A/N: This was fun!
Nate awoke to a fuzzy feeling in his brain and a weird taste in his mouth. It was kind of like cotton. At least that's what he thought cotton tasted like. He wasn't exactly familiar with the material's taste. He usually only wore the fabric. His entire thinking process was getting weirder and weirder every minute. He really needed a drink of water.
The boy sat up and took note of the fact that he was alone. He didn't know why but that wasn't a good thing. His gut even protested the fact that there was nobody else breathing in the same room with him. He rubbed at his eyes and chalked it up to loneliness. He had been playing in the games for a little over a month now. He was bound to be lonely.
The young man, for he was no longer truly a boy now, moved to his left and sighed in relief. His shoulder was almost healed. Sophie had placed one of her healing green leaves on it and the shoulder was moving exactly like it was supposed to. He needed to thank Sophie for…
"Sophie!" Nate shouted out in sudden realization.
He rose to his feet and felt pain fill his head in double time. He flung his hands towards the painful area and growled at the rock above his head. He was still in the cave and the tribute from District One was nowhere to be found. And neither were his arrows. That only meant one thing.
"Please don't go after them!" Nate howled into the air.
He quickly grabbed his bag and checked his supplies. He was almost out of food. Sophie had left him the biscuits and the empty serum vial. She had probably been gone for a while if that puppy was empty. He wasn't home so he hadn't won yet. That was good. He needed to get to Sophie. Everything else could wait; unless he was out of water.
Nate shook his water bottle and scowled at its emptiness. Naturally Sophie would empty it just to make certain he couldn't follow her as soon as he woke up. The young man scowled at the girl's brilliance and immediately raced towards the stream.
It was dry.
"Dammit Sophie!" Nate shouted towards the air. He was pissed now. His girl was out there hunting the other tributes and he was being forced to go towards the lake. That meant the tributes from District Four were still alive.
Nate scowled towards the cameras one more time and carefully looked at the weapons he had. Two of Sophie's training arrows and her knives that was all he had. He would use them to his advantage. He had to. If the two tributes from District Four hurt his Sophie, they were going to die slowly. The young man rushed off in the direction of the Cornucopia with death and protection on his mind.
%
Sophie stayed well-hidden in her tree with the bow and arrows as she watched the District Four tributes carefully. It had only been a few days since she left Nathan behind. She remembered how easy it was to distract him. It had been almost too easy. She was downright frightened by how easy it was. It had felt so wrong too but it was necessary. It was so very necessary.
"We'll separate in the morning," Nate promised with a firm nod. His arms were still wrapped tightly, possessively around her in hopes of never letting go.
She just nodded her head and placed it on his shoulder. The plan was already forming in her mind. The serum was in his bag and she knew there was enough to knock him out for a while. The key was getting to it. She didn't know how or even when but she knew she was going to get that serum. She had a new plan now. She was going to win him the games. That was all that mattered. She was going to win Nathan Ford the games by going after the tributes of District Four before he did. She would take them out and then she would stab herself. It was the perfect plan and he would not ruin it.
So, the girl did the only thing she could think of. She kissed him. She delightedly placed her lips on his mouth and worked her tongue through his lips. She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him towards the bags. Nate just let her because his hands were too busy memorizing every strand of her hair and every inch of her back. He was bound to figure out her plan soon. She just had to be faster.
Sophie maneuvered the both of them so they were against the cave wall. The bags were right beside them and she carefully used that to her advantage. She pushed Nate to the side a bit and chased after him with her mouth. His hungry hands were on new territory now. They were on her thighs and touching them with worship and gentle care. She ignored the fabulous tingle he was causing and pulled his bag towards her.
Her lips fell to his neck and he began to moan at the contact. She smiled against his skin despite herself because it really was thrilling to find out she could do that to him. She turned back on his lips for a moment, forgetting her task to revel in his lips. Then she felt the bag scrape against her knee and remembered her goal. She returned to his neck and used the distraction to look through his belongings. The job was becoming more difficult because his persistent mouth kept coming back to claim her lips and his hands were rubbing up and down her legs. Then she found the serum and grinned.
The young woman from District One pulled the vial towards her and quickly opened it behind his back. Nate's lips were drawing a pattern on her neck and there was a great spark building inside of her. She needed him to stop for her plan to succeed. He was too distracting now and that was a problem.
"I know what you're doing," Nate whispered huskily into her ear.
