This was so much fun -well fun isn't the actual word but I think you got it- to write!

All your lovely reviews pushed me to write faster, and I hope you'll love this one as much as the other chapters :)

Hope you'll enjoy this looooong alternative ending

Alternative Ending

This is it. I run into Cato's arms, one more time. He flickers a little, his right leg still weak of the mutt's bite, but he pulls me closer to him and I lay there happily. We've made it. My left arm is bleeding, two inches of skin are missing near my wrist, revealing my flesh and deep scratches cut me, but right now nothing matters. We're winners.

Everything turned in our favor at the Feast. I had the opportunity to take down Fire girl, finally getting rid of her like you finally throw a scab that wouldn't go away. I have to say I enjoyed her death very much. The look of terror on her face when I slammed her on the ground; the clenching of her jaw when I started scarring her face; the groan of pain that escaped her mouth when I cut her lips apart; the single tear she's been trying to hold all along when I pierced her cheek and eventually, the light quitting her eyes as I stabbed her repeatedly right in the heart. All went exactly like I had been planning it and I enjoyed every single bit of it. I wish I could have been there when Lover Boy discovered his precious Fire girl was gone forever. I wish he'd seen her face after I took care of it.

From then, we knew we were invincible. We were the only ones for whom the rule change was still efficient, we were the only team left. I have to say Lover Boy eased a lot the process. The face of Fire Girl hasn't been showed for three minutes that a canon had boomed. Poor Lover Boy couldn't handle her being gone. I can't help but hope he had a painful death for fleeing us.

We had to travel the arena for two full days to find Eleven. We met by surprise and Cato and I had to get rid of our backpacks while running to prevent him from escaping. I threw a knife in his right shoulder but he barely shifted, going on with his running. In anger I aimed at his head but fortunately, it didn't strike in. What a lack of pleasure that would have been. It damaged his left arm though, but only a bit. Suddenly, he turned round and decided to face us. I can't say I was not impressed, but Cato and I together, were impossible to defeat.

"I bet you're about to beg us to attack loyally, in a one to one combat" I remember telling him

"Ho no" he replied "You don't have enough heart for that"

And then the fight started. First, Cato unsheathed his sword, but Thresh had a sickle to hit back. There were lots of metallic noises as their weapons encountered frequently. I have to say he battled quite hard. Even with an extra knife planted near his collar bone, he offered a pretty good resistance; but still not good enough. When another blade hit his chest, on the right side, he lost his grip on reality for a few seconds. That had been enough for Cato to stick his sword in his heart and for the canon to fire his death.

Back at the beginning of the Games, I would have never bet on that red-head girl to be in top 3. And still, she was the only one to separate us from victory. The Gamemakers didn't even have to draw us together, we found the girl one day, trying to rob into our supplies. When she saw us watching her, she started giving hopeless looks all around; but there was no one, no one able to save her. At least that's what we thought. As we were about to have fun with her, we heard groans and cracks coming from the forest near us. We were still in the Cornucopia's plain but wandering at the edge of the woods when the sounds became really too loud.

Cato and I exchanged a glare before taking a few steps backwards and eventually started running when the cracks approached. To my surprise, Red-head quickly passed in front of us; that girl was a fast runner. Or maybe fear gave her wings. I only understood when I turned round to see what was happening that fleeing was a good idea.

There were mutts chasing us. They were like huge wolves, except they seemed very determined to tear us apart. They were as tall as I am, and that only on all fours for what I could see. Adrenaline rushed through me. If they gained ground, I was dead. I speeded up as much as I could, with one single thing on my mind: reaching the Cornucopia. But to my horror, the beasts started to go faster too. They were getting closer but I couldn't go much faster, I felt it.

I was not being dismembered by those stinky mutts!

Cato was only one or two meters in front of me when he turned back to see where the mutts were. And then his glare met mine, and I bet he saw the wolves getting closer each second too. At first, I didn't understand why he slowed down a little and grabbed my hand; only when I felt him pulling me I knew what I had to do. As he gave me an impulse, my speed increased and it was like I'd been put on my rails again. I kept going, but Cato had been slowed down by the help he gave me. He was a little behind when we reached the Cornucopia.

