Disclaimer:

I do not own anything in relation to The Hunger Games Saga. Suzanne Collins owns the concept and the characters of the books.

Author's Note:

This chapter is part 2 of the long awaited Arena scene. My Co-writer/Beta and I have been trying really hard to form the right format and wording to do this scene justice.

My Co-writer/Beta has been very supportive and very giving with your visions that so very much matches my visions for this story. Thank you to my Co-writer/beta, 3vlee, for all of your help and support.

Please remember that this is rated M for a reason and I am always open to suggestions on how to make this story better.

Enjoy!

Chapter 14:

Katniss POV

Attention tributes: the six tribute who are no longer participating in the games did not follow the rules therefore they were punished and severely at that. Let this show you the tributes and the citizens sitting at home that any rules that are broken will have dire punishments. Now with further a dew LET THE HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!

After the words are said the buzzer goes off and the games start.

I step down from the pedestal and quickly grab Cloves knives. I look over to her and noticed that she grabbed my bow and arrows. We half run/half waddle to meet in the mouth of the cornucopia and exchange weapons.

"Katniss keep five of them and cover me I will go in and get Cato's sword and Peeta's spear."

I nod my head and turn to the other tributes. I see two of them already making off with bags and weapons that were not in the cornucopia. Cato has already reach us and has started to attack other tributes that are not in our alliance. I hear someone call my name.

I turn around and see a someone come up behind Cato. I quickly swing around to get the momentum needed, throwing the knife in my hand. It hits the tribute in the middle of his back and he falls over.

Cato turns around and sees what might have happened to him. He noticed that I was the one that saved his ass. He gives me this look that tells me that I should be in the safety zone. What the hell is the safety zone? We are in the fuckin arena! He then says:

"Get back to the horn and stay out of the way."

"Whatever Cato."

No thanks, no are you okay, not even are the girls okay. Nothing.

So I just let it go, turned around and got back to the horn to see that Clove and Foxy are actually on top of the horn and Peeta is waving me over so that I can be lifted on it next.

I see another tribute come up behind Peeta and as I noc my arrow and release so that it is now lodged in said tributes eye killing them instantly.

Peeta looks up and flashes us a quick smile; then he turns to me and helps me up on the cornucopia. He then turns around and grabs his spear and goes to help Cato, Marvel, Thresh, Haylie, Glimmer and Henry clear out the rest of the other tributes and the supplies.

Peeta, Glimmer, Haylie, and Henry into the horn and bring out everything that is left inside. Thresh and Marvel come to the side of the horn to help us down.

Clove walks over to me rubbing her belly.

"Katniss are you okay?"

"Yeah just shocked about how Cato can be so sweet and caring last night to me and the girls and then we get in here and he is so stuck in some type of zone that makes him a jackass."

"Katniss you have to understand something about the careers. We are taught from the time we all enter the academy we are taught about "THE ZONE" and that once we hear a buzzer or a horn we cannot leave that zone."

"Yeah I noticed you were in that zone but you came out."

"Yeah I came out because if I had stayed in that zone I would have went so hard that I would have killed my son. I couldn't live with myself if I lost my Peeta's baby."

"I know how you feel. I never wanted to have a baby or be married, but now that I have these two lives living inside of me and I feel them kicking me I cannot think of what I would do without them. I would kill myself if I lost my girls. I don't know how Cato cannot just well just be a dad and help me."

"Katniss, Cato has never known any type of love. His mother was an orphan until she got out of the system. She met his father and had a one night thing when she got pregnant. All I know is that his dad treated her and all of the kids like shit. She could not teach him how to love because she did not know it how to love. He is showing signs that he does love you but he does not know what or how love is supposed to be given or received. Please give him time to sort it out."

"But Clove, we are in the games and we don't have time. I am not asking him to love me. All I am asking is for him to respect me and teat me and our girls like we are human. I need him to do this now not at the end of the games because we may not be alive then."

I turn away ending our conversation. Thinking of what I was just told about Cato and his childhood. Why didn't he tell me this himself. I shake my head and count how many arrows.

