I know its been extremely long since I wrote. I was trying to get through exams and things have just been complicated and I had writers block so I didn't want to let you guys down by writing a crappy chapter. But I'm back and its summer so hopefully the stories will be more frequent.

Chapter 21

Stays The Same

Johanna, after wiping the blood off the blade of her axe, continued past the rest of the career tributes. "What? Just gonna stand there?" and she ducked into the cornucopia. Finnick shook his head, following Johanna and then Mags decided to join them.

"Come on Clove, we should go help them." Cato said, but the sounds of his voice pounded in my head. My knees wobbled and I dropped to them, feeling like the world was unstable beneath my feet. Cato rushed to me in a blur as I supported myself with my legs and arms. I could feel the shortness of breath in my lungs and inhaled deeply. "Clove! Clove can you hear me?!" Cato"s voice, as well as his face, came into focus.

"Yeah, I hear you, I'm just-" I started to get up but my legs wobbled again. Cato slung his arms around me and suddenly, I was off the ground. Cato was carrying me. "I don't need to be carried Cato, I'm-" I winced as I drew in a breath. "-fine."

Cato ignored my pleads, carrying me into the cornucopia. The temperature of the arena was starting to get me as the adrenaline wore off. The heat wasn't as bad in the shade of the cornucopia. He set me down on the ground and I saw everyone gathering around, looking at me with strange expressions.

"What's wrong with her?" Johanna crossed her arms. "Hey! Clove!" she snapped in front of my face. I almost reached out to slap her hand away but I couldn't find the strength.

"Leave her alone." Surprisingly, Mags was the one who spoke. She knelt by my side, her brow creased. "She's sick."

"No shit." Johanna retorted.

"How do you mean sick" Cato knelt beside Mags and the world seemed to be going in and out of focus. I felt a cough rising in my chest and tried to turn over, but all energy was gone. I coughed and felt the blood gather in my throat, choking on it.

"Turn her over, she's choking!" Finnick insisted. Cato turned me to the side in haste. A drip of scarlett escaped my lips and pooling on the ground beneath me.

"Clove. What have you done?" Cato's voice sounded choked with sobs.

"I-" I began, before my body was taken over by a shudder of chills. I reached for Cato, who leaned closer before realizing what it was I wanted. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead at the slightest movement.

"Leave me alone with her for a sec guys." Cato peered up at the other members, who nodded and exited from the cornucopia. "Clove? What is it?"

"It's-" I took a rattling breath as Cato helped me to sit up. I lifted my arm with more effort than it should have taken and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "The medication."

"What?" Cato looked at me with a strange expression. "This isn't part of the meds? It's not supposed to do this though, right?"

I shook my head. "It's rejecting the meds. This-" I let out another ough and more blood dribbled down my chin. Heat consumed my body and sweat clung to my skin. "This one's a fighter." I placed my hand on my stomach and laughed, allowing more blood to appear.

Cato, seeming a bit teary eyed, moistened his lips. "But we have to stop it. If you're sick like this, how will we get you out of the games. I mean, there's got to be something we can do." Cato tried to reason.

"The medication-" I readjusted myself, leaning all my weight against Cao. "-isn't supposed to take full effect until 48 hours later."

'So we've still got time? We can reverse this and you won't be sick, right?"

I nodded. "If we could just figure out a way to get the medication out-"

"We could cut it out." Johanna shouted from outside.

"Eavesdropper!" Cato shouted, laughing to himself. "What if you heave it up. I mean, that's the most logical explanation, isn't it?" I nodded, feeling the sweat pouring down my back and neck. "Do you want me to stay?" Cato questioned.

"No, I'll do this myself."

I stared incredulously at the yellow pill that was supposed to end it all. Supposed to end this extra life, but instead, it almost ended mine. After seeing that pill escape my system without killing the fetus, I felt a strange sort of elation. Maybe I didn't want to get rid of the baby after all. Then again, this would cause a couple complications.

"Nothing we can't handle." Cato's voice replied my thoughts and I realized I had spoken out loud. He threw me an apple and I was surprised to see I had the energy to catch it. "You should eat something."

I took a bite of the apple, not feeling like eating much at that moment, but eating the apple anyway. "So, mama Clove." Johanna came back into the cornucopia along with the others. "I do believe we should start setting up camp, or are you too weak for that?"

I was surprised to see Mags spraying water at Johanna's face. "Heyy!" Johanna shouted.

"Works on cats too." Mags grinned to herself.

"Alright you two, lets set up camp." Finnick offered. Cato helped me to stand up and I began milling about, using random objects as support every once in a while, but managing to help. By the time the sleeping bags were set up, the first night in the arena had begun to set in, and there was a somber silence among us careers. A small fire crackled with the sleeping bags in a circle around it. The gamemakers hadn't provided tents this year, and Johanna seemed to be happy about that. "At least we don't have to listen to you guys getting it on at night." Johanna had said.

"Yeah, you're right. You'll probably want to watch." Cato had replied. But all joking was over by now. We ate food in silence and I mulled over everything in my mind. Any choices about the baby I had made were reversed now. I was going to be a mother, if I lived that long. I was reminded of my life flashing before my eyes in las years games, with two children chasing each other around the house with knives and Cato sobbing on the kitchen floor.

One thing was for sure. If Finnick didn't pull through on his plan, Cato would live alone without any child, or I would be a single mother. Either way, I didn't want to find out what would happen. Cato slipped his hand into mine, tugging it towards one of the sleeping bags. I nodded and we both slipped inside, our bodies pressed closely to each other. I tucked my head beneath Cato's shin, spinning the ring on my finger. Everything had changed, yet everything was still the same.

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