ground, positions me over his shoulder so that my waist folds over it and begins to carry me away from Rue's body. I scream at him to put me down, and I kick and punch at everything I can reach. My fists pound at his back as my upper body hangs upside down over his shoulder but it's like hitting rock. Only once does he growl at me when I kick him in a particularly delicate place, and from then on he uses one hand to restrain my legs. He carries me away as I continue to beat him with my hands, but he never drops me and after a few minutes spent screaming at Cato I eventually exhaust myself and hang limply over his shoulder. I catch a glimpse of Marvel limping behind us and I remember Spens stomping on his ankle, but he doesn't complain and even manages to give me a small sad smile when he sees me looking. Then I just close my eyes, it's easier than looking as the hovercraft comes to take my small friend away.

I keep my eyes squeezed shut while I listen to Cato quietly call out to Marvel.
"Go back to the camp Marvel, tell Clove what happened. We'll join you in a minute." Marvel must nod, because I hear his footsteps fading away unevenly. I feel myself being placed on a fallen tree branch and Cato begins to talk as soon as I'm seated.

"I know you're awake, Grey. Just please hear me out. I'm so sorry that you couldn't save your friend, I truly am. But please don't blame yourself, because Spens is the only one at fault here. I promise that I will not let him win." I open my eyes slowly and Cato stares deeply at me. For once I can see right into his soul and I know that he's telling the truth. I feel tears welling up again and Cato notices and keeps talking.

"You know, back at the river, I ran from you because I thought that you were making me lose sight of what I came here to do. That I'd become weak if I showed that I cared for somebody. But when I heard you scream my name, the thought that you could be hurt killed me inside. And I knew that I could never leave you." Then Cato wraps his arms around me and he presses his forehead against mine as the tears begin to stream down my face again. For the fact that no matter what, Cato and I will never have each other because one of us has to die. But mostly I cry for Rue.

Cato holds me in his arms and rubs little circles into my back for a while, until I start to wonder if Marvel and Clove are getting worried about us. But then the silence is broken by the sounds of footsteps and a whimper leaves my lips, hasn't Spens done enough. I feel Cato tense and place his hand on his hip, and there's the slow sound of him quietly unsheathing his sword. He must have picked it up when I elbowed him in the gut; it probably still has Rue's blood on it. That thought makes me erupt into sobs again and Cato tries to quieten me down by whispering in my ear and stroking my cheek. I bite the inside of my cheek and nearly make it bleed from nervousness until Clove bursts through the trees. She takes us in for a moment but doesn't look phased.

"Our supplies," She breathes, and it sounds like she's been running to find us, "They're on fire!" Cato is on his feet in an instant but I have a tight hold of him so I come up with him.

"What do you mean, how could you let this happen Clove!" He growls in reply, but Clove stands her ground.

"It has nothing to do with me, but I did see it happen. One second our supplies are in a pile and the next it's covered in flames. I swear it was the Gamemakers, it's too planned." I turn to look at Cato, my eyes suddenly dry and tear-free, and I see his eyes narrow in anger. I'm scared he's going to lose his temper, but instead he just starts sprinting in the direction of the camp. Clove gives me a questioning look, wondering if I'm okay, but I try to smile and we follow Cato together.

By the time we arrive at our camp by the lake, Cato is standing watching our supplies burn to the ground, fists clenched in fury. Marvel is holding an empty canister of water, but his attempts to extinguish the flames must have failed. As soon as I see the fire, I know it's something the Capitol has concocted, it's too controlled. The flames don't touch anything except our camp. Around us are a few scavenged supplies, one sleeping bag, a backpack filled with some kind of supplies, one packet of food, and the container of Cato's medicine. Cato and Marvel must have gotten what they could before the fire caught on. I know that Cato will be furious that he couldn't save our camp.

Once the last of the fire burns out, Cato goes round the rubble and kicks our ruined supplies violently. I think about going to him, but I know that he needs to work out of his rage for a few minutes. Suddenly, we hear the voice of the announcer being blasted all across the arena.

'Attention tributes, attention! Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia. Each of you is expected to attend. That will be all.'

"It was their plan all along." Cato turns to face us as Marvel walks over to Clove and I. Nobody says anything, because it's probably true. Burn all our supplies so that we are forced to attend the feast with all the other tributes. It will be a second bloodbath.

"We just won't go!" Clove suggests, and Marvel nods in agreement. But Cato shakes his head.

"No, we have to go. Not for the food, but to take revenge on Spens. At sunrise tomorrow, he will die." And there's a fire in his eyes that no one argues with.