Sophie had no doubt that that was true. In fact, she was dead positive he was aware of her plans. He wasn't doing a very good job of stopping her though. So she pushed him up against the wall again and proceeded to go after his water bottle. She poured the serum in and shook it with all her might. Phase one of her plan was now complete.
"I'm thirsty," she said, pulling away from his tasty lips and immediately going after her water bottle. Phase two was now underway.
"What are you up to?" Nate asked distractedly, picking up his bottle and watching her with weary eyes.
Sophie just smiled demurely and took a swig of her drink. It was all she could do to keep herself from giving her plan away. He had to be too distracted by her to even register the taste on his tongue. She had to seduce him into drinking from his bottle. It was the only way her plan would work.
Nate watched her carefully with narrowed eyes. His bottle of water lifted to his mouth and poured past his lips immediately. He drank as if he had been dying of thirst. She couldn't help but smile at that. She made him drink like that. She made him thirsty.
"What's your plan?" Nate asked softly. His bottle was now half-way through but he needed to drink all of it. The serum was diluted with the water and all of it would guarantee her plan's success.
"It wouldn't be a plan if I told you that," Sophie countered with a wider grin. She quickly took another sip of her water to cool off. She was suddenly having very bad thoughts that were just too distracting for her own good. Her plan would only succeed if she could pull away. The space was definitely becoming a very good thing.
"Come here and kiss me," Nate demanded gently. He was inching closer and closer, his eyes glazed with hunger.
Sophie backed away playfully and took another drink from her water. She was definitely going to need to refuel before she went after their enemies. She could understand why he was so thirsty, she was too. So she shook her head and continued to drink.
Nate stared at her in surprise for a few minutes before a crooked smile formed on his lips. He finished off his bottle in ten seconds flat and was suddenly way too close. Sophie squeezed her water bottle in surprise he was so close. Then he grinned and she scowled. His bright blue eyes darted towards her lips and Sophie felt her head nodding at his silent question. Then the young man's lips claimed hers again and Heaven had arrived.
Then Nate passed out in her arms.
Sophie sighed in confusion of the sudden change and kissed him on the back of the head. She gently moved him into his sleeping bag, giving a chaste kiss on the lips as she went. She organized everything and left him some food. By the time she was finished it looked like she hadn't even been there at all, except for the floor and roof. The girl from District One gave her man another kiss on the lips in good-bye and left without a look back.
Now she was sitting in a tree near the Cornucopia calculating the time until she died. It would be sad if it wasn't for such a good cause. Nathan Ford seemed to be worth it and more. Sophie could live with that decision. She probably shouldn't have stolen his arrows but that was no big deal. She had left him with a few weapons in case he woke up early. The game makers even drained the stream yesterday so she had to be there. She was almost out of water and the end of the games was about to begin.
She just hoped she wouldn't have to see the look of betrayal in Nate's eyes when she finished the games.
%
Marcus and the girl tribute, Sophie didn't really know her name so she called her Foxface. The girl didn't even really have a fox like face. Her eyes just had the same twinkle as most of the foxes she knew. Besides, the girl with the fox face died when she stabbed Nate.
So Marcus and Foxface were gathering supplies for the epic battle ahead of them. They were both unaware of Sophie's presence and that was exactly what the girl wanted. She just had to wait until the perfect opportunity to strike. She had been practicing her aim and distance while away from Nate. He would have been proud of her too. She had managed to hit a pheasant from thirty feet away. With the height of the tree she had a better distance. She was currently fifty feet away and already raising her bow, Nate's bow. She pulled the string back and waited for her prey to turn a little bit more to the left.
A twig snapped and Sophie loosed the arrow too soon. It fell into Foxface's thigh and the girl screamed in pain. Marcus immediately went into action and raced towards the tree. There was fiery fury in the boy's eyes and Sophie quickly worked on getting another arrow into the bow. Luck was not on her side though.
Just as she achieved anchoring her arrow to the bow the tree branch decided to snap. The girl and her supplies found their way to the ground in a matter of seconds. Well, the girl's supplies did fall to the floor. Sophie was immediately snatched away into Marcus' arms without Nate's trusty bow.
"Thought you escaped from me didn't ya?" Marcus whispered cunningly in her ears.
Sophie felt bile rise up in her throat at the thrilled note in his tone. He sounded hungry. Marcus jumped down from the tree and Sophie kicked for freedom. Marcus' grip slowly grew tighter and tighter at her frantic motions.
"Find him!" Marcus shouted towards his fellow tribute in anger, "He has to be the one to snap that twig!"
