Author's Note: Hi everyone! Here's chapter sixteen. This took longer to write than I originally planned because I just read an amazing book (Unwind by Neal Shusterman) and felt the need to write a one-shot about it. It's on my profile but I know that most people won't have read the original book so it probably wouldn't make much sense. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, it's the reunion you have (hopefully!) all been waiting for!

Crowd of Two

Chapter Sixteen

Grey's POV

I rub my eyes tiredly as I try and block out the noise of the Capitol people. Although last time I was here I was expected to wave to all the citizens who could be possible sponsors, this time Finnick had given me different advice. "If you don't wave, people will think about how upset you must be about fighting against Cato this year. It might help your sponsorship chances." So here I was walking through a crowd of people with a sad expression on my face and my head tilted down at the ground. The expression wasn't particularly hard to put on, because there was a dark damper on our entire District Four group anyway.

Finnick and I walk side by side into the foyer of the apartment building where all the tributes will be spending their last week. I hear various questions directed at me from Capitol people standing behind barriers, but my old mentor who is also my good friend easily deflects them. Titus and Caria walk a few meters behind us, more interested in getting sponsors and asking the questions given to them. They had instantly stuck together after being reaped, because even though Titus and I had been best friends for years, there was always a tense silence now where before there would have been joking conversation.

We're the only other tributes in the foyer - I suspect they stagger the arrivals so that each district arrives separately and see each other for the first time at the parade - and we are quickly led into an elevator which takes us down to the basement level where our prep teams are waiting. There are two more teams that I don't recognise who gravitate to Caria and Titus and take them away. My team from last year greet and embrace me, and they lead me to a curtained off area with a familiar table in the middle. I can hear the sounds of muffled talking and hisses of pain every once and a while but I can't hear the one person who I'm listening out for.

As I sit through the concoctions my prep team layer onto my body, my mind is brought back to last year where I first saw Cato here. I turn my head in the same way I did then, but the curtains surrounding me are shut and even if Cato happened to me on the other side, he wouldn't want to see me. With a small sigh, I resign myself to lie silently for the rest of the preparation.

I don't see Finnick and the rest of the District Four tributes until I'm dressed in my parade outfit. It's immediately obvious that my outfit is different to theirs but when I try to ask my stylist why this is, she shrugs and states mysteriously that the president asked specifically for the addition. Finnick, Titus and Caria are all wearing outfits with a mixture of blue and green fabric that makes it look like water is rolling off of them when they move. I'm wearing similar, but I have one accessory that they don't: a net that winds its way around my torso, partially obscuring my upper arms.

Titus raises an eyebrow at the net and I shrug my shoulders. Although it was a simple item of clothing there was something about it that made me uneasy and I could tell Titus felt it too. Finnick is either oblivious or he chooses not to make a fuss about it, and without saying anything he quickly herds us towards the chariots where the rest of the tributes are beginning to arrive. I recognise a couple of people from District One, people I know I probably won't be having an alliance with this year.

But because I ran out after District Two's reaping, most of the tributes here are unrecognisable. There's a girl with a sullen expression and short blonde hair who stands alone and looks away as a boy tries and fails to make conversation with her. He catches me staring and gives a grin which makes me look away with a grin. I also catch the gaze of Katniss, who had helped Cato and I back in her district after his punishment, and she gives me a hard expression with a hint of recognition. Haymitch however has no resignations about staying cold to us and he walks over instantly and begins to talk in hushed tones to Finnick, who has become our unannounced leader because of his experience. I assume they are already talking alliances since none of us are going to be invited into the careers because of me.

A Capitol official holding a clipboard suddenly appears and announces that the tribute parade will be starting in a few minutes and it is advisory that we board our chariots. This year each district has two separate chariots, one for victors and one for non-victors. As I board the one designated for Finnick and I, the dark haired victor wraps one arm casually around my shoulders in a protective action. The flirty grin has all but gone this time around, but I know that it will instantly be out as soon as we are in view of the crowds.

I crane my neck to look for Cato but his district is notably absent and I hope he's okay even though I know I shouldn't be thinking about him anymore. Suddenly, a door opens and they come bursting in looking like gods. Enobaria leads the pack, grinning away with her pointed teeth gleaming gold and matching her outfit. The two non-victors, the girl and the tough looking young man I remember as Target walk behind her with equally cold expressions on their faces. And then I see Cato, the boy that caused all of this.

He's been done up during prep so he looks presentable and the bruise on his face has been removed. But the vacant look in his eyes that I can see even from over here proves that he's not completely happy with this arrangement. Like me, I notice, he is wearing an extra accessory. Except that his are two cuffs – one on each wrist – that are plated with gold and connected with a long cord. It instantly gives the impression of imprisonment, as if he has been handcuffed.

Then suddenly his eyes reach mine and he stops abruptly, causing his whole group to stop as well. His mouth has dropped open in shock and his face instantly changes, his eyes suddenly bright and warm as he takes in my appearance. The blonde victor takes a step towards me, his face completely open and revealing. I want to warn him that he shouldn't be showing any weakness, and Finnick's hand on my shoulder feels harder too, as if telling me to not go to him.

Almost at the same time, Enobaria notices that her strongest tribute has been brought to a standstill and I can hear her conspicuously hiss his name.

"Cato, get over here!" She says, staring him down and beckoning him furiously when he turns away from staring at me to grace her with his presence. I'm too far away to hear what he says back to her, but it must anger her even more because without replying, she grabs the cord connecting his possibly-not-decorative cuffs and tugs them, sending him flying forward in the direction she wants him to go.