To my pleasure, I found the structure was braided-like and that my fingers could grip on the spaces it left. It hurt. The metal was burning in the afternoon sun and I guess it wasn't made for climbing as I cut myself several times on the edges of the strands. But I made it to the flat top of it. Cato was slower, like his stature was preventing him from doing such things as climbing. The mutts arrived before he reached the top. I held my breath and found myself closing my eyes when a black wolf bit his thigh. But then I realized it was not what he needed me to do. As he screamed, I shot a knife in what I hoped to be the beast. It didn't kill it, but it was enough to make it loose its grip. Cato attained the top with difficulty, but he was finally safe with me. If we forget his bleeding leg I guess.

I remained sited, out of breath for a while until the wolves started doing the most terrifying thing I'd seen yet. They jumped. They jumped, and rather high; one landed at one meter or so of the flat area we were on. I crawled back before noticing something.

There was something about the beasts which fascinated me. Their rage, their determination, it seemed almost… human. I swore I was losing my mind. But yet, they had that something…

Their eyes. I saw it as one landed a few meters away again. The deep blue eyes and the blond fur. I realized I'd leant too much when its paw gripped my left wrist and I screamed like a devil. I felt Cato catching me and pulling me to him. I quickly unsheathed a knife and stabbed the beast between the eyes, killing him again.

"Lover Boy" I whispered

"What?" Cato barked

"It's… The wolf. It's… It's Lover Boy" I stuttered

Cato took a closer look to the mutts, but I knew I was right. I carefully took a look at my arm. Ugh. I was bleeding like hell and I could see flesh, which was not a good side. At least, my bones seemed untouched, but it was quite disgusting.

Cato was losing a lot of blood; I only noticed that when I saw some mutts placing under the Cornucopia. Blood was dripping through the metal to form a puddle back on the ground.

"Where's your armor?"

"I… I didn't take it ok?" he admitted

"You bloody idiot!" I yelled. "Take off your shirt"

"What?"

Ho dear. Why so slow-minded? "Get the hell out of that shirt!"

He eventually obeyed and found himself half-naked on top of a golden horn with mutts all around, dying to kill him. That was for the least unusual.

"Don't get distracted" he smiled painfully

"Ho, shut up!"

I started making a bandage of his shirt. I better not be a doctor back in District Two; the result was pathetic. It only prevented the blood from flooding for a minute or so before it started pouring out again. For the first time since we were stuck here, I spotted Red-head.

"You!" I barked "You know how it to make bandages don't you?"

Her glance quickly passed from me to Cato's leg then me again.

"Why would I help you?" Her voice was surprisingly firm

No, we had no time for that Foxy

"Come on! You know you're doomed! Help us get away alive!"

"You don't deserve it"

I could tell my blood was boiling when I walked towards her. She seemed resolute, determined to fight. She only forgot what was behind her. Without an ounce of pity, I violently slammed her off the Cornucopia.

The beasts grew wild when they saw fresh meat, and we only had a few minutes to wait for the cannon to boom. It had been enough for me to thicken his plaster with our two jackets.

And now we're standing on top of the Cornucopia. The mutts have been called back in a sort of hole and we've carefully made it back to Earth to let the hovercraft take what remains of Red-Head's body. Cato limps to the lake and I help him the best I can, but it seems there is no need to. Victory gives me wings. Once they've taken Red-head away, we'll be driven back home where there won't be cameras anymore.

But nothing happens. I even have the time to rinse the blood-soaked clothes and turn them into a bandage again, except the shirt Cato puts on again before a voice booms in the Arena. But it's not announcing our victory. It's telling us we're the last contestants and that we'll have to battle against each other.

I stare at Cato in disbelief, lips disjoint. From enemy to district partner, before being my ally and then my closest friend, we've been drawn back to enemies. We've been fooled all along, just like District Twelve and Lover Boy were. This is just their amazing twist in the plot we're part of.

I can't believe I have to do that. It's been so long since I've not considered killing Cato again. How could I? He's the only one who's ever cared for me. And now they want me to slaughter him, just like I did with the others. It makes sense I guess. Except Cato's not one of those meaningless tributes. I know him and he knows me, we understand each other.

I can't do it, and that even though we're here, a few meters away from each other, my knife pointing him, his spear aiming at me. I can't believe it. My hand is shaking slightly as I prepare to shoot; I hope nobody sees it. I have to be tough. I have to stay strong as he kills me. Because if I can't do it, maybe he can. Maybe he's able to kill me, despite of everything he said.

He begins a countdown in a harsh, cold voice I haven't heard for long.

"Five" Was it all a lie? "Four" No. He's only trying to survive "Three" Just like you should "Two" Shoot him "One" I can't!

