Cato

I watched as Katniss and Caesar met onstage. He kissed her cheek and she smiled at him. Juna and Haymitch sat by me as I glared at the two. They re-watched the Games and Katniss began to rub he eyes when Rue was shown.

She's taking this surprisingly well.

When Peeta's death came on, Katniss was visibly shaken. She bowed her head and wiped her eyes. I was grateful Cinna had waterproof makeup applied to her face. Katniss nodded and tearfully answered whatever questions Caesar had for her.

"Now, I've heard that you and your Mentor, Cato, have been getting close to one another," He raised his eyebrows and Katniss looked flustered.

"Well-" She was cut off by the film rolling. It was when Katniss was pulled up by the hovercraft. The entire audience watched in utter silence as she fell into my arms. They began to coo when we kissed. I felt many eyes on me and glared at the screen, seeing if I could get it to catch on fire.

~'~'~'~

"Mr. Arckenson, you're needed in conference room 1-124," A random secretary told me and two Peacekeepers guided me there.

I opened the doors to see President Snow, Father, and the council.

"Cato, so glad you could join us. Sit," Snow motioned to the chair across from him at the other end of the table. I sat down and looked at Father. He nodded to me.

"Cato, you have brought one Victor out. As I have promised, I will allow you to return to your home in District 2 or to your home in the Capitol," Snow stated and I frowned.

What about Katniss? Are you just going to leave her?

"Will I be allowed on the Victory Tour?" I asked and he nodded.

"You will return to 12 before the Victory Tour begins, but we do need you in the Capitol. Not in the way you think. Not anymore, but to begin your training as the next Weapons Director of Panem. Your Father has agreed to allow you to begin training."

Has agreed or has been forced?

"So I'll stay in the Capitol for a month and then I will return to 12 before the Victory Tour. I will do that, sir," He seemed pleased with my answer and Father smiled.

"President Snow, I will take my son to say his farewells and then take him to the labs," Father stood and Snow nodded.

"I see potential in you, Cato. Great potential."

Katniss

I looked around and saw no sign of Cato.

"Haymitch, where's Cato?" I asked and he pointed to the building across from us.

"With the President. I expect he'll be returning home soon."

"That's right, I forgot that he's from 2," I stated and Haymitch shrugged.

"Not really."

"What?" She asked.

"Well, you see, Cato's mom was from 2, but his father's born and bred from the Capitol."

"How is that possible?" I asked. Haymitch pointed to a person coming towards us.

"Ask him yourselves," He said and we watched as Cato came closer.

"Cato, how did your parents meet?" I asked and he raised an eyebrow.

"What? Why would you need to know that?" He asked and I shrugged. "They met in 2 after my mother won the Games. Father was there to observe the factories and mines," I nodded and turned to look out the window.

"Why aren't we moving yet?" I wondered and Cato stood.

"Because I won't be going with you. I'm staying in the Capitol on the President's orders," He stated and my eyes widened.

"What?"

"They want me to start training to take my Father's position as Head Weapons Designer."

"Will you ever come back?" I asked and he nodded.

"I will, Fire Girl. In a month or so, I'll return to 12 to help with the Victory Tour. Then it's back to 2 for me so that I'll start Mentoring there," He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Can I talk to you privately?"

We walked into a separate compartment and Cato wrapped his arms around me.

"I'll wait for you," I mumbled and he nodded. "You know, you should smile more. No wonder you have no friends," He laughed at that.

"What are you talking about? I have more friends than you do! You might meet them next year when you Mentor," He said and I kissed him.

"I'll miss you," I whispered and Cato nodded.

"I'll miss you too. Will you wait for me?" He asked and I nodded.

"I will."

~'~'~'~

I watched the Capitol get smaller and smaller in the distance. I watched until Cato became a blur in the crowd. I was going home.

"Well, I think you all did a marvelous job," Effie announced during dinner. "Katniss you will be Mentors next year, and I will do my best to help you on your way. It's so quiet without Cato here."

What a joke. I knew Cato never spoke during meals unless he had to.

"I'm going home," I mused and smiled. I giggled a little and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm going home!"

Cato

I walked with an attendant and an Avox to the labs. I walked by glass windows that showed people drilling, scratching, writing, and smashing metal, plastic, glass, and fabric to create innovative weapons.

"Mr. Arckenson, welcome to your work area. It used to be your father's," The attendant said and she opened a door.

Ooh fancy.

The room was brightly lit and there was a table with nearly every material anyone cold want. I sat at the table and looked at the neat stacks of graphing paper.

"You may come here whenever you wish, Mr. Arckenson. I'll leave you for now," She closed the door and walked away with the Avox.

Father had taught most of the things I already knew, so I was more than prepared to start working.

Then let's get started.

I cracked my knuckles and began to draw a machine onto the graphing paper. The math was complicated, and I needed for it to work.

"Let's do this," I muttered and used a ruler to sharpen my lines.

~'~'~'~

I worked until midnight, crafting and sculpting. Father had always told me that he took his work as an art.

