EDIT: THE SEQUEL IS UP. It's titled "Insurgence".
A/N: Hello everyone, sorry that I haven't updated in a while. Life's been busy.
This is the final chapter to this fanfiction, and I thank you all for reading, reviewing, and just motivating me to write. It's been a wonderful experience. I would love to write a sequel to this story, but I was wondering how many of my readers would be interested. Please tell me if you are, since I plan to start writing it very soon.
Much love, and thank you all again. I hope that you enjoyed this as much as I did, especially this chapter. Please review with your thoughts and last comments, I promise that I'll reply to each and every one of them this time. :)
xx -Risa
Katniss:
He smells of blood, earth, and cologne. The blood is everywhere, you can see it in his hair, on his arms, through the ragged slashes in his jacket. It sticks to my cheek as we are lifted up by the ladder, my head nestled somewhere in the dark folds of fabric. The earth is from his fight with Thresh, deep in the forest where the trees are thick, I saw the District 11 boy's body motionless on the ground when the hovercraft came to retrieve Cato. Leaves and dirt, gouges in the soft ground, blood splattered across the small clearing. And the cologne is his alone, faintly drifting through the metallic scent.
The electric current keeps us immobilized as the ladder steadily is pulled up, and Cato is clutching me with one arm, the other is loose at his side, it is broken. But we are both alive.
As soon as the silver doors close and the current releases us, gloved hands tear me away from him, and Cato is watching all of it with tired eyes, restless eyes that want to stop them, but tired as well.
When I glare at them hostilely and try to twist away from their tight grips, he speaks.
"Katniss, it's ok," he says softly. But I know that it's not ok. I know because the medics are shouting orders and pulling Cato away urgently. And then he collapses onto the silver bed and I let out an involuntary growl at the nurses restraining me, and they shrink back.
The doctors dressed in sterile white are ready for him, and go into action immediately. Cato look so pale and lifeless on that silver bed, with wires and tubes springing out of him in every way, and there's a growing pool of scarlet dripping onto the floor.
I lunge towards the bed, desperate and afraid that the doctors are just another threat, that they are hurting him. But I am caught and thrust into a nearby room and a glass door seals between us.
When Cato's blood suddenly splatters across the white walls when a doctor moves him, I snap. I start screaming my head off and pounding on the glass, harder and harder until both my throat and hands hurt. But no one pays attention other than an Avox that offers me a drink.
I stare at the frilly cup for a moment, then throw it against the glass door. It shatters and orange juice goes flying. A few of the doctors turn, but quickly go back to operating on Cato.
Finally I accept that they are doing their best to preserve Cato's life, not harm it. I slump down against the door and grumpily watch as the doctors move about in a blur of white and as a nurse is called in to tend to him. She puts a hand on his now-clean hair when the doctors towards the machines to take notes. I quickly bang on the glass and send her a glare and a scowl. She sends me a smile as she strokes his hair once before removing her hand. I narrow my eyes and swear that if she touches him again I'll break the glass and hunt her down.
We must be nearing the Training Center now, I can feel the hovercraft descending. The doctors are still passing by my room urgently, all attention on Cato's still figure. I think that I see a flash of pink...is it Effie? Is Haymitch here too? That must be Effie, right?
I can't check because at that moment a needle stabs into my arm and I fall into blackness.
Cato:
I awake to a persistent beeping noise, emitting from a small device connected to my arm through several wires. I am in an empty white room, with soft yellow lights pulsating from the ceiling. There is nothing here but the silver bed I am laying on, and when I try to sit up I am unable to, there is a wide restraining band across my waist. I am almost naked, there is the feeling of a towel resting on my hips, yet the thin white covers brush against my chest. The beeping continues and I let out a sigh, no doubt an attendant will arrive soon. I attempt to sit up again, simultaneously slamming my hand down on the silver beeping device on the pillow.
Just then, a section of the wall slides open and a familiar figure rushes in. She looks relieved and takes large strides towards me.
"Enobaria." I mutter, and I know she hears me because she gives me a grin, showcasing her gold teeth. I still think that the rubies are unnecessary.
She stops by the bed and peers down at me. "Damn, the doctors wouldn't let me in. Thought you were in a coma or something. At least they patched you up alright. Finally awake?"
"No. I'm obviously still asleep." My voice sounds scratchy and gruff, and I cough to clear my throat. "How long has it been?"
"Five days…you haven't been out for this long since when you jumped in that lake. To save Clove, was it?"
I stare at her weather-lined face with a look of disgust. Clove. She had to mention Clove, didn't she?
"Leave me alone." I growl before turning my head away from her.
"Cato, I wanted her to win with you, not that District 12 scamp. You know that." She says, not very remorsefully. I snort and close my eyes, ignoring her. Enobaria never showed much interest in Clove. True, she was one of the best, but Clove didn't sit particularly well with my mentor, while her antics amused me, Enobaria deemed them childish.
She knows that I'm still listening, and continues without hesitation.
"The doctors say you can be released in a few hours. The scamp's been asking to see you ever since she woke up."
I stay silent. So Katniss wants to see me. I think that I should be feeling ecstatic but there is just a sharp recognition that she cares. I open my eyes and turn back towards my mentor.