It takes me a few seconds to open my eyes. There's nothing. I'm still alive. Cato's spear has landed meters behind me. My knife is stuck in a tree nearby. We both missed on purpose.

My eyes fill with tears I'm decided not to let go. I don't care if they told us to hate each other. He's still Cato. My Cato. The one that's holding me in his arms right now, like he has always did.

"I never wanted to hurt you" he whispers "I think I love you too much for this"

No one ever told me he loved me. I should panic. After all, we're supposed to be fighting each other to the death. But right now the Gamemakers can't hear us and they may blow us up in seconds, so I guess pride doesn't matter anymore. Only stays honesty, and love.

"I'm afraid I might love you too"

I slowly lift up my chin, dreading what I might see; I only have a quick glimpse of his face before I feel Cato's lips gently catching mine. For an instant I stay petrified, but, hell, it feels good. I've never been the girly type, I've never looked forward to my first kiss or such things that made me want to puke on the girls back in Two. Now I understand a bit more; only a little bit.

Shut up Brain

And for once I agree with the little voice in my head.

We only break apart when powerful groans thunder behind us. My hand still gripping Cato's neck, I turn round. They're sending the mutts again. It seems while we were kissing, they programmed the things to hate the one who killed the tribute they represent. Guess what? Fire Girl and Eleven are back.

The message is clear. You do not want to kill each other? Fine. We'll kill you.

Screw you. Screw the Capitol. Screw the Hunger Games. For once in my life, I felt happy, and they had to ruin it.

I catch Cato's glance as they start running towards us. With his bloody leg, he can't escape and he's begging me to run. Let's show the Gamemakers how impossible it is to control me. I could make it. I could run to the Cornucopia and even get out alive. But I won't. I'll stay there, just to show them they're not the only one who can piss the other off.

He draws me to him in seconds and kisses me, maybe because this may be the last time, but also to send a clear message to the Government: Fuck you.

"I love you" This time I'm the first to say. I feel I have to; I have to show him that was not only a response. I mean it.

He smiles painfully "Me too Little Lamb. So much"

And with that we have to face the barking mutts heading straight towards us.

I put all the rage I have, all the resentment for the Capitol that I hold right now in each one of my blows, each of my parries. The beast is almost as determined as I am, but I still fight, sinking my knife each time I can into its dark fur. In response, its claws and fangs cut my flesh several times. It battles like a real human, backing up each time it's wounded then attacking with fury again. It's like fighting Fire Girl a second time, except this one, I don't have the upper hand. My arm is bleeding and I'm at the point I probably should surrender; but I won't. These Games are so evil, so twisted; breaking people, killing them on live TV that I won't do the Gamemakers or anyone the favor of giving up. Never.

Suddenly the beast quiets, and it's like it's drawn by an invisible wire to the hole it disappeared in the first time. What the hell is happening? They send those furies to fight us and now they call them back before anything happened? It's not like I'm dead or anything…

Cato.

"No!" The cry escaped my mouth before I was even aware of it.

I fall on my knees near his torn body. Eleven's mutt must have attacked him repeatedly with fury to hurt him this way. It seems there is not an inch on his chest that hasn't been scratched or bitten. Blood is flooding from his wounds just like tears are from my eyes.

"No... You can't leave me. Not right now" I beg, covering his cheek with my palm like it could make him stay with me.

"At least, I managed to protect you" he whispers. But this effort was too much; he begins to spit blood, coughing red on his shirt.

"I don't want to lose you" I cry so weakly it might have made me throw up one or two weeks ago. But now, I realize all I believed in were lies. Whatever the Capitol does to make you believe the opposite, people cannot be turned into monsters this easily. People do have feelings, feelings for others or inside of them. And feelings hurt. Being human hurt. No one is unbreakable.

He smiles slightly, but I know whatever I do won't be enough. I'm unable to save him.

"I'm sorry" I whisper "So sorry"

He can't talk anymore but his glance says it all. Or at least I like to believe it. You don't have to be sorry, it tells me. I sob violently as his muscles contract in a wave of pain and a groan escapes his mouth. It won't be long before he's gone I guess.

Despair and anger are mixed inside of me. Despair of losing him. I'll never be able to see him smile cockily again; never be able to feel his arms around me. No one will mutter me nice things in the ear. There'll be no one to wake me up from my nightmares. And there's this anger, this rage boiling inside of me. Does the Capitol know how much they hurt people? I guess not. They're probably all savoring the moment; what an incredibly good ending to these Games. They don't realize I'm already broken, they don't see that Cato won't come back. We're not puppets you can leave in a drawer and then take back. Once someone is killed in the Arena, he's not being congratulated for how well he played his part. He's just dead and forgotten. But I guess they don't see that as they're setting fire to our insides for fun. They're just collecting names of the lovers that went wrong to talk about it later.