"War is something with no beauty whatsoever, so I try putting beauty into it," He had told me. I yawned and decided to return home.

It was dark, but the Capitol still buzzed with life. I walked from the building to my house in a matter of minutes. I opened the front door and stepped in.

"Cato, I have to talk to you," Father called and I walked forward. Father was sitting in the living room, holding a newspaper, and listening to classical music.

"Father?" I asked and he smiled.

"Ah, yes. Why don't we put your sister to bed?" He pointed to Juna sleeping on the sofa, her dress crinkled under her. I picked her up, noting she weighed nothing in my arms. Father and I walked to where her room was and he opened the pink canopy around her bed.

I laid her down and she mumbled a few unintelligible words. After kissing her goodnight, Father and I walked out onto the balcony.

"Cato, President Snow isn't happy about your Victor," He began.

This again? Tell us something we don't know!

"There's a rebellion, and Katniss has fuelled it," He continued.

What now? Here we go!

"A rebellion? Where? In 11?" I asked and he shook his head.

"District 13 has been looking for a so called 'spark' to light the flames, no pun intended, of their rebellion. Katniss is that spark."

"Father, a rebellion... if they overthrew the Capitol-"

"Hush. Don't speak of such things," Father shook his head. "I've insured our safety, so you have no need to worry. Should anything happen, I'm flying with Juna to the house. I suggest you do the same. Bring Katniss if you want. Bring her family if you must, but I want you safe."

"Father, what have you done that's 'insured our safety'?" I asked, worried.

"What do you think? What do I do best? I design weaponry."

He's sent weapon prototypes and designs to 13. To know that they have the best weapons designer on their side...

"You didn't. Father, if the President finds out-"

"I did, and he never will. Should anything happen to the house, I have immediate transport to 13 waiting for us," He said and I nodded.

"Father, I really hope it doesn't get to that," I said and he nodded.

"Neither do I, but does it matter? I've made sure we're safe," He said and walked back inside. "Normally I wouldn't say this, but do you want a drink?" He called and I smiled.

"Yes, Father. I do," I said and I closed the door behind me.

Katniss

People were cheering. Cheering for me. I was home.

I looked outside and saw my mother and Gale. Prim was in her arms and she waved. I smiled as Haymitch led me off of the train. He grabbed my wrist and raised it in triumph. I smiled and hugged my mother. I kissed Prim on the forehead and hugged her as well. I then hugged Gale.

After shaking hands with everyone, I followed Haymitch and Effie to where the Victor's Village was. The two Peacekeepers opened the gates to us and I heard my mother gasp.

Haymitch led us to the house opposite of his. I pointed to the one to the right of Haymitch's house.

"That's Cato's isn't it?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, he won't be living there for a while, though," I bit my bottom lip and continued inside the lavish house.

In my opinion, I thought the house was too large for a family of four including the damned cat. I walked around the large house, ignoring Haymitch's drunken rant on the wallpaper and Effie's Capitol written tour.

"Hey, what's this?" I asked, pointing at the door. It was white like all of the other doors and had a bronze doorknob.

"That, you crazy pyromaniac, is your room," Haymitch called, completely sober. I opened the door and looked inside.

There was a large bed and doors that led to a bathroom and a dresser. The sheets were white, but the pillows were green. I looked around and saw picture frames. There was one of my mother and Prim. Then there was another of Cato. His arms were crossed and he was grinning at something.

My mother walked forward and picked the frame up.

"Oh, is this him? Cato Arckenson, right?" She asked and I nodded.

"I remember him coming every year with his parents. His father always came and talked. He charted the land and drew certain plants. His wife would always wander around 12. She died with your father, and the family never returned," She sighed and set the picture down. "I hope he treats you well."

"He does, Mother," I smiled and Prim ran forward to see what he looked like.

We continued around the house and Haymitch and Effie left after a while. I didn't know what happened, but Mother had returned almost to normal. She insisted on making dinner that night, and for the first time, we had money to buy whatever we needed.

I had tasted the rich foods of the Capitol, but nothing beat my mother's fish and greens. No matter how bland it looked compared to the festive Capitol meals, it tasted like home.

I laid in my bed after washing up and I looked up at the ceiling. It was white and had a fan. I wondered what Cato was doing about now. Probably designing some new weapon to further "protect" the country. Had his family been put on the line? I knew Cato was a Capitol favorite, along with Finnick Odair.

I wondered what Peeta might have been doing if he'd survived. Probably preparing to sleep after being welcomed home by his family. His mother would hug him and kiss his cheeks. His father would clap him on the back and smile. He would hug his two remaining brothers and cry. Peeta's older brother, Rye, had died a few years ago in the Hunger Games. I couldn't remember who killed him, or what year it happened, but I knew their family had not healed properly.

I snapped out of my reverie and realized I was crying. I was too afraid to go to sleep, but I knew I had to. Until Cato came back, I had to be strong. I missed him already.

Closing my eyes, I drifted to sleep.