"Lift the restraining band. I can't talk while I'm lying down." I say, and Enobaria gives me a smirk before pressing a button underneath the bed and lifting the restraint.
"You never liked looking up to others. Always depending on yourself."
"And I'm guessing that the District 12 mentor dislikes me as much as you dislike Katniss? Where is she right now?" I sit up and ask.
"Why do you even care? The act is over now, no one is watching. So drop it and stop pretending that you actually feel anything," Enobaria sniffs.
I smirk, she knows nothing about me. "Was I acting? You can't even tell."
She is getting annoyed now, and a stern expression is setting in her face. "Whether it was real or pretend, stop it now."
"Enobaria…when have I ever done what you asked?" I return her glare with a cold look of my own.
"You idio- nevermind. Do whatever you want, but don't say I didn't warn you. You deserve more than that, Cato. You've always deserved more."
I sit frozen as I process her words, as she resolutely turns heel and stomps out of the room. Moments later a doctor enters with a needle ready in his hand.
"Was I acting? You can't even tell."
The problem is, I can't either.
…
The place where I know a scar should be from Lover Boy's knife is smooth and unblemished. I sit up, the restraint has been removed, and run my fingers over the shoulder, the back, the arm that should be ridden with scars. There is nothing. The damn doctors have made me look like one of them, idiotic freaks with their unscarred skin. Upon closer inspection I see that my old scars from training are still there, they seem to only have removed the new ones. Good. Still, they should know that perfection is impossible. No need to try to achieve it.
When I see the tribute uniform folded at my pillow I remember, I am no longer a trainee, I will be a mentor once I return home. I have a feeling that Enobaria will start dragging me along to the Capitol with her every year, she's been coming alone for as long as I can remember.
The uniform is on in under a minute and I walk over to the place where I know a door should be and touch the wall twice, quickly. When Enobaria left she had rapped on the wall angrily, and from my bed I had heard two knocks. It slides open and I step into an empty hallway smugly.
"Cato!" I turn at the shriek and am nearly bowled over by the female members of my prep team leaping on me.
"You were brilliant!" One of them says, and I stare at her with contempt, brushing their hands off my chest. They seem to be oblivious to my quizzical glances as they go on about various scenes and describe kisses in extreme detail.
"If you would excuse me, ladies." I finally interrupt, and without waiting for an answer I break away and walk towards Enobaria, who is standing with Yevon, my stylist.
"Go with Yevon, he's got to get you ready for the ceremony." Enobaria says, she seems to have forgotten about earlier. But then under her breath she mutters something about scamps and acting and I know that she is still holding a grudge.
"I want you to look absolutely ravishing. That District 12 girl will be pleased." As he leads me into a large room, the stylist chuckles. I narrow my eyes.
"I do not please others." I say slowly, with a hint of a growl.
"Of-of course not." Yevon laughs nervously and I sit down and glance at my reflection in the mirror.
"You've lost a lot of weight, we'll need new measurements." I nod in a bored way.
"Tell me, Yevon. Do you think that I care for her? The District 12 girl?"
The stylist jumps a bit at the sudden question and hesitates for several moments before he opens his purple-painted lips.
"She seems to love you. And it seems that you may love her also." He answers slowly, eyes flicking to me with every word.
"I see." I reply softly.
Katniss:
"Have you given up the whole 'girl on fire' thing?" I ask. Cinna is holding a simple yellow dress in his arms.
"You tell me," Cinna says, and he slips it over my head. There is illusion that I am wearing candlelight, soft fire hidden within the luminous folds of yellow. I am still the girl on fire.
"It's the best yet," I say as I tear my eyes away from the flickering fabric and take in the rest. Loose hair flowing down my back, makeup rounding out the sharp angles, only a clear polish on my perfectly filed nails. I am very simply, a girl. An innocent, unassuming girl.
"I thought that Cato would like to see this side of you." Cinna says, helping me slip into a pair of leather sandals.
Cato? I shrug and Cinna laughs. Who knows what Cato likes.
We are currently on the twelfth floor, where Peeta and I stayed before the Games. It feels strange to be here alone. Haymitch isn't ever with us, he will be meeting with me right before I am lifted onstage.
"Shall we go?" Cinna leads the prep team and me into the elevator, and we zoom down to the floor with the training center. Then through a hallway to the area underneath the stage where the interviews were held.
It is customary for a victor and his or her prep team to rise up onto the stage, but this year there are two victors and they had to make accommodations. I find myself in a poorly lit small space, with a newly installed metal plate ready. I can smell the drying paint and see piles of sawdust. About ten feet away is a makeshift wall, where I assume Cato is getting ready.
I am so nervous and feel my stomach jumping when Cinna and the team wish me luck and leave to change into their own costumes. And when I feel a hand on my shoulder I jump.
"It's just me, sweetheart." Haymitch says gruffly. "Let me get a look at you."
He doesn't seem angry and isn't oozing dislike, so I assume that he's ok with the fact that I won. I hold out my arms and turn once.
"Good enough," Haymitch says, and he straightens my headband.
"Are you upset that I won instead of Peeta?" I ask, taking the moment to adjust a red bow tie that Cinna probably wrestled him into.