Foxface just nodded her head and hobbled in the direction of the forest. At least she tried to. Sophie managed to get free long enough to embed one of Marcus' knives into the girl's back. She fell immediately at the impact and her canon sounded.
Sophie cried in triumph and immediately felt pain flare up and down her side. Marcus was standing over her with dark, evil eyes and a sick, sadistic smile on his face. He was pushing her painfully into the ground and drew another of his knives. The thing sparkled in the setting sun and gave an ominous glow of death and despair.
"You've really pissed me off now," he said. Then he proceeded to increase the amount of pressure he had on her arm. He was lowering himself on top of her with his knife glinting towards her stomach. The blade touched the fabric on her clothes and began to move sideways.
"No!" Sophie screamed in alarm. She knew exactly what the boy was going to do.
The girl kicked and pushed with all of her might. Marcus just laughed and kept pressure on her arm. His knife was now working its way towards her hip. In fact, the vicious thing was now painfully ripping her pants from the ankles up. Sophie screamed at the fire in her leg the boy was causing. There was blood dripping from the knife when he pulled away but the boy didn't care. He wasn't finished with his torture yet.
"I'm going after your sweetheart next," Marcus promised icily. His eyes were now dark holes of lust and death. His grin was one of victory and the smell of blood was everywhere on him.
Sophie screamed against and beat against the boy's chest with tears in her eyes. She had failed. She was going to save her Nate and win the games for him. Instead she was going to die at the hands of their greatest enemy and Marcus was going to kill him. Well Marcus was going to try. The girl only hoped that her dead body would be exactly what Nate needed to win the games.
%
Nate felt the piercing scream in his bones as soon as he heard them. He knew who was screaming without even needing to see it. His Sophie was in trouble and he was going to do everything in his power to stop it from happening. He would not lose Sophie. That was where he drew the line. The Capitol could do all it wanted to him. They were not allowed to take Sophie.
So he ran towards the tree he witnessed Sophie fall from. It was his fault she missed her target. He knew it was. He had been stupid and stepped on a twig. He wanted to be the distraction she needed and she missed. He was not going to fail her again.
Nate ran for the tree at top speed and nearly collapsed in his efforts. The arrows were all there but the bow… the bow was shattered in half. It would do nothing to help him save Sophie. It was useless. His trusty bow was no more and he was about to lose the most precious thing in the world because of it. Sophie screamed again and his blood went cold.
There in the middle of the clearing, Marcus was on top of Sophie with his bloodied knife raised for torture. Blood and lust were emblazoned in his eyes and Nate knew the next place the knife was going. Marcus was getting rid of the clothes. That was not going to happen on his watch. Marcus was not going to torture Sophie so brutally when Nathan James Ford had something to do about it. This was war.
Nate picked up the first stick he could find and charged. He raced towards the dueling couple at the speed of light. He didn't even stop to think about his actions when Marcus looked up with wide eyes. He just swung his stick as fiercely as possible. Marcus immediately flew off of the girl and fell a few feet away.
Nate nodded his head and immediately turned towards his girl. "You okay?" He asked. He held out his hand to help her to her feet but she pointed behind him.
"Behind you," she screamed and Nate felt a huge pain erupt in his barely healed shoulder. He turned around and wacked the knife out of his enemy's hands.
Marcus just smiled and drew another knife. "I see I'm going to have to kill you before I get a bite out of your delectable girlfriend then," he said.
Nate felt the rage build up in his chest like fire on over-dried wood. He screamed in disgust and immediately punched the guy in the nose for his outburst. He then followed through by wrestling that scowling knife out of his arms and elbowing him in the face. Marcus was going to die a slow and painful death now. Nobody attacked Sophie and then insult her in his presence. NO, the young man from District Twelve was going to teach the whole of Panem exactly what happens when they insult Sophie Devereaux. Nobody fought to protect her from these games. Nate was going to fight to protect her from Marcus Starke and the Capitol.
Nate knocked the kid to the ground and fell with him. Marcus returned with a kick of his own and a quick jab in the nose. Nate's head went backwards at the horrible move and Marcus twirled them around. Nate's head slammed into the ground roughly and he felt grungy, scabby, blistered hands wrap around his exposed throat. Air was being taken away from his lungs and Marcus was grinning from ear to ear in hungry exhilaration. Nate struggled against the boy as much as he could but it was already too late. His injuries hadn't healed enough for him to continue to fight. His vision was going pale around the edges and Marcus was soon all he could see. He was drowning in a sea of inclosing darkness and it didn't matter anymore. He had failed Sophie.