Then I look around and what I see shocks me. I see that there are bodies laying dead on the ground and six pedestals that have been blown up. The sight of this makes me sick.

"Hey Kat. Earth to Kitty."

"Shut up Marv!"

"Then get over here so we can get your pregnant ass down."

"Marvel you be nice to her or she might shoot you in the balls with her arrows."

"Hey guys. Where is Cato?"

Everyone looks around and there is no sign of him. I started to walk around to look for him and get my arrows to clean them. I am by myself as I get close to the edge of the woods. I hear noises in the bushes and then a growl.

I start to slow my steps and noc my arrow. It is then when a wild dog jumps out at me and goes for my swollen belly. I scream for Cato as I release my arrow. I start to waddle away as fast as I can. It isn't fast enough because the animal launches itself with teeth bared and claws out and trips me and is almost on top of me.

All of the sudden, there is a flash of blond hair and muscles. There was a struggle and then I see the wild dog goes limp. My blond rescuer turns around and reaches for my hand.

"Get up. It isn't safe here and what are you even doing all the way out here alone? Are you stupid or are you trying to get yourself and our babies killed?"

"FUCK YOU CATO! Where the fuck were you? You cannot just disappear and not expect me to just let you be out here alone. I need for you to be there for us right now. I can't do this alone anymore. I need your help and I do not ask for help at all."

"Why don't you ask Clove and Peeta for help. You run to them anyways."

"You know what never fucking mind. Go to fuckin hell!"

"If you haven't noticed, I AM ALREADY THERE! I AM STUCK WITH YOU!"

I stood there for a minute and then went to the lake to clean my arrows.

Cato POV

Peeta and I are on our platforms but the girls aren't up yet. Both of us are worried because Katniss is still recovering from D-2 and carrying our girls. Then all of a sudden the ground shakes as six of the platforms explode with the Tributes who didn't conceive. Still the girls aren't up and Peeta is about to step off of his platform, but I get his attention and shake my head no, not to move.

Shortly after the girls come up as the President speaks:

Attention tributes:

The six tribute who are no longer participating in the games did not follow the rules therefore they were punished and severely at that. Let this show you the tributes and the citizens sitting at home that any rules that are broken will have dire punishments. Now with further a dew LET THE HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!

With that I have zoned in and the buzzer goes off. Peeta and I race toward the Girls who are already getting their weapons at the horn. Clove tells Katniss

"Katniss keep five of them and cover me I will go in and get Cato's sword and Peeta's spear."

As Katniss guards the horn as Clove and Foxy get our weapons. Two tributes get in my way of Katniss. So I punch one in the gut and throw him aside while I backhand his partner and wrench her by the arm breaking it.

I made over to the horn where I get my sword and toss Peeta his spear as he gets the girls on top of the horn. I start attacking as I was trained to from day one. I hear Foxy yelling to Katniss as I take on my next victim when I see a knife being thrown and I hear a thud on the ground.

I turn to see Katniss closer to me and a Tribute who was going to stab me in the back. Talk about Karma, she's now dead with a knife sticking out of the middle of her severed her spine.

What the fuck is Katniss doing away from the horn?

"Get back to the horn and stay out of the way."

"Whatever Cato."

Geez what is she thinking? I can't come first. Our daughters have to. She now has to think that way. Thresh, Glimmer, Marvel, Hailey, Henry and take on more Tributes. I hear Peeta calling Katniss to the horn. He's getting Katniss on top of the horn with Foxy and Clove. Which is a big relief.

I see arrows also being launched with all but one hitting it's target. Right in the eye. Only one got a pack in her arm as she races away. I look over quickly to see one getting ready to attack Peeta from behind when Katniss lets loose an arrow killing the Tribute as the arrow has gone through his skull right through his eye.

All too soon the bloodbath is over as we drive away the Tributes not in our alliance. But I hear a growl of a wolf as they smell the blood from the kills we've done.

So I go hunt the wolf down in the woods as Marvel calls to Katniss to help her down.