"Peeta didn't have a chance against you, sweetheart. I just wish that he'd been smarter about things." My mentor pats me on the back clumsily, his eyes softening a bit.
"Good luck out there. Don't trip and fall off the stage."
"Thanks, I'll try not to." I am so nervous, and am grateful when Haymitch helps me step onto the plate.
"This is your night, sweetheart. Enjoy it." He kisses me on the forehead and then disappears into the gloom.
The roar of the crowd is so loud that it nearly drowns out the beating of my heart. I want to get everything right tonight. Haymitch isn't angry with me, which is good. He may have liked Peeta better, but he still must like me enough.
The stage rumbles as the anthem blares throughout the room, and Caesar Flickerman's familiar voice opens the show. There is applause as the prep teams are introduced, and I can imagine Flavius, Venia and Octavia taking ridiculous bows. Then Effie. She's waited so long for this moment, after so long complaining about her position as District 12's escort she finally has a breakthrough. Cinna and Yevon, who must be Cato's stylist, are introduced and there is enormous applause. Then Haymitch and Enobaria, who receive nearly five minutes of continuous cheering. They are celebrities here.
And then I feel my plate moving upwards, breaking through the opening in the stage…and am nearly blinded by the lights. As the metal beneath my feet rattles with their deafening roars of applause, I remember Haymitch telling me not to fall off the stage.
Then there's Cato just a few yards away. Looking healthy and handsome as ever in a striking black suit. He is looking at me with bright eyes, and sends me a small smirk. The same smirk, whether covered with blood or beneath shining lights. And when I see it, I take a step forward and fling myself at him.
"Still on fire, I see," he says, and then I am clinging to him and he is kissing me and all the time I am thinking about how different he is from that cold, distant boy he was. The audience is going insane, screaming our names and throwing bouquets of flowers.
After a few minutes Caesar taps Cato on the shoulder to continue the show. Cato untangles himself from me and grins into the crowd. They go berserk once more and a million voices are calling his name, my name. There is a short pang of annoyance when I realize that some of the screams are filled with lust, girls shrieking for his love. But it disappears when he gently escorts me to the red velvet sofa, still grinning.
I am practically on his lap, and try not to seem like I'm enjoying it although I am. A voice hollers that we should get closer, and I know that it's definitely not Haymitch or Enobaria, and I put my head on his shoulder.
"Am I only one not completely loving this?" Cato mutters sarcastically, and Caesar Flickerman laughs heartily while I glare at him good-naturedly. He puts an arm around me and I am not surprised to feel the pure muscle pressing against my head.
Caesar makes a few jokes and then the show starts, it will last exactly three hours and is required viewing for all of Panem. I'm glad that Cato is next to me, I honestly am not looking forward to seeing all twenty-two of our fellow tributes' deaths.
It is not easy to fit several weeks of footage into three hours, so only the highlights are included. Whoever puts together the video chooses what the theme will be, this year it seems like it is a mix of glorious fighting and love.
After the first half hour of the parade and training and interviews, the full coverage of the bloodbath starts. I don't know if I should be horrified or afraid or awestruck by the way that the Careers, especially Cato, heartlessly slaughter the others in mere heartbeat. Everything moves so fast, I can barely follow their sprinting and the flash of metal and blood. Cato is tense besides me, leaning forward slightly, and there is a satisfied smile on his face. Of course, to him, this must be beautiful.
It picks up when I join them, and the cameras basically stay on our group the entire time, since we were the main cause of their deaths. Clove's outbursts cause the crowd to chuckle, and I am reminded of how much I miss her, even though she completely hated me in the beginning. Marvel's death is shown in full, with Cato sending him off with a hint that Glimmer would be pleased, and then the redhead girl sending her knife through his neck just as he sent a spear through her stomach. A double death.
Then there is Peeta finding Rue and befriending her. There is a sweet moment where both of them are scavenging for food together, before the scene changes to Cato and I beneath that willow tree. Then Glimmer and Clove flash onto the screen, Clove is so annoyed and is screaming at her. They show the scene underneath that rainy tree in full, and then skip through us finding Peeta and killing Rue. Then we find Clove and I see myself slip and fall into the water, and then Cato jumping in after me. The audience is hushed, tense at the action on screen, and Cato is blinking in a bored way as it shows him giving me mouth to mouth, reluctantly at first.
Then they skip to Cato and Clove hunting down the District 3 boy, and the audience gasps with exhilaration and I stare in horror as Cato grins before cutting the boy down. Clove gruesomely mutilates him before Cato narrows his eyes and tells her to stop. I glance at the boy beside me, he is still watching with those bored eyes, but I can feel his arm tightening.
Everything passes so quickly, but all the kisses are shown in full, to much sighing and cooing from the audience. And then him staring up into the sky in a meadow. More cooing with more kisses.
And then there is the Cornucopia scene, and I bite my lip and move closer to Cato. He looks away, suddenly interested in the pattern on the floor, as Clove crumples and as we run to her. There is the sound of sniffling from the audience and I notice tears shining in many of their eyes.
The last fight between Thresh and Cato is spectacularly filmed, and I stare with wide eyes as Cato leans forwards again. First there was the chase, and then for some reason instead of throwing their weapons they started fighting on the ground. Both were weakened, by poison and wounds. But in the end Cato slashed his throat and it was over.