Marcus' hands suddenly ripped away from Nate and moved towards his back. His charcoal eyes of evil were wide with fear and he was reaching towards his back frantically. Nate watched this while taking deep, wonderful breaths of air. His chest was on fire but he didn't care. He was alive and Marcus was having a fidgeting fight above him. Then the boy from District Four's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slumped forward, crushing Nate in the process. The pain was so much that Nate nearly missed the distant sound of a canon firing. He grunted at the pain and immediately set to work on pushing the dead guy off. It was easier than expected.
"Are you alright?" Sophie demanded immediately. Her face popped into view the moment Marcus was off of Nate. Tears were streaking her cheeks and her clothes were soaked in blood. She was still the most beautiful thing in the world.
"I'm fine, Sophie," Nate smiled warmly at her lively appearance, "Thanks for taking care of him."
Sophie extended her hand to help him up and the young man gladly took it. Nate rose to his feet with the lovely pain of air filling his lungs and the most beautiful woman in the world within arm's reach.
"I'm sorry I drugged you," Sophie slammed herself into his arms as she spoke. Nate felt more icy tears falling on his neck and pulled the girl tighter despite the pain. Everything hurt but Sophie was alive. That was all that mattered.
Then the familiar music of the Capitol began to play. Nate and Sophie looked up in astonishment and watched the Capitol crest spin in the sky. Claudius Templesmith's horrendous face appeared on the screen.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Templesmith explained, "We are now down to the final two. Get your betting slips ready, folks, because it's between District One's adorable sweetheart Sophie Devereaux and District Twelve's homecoming King Nathan Ford. Who will win? May the odds be in your favorite's favor!"
Then the evil bastard's face disappeared with the Capitol crest. The sky returned and silence filled the arena. Nate looked towards Sophie in horror and felt his entire world crumble into fiery ashes. He had gotten his wish. He was up against Sophie Devereaux in the final two.
"No!" Sophie choked out. She jumped away from him and clasped her hands over her mouth in horror. Tears were falling from her eyes in double now.
"It's alright," Nate nodded with a sad smile. "Everything's fine."
"Final two, Nate," Sophie clenched her teeth and tried to think of the next step. She didn't understand why it was so hard to remember what it was. It had something to do with Nate and getting him out.
"Don't," Nate ordered with his hand quickly covering the knife she knew was going to be plunged into her own heart. That had been her plan. Her sacrifice meant his salvation.
"Nate," Sophie began to argue before his lips crashed into hers feverishly. Apparently he didn't want her to die and decided this was how it would end. It didn't make any sense.
"Good-bye," Nate whispered against her lips before he raised his knife high for the kill. He started to bring it down and felt the tight squeeze on his chest. He missed. "No!"
"I… couldn't," Sophie whimpered through the pain as she stayed clinging to the man's chest for dear life. She felt her knees knock into the ground before she was engulfed in his arms. She wasn't sure whose legs gave out though. She thought it might have been hers.
"No!" Nate moaned when his fingers pulled away with blood. It was spewing from her back like a stream after a storm. He stabbed her. He was aiming for his heart and got hers instead. He should have known.
"Shh," Sophie ordered with a violent spasm that had to hurt everything more. She could already feel herself losing consciousness. It was nice.
"No!" Nate bit back angrily. It was then that girl knew true horror. She felt his right arm move and then she was suddenly horizontal and on top of him.
"Nate!" Sophie screamed out with everything that was left. She managed to wobbly lift herself up just enough to make out the knife in his gut. She felt her entire body chill at the knowledge.
"Nate!" She watched the blood spew out of her mouth with the scream. She could taste the iron on her tongue. It didn't matter. Nate was barely breathing. She had to get him breathing.
"Nate!" Her screams were sounding wet now. She could no longer tell if it was because she was dying or because she was crying. Her world was filled with blood and Nate. Nothing else mattered.
"Nate!" She barely heard the hovercraft above her coughing gasp. Her hand was yanking out the knife and holding in his blood. She felt Nate's blood on her hands and willed it to go back in. He needed to live. That was all she cared about.
"Nate!" She heard herself scream as white pulled into her blurry, bloody vision. She felt herself go up but she could see her legs still kicking. She needed Nate and they were taking her away. She struggled and pulled with all of her might but all she could see were her legs kicking white and Nate going away. They were taking Nate away from her and she would not have that. She saw her legs and arms kicking and thrashing against the white, a flash of red; then black.