I want to stab someone, to get rid of all this angry pain inside of me. But the only target I have right now is dying, and he's the only one I've ever, and probably will ever love.

"Kiss me" Though it's just a whisper, I hear all the pain, the begging in it.

His whole body is stiff by now, except the arm he slowly lifts to me. I lean forward and as our lips meet, I can barely feel him kissing me back. There's so much pain in it, but also try to send him through it, the only words I can now think of. Thank you. Our last kiss has a taste of blood, blood and sweat. A taste of death.

And as I pull back, the cannon booms.

I stare at the blur of images through the windows. Victory tour. I wish I didn't have to do that. But I have no choice; I never did have any in my life.

People back in Two are either moved or annoyed by how the Games ended, six months ago. They never thought I'd be the one to make it, above all left to fight with Cato. I often think about him, even though I try not to. I've put on the tough act again when I had to go back home. Home. This word sounds so strange. I don't fit in District Two anymore. Not without him.

"Knock knock" Brutus says, entering the room.

I don't react. Why should I? There's no point in it. I stand still in my chair, maybe hoping the fast images in front of him will eventually make me puke all these feelings I don't want inside of me.

"Still thinking about him, uh?" Back before the Games, I never thought I'd be talking heartache with Brutus. But I never thought I would one day fall in love either.

Brutus seats next to me. I guess he's expecting an answer.

"He was your nephew, wasn't he?" To the look on his face, I can tell he was not expecting this one. But he replies, eventually.

"Yes"

"Why did you choose mentoring me then?" For the first time in hours, I break away from the vague landscape.

He breathes in deeply, his serious eyes fixed in mine. I know it might hurt him. I don't care. I wanted to know ever since I heard people talk about it in Two. Why?

"Because I knew I wouldn't be able to bear it, if he didn't make it home under my mentoring. Guess it was clever of mine" he adds in front of my silence.

"You know Honey" he pursues "I'm sure he meant it"

We both know what he's talking about. Our love confession in front of Panem.

It doesn't help me to move on; at all.

I've always heard girls in district Two talk about how unlucky they were in their love life, because that guy they had a crush on didn't like them back. Never will they know my pain, my burden, for the rest of my life. I loved him and he loved me; but he was drawn away from me. We could have lived happy, we could have had a future, but I'll never know, because of the Games.

The Games I have wanted to be part of for so long.

"Why are you so nice to me?" I ask "You must be the only one of the family who doesn't hate me"

"I am"

I see the look on their face when I meet them in official events or even in the streets. They would have liked me better dead. I see the urge of finishing me themselves in their eyes. Go ahead. Kill me. It's all I want.

"Prepare yourself to smile; we're almost there?"

"How can I? Don't they understand?"

"No, they don't. For Capitol people everything you do is entertaining. They don't know what it feels like"

I then think about something I've never thought of before "Is that why you don't have any kids?" He's at my door, one foot out. He could leave right now and pretend he didn't hear me. But he doesn't.

"Yeah. I guess you know why now"

Of course I know. And for the same reasons, I know I'm never going to have either. I don't want my children to go into the Games, blinded by vanity or even reaped. The Games are horrible. They change everything you believed in, and everything you are, forever.

I wish someone told me before I volunteered.

First, I know you hate me. But before you tear me out like mutts, a little explain!

I don't think the Gamemakers could have let those two win; just like they did with Katniss and Peeta, there had to have a problem with the rule change. And as strange as it sounds for the crazy Clato shipper I am, I don't think they would have threat to commit suicide. So I thought about what the Gamemakers would have done in such a situation.

I'm sorry if you're still unsatisfied, but if it can soothe you a little, I plan a little OS, Clato always ;)

I bet you wondered why a little part of the text during Cato's death was in italics. It's because Setting fire to our inside for fun, collecting names of the lovers that went wrong are song lyrics from the song Youth by Daughter. It's amazing, all of you should listen! I also thought about writing a OS in Johanna's POV based on this.

Then, I'd like to thank all of us again, because I love you so much! -I know it's the second emotionnal speech I write, but i feel like I owe it to you-

You can't imagine all the joy you brought me during these two months. I hope I'll see all of you again on other fics I plan!

I swear I love you forever