They end the video with Cato telling me that it's alright and me screaming and pounding on the glass. Cato glances at me when the anthem plays again, and I stare back, daring him to make a comment. He doesn't.
There is much bowing and cheering that follows and while Cato is collected and perfectly reserved as always, my arm feels like it is about to fall off from waving so much. President Snow brings in the crown and twists it into two, and he actually seems happy for us as he places the crowns on our heads. Obviously we are extremely popular here.
...
After this we are whisked away to the president's mansion for the Victory Banquet, where we have time to eat as various sponsors and officials have their pictures taken with us. It is a huge event that is to last the whole night.
"That was quite a fight you had there." I say when we are alone by the refreshments table. Not exactly alone, the prep teams and everyone are all talking and laughing around us, but the photos have been taken.
"And that was quite a breakdown you had there." Cato replies with a smirk.
"Shut up. I still think that you're obnoxious." I scowl, reaching for a pastry. There's so much food here. And everything tastes good, it's such a change from the dry bread and meat in the arena.
"Why aren't you eating? Not fancy enough?" I gesture towards the heaping plates of deserts. The bright sparkling chandeliers hundreds of feet above light up the room.
Cato moves aside for a group of officials that sweep by, and then examines the pastry in my hands. I am still trying to get over the fact that this boy in front of me may perhaps love me. His eyes flick to mine as he takes a slice of cake from the table.
"Katniss! Katniss!" I turn at my name and see Flavius, Octavia and Venia walking towards us, excited.
"Oh! It's Cato…- he made Katniss cry," Venia states, frowning. The three of them don't seem to have anything to tell me, but instead just wanted to be near the victors.
Cato smiles dangerously and Octavia whispers something into Flavius' ear while Venia suddenly finds an interest in the cake.
"Have you met my prep team? You would get along splendidly," he says, and then with another dangerous cat-like smile he starts walking away without a word.
"Ooo, that's a good idea. Let's go." The three of them don't catch on to the sarcasm and prance away in search of the other team.
"Sweetheart, don't stick around with him." As I am about to run after Cato, Haymitch appears out of nowhere and grabs my arm. "He doesn't really-"
The mentor sighs and then takes a swig of liquor from a bottle in his other hand. I wait impatiently for him to finish. Cato doesn't really what? \
"Nevermind. I don't want to ruin your night. Someday you'll find out," Haymitch says. "But don't go following him."
"Why not? I'm a victor too, Haymitch. You can't tell me what to do all the time anymore."
Haymitch opens his mouth as if to deliver a sharp remark but seems to give up.
"Just be careful, sweetheart. Rumor has it that President Snow is expecting a guest."
I give him an indifferent look, what does it matter to me if a guest will be arriving? The banquet is chalk-full of hysteric rich citizens already. What is one more?
"I think that I can handle a few more pictures," I reply, shaking my arm loose. I look towards the direction of Cato's departure but a throng of laughing Capitol women has moved in, a mix of bright and eccentric colors.
"Oh, I don't think that she's looking for pictures." Haymitch says gruffly, and he disappears without giving me a chance to ask what he means.
…
I find him surrounded by a large group of women, all dressed in extravagant costumes and all tripping over each other while trying to reach him. Cato for the first time in a long while, seems wary and moves backwards as several of them press up to him.
I am stuck on the edge, looking over their wigs and hats, trying to push through.
"Ladies, please. I can't give you all what you want. Not right now." And yet while his eyes are flicking across the advancing group with alertness, his voice is light. I wonder if this is how he managed to be so upbeat when Clove woke him up after his fight with Peeta.
"There are rooms upstairs. I'm sure you can handle us." One of them, orange-skinned and with long sharp nails, calls out to Cato in that Capitol accent that I've come to dislike.
"Tonight isn't the night, lovelies," he says, and I can see that he is extremely annoyed.
Where are Enobaria and Haymitch? They must be around here. The room is huge, spanning hundreds of feet, but surely this mob of people has caught their attention? Cato is in trouble, and he knows it. I do to, the women are pushing him towards the staircase and clawing at his clothes.
Then I hear a throaty laugh and turn to see Enobaria and her golden teeth, standing on a balcony above head, and finding great amusement in the scenario. I scowl, she won't be of much help. And I doubt that Haymitch will intervene in something that seems so appealing to him.
"Cato!" I shout over their excited whispering, and Cato turns and sees me. And at the same time, I swear that all of them stop and send me dirty glares simultaneously.
"Go, Katniss. Don't get involved in this," he says. They are on the first steps now and it seems like more and more women are joining the crowd. They may have nails and heels, but I have experience.
"Move it. Move! You, move." I shoulder my way through a few of them but am quickly shoved backwards and pushed onto the ground.
"Way to treat a victor. God," I snap. They must all be Cato's sponsors. Clove was right when she said that they loved him. A little too much, it seems.
"That's no way to treat a victor, is it?" The procession stops when they hear the snarl that issues from Cato's lips. He's not playing nice anymore, and they all know.
"We're done."
In a matter of seconds the crowd is scattered and Cato is besides me, pulling me up.