Cato lets out a growl of anger about being so easily controlled and he doesn't look back at me as Enobaria pulls him all the way onto their chariot. By now, everyone in the room has either stopped to look or is sneaking glances every once and a while, and the attention his submission is getting is obviously making Cato furious because he puts on an evil sneer as his chariot starts to move. It's not until he's disappeared out into the large room where the parade is taking place that I realise what connection his cuffs have with the net surrounding me. This is President Snow's way of controlling us, showing everyone that Cato and Grey, the rebellious victors of the 74th Hunger Games, have been reduced to mere prisoners of the Capitol. Restrained with handcuffs and nets.

The tribute parade goes off without a hitch but once the chariots begin to move away after Snow's speech, I know that I need to talk to Cato. Enobaria sees me looking at him and instantly tries to tug him away while Finnick does the same to me, pulling me towards an empty elevator and away from District two's tribute. Right before he's out of sight, he mouths something to me and I struggle to catch it.

"Roof. Later." I lip read and nod imperceptibly back at him, telling him that I've understood. His face relaxes in relief and he allows himself to be dragged to an elevator nowhere near the one I am in. The doors close and separate our eye contact, and I realise that seeing Cato is going to be much more difficult than I thought.

"I thought we'd discussed this, Grey." Finnick says as soon as we get to our floor and everyone piles off. "You and Cato? That angle isn't going to work this year." His well-meant comment rubs me the wrong way and I turn to face him defensively, speaking loudly and shocking Titus who looks like he was about to try and start a conversation with me.

"An angle, you think this is an angle?! Get with the times Finnick, I love him, okay! Don't pretend you understand because you never had to kill Annie." I hear our escort Domitia gasp at my outburst but before she can scold my terrible manners I run back into the elevator, pressing the close door button multiple times. Finnick runs and tries to get to the door before it closes, but as a parting comment I scream at him.

"Leave me alone Finnick, I don't want to see you!"

As soon as I'm closed in the elevator, I burst into tears and I'm glad that no one is here to witness my breakdown. I seem to be having a lot of those lately. Knowing that Finnick is most likely on the other side of the door pressing the open door button, I quickly press one of the buttons inside so that I start to move. I don't notice that I pressed the button to the roof until the door opens and reveals a view of the night sky illuminated with lights from the Capitol. I walk out onto the roof and I hurry over to the other side, hidden from view so that no one will see me if they come off the elevator. I sit near the edge, having no fear of falling with the knowledge of the force field surrounding and protecting the tributes.

I sit there quietly sniffling for a while and maybe I even rest my eyes at some point, but I sit up with a start when I hear the elevator *ding* as it announces the arrival of someone. Shuffling back into the shadows, I stay quiet.

"Dammit, I really thought she would come…" An all too familiar voice drifts over to me and I'm up in an instant, running and throwing myself into Cato's arms. He steps back in surprise but doesn't let go of me and instead grips me tighter, kissing me passionately as a welcome.

Once we split and he lowers me back onto the ground, his arms still wrapped round my waist, I free one arm and slap him hard in the face. Twice.

"What was that for?" He says indignantly, his face displaying the shock he's feeling.

"The first one was because you never called me while we were separated after the tour. And the second one is because you idiotically volunteered again. This would have never happened if you had just kept your silly mouth shut! I-" Cato silences me by pressing his lips against mine for the second time in a minute. He smiles softly when we pull apart and he rests his forehead against mine.

"I'm sorry." He whispers. "I'm so sorry Grey. They made me. They made me do everything. I'm so sorry."

Cato gently lifts me off the ground and carries me over to where I was hiding before, sitting down and pulling me onto his lap even when I growl in protest. He can't just walk in and have my forgiveness. My relief at him just being here has all disappeared.

"Let me explain, okay? First of all, my father wouldn't let me talk to you until you called. I spent a lot of time at the academy, but I mean you never called me either…" I sit up with a start.

"What? But I did call you! I talked to your father, and he said you would call when you had time..." His mouth drops open in shock.

"I had no idea my father was so… so." He growls. "He never even told me you called. Everyone was trying to persuade me to go back into the games. My father, my trainers, everyone said it was time to move on and win the games like I was meant to have done last year. My father even dared to say you wouldn't be reaped this year. He promised me and he lied."

I hug him tightly to me and we sit in each other's arms in silence after that. Neither of us had known until now how much everyone really wanted to keep us apart. We both knew that this would probably be the last time we would be able to get time alone. We would go into the games and one – or both of us – would die there. Cato gently strokes my hair and winds his fingers through it as he presses his head into the crook of my neck. I close my eyes and we both sit together, not needing to talk on our last night together. His head gets heavy after a while and I realise that he's fallen asleep like this. I smile at his gentle snoring and rub my thumb along his hand while he sleeps.

Part way through the night, Cato wakes with a start and nudges me gently. He helps me stand up and we walk to the elevator with our hands held. We go down to the fourth floor but before I can leave, Cato brings me into his arms one last time and whispers into my hair.

"I love you Grey and I will never stop loving you, even when a sword pierces my chest." I smile back and whisper a reply.

"I love you too, Cato. Forever and always. We'll find each other in the arena somehow, I know we will." And as I step out of the elevator into the silent and dark floor that houses my district, I look back to see Cato nod before the doors slide shut on him.