SHIT!

I can't call out to Marvel. Katniss needs to stay there at the horn.

I am in the woods as I hear Katniss call for me. What the FUCK! I notice she's getting her arrows from the Tributes so I really can't be mad at her but she should have someone there with her while I'm taking care of the... Oh shit... A Wild dog and its a big boy heading right toward Katniss.

I see she tries to out run and she screams as I launched myself at it. The animal and I struggle. Then the wild dog goes limp as I drive my sword through it. I throw the dog off of me go to Katniss and reach for her hand. Me and my big mouth does it again but I'm so angry. What was she thinking coming out this way?

"Get up. It isn't safe here and what are you even doing all the way out here alone? Are you stupid or are you trying to get yourself and our babies killed?"

Katniss surprises me again as she fights back.

"FUCK YOU CATO! Where the fuck were you? You cannot just disappear and not expect me to just let you be out here alone. I need for you to be there for us right now. I can't do this alone anymore. I need your help and I do not ask for help at all."

"Why don't you ask Clove and Peeta for help. You run to them anyways."

"You know what never fucking mind. Go to fuckin hell!"

"If you haven't noticed, I AM ALREADY THERE! I AM STUCK WITH YOU!"

Oh shit now I did it. I saw it. She shut down as I see her take her arrows to the lake to clean them off. She tells me she needs me and I just told the mother of my children to fuck off. I must talk to her.

As I go to the horn to get a couple of things and to cool off, Peeta hands me the knife Katniss threw that saved my life. I don't even remember what the hell I said to Peeta next but it sets him off as he goes:

"TAMTRUM! I'LL give you a Tantrum!..."

Then the little fucker hits me.

After I land on the ground from the punch that Baker Boy delivered, he walks up and apologizes to Clove for 'his' behavior in front of her. Then he goes to Katniss, gives her boot knife back. Why is she blinking like that? I hear her tell Peeta she needs a moment alone.

Peeta notices something in Katniss and goes to Marvel and Thresh then goes to Clove. I overhear Peeta tell Clove,

"She's got that look Clove. She's shutting down. Watch her."

We watch her. While dinner is cooking Marvel has Thresh go over to get Katniss to snap out of it.

"Dinner is almost ready Katniss."

Only seeing a blank stare from her out on the lake. This has us concerned to the point even that I notice that Clove is tearing up.

"I need a moment."

Thresh looks at Marvel and shakes his head. I notice that her jacket is hanging on the branch. So I go and place it on her shoulders hoping she knows that I am there. Come on Katniss turn around. Nothing. No movement just a blank stare. As I turn toward Marvel she starts to sing

My Immortal:

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When she sings, its a voice of an angel. I notice this is also part of her MO. When she's stressed or, needs to get a message across she'll sing. As I leave I hear her mumble to our girls

"We'll make it on our own girls. It's just us now. I'll never ask for help again. We're going to be okay."

WOW I really fucked up big time. I shake my head to Marvel.

As we start to eat Peeta takes a plate over to Katniss. It doesn't even phase her. Plate just sits there but she finally put her jacket on. Clove hears wolves and has Marvel, Peeta and Henry take me to another part of the clearing to talk.

"What the fuck did you say to her Cato? Jesus H. Christ she's barely living. The song she's even sang was about a great lost."

I told him what I said. I went over there to apologize to her, she didn't even turned to look.

"YOU WHAT! Now let me get this straight. You told the mother of your children that 'you're already living in Hell, that you're stuck with her!"

"Yeap I was so fuckin' angry that she went looking for me and almost got her and the twins killed by a wild dog. I put my freakin' feet hip deep in it again Marv."

Then we all notice Clove, Foxy and Thresh went and got Katniss from the lake and brought her plate with her by the fire to eat. Katniss still had that blank look but at least she's eating for the girls if nothing else. Then we see that spark return as she grabs Thresh and her bow as she runs to the top of the horn for some reason.

"When we get back, YOU need to talk to her. Before its too late. After that WE are going to talk."