"So you didn't need any help all along. I seriously thought that you were in a mess," I mutter.
"I was, but if I didn't go with it I would have lost them. I don't think that they'll be sponsoring District 2 anytime soon now," he replies with a sigh. "Enobaria is going to have to beg them for their money next year. She'll probably offer me up in exchange."
"You're kidding," I say.
"Of course I am." He smiles, but it is forced.
"No you're not. You would do it if it helped one of your tributes win."
"You and Clove…always seeing through me. Don't worry about it," he says softly. "Let's go, they'll be back if we stay here."
"Ok," I follow him away from the staircase and towards the center of the room. It's hard to believe that someone can live in such luxury, the black marble floor, velvet chairs, huge arched windows, crystal chandeliers, balconies hundreds of feet in the air.
"The money he spent on this mansion is enough to feed a district for a decade," I murmur, sidestepping to avoid an Avox who is serving food. I think about how much money one of those chandeliers could cost. Just one of those fancy lights could buy everyone in the Seam a year's supply of grain.
"Depends on which district. You could feed 2 for a year, 12 for ten." Cato tilts his head to follow my wide-eyed gaze with his icy one.
"Talking about feeding…you haven't eaten much. You had a huge appetite during training; I thought you would eat more. Since it's 'fancy' food and all." I make air quotes and Cato rolls his eyes.
"Look who's talking. I don't eat unless I burn it off later. But you, Fire Girl, you need to fatten up." He smirks.
"What a nice way to put it. I need to 'fatten up'." I repeat sarcastically. An Avox offers us a drink and when Cato nudges me expectantly I take a glass. He is still smirking as he watches me slowly drain the fizzy contents.
"How does it taste?" I narrow my eyes at his grin.
"I don't know. Fizzy, I guess. Kind-of berry like…" I reply slowly.
"Berry like? We'll see." There is a mischievous spark in Cato's icy eyes and he grins for a moment more before leaning down and capturing my mouth with his.
I am so surprised that I nearly fall onto him, but he catches me. And then I close my eyes.
…
I jerk backwards and pull away when I feel Cato's tongue tracing my lips, and he smirks, not in the least apologetic. His intense gaze bores into mine, he doesn't even seem to care that almost all the guests have gathered in a circle around us, and are watching with hushed excitement.
"Still a little too young, my love. Just a little too young," Cato chuckles quietly, putting an arm around my shoulders and guiding me out of the center of the circle. I am still staring, wide-eyed, at his perfect profile when we arrive at one of the refreshment tables to the side of the hall.
Cato lets go of my shoulders and steps back, looking concerned.
"Are you alright?"
I blink quickly to snap out of my daze. Too young, he said.
"Who isn't too young?" I mutter, looking down at the floor. For some reason I can't meet his gaze. "And what the hell was that?"
I can hear the sigh and the hesitation. And I just know that his eyes are darkening.
"Katniss, you know that you're not my first."
Yes, I know. I know that it's impossible for someone like him to not have had any affairs. But still I feel a surge of anger and perhaps worry.
"It's all in the past," Cato says, and when I look up again he is still looking at me in that concerned way.
…
Suddenly there is a huge commotion at the entrance of the hall, people are running towards the arched doors, and there is an eruption of chatter.
Even all of the onlookers watching Cato and I a few minutes ago have rushed to the other end of the room, voices merging into a mass of exhilaration.
"What now?" I raise an eyebrow, what could cause an entire hall of so-called wealthy and posed Capitol citizens to run head over heels towards it?
Cato seems just as curious and we walk down the length of dark marble, not mixing with the group but close enough to hear their frenzied conversations. It's impossible to see over their heads to who is in the entrance, even more so with the flashing of cameras.
"She never comes to banquets!"
"I need my picture taken with her!"
"Argh, I'm going to have my face lifted tomorrow. I'll have them make it look like hers."
"Oh, is it her?" Cato smirks and relaxes in a knowing way.
The mass of people seems to spread out again and I notice several Peacekeepers ushering them into the sides of the hall, away from the entrance.
Then I see her, standing in between two of the uniformed Peacekeepers, slim and perfect. Breathtakingly beautiful in a shimmering silver dress, staring across the guests with those notorious sapphire eyes, and as always, with a handsome young man at her side.
Rosalie Darling. Victor of the 70th annual Hunger Games, said to be the most beautiful woman in Panem at the tender age of nineteen, and…the special guest that Haymitch mentioned.
"Stop grinning." I just know that he is without taking a glance at him.
He hadn't denied it when Clove said that he was attracted to her, and I honestly don't blame him. I know how Gale always finds interest in conversations regarding Rosalie, and how no one could take their eyes from the screen her year in the Games.
"She's acting like she's the host of this party. All pretty and souped-up," I snort. Now she's dismissed the Peacekeepers and is flitting around the hall, talking with various sponsors and officials. Leaving some laughing, some awestruck, and some with envious looks.
"Jealous much?'
"Not at all," I say. Cato smirks but he is alert and interested as he watches her.
Rosalie speaks for the whole hall to hear, in that strange semi-Capitol accent of hers. "Now where are the victors?"
The good-looking dark haired man at her arm bends down and gestures in our direction. He doesn't seem to be from the Capitol, with his natural black hair and tan skin.
