A/N: Hey, I know that I said I would update with two weeks and I didn't. So Sorry. I've been busy planning my birthday and my Sister's Wedding! I'm so happy for her! Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it. And I just want to clarify that only women who have slept with Cato know he is alive and can tell no one.
"President Snow. What brings you to our District?" Cato stuttered. He was nervous. I would be too if I was in his position. There could be many reasons as to why he was here, but I could only think the worst.
"Calm yourself Cato, you're not in trouble. In fact quite the opposite. I'm here on business." Cato relaxed but was still edgy.
"Why is she here?" Cato looked at the woman standing in the bedroom doorway who was wearing only a towel.
"Miss Lincoln has a business proposition for you. She has enjoyed you company so much these past days that she wishes to…let's say profit from you." Oh this was not good. Definitely not good. I knew then and there.
"In what way. That I'll become her personal slave." I hoped I was wrong, but I already knew what the answer. Cato and I would never be allowed to live together peacefully.
"No actually, Elena has a granddaughter your age and wishes to court you."
"Yes, that sneaky girl had heard about our encounters from the capitol gossip and wishes to…save you as she put it." Elena intervened. Great now some other girl was going to be with Cato.
"So am I just doing the same job then but with your granddaughter instead?" he asked her.
"If she wants to, yes even though she has a boyfriend." She snorted in disgust. I'm guessing the two don't get along and right now, I don't like her either
"Ok what are the rules exactly?"
"While you are with my granddaughter, you will be pulled out of the House. Choose to leave anytime and you will be put back in. She can do anything she wants with you. You live in our house for the duration of this."
"What about Katie?" Ok I'm guessing she doesn't know that I'm alive. I take comfort in Cato not telling anyone about me.
"Same as before, she stays here while you're away." Snow answers
"Then how will she provide for herself? I bring in the money for us to live by doing the job you've given me." Cato knows that I can fully provide for myself but he's putting on an act for Snow and for Elena, who doesn't know squat about me.
"Money will be sent for her and her family to survive while you are away. This is a great opportunity Cato. Don't deny it."
"Do I even have a choice?" We both know the answer to that and so does Snow.
"How about we just say Yes to this for the time Cato. Then we'll see if you have a choice." Cato looks at me, his eyes full of hurt. I know he is sorry for what he has to do to protect me. He turns back to Snow.
"When do I leave?"
"In the morning. Now if I might have a word with miss Katie alone please." Cato nods and walks into the second bathroom and locks it. Elena heads back into our bedroom. I shudder at the thought of her doing god knows what in there. Once Snow feels that we are truly alone and safe, he speaks.
"Miss Everdeen, you will play your part in this as well if you ever want to see your family again. When people ask, and they will, where Cato is you will tell them that he has gone on strict business to the Capitol on a job for me. You don't know what he is doing because he was not permitted to tell you. Am I clear?" I nod once.
"Now on happier news, Cato has been a hit with the Capitol ladies. I am very pleased with what these ladies have told me about their night." He pauses. Why is he telling me this? To torment me, that's why. "And as a gift for his effort, I will pull your sister out of all future reapings until she is over eighteen." I take a minute to sink in what he has said. Prim won't ever be reaped for the Hunger Games ever again. She is given the chance to live. I realise that his gift actually doesn't mean much, because District 2 would never let a fifteen year old go, they choose who goes and they are always eighteen. But to humour Snow I act exceedingly happy and shocked.
"You mean Prim will never be picked for the Hunger Games ever again?" I sound shocked but my tone still holds happiness in it. Just what I am trying to express.
"Yes, now I have to go. As ruler of all Panem, your schedule does become very busy. I rarely have any time to myself." He gets up to leave.
"President Snow, may I tell Prim about her being spared."
"I guess so, but this only. Say a word of anything else and there won't be any Prim left to tell." What is it with the man and shedding blood?
"Elena, get dressed and come back out. We are leaving!" She dashes back out of the room, already dressed. Smart woman. They both leave and Cato comes out of the bathroom. I forgot to ask about Cato, but I'm sure it won't be any different. Distracted by my thoughts, I don't see Cato plonking himself down next to my on the couch.
"Katniss" he's eyes are full of pain.
"I know. You have to do this but I love you for it. All that you've done for me since we've known each other. You got us both out of the Hunger Games; you sold yourself to protect my family and me; You're doing all that you don't want to me for because Snow is forcing you with blackmail. I know–" his lips cut me off and kiss me deeply and I respond just as much or more. We pull away out of breath and he is the first to speak.
"I love you Katniss. I know how much this is affecting you–" It was my turn to interrupt him.
"I know, but I can deal with it. I trust you Cato and that is why I can deal with it. Because I know how much you love me. That is what helps me sleep at night when you are with some other woman." I hold him tight and rest my head on his chest. I just hope that I can deal with Cato not being here full time.
Line Break
By midday, the questions come reeling in about where is Cato? I tell everyone the same answer. 'I don't know. He is on some secret job for President Snow.' It's getting quite trying having to answer the same question almost every five seconds. But my attention is turned else, as well as my worry. It's Monday. Today Prim has begun her training at the Academy. I know she must be nervous but I still have the greatest news for her which will brighten up her entire day. I meant to tell her this morning and support her, but I got side tracked and bombarded with questions from everyone.
I spot her over at dagger station with other kids listening to a trainer explaining how to use one. I know that most aren't listening cause they know how to but I know that Prim will be holding on to every word. Even though she won't ever need the survival skills for the Hunger Games, she needs to know how to use a weapon, they have exams and test at the end of each season to see how everyone's training is going. I plan to teach her archery but she will also have to learn the uses of other weapons. Once I see the trainer dismiss the all, I walk over to her. She spots me and breaks out into a grin.
"Katie!" I'm glad that she has remembered that she can't call me Katniss in public like she can when I visit her and mum. She runs over to me and gives me and big hug.
"How is your training going? Do you need help?" While training with Cato before the Hunger Games, he taught me about daggers; how to hold them properly, how to throw them with accuracy.
"Okay I guess, I can't get the dagger to hit the targets. I constantly hear the other laugh at me because I have no skill. And the trainer is only helping those who can throw the dagger."
"You just need practice. Do you want to try Archery with me? You'll have me as your own trainer." She nods and walks over to the Archery station with me. I watch her pick up the bow and try to place the arrow in line, juggling the bow and arrow in her hands which soon falls to the floor. I walk over and pick them up.
"It's fine. Here, hold the bow in your left hand; the bow can hold its weight if you hold it at the front, then you can use your right hand to pull the arrow." I pick up another bow from the stand and show her. It felt good again to have a bow in my hands. I pull back the string and release the arrow. It flies straight to the heart of the red target. I turn to watch Prim. She copies what I did and aims at the target. Her stance is perfect but she needs to pull the string back further. I hold her hand and pull it back to her mouth. She lets go and the arrow lodges itself in the blue ring of the target. A great shot for her first try. I would say that it was beginner's luck because luck has nothing to do with it. She turns to me and she is grinning.
"Well done. With enough practice, I'm sure you will make a fine archer."
"Not as good as you though." She pulls a second arrow back and lets it fly hitting the blue ring again. I think she is holding it too high.
"Lower your arms, you're holding the bow to high. Look at the red circle and aim the bow at, make it level with stand." She nods at me and then puts another arrow in place, but this time, she angles the bow either up or down until she feels it is straight. She sighs deeply and pulls back the arrow. Sighing deeply again, she release the arrow and it sinks into the red centre of the stand. She did it! Her first bullseye!
"I did it!" She is ecstatic. I look around and see the kids at the dagger station staring in shock at her. Yeah that's right, my sister does have skill. We practice until the end of the training day which is at four. Prim doesn't get another bullseye but she does come rather close to it. Most of her shots land in the inner yellow ring and I mean inner. One of her arrows landed in the thin lining between yellow and red. When we go back to her and mum's house she is immediately telling mum about her shooting and that she hit a bullseyes. She is grinning widely and is over the moon about it. I stay for dinner and then head home. When I arrive, I have a visitor. Cinna! He's waiting outside the door on the park bench that sits under the bedroom window.
"Cinna!" he smiles and gets up to greet me. I wrap my arms around in bone crushing hug.
"Hello Katniss" he whispers
"Do want to come inside? I'm sure you're here for a reason." I open the door with my keys and let him in. I walk into the kitchen while he gently places himself on the plush white lounge.
"Would you like anything to drink? Coffee, Tea, Water?" I offer. I begin making myself tea. Ever since I discovered tea, I've been addicted to it. I generally make myself one before going to bed.
"Just water please?" I finish making my tea and bring him a glass of water setting myself down next him.
"So how are you Cinna? How is the prep team?"
"I'm fine thank you. The team is fine too. You and Cato are all they talk about. Talk of a new man put on the selling market was the highlight of their topic." I don't know if he knows it is Cato or not but I don't' want to bring it up."
"I know it is Cato, but I didn't tell them. I knew that you and Cato would both get out of the Hunger Games alive without a price and that was it. Where is Cato by the way? The new topic is that the same man has been taken off the market. I thought that he was taken off then he would be here." I sip my tea quietly. Should I tell him? He is from the Capitol. But Snow told me not to tell anyone or it is Prim's life and I can't risk that.
"He's doing some secret jog for President Snow. He wouldn't tell me a thing about it. Only that he had to go to the Capitol like usual. Speaking of the Capitol, what brings you to District 2?" He drinks from the glass of water then setting it down on the table.
"On the way back from one of his trips to the Capitol, Cato told me that you we're running out of the hair dye shampoo and conditioner, so I've arranged for more to be sent over."
"Oh yes, I had been meaning to call about that but let it slip my mind. Thank Cinna."
"It's fine." We talk about preparing for the Victory Tour soon, and the Capitol, and other topics until the time comes for Cinna to leave and me to go to bed.
"Thank for stopping by and telling me about the shampoo set Cinna. I'll write down to call next time I run out so that I don't forget. It was lovely to see you again."
"You too Katniss, thank you for the water. I'll talk to you some time later." We hug goodbye and he walks out into the night while I close the door and get ready for bed. It is really late by the time on the clock. When in bed, it takes me about five minutes until I zonk out and am fast asleep. My dream consists of mainly of Cato but I also have a horrible nightmare Snow killing my children again. I haven't had that dream since that Hunger Games except this time they weren't reaped for the Games. They were killed in front of me.
Line Break
While I sleep, I think about Katniss. How is she holding up? I know she said she could do this but Katniss has this thing where she has to be strong for everyone else even if she can't be. My first day went okay. It turns out that the grandmother's daughter is a very good friend of Snow's granddaughter and that is how she was able to pull me out of the brothel, with her connections to the girl who is spoilt rotten by her grandfather. He did the same thing for Finnick. Yes, she pulled the ladies' man Finnick Odair out of it too to be her boyfriend. She wanted a boyfriend for her best friend, so that's where they concocted the idea of pulling me out. Now I know why I never saw Finnick when I was at the Capitol. The girl is sweet; sixteen like Katniss but nothing like her. More like Prim. Today we hung about the mansion getting to know each other. But right now, I just want my dreams and thought to be filled of Katniss. The love waiting for me back home.