"Oh!" She smiles and takes small steps towards us. The clipping sound of her heels echoes throughout the quiet room, and she seems to notice.
"Please continue. I'm sorry I caused such a racket," she says. Almost immediately a healthy amount of noise arises again.
When she gets closer I am nearly rolling my eyes at the amount of jewelry she is wearing. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, even white and red carnations pinned into her wavy black hair. She's overdressed and underdressed at the same time. The silver dress is strapless and shows far too much skin for me to be ever comfortable with.
"Here you are. Congratulations!" Rosalie flashes another smile as she stops in front of Cato and I. She is about the same height as I am, although I can see that her frame is not sharp and angular but full of flawless curves.
"Miss Darling, it's a pleasure to be in your company this evening." I have to hold back a snort at Cato's smooth response. What in Panem happened to the bored expression that he adopts in these situations?
"The pleasure is mine, dear. You two both look gorgeous." She really is laying the flattery on thick, isn't she? But when I meet her kind, bright expression with a scowl, I can see that she really believes it.
"That dress is beautiful, Katniss. Your stylist must be amazing to come up with all those ravishing designs."
"Yes, Cinna is amazing," I say, dropping the hostility. I am surprised at how genuinely nice she is, usually girls like her are more…flirtatious.
"And you, Cato. You look absolutely striking in that suit. Although you're taller than I thought…" The girl turns to him, blinking slowly. I'm not sure if her eyelashes are real or not, they are unusually long.
"Scandalous as always, Rosalie. How many have you gone through since this year's visit?" Cato smirks an acknowledgement at her companion. Rosalie seems amused.
"Rose…" The man at the victor's arm speaks for the first time.
"It's alright, Taye. I love you, remember?" she kisses him quickly and then spins around to face the eager guests and their flashing cameras. They've been watching the whole exchange since it began.
"No cameras, my dolls. And please don't let me interrupt your night, there's no need to stay and watch us."
I nudge Cato as he stares at them kiss again, and he glances at me apprehensively.
"Oh Cato, Cato, Cato." Rosalie steps forward so she is dangerously close to him. The way she says his name makes me nervous. Clipped vowels but long tones, it is said that she spends so much time here in the Capitol that she has picked up half of a Capitol accent.
"You really should be more careful with your sponsors. Refusing their demands and then calling one scandalous…you're standing on the edge, my dear."
Cato:
I stare into the wide blue eyes so close to my own and find nothing but truthfulness. She sponsored me?
Katniss seems just as incredulous. "You sponsored Cato? I thought that mentors couldn't."
"Well, they tweaked the rules this year with a bit of ah…" Rosalie adjusts her dress. She must be looking for trouble. It's so short that her legs seem even longer, and with so many males in the room…
"…persuasion." I clear the thoughts from my head just as she finishes her sentence. She raises an eyebrow at me, letting me know how much she had to do to be able to sponsor. A little too much, from the look she is giving.
Taye and Katniss don't get it yet. Rosalie hasn't chosen someone much special this time, he looks like he's simply a mayor's son or a wealthy heir from one of the districts. Perhaps she chose him since he looks so much like her. Black hair, tanned skin, fine features. The difference is that while he was born dark, Rosalie was pale the last time she made a public appearance. That, and while his eyes are black, hers are a captivating blue. They…they're different from another pair. Different in a good way, deeper than that pale marine that I sometimes still dream about.
"How much money did you bribe them with?" he asks, and I chuckle at his obliviousness. He's shallow-minded, it must be luck that brought him to her attention.
"It doesn't matter. Some things are worth more than money anyways," she says.
Katniss is as innocent as she looks in that flickering dress, and assumes nothing. "So, couldn't his sponsors have done without you?"
I look across the crowd and see several said sponsors glaring at Rosalie and Katniss. Actually, everyone is still watching. They sip their wine and talk amongst themselves but their eyes are wandering.
"Maybe. All I know is that I bought you the antidote for the poison. I had it with me when I went to see your mentor. But Enobaria wouldn't accept it; she said that she didn't want help from a 'beauty queen'."
She pauses, stepping back from me and clutching on to the arm of her companion. Her voice is softer and filled with sorrow.
"If only I had known what would happen at the feast, I would have insisted. I'm so sorry…"
I stand motionless, processing her words.
"Enobaria'd better watch her back." I finally mutter.
"I'm sorry," Rosalie says with dismay.
I think that it's the malnourished past that causes Katniss to ask, "How in the world were you able to buy something so expensive?"
"It's not all about money, Katniss. Nothing's about money. It's useless," Rosalie snaps. "Friendship is worth a mountain of gold. Love is priceless."
"So I could say that the antidote was priceless," she continues.
Just then an Avox approaches and holds out a tray of deserts. I give him a cold stare, now is not the time. He is backing away when the raven-haired victor beckons him forward again.
"I need sugar. Thank you, dear." She takes a slice of cake. "Your eyes are a lovely shade of green. They remind me of Finnick's eyes."
The Avox casts his eyes downwards at the obvious compliment, but turns red as he leaves.
I want to ask "You eat sugar?" But Rosalie looks so tired that I stay silent.
She seems drained and takes a bite of the cake before speaking. "I need to leave now, my dears. I seem to have upset everyone, I'm sorry. I'm not acting like myself tonight."
Katniss:
That's pretty obvious, in the arena four years ago she was so cheerful and bright that it was as if she didn't know that she might be killed any moment. Over the years Rosalie Darling was known as the spark of humor in the pre-Games program. She and Finnick were always shown on television in some form or another and always, always she was smiling.
"Good luck tomorrow, Cato."
"And Katniss…" Rosalie whispers, leaning in. "I didn't touch him tonight, but there's always next year. Take care of him, he's priceless."
She and Taye are gone and whisked away by the mob in moments.
Priceless, she said. Love is priceless. The antidote is priceless. He's priceless.
And…There's always next year.
Oh god. I can only hope that she is right, that she is not herself tonight.
…
"I feel like it's Valentine's Day," I say to Cinna. The final interviews are taking place down the hall in the sitting room, and they've been moving huge vases of roses in all morning.
"I know. That's why I picked this dress for you. Go on now, you'll be fine." My stylist smiles and nudges me towards the open door.
Caesar Flickerman gives me a warm hug when I come in. "Congratulations Katniss. How are you faring?"
"Fine. Nervous about the interview," I say.
"Don't be. We're going to have a fabulous time," he replies, giving my shoulder a reassuring pat.
"I'm not good at talking about myself," I insist.
"I bet that Cato'll have plenty to say about you. Nothing you two say will be wrong," he smiles.
Nothing Cato says will be wrong, but I feel like I'm about to faint. I think.
I haven't seen Cato since last night and when he strides in, confident and handsome in red and white, he immediately says, "Now all we're missing are the wedding bells."
This draws a laugh from everyone, and when one photographer gets up to leave the room, Cato quickly adds, "I was just kidding."
Everyone laughs again, Caesar seems pleasantly surprised at Cato's cheerfulness and announces that they are ready for us. There is no audience, just a few cameras to record the event.
"You look like a dying swan, love," Cato says. I roll my eyes as we sit down on the love seat somewhat formally.
"See? Your dress is beautiful and white, and you have red shoes. A swan," he smirks. I decide to let it slide, but can't pass up the chance to make a crack at him.
"And you look just like a picnic blanket. Red and white, and good for sitting on," I say, and surprising myself with my sudden boldness, I scoot onto his lap.
"Go on, Cato. It looks very sweet when you two sit like that." Caesar smiles, and I kick off my shoes and get comfortable while Cato sighs dramatically.
"The things I have to do to keep up with your unwanted advances." But he puts an arm around me like always and smirks at the crew's chuckling.
Someone counts backwards and we are live, being broadcast to the whole country. Caesar is wonderful, joking, teasing, getting too moved to speak when the occasion presented itself. Cato provides plenty of humor and sarcasm to the interview, and I smile down at my hands while he and Caesar laugh. I don't speak much, of course I answer when asked a question and provide insight on the topics they discuss, but always redirect Caesar's attention to Cato.
Then Caesar starts posing questions that require fuller answers. Cato shifts his legs and I clutch onto his arm to keep from falling off when the announcer says, "Well, Katniss, to me it appeared that you were intrigued from the start. Tributes from outlying districts don't usually join such a powerful alliance. What about Cato caused you to trust him in the first place?"
Erm. I don't even know myself. "That's a hard one…" I laugh weakly.
I'm too embarrassed to explain my fascination with his good looks and confidence, along with his talent.
"Perhaps it was simply an instinct. Sometimes there is no reason for fated lovers to meet, and they do anyways," Caesar says in mysterious tone.
I'll go with that, as silly as it sounds, I know that he is just trying to help me.
"Yes, that must be it. I just felt like I could be safe in the alliance with him there."
"And you were, very safe. He definitely protected you well," he agrees, and I feel Cato's stomach muscles tightening as he shifts again.
I am glad when the next question goes to Cato. To me, staring blankly or smiling into the cameras like past victors did seems too nerve-wracking, so I just look down at my hands.
"And Cato, wow. What a ride for you. I think that the real thrill for the audience was watching Katniss grow on you. At what point did you realize that you loved her?"
Cato is quiet for a moment, considering the question. "I think…it was when she fell into that river. I had no choice but to jump in after her, I couldn't lose her so easily after saving her so many times prior to that."
Behind the cameras I see Enobaria's mouth open in a silent laugh. The way he says it makes it seem like it's my fault that he loved me.
"And I was afraid of what Clove would do once she realized that most of our food was in Katniss' backpack," he says with a smirk.
Everyone laughs at this, and I imagine that all over Panem people are smiling.
"And in the end nothing was in vain and you two had quite the romance going on. What about when you were going to leave her to go after Thresh? What were you feeling?"
"Caesar, you're set on getting something out of me, aren't you?" Cato chuckles. "I wanted her to be safe so that if I died during that fight, she would still be alive and well. What happened to me didn't matter anymore at that point."
Hearing him say it right out like that brings a smile to my face, and I decide that it's time to grace the audience with some of my awkwardness. That, and while Cato is bringing happy tears to the crew's eyes with his answers, I haven't said even close to enough.
"There's no point in me being alive if you were gone," I say.
"Let's not get too deep into this," Cato smirks, but he brings my face to his and we are staring each other in the eye. "Anyways, I hoped that you were holding on to that kiss like I asked. I know that I was."
"God, that was cheesy. Sorry, it just seemed like something that would go well into this conversation. Apparently not." Cato smirks and then kisses me softly, and people in the room sigh.
We continue the interview, Caesar Flickerman seems quite intent on reviewing each occasion in which we kissed, and then goes over the poison and Clove's 'absolutely heart-breaking' death. When he mentions the antidote to the poison, Cato is tense and quivering, and I know that he is thinking about last night. Caesar must know about it, so many people were listening in on our conversation at the banquet.
Finally Caesar signs off and everyone's laughing and hugging and congratulating us. Effie and Haymitch are receiving lots of attention as well.
As we are leaving a cameraman runs into the room, breathing hard. He goes to Caesar and we catch everything that he says from our vantage point at the door.
"Mr. Flickerman, sir. News on Rosalie Darling and Finnick Odair." He stops to catch his breath and the announcer waits with a wide smile.
"Rosalie ended her affair with Taye Helister last night and this morning she and Finnick Odair were seen together. Kissing, it seems."
"Very good. The District 4 lovebirds are at it again. This will be fabulous for this week's show. Thank you."
Cato rolls his eyes and he and Enobaria leave to pack for the train, and I return to my room to gather the few belongings I have here.
There's nothing except for the pin that Madge gave me what seems like an eternity ago. So much has happened in the past few weeks.
I barely have time to say goodbye to Cinna, although I'll see him again in a few months for the Victory Tour, and then they drive us through the streets in this fancy car with dark windows. The train's waiting for us, with two compartments, one for Cato and one for me.
Haymitch doesn't let me talk to Cato until after our enormous dinner with seats set for three, and after Effie, Haymitch, and I all sit down to watch the interview replay.
"Can I go now?" I ask after the screen goes dark. Effie went to bed a while ago, claiming that she had to get a healthy ten hours of rest each night, but Haymitch is still slumped on the couch with his wine.
"Fine, but don't come complaining when that old grump sends you back," he says. I assume that he's talking about Enobaria, Cato's escort is a young man with bright blue hair.
Sure enough, when I knock on his compartment's door, I can hear scuffling and then he and Enobaria are talking quickly in annoyed tones. Finally his mentor opens the door and sniffs down at me.
"Cato is busy, come back tomorrow." Without giving me a chance to speak, she slams the door in my face.
…
I don't get to speak to him until the next morning when the train stops for fuel. Wherever we are, the Capitol has cameras waiting for us and I feel strangely naked in my simple shirt and pants, and the braid that I'm sure Panem has come to know.
Cato stumbles down the steps shirtless, and I roll my eyes.
"No need to show off, Cato." Of course he's as toned as ever.
"I'm not. Enobaria has the temperature below freezing in there." As if this explains everything Cato stops talking and when I touch my hand to his arm it is ice-cold.
"And...?" I prompt.
"She says that it's got something to do with tight muscles, but I think she just likes seeing me suffer," he smirks.
"So, you'll be a mentor when you get home."
"Yes," he says, leaning against the train. I think that whatever method of torture or toning that Enobaria used worked. The females of Panem will be served some eye candy when this footage is broadcasted.
"So is today the last time I see you until the tour?" I ask. Cato will go home as a victor when we arrive at District 2 this afternoon, and then tomorrow night I will be arriving home.
"Yes," he says again, not looking at me.
"What's wrong?" He's acting strangely.
"It's nothing. I think that we can board again. I'll see you later?" I nod as he returns to his compartment as quickly as he arrived out here, and then go back inside as well, dazed.
…
District 2 is just as wealthy as Cato hinted and as expected. From the train station I can see the tops of mansions and pretty trees. And then a huge mountain right in the middle, towering over everything.
Cato was 'busy' again when I went to see him an hour ago, and this is the last time we'll be able to talk in a few months. So when the train pulls to a stop I spring up and run out just as Cato is getting off.
"Katniss?" He has to shout over the roar of the crowd waiting for him, and I look across the well-dressed citizens of District 2, all cheering and screaming his name.
He touches my shoulder and guides me back up the steps into the small hallway between compartments. The door shuts behind us and it is just the two of us.
"Ah, they're a bit loud. I didn't think so many people would show up." He obviously knew that they would though, I can see it from his smirk.
"Stop pretending, Cato." I scowl.
"I'm going to miss that scowl. Make sure that it's still there when I see you again." He gives me that crooked smile and stares at me with those piercing eyes. "Ok?"
I nod, and we are quiet for a moment, just gazing at each other. Cato puts his hand on the latch, ready to exit the train again.
"Wait. Don't go yet," I quickly say. "I have something to tell you."
"What is it, love?" He pauses and I gather up my breath while the muffled cheering continues outside. Cato waits patiently, head tilted.
"I'm not too young," I murmur. It's barely audible but he clearly hears me.
And then Cato blinks and then quickly pins me to the fancy papered wall like that day in the rain, under that tree.
"I know." He fixes me with that brilliant, intense look. "I know."
…
I close my eyes as we